No more oven

Took out the butter, took out all the ingredients...

measured the flour and sugar...

went over to switch on the oven ....

CHIAK!!!

The door got stuck...and then the glass panel came out.

And that was it.

My almost 3 year old oven is over and out!!!

Okay la.It wasn't much of an oven. It is those portable electric oven. But it was good enough for me. Although there was uneven heat at some spots of the oven.

Was gonna bake an apple cake for the kids.

Never mind. Good Good. Gives me an excuse to go get a better nicer one!!!

Failed cupcake

Oh...i just made cupcakes and it is a failure!!! It is still cooling on the rack...but when I take a whiff of it...it smells too strong of the vanilla essence!

Gee...cupcakes also I can fail! This is BAD!

Actually, trying out a cupcake recipe for Ally's birthday elmo cupcakes...but looking at this, I think I may just call off the whole idea! Easier and less stress to get a cake from the bakery.

Top Chef and Masterchef

I have been totally glued to all this cooking reality shows lately.

Ever since Diva (Channel 702) started showing Top Chef season 1...I have been following it religiously until now. It is aired every single day at 7pm. So, better not disturb me during this hour.

Masterchef just started a month back. Not too liking its concept. Firstly...its amateur cooks. I am alrite with that. It's the concept of the show I don't like. And Gordon Ramsay...he is too dramatic. The whole show is like so 'kan-cheong' and not natural. I just watch it coz there ain't anything to watch on Thursday. Anyway, I know who the winner is already. What a let-down! Feel like it is all planned!

Top Chef however...if you are into cooking and gourmet food...definitely can learn a lot from there. These chefs are so talented. And technicality is important to be a chef. After watching these programmes, I so want to eat in some fine dining place. But then again, paying RM200 or more for a meal per head...is something for me to think twice. Perhaps a special occasion, hubby?

Let's see the terms/ types of food that I have picked up...

Sous vide, hamachi, ceviche, frisee, pommes dauphin, carpaccio...

And the art and creativity into creating a dish is so overwhelming...

Season 1 (2006) winner: Harold Dieterle

Pai Tee Failure

Have to prepare Pai Tee for this friday. It is my grandmother's birthday.We are just having a small family gathering in the house. She is turning 88 this year. I think.

I volunteered to bring pai tee although I have never made it before. My other sisters also will bring something. So now i have this task to make about 30-40 pai tee shells to feed 12 people. Ok la.. i suppose 30 may be enough.

So i bought all the required flour ( wheat flour, rice flour and tapioca flour ) from Tesco yesterday. I am following my mother's recipe. She wrote it down for me many years ago and I have kept in on my fridge all this time. She was a pro in making pai tee and i did help her to make the shells. Only used to dip them. Hers usually turned out really good.

Experiment no.1 today... first attempt turned out horrible. The batter didn't stick to the pai tee holder. Reason being my oil was not hot enough. So cham. As I was trying one after the other, slowly the shells took shape. But still ugly. Took me one hour plus just standing at the hot oil frying about 15 shells. Why so slow? I also do not know why.

Will try attempt no.2 later today.

1st batch: Looks so cacat and shapeless

2nd batch: Looks slightly better






My last shell (Practice does make perfect-not so!)