Monday 7 May 2012

Everything Sourdough

That's what the creators (not me) called it. Although 'everything' may be a bit of an exaggeration, it does rather have a long list of ingredients, i.e. onions, garlic, poppy seed, sesame seed, rye flour, wholemeal flour, cracked black pepper, sea salt. Simply toasted with a piece of ham and cheese, that's how my kids like it.


Thursday 3 May 2012

ZZzzzzzZZZZZzzzz

Not really. In fact, I'll be soooo busy in the month of May that I'll be unable to offer goodies for sale, with the exception of breads to regulars. Yep, May has Mothers Day, Teachers Day, family and friends' birthdays, Church bakes and more...I may have to live in the kitchen. Looking forward to offering more goodies in June. See y'all then!

Tuesday 1 May 2012

Red Yeast Garlic Basil Sourdough

A perfectly plain sourdough laced with red yeast, garlic and 2 types of basil.

Blogspot glitch for replies

Hrrrmpph! There seems to be a problem with blogspot. I can't seem to post comments or replies, so, my deepest apologies if I appear rude, leaving visitors' comments unanswered. I'll email you if you leave an address.

Best
TP

Saturday 28 April 2012

Not Your Ordinary Brownies

...certainly an indulgent over-the-top one, with marshmallows, biscuit crumbs and walnut.


Wednesday 25 April 2012

A change in the Baking Schedule

Looks like my weekends are busier than weekdays! So...breads will only come out on Tuesdays, and, cookies (and others) on Wednesdays. That leaves space for special requests ;) Coming up...

What? It's May already??

Tue May 1

  • Red Yeast & Local Herb Sourdough - I love to incorporate health stuff in what I cook or bake. I'll see what herbs are fresh and abundant in the market. (RM5 for half a loaf, RM10 for 500g loaf, RM15 for 800g loaf)
Wed May 2
  • Anzacs - Chewy biscuits with organic rolled oats, desiccated coconut, organic sugar, butter and golden syrup. One week late, but, better late than never! (RM5 for 5 cookies)

Walnut Raisin

Hold on! There's more. Walnut, Raisin, Chia Seeds, Water Kefir, Wholemeal Sourdough should be its full name. Needs nothing more. 


Cut

Monday 23 April 2012

An Artist

My friend, Fern, herself an artist, posted this at her facebook page today.

“He who works with his hands is a laborer.
  He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.
  He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.”

St. Francis of Assisi

I would like to be called an artist following that definition.

Here's a sourdough loaf which I painted with flour and cocoa. If you order one of my  unsliced loaf as a gift to a friend and would like it to have it painted, I'd be happy to do it for free!

 

Tuesday 17 April 2012

Ginger Macadamia Cookies

I had to get them out of the house, and, QUICK! They were entering my mouth at a worrying pace.

Ingredients include dessicated coconut, organic flour, organic sugar, macadamia nuts, preserved candied ginger which I made.

Baking Schedule Apr 23 - 28, 2012

Mon Apr 23
  • Walnut & Currant Sourdough - Pair this with cheese and it can achieve true greatness! I think I'll throw in some chia seeds too ;) (RM5 for half a loaf, RM10 for 500g loaf, RM15 for 800g loaf)
Wed Apr 25
  • Chilli Almond Biscuits -  Cheddar, paprika, garlic come together in this addictive savoury biscuit (RM5 for 5 cookies)
 Sat Apr 28
  • Not Your Ordinary Brownies - This actually inspired my blog's name. Chunks of biscuits and marshmallow make this brownie extraordinary. (RM5 for 2 pieces, 2 x 2 in each).
Remember to place your order 2 days in advance. Email me at teckpoh.choo at yahoo.com or text/call me at 012-383 5023. :) For clearer information on how NYOB operates, please read here.

Monday 16 April 2012

Friday 13 April 2012

(French) Cheese Puffs


I'll pretend I know how to pronounce the word and call these gougères.




.

Wednesday 11 April 2012

Baking Schedule Apr 16 - 21, 2012

Mon Apr 16
  • Sunflower Seeds & Pumpkin Sourdough Bread - It has pumpkin seeds in it as well as pumpkin pulp, which gives it a dramatic orange colour. Organic ingredients include plain unbleached flour, sea salt and sunflower and pumpkin seeds. (RM5 for half a loaf, RM10 for 500g loaf, RM15 for 800g loaf)
Wed Apr 18
 Sat Apr 21
  • A Very Orangey Almond Cake glazed with Homemade Marmalade - I know someone who still dreams about it (RM20 for a 6-in round cake)
Remember to place your order 2 days in advance. Email me at teckpoh.choo at yahoo.com or text/call me at 012-383 5023. :) For clearer information on how NYOB operates, please read here. Ta!

Out of the Cookie Jar

One-a-day Cookies 











.....if I made it 6-inch in diameter! It is full of good stuff, i.e.
rolled oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, wholemeal flour....all organic.

Tuesday 10 April 2012

Monday 9 April 2012

What is Sourdough?

I've mentioned that I mostly bake Sourdough Breads. What is sourdough(SD)? Without going into the technical nitty-gritties of SD, SD bread is produced using one of the first forms of baking bread...with wild natural yeast. Jeffrey Hamelman maintains that "SD represents the true alchemy of the baker...bringing together of ingredients that on their own cannot uphold life, and, transforming them into nourishing life-sustaining bread." Don't just take my word for it, but, SD bread is more digestible; it has an unmistakable crumb texture and a depth of flavour (no doubt, to some it's acquired) that makes you want to get more of.

Here's what SD is NOT:
  • SD bread is NOT bread that has gone bad, hence, the sourness.
  • NOT all SD bread is sour. Its sourness or lack of it depends on the degree of fermentation.
  • SD bread is NOT just one type of bread. A great many kinds of regular bread can be turned into SD bread by replacing commercial yeast with a sourdough starter. After 7 years of baking sourdough bread, I find it an adventure to turn normal commercial yeasted breads into a full sourdough. 
  • You don't find SD in commercial bakeries much, because, "time is money" to a business, and SD flavours are slowly coaxed through a slow fermentation process. 
I still tremendously enjoy every step of making SD bread, from kneading and folding the dough with my hands to seeing it spring alive in the oven. It thrills me to be privy to such a miracle.

Saturday 7 April 2012

Simnel Cake

Available during Easter, this simnel cake is a light fruit cake with a delicious layer of homemade marzipan in the middle and topped with another layer of marzipan. The 11 marzipan balls represent the true apostles. Friends were joking, I should make a tree in the middle with a hanging 'apostle'.

Monday 2 April 2012

Baking Schedule


Mon Apr 2
  • Rocky Road Rock Cakes - a chocolatey cross between cake and cookie with walnuts, topped with mini marshmallow and gooey chocolate. (RM5 for 2 pcs)
Wed Apr 4
Sat Apr 7
  • Simnel Cake - available during Easter, this is a light fruitcake with a homemade marzipan filling and top. (RM35 for a 6-in round cake)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Because of the very eventful weekend, Monday's Bread will be moved to Tuesday. 1000 apologies for any inconvenience.

Tue Apr 10
  • Light Rye, Caraway & Linseed Sourdough Bread - if you love European breads full of flavour, you'd ADORE this bread. The only thing not organic in this bread is the caraway seeds. (RM5 for half a loaf, RM10 for 500g loaf, RM15 for 800g loaf)
Wed Apr 11
 Sat Apr 14
  • Pear Chocolate Cake  - discover what a lovely marriage of flavours pear and chocolate make. (RM22 for a 6-in round cake)
Remember to place your order 2 days in advance. Email me at teckpoh.choo at yahoo.com or text/call me at 012-383 5023. :)

About NYOB

NYOB = Not Your Ordinary Bakery. Yes, a strange name I know. Well, I used to be TPcalcake.net a few years ago when I was doing decorated custom cakes. I've since moved on from Cakes to Other Bakes, with more healthful elements; I bake exclusively with organic unbleached flour and organic ingredients whenever I can. Some of the goodies which has come out from my kitchen can be found at my picasa web albums here.

Our family has just moved to the cosy island of Penang from Kuala Lumpur 3 months ago and are loving it! A more relaxed schedule has enabled me more time and mood to crack open my many recipe books. :)

For starters, NYOB is going to function on an Order Basis. I'll post the menu a week ahead. Do give me your order 2 days in advance via email to teckpoh.choo at yahoo.com (remove the spaces and change the at to @)) or text OR give me a tinkle at 012-383 5023 OR tweet me @NYOBakery. You can also find me at my facebook pages (Teck Poh Choo or NYOB). I'll be happy to deliver to locations around Lembah Permai. Alternatively, please collect orders at Dari (Korean) Cafe, 30 Lebuh Lembah Permai 4, Tg Bungah, 11200 Penang.


Monday: Breads (mostly organic sourdough breads)
Wednesday: Cookies
Saturday: Cakes

Let's see how this schedule goes. There is a quick scrolling view on the top right side-bar, but, you will have to go to the weekly baking schedule posts for details. If there are some treats you are craving for, let me know and I'll see if what I can do during the in-between days. ;)

Cheers
TP