Dear my beloved fellas, please hype me! Just press the button to hype me.
And enjoy every looks of me. Thanks a lot. Spasiba!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Let's Be Realistic
Let's be realistic. If a recipe calls for Mexican oregano and I've got a bag of plain old oregano bought in bulk, am I going to run out to the store? If a recipe calls for sweet Hungarian paprika and my bottle has no affiliation with an eastern European country, am I going to abandon ship? And are panko breadcrumbs really far superior to other breadcrumbs?
All this time I've been preaching about cooking things yourself. But cooking it yourself is not about cooking it Top Chef style with a million ingredients, most of which are packaged in large quantities but only required in 1/4 teaspoons. It's about being realistic about what you need and what you don't need, and knowing what tastes good enough to eat at home because this isn't a restaurant and you don't need to put parsley on the plate so why buy a bunch for a recipe that requires five leaves?
But enough of that tirade. Let's just take a Top Chef recipe and see what we can make of it. A couple weeks ago, the recipe for Sesame Lamb Meatballs won the elimination challenge on Top Chef and I was all about making it at home. I figured it had some lamb, some sesame paste, salt, pepper, olive oil. You know, the basics. Then I looked at the recipe and counted 17 ingredients, or 18 if you want to count the lemongrass skewers the meatballs are threaded on. There were two kinds of meat! There were two kinds of sesame seeds!
I nixed the ground beef right away. These were lamb meatballs, I was sold on lamb meatballs, and I wasn't going to buy ground beef just to use 4 ounces of it. Next I nixed the parsley because, as mentioned above, I have no use for leftover parsley and my fridge is getting tired of the mess it leaves. Next I addressed the roasted garlic oil. I'm not sure if one can buy roasted garlic oil. I'm certain that I could make roasted garlic oil, but did I really want to make it? So I resigned myself to just adding roasted garlic, and then at the last minute just added chopped garlic and nixed the roasting altogether.
Next on the list was sherry vinegar, which I never have around but see in recipes all the time. I decided I would buy sherry vinegar, but then I didn't see any at the grocery store and so I used my standby substitute, cider vinegar. It works just fine. Mexican oregano = oregano. Smoked paprika = paprika. And black and white sesame seeds would have to be just one or the other, whatever color I spotted at the supermarket first. But here's a hint - don't skip the tahini or the chile paste. Because these meatballs taste like sesame and chile, and everything else just adds deliciousness. Maybe I'm sacrificing a little bit of deliciousness, but I'm getting a lot of darn good meatballs either way.
The moral of the story is, make decisions about what's realistic and make the recipe work for you. You're eating it - not some judge. And it's okay if the meatballs end up being flat instead of round (ahem).
Top Chef Sesame Lamb Meatballs (from Bravotv.com - but edited)
Ingredients:
All this time I've been preaching about cooking things yourself. But cooking it yourself is not about cooking it Top Chef style with a million ingredients, most of which are packaged in large quantities but only required in 1/4 teaspoons. It's about being realistic about what you need and what you don't need, and knowing what tastes good enough to eat at home because this isn't a restaurant and you don't need to put parsley on the plate so why buy a bunch for a recipe that requires five leaves?
But enough of that tirade. Let's just take a Top Chef recipe and see what we can make of it. A couple weeks ago, the recipe for Sesame Lamb Meatballs won the elimination challenge on Top Chef and I was all about making it at home. I figured it had some lamb, some sesame paste, salt, pepper, olive oil. You know, the basics. Then I looked at the recipe and counted 17 ingredients, or 18 if you want to count the lemongrass skewers the meatballs are threaded on. There were two kinds of meat! There were two kinds of sesame seeds!
I nixed the ground beef right away. These were lamb meatballs, I was sold on lamb meatballs, and I wasn't going to buy ground beef just to use 4 ounces of it. Next I nixed the parsley because, as mentioned above, I have no use for leftover parsley and my fridge is getting tired of the mess it leaves. Next I addressed the roasted garlic oil. I'm not sure if one can buy roasted garlic oil. I'm certain that I could make roasted garlic oil, but did I really want to make it? So I resigned myself to just adding roasted garlic, and then at the last minute just added chopped garlic and nixed the roasting altogether.
Next on the list was sherry vinegar, which I never have around but see in recipes all the time. I decided I would buy sherry vinegar, but then I didn't see any at the grocery store and so I used my standby substitute, cider vinegar. It works just fine. Mexican oregano = oregano. Smoked paprika = paprika. And black and white sesame seeds would have to be just one or the other, whatever color I spotted at the supermarket first. But here's a hint - don't skip the tahini or the chile paste. Because these meatballs taste like sesame and chile, and everything else just adds deliciousness. Maybe I'm sacrificing a little bit of deliciousness, but I'm getting a lot of darn good meatballs either way.
The moral of the story is, make decisions about what's realistic and make the recipe work for you. You're eating it - not some judge. And it's okay if the meatballs end up being flat instead of round (ahem).
Top Chef Sesame Lamb Meatballs (from Bravotv.com - but edited)
Ingredients:
- 16 oz ground lamb
- 1/8 cup chopped fresh cilantro stems
- 1 Tbl chopped garlic
- 2 Tbl cider vinegar
- 1 Tbl sambal (chile paste)
- 2 Tbl Tahini paste
- 1/8 cup chopped shallots
- 3 Tbl bread crumbs
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 whole egg
- 4 Tbl sesame seeds
- Salt & Sugar, to taste
1. Distribute all ingredients evenly.
2. Form patties and wrap around skewers.
3. Grill to desired doneness.
Stir Fry Papaya Buds (Tumis Bunga Pepaya)
500 gr papaya flower buds
20 gr (3 cm) galangal
5 gr (5 cm) fresh ginger
50 gr green chili
50 gr red chili
5 salam leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1/4 cup water
Wash and pick flowers into bite sizes. Blanch with boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside
In a food processor, add galangal, ginger, green and red chili, and hit pulse for 2 – 3 minutes until everything is mixed well and turned into grainy paste
Heat cooking oil in a wok / pan. Stir fry paste and salam leaves for 1 minute over high heat. Add water
Toss in blanched papaya flowers. Stir fry quickly for three minutes
Add sugar and salt. Cook for another minute
Remove salam leaves and serve warm
Stir Fry Papaya Buds (Tumis Bunga Pepaya)
500 gr papaya flower buds
20 gr (3 cm) galangal
5 gr (5 cm) fresh ginger
50 gr green chili
50 gr red chili
5 salam leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1/4 cup water
Wash and pick flowers into bite sizes. Blanch with boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside
In a food processor, add galangal, ginger, green and red chili, and hit pulse for 2 – 3 minutes until everything is mixed well and turned into grainy paste
Heat cooking oil in a wok / pan. Stir fry paste and salam leaves for 1 minute over high heat. Add water
Toss in blanched papaya flowers. Stir fry quickly for three minutes
Add sugar and salt. Cook for another minute
Remove salam leaves and serve warm
Manadonese Style Sweet And Spicy Sauce Fried Fish (Ikan Goreng Rica-Rica)
3 mackerel (or any fish you like)
2 tomatoes
6 tbsp oil
1 tsp palmsugar (gula jawa)
2 tbsp rice vinager
3 salam leaves
2 jeruk purut / kaffir lime leaves
1/2 tsp salt
Seasoning:
4 cm jahe (ginger)
3 shallots
3 cm laos (galangal)
3 cloves garlic
red lomboks (large chilies)
Pound or grind the ingredients for the seasoning into a paste.
Cut the tomatoes in thin slices.
Heat in a wok the oil and fry the fish brown and done.
Put the fish on a plate.
Add the bumbu (seasoning) and fry it for 3 minutes.
Then add the salam, the jeruk purut, the tomatoes, the palmsugar, the salt and the rice vinager and let it simmer slowly for 5 minutes.
Pour the sauce over the fish and serve.
Manadonese Style Sweet And Spicy Sauce Fried Fish (Ikan Goreng Rica-Rica)
3 mackerel (or any fish you like)
2 tomatoes
6 tbsp oil
1 tsp palmsugar (gula jawa)
2 tbsp rice vinager
3 salam leaves
2 jeruk purut / kaffir lime leaves
1/2 tsp salt
Seasoning:
4 cm jahe (ginger)
3 shallots
3 cm laos (galangal)
3 cloves garlic
red lomboks (large chilies)
Pound or grind the ingredients for the seasoning into a paste.
Cut the tomatoes in thin slices.
Heat in a wok the oil and fry the fish brown and done.
Put the fish on a plate.
Add the bumbu (seasoning) and fry it for 3 minutes.
Then add the salam, the jeruk purut, the tomatoes, the palmsugar, the salt and the rice vinager and let it simmer slowly for 5 minutes.
Pour the sauce over the fish and serve.
cinta padaNya berbalas bukan sahabat?
sy bangun pagi ini, mengintai langit. dgr lagu-lagu syahdu pun ade jgk. tskkk. belek FB, dan rasa rindu dkt seorg kwn yg tak pernah lg sy jumpa sejak kenal beliau. sy kenal sejak 8 tahun lalu & sy panggil die eeda. tua setahun, umur 22. name die Syaheedatul Iman. sedap kan?
sekali... sy nmpk gmbr atas ni as profile picture die. tgk status relationship pun bertukar. pelik. sekali bace wall dah kawin! waaaaaa... eeda! awk x bgtaw kte. sampai hati! sobb. heart attack kte pagi2 bute nih. belajar dkt Aussie dgn awk jgk eh.
awk. kita ingat lagi mcm mane awk jatuh terduduk satu ketika dulu. wkt awk pernah dilukakan oleh seorg lelaki yg awk syg bertahun-tahun. kita ingt lg sedeyhnye kte yg dgr cerita awk. ape tah lg awk yg menanggung? rugi, sbb die x nmpk awk syg die mcm mane, awk doa dkt Allah mcm mane... kte risau ble ingt awk wkt tu. berapa lame awk cuba bertarung nyawa utk selamatkan diri awk sdiri kan? bertapa awk cuba berdiri dgn sokongan fmly awk walaupun hari2 awk menangis...
tp eeda. jujur qla ckp, qla kagum dgn cara eeda menjaga diri. solat, tingkah laku, dan, tgklah tahap pendidikan awk pun. tgk eeda comel, doa awk dah dimakbulkan. doa awk didengar Allah. bila kte tgk wall awk, awk dah kawin, rase mcm skrng jgk nk jmpe awk n cakap "eeda, ade hikmahNya bkn? awk dah dpt jauh lebih baik dr die!" awk, untungnya awk. bertapa Allah syg awk...
bnyk lg kte nak ckp tp tak terckp dah awk. just moga awk bhgia & berjaya dunia akhirat. insya Allah. amin!
Roti Manis Isi
Sebetulnya sudah lama sekali nitip tepung K2 ke Marlian - NCC, tepung ini sangat ramai sekali dibicarakan jadi akupun berhasrat untuk beli juga. Tepung ini konon sangat enak dan bisa menghasilkan roti yang lembut seperti breadtalk, berhubung selama ini kalau bikin roti kadang jadi kadang tidak akhirnya tetap saja nekat beli pikirnya adalah tokh gak bisa roti donatpun jadi he...he...he... Setelah ini tepung duduk manis dirumah Lian hampir 2 minggu akhirnya kamis lalu pulang kantor aku ambil kerumahnya setelah berputar2 di dalam komplek lebih dari 3x karena salah blok hari sabtu kemarin aku coba dan aku menggunakan resep dari SAF Instan- ini resep dulu di NCC sudah pernah di posting. Kebetulan juga dirumah masih banyak smooked beef, cheese, tuna mayonaise & coklat alhasil roti yang kemarin dibuat dengan isi - isi tersebut. Yuks daripada berlama lama mendingan bikin yuks....
Roti Manis - SAF Instan
Bahan A:
500 kg tepung terigu protein tinggi
122 gram gula pasir
1 bks Saf Instan - (bisa diganti fermipan)
3 gram baker bonus
20 gram susu bubuk
Bahan B :
2 butir kuning telur
225 ml susu cair dingin - kemarin aku pake air es
Bahan C:
75 gram butter
1/2 sdt garam
Cara membuat :
Campur bahan A hingga rata, kemudian campur bahan B aduk hingga 1/2 kalis lalu masukan bahan C tetapi garam dimasukan terakhir - aduk hingga kalis. Diamkan adonan selama 15 menit, lalu kempiskan, timbang adonan masing masing 50 gr dan langsung isi dan bentuk kemudian diamkan 30 menit dan oven dengan suhu 180-190 C selama 10 menit.
Mudahkan........
Ini penampakan roti lembutnya, yang ini khusus untuk anak perempuanku yang nomor 1 karena dia suka roti coklat dan keju nyam...nyam...nyam...yummy.....
It's only money, right?
I think we are pretty much about to declare bankruptcy right now. Bad things come in three's, don't they?
The good news, as I reported earlier, is that my beloved dog Lucy has stabilized. I'm grateful for that. The bad news is that my sweet little Annie had to have knee replacement surgery. KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY??? FOR A DOG???? Well, yes. When she's torn out her ACL and is permanently limping, what choice do you have? In our case, it meant an orthopedic vet specialist, which is a polite way of saying "big bucks." Oh, Annie!
Then I was in the kitchen and suddenly there was a huge BANG and a BIG noise that sounded like shattered glass. Honestly, I thought someone had broken out a window and was breaking into the house. Upon investigation, I discovered the spring on the garage door had imploded and gone AWOL. WTF???? Suffice it to say, a few more bucks were required to cure the problem (along with my having to spend way too much time in the house the next day, waiting for the garage repair person).
Aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhh. I need chocolate.Here is the answer:
CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE TART (adapted from Claudia Fleming)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar
1 extra-large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa, such as Droste or Valhrona
1 1/4 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Using electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and confectioner's sugar until smooth and creamy, scraping down bowl once or twice. Add egg yolk and vanilla; beat until smooth. Scrape down bowl, then sift in cocoa, flour and salt. Beat on low speed until just combined. Remove from mixer, scrape down bowl and finish by hand until ingredients are just incorporated. Do not overmix.
Turn dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap and press into a round disk or a square, depending upon what size tart pan you are using. Wrap well and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to three days.
Refrigerate or freeze until dough is well-chilled. Place into oven preheated to 325-degrees and bake for 10 minutes then prick with fork to release any air and continue baking for another 10 minutes or until pastry looks dry and set. Cool on a rack.
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 extra-large eggs, room temperature (**See note below)
1 scant cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unbleached, all-purpose flour
Place butter and chocolate in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Cook and stir until just melted, then remove from heat to cool slightly.
To bake:
Preheat oven to 325-degrees. Fill pre-baked tart shell with chilled chocolate mixture (I use an ice cream scoop for this) then spread out and smooth top. Bake until the filling is puffed and slightly cracked on top 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for slightly (souffle may fall but don't worry), then remove from tart pan and cut into slices. Serve warm.
If you like, you can sift a little confectioner's sugar over this or serve with a little freshly whipped cream and even a few raspberries. I, however, think it's perfectly good on its own. In fact, that's how I prefer it. Why interfere with the chocolate?
Serves 8 - 12 (or more or less, depending once again upon how generous you want to be with your slices!)
* If you find the dough won't roll out without cracking, no worries. Just press it in. I promise you, no one will know the difference.
*** This recipe may sound complicated, but it can all be done in advance. The dough can be made and stored in the refrigerator (or even frozen). You could even get it into the pan and refrigerate or freeze it unbaked for several days or even a week or two. Also, don't forget the filling will last in the fridge for at least 3 days (and probably a few more). So once these pieces parts are in place, filling and baking at the last minute is a piece of cake. Oops, I mean pie.
The end result? Money!!! Trust me.
Shrimp, Squid and Avocado Salad
I have a cookbook I received for Christmas entitled Big Small Plates by Cindy Pawlcyn of Mustards Grill in Napa, California. I haven't heard of her or the restaurant, but the small plate idea seemed both fun and appropriate for summer when smaller, lighter meals might be better. This weekend was hot and I had Tex-Mex, so I was in no mood for a large dinner. I also am trying to continue a seafood theme through the summer months and take advantage of summer produce. This recipe is based on Pawlcyn's Shrimp, Crab and Octopus-Stuffed Avocado with Cilantro-Caper Mayonnaise. I have never had octopus, so I thought I'd give it a try. However, my local Whole Foods didn't have it and wasn't in the mood to drive across town to a fish store. So, I substituted calamari squid. I also had a container of these cute little orange tomatoes, so I used those. Pawlcyn also emphasized more of the mayonnaise and less lettuce. That's the beauty of cooking - you can can shape a recipe to your own tastes and needs. I thought of this as a dinner meal, so I added lettuce, and who needs a cup of mayonnaise for any reason? Also, she recommended boiling the octopus 45 minutes to an hour in salted water to make it tender. With squid and not wanting to take that long, I instead sauteed the squid and shrimp in olive oil and garlic for a very nice effect. So, for a fun summer salad, try this recipe. Serves 2.
Ingredients:
1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
1 tsp capers, rinsed
2 clove garlic, minced
salt/pepper
juice of 1 lime (about 1-2 tbsp)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp olive oil
8 oz shrimp, peeled
1 squid body (sliced into rings) and several tentacle pieces
1/2 cup cooked crabmeat
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced into wedges
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved if needed
2 cups shredded lettuce
Directions:
Make the cilantro-caper mayonnaise by combining the mayonnaise, cilantro, capers, 1 clove of minced garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Keep chilled until needed. Make the vinaigrette by combining the lime juice, extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. In a medium saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp of garlic and let the flavors release a few seconds. Add the shrimp and saute for two minutes. Add the squid and mix, to coat the squid and to turn the shrimp. Cook for 2 minutes longer and remove to a plate. Take care not to overcook the squid. Toss the lettuce with the vinaigrette, tomatoes and salt and pepper. Plate the lettuce mixture. Arrange the avocado wedges on top of the lettuce. Mix the squid, shrimp and crab meat in the cilantro-caper mayonnaise and spoon on top of the avocado. Serve.
sampai Sarawak, terus makan besar
assalamualaikum.
pagi td sy terkecuali dr menunaikan solat subuh, tp sy bgn seawal 7pg. semangat! haruslah, langsung tak packing ape mahu ke sarawak. sy pun bersegeralah packing, sambil on9, packing lg, on9 lg, termenung sana sini, mandi, dan akhirnya siap!
yes, dah siap, touch up tudung sikit! tnggu sy dibawah ye!
on the way to the airport, i fell asleep a few minutes, for a few times. ngee. kesian driver terpaksa drive sorang2, yerlah, dia tnye aku jwb. die diam, aku tidur. haha. sampai airport gile awal, around 1030am.
so aku pun laju bergerak menarik beg, dah mcm time skolah rendah dgn beg roda, ke kaunter check in special utk ATM --jimat mase aku dr que pepanjang nnt. yes yes, aku sedar kelebihan menjadi anak tentera!
aku on9 gune hp, sbb aku mls nak on laptop, then aku lapar. pergilah aku ke McD. sekali kaunter die, dah mcm mega sale pnye que. aku pun beli ice cream je. breakfast aku mmg selalu ice cream '-__-''
comel gile minah kecik nih kan? aku rase nak lepok2 je die. =P
duk dpn aku time aku lepak McD
dlm flight, sejam pertama aku tidur, sejam kedua aku tak boleh tidur. entah. sbb aku sedar kot td aku tidur tersenget2 kepala. aiseh. kantoi tidur buruk.
sampai airport Kuching, abah menyambut aku dgn girang. aku pun girang sbb dr airport terus aku gi beli baju 2 helai. then masuk kem kejap, tgk rumah lame. sebak plak aku rase. sobbb.
ini rumah lame aku, b4 aku pindah KL skrng.
mmg belakang rumah aku pdgn golf. cam best kan.
then abah bwk aku gi hotel Riverside. check in. sekali aku kene campak sorang rupenye. abah uruskan kerja packing die utk saat2 akhir nih. tak kisahlah abah. huhu.
yg penting malamnye abah bwk aku gi mkn, kwn abah, uncle Ah Seng belanje.
patung ni dkt dpn counter check in hotel. sarawak.
aku dduk tingkat 17 drpd 19. woo woo~
inilah biliknye. 2 single bed. more than enough babeh.
aku lepak, siap2, mandi, ready!!!
gi makan yok!
lalu dpn skola lame aku. St mary -- drjh 3,4,5
kiri, uncle yg sudi membelanja makan besar.
kanan, uncle yg sudi meramaikan majlis. ;P
sup shark fin, udang, roti best, sayur midin, ikan terubuk deep fry, pudding
-- perfect la uncle!
dan aku selamat sampai bilik nih sejam lalu kot. perut aku sakit skrng nih. tanda-tanda aku mungkin terpaksa melabur apa yg patut. haha.
esok? aku pun tak tahu lg prog camne. aku ikut je... dan dlm toilet ade penimbang, betullah berat aku makin naik. sobbbb... T__T
New me, new hectic days
Hey fellas, finnaly i can post some words. hihi.
Well, since July 1st im terrible busy. Yeah you know, now im working at office Mon to Fri. Thats sucks but fun anyway.
My office pretty far from home, at BSD, and needs like 45 minutes to arrive there.
But i love my office, because its only small office but very friendly.
I learning much here.
I cant budgeting, cant translate as well as proficiency on english.
I cant communicate so friendly everytime, but here, i should do, i do, and it works.
Well one thing i dont like being here is, the office hour, pretty long, more long than usually. 8 to 5. hmmm.
But its my bridge to success.
My days getting flat. So flat maybe.
I just have weekend to relaxing and hang out. So short and not satisfy.
But okay. Let me say it again, its a right place to learning.
yes, im studying here.
More thank studying in college.
Have you think, your teacher in university or college maybe never know the practic being managing editor. And i already learn. Good? I hope so.
I really miss my high school days even its fucking bad.
I really deeply miss my high school friends, theyre so lovable and coloring my days.
i miss my teachers too.
I miss my uniforms, for first time.
I really miss wake up at 5 and late and then i need to run and asked forgiveness from teacher. lol
Life must go on, right?
Well here i am.
new me, new session of life, i hope i can be a better person. Amin.
And I hope, GOD makes my dreams come true at the right time, studying in Holland. AMIN.
I love you as always gals and guys!
cup cup muaaah.
Well, since July 1st im terrible busy. Yeah you know, now im working at office Mon to Fri. Thats sucks but fun anyway.
My office pretty far from home, at BSD, and needs like 45 minutes to arrive there.
But i love my office, because its only small office but very friendly.
I learning much here.
I cant budgeting, cant translate as well as proficiency on english.
I cant communicate so friendly everytime, but here, i should do, i do, and it works.
Well one thing i dont like being here is, the office hour, pretty long, more long than usually. 8 to 5. hmmm.
But its my bridge to success.
My days getting flat. So flat maybe.
I just have weekend to relaxing and hang out. So short and not satisfy.
But okay. Let me say it again, its a right place to learning.
yes, im studying here.
More thank studying in college.
Have you think, your teacher in university or college maybe never know the practic being managing editor. And i already learn. Good? I hope so.
I really miss my high school days even its fucking bad.
I really deeply miss my high school friends, theyre so lovable and coloring my days.
i miss my teachers too.
I miss my uniforms, for first time.
I really miss wake up at 5 and late and then i need to run and asked forgiveness from teacher. lol
Life must go on, right?
Well here i am.
new me, new session of life, i hope i can be a better person. Amin.
And I hope, GOD makes my dreams come true at the right time, studying in Holland. AMIN.
I love you as always gals and guys!
cup cup muaaah.
I ♥ Much Love: Interview to Anna Paramita
The cutest thing about Anna is how creative she can be in every single entry she writes; when you come around her blog, Much Love, the first word that comes to your head is inspiration. Creativity, fashion, photography or vintage, Anna's entries are always looking for something that can make our brain work inside creativity oceans. And that's how I met her little box of secrets, searching for some inspiration, searching for the originality inside our lifes.
Another thing I really admire about Anna is that she always shows that the simple things are what makes us happier, and our lives filled with beauty; we don't nedd such expensive things for being happy, imagination can takes us wherever we want so, why waste it?
Normally, Anna doesn't post pitures about herself; so the mistery around herself is a little bit more interesting.
Q: Thank you so much for helping me dong this interview, Anna!So, first of all, could you please tell us who you are and a brief description of you?
A: Well, my name is Anna. I'm an Indonesian, but have been living in Australia for about 8 years. I'm 26 years old.
Q: What do you do? What do you like to dedicate?
A: My most recent profesional work was as a multimedia/graphic designer. I have also been running my Etsy shop (muchlove.etsy.com) as a tiny side business for the past 3 years.
Q: Can you talk a little about your interests?
A: I have always loved all things creative. I like to try a bit of everything. Since I was little, I loved to draw. Also, apart from the jewelry making I do for my shop, I've been getting into photography a lot lately.
Q: Now, a question that everybody says that it's really difficult... Tell us a book, an album and a movie without which you could not live.
Q: Oh this is a hard one. Book: any classic Peanuts comic books. Movie: Amelie. I can't think of an album though (sorry!)
Q: Would you share with us a memory that makes you smile?
I have vivid memories of when I was little, every Sunday, sitting in the back seat of my parent's car, my mum and dad in the front, on the way home from the market, munching on crispy spring rolls, whilst listening to my dad's old Bee Gees cassestte tapes. It was a very
comforting feeling.
Q: Any favorite quote?
A: “I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls” (Audrey Hepburn)
Q: At what age did your get interested in the fashion world?
A: It wasn't until my late teens/ early 20s that I actually started paying attention to fashion. That seems so late, doesn't it?
Q: Could you explain us a bit what has been the evolution of your image?
A: When I was young, I didn't really care about fashion. I only dressed in whatever was comfortable – which would be tshirts and jeans. I think once I left home and went to University, I started exploring what was “fashionable” and enjoyed shopping at fashion chain stores. After a while, I started to realize what I really like instead of following the latest trends. Nowadays I buy most of my clothes from thrift shops and vintage stores, keeping in mind what suits my personal style.
Q: How would you describe your actual style?
A: Feminine, vintage, sweet, and a little quirky.
Q: You've got a section in your blog about vintage; what's the most special thing about vintage for you?
A: I think there's a certain charm about all things vintage (including the fashion) that is so wonderful and timeless.
Q: And about the editorials? Any favourite one?
A: Probably vintage Vogue editorials are some of the best ones out there.
Q: Have you got any special obsession (like shoes, bows, skirts...)?
A: Lately I'm loving lots of lace and florals.
Q: When and why did you decide to start writing a blog?
A: I started the blog around 3 years ago, after I opened my Etsy shop. At the time, I did it because every Etsy seller had a blog so it just seemed like the right thing to do! But after a while, it became less about my shop, and more about my personal interests, especially
fashion and photography.
Q: What do you want to express with your blog? Do you think it adds anything to the people who read it?
A: It's a very visual blog, with lots of images but only a little writing. I only post things that I myself love, but I also hope that my readers would love it to.
Q: As you may know, you're such a great inspiration for people all around the world with those romantic and inspirational entries; what do you feel when someone says you are his/her inspiration? What would you say to those people?
A: I would say THANK YOU!!! I still find it really unbelievable that so many people read my blog and are even inspired by it. That makes me really really happy, and it makes it all worth while. There are some comments that are so sweet that it can completely make my day.
Q: What do you think about the actual Bloggers' world? Do you think they've got some influence into the fashion world? In wich way do you think they make the fashion world evolve?
A: I think the bloggers' world is growing so much and so fast in these past couple of years! People nowadays don't just seek fashion news/advice from magazines, but now they're also looking at their favourite bloggers too. Fashion labels recognize blogs as a new medium for them to promote themselves, and fashion enthusiasts see blogs are a new place to seek out new looks and trends. So I definitely think a lot of fashion bloggers are becoming increasingly influential.
Q: Have you had some experience with any fashion or beauty brand for being a blogger, just to promote them? Wich ones? How it was?
A: No, I haven't.
Q: In the USA is very common asking for a sponsor; something that in Europe people don't usually do (we expect the brands to come to us). Can you please explain us a little bit more about this? Wich one was your first sponsor? Have you got a favourite one?
A: I'm not in the USA or Europe, so I'm not sure what the difference is. Personally, I make sure the sponsors on my blog are those that suit my own interest. So most of them are small online businesses that are related to vintage fashion, photography, and crafts. I think it's fine to ask for a sponsor if you like their work, and not just doing it to get paid. I think one of my very first sponsors was Susannah Tucker photography. She is still one of my most loyal sponsors to this day.
Q: Wich ones are your top 5 bloggers of the moment and why?
Pugly Pixel – lots of lovely images and a great resource for free clip arts and design tips
Little Reminders of Love – this blog always makes me smile!
Here Comes The Sun – for neverending dreamy photography inspiration
Thrift Candy – wonderful thrifted outfits, with snippets of her sweet family life too.
Lisa's Likes – great fashion outfits and some photography too.
Q: And finally (but not less important), tell us a tip for your readers (a tip for their lifes, for the fashion bloggers' world or whatever you want to say to them.
A: For bloggers, always always post what you love!
Thank you so much, Anna!! This was really charming and I hope that everybody enjoyed the interview...
So... did you know about Much Love? What's your opinion?
Another thing I really admire about Anna is that she always shows that the simple things are what makes us happier, and our lives filled with beauty; we don't nedd such expensive things for being happy, imagination can takes us wherever we want so, why waste it?
Normally, Anna doesn't post pitures about herself; so the mistery around herself is a little bit more interesting.
Q: Thank you so much for helping me dong this interview, Anna!So, first of all, could you please tell us who you are and a brief description of you?
A: Well, my name is Anna. I'm an Indonesian, but have been living in Australia for about 8 years. I'm 26 years old.
Q: What do you do? What do you like to dedicate?
A: My most recent profesional work was as a multimedia/graphic designer. I have also been running my Etsy shop (muchlove.etsy.com) as a tiny side business for the past 3 years.
Q: Can you talk a little about your interests?
A: I have always loved all things creative. I like to try a bit of everything. Since I was little, I loved to draw. Also, apart from the jewelry making I do for my shop, I've been getting into photography a lot lately.
Q: Now, a question that everybody says that it's really difficult... Tell us a book, an album and a movie without which you could not live.
Q: Oh this is a hard one. Book: any classic Peanuts comic books. Movie: Amelie. I can't think of an album though (sorry!)
Q: Would you share with us a memory that makes you smile?
I have vivid memories of when I was little, every Sunday, sitting in the back seat of my parent's car, my mum and dad in the front, on the way home from the market, munching on crispy spring rolls, whilst listening to my dad's old Bee Gees cassestte tapes. It was a very
comforting feeling.
Q: Any favorite quote?
A: “I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls” (Audrey Hepburn)
Q: At what age did your get interested in the fashion world?
A: It wasn't until my late teens/ early 20s that I actually started paying attention to fashion. That seems so late, doesn't it?
Q: Could you explain us a bit what has been the evolution of your image?
A: When I was young, I didn't really care about fashion. I only dressed in whatever was comfortable – which would be tshirts and jeans. I think once I left home and went to University, I started exploring what was “fashionable” and enjoyed shopping at fashion chain stores. After a while, I started to realize what I really like instead of following the latest trends. Nowadays I buy most of my clothes from thrift shops and vintage stores, keeping in mind what suits my personal style.
Q: How would you describe your actual style?
A: Feminine, vintage, sweet, and a little quirky.
Q: You've got a section in your blog about vintage; what's the most special thing about vintage for you?
A: I think there's a certain charm about all things vintage (including the fashion) that is so wonderful and timeless.
Q: And about the editorials? Any favourite one?
A: Probably vintage Vogue editorials are some of the best ones out there.
Q: Have you got any special obsession (like shoes, bows, skirts...)?
A: Lately I'm loving lots of lace and florals.
Q: When and why did you decide to start writing a blog?
A: I started the blog around 3 years ago, after I opened my Etsy shop. At the time, I did it because every Etsy seller had a blog so it just seemed like the right thing to do! But after a while, it became less about my shop, and more about my personal interests, especially
fashion and photography.
Q: What do you want to express with your blog? Do you think it adds anything to the people who read it?
A: It's a very visual blog, with lots of images but only a little writing. I only post things that I myself love, but I also hope that my readers would love it to.
Q: As you may know, you're such a great inspiration for people all around the world with those romantic and inspirational entries; what do you feel when someone says you are his/her inspiration? What would you say to those people?
A: I would say THANK YOU!!! I still find it really unbelievable that so many people read my blog and are even inspired by it. That makes me really really happy, and it makes it all worth while. There are some comments that are so sweet that it can completely make my day.
Q: What do you think about the actual Bloggers' world? Do you think they've got some influence into the fashion world? In wich way do you think they make the fashion world evolve?
A: I think the bloggers' world is growing so much and so fast in these past couple of years! People nowadays don't just seek fashion news/advice from magazines, but now they're also looking at their favourite bloggers too. Fashion labels recognize blogs as a new medium for them to promote themselves, and fashion enthusiasts see blogs are a new place to seek out new looks and trends. So I definitely think a lot of fashion bloggers are becoming increasingly influential.
Q: Have you had some experience with any fashion or beauty brand for being a blogger, just to promote them? Wich ones? How it was?
A: No, I haven't.
Q: In the USA is very common asking for a sponsor; something that in Europe people don't usually do (we expect the brands to come to us). Can you please explain us a little bit more about this? Wich one was your first sponsor? Have you got a favourite one?
A: I'm not in the USA or Europe, so I'm not sure what the difference is. Personally, I make sure the sponsors on my blog are those that suit my own interest. So most of them are small online businesses that are related to vintage fashion, photography, and crafts. I think it's fine to ask for a sponsor if you like their work, and not just doing it to get paid. I think one of my very first sponsors was Susannah Tucker photography. She is still one of my most loyal sponsors to this day.
Q: Wich ones are your top 5 bloggers of the moment and why?
Pugly Pixel – lots of lovely images and a great resource for free clip arts and design tips
Little Reminders of Love – this blog always makes me smile!
Here Comes The Sun – for neverending dreamy photography inspiration
Thrift Candy – wonderful thrifted outfits, with snippets of her sweet family life too.
Lisa's Likes – great fashion outfits and some photography too.
Q: And finally (but not less important), tell us a tip for your readers (a tip for their lifes, for the fashion bloggers' world or whatever you want to say to them.
A: For bloggers, always always post what you love!
Thank you so much, Anna!! This was really charming and I hope that everybody enjoyed the interview...
So... did you know about Much Love? What's your opinion?
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