Sorbetto top and a vest

I completed 2 sewing projects recently.

First is the sorbetto top. You can download the free pattern and the wonderfully clear instructions from sarai’s blog. The blog has recently also shared on how to do variation for this top and Mena  has this 7 days sorbetto with 7 versions of this top. Amazing! Am definitely going to try another such variation of this top with all these inspirations.

Pardon me for the wrinkled top:

This is an easy top to make and to save time, I bought bias tape for the arm and collar binding. And to add details to the box pleat on this top, I hand sew a lace strip on. The fabric used was broad cloth bought from spotlight.

The second one is the vest I made for Zachary’s recent concert. The pattern is from Burda style 9990. Used black linen with gingham cotton for the lining. Quite easy one to do except I had some problem with the back facing and I could not avoid some puckering while turning over the facing.

 

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Some recipes to share

I am so so behind in my posting lately. Lots of drafted posts but just no energy to log on when home especially so when I am chasing after the masterchef australia and desperate housewives serials. Plus my laptop battery is spoilt. Ok, no further excuses and please let me share with you some food I made the past month.

The first one is this sesame crusted salmon with honey soba. Found this recipe from a local food blogger. Check out her blog for all the wonderful recipes she shared. Her yam cheesecake was been featured on newspaper too.

I really love the cold honey soba. Sweet and tasty. Sesame crusted salmon was also a combination that I tried for the first time; not bad at all.

Recipe extracted from maameemoomoo blog:

Sesame Crusted Salmon with Cold Honey Soba
(serves 4 small eaters)
300g soba
1 tsp sea salt
3 – 4 x 150g salmon fillet with skin on
1 tbsp white sesame seed
1 tbsp black sesame seed
(A)
5 tbsp soy with dried bonito extract
3/4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3/4 tbsp sesame oil
2 1/2 tbsp honey
To serve
fried nori, optional
wasabi, optional
nanami togarashi, optional
Method
1. Cook the noodles in a large saucepan of boiling water for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Drain, return to the saucepan with ingredient (A) and toss to coat.
2. Refrigerate noodles for at least an hour.
3. 15 minutes before meal, marinate salmon with sea salt for 10 minutes.
4. Place the sesame seeds on a tray and mix to combine. Press salmon, skin-side down, into the sesame seeds to coat.
5. Heat a large non stick frying pan over medium heat and cook the salmon, skin-side down for 3 minutes or so. Turn and cook for a further 2 minutes or until cooked to your liking.
6. Top noodles with fried nori, salmon and scallions.
7. Serve with wasabi and nanami togarashi immediately.
Note : if you dislike your noodles cold, just skip the refrigerating bit and you’ll have warm noodles with your salmon.

And the second recipe to share here is the osmanthus jelly. I have been in love with this dessert when I tried it in Hong Kong this time. So since I came back, I started finding out how to make it. It is a truly very refreshing dessert and has very nice osmanthus fragrance.

Recipe:
10g Konnyaku Jelly Powder (I used Red man brand)
210g sugar (per  instruction of the powder packet)
950ml Water (per  instruction of the powder packet)
2-3 teaspoons dried osmanthus flowers
Wolfberry (optional)
Steps:

1. Add osmanthus flowers to water. Using medium heat, wait for it to boil.
2. Combine 210g sugar and 10g Konnyaku Jelly powder in separate bowl. Leave aside.
3. When water is boiling, switch to a lower heat and drain approximately half of the osmanthus flowers (Do not discard, leave aside).
4. Add in blended sugar and jelly powder gradually into the water and stir constantly to prevent lumps.
5. When the entire portion of blended sugar and jelly powder dissolved, keep stirring till water boils again.
6. Remove from heat and add in the flowers (that was removed in step 3 earlier on) and stir for a while.
7. Put some wolfberry at the base of jelly mould if you like. (remember to soak them in water for around 20 minutes before use).
8. Pour the mixture into mould.
9. Wait for it to cool down a little before transferring into fridge.

And lastly, Heng Hwa Bee Hoon. I got the recipe from ‘Food and Travel Magazine’ may 11 issue. The extremely thin bee hoon and dried seaweed shreds are bought from ‘Pu tien’. I really love this dish although standard of which is still far behind that of ‘Pu tien’. If you are cooking up this, be mindful how much liquid these bee hoon will soak up.

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