OH! Mr. Newspaper Man....

This morning, both the dogs fought again! These 2 males have been at loggerheads with each other - just can't stand the sight of each other. Have I contributed to this jealousy? Have I shown more love and attention to one and not to the other?

So what a beginning to the Christmas season where love and peace is supposed to abound.

Since I was early reaching my workplace, I decided to get my breakfast and these are the chaotic and hectic scenes around my workplace every morning.

Now ever wonder how that newspaper is at your door step every morning?

They work in groups out the banks/buildings. This uncle even smile and he is so happy doing his job! -- no comfy chair, no air-con- if only we have this attitude at some of the government office !

The papers are bundled in groups and each vendor then carry this load on his motorbike to deliver to the masses. The load could be so heavy and it is even bigger than the man himself and the poor fellow has to balance it on his bike.
Be it rain or shine, he will deliver it to your office and/or home.

So say a prayer for the vendor who risk his life in the heavy traffic jam to deliver the papers to you.

So say a word of thanks to him on receiving the papers from him.
More so, give him a treat be it that pack of nasi lemak or that piece of cake.

Otherwise, what would our morning be without newspaper with that cup of coffee.

By the way, this is where they have their cup of coffee or teh tarik- before they be on their way.

God Bless them. Merry Christmas.

Today is the winter Solistice Festival. Hope everyone will enjoy their bowl of tang yuan.
I will be busy with the coming Christmas season and then to prepare for the Chinese New Year baking as well.
Wishing Everyone a BLESSED CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
GOD BLESS.

PAVLOVA

It is now a year since I started this blog. My blog on the Tong Yuen Festival last year also coincided with the birthday of my sister-in-law as well as an early Christmas party. Well it's that time of the year again last weekend. I know the Tong Yuen Festival is on this coming Thursday. But normally we could celebrate any festival on a weekend to make it easier for everybody to come together- no excuse !

I had baked the meringue for the Pavlova the previous weekend when I had some egg white leftover. Pavlova is a meringue base and topped/filled with your favourite choice of fruits. It is a dessert named after a Russian dancer Anna Pavlova.

I assembled the pavlova after dinner. It is not my kitchen, so here am I trying my best to whip the cream for the filling and topping.

The meringue disk is still crispy outside and marshmallowy soft inside. Top the first layer with whipped cream and strawberries.

Top with more whipped cream (which some how had deflated).

The next meringue goes on and again top with whipped cream and more strawberries and blueberries.

The finished result.

We were reminiscing about last year party when someone suddenly decided that we all sing a birthday song for my sister-in-law.

So we used the Pavlova as a birthday cake and sang her a birthday song. May she be blessed with good health throughout the year.

Little Chloe was surprised to receive her christmas present too!
There are a lot of senior citizen in the family and hence the complaint is the Pavlova is too sweet!

But then again its the sugar and egg white that holds the structure of the Pavlova/meringue, so there is no way to reduce the sugar, correct me if I am wrong?

IT IS CHRISTMAS TIME

Christmas is just 2 weeks away! Horray!

As we gear up for the celebrations- baking and more baking, cooking and shopping, its time to reflect the goodness and the grace of God throughout the year.

There blogs of Christmas log coming up everywhere.

This is my maiden effort last weekend.



I made a cranberry filling. Fresh cranberries boiled together with half orange juice and 100 gm sugar and some orange zest.


The recipe for the sponge was adapted from The Good Food Magazine.

I made 2 sponges.


For the first log, it is brushed with some rum and then layer with whipped cream.

The cranberry filling goes on next.

I decided not to dust it with icing sugar, as I dont like them too sweet.

The sponge is light and the cranberry filling is perfect with the sweetened whipped cream. It is a bit tart and yet sweet. Good.

Now for the 2nd log, it is again brushed with some rum and filled with the buttercream mixed chopped roasted chestnut. Actually this is the original recipe from the magazine. The quantity of the buttercream is just enough for one log and hence the cranberry filling came in.

The remaining buttercream is used for the top.

Use a fork to rake through the log to get the "bark" effect.

I used melted chocolate to create the swirls for both ends of the log.

Next cocoa powder is dusted on to the log.

You can put some Christmas decorations on the log to make it look more christmassy.
The buttercream is not too sweet and taste great with the roasted chestnut.

Have a Bless Christmas.