RUM CAKE

Seeing those ingredients on a rack hanged in a small bakery - especially the MYERS RUM bottle, reminded me of my childhood time.
My father who traveled regularly (Denpasar - Jakarta area - Denpasar) very often brought us Rum Cake made by a famous bakery in Bogor - West Java.

I still remembered there are 3 level of intensity of the rum cake. Soft, medium and strong Rum Cake. My father always bought the strong one. We like it very much. You know......., the strong Rum Cake giving a slightly dizzy feeling after having 2 big cuts to a kid (read: myself!) :-D

Last week, I really missed the cake, unfortunately I could not have it anymore since I am leaving 1.5 hours flying from the place ........ oh my!

"Why not making a rhum cake myself?" the idea just popped up on the way to my office.

And............, I purchased a bottle of MYERS RUM last Friday and made a rum cake straight away that night. The result.................. what a yummy rum cake, just like what I had on my childhood time (psssssssst..................., actually it is not good for kid eating a rum cake, isn't it?"

Here it is a recipe that I got from the internet, this one works well! Originally they said the recipe was developed by BACARDI, but as a substitution to Bacardi Dark Rum, Myers is OK! I could not get Bacardi as my first choice that Friday, out of stock said by the supplier.










RECIPE:
1 cup chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts (I don't have pecans nor walnuts, I substituted with pistachio)
1 18-1/2 ounce yellow cake mix
1 1-3/4 ounce (4-serving size) instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup cold milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup Barcardi dark rum (substituted by Myers Dark Rum)

Glaze:
1 stick butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup Barcardi dark rum (substituted by Myers Dark Rum)

Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts on bottom of pan. Combine all cake ingredients. Beat for 2 minutes on high with electric mixer. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool in pan. Invert on serving plate. Prick top with fork. Drizzle glaze over top of cake. Use brush or spoon to put extra dripping back on cake.

Glaze: Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Note: The rum will cause steam. Be careful not to burn yourself.

'FOOD' FOR SOUL

I was invited to see my friend new orchid garden. Yet, there is only a few orchid collection there, but I believe it will grow as she loves anything related to plantation.

I took a good lesson while seeing her collections, it is not merely a group of orchids. She really takes care of it. Do you believe when we put our attention or care to somebody, to plants or pets, it is good for our soul? Caring over something with sincere is a good food for our soul. If we feed our soul with a good food, we bring healthiness for our body too.

Caring over something with sincere, automatically also spreading generous love and caress, it sweeps away anger and hates from our heart, leaving a warm and pleasant feeling inside.

By caring over something with sincere meaning the person drops their ego too. I have a good example for this. When you have 2 apples with you. One is bigger to the other, and you want to share it with your friend. Which one will you extend? Naturally, people will give the smaller one . If you can extend the big one to your friend and keep the small one for yourself............that is the real caress!

PAMPERING MYSELF

Yesterday, I left home too early, forgot that before start working I have to go to the bank.
It was 10 minutes before 08.00 in the morning when I passed Monkey Forest street, the bank will be opened at 08.30. And it takes only 5 minutes from Monkey Forest to the bank at the main road.

I always dream to pamper myself early morning before my working hours in Ubud by having a cup of cappucinno or a glass of latte, sitting in a corner of a cafe, writing a post or taking pictures.

"I am going to do it now! I am not running out of time this time!" that was what I thought that day. Usually, it was only a dream in my mind. I always don't have time to make it realize.

So, I parked and walked to my favorite cafe. Ordering a glass of coffee latte and rye bagel with eggplant and garlic hummus.

I sat nicely waiting for my order, opening my laptop and start to edit several photos and write several posts.

I smiled and thought what a nice way to start a busy day!


Sometimes we need to have time JUST for ourselves. Get rid of our routine life and do what we want to do. It makes us feel better.

BELIEVE ME

ORGANIC FARM

In these days, many people being awaken of having a better life. Everybody seems to be directed into “BACK TO NATURE” life style. Kind of way of life style is very instantly becoming popular amongst modern and busy people.

Yoga and meditation retreat started to be fulfilled with participants who look for a balance in their life. Organic food started becoming a primary choice which deliberately bringing a good opportunity for the organic farmers.

Exploring a mountain tourism spot in Bali last Sunday, I and my love ones ended at Danau Beratan, BUT in the side which has not been ‘contaminated’ by the crowd. There is a brand new organic farm developed on that side, completed with a big strawberry farm house. I guess they try to make a kind of organic farm tour, since I looked they put several tracking sign boards. Unfortunately when we wanted to explore more, nobody was there to be questioned. So we continued our tour by ourselves.

I must say not many organic vegetables I could see that time, it seems like they have already done the harvest time. Several yards were still being prepared for the next planting season.

I only saw cucumber, bananas and cabbage.

Next to their office which also their receptionist, I saw a yard full of colorful flowers. I recognized one from the lines they have is an infinity flower like edelweiss. But this one has thousands of tiny orange – red – yellow petals. Very beautiful!

The other line of their flower collection is this bright pink flower. It has a very soft thorn on its stem and leaves. I saw purple and white flowers which usually planted in a hanging pot there.

They are using this ‘automatic’ sprinkler in watering their plantation. When exploring more inside the area further, I saw traditional farmers were also using the same system

I did not know the source of water they were using; possibly it is the water that pumped out of the lake.

Actually there are 3 lakes in the area, unfortunately the biggest one has already experienced decreasing in its water debit since the last 4 years, leaving only half of the lake actual size. Hope the experts can solve this problem quickly. I will write about this lake called BUYAN, in my other post.

Well…….., if you were in Bali and wish to get your organic food supplies, it is very easy now! Several gourmet store in Sanur, Kuta & Ubud area specializing in selling organic food has been opened. You can find many restaurants & cafes which also concentrated of selling organic food easily too!

CHOCO CHIP

Went up to Bedugul last Sunday, ended at Roti Bedugul, my favorite bakery on the remote place. Besides their super quality croissant, they sell several lines of cookies too.
First time visiting Roti Bedugul, Pak Ketut - the chef, asked me to try their choco chips.

"This is an American style choco chips. American said that it has to be deep into coffee if you want to eat it! That is the best way to enjoy choco chip."

His explanation brought me to a documentary movie......., Mad Labs I think? On that movie was described the best way to deep your cookies into coffee or tea? What a weird subject! But still very interesting to know, since I also found difficult to get the just right deep. If you deep too long, you will easily lost a part of your cookies, if too short................, it will still hard! Oh my.......................














Promising good friends of mine in Ubud - Roti Bedugul's choco chips, reminded me of Mrs. Fields.

Mrs Fields? Who is she???

Ok...., ok...., let me tell you. Mrs. Fields was an ordinary housewife who finally becoming a famous business lady by selling her choco chips! And chocolate is the main ingredients in her bakings.

I can't even remember how did I get to know Mrs. Fields. I only remembered finally I put an order to Amazon for Mrs. Fields recipes book, and then be stunning when receiving the books and see the picture inside. So mouth watery! You don't believe me? No?? Just see the picture of Mrs. Fields website? Still don't believe me? Ok....., visit: http://www.mrsfields.com

Well......what about if I am living in her town? Oh no.........., maybe will be really difficult to maintain shapes!

Here it is a video from youtube.com on HOW TO MAKE A CHOCOLATE CAKE!