31.1.13

Cheese muffin


As some of you might have been aware that I have another blog in Japanese language, I am updating quite often there and there are two recipes of cheese muffins. - one with olive oil and here is with butter.

I was wondering if olive oil makes the dough not being fluffy enough, and this assumption was right.
And that I recommend to use butter rather than the olive oil as the texture becomes more smooth and fluffy, and I love that!!



I tried to use up a left over from last week order of canapes, red paprika was one of them that was put into the muffin, indeed this added a perfect sweetness and loveliness!


<Cheese muffin recipe>

Ingredients:
Butter 65g -room temp
Sugar 20g
Egg 1pc -room temp
Milk 90g -room temp
Creme Fraiche 1tbsp -room temp

Plain flour 150g
Baking powder 4g

Cheddar cheese 100g -cut into 7-8mm cubes
Red paprika 1/4pc -cut into 5mm cubes
Black peppers

Preparation:
- Lightly oil the mould with butter and sprinkle flour.
- Heat an oven to 185 degree.

1. Mix butter and sugar in a medium bowl until fluffy.
2. Mix in egg, then milk and creme fraiche.
3. Sift flour and baking powder together and gently fold into 2.
4. Mix in cheese, paprika and milled black peppers.
5. Pour onto mould of you choice and put in the oven.
6. Reduce the heat to 175 degree and bake it for 12-15min. (depending on your condition of your oven)



I love the little red jewels:) so cute isnt't it? ^^;

21.1.13

Unforgettable night

Since the last blog, I have managed to find another method of uploading photos - I had to install 'blogger' app onto my phone, but I am happy to update again!

More happier thing is that....

It is not just happy but unbelievably gorgeous!!!

The PETRUS!!!! yes, THE PETRUS.
Though photos are not as good as wines at all, it is remarkable.
Legend is not just the legend.


Back of the bottle here, it is a 'double magnum' consiting of 2.5l of the 'thing';)

I have never seen this kind of complex colour with other wines!
From leather, asphalt like not edible aromas to prunes with a hint of Annis, wet sand with some grass, this is absolutely extraordinary!!!



With a courtesy of the restaurant owner, another great one came up!
THE C. D'YQUEM!


We were also able to have the following nice bubble and white:

-Paul Goerg, Brut Premier Cru, 2005 (50 Chardonnay, 50 PN)
-Domain de Chevalier, 1986 (70 SB, 30 Semillon)

These two should not be shadowed with above two, fantastic old white and elegant Champagne.

They put me into doze, not sure it is exactly the word to describe my feeling, but yes, it was an extraordinary experience!
Thank you so much Mr. K and Mr. H for these great contributions!






13.1.13

Photo uploading probolem with blogspot.com

It seems that there has been an issue with blogspot.com that people who are using Internet explorer as a browser are not able to load images from their computer.
That's me who uses it and I am not intending to install Chrome nor Safari as my PC is getting too old to install extra apps.

Until the problem is fixed, I will probably not update this blog unfortunately, believing that readers want to view images.
Hope they will not oversee it! (I am aware that Google always to try us to change to Chrome which I never want to;))

6.1.13

GDR

What does it stand for? - Galette des rois.

Yes, I have made it this year after all!

Starting from making the Pate feuillette (puff pastry), I hesitate to make this because of this process..., if you want to make from this stage, it is time constraining.
I successfully made it with no butter leaking out of the dough, nor air bubbles inside:)  maybe because no pressures (mentally), nor rush..

I have also made a sweetened Aduki bean paste to include together with creme d'almond in the GDR.
It is a main ingredients of those Japanese sweets while there are no such culture in Europe that beans are sweetened that some of you may feel odd with it.

The read bean paste has been included in the puff pastry together with the creme d'almond (almond cream).
..........
........I don't know what is going on with blogger.com, I just can't upload photos from 'my computer'!

Although it may be disturbing you with lots of unfamiliar letters, please view those photos from my another blog in Japanese language


As my tiny gas oven is very difficult to deal with temperature control, the outer edge become being burnt when I wait till the centre being baked well...
Wish I could move to a place where there is a fan assisted oven big enough to bake cakes properly;)

I will try to upload photos when the issue on this blogging engine has been fixed...(or is it my pc issue???)

Thank you for reading!






2.1.13

Bonne annee

It is a start of 2013! Good thing about the new year's day is that there is celebrations everywhere, no religious, but universal celebrations.

I usually spend this day in Japan where people are having a rather quiet time, going to shrines to pray for the fortune.
I cooked those traditional new year feast last year in Japan:

It is put in these traditional boxes.























There are several things in boxes:

  

Prawns are symbolising long life with its figure of the bended back,  bamboo shoots symbolises a healthy growth as it is grown strait up and high, lotus roots symbolises bright future as those halls can see things from front to the other side clearly.
Most of things are symbolising something fortunate.


And served usually for a lunch on the new year's day like this, with Sake (specifically called 'Otoso' for a new year) and Ozoni (Clear soup with 'mochi' a sticky rice cake).



I will make my trip to Japan this year when cherry blossoms will be in bloom which I am longing for these years and years;)

Wish you a happy and prosperous year 2013!