Puncak Tea Plantation, Bogor

Puncak Tea Plantations @ Bogor, is not new tourist destination for most local.  Located on the rolling hills near Taman Safari Bogor 30 minutes away by car.  Fresh air and breathtaking view. 

06th Sept 2007, we took a public transport from Bogor town up to the Tea Plantations, approximately 1 hour to reach there. When reached that area, we stopped by further up hill to get a better view of the Tea Plantation.

The view just takes your breath away! The wind and air so refreshing and we managed to stop at the roadside kopi stall warung to have a cup of local brew hot coffee and enjoying the mountain view.  Continue explored the area walking down hill for 10-15 minutes to reach the Tea Plantations which opened for visitors.  Entrance Fee applied. With our surprised, there was a Tea House whereby visitors can enjoy a cup of two fresh brewed Tea, oh..well we don't want to waste much time on the tea drinking so we went straight to the real tree tea...lol.

Not much of a information about this plantation that we could read, we continue walking further down hills to get a closer look at the Teas. Spending some good time relaxing on the bench, a great view indeed looking at the huge area of tea and highway far and near from the hill, fresh air blow on our skin just wonderful.  Spending much of our time photo shootings about an hour or so we proceed to another place.

Pineapple Tart

2008 - Pineapple Tart, In Indonesia, they call this "Nastar" - Seriously melt in your mouth! Soft and buttery! You want to have it more until you finish it all!

This recipe was given by my mother in-law and I guess this is the best pineapple tart I have ever had. Its super soft and smooth. 

All you need to have just two fresh pineapple, flour, butter, sugar, egg yolks and it takes 8 hours to complete the whole process with making the pineapple filling from scratch is not easy.  Its hell lots of works and long hours, Im lucky to have my sister to help me. We manage to produced 11 containers of pineapple tart 23pieces each box for sell. All sold!

This site update today 10.10.2013, I got the recipe from my MIL finally!! i can post here for you all.  I have lost it when im too busy making it many years ago!

She gave me this recipe just 3 months ago.  What i can remember definitely a little different from what she gave me years ago.  Becuase i didn't use Roombutter, only with Margarine ( blue band brand ) for the pastry.  By the way, making pineapple tarts the first thing what you need to prepare is the Pineapple Fillings / Pineapple Jam. I make my Pineapple Fillings from scratch, Recipe is included. 

Anyway, i hope you all find this recipe easy and i am happy to share. Happy Baking everyone!!

INGREDIENTS: For Pineapple Filling (from scratch)

300-400g grated pineapple or ( 2-3 medium pineapple )
150g sugar (or to taste)
2 tbsp Vanilla Essence ( to taste )
1 Cinnamon Stick, optional
3 Clove, optional

*Peel, Wash and hand grate whole Pineapple in to very fine. If pineapple produce too much juice, discard some pineapple juice, so it wont be too watery or else the cooking pineapple filling will become longer for filling to cook away. 

*Prepare a wok, slow fire heat wok, bring grated pineapple to a boil , add in sugar and spices. Let it simmer for 30 minutes or until it thicken.Taste to see if it has achieved the desired sweetness you want,if is too sour, you can add more sugar.  Let it cook until water dries up. 

*Let the pineapple filling cool to room temperature before using. Balance to keep in refrigerator for future usage or use as jam for breakfast.

INGREDIENTS: for tart pastry:-

300g All Purpose Flour

2 Egg Yolks  

50g Confectioner's Sugar

50g Roombutter 

250g Margarine ( Blue Band brand ) 

1tbsp Vanilla Essence 

1/4 teaspoon salt
50g Milk powder, Optional
1 egg yolk, for egg wash

For the pastry:

*Sieve all purpose flour, corn flour, milk powder, salt and icing sugar into a medium bowl. Beat butter in a mixer until it turns light in color and fluffy.Add in egg yolks & vanilla essence until well combined. 

*Slowly add in the flour, beat mixture until just combined.

To assemble:

*Roll pineapple filling into small individual rounds. Turn dough out and roll into small rounds.Flatten the rounds and use it to cover the prepared filling.

*Brush the unbaked rolls with egg wash.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350F/180ºC for 10 to 15 minutes or till lightly brown.

Kundasang War Memorial Park, Sabah

11.12.2007 @ Kundasang War 

Memorial Park is like a fort on a hill, located immediately behind the row of shops.

Kundasang War Memorial Park was build by a New Zealander to remember the 2,428 Australian and British prisoners of war who died during World War 2 at Sandakan Camp, the 3 infamous forced death marches from Sandakan to Ranau " a walk to hell " and as tribute to the many local people who risked their lives to help the war prisoners. Only Six Australians survived to the horror. There were no English survivors.

The designed was by a local resident

architect. It has four interlocking but separate Gardens to represent the homelands of those

who died: an Australian Garden, a formal English Garden of roses, a Borneo Garden with wild flowers of Kinabalu and at the top level is the contemplation Garden with a reflection pool and pergola.

The park was beautified and restored on year 2005 during the 60th anniversary of the year

end World War 2. The garden was now replanted with roses namely The Dark Lady Rose, Father Hugo's Rose, Rose Ballerina, Eden Climber Roses, Constance Spry Rose, Distant

Drums, Powder Puff, Sexy Rexy, Rosa madame Gregoire Staechelin, Amaryllis Blooms. Kinabalu Park is Borneo botanical paradise. It is home to

about 1,200 species of orchids, 26 species of rhododendrons, 9 species of Nepenthes pitcher plants, so here at the park can also find some of the most interesting and famous ones such as the exceptionally rare Rothschild's Slipper Orchid ( Paphiopedilum

Rothschildianum ) is so coveted, it is also knowns as " Kinabalu Gold " and

the Lobelia Borneensis Orchids. Last but not least is my favourite which I found it extremely

rare and difficult to find the Magnolia. It produce a very strong

fragrance that capture your mind and soul. It is so hard to find nowaday. I was so amazed and

enjoyed myself with all the plants.

Kundasang Market

11.12.2007 - Kundasang, Sabah.  Kundasang is 6km(4miles) from the Kinabalu Park HQ, renowned for temperate vegetables. A long row of wooden stalls bustling with fresh vegetables whole sellers freshly pick from farms around the valley. Buyers or passing travelers coming from everywhere sure stop to have a glimpse of the vegetables and plants. Nearby few rows of fruits stalls as well you can choose any type from local apples to strawberries.

Me, mummy and my sister are so confuse of what to buy as it was so many to choose from one another.Other then taking pictures we took our chances to walk further up hill follow our instinct with the smell of the BBQ chicken wings to a nearby restaurant for our lunch break. So we have our juicy BBQ Chicken Wings and soto daging which I think that was the best wings so far I had. We enjoyed our lunch very much as you can feel the fresh air and the combination of the environment it just makes you want to stay there for the rest of your life. Its really breathtaking.

Unfortunately, the weather is so unpredictable everyday at kundasang, this day consider not a very good day if you wish to take a closer look at the Mt.Kinablu because its' cover with clouds and fogs. Weather in the afternoon have a low temperature its either rainfall or foggy so it is better to take your chances in the early morning to get closer look and good view of Mt. Kinabalu. It is just amazing.

Amirah Art Gallery

People always say doing art as a pleasure of passing time or as a hobby, but working on a simple piece of art is puting your every concentration to your artwork. but this is another great work of stress that i love to do. It has been enough for me awaiting my right emotion to color my talent to my every piece of art, never that i know i really gifted this magnificent talent to spread it out bravely. i felt so satisfied with every work that i have done. i always hoping to improve my artwork in any ways, i never stop learning new skills from others, and open my eyes to other artist great work of art.