We were supposed to let the steam out and relax at Fraser's Hill on a weekend but luckily I made a phone call to the caretaker and found out that there was a problem with water supply at the resort.
So then, came Plan B. Plan B was daytrip to Colmar Tropicale, Bukit Tinggi.
We arrived at Colmar around 10.45 am and the weather was just perfect...not too hot and breezy.
Little button was excited and kept pointing his finger to everything :)
When it's time for lunch, we headed to our favourite restaurant that serves the best pais patin we ever tasted....but to our dismay, the eatery was closed. Even Pak Usop also closed. A quick Google search directed us to here: Go Bang Maju Patin Tempoyak
The service here is slow but the patin tempoyak is tasty. Some of the waitresses do not seem to speak or understand standard malay language ... so that was quite troublesome.
Ever since I discovered the existence of this little 'kitchen helper', I could not sleep at night, wishing I can get my hands on it right away. (okay, that's a bit exaggerated....)
And now, it's here. I am so excited to try it.
I bought this model, it has 4 individual sized pies and comes in red colour (the description was pink, oh boy, was I excited!) ... personally I would prefer mini sized pie ... but the seller have this model only so ... well, it's better than nothing. It's very straightforward, there are only 2 LED lights, one when it's plugged on, and another one when it's ready to use. It comes with a pastry cutter (for top and bottom pastry) and a dough press.
I can't wait to test out my new toy .... and decided to make apple pie. I thought I have tried Grandma Ople recipe and blogged about it but could only find this recipe by Nigella.
(I added a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg plus a tblspn of vanilla and omit 1 tblspn of water to compensate the liquid)
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.
Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.
Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.
All the ingredients. I halved the recipe
Store bought pastry - RM12.90
Apple filling is now ready!Smells heavenly~
Based on recommendations, shortcrust pastry should be used for the bottom crust while puff pastry for the top crust, to yield a better outcome. Since I bought the flexi pastry, I planned to use it for both top and bottom crusts.
peeping the pie while it's baking in the pie maker
The pies are baked in about 10 minutes, so that's why the filling must be pre-cooked and cooled to avoid crusts become soggy. The pies can also be baked either open or after being enclosed with another piece of pastry.
oh my pie!
the final outcome ... filling was just nice, not too runny
Oh I simply love, love, love this thingy!
Pie making is more convenient and less time consuming, and it's even speedier should one use store bought pastry ... which I plan to do ... unless I get some positive vibes then I would make homemade pastry .... it's just that the dough press tends to stick to the bottom pastry and moulding the bottom pastry according to the cavity is slightly challenging.
Now the old saying, "as easy as a pie" is more relevant, isn't it?? hehehe ....
The first time I saw watercress was during my search for water chestnuts in Village Grocer, 2 years back. I thought it was mint leaves. I heard that this veggie has an abundant of health benefits but we were not exposed too much to it.
2 days back, when I browsed through Annabel Karmel's book, nak cari idea for little button's bekal for next week, I came across this recipe that calls for watercress.
Bought watercress at Jaya Grocer for RM3.80 and millet (500g, RM5.50) since kat rumah millet dah habis. A few bloggers said that this recipe is a bit runny but I plan to serve it with millet and calrose rice. Here's how I do it :
1 russet potato
1 medium zucchini
a small bunch of watercress
300 ml water (can use vegetable broth as well)
1. Peel the skin of potato and slice it. Put into a pot and pour water until cover all potatoes. Simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Trim the zucchini, (remember not to peel the skin as the skin contains most of the nutrients!) and chop it. Add to the potatoes and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
3. Lastly, add a small bunch of watercress (cut stalks off) and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
Here's the end product :
Gave a bit to little button for his dinner, cecah dengan roti, he loves it!
Dalam freezer ade 500g of cream cheese of which the expiry date dia dah hampir. Mase tu lah kelam kabut bukak segala drawer,buku resipi,internet cari resipi cheesecake yang guna 500g cream cheese. Bila ade 250g cc,mesti terjumpe resipi that calls for 500g cc. Ni dah ade 500g cc,resipi tu sume dan-dan menghilangkan diri. Resipi yg pakai 250g cc pulak bersepah2.
So try lah resipi caramel cheesecake yani. Gigih tu membeli sour cream fresh cream sume2 jenis cream lah...berdebar-debar je hati ni...jadi ke tak jadi...last2 jadi pun!alhamdulillah...hari2 lepas dinner makan sepotong dgn air nescafe...nikmat betul rasa.
Masukkan biskut ke dalam beg plastik. Ketuk-ketuk dengan kayu pencanai sehingga hancur. Masukkan butter dan ramas sehingga jadi berketul
Masukkan biskut ke dalam loyang. Tekan padat-padat biskut tadi.
Sediakan karamel. Masakkan gula dengan 1 sudu besar air sehigga perang. Padamkan api. Kemudian masukkan fresh milk. Ketepikan
Pukul cream cheese sehingga jadi bentuk krim. Masukkan gula -> esen vanila -> sour cream -> telur -> corn starch -> fresh cream ikut turutan sambil dipukul. Pukul sehigga jadi bentuk krim.
Tuangkan krim ke dalam loyang. Letakkan karamel di atas cream tadi.
Bakar selama 30 minit pada suhu 200C dan turunkan suhu kepada 160C. Bakar lagi selama 30 minit. untuk mengelakkan hangus pada permukaan bolehlah letak aluminium foil selepas 30 minit pertama. Bakar secara double-boiler dgn meletakkan air suam di dalam dulang.
Baru-baru ni Encik Mon bitau yang dia ade course kat Maya Hotel dan the buffet spread was good. In fact,ade oyster served dan dia makan mau dekat 10 ketul....perghhh hehe.
Pastu jumaat lepas masa kita jenjalan kat Big,kan ada a range of oyster kat situ...tup2 Encik Mon ajak makan oyster. Dia kata dia dpt mkn oyster aritu,dia nak bagi pwincess makan gak...
Kat situ ade a few grades of oysters...pilih la nak yang besar,yang kecik,yang flat...price also different...there's Rm24 for 3 pcs,ada gak yang Rm120 per dozen...pilih la yang mana berkenan....
Kat situ boleh mintak dia masakkan terus jugak...style mcm jaya grocer gitu...ada cafe yang turut serve other kind of food as well...foei gras...pies...premium cakes
Oyster kat sini fresh....sedap,lenkali boleh try yg lain pulak. Thanks Encik Mon,semoga bertambah2 rezeki...ameen
Masa buka puasa beramai-ramai dengan mama papa, adik beradik semua ramadhan lepas, pwincess di-assigned untuk membuat dessert since yang lelain buat main dish. mmg itu pun yang kita hajati ... hehehe. Biasalah bulan ramadhan, mesti tekak kering, dan cuaca pun panas .... terpikir nak buat panna cotta.
panna cotta memerlukan gelatin, so teringat kat almari mmg ade satu kotak halagel yang tak penah bukak .... excited laaa ni, nak merasmikan gelatin tu. sekali check2 expiry date .... baru je seminggu expired ... chaitttt geramnya ... sayang je terpaksa buang. pastu masa nak membeli halagel kat kedai, biasa bersepah-sepah nampak .... ni bile betul2 memerlukan, bayang satu pun tak nampak. last-last jumpa kat Giant.
Pwincess refer ke 2 resipi yang lebih kurang sama - dari K.Nor dan jugak ohhlookbel dari sini
LYCHEE PANNA COTTA resipi : K.Nor@SecubitGaram Bahan: 1 tin laici 2 cawan susu low fat/full cream 2 sudu besar gula 3 sudu kecil gelatin ~ K.Nor guna gelatin halalgel 3 1/2 sudu besar air 1 /2 sudu teh esen vanila 1 paket jelly strawberi Cara: Ketepikan 5 - 6 biji laici. Blend lebihan laici bersama dgn 1 cawan jus laici. Blend sampai betul2 halus dan tapis. Ambil air dan ketepikan. Masukkan gelatin ke dalam mangkuk berisi 3 1/2 sudu besar air dan biarkan ia mengembang. Masukkan susu, gula dan air laici yg ditapis tadi ke dalam periuk. Masak hingga hampir mendidih dan hendaklah sentiasa dikacau. Padamkan api dan masukkan vanila dan gelatin yg dah kembang tadi. Kacau hingga sebati dan gelatin larut. Biarkan sejuk, baru lah dituang ke dalam gelas. Sejukkan dalam peti ais lebih kurang 3 jam. Masak jelly mengikut arahan di kotak dan biarkan sejuk. Tuangkan ke atas Lychee Panna Cotta perlahan2. (pastikan jelly dah sejuk
dan panna cotta dah membeku/set supaya jelly tak tenggelam ke dalam
panna cotta) Masukkan kembali panna cotta ke dalam peti ais dan biarkan sejuk. Hiaskan dgn hirisan laici sebelum dihidangkan.
nyaman!
With this, I also got the chance to merasmikan pyrex custard cup that I bought at Langkawi. A set of four, sebijik tu dalam RM8 kalau tak silap. Kat sini ade mau 2-3 kali ganda harga tu.
Last day kita kat JB ... kita checked out awal dan terus have breakfast at Plaza Larkin.
Food Court Plaza Larkin
Kedai Kacang Pool Haji
Roti tebal. Satu set RM4.00 (we thought it is pricey pasal kuantiti adalah sedikit saje)
Mee Rebus Stulang. Kruk kruk dia sedap
Next stop was Otak-otak Kempas .... lupe nak cakap, hari sebelum tu dah singgah lepas tgk kilang apollo tutup, tapi kilang otak-otak kempas pun tutup. So kita try redah sekali lagi .... tgk-tgk, bukak pulak. Alhamdulillah ....
Adakah ini mobil tokey otak-otak kempas..........???? haa ..... sape kata jual otak-otak tableh kayooo~
Next stop - Kilang Apollo. Okay, confirmed tutup sempena Hari Malaysia - 16 September 2013.
Kita teruskan jelajah kita .......
...... ke Legoland!
Hello ... what's your name?
Currently Legoland tengah nak siapkan water world park .... lepas tu kitaorang g Hello Kitty Town pulak. saja ronda tengok tempat, tunggu little button appreciate nanti kita pegi main puas-puas ...
Next, kita ke Johor Premium Outlet ...
little button tengah meneran .... sambil menghayati kasut coach
my current love at the moment - scones!
hero kecik kepenatan
Berakhir sudah roadtrip ke BP dan JB kali ni ..... moh kita balik kay ell ....
Jom sambung siaran roadtrip ke Batu Pahat and Johor Bahru ...
On the second day tu ... alhamdulillah, little button seemed well and active, so kita mula JJCM. Masuk je kereta, wushhhh .... terus hujan turun dengan lebatnya. Hmm ... pagi-pagi Ahad macam ni, dengan hujan turun ... sedap woo tarik selimut sambung tido ... tapi takmo buang peluang dah sampai BP ni ... tgh drive, sekali nampak asam pedas Man Cathay bukak .... malam sebelum tu mmg dah target nak try asam pedas dia tapi kedai tutup ... tak sangka pulak ahad pagi dia bukak. so kitaorang turun untuk breakfast kat situ.
menu pagi yang ada seperti biasa, roti canai dan sebagainya, termasuklah lontong .... kita order lontong. pastu tgk asam pedas dah ready .... kitaorang pun order sepinggan .... mase tgh makan tu, mmg nmpk tak putus-putus orang singgah dan tapau asam pedas Man Cathay berbungkus-bungkus, tak kira lah kaum apa ...
Sesudah breakfast, kitaorang pack barang dan checkout. On the way out from BP, kita singgah brunch di Nasi Briyani Gam Mohd Shah yang dikatakan sedap sangat tuh ....
Next stop was Ayer Hitam. Ayer Hitam terkenal dengan jualan kraftangan, barang-barang kawen, kerepek, buah-buahan, bantal cushion dan banyak lagi. Masa pwincess outstation ke JB tahun lepas, geng singgah di gerai putu bambu Juriah yang heboh dikatakan best gila tu .... tapi masa tu pwincess tak suke putu bambu so sket pun tak rasa. tapi baru-baru ni baru belajar makan putu bambu .... suka lah pulak .... jadinya, kita pun singgah la Putu Bambu Juriah yang famous tuh. Lokasinya kat traffic light simpang empat kat pekan ayer hitam ... alahhh korang akan nampak banyak gila kereta/moto park kat tepi-tepi jalan .... kat situlah gerai Juriah tuhh. Encik Mon pun mula beratur .... bukan main-main beb .... 45 minit beratur woo. sorang-sorang order 6 bungkus ... 10 bungkus ... nak kena tunggu dia buat lagi .... tapi bile pwincess makan .... sedapnyaaaa........!!!
Di ayer hitam, kitaorang borong nenas madu philippine ... kerepek dan sweet potato! 2 bungkus sweet potato dapat RM8 .... murah tu pwincess rasa. tapi yang penting dan buat pwincess paling happy is, sweet potato tu kaler purple dan lagi satu tu very orange .... hepi, hepi. dah lama mencari sweet potato yang isi dia betul-betul kaler purple. merata dah cari dan beli .... organic lah, imported lah, tgk masa beli dah purple ... bile dah kupas kulit atau dah masak ... eh eh isi dia kaler oren takpun putih. sangat tipah tertipu tauuuu ....
Teruskan lagi perjalanan .... kali ni dah masuk Larkin. Kitaorang nak singgah kilang Apollo ... tapi tutup pulak. Then kitaorang call Lavender Inn untuk buat booking. Location wise, this inn is selamat, banyak parking dan next to Aeon Jusco.
As you can see, almost everything is in lavender colour ....i love it
Since kita checked in pun dah petang, so kita relax dulu kat bilik dan after Maghrib we went out for dinner. After quick googling, kita menuju ke Restoran ZZ Sup Tulang, credit to blogger Catz Cafe for info kat bawah tu...
Alamat : Restoran Sup Tulang ZZ
Lokasi : JKR Daerah, Jalan Petri, Johor Bahru
Tel : 012 7227209 / 013 7492671
Waktu Perniagaan : Di buka setiap hari dari pukul 7.00 am – 2.00 am
Sup ZZ tulang campur special kalau tak silap nama nya ... ada ayam goreng, daging dan gearbox ... best
Our review of food served here ? Memang TERBAIKK!! sedap sangat :) tambahan pulak malam tu hujan, so sejuk-sejuk makan sup panas .... beyond words.
Lepas tu kitaorang saje ronda kat danga bay ... ade macam carnival cenggitu ...kita join mana-mana yang sesuai untuk kami sekeluarga bersama pre-toddler....
Enjoy sangat .... dah penat tu, balik bilik, kitaorang layan cite The Terminal kat TV sambil makan duku langsat madu ....
Esok sambung hari terakhir roadtrip kat down south ...
