Jen's Underground

09/09/2024

A Malaysian dream - Happy Merdeka!

I had meant to pen this down and to be fair to my memory, I shall proceed. This time round, our trip to Tasmania was arranged by our Mia to fly MAS. When I said “Wah, we are flying MAS?” “She said “Yup! Enjoy MAS, mum!”

As we were boarding, Babs and I were recalling and chatting that we haven’t flown internationally with MAS since 9/11. For us, 9/11 happened as we were flying back home from Melbourne. Following that, we flew often with Air Asia solely for the cheap flights! Qantas too….I love Qantas because somehow my stress levels and nerves tend to stay calm.

Anyway, as we were seated, I was observing the air stewardess assign to our cabin. She greeted every person with an unmatched enthusiasm. I could feel her sincerity in every “WELCOME”, I could feel her smile, she was totally engaged, in every moment and person. Truly, energy is the invisible tapestry that animates life. I kid you not, every person who entered the cabin was swooned over. I said to Babs, “Oh my, this is Malaysian hospitality at its best! I know this hospitality!”

And from that, a burst of memories took over me and I could recall my flying experiences as a child, flying with my mum. Then, the airline was called MSA (Malaysian Singapore Airlines) and my brother Bruce, he was already then, a Chief Air Steward. Every time, I would watch my Mum calling one of the crew and begin with “Do you know my son is Bruce Brand?” That’s all she always needed to say. My brother went on to become the trainer for MAS and we just had to creatively find a way to tell the crew we were related to him. My brother is no longer with us but I felt him on this flight. Lost in time, my eyes were swollen and my heart was just so overwhelmed.
I was brought back to my present moment when the safety video started playing and I was quickly reminded that our Mia wrote the lyrics, the music and I heard her voice preparing us for our take off!

MSA, MAS, what a beautiful wonderful dream??? Truly, Malaysian hospitality at its best. No wonder we were once a 5-Star Airline! And 70kgs to travel is more than we could ask for. Stress free - what a luxury.

Thank you Mia for choosing MAS and reminding me of all our crazy Malaysian dreams. Thank you MAS flight crew - you’re simply the best! ♥️♥️♥️

07/09/2024

Friday - Curry Chicken on a cold Spring night.

We went to Woolies to get some frozen Roti and it was AUD8 for four. Definitely not used to paying RM24 for 4 rotis. 😅🥲

Nasi saja la…..😂

Saturday - Curry Chicken on a colder Spring night.

Dug deep into Mia’s freezer and found lots of frozen ROTIS!!!! 😂😂😂

Happy Weekend Everyone. ♥️

05/09/2024

Feels like I’m getting back into my flow, super foods- kefir and Lactobacillus L-reuteri are doing and turning out well. Both play very active roles in my wellbeing journey. It’s been tricky keeping up with the weather.

Last night’s dinner with a stunning view of a CRESCENT MOON and the planet “VENUS”!

A sign that there is only 1 morality in the universe. Every human being has the right to live their life as they choose to live it as long as they don’t interfere with anyone else’s right to do the same.

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE! ♥️✌️

-reuteri

01/09/2024

A good Father’s Day start with Mass at Kingston Catholic Parish and home to a big pampered brunch of savoury and sweet Waffles by Mia.

Anything that brings us together is healing. On one level we are separate, you know you’re you and I’m me. We can enjoy having each other, but on another level we’re part of something larger that connects us.

Happy Fathers Day guys! ♥️❤️♥️

26/08/2024

Family dinner tonight but some couldn’t make it due to flight situations and changes.

Nevertheless, the night was filled with so much warmth and lots of laughter.

As usual, we started with Arancini! 😋

26/08/2024

Over the years, cooking and baking has helped me improve with my need to be perfect every time. I found that there’s just no way to churn out the same looking thing again and again. Of course you need consistency in the deliciousness but the looks can only look the same when it comes out of a commercialised kitchen. Like everything else, even the experience in creating a dish is different every time.

Son - “What’s that?
Me - Turkish Milk Cake with Salted Caramel.
Son- Aiyoh…your son is on a strict diet, cannot eat oh.
Me - Just have a small piece la, otherwise, what to make to suit a diet?
Son - There’s nothing really la…cake is cake!
Me - That’s what I thought! 😂🤣

So, as you can see, because of the weather here in Tassie, I had to make puddles of Salted caramel instead. Spreading the caramel sauce would have turned out disastrous.😅😅😅

Cross fingers tomorrow’s baking will go smoothly. Sometimes I wonder how I had managed countless of times before in different locations and weathers!

22/08/2024

BACK OF MY EYELIDS

Finally settled in after some flight delay and a wonderful welcome dinner by my girls. Nessa is a salad goddess and Mia is going to outdo me very quickly with her versions of dishes and sweets. The steaks were to die for. ♥️

Forgot the feel of winter sheets, hot water bottles and heater on. Beats an aircon room any day. All warm and cozy and can’t wait to see the back of my eyelids. Goodnight!

19/08/2024

Every now and then…I tend to forget about this page. I guess it gets like that when most times, it feels like I’m talking to a wall. Perhaps it’s time to draw a wall of murals. 😂

Anyway, this is the Chocolate Butter Cake I was talking about and made yesterday. I managed to whip one up for myself. No, I didn’t use the organic butter for mine, just grass fed. 😅

“At first, when you bite into this cake, it seems light, then it becomes fudgy and chocolaty, then just when you begin to think you have something, it simply vanishes so you want to take another bite!”

In other words…”It tastes just like a chocolate bar but softer.”

I love this cake and I love the Lightly Whipped Chocolate Ganache that goes perfectly well with it. I’m not a Chocolate lover but there’s something magical about the the sight of a Chocolate Cake and the whiff of pure chocolate joy! ♥️

♥️✌️Happy Week everyone!

07/08/2024

Strength training for lunch???

CRASH IT! YEAH! 💪💪💪

06/08/2024

Must have - Top 2 - most helpful condiments for your kitchen. Enjoy 💜💜💜

Must have Top 2 most helpful Asian Condiments Shallot infused oil is perfect for:Tossing and cooking noodles such as Kon Lau MeinStir frying vegetables Cooki...

05/08/2024

Golden Butter Cream Cake adorned with Royal Honey Buttercream and edible flowers.

13 blocks of butter and 39 eggs later…..

If you love BUTTER, this will be your favourite cake! Why? Because there’s simply no cake with more mellow, buttery flavour or golden colour. This cake instantly dissolves in the mouth, leaving behind a heavenly flavour and the illusion of lightness. It actually needs no buttercream.

So that’s why I chose to pair it with this Royal Honey Buttercream. No sugar is used and using honey results in a mellifluous, subtly perfumed buttercream.

Before I made this, I did a test run of 8 slices, I shamelessly had 4 slices of 2 1/2 by 2 1/2 inch. 😅 Seriously, It was that good.

For me, when it comes to cake, most importantly is the cake itself. I won’t eat cake if it’s not delicious. 😁 I want to be able to love my food, enjoy my food and enjoy my health at the same time. So I’m conscious of that every time I make food choices.

In this case and in the end, I know that I’ve done my best to keep everything I use as natural as possible.

All in all, it took me 7 hours of standing- 6.30am to 2ish - just to make 6 cakes and 3 batches of buttercream. I finished at 11am this morning, just in time. The driver had to wait for me to pack up the cake.

Suddenly, it’s Monday!!!! ♥️

31/07/2024

Masarap!

31/07/2024

🎶 If you give a little more then you're asking for your love will turn the key🎶

😁

30/07/2024

Boneless Chicken Thigh on Wrap served with Portobello Mushroom Cheese Gravy and a side Salad.

😄😃😀😁

30/07/2024

Lactobacillus L.reuteri superfood yogurt is extremely delicious, you will love it. What’s more, it’s nutritious and the benefits are spectacular. The list is long.

It’s yummy with roasted or fresh salads and you don’t need to add any other vinaigrettes. Fantastic with curries and amazing to use for whipping up desserts.

I especially love to have it with fruits, nuts and seeds anytime I might get hungry so it’s my go to snack.

Easy to eat, easy to love. 💜💜💜 Do watch to hear about the benefits.

Lactobacillus L.reuteri superfood yogurt is extremely delicious, you will love it. What’s more, it’s nutritious and the benefits are spectacular. The list is...

28/07/2024

Today’s dessert. A Turkish Milk Cake topped with Smoked Salted Caramel.

I figured a good sweet ending to a spicy Korean fix.

Let’s see what the girls will say later. 🤪

27/07/2024

COUSINS REUNION

So we had so much fun, I turned up the music and the cousins listened to disco music and romanticised our yesteryears - such good therapy.

We talk and talk and talked, luckily we have the food to pause our chatting, we all have so much to say. 😅 We ended with this beautiful finale of the Turkish crying cake. The cousins posted it out and everyone who commented said they cried because they could only look at the cake. lol

We are making full use of our time while La (Laura) is in town. So we are meeting up again tomorrow, we are going Korean with some bbq and I’ve decided to make a Turkish Milk Cake and top it with Salted Smoked Caramel. I love to tweak desserts and finish it off with my own take. 😜🤪 I find that Koreans don’t have much choices of desserts. (Please don’t marah ya) The ones that I spy so far, I’ve yet to resonate with.

I’m going to call it a Joyful Cake and we’ll see if it will spark some joy ya…..😂🤣

26/07/2024

Ah….Fantastic, it’s manifesting!

French Onion Soup. ♥️♥️♥️What else is there???

25/07/2024

PROTEIN PUNCH!

When you achieve small goals, when you have a tick, it gives you a lot of strength. What’s more? It strengthens your beliefs. That’s the power of achieving small goals!

25/07/2024

My purpose is simple, to add value to everyone I get to connect to, everyday!

And WOW, the past week has been exceptionally productive. Seriously, it was like full on.

So, while I like to think everyone enjoyed ALL the impromptu foods whipped up, this simple dish of “Roasted Pumpkin” stood out and was the highlight. I believe I’ve convinced my 2 single friends how fun, easy and delicious, cooking can be. In turn, they convinced me to come up with a few episodes of how to whip up quick and easy and no cook (Salads) dishes. Of course, I have to guarantee that they are 100% delicious. 😂😂😂 Hahaha

You see, my new best friend - THE AMAZING AIR FRYER performed exceptionally well side by side with me - my single friends were converted on the spot! I mean 25 minutes and voila an irresistible, unforgettable bowl of healthy goodness? That’s magic even for a MUM!

BTW, I had also promised to share how eating the 7 colours of rainbow can nourish our bodies and minds with their life giving nutrients that are essential for our well being.

Let’s start with the colour ORANGE and GREEN. Orange provides vitality that supports the urinary systems. Green creates balance and harmony, supports the heart and blood. Isn’t that cool? This is ancient wisdom.

Stay tuned for my upcoming delicious, delicious, delicious- How to (Air Fryer Series) and my 7 Colours of Rainbow episodes.

That’s all for now. 💜✌️

22/07/2024

Hey everyone!

By special request, here it is!

An impromptu, uncut video of my daily routine on how to make Milk Kefir for good health at home. How to do your 1st and 2nd fermentations and then finally how your grains will grow so you can share this super food with more family, friends and your neighbours. Let's share the love.

♥️✌️

By special request. An impromptu, uncut video of my daily routine on how to make Milk Kefir for good health at home. How to do your 1st and 2nd fermentations...

21/07/2024

BLESSED SUNDAY

Happy to finally get to sit down and enjoy my hard work. Chicken Pies served with a wonderfully fresh Salad and Chilli Padi. lol

💜✌️

19/07/2024

Dreamy Chicken Pies

Chicken simmered in exquisite white wine and herb reduction with fresh mushrooms and carrots and lovingly wrapped in Jen’s famous pastry.

Available Saturday or Sunday depending on queue ya. Thank you

18/07/2024

Today I did a Pesto Video for my How to series. It was only later that I noticed the date. This particular course was dated 19th July and today was 18th July. Just a day before and my goodness, 13 years ago!

What a special time. Learning to cook Classic Tuscan food on a vineyard for 10 unforgettable days.

Well, lucky you then! Be sure to catch this video because you get to learn this Tuscan Pesto recipe for free. 😋😁

18/07/2024

Just 1 ingredient!

“Rien ne remplace le beurre.” Nothing replaces butter.” Is an old-fashioned French advertising slogan that can still be seen and heard around Paris. It’s also true in my life. ♥️

Once you learn how to make clarified butter and use clarified butter then, and only then you can say your skills and palate have developed to the next level.

If you ever wondered why my food is always delicious? Watch this video to find out.

💜Jen

Just 1 ingredient! “Rien ne remplace le beurre.” Nothing replaces butter.” Is an old-fashioned French advertising slogan that can still be seen and heard aro...

16/07/2024

SUNDAY BLESSINGS

I must invite Babs to share with you how to fry noodles. This is one of his specialties.

I believe Babs affinity with noodles came from having noodles almost every day for breakfast on his way to work. In the early days as young parents, we never had time except on weekends to whip up breakfast. That time I had a niece who lived with us for seven years and Babs had to wake up extra early to send her to school. Latest he had to leave the house was 5.45am, his workplace was at least 30mins away. The noodles that were readily available, we called “10 cent Mee”. Hahahaha….yes, 50 odd years ago, it was priced at that.

One time when we were invited to cook at a restaurant in Hobart, there was a yummy dish on their menu we fell in love with - Spicy Soft-shell Crab Pasta. When we came back, Babs quickly mastered it and it became one of our entrée for our SupperClub - IT WAS A HIT! You could say it was even better because Babs makes very good pasta. We learnt that in Tuscany and all our pasta classes were taught by him.

On top of that, my niece’s hubby Felix (lives in Perth) cooks the best Penang Fried Kuey Teow hands down. He shared some fantastic techniques with Babs. I guess when you live away from home, you tend to master some dishes.

Noodles are a must learn because we Asians can’t live without it. Cooking your own at home is best because you get to choose the oil you use. I’m not a fan of eating out solely because of the choice of oils they use. Good fat is most important because our brains requires fat to function at optimum conditions.

12/07/2024

OFF THE PLATTER….

Music has a profound impact on our lives. It has the power to heal, to inspire, to soothe, to invigorate, to seduce, to delight and even calm us. For me, music enriched my live in countless of ways. From a very young age, I explored the sounds and melodies that nurture and soothe me to this day.

I also love words and the I know the power they have. I do not squander them and I don’t use them carelessly and that’s why I could resonate with songwriters like Carole King, Elton John, Billy Joel - they speak to me and on behalf of me. Of course, they are many more. Music is my first love, it is my first emotional connection to myself.

This 1st August, my son, Chris is having a concert at Jaotim. (I’ve never been there and I’m gonna check it out) His band known as “Palencia” is a trio consisting of him, Aimee and Myra. They will be performing with a 9 piece big band! YOU HAVE TO COME!

Chris’s latest songs are mentally and emotionally engaging and will pull your attention out. They are brilliant for this time and age. Truly, it’s not easy to become a singer, musician and especially a songwriter these days. If you don’t have “IT” - you just don’t! It’s not entertainment, it’s a craft, a new kind of craft. I’m very proud of him and in fact, all of them, each one of them. It took them a couple of years to finally pull it off, together.

See for yourself. I’m a very serious listener. YOU MUST COME!

💜Jen

11/07/2024

BULLETPROOF COFFEE CAKE 😂😂😂

I must teach all of you how to make this cake. It’s so simple, almost as quick as making a coffee, with just a tiny bit of extra work.

Perfect for coffee enthusiasts, it’s a rich coffee-infused sponge with a coffee-spiked cream frosting. There is no hiding from the coffee flavour, the cake actually has coffee in it. Topped with a dalgona cream – yes – more coffee!

A must for folks pressed for time!

11/07/2024

6 reasons why Ginger Scallion Oil is a must have in your kitchen!

1. A powerful and aromatic condiment to add to your repertoire.
2. A must have accompaniment for Chicken Rice and ClayPot Chicken Rice.
3. Delicious marinade for Steam Fish, Steam Chicken.
4. A shortcut for any dish that requires GINGER as an ingredient.
5. Easy to make.
6. Easy to love. 💜

A powerful and aromatic condiment to add to your repertoire. A must have accompaniment for Chicken Rice and ClayPot Chicken Rice. Delicious marinade for Stea...