Monday 26 March 2007

Karnival BJ 2007

Last Saturday 24th March 2007, Bukit Jelutong Resident Association organised our 'Annual' Karnival BJ. Like previous Karnival BJ in 2003 and 2004, my sister and I decided to participate.
In the above photo is my sister (older by one year mind you, as everyone mistakes her as my younger sister...) serving a customer.

As usual prior to the Karnival BJ, plans were made to bake a variety of goodies. But as the mind is willing and the body not, quite a few ideas were abandoned last minute. Ah well! There's always the next one!

My sister made cheesecake, cheesecake slices, mini chocolate bundt cake, ice cream Malaysia and corn pudding. I made some cookies, chocolate cupcakes, cream cheese pound cakes, a couple of coffee cakes, a chocolate cake, a carrot cake, cinammon rolls and 3 trays of lasagna . I actually wanted to do more, but because I was also helping out the committe in organising the whole event, I didn't have the time or energy.

I would like to thank my husband for being so wonderful in helping out with the stand ( unfortunatley he didin't take photos of what we sold!), to my friends Zura and Filzah, who also participated in the booth by selling your delicious goodies and to my Mak for making the lovely Kuih Koci Labu which was a hit. Not forgetting my sister - you are da bomb! Also to all my friends and neighbours who came as supported us and the Karnival BJ 2007.

Following are a couple of photos of things we made for the Karnival BJ 2007


The Cinnamon Roll (L) and the Sour Cream Chocolate Swirl cake (R)



Monday 5 March 2007

Montel Mama and the French Chef

Since I seriously started baking, I always had a dream to learn from a French Chef or Baker. I know it will always remain a dream of my going to France to learn, or even to the United States, considering the money I have to spend on logistics alone, not including tuition. The sum of which would cost more that what I could ever afford.

I have been baking/cooking since I was 7 or 8 (Actually, I was the lazy one - but that's another story). I have been greatly influenced by my mother who used to bake buns for the family. She would knead the dough and shape them into small balls and then cram it in a round pan. When baked,the smell was indiscribable.

When I started to work and could afford to pay for classes, I would be driving all over KL, Subang Jaya, Petaling Jaya and Kajang to go to classes. All my salary went to my love for baking. Either in the form of classes or books.

A few years ago, I attended a Cordon Bleu class for petit-four in Taylor's College. I was in love! A English speaking French man teaching pastries...what more can I say? It was a half-day class, which was not enough for me. But I still couldn't afford to go to any of the Cordon Bleu school ( the nearest would be in Australia). Nearly a year past when I recieved a call about a French Cooking School in Kuala Lumpur. So that was the start of my love affair with HTC - The French Culinary School in Asia and the Year was 2004 ( April 2004).

Back to present. Last Sunday a class with my favourite Master Pastry Chef : Chef Jean Francois Arnaud. If you look closely at the photo, you will see a black shadow behind me. That's Bruno trying to be funny.
The French Flag on Chef Arnaud's collar means that he is Un des Meilleurs Ouviers de France Patisserie (in simple english, The Highest Award Winning French Pastry Chef). In France they have a competition every 4 years to see who is the best chef and only a selected few will recieve the honour of winning this coveted awards.

At least now, I don't have to go to France to learn to bake like a French Pastry Chef. Cest Bon!

Following are some of the things I learnt from the 1-day class in The French Culinary School in Asia with Master Pastry Chef Jean Francois Arnaud MOF

Saturday 3 March 2007

And it's already...

March!!! Time really flies! It seems like it was just yesterday when the year turned new and now, it's already the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations. I have been extremely busy with work and also with things that have been happening on a personal level.

On 1st March, hubby dearest started work with a new company. And for that he did something that I never thought he would do...shave his moustache. God, was I suprised! I thought he looked totally different. Actually he looked different than what I thought he would look without his moustache. But now after three days looking at his 'naked' face, I am getting used to it, and he is starting to look like his 'normal' self to me. A good friend of mine who came for breakfast this morning declared that hubby looked younger. Egad! Now he decides to keep it shaved for a while. A monster created I have!

Add 38 years to this photo and Viola!