Waiting for Plums

June 22, 2015 § Leave a comment

This is what you make when you have an overflow of plums. I love stone fruits, and friends and family know that. So when plums (or peaches and cherries) reach our soil, I sometimes end up with too much. When that happens, this cake will most likely end up in my oven.

A light, moist cake with a citrusy bite that’s great with tea, I served this to friends last year and it was a hit. Not a typical cake in my part of the world and because it was a hit, I thought that you’d like to try something different.

The rains have finally arrived. It was an unbearably hot summer this year and I welcome the downpours. I am still waiting for those plums to reach me but wouldn’t it be nice to stay in on a rainy day and while the time away with a Korean drama series that I’ve become addicted to?

Plum Cake (adapted from 33 Degrees)

You will need:

2 eggs, plus 1 extra egg yolk
140 grams butter softened
140 grams golden castor sugar
140 grams all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
200 grams plums, stoned, half roughly chopped into pieces and the other half cut into wedges.

For the topping:

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
200 grams golden castor sugar

What You Do:

Preheat your oven to 160ºC/fan oven 140ºC. Grease and line a 1kg loaf tin.
Lightly beat the eggs, extra egg yolk and the vanilla extract.
Beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. You want the butter and sugar to lighten considerably for a good cake.
Pour in the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition.
Fold in the flour, baking soda, salt, orange zest, 2 tbsp of the juice and lastly the chopped plums.
Spoon into prepared tin and scatter the plum wedges over the top.
Bake until cake is golden or until an inserted skewer comes out clean, about 45 – 50 minutes.
Let it cool for a few moments before turning out onto a wire rack.
Mix the lemon juice and castor sugar with the remaining orange juice and pour over the cake.

Ubud Eats

June 2, 2015 § Leave a comment

Ubud. The heartland of Bali where gently rolling rice paddies and volcanic hillsides offer a cinematic backdrop to a land steeped in culture.

Add to this a vibrant dining scene and you can’t keep me away for long. In this wonderland of art and culture, one can eat extremely well whether it be in fine dining spots, warungs or roadside eateries. Global or local, the choice is likewise abundant. Barely scratching the surface on our last visit to Ubud (last year), here’s sharing with you some delightful new discoveries and old favorites.

Bridges

Campuhan Bridge, Jalan Campuhan, Ubud. +62(0) 361 970 095

Our Ubud escapade started here. Fine dining without the steep price tag tucked neatly along Ubud’s famed Campuhan Bridge.

The elegant multi-level white veranda overlooks the tumbling river through lush greenery. A few small nooks at the corner of the upper dining hall offer uninterrupted views of the river, so I recommend calling ahead for these corners.

The menu is a mix of modern continental with local dishes thrown in, beautifully executed.

Open Mushroom Ravioli

Cinnamon Creme Brûlée

Lemon Slice with Strawberry Basil Sorbet

Lemon Scented Pavlova

Expect salads, pasta, meat dishes and an array of imaginative desserts.

Naughty Nuri’s

Jalan Raya Sanggingan, Ubud +62(0) 361 977 547

A simple shack this place may be, but the irresistible aroma of pork ribs grilling by the roadside is what will lure you in.

This grill house located halfway along Jalan Raya Sanggingan (and luckily, a stone’s throw away from our wonderful boutique hotel) has as main highlight its pork ribs—succulent and fall-off-the-bone tender.

Sauce To Die For

So pleased with the ribs, we forewent exploring more restaurants for a last bite here before heading to the airport. This might indeed be the best ribs in Bali.

Bebek Bengil

Jalan Hanoman, Padang Tegal, Ubud _62(0) 361 975 489

Bali is known for its duck. Set in beautiful, relaxed surroundings, Bebek Bengil (also known as the Dirty Duck Diner) serves a wonderfully tender and flavorful dirty duck with skin so crispy. Steamed in Balinese spices then deep-fried to crispy perfection.

Another specialty is the Balinese Smoked Duck. This needs to be ordered one day in advance. The duck is smothered with Balinese spices, wrapped in betel nut leaf then slowly smoked the traditional way, which is the whole day.

Warung Pulau Kelapa

Jalan Raya Sanggingan, Lungsiakan, Ubud +62(0) 361 821 5502

This came highly recommended by our guide instead of Bali Guling (Balinese Suckling Pig). I can’t say though that this is a better choice as I have not tried Ibu Oka’s famous suckling roast pig, but I can say that this was one of the best recommendation one can give.

First of the all, the warung is a beautiful, original Javanese village teak wood house with a beautiful herb and vegetable garden at the back.

Ayam Bumbu Rujak: Stewed roasted chicken cooked in a mixture of coconut milk, Indonesian spices, and mild chilis. An East Javanese dish.

Desserts of Banana in Coconut Cream and Red Rice Pudding in Coconut Milk

The menu is an extensive array of authentic Indonesian dishes taken from different islands cooked without MSG—Bali, Borneo, Sumatra… No disappointment there.

At the back, behind the restroom area is a café where they serve excellent Indonesian coffee. They were test-running and invited us for a free taste of their coffee. We returned the next day to enjoy another round of coffee and dessert, this time we insisted on paying.

Coffee break at Café Angsa

Jalan Hanoman 43, Ubud

Banana Fritters and Coffee

All over Ubud, coffee shops with scenic views of the paddy fields abound. Walk into any along Ubud’s three main roads, JL Monkey Forest Road, JL Hanoman, and JL Raya Ubud and enjoy a break from shopping or walking around town. In between shopping, we came across Café Angsa along JL Hanoman.

A cute little café with views of the rice paddies, cushions on the platform makes for a beautiful relaxing rest.