Reflections of my life, alongside with the people I knew and the places I have been. The things I have done and still trying to do. Of stories I have heard, or known. From friends and family.
The Moon Represents my Heart sung by the late Ms Teresa Teng.
Ms Teresa Teng was my mom's favourite chinese singer. For years, I grew up listening to this song on radio and later on cassette player when my mom would play it all the time.
I think many of us who grew up in Asia in the mid 70s would know or heard of this song and know of Teresa Teng.
We just got back from Guangzhou, China last Friday afternoon. A short and sweet mini honeymoon sort of holiday. I chose to be this time because its cold in China. We stayed at the Furama Hotel. And quite close to the river where many locals and tourists flocked there to 'romance' under the stars at night or just to sit there and watch the world go by.
I had intended that we go there too..but my knee suddenly misbehave and I was in pain. I couldn't walk very far, and even if I did, I literally took baby steps and very slowly too. I took him to places I would go whenever I travel to Guangzhou alone in the last couple of years. The places I go to eat my breakfast, lunch or even dinner. And I took time to tell him of the things I do to keep my mind off on the family when I was alone in Guangzhou.
Benny literally walked the steps I took..in Guangzhou. Seeing where I have been, places I have gone to shop or just unwind.
However, due to my knee problem, he also took small steps with me. We did the usual tourist thing like going to Beijing Lu(a tourist belt in Guangzhou). Beijing Lu is similar to our Singapore's Orchard Road area. But I was in pain, so he said "let's go back to the hotel to rest. Unless you want to shop and buy things?"
And I said:
"We didn't come to Guangzhou to hibernate in the hotel!"
and then he said :
"But I am tired and tourist shopping for clothes, shoes is not my thing"
But I knew..he was concerned of me. The first 2 days we walked in the bitter cold in our wind breakers and thick coats to have breakfast. Then by the 3rd day, my knee just 'give way'
And he got up early and said :
"I will go and buy breakfast. What do you like to eat?"
We had dinner with friends..with the freight forwarders who handles our shipment. They are more like family to me than business associates. For years, I have treated them like my sisters and brothers. And while we were there, they ferry us around town and brought us round to shop too.
I didn't take any photos with Benny..just photos of him eating. And everytime he digs his spoon or chopsticks into any meal, he would say something like :
'Its good..but it lacks something..."
and then I would go "What? too salty? too oily?"
"No, it lacks the chilli sauce you made for me."
We spent 4 days in Guangzhou China. We rekindled our old courtship days..of us walking hand in hand, doing things for each other. With him opening car door for me or shopping door for me, Waiting for me while I buy chinese junk food to eat.
For 4 wonderful days, Benny make me feel like a million dollars. My love tank filled..to the brim. My batteries re charged. And then on the way back..in the air plane, he said to me
"Let's do this again..maybe later this year.."
Benny having his breakfast at this dim sum joint I frequent..
The next day(2nd day), he ordered his favourite Chives and Minced Pork dumplings...
He waits for me while I took photos of kitty, cats by the road side..letting me do the things I enjoy doing.
and even though he doesn't like pastries and cakes or KFC, he just wanna try every silly thing I did when I was travelling and working alone in Guangzhou China
This is the Portuguese tarts by KFC. We had to order KFC meals just to get these tarts.
And though he prefers normal steamboat over Mala Pot, he just had to try this once just to please me
Even at the Departure hall at Baiyuan Airport, I said must try this cafe's food..so he did.
So to end this post..if you were me..wouldn't you feel that the world stood still for 4 days and your love for that special someone was worth it all?
That's what I felt..Happy, Contended and still very very happy...as if still in honeymoon. And mind you, we are married for 24 years now.
Tomorrow, Suzie will be visiting our shop..the same friend of mine who brought Benny to me..
I seemed to have disappeared. Its just that I have so many things to do. To plan, to decide. For home, for work, for the studio. Today is Friday, the 13th. Not the nicest date if you want to think of all the nice things or the luckiest things..But for me, its the best today.
Because Mediacorp's Channel 8 will be featuring my store and my studio tonight. On a program called HDB Tai Tai. At 8:30pm tonight. If you are in Singapore and I guess in Asia too, you can catch this on xinmsn.com.
They came to film last October 2011. And told me just before airing it, they will let me know the date. Here are some photos we took when they came to do the filming.
They also ask me to bake cupcakes and decorate it for filming. I did so many things and my highlight was to feature our Mahjong Tiles chocolate mould and how I use it to make chocolates and painted the chinese tile. In my haste, I forgot to put it on the table for them..
They will do a voice over so it was like a silent movie when they came to film.
These are made for filming and of course its also edible! I packed these up into boxes and the crew took it with them for tea later.
And my chocolate mahjong tiles...that didn't make it to program!! sighz...
I have been extremely busy with work, with my classes and with family, with the people I love. Ever since Benny quit his day job to work with me in the business, I became even more busy than ever. Maybe because I was able to do all the things I wanted to do for the business now.
But having him by my side meant we saw each other day in day out. We do things together. We have every meals together. And anywhere I wanna go, he said he will drive me there. He told his friend "I am like having honeymoon everyday"..and I told my friends that I am going on a date every day whenever I go to work.
There were things I wanted to do with him when we first got married. When we first met, and loved. But never in my wildest dreams was to have him by my side. Benny was a go-getter, strong headed. I was a risk-taker, bull headed(most of the times!). And I think we couldn't work together.
He reminded me so many times why he took out all his savings to start the shop. It was for him to retire from working for others and he still thinks we can work together. With his vast retail merchandising experience and with my risk taking marketing skills, my teaching skills and I seems to-know-everything skills, he said we could ROCK this part of the world.
In the first month, we argue alot. In fact every other day. I have struggled for 3 years alone in the business. He just joined. I don't care how many donkey years he had in retailing, but I had to have my own way of doing things and he has his too. One big fight lead us to think about us working for the good of the business and our love for each other.
And then, i took a step back. Turn to God and ask Him to show me and to teach me where I have gone wrong.
And God reminded me of my place in his life. That I was always the supporting figure in his life. Someone who stood in the background. Someone who always there when he needed help, when he needed love and attention. And there, I cried to God...
I went to Benny and I cried. And I said SORRY. And we shouldn't fight each other. But we should learn to re-live our life together again. As we need to work together every day. We should take a step back each time we need to raise our voices at each other.
Then Benny told me that at the height of his anger at that moment, he said things he shouldn't have. In turn, he need to go to God and ask for forgiveness too. And God showed him that the Key ingredient to a successful and happy marriage is to be able to fight and argue and still find love in it.
And since that fateful day we fought, we never looked back. Whenever I felt upset of the things he did, I would tell him there and then. And not bottled up inside all the time and let it grow and make a monster out of me. And if he wants things done his way, he learn to say "I need your advice, what do you think?"
and in turn, I became more mellow, more humble ..
They say that Love is a 2 way street...I believe it so. Because if you give and never get, you stop giving. Benny and I have been married for 23 years. In these 23 years there were always moments of love, moments of sadness, moments of anger. The good stuff we keep..the bad stuff we also keep but we never let it go. And that builds up over the years. We just think its okay to just cover it up like a carpet over dust.
But God told us to let it go, let it out. And He made us do that when we worked together.
So now, our business is booming. People ask us the secret of our success..how in 3 years we make good money and started a studio. The answer is LOVE...
So if the business fail, it meant that our love for each other has died. So until then, the business continues to grow and prosper as the love we have for each other grew stronger each day.
And then now, I wish you love...all of you. In your life with your better half. Its when you give and take, the things and people around you prosper. As God has intented it to be.
How long do one grieve over the loss of some one dear to them? A week, a month or many years? I really don't know. My best friend, my mentor, my teacher has passed away recently. She is none other than Sister Seok Buay, the one and only person I started Kitchen Capers for. I think you must read for so long that I often talked about Seok Buay and about Kitchen Capers.
But let me write about this again. For one last time.
I created Kitchen Capers a few years after Boon's untimely death. Leaving Seok Buay and Kim San behind, weeping for him. Seok Buay seems to take forever to heal. She was often resentful of things around her and highly defensive when someone spoke of Boon.
One thing I never told anyone was why I started baking. I started to bake soon after Boon's passing. Because Seok Buay loves to bake. Buay took time away from her home, to stay away from Boon's room and his things. And she would take up a baking course in France at the famous Le Cordon Bleu. And she would come back after a few weeks and tell me of her adventures there. Seeing her so joyful, it makes me happy for her.
Then it became my personal goal in life to help her to cope with Boon's passing. I refitted my home with a baking cabinet. I would seek for Buay's advice on how to bake. In time, I pick up website design and met Prashant Patel with whom I learnt website design from. Then I started Kitchen Capers forum as a hobby site to share recipes on cooking and baking. Mainly because I was also learning..and I wanted Buay to find new hope, new purpose in life. As she was totally illiterate in computers, emails or the Internet.
I would go to her house, and suggested that she cook something she likes and to share the recipe online at the forum. In these early days in the year 2004, I started cooking, baking and documenting every recipe she had in her mind. And as she cooks, she talks and laughs at the same time. The food she serves are of course delicious..and knowing her, the love and joy in every dish she prepares can be savoured and enjoyed to the last bite.
With the popularity of social networking aka Facebook, a fellow church member wrote to me to say that Seok Buay has passed away on the 28th September 2011. I was totally in shock, because I knew she was fit as a fiddle. She was happy with life and with Kim San. Despite not having Boon around, she found joy and happiness in the things she does everyday. She found comfort reading the scriptures and peace from God whenever she prays.
And everytime when I know that she is going away to a country to serve the community, I would bake all the things she loved to eat. And that would be the signature Chocolate Walnut cookie I created for her. And she said once to me :
"Gina, wherever I am, I know you think of me. Eating this, knowing you, that's a blessing God gave to me and only to me alone"
I never share this recipe online or anywhere. It was a cookie I created just for Buay. A cookie to remind me of how much I loved her and respected her all the years she taught me to bake, to cook. She taught me to be bold, to be daring. To try out new things and not be afraid to accept failures. She would tell me about Boon and how she would teach him the same values too.
In so many ways, I know myself. I know I would not have dare to venture beyond. Not with Kitchen Capers. I mean, I started my career in computers. I taught computer programming, desktop publishing..not cooking or baking. Buay gave me so much hope which I thought I was giving to her instead.
I attended her wake on Friday, 30 September 2011..I walked and met Kim San, and I just couldn't control myself. I cried in his arms, holding Kim San tightly. And Kim San wept with me. For a moment, I could have swear the world stood still..with Kim San and I locked in each other's arms, in tears and crying out to each other.
The last time this happened, it was at Boon's funeral wake. And I was there, in the same position but it was with Buay in my arms, letting her cry her heart out to me. I had to take a day's leave from the office. I told my boss why..and he just sign my leave form and ask me to go.
Kim San told me that he blamed himself for Buay's sudden death. She was swimming in a private pool in a swimming club. Somehow, something happened..she drowned and no one came to her aid. Until minutes later, they tried to resuscitated her. By the time the ambulance came, she was pronounced dead.
Her body lied in the hospital for a day to find out the cause of death. And he said to me :
"Buay never goes swimming without me. We go together. Every day, we do things together. Going for breakfast, going for morning walks or even just to shop at the nearby market. We would be there for each other.." and then he went silent..and I could see tears forming in his eyes. I put my arms around him and try to comfort my friend.
And then he said :
"She would tell me how much she loved me. And she would openly hug me and kissed me in front of everyone." and then he smiled and continue to say
"But that is not allowed in our society. People think we are crazy"
and then I said :
"No, you are not crazy. To love and be loved is the greatest gift and to show it openly, that's pride. And that's what God intended us to do. To love and be loved...in each and every way we can."
When I left the wake, I thought to myself..okay, life goes on. Back to the office, there's work to be done. Get a hold of yourself..
But when the day ends, and all is quiet, I couldn't help but think of Buay again. When I went online at Facebook, there was a little app I had that says "What God wants you to know" and l click it to see what was the verse for the day. When I read it, I cried again.
And I shared my notes with what was given to me :
"On this day, God wants you to know ... that sometimes it may feel too hard to do it alone. Sometimes it may seem like you can't figure it out by yourself. Sometimes will and strength and courage are not enough. Sometimes in your life you will need to call out for help. Call on God. God will be there."
My response to that was :
Dear God, I have a friend who is going up there to meet you. Please see her at the gates and hold her hand and show her around your place. And when its time for me to see her, ask her to come and meet me at the gates. Tell her how much I am so gonna missed her here. And her name is Seok Buay.
So to all who know me..and knows me for Kitchen Capers.. Live and love life to the fullest each day. Tell the people you loved how much you loved him/her or them. Even if its a pet. Live like there is no tomorrow. For tomorrow may never come. At least you get to say your goodbyes, your expressions and your admiration for that person.
I know I have grieved for many, but Seok Buay will always be that special someone I hold dear to my heart, someone I loved till the end of time. And when I go up there, I know she will be at the gates. Waiting for me. Waiting to show me all the new things up there. Like she always have whenever she sees something new.
Till then, Sister Seok Buay, wait for me. Wait for me.
I am driven to tears as I am starting to write this. Of the journeys I have made in life, I find this particular one, the most endearing one I had to go through. Because I felt His presence all the time when I was making decisions and planning for this to happen.
As you have read(if you have been following my blog), that I was uncontestly pick to host all my culinary classes at Robinsons Departmental store last October 2010. That chapter in my life was meant to be..meant to happen and must happen. It was short..like 6 months to be exact.
Read this for reference :
http://tasteoftime.blogspot.com/2010/09/new-chapter.html
http://tasteoftime.blogspot.com/2011/01/been-there-done-that.html
As a Christian, we believed that everything that happens to us, happens for a reason. Some reasons are easier to figure out on your own. Others seem too complicated to think about. But at the end of each day, you learn to walk on it, move on and start a new day with more confidence.
I want to write about this 2nd journey of mine. After my episode at Robinsons, I felt as if a burden was lifted from my shoulders. A part of me wanted to quit, another part of me wanted to carry on. I was totally confused. And I brought this all to God. Asking for His favour and asking that He teach me what to do. And how to react. And most important of all, to move on from there.
It must have been God's plans that I was to go through this with everyone who had dealings in this project. Everyone..including my best friends, the suppliers, and of course with my girls, and with Benny.
The lease for my retail shop was to end in September 2011. By April 2011, I finished my last class at Robinsons, and closed that chapter in my life. And back at square one, I returned home and taught again. I prayed to God,
'Teach me, bend me, shape me..but whatever it is, I thank you Lord. For showing me the way. For letting me know there is always hope when there is You(*God)."
And every project I do for myself or for others, I do it with alot of passion. I gave my all that is within me. So when I leave, a part of me dies. Sadness devoured me. I took time to re-charge. I took time to think of what I could have better or worse. Constantly battling little demons here and there.
But our Heavenly Father does not like to see us in pain, in agony. It is always in my desire to have my own baking studio, a place I call my own. I teach what I like, when I like. I will put stuff in there like I would with my house. An extension from my home.
The shop next to my retail shop was tenanted by someone who sells baby apparel. I vaguely remembered that they open for business sometime last year around Christmas and for over 3 months, things seemed cheerful for them.
After the festivities(Christmas, and Chinese New Year), business was really bad for them. Many came to browse around, but people leave soon after. After some months of struggling, they closed the shop. For months the shop's doors remained closed. They tried to sublet the shop out to others just to cover the rent. But no one took the offer.
I was on the other hand, eying on this shop. It was ideal to host this as a baking studio. Why? its literally next door to my shop. So when I teach, people can go back to the shop to buy stuff to go home and practice what they learnt.
So together with Benny, we put this matter with God. We told Him what we wanted and how we wanted. And we left it up to God to help us. If it was meant to be, all obstacles will be erased.
When the landlord came to ask if we wanted to renew our lease for the retail shop, I ask them about the unit next door. They said the previous tenant have already paid up and technically, its free now for anyone to take up the unit. But the property agent also told me this :
"Gina, the previous tenant made a big loss. They closed and never made money from it. So when they left, they didn't remove all the fixtures, furnishings, etc as part of the lease contract was to remove all fixtures when you leave. Are you sure you want this?"
And I said, "Let's see what they left behind"
He open up the place and when I step into it, the first thing that came to me was "AMEN! Thank You Lord!"
The flooring was marbled. The walls were painted white. The lights and fixtures are done. The airconditioning was fitted too. And used only for 4 to 5 mths. And all the power points were already fixed. The glass door(slidling) was intact. The light box outside the shop for the signboard was also done.
This alone can save me a good S$15,000 just to fix up.
Verbally, I told the agent..YES. In the meantime I told Benny about it. I didn't wait for him to give me the green light to go ahead.
Next came the finances to fix up kitchen cabinets and appliances(cake mixers, ovens, etc). My sister, Winnie came to the rescue and invested an undisclosed sum to help us kick start the studio's renovations.
And it was just timely that she found a job like 6 mths ago..if not, she wouldn't have the funds to help us with this.
Together we went to God again. Just Benny and myself. This time we said in unison:
"God, thank you for this. We know its from you. Why? and How? Because only You can move mountains, clear the seas to form small rivers and roads. It is only You can make miracles. Things that seem impossible are made possible. We give our Thanks to you. This baking studio will not just teach culinary courses. But it will be a place for us to glorify You. A place where you first showed us that People Learn from one another, just as Iron sharpens iron, Proverbs 27 verse 17. AMEN!
One of the most important thing I wanted to do with this studio was to open the doors to the less privileged folks, the poorly educated people out there. To offer them reduced rates to learn a new skill. And in time hired someone to help me to run it. And that someone has to be one of these people who needed help. So that they can be self sufficient. In small ways, one step at a time.
Because this is what Kitchen Capers is all about. That was how it was started...
Extracted from my KC Website:
http://www.kitchencapers.net/html/aboutus.htm
About Us
How Kitchen Capers was formed
The Kitchen Capers online forum was initially created in July 2004 and dedicated to the late Tan Boon Teik, a young gentleman I never knew or loved. He was Kim San and Seok Buay's only child. He passed away suddenly Kim San and Seok Buay are friends I knew from the church I was attending here in Singapore. As it is with all good friends we should help each other when we can. This is my way of helping Kim San and Seok Buay.
The dream of writing and publishing a cookbook was Boon's idea which he shared with his mom. After his death, Seok Buay could never find the strength nor the courage to carry out his dream. Thus, this website was created. And Buay's vision for the future was to teach cooking and Basic English to poor women around the world. So that they do not have to live a life of poverty and living out their days begging in the streets.
Sister Seok Buay was trained to be an English teacher and she is also a gourmet cook. She taught me many secrets in cooking and baking. Things I would have never known even if I had read a lot of cookbooks.
With that in mind, I started the website and a forum message board to share recipes on cooking and baking. Buay taught me the spirit of giving, of charity. She never holds back anything she knew about cooking or baking. Sister Seok Buay taught me many skills, of which I find the most endearing one was Charity. To share openly and without prejuidice and never to hold back anything you learn from others or by yourself. It is only that when you share, you gain. In friendship and in kind. I am deeply encourage and inspired by Sister Seok Buay.
In the year 2008, I started KC online and started selling bake ware products and cake decorations tools via the website. A year later, I opened my first retail store in Singapore at Kallang Bahru.
And I hope that you share this vision with us too. Enjoy your time here with us at Kitchen Capers.
Gina Choong
Owner and Board Admin for Kitchen Capers
*****
I will share more photos later on when the agent give me the keys.
This post serves to remind myself that God is always HERE for me, for us, for you. That everything in life we go through, God plays an important part. I have always prayed for good times and give thanks for bad times. And in all, He never fails to lift up my spirits, to give me more reasons that despite all the unhappiness, all the sadness in the world, there is HOPE, there is Light at the end of tunnel...and there is LOVE from GOD!
May you be blessed..as you go thru life's tribulations and trials. At every step you take, God takes 2 for you. Why 2? 1 for you, the other He takes in advance. Leading the way ahead. Paving your way.
After months of to and fro, up and down, left and right with the trainers,Robinson and Wiltshire...finally, the birth of a new chapter awaits..
Alongside with us, my good friend Miss Violet Khoo, owner of Genius R Us will also be hosting her classes there. She runs kids baking classes and will run a series at Robinson too. I met Violet some 2 years ago when she and her hubby came to attend a private session with me on how to mould fondant figurines. After some practice, she decided to incorporate fondant modelling in her classes with kids.
And when I open Kitchen Capers retail store, Violet was most supportive and I shared many tips about how best to run her classes for little ones.
By February next year, we will be having a new Chef trainer to join our team. She is Miss Shinni Tock from Baking Cow. Shinni will be running her popular Macaroons baking classes with us. Over time, she will introduce more baking classes at Robinson too.
Till end of October 2010, my classes are still held at home as the studio in town is still under Lynette's charge. However, you can view all the courses available from our KC website and be able to register even now. Payment is done online, via Paypal.
Goody bag will be given out to all our students. I will not tell you what the contents are..its a surprise sponsored by Wiltshire and also by KC aka yours truly. Just a hint : by KC its often ingredients, by Wiltshire its often something bake-ware related.
With each class, we may get different sponsors and we may hand out more freebies. And I will make it a point that freebies are things we can use in our home kitchen. No tissue papers or book marks or ball point pens.
These are our gesture of thanks for the support you have given to me all these years, to attend my classes and also to have faith in me for this.
I will be offering all of my classes at Robinsons(Centrepoint Shopping Centre at Orchard Road) by November 2010. So my classes at home will ceased by end October 2010.
When you visit Robinsons at Centrepoint sometime end of the year, you will notice that Kitchen Capers logo on the glass panel at the Baking Studio at Level 5..houseware department.
Kitchen Capers will be hosting culinary classes there. Almost every day. Personally, there is no change of my current teaching schedule. Instead of running these classes at home, I now do it at Centrepoint. At least now, my students cannot tell me I am very far away or there is no bus or MRT to my place.
I will teach on Saturdays and Sundays there. Together with me will be 3 other home chefs. Each of them will specialise in a particular subject which they do best.
Meng Choo will teach once a month at Robinsons. She will impart her sugar craft skills to the students. You can see her work via her blog
Halimah, a fellow KC forum member will also be teaching at Robinsons. She will cover Vegan Baking(no eggs, no butter) and also Healthy lifestyle cooking.
Sandy Goh will be teaching baking and also sugarcraft on cakes, cookies.
For me, I will teach baking, and cooking(mostly Asian cuisine). And the occasional Fondant figurines modelling too. I am planning to run a series of noodles making and bread making classes at Robinsons in the near future.
Here's how equipped the baking studio is :
This, to me, is another door open for me. I have always wanted a place of my own to teach culinary. Although the Wiltshire baking studio is owned by Robinsons, I was given the chance to run my courses there and to broadcast about my store at the same time.
All of us have set aside our time to plan our classes from November 2010 till January 2011. We will still planning more for the months ahead.
The classes will be Full Hands-on. Maximum intake per class is 8 persons. Minimum to start is 4 persons. Every student will be getting a goody bag when they come for class. There will be free flow of freshly brewed tea or coffee for all students.
The whole purpose was to teach, to impart our skills to everyone and yet have a comfortable and cozy environment almost like home.
Stay tuned for further updates via the main Kitchen Capers website this October.
This is yet another milestone for Kitchen Capers..especially when she just celebrated her 6th year in WWW. Each year, a new door opens for her to grow.
Thanks to all who have supported her in the forum, in the shop and in all my classes since 2004.
My store has been featured in the July issue of Simply HER magazine. Actually this is the 2nd time they have featured Kitchen Capers. Once was 2 years ago when my store was just an online shop.
Although I was a bit 'upset' that they wrote it that my store was like a "Hardware store". If they wrote that it looks like a "Econ-mini mart" sort, I still can be happy. But a hardware store??? Our window display only flour, and bakeware in full view. The front frontage shows rows of colourful muffin liners and Fondant.
I hope the article does us some justice to bring new customers to visit us.
My sister is the lady in black. The other 2 ladies are our cousins, Belinda and Dagmar.
Some history repeats itself too many times. Knowing that my late grandfather went senile was very frightening. The many reasons I am penning down my memories is that I feared that day will come when I forget all the things in my life that made me happy or sad, contented or otherwise. The people in my life, that was important to me. And those who came and pass me by.
Though I may want to forget some unhappy moments, I also wanted my girls to know of them. Maybe as a consolation to them to know that everyone goes through pain and suffering and how I learnt to cope with it.
My parents have 2 daughters, my sister Winnie and me. We are six years apart. I was born with many illnesses, my sister was fit as a fiddle. She was always a healthy child. I don't remember a time ever to find her sniffling from a cold or taking meds for fever or flu. In many ways, I like to think that she inherited my dad's healthy gene.
My sister loved me alot. Even when we were kids. She give in to me all the time. Although there are times she was jealous of me because I was the youngest and doted on by so many relatives. My sister lived her life going through harsh times and good times. I remembered watching her dress up as a teen. She grew up in the time of Donny Osmond's hit Single "Puppy Love". And she would play that song 100 times a day until it drove me to scream at her.
I used to idolise one person..and that was my sister. To me, she was like an Angel. Pretty and full of life. And knows how to enjoy herself without getting hurt. My sister was a very pretty girl in her teens. She has many many boyfriends. Every other day I will be answering phone calls for her.
I remembered our first Christmas together. That was before turkey and honey baked ham became popular or affordable. We stayed at Circuit Road, off Macpherson Road. In a tiny flat. She would light up a single candle. And bought some candies and ground nuts and place them in two different bowls. And she told me:
"Ting, let's pray to God to bless this day"
I don't remember what she said that day, but I remember she told me that I am not allowed to peek or open my eyes during the prayer. And she also said that after we say AMEN, there will be a very big and bright star hung above the skies.
And true enough, we opened our eyes and looked up..and there it was, a very big and bright star. And then she divided the candies and nuts but she always give me the most.
Till today, I fondly remembered this moment in history. Now looking forward, my girls are the best of friends. Just like my sister Winnie and me. One of the most important reasons I wanted to have a 2nd child was to have Natasha had a sister, someone she could relate to..a best friend that grew up with her.
My sister had to give up alot of things in life for me. She started work the moment she left Secondary School. And went to support herself to learn shorthand and typing and trained to be a secretary. She wanted a better life for herself. And she worked very hard to achieve that.
And whatever I wanted, I always get it. I never had to work very hard for it. And she spoiled me just the same. She would do things for me. Helped me in every way she could. I would tell Benny about my sister. How much she loved me when we were very young. She never teased me and protected me. She only started to tease me more when we were older. When she knew I could handle her jokes.
When Beauty died, I wanted to get another dog quickly to fill that void..only she knew. Only she understood. She said to me:
"I'll bring Bambi over for you to hug and play."
Bambi is her daughter's pet chihuahua. I couldn't take that. So when I went out to get a new puppy, she found out about it and without saying anything to me, transferred money into my bank account. And said "its my gift to you"
When I quit my job in 2003, I didn't have a job that earns me a regular salary. It means no more year end bonus to look forward to. No more perks in life like vacations abroad. She would quietly transfer money to my bank account and then send me an sms to tell me about it. The often excuse she had was :
"I saved money to give to people I think needed it most. And I thought of you today"
When we wanted to open Kitchen Capers store, she came to offer again.
If anyone deserves an Award of "Being There and Everywhere", she would get it. Because she deserves it. If anyone should tell me about sibling rivalry, I would tell them "Sorry, I don't know what that means. Because my sister and me loved each other very much."
Share your love..not just to your better half. To your sibling...
I will be having post CNY sale next week to last till end of February 2010.
Discounts from 20% to 50% for some of the selected range of products (Bakeware, Party ware, Ingredients)
Details:
From : 17 February, Wednesday to 28 February Sunday, 2010 Opening hours : 10am till 9pm
What's the scoop?
20% Discount for : USA Cookie Cutters Stadter Letter Press Copper moulds for jelly Aluminium moulds for jelly Mini frying pan Chocolate moulds Aalst Range of Chocolate Fondue Sets(with free pack of Fountain Chocolate)
30% Discount for: Party ware kits, etc Gift Bags, Gift Boxes(paper back) Chocolate foil wrap(for wrapping individual chocolate bons bons)
50% Discount for; Ribbons (while stock last!)
Fixed discount prices: Bakels Chocolate Fondant : S$8.30 per 750g pack, Usual price S$9.30 per pack. Buy a carton of 6 packs for S$48.00
SCS Butter(Salted or Unsalted) : S$2.80 per 250g block, Usual price S$3.80 each. No minimum order.
Anchor Butter(Salted or Unsalted) : S$4.25 per 454g block, Usual price S$4.50 each. No minimum order.
Again, another late post. The demo is this Sunday, 10 January 2010. From 2pm to 3pm. Its a short demo, just to show everyone how I do my fancy nian gao that has many shapes and many colours. I will show only the baby koi fish.
This is what I made this morning..all in 30 minutes flat.
I have been sharing much baking recipes at my store since its opening in May 2009. So today, starts a new year for me. I would be sharing more cooking recipes.
Today, 2 recipes will be printed and distributed freely at our store at Kallang Bahru. So if you are in the area, drop by to get a copy. And of course, all the ingredients are readily available from our store. Except groceries, but no fear, NTUC Fairprice Supermarket is just above us.
My all time is the Salmon and Snow Pear Roll and the Ondeh ondeh.
Salmon n Snow Pears Rolls Recipe by Gina Choong
Makes 12 rolls Ingredients 200g salmon fillet(diced) 2 Snow Pears (peel and discard skin, cored, diced)
1 tsp salt 1 tsp grounded white pepper 1 tbsp Sesame oil 12 pcs of Wafer paper** oil for deep frying
Method 1. In a bowl add diced salmon, pears and mix with salt, pepper, sesame oil. 2. Divide the portion into 12 portions or about 1.5 tbsp 3. Place each portion on the wafer paper, roll up to seal. 4. Heat up oil in wok. 5. Slowly slide rolls into hot oil and deep fry till golden brown. 6. Remove to drain on paper towels 7. When its slightly cooled, cut into smaller pieces. 8. Serve with mayo, salad cream or chilli sauce
** You can get Wafer Paper from Kitchen Capers. Its kept in the chiller.
A Chef who frequents our store gave me a fantastic recipe using our red bean paste to make finger snacks. He told me all I need was:
2 packets of Wanton skins 200g red bean paste(the ones we sold for mooncake making) 1 egg (lightly beaten)
Method: 1. Divide the bean paste into 20 portions. 2. Brush wanton skin lightly with egg wash, put a portion of the bean paste in the centre of the wanton skin. 3. Cover it with another piece of wanton sheet. 4. Press down with your thumb and seal it. 5. Brush the top with egg wash again. 6. Bake in preheated oven 180C for 10 mins or until the wanton looks golden brown and crisp.
He suggested that I could use other types of mooncake paste for variations. Thanks Chef James for your wonderful tip.
Sorry, I have no picture for that. But he said he did for Christmas just to try it out with his friends. It was a hit!
Yesterday SATS Cargo (Singapore) delivered 3 giant boxes of goodies to me to my store at Kallang Bahru. Some of the interesting stuff I wanted to fill up my cookie cutter range. Hubby said it will make customers go wild and spoilt for choice of the range of cookie cutters we have. These came from Stadter, Germany.
More things to upload tomorrow. But for now, here's what's in the store now:
Please check out website for more details on pricing, etc.
I have decided to spend some afternoons to teach at Gim Hin Lee shop at Haig Road next month. Remember the Golden Fishes I made earlier this year for family, friends and Chef Secrets? See my old link. You will get to see how I paint Gold dust(edible) on the fishes to make it glitter.
Due to space constraints and lack of proper cooking tools, I will only be doing this in demo style. No hands-on. But the Management at GHL has allowed me to give out KC Vouchers to all who sign up for this demo. With this voucher, you can redeem when you sign up for the full hands on class. And also, you will get more goodies from KC when you sign up for the full hands-on class.
Here are the details:
Nian Nian You Yu (Demo only) 12th January Tuesday, 2pm to 3:30pm
or 20th January Wednesday, 2pm to 3:30pm
Venue :
Gim Hin Lee Pte Ltd Blk 10 Haig Road #01-363/365 next to the Haig Road wet market and food court (located near Lion City Hotel and Paya Lebar MRT)
Course Fees per person S$45 per person Min/Max per class : 8/15 persons
Deadline to book 28th December 2009
Recipes: Flavoured Coloured Nian Gao : Mango and Lychee
Course Details Demonstration to show how to mix the batter, flavours and colours. Full recipe notes will be given. Will also show how to make fish nian gao, Shou tou(peach) nian gao and how to colour nian gao with a brush and food gels.
Special Highlights: All students will be given a S$10 Gift voucher which they can redeem when they sign up for a full Hands-on class with KC Learning Studio.
Everyone will get a pair of Baby Koi fish nian gao (to bring home) and get to sample the different flavours too.
How to book or pay? Please send a crossed cheque to KITCHEN CAPERS Mailed it to Blk 71 #01-531F Kallang Bahru Singapore 330071
Please include your name, email, contact and which course you are paying for.
All fees must be paid by 7th January 2009 . No fees refunded for any last minute cancellations.
Its been a long wait. But finally, the coloured fondant from Switzerland finally arrived last weekend.
Under the brand of Bakels, the one brand I use for all my class work or even cakes I did for friends or family. Its alot more softer than Wilton's. Taste wise, its better than Wilton brand. I prefer it to be softer so its easier to roll a large piece to cover a cake.
Its packed by Bakels Switzeralnd in 1kg pack. Each costs S$22.50. Right now, I only bring in Black, Christmas Red, Sky Blue and Peach. Although they have other colours like Chocolate, White, Ivory, Yellow, Orange, Purple, I feel these colours are easily to knead and roll. While the latter seems to take forever to knead and you need lots of food colouring too.
Supplier gave me a sample pack to play with earlier..in September. And I use it to make the Teacher's Day cuppies. Here's my girl, Melody using it to make the cuppies :
I only have limited stock : 10 packs per colour. As of today, already sold 3 packs last weekend. Hurry to get yours before its gone.
