P.Osh, Author at P.Osh

Cheese cake #wefie.

There are frozen cheese cakes all over the place, because–well–it is probably the easiest way to make a cheese cake. Sometimes, such cakes are called “no-bake” cheese cakes. Just soften cream cheese, throw stuff in, and freeze it back.

But not so for P.Osh cheese cakes; while they are finally frozen, they were not made by freezing–and that is one huge difference! After using a traditional blending technique, our cakes are baked carefully for an extended period of time. The setting of our cheese cakes is a delicate process that paves the way for freezing to create a unique texture that cannot be found anywhere else. Bake, then freeze. This process is lengthy and tedious, but every bit worthwhile once you have tasted and felt the end product. The texture is somewhat like ice-cream–but better, according to the many who swear by our cheese cakes–and you would have to keep coming back because there is no one on our scale crazy enough to do cheese cakes like we still do.

Back when we started, the internet was young with undeveloped content; Facebook had just launched and there was no such thing as smartphones, WhatsApp, or Instagram. The business of selling cakes was still very traditional where we would bake what we thought we could sell, keep the stock, and try to sell it as fresh as possible. There was no way to reach out directly to customers or notify them as soon as something they loved came out of the oven. We can now, and we feel it is time for a change in terms of how we sell our cheese cakes.

We plan to bake a cheese cake flavour each week and just before it is ready for sale, we will notify interested lovers of our cheese cakes via WhatsApp and Instagram to make pre-orders within a couple of days. Best of all, such deserving customers will be given exclusive discounts only released on these platforms. Pre-orders will be taken via our webstore, and any stock unreserved will then be released to walk-in customers at our shops or webstore. In this way, those who appreciate the most will be given the best and freshness levels will be upped a notch.

Age-old traditions make awesome cheese cakes–and we cannot compromise. But we will learn and break tradition when it comes to making you happy. Enjoy our cheese cakes!

To be notified of fresh cheese cakes for sale and for access to exclusive cheese cake discounts, please use one–or both–of the following platforms:
1. WhatsApp – Add “90070014” to your phone Address Book and then send us a WhatsApp text to add your number to our Broadcast List.
2. Instagram – Look for @poshbegood and “Follow” us to receive our posts.

We’ve had these Christmas Goodies available for order since early November, and we finally get a chance to put it online. Truth is, we have been swamped with corporate orders and wanted to make sure we could be steady before allowing more orders. So here we are, this is the flyer that has been distributed at our outlets for the last month:

Just a few words:
Brownie Party – Maybe we have hit the sweet spot with this one. Our good old honest Chewy Brownie–lots of it–with two delicious fillings to choose from. Excitement you can trust–are we selling cars now? =P  And, a wonderful dark chocolate coating on the sides just helps to keep the brownie moist for longer–something we could all do with especially when enjoying brownies over a few days of celebration!

Fruit Cup-Cake – Smaller sized packing makes it great for gifting, but also for eating without the hassle of how to keep the remainder if it were a larger fruit cake. The fruit cake itself is good as ever, and the new non-alcoholic drizzle is super-awesome. This “cup-cake” is simply flying this year; you could try to order, but we might be sold out already.

Alright, enjoy the holidays, and Happy Christmas from all of us at P.Osh! =)

We are super, super, pumped to finally introduce our very own loyalty programme! But at the same time, we are somewhat sheepish… because we are kinda LATE! Honestly, countless fans have been imploring us for a discount/loyalty/rewards/just-gimme-something card for the past few years. Oops. That’s long… But enough moping already, we have heard you, and here we are now!

Because our ardent supporters have waited this long, we can only hope to make it better by offering unbelievable  rewards for our hardcore P.Osh fans. The P.Osh loyalty card is something mind-blowingly good. You would almost need to read the details twice to ensure you aren’t dreaming. But anyway, there are just two simple main points, which we will briefly explain:

1. One FREE brownie per day for the validity period.
Yes, come every day, and get a free brownie Every. Single. Day. Premium Brownie, Chewy Brownie, or any Chewy Brownie with standard toppings. Don’t bother to whip out your calculator (but you are going to anyway, heh); it’s gonna be oh-so-worth-it. Especially for that “lifetime” one. Real P.Osh fans will likely dive in for that “lifetime” membership, and we know brownie monsters will go crazy, especially when there’s a cap of only 200 of those memberships. =) Oh yes, you can also buy someone a lifetime’s supply of brownies for their birthday–if it makes them happy!

2. Storewide 20% off retail prices, no minimum spend requirement.
Customised brownies, brownies with toppings for events, cheese cakes, cookies, milkshakes, food, everything but the kitchen sink (and the cash register!) for a cool 20% off regular prices. We aren’t joking, and we know that you Customised Brownies birthday cake lovers and frozen cheese cake fanatics are simply gonna love this. If you have been buying our stuff for years, start saving money right now!

The programme is called “The P.Osh Society”, and members will be issued a digital card that can be conveniently “carried” around in their smartphones. Since the card is non-transferable, a form of identification will be needed whenever the digital card is used.

These are the two membership options with special introductory prices till 31 October 2015:
2-year membership for $88.00 (limited to 500 memberships)
Lifetime membership for $200.00 (limited to 200 memberships)

Hurry, don’t wait, especially when you’ve already waited this long! =)

Click HERE to purchase a membership; whilst stocks last!

Click HERE to view complete Terms and Conditions.

We love food (you know that), and so when the opportunity arises, we love talking to cooks and chefs of all kinds of food establishments. When that starts, we sometimes discover new dishes, or dishes done with a little extra something, that make for super-awesome off-menu items! And because they are off-menu, you only know them because you’ve seen them here… Let’s call these… “Food Hacks”. =)

On the third floor of Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre, you will find this little kitchen (affectionately called “小厨” in Mandarin). In the first place, you might have never heard about this old shopping centre; and then, you might never ever think of venturing up to the third floor–especially if a quick Google search tells you that this place is like a “ghost town”. But, steady your hearts and persevere on, for it will be worth it!

The other important thing is that you would have to use this “food hack” only after 2:15PM. Why so? Well, simply, because before that time, the auntie/chef has no time for your fun and games. =P During the lunch hours, this kitchen sells many Singaporean noodle dishes (like Lor Mee, Prawn Mee, Wanton Mee, etc.) as well as Mixed Vegetable Rice with a modest range of dishes. These are not too bad, and definitely worth the try if you happen to be in the area.

But, you aren’t here for those. We are here for something that isn’t listed on their menu–午餐肉炒饭 (Luncheon Meat Fried Rice). And, if you see their fried egg omelette from the Mixed Vegetable Rice selection, it is imperative that you ask the auntie to fry some of that into the dish.

This is what you will get (there will be more egg if you do ask for it). This fried rice also owes its success to an ingredient that is typically missing in the fried rice of this day and age. Remember when fried rice had small fresh prawns fried into it? Slowly, prawns disappeared and were replaced by mock vegetarian flour substitutes and other stuff of like nature. And we’ve pretty much gotten used to that mediocrity.

Here, you get large chunks of very fresh and juicy prawns wok-fried into your rice. Why? Because this little kitchen also sells Prawn Mee, and it is must for them to have large, fresh, and juicy prawns. And since they don’t keep the prawns overnight, after lunch hours, all these yummy prawns find their way into your fried rice! YESSsss! =) Finally, the power-ups of luncheon meat and additional eggs just make this fried rice a true knockout winner! Luncheon Meat & Egg Fried Rice = 88 Brownie Points! ($4.00)

There’s a reason why we keep coming back; “haunt” status for us!

Yun Nam Kitchen
756 Upper Serangoon Road
Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre
#03-21
Singapore 534626
Hack Hours:
2:15PM to 4:00PM

The first thing that caught our eye was the Mandarin sign in thick, bright-red strokes that said “BIG PRAWN MEE” (or “noodles”, if you have a problem with mee–haha…). Well, if you can’t miss the sign, you better not miss the food. We ordered “Dry” because we would be getting the “Soup” separately anyway, and so kill two birds with a stone.

When we were asked to pay $2.50, we thought the auntie had made a mistake! A bunch of thick yellow noodles, 2 prawns, fish cake slices, and lean pork slices and crispy fat PLUS a bowl of refillable soup… this was already working out even before tucking in. Soup was tried first–oh, the soup… It was dark brown, thick, and brothy; meaty flavour from the pork and sweet natural essence from the prawns. Apparently the soup is that good because it is prepared from some original traditional recipe.

Next up was the bowl of “Dry” noodles. Tossing it up with their blend of sauces and stuffing as many ingredients as we could into every mouthful, it was yummy. The prawns were fresh; everything was fresh–even the crispy fat which was light-golden in colour seemed to be freshly deep-fried. When it all comes together perfectly, you will understand what those large Mandarin words say. =) “Dry” Prawn Noodles = 83 Brownie Points! ($2.50)

We will definitely be back here! Does what it says; what else could you ask for?

Simply Noodles
Block 66, Kallang Bahru
#01-473
Singapore 330066
Tel: +65 9634 1193
Opening Hours:
6:30AM to 4:30PM

Wandering in Kallang, we came across this wonderful little Satay shop.

“Est since 1974”–anything older than you, you had better take seriously. =) So we paused for a closer look… and asked the Malay auntie, “What is Satay Kahwin ah?” She started to crane her neck trying to peek around us, “Ohhh, just now that man buy lah… where ah… where is he ah…” Nevermind–if someone just bought it, we’re not getting left behind; so we ordered Satay Kahwin and of course, a few sticks of different Satay.

Impression forms such a major part of any food experience, and we must say that this shop has got most of their impressions right.

A motherly Malay auntie dressed in her traditional baju kurung, diligently fanning the hot charcoal grill; a beautiful flame that crackles and spits every time fat from the meat drips onto the red-hot coals below; glistening sticks of succulent meat caramelising in the intense heat… It is going to be good, is it not?

The Satay did not disappoint. Hot from the grill no more than 5 metres from where we were sitting, the tender savoury grilled meat did justice to everything else we had seen. We also noted that the meat on each stick felt full and substantial, unlike some Satays that have more bamboo than meat. Mixed Satay = 79 Brownie Points! ($0.50 per stick)

The finale was, of course, the Satay Kahwin.

Kahwin in Malay means “to get married”. Well, in food, it would have to mean “fusion”, where different things are put together. This was four sticks of Satay, Ketupat, Onions, and Cucumbers tossed together into a dish, and topped generously with Keropok and Peanut Sauce. This is simply brilliant–but do forgive us if we are the last few people who realised this wheel was invented–because the variety of tastes and textures makes this a joy to eat. Better still, as the Keropok soaks up the Peanut Sauce, their tastes combine while a new texture develops… Genius. =)

All mixed up, for a better look at Genius. Satay Kahwin = 83 Brownie Points! ($2.50) The Singaporean in us couldn’t help but realise that since there were four sticks of Satay in this, everything else cost $0.50–mindblown.

This Satay shop sells great Satay; what else could you ask for?

Warung HJ Morsode
Block 69 Geylang Bahru
Geylang Bahru Market & Food Centre
#01-2887
Singapore 330069
Tel: +65 9829 7073
Opening Hours:
12:00PM to 6:00PM (Satay available)
8:00AM to 6:00PM (Mee Soto, Mee Rebus, Soto Ayam, etc.)

What’s in a name? WHAt’s in a NAMe? WHA NAMe? HWA NAMe? HWA NAM? HUA NAM?

You know what, they’re so badass they can’t be bothered. If you are coming from further out, you’d see “HWA NAM RESTAURANT”, and so be it. And if you happened to walk down from along the five-foot-way, you’d see “HUA NAM RESTAURANT”–and that is really your problem.

If you noticed the main signboard above the shopfront, you would even see the owner’s name right there on a notice in the four major languages of Singapore; “so-and-so is licensed to sell by retail intoxicating liquors for consumption on these premises.” Like a boss; very nice. What were you selling again?!

Well, we’ve eaten here for years, and so closer observation in a different light does bring a lot of chuckles. If you notice the eagle-eyed boss staring at you from behind the front counter bastion, don’t be alarmed; he simply suspects you are a cowboy from out of town–he knows very well–badass places attract badass people.

Hua Nam sells “Hong Kong” Dim Sum and Pastries, Fish or Chicken Porridge, Roasted Meats with Rice, and an extensive range of Zi Char dishes. They have been around for a long time, and so you will see many regular customers coming in to take away Dim Sum and pastries. It is very important for Dim Sum to have good turnover, so that the delicate wheat starch or rice flour skins do not become soggy and sticky, and the fillings are not overcooked or start to smell of the wooden steamer baskets.

The selection we got was fresh and what you would expect to eat when going for Dim Sum. Fillings were succulent and sufficiently distinct in taste to make each dish enjoyable and satisfying. The beautiful thing about Dim Sum is that you are able to eat morsels of foods with different flavours in a few rounds–a “carousel of indulgence”, if you will. And this we had even with the light selection we had.

Another favourite here is their fried rice–and more specifically the luncheon meat fried rice. Yes, it isn’t the most healthy… But with the healthy amount of wok hei and the familiar comforting flavour of luncheon meat, this fried rice is one that will surely bring you back to your younger days of such simple pleasures!

Hua Nam Restaurant = 82 Brownie Points!

There’s a reason why we keep coming back; “haunt” status for us!

Hua Nam Restaurant
244-F Upper Thomson Road
Thomson Garden Estate
Singapore 574369
Tel: +65 6453 3645
Opening Hours:
7:00AM to 11:30PM
Closed on Mondays

If you do a Google search, you would realise that there are more than 2 million pages claiming to have the best buttercream frosting recipe! But right here, right now, we are going to give you the true, real, undisputed, undeniable, absolute best one. =P  But truth be told, how was this magnificent frost spell bequeathed to us? It was an order from a master–well, actually it was an order from a customer. =)  They were going to use our brownies in small cute jars–inter-layered with pretty sprinklies and butttttercream frosting–as some fun food activity.

So off to the workshop we went… And we are going to share our yummy secrets with you! If you bake at home–cupcakes, sponge cakes, layered cakes, rolled cakes, brownies (but you really should just get them from this place called P.Osh…), cookies–try this out and let us know how it goes!

First, some basics. We use a mixture of butter and margarine because margarine is more stable in warmer temperatures, and our sunny Singapore isn’t the coolest of places (temperature-wise!). Using purely butter may cause the buttercream to be overly soft or even oily and wet when the temperature goes up, causing it to be very difficult to use and maintain. Yet, we can’t totally remove butter as we need it to provide that good richness and creaminess that you can’t find anywhere else. You may play with the ratio of Butter to Margarine based on where your final product is going to be hanging out: indoor air-conditioned or outdoor shade, etc. There is the last resort of using some shortening in the fat mix when the product is going to be in really warm temperature, because shortening is exceptionally stable at room temperature–it would even not melt in your mouth (body temperature), so just imagine what happens when it goes into your body. And that is terrible for us; run far away from shortening if you had the choice.

Sugar content must strictly be Powdered. Powdered Sugar “stabilises” the fat so that it is able to easily accommodate air beaten in, resulting in a soft and fluffy frosting. It also provides a structure for your frosting when it is used. The sugar on the outer surface of the product also crystallises when exposed to air, forming a nice slight crust. More sugar makes the frosting more stable; but be careful, too much sugar makes your frosting go grainy and tough, making it difficult to spread or pipe.

Vanilla Essence gives flavour and balances the richness of the fat and the sweetness of the sugar. Milk gives it another dimension of richness. Milk and Vanilla Essence also add moisture to your frosting so that it is smooth and creamy, which makes it easy to use. You may play with these wet and dry ingredients (sugar) to make the exact texture that you require.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (enough to top about 10 standard cupcakes)
40 g Butter
60 g Margarine
300 g Powdered Sugar (or Icing Sugar)
10 ml Vanilla Essence (or 2 tsp)
10 ml Milk

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (enough to top about 10 standard cupcakes)
40 g Butter
60 g Margarine
200 g Powdered Sugar (or Icing Sugar)
100 g Cocoa Powder
10 ml Vanilla Essence (or 2 tsp)
10 ml Milk

Directions
1. In a large bowl, add Butter, Margarine, Powdered Sugar, and Cocoa Powder (if making Chocolate Frosting) and combine with a spoon or electric mixer. Go slow at this time because you do not want a sugar or chocolate cloud floating around your home!

2. Once combined, increase speed of mixer (or hand… haha!) to medium to mix thoroughly. Scrape the base of the bowl to ensure consistency in the resulting mixture.

3. Add Vanilla Essence and Milk and mix with electric mixer at high setting (at this point, if you are using your hand, you may wish to purchase an electric mixer). This final mixing at high speed incorporates air into the frosting; do not over-beat the mixture, stop after 10 seconds.

4. Taste and feel for texture. For taste, add more of preferred ingredients if needed, keeping in mind proportions according to the basics mentioned above. For texture, you want to make sure that the frosting is smooth and spreadable. If too dry, mix in Milk a few drops at a time. If too wet, mix in a little bit of Powdered Sugar.

Use what you need, and remember to keep your excess frosting in airtight bags so that it does not lose moisture, which will cause it to harden on the outside and become grainy when the sugars crystallise. The frosting can be kept in the refrigerator for several days. When required for use, simply take out of the refrigerator and allow to warm up to room temperature. Never heat the frosting directly; if you need it warmed up quick, prepare a bowl of warm water and immerse the bag in it.

Happy Frosting, and till the next time,
Be good.

Having opened in Kovan since October 2013, walking into this place felt like strolling into our own backyard and finding a bustling carnival operating secretly for years without our knowledge. How did we miss this?!

The name “KNUCKLES” might give a slight hint about what is sold here, but the décor of the place gives nothing away. Even then, the place–by its smart use of tables and wooden furniture–exudes a simple rustic charm that is open and inviting.

Being woody isn’t the most interesting thing about this place, what we were most interested to find out was that one of the founders was a Master Butcher in an international chain hotel in Singapore for over a decade up till recently–soon after he started this place. With all that experience, little wonder that the burger patties and sausages are prepared in-house according to their own secret recipes! Well, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so, here we go…

The first dish we tried was Knuckles’s Beef Burger. It had a homemade beef patty, cheese, runny-side-up egg, and greens trying madly to balance and squeeze themselves in between two sides of a soft buttery bun. With that incredibly juicy and flavourful patty, this is some serious yummy stuff. Cheese always goes well, but enrich the whole experience with a runny yolk, and you’ve got yourself a winner of a burger. It’s so good that it begs a certain regret–if only it was bigger… or maybe just give me two of that! Rawr. One other thing: we wonder why potato chips are the carbs or choice when there are fries available on the menu. Surely hot fries would make this dish a beast! We get carried away by footnotes. Back to the main point, a very satisfying real beef burger that packs a mighty punch! (ooh, another reason for “knuckles”?) Served with simple greens and potato chips. Knuckle’s Beef Burger = 76 Brownie Points! ($10)

Next up was this whole German pork knuckle that really gives such a wonderful sense of occasion and would be suitable for any gathering whether special or casual.

It looked really well done; golden-browned nicely with proper crackling in all the right places. If you forget to buy a birthday cake, this knuckle would do just fine with a birthday song. After you’re done, get it cut up and plated for serving.

On the serving plate, mashed potatoes, Sauerkraut (fermented finely cut cabbage), and a dipping sauce are added. As you can see, the skin of the pork knuckle is crushes under the pressure of the cutting knife. And as you cannot tell from the picture, it’s texture is crisp to perfection when crushed between teeth. The meat itself is good, but dip it into the sauce with each mouthful and you get an irresistible combination. The Sauerkraut’s light acidity cuts through all the fatty goodness that has built up, and pushes the “reset” button of your tastebuds–ready to go at it again! Where else are you going to get such a dish in a simple setting? Definitely worth the try, whether in a single portion or as a whole knuckle. German Pork Knuckle = 80 Brownie Points! ($10 for single portion; $30 for whole knuckle)

We also tried Knuckles’s Signature Pasta. It was a simple seafood pasta dish in spicy tomato sauce. The sauce was pretty spicy in a good way–Singaporean style, we like! While the mussels, prawns, and squids were in good quantity, we did not find them particularly noteworthy. Probably a good choice if someone feels like not eating knuckles when coming to Knuckles! =P  Knuckles’s Signature Pasta = 68 Brownie Points! ($12)

Does what it says; what else could you ask for?

KNUCKLES
Block 212 Hougang Street 21
#01-337
Singapore 530212
Tel: +65 6285 0549
Opening Hours:
12:00PM to 2:30PM (Lunch)
6:00PM to 11:00PM (Dinner)

Once a year… we get to talk about this:

This picture is cruel because it simply induces instant writer’s block. Sorry—what was I going to say—oh yes, one could get lost in this picture if one isn’t careful.

You see, it’s a simple concept of taking as much time as you need. When do you need your fruit cakes? Alright, six weeks before that, take a bunch of premium dried fruits and just about soak them in a homemade concoction of rum flavours, compounds, and some other stuff. No alcohol—good for everyone.

Two weeks later, you’re ready to put some fruit cake together. It’s a matter of getting the little things right: dried fruits—now plump with flavour, freshly roasted walnuts and macadamia nuts, combined in a fruit cake mix perfumed with the fragrance of cinnamon and nutmeg. Take your time, bake it slowly and gently in a moist oven. Be careful, the smells will drive one crazy.

Once they’re out, take good care of them. Don’t give them too much air—or they’ll dry out; don’t give them too little air—or they’ll over-bake. When they reach room temperature, add a rum flavoured drizzle and double clingwrap the fruit cakes to keep them very airtight.

When do you need your fruit cakes again? Four weeks time? Just about enough time. Keep the airtight fruit cakes in airtight containers to age. As they age over four weeks, the various flavours meld and mellow, causing wonderful complex flavours to develop.

Fruit cake time? We’ve waited long enough. Slice up, warm up, and butter up–well, just a light spread of premium butter will complete this Christmas dream.

Once a year? What a torture to wait.