What a Wonderful Trip ! 美妙之旅

Even though early Spring in Boston is still very chilly, I was greatly warmed up by a lot of friends, both old and new. I had a fantastic time reuniting with my college friends with whom I have not been in contact for over 20 years. It was such a special occasion for all of us to catch up with each other. To me, the most treasureable thing is we can still connect and open up to one another.

I also had a special opportunity to meet many new friends in these two baking classes. It means a lot to me to meet up face to face and bake with some of my blog readers and followers who are on the other side of the country. I will always be thrilled and excited to share with someone who also has the same interest and passion in baking.

Boston, Here I Come ! 波士頓之旅

In less than a month's time, I will be in Boston visiting family and friends. During my stay, I am invited to hold a baking class in Newton, a suburb about 20 miles west of Boston, on Saturday April 6  (hopefully the snow is melted by then). If you are interested and also in the neighborhood or would like to have more details, send me an email: phoebechow@morethanbread.net

還有幾星期我會到波士頓探望親朋好友,同時也被邀請在四月六日星期六於牛津市舉行一個烘焙班 (希望那時積雪已經融化),若果你就在附近及有興趣參加,請致電郵與我聯絡: phoebechow@morethanbread.net

Another Great Year--2nd Anniversary 两週年慶

Do you have a dream? I would describe myself more as a down-to-earth person than a dreamer. Why? Maybe too many unfulfilled dreams or unattained goals? But we all know that having a goal or dream is important to press a person to go forward. Being a Christian, I believe in the sovereignty of the loving God over my life.

Looking back this year, there are things that happened in my life that I never dreamt of. Being an introvert and a low key person, I do not like being under the spotlight. If given a choice, I would prefer to be a listener than a speaker. I would never dream of myself doing a cooking demonstration in a public library. Days before the event, I tried to prepare myself, thinking the better prepared I was, the less nervous I would be. But no matter how well prepared I was, I was still very nervous. Ultimately, the performance was far from ideal....However, the demonstration was well received. The audience was very interested and this outcome was way better than I anticipated. And in the following months, five more libraries sent me invitations...I never dreamt something like this would happen!

Food Additives 人造色香味

"Plasticiser", "black water", "science bread"...you may not know about these terms but you may have consumed them without even knowing it. They might well be "legitimate" to be added to the food we buy and consumed. But our body is designed and built to eat real food, not food additives, in order to function normally. The advancement of modern science is breaking new grounds every day. New technology is no doubt creating a brighter future for our next generation. Food science helps prolong the shelf life of many foods so that in this global market, we can enjoy them from around the world. Food additives enhance the texture, color, taste and shelf life of many processed foods. Technology even can create fake food that tastes, looks and smells exactly like real food.

More Demos to Come 免費示範陸續有來

For those who are interested in attending the Bo Law Bao Demonstration but missed the previous ones, here is great news: there are two more chances in September:

9/8/12 Saturday at 2pm in Rowland Heights Library
9/22/12 Saturday at 2pm in El Monte Library

Parking may be a bit tight on 9/8/12 because it is the Centennial Celebration of Los Angeles County Library. Please come early.

Baking for a Good Cause 義賣籌款

I have never done any fundraising with my baking in the past. This time I am doing it to raise funds for various short term mission teams at my church. Although I am not physically going to a mission field, by doing what God makes me do best is another great way to participate.
Baking 100 macarons and 100 cups of tiramisu is a big project. I have been planning for days. The most challenging part is to determine how many ingredients to prepare.

我從未用烘焙成品來作籌款,今次是為了幫助教會短宣隊作籌募經費之用,雖然我本身未能親身成行去到宣教工場,但能夠用神給我在烘焙上的恩賜去服事也都是美事啊。
要做一百個馬卡龍及一百杯提拉米蘇須要調詳的計劃及準備,其中最具挑戰性的是決定要買多少材料。

No more shrinkage ! 不再回縮

light cheesecake after the shock treatment

This is another great illustration on how understanding science helps me to be a better baker. Ever since I started baking cakes, especially light cheesecake, the issue of shrinkage always bothered me. I carefully and diligently beat up the egg white to stiff peaks and folded it in with the batter. I hoped that the air that was incorporated would expand due to the oven's heat and produce a nice and fluffy cake. But I was disappointed to notice the cake gradually shrank after a few minutes out of the oven.

Upcoming Free Demos 免費示範預告

多謝大家的支持,免費菠蘿包示範再度卷土重來。今次我很榮幸被另外四間在聖蓋博谷的公衆圖書館邀請,再與大家分享做包的心得。詳情及地址請點擊圖書館名稱,希望到時見到您 !

Thanks to all your support. Bo Law Bao demonstration is back by popular demand. I am honored to be invited by four more libraries in the San Gabriel Valley to share my baking passion in the coming months. If you missed my last demo in Diamond Bar Library, here are more chances. Mark your calendar:

Public Event Snap Shots 公開活動花絮

I was honored to be invited to do a demonstration on how to make bo law bao last weekend in Diamond Bar Library. It was my wildest dream that I would be sharing my passion in baking in a county library. I met many enthusiastic friends who liked the demonstration and asked a lot of questions.

New Classes 新班開鑼

After taking a break in December, baking classes are back in the coming new year. Chinese New Year is a bit early for 2012. In order to prepare for it, I have designed some classes to make traditional steamed cake. Click here for details.


十二月休息了一個月之後,新班迎接虎年即將開鑼啦! 有多款中式糕點與大家分享。詳情這點擊這裏 。

Clay Pot Rice with Chinese Sausages 臘味煲仔飯

I know we are blessed to live in Los Angeles, especially during the wintertime. Winter in Southern California is mild compared to the rest of the country. The normal daytime highs are in the 60's and nighttime lows are around the 40's. Although we don't usually get below freezing temperatures, it is still considered to be cold by many of us.

Soy Sauce Egg 鹵水蛋

Hard boiled eggs sound easy to make. I remember it was one of the small and simple tasks that was taught to me by my mom when I was young. I was not properly instructed at the time and most of the time the eggs cracked while boiling and the whites spilled out and it became ugly.  And sometimes the yolk is completely runny....There is so much science involved: click here to read an experiment on boiling eggs. In reality, it is more than a simple task...

Now I am a mom, I want to make sure that my children know how to boil an egg properly.

Totally Astonished !!

Many people say life is an adventure. Forrest Gump says it's like a box of chocolates."You never know what you're gonna get!" When I started this blog a year ago, I just wanted to share my recipes and love of baking with others. A few months ago, I wouldn't even envision myself "teaching" others how to bake bread.

Dessert and Cake Class 蛋糕甜品班

Tiramisu

Dessert and Cake Class

As temperature drops and the air becomes crispy clear, we know it is the change of season. Fall is already here and before we know it, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year holidays will be here in no time. It also means that family gatherings and party celebrations will fill our calendar. Do you want to impress your friends or guests with a homemade dessert this year ? Mark down on your calendar the following dates (or iPhone/iPad).

春去秋來, 轉眼又是秋高氣爽的日子, 跟着感恩節、聖誕節及新年便接踵而至, 在這些喜慶節日, 一家人或和朋友歡聚是少不了的, 在享用完一頓美食後, 怎少得了一道甜點呢! 今年你是否希望為你的親朋好友親手做一款愛心甜點或蛋糕呢? 機會來了, 請在你的記事簿(or iPhone/iPad) 上寫上以下日期.

This time I will offer a few classes to fit different interests and skill levels:

1)  Basic Chiffon Cake and Cupcake Class: this class will cover the basic techniques in making a cake such as how to properly beat egg, fold batter, cream butter and sugar, etc.

Date: 10/22/11 Saturday 1-4pm

chiffon cake

2)  Tiramisu and Souffle: what is the secret for making a dramatic rise in a souffle ? how to make a creamy tiramisu that is filled with coffee and liquor flavor ?

Date: 10/29 Saturday 1-3pm

strawberry souffle

mango souffle

3)  Japanese light Cheesecake and Lava Cake: this extremely light cheesecake is so velvety that it will just melt in your mouth. Instead of getting a lava cake from a five star hotel or restaurant, I will show you how to make it easily at home to "wow" your family and guests.

Date: 11/12/11 Saturday 1-4pm

chocolate lave cake

Class size: minimum 3, maximum 6 per class

Note: Weekday morning class available upon request

Send me an email to reserve your spot: yf_yu@hotmail.com

Coming Soon

9/21/11 UPDATE:


The class on 9/24/11 is already full. I have added two more classes to meet the demand: 9/23/11 Friday morning and 10/1/11 Saturday afternoon. Reserve your space before it is full again !

Confused about the difference between bread flour, all-purpose flour and cake flour? Don’t know whether to buy unbleached or bleached flour?

Concerned with all the artificial and food additives in the processed foods you buy? Want to learn a life skill that will definitely benefit the health of your family and at the same time have fun?

If your answer to any of the above is positive, then you do not want to miss this great opportunity.

Annoucement: baking class

It's been almost a year since I launched this blog in October 2010. I have learned so much this past year, not just in terms of cooking and baking skills, but also about blogging and photographic techniques. It really opened me up to a new world and many doors to me. And most importantly, the more I know, I realized that there was far more I needed to know.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all my family and friends who support me through different channels. I would not have gone this far without your ideas, suggestions and encouragements.

In response to numerous inquiries, I am taking a leap of faith to offer cooking classes after much consideration. This is just a way to share my experience with those who are interested and it is not meant to be formal training. I hope it will be fun, practical, interesting, and a way to make more friends.

In order to accommodate different needs, I would like to ask you to give me feedback or comments so that I would have an idea as to what and when (weekdays or/and weekends) to offer. You can do so by clicking comment on the bottom of this post. Thank You!

自從上年十月開始,轉眼間我寫這個網誌也將近一年時間,我不斷在各方面學習,除了烹飪及烘焙技巧與知識外, 網誌、電腦與攝影技術對於我也是很新的範疇,有很多學習的空間。寫這個網誌實在擴闊了我的世界及開搌了很多門,使我更體驗到學海無涯之意思。

我想藉此機會向我的家人及朋友致謝,你們在各方面的支持與鼓勵,實在是我背後最大的推動力。

經過眾多朋友的諮詢、鼓勵和自己詳細的考慮,我願意踏出信心的一步,嘗試開班與別人分享自己的經驗與心得,希望課程能夠做到實用與趣味性兼備。

為了能適合不同人的須要,請在下面comment處寫上你的意見及須要,以便我可以設計不同的課程及上課時間去迎合各位,多謝 !