Last page of the Calendar

Ah,.... I still can't believe that a year has gone by and in such a flurry too. The end of the year always mean one big baked-up for folks in the food industry. And when festive season collide, if's one big headache coming up, as in the coming soon festive occasions, all within the span of a month or so.

All I can say is that it always humbles me at the end of each year to see the opportunities that have opened up for me in the year to serve people and to see lives transformed as a result. This gives me a new impetus for greater commitment in new year to do more so that every opportunity is not lost and before it is too late.

May this coming year be filled with all that you would wish for yourself.

Christmas

Christmas brings with it many cheerful sounds and salubrious images, a huge and jolly Santa Claus, Christmas trees, the traditional pudding, sprigs of mistletoe, heavenly sounding carols, brightly wrapped presents for loved ones, and strings of greeting cards hanging from window to window.
Christmas throughout the country celebrate Christmas on a moderate but joyful scale. On Christmas eve, thousands of Christian families welcome the birth of Christ at midnight mass.

It's Christmas and we celebrate the birth of baby Jesus. Thank you for sharing your birthday with us. So generous that we all get presents and cake to eat.

Panettone Bread

It usually prepared and enjoyed for Christmas around Italy. Bread of Milan and one of the symbols of the city. See the bread and feel as the home.

Let hear what the Italian chef says about little bit Panettone, " Il classico dolce italiano con il gusto ricco e la naturale bonta che piace a tutti. Prodotto seguendo la ricetta originale caratterizzata da un impasto fragrante e soffice ricco di burro, unva uva sultanina e frutta candita."
meaning, "The classic italian cake with the rich taste and natural goodness that all will enjoy. The original recipe is characterized by a fragrant and scented dough, rich in butter, eggs, raisins and candied fruit. The dought is raised naturally in a special paper from until it reaches the traditional and famous rounded shape."

Dresden Stollen

Stollen or stolen? So I try to crate one story about "Stolen" but writing in bahasa Malaysia version, Jadi ceritanya, ada sebuah bakery di Eropah ingin mencari pendapatan lebih lumayan pada musim perayaan seperti Christmas. Ia telah mencipta satu resipi baru untuk di jual pada musim perayaan itu. Lalu ia fikir cara nak menpomosikan produk baru itu kepada semua penduduk sana dengan cara meletakan X'mas loaf yang baru bakar dari oven dan letak di luar tingkap dan aroma loaf itu telah tertarik semuanya, termasuk pengemis. Dalam masa itu pengemis bertekad ingin nak makannya, kemudian pergi bakery itu mengambil tanpa menbayar, lalu cabut lari. Dalam masa itu juga pekerja sana ternampak , lalu menjerit pencuri (stolen), pencuri (stolen).....pencuri (stolen).

Pada masa itu Stolen mungkin ada nama tersendiri, sebab belum sempat nak menletakkan nama untuk dijual lagi, dah telah dicuri pula. Jadi setiap yang pengunjung ke bakery ingin nak menbeli loaf baru itu, tetapi tidak tahu namanya dan teringat loaf yang di curi dan dijerit oleh pekerja iaitu stolen, stolen.

No lah, Originally from Dresden, Germany, this traditional holiday bread is a delight to the sense. Tastes like a brioche but sweeter and filled with fruit and nuts. Are you curiously, why the stollen loaf shape like that? Because the shape of the loaf was originally meant to represnt the baby Jesus born and wrapped in swadding clothes.
oh yeh.. I would be very interested to hear any version you have. As there are also other stories roumoured to be true as to now the stollen come to be.

Food Gifts

Busy, busy December......smelling the baking in air, running around to find the perfect present for that special guest check in and thinking of all the wonderful gifts to share with guest. We're constantly working hard- dreaming, creating and trying out recipes that'll have you over moon without too much effort. Our manifesto? Food that's simple and delights all the senses. Sounds like an impossible mission? No way...just need do it 500 basket gifts must be done.

Check out the surprise baskets offered at this Christmas! Pick and taste your favourite from the selection basket, Surprise basket with 1 nos minced pie, 2 nos top grade Valrhona chocolate Santa Claus, 1 bottle champagne, 2 nos mandarin orange, 3 different types Christmas cookies, 1 nos Christmas fruits cake, 1 nos ginger bread and 1 nos Dresden stollen. Don't fret, all you need is a kitchen and little touch, shows you how to turn yummy food into the best gift ever, from the heart.

Sana - Sini 3

Fantasy wedding cake may just be my favorite ones to see, for with fantasy, ones imagination is invited to be outrageously present. For instance, we all know that a real person couldn't eat, but a bride could, should and would. Now, with them chef skills that you have learned in this cake and with the marvelously life like qualities of wedding cake. Them can make your fantasies come to life.

12th Sabah Hospitality Fiesta 2009 (part 3)

12th Sabah Hospitality Fiesta 2009 (part 2)

Nexus Hotel (Bronze)


Promenade Hotel (Silver)



Nexus Resort (Gold)



It was arts fest indeed at the Sabah Hospitality Fiesta 2009 held in City Mall in 7th & 8th November. Chefs turned artist for a day and not only demonstrated their skills at churning magnificent dishes, but managed to perform extraordinary feats of art out of flour, sugar and chocolate.

Nexus Resort Hotel won the gold , silver won by Promenade Hotel and bronze belong also to Nexus Hotel for Class 6 Patisserie Wedding Cake display. Competitions are not about winning medals, but to understand where we are..

Judging Hints:

• Coverings must be smooth or consistent in texture, free of cracks and air pockets.

• Piped decoration must be delicate and uniform in size & spacing.

• Must show proficiency in making decorations such as flowers, ribbons. They must be delicate, natural looking with eye pleasing colours.
• Skirting or edging must be uniformed in size & spacing.
  

12th Sabah Hospitality Fiesta 2009 (part 1)

Bronze (Lembah Impian)


Silver (STAR)


Gold ( Nexus Resort)


The event was held at the City Mall from November 7th and 8th. Over 1000 visitors trooped in to ooh and aah over the delectable displays of edibles and watch with bated breaths as the competitors in the fruit and vegetable carving, hot cooking, teh tarik, wedding cake and pastry showpiece. Only 1 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze for each categories. Pastry showpiece theme should reflect the " One Malaysia" motto. Failure to adhere to the theme will result in disqualification.

Choux Pastry

In French "choux" mean "cabbage", a reference to the appearance of choux buns which resemble mini cabbage roses.
Choux pastry or pate a choux, is the dough used to make heavenly cream puffs, eclairs, profiteroles and ultimately, croquembouche, a fancy and rather grandiose construction considered rather old fashioned, but still de rigueur at French weddings, christening and family gatherings.

The origin of choux pastry can be traced to an Italian chef, Poelini, in the employ of Catherine de Medici, an Italian aristocrat who became the queen of France as the wife of King Henry II. He created choux pastry in 1540, but the cream puff only became fashionable after the 17th century.

Yellow Berry or Just Bananas

Did you know that the banana fruit is actually a berry? It is protected by a cover known as peel. Almost as kiwi fruit. The banana is usually green when unripe and turns yellow when ripe. The are two basic main types of bananas, one to cook with and the other of a dessert variety. Among those that can be eaten fresh. The ones usually used in cooking are pisang nangka (jackfruit banana), to the foot-long pisang tanduk (horn banana) and the rather provocatively named pisang awak (your banana).

Surprise, surprise, the ubiquitous snacks in Malaysia, goreng pisang or fried banana fritters. Which are so popular as tea time snacks. It are actually Nyonya kuih.

Deep fry oil ???

Looking for cooking oil for deep fry?? Finish, No order! So don't you worry it in the pastry kitchen, always have plan A and plan B. Heat the shortening in pan or wok. It was totally replacement cooking oil.
Vegetable shortening is made from 100% palm oil and it does not contain any genetically modified product. It has also 100% fat content, compared to about 80% for butter and margarine.
Shortening it is cheaper and no need keep in refrigeration, It can lengthen the shelf life of baked and cooking.
Shortening word come from any fat or oil that is used to make a short crust or dough and became crumbly texture.

Macaron or Macaroon

The name comes from the Italian word for paste "maccarone". During the French Revolution, two Italian nuns seeking refuge in Northern French baked and sold macarons to earn money. Historically, these were the first macarons.
It their origins are from the Italy but it took the French to refine them and make the macaron what it is today. In particular, it was Pierre Desfontaines Laduree, who, at the beginning of the 20th century, had the idea to join two meringues and fill them with ganache.

The perfect macaron is evenly round, with a slightly flattened dome. The outer surfaces are a bit shiny and have a flaky texture. The bottom edge of each dome has a cripy, bubbly ridge. The inside of the dome is slightly chewy. And the whole thing is held together with a generous amount of dense, creamy filling.

Pavlova

Meringues or Pavlovas? Legend has it that an Australian chef created this simple but heavenly dessert after seeing ballet legend Anna Pavlova's light and graceful dancing. Though some dispute that the dish was originally created in New Zealand, many have come to know and regard it as an Australian dish. Many versions of meringue abound, but comprising of egg whites and sugar.

Who is Anna Pavlova's? At a time when romanticism was out of favour and the technical virtuosity of Italian ballerinas were all the rage, Anna Pavlova's fiuid and lyrical dancing style put Russian ballet back on the map. A graduate of the famed lmperial School of the Maryinsky Ballet, her future as dancer seemed bleak as child as she had weak feet and a scrawny body that cost her years in waiting time before the school would accept her. Possessing none of the showy, Anna's talent lay only in her ability to convery emotion andd expression with a fluid, ethereal grace that thrilled the watching world. She went on to inspire balletomania in all corners of the globe. In fact, Sir Frederick Ashton, a legendary name with the English Royal Ballet, credited his love for ballet simply after watching a performance given by Anna, She passed on in 1931, after contracting pleurisy, her performances in La Bayadere, Giselle, Les Sylphides and The Dying Swan ensured her immortality.

October Feast

If in the company have G.M or F&B Director from Germany, must have Oktoberfest. While the local have their "Sabah Aramaiti". It's beer, beer all the way and there's always something good to eat....like pretzels and schweinshaxe.

The story behind Oktoberfest. The German folk festival of Oktoberfest was initially held in 1810 to celebrate the wedding of King Ludwig l to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. There was a large celebration with beer tents, food games. Today, the Oktoberfest has grown to include roller coster rides, bands, carousels and tents offering beer and tasty German fare like grilled chicken, all sorts of sausages, pretzels and ginger-bread cookies with the heart shape and writing some message. Although the festival was originally held in October, it now begins in September and ends in the first few days of October to make most of the reminig summer sunshine.

Legendary of Mooncake

(Sekarang Starbucks Coffee pun ada jual mooncake...)

The Mooncake Festival fall on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. On this night, the full moon appears more beautiful and brighter than any other night of the year. As with all festivals, there is always a story behind its origins. The Mooncake Festival evolves around 2 legends - one signifying the end of the Mongol Rule in China and the other, a tale of the beautiful Moon Maiden "Chang Er".
Now i only tell one of the story is that the Han people of that time resented the Mongol rule of the Yuan regime and revolutionaries, led by Chu Yuan-chang. Their deep hatred drove them to usurp the throne. Chu had to find a way of uniting the people to revolt discreetly and brainstormed with his advisor, Liu Po-wen who them came up with a brilliant plan. A rumour was spread that a plague was ravaging the land and that eating a special mooncake distributed by the revolutionaries was the only way to prevent it. The mooncake were distributed to the Han people who upon cutting into the mooncakes found the message "Revolt on the fifteenth of the eighth moon." Upon receiving this information, the people united and overthrew the Yuan on the designated day. Hence, the mooncake has come an integral part of the Mid-Autumn festival.
Now Mooncakes symbolize the gathering of friends and family and an indispensable part of the offerings.

Aromatic Star

I mean star Anise derives its name from its apparent star like shape. Rough on the outside, the brown fruit features six to eight perfect points, which split to reveal a seed in each smooth pod when dried.
The star anise is also an important ingredients in the Chinese 5-spice powder, which is a pungent mixture of 5 ground spices of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, Szechuan peppercorns and star anise. It is used in meat marinates, stir-fries, stews and braised dishes, the ground star anise lends a sweet aroma to cakes, breads, cookies and desserts. It also used in garnishes and decorative.

Like all other types of spices, star anise should be kept in a cool dry place, away from direct sunlight, preferably in an airtight container. stored properly, it may keep up to a year.

Hari Raya

Hari Raya Aidilfitri or also known as Hari Raya Puasa, celebrated by Muslims after a month of compulsory fasting during Ramadan. Traditionally, Muslims begin the celebration proper with house to house visits to recite special prayer on the eve of Hari Raya. On the actual day, Muslims visit one another. The "Open House" unique to Malaysians, starts after the morning prayer and goes on throughout the day.

Hari Raya is also a time to seek and grant forgiveness. The young and old will clasp hands as they forgive each other for their past misdeeds. All of us enjoy the traditional favourites dished at Hari Raya.......Jom Open House.

Pandan Leaf

Known to us Malaysian Folks as the daun Pandan or Screwpine leaves to other. Pandan leaf is to South-East Asia what the vanilla bean is to the West. The pandan plant grows from the ground in clusters of long sword like green leaves. It is used to flavour both sweet and savoury dishes. The juice is added to traditional cakes to impart both fragrance and colour. They can be ground to extract the deep green coloured juice to be used in various recipes to various kuih-muih and sweet dessert soups like Bubur Cha-cha, Pulut Hitam and many others.

Sago Gula Melaka

Is a popular local dessert. It so easy to make it, bring the water to a boil in a deep pan and add the sago separated. Allow to boil gently over a medium flame for about 10 minutes. Turn off the flame and cover pan with lid. Set aside for about 10 minutes, or until the sago pearls are translucent. Spoon sago into individual jelly moulds. You will find it easier to unmould if you rinse the moulds well before putting in the sago. Chill well.
To serve, unmould the pudding onto a dessert plate and top with the palm sugar syrup and coconut sauce. To prepare the palm sugar syrup, boil together the palm sugar and water until the sugar dissolves. Simmer until syrup is thick. Cool before using. To make the coconut sauce, bring the coconut milk to a boil and turn off the flame. Stir the salt into the milk. Cool before using.

Sago is a starch extracted from the pith of sago palm stems. In New Guinea, where it is called Sak Sak and Sagu. Pearl Sago a commercial product, closely resembles pearl tapioca. "Tapioca" a starch is quite a neutral tasting ingredient which is made from the processed and dried manioc root and similar to sago. This similarity course in the name of dishes is Sago Pudding With Palm Sugar.

Formulation Baking Powder

In the Pastry kitchen, forget order Baking Powder and running out of stock. Don't worry you can make your own Baking Powder by mixing one part baking soda to two parts cream of tartar. Frequent combination with baking soda and cream of tartar is formulation Baking Powder.

• Baking Soda (sodium bicarbonate) is pure alkali and reacts with acidic ingredients in the recipe to give off carbon dioxide gas.
• Baking Powder is a carefully proportioned mix of a dry acid, bicarbonate of soda a little cornstarch to absorb unwanted moisture.
• Cream of Tartar is the potassium acid of tartaric acid, a carboxylic acid, is used for stabilizing egg white and preventing sugar syrup from crystallizing.
  

Sana - Sini 2

Chocolate Box With Chocolate Pralines.

FHM2009

Culinaire Malaysia FHM 2009 will be on 11-14 August 2009 Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, and taking back for me the first time or may be last time since its debut in 2005. Because from Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Lumpur is even costlier. The cost escalates in competitions with airfares and accommodation as well. Use own money to compete.

Preparing for competition is very arduous. Many hours are spent in training. Dedication to their craft is what will make an extraordinary competitor stand out from the average one. To be fair to the employer, me cannot practise during working hours. It is equally important for the chef's employer to supportive, as practice for the competitions is usually done at the place of employment and time off will be needed to compete. It is quite normal for me to sleep at work in order to have more time practise.

Why are competitions important? Competitions keep chefs learning, by picking up new ideas from each other. Competitions are windows for the public look through to the other side of the chef's world and what it is all about. It also for me is a personal exam, I participant competing in 3 categories,- Dessert, Showpiece and Petit Fours or Pralines see what i learning before this. Personal creativity and flair also helps, plus little bit luck too.

Favourite Toys

Many cake decorating are on the market now, and this is wonderful for ideas and inspiration. Most children have favourite toys and characters and these can be copied by combining sectioned cakes and icing and colours.
The joy on the faces at the children receiving their cakes, is the greatest satisfaction.

Almond Paste

In Italy during a grain shortage when finely ground almond and sugar were kneaded together to fold an unbaked sweet "bread" Even the word "Marzipan" itself is open to conjecture. Marzipan or Massepain an old term for it in French, may be derived from the Italian word Marzapane, which originally meant "Sweet Box" and later what it contained or perhaps it comes from marcipanis, Latin for St. Mark's bread, which is what marzipan is called in Venice the city whose patron saint is St. Mark.

Almond Nuts

The introduction of "Greek nuts" to European countries. The Roman Brought almond nuts to Italy from Greece around 200 B.C calling them "Greek nuts". Where they were welcomed enthusiastically as a taste treat to enjoy on in combination with other ingredients, especially in the form of sweets.
In fact, almonds coated with sugar (known to us today by Jordan Almond) first appeared in Italian diet in 177 B.C.

Creme Caramel

Almost every nation has its own version of creme caramel and this makes it one of the most versatile and popular desserts. In Latin America, it is known as flan and heavy cream is used for a more intense flavour. In Italy, the same dish is called crema caramella and it is sometimes known as creme renversee in French. Creme caramel is actually a French dessert with a simple custard base and a soft caramel topping.

Quick and easy dessert to served chilled, creme caramel is an excellent dish to pair with a heavy or hot meal, since it cools and calms the stomach. At hotels creme caramel is always one of the preferred choices.

Only 15 Minutes

This 3 tier wedding it was designed doesn't involve any piping work. A neat coating is the foundation of a well decorated cake. If the coating is well done, there is no need for lots of decoration to cover up mistake, so spend time on achieving a good finish, it is well worth the effort. Flowers transform a cake and used in even the most simplest of decorative ideas can have the most enchanting effect too. Sugarpaste flowers are available at many sugarcraft shops. It is an easy way of creating a lovely cake.

The Berliner

Jam Doughnut in German-speaking countries they are know as "Berliner". Why calling Berliner? And you know it take speeches would ensure that he remained one of Berlin's (German) by John F. Kennedy. When he visited Berlin but i not fully clear which year and standing in front of the Rathaus Schoneberg, he gave a rousing speech on freedom, communism and the cold war, his text sprinkled with the occasional German phrase, which included this gem: "......All free men," I take pride in the German word "......Ich bin ein Berliner".

So Berliner, Jam Doughnut and even Donat, No matter what their name they are all made of the some airy yeast dough which is deep fry in hot oil. Today customers are spoilt for choice when it come the different kinds. Some are dusted with icing sugar, covered and decorated with fondant, white or milk or plain chocolate and also filled with such varied delights as raspberry jam and indeed any kind of jam you can imagine, and they are also available with flavoured creme filling.