January Aesthetic

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Simple Pleasure

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Festive Swirls

Celebrating with the classic marble cake.

Hari Raya, or Eid, festival in Singapore and Malaysia is a boon time for those with a sweet tooth, as every home will greet guests with a selection of both Malay and western cakes and cookies.

A cake that is popular in our family is the marble cake. My aunts bake really good ones, and one could say that they are “traditionalists” or purists as they only bake the classic version of marble cake. The one that uses pure cocoa powder to create the rich brown swirl for the cake.

I suppose as I grew up with this kind of marble cake, I’m also a traditionalist at heart. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate other varieties of marble cakes.

As a kid, when we went visiting, and were served with a marble cake with red or green swirls, it was an exciting discovery for me.

It was as though it opened up a whole new world; as though a peek inside other people’s lives was offered up with each slice of the brightly swirled cake.

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Book Launch in California

This amazing cake was made to replicate my book and my childhood home that was on the cover of my book (see sidebar).

I’m very lucky that my book “Kampung Memories, A Life’s Journey Revisited” has been able to “travel” and present itself on both sides of the Pacific; and more importantly, has enabled me to share memories and insights with diverse people and readers.

“Kampung” means village in Malay, and the book revolves around the urban villages in Singapore before they were demolished for redevelopment. I grow up in such a kampung, and in the book, I weaved my memories with that of the people who used to live there.

I launched my book in Singapore in June this year, and recently, the first book launch/event in the United States was held in Santa Clara, northern California, at the Kababs and Curry’s Restaurant.

It was the brainchild of my friend Khir Johari, who is considered by his many friends as a Renaissance man. He and members of the Singapore and Malay communities in the San Francisco Bay Area took care of all the details of the event: everything was done elegantly, and all I needed to do was to show up.

There was batik to decorate the tables, a spread of Malay dishes prepared by the talented ladies from the community, and wonderful chai from the restaurant. One of the highlights was a chocolate cake, made to replicate my kampung house that was on the cover of the book.

Faridah, who made this amazing cake, said she took a few days to complete it. She decorated it with coconut trees and little pots of flowering plants made with brightly colored fondant. There was even a tiny replica of a sepak raga (a traditional Malay ball made of bamboo and rattan).

So on that Sunday afternoon in fall, we sat down in that cosy room, sharing and listening to stories that follow a path to our heritage and roots. There were also other Americans of different ancestry in that room. I hope, and I suppose I imagine this, that the book brings to their minds a dusty road where their fathers or grandfathers used to cycle, or all the strong women of their childhood, the ones who nurtured and held the families in their seemingly simple, humble ways.

Thank you to everyone who helped organized and showed up for the launch.

The author Sharifah (left) with Khir, the event’s creator, listening to the stories and ideas shared by the guests.

A group photo. The banner, handmade by Salizah, was pretty impressive.

I’m carefully cutting the cake with Faridah, who made the extraordinary cake.

Mee siam, a specialty noodle dish of Singapore Malays.

Kuih keria, Malay doughnuts made with sweet potato.

Playing Malay heritage games (left) batu serembat or five stones, and the congkak, a board game.

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Tiny Treats

Today is my birthday. I’m not doing anything special, just enjoying the day with quiet joys.

Every year, I do try to treat myself to one of my favorite things. This year, I take the time out to enjoy petit fours and tea in my “January” china teacup and plate that I bring out in the first month of the year.

Petit four is a small layered cake, usually iced in a pretty, decorative manner. It is said that the name “petit fours” originated in France around the 18th century. The cakes were cooked in a tiny oven, and hence the name petit fours which means small ovens.

Every year, I order them from a catalogue to celebrate festive occasions. Why do I like them? I think it’s because they are very refined and dainty in both workmanship and taste. They harken back to a time or to a way of thinking that values good craftsmanship and skills. The colors are festive , and they make you kind of slow down and smell the roses.

Apart from that, they taste so good that I find it difficult to stop at one!

And so I enjoy my day, counting my blessings and looking forward to plans and projects for this year.

Happy birthday, too, to all you January-born folks out there!

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