Carven's Table

I haven't been writing for a long while, simply due to the reason that I wasn't inspired to write about the average food quality in Perth. I may be wrong on this, but nothing was exciting in Perth that makes me jump off my seats and yell O-M-G! While my brain got stuck generating genuine thoughts of the food in Perth, I traveled overseas to refresh my passion for food and of course to see the world. And man, did I have a good time, hell yeah! Great time! Mercado La Boqueria, Barcelona  Yes, I was in Europe for a couple of months and I was wowed from left to right, top to toe. Seeing all those food produce and their way of life, i've never been this inspired before. While visiting those market, I wish I was staying at a place where I was able to cook, I can't get my hands on all those new ingredients. Cured meat, Spain Fortunately for Perth, there are a few new places sprung up whilst I was gone. I am impressed with how the food and coffee scene in Perth pr...

Brand new start In the past, I failed miserably at growing plants, flowers, herbs and all things green. I think I've inherited my mom's gene - the 'No Green Hands' gene. I always love the idea of having a lushful herb garden at my backyard, so whenever I need the herbs for cooking, I'll be able to get them just right at my doorstep. Unfortunately for me, I've never succeeded in growing them. They were all dead after a month or so, or they just slowly dry out under the hot sun. Perhaps I didn't shower them with much love and care. On my New Year Resolution this year, I've included 'growing herbs successfully' into my long list of personal achievement for the year of 2011. Went to Bunnings on a fine day, bought packets of potting mix, fertiliser, mulch and seeds. Instead of spending money on planting pots, I've decided using recycle material from various dairy bucket. Drilling holes at the bottom for easy drainage. As I am quite determin...

The unassuming black fungus It's been two months when Perth Foodie had fun drinking and eating at Perth Good Food & Wine Show , and of course some of us bought ourselves a piece of truffle, trying to experiment with this aromatic fungus at home. Most of them cooked with it straight away once they got it, but for me I tried to freeze it and bring it back to Malaysia, where my family members could try it.   This piece of truffle that I bought weigh 15grms and it cost me $30, it's so tiny that you don't really want to use it. Anyway, I tried freezing it in hope that it will taste the same after 2 months of harvesting. After 5.5hours of flying plus a few hours extra for airport check-in and check-out, the first thing I did when I got home was to check it out. To my horror, it was completely thawed, wet and soft, I wasn't sure if it's ok but let's just hope. (Notice the white line through the truffle are not there anymore, now it looks like a piece of black ...

Traveled back home to Malaysia over the weekend, it had been great so far celebrating cousin's 21st (tons of food at the party), stuffing my face with Durian, going to Ramadan Bazaar first time ever in my life for traditional Malay food. In the past 2 days I was pretty much feast upon variety of food non stop to the brim, it was good for the palate but not that good for my waist line! Ramadan Bazaar However, in the last 6 hours I had the Fright of My Life - realising that I couldn't find my passport, I might have drop it, lost it or was being stolen. The idea of not being able to travel out of the country in the next 5 -10 yrs was frightening, it is as bad as imprisonment. After searching my room for a good few hours, shedding bucket tons of tears, scalp scratching and what not, my passport appeared somewhere hidden by me, of which I can't seems to recall. I couldn't believe my eye, holding my passport close to my heart as though it is my baby, I had to scream to r...