2017 reflection

What an eventful year it has been, not just what's been happening across the globe but around me.

A year of loss

We lost our beloved M-T this year. It was sudden, quick and shock for everyone. M-T had been in decline. We all could see how time can do cruel things to human physical shells, but not to the minds. We still talk about M-T as she's still around. Now she lives in a separate corner of my heart. Never forgotten, always there.

A number of friends whom we came to know quite well this year also left to find a greener pasture somewhere else. It's unavoidable. Forward and upward, that's what people do. All the best wishes for I&A, D, Y and S.

A year of self-challenges

I decided to start a weekly diary (weekary?) on the outset of 2017 to commemorate my re-found friends dated decades(!) ago. I was truly moved by the number of people who came to meet me. What did I do to deserve all their kindness? That's how I decided to start my 2017 weekly to help me remember how my life goes a little bit better than before. 

And you know what? Not only did I finish the series, but also I will start my 2018 weekly! I got so much out of writing my weekary that I want to continue. For me, the effect is most therapeutic and it gives me a purpose and reason to write. It also makes me examine myself more honestly and deeply. It doesn't matter whether every entry is a well thought through philosophical piece. Sometimes just one liner is enough to capture the moment.

The two other challenges are fitness related. One is to complete 5000 meters under 41 minutes. Ticked. I did it twice during the last two trips to the gym. And the other is to continue lunch time classes as long as I could. Ticked. I love my Zumba and HIIT classes. My instructors are both doing wonder to me. Thank you, D and S.

The last one is to restart learning French. I had reached a pretty decent level perhaps 10 years ago with my French but then I stopped. And my French has predictably become very not usable again. Autumn 2017, I enrolled into a class with an aim to be certified in the future. I've been enjoying the learning and the language. I hope to keep the same energy for the 2018.

Another year working in Suburbicon

I hate to devote any more of my time and space to Suburbicon but keeping a weekary has helped me on this regard to see what's good in my life. And there are a lot to celebrate. Grateful.

A year of friendship

2017 is a special year to remember because we reconnected with many long lost friends. They are not really lost but just haven't seen each other since, say, the day we got married? M&T came to our wedding 14 years ago and we haven't seen each other since! But you know you are truly good friends with each other is the minute you see each other it's as if all the missing years has been compressed into 1 second. Because we are able to pick up where we left as if no time has lapsed. Sometimes life does not count in minutes.

Well, those were highlights of my 2017. I hope you at least enjoyed part of yours? If not, hey, 2018 is just a few hours away. Let's make it a memorable one, shall we?

2017 Weekly - Week 52

30/12/2017

My temperature has finally come down, after in bed for 5 days. I probably got a flu this time, with every cold symptoms multiplied by 10. Feel so good not to be heavy headed, nose congested, endless coughing and overall body fatigued. Good health is the best thing one can wish for anyone.

I wish you good health for the coming new year.

2017 Boxing day dinner

For her: Root vegetable soup with borlotti beans and fried egg

Garlic croutons

For him: Grilled rib eye steak

Crushed potatoes with green onions

For us: Pralines from Piedmont

ps. I think I am winning over the bugs. Came down with a fever and sore throat in an overly heated house at the end of Christmas eve but feeling much better now today.

2017 Christmas dinner

Home cured salmon with smoked tea leaves

Celeriac remoulade

Cream cheese

Cranberry and walnut bread

Roast beef

Braised red cabbage

Chestnuts

Mousse au chocolat

2017 Christmas eve dinner

Home cured salmon with smoked tea leaves

Celeriac Remoulade

Roast beef and shallot gravy

Brussels sprouts and chestnuts in lightly blued cream

Braised red cabbage with balsamic vinegar and cranberries

Chocolate mousse with raspberries

There are two stars tonight, salmon and red cabbage! More details on the salmon can be found in the link. I am really pleased with the recipe. The red cabbage was tangy, lightly sweet and savory, so good and addictive that I had every bite of my beef with it. 

Happy holidays.

2017 Weekly - Week 51

21/12/2017

Our six-day Rome visit was deep in history, culture and full of drama. Maybe I tell you a little about it when I recover from the whole thing. As always, it's good to be at home, no matter how beautiful and unforgettable another place can be.

Here are some snaps. Ciao for now.

2017 Weekly - Week 50

10/12/2017

Biggest snow since 2010 or 2011? No gym. La, la, la.

13/12/2017

Failed to go to the fitness classes completely this week. I did mean to go but the zero temperature and the rain etc. Excuses. I guess my mind was no longer on the gym since I achieved my running goal (twice!). Well, December is for Mariah Carey and Mince pies. Let's save gym for January.

2017 Weekly - Week 49

03/12/2017

It's official. I've reached my goal of 5000 meters. I finished it at 40 minutes and 30 seconds, just under 41 minutes set by myself a year ago. I have stuck at just over 41 minutes a few times, thinking that this may be it. But tonight I gave it a final push, thinking again that it's my last chance this year to reach my goal. I started this year at 44 minutes and now I finish 2017 with three minutes better. This is by no means a great running record but I said it before and I will say it again that running or fitness is a competition with oneself. We are all different, of different build, biology and daily lives. As long as I am better than myself a year ago, then it's a real and meaningful self-improvement.

04/12/2017

As entering the last month of 2017, I feel I need more motivation to finish everything, at least at work. A few weeks of holidays are waiting for me, I know. I just need to summon up courage to finish a few things off.

06/12/2017

I am still waiting for 10 Downing Street or TM to say the sensible things after this outrageous statement across the pond.

07/12/2017

Once my french teacher said to us about not drinking water after having couscous. I began to understand (painfully) what she meant tonight.

08/12/2017

5000 meters at 40 minutes and 27 seconds! I did it again, 5000 meters under 41 minutes, twice in a row! Beyond excited. What a nice way to end this year.

2017 Weekly - Week 48

29/11/2017

I just saw the panto this year which my second ever and I think I am getting to like this ritual. The one I go to is produced by ADC in Cambridge. It's just getting better and better.

The title of the panto this year is Hunchback of Notre Dame. Before I went, I was not sure how they are going to adapt Victor Hugo's masterpiece (one of) into a lighthearted family Christmas entertainment and also without feeling cliche. Wow, the troupe did not disappoint. The scripts are witty, full of puns as always. But the play also feels timely, relevant and well resonated with what's going on in the world. It made me laugh and think at the same time. I came home with lots of joy and gratitude in my heart. At the end of the show, they were asking for donations for the refugee charities. I didn't have money with me but I did go online and donate to two charities. This is the true spirit of Christmas, even though I am not religious. Time to reflect, share and be grateful.

I hope you are well.

2017 Weekly - Week 47

19/11/2017

I have been on a kick of pumpkin tasting recently. So that you know, pumpkins come from the squash family. I am mainly interested in winter squashes here, the ones which usually give glorious autumn color and sweet taste. Many years ago "exotic" winter squashes (i.e. non butternut) were hard to come but and only occasionally did I see them in my local organic food shop. I remember the first one I bought was called buttercup squash. I was hooked instantly by its dense and yet creamy texture. I am not a fan of butternut squash, despite its omnipresence. Butternut is too watery and tastes like orange watermelon to me. Buttercup is different. It's flesh is drier, slightly powdery and delightfully sweet. I love it.

Then it disappeared from the shop one winter and never came back. Well, isn't that the rule for good things in life?

Luckily, my local supermarket now has broadened its winter squash offering. Now they come in lots of varieties in a crate or two but without names. I guess it's because they are not in commercial production yet, hence no labels. That's how my pumpkin tasting started.

So far I've got a red kuri, an acorn, a blue hokkaido (or winter sweet). They all have appetizing orange flesh. Red kuri, most watery among all, reminds me of a better cousin of butternut. I don't think I will buy red kuri again. After that, I was pleasantly surprised by acorn. Its flesh is moist but without the butternut texture and much sweeter than red kuri. The flesh is not as dense as buttercup but definitely on the dense side than the watery side. I will buy acorn again. As for blue hokkaido, I have to wait until next week to tell you. As I am the only person eating the pumpkins in the household, there is only so much a person can take per week.

And you know the trick to cut a pumpkin easily and safely, right? Just in case you wonder, I first scrub the pumpkin clean and towel dry. I flatten one end of the pumpkin so that it stands firmly on the surface. This is optional. Then I wrap my cleaned pumpkin in two sheets of overlapping clingfilm and microwave it for 5 minutes. Depending on the size, you can adjust the time. I always start with 5 minutes and try with the tip of the knife. If the pumpkin resists the knife, microwave for another 1 or 2 minutes. The purpose of the clingfilm is to trap the steam so that the shell softens up quickly.

Remove the pumpkin from the microwave with a towel and place firmly on a board. Use a paring knife to cut along the stem. Remove the lid and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. The pumpkin now should much easily be cut into desirable shapes for further cooking. I learned the tip from the video below.

A glorious winter warmer

I didn't realize what a great combo lamb and beans are until tonight. Loosely based on Hairy bikers and Yotam Ottolenghi's recipes, I slow cooked lamb shoulder with overnight soaked cannellini beans for two and half hours in the oven. The lamb shoulder, possibly my favorite meat, is reassuringly tender but the star tonight is the beans. After sitting quietly all this time in the same broth as lamb, onions, carrots and garlic, the beans become unbelievably creamy and sweet. So full of flavor, this is my best tasting beans so far. This is definitely a winter dish, a humble and glorious warmer for a cold night.

Cannellini beans and lamb stew

- lamb shoulder with or without bone, dusted with salt and pepper

- 250 g/1.5 cup dried cannellini beans, soaked in water (with 1 tsp of baking soda, optional) overnight

- 2 onions, roughly chopped

- 1 chunky carrot, 1-cm dice

- 4 garlic cloves, smashed

- splash of white wine (optional)

- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

- 3 bay leaves

- 1/2 ground black pepper

- water or stock

- 3 tomatoes, quarters

Bring a pot of water to boil. Drain the soaked beans and put into the boiling water. Bring the pot back to boil. Turn off the heat while you prepare the lamb.

Put 1 tablespoon of oil in a casserole on medium heat. Sear the lamb shoulder all over. I grill the lamb shoulder as one piece, bone-in. Once the lamb picks up nice golden color, remove from the pan.

Next brown the onions, carrot, garlic in the same pan for a couple of minutes. Deglaze the pan with white wine if using. Otherwise, pour some water to remove the brown spots from the bottom of the pan. When there is almost no liquid left, put all spices (cumin, turmeric, bay leaves, black pepper) in. Cook/toast the spices for 1 minute.

Mix drained beans into the lamb. Pour enough water just to cover the beans. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt. Put the lid on and transfer to 140C oven for 2.5 hours. Rotate the casserole half way and remove the lid for the final 30 minutes and put the tomato quarters on top. Test the seasoning before serving.

2017 Weekly - Week 46

12/11/2017

Finished 5000 meters in 41 minutes and 11 seconds. Perhaps I can get under 41 minutes this year?!

12/11/2017

Went to watch Blade Runner 2049 in the movie theater. A really good plot, not to mention the very thought provoking. What makes human human once the reproduction barrier is removed?

14/11/2017

This cauliflower dish needs a worthy mention as this is one of the most comforting and tasty cauli dishes I've ever made. You start with cooking 1 chopped onion until golden brown. Add in grated ginger and chopped garlic. Stir in some garam masala (or any indian or middle eastern mixed spice) and cook for a couple of minutes. Mix in a can of tomatoes. Reduce the sauce slightly before adding blanched cauliflower florets. Stir in a cup of coconut milk and chopped coriander. Season with salt and pinch of sugar. Great vegan dish for non-vegan people!

2017 Weekly - Week 45

07/11/2017

Marie Curie was born on this day, 150 years ago. She is one of my heroes, not just as a fellow scientist but as a human being.

A woman of determination and perseverance and above all, humanity. Painstakingly crushing tonnes of stones and studying them, she and her husband studied radioactivity and discovered two new elements which led to their joint Nobel prize. Later, she was awarded her second (Nobel, of course) for measuring radioactivity. During the first world war, she designed a mobile Xray unit and used it personally in the front line with her first daughter, Irene. This is remarkable, a scientist who didn't just stay inside the lab but went all her way out to help others. After the war, she continued to research and teach until she passed away.

For me, Marie Curie is a person who defies all the odds and obstacles in life and who showed great determination for her achievements. Growing up in a time when women were not allowed for education, working on a subject when the facilities were rudimentary, and putting her belief into action. A woman of steel and compassion. A person I aspire to be.

2017 Weekly - Week 44

29/10/2017

I just improved my running record by 10 seconds, now 41 minutes and 15 second for 5000 meters. Yeah, long dark nights, bring it on.

03/11/2017

Oeuf à la coque, what could be a more satisfying petit dejéuner than this? Ok, maybe followed by a chubby slice of panettone with dark and velvety black coffee. Bonjour!

2017 Weekly - Week 43

23/10/2017

This is the first time in 10 years that I also have a "half-term" break. No evening class this week, oohoo! How funny it feels to be excited for a break after being a student again.

24/10/2017

Annie Lennox, the one and only Goddess in pop music. Simply sublime.

2017 Weekly - Week 42

19/10/2017

When I easily feel tired and for no reasons, I know it's the reduced daylight which starts to impact me. I've come to accept that side of me over the years. Shorter days and longer nights are not my friends but I will deal with it.

Just heard that our dear friend B just recovered from septicemia. This is potentially life threatening and I am so glad that our friend is now on the mend back home. Speedy recovery, B.

2017 Weekly - Week 41

10/10/2017

Happy birthday, Taiwan. Not recognized or admitted as an official entity by many but you are the only country that I know to exist and thrive despite all odds.

I love you, Taiwan.

13/10/2017

Another Friday the 13th.

One friend who dropped me a line today asked how I was. I explained to her what I have been doing in a few lines. Then, she sent me a "thumb up" and that's the end of it. C'mon. Please don't insult me with possibly the most meaningless sign in the world.

This is how my day was rescued. Got to chat with a long-time friend. Although she's the one who has worries, I am the one who is soothed. That's the magic of her. All the best, Y-W.

2017 Weekly - Week 40

01/10/2017

A new running record for me, 5000 meters for 41 minutes and 25 seconds. Most people can finish 5K under 40 minutes. Not me. I am not a runner but I enjoy running making my heart work harder. It's a race against myself, like many things in life.

03/10/2017

Tried a variation of Pad See Ew tonight. First time making Thai rice noodles dish, not bad at all. I soaked my dried rice noodles in freshly boiled water just under 1 minute before tossing them into a pan of cooked vegetables and omelette chunks. I served it with grilled salmon. Lime juice drizzle just before serving is highly recommended!

I will try Pad Kee Mao next (don't you just love the sound of the name?)

04/10/2017

Rediscovered black/purple rice this week. It has a nice texture (not as coarse as other wholegrain rice) and a unique fragrance. And the good thing is that it's very tolerant of the cooking as it doesn't get mushy. My preferred way of cooking is to 1) wash the rice in three changes of water, 2) bring 1 part of rice and 1.5 part of water to boil, 3) heat off and cover for 30 minutes, 4) heat on again for 10 minutes and 4) heat off and cover for another 10 minutes. Fluff and eat.

Next time I will try cooking for 20 minutes on low heat and heat off/cover for 10 minutes.

2017 Weekly - Week 39

24/09/2017

Had a very nice weekend in Amsterdam. This is probably my favorite capital city to visit. So much so that I wish I could retire there one day. The rich history and culture, the friendliest people on earth and very cosmopolitan in terms of society and cuisine, and it's just of the right size so that you don't feel like living in a jungle.

And I finally met a friend with whom the friendship started almost 8 years ago. She is as lovely off line as on line. A worldly person and a very good cook. Thanks for having me in your home, N.

I Heart Amsterdam.

2017 Weekly - Week 38

19/09/2017

It's as if I was living through scenes from The Emperor' New Clothes. Someone describing recent work progress comparing two techniques with r2 varying between 0.3 and 0.5. "It's looking good", said the presenter. And other people started to join, nodding or murmuring "it's looking really good" one after another.

I was stunned.

We were looking at two independent techniques which have good reproducibility in the measured values. And we are dealing with chemicals, not animals, weather objects or Donald Trump. There is no way an r2 of 0.3 can be of any good use for routine scientific studies.

I strongly objected during the meeting and someone else defended the r2 by saying it's better than before. Well, "better than before" is relative and "looking really good" is absolute. I don't claim to have excellent logics but it just beggars belief to see some senior scientists' logics.

2017 Weekly - Week 37

12/09/2017

Colder days and longer nights are upon us. Time for warm oatmeal! The smell of steaming oatmeal always brings me a sense of comfort and simple happiness. It reminds me of my college days when I had to catch early bus to the campus. My parents always got up early for me to prepare hot oatmeal with toasts before I set off. I am really lucky to have parents like them.

13/09/2017

I almost bought a book because of the name of the author. I am glad that I resisted. The more I read the excerpt, the more disheartened I am. For an event which was experienced by millions of people for a prolonged period of time, we all have forged our own reality and truth in our heads. There is nothing anyone can do about it. We are human beings with emotions tangled with reasons. I started to wonder the point of so-called memoir which wants to set the facts straight. Facts and truths only mean something to complete rationale beings, such as robots. I wish you find success somewhere else which also means something to you.

14/09/2017

My own Gamjatang (Korean potato and pork soup). A bowl of steaming soup may just be my ultimate comfort food. Growing up in a household where every meal finishes with a soup (except for breakfast), I know I miss home when I crave a bowl of warm soup. It doesn't have to be a soup I grew up with, almost any warm Asian soup will do. This is absolutely delicious with chubby medium-grain rice.

I make - orange and sultana scones

This may be my favorite scone recipe so far.

Orange and sultana scones

- 2 cups of plain flour (or self-raising)

- 1/2 cup of porridge oat (optional)

- 1 tablespoon of baking powder (reduce to 1 tsp if using self-raising flour)

- pinch of salt

- 85 g cold butter, diced

- 3 tablespoons of sugar

- 1/2 cup of sultana (or your favorite dried fruits)

- 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract

- zest from one orange (or lemon)

- 3 tablespoons of creme fraiche (or double cream)

- 150 ml plain yogurt (see instructions)

- 1 egg mixed with 1 teaspoon of milk

Mix flour, oat (if using), baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Rub in the cold butter cubes into the flour mixture with your fingers until the mixture looks like bread crumbs. Alternatively, you can use a pastry cutter or a fork. Stir in the sugar and sultanas.

In a measuring jug, pour in creme fraiche and top it with plain yogurt until the total volume is 200ml (for richer taste, you can use all creme fraiche, but up the quantity to 250ml). You can do this at the beginning to thicken the dairy mixture further. Stir in vanilla extract, orange zest and half of the beaten egg. Pour this liquid mixture into the flour one. Mix the dough until it becomes a cohesive mass. Don't overmix.

Rest the dough in the fridge for 30-60 minutes. Preheat the oven at 200C 10 minutes before the dough is about to finish its rest.

Roll the dough out into 1-inch thickness and cut into any shape you like (rounds, squares or wedges). Glaze the top of scones with the remaining beaten egg. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Updated on 16/09/2017. Here are a number of variations I've made. The left five are lemon and blueberries and the right seven scones are cinnamon raisins.

2017 Weekly - Week 36

09/09/2017

I got a jar of lavender honey from my local farmers' market. There is something mysterious about lavender honey, a taste of delicacy and depth and I have yet to taste one that I don't like. It impresses me every time I think that it manages to have both dimensions together. I hardly taste lavender in the honey but only a rich and delicate floral note. It's so hard to come by that every time I see one I have to get one, even though it may cost three times more than the regular honey.

The best way to enjoy the honey (apart from having it on its own) is to spread generously on buttered and toasted (almost) white bread. The delicacy and finesse of lavender honey seems to dull on me when I spread it on multi-grain bread (or other more robust or nutritiously complex bread). It's still good but its true potential does not fully show.

With a large cup of cafe au lait, that's my Saturday brunch which brings a little bit surprise and nature's wonder to me.

Have a good weekend.

2017 Weekly - Week 35

25-30/08/2017

We had a great time with friends relishing every last moment of summer in one of the greatest cities of culture of all kinds.

Goodbye, Summer 2017.

02/09/2017

Gluten-free snacks and tea with our neighbors. Who would have thought that crudites with hummus go so well with oolong?

2017 Weekly - Week 34

22/08/2017

I came over this speech by Anna Wintour given at the Oxford Union in 2015. Thought provoking and still rings true which age you may be.

She talked about "being intellectually free". Many times the only real limitation is ourselves in life. Be prepared to learn and adapt. You never know what you are going to find and feel around the corner of unknown. She also said that "the more you do, the more you can do". It feels so close to my heart, professionally and outside work. I have tried things I thought I wouldn't like it or couldn't do it but many times I proved myself wrong. And by challenging myself it makes me truly feel what being alive means. Having no passion or interest in life must be one of the saddest things which could happen to one person. I hope this moment would never come.

I make - Yorkshire pudding

Being in the country of Yorkshire pudding for 16 years, the number of times I eat Yorkshire pudding can be counted in one hand. Still quite perplexed with all the fuss around Yorkshire pudding but I get the fact that it's a British (family/culinary) tradition. So everyone gets a say and has a particular way of doing it. And in order to proclaim convincingly that I've been in the land of YP long enough, today is my first go at YP.

I used and halved the recipe by Barney Desmazery. Well, my first go at the recipe led to YP of various shapes and sizes. The baked product is light, crisp on the outside and tender inside. Luckily the look bears no resemblance of the taste. I wished the recipe could have been clearer about the amount of oil required in the muffin tin. It turned out that during baking YP doesn't really absorb much oil (a good thing). However, the YP batter does push the oil out of the muffin oil during baking (which led to our lovely smoke alarm going off during Sunday morning and the next hour me scrubbing the oven!). Granted, I covered the bottom of muffin tin with oil to avoid sticking and this proved too much for YP. It seems that next time no more than 1/4 tsp oil for each muffin hole.

(Next time will be better) Yorkshire pudding

- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup (70g) of plain flour
- 100 ml cold milk
- pinch of salt
- oil for cooking

Thoroughly mix eggs, flour, milk and salt in a jug. Rest the batter in the fridge for a few hours.

Preheat the oven at 210C. Put 1/4 tsp of oil in each of the muffin holes. Place the muffin tin on a baking tray and heat the oil for at least 10 minutes.

Remove the tray from the oven, pour the chilled batter into the muffin holes as quickly as you can. I managed to fill 9 of the 12 holes with the written recipe. Put the tray and muffin tin back to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, with oven door firmly shut. Serve immediately or freeze for later.

2017 Weekly - Week 33

14/08/2017

No one at work will give me a pat on the back but I will do that to myself and say "Well Done, another computational model confirmed by experiments". Sometimes I often think the eco system inside research or pharma is exactly what you see in the society. Many don't understand that science can only truly progress when all disciplines treat each other equal and work together. One who ignores others can only stall science progress.

16/08/2017

A colleague gave me some fresh bread yeast to try. I made Michel Roux Jr's sandwich loaf. Don't know whether it's the recipe or the fresh yeast but this is the best sandwich loaf I've ever made.

I bake - Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Some moments only chocolate chip cookies will do. You know what it is, the moment when your guests finally leave (no matter how nice they are), the day when everything goes wrong (no matter how minute and insignificant they are), the second that you discover the colleague who always appears nice knife you in the back. When that moment comes, here is one of the best cures I've found.

Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies - adapted from Danielle Oron's original and David Libovitz's tweak

1/2 cup (110 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup (120 ml) tahini, well stirred

1/2  cup (100 g) granulated sugar

1/2  cup (90 g) packed light brown sugar

2 medium eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

150 g plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp table salt

200 g dark chocolate chunks (at least 60% cocoa)

flaky sea salt,  such as Maldon or fleur de sel

In a large bowl, use a hand-mixer to beat the butter, tahini, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until fluffy.

Add in one egg and vanilla, beat until well incorporated before adding the remaining egg. Beat to mix. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides if necessary.

Tip into the butter mixture the flour, baking powder, and table salt. Mix together with the mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the motor and switch to a rubber spatula, add the chocolate chunks and stir until just combined. Cookies can be baked straightaway but the author recommends resting the covered dough overnight (or at least a few hours) in the fridge. 

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Form the cookie dough into rounds using an ice cream scoop, or your hands. I like the golf ball size (I managed to get 18 cookies). Place them evenly spaced on the baking sheets, at least 5cm apart. There is no need to flatten them as the dough spreads a bit during baking.

Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time. Turning the baking sheet in the oven midway during baking, until the cookies are golden brown around the edges but still pale in the center. I bake mine for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle cookies with a bit of flaky sea salt, and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. Bake the remaining cookies the same way.

2017 Weekly - Week 32

We are still with guests this week. One thing, it's nice to be reconnected with some family members.

As for the teenager, well, intelligent, deep down a good person but quite spoiled and lack of maturity, rather a picky eater which drove me nuts. I wish all the best for the teenager.

I also realized that two weeks is too long for me to have guests at home. Next time, no more than a week.

Party of five 05/0/2017

Who

Me, resident food critic, 18-yr old nephew and our English neighbours

Starter

Halloumi, courgette and cherry tomato skewers
Crudites with Aubergine dip

Cheese straws

Pimm's

Main

Chicken confit
Potato mash
garlicky sugar snap peas and tender broccoli stems

Cheese course

Dessert

Eton mess with strawberries and raspberries

2017 Weekly - Week 31

There won't be much update from here for two weeks as we have a visitor coming to stay. I hope you have a good summer.

2017 Weekly - Week 30

24/07/2017

Received a parcel today from dear friends in Paris. It contains two gorgeous pieces of table linens and 5 CDs of music selected and compiled for us. We feel very grateful to have these considerate and kind friends who thought about us even when we are apart. Merci, M & F.

25/07/2017

I made a jar of shio koji about 9 months ago. It's been sitting in the fridge because I was not sure how to use it. By now I've tried shio koji with a number of dishes. It's no exaggeration when shio koji is described as an all-purpose seasoning. It does seem that magical, adding flavor and depth to almost everything it touches. Great with fish (oily or not) and meat (red or white), simply marinade the protein with shio koji for a few hours or one day and grill/fry the protein. Not only does it impart a unique umami taste, but also it firms up the flesh a bit making it taste more succulent.

In addition, shio koji can also be used simply as salt substitute for any stews or stir-fries. Apparently it's great for lightly pickled vegetables. Some even used it for bread making. How intriguing!

26/07/2017

When are you going to stop, bully from the East?

Party of four 28/07/2017

Who:

Me, resident food critic, our lovely Greek neighbours who are moving away (so sad!)

This is probably the last party with them in Cambridge. All the best for your future, I and A. We have had lots of good memories with you.

We tried not to take too much of their time in the middle of house moving so we decided to have a pizza night, chicken strips with Buffalo wing sauce, crudités with blue cheese dip, just to have some good time together. We will miss you terribly!

2017 Weekly - Week 29

18/07/2012

Looks like I have been able to keep my 2017 weekly for 6 months! This is quite something for me to focus on one thing (almost) without a break.

I am also quite proud that I manage to keep going to the two fitness classes this year. This is on top of my regular gym sessions. I enjoy the classes fully, although I suspect that's also why I had the sciatica episode. Well, I just need to be extra careful with how my body reacts.

19/07/2017

I've been wondering the point of "like" on Facebook, especially those from the people you know in real life. "Like" without leaving any words means what, like I've read it but I am too busy or not very bothered to say anything? This is not that I share other people's thoughts and words. I share my thoughts, with you. In real life, most people would at least make a sound, no?

I continue to wonder the point of Facebook for private human relationships.

20/07/2017

While I was pondering over social media yesterday, Dear Polly has another post which struck a chord with me. Why would I do without Polly!

We “like” things and heart things and type “Hurray!” and “Right on!” and “Rocking it out, babe!” but what we really mean is “Hello, I see this matters to you” and “Hmmm, you have popped into view once again” and “Stubbornly, you continue to exist” and “I acknowledge your existence, albeit with some reservations.”

Make some friends who have some interest in what you study, what you do, and what matters to you.

I make - Bagels

I think I have nailed a bagel recipe which produces chewy crust with tender and airy interior. This is by no means the "authentic" bagels but the way I like mine. For ease of manual handling, I have chosen a dough between 55% and 60% hydration. Traditional bagels are of even lower hydration, between 45% and 50%. However, I find low hydration dough (~50%) very hard to work with by hands (I wish I had more muscles). In addition, the texture is denser than the dough with 10% more water. That's why I settled on 58% hydration for my bagels.

During the course of perfecting my bagel recipe, I came across a method of using Water roux (also known as Tangzhong or Yokone). This is a thick flour paste added to the bagel dough. The purpose is to keep bagels soft (tasting fresh) for a longer period of time (2-3 days) at room temperature. Water roux has just two ingredients, water and flour. The flour-to-water ratio (by weight) does not seem to matter that much (I've tried 1:1 to 1:5). Therefore, the way I do it is to take a small portion of flour (1 part) and water (3 parts) from the base recipe (given below, called the all-in-one method), cook it into a thick paste and add it back to the rest of the ingredients. And it works wonderfully for me, both in terms of keeping the same base recipe and keeping bagels soft for a few days.

As for flavoring, it can go as far as your creativity takes. Personally I prefer plain or cinnamon raisin. I have provided a number of add-ins or toppings to start your bagel imagination. I hope you would like this recipe as much as we do.

plain bagels

raisin bagels

linseed and spelt bagels

Bagels - Base recipe

All-in-one method

- 250 g bread flour
- 50 g wholemeal bread flour
- 1/4 tsp fast-action yeast
- 175 g water
- 2 Tbsp sugar or honey
- 3/4 tsp (4g) salt
- oil for kneading
- 1 tsp baking soda and plenty of simmering water for boil the bagels
- optional add-ins: raisins (with or without cinnamon), dried cranberries (with or without orange zest)
- optional toppings: poppy seeds, white/black sesame seeds, everything seasoning (poppy seeds+white sesame seeds+onion flakes)

This recipe gives 6 regular sized bagels or 8 smaller ones.

Mix yeast and water in a big container. Stir in flour, sugar (or honey) and salt to make into a dough. Let the mixture rest for 20 minutes so that the flour has time to absorb the water.

Knead lightly with oil for a minute. If you have extra add-ins such as raisins, mix in after 30-minute rest. Cover the bowl and let the dough slowly ferment for at least 6 hours. Overnight is even better.

Next day, the dough should double in volume. Tip the dough out to a clean surface (no need to flour and no need to flatten the dough). Divide the dough into 6-8 pieces (like pie wedges) and shape into balls (60g for a small bagel or 80g for a regular one). Rest the dough balls for 15 minutes.

Lightly flour your fingers and create a hole in the middle of each dough ball by poking a floured thumb into the centre of a dough ball. Gently stretch the ring to enlarge. Once you finish all 6 (or 8), start again to enlarge the circle again. Proof the bagels for another 30-45 minutes.

When your bagels have 10 more minutes to go, preheat the oven at 200-210C and bring a pot of water to boil.

Add baking soda to a pot of simmering water. Boil each bagel 20-30 seconds each side. Drain each bagel as much as you could and place it onto a baking pan.

Bake the par-boiled bagels at 200-210C for 16-18 minutes.

Tangzhong/Yokone/Water roux method

For Tangzhong/Yokone/Water roux
- 25 g wholemeal bread flour
- 75 g water

For the main dough
- 250 g bread flour
- 25 g wholemeal bread flour
- 100 g Tangzhong/Yokone/water roux from above
- 1/4 tsp fast-action yeast
- 100 g water
- 2 Tbsp sugar or honey
- 3/4 tsp (4g) salt
- oil for kneading
- 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
- 1 tsp baking soda and plenty of simmering water for boil the bagels

First make the Tangzhong by mixing 25 g of flour and 75 g of water in a small saucepan. Whisk to dissolve the flour completely. Turn the stove on and cook the flour-water mixture at low heat. Whisk constantly. Within 2 minutes, flour will gelatinize and form a thick paste. As soon as you see a thick paste form, remove the pan from the heat. Cover the Tangzhong and leave it to cool for 15 minutes.

When the Tangzhong has cooled to body temperature, mix in 100 g of water to lighten up the roux. Pour the thinned Tangzhong into another bowl containing all the other ingredients from flour to salt and knead it into a cohesive dough. After this step, the rest of the procedure is the same as the all-in-one method, slow fermentation (after mix in dried fruits if using), dividing and pre-rounding, short bench rest, bagel shaping, boiling and baking.

2017 Weekly - Week 28

I am truly saddened by the passing of Liu Xiabo. How callous can a person be to make another suffer and die in front of its eyes without even raising its eyebrow? Liu Xiabo has done no harm to anyone. He just spoke up his mind which happened to be different from the government's view. This is truly what Chinese government is, ideology first and foremost. Human beings are merely created to follow the ideology.

Mr Liu, do not doubt that you will outlive the cruel and authoritarian regime. You may not be physically with us but on many of our hearts and minds. You played a big part in yearning and pursuit of freedom and democracy. This will not be forgotten. Xiabo, rest in peace.

I have no enemies by Liu Xiabo.

2017 Weekly - Week 27

Sciatica, I was in pain for several days, couldn't sit properly for a week. And this made me miss the weekly post. Good health is everything. Best for all of you.

About air pockets

Having many and large air pockets is one of the signs for good bread making. For a long time my air pockets are mostly small, occasionally medium. Truth to be told that I also refused to use a machine for a long time, refused to recognize the importance of gluten development and the windowpane test.

If I had thought hard enough, I would have realized long ago that big air pockets need strong protein structure to hold. That strong protein structure comes from proper gluten development and one of the easiest way to test is the windowpane test. So you see, it never hurts to be scientific in life.

That's why I got a Bosch hand mixer with dough hooks. I am still resisting the stand mixer which takes too much of my precious storage space. With my new Bosch in hand, I witnessed three levels of gluten development as helpfully demonstrated by these three photos, first time in my life! Of course, retaining large air pockets in the final baked product needs more than just sufficient gluten development. There are still many steps between kneading and baking which could degas the dough. Shaping is one key step which I still need to work on. How to create sufficient steam to "bloom" the bubbles in the oven is not easy either. Even with my amateurish bread baking skill, I managed to produce air pockets of this size.

Can this be done purely with hands? Of course, there are many people who are doing that. I just thought that having some help from the machine is not a bad thing to maintain bread baking manageable to me.

2017 Weekly - Week 26

27/06/2017

This has to be one of the most scandalous news this century for UK, 100% failure rate in high-rise cladding tests for 95 tested buildings so far. Everything which could break down broke down. Building laws knowingly ignored by the builders and the supposedly safe guarding council members, safety consultants' suggestions willfully disregarded (you might as well put the money down the drain), how low can human beings go, I wonder? This is not only unethical but also immoral. How can these people in the chain of enforcing public safety consciously allow materials or measures for causing harm? Where is your conscience?

Bread with fruits and nuts

I almost forgot how addictive bread with dried fruits can be. Crispy crust (bien sur), slightly sweet tender and moist interior, a perfect bread for cheese (or on its own!).

My first attempt with raisin and walnut was so successfully that I started another dough immediately after. Cinnamon raisin is a hard to beat combination. I urge you to try. And yes, toast walnuts before adding to the dough does make a difference in terms of the aroma afterwards. It took me many years to realize that so I hope you would also give it a go.

Next flavor combinations on the list are Prune and Hazelnuts or Apricot and Sunflower seeds!


Cinnamon raisin walnut bread (75% hydration dough)

- 250 g white bread flour
- 50 g strong wholemeal flour
- 1/2 tsp yeast
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 225 g water
- oil for kneading

Mix everything into a rough dough. Rest the dough in a bowl, covered for 1 hour. Knead the rested dough with oiled fingers into a smooth ball. Then starts the bulk fermentation. During the first two hours of bulk fermentation, perform 3-5 rounds of stretch-and-fold. At the end of bulk fermentation, the dough has to double its original size.

Remove the risen dough onto a floured surface. Gently shape it into a ball by tucking all sides underneath. Bench rest for 30-60 minutes. Shape the dough into a batard, a boule, or into several smaller rolls if you prefer. Let the shaped dough proof for 60-90 minutes.

Preheat your oven at 220C for 20 minutes along with a baking tray. Score and mist the dough top, transfer the dough unto the preheated tray and put it into the oven. Bake for 35-40 minutes (reduce the temperature to 200C during the second half if the bread browns too fast) until the sound of tapping the bread bottom is hollow.

2017 Weekly - Week 25

18/06/2017

I tried red lentil hummus today. This is actually my second attempt by cooking red lentils differently. I put one cup of rinsed and drained red lentils in a pot. Pour in freshly boiled water until red lentils are completely covered, with water level about 1cm above red lentils. Then I bring the pot to a boil and reduce the heat down immediately with lid on. After 8-10 minutes, red lentils are pretty much cooked without much water at the bottom. This saves me from the extra step of straining lentils afterwards.

To make hummus, I added 3 tablespoons of tahini sauce, garlic powder, cumin powder and yogurt to 1 1/2 cup of cooked red lentils. Season with salt and pepper. I was out of lemon, otherwise juice from 1/2 of a lemon is also good for hummus. Rest the hummus in the fridge for a few hours, so can I!

19/06/2017 - 24/06/2017

2017 so far has proven to be very unsettling. You see the worst of human beings almost weekly now all over the world. Another terror attack in London, high-rise building with illegal cladding material which led to deaths of so many lives, politicians using human beings as game chips once again. This is just what's happened on this small island. Don't let me even start the other side of the Atlantic.

Do human beings inherently want to minimize one another? Surely by now everyone can see (or evolution has proven, if scientific evidence needed) that we only get to progress when we work together? I will continue do what I can to make life better for people around me, however small it may seem. If we all do a little like that, at least we know for sure that some people'e lives are better because of our small efforts.

2017 Weekly - Week 24

17/06/2017

Sweltering heat is coming back for real. Room temperature varies from 26C to 30C, depending on where you are. Well, need more cooling methods!

2017 Weekly - Week 23

A very warm week followed by a rather cool and rainy one (10 degrees cooler), well, that's British summer.

Today (08/06/2017) I voted.

I make - Carrot cake

In an attempt to use up my kamut flour, I discovered that wholemeal kamut is actually rather good in a carrot cake. So here is the recipe I used for a good tasting carrot cake.

Note on 18/06/2017: I made the carrot cake again but added 30 g of ground almond and increased grated carrots to 250-280g. Both versions are pretty good but I may stick with the original one for its simplicity.

Carrot cake

- 150 g brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- zest from 1 orange
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 120mL melted butter (or mixed with oil)
- 200 g kamut flour (plain white will do)
- 2 tsps baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice
- 200 g grated carrot (1 big carrot)
- walnut pieces
- demerara sugar

Preheat the oven at 180C.

In one bowl, mix together brown sugar, eggs, orange zest and vanilla. Use an electric mixer to beat the egg mixture for 3 minutes until it's light and frothy. With the mixer on, slowly drizzle in melted butter. Beat the mixture until it's well emulsified.

Sift into the egg mixture bowl the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder and mixed spice. Stir a few times to mix the flour in. Then stir in the grated carrots. Don't over stir but make sure carrots are evenly distributed in the batter.

Pour in a prepared tin. Pour the cake batter in. Decorate the top with walnut pieces and finally sprinkle some demerara sugar. Bake in the oven at 180C for 30 minutes.

2017 Weekly - Week 22

29/05/2017

Tried Kamut flour the very first time for bread baking. Not sure what to think of it considering all the singing and dancing I heard from the internet fellow bakers. For me, kamut gives a dough which is like rye does, sticky, not elastic/stretchy (very short gluten strands). But, the baked products are better than the dough feels, closed crumb texture but light/airy tasting.

I don't think I will use it for everyday bread again. I am quite visual when it comes to cooking and baking. I like my big bubbles in the baked bread! I will use it instead for pasta or brioche. It's also very expensive so I will not buy it again after finishing this bag. Good to know you, Kamut.

2017 Weekly - Week 21

21/05/2017

A momentous day, ears! Two of my three mini baguettes now have ears!

Plus, my parents are coming in this week. Total pamper time for me! Whoohoo!

23/05/2017

The world never stops revolving, another terror attack here, but another step forward on the other side of the earth. Human race will continue to be better and learn to work with one another. It starts with understanding and forgiving. That's what I believe.

I make - Pretzels

I just realized that bagels and pretzels pretty much are made by the same recipe of low(er) hydration dough. Recently I feel that my bread making has stuck at a stage. I can produce good tasting bread but the shape and the look is really left to be desired. Perhaps I need to go back to the beginning, working with lower hydration dough and practice my kneading/shaping skills.

This is my first go with pretzels with 60% hydration dough. It's 9% higher than what the Guardian article shows but my past experience working with ~50% hydration dough was not good (too dry and hard). I sprinkled my pretzels with homemade Everything toppings. In fact, I really like the way the final products look. You get a sense of oven spring in height and in volume. I ought to practice more with low(er) hydration dough.

My pretzels

- 250 g white bread flour

- 50 g wholemeal bread flour

- 180 g water

- 1/2 tsp fast action yeast

- 1 Tbsp sugar

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 15 g oil

- salt flakes for topping

Everything topping:

- 1 Tbsp white sesame seeds

- 1 Tbsp poppy seeds (or chia/black sesame/nigella seeds)

- 1 Tbsp dried onion flakes

- 1/2 Tbsp dried garlic granules

Baking soda water bath:

- 500ml hot water in a pot (I used a small pot)

- 1 Tbsp baking soda

Mix flours, water, yeast, sugar, salt and oil together in a bowl to form a shaggy mass. Leave the dough to rest for one hour. After that, knead the dough to form a smooth surface. There is no need to aim for gluten development here. 

Rest the dough until the size doubles (bulk fermentation). I usually leave it overnight and resume in the morning.

After bulk fermentation, divide the dough into six pieces. Rest the individual pieces for 30 minutes. Roll each piece into a long rope about 60cm. The dough will resist while you roll out but try to get to 60cm as much as could. First create a U shape with your dough rope, cross over twice with two ends, fold it back to the horseshoe bend and pinch to seal. That's the traditional way. There are plenty of pictorial and video demonstration on the web. Please google search with "how to form pretzels".

If you like very chewy texture, you can poach the pretzels immediately. If you prefer slightly soft/airy interior, let the shaped pretzels rest for 30-60 minutes. During the last 15 minutes, preheat the oven at 220C and heat a pot of water. When the water comes to a boil, stir in baking soda. With gently bubbling water, poach each pretzel 30 seconds each side, drain and sprinkle with everything topping and salt flakes. I poach one pretzel at a time and repeat the whole process for the remaining individual pieces.

Bake the pretzels at 220C/200Cfan for 15 minutes. Rotate the tray half way through. Cool completely before eating. I made a simple mustard sauce to dip into by mixing both grainy and smooth mustard, honey, light cream cheese and dash of cider vinegar. 

2017 Weekly - Week 20

16/05/2017

Ms Wu, I am so sorry to hear about your surgery. You may not remember me but I wish you speediest recovery. Life is so fragile. I will hope for the best for you. Please come back to us.

18/05/2017

Always think hard about what you already have, not just the material things but things money can't buy such as smiles from your loved ones, a good appetite, sore muscles after your fitness instructor's torture and finally a warm sunny day in late May . Yes, I am blessed.

Tarte aux champingnones

You can tell I just can't get enough with pâte levée, so easy and versatile. I have more pâte levée ideas I want to play with. So watch this space!

Tarte aux champignons

- pâte levée
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 500 g white or mixed mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small onion, minced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp thyme leaves
- 1 cup of creme fraiche
- 1 tsp of whole grain mustard
- 1 egg
- salt and pepper to taste

Prepare pâte levée as described here. Roll out the crust and line your chosen pie dish.

In the meantime, heat a skillet and a tablespoon of oil for a minute. Fry the mushrooms, onion and garlic until all water has evaporated. Stir in thyme leaves and season with salt and pepper.

In another bowl, mix together creme fraiche, mustard and egg. Pour the creme fraiche mixture onto the pie crust, followed by the mushroom mixture. Bake the tart at 180C for 30-35 minutes. Enjoy with green salad.

Apricot tart with light brioche dough

Pâte levée is one of M-T's specialties.  With the characteristic extensibility built-in, pâte levée is much easier to work with than pâte brisée, no more crumbly crust! Once baked, pâte levée is airy, full of flavor but not overly rich, a perfect foil for stoned fruits or savory hearty fillings.

There are two ways I like to fill my apricot tart, one with creme fraiche and the other with frangipane. Both are delicious. Experiment to find out your favorite filling.

For light brioche (pâte levée) dough:

- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 1 tsp fast yeast
- 100 ml lukewarm milk
- 1 egg
- 250 g flour (plain, strong or a mix)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 100 g melted butter

For the filling (1):

- 6-9 apricots, stoned and quartered
- 125 ml of creme fraiche
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract (or almond extract)
- 2 tbsps of sugar
- apricot jam
- demerara sugar
- 1 beaten egg

For the filling (2):

- 6-9 apricots, stoned and quartered
- 50 g melted butter
- 50 g ground almond
- 50 g caster sugar
- 1 egg
- demerara sugar

The dough recipe is sufficient for two crusts. Half the recipe if you want. Otherwise, make two tarts, one sweet and one savory!

Mix all dough ingredients to form a dough. Let the dough proof for 2 hours until the size doubles. Cut in halves and roll out one piece for the apricot tart.

Cover the pie dish with the pie crust (as in pictures #1 and #3) and brush on a thin layer of apricot jam. You can go free form as I did in the picture #2.

Choose one of the fillings. For filling #1, mix creme fraiche, vanilla extract, sugar and half of the beaten egg. For filling #2, mix melted butter, ground almond, sugar and the whole egg. Pour the the filling mixture on top of the jam. Lay down the apricot quarters on top of the filling mixture in a decorative manner. Brush more apricot jam on fresh apricot quarters and sprinkle with sugar. Finally brush the pie dough edges with the remaining egg wash from filling #1. Bake at 180C for 40-45 minutes.

Pâté aux pommes de terre

Limousin, in the geographical center of France, was where M-T lived all her life. Perhaps not very well known to the outside world, its countryside is one of the most beautiful I've seen. Lush with green fields, undulating roads along the valleys with countless rivers streaming through and an unmistakable sense of calm and tranquility. I always feel I am part of nature when I go there, not the other way around.

Limousin has brought a few things to the culinary world, one of the areas M-T was an expert, Clafoutis, Creusois, Madeleines, chestnuts in various forms and Pâté aux pommes de terre. I've eaten them many times, both homemade or store-bought. They are honest, hearty food from the countryside. Nothing fancy, just with good ingredients and simple manipulation. What would be a better way to remember M-T by learning and writing about Limousin cuisine? After all, I picked my first chestnut and walnut there. I also remember picking summer berries and turned them into jars of jam with M-T by my side. This post is about Pâté aux pommes de terre, humble potato pie. No Cheese, just with a little bit cream and wrapped in light brioche dough (pâte levée). For me, this is very Limousin, very M-T. They do the best with what they have and share wholeheartedly with people they love.

Pâté aux pommes de terre

For the pâte levée (1 pie mold of 25-28 cm):

- 1 tablespoon of sugar (15g)
- 1 tsp fast action yeast
- 100 ml lukewarm milk
- 1 egg
- 250 g flour (plain, strong or a mix)
- 1 tsp salt
- 50-100 g melted butter

For the filling:

- 500-800 grams of potatoes (depending on how tall you want your pie to be)
- 125 ml creme fraiche
- 1 tablespoon of garlic powder (or two cloves)
- 3 tablespoons of minced shallots (or onions)
- parsley to your taste
- 1/2 teaspoon of thymes (optional)
- 1 beaten egg to glaze
- 1/2 tsp salt
- freshly ground pepper

Mix yeast and sugar in a bowl and drizzle in half of the milk. Stir to dissolve the sugar and yeast. Tip in flour.

In the same milk mug, beat in one egg.  Pour the whole milk-egg liquid into the flour bowl. Mix everything well to form a rugged ball. Tip in the salt and stir again. If the dough seems dry, add a tablespoon of water (or milk) a time to help mixing. Rest the dough for 30 minutes (optional).

After resting, beat in melted butter into the dough. Knead the dough until all butter is absorbed. Smooth the dough surface as much as you can and let it proof for 1-2 hours until the size doubles. Two amounts of butter are given. Both produce flavorful crust. I used 100g for the picture.

In the mean time, prepare your potato slices. Peel the potatoes and slice thinly with a knife or a mandolin. Mix together with garlic powder (or fresh garlic puree), 3 tablespoons of minced shallots, chopped parsley (of any amount you like) and 125ml of creme fraiche. Dry the potato slices lightly with paper towels and pour in the creme fraiche mixture. Season the potatoes with salt and a few grinds of pepper. Mix thoroughly and gently with your fingers to distribute the seasonings equally.

Divide the proofed dough into two portions (roughly 40-60 split). The smaller portion is for the top crust and the bigger one is for the base. Roll both dough pieces out, the bigger portion to fit the bottom of your pie dish, the smaller one to fit the top. Make sure the dough goes up at least half way to the side of the pie dish to hold the potato slices. Transfer the dough to line the base of your pie dish. Fill the covered pie dish with potato slices. Cover the potato slices with remaining pie dough. The two pieces of dough may overlap. Draw the two pieces together to close the gap.

Use the tip of the knife to create small holes on the top of the pie crust and brush with the beaten the egg. In an oven preheated at 180C, bake the pie uncovered for 1 hour. If the top becomes too dark, cover it with a piece of foil (and lower the temperature to 160C).

Serve warm with a good limousin green salad with mustardy vinaigrette.

2017 Weekly - Week 19

08/05/2017

Sometimes I feel only Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé understand precisely how I feel inside.

I love you, M-T. You would have been proud to see what we saw last week. Rest in peace. I will remember you in every way I can think of.

2017 Weekly - Week 18

01/05/2017

First time making scones after moving to this scone country +15 years ago! Well, I wasn't that interested in scones as standalone items but tasting Fitzbillies scones two weeks ago with our friends changed my view. Good scones can be simply enjoyed alone, maybe with a dollop of jam if you have my sweet tooth.

So I made orange and sour cherry scones yesterday to celebrate 1st of May. The scone recipes vary vast but they all have three key ingredients, flour, butter, liquid (milk/butter milk/yogurt/creme fraiche), in addition to a pinch of salt. Eggs are not always necessary. A small amount sugar is added if scones are served as a sweet item. They are heavenly when just out of the oven. Crisp outside, soft inside, with orange fragrance wafting through just warm enough to have a greedy bite or two. On an overcast Bank holiday Monday, with a steaming cup of tea, I can overlook the grey clouds imaging a small dollop of sunshine on my plate.

Scones with orange and sour cherries

For the scones:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
4 tablespoons sugar (I used 3 tbsps)
Pinch of flakey sea salt
5 tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter, cubed (I used 50 g)
1/2 cup dried cherries
1 cup Crème Fraîche + milk to form a dough
Demerara sugar for sprinkling

For the compote:
2 cups pitted fresh (or frozen, thawed) cherries
1⁄3 cup sugar

For the compote, place the cherries and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for 10 minutes, stirring once in a while. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Mix the first 4 dry ingredients in a bowl and use your fingers to incorporate the butter into the flour until it’s the consistency of breadcrumbs.

Stir in crème fraîche and cherries until a dough forms. The dough is a bit dry for me so I added a few tablespoons of milk.

Cover dough with plastic wrap and allow to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425°F while your dough is resting.

Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out onto a lightly floured surface to about a ¾ inch thickness.

Use a biscuit cutter to cut rounds of dough. If you prefer a wedge-shaped scone, use a knife to shape your dough.

Place rounds or wedges on a parchment-lined, ungreased baking sheet. Bake until scone tops are light brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

Cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes.

While the scones are still warm, carefully split them in half, add a dollop of crème fraîche, and a scoop of cherry compote.

Top with the other half of your scone and serve immediately.

Notes: After making this, the taste is buttery and tender with crisp crust. However, the dough was still a bit crumbly for me. Next time I will try one of the recipes which include eggs.

2017 Weekly - Week 17

23/04/2017

I started to see some light in this part of the world. Go Macron!

24/04/2017

The brownie recipe which really gives me chewy brownies. Ecstatic! The amount of sugar turned out to be the key. One cup is the magic number. Below that, the brownie can only be cakey.

2017 Weekly - Week 16

17/04/2017

Easter Monday.

Do you still dream? Is it the same dream as before or a different dream since childhood? Why do you change your dream?

In a world of ambition, I find it hard to harmonize with my inability to dream big. To make it in a world of praise-the-ambition, of course and foremost, you have to dare to dream. That's usually not the most difficult part. But how to put it into practice is another. Immeasurable amount of hard work supported by bottomless passion, unbeatable intellect and once in a million luck in finding opportunities knocking on the door at the right moment.

That is not to say to act only when you are sure to win.

Dream small, makes me happier, for the right or the wrong reason that I don't know. It's usually more achievable and you are almost there. In another word, you can almost see the outcome while on your way to your small goal. Is it cheating? Sometimes you have to make peace with yourself and with life. You are the only judge of that.

Big picture me, it takes more than just small dreams to make it in the world and to create this civilization with art and science advances which can only be marveled.

Small picture me, life is meaningless if you feel miserable in it all the time.

Well, this two parts of my brain may be arguing for a while (before the third one emerges).

2017 Weekly - Week 15

09/04/2017

What a fulfilled long weekend with hubby's dear friend and his wife. I shall forever feel grateful and humble for their love, kindheartedness and generosity liberally pouring onto us this weekend. Wish all the best for M & F for their life onward.

10/04/2017

"Please, don't worry so much. In the end, none of us have very long on this earth. Life is fleeting. Make your life spectacular." Robin Williams.

13/04/2017

Something not even starts before it's finished. Well, that's what life is about sometimes. Am I disappointed, even though it's what I had secretly hoped? Yes, not the whole lot but still disappointed. It's for the best, all considered, that I keep telling myself.

2017 Weekly - Week 14

04/04/2017

Happy birthday, Dr. Angelo. Although I discovered your work rather late, you are one of the few authors who truly motivates and touches my heart.

"Phenomenal Woman" recited by Maya Angelou

Phenomenal Woman
by Maya Angelou

Many people wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size  
But when I start to tell them,
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms,
The span of my hips,  
The stride of my step,  
The curl of my lips.  
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,  
That’s me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,  
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.  
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.  
I say,
It’s the fire in my eyes,  
And the flash of my teeth,  
The swing in my waist,  
And the joy in my feet.  
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.

Men themselves have wondered  
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can’t touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,  
They say they still can’t see.  
I say,
It’s in the arch of my back,  
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.

Now you understand
Just why my head’s not bowed.  
I don’t shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.  
When you see me passing,
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It’s in the click of my heels,  
The bend of my hair,  
the palm of my hand,  
The need for my care.  
Because I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
All you women
And me.


06-09/04/2014

Spring has definitely arrived. The fragrance of purple hyacinths and yellow daffodils from my front garden permeates the air. That's nature attempt to wake us up to a more positive cycle, not to mention the longer days now. Bless.

A couple friends are visiting us this week, two very dear to us who we don't see often. Finally, they are here. Bliss.