Malay MailMore ways to say ‘tasty’ than ‘flavourful’
AUGUST 2 — The word I wish I could hear less is “flavourful”.
I find it useless as it tells me almost nothing. Yes, I suppose having a lot of flavour is better than not having any but it just bothers me how little the word actually describes the taste.
If something strongly tastes of roach dung, would you also deem it “flavourful”? The flavour is strong so wouldn’t you also consider it correct in that context?
Yes I am obviously being farcical but I am so tired of the word.
Tell me, food reviewer or TikTok influencer, what it tastes like. “Good” is subjective. “Flavourful” just tells me it tastes of something.
I went to the Isetan Store at Japan for the Salon du Pain event that gathered together some of the best purveyors of bread and pastries in the Klang Valley.
Of course Kenny Hills and Dou Dou Bake were there but I ignored their kiosks as I was more interested in the lesser-known and less convenient for me to visit names.
My first priority was Burrow (of Bangsar Shopping Centre) and their canelés. I’d introduced my housemate to canéles last year and she had been enamoured with the delicate little confections ever since.
The outside of a canelé isn’t biscuit-crispy nor is it fluffy or soft, instead it’s a caramelised shell that gives no hint of the soft, slightly chewy interior. — Picture via Facebook/Isetan The Japan Store KL
Canelés are slightly ridiculous if you were to consider volume-to-price ratio.
They’re small. One fits just nicely in your palm, most palms, in fact and you could quite easily stuff it in your mouth and it would be gone in two bites.
Yet people love the darn things. How could you not love something that blends textures and tastes the way a canelé does?
The outside of a canelé isn’t biscuit-crispy nor is it fluffy or soft, instead it’s a caramelised shell that gives no hint of the soft, slightly chewy interior.
While traditionally made from dark rum, of course that isn’t common in Malaysia as most bakers here opt for more Muslim-friendly recipes.
There are many flavours of canelés on the market but I like the classic ones, where the shell gives that slightly toasted caramel taste that goes well with the soft, almost spongy and never too-sweet inside.
Besides hunting down canelés I bought mentaiko potato buns from two different sources — the first from the popular chain bakery Donq and another from Kona Bakery in SS2.
I found myself more enamoured of Kona’s version that seemed decadent in its generous spread of roe and mayonnaise over the top of a soft potato bun, with a small piece of actual potato in the mix.
Another friend of mine introduced me to the salty joy of mentaiko years back.
The decadence of salmon roe slathered in mayonnaise that pairs best with bread; bread helps to tamper the saltiness of mentaiko and they go better than a rice pairing in my opinion.
I thought as I got older I’d be more set in what I liked to eat but instead I find myself craving different tastes or textures each week or just resorting to seeking new culinary experiments at home.
In that vein I beg you when you try to recommend I visit a new establishment, whether you’re my friend or a food critic, tell me in more words, pictures if you need to, something more descriptive than “flavourful”.
Don’t make me leave disappointed by that “flavourful” broth that tastes mostly of onion and my regret.
*This is the personal opinion of the columnist.
