Oodles of noodles

Being back here, I have been getting my fill of something that is not really Swedish - noodles. I haven't been living in Sweden long enough to know a lot about the food there but I know that whatever noodle dishes found there is of Asian origin. Thai food, for example, is quite popular there and pad thai is a commonly eaten dish. I have not tried it yet when I was there so I can't comment on its authenticity.

Whatever noodles I've eaten when I was in Malmö is cooked by me using packets of instant noodles that my family brought with them when they visited me in June. I have seen instant noodles in the supermarkets there but they aren't like what I'm used to. Even Pete conceded that they are not as flavorful as those that I've been cooking for him.

I have also seen some dried noodles but they are usually the rice noodles that is used in Thai noodle dishes or egg noodles used in Chinese dishes. I have yet to see the fresh yellow noodles, dried beehoon or vermicelli noodles or the mee kia or mee pok that are used in the Chinese noodle dishes here. And even if I were to get my hands on them, I might not be able to cook them well.

Another problem about trying to recreate the noodle dishes is the unavailability of other ingredients. Here, a lot of the dishes uses fresh seafood like prawns and squid, Sambal, thick black soya sauce and black vinegar. I have tried to bring some of these ingredients with me. I have this bottle of sauce to make spicy fried noodles Malay style and I use it as sparingly as I can. I have to try to make it last since I only have one small bottle left. I can't do much about the fresh seafood though so I replace it with chicken. And as you can guess, the taste is diluted.

Now that I am here, I can finally have authentic noodles. So, being the noodle lover that I am, I have been ordering as many different types of noodle dishes as I could. One of the best things about living here is the wide array of cuisines from all over the world. Another plus is that they are not too expensive, though the price is increasing.

Here are some the noodles that I've had so far...

City that never sleeps

It was past midnight. My friends and I have just finished watching a movie in a cinema close to where I used to live for 22 years. Though it was already late, we were feeling hungry. We reached the cinema late - just in time for the start of the movie, no time to buy popcorn or any of the usual movie snacks.

But we knew we were never far away from good food no matter how late it was. It being a weekend also gave us more options. The only problem we had was to choose what to eat.

I miss eating seafood when I was on Sweden so we went to a popular hangout for night owls like us. My friend drove us to the eastern part of the island and sure enough, the place was packed with other sleepless diners like us.

We found a table, picked up the extensive menu and tried to decide on our order. By the time our orders came, it was past 1am. That didn't diminish our appetites. We heartily tucked into crayfish in spicy noodles, cereal crayfish, a very Asian salad of gado-gado with satay, a plate of chicken rice and tall, cold glasses of refreshing drinks.

It was past 3am when I reached home that evening. After a shower and face time chat with Pete, I was ready for bed. The time was 0410.

This is so different from my life in Sweden. We are seldom out when it's dark, except during winter when it gets dark very early. Even if we wanted to stay out late, I have yet to find a place that's open later than 8pm.

Coming back home, I guess these late night suppers would be more common, especially when I'm hanging out with my friends who don't seem to need much sleep. But if means getting to have my fill of delicious local food and good company, I won't be complaining. I'll sleep better when I'm cuddling up to Pete any way.

Sweet relief

O. M. G.

Can I have a pillow or thick cushion for my butt?! It's been another 20km ride and boy, is my butt sore.

But the great thing about being here is that you're never far away from food and beverages. I'm having sugar cane juice with a squeeze of lemon. Yummy! My friend also bought some satay. Double yum. The sugar cane juice is so cold and sweet with a hint of sourness. The satay is a nice balance of spice and sweetness - a nice little snack before we continue the bike ride. Another 20km.

Sigh.

A bum life

After five days of meeting friends and relatives, I decided to take a break from people and ride my bike to the beach.

I haven't been riding my bike for many months so after 5km, my bum is starting to hurt. But looking at the calm water, listening to the gentle waves, chatting with a good old friend makes for a relaxing day. We will continue our bike ride soon, even with a painful bum.

See ya!

Bags are all packed. 

Boarding pass printed. 

Passport safely in the bag. 

Last minute instructions for Pete given.

Blog updated.

Now, on to the airport and then home.

Pete told me to blog while I'm there, so I guess I'll be writing here as often as I can.

Till then, see ya.

Home for Hari Raya

In 12 hours, I will be on a plane back home.  The trip home was a last minute decision.  I was talking to my sister and mum on Face Time last Sunday and somehow, I was thinking about being there with them to celebrate Aidilfitri or Hari Raya as it's more commonly known back home.  The celebration starts at the end of the fasting month and this year, it falls on Sunday, just two days away. 

I have been planning to have a simple lunch here on Sunday with Pete's sisters and mum.  I have already decided on what to serve - all local Malay food, including the traditional pineapple tarts.  I wanted Pete and his family to have a taste of my tradition.  However, when I was talking to my family, I was sensing that they were a bit sad that I was not going to be there with them.  I have never been away from the family during hari raya, until now, that is.  During our conversation that day, the festive mood seemed to be absent.  They didn't seem to be excited as they told me about their preparations for the festivities.

I decided to talk to Pete about it and we thought that maybe I could go back and visit them.  I had to sort out some stuff and renew my passport anyway, so this would be the best time to go home.  Pete helped me to book the tickets the next day but I waited till two days ago to tell them since I wanted it to be a sort of a surprise. 

My mum was happy when I told her, but she was disappointed when she found out that Pete could not come with me.  He has to stay here since there are meetings and courses for him to attend.  He also has to continue to search for locations for our food business.  I will be away for two months so that I have enough time to settle whatever I need back home.  It's also a good time to go home for awhile before I start my Swedish classes and before our food business is up and running.  Once those things start, I doubt I would have time to go back home.

It will be fun to go home and meet my family and friends again.  Although I have only been here for a bit more than three months, I do miss the people back home.  I'll get to celebrate hari raya and my mum's birthday in September with the family. I'll get to meet up with my friends - I have already been invited to a BBQ.  I also have some stuff that I didn't get to bring with me in May.  I'm bringing three suitcases with me which hopefully will give me enough room to bring over more stuff.    

Pete has been so understanding about this since I am going to be away for a while.  We didn't plan on this so it is sort of a surprise for him as well.  I feel bad about leaving him alone for two months, especially since his birthday is coming soon .  But he is totally fine with it.   I decided to cook and freeze some of his favourite dishes. That's the least I could do since I didn't want him to have to go back to chips, fish sticks and take outs while I am away.   I have made lasagna, beef stew, meatballs, grilled chicken breasts and chicken pot pies, enough for maybe three weeks worth of food.  I also cut up some watermelon and baked karleks mums for dessert.  

I'm really having mixed feelings about this - happy and excited to be home with my family and friends, and yet sad to be away from Pete.  But I know that I would have to make the most of this trip.  I probably won't be going back any time soon after that.  So I will spend time with my family, meet up with my friends and eat as much chicken rice, nasi lemak and all the foods that I miss.  I know there's a lovely hari raya meal waiting for me and I'll be able to enjoy it very soon. 

Lovely Yumms

In a previous blog post, I wrote about some Swedish desserts that uses coconut and also about their love of coffee.  I wrote about a delicious cake that I love very much called 'karleks mums' (pronounced as share-lakes mooms).  Translated into English, it means 'lovely yums'.  Strangely enough, that's how I would describe it.  It's a simple and yummy cake.  To describe it further, it is a light sponge cake with a hint of chocolate topped with a mocha flavoured frosting and sprinkles of grated coconut.  I love how the sponge cake is so soft and light and it's delicious when paired with the mocha frosting.  I like to eat it when it's slightly chilled in the fridge.  Paired with hot tea or coffee, it'll make a delicious and yet light dessert.

The great thing about the cake is that it's very simple to make.  You don't need to cream the butter and sugar like in a butter cakes.  The only whisking you need to do is just with eggs and sugar and you simply add the rest of the ingredients before baking for just 12 to 15 minutes.  While the cake is baking, you can make the frosting in a saucepan and it's ready by the time the cake comes out of the oven.  Easy peasy.  No need to wait for the butter to soften.  No messy cake mixers.  And you only need your measuring cup and spoons, a bowl, a sieve, a saucepan and a baking pan.

If you are in a hurry to get a cake ready, do try this recipe.  It's really easy and quick and most of all, it's delicious.

Karleks Mums

Sponge

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla essence

2 1/4 cups plain flour

3 tsp baking powder

3 tbsp cocoa powder

150g butter, melted (you can melt it in the saucepan)

Frosting

100g butter

200g icing sugar

2 tbsp cocoa powder

3 tbsp cold strong coffee

1 tsp vanilla essence

about 1/2 cup grated coconut to sprinkle on top

Heat the oven to 225C and prepare a 9 x 13 or similar pan by lining with baking paper.
Whisk the eggs and sugar until fluffy.  This should take about 3 minutes if using the cake mixer.
Add the milk and vanilla essence.
Put a sieve over the bowl and sift in all the dry ingredients.  Remove the sieve and stir until just mixed.
Add the melted butter and mix well.  Do not overmix.
Pour into the baking pan and bake in the oven for 12 - 15 minutes.
As the cake is baking, make the frosting.
Put the butter in a saucepan over low heat.  Let the butter melt completely and then add the rest of the ingredients (except for the coconut, of course).
Stir well and cook until it thickens to the consistency of custard.  This will take only 2 or 3 minutes. 
Take it off the heat but don't let it cool too much before spreading on the cake - it will harden.
Once the cake is cooked, leave it to cool in the pan for a few minutes before spreading the frosting over the entire cake.
While the frosting is still warm, sprinkle the coconut over the entire cake.
Finish cooling the cake in the pan.  You can also leave it in the fridge to chill.
Cut into squares and serve.

Never count your tomatoes until they ripen

In a blog post back in May, I mentioned that we bought 5 small tomato plants and I have been keeping them on the balcony.  When I looked at those pictures, I realised now that they certainly have grown.  They are very tall now, almost as tall as me!  I didn't want to plant them outdoors since the weather might not be too kind to them.  I thought that if I planted them in the balcony, it will be much easier to care for them.  And yes, it sort of worked.  They are tall now but it wasn't as easy as I thought.

healthy looking plants

At the beginning, I watered them every day.  They were placed by the window and so they got plenty of sun.  I read about using leftover tea for watering plants and I tried that out.  At first, it seemed like the diluted tea worked.  The plants grew taller by the day and whatever leaves that sprouted were so healthy and green.  I was more excited when lots of small, pretty yellow flowers began to bloom.  Every day, a whole cluster of flower buds seemed to have appeared.  I kept counting the flowers and eventually I found that there could be at least 25 flowers on each plant.  Wow!  I'm going to have lots of tomatoes if this keeps up, I naively thought, thinking that all of the flowers would turn into ripe tomatoes.  I was so proud of the plants and so confident that I was going to harvest lots that I gave one of the plants to my mother-in-law.

the clusters of small yellow flowers

a close up of the flower

Within a few weeks, the flowers began to turn brown and wilt.  Some of the flowers dropped off and a tiny green tomato would be there in their place.  I got more excited.  Yay, the plants are bearing fruit!  Each day, more and more tomatoes began to appear.  Pete and I would often go to the balcony to count our tomatoes and we would find at least four tiny ones on each plant and more wilting flowers.  That was at the beginning of July.  I was thinking that the tomatoes would be ready in a few weeks.  How long does it take to ripe anyway?  The peas and beans took just days to be ready for harvest after blooming.  So I was very pleased with their progress. 

Then, I started noticing that the leaves at the bottom of the plants were beginning to turn brown.  Then the tomatoes seemed to take much longer to grow bigger.  The first tomato to grow big had some small black spots at the bottom.  Something didn't seem right.  A few days after that, I found that that tomato grew bigger but the spots grew bigger too until the bottom of the fruit  turned black and looked like it was rotten.  So I consulted the internet for solutions.  I found out that the condition is called blossom end rot and it could be due to too much water or nitrogen. 

fruit with blossom end rot - all from the same plant

I had been watering them twice a day when I noticed that the days were getting very hot and the balcony trapped all the heat.  I thought they needed a lot of water but when I found out about blossom end rot and when more new tomatoes began to show signs of that, I went back to watering just once a day.  It was only on days when it got too hot and the leaves began to wilt that I would water them a bit more.  I had to remove the diseased tomatoes and thought that the plants would grow as normal after that.  But three more tomatoes began to show the signs of the disease again.  And all of them were from the same plant. 

I stopped watering them with diluted tea and soon the plants began to grow as per normal albeit very slowly.  I scrutinised each green tomato and luckily didn't find any more black spots.  But more and more leaves began to turn brown and die.  I got even more worried when there didn't seem to be any more tomatoes growing and those that were already there didn't seem to be growing bigger.  The biggest one looked very green and ripe and I thought that it would not grow any more and would turn red soon.

Days and weeks passed but it still stayed green, though it began to look a bit lighter green.  I got dejected and thought the plants are all dying and that I was going to lose all them.  I watered them once daily and hoped for the best.  I didn't look at them much and I gave up counting the flowers and fruit.

Then two weeks ago, the biggest tomato began to look like it was blushing.  The bottom began to look a bit darker and the day after that, it finally looked like it was ripening.  Three days after that, it was fully ripe and looks so nice and red.  I was delighted but didn't want to celebrate or eat it too soon.  What if that was the only tomato we would have?  I wanted to save it for a really good dish.

a very ripe looking tomato - our first one

Last week, I was making pizza and thought about using the tomato on one of them ( I made four).  But I changed my mind and decided that we should just eat it off the plant.  When the pizzas were ready, I plucked the really red tomato off the plant.  It came off easily.  I brought it to the table and cut it in two.  The bottom was a bit black.  Maybe we left it too long on the plant.  I cut the rotten part away and gave one to Pete.  We each had a mouthful and wow, the flavour was better than any store bought vine tomato.  It was juicy and very sweet.  I guess you could say you could taste all the effort and care I put into the plants.  Too bad it was the only tomato we could harvest.                    

the yellowed leaves

After that, I still continued to water the plants.  I could see more tomatoes growing but I was really concerned about the yellow leaves that were dropping each day.  But last week, there was a growth spurt.  Over night, it seemed like the tomatoes that were already there were beginning to get bigger and more small tomatoes were appearing.  And yesterday, the biggest one looked like it was blushing.  Yay.  Another tomato is ripening!  Maybe the plants are surviving after all.

Today, I counted 22 tomatoes on the plants and I could see tiny ones developing.  I am not going to get overly excited and leave them to grow and ripe at their own pace.  I have since found out that the fruit need a lot of heat to ripen and maybe the cool, damp weather a few weeks ago affected their growth.  Any how, I have learnt my lesson.  I have learnt that gardening is no simple feat.  It's not just about sticking seeds into the soil and watering them daily.  I have to read up and learn about each plant to make sure I give it the best care.  Not all plants have the same water, fertilizer, heat and light requirements.  And I have learnt that no matter how much effort you have put in, we are still at the mercy of the weather.  So, I need to just chill and enjoy whatever that I have been bestowed.   

A day in the countryside

Yesterday we visited our friends who just bought a house in a village outside of Malmo.  We took a train to a town called Lund, which is about 20 minutes away.  Pete's friend, Kris, pulled up by the road just as we found our way out of the train station.  The drive took only about 5 minutes and we ended up in a small village surrounded by farmland.  The road that he took was wide enough for just one vehicle so that tells you how often the road is used.

When we got out of the car, I saw two small rose bushes by the sides of the wooden gate leading into the compound.  The first thing I saw was the garden.  The garden looked to be about 120 square metres.  It was neatly mowed but they have not planted much yet.  In the middle of the garden was a small lighthouse fixture with the paint peeling away.  We could still make out the date on the lighthouse though - 1946.  Kris and his partner, Marianne, would be restoring it by giving it a new coat of paint.

Kris and Marianne, walking back to their house

On the far end of the garden, there was a sunny and bright patio with a scratching post for the cats that went up to the ceiling.  One of their cats, a tabby coloured Siberian called Fargo, was sleeping on it.  While we were checking out the garden and patio, another cat came to check us out.  It was a beautiful rare, white Siberian called Tulla.  She has a pretty face and smooth, fluffy coat.  She was friendly and let me stroke her bushy fur.

Fargo on his scratching post

Tulla, sleeping on a window sill

The house is such a quaint, lovely place that has been around for a few hundreds of years.  The house itself has undergone many renovations to make it more modern, of course, but the basic structure has been there for years.  The village is on a settlement that dates back to the 1800s or even 1700s.  Marianne has done some some research on the area and said that tools and other traces of life during the age of the Vikings have been found.

I have always wondered how such old houses look on the inside and now I got the chance to see it for myself.  The main door led to the kitchen.  It was large enough for cabinets on two walls, a stove and an oven, dishwasher and fridge.  On the other side of the kitchen is a small table, big enough for four chairs and a window that looks out to a small road that passes through the village and a neighbour's garden.

On the wall behind the kitchen is a tiny old fashioned fireplace that still works.  There is a small nook for two armchairs and I imagine it would be a nice place to sit and read a book during the cold winter nights.  A small door faces the fireplace and there's a small study behind it.  Behind the wall of the study is a small living room for the tv.  A door behind it leads out to the patio.  We also went up the steep staircase to look at the second floor.  There was a small guest room on the left and the master bedroom to the right.  The slanted roof makes the rooms look small and cosy. 

We spent most of the time at the patio and the living room.  I talked to Marianne about the house and her cats while Pete talked to Kris about a project they wanted to start.  I love how peaceful it is there.  We didn't hear anything except for our voices - no sound of vehicles speeding along the road or neighbours banging or thumping away.  The air is also fresh and crisp.  Crisp air.  I know now why writers describe it as 'crisp' air.  Somehow I could breathe easier and there is a certain moistness in the air.  Lovely. 

We took a walk around the village and I saw more quaint houses.  There were even two houses with thatched roofs.  They remind me of the cottages that I used to draw when I was young.  I have always loved cottages and to see them right in front of me got me excited.  By the road are many pretty wildflowers and apple trees, laden with the green, unripe fruits. 

Marianne's two cats came with us as we walked and they are so cute.  They are so unlike my cats back home.  These cats followed us everywhere and would come when they are called.  Marianne said Siberians are usually like that, less stubborn like the usual cat and more like a dog.  Playing with her cats makes me yearn to have one of my own.  She said her friend has a cat that has given birth to some kittens and she is looking to give them away.  Maybe Pete and I can adopt one.  We have been discussing it but we have yet to make a decision.  But I tell you, looking at Marianne's cats makes me want to have a Siberian too! 

The cats followed behind us as we walked

August is the season for Swedes to have crayfish parties.  Marianne and Kris are going to have one in two weeks but being the thoughtful hosts they are, they served us crayfish yesterday so that I could have a taste to see if I like them.  They have invited us and a few other people and knowing that I have never had one before, they thought it would be good if I could taste it first and if I didn't like it, they could serve something else for me.  They didn't have to worry cause I enjoyed it. 

They brought out a huge bowl of cold crayfish garnished with dill flowers.  We had that with warm bread rolls, butter, cheese and a simple salad.  We couldn't finish the whole bowl but enough to fill our tummies.  I enjoyed gnawing at the tiny claws to get to the sweet flesh inside.  Then I'd rip the head off and peel the shells off to get to the meat.  It's a bit salty from the stock they cooked the crayfish in but the meat is sweet.  It's not as sweet as crab meat but it's good enough for me.

The bowl of crayfish that is traditionally served cold

I had a great time yesterday - lots of firsts for me.  The first time in a countryside, in an old house, walking through a Swedish village and eating crayfish Swedish style.  I hope I will be able to explore more of Sweden and experience more Swedish culture in future.         

Going on the train

It's looking like a nice summer day today.  It is a nice 18C - warm but not hot enough to make me sweat.  The sun is out and the sky is a pretty shade of blue.  I like it when it's sunny and bright.  It's not like back home when the sunny skies come with sweltering temperatures and high humidity.  Heck, the temperatures and humidity ar high even when it's cloudy and grey outside.  I am beginning to get used to the sun without the heat and humidity.  Even when it's a bit hot outside, the strong, cool winds will cool you down.

It is really nice to have this weather today.  We will be heading out to a small town outside of Malmo to visit our friends.  They invited us to their home which is located in a small town, some kilometres away from the city.  We will be taking the train there.  I think the train journey will take about 30 minutes. 

I love taking the train.  Sweden is really scenic, especially at this end of the country.  There are acres upon acres of farmland with the odd windmill popping up here and there.  There are also lots of cows and horses grazing on the field and sometimes you come across a lake or two with ducks and graceful swans.  I have not ventured out of this region yet and maybe the scenery would change the further up north I go.  But one thing I know I love is the clean and comfortable train.  The train ride can be expensive but the seat are comfortable and the ride is smooth.  This really beats the MRT hands down! 

Maybe a bakery

Yesterday, as my mother-in-law was driving us through town, we passed a bakery that had the 'for sale' sign on the window.  Pete and I decided to check it out and we were there this morning.  When we got there, the door was ajar but there was a chair blocking the entrance with a sign that said the bakery was closed for the summer.  But I was really drawn to it as a delicious aroma was coming from inside. 

We peeked through the windows and saw a quaint little bakery with a neat counter top, empty display case and some tables and chairs neatly arranged beside the other window.  Behind the counter, a doorway led to the kitchen.  I couldn't see how big the kitchen was.  But I could see from the decor that the bakery had been around for quite some time.

Pete called out for attention but no one seemed to have heard him.  We waited for awhile, hoping for the owner to come out so that we could talk to her and maybe have a look inside, but it was in vain.  I, however, saw that the real estate company that was dealing with the sale of the bakery was located just across the street.

We crossed the street and went inside.  But the guy that was in charge of the listing was on vacation.  Summer is really a popular time for the Swedes to go on long vacations.  Anyway, we got his number from his colleague but when Pete tried to call, he couldn't get through.  I guess we would have to try calling him again next week.

I really like the look of the bakery.  It is located at the corner of the building and is quite visible from the road.  There is a school just beside the building and there are lots of residential apartments around the area.  There is a big, new mall just down the road and in the other direction, the town centre is just a few blocks away.

The size of the bakery is also just right.  There is enough room for maybe three small tables and a couple of seats at the left corner and enough space for shelves and display cases on the other side.  The bakery also looks to be in a good condition and wouldn't need too much renovation work.  I hope the kitchen is in a good condition too.

Ever since I saw the bakery, I have been thinking about the types of products that I would like to sell.  Having peeked through other bakeries, I can see that many of them here sell the same stuff and that there is not as many varieties as those back home.  There are usually just one or two types of cream cakes, a chocolate cake, brownies, a cheesecake, a carrot cake and maybe some muffins.  There are also danish pastries, bread and their Swedish favourites such as the chocolate balls.

I am thinking of introducing buns such as cheese buns, custard buns and curry buns.  Perhaps I can make the coffee buns like the Roti Boy craze a few years back, since the Swedes love coffee.  I also want to make more types of cakes such as strawberry cake, mango cake, chocolate mousse cake and tiramisu cake.  With school kids nearby, I would make the chocolate chip cookie lollipops and other kiddy-friendly stuff.

I am getting ahead of myself here since I don't know if we would be able to snag the bakery but it is fun to think about it.  And there is no harm in planning ahead.  I can get the recipes ready and maybe try them out on Pete and his family and friends to get some feedback.  I haven't lived here long enough to know the tastes and preferences of the Swedes so their feedback will be important.  Since my days are relatively free for now, I guess I can start soon.  And yes, I will post the successful recipes here as well.  Watch this space!     

Building bonds

We have had visitors to our home for the past two days.  Yvonne, Pete's younger sister, came with her three children to stay with her mum for a couple of days.  My mother-in-law lives about a 10-minute walk away and so we dropped by for a visit.  Yvonne lives in a town about 60km from Malmo so it's not often that we get to meet up.

We visited them on Monday, bringing some Swedish chocolate balls and Eton mess that I made for them.  During the fasting month, we don't get to eat much and so I try to give away what I've made.  That way, we won't waste food in case we don't get to finish them before they turn bad.

It's was really nice to chat and catch up with my sister-in-law and her kids.  One of her sons, Aton, would try to speak to me in whatever English he has learnt from school.  He is getting better at it and now we can converse pretty well.  Whenever we are stuck, we could always count on Yvonne or Pete to help us translate. 

Her youngest, Julia, is more shy.  She could only glance shyly at me and smile.  She hasn't learnt English yet so it's difficult to talk to her.  I guess once I've learnt Swedish, we could have a conversation.  That day, as usual, she didn't talk to me, but she made me a drawing and I had a Swedish lesson from Anton who taught me the words found in the picture!  We had a great time chatting but we didn't stay long.  We had to leave since we needed to cook and break our fast.

The next day, they came over to visit us.  I made cinnamon rolls since I know they will help us to finish them.  One batch of dough can make a lot of rolls - too many for just the two of us.  Since I have had a craving for the rolls, I decided to make them. 

It was really fun to have them over at our house.  Pete talked to Yvonne's eldest son, Simon, about computer games, while I had a nice chat with Yvonne, Anton and my mother-in-law.  When we served the rolls and beverages, they felt a bit guilty for eating and drinking while we are fasting.  But they did enjoy the rolls.  I even gave them some to take home, leaving just enough for the two of us not to over-stuff ourselves with the rolls.

The kids had such a great time that they decided to visit us again the next day before they left for home.  I decided to make little egg tarts and as I was filling the pastry with custard, they arrived.  They were amazed that I was baking again, but I told them I was just trying out a new recipe.  Anton, ever the charmer, said that he's sure that whatever I make will taste good.  Luckily, the tarts turned out well and they enjoyed it.

We spent the time chatting and playing games on our iPads and computers.  I made the most noise as I played Air Hockey with Anton.  The apartment hasn't been so lively in awhile so it was really fun to have Yvonne and the kids over.  All too soon, they had to leave.  Yvonne already planned to bake some cupcakes when I visit them next time.  Looking at our calendar, the weekends ahead look packed so we wouldn't be able to visit them this month.  But they will be visiting us on 19th and 26th later this month so we will get to see each other again soon.

Thanks to the visit, I got to get closer to Yvonne and her kids.  Nothing can build bonds better than sharing food and playing fun games together.  And, thanks to them, I was able to make (and eat!) four different desserts in three days.

Fruits (or should it be vegetables) of our labour

The weather has been a bit cloudy and wet these few days.  Yesterday, I woke up to another grey, cloudy morning.  Usually the grey clouds will clear and by afternoon, it will be sunny again until the sun goes down at 8 or 9pm.  But just before noon, it rained - first a light drizzle and then the skies opened and it rained so heavily that I could see anything through the window.  I thought I'd be stuck indoors the whole day.

But the skies cleared within the hour and the sun came out again.  We decided to go to the garden.  I know that I have some peas, beans and zucchini to harvest.  The zucchini were about 10cm long the last time I saw them three days ago.  I didn't want to wait too long because I know they can be super growers.  I don't want them to get too big and tasteless and tough.

When we got there, we decided to check out plot number 2.  His mum wanted to get a plot there as well and was hoping to get the unused plot next to ours, number 45.  The owner said she has sustained a knee injury and couldn't work on her plot.  She has been given another two weeks to start work on it.  In the meantime, his mum has been offered number 2 so we went to see where it was located and if it was any good.

The plot as two rows behind ours and looks bigger than ours.  Lots of weeds have been growing there so it would need a lot of tilling.  However, the fence is still good and she wouldn't have to put up a new one.  As we were walked back to our garden, I noticed that a lot of the vegetables in other plots have not been harvested.  It is such a pity to see broccoli, squash, lettuce, onions and other goodies being wasted.  I guess for some people, the fun is in the planting and seeing them grow.  Maybe they don't really enjoy eating the vegetables.

For me, I much rather plant stuff that I want to eat.  That's why I chose the plants that we have.  I didn't opt for the zucchini but they plants were from my mother-in-law so I planted them anyway.  I am also amazed at how the plants hung on and survived the cold weather at the start of summer.  That made me treasure them and I have been harvesting and cooking them.  I have stuffed, roasted and boiled them in soup.  Next, I want to try making zucchini bread and zucchini muffins.  I will try not to throw them out.

I have also been enjoying the peas, beans, carrots, potatoes, onions and lettuces.  They all taste better than store bought ones.  The carrots, especially, are so flavourful.  I can smell them as I pull them out of the soil.  I can smell them as I peel them and they are so nice and sweet after cooking.

I think next year, I am definitely going to plant more carrots.  I will also plant more potatoes, peas, butterhead lettuce and beans.  I will want to try planting cabbage, romaine lettuce, leeks and butternut squash.  I might even want to try planting broccoli, even though Pete doesn't like them.

As we were walking back to our garden, Yvonne, my sister-in-law, pulled up in her car together with her two youngest kids and my mother-in-law.  They were there to check out the available plot too.  After checking out plot 2 again, we walked back to our garden and I started harvesting the zucchini.  They have grown thrice their size!  I managed to harvest six big zucchini, about 30cm long.  I also harvested a whole lot of yellow and green beans and peas.

Yvonne's son loved the garden and was eager to try the vegetables.  Pete let him pull up a carrot and he ate it all up.  He loved it.  Then, when he saw me harvesting the peas, he came over.  I let him try one and he loved that as well.  He said it was sweet and juicy.  I let him pick as many peas as he wanted.  He ate quite a lot!  But it's really fun to see someone else enjoying the fruits of our labour.

But, apart from the harvesting fun, we did get an unpleasant surprise.  We found some dog turd in the middle of my old bed of peas.  We have seen some just outside our plot some weeks ago, but this is much worse!  One problem with our plot is that it is just beside the bike and walking lane and it is a popular one with dog walkers.  Also, we don't have a proper fence and gate.  We have put up chicken wires along the outside perimeter but we left a gap of about 1.5m for us to get in and out.  I guess that opening 'invited' these dogs, especially if they are unleashed.  But then again, the dog owners should have known that the garden belongs to someone and there is no reason for them to trespass, let alone allow their dogs to relieve themselves there.  That really made me mad!  We definitely have to work on putting up a proper fence and gate soon or else we will get more of such unwanted 'gifts'.

Wanted mail

Every Saturday and Monday, there will be a stack of mail that's dropped through the mail slot on the door.  These are flyers from different supermarkets and stores.  Some times you do find a lot of good offers for groceries and other household stuff.  Pete and I would go through them together and figure out which supermarket offers the best deal for our weekly shopping.

I like to look at prices of cheeses and fruits.  Some times, a kilo of Gouda or Edam can cost as little as SD$10.  Last week, 4 golden kiwi went for SD$2.  Sodas such as Sprite and Coke can also be very cheap.  This week, you can buy five 1.5l bottles for SD$8 and two huge loaves of bread (and I'm not talking about the tasteless white bread) cost SD$3.

We also get flyers from a store called Bauhaus.  They sell everything you need to build and furnish a house, including gardening stuff.  I love looking at their patio furniture and the potted plants they sell.  Of course, living in an apartment means that I don't have a need for outdoor furniture.  But they are so beautiful that I just have to look and admire them every time I get the flyers. 

Some of these flyers also have recipes and ideas for meals.  They look simple but tasty.  The only problem is that all of the flyers are written in Swedish, but I can always ask Pete to translate.  Also, after looking through these flyers several times a week, one good thing came out of it - I've picked up some Swedish!  I guess these flyers work better than flashcards.

2 more weeks

Today is the 16th day of the fast.  That means that we have been fasting for more than two weeks.  The first week was tough.  Unlike the cloudy and windy days before fasting started, the sun decided to come up in its full glory during the whole of that week.  We had to brave the sun from as early as 7am until the weather cools down in the evening at around 8pm. 

But last week, we had some days of rain in between so the weather got a bit cooler and more manageable.  There was even one day when we had a rare thunderstorm.  So with the kinder weather, we had a more comfortable second week.  Also, we get to break our fast earlier every day.  On the first day, we could only break our fast at 9.36pm.  Today, we can break our fast at 9.09pm.  I also think that we are more and more used to fasting the long hours so we don't get headaches or stomach pains so often.

We are at the half way stage now.  Alhamdulillah it is getting easier every day.  I am very surprised that Pete has taken it in his stride.  I am just as surprised that I could last the long hours.  At the end of each day, I always get a sense of accomplishment.  The feeling is amazing and makes me feel like we are strong enough to face challenges. 

Oh and another wonderful result of fasting - we both have lost weight!  I guess eating just one meal a day will do that to you.  With 14 more days to go, we are looking forward to completing our fast and to lose even more weight.

Edible bowls

Every time I bake bread, I have been wanting to bake big, round buns to use as a bowl for soups or stews.  I have been baking bread using a recipe I came across on tv a few months back.  The breads always turn out crusty and the inside is nice and soft.  That made me think that these would be great as bread bowls for soups.

Since Pete was going to make chili, I thought that these bread bowls would be perfect to serve them in.  The bread was not difficult to make.  A quick mix of bread flour, salt, yeast, oil and water and then a therapeutic 10 minute kneading was all it took to make the dough.  When it has risen enough, I formed two big buns, as round as I could manage.  With the rest of the dough, I made small and big buns and stuffed some with cheese.

I love baking bread simply because it makes the whole house smell like a bakery while it is in the oven.  And when the breads are ready and I take them out of the oven, the smell intensifies and it takes a whole lot of will not to tear into one straight away to devour them with generous slathers of good butter.

The round buns came out perfect.  I let them cool and let the crust get nice and crispy.  By the time we were ready to break our fast, the buns have cooled and ready to be turned into bowls.  I cut the tops off and spooned out the inside, leaving a nice shell with enough room for a nice serving of chili.  The bread bowls were sturdy enough to hold the chili and they looked so pretty. 

When we got down to eating, the bread was a very good accompaniment to the spicy chili.  We really loved it and devoured the whole thing.  Pete picked up the bowl and started eating it like a giant chili dog, except it was without the hot dog.  I thought it was outrageous but I gave it a go and realised immediately that it made sense.  The bottom of the bowl was soaked with the flavours of the chili and the outside was still crusty.  We both finished the entire thing and got so full!  I'm going to make the bread bowls again when I make stews and soups in future.

Oh, and I found another use for the blueberries and currants.  I found a recipe called 'to die for blueberry muffins' and decided to make a batch.  They looked and smelled good.  But when we found some room to have dessert later, the muffins were a let down.  The texture was too heavy, it wasn't sweet at all and there wasn't much flavour.  But the berries gave a lovely sour tang to each bite - I used a lot.  I wished I could have used them in a better recipe.  Such a waste of the berries!

Fruit tart

I found another use for the black and red currants.  This time, Pete wanted to try a fruit tart with custard so I searched for some recipes and decided to combine a few recipes to create my own.  I really love the shortcrust pastry recipe for the red currant tart I wrote about a couple of days ago.  It is so buttery but not too crumbly.  It tastes like shortbread cookies.  In fact, I might even try to make shortbread cookies with this recipe.  Anyway, I think this pastry would be perfect for the fruit tart.  All I need is a good recipe for pastry cream to spread on to the delicious pastry.

I have made pastry cream many times before but I didn't really like the flavour.  The recipe I used was too eggy for my taste.  While searching for a recipe online, I came across a recipe from the website The Joy of Baking.  I have tried a couple of their recipes and they do turn out well so I decided to give it a shot.  And the result was a thick pastry cream - very 'custard-y'.  I found it a bit too thick so I decided to lighten it up by folding in some whipped cream.  It worked and the result was a light, creamy custard that was a wonderful mix of vanilla, eggs and cream.

I topped the custard with blueberries and the currants.  I got Pete to help me arrange the berries on top and the result was a pretty, luscious looking fruit tart.  We both, well, maybe it was just me, couldn't wait to taste the tart and when we did, all the work that went into the tart was certainly worth it. The pastry was crisp and buttery.  The custard was light and flavourful.  The berries on top were the right balance of sweet and sour.  Yummy.

If you want to try making this tart, you can do the different components ahead of time.  The pastry can be kept in an air tight container for a few days while the pastry cream can last a few days in the fridge.  I made the pastry cream while the pastry was baking in the oven.  Both components are not too difficult to make.  The dough can be mixed in 10 mins and would take about 30 mins to bake.  The pastry cream needs about 10 mins from start to finish.  What might take a bit of time is arranging the fruits on top, but then again, you can just tumble everything on top for a rustic look.  Keep the tart in the fridge after assembly.  I like to serve it cold.

Fruit Tart

Pastry

220g plain flour

110g cold butter, cut into small cubes

50g icing sugar, sifted

1 egg yolk

Heat the oven to 180C.  Rub the butter into the flour (this step is like making scones).  Once the mixture resembles bread crumbs, add the icing sugar and mix well.  Add the egg yolk and slowly form a ball of dough.  I just keep pressing the mixture together with my fingers to make the ball.  Cover with some cling film and chill it in the fridge for about 30 mins.  This dough is too crumbly to roll out so I simply put the chilled pastry on to the pie pan and slowly press the dough to cover the pan evenly.  Prick the bottom with a fork, cover the surface with aluminum foil and fill the whole pan with dried beans or rice.  Bake for 15mins.  Take the pie pan out of the oven.  Get remove the beans or rice and the foil and put the pie pan back into the oven for another 10-15mins until the crust is lightly brown.  Remove from the oven and let it cool completely before assembling it.

Pastry Cream

300ml milk

3 egg yolks

50g sugar

2 tbsp plain flour

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp vanilla

In a pan over medium heat, slowly bring the milk to the boil.  While the milk is heating up, mix the yolks and the sugar in a medium bowl.  Add the flour and cornstarch.  The mixture will be thick.  When the milk is ready, slowly pour it bit by bit into the egg mixture.  Make sure you quickly whisk it so that the mixture doesn't turn into scrambled eggs.  Once you whisk in all the milk, pour the mixture back into the pan.  Cook over medium heat until the mixture boils and thickens.  You have to keep on whisking and stirring to make sure the bottom doesn't burn.  When the mixture is thick, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.  Pour into a clean bowl, cover the top with cling film to prevent a crust from forming and let it cool to room temperature.  Whisk whipping cream until soft peaks form.  Whisk the cooled pastry cream to get rid of lumps.  Gently fold in the whipped cream.

Assembly

150ml cream, lightly whipped - optional

1/2 cup apricot jam, strained to remove lumps (add a tiny bit of water, no more than 1 tbsp to make it runnier) - optional

3 cups fruit such as berries, kiwi, mango, bananas

First, use a pastry brush to coat the bottom of the pastry with the apricot jam and let it set for about 15 mins.  This will prevent the pastry from being soggy.  Then while waiting for the glaze to set, whisk the cooled pastry cream to get rid of lumps which might have been formed.  Fold in the whipped cream.  Spread the custard on the pastry.  Arrange the fruit on top.  Lightly brush the rest of the apricot jam over the fruit.  This will make the fruit look luscious and most importantly, will prevent the fruit from drying up when stored in the fridge.  Chill the fruit tart and serve it cold.

I know that looking at the numerous steps to this recipe, you might find it too daunting, but if you complete it bit by bit, you will find that it is not that difficult and the result is really worth it.  You can keep the assembly part short by leaving out the apricot glaze and the whipped cream.  I used to make fruit tart but I didn't use the glaze.  It was fine but you have to finish the whole pie very quickly and not let the fruit on top dry out.  Shrivelled strawberry and kiwi slices are so not pretty.  I didn't use to fold in whipped cream too but I find that with the whipped cream, the custard is really nice and light and not too sweet.  So although these ingredients and steps are optional, I do highly recommend them.

For my tart, I didn't have apricot jam so I used the only one available - blueberry jam.  You can see the glaze on the blueberries and at the bottom of the custard, but I much rather have a weird looking glaze than soggy pastry and shrivelled berries.  We still have one slice each tonight and they still look as good as when I made them on Monday.