Sunday, October 25, 2009

Chocolate Butter Cake

Struggled to bake/ make something this weekend or not since I have been doing it 3 consecutive days last weekend.

At the end, I told my sister to get me some unsalted butter and buttermilk from Giant after church. She rang and told me couldn't get buttermilk. Well, that means chocolate creamy cake is gone. So, with butter and chocolate powder at home and milk, what should I make. Maybe chocolate and orange cake? Since we have orange at home. But, I look at the recipe again, 2 hours cooking time. Forget it.

So, at the end, opted for simple chocolate butter cake. Earlier was also thinking should I make Chiffon cake again? Since everyone likes Chiffon cake so fast.

At the end, Chocolate Butter Cake it is. It's quite simple, i reckon and the baking time was fast. It was halfway after I have done all the washing.

hmm... yumm.... I didn't put the chocolate cream as the book said, unless for party, I reckon, else, how to finish?


Thursday, October 22, 2009

Japanese Dinner

A few colleagues cum friends celebrated belated birthday for me and early birthday for uncle Boon Hwa today. Had Japanese (again. 3rd time this week, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Had high class mamak on Wed) at Sunway Pyramid.

They reckon the food is the same as Rakuzen in Subang and the serving in Subang is much better. For me, I am not very sure. I think they put a lot of food seasoning here as I can feel it especially dried mouth after meal. And the ventilation here is not as good. Shall recomment Rakuzen in Subang is a better place. :)

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Birthday lunch + dinner

2 friends celebrated my birthday with me yesterday by taking me out to Rakuzen (Japanese restaurant). Actually, I don't expect them to do so. Well, after a whole day meeting, i needed rest. I was at IT Helpdesk installing something on my PC and within that 5 minutes, I realised that I was so tired and it's only Monday evening. I couldn't move at all until the IT ppl jokingly said they are going to call me a cab. hahaha... I told them to push me back up to level 4.

Well, then, the 2 friends took me to dinner with me feeling tired to walk, to eat. But, it was very sweet of them insisted to take me for dinner and a cake which I opted for ice cream.

No picture taken as I didn't bring anything out except my phone and myself.

Today, few other colleagues cum friends took me out for lunch for a fried chicken nasi lemak. Nice... sweet as....


Tonight, went out with another 2 friends (ex-colleagues). One of them is having same birthday with me (another friend of mine having same birthday, same year is a Japanese, lost contact, so sad). So, we ate at Sakae Sushi. I think I have not see them for 5 - 6 years. wow.. and we just talked and talked like old friends. cool... :)

I was jokingly saying when will we meet again? After another 10 years?



Sunday, October 18, 2009

Sushi + Sponge Cake

Make sushi as lunch today. Right after church. Took me less than 1 hour to get it done. :)

Then, make sponge cake. It's ok, just that I should have make a Black Forest.





Saturday, October 17, 2009

Chiffon Cake

Had enjoyed really nice chiffon cake baked by Aunt Mei Ling when I was in NZ. Tried many times and still couldn't be like what she did.

Today, I tried again. Taste and smell were there, not the look :( Only thing, it didn't raise enough and not fluffy enough. But, I beat the egg enough. Wondering and only realised that I forgot about the cream of tartar... aiks.... (oh... I make my own pandan juice too), so, this cake has got not colouring. :)

Dad and mom like it. Mom said it's a bit sweet though I have reduced the sugar. Overall, it's still ok. haha... So, maybe try again and it should be alright? Hopefully.... :s


Mango Orange Sorbet

I read about making own ice cream and sorbet long long time ago. And I thought it was quite difficult and tedious to make them.

Recent trip to Saigon had the really nice sorbet make me rethink. And as I came back, read those recipe again. And since we have home grown mango and passion fruit, just thought why not try to make.

Since I didn't have enough passion fruit this time, I tried to make the mango. It was easy, but tedious. Have to make into puree, strain (though may not necessary). Just that I like it smooth. And I did a mistake, I accidentally put the same amount of measurement of concentrated orange juice as orange juice, aiks... a bit too thick and too sweet.

Then, I fridge it, freeze it, blend it a few times.

And the next time... tadaa.... It's nice, I reckon. hahaha..... Next time, I shall try on the passion fruit.


Fireworks - Deepavali

Hindu is celebrating Deepavali today. And once passed midnight, lots of fireworks at my neighborhood...

It sounded like war zone though and yet beautiful. Needless to mention, air pollution also.. :s


Friday, October 16, 2009

Another wisdom tooth

Make a dental appointment today since it's a off day. :)

Thought of doing the annual check-up and also thinking should I extract the upper right wisdom tooth. It's not giving me problem, just the food will get stuck there and irritates me.

After almost driving around half the town for a parking lot, I managed to find one (so far) and walked so fast to the dental clinic as I was really late. Told the doc. on what I wanted to do. He looked at it and said, ok.

It was a fast process. And I have lost another 25% of wisdom. Lost 25% last year also. So, total of 50% lost. haha... =D




Sunday, October 11, 2009

Making & Baking

Wanted to bake or make something for a long time. Then, thought was making jelly and sis agreed.


Went to The Store after church to get a can of lychee and the konnyaku jelly powder. Thinking that I can have passion fruit favour too since there are a few fruits at home.

And I started making when I got home. It was quite easy. :)

After making that, looking at the clock, it's only 3pm. And I felt like baking. Then, I decided to try muffin again since I failed it the last time.

A lot of people tell me muffin is the easiest, but, I just couldn't make it. I can make Black Forest but, I can't make muffin. aiks... So, I wanted to try again. tadaa.... I managed, just that I think I need to use the right flour. The one that I am using makes my muffin a bit chewy (according to the book-lar....)

So, I shall try again next time...

This coming weekend, I shall try to make something else... :)




Monday, October 5, 2009

Farewell Dinner

Actually, I don't like to go for farewell dinner. It is as if we will not meet again and I always wonder why don't we do this kind of makan (eating) more often but wait till someone is resign.

Anyway, we had our dinner at Sunway, Tasty Pot was the restaurant. It's steamboat. I would say the company count more than the food. :)

It was fun to play with KK Yap's son. He found out that I am also Rachel and his eyes blink as he said he has a friend also Rachel. hahaha...

We ate and we had fun. Take care Ms. Chong (Swee Kwee). Surely we will miss you...

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Gunung Angsi via Bukit Putus

A friend mailed me about the climb this Sat 2 days ago, I kinda ignored it cos I have had an appointment made in the morning. Then, received sms. Also, cannot lar..

On Friday, I was thinking should I go or should I not. And I called to postpone the appointment to next Sat. Even when I got home, well, parents kinda encouraged me to go since I was pretty stress-up recently.

I wasn't sure if I will go though I started packing. I was quite anxious as it has been a long time (years?) since my last climb a mountain. Well, I did go for hills and Rat Race, but, it's different. There was this fear growing in me as I knew the others are very fit.

So, I woke up on Saturday, it was cloudy and I think I should go. So, I went to meet up the rest at church. There were only 7 of us. KG, Peter Lim, Jason Wong, Pat, David, Nataniel (Peter's youngest son) and me.

We arrived at Bukit Putus (decided to take this alternate route as was told it's easier and shorted) at about 8.15am. We could see the new Lekas (yet to open) highway just below us. We started after a word of prayer.

The terrain at the start was narrow and steep. I already find it difficult and thinking how to survive for the rest. And they called this ez! It's definitely not for me. Thank God Peter Lim and Nataniel were behind me (by purpose?). Peter has always been a sweeper in my climb with him around.

Arrived at this Kopitiam (Cafe) place after 30 minutes of the steep climb. We rested and was told it's easy after that. True enough it was fairly easy. It's walking and some ups and downs.

Somehow we need to go over or under a lot of falled tree trunks. It's very much like obstacle course. At some junctions, I didn't know where to go. And Peter told me, just follow the red plant. It was planted by the owner of the Kopitiam, they come here every Saturday. That really impressed and touches me. Every Saturday!! And they plant it so people are able to follow the route. Good samaritans.

At one part, it was so dark, and misty. Well, it was cooling too. We summited at about 10.00am, took us about 1.50 hours. Wow...

After rested and chatted with some other guys there. They were talking about helicopter evacuation at Everest base camp which required USD5K upfront as the insurance coverage is more of refund later. The team got excited of the topic. It started to drizzle and we descended after about 15 - 20 minutes rest.

Natheniel was so cute showing me his protection bag. :)



Descending was fast. I took opportunity to snap more photos. One can actually see the Lekas (still building) highway.

The rain got heavier when we were about to reach the base (~ 12 noon). Well, since we were about there, no one borthered to wear the rain coat, so, we were wet.

I knew I had a scratched on my way up. It was painful especially the sweat got into it. Only later I realised that it was like a Nike mark. hahaha... Just do it, uh.

As soon as I got my belongings for changed, an accident happened within split second right in front of me. The car got hit because another car which tried to overtake and squeezed in as there were on-coming car. And the car behind can't move at all... wow...

For me, I think it's not that easy climb, overall, it's not that difficult as well. Do I want to climb more mountains? I am not sure. I know they are trying to convince me to go Nepal climb next March for 18 days trip. hmm....