.....another encouragement from an old friend...

Last Saturday, I saw a call from this long lost friend that I have not been seeing for like 5 years after he left Penang. I picked the call and as usual the familiar voice greeted me “Lxx Shxn Shxn…as his first few words. @_@ That is the usual way my ‘kiasu’ housemates have greeted me. Haha, it reminded me of my time in UTM, always “piah” in my studies. Anyway, I decided to get together with this old friend, B, and SH on Sunday after my church service.
On that day, we met up at the Eastern Wishes restaurant in iAvenue. This friend of mine dressed up in formal clothing. It was kind of weird when all you remember is him slacking in the way he dressed.. you know, Intel’s engineer. But up to this day, he was someone with two professional papers in finance as well as the CEO of a factory in KL selling medical disposal stuff J He is no longer the “super-sensitive + ever-suspicious” guy I once knew. He is more mature than he was :P well, happy for him. Oh yeah, he came with another friend CS, also an engineer from Intel. I forgot him actual name although he was my current housemates’ friends and coursemates (all Intelians). Anyway, we talked how our life is now, the silly things we did back in uni, the “four pretty gals” (I didn’t know my group was having such a high visibility back then *_*), how I managed to win over CS on the warcraft game…etc
Well, the main point started when B asked me what I planned to study since I told couple of them that I want to further my studies. Well, I told them I wanted to go CCSF (City College of San Francisco) for my chef degree. However, due to economy crisis, I am unable to proceed with my dream’s step, thus, engaged in a local culinary and baking school instead. Then B asked me what I planned to do with that and I explained that it is my dream to open up a bakery shop. This is what he replied “I believe and trust you are able in making it successful. I have read many woman entrepreneurs’ life stories on how they become successful. You have those characteristics”. And I was like “Wow”. That words added up to my drive strength (not I/O related ok? :P). I never know I will ever hear it from him since he always has a very high standard set for everything he sees. Actually I know many people have seen something in me especially on my determination, independent and “never-give up” attitude. That’s how I become one of the top students, that’s how I become one of the top engineers in Altera TD (Haha, I even rejected Intel’s offer for grade 7 position :P), that’s how I gained recognition from my bosses which leads to my position today, that’s how I build 8 ppl transceiver team. I always stand and fight my battle until I conquered it. I still remember my team-mates used to say “to the most diligent gal I have ever known”. Haha..and another friend of mine who said “you are like a soldier that do not care what is in ahead of you and you just “choong arr!!! And fight”. :P And also, my SJ manager who said she only trust my capability in handling high priority stuff in PG as compared to other team-mates.. @_@
Though, that’s what they have commented about me, I have very low confidence in myself. I am afraid too in losing, afraid in failing, afraid in falling. Maybe this is why I reminded myself to always do my best in everything including my family, my friends, my relationship, my church and my career. But can I ever do the same for my dream? Can I ever make do it well like what I have done with others? I have a dream, this dream…not just a dream of self-satisfaction but a dream to reaching out to the needy thru my effort…to make a difference in people life. ^_^

Meeting minutes WW42 (Hahaha... ^_^)

Well well, as usual I went to school to assemble with the “female association” members @_@. There were only four of us meeting up that day as some of them are on working shift or have some transportation issues. I am actually the 2nd oldest gal in the team. Our team lead is actually Doreen who is already a mummy. There are actually many things to be discussed and we only have 5 more weeks before the competition.
We have finally come up with an idea on our wedding cake. We decided to use oval shaped 20 inches cake as the base; two love shaped 9 inches and 6 inches cakes respectively for the 2nd and 1st tier. There is going to be a Cinderella-like-carriage on the base, groom and bridegroom dancing on the 2nd tier and a traditional church on the top most. A stair will be built between the base and the 2nd tier; and a bridge (love bridge) between 1st and 2nd tier. I don’t know how it will turn up but our chef assistant suggested us to build a model using foam and card-board to mimic the actual design of our cake. This is actually to give us an idea of what kind of size is perfect for each of those models.
Since there will be 6 of us in a team, we decided to delegate our jobs. Four will be in charged of the wedding cake, one will be responsible for continental cake and the last one will be handling the dessert cake. When we are discussing on who is suitable for what, one of the chef assistants suggested that I take up dessert since I am the one with the best hand skills and creativity among them O_o. Haha, well for me this is a definitely a compliment. I always think I am clumsy and blunt :P Next round I will definitely attach the dessert cakes that I have made… ^_^ Anyhow, anyway, the gals want me to be part of the wedding cake team since they said we are better off together so I decided to stay with them.
More updates will be up after I am back from my Europe trip….Hehe..my Europe 2008 trip is based on Da Vinci code quest (covered UK, Amsterdam, Belgium and France) and now Europe 2009 will be based on Angels and Demons (covers UK, Scotland, Croatia, Switzerland and Italy). Both fictions are by Dan Brown and they are my all time favorite books. (The movies are definitely less attractive to me as compared to the books!!) Better make sure I don’t read Dan Brown’s books anymore…else there will be never ending expensive trip!!!

A new challenge coming soon!!

Few days back, Ah Kin from my bakery school gave me a ring.....And, he informed me of the 2nd Annual of pastry challenge 2009 competition. He wanted me to join his team of 5 for the team competition. Well, after so long graduated from school (somewhere in April 2009), guess it is time for me to start my bakery engine once again. I went to the academy today in Terrenganu Road to meet up with my old classmates and the principal chef+the assistant chefs. Well, I feel kind of happy when people remembered my name and to see those familiar faces. Both Joseph and Siaw Bai (Jack) have gained weight hehe..we started to dig back our history and laughed at our old jokes and stupidity during the class. Well, there are like maybe more than 10 other people there and I saw one cute familiar face, Hui Ting that I have meet during my bread lessons. We do have some time sit down and chit chat on how things have go and so...Well, after the briefing both Joseph and Siaw Bai decided to drop from the competition after knowing the "susah-ness" of that challenge of challenge. Ah Kin also dropped that idea since he was now in Ipoh thus not able to commit to the preparation...

Well, the team competition consists of 1) Wedding cake 2) Continental cake 3) Dessert Display .. phew not easy huh? :P anyhow, I guess it is really God's will.. I joined the female group of 6 for the competition. I just hope to gain some experience thru competition and brush up my skills hehe. SH has been complaining that I never bake anything for him and how lucky is the pity hungry white dog that I have fed with my blueberry muffins haha..anyhow, he soon will get to eat my masterpiece...

Ok lar, sayonara for now...really tired... *_* ... tata

Just another new beginning of another story....

Ta-DAH!! I finally get my hand off to start my bakery blog. I have three blogs on hand now and it is not easy to maintain @_@... Well, let's start off with why I am the bakery gal? Like everyone I have a dream of dream. I first share out my dream to a friend of mine when I was in US. I told him I enjoyed cooking, baking (anything all related to food to be exact :P), collecting miniature food and so. Somehow this person managed to get me off from my workaholic mindset to set off a journey to my own dream. I always wanted to do something for community (I have been blessed so I want to bless others too...) so my dream is actually to open up a bakery shop and then have my 10% of my profit donated to old folks home or orphanage. Not just that I will provide free breads/cakes to them as well!! ^_^ Being an engineer, I really cannot do much in helping the society *haih*. After coming back from US, I started cook/bake very diligently. Every Saturday morning 8-9am, I will be in Sunshine wet market buying grocery (like auntie @_@) and then have my lunch cooked (trying new recipe or enhancing the recipe every week :P). Then in the evening I will try to do some baking like cake/muffin/bread. Haha, my US friend supplied me with an anime called "Yakitake" (In Japan: Freshly Baked!! Ja-pan). Courtesy to Wikipedia --> The story focuses on Kazuma Azuma, a boy on his quest to create "Ja-pan", a nationa bread for Japan itself. He initially heads to Tokyo to expand his horizons at the bread-making chain Pantasia. I was so inspired with the boy!! From there, I learned to make my 1st bread...utilizing a rice cooker :D It works ok!! Haha... My dream never blows away….it just continues..I have made Tiramisu, a simple birthday cake, muffins, gingerbread man, cheese cake…etc even without much experience in baking. I repeat ..I am an inexpert baker. :P These are my treasures:
And many many more….However, due to the fact I am inexpert, it took me whole lot of time and effort to make one successful. So, embarked on the quest to become a more “professional” pastry chef, I enrolled in a commercial baking and pastry course! Hehe, it costs me a whole lot of RM4500. I know this is a big sum, but remember..a dream will always be just a dream if it is without effort. Haha, from that day on, I spent 4 months with 3 days per week and 3-4 hours per day. It was such an awe-inspiring experience for me to learn from a well renowned chef in Malaysia who has remarkable recognition from Taiwan and Singapore. I not just learned bakery but also get to know many people from different group of society who shared the same passion as I do *wink*

P/S: Someone just commented that I should change my blog name to “Road to pastry”. He said “something more positive and seems like following a target to do something :P. Your pastry dream will come true lar, tat’s why I invest all these tools on you lor” P^_^P Ngo wooi ka yau lar!

This is my bakery course structure:

Part A : Decoration
Lesson 1
Theory (introduction of ingredients)
Lesson 2
Cake Sculpturing
Lesson 3
Sides, Small Flowers, Carnation
Lesson 4
Rose, Lily
Lesson 5
Wording (Happy Birthday Day ,etc.), Leaf, Grass
Lesson 6
Cartoon cake – Clown, Mickey ,Rabbit (Optional)
Lesson 7
Barbie Doll Cake
Lesson 8
Basket Cake / Number 1 Cake (Optional)
Lesson 9
Key-shaped Cake / Book-shaped Cake / Peach-shaped Cake (Optional)
Lesson 10
Two-tier Wedding Cake – square, love, round (Optional)
Lesson 11
Test (marked by tutor)

Part B : Assorted cake and bread
Lesson 1
Technical Theory
Lesson 2
Croquant, peanut-butter, onion oil, pineapple, sesame, coconut, butter filling
Lesson 3
Sweet Bun (7 Varieties), Pandan Bun
Lesson 4
Walnut Bread, Butter Cookies, Coconut Cookies
Lesson 5
Twist bread, Peach Pie
Lesson 6
Curry Puff, Doughnut, Curry Filling
Lesson 7
Cheese Bread, Mini Sandwich Loaf
Lesson 8
Wholemeal Bread, Banana Cake,
Lesson 9
Mexico Bun, Potato Bun
Lesson 10
Muar Chi Bread, Almond Flakes Cookies
Home Assignment
Students make a product from the part B (test by tutor).

Part C : Continental Cake
Lesson 1
Black & White Chocolate Design
Lesson 2
Black Forest Cake, Toblerone Cheese Cake
Lesson 3
Bluebbery Mousse Cake, Golden Baked Cheese Cake
Lesson 4
Orange Syeacause Cake, Yin Yang Mousse Cake
Lesson 5
Horlicks Cream Cake, Marble cheese cake
Lesson 6
Royal Fruit Flan, Surubaya Cake
Lesson 7
American Cheese Cake, Cream Chesse Mousse Cake
Lesson 8
Nougat Walnut Cake, Green Tea Red Bean Cake
Lesson 9
Tiramisu, Guinness Cake
Lesson 10
Layer cake, Yam Layer cake
Home Assignment
Students make a product from the part C (test by tutor).

Part D : Royal Icing, Desert and small cake
Lesson 1
Fruit Cake, Royal Icing Skin, Icing Sugar Cream (decoration)
Lesson 2
5 Small Cakes (round, triangle, square, rectangle, small basket)
Lesson 3
Desert-stuffing and decoration (Apple mousse and cream cheese mousse cake)
Lesson 4
Desert-stuffing and decoration (Mango mousse and mocha mousse cake)
Lesson 5
Desert-stuffing and decoration (Yam mousse cake)
Competition

Team competition (make product from Part A,B,C)