Sarah and Things

that sponge cake!

11:32 PM

Okay, so I am still in search of how to make sponge cakes like my manager. She's Russian and I can't find any russian style cake recipe that is similar. BUT... I think I know why!! I recently found out about Chinese Birthday Cakes. And it's supposed to be this sponge cake with fruits and whipped cream... HELLO!! That is what she mostly bakes it with!! Jackpot?! So... here I am on my quest to find recipes to try and see which one works!

>> This is the first hit from google: Chinese Bakery Style Birthday Cake

>> And here's another I found from Soompi:

CHINESE SPONGE CAKE

(Gai Don Go)

1 1/2 c. cake flour, sifted

9 eggs, separated

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. water

1/4 c. oil

1 tsp. vanilla

Beat egg whites until slightly foamy. Add 1/2 teaspoon cream of

tartar. Beat again till stiff. Sift together flour, baking powder

and sugar. Add to egg yolks; add water, oil and vanilla and beat

until creamy. Pour the mixture over egg whites gently and fold

until well-blended.

If using a 9 x 13 pan, bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

If using a tube pan, bake 35-40 minutes, inverting tube pan upside

down while cooling.

Serve with fruit topping and whipped cream.

from here.

(more asian recipes if you want...)

I think I will start with these. Yay! Can't wait to start using my new mixer! I got this for Christmas!! (although I'm still thinking about returning it since I don't bake often enough to see its use...)

Product Testing

4:31 PM

Wow!! I couldn't believe it when Jake showed me what I got in the mail! At first I thought it was for my sister because she was expecting a couple of packages but I remembered that I applied to take part in Self Magazine's product testing. They put me in category hair and sent me 5 full sized bottles of conditioners! I tried Fekkai Advanced (last bottle in the picture) and it smells really wonderful! Jake said so too. He knew I was testing these products but didn't know which one I picked first. I have to fill out a survey by January 6 (I think) so I will have to use each of these at least once in the next week. LOL!

Taking that baby step forward.

4:08 PM

I have been so busy with work and all the year-end holidays that I haven't been blogging here. Sorry about that. But a little update for you guys... I decided to go back to school! Well, actually, I decided earlier this year but I didn't really work on it. I already cut my work days to 30 hours a week but that actually might go down more once I figure out how my schedule will look like. For now though, I am too late in applying for the program I want so I will have to spread the year for taking whatever pre-requisites I need. I saw that I will need to take Chemistry and Biology and since it's been a couple of years I last took them, I will either need to start from intro classes or dive to immediate ones and get a tutor to help me remember a couple of this and that. I already finished my application for FAFSA so all I need next is to meet with the program adviser and plan out the classes I can take. Of course I have to work it out with my work schedule too. I am not sure if I will change shifts each quarter or just take a back seat and work as a float for now.

Oh decisions, decisions.
But this will be for the best. I'm just glad I finally pushed myself to go back to school. =)

And my fiance is also going back to school! I know it will be hectic and we will probably have to make a lot of sacrifices but I'm sure everything will work out in the end.