Thursday, 12 January 2012

Food Styling and Photography @ The Dessert Table


You know when I started blogging, it was because I wanted to share my journey of my trials and triumphs in baking and cooking. And this blog was created by hubs for that purpose...I didn't even know how to create my  own blog! I knew very little on how to post my stories....well...I am still learning to tweak my blogger account, as you can see, LOL!

And then, I started taking pictures of the bakes and dishes that I made...and I realise that food actually "look" inviting and more delicious at certain angles and colour and colour temperature.....I was using a basic dslr then, which last year I upgraded to a basic Nikon dslr.....it's all about preference, but I feel that the distortions and the colour temperature of pictures taken using a Nikon camera please me! I was using a basic lens that came with camera...only knowing what ISO means.

Last year I started looking at beautiful pictures captured by people like Tartellete, Aran of Canelle Vanille, Rima of Bisuos a Toi, Faizah of Ribbon and Circus, What Katie Ate...and try to improve my photography...I read a bit about the other functions like speed, white balance, aperture and develop the interest in not only food photography but food styling.....there is so much more to learn...I'm getting there, slowly but surely!

With the extras that I kept from orders that I made, I traded in my Nikon D3000 and upgraded to Nikon D90 (D7000 was out then, but for some reason, I decided not stick with my D90)...and the next upgrade will be a pro Nikon camera for sure! I invested in a 50mm lens, also commonly known as a portrait lens, but later got hubs to present me a 35mm lens...it's the lens that I carry around almost all the time, for close range pictures, portraits or landscape, now...I love my 35mm lens!

I wish to join Aran in Dordogne this Fall...I have yet to get the green light from hubs or From  Plate To Page in May in South of England......we'll see! But for now, I'll be joining this Food Styling and Photography Workshop with Pak Uda Ali  on 4.2.2012 organised by a fellow baker, a sugarpaste guru Farida of The Dessert Table. You will be paying a fraction of the price that is usually required to, and fun and food is promised!

Farida has not asked to prepare some macarons, which I did for the previous session....but I am so looking forward to this! The fee is rm260, and the session is from 10 to 3 pm. You can email me of call Farida at 0133554399, ya!

Who knows baking and food styling and food photography would be my calling, soon!

Tuesday, 10 January 2012

More of Singapore and Almost Famous Amos Choc Chip Cookies

.....hmmm, by the second day , we realise that we didn't do what we were supposed to do...strolling at the Botanical Gardens and just stroll along the streets of Singapore. We have been entertained and well fed by the lovely people whom we met there! So, on the second day, we decided to go to Orchard Road and the Arab Street....  


If I were travelling alone, I wouldn't stop and take this picture! The corridor leading to our room.


This is a view from our room, the bridge leads to the east coast and Changi Airport.


The floating stage...registration for Singapore's National Service was going on that Saturday morning.


This skyscrapers remind me of New York!


The casino!


After National Service registration!




Desserts offered by the hotel...


A lady on the train, I like her lipstick colour, and Singaporeans are very trendy!


Queuing to board the train....not a sight in KL!


View of Arab Street from Zam Zam Restaurant... a must visit when in Singapore. Been coming here since knowing hubs about 20 years ago!


The famous Murtabak Singapura!


....and Lamb Shank Biryani...go go glory calories!


The shops here belong to generations of the same family...while we were entertained by his son, the shop owner who could probably be in his late 80's was doing his book-keeping ...manually!


I managed to refrain myself from being lost in the bales of pretty cloth materials, only got a piece for Mak, MIl and Superwomanwannabe! But, I fell in love with their French lace!




Masjid Sultan, it's here or the mosque at Orchard Rd that we usually perform our salats! Singapore nowadays has become more Muslim friendly, there was a direction for salat in my hotel room!


That evening we were driven to Upper Changi bordering Geylang for some Chinese Muslim food by hubs's cousins Sue and Zul!


I had this Salted Egg Porridge! Of course there were other dishes...I was so sleepy to take pics...yawwwnnnnn.....but then..


at close to midnight Rima pinged me asking me to get my butt off the bed and go to Mustafa Centre that is open for 24 hours! I love this place! It has everything literally everything under one roof! And they are cheap! If I had not busted my allocation, I would have brought back some Super Long Basmathi rice....you Singaporeans are so lucky, they are so cheap!



I had Ginger Tea and pinched a bit of Rima's paratha!This place reminds me of Bayswater or Edgware Road in London...the city never sleeps!


Desserts at Starbucks, Marina Shopping Mall..




Desserts offered by the hotel.....memang menggemukkan!





Busy Paul at Takashimaya...for me Takashimaya is Singapore! Orchard Road is Singapore! and now Mustafa Centre is Singapore muahaha!


Old man doing belly dancing with his wooden beads!


I see that Chanels and LVs are no brainers for people who walk on the streets of Orchard Road! Like this Chanel bag!


Abercombie was just opened, but I don't know how people shops there, it was almost dark to browse the stuffs in there...but the male model who ushered us at the entrance was juicy, he had "six packs"!


He looked someone like this!

Okay...that's about it that took place in Singapore. We left on Sunday night...I was still counting the things that I wanted to buy, haha! Will surely make another trip there and be pampered by the lovelies, Rita, Rima and Sue...and hope to meet Ribbon and Circus. Tq beautifuls peeps!

I have received emails and comments asking me to show what I purchased from the bakeshops, well! Suffice to say that I got 6kg of Valrhona cocoa powder, it's white and choc buttons Manjari, Callebaut and some other choc chips, fruit puree, fruit paste, colour powder, baking trays of different sizes, tart tins, cake mould, dragees, tools for my sugarpaste, cutters, bla bla bla...most are for me and some for me to give away!

Ok! Let's make Almost Famous Amos Choc Chip Cookie, now! I made this on Thursday night for Umar's birthday that fell on Sunday. He didn't want any cakes, he wanted this! The kids love this, and now that FIl tasted this, he also love this cookie!


Ingredients

250g salted butter, soft, I used Anchor
200g light brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coffee oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup oats, I used Nestum
1/4 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup nuts, I used roasted macadamias that MIL brought from her New Zealand trip recently
1 pack, about 250g choc chip, I used choc chips from Bagus and topped with chopped Manjari buttons
300g self raising flour

Method


At least 2 hours before or overnight infuse coffee oil with egg, I didn't do...forgot! otherwise, preheat oven at 150C. Beat butter, sugar and salt to combine. Beat in the egg coffee oil mixture and vanilla. Mix until well combined. Stir in the Nestum, ground almond, nuts. Last, fold in the sifted self raising flour. The dough was not too stiff neither moist.

I used a table spoon to make balls which i pressed a bit in the middle to flatten and bake on baking papers for about 20 minutes! Well, the first tray of cookies disappeared almost instantaneously after it came out from my oven. I love this cookie, need I say more, hehe!

I'm back into the real world now after my short getaway in Singapore and hope to offer you more bakes and new recipes! Till the next post..tra!
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