So so busy

I have to admit, i'm so so so busy thesedays juggling between work, cake projects and also the surprise thingy i was telling. Yeah, I take this opportunity to announce, I've set up a cake business 'Lovesome Cakes' from home.

love·some [luhv-suhm]
–adjective
1. inspiring love; lovely; lovable.
2. amorous; loving.

www.lovesomecakes.com.my

I know you just want to click right away, but the website is not up yet. We are working out on the website and i promise it will be up anytime by next week. Since both me & my fiance are in the design line, it makes life so much easier.

I pray this passion of mine will one day bring me above the sky.

Before I end this post, take a look at some of the cakes I had bake in the past weeks... Here is a cake I baked for Manchester United facebook fans malaysia during their game MU vs Liverpool on 21st March 2010. I was so so so glad for MU's victory on that day. I love you Park. You made my cake a blast!

The Amount of time i spent to craft that logo....Hmmm....Exciting....

I'm very happy with the end result so does the MU fans.

Here is another cake i baked for a lovely couple for their engagement...

More posting coming in the week. Till then i bit a farewell and enjoy your week folks.

What's so special?

Although it's not healthy eating fast foods, Richard & I love Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. The tender and juicy chicken... Oh My...I just feel of eating it now. And not to forget their signature side dish, the cajun fries, it's heavenly.

What's so special with this chicken hah?

Can't wait for another session in Popeyes!

All time favourite...

I cant deny the fact that I'm crazy over sizzling Japanese toufu and fried kangkong belacan whenever we are at the Chinese restaurant (Tiga Bersatu, Puchong). I used to cook alots of kangkong belacan when I was still studying in Melbourne. I tell ya, my housemates will go crazy over it too. Yeap, it's that finger licking good!

Here, I would like to share the recipe for both scrumptious menu.

Japanese Sizzling Toufu recipe:

Ingredients
1 packet Japanese tofu, cut into 1.5cm pieces
Tapioca flour for coating
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/2 tsp chopped ginger
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp sesame oil
100g chicken meat, steamed and shredded
100g small prawns, shelled
2 pieces Chinese black mushrooms, soaked and sliced thinly
25g frozen green peas
25g carrots, diced

Seasoning (combine in a small bowl):
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp Shao Hsing Hua Tiau wine (optional)
1 tsp chicken stock granules

Thickening (combine):
1 tbsp corn flour
2 tbsp water

Method
Coat sliced tofu pieces in tapioca flour. Deep fry in hot oil until golden. Dish out and drain on absorbent kitchen paper towels.Heat oil and sesame oil in a wok; saute ginger and garlic until fragrant. Add prawns, black mushrooms and carrots. Stir-fry well. Add seasoning, green peas and chicken meat. Blend in thickening.Heat hotplate over fire. When it is really hot, remove and place on a wooden platter. Add tofu pieces and pour sauce over. Serve immediately.

Fried Kangkong belacan recipe:

Ingredients
300g sweet potato leaves
3 tbsp oil
1 tbsp dried prawns, soaked, drained and pounded.

Pounded:
3 shallots
2 cloves garlic
4 red chillies, seeded
1 1/2 tsp Maggi belacan granules

Seasoning:
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp sugar or to taste
1/2 tsp chicken stock granules

Method
Pluck the sweet potato leaves from the stalks. Cut the stalks into 7cm lengths, discarding the tough parts. Wash and drain well.Heat wok over high heat until hot, then add in oil. Fry the pounded dried prawns until aromatic. Add the rest of the pounded ingredients and stir-fry well.Put in sweet potato leaves and stalks and stir-fry briskly for one to two minutes. Add seasoning to mix. Dish out and serve immediately.

Both recipes are adapted from Amy Beh.

What's up with me?

I have been neglecting my blog for about a week now. I'm just too busy at work. At the same time, I just can't wait to reveal something really special for the people out there. Something I wanted to do all the while and very close to my heart.

Till then stay tuned!

Workshop: Gum Paste Flowers

Hey folks, Degreef, the president and director of the Canadian Society of Sugar Artistry is in town! Degreef will be conducting two workshops on gum paste flowers — one for beginners and the other, intermediate — in Kuala Lumpur on March 13 and 14, as well as March 20 and 21.
The workshops will be held at 211, Jalan Tun Razak, 1st Floor, Dua Residency Annexe (adjacent to the US embassy) from 10am to 5pm on each day. The course fee is RM1,200 per workshop, inclusive of RM300 worth of cutters (tools to cut the dough), lunch and tea.

Places for the workshops are limited. For reservations or enquiries, call Honey Khoo or Chui Peng at 03-7784 9002 (office hours) or Catherine at 012-231 8910. Participants are advised to bring paper, pen and apron to the workshop.

Photo credits: http://cakes.anniesartbook.com

Setting the table

Whether your dinner is very formal or not so formal, there are a few basic guidelines to setting a table.

Tips:
The key here is to be practical. Don't seat two people who notoriously get into vicious arguments next to each other just to fit a boy-girl, boy-girl seating arrangement.

Steps:
1. Figure out how many guests will be attending. If several children will be in attendance, consider having a children's table. If you would like the children at the main table, consider booster chairs if the children are small.

2. Determine where everyone should sit. For convenience, the cook may want to sit near the kitchen door. Parents should sit next to their children. If there is a male guest, he is traditionally seated on the hostess's right. A female guest is traditionally seated on the host's right. For large parties, determine who would interact best with each other. Some people like to alternate between men and women, but this isn't necessary. You may want to use name cards to avoid everyone rushing for a seat at the last minute.

3. Decide if you will use a tablecloth. If the tablecloth is white damask, you will need a pad under it to prevent it from slipping. Also, the middle crease should be arranged so that it runs in a straight and unwavering line down the center of the table from head to foot. When the tablecloth is on, it should hang down about a foot and a half if it is a seated dinner. If it is a buffet dinner, it should hang down to the floor.

4. Set the table once you've adjusted the tablecloth. Begin by folding napkins and placing them in the center of each diner's place.

5. Place the large dinner fork to the left of the napkin and the smaller salad fork to the left of the dinner fork.

6. Place a salad plate to the left of the forks. The dinner plate should not be on the table when guests sit down.

7. Place a knife to the right of the napkin, with the cutting edge toward the plate. For chicken or a game bird, you might want to use a steak knife.

8. Put out two spoons if you're serving both soup and dessert. The small dessert spoon should be placed to the right of the knife. Place the soup spoon to the right of the dessert spoon. (You can also wait and bring the dessert spoons out just before dessert.)

9. Place a bread plate with a butter knife (if you have them) about 2 inches above the forks.

10. Place a water goblet about 2 inches above the knife. To the right of the goblet and slightly closer to the dinner guest, place a wine glass.

11. Place a cup and saucer, if you're serving coffee or tea, to the right of the setting, with a coffee spoon on the right side of the saucer.

Hot oil splashed...

Yeah, on my right arm while i deep fried the chicken wing. I reached out to Franch oil immediately and i personally thinks it is a life saver. I told Richard the incident through YM, and he so slumberly said to me, "Use a roman shield next time okay". Honestly i didn't know what it means. When i ask him what's that? He showed me this:

Insane or not my man?

Photo credits: http://www.wildfiregames.com/0ad/pages/pictures/legionarymain3.jpg

Beer Batter

I'm basically done with my work in the office. While waiting for Richard to finish training with his new designer, I went ahead searching for any good appetizer recipe for a weekend treat. Found this piece of shrimp real temptation but doubt I would give a try, I don’t fancy beer. Anyways, I guess it is worth trying folk. Give it a try and do give me some comments.

Ingredients
3 large prawns, shelled leaving tails intact
5 slices sweet potato
2 pieces king oyster mushrooms
50g plain flour
Oil for deep-frying

Batter
160g self-raising flour
15g cornflour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
200ml beer or just enough to make a thick yet runny consistency

Method
Wash the prawns well. Drain, then pat-dry completely. Cut off caps and ends of king oyster mushrooms and tear into thick strips.

Combine batter ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix gently and quickly into a smooth batter. Let it stand in the refrigerator for at least half an hour.

Heat enough oil in a wok until just hot over medium heat. Dust prawns with plain flour and coat with the batter, then deep-fry until lightly golden. Dust sweet potato slices and mushroom strips with plain flour and coat with batter. Deep-fry over medium heat until crispy and golden in colour.

Serve the fritters hot.



Extracted the recipe from kuali
Recipe by Amy Beh
Photo Credits: www.kuali.com/recipes

Cooking and baking classes

School holidays are just around the corner, wouldn't it be great for the kids & teenagers to attend some baking course. Here are some places you can send your kids to learn how to bake or cook during the coming holidays. The school holidays begin March 13-21.

Hands-on Baking Course for Teenagers and Adults
Dates: March 13
Time: 9.30am-3.30pm
Contact: Grace Home Cakes Sdn Bhd
16-1, Jalan Medan Putra 4,
Medan Putra Business Center,
Bandar Menjalara,
52200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-6277-1977,
HP: 017-8892-244

Kids Class Series 2 (6-14 yrs)
Date: March 13
Time: 4.30pm-6.30pm
Contact: Bakerstation25,
Jalan Bukit (11/2)
46200 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03-7954-4122 (Umai)

Junior Cupcake Class (8-12 yrs)
Date: March 17
Time: 2.00pm-4.00pm
Contact: Cake Connection Sdn Bhd
D11-1 Block D Jaya One
72A Jalan Universiti
46200 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03-7956-4450

Holiday Cooking Camp (March 15-17)
Holiday Cooking Camp (March 18,19)
Time: 9.30am-1.30pm
Contact: The Cooking House
20-1, Jalan 31/70A,
Desa Sr Hartamas,
50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2300-1070

Extracted from: www.thestar.com.my