Broken Stick Bit In Magnum Mini Ice Cream

After a hot day at work, Merlion Wayfarer happily opened up the box of Magnum Mini which she bought from NTUC recently. 

While she was just biting into the ice cream, she tasted something really tough to bite through, and realized that it was a stick bit! It was a shock as she had just bitten through the chocolate crust of the ice cream and was nowhere near the stick at all. 

Here's a close-up of the stick bit with the ice cream...

And the ice cream with its packaging showing the flavour... 

Merlion Wayfarer was glad that she she did not swallow the stick bit, which would have resulted in a very painful procedure if it did get stuck in her throat or digestive system. 

NTUC Fairprice, this was purchased at your Serangoon Fairprice outlet. Merlion Wayfarer hopes that you will work with the manufacturer and distributor to prevent such food lapses from recurring. The situation might be a lot worse if it happened to a young child or a senior citizen. Here is the batch code if you need more details.

Merlion Wayfarer would also like to take this opportunity to caution all consumers to be careful of what they eat and chew carefully, even if the product is from an established and renown food manufacturer located in Singapore.

Read More

Okada Coffee Japan - The Romance Of A Loving Couple

The career of Hide Okada the professional chef and coffee roaster began 30 years ago. A culinary school graduate majoring in Chinese cuisine, he started teaching soon after his graduation.

Kae was a junior in the same cooking school. A hardworking and serious young lady, she took some time to get used to the male-dominated culinary environment, and was never moved by any of Hide's jokes. She continued in her quiet hardworking way and was always kind to others. Hide fell in love with her, and successfully courted her to marriage.

After their marriage, they did not work in the culinary industry. They persisted for more than ten years in their jobs before Kae's health was overwhelmed by the terrible stress they felt. At this point, they both realized that there was more life than high salaries - Physical and mental health mattered more.

Without the presence of his wife and life companion by his side, Hide knew that he had to do something for her. He was desperate to seek any solution that could help Kae. Eventually he came to know about the ability of fresh coffee fragrance to stabilize women's emotions.

A regular coffee drinker, he would normally look for places to buy fresh coffee beans. But now, he was inspired by his own cooking background. After all, there can be no fresher beans that the ones you roast yourself, he thought.

Coffee beans handpicked to ensure their premium quality and freshness...

Although an expert in Chinese cuisine, he was still a layman in coffee roasting. He thought hard about how to begin and bought a simple coffee roaster, trying out roasting methods using his gas stove at home. Many incidents occurred which left a terrible smell and mess in the kitchen. Undaunted, Hide continued his roasting trials in his garage using a portable burner stove. Determined to make the perfect cup for Kae, he finally succeeded with his culinary experience and ongoing persistence.

Determination and mastery at work...

Nevertheless, Kae still preferred tea. She disliked the bitter aftertaste of regular coffee, and refused to touch Hide's painstakingly-roasted beans. This made Hide start sharing some leftover roasts with his family and friends. They loved his fragrant roasts so much that they were willing to pay for more of them. Hide then made up his mind to leave his torturous job and make his living selling coffee. He found an old store in his own town, and opened his own coffee joint, selling his beloved roasts side by side with his wife.

Seven years have since passed.

At times, Kae was so seriously ill that Hide had to man the store alone. But he persevered. Eventually, his store became famous in the region with his aromatic coffee, served with homemade dishes and delicious desserts made with love by the couple.

The regular coffee served by Hide is no longer "regular" but a special brew roasted with love and served with warmth. Kae started to recover, and fell in love with the coffee made with her husband's full heart. It is this special coffee that changed the life of two ordinary people and their love.

And today, they are here to serve their special brew to Singaporeans at the Food Japan Asia, so that we can enjoy their fragrant brew from our sunny island of Singapore.

Roasts available:

Even when prepared from a makeshift booth at Food Japan 2018, Okada's brews were smooth with light fruity overtones and low acidity. The fragrant aroma entices one to take yet another sip to savour the silky smooth viscosity of the intense flavour.

Coffee taste guide:

Here's how to order:

www.okada-coffee.jp/cavia

Read More

Food Japan 2018 - Focus On Food Quality Management

Back for the seventh consecutive year, Food Japan 2018 featured a dazzling mix of Japanese produce, ingredients, sake , and technology at the Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre Halls 401 and 402 last weekend. The convention opened exclusively to trade visitors on 25-26 October, with general admission for the public on 27 October.

  

"There is more to Japanese exports than end products like sushi and shabu shabu. Waiting to be discovered is a full suite of original equipment manufacturers (OEM) in food materials, processing technology, and kitchen instruments that currently do not receive much fanfare in Southeast Asia. Through this year’s programming, we hope to impart the rich heritage of Japanese culture and best practices in food quality management in an interactive and engaging fashion." 

--- Mr Masanao Nishida, Director of Food Japan ---

The three day long exhibition saw food quality management take center stage at Food Japan 2018. The superior quality of Japanese F&B products, which are subject to rigorous quality checks and produced using advanced food safety techniques received the spotlight.

• Nippon Suisan Kaisha, a subsidiary of NISSUI Group, utilizes a vertically-integrated operation to ensure the safety of its marine produce such as kurose buri (yellowtail) and pollock roe.
     
• Tsukuba Dairy Products adopts an integrated hygiene management program, along with hazard analysis and quality management certifications to reduce the risks of cross-contamination in the processing of its dairy and nut products.
     
• With more and more consumers turning to healthier alternatives, the event also showcased key exhibitors responding to this demand. Morinaga Nutritional Foods brought to the event an extensive range of dairy products which includes its vegetable oil free, full-dairy creamer Creap.
    
• Daiei Foods brought to the event various Halal-certified fishery food products – a nod to Japan’s growing interest in Muslim-majority countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia. 21 Max New Solution showcased its latest line of productivity-boosting rice cookers – KUBOTA. These devices are designed to help restaurants cope with the challenges of a restricted labour force.

"Japan’s agriculture, forestry and fishery exports surpassed JPY435 billion in the first half of 2018, a significant increase over the same period last year – this suggests consumer trust towards Japanese food export is on the rise. To maintain this momentum, we want to highlight key trends such as food quality, functional food and halal products at Food Japan 2018 to further cement Japan’s leadership position in the food and beverage industry in Southeast Asia."

--- Mr Masanao Nishida, Director of Food Japan ---

   

Over 200 exhibitors attended Food Japan 2018, which hosted specialities from various Japanese prefectures. 35% were participating for the first time, bringing fresh seasonal produce, delectable ingredients, sake and cutting-edge Japanese technology to the region.

In a bid to support relief efforts for the Hokkaido earthquake, Food Japan will donate S$1 for every Hokkaido food item purchased at the exhibition’s J Food Court to the Japanese Red Cross Society’s (JRCS) Hokkaido Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund.

For more information on Food Japan 2018, visit www.oishii-world.com/en/ or instagram.com/foodjapansg.

  

Read More

Sarawak - More To Discover

Recently Merlion Wayfarer attended a uniquely Sarawakian evening, which saw the Sarawak Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports, the Honourable Datuk Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah launch the Visit Sarawak logo which preceded its tourism campaign. 

The "Visit Sarawak" Logo

The overall style of the logo is simple, friendly and approachable while keeping its impactful nature. The brush strokes of the logo font portrays a fun and friendliness, representing the unparalleled hospitality found in Sarawak. The different and vibrant colours represent the diversity and multitude of elements that make Sarawak unique.

• Red and yellow indicate the colours in the Sarawak flag, hence their use in the letters “S” and “R”.
    
• Orange represents the strong spirit and vibrant energy of the different ethnic communities within Sarawak.
    
• Green represents the luscious rainforests teeming with life.
    
• Blue reflects the calmness of the ocean along Sarawak’s long coastline.
    
• The stylised “S” in the logo features a curling pattern, imitating a traditional design that is often used in the artwork of the Dayak and Orang Ulu people.
    
• The ‘hornbill head’ in the centre replacing the ‘A’ alphabet represents the “Bumi Kenyalang” that the State has been labelled for many years as well as the cultural significance the hornbill has to the indigenous people of Sarawak. It also adds another natural element to the logo, as one of Sarawak’s main attractions is its nature.

"More To Discover"

The “More to Discover” phrase ensures that a person needs to set foot in Sarawak personally to truly discover all the attractions Sarawak holds. It also promises that once a person has been to Sarawak, there is always more for them to experience and discover, as there is far more within the State than can be experienced by a traveller within one trip.

Discover Culture

As the largest state in Malaysia, Sarawak is home to 27 ethnic groups, speaking 45 languages and dialects, and each with their own stories, colorful cultures, traditions, and beliefs that makes Sarawak a cultural extravaganza just waiting to be explored.

What's a launch event without a bit of excitement?

Here, a tribal performer holds up a wand of balloons while invited members of the audience attempt a tryout with a blowpipe...

Discover Adventures

On land, visitors have a plethora of adventures to choose from – from jungle trekking, adventure caving, to mountain climbing, rock climbing and jungle expeditions. In water, visitors can choose from river activities, diving, water sports, fishing, jet skiing and yachting.

Urban explorers can visit Kuching, which has one of the most interesting architecture mix in Malaysia, with colonial buildings amongst modern architecture.

Discover Nature

Sarawak has a 56 totally protected areas, 37 gazetted national parks, five wildlife sanctuaries and 14 nature reserves, with rainforests the size of Austria. Its rainforests house the world’s richest and most diverse ecosystem - Home to the world’s largest flower, the Rafflesia (that can grow to the size of a coffee table), squirrels and snakes that fly, deer the size of cats, plants that eat insects (and small animals), the orang utan, the proboscis monkey, the hornbill, the Rajah Brooke butterfly and the silverleaf monkey...

The launch of the campaign showed the floral and fauna of Sarawak as a backdrop,
fronted by the graceful movements of a dancer...

For more information on Sarawak Tourism, visit sarawaktourism.com

Read More

Gardens by the Bay’s Sunflower Surprise

Say "Hello, sunshine" to Gardens by the Bay’s first-ever "Sunflower Surprise" floral display which brings together the largest variety of sunflowers in Singapore! More than 50 varieties will be on display, from the fluffy ‘Teddy Bear’ to the enormous ‘Russian Mammoth’ with blooms as large as a human face!

In all, over 16,000 sunflowers of various shapes, shades and sizes are being grown for the display, of which more than half are of unusual varieties grown from seeds specially sourced from the United States.

The sunflower display is further enlivened by characters and scenes inspired by the classic tale "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz". Amidst a field of vibrant blooms, visitors can try to spot Dorothy and her friends Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion as they make their way to the magical Land of Oz.

Journey along the Yellow Brick Road. What will you find?

There's Scarecrow!

Lion's a bit harder to spot and he hides well among the sunflowers...

And hey, Tin Man is sitting there waiting for you...

You'll find be led along a magical world and find the Wizard of Oz...

"Sunflower Surprise" runs till 21 October in Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay.

• Date: 31 August (Friday) - 21 October (Sunday)
• Time: 9am – 9pm
• Location: Flower Dome
• Details: Admission charge to the Flower Dome applies. For more information on the floral display and related programmes, visit www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/sunflower.

Read More

ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove - Man-Made Coral Garden In A Marina

ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove and the Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI) at the National University of Singapore have entered a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a man-made Coral Garden for the purpose of advancing reef restoration research and enhancing marine biodiversity in Singapore waters. The first such collaboration between TMSI and a commercial entity, the partnership seeks to boost the rehabilitation of coral reefs in Singapore and improve the local marine ecosystem that is critical for providing habitat and shelter for many marine organisms.

"We are excited to work with TMSI on this project because corals being natural shelters and food for marine creatures are highly critical for creating marine biodiversity. This research work will contribute towards restoring the 60% of coral reefs believed to have been lost in Singapore waters from land reclamation over the years."

--- Teo Joo Leng, General Manager of ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove ---

ONE°15 Marina has apportioned a stretch of 150 meters of sea bed within its marina for coral cultivation and this area currently encompasses specially-designed nurseries to grow young corals and rock boulders with clusters of  matured corals. The coral zone will be maintained by researchers and volunteers from TMSI under the supervision of Professor Chou Loke Ming, a veteran in coral ecology.

Multiple nurseries are created along the platform and seeded with native corals transplanted from other areas of the Marina...

"The Coral Garden is envisioned to be a haven for marine biodiversity in a man-made environment and in the long run, it will evolve into an education and research site for students and the public to dive, snorkel and learn about the marine world in a safe and controlled environment."

--- Professor Chou Loke Ming, TMSI Adjunct Research Professor ---

ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove, a certified Fish-friendly and Clean Marina, is a strong advocate of marine life and ocean conservation that has championed several environmental projects and activities including Project Perna (mussels cultivation), Earth Hour, and its bi-annual marina clean-up. The Coral Garden is its latest eco-initiative, which is sponsored by International SeaKeepers Society Asia, Audi Singapore and SC Global Developments.

"Our vision for the coral garden is to educate the next generation on marine life and the importance of conserving it. In supporting this project, ONE°15 Marina is affirming its goal to be a leader and role model in the marina industry where we can create and share best practices with other marinas to create a more holistic marine ecosystem in Asia."

--- Teo Joo Leng, General Manager of ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove ---

A study conducted by the Reef Ecology Laboratory of NUS showed that at least 50 types of animals including worms, crustaceans, brittle stars, sea cucumbers, seahorses, algae and zoanthids inhabit the waters of ONE°15 Marina. The stable marina structures such as berthing pontoons and seawalls has allowed sea life to populate and thrive. The survey also uncovered 22 genera of hard corals, and with new ones forming. Furthermore, the survey found that these hard corals had attracted 29 species of fishes, many of which were reef fishes.

"Global warming and other human activities have had a devastating impact on the world’s coral reefs. It gives me great pleasure to be a part of today’s launch and I hope that there will be many exciting discoveries that will stem out of the research efforts carried out here."

--- Louis Ng, MP, Nee Soon GRC (Nee Soon East) and Chairman of Nee Soon Town Council ---

Experienced researchers from TMSI explaining to visitors on the coral nurseries...

ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove takes a tremendous effort to maintain the pristine nature of the marina, including working with the boat owners and daily clean-up efforts...

ONE°15 Marina is celebrating its 11th Anniversary on 06 October 2018 and supporting this meaningful cause as part of its celebrations. The marina is also putting up an exhibition together with several organizations in the marine community to educate the public on marine biodiversity and conservation efforts via educational displays and videos.

A life-sized sperm whale skeleton replica - In 2015, a sperm whale carcass was found off the coast of Jurong Island.  One important discovery was what researchers found in the gut of the whale: Other than the remains of squids - a major part of its diet, they also found plastic cups. This was a telling discovery about the devastating impact of humans on marine creatures. The actual specimen is now displayed in the Lee Kong Chian Museum of Natural History... 

Other family-friendly activities for the young and old...

Read More