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I've been craving for Lao Ban Beancurd (老伴豆花) for the past few weeks, finally indulging myself with these goodies in the past two days :) My favorite is the almond flavor which is slightly more expensive ($2) than the original ($1.50) but totally worth it. I love the almond aroma that linger in my mouth after each sinful bite.

Lao Ban Beancurd caused a stir back in 2010 as the first stall to sell chilled beancurd in Old Airport Road. The queue could get as long as an hour wait! Six years forward, they now have more than 10 branches all over Singapore.

The reasons why they are so successful are because of their smooth, silky texture with a top crusty tofu skin layer that taste more like crème brulee than the typical tau huay. It seriously just melt in your mouth. Netizens even try to replicate the same taste at home by experimenting with their own recipes.

And incase you are wondering, Lao Ban means 'Old Companion' （老伴）, although the hanyu pinyin may sounds like 'Boss' (老板).

Eat - Monday, August 31, 2015

Savouring Cold, Sweet Lao Ban Beancurd (老伴豆花) On A Hot Day Like This

I've been craving for Lao Ban Beancurd (老伴豆花) for the past few weeks, finally indulging myself with these goodies in the past tw...

August seems to be a celebratory month, we have National Day, National Dog Day and on August 30 we have International Whale Shark Day - a day to celebrate, educate and promote whale sharks' conservation.

Some interesting facts about whale sharks:

Whale sharks are the largest fish on the planet. An adult can grow up to 14m - the size of a double decker bus.
While the name confuses many, whale sharks are actually sharks and not whales.
They are filter feeders and feed mainly on plankton, krill and small fish.
They have tiny 6mm long teeths.
Each whale shark has a unique skin pattern, which make it easy for researchers to track them.
It is still unknown how whale sharks reproduce which pose serious extinction concerns.

Back in 2013, we had our own personal encounters with these gentle giants in the beautiful Philippines island, Cebu. This is something I have in my bucket list ever since I saw it on a travel documentary. The experience is just so amazing, I would never imagine having a chance to get so close up with these beautiful creatures. Whale shark tourism has always been controversial, please do it responsibly and make sure you do not harm them in any way.

There are a few places in Philippines to see whale sharks but we chose to visit Oslob in Cebu as it allowed you to snorkel and swim with them.

Before the swim, participants are briefed on the dos and donts (no sunscreen, flash photography, petting...). Sadly, most visitors do not adhere to the guidelines. We witnessed people swimming close up to the fishes, some even try to touch them. Another concern was the number of boats vs whale sharks vs visitor ratio. There were too many boats and too many people! We went on both a Sunday and Monday and there were significantly more people on a Sunday. Another major concern was the whale sharks dependent on the fishermen for food which may jeopardize their hunting nature - without these fishermen, will they know how to hunt for food?

On the other hand, the whale shark tourism has also contributed tremendously to Oslob's income (around 1000 peso/pax for a 20 mins swim). In the past, fishermen detest these polka dots creatures as they eat up their bait or scare away the fishes they have been trying to catch. Now, they are compassionate to them and learn to live and 'work' with them. We even heard stories about how local fishermen protect them from illegal hunters.

If you do want to swim with these gentle giants, do remember the dos and donts. And if possible, avoid going on a weekend.

Celebrate - Sunday, August 30, 2015

Snorkelling With Whale Sharks in Oslob, Cebu

August seems to be a celebratory month, we have National Day, National Dog Day and on August 30 we have International Whale Shark Day - a...

Photo taken in Punggol Waterway Park #sgflowers

Scientific Name: Lantana Camara
Also Known As: Big Sage, Wild Sage, Red Sage, Tickberry
Despite its beautiful colors, these flowers are well known as notorious weed - often out-compete other more desirable species, leading to a reduction in biodiversity.
Uses: It's stalks have been used in the construction of furniture, such as chairs and tables; however, the main uses have historically been medicinal and ornamental.The lantana plant is used in essences for healing issues surrounding sexual dysfunction and obsessive-compulsive disorders. The essence is meant to calm extremes of sexual repression or perversion.
Symbolic Meaning: As it is a hardy perennial plant, it is generally associated with rigor.

Plant - Saturday, August 29, 2015

Flower Of The Day: Lantana Camara

Photo taken in Punggol Waterway Park #sgflowers Scientific Name: Lantana Camara Also Known As: Big Sage, Wild Sage, Red Sage, Tickbe...

5 Things About National Dog Day:

National Dog Day was founded in 2005 by Colleen Paige to help galvanize the public to recognize the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year.
National Dog Day was celebrated on the 26 August for the past 11 years, however it will be officially changed to 31 August from 2016 - out of respect for the Women Equality Day that falls on the same day.
National Dog Day can be marked as many a dog’s birthday for those rescued on the day.
Adopt a dog, donate food and toys to welfare organisations.... there are many ways to celebrate National Dog Day - read here for more.
Upload a photo of how you are celebrating with your fur kid and hashtag #NationalDogDay and #DogDayIG

Please visit www.nationaldogday.com to learn more about the National Dog Day.

..And I love you baby even though you barely keep your eyes open for more than 10mins whenever I try to take awesome photos of you....-___-

Celebrate - Friday, August 28, 2015

Happy National Dog Day !

5 Things About National Dog Day: National Dog Day was founded in 2005 by Colleen Paige to help galvanize the public to recognize the nu...

What is Tau Suan?
Tau Suan is a popular and cheap dessert (< S$2) in Singapore made of mung beans / green beans. For those health conscious out there, it is around 270-300 calories (including you tiao) for a bowl of this goodie. If you ask me, totally worth it!

Why do we love it?

It is an easy to make dessert that makes you feel good when you consume in a hot and humid climate like Singapore. Check out this easy recipe from Noob Cook here.
The best part I love about Tau Suan is the you tiao (fried dough fritters) topping - crunchy and yummilicious!
Chinese physicians believe mung beans are able to clear heat and prevent heat-stroke. It is important to release heat from the hot weather to avoid getting constipation, headache, fatigue etc...
Mung beans are powerful cleansers that help to detox your liver, kidney and other organs. These powerful beans actually help us to clear toxins from the body and blood!
Mung beans has a 'cooling' effect even though it is a hot dessert. For those with acne and skin problems, mung beans cool down the heat that cause acne and excessive sebum. Ever heard of mung beans face mask? ;)

City Hawker Food Hunt is currently running a contest to find the hawker stall with the best Tau Suan.You can vote for your favourite Tau Suan hawker stall (now till 6 September) for the "Best of the Best Hawker Stall Award" to win some cool prizes. ;)

Eat - Thursday, August 27, 2015