I've taken the longest hiatus from writing since I started. And while the initial reason I started writing this blog in the first place was to record and remind myself which recipes I liked best (yes, I forget. But that's only because I hoard so many recipes that I can't remember which ones I like and which ones I don't), it makes me flinch to see that I've only written one meager post for June. And it's almost the end of June too, dammit.
But, hello ? Does anyone read this ?
Anyhoo, I've been MIA because I've been preparing to go to Switzerland ! The land of CHOCOLATES and CHEESE and ROSTÏ. At least, that's what I heard, it might be a different matter when I get there, but hey a girl can dream. There has been a million and one things I need to get done and pack. Speaking of packing, my luggage is still empty. Haven't packed as much as a single thing. And only one a half weeks to go !
I'm excited, really. And terrified. The furthest I've ever been away from home is China, and that was with my family, for a holiday. Now I'm going to be on my own (well almost, two of my friends are coming along but you get what I mean) and I'm going to study, and ultimately find somewhere to work. Which probably means it's going to be a long, long time before I get to camp in my own bed again.
Yep, I'm squirming as I type.
So aside from last minute preparations and shopping for stockings and the all important task of decided which stuffed animal to bring, I've been making time to see as many of my friends as possible. Then one day I decided to visit the man who, aside from my family, watched me grow up and taught me to love music.
My organ teacher. Who's been teaching me to play the organ since I was 3.
(Just for the record, I'm 20. Insert gasp of awe here.)
I wasn't too emotional when I met up with my friends recently. Actually I was practically stoic seeing as I mightn't be seeing them for the better part of a year or two or so. The reality of leaving hadn't hit me yet, and since there was a million ways to connect and reconnect with people from all parts of the globe, I wasn't too concerned. And I did what I always did, which is bake for people. And while my friends are perfectly content with cupcakes and brownies and cookies, my teacher whom I shall call Mr G for convenience, deserved something different. I wanted it to be special.
So I thought back to what he liked. After 16 years of classes, I realized I didn't know much about him. I knew he liked tea and yoga. I knew he was flexible and calm and never lost his temper. I knew his glasses were slightly tinted gray and he always wore khakis. I knew he ate sausage buns for lunch somedays.
My mom heartily discouraged me from making him sausage buns because she said that he'd been eating them for years now, and she doubted another sausage bun was the best thing to give him as a parting gift. She did have a point.
So I made muffins. I made a batch for someone who was helping me with the process of getting into the Swiss school, and there were some leftover. I made another batch of a different kind and packed them into a pretty box and got my parents to drop me off at the music centre.
(I called beforehand. I wanted to surprise him but ended up calling first because I just wanted to check if he'd be around. Okay, I didn't call per se, but I texted to ask and he called me. He sounded happy enough to hear from me, which in turn, made me feel bad for not texting before since I hadn't been going for nearly a year now.)
I had the oddest feeling when I was climbing up the stairs. My throat felt constricted and I could hardly breathe. I passed it off as a not-being-used-to-the-many-stairs sort of feeling. Mr G opened the door for me and smiled as if nothing had happened. I babbled about the muffins and hastily explained about going to Switzerland. He listened patiently and smiled and wished me luck and told me to drop by again when I returned to Malaysia. I shook his hand sixty seven times and waved when I went down the stairs. Then I climbed inside the car with my parents and cried my eyes out. And I don't even know why. Honestly, it's the first time I've cried since I started the whole going-abroad process.
But I do know that I have him to thank for keeping me sane for so many years. For showing me that music can heal even the deepest sadness. And that if I put my heart to it, I can play any song I want, even when I don't have the written keys. For proving that practice does indeed make perfect. That sometimes, your fingers can still remember what your brain forgets.
And for showing me that sausage buns, tea and yoga are the key to longevity and a calm mind. Seriously, he doesn't look a day older than when I first met him.
Banana Cupcakes
(Adapted from Cupcakes by Shelly Kadunski)
Makes 12
155g cake flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 large, ripe banana (about 200g)
3 heaped tbsp Greek yogurt
175g light brown sugar
125g unsalted butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1. Preheat the oven to 180C and line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper cases.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. Mash together the banana and sour cream until smooth.
4. Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
5. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Fold in the banana mixture just until it's mixed in. Don't overmix the batter at this stage, a lumpy batter is alright.
6. Divide the batter among the paper cases. They'll be quite full, but it's alright because this will give you tall cupcakes (or in my case, muffins. Heh.). Bake until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Your kitchen will smell like bananas foster with a touch of popcorn, and this will only take 18-20 minutes.
7. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Jammy Crumble Muffins
(Adapted from Back To Baking by Anna Olson)
Makes 9 muffins
For the crumble*:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 1/2 tbsp rolled oats
3 tbsp packed light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp cool unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1. Stir together all the ingredients except the butter. Using your fingers, rub in the butter until it is evenly mixed in and the mixture is crumbly and forms clumps. Set aside while making the muffin batter.
*this makes a lot more crumble than you will need for this recipe, but it will keep in a container in the freezer for months. Pull it out and make more muffins when you feel like it.
For the muffins:
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup blueberry jam (or any other thick jam that you like)
1. Preheat the oven to 190C. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk the sugar, yogurt, egg, oil, honey and vanilla until smooth and well combined.
3. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold together with a spatula or a wooden spoon until just combined. Remember, a lumpy batter makes the best muffins so don't overmix !
4. Divide the batter into 9 of the muffin cups. Using a small spoon, put a tsp of blueberry jam into each muffin cup, pressing it down slightly so it sinks ever so slightly into the batter. This will keep it from bubbling over and burning on the side of the pan as the batter bakes. Sprinkle over a little crumble mixture, using around a tsp of crumble per muffin.
5. Bake them for 20 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and they are a nice golden hue. Cool them for 10 minutes in the tin, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
No comments:
Post a Comment