LowBang

Cooked: Jamie Oliver Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

For some reason my three year old son is obsessed with watching Jamie Oliver cooking shows from my iPhone or iPad. Yes, I'm a huge fan as well and to see it rub off onto my son is kinda nice. Hearing the recipes so much in the car or when we're just hanging out starts to wear on you and I heard this recipe for Cauliflower Mac and Cheese so much that I just had to try it. It didn't take that much convincing as I am a sucker for this American comfort food classic. Mr. Oliver's recipes, especially those from his 30 Minute Meal series, are pretty much can't-miss but I did make a few tweaks of my own. 

• grilled the bacon, not baked it. Didn't break it up in the Magimix so I could leave some chunky pieces that I figured the kids could fish out of the dish
• used store-bought breadcrumbs as I had some spare and didn't have an old bread loaf kicking about
• used a light cheddar and sour cream to keep the calories down

True to form the kids didn't really eat it; I just picked out the bacon pieces for them and they had some garlic bread. The Mac & Cheese turned out quite nice and just the way I like it; not too cheesy but silky and sticky enough that you're getting a nice tast of cream and cheese with every Mac bite. My only disappointment is I made the crumble top too dry; I should have added more oil to increase the ooziness factor and visually to make it pop and shine. Will definitely make this again with my adjustments above; will oil up the crust a little more next time though.

Served with garlic bread (Jamie Oliver-style) and butterhead lettuce salad in a lemon mustard vinagrette. Nothing beats some light, fresh and sharp against all the creamy bakeyness of Mac and Cheese and garlic bread. 

Why I like.... Loewy, Jakarta

Source: LoewyJakarta.com

This is quickly and easily becoming one of my local haunts in Jakarta. I have breakfast here instead of 

• Broad enough menu that it doesn't get too monotonous. Centred mostly around traditional French Bistro, they also offer traditional Indonesian fare and lots of things in between
• So close to where I usually stay in Jakarta (Oakwood) but not a hotel restaurant where everything starts to taste the same
• Great decor and interior. Works both in daylight and at night. Old-school French bistro from top to bottom
• Affordable, even by Jakarta standards. You can get your breakfast for under US$10

My only gripe is that their coffee is pretty lousy. That's okay, I can always have tea and get a coffee at Liberica. 

LoewyJakarta.com

Why I like.... Jones the Grocer, Sydney & Singapore

Source: Jonesthegrocer.com

I have a friend who calls it "Jones the Thief" and yes, they may be a little expensive, but there's a lot to like in this hybrid concept transplanted from Sydney:

• some of the best baristas and coffee served in Singapore
• great store-baked bread; I recommend the Sourdough
• good casual breakfast all week-round using their bread, but I wouldn't go on a weekend

Just don't go there for your local groceries or to buy your cheeses or wine. And one small complaint I have on my recent visit; my poached eggs smelt and tasted too vinegary. I know it's used to set the whites but it shouldn't overpower the taste of the eggs. 

Why I like.... Liberica Coffee, Jakarta

1. You can get a "regular" size (around 250ml) without getting a weird look. This is the right serving size you should be having!
2. These guys know how to pull a shot and serve their milk. Not scaldingly hot milk and dense microfoam (hello coffee leaf!) 
3. The food menu doesn't overwhelm the coffee menu with 20 different types of paninis which means....
4. When you walk into the coffee shop you actually smell coffee!
5. The place has free wifi and plenty of power outlets to jack into