Batam Trip (12 Dec -14 Dec 09)

This trip was organised by the department. We stayed at a 2yrs old hotel styled 'I-hotel'. Room is spacious and comfortable. This hotel is located near Nagoya hill shopping mall and is very convenient. Just take a 5mins walk from the rear of the hotel and you are there. The operating hrs of the mall is 10am-10pm. There is a shop styled '61' that sell T-shirt at as low as Rupiah 15,000 @ SIN$2.20. Bought quite a no of pieces there. There is also a hardware shop located beside the hypermart that sell baking tins. Didn't write down the unit no but it is easily located at the corner. Within the hypermart there is also baking tins and ingredients for sale. The tins are cheaper then JB but the quality may not be as good but its still good enough for baking.


These are vegertarian bao. Rupiah 3000 @ $0.45

This stall is located inside the mall selling kueh kueh. Bought the steam yam and surabaya cake to try. One is too salty while the other is too sweet.

As this is a guided tour, we also visited Batam centre shopping mall, polo outlets etc. Among these places is a Kuek Lapis factory. Managed to take some pictures and saw them using golden churn butter. A orginal lapis cost $23 while prune cost $26. I bought the latter. Did you see the 2 pails? Its egg whites as the shop claimed that they uses only yolks to bake the lapis.

Short Break

Took a short break from baking. Went over to Cameron Highland, Malaysia with family and Batam, Indonesia with colleague. Weather at Cameron Highland is cooling while Batam is super warm. However have enjoy myself on these 2 trips. Bought some baking stuff from batam...very cheap esp the baking tins. Heart shape, square tin, round tin you name it I bought it hahaha.....I don't have enough hands else sure get even more stuff back.

石头 Toast

Not because this toast taste as hard as a 石头 but the name was given by me for a kind lady 刘阿姨 who taught me how to go about preparing it. I met 刘阿姨 during my April Taiwan trip. She's the owner of 石头的家. This is part of the breakfast menu she offer. She too enjoy baking and she's so kind to share with me how to go about preparing it. She did not give me the exact recipe so I just make my own 'agaration'. If anyone happen to go Taiwan 花莲, do drop by and stay at her 民宿。 You will have this 家的feeling. 谢谢你刘阿姨！

Btw I took this pic outside 刘阿姨 house. Love it! Apparently, lily is very common there.

石头 Toast

120gm mixed peas
320gm potatoes
100gm mayonnaise (I used mayonnaise lite)
1 can of Tuna in water (drained off the water)
13 pcs of bread (can use thicker toast)
some cheddar cheese
some salt & pepper to taste

Methods

1) Boil the potatoes, peel and smashed

2) mix the peas, tuna and mayonnaise, salt & pepper together

3) Spread on the bread and sprinkle with cheddar cheese

4) Toast @ 180c for 12mins or when cheese melt and turn little brownie

This recipe can yield about 13pcs of toast. If you can't finish, do not toast all. You can freeze in the freezer and heat it when needed. My elder boy love it.

上海， 苏州 2007

This is defintely an outdated post. Doing some PC housekeeping and came across these pictures. Am lucky enough to be able to travel with a group of colleague from other departments for a study visit at 上海 and 苏州 in 2007. These are some of the pictures taken.