1/15 coffee

There's a legitimate reason why I've been busy :D...really...not just excuses...I'm opening up a specialty coffee place on the first floor of my office.  It's been hectic! It was supposed to be opened the end of last month, but it was still too messy...so it is due to open next week on the 13th of June at 3.30pm....do come by if you're in the area...it's an invitation from me...it's nearby gandaria city at Jl. Gandaria I no 63.  There's a quiz going on as well...do participate if you've found the time.  I'm just crossing my fingers and hope for the best for next week!  I know I still have a lot to do till the BIG day!  Wish me luck!

interior works - in progress

logo

work in progress

Doddy, the barista and David the wannabe :p

xoxo,
www.liaspace.com

hello kitty pancakes and donut holes

Remember my post on making butter and buttermilk??  Well, I finished up the rest of the buttermilk  last week and made these buttermilk pancakes for the kiddos...I bought the small hello kitty pan from Gandaria City's Metro Dept. Store.  It was a bit hard flipping it, but I finally mastered it using an extra small frying pan.  Then a few days after the pancakes, I tried making these fried donut holes...I got the recipe from my favorite youtube channel...cookingwithdog :D.  I really think it tastes like Indonesia's kue cubit :D...I shouldn't make too many of these, really...

xoxo,
www.liaspace.com

a day with my new toy

My classic kitchenaid is dead and currently being fixed and I don't know when I'll get it back...and I've been wanting to get a kitchenaid professional, but I don't really have space for it...but I just gotta have it :D...I don't think I can wait till we move to our new house...no can't do.  So, yesterday I've decided to make small fried doughnut....I've let it rised over night and popped it in the refrigerator this morning...and it FAILED miserably hahahahhahaha...somebody please give me a pointer!!!

Left to Right, Top to Bottom: The "Toy", the doughnut
Big M helping me cut the doughnut into shapes :D

I love this KitchenAid, it does not give me any electric shots (which I got from my US classic KitchenAid, since I had to change the voltage).  So, I decided to make my own butter!  My sister encouraged me to do so...she said she's been making her own butter and it tastes good!  I googled and youtubed and finally decided to do it.  I used greenfields' whipping cream and voila! my very own butter! From butter, I couldn't get enough of the mixer and decided to make chocolate coffee loaf using MY OWN BUTTER!  A good cuppa chai and a slice of chocco loaf to end my day....yum :)

Left-Right, Top-Bottom: Whipped cream being churned, butter and buttermilk, Butter!
Chocolate coffee loaf being baked
Done!

xoxo,
www.liaspace.com

yummy red velvet

Last night I was invited to a dinner at my good friend's house and she provided these adorable red velvet cupcakes in a jar :)...yummy!

yummy red velvet in a jar

xoxo,
www.liaspace.com

very domesticated

I was being a very good wife and started trying a bunch of recipes from my new vietnamese cook book.  This time I tried its pate recipe for Vietnamese sandwich....I also tried the pork satay to go with the sandwich.  It really was a BIG success :)....I simply have to brag that my pate tasted really good...superb :D and super easy, though the result of eating it showed in our yearly medical check up last Monday :p.

My vietnamese sandwich version

My other favorite food has got to be gyoza!  I've been wanting to make it...after much conversation with Big M's friend's Mom....I finally tried making these yummy gyoza!  I also youtubed the how to and ended up picking the recipe from my favorite cook Cooking with dog hahahhahaa...I love all of her cooking shows!  Very simple, easy and VERY DELICIOUS!!! The kids love them too.

The gyoza turned out well too!

xoxo,
www.liaspace.com

lemongrass satay

I bought this wonderful vietnamese cook book last week at Kinokuniya Plaza Senayan...I've tried the pork ragout and today I tested the satay...really quite nice but a bit dry...I think my fire was a tad bit too small hence I baked them quite a while.  Note to self: definitely turn up the burner next time :).  If you love vietnamese cooking, definitely give this book a try...the recipes are quite simple and the ingredients are easily available in Indonesia :).  I've marinated my pork satay and cooked the liver pate for a vietnamese sandwich tomorrow!  Can't wait to try! 

xoxo,
www.liaspace.com

I love chai latte...always have and always will be :)...It is a perfect drink with a good carrot cake...yuum :).  I'm overjoyed to finally be able to make the chai myself :).

xoxo,
www.liaspace.com

back home....

I've been craving for those DELICIOUS red velvet cupcakes from little cupcakes in Melbourne...ooohh they are oh so so so so good :)...the little missies looove their Belgian Chocolate cupcakes....I must say all of their cupcakes are moist and yummy! and I'm not a big fan of cupcakes....I despite cupcakes, actually...but not these :D

So, back home, I've been trying to make cupcakes...and of course, I've failed miserably hahahahaha but starting to bake again (after probably 8+ years) actually feels good....and having wonderful employees who are willing to be my test subjects makes it even better...there goes my hard earned diet...booo hooo...and my sis' wedding is the end of this month! arghghghghgh

top: supposedly red velvet -the red coloring
bottom: cherry cupcakes...not too shabby, though I don't like the icing

xoxo, www.liaspace.com

melbourne's cafe

After Brisbane, we visited Melbourne and stayed at my sister's tiny apartment :D....all 7 of us (mom, dad, 4 of us and my lil sis).  Though cramp, we all had fun and loved each other's company (specially when the children are asleep hehehehe).  Whilst my parents, my sister and my parents' friends went to The Great Ocean Road to see the 12 apostles (7 now???)...The four of us took our time and had brekkie at Three Bags Full in Abbotsford...WE LOVED IT THERE!  My egg benedict came out beautifully and ooohhh sooo fresh :)...the chai was really nice too, though a bit on the heavy side :).

From here, we thought we should try one of the best coffee place in Melbourne (so the locals say....), we went and try St. Ali and we TOTALLY understand why this place won the hearts of so many people :). The coffee was nice and my cuppa chai was PERFECT :).  I fell in love with St. Ali :)...we are yet to try Cumulus...but it could wait till our next visit to the number 1 livable city in the world :D.

xoxo, www.liaspace.com

houseboard

Kiki asked me to make this house chopping board.  She saw the design online, I'm not too sure where she got it from and sent the picture to me.  It's done using 3 cm solid wood :) quite nice, I'd say....now I need a house and a kitchen and make one for myself :p...maybe next year? ;)

xoxo,
www.liaspace.com

character pineapple cookies

Big M's friend's Mom is a baker and she came out with these cute pineapple cookies in the shape of Mickey and Minnie!  Aren't they adorable?!  I bet you can ask for other flavors too.  I ordered some lidah kucing cookies before and they tasted great too :).  You can email Astrid (astridtanudisastro@yahoo.com) if you're interested in these...I think they're great for party flavors.  They also come in lilo and stitch as well as winnie the pooh :D. 

xoxo, 

www.liaspace.com

sirih-sirihan snack recipe

Last weekend, my family was invited to come to our family friend's villa at Tapos.  Truly a beautiful eco friendly villa.  We were served plenty of interesting foods.  The most interesting of them all was this little snack you wrap using popohan leaves.  They are soooooo delicious!!! Here are the ingredients...

1. Dried small fish cracker

2. Shaved coconuts, heated on a pan until the edges are browned

3. Dried Shrimp (heated on pan)

4. Onions chopped into little pieces

5. Peanuts (roasted)

6. Young ginger, cut into little pieces

7. Chili paste: chili + tamarind juice + shrimp paste + brown sugar (Gula Merah) then cooked until thickened

8. Cut fresh chili

9. lime cut into small pieces and lemongrass cut into small pieces

The leaves are called popohan, they're readily available in Indonesian supermarkets :).  Can't think of a substitute, though :)...you wrap all the ingredients into the leave and eat :)! Enjoy!!!

xoxo,
www.liaspace.com

a very merry christmas :)

I'm just showcasing MY presents :D...I got some pretty things this year! :)....Quite excited.  I don't really get "personal" presents anymore...until this year hehehehe....

Thanks to my youngest sister...3 very thoughtful gifts
from her...TRU BLOOD DRINK!!! How could I not be excited :D

The gift I won from Cecillia Hidayat's blog!! They're soooo
beautiful!!! even the envelope is pretty!

I did a gift swap with Puri :D...isn't that pouch just
pretty, christmasey and cute!!!??!! :D I love it!!! Thanks Pur!

Last but not least, of course!  Kiki gave me delicious chocco
cookies and baker's twine!!! ARGHGHGH happiness :)..thanks ki!

xoxo, www.liaspace.com

thank you

for making sure I stay fat....that's Diana who gave me a big yummy lasagna (you can call her to order, at: 08179878460) and Mimi, my cousin of cookienary who sent me a scrumptiously fattening quiche with super delicious yummy almond biscotti (yes, only 2.5 pieces left :'( hix..)...Then, my super nice sister in law (hubby's youngest sister) just got back from my most favorite place in the whole wide world...she bought me 3 yes...THREE pieces of marimekko fabrics!!!!! arghghghghg they're to die for :) and a box of sponge cake...and, to make my week super happy...I got an email yesterday from the talented Cecilia Hidayat...yes, the artist :)...I won her giveaway!!!! YAYYYY...I love those beautiful drawings of hers...I'm content...

the giveaway I won (one of them) heheheheehe
picture from cecilia hidayat's blog

super delicious lasagna from Diana's "my mama's kitchen" :)

super yummy quiche and 2.5 pieces of biscotti left :'(

my marimekko fabrics!!! yay...yay yay yay :D

xoxo,
www.liaspace.com

my wonder bread maker

After much thinking....weighing all the pros and cons...on where to buy it...I've finally bought my own bread maker machine!!! I bought the same one as Chia's zojirushi...simply because it's compact, it looks sturdy and it's a zojirushi :).  Although, kenmore's bread maker is also good...but it's a tad bit too big :).  I bought this in Singapore's CK Tang...it was considerably cheaper than Takashimaya's (whose price is approximately the same as Jakarta's SOGO and Metro).  I'm so happy with it!!! The bread is absolutely wonderful...I looove raisin bread :)...the kids LOVE the bread so I am one very happy Mom and customer :D and it is ridiculously easy and simple!!! just put all the ingredients in and you're done after 2-3 hours, depending on the setting.  I  L O V E E E E E E  I T

xoxo,
www.liaspace.com

misfit's homemade ice cream

Yesterday I've decided to make a strawberry ice cream with Misfit :).  You see..I have this ice cream maker that's been lying on the corner of my house, collecting dust...and since I went to Magic Pantry last weekend, I've decided to rekindle my romance with my "cooking" hobby.  Misfit looooves the ice cream :) and now she's asking to make a chocolate ice cream :).  Oooo I wish I have a big kitchen with a big island...it will happen...one day...hopefully in 1-2 yrs ;)

xoxo,
www.liaspace.com

another year to my age :)

I dreaded today...because I turn 3 - 0 but I still feel like I'm in my 20s hahahahhaa :)...you'll read me dreading the day when I turn 4 - 0 and hopefully, by then I'll still be blogging and you'll still be reading :D.  It's quiet today...my husband had to leave to the US to attend his grandma's funeral, who passed away on Monday...so tonight, we'll just have dinner at my parents' house.  

This morning, Chia dropped me a loaf of bread she baked herself...a yummy raisin bread...THANK YOU...I LOVE THE BREAD!!! SO SO SO SO MUCH.  Big M kissed me and wished me happy birthday this morning and she said she wants to celebrate Mommy's birthday :).  Although my better half isn't here, I'm very happy and thankful to spend it with my lovely misfits and family :).   

xoxo, www.liaspace.com

thank you for the best cupcake

this morning, before breakfast, a special delivery came to me...these are simply the best cupcakes I've tried...made of beer and baileys icing :).  Thanks, C...you made my morning and day....and definitely night too :D

baking supplies

the other day, my friend came over to show me her long awaited package.  She ordered these beautiful baking supplies online called bake it pretty...I forgot the link of the shop, but I'll ask her later.  Look at these goodies :) oooo and she gave me one of those heart shaper fried egg *grins*... now, I'm waiting for her to bake me some goodies :p

another version of the egg whites

The other day, I made this using the egg whites from my Aunty Angela :)...carrot, chicken and egg whites...using garlic, fish sauce and a very tiny bit of sesame oil...it was good.