Kitchentinker.com, a new beginning

Today marks a very important step in my blogging world.... I finally own a domain name. When I started blogging somewhere in 2009, I can't imagine that blogging can be this serious for me. I didn't really have any particular topic or theme to go with at the beginning. I just wanted to channel what I thought, what I like most, sharing the little knowledge that I gathered along the way, and most of all keeping in touch with my family and friends. Then, later I used this space as a place where I can share those tested and proven recipes, some are of course my children's favorite. At least, when they all have grown up and live by their own, they will have somewhere to refer to and can do on their own wherever they  are. Now, I am trying my best to update this blog at least once a week or twice if I have more time ( and more energy too).

This blog has never meant to be a food blog but somehow it has slowly become one as baking is the top of my list of the things that I do loved most.  I have been baking since I became a mother to my now 14 year old son. When it comes to baking, cake is my most favorite...cut out cookies are my least favorite. Anything in between, I'm always willing to try. During my early baking experience, I spent lots of time searching the recipes from the Net and tried them all. Some are ok, some are not...well, some people are sincere in sharing their recipes, and some are not. But, I did learn a lot...and I do sincerely share it.

In the early 2000s, I started purchasing cookbooks. My first, very well used and also have very much worn out cookbook is Nigella Lawson's How to Be a Domestic Goddess. Most of the recipes are very simple and very suitable for early and amateur bakers. I still have it and use it until now.

Jamie Oliver also writes good and simple cookbooks. I have his Jamie's Dinner, Jamie's Kitchen & Food Revolution among others. The Roasted Chicken & Onion gravy recipes were adapted from Jamie's Dinners.

For my children especially my son who has the interest (probably potential too) in food and cooking, I bought the basic baking books such as La Sur Table's The Art & Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet and Williams Sonoma Baking Essentials.

For a very detail, step by step and more challenging baking experiment, I have Rose's Heavenly Cakes and The Bread Bible. It is very well narrated, very detailed processes and procedures, has a very good tips and tricks for bakers that really want to enhance their baking skills, further improved their knowledge and unleashed their potential.

Talking about cooking and baking utensils, make my head spinning! Can't get enough of them...err..who can? It is like a disease or a plague when it comes to this topic. I can't never manage my money when it comes to the cute little multi-color silicone spatula, or a heart shaped baking pan, or a very sleek souffle mould, or the red classy stoneware cake stand, well...the list goes on and on.. By the way, my husband bought me an icy-blue KitchenAid mixer somewhere in 2009...love the gift and the person who gave it :)

Till then...

October Reading Companion

source: Google

 

 

She's funny, isn't she? She and her devastatingly blue eyes ( as she herself described that in this very funny book!). If you happened to find this book in the bookstore, read the back of the book! I DID! and straight away brought it to the cashier and started reading it. By page two, I can't stop myself from laughing..and I was actually at the hospital at that time doing some treatment..lol!

Well, look at the title..for those who are very clueless or straightforward, this book is definitely NOT for you. For Dory's fan...ENJOY!

Malas nak snap gambar buku sendiri, pinjam kat Mr Google jer lah..

Minat Membaca

Orang kata membaca itu jambatan ilmu...betul kah?  Mungkin betul bergantung kepada apakah bahan yang dibaca. Orang kata minat datang sendiri dan ada juga kata minat boleh dipupuk tetapi kalau tidak berminat tidak perlu dipaksa. Minat membaca perlulah dipupuk dari kecil.

Walaubagaimanapun, saya sangat suka membaca dari kecil tetapi cuma tertakluk kepada cerpen, buku cerita dan novel. Mungkin ada yang tak tahu apa itu cerpen? Cerpen berasal dari cerita pendek, cerpen mungkin lebih sedap bunyinya dan agak 'catchy' .. :)...melencong pulak. Tapi seingat saya, ibubapa saya tidaklah memupuk minat membaca semasa saya kecil...jadi mungkin minat itu datang sendiri.

Saya masih ingat sewaktu saya masih di sekolah rendah, usia dalam lingkungan 10-12 tahun, bila ada peluang ke bandar dengan bapa atau ibu saya, saya akan singgah di satu kedai HM Joned rasanya nama kedai tu...mesti saya akan membeli buku. Saya masih ingat saya ada membeli buku Othman Puteh, Azizi...tak ingat penuh, Zarina ...tak ingat nama penuh, Khadijah Hashim dan banyak lagi penulis novel Melayu. Pada masa itu, saya tidak begitu fasih membaca dalam Bahasa Inggeris, jadi saya kurang membaca novel Inggeris.

Kemudian, bila saya di sekolah menengah rendah, saya adalah pengunjung tetap perpustakaan bergerak di kampung saya. Perpustakaan bergerak itu datang kalau tak salah saya 2 kali seminggu. Kalau hari yang tiada perpustakaan bergerak itu, saya akan habiskan masa petang saya di perpustakaan di balairaya di kampung sebelah (Kg Lonek). Untuk rekod, saya anak bongsu dan satu2nya yang tinggal bersama ibu saya, jadi saya lebih suka membaca di perpustakaan atau menonton tv di rumah.
Semasa di sekolah menengah inilah, saya mula meminati novel Inggeris. Bagaimana saya sebagai budak kampung, boleh meminati novel Inggeris?. Mula2 saya akan mencari buku2 novel remaja yang ada dwibahasa, selalunya saya akan bermula dengan versi Melayu, kemudian saya akan cari novel yang sama berbahasa Inggeris dan saya baca ia bersama. Lama kelamaan, vocabulary saya pun bertambah dan saya pun boleh membaca novel2 Inggeris yang lain.

Apabila saya di universiti, disebabkan proses pembelajaran yang agak komprehensif dan ditambah pula dengan tugasan2 yang diberikan oleh pensyarah, minat membaca novel itu terpadam dengan kekangan masa. Kemudian ianya terus padam sehinggalah saya berkerja, berkahwin, mempunyai anak dan sebagainya. Pada tahun 2008, saya menamatkan MBA saya dan anak2 sudah agak besar, saya mula mencari2 minat untuk mengisi masa lapang saya.

Pada suatu hari saya ke satu kedai buku bersama kawan saya, sementara menunggu kawan saya membeli buku, saya pun mengambil buku The Client oleh John Grisham dan membacanya....saya terus tidak boleh melepaskan buku tersebut.

Minat membaca saya telah kembali....