Bunny's Stroopwafels Affair

My love for Stroopwafles began when my 3rd sis (Haruki's Mama) was always travelling to Europe for business and leisure trips and came back with a few rolls of these goodies. Stroopwafles originate from Nederlands and is a flat waffle sandwiched with a rich buttery spiced syrup.

The Dutch enjoys the Stroopwafles with their tea, coffee, ice cream, desserts or even on its own. My friend, sdg (a SQ air stewardess) managed to buy 3 rolls back for me during one of her flight routes. I really enjoyed them so much that now I import them in to so that I could continue to enjoy them.

Here's my friend enjoying her stroopwafle with a cup of delicious single bean original coffee from Coffee Ritual (at Section 14, PJ).

Firstly, take a piece of Stroopwafle out and place it over the cup of steaming black coffee. This is to let the syrup in between the sandwiched wafle heat up a little whilst absorbing the fragrant coffee steam.

Next up, you can now consume the stroopwafle with your hot coffee or tea. Make sure your coffee or tea is unsweetened or lightly sweetened as the stroopwafle is rather sweet on its own already. I normally like to tear my stroopwafle apart to see the gooey syrup come out...yummy!

I am currently bringing in more fresh stroopwafles and if you are interested in purchasing a roll or 2 or 3, please drop me a comment at this blog with your email and I will advise you on the pricing. The Stroopwafles are flown in using air freight as they have a short shelf life of 2 to 3 months in room temperature and up to 1 year in the freezer.

For Singaporeans, sdg can bring in some Stroopwafles if you want to but you gotto drop her an email at her website.

A Trip Back To Hunny's Hometown...Crystal Dumplings

Before Hunny and I left to eat the delightfully rich sweet tasting Chicken Hor Fun, we drove to a nearby village at Kuala Kuang, Chemor to purchase a local Hakka delicacy called Choy Parn or Crystal Vegetable Dumplings. I have eaten similar versions of this called Chai Kuih but the difference is in the fillings.


The Choy Parn from Kuala Kuang were really tasty. There were 4 varieties - Egg + Chives, Yambean (Sar Kok in Cantonese), Spring Onion + Chives and a sweet filling of crushed roasted peanuts and sugar. Hunny bought the savory ones only and I enjoyed the Egg + Chives variety ones the most. Only RM0.60 each.

Yam Bean Choy Parn



Chives + Egg Choy Parn


Peanut Choy Parn


Spring Onion Choy Parn



This is a cross section bite of the Spring Onions + Egg Filling one...


Yummy!! I missed it already....as we went back on Sunday only to find it closed...*weeps*...

Contact details:-
No. 275, Kuala Kuang,
Chemor
Tel: 05-2011812
Closed on Sundays

Malacca Trip - Mille Crepes

What is Mille Crepe?

Mille Crepe is made up many layers (at least 20) of crepes (thin french styled pancakes) sandwiched with fresh cream, and maybe some fruit puree. It's available in Nadeje, Malacca as well as Section 17's Food Foundry. The cake is very light yet rich but very yummy! It is best eaten within 2 mins to 5 mins of serving. We had 2 rounds of Mille Crepe at Nadeje during our stay. All slices of the cakes are RM8.50 with the exception of several varieties that can cost slightly more. Nadeje has a policy that if you eat in, you must at least order 1 drink. This can turn out to be pricey for just the two of us. We spent close to RM40.00 each time we were there with 2 slices of cakes and 2 drinks.

1st day, we had the Chocolate Banana Mille Crepe and the Berry-Berry Mille Crepe. Hunny who seldom eat desserts enjoyed the Choc Banana one whereas we found the Berry-Berry one too sweet for our liking. Have to wait for my Hunny to give me the photos as I didn't bring my camera out that day.

During the 2nd visit on Sunday, there weren't much choices left and we settled for a slice of the Original Mille Crepe and a slice of the Chocolate Marbled Chiffon Cake.

Hunny as usual enjoyed the original Mille Crepe but he wished that there was more fragrant honey topping on the top layer of the cake.

This is the Chocolate Marbled Chiffon Cake. I didn't quite like it as I found it abit tough.

Here's my Mango Soda

Do try it out if you are in Malacca. Best eaten there!

Chicken Satay at O & S Kopitiam Paramount Garden, Petaling Jaya

Satay is the ultimate yummiest grilled marinated meat on skewers in Malaysia and Indonesia!
Check this out!!! Yummy!! Slightly sweet, really tender, very little fats, nicely grilled without too much burnt bits...and only RM0.50 per stick!!!





The satay are usually accompanied with onion and cucumbers to balance up the meatiness with some vegetables and all these can be dipped in roasted crushed peanut sauce with chillies and spices.

Bunny Eats Royal Purple "Caviar Grade" Fruits

I normally buy my fruits from the Pasar Malam (or night markets) but eversince my bag got snatched on my way home last Feb, I stopped going to Pasar Malam on my own. Then, I discovered MBC Fruit Trading outlets at the KLCC and KL Sentral outlets. They supply A to B grade fruits and are pricier than the other places. So I bought my fruits from them...I really enjoyed my mango season with them and now it's grapes and plums and nectarine season.


However, last night I bought some fruits from them and to my horror...3 small bunches of grapes and 4 plums cost me RM18.20!!! So pricey!! That's why I named this post as "Caviar Grade" Fruits...I didn't know till reach the cashier because the weighing scales are at the cashier and they key in the cash registar right after they weigh which is so smart of them. Yes..they were sweet but..but..not worth it. I think I will have to go back to Pasar Malam grade fruits again.




See!!! So $$$$$!!!! RM10!!!!














Champagne Grapes - tiny little morsels with sweet jelly like flesh. My 1st time eating and I will have to say that they will taste great if eating while drinking champagne.








The size of the grapes bunch as compared to my mobile phone







The size of the grapes bunch as compared to my book discount card









Sugar Plums are my favorite variety of plums as they are really sweet....yummy...but so $$$...RM8.23 (rounded to RM8.20)








4 yummy sweet juicy plums for RM8.20!!! That's like RM2.05 each...really luxury price!








This is RM18.20 worth of purple "caviar grade" fruits!!!!









This was my healthy breakfast which I ate on an empty tummy at 8.30am today and it lasted me till 11am....expensive...now must ubah gaya hidup (change my lifestyle)







While eating...I felt so guilty while thinking of my dog, Arwen, that I also bought her this last night and no need to divide any of the pieces...I will let her have a whole piece for herself...This is Arwen's favourite...

Kuih - Currypuffs

Currypuffs or what we Malaysians call Karipap or Epok-Epok are small pies consisting of specialised curry with chicken and potatoes in a deep-fried pastry shell. The curry is especially thick and rich to prevent itself from running into the pastry and causing it to be soggy. Currypuffs are usually eaten for Breakfast and Tea Time as light snacks.

There are many versions of currypuffs from the plain potato and onion fillings to more luxury fillings with meat, sardine and hard boiled egg. The typical malay currypuffs normally comes with potato and onions curry or chicken or sardine, onion and potato whereas the Chinese and IKEA ones comes with chicken and a quarter hard boiled egg in it. The prices can range from RM0.40 to RM2 each depending on the fillings used.

I bought these 2 from the Taman Bahagia LRT Station at RM0.40 each. Rich Golden Brown Light Pastry Shells enclosing a chockful of potato and onions cooked with curry.




Really Light and not too flaky pastry





Closer look on the filling

The Donut Evolution in Malaysia

Doughnuts have evolved over the past decades here in Malaysia. Our 1st generation of donuts can be said to be the local traditional Malay Kuih Keria (Kuih is Cake in Malay). Soon, the western influence came in and we had the plain yeast raised doughnuts rolled in normal caster sugar. Then Dunkin Donuts came into the picture and they reigned as the only premium ring-ed and filled donuts in Malaysia for a decade or two. Recently, last year to be exact, J'Co's and Big Apple Donuts entered the Malaysia scene bringing their light and fluffy not too sweet donuts. These donuts are considered a spin-off or hybrid of the ever famous Krispy Kremes.


Back in the old days, the traditional Malay donuts called Kuih Keria Gelang (Gelang means Bangle) were made from mashed boiled / steamed sweet potatoes, mixed with flour, salt and sugar and is shaped like donuts and then deep fried. It is then rolled in a sugar syrup. This kuih (malay for cake) is usually served during breakfast and teatime. This is not really considered as a doughnut as it doesn't contain any yeast or baking agent to make it rise light and fluffy. The texture of this Kuih Keria is dense and chewy.


The 1st Generation - The Original Glazed Donut - Kuih Keria bought at the Taman Bahagia Morning Hawker Stall for RM0.40 each








The 2nd Generation - The Western Influenced Donut. Plain Sugar Raised Doughnuts. They are available at almost everywhere from roadside stalls to bakeries to hotel cafes. This one I bought from a Malay Kuih Stall at the Taman Bahagia LRT Station for RM0.40 each. They open at 7.30am every weekday.

Dunkin Donuts reached our shores in the 80's or 90's...I can't remember. They were the first to introduce filled donuts and many topping varieties donuts. They reigned over the Malaysian scene till last year when the 4th generation donuts came in.

The 3rd Generation - Dunkin Donuts - Mocha and Straw Filled. I only like the Straw Filled Donut. The Mocha one was too sweet. Priced at RM2.20 a piece. Bought this at the KLCC Branch.

J Co's and Big Apple Donuts are currently the newcomers to the Malaysian shores. When first launched, these 2 donut brands caused a stir as there were long snake queues with customers willingly queuing for an hour or two just to buy these light sinfully fattening donuts. Both donut chains are opened by Indonesians. Rumour has it that they have worked in Krispy Kremes (the original light and fluffy commercialized donuts) before and copied the concept and varieties and turning it into J Co's and Big Apple. The funny thing between J Co's and Big Apple donuts are 70% of their donuts are of the same variety right down to choice of deco but are named differently. These donuts bring our tastebuds to a higher level as the donuts were light and fluffy and eating one wasn't enough!

The 4th Generation Donuts - J Co's Donuts. In here are some of my favourites which are honey glazed and peanut butter filled. The rest are the honey glazed (glazzy), choco filled (coco loco) and the wheaty topping donut.

4th Generation - Honey Glazed Donut. Made from wheat flour and glazed with honey. A total difference from our traditional kuih keria, right?

What other donuts did I miss out? Care to highlight to me?

Black Gold Mango

I have a few personal favourites for mango varieties. I love savouring sweet juicy fragrant mangoes particularly Indian Mangoes, Australian Mangoes and Malaysia's own Black Gold Mangoes...

I am really happy that Black Gold Mangoes are now in season. The characteriestics of the black gold mango is that it is a slightly curved at the end, bright green skin and to tell if it's ripe, there will be a yellowish tinge near the stem and it should yield to touch and the softer it is, the riper it is. Its flesh is orangey yellow with succulent flesh that is really sweet and fragrant.

Yummy till the end....

Greedy Me....

12.15PM
Waaahhhh....as I was walking to the food court....I saw the queue so so short!!! The Donut craze must be finally dying...hence I lined up 10 mins to get my donuts but damn disappointed as they didn't have my favorite "Why Nut" or my boss's favorite "Al-Capone".




1.30pm Back at my place...my half dozen sinful donuts awaiting me....




2.30pm
The half dozen that I chose....




2.35pm
I ate the Green Tea Donut 1st


2.45pm
After eating the Green Tea Donut, I couldn't resist and ate the J-Crowne...Hrmm...a lil chewy and more satisfying. This is because they added egg to the dough...



3.30pm
4 Donuts left....hrmmm....which one should I have next?



3.35pm
I chose the Glazzy...not too sweet and the glaze had set a lil...





3.50pm
The Glazzy wasn't enough. Hrmmm....Maybe the Heaven Berry will be able to satisfy me...







4.30pm
I am supposed to finish work at 4.30pm but due to month end closing, I had to work late. Only 2 left...I am a little hungry....finally at 4.45pm, I ate the Coco Loco...sinful chockful of choco cream enclosed in the light air donut.



5.45pm
Finally, I decided to eat the last donut...not bad...the icing sugar tasted like glucose powder that we drink to replace our body salts...




6.00 pm
By 6.00pm, the donut box is in the dustbin....Bye Bye Donuts!!! Hello Flabby Tummy...!!




7.30pm
My mum must have saw that my tummy was bigger and only decided to serve me a soup bowl sized dinner...consisting of 1/5 red rice and loads of lettuce....no roast pork for me....*sobs*




Luckily I was allowed a bowl of my favorite dessert soup - Gingko Nut, Barley and Beancurd Sheets. Yummy....




I hope my donut craze has died off...CNY Feasting is starting....nyam nyam nyam...