sweet potato latte and a playlist | 播放列表和一杯红薯拿铁

Sweet Potato Latte 

a medium size sweet potato

250ml milk

2tbsp honey

1. ) Peel sweet potatoes and chop into pieces. Boil till soft.

2.) In a blender, combine potato and milk and blend till smooth.

3.) Pour back into the pot and heat it up till it boils.

4.) Remove from heat and pour into cup. Add in honey.

5.) Enjoy!

Today is one of those days whereby the horizon out of my window is just gloomy. I don't know why but it hasn't been really sunny lately which kind of affects how the day goes. Not only that, the temperature is just outrageous, its so hot and humid that every second is like being in a sauna. All I crave for now is a cooling and breezy afternoon. I spent practically days staying at home doing absolutely nothing other than baking, cooking, reading, using the internet and sleep. 

This mundane routine is accompanied by a bunch of songs that sort of helped me to get through the day with ease, and perfect for chill nights. Along with that, a cup of your favourite hot drink to keep you hydrated and energetic throughout the day is a must. 

红薯拿铁

红素， 中型

牛奶 250ml

蜂蜜 2tbsp

1.）将红薯去皮，切块。放进锅里蒸10-15分钟。

2.）蒸好的红薯放进搅拌机里，与牛奶一块搅拌。

3.) 搅拌好后，倒入锅里，煮到滚为止。

4.）倒入杯子，放进两茶匙蜂蜜。

这几天我都窝在家里，什么也没做，就做我喜欢的事。烘培，煮饭，读书，上网，睡觉。我也时常陪我家人，能为他们做点什么还真是有种幸福的感觉。可是最近的天气不知道出了什么问题，天阴阴的但还是非常的闷热，我想随时都会中暑。随着同样的日常事务度过每一天，以及消除 “炎热” 的不愉快，拥有几首精心挑选的歌曲是必须的。

夜声人静时，听听歌让自己放松，暂时把所有的不愉快，抛到九霄云外。

-

1.) JUNGGIGO(정기고) _ 247(일주일) (Feat. Zion.T, Crush, DEAN) | korean r&b

2.) 딘 (DEAN) - D (half moon) | korean r&b 

3.) 치즈(CHEEZE) - Romance | korean indie

4.) The Jungle Giants - Don't know what else to do | indie rock

5.) Lullatone - working from a park bench | electronic, ambient

6.) Foster The People - Ruby | indie pop

7.) Bon Iver - Holocene | indie folk

8.) 李荣浩 - 模特 | chinese pop

9.) 先知玛丽 －星夜里的人 | alternative rock

10.) Hush! 乐团 －更好的地方 | indie rock 

-

eat something you grow

I have a pot of Basil plant growing at my kitchen porch for some time now and it has been useful whenever I make spreads, salads or sandwiches. Its kinda cool spending time on herb planting, whereby you can eat something you grow. The best way to grow your own basil is to buy pre-cut basils from the supermarket. Yes, its weird. Basil plant have a long lifespan even when they are being separated from the main stem. They actually fight to live.

01. Buy Basils from supermarkets.
02. Use Basils for your feast but leave one/two stalks to grow.
03. Grab a small pot or container and fill up with 1/3 water.
04. Submerge part of Basil stem. Ensure that not the whole stem is in water, or else it will wither.
05. Patiently wait for about 2-3 weeks whereby white roots grow from the end of the stem.
06. The growth of roots means that the Basil is ready to be grown in soil.
07. Once they are in soil, do water regularly.
08. As long as the plant becomes 2 times taller and have more Basil leaves, you may use them.

Okay the above is just based on how I grew them. It didn't fail, surprisingly. However, more information on Basils are out there in the internet and you would eventually find your own ways to grow herbs. I guess there is no reason not to grow herbs,  the concrete jungle we live in is actually much more than buildings.

We reap what we sow.

Way of life

The amount of trips made to the market is countless, and everytime its different. We can come back with bags of potatoes, gallons of milk or even 10 apples. As soon as each season changes, the market changes their delight. I remember seeing people choosing their choice of fruit/veg meticulously and there are even with smiles on their faces due to various offers. The way of life in the market is certainly fascinating. Whenever I head to the 'baking' section, the sight of people choosing bags of flour and boxes of baking soda, gets me wondering what they are going to bake. Sometimes they might just exchange a few good recipes with you and help you settle your dilemma for dinner. I think that the respect we as humans have for ingredients in preparing a dish is pretty important, and they can be found largely in the market. As you look around at where you are in any markets, observe what people doing. Some are asking the butcher how their day was going; some are thinking really hard on which food to get; some are admiring the colourful scene at the fresh food areas; while some are choosing the best for their family. How each person act differs from one another and at the end of day, you might just stumble into something special. 

“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.”

-Henry David Thoreau , Walden

A biscuit, a jar and a basket of lemons

Submissions and sleepless nights are finally over, for now. I neglected baking for quite some time, ever since school begin and I do miss the times when we were carefree. 

Note: Before making marmalades and jams, sterilise the glass jars. 

         Here's how:

           1. Place jars and lids in a big pot then slowly add in tepid water until it overfills the jars.

           2. Turn on the stove and allow water to boil at least 10 mins.

           3. Try not to overshot the 10 min rule.

           4. After 10 mins, allow them to stay in the hot water.

           5. When your jam/marmalade is ready, take the jars out and fill them.

Plum Jam        

Ingredients:

plum                6

sugar               100g

lemon juice     2tsp

1. Wash the plums, take out the seed and slice into cubes.

2. Place in a pot.

3. Mix lightly with sugar.

4. Once juice is seen coming out after 5 mins, add lemon juice.

5. Let it simmer.

6. Remove skin after boiling for 12-15mins (improve texture of marmalade).

7. Let it cool and serve!

Lemon Curd

Ingredients:

2 eggs

2/3 sugar

200ml lemon juice

zest of 4 big lemons

4 tbsp butter

1. Combine the eggs, sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice.

2. Place into a heat-proof stove and turn on stove.

3. Stir constantly until it thickens, about 10-12mins.

4. Take the pot off from the heat and add in butter.

5. Stir well and let it cool.

6. Enjoy!

We brought them to the beach the next day and paired it with pancakes. A bottle of Yuzu tea was taken along to accompany the sea breeze.