MY life in Doha can be summed up as a cross between Bree Vanderkamp's and Gabrielle Solis' at the moment. I find myself re-visiting an old hobby of baking like Bree and earning the right to eat the baked goods and sample new restaurants by working out like Gabby, although I do worry like Susan every now and then with the ardent hope of wanting to get back to the corporate world like Lynette. Oh, I miss the Desperate Housewives alright!
Getting back to baking has been therapeutic. I'm once again reminded of why I'd started baking during my teenage years in the first place. There's definitely something relaxing about breaking and beating and throwing things into a chamber of heat. It's a greater joy to see the beaten ingredients rise up to their best an hour later and the bestest part is when I'm able to share it with others. Washing up is the only thing I absolutely dread. Right now, my Sri Lankan neighbour is enjoying the perks of living next to a baking addict.
I've been baking plenty of cakes, particularly those using fresh fruits and vegetables. I love slicing, chopping and grating them as the scent fills my tiny kitchen and...my big head. The colours are also amazing, a treat to my senses. It usually feels like being in a garden or the fruit section of a tropical wet market - a big contrast from the view outside my kitchen which is basically little brown boxes of other houses.
Apart from testing out and tweaking recipes from books and websites, I've also been thinking of mixing and combining ingredients for new recipes. I don't mind complicated methods if the end result is going to be just awesome with a capital A! So with that, my mind is set on the next project which is the Red Velvet cake...with beetroot and the red mess and all. Any tips would be great!
Here are some photos (by the way, I love taking pics of food) of the recent cakes I've baked.
Getting back to baking has been therapeutic. I'm once again reminded of why I'd started baking during my teenage years in the first place. There's definitely something relaxing about breaking and beating and throwing things into a chamber of heat. It's a greater joy to see the beaten ingredients rise up to their best an hour later and the bestest part is when I'm able to share it with others. Washing up is the only thing I absolutely dread. Right now, my Sri Lankan neighbour is enjoying the perks of living next to a baking addict.
I've been baking plenty of cakes, particularly those using fresh fruits and vegetables. I love slicing, chopping and grating them as the scent fills my tiny kitchen and...my big head. The colours are also amazing, a treat to my senses. It usually feels like being in a garden or the fruit section of a tropical wet market - a big contrast from the view outside my kitchen which is basically little brown boxes of other houses.
Apart from testing out and tweaking recipes from books and websites, I've also been thinking of mixing and combining ingredients for new recipes. I don't mind complicated methods if the end result is going to be just awesome with a capital A! So with that, my mind is set on the next project which is the Red Velvet cake...with beetroot and the red mess and all. Any tips would be great!
Here are some photos (by the way, I love taking pics of food) of the recent cakes I've baked.
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| My all time fav! The Lemon Drizzle Cake. Adapted from here. |
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| I can go on eating this Strawberry Cake forever. I prefer baked berries to macerated ones in my cakes. Recipe from here. |
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| The Zucchini Cake with Cranberries and Walnuts! This is like a meal on its own. Fruity and nutty, makes a great breakfast. Adapted from here. |
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| The Apple Cake. Pleasant but I should add more spices and flavour to this one. Adapted from here. |
Well, I'm not a great cake-eater, but I'd happily lick the spoon clean after you've finished stirring the cake mix. The lemon drizzle looks most appetising to me - nice and simple.
ReplyDeletethat IS the best part, GB. licking it all! hahaha.
Deletei love anything lemon. lets just say i'd prefer the lemon slices to main course tequila anytime :p
great looking cake
ReplyDeleteThanks Adam
DeleteAs your "Sri Lankan neighbour" who counts herself lucky to be "well-placed" next to you, so that I get a taste of almost all the cakes you "conjure up" in that sardine tin of a kitchen, I think my comments carry some weight.... :-)
ReplyDeleteAll the cakes I've tasted are great...!! I literally drooled over the apple cake ;-) and loved the lemon one which left a tingle in my tongue... The Zucchini cake, as you rightly said, was heavy and filling. In short, your cakes made wonderful desserts...!
I am glad that baking is therapeutic for you Jaya, that means more baking from you...which means more cakes for me.........!! (in jest, of course..) :-))
Happy baking dearie...!!
Cheers....!!
Ahh Thanks for this big thumbs up! More cakes coming your way !
DeleteXx
Awww... I miss baking too.. No more time for baking with little baby to keep me busy on all my off days..
ReplyDeleteWhen the baby grows up a little you can start to bake to feed her :)
DeleteLooks good indeed, even though can't eat such things at my feed.
ReplyDeleteAww why not? ??
DeleteI love love love the Desperate Housewives references Jaya, it's cool because I think you look a little like Gabby and from these photos you bake like Bree, these look incredible from the photos, I'd love to sample some of this right now!
ReplyDeleteI love love love the show Matthew! She's like size 0. I'm like 2 or 4. Lol. But thanks!
DeleteCome over anytime for sampling!
I love to bake, but I'm no Bree. I never saw myself in any of the desperate housewives. I'm more of a sex and the city type. I'm Charlotte, though I wish I were Samantha.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
SATC got boring after a few episodes for me but I love the movies. Charlotte was a nice girl :) Samantha was someone we all fancied.
DeleteIf I had to pick someone, it has to be Carrie for me.
Breaking and beating and throwing things.... Is that a fact? I had no idea I actually had three things in common with a real chef. ;) I can't cook to save my life but I don't mind a strawberry cake or two.... a day.
ReplyDeleteYeah ;) I haven't been able to find a fitness kick boxing place here for me to do all that so this would do for now.
DeleteGet Angie to make you those. It's yum!
Kick boxing... Well, I guess I'll be polite to you from now on :D Angie's married now, so she doesn't have to impress me. It's called bait and switch. Didn't you know?
DeleteWhat is this? Our shared pre mid life crisis? I have been religiously baking every weekend since Christmas, fruit pies, chocolate pies, cakes, brownies and cinnamon rolls! It's hot cross buns this weekend, of course. Have fun babe, I know I do!
ReplyDeleteSounds like it though. Lol. Sounds like great fun :)
DeleteI have a tip Jaya...I think you should have me as your cake tester. Yes. I think this would be a win/win situation. But I'm not washing up - I'll be far too full ;)
ReplyDeleteI'd be just more than happy n you know that. Hmmm... washing up. Urgggh!
DeleteMmmm - those all look delicious.
ReplyDeleteU made cake with zucchini that's so out of the norm
ReplyDeletebut its awesome babe! i love it :)
DeleteI made a cranberry cake it turned to jam inside.
ReplyDeleteHalf these photos look like they should be in a cookbook, your kind of an overacheiver?
Great food, well other than cinnamon i hate that for some reason.