I know I make a lot of sweets, but a man can’t live on sugar and butter alone. Making savoury food is a whole new game with more freedom for innovation.

Pork and prawn dumplings with spring onion and water chestnut. To most, the prawn would appear to be the most important ingredient but I personally think that the water chestnut is more critical. Perhaps it is because I’ve always been told by my Mother than water chestnut is essential in any respectable dumplings. The dumplings were made near the Chinese New Year when, I assume, Mother’s words seemed exceptionally clear. It is a time for reunion and celebration though many of us were undoubtedly distant from our families.

The act of making the dumplings, similar to what we do at home during periods of festivity, made me feel a little settled. It reassured me that somethings don’t change, regardness of distance.

For instance, the appropriateness of water chestnuts and wisdom from Mother.

Filed under: Uncategorized ]]> http://unclechin.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/fold/feed/ 0 subliminalaesthetics http://unclechin.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/happy-chinese-new-year/ http://unclechin.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/happy-chinese-new-year/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:05:09 +0000 Unclechin http://unclechin.wordpress.com/?p=3685 Continue reading →]]>

This is what was eaten the morning of Chinese New Year. Nothing in it was oriental, but nothing needed to be.

Happy CNY to all who celebrates. It is supposed to be a time for reunions and celebrations, but for those far from home, all we can do it to take comfort in the fact that distance can be inconsequential.

There are many potential greetings, but all I wish for is good health and fitness of mind to everyone I care about, especially the family.
:]

Filed under: Uncategorized ]]> http://unclechin.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/happy-chinese-new-year/feed/ 0 subliminalaesthetics http://unclechin.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/realise-2/ http://unclechin.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/realise-2/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:43:02 +0000 Unclechin http://unclechin.wordpress.com/?p=3683 ]]> We are different things to different people. This is absolutely normal.

But it scares me.

I’ve always wanted to sell the treats I bake but have always found it hard. Not only because I don’t see how anyone in the right mind would pay me to get some non-uniform dessert that, honestly, doesn’t look all that fabulous. Also, it is hard because I started to bake because I wanted to give joy away. It took an opportune event and a little leap of faith to go for it, to have half a stall with those I could trust and sell the treats. I might have worried too little about the profit while focusing too much on the quality because I’m a bad businessman like that.

There are patisseries all around selling perfected frosted cupcakes, professionally finished cakes and pastries of flavours aplenty while what comes out of my kitchen is rough, hand-frosted, not exactly uniform or display case-worthy. I would say they are homely, but that would be me trying to convince myself that the disfigurations are acceptable.

But we sold them all. People came, though mostly our friends, and people bought. They ate it and I can only allow myself to imagine they genuinely liked it, any other conclusion would lead to some ugly confrontation with my cupcake tin.

There are only a few things I think I do well, and showing gratitude is definitely not one. So here I go. Thanks to those who made the sale possible. The energy, conceptualisation, faith but mostly the tolerance. I would never be able to abide with a persona like mine as I do think I am rather difficult. How anyone puts up with me is way beyond my understanding. So thanks for the faith, but it is so much more than that.

I learnt a lot, I think. Thanks all.

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We always had, and always will have, many problems we deem important. But let us take a moment to realise the majesty of the world outside our self-consuming and restricted view.

We have nothing to worry about that is of any significance. :]

I know I tend to take advantage of the fact that I like to make food but it is not because I want to complain about the act of it. I rather enjoy it and only use my food as a warm little reminder once in a while, perhaps to tilt the tides of an argument in my favour. :]
It is just not of my character to let a potential opportunity of self-endearment go to waste. You may call this arrogance, but I think it is thriftiness. However, I do hope you know it as well as I do, that I absolutely love feeding people.

It doesn’t have to be anything complicated, you could throw some yoghurt and berries in a nice tall glass and call it dessert. Naturally, if you’d rather, you can also put in a little more effort and make some fresh bread. There is, personally, nothing more lovely than a warm–freshly-baked–bread roll for breakfast, while the air is still with electric chilliness and the atmosphere is light and sanguine. Pop it on a plate along with sausage, tomato and a little fried egg with the yolk all gooey and inviting, and what we will get is a breakfast to mark the start of a little adventure.

It is definitely rewarding to feed friends, but feeding strangers (more or less) and getting a little positive response the next day is gratification at its best. It filled me with so much delight I was giddy with joy. “It was delicious” resounded in my head over and over again until it got drown out by the business of the day ahead. It was only when things quietened down again in the sterile compartment of a train did I realise how thankful I was for her words.

At the end of the day, it is never about what the cook can do, but what the eater remembers.

There are not many things in the world that can comfort, and soothe, as well as the repetitiveness. Bread, especially, requires much repetitive work in terms of the kneading. Nothing overly energetic but a gentle teasing of the dough to follow your will. Naturally, the end result of actually eating the baked bread is not too bad as well. The craft of bread making appears magical to me. Add in some seemingly dead powered yeast, activate it with some sugars and a little water. Watch them bubble and then pour them over a bowl of flour. Mix everything around until a wet and misbehaving dough is formed. A little kneading and the dough starts to listen, to conform to the will of your hands and shape up with elasticity and strength.

Pop it in the oven and the kitchen would smell like the neighbourhood bakeries I adore. The nonchalant presentation and the homely vibe of those uncomplicated bakeries makes their breads and buns more attractiveness, not less, if only for their apparent sincerity.

A little homely comfort while studying for exams. :]

The little hiatus from the usual sequential, and overly orderly, proceedings of life was refreshing. A little eggs, some conversations, and a little new-found conclusions. It has always been interesting, to me, how different people receive varied vibes from similar situation. How we define behaviours is structured by past experiences and expectations.

Over-analysis or an essential way to react to social creatures?

While we have conversations, we often have small talks with ourselves inside. To reaffirm, to disagree, to question and to keep in view topics we were unable to come to terms with.

Secret small talks.

Good day to you too.

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I wanted to bake a little something on the eve of the new year. It didn’t have to be festive, nor particularly impressive. I wanted a little something slightly sweet, not to celebrate the product, but to celebrate the process. To take a few minutes off studying and indulge in the magic of the kitchen, the magic of creation. It need not be food, I believe, for we can take indulgence in whatever we find delight in.

It was a surprise, to say the least. The recipe was for a ginger scented pumpkin bread but what came out resembled a thick bread pudding. It was moist, moreish and definitely worthy of the investment of time.

Sometimes a little surprise can make the day.

And to everyone reading this, I hope your first few moments of 2012 was spend with an atmosphere charged with excitement, or a more sombre mood of  recollection and internal gratitude. Happy 2012. :]

Last day of 2011, a time for recollection and for appreciation. To be thankful for all the moments of energised excitement, and of the pricelessness of captured stillness. The company of friends, new-found understand of home, experiences of growing up and learning to be appreciative — some lessons I take with me this year.

Mostly, I think, 2011 had been about being ourselves. To accept the flaws and the imperfections not with resignation, but with illuminated awareness. It takes a man who knows himself to understand anyone else at all.

It has been an eventful year indeed.

Though a little late, a leg of gammon was made. Christmas is over but the celebration need not be. The gammon came smoked and it was slowly roasted to tease the flavour out of it. A gently-spiced red wine and mustard gravy accompanied slices of ham.

Nothing like good old homemade fare to bridge us over the yearly transition.

Happy last day of 2011 everyone.

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