Raya - Sebelum dan Selepas

I love baking, however these things make seasonal appearance on our working table (err... in our small-house-case, it is a working table cum dining table!). Those cute cookie cutter, rolling pint, hazelnut, walnut, almond etc, etc.

I used to bake cake and cookies in my teenage days. I went through trial and error, since my mother never had her hand in baking. My nasty brother used to tease me with his famous script, "Pah tu, jadi seghupo dale gambar dok?," reffering to my one and only coloured pages recipe book at that time. (The book was borrowed by some one and it never made it's way back to my kithen, opps... my mother's kitchen!)

I beat butter and sugar with a balloon whisk. It took a real hard work to make it creamy. Most of the time, it was not not creamy enough and my cake turned out hard. This gave my nasty brother another chance to have a good laugh!

My late father then bought me a Phillip hand-free cake mixer. Much to my relief. But I did wonder how on earth he got to know the appliance. I was very glad to have it. I was form three at that time (1979), and believe it or not, I'm still using the same cake mixer! It still work wonder even though it has to be hand-held since the bowl and it's stand had already broken ten years ago.

I bake cakes quite often. But baking cookies is ussually done during the festive season. It is fun, especially if your kids gather arround you, trying to do whatever task you ask them to, then waiting by the oven till the cookies are done and smell the sweet-smell of the newly baked cookies. (Baking cookies all by your self could be a little bit bore...though!).

The kids, especially Adib, shows interest in baking (and cooking as well). A few years back, she wanted to do the baking by herself. So I gave her the instruction and guidance of the steps should be taken. And since then I haven't been baking (cookise)... Now a proud mother's task is just to buy the ingredients... Adib does all the baking and my other girls would give their hands.

This year, however, I have to make some cookies (my little Najaa helps with the cookie cutter) because Adib is having her SPM trial exam. Nevertheless, Adib with Fathanah's help, come out with a few... their famous (among the cousins) choc chip is the one that couldn't be left out.

The recipe books I collect over the years.

Thanks to Chef Wan and Betty Saw. Theirs are superb because you would not go wrong if you follow the recipes accurately. And my brother now smile a sheepish smile over the cakes I pack for his chidren whenever they come over for a visit. He is in food business now ... tuck-shop operator, caterer and a restaurateour.

After Raya Kat Kampung...

It is the time to browse the woman magazines and recipe books ... still. Now is the time to decide whether it will be mee rebus or mee kari, laksa utara or laksa Johor!

So when will be the makan festival over? Every weekend there are a few houses should be visited. And every house has it's main dish. Biskut raya? They will taste nicer after Syawal is over!

One weekend, I decided to try my hand at Mee Sup. Emm... boleh la... And only after the guests had their meal, then I realised that I forgot to serve the fried shallots, bird-eye chillies and other garnishings!