Feastication IV. The Art of Cake Layering

Kek Lapis Sarawak or its translation, Sarawak Layered Cake.
Roll over and/or click on images for more hd visual:)

If you said you have seen layered cake, you have not seen enough just yet. These cakes you see above are a well known art by cake bakers from Sarawak, Borneo. I would say, its the Art of Constructing & deConstructing Layered Cake. They are not only beautiful, but deliciously moist and flavorful. These are only a few of many you can see during festive seasons all across Sarawak, Malaysia.

I have experienced the painstaking detail (to me) and its tedious process of making this type of cake. Mixing the ingredients, eggs, lots of them, butter, sugar, flour, then comes the spices or color, depending on what you will flavor your cake. The lists are endless. Then come layering it, one at a time making sure the cake is not over baked or over steamed. yes, some of the recipes requires only steaming. yummm...

Now, the even more creative professional bakers made it even more complicated, like one you see above. As for me? I just layered them plain. Nothing special at all. Blah! They, the professional Kek Lapis bakers, will be constructing it like as if they would weave a mat. I bet Martha Stewart have not seen anything like this yet!:) Making these cakes was, I think a few baking experience that I have not done for a long while.

Those in the pictures above and below, no, I did not make those. These pictures are taken from one of my sister's house during the Eid. I have to ask my sister what they named these cakes, yes, they have names, as creative as the cake itself. All of them, are oh so yummy! Just watch your weight as these cakes do not skim out on ingredients. No, M'am! Eat at your own risk as you can never stop. These are serious cakes! Seriously!:)


Layered cakes were first introduced to Sarawak by the Indonesian who layered their cake with ground spices, which was introduced to the Indonesian by the Dutch during its colony. Spekkoek. A Thousand Layer Spice Cake.

I stopped, stared & analyzed. Ann Arbor Art Fair 08

My recent asthma prevented me to walk and enjoy what I have been waiting for the last few months and today, the weather cooled down. I went. As I was in my zone, "Beep!", my camera phone's says low battery:( I wish so much I got a high res DSLR right then:( Words could not express what I saw. I went to their website, nah, that didn't help either, the images on their site, I would say, did not do justice to what you would see with your own naked eye. What I can tell you, if you ever get to know if these artists are coming to a nearby art fair, you go! Don't think. Just Go! You stare and analyze then wonder why they are who they are. Nah, not talking about that one you see here. those are pre-dead phone battery. but those are fun ones. - Bug'ems (pic above) & glass work seen in the art fair.

Below are list of art pieces that stopped me. Since I am camera-less, I am linking their websites with their art piece displayed. Remember, I did speed browsing as I only have a few hours and usually it would take me at least the whole day to finish.

Paper Expressions by Hetty and Norman Metzger of Florida. This one truly gave me goosebumps. The detail that these two artists had done were remarkable. So detail, all paper boxes well aligned with beautifully coordinated colors. I had a chance talking to Hetty Metzger, and how amazing her paper weave was. No, not ordinary weave, its paper fringe weave. "Oh my, how did you have the time?", I asked. An amazing lady patiently described her pieces. huhmmm..I am speechless. If I can recall..its something to do with Gators. So, so good!

Another was a metal art piece that just caught my attention. Lacosse Design by Scott & Victoria Lacosse of Sanford, Michigan. It takes true artist in my point of view to make hard metal looking so smooth and soft. I don't see it being a hard material but looking it almost like another soft textured medium. The treatment that was put into each art piece was so well thought of, colors are so well blended with its contrast of not just shapes, but the hues that interplay with each other, then a sudden copper wire and black steel ties each piece giving it a contemporary feel.

Frogs singing:)

Next three sites are for those who love textile art and how I adore these ones. Like I said earlier, their websites did not do justice to what you would see with your own eye.

Mimi Design Chicago displays beautiful modern quilt technique done from raw white textile and dyed each piece or section then sewn.

The next artist was Sierra A. Cole of Grand Rapids, Michigan, whom reminds me so much of my friend June, whom made me love textile more than anyone. Back to the artist. Her color choices are so beautiful, warm, cold and neutral colors. It would remind you of all the spring, summer, fall and winter colors in cold Michigan winter. Her fresh designs sticks in memory chip:)

Last but not least, was Susan Levi-Goerlich from Columbia, Maryland who did gorgeous silk collage using felt technique. No sticthing. She basically "paints" her pieces with silk collage. Its so amazing how it was done. I wish so much how I have a micrcospic eye where I can see each strand of material flows into each layer. too bad, she says she needs to take a year break, meaning I won't see her in the next Art fair:(

I love Art Fairs, especially Ann Arbor's. If you ever are in the area, come sometimes every 3rd week of July each and every year.

April Fool's Fest '08

Images taken at Main Street, Ann Arbor FestiFool's Fest. A festivals where volunteers of all ages make huge humongous papier-mâché puppets and parade all of these beautiful artwork in downtown Ann Arbor.

Enjoy!

Chisel Away!

What do you do for fun in a freezing cold winter! You sculpt. These were taken at Plymouth Ice Fest sometime in late January.

Ommmmm....

Peace, Yo!

taken with my cell camera.

A canvas is a canvas.

Leave it to an artist to doodle away. No one will say that its not okay to scribble on the wall.

If I had done this to my parent's place, I'll be in the corner for time out! hahahaha:)
These were taken at the Art & Design Gallery, University of Michigan one cold day. Love this work.

My Coke Memoir & I scream IceCream.

My very first Coca Cola was when I was about 5 years old. How I remembered this very well. I was at the door of my father's office which was on stilts. Yup, the very sturdy wooden office building was built on stilt near a river mouth northwest of Borneo island, a place call Kuala Lawas. The surroundings? My father and his colleague, they were intrigued of what I would do next to the glass bottle in my two little hands. Never had the luxury of anything like this, I shook the bottle, before my father finished saying, "Don't shake the bottle," and you know what happened next, bubbles poured out of the glass bottle when my dearest father popped the Coke cap. It was the most memorable taste I have ever had, fizzy and strange, but very good, very, very good!:) Almost like the fizz of young coconut juice. Ever had a fresh one? Natural fizz, I tell you. Other than this natural fizz, nothing beats the taste Coca Cola, not even pepsi can take over the very first taste of Coca Cola, in it's classic glass bottle. I am a fan of Coca Cola till now. Not changing it for another. I would know the difference between the ones from a can, a glass bottle and a plastic bottle. It's just different.

Fast forward 20 some years later, on a research trip for design and symbols into beautiful highland of Bario, main transport - my two feet with a group of scientist and I'm the only one doing Arts. With guides and camera equipments on my back, this had been the most memorable and wonderful experience - walking both in the rain and sunshine, crossing a two 6"-7" diameter, tied together side by side, bamboo bridge about 10-15ft high which feels like 15-20ft above the clear rocky river below, what was I thinking, keep going, keep going and look straight and don't look down. Then men will be always be boys...evil! They shook the bridge! Arrgh! Be brave and walk straight! Phew!!! and the thought of having to walk on it again on our way back! Urrrgh!

during these walk, leeches waiting to jump on any part of your body. If you can hear them say, this would be it. "Wowhooo! human passing through! Partay!" It's like, if I am gonna exaggerate, you'll see it jump like a human thirsty after a long walk on a dry dessert without water, saw a lake and jump in! Yeah! Like that! Those blood suckers, yup, literally speaking, will jump after the first sense of human that passed by, and after knowing that, I wanted to walk in front of everyone every opportunity I get, that is if I am able to catch up. After 7 hours of walking, we rested in a small hut, washed ourselves basically in the rain. All I want to do is sleep but was forced to eat for energy the next day. Whaa...I can barely eat a cup of those delicious clean tasting Bario rice. WHAT? The next day? Yup, another 7 hours. No fear, as I brought with me with a Snicker bar (my favourite) in my bag, this time uphill! Almost 3 hours uphill! Arrgh! We finally got to this beautiful sight at the bottom of the hill. The Village. That was the spot when I first saw a Clove plant, wow! Yup, THE spice.

We then went downhill, lived at the longhouse for a few days with beautiful work of art and very, very nice hosts, working. During these research I lifted, with permission, an old lady's sarong to draw and copy her tattoo, shot beautiful local art and crafts including beautiful old carvings. This is when I notice that the men have beautiful earrings then the women, but women's tattoos from this area are the most beautiful I have ever seen. After all work was done, we walked back about more then 10 hours (shorter because of downhill trips) straight to our headquarters and two broken toenail later, thirsty and hungry with all the tiredness, all I can think of was 'when I get there, all I want is COKE!' I don't care how much it cost, I want Coke. Ahhh! nothing can describe the taste of a warm coke! I don't care! ~ Oh wait, I think I saw Anthony Bourdain experiencing warm beer when he traveled in Borneo! I think he knows how that would taste like. No, soft drinks only for me.

These clear memories of food leads to another, I scream ICECREAM! Uhuh! you got that right. In my dark blue dress, my round curious 5 year old eyes were looking up at this strange shape of soft white cottony cloud-like looking thing on what they call a cone. A cake cone. Pale yellow. I am at awe and drooled. Oh so yummy! This is food, I thought. From then on, ice cream was and has been a wonderful treat my Mom and Dad would get for us, bought them and put them in thermo flask from a local ice cream store, SunnyHill, brought home for my siblings and I to enjoy. Ever had ice cream sandwich in a soft bun? yummm...

Those were my first memory. Now, I would go to this mom and pop store, Washtenaw Dairy, to get rid of my crave. Yeah right, crave. I would think of anything just to have a reason to go there. Hence the name, FreezerNinja. I was caught having icecream one night:) sneaky!

From Borneo to US. My food memoir. to be continued...