Brandy-misu

dopamine stacking, wickedly good risotto

Food of the week:

celebrating the first dessert I ever learnt how to make, for today’s recipe

Ever since my Seoul trip, I’ve been on high alert for shio pan (or salt bread) around here, and Wu Pao Chun’s might just take the crown. Flaky, a rock-crisp base, with butter and sugar that know their place to let the salt shine. Also, excited to talk about a criminally underrated prawn risotto in today’s review. It took me out. And yes, you could DIY your own granola bowl at home with some yoghurt, berries and crunch– but you’d be missing out. Nassim Hill Bakery’s version hits a spot: sweet, crisp homemade granola and a berry compote actually packed with whole berries.

a rock-crisp base and flaky layers at WPC

Science of the week:

You know that feeling when you know someone (pretty well) but then you come across something they have done or written and you think, whoa, how do I know someone so cool? That’s how I felt when I read Dr Gipps’ interview, where he answers what the apophatic approach to theology (or negative theology) is to describe what God is not, rather than what God is. I met Dr Gipp in Oxford and he’s changed my viewpoint on many things in more ways than one. The point is to protect the mystery and transcendence of God, and not hype it up to rationalise something’s existence (e.g. God is powerful is according to the human definition of power, but God cannot be constrained to human definitions of anything, because he simply can’t be boxed up like that).

Insight of the week:

Dopamine stacking is when you lump dopamine-boosting activities things together. A common example I’m sometimes guilty of is doing something while watching something, like scrolling instagram reels while watching a TV show. It could also be looking at your phone while being on a call with a friend, or eating something hyper-palatable while getting a movie in. Unbeknownst to us mere mortals, doing so can actually short-circuit the reward circuit, making the thing that provided the boost in dopamine less effective overtime.

Recipe of the week:

I mean, who doesn't like this dessert. It was the very first thing I learned how to make, and something I unconsciously revisit time and time again as a certified crowd-pleaser. It must be equal parts creamy (without having actually used cream), caffeinated, and for the right occasion, sufficiently alcoholic.