OnlyWilliam

Wrote by Only William...

If you have grown weary from the blistering heat outdoors and from queuing for good food, you will probably be pleased to discover the mobile app HCook, which connects foodies to home chefs! You can now browse through thousands of dishes listed on HCook, ranging from sweet confectioneries like handmade macarons and cupcakes to hearty home-cooked meals like beef stew and chicken briyani. Those who have a talent in cooking or baking can also publicise about their proudest creations on the app to take orders and monetize their passion! Perfect platform for party planners, aspiring chefs and stay-at-home mothers.

During the media event, we were introduced to 10 of HCook’s home chefs. I was impressed by varieties and standard of homecooked meals available. Here are a handful of them, there’re so many more worth mentioning and you’ve just got to start 'HCooking' to find them out for yourselves!

Protein’d

Serving up a selection of nutritious, icy and flavoursome smoothies to boost your day. Perfect for a hot day, for athletes who wish to replenish themselves and for those who do not have time to make their own smoothie! If you are like me, baffled about the ingredients to make a cup of nourishing yet tasty smoothie, you can count on Lorcan, the founder of Protein’d. He knows exactly the right mix to create a rich, detoxing and refreshing drink! You will be able to find uniquely-crafted flavours and their respective nutrition information on HCook. Lorcan was a Business major and he has always dream of creating his own business. He sees the potential in the skyrocketing growth of e-commerce. By listing Protein’d on HCook, he is able to connect to his desired audience, the young, tech-savvy and health-driven.

SUEC

I was not expecting to experience molecular gastronomy at the media tasting. Who would have thought something as advanced and exclusive like molecular gastronomy, which is usually found in modernist restaurants would be readily available at HCook? One of the dishes we have tried was the deconstructed Thai Milk Tea. Using reverse spherification technique, my favourite beverage was turned into a mouth-watering and sweet exotic dessert. It was interestingly prepared and the milk tea bubble bursts in the mouth, releasing the full flavour and aroma of the Thai milk tea. SUEC stands for ‘Sweet, unique, exclusive confectionery’ and it is definitely a place to go to when you are looking for something that impresses not just in taste but in the culinary science of preparing a dish. Jack, the man behind SUEC is a chef by profession and his passion lies in serving an innovative fusion menu with a twist to allow customers to discover traditional flavours from different cuisines re-imagined in semi fine dining style.

Wonder food

Craving for warm and fuzzy comfort food? Wonder food brings you some of the popular home-cooked dishes with a healthier touch! Executing her dishes with less oil, salt and a variety of colourful ingredients infused with multi-vitamins, Maylin improves upon traditional recipes and shares her joy of cooking for others. The beef stew was tender and served in umami-laden stew. The meat was well-simmered and disintegrates easily in the mouth. Find yourselves indulging in a bowl of rich and flavourful stew. Maylin started cooking when she was eight. Her inspiration to share healthy food with others was driven by her love for her father who was diagnosed with cancer years back. With HCook, she is able to juggle her time for family while making an income from her home kitchen.

Nanatang

Any notable celebration calls for a stunning cake and over at HCook, we have access to Korean-inspired bakes by Nanatang. Find an array of creative and delectable sweet treats ranging from buttercream floral cupcakes, fairyland floral wreath cake, cake pops to character cakes like unicorns. Perfect for birthday, anniversary or wedding parties. Drawing inspiration from Korean piping techniques, Serena creates floral designs that are more intricate and realistic. Serena has taken her baking passion full-time to continue sharpening her skills and keep up to changing trends in the culinary world.

Smoque

Another of my new favourite is the American Pulled Pork Slider from Smoque. The meat was flavourful, tender, less greasy and absolutely fragrant. This palm sized burger is a great snack for birthday parties. These perfectly barbecued American Pulled Pork Slider earns its name as the man behind it, Jimmy, took the liberty to fly over to the United States to learn his meat grilling techniques from a US smoker manufacturer that had over 50 years of experience. Bite into the freshly smoked burger and you will get that “wow” factor, which is sure to whet your appetite.

Join the community of foodies as a home chef or get your cravings or party needs fixed on HCook!

App Store: HCook

Post written by Magdalene Tan. Follow her on Instagram, http://instagram.com/chantalmag.

Wrote by Only William...

As we count down to Singapore's National Day, McDonald’s Singapore is launching a delicious menu selection that puts a modern spin on traditional local favourites.

Adding to its variety of iconic burgers and desserts that Singaporeans love, McDonald’s is celebrating the diverse local food heritage with a creative touch to whet local appetites. Familiar local fare that Singaporeans grew up eating such as Nasi Lemak, Bandung and Chendol form the inspiration behind the new limited-time menu, launched in conjunction with the Singapore Food Festival (SFF) 2017.

This year, McDonald’s is a partner of the annual festival organised by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) which celebrates our local, multi-ethnic food heritage, ranging from hawker fare to contemporary dining.

“As a brand that’s deeply woven into the fabric of Singapore, we wanted to pay homage to our traditional local fare in conjunction with the launch of the Singapore Food Festival 2017. We have given a modern twist to familiar local favourites which includes the “Nasi Lemak” Burger – and hope Singaporeans will be thrilled to unravel the local flavours in our exciting menu line-up, as we come together to celebrate National Day soon,” said Agatha Yap, Senior Director of Marketing, Menu and Digital Innovation, Hanbaobao Pte Ltd (licensee of McDonald’s Singapore).

“We are delighted that McDonald’s, a brand with a large fan base in Singapore, is on board with us as a partner for the Singapore Food Festival 2017. With this year’s theme being ‘Savour Singapore in Every Bite’, we are particularly excited by the introduction of McDonald’s locally-inspired menu, which will feature flavours well-loved by generations of Singaporeans who grew up eating them. This will further pique the curiosity of both locals and visitors about SFF, which is still the only event in Singapore dedicated to showcasing local food and local talent,” said Ranita Sundramoorthy, Director, Attractions, Dining & Retail, STB.

“Nasi Lemak” Burger

“Nasi Lemak” Burger

Inspired by the iconic Malay dish, the “Nasi Lemak” Burger combines key elements of the dish in a mouth-watering recipe that will capture your senses from miles away. The juicy chicken thigh patty, a star ingredient of the burger, is rich in aromatic coconut flavours and coated with cornflakes crunch for an extra crispy finish. Served between lightly toasted semolina buns, the chicken thigh patty is layered with a golden fried egg, a bed of caramelised onions, crunchy cucumber slices, and topped off with a dash of sweet and spicy sambal sauce for that added zing. The “Nasi Lemak” Burger is available from $5.95 a la carte, or from $7.80 in an Extra Value Meal™.

Bandung McFizz & Criss Cut Fries

Bandung McFizz™

Criss Cut Fries

From $3.40, customers can also enjoy the savoury goodness of Criss Cut Fries, a treat no one can say no to! To balance out the rich flavours of your meal, chill out with a glass of Bandung McFizz from $3 – a refreshing take on an old school favourite.

Chendol McFlurry & Coconut Pie

Chendol McFlurry®

Coconut Pie

End your meal on a sweet note by digging into a Chendol McFlurry from $3. Comprising a mix of vanilla soft serve with Gula Melaka sauce whisked to perfection with Chendol jelly bits, customers can savour the taste of the traditional dessert with a modern twist. Those craving for a warm dessert can get their hands on the scrumptiously crispy Coconut Pie from $1.20 and enjoy some oozing tropical coconut filling with nata de coco bits.

Dessert Kiosk: Chendol Melaka Cone, Chendol Melaka Twist & Chendol Melaka ChocoCone

Chendol Melaka Cone

Chendol Melaka Twist

Chendol Melaka ChocoCone®

The beloved chendol flavour is also making its way to our Dessert Kiosks and adding a local touch to our Vanilla Cones. Slurp on the Chendol Melaka Cone and Chendol Melaka Twist from $1 each or go with an adventurous choice of the Chendol Melaka ChocoCone from $1.20, available all day at McDonald’s Dessert Kiosks[1], while stocks last.

McCafe: Pandan Coco Frappé & Kueh Salat Cake

Pandan Coco Frappé

Kueh Salat Cake

For the perfect pick-me-up, visit McCafé® to grab a Pandan Coco Frappé and Kueh Salat Cake. Available all day from $4.60, the Pandan Coco Frappé combines a perfect blend of coconut and fragrant Pandan flavours with grass jelly– an ultimate treat to cool off the heat! Or treat your taste buds to the Kueh Salat Cake consisting of pandan sponge cake and a delectable glutinous rice layer – a unique cake and kueh experience rolled into one! Available all day from $5, while stocks last.

50 Years of National Service

As Singapore celebrates 50 years of National Service (NS50), McDonald’s is saluting our servicemen by offering all past and present NS men a FREE Apple Pie or Hot Fudge Sundae with every Extra Value Meal purchased (after breakfast hours) from 4 to 10 August. Eligible customers simply need to present their SAFRA Card, 11B or Pink IC to redeem the treat.

In celebration of the nation’s birthday, McDonald’s is also spreading the joy with a limited-time offer for the signature Vanilla Cone available at a special price of only 50-cents from 4 to 10 August.

Wrote by Only William...