Updates

Nathalie Gourmet taught me how to cook pasta!

2 months back I attended my very first cooking class at Nathalie Gourmet and the experience was wonderful and fun.
I had such a great time in the entire four hours although I have to wake up real early.

And the best part besides learning how to cook is to have Nathalie Arbefeuille to taught me how to cook!
I was extremely nervous and excited upon seeing her!

I signed up for pasta class on a Sunday morning for Rm180 and what I get to learn was ‘Roasted Vegetables and Mozzarella Raviolis Tomato and Basil Emulsion’ and ‘Tagliatelles with Wild Mushrooms Porcini Emulsion’ pastas.

20130528-140136.jpg
#1 This is Nathalie the chef briefing us on both the dishes that we signed up for.

20130528-140202.jpg
#2 Initially I thought I will only be taught on how to make pasta sauces but turns out I get to learn how to make a pasta from scratch. Farina ’00’ is the type of flour you need to use for your pasta.

20130528-140221.jpg
#3 Fully equipped kitchen!

20130528-140240.jpg
#4 Cracking eggs for pasta dough.

Ingredients for pasta dough:

350g pasta flour typo 00
3 full eggs
4 yolks
10g salt

20130528-140321.jpg
#5 Whole peeled tomatoes.

20130528-140337.jpg
#6 Nathalie explaining to us what a bouquet of garni consists of.

20130528-140351.jpg
#7 Baking the eggplants for ravioli stuffing.

20130528-140428.jpg
#8 Sauteing mushrooms for tagliatelles pasta.

20130528-140443.jpg
#9 Sauteing onions with butter for raviolis.

20130528-140457.jpg
#10 This is a momotaro tomato which was used in the making of ravioli and why momotaro tomato is because they taste sweeter instead of the usual sour taste.

20130528-140527.jpg
#11 Handling 3 pots at once.

20130528-140543.jpg
#12 A bunch of basil thrown into a pot of tomato puree.

20130528-140602.jpg
#13 Getting a touch of the pasta dough so that we know if our pasta will be made right when we do it at home.

20130528-140617.jpg
#14 Pasta cant be done without a pasta machine unless you’re willing to use a roller which will not give you the same consistency. I bought mine at Rm65 at Hock Choon.

20130528-140632.jpg
#15 After the whole process, there’s a little drying to do.

20130528-140650.jpg
#16 Dry it for 5 minutes or so. A wet pasta dough is a no no!

20130528-140705.jpg
#17 Ravioli in the making.

20130528-140720.jpg
#18 Tomato paste for ravioli stuffing.

20130528-140733.jpg
#19 Nathalie explaining to us on how we should wrap our ravioli.

20130528-140755.jpg
#20 Tomato paste, baked eggplant, mozzarella cheese, and basil leaves. Yums!

20130528-140838.jpg
#21 Perfect! After it’s done, the raviolis have to be kept in the freezer for a while for it to dry.

I tried making the exact same dish on Fatty’s birthday and the reason why my ravioli was such a failure was because I kept the raviolis in the fridge instead of freezer!
In the end all those raviolis stuck together and were inseparable because the fillings were wet.
I learned my lesson the hard way, MUST PUT IN FREEZER!

20130528-140856.jpg
#22 While we wait for the raviolis to freeze, we prepared the tagliatelles.

20130528-140907.jpg
#23 Once the raviolis are dried up in the freezer, bring it to boil, seive it and coat with butter. The best butter in town now is Lescure, for only Rm10! That’s the butter Fatty raved about in Melbourne and now we have it here just starting last year. How great! :D

20130528-140921.jpg
#24 Giving our raviolis a final touch.

20130528-140935.jpg
#25 IT WAS SO GOOD! There isn’t any meat in this dish but still taste pleasantly well.

20130528-140949.jpg
#26 After savouring our raviolis, we went back to the kitchen and prepared duck liver. Easy preparation, no oil is needed. Just put it on a pan and that’s about it.

20130528-141026.jpg
#27 End product of Tagliatelles with wild mushrooms and porcini emulsion with foie gras.

There’re a few types of classes you can take at Nathalie’s Gourmet, cooking class, baking class, kids cooking class or demo class which is the cheapest because you won’t get to try.

I’d say the classes at Nathalie’s was absolutely worth it because for Rm180 I get two recipes (one which is from a three Michelin star chef!), I get to learn it from Nathalie the great chef and at the end of the day I get to eat both the dishes.
Both fine dine quality pastas! With a piece of foie gras!!
How is that not worth it!?

I’ll definitely be taking more classes in the future when I see any suitable classes and when I have the time.:)
I bet baking classes are just as nice but too bad I couldn’t go for it as I have no oven at home. Meh.

Do look into their website for a list of classes you can attend.

NATHALIE GOURMET
Block A4 – Unit A4-1-5 – Solaris Dutamas
Jalan Dutamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
T: +603 6207 9572
contact@nathaliegourmetstudio.com

Heli Lounge Bar

Currently KL’s Best Kept Secret, HELI Lounge Bar is a brand spanking new dance club that is set to take KL’s night scene by storm and may no longer qualify for that catchphrase soon. Located on the 34th floor of Menara KH in the heart of the Golden Triangle, an ultra-cool clubbing experience awaits behind the nondescript main entrance.

Bored of the usual sky bars or rooftop bars? Heli Lounge Bar is here to give rooftop bar a twist because it’s no ordinary rooftop bar.
It’s a rooftop bar on a helipad with 360º panoramic view of Kuala Lumpur with no window, no fence, and no barrier.

971517_466267420114259_364911182_n
#1 Pictures taken from Heli Lounge Bar’s Facebook. Be sure to stay behind the yellow line as there isn’t any safety barrier for now.

400605_457694227638245_476497935_n
#2 I must say this might just be one of the best spot in KL to watch a beautiful sunset.

163297_411281052279563_660426681_n
#3 If you’re not so much of an outdoor person, there’s a lounge just few stairs below, decorated in black and white.

20130526-151235.jpg
#4 Standing on top of a helipad with no barrier gave an awesome feeling, especially with such a nice view. (OKAY I PROMISE TO GET A NEW CAMERA SOOOON!)

20130526-151048.jpg
#5 My fats and I.

20130526-150843.jpg
#6 I have to tiptoed because I left my heels in Fatty’s car. :(

20130526-151117.jpg
#7 Both my Bffs.

20130526-150921.jpg
#8 I love sitting on the low chair compared to the bar stool because I feel much more relaxed and I get to look up at the sky. :)

20130526-151018.jpg
#9 I miss her so much already!

I would like to give Heli Lounge Bar another visit for a sunset view, I’ve saw pictures of them and the pictures looked too beautiful for me to ignore.
Fatty, please take note. Haha!
So if you’ll like to go and experience chilling on a helipad, do go during evening before the sun set and do make a booking too.
Or else you might risk not having any seats on the helipad unless you don’t mind standing.

Do check out their Facebook page for events as they do require a cover charge.

HELI LOUNGE BAR
34th floor,
Menara KH,
Jalan Sultan Ismail, KL
Tel: 03 2110 5034

I hadn’t had any insomnia nights for quite a long time now and unfortunately it gave me a visit tonight.
I experienced headache the entire day before today and while the headache’s gone, I experienced slight discomfort for today.
Must be the wind gushing in my tummy again.

I used to have so many sleepless nights so long ago, it’s scary.
Wanting to sleep but not being able to is one of the saddest thing that could happen to anyone, in my opinion.
There was many a times in my life whereby I was too disturbed by my own feelings to even fall asleep peacefully.

Tonight, thank God it was mainly caused by the discomfort in my tummy.
And also something I am bound to do which I couldn’t stop thinking!

Nothing much has changed recently except for the fact that I don’t see my fats as often anymore nowadays due to work.
It is not entirely a bad thing as long as we can find a balance in between but finding a balance can sometimes be a hard thing for a bull (the fats).

*

When I was so upset about my life years ago, I always scrolled through tumblr to help me passed time a little easier.
That’s when I realized I wasn’t the only one, that there really are people out there who experienced what I was experiencing, who felt the same way I did and wrote exactly what was inside my heart.
At the same time I felt very sad for these strangers too because I know how much it hurts, so hurt that there isn’t a single word that could describe those feelings.

As I scrolled through my tumblr today, it reminded me of how I felt.

‘Dear you,

Thank you for breaking my heart, making me lose hope… I seriously thought that you were the one for me… I was so into you I didn’t look around for anyone else for years. It’s like getting hooked on a TV show for hours, and wanting nothing else…. Thank you for breaking and disappointing me… You taught me so much about life and love. I moved on. It wasnt easy, but I did, finally. It led me to him.

Let me tell you, he’s amazing. I love him so much, and thank you… because you led me to him. You broke me, and I realized that you’re nothing but a fake two faced guy. You’re a nice friend, but I finally realized what I truly deserve. So much love I gave you then but you destroyed them and took me for granted. I am now walking with someone who loves me and knows that I am his everything. And I just want to tell you that you led me to someone who is going to show me the real meaning of love.

Thank you…’

Shit right? How can someone wrote exactly what’s on my mind? It gets creepy sometimes.

I have a very close friend who still couldn’t get over her break up and it hurts me to see her so upset.
Usually, I am the crybaby crying in front of my friends and I really couldn’t be bothered where I was. If I want to cry, I cry.
But then things changed and my friend cried in front of me and man, that is the worst feeling in the world!!
I didn’t know it was that sucky to see your friend cry and I finally felt what my friends felt.

(Sorry Dexter I cried in front of you so many fucking times, haha!)

It gets worse when I tried to calmed her down and tried to made her realise what a jerk that guy was but to no avail.

(Sorry Dexter I didn’t listen to you when you tried to convince me, hahaha!)

I guess it’s karma for crying too much in front of my friends, it’s my turn now. Bah!
I know she wouldn’t believe me, she couldn’t be bothered and her heart still stays the same but I truly truly believe that the best thing will come, just not yet.
I hope she trust me, although I know it’s dead hard.

For those who feel like giving up, don’t.
It will come around. Definitely. :)

Fatty’s 24th Construction Birthday Party

Theme party is love and I’ve always love a good one.

I organized a buay paiseh colour theme party for my 21st birthday four years ago and colour theme party is the easiest to organize without a doubt.
Guys wore black, girls wore white while I wore red because I buay paiseh hahaha!

After my own 21st I helped with my BFF’s bow tie 21st birthday party where all guys were required to wear shirts while the girls wear tube dresses along with the bow ties we handed out to them.

Not to forget the pastel birthday party I had with my girls and Vivien & Cindy’s rainbow birthday party.
To level up a notch, (HAHA) I tried not to organize another colour theme party.

I organized a construction party on Labour Day’s eve for my fatty’s 24th and it wasn’t a random pick.
Some of you may wonder, aren’t my fatty suppose to be back in Melbourne. Yes he was suppose to but there were visa complications and he will only be able to go back by next year. Currently he is working for his dad at a site, hence construction site party. :)

It was a funny research because all the construction party pictures and ideas I saw when I googled was construction party for little boys but my boy is 24!
I tried hard to eliminate everything that looks too cute.

20130515-160533.jpg
#1 I booked the whole Sekeping Terasek at Bangsar and kept the entire surprise from Fatty.

20130515-160542.jpg
#2 42A.

20130515-160524.jpg
#3 Sekeping Terasek is a two storey terrace house, with a rooftop and a dip pool.

20130515-160516.jpg
#4 Living area where the guys chilled during night time.

20130515-160500.jpg
#5 Gotta love natural skylight.

20130515-160416.jpg
#6 This is the room Fatty and I slept in that night, on the ground floor. I was smart enough (LOL) to pick a room on ground floor cause there wasn’t any please-help-me-drag-my-fat-boyfriend-upstairs kind of story when he was drunk.

20130515-160404.jpg
#7 Little outdoor area in the room.

20130515-160410.jpg
#8 Shower.

20130515-160509.jpg
#9 One of the room upstairs.

There are 5 rooms all together and those who stayed for a night were all couples and each coupled paid Rm200 for the room.

20130515-160434.jpg
#10 How it looks like outside the room upstairs.

20130515-160358.jpg
#11 So much love for this place.

20130515-160344.jpg
#12 From the second floor, I can see what’s happening downstairs.

20130515-160453.jpg
#13 Mini stairs to the rooftop.

20130515-160444.jpg
#14

20130515-160425.jpg
#15 I knew Fatty will love this rooftop a lot and he did but he got drunk too early, he didn’t get to enjoy it.

20130515-160338.jpg
#16 My friends helping me to set up because I WAS TOO BUSY TRYING TO COOK!!

I bought construction tape and decorate the house with it, along with three helium balloons.

20130515-160333.jpg
#17 My bff who helped me right after she came back to KL!

20130515-160319.jpg
#18 Made a total of four finger foods for the guests.

20130515-160313.jpg
#19 Bacon wrapped seared scallop in asparagus puree and watermelon prosciutto with blue cheese.

20130515-160308.jpg
#20 Smoked salmon timbale with spicy crab meat and foie gras on bruschetta with fig compote.

I printed some signs that are somewhat related to construction and used it to decorate on my food.
That smoking sign you saw wasn’t suppose to be there, it was suppose to stick on ash trays but I was tooooooo busy the whole day I can’t seem to manage.
My dear friends lend me a helping hand and helped me to decorate the rest of the party without knowing the purpose of some signs heh.

20130516-125757.jpg
#21 Bought black paper plates & straws, yellow utensils, and orange cups & serviettes to match my construction theme.

Besides the four finger foods, I made two pasta as main course which I learned from Nathalie but it kind of failed quite miserably. :(
Before the night of the party I prepared all my sauces for the pasta but when we transferred these sauces from the car to Sekeping Terasek, it dropped and spilled. :(
So I ended up going to grocery again and recooking everything on the spot which is what made me sooooooo busy the entire day.

I was a mess and became even messier because I couldn’t handle so many things.
My timing were set right but due to the spill, I was really off track which somehow contributed to the failure. Pfft :(
My friends really love my mushroom tagliatelle though but the ravioli couldn’t make it unfortunately.
I hope I didn’t starve my friends. :\

20130515-160230.jpg
#22 Construction birthday cake! :D I initially wanted to order Fatty a floor plan cake but Wondermilk couldn’t make it happen for me because they don’t use fondant and the reason I picked Wondermilk is also because I don’t really like fondant. I prefer butter icing but it definitely has it’s limit. In the end I ordered Chocolate Lola cake and decorated it with some construction toy sets and a set of builders candle which I bought. It turned out pretty well and as expected, I secretly like it a lot. Heh.

20130515-160234.jpg
#23 My fat boy was kinda tipsy by then, he couldn’t recall how the cake exactly looks like the next day. As long as he is happy lor…

20130515-160224.jpg
#24 Pictures were mostly taken by friends once the party started, I was still busy doing this and that. So thank you very much my friends for capturing the moment. :)

20130515-160242.jpg
#25 Poor fat boy were then tied to the pole with the caution construction tape.

20130515-160247.jpg
#26 I somehow got stuck with him too when I tried to help. I also bought him the construction hat as a prop but soon enough he will be using it everyday at his site. :)

20130515-160252.jpg
#27 Booppi, me, and fat boy.

20130516-123839.jpg
#28 18sx! His hand was at a very wrong place aherm. -_-‘

20130515-160257.jpg
#29 The girls were busy taking pictures while the guys were busy talking about nonsense behind.

20130515-160920.jpg
#30 :)

20130515-160303.jpg
#31 Fatty’s redness from alcohol + his darkness from standing under the hot sun everyday = a colour I cant describe.
He used to be so fair but look at that picture above! D:

After taking pictures and him babbling out all the nonsense (which shall remain a secret among us friends), he took off his clothes and jumped into the pool.
He knocked himself so hard, I was worried to death but because he was too tipsy to feel it he said he didn’t knock on anything. Mmkay.
Once he got up from the pool, he got so drunk he vomited in the bathroom and ko-ed for the night dafuq.
I WAS WAITING FOR THE PARTY TO END SO THAT WE COULD CUDDLE BUT THEN HE KO-ED!! RAWR!
No one sayang me after a day of hard work lol. :(

To all the friends that came, thank you so much for coming and to Bryan Chong thank you for taking the picture above.
To Weng Kee, thank you for fetching me so often to supermarkets so that I can get all my groceries for the party.
To Bff, thank you for helping me with the cooking and bringing back my props.
To Billy (although I know he doesn’t read this wtf), thank you for helping with the surprise and successfully tricked Fatty into thinking that he’s attending some posh event LOL.
To Abel and Poh, thank you for lending me a helping hand when he was drunk and sorry that you guys have to take a look at his naked body LOL!

Dear Fatty,
A year older, a year wiser they said and I think to some extend it is true when you hit 24 this year.
People may have judge you or may have talked a lot about why are you still here instead of finishing your course but there are a lot that they don’t know or see in you.
I am very proud of you because you take your job so seriously this time, it kinda scare me a little.
You seem to be so passionate and so responsible that you even goes to work on Sunday sometimes.
You don’t mind the extra time, the extra work, the heat and getting sunburn because all you want is to do a good job for your dad.
How can I not be proud of you (although you’re very fat)!

Keep it going!
And this time next year, you will be so much more closer to where you stopped. :)

Ending my post with a picture of…..

20130515-160216.jpg
#31 Fatty’s fatness. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Continue growing wiser but definitely needs to stop growing horizontally.

SEKEPING TERASEK
42A Jalan Terasek,
Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel.: 012-206 2846 (Christina)


Howdy howdy!

I know I haven’t been updating my blog for quite some while but here’s a very very short update.

At this moment, I’m enjoying some family time at Bali and I’ll blog like before once I get home.
Really grateful to be able to go on a holiday when I wasn’t suppose to. :)

Hope you guys enjoyed your weekend too.
Till then :)

Sorry for the lack of updates.

First I was distracted by Chinese New Year.
Then it was Valentines x Chinese New Year and spending time with my Fatty considering that he is leaving VERY soon.
Third it was something very important which I will not disclose just yet.

I am now currently distracted by the stress I am having every second and until I have them lifted off me, I will not quite have a proper post.

I should have all the answers to my questions on Monday.
So till then. (My mind and heart is a complete mess right now.)