Food of the week:
I mentioned Shao before but it still flies under the radar – a real Teochew gem (or Teochew tapas as they like to call it) – their seafood paofan is the kind of soul-soothing comfort that makes a lot of things feel okay again. Over at Mobamoga, the oden is undoubtedly addictive (hi, daikon and deep-fried mochi), a blue cheese ham cutlet this chaotic large thing of decadence (pics etc below). I would do a whole Armenia post but considering I was only really there for ~2 days the past weekend, I wouldn’t do it justice. A single food memory does stand out: the rich and buttery almond croissant at Mart Coffee (above), best savored slowly in its golden glory.
Science of the week:
Dr. McKay unpacks the myths and facts around gender in neuroscience in the linked podcast, like the idea that men are less emotional or that women are naturally more intuitive (spoiler: not so true although I’d love to dig deeper into the science behind that). What really stood out was the discussion on brain changes, not just in pregnant and postpartum mums, but in dads, or paternal brains, too. Even without physically birthing a child, paternal brains undergo wild, significant shifts. Crazy.
Insight of the week:
From one of my many zoned-out commute audiobook listenings (I’ll push Blinkist to everyone till the day I die): A growth mindset isn’t just about optimism or grit. It’s about confronting your own beliefs, unlearning what no longer serves you, and getting uncomfortable enough to change. Transformation just doesn’t happen without tension.
Recipe of the week:
My family makes my banana bread regularly, so when that familiar smell wafted into my room just a couple days ago, I knew I had to revive this recipe (again). It always comes out reliably soft, moist and not too sweet, and you can choose to add your favorite nuts or chocolate into the mix, too. My favourite way to eat it is with some plain yoghurt, berries and a dash of maple syrup to further sweeten and moisten it.
Classic Banana Bread (makes one 9×5-inch loaf)
Ingredients:
3 medium bananas, ripe and mashed (usually amounts to about one cup, and lumps of banana make for better texture)
90g (0.5 cup) light brown sugar
100g (0.5 cup) white caster sugar
2 eggs
45g (3 tbsp) melted salted butter
125g plain or Greek yoghurt
240g (1.5-2 cups) all-purpose flour
1 tsp each of baking powder and baking soda
Optional add-ins: 150g chocolate/nuts/a mix of both
Directions
Grease a standard 9×5-inch loaf pan, line with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 162 C (325F).
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