Ok, there is nothing about Penang food today ‘cos I am too timid to snap every meals I ate. It is rather weird, you know. Because all the nice hawker foods are located either by the drain or in some dark alleys. So, when you pull out a huge camera (hint,hint, go see my camera) in a place like that, people around you tend to get nervous. Just like the other time when I was in some compound in a place (McAllum street area) notorious for gangster fight. I was eating this delicious braised chicken feet and was itching to take photo. But I was afraid that if I suddenly whipped out a camera, a gang fight will ensue. The green, blue and blonde hair, tattoo, anorexic Ah Bengs around may suddenly stand up, turn over tables, take a chair each and bash each other heads. (thks to Hanyi for the constant dramatic description over at drliew.net forum) Some may whipped up parangs and kapaks. Then, one tai koh will dangle me by my collar and ask me if I am from the siu sam ong or cheh hor gang.
So, today I present to you my #2 son’s (12 yrs) creation of homemade sausage rolls. This photo is taken hot from inside the oven. Of course, there isn’t much homemade things here. I bought the Ayamas cheese sausage and also the puff pastry from the supermarket. Son just need to wrap the sausage with the puff pastry and pop into the oven, 220deg C for 20 minutes. But you can see the cheese oozing and the crispy pastry so mouth-watering ya? Actually, the puff pastry is a very nice invention. It is sold in frozen form, all individually rolled up and cut in about 2in x 2in dough. You can wrap tuna, sardine, crabstick + seaweed, peaches and bake it. The dough will puff up like croissants. My kids will use their own ideas to make it tastier like sprinkling cheese and sugar and bake it into little cheese fingers, etc. Glaze it with some egg white before baking and you get a nice sheen, making bread shops history. There are several brands in the cold section in the supermarket. Local brands (KG Mantou) are cheaper but taste oilier. Pampas brand is imported and taste best. (read the label carefully because there are several types. Shortcrust pastry is for making pies and egg tarts. Puff pastry is this layered pastry. Then, puff pastry dough has two varieties, one you need to roll and make it thinner. Another one is already rolled thinly.)
Oh yeah, in my sons’ secondary school St. Xavier Inst., they have bakery club (a weekly co-cor) for Form 1 & Form 2 students. Their principal Brother Paul is a handsome, young gurubesar who can bake delicious cakes, muffins, pies and cook other foods in their very well-equipped kitchen. Why on earth does an all-boys school need bakery class? Because it was meant for the students who do not adapt to our normal studies and therefore, the principal send them to learn baking instead. On Saturdays, Bro. Paul will let the Form 1 & Form 2 kids to bake in that kitchen. On normal school days, those pupils who are slow in studies, use it. I think it is a noble idea because those students who aren’t very good in their studies get to master the baking skills. That is my bread story for today.
