Pasta sauce

* post first drafted on 20th Feb

I miss this pasta sauce. Argh! I miss Boston 😭. 我要回去波士顿. 

Che-che and I liked the pasta we ate. Why? Maybe we were too famished from all the walking? 🤭 I believe it must be good coz (1) she’s more of a cream based sauce lover but she approved this tomato sauce (2) I have lousy taste, I eat to live. She loves to eat so is fussy over lousy and good tasting food. So if she said it’s good it MUST BE GOOD.

We bought 2 bottles of sauce back for the tomato based sauce lover back home. Lil’ one likes it, prefers this over Prego and “whatever other brands we buy in SIN”. I think she likes it coz we lugged it back from 1/2 way across earth 🌍. #overseasstuffstastebetter# We finished them in no time, even before we can finish the boxes of pasta we bought back 😆. 

So what made this Sevenhills tomato sauce nice? I found out it’s the tomatoes - San Marzano. 我从来没有研究番茄 thus I’m learning something new. We only see the round round tomatoes from Malaysia, cherry tomatoes in supermarkets. Perhaps the more atas organic marts like Little Farms might carry them? 

Read this for the TYPES OF TOMATOES

(Pic taken from : https://www.webstaurantstore.com/article/958/types-of-tomatoes.html)

About San Marzano tomatoes

As what writer Peggy Kieran wrote “San Marzano tomatoes are considered the Ferrari or Prada of canned tomato varieties. Loyalists say they are well worth the higher price tag compared to other Italian or domestically produced options.” 

(above article extracted from : https://www.marthastewart.com/7616623/san-marzano-tomatoes-explained ) 

Attestation I’m making the right choice

Where is San Marzano region? 

After finding out this region will I make a trip there? Not sure if this lifetime will have a chance. I haven’t been to many parts of Italy. Nice country with all the broken columns and history I’m interested but I hate it that pickpocketers are everywhere. 

A search online on availability in SIN was done before 2024 drew to a close. Read a little on how to identify a real San Marzano canned tomato. At one point I was happy to find that I can buy fresh SM tomatoes online, all I need to do is to use my feet to step and smash the tomatoes but I think that’s too troublesome and tiring for me. Not sure if throwing them into a blender will destroy the outcome 😅. Lazy people is like that one….. trying to find the easiest job for self 😜. 

Which brand is the best or the better?

Lost for choice with the different brands. Cento, Mutti, Alessi etc… Expensive to import, hard to bring in etc.. Decided to look in Shoppee instead of Amazon. 

Ultimately decided on this. 2.5kg x2. Haha! I don’t know why I bought so much. Not that I own an Italian eatery. Call it crazy coz I’d have to pay the same shipping for 1 can and 2 cans. Then I’ll make sure lil’ one drink the sauce up for all her meals. 

Was reading the label and it says “Dell'Agro Sarnese Nocerino” 什么来的？

Must look for these logos which this can has

Huh? What is pomodoro pelati? Did I buy wrongly? One guy said it must be indicated on the label as San Marzano tomato in the ingredients list to be certified a San Marzano tomato. 

Clarification for this super kancheong over nothing person 😂. Wah…can’t blame me coz I don’t understand and speak Italian except grazie, buongiorno and arrivederci 

As what is stated in their website on the canned tomatoes I bought 

16th Feb (Sun) - 凡事什么都需要试一试。I will find a time this week or next week to make the sauce. Buy so much maybe I can make pizza sauce too? 🤭 

Recipes 

I hope I can retrieve the photos of the Sevenhills pasta label with the ingredients. Apparently I can’t find it in their website. 

Alternatively is to find a recipe in Cookidoo and let Ms Thermie do her job. I do intend to cook pasta for them for home and school the next few weeks when hubby is not in SIN. 

@ 28th Feb (Fri). Took this out and put it in the kitchen. Must see this so I can put all my acts together. Hmm…maybe I do it tomorrow or the day after or …. Procrastinator Queen at it again. 

1st Mar (Sat)

Walked past the huge can on the table many times, looked at it and mind hands and legs not wanting to work so I walked away 😂😂 each time. 

Later in the afternoon, bro and SIL dropped by to pass me something and they laughed at the huge can. Only crazy person like me can think of getting this huge can. Siao! When will I start thinking logically? Asked if they wanted the other can of tomato 🤣. SIL is a much better cook than me, I’m sure she can cook it much tastier than I do. 

Never mind from the beginning they were my first guinea pigs, if after testing the first recipe and tastes ok I will make a batch for them. I can’t give this to mom coz she’s not into angmoh pasta chiak. Not sure if sis likes it, will check with her, if she likes then I’ll give her a batch as well. 

Tomorrow! Tomorrow! Tomorrow I must put all my actions together.

2nd Mar (Sun)

Can strike lottery day! 老娘 woke up from the wrong side of the bed and feel so ready to tarantella 💃🏼 

As I lifted the lid, a sea of red greeted me. I couldn’t be as close to Mt Vesuvius 🌋, now I’m close to the fruit that grew there. 

@ 10.09 Ms Thermie started working for me

Muahaha! Left with so much. 

Not much to wash or keep coz Ms Thermie is a bao-gar-liao machine which helps you weigh and mince food as well as many other tasks. Thus I had the free time to do this rubbish photo taking.

@ 10.27 after I took the above photo. Ms Thermie doing the final step while I nuah on the sofa, the smell permeated the home. Smells yummy! Hope it tastes nice.

@ 10.42 - done! Did the testing and tastes ok. It wasn’t that sweet sweet I was expecting from this tomato so maybe lots of sugar was added to the sauce? I added one more teaspoon to it and taste is elevated a little. Still not that sweet but I stopped adding anymore sugar. Would be better if chilli powder is added to it and maybe oregano (?) too. 

I can cook everything in one pot but I decided to separate them coz I’d like to keep the extra sauce clean. 

Tested by the panel of judges more critical than Master Chef’s judges. Lil’ one likes it, says “it’s not that sweet like Boston one but it’s ok. You can throw away the Prego sauce now.” Che-che doesn’t really like tomato based pasta so a simple nod is the best approval I can get. 

The extras. Not sure if I should freeze my next batch? Will it affect the tastes months later? Lil’ one says it’s better to make it fresh. However she’s not the one cooking 讲这么容易. 

***********************

@12.17pm - in the midst of making the second batch for bro. Sis don’t like it so won’t be giving it to her. 

Sterilize bottles in my caldron 🧙

Ready to leave the house and pass it to them

Abit bor liao and wrote the date of production. But after looking at the photo now I realised I’m still dreaming I’m in Feb. 

Hope they like it. 

 

👮‍♂️ Mata catch my daughter

Scams and online thefts are on the rise thus I’m quite wary if I’ll become a victim myself. 

Facebook 

Recently I have been notified of attempts to log into my second Facebook account from someone using a Samsung Galaxy phone. Attempts were stopped but they informed me. Anyway they won’t be able to hack I’m sure coz the password is not that easy to guess.  

Krisflyer

Since Jan too I’ve received 4 notifications on request for OTP 🚨🚨. Someone’s been trying to log into my Krisflyer account? I have a lot of Krisflyer miles (of course there are people who have more KF miles than me lah!) of course worried if someone is going to makan my miles. 

Today I received yet another one so decided to call KF Membership Services to report. Someone is trying to swindle my miles.  

CSO A picked up the call and he said he’ll investigate for me. Lil’ one came out of her room and told me she’s been attempting to log into her Krisflyer. What?! Told me after I’ve hung up the phone but what has that gotta do with me? My dear girl then told me the contact number in her membership is mine. 🤦🏻‍♀️ 我的天啊‼️小姐 why didn’t you tell me? And even the last 3 times? She could have told me the OTP is from her, she probably couldn’t log in further and didn’t bother to log in after that, even if she knows the next time she tries it, it will get the same result. Sigh….. 

Quickly called back, told CSO B to inform her colleague CSO A that it’s false alarm and that he didn’t have to investigate further. She burst out laughing when she heard what happened. She directed me to CSO C when I told her I’ll have to change the contact number for lil’ one. Think coz she was only 9 or 10 when she joined as a KF member. 

CSO C assisted me, while on the phone I heard two incoming calls but couldn’t pick up the phone. Managed to change to her mobile phone number and I told CSO C that he should call the police on her 😂. 

After some time CSO A called back again at 2.11pm. I didn’t return call coz it’s a main line with many CSOs and was his name ShaXXX or ShaYYY? I might be led on a goose chase in the centre. And before I could tell him what happened he told me his “investigation led me to your daughter Aricia XXX. It’s linked to her KF account so likely she was attempting to log into hers.” I told him I’m so embarrassed for my own blunder and wasted his time on me AND PLEASE CALL THE POLICE TO CATCH MY DAUGHTER THE SCAMMER 🤣!! Hmm….. calls are recorded right? 🤭 Think coz old aunty is bored lah! Trying to find some young chaps to 跟我聊天💬。