Display of Delicious and Tempting Kuihs.............

Trays of cupcakes with royal icing..........Looks simple but surprisingly...very tasty........

The popiahs are OK..but the curry puffs hmmm.........speechlessly SEDAP...yummy.........

Look at the kuihs......All sorts are there.....kuih kosui, tepung gomak, apam, kuih lenggang, pulut panggang, kuih keria, donut goreng.....can't say that much coz' I am stratng to get hungry.............

What more could I say.........looking at them just make me helpless...........

Such tempting varieties of kuihs on display at a small cafe in Wisma Merdeka in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Found the cafe by luck............Initially, we were searching for a small book shop that we visited few years ago.....but it was no longer there...........Instead, we found local cakes haven............yippyyyyyyyyyyy........

Located on the ground floor....you have to have the energy to find this place.....

It only has three small square tables (each table only for two-three person sittings)

The taste of the kuihs was fantastic and delicious............

Can't wait for my next trip to Sabah..............

We did visited Big Apple donuts cafe and the egg tarts kiosk..........Unfortunately, we forgot to take photos of them because we were too busy with those food that only when we came back home that we realised no photos of them..............I have no check with my princess ......

Can You Guess What They Are?

Surprise????
Can you guess what they really are???

Gold earrings? Nope.....Told you that I don't fancy jewelleries that much............what a lucky hubby I have........hehehe...........

One of the many Cookbooks

I am an avid cookbooks collector, oh yeah man......, since I was still a teenage girl. To date, I think I have more than 450 cookbooks that I sourced not just in Brunei but also abroad during my trips. I love buying them as souvenirs of those foreign places or even as birthday treats for me........I could start a library of cookbooks open to public...........I should do that...yeah.....a good idea because I love sharing what I have with those keen cookbook collectors especially my fellow Bruneians....

I even allocate a room specially for my cookbooks, well it is more to my sanctuary room where I could spend for ages in that room on my own.........That's my hubby's idea o fme having my "ME TIME".........ha..ha..ha...

I also collect recipes too. My lap top is pretty jammed with them......To say that I have tested them all, only a few out of the thousand recipes.....ha..ha...

Mostly, I only get inspirations from cookbooks and the internet. Most of the time, I always prefer to create recipes of my own......sourced from the instincts of my mind......I think chefs understand what I mean......

Sometimes, I have this dream of having a cookbook of my own. Perhaps, one day. Of all, it is a matter of having time not on my side yet.

I have also been eyeing on Mooncake cookbook and was able to get it few weeks ago. I always love mooncakes.....as I am a sweet tooth girl. I don't fancy savoury food like quiche, etc.

Next project is RBC's second recipe cookbook, Cupcake cookbook and few others that I don't remember the names. Cannot wait to go after them.....

August 2008 New Collections

My New Collections...........

These are my new collections of cook books that help memeriahkan lagi my English Cottage Sanctuary Roommmmmmmmmm............., the fasting month and the coming Raya celebrations...................

1. Chocolate & Baking (UK Edition)


Come on, take a peek what's inside.....................


2. 500 CUPCAKES AND MUFFINS (UK Edition)





3. Y3K Cookies



4. Goodhousekeeping Chocolate



5. Home Made Biscuits



6. Baking Code - Alex Goh



7. Famous Street Food of Penang



8. Simple Slices - Australian Women's Weekly





9. Biscuits & Slices - Australian Women's Weekly




10. Bread Code - Wendy Kor





These are only a few that I can paste this time........there are a lot more in my room................I am one of the winners in collecting cookbooks but I am one of those that are losers in testing the recipes........hehehe.............

My New Additions Commemorating my 14 February Wedding Anniversary

This book is very thick and about cookies. A very complete guide to cooke making. Produced in the UK by PAGE ONE Publisher.
(I think this book is a recent publication, I mean the publisher. I never saw it in the UK every time I was in the Cookbook sections)

(The purchase of this book is "heaven". I thought Nigella's are mostly a mixture of cooking and baking. When I made a research on this book which I took for about 30 minutes, I found it to be something that I should and must buy as it is excellent for my keepsake collections)

(Another UK product which I really love. I just had to look briefly at the ingredients (measurements and volumes) to decide whether it was worth buying, which I did.)

The story was that there was no plan to spend our time overseas, let alone to have a holiday in the midst of our princess still having her school days. It was a sheer plan out of our need to have a big break. Although unplanned, we are grateful that the holiday (our daughter's first since her last holiday in Paris in April 2001 when she was just nine years old) that we have been looking forward for, had been fruitful, enjoyable and more importantly, made the three of us closer than ever. (All three of us were like close friends and we still are. Alhamdulillah)

It co-incided with our wedding anniversary which falls on every 14 February. As we are Muslims and do not celebrate Valentines Day, it was our privilege to celebrate our special moment instead. So, it was like having two things at one time - wedding anniversary and family holiday. It was very fun and since we enjoy food that much, time was spent much on food and bookstores ( a must in my family every time we are overseas. So am I whenever I got the oportunities to do so during my working trips abroad).

Of all three book above, the most satisfying purchase is Nigella Lawson's book, it was like buying a CD bag. I really thought I had enough cookbook purchases on the first day...................but I was wrong...hehehe....

More cookbooks to be publish here, later.........

New Additions on 9 February 2009

Above is one of the "Sauder" shelves that kept my cook cook collections tidily........The book on top of the many books is a modified and modernised "Mrs Lee Cookbook" by her granddaughter Shermay Lee whereas below is the original orange-coloured Mrs Lee cookbook that I just bought today. It was my luck when I found the book which only left one edition. I just grabbed it and so happy that I finally found the book.

"Delicacies of China Town"

"Chocolate Love" by Elisabeth Siahaja

"Beginner's Guide To Cake Decorating"
(This book is specially for my princess who is an avid baker, love you baby girl...mwah...)

"Festival Cookies:Biskut Raya" by Wendy Kor and Rozita"

"Biskut dan Kek Singapura" by Aini Salim
(This is my second Aini Salim's cook book. I bought the first in 2005.)

Hmmm.....The story goes like this.....

Although I tried to control myself from buying more cook books, I failed to do so......it is true when we say "passion is passion". When you love doing something like hobbies and others with all your heart, you tend to do them as if they are parts of your life.......to cheer you up, to make you happy and lively as well as to de-stress yourself every day.........

It all started when I surfed few food blog websites and found a cook book on sale in Malaysia entitled "Festival Cookies: Biskut Raya by Wendy Kor & Rozita". I was hoping to buy this cook book but I know it sounded a bit impossible as I thought this cook book is on sale only in West Malaysia. (So very absent-mined of me) Little did I remember that I can easily get it from the bookshop in Miri, just a border away from Belait...my goodness.......Weh...that really sparked my shopping mood and off I went with my dearest hubby (my number one supporter...heeheeee...) and with my "difficult-to-grow-up" little sis and her hubby.....where else...to Miri......

So, I posted some of the cook books that I bought in Miri and also, in my Brunei shops. As for me to try the recipes in these books, let me see........hmmm....

Oh yess.....these are only a few of the cook books that I post for today. Perhaps, I will post them on some other days.........

Hmm....still thinking my next cook book project....yup....I got another target, another cook book as my next .......I beg your pardon, the name of that cook book??? Lets just hope that cook book is still in the shop tomorrow.......

Mrs Tiara Sera's Humble Message:

"When you are happy, always remember your sorrow/sadness, so as to ensure your sanity and gratefulness to the Almighty"

New Additions for 12 February 2009

Phew...I got the book that I had wanted since I first saw it last few days ago. Been thinking of buying it as I had told in my previous entry..... It was not a matter of anything else but the book itself.

I saw the same book in two countries but the price was unbelievable. If I am not mistaken, I saw one in one particular country and the price was around B$80.00 which to me was a bit ridiculous. I don't even get that expensive price if I am in the US.....

I had secretly hoped to buy that book and even hinted to my hubby about it. He supported me and never questioned my hobby of collecting cookbooks as he knows that this is my passion.

I went to the shop today and did not expect too much as I know that book only left one edition in the shelf. I just went inside not thinking of anything else. I spotted a good cookbook and just took it and then asked the salesman to open the wrapper so that I could have a look inside. I totally forgot about the cookbook, my target. Then, I remember it and began looking, just in case it was still there.............YES.....It was still there, as if waiting for me all this while.

I actually wanted to buy that book but I ended buying three books...as I always did............

So, here are the cookbooks that came and joined my collections life as of today......
































I always have faith in cookbooks from the US (selected like Martha Stewart), UK and Australia. To me, buying them is like buying branded bags such as Louis Vuitton (LV)........Yes...it is, to me my collections are just my additional LVs but in another forms...........cook books....

An Introductory

Since I love baking so much, I love to share with the world on how I came about to love baking. It all started when I was young, accompanying my mum to her baking classes. I was so excited especially with her baking - cookies classes as I had all the opportunities to participate in making doughs and cutting them.........

It was up to a point when I told myself that one day, one day....when I have my own house that I must have a room specifically for my baking activities with all the desired machines and equipments.....taraaa......Got them!!!!!

My hubby allocated a room (20 feet by 18 feet) for my Dry Kitchen....yipee....This became a place where I can be my own baking queen. Yet, I re-designed the whole place and divided them into two areas: my baking world and my English country loving room. (Will post the photos of these rooms at a later date)

I had to make two spaces in one room as I had been thinking of my rest and relax mood- after baking. This is an awesome environment for me as I can de-stress in this room quite fast....yehaa.....

I have been grateful to have used meaningful and reliable machines and equipments for my baking adventures that I was able to make healthy and delicious cakes, cookies, pies, tarts, bars & slices and others from my beloved humble TEKA oven and mixers of yellow Kitchenaid and white Kenwood.

There are long lists of baking produce that I had done in the last few years, I can think of a few....

Cakes - marble,butter,layered including the popular Masam Manis (haw flakes).

I just don't know why I still don't like doing cheesecakes...perhaps it was because I tried once and I gave up? Perhaps.....

Cookies - Lots of them...my Oaties Indulgence, Sugee, Uncountable Chocolate Chips, etc

Pies - Georgous apple, chicken, etc

Tarts - Blueberry, Egg, etc

Bars & Slices - Choco Caramel, etc