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KajoAsks: Pops and Pints, your not-so-typical everyday ice-cream

Published on January 30, 2020

Lifestyle

Instead of vanilla or strawberry, would you try Terung Dayak flavoured ice-cream or even a sago smoothie if you had the choice?

While this may sound a bit far-fetched for you, for Sabah-based ice-cream creator, Pops and Pints, they thrive on creating a list of intriguing and bizarre flavours.

KajoAsks: Pops and Pints, your not-so-typical everyday ice-cream — Image source: Pops and Pints

For Pops and Pints, conventional flavoured ice-cream like vanilla and chocolate weren’t interesting enough, they chose to infuse their ice creams with local flavours instead.

And that is why dessert enthusiasts will enjoy their exciting new flavours.

Based in Kota Kinabalu, Pops and Pints was co-founded by siblings Yapp Khin Enn and Yapp Shin Enn and their friend Jude Limus in 2017.

The idea of Pops and Pints first started when Kihn Enn was previously studying in Australia when she began experimenting with cooking different food.

For Khin Enn there were so many things that she wanted to eat, but it was too expensive to eat out and so she started experimenting and making her own food.

And when she got back home, the weather was so hot that she tried turning all those ideas into cold food.

As of now, Pops and Pints specialiseS in providing delivery of their products to events and local shops.

For the love of quirky food, KajoMag managed to get in touch with Pops and Pints to ask about their creative confections.

Q: How many flavours has Pops and Pints created and could you give us some examples?

We have about 40-50 flavours to date. Some of the famous ones are Asian Flush (strawberries with bunga kantan), Asam Laksa (this needs no explanation and is very familiar to Malaysians), Culture Shock (yoghurt with granola), just to name a few.

Q: What was the initial reaction when you first came up with the idea of launching Pops and Pints? Were people sceptical or open to the idea of unconventional ice-cream flavours?

There was a mix of reactions. Generally, people know ice cream as something sweet, so when we introduced flavours less known to the public, some were sceptical but some were adventurous. Some enjoyed, some gave it a try, some did not like it. It’s fine because everyone has their own preference.

Q: What is the most peculiar ice-cream flavour that you has come up with and how would you describe the taste?

Asam Laksa is definitely one of them. It’s an eye catcher. Sweet, savoury and a little spicy.

Q: What is the most memorable comment that anybody has made about your ice-cream flavours?

The genuine reaction of people who tried some of our more interesting flavours and really liking them. Especially the flavours that they never thought they’d see in the form of ice cream.

Q: Will we ever get to see Pops and Pints in Sarawak?

Hopefully.

Q: If you have the chance to open a Pops and Pints in Sarawak, what flavours would you consider creating for local customers?

We would definitely love to work with local ingredients that are familiar to the locals. For instance, we made a Bambangan flavoured ice cream, which we believe is called asam embang/ buah mawang in Sarawak, and that drew some attention with the locals here.

To know more, check out their Facebook and Instagram page.

Guam Rail and other recent species recoveries you should know about

Published on January 20, 2020

Lifestyle/Environment

According to an updated report of The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, conservation efforts have led to improvements in the status of ten species.

This includes the recovery of the Guam Rail, a bird previously listed as Extinct in the Wild.

Despite these improvements, the IUCN Red List now includes 30,178 species threatened with extinction.

The report also finds there is increasing evidence of the negative effects of climate change. There are now 112,432 species on the IUCN Red List.

“This IUCN Red List update offers a spark of hope in the midst of the biodiversity crisis,” said IUCN Acting Director General, Dr Grethel Aguilar.

“Though we have witnessed 73 genuine species declines, the stories behind the 10 genuine improvements prove that nature will recover if given half a chance. Climate change is adding to the multiple threats species face, and we need to act urgently and decisively to curb the crisis.”

So what are the conservation success stories

The latest IUCN Red List update reveals genuine improvements in the status of eight bird species and two freshwater fishes.

Captive breeding, combined with careful management of wild populations, has been key to these conservation successes.

Among these improvements is the flightless, fast-running Guam Rail (Hypotaenidia owstoni).

It is the second bird in history to recover after being declared Extinct in the Wild, after the California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus).

Once widespread on the Pacific island of Guam, its numbers declined after the Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) was accidentally introduced at the end of World War Two.

In 1987, the last wild Guam Rail was killed by this invasive predator.

Thanks to a 35-year captive breeding programme, the Guam Rail is now established on the neighbouring Cocos Island.

However, the bird is still classified as Critically Endangered – one step away from extinction.

Guam Rail and other recent species recoveries you should know about — Guam Rail at the Cincinnati Zoo.
© Greg Hume

Other species

In Mauritius, the Echo Parakeet (Psittacula eques) continues its recovery thanks to conservation efforts. This effort included a highly successful captive breeding programme.

There are now more than 750 Echo Parakeets in the wild. With this update the species has been reclassified as Vulnerable, following its improvement from Critically Endangered to Endangered in 2007.

Two freshwater fish species – the Australian Trout Cod (Maccullochella macquariensis) and Pedder Galaxias (Galaxias pedderensis) – have likewise improved, from Endangered to Vulnerable and Critically Endangered to Endangered respectively.

Decades of conservation action have focused on establishing additional subpopulations through reintroductions and wild-to-wild translocations.

Both species face threats from invasive species and habitat destruction and degradation.

Increasing evidence of the effects of climate change

Despite these successful conservation stories, climate change has contributed to the declines of species. Some of them are several freshwater fishes and the reef-dependent Shorttail Nurse Shark.

Assessments in this update show climate change affects species by, for example, altering habitats and increasing the strength and frequency of extreme weather events.

This Red List update reveals that 37 per cent of Australia’s freshwater fish species are threatened with extinction.

Of this number, at least 58% are directly impacted by climate change.
Fish are highly susceptible to extreme droughts caused by declining rainfall and increasing temperatures.

Climate change also compounds the threat from invasive alien species, which can move into new areas as water temperature and flow change.

Native to the Western Indian Ocean, the Shorttail Nurse Shark (Pseudoginglymostoma brevicaudatum) has declined by approximately 80% over 30 years.

Simultaneously affected by unmanaged fishing and climate change, it has moved from Vulnerable to Critically Endangered.

Living only in shallow waters where it has no refuge from fishing, the shark is losing its habitat due to coral reef degradation caused in part by ocean warming.

Climate change is also threatening Dominica’s national bird, the Imperial Parrot (Amazona imperialis).

While hurricanes naturally occur in the Caribbean, their increased frequency and intensity result in high bird mortality and habitat destruction, alongside devastating impacts on people.

The species declined from Endangered to Critically Endangered after Hurricane Maria in 2017, the strongest hurricane on record to have struck the island. There are now estimated to be fewer than 50 mature individuals left in the wild.

Eucalypts assessed worldwide

All known eucalypt species worldwide have been assessed in this Red List update, revealing that almost 25 per cent are threatened with extinction.

Of the 826 eucalypts – comprising the Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora species groups – 812 occur only in Australia.

As keystone species, they define the landscape of the entire Australian continent, and are culturally significant to its First Nations People.

Eucalypts including the Vulnerable Eucalyptus moluccana are the sole food source for the Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), which has declined significantly due to loss of eucalypt habitat.

Elsewhere in the world eucalypts can be highly invasive, but in their native range in Australia they face threats from human use of land, especially agriculture and urbanisation.

This has resulted in population declines of at least 30% for 134 eucalypts, such as the Endangered Rose Mallee (Eucalyptus rhodantha), which has declined by more than 50%. Mining also threatens some restricted range species, such as the Critically Endangered Eucalyptus purpurata.

Critical habitat for conservation now remains in the areas between rivers and land, on roadside patches and in paddocks where lone trees often remain.

7 people who turned their daily lives of living alone into YouTube sensations

Published on January 17, 2020

Lifestyle

If you think living alone is not interesting enough to be filmed and put on YouTube, then think again.

There are people out there who have posted their ordinary lives of living alone on YouTube. Some of these channels even have more than 2 million views.

7 people who turned their daily lives of living alone into YouTube sensations — How do you spend your alone time? Credits: Pexels

Imagine millions of people watching you doing the things you usually do on a normal day, like making your bed, cooking for breakfast and preparing to go to work. Heck, some of these YouTubers have even filmed themselves cleaning up, but the effect is so cinematic!

Maybe because of the cinematographic work put into these videos, these real-life Home Alone channels are quite interesting to watch.

Some of these videos could even be mistaken for a short film or commercial video.

Most of them do not talk on their videos or even show their faces, relying on captions to tell their stories.

Some viewers commented these videos are ‘inspiring’, ‘calming’ and ‘therapeutic’. We could not agree more because watching other people waking up early to make breakfast really reminds ourselves how lazy we are.

The phrase sometimes used to describe these videos is “hygge”, a Danish and Norwegian word for a mood of coziness and comfort as well as contentment.

Thanks to the internet, people are watching everything online. From watching people eating on camera (“mukbang”) to watching people studying on camera (“gongbang”).

Now, watching people living alone is also a thing.

As for filming oneself while living alone, there is a South Korean TV show showcasing celebrities living alone in their homes.

If you are interested to watch people living alone in their respective homes, here are five YouTube channels to follow:

1.Tina’s Life

Racking up with more than 285,000 subscribers, this channel is run by a Japanese woman living alone in Tokyo. She welcomes her viewers to add in subtitles onto her video, so do not be surprised if you can see so many language options on her videos. Some of the languages are Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, Turkish, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Korean and so on.

Her videos can be divided into two categories; her routine and Vlog. Most of her videos show how she prepares a meal for herself at home. The effort she puts on her food, even for simple snacks, is just inspiring, especially for those who always eat instant noodles when living alone.

The best part about Tina’s Life is that she even shows her mistakes on her channel. One time, she baked a cake but accidentally mistaking salt with sugar.

Watch her video here.

2.Ondo

There is not much to know about Ondo, except that she is a Korean woman. Apart from showing how she spent her time alone at home, she also filmed how she goes shopping alone.

Other videos include how she spent her hours after work and weekend with friends.

Ondo seems to enjoy entertaining so you can see in some of her videos how she prepares food when her friends come over.

That is the perk of living alone, you can invite your friends anytime you want and they do not have to tip-toe around your housemates or family members.

Basically, this YouTuber just show the people online her normal activities like cooking, decorating her home, doing bullet journals. By doing just that, she gathered more than 930,000 subscribers.

Watch her video here.

3.Sueddu

This Korean YouTuber filmed herself living alone with her dog Bebe while doing activities such as cooking and painting.

While her cute dog could have stolen the limelight from her, what is more impressive is the level of aesthetic of her videos. Combined with the soothing background music, her videos are almost addictive to watch.

Working as a freelancer means Sueddu spend a lot of times at home alone. According to her, her life as a freelancer and writer is a repetition of busyness and idleness.

She shared in one of her videos that it takes a lot to do everything alone including film herself, edit the videos and share them online. The things that a freelancer who lives alone can relate to.

Watch her video here.

4.Rhea Y.

Rhea Y. is originally from the Philippines but is living and working in Japan.

On her YouTube channel, she shows what happens in a day of her life, what she eats in a day while living alone and her minimalist lifestyle.

Though her contents are not as many as other homebody YouTubers, it is still fascinating to watch her living a simple life on her videos.

Her reactions while living alone are very honest like saying ‘O shit!’ when she accidentally screws up her cooking.

Watch her video here.

5.PlanD

Understandably, most of these homebodies turned YouTubers did not reveal much about themselves. Since you are already telling the whole world that you are living alone, it’s not such a smart move to tell them about your identity.

For example, all we know about PlanD that she is a South Korean. She shows how she spends her weekends, preparing her meals and sewing.

Some of her videos do not have any English subtitles but she still managed to gather more than 97,000 subscribers.

Her video of how she spend a whole weekend by herself has more than 400,000 views. And when you thought spending time alone by yourself on weekend could be draggy!

Watch her video here.

6.Nyangsoop

Here is another aesthetic video of people living alone. Everything is so aesthetic about her videos; even when she filmed a Q&A video by answering subscribers’ questions using an old typewriter.

Nyangsoop admitted once that she does not know how to cook but continuously perfects her skills so that she can film herself cooking and baking.

And the highlight of her videos? Her cat who often make appearances in her YouTube channel.

As for the works behind her video, Nyangsoop shared that she uses tripod to film herself and then does the editing by herself.

She always come back from her work at night so she only films herself on weekend morning when the lighting is great. Then she spends the rest of the time editing the videos.

Watch her video here.

7.DALGO

Do you know that some people love watching other people clean? If you are one of the people who have that fetish, then you might love this YouTube channel.

But let me warn you, her house already looks tidy and clean in the first place so it is not a home makeover kind of cleaning.

Get this, her video of cleaning shower curtains get more than 16,000 views.

Overall, her channel is mainly made of Vlogs of her almost wordlessly going through her days of living alone.

Watch her video here.

10 times when Chinese YouTuber Li Ziqi impressed us with her life skills

Published on January 14, 2020

Lifestyle

If you are looking for an example of sustainable living, watch Li Ziqi living her life on her YouTube videos.

Living in a rural part of Sichuan province in southwestern China, this Chinese internet celebrity makes everything from scratch and films it in a very artistic way which oozes a Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon type of serenity.

She told Goldthread in a rare interview in Sept 2019 that she simply wanted people in the city to know where their food comes from.

While her talents in the kitchen making food is impressive, her life skills of crafting and making something are equally awe-inspiring.

Here are ten times when Li Ziqi blew our minds with her skills:

10 times when Chinese YouTuber Li Ziqi impressed us with her life skills — Li Ziqi. Credits: Youtube

1.When Li Ziqi made an entire cloak from wool

Viewers can watch the whole process of processing the wool, drying it , winding it with a spool, dyeing it and finally knitting the wool into a cloak.

According to the video description, she incorporated braiding into the knitting technique (meaning braid first and then knit) for everyone’s convenience.

Additionally, she said it was an easy and simple way for making clothing, blankets and scarves.

Perhaps Li Ziqi’s definition of ‘easy’ is completely different from the rest of us.

2.When she made one whole living room furniture set out of bamboo

This YouTuber never failed to surprise us with her life skills and in this video, she actually made one whole set of furniture from bamboo.

So where did she gets her bamboo from? She harvested them by herself, of course.

It is so impressive to watch her, from dragging all the bamboo, from the forest to sawing and putting everything together.

3.When she built her own oven like a badass

One of the perks of building your own oven is that you can shape it however you want. Here Li Ziqi decided to build her oven in the shape of a cute dog head.

Like all of her videos where she does not speak to the camera explaining to her audience what is she doing, in this video viewers are also left with lots of questions. For instance, what are the function of the glass bottles? Why mix the clay with the grass straw?

But who actually cares right? Nobody is going to build his own clay oven after watching the video.

Watch the video here.

4.When she makes shoes for her grandma

Remember those days when people used to make their own shoes? You don’t remember? Me neither.

In this video, viewers can see the tedious work that goes into making your own shoes. At the end of the video, some viewers might thank the heavens above that there are shoe outlets and factories to make shoes nowadays.

Watch the video here.

5.When Li Ziqi made her own woodblock printing

Woodblock printing in China has been around since the 7th century. It is a method used on textiles and later paper to publish books and other texts.

Here Li Ziqi makes her own woodblocks to print a letter. Again, another tedious job of carving the letters out (in Chinese calligraphy, remember!) to make small wooden stamps that only people like Li Ziqi has the patience to do.

Watch the video here.

6.When she reared silkworms to make a quilt out of silk

Here Li Ziqi introduces her viewers to sericulture or silk farming where she cultivates silkworms to produce silk. Did you know that silk was believed to have first been produced in China as early as the Neolithic Period?

We might not know how long it took for her to rear them, harvest the silk and then turn them into a comforter, pants and shirt for her grandma. But we do know that she needs to place the silkworms and mulberry leaves on trays, then put the silkworms on twig frames for them to form cocoons.

Once the cocoons are ready, she soaks them and winds the silk on spools. She then stretches them before sewing them into a comforter.

Watch the video here.

7.When Li Ziqi dyed a dress from grape peels

Every culture has its own natural dyes, whether they are derived from the leaves, roots or fruits of a plant that are used to colour food or textile.

While artificial colouring is widely available, it seems like we are going back to the olden days. This is because natural dye is in the ‘in’ thing now as it is more environmentally-friendly.

If you are looking to dye your textile using a commonly found natural ingredient, try grape peels like Li Ziqi did.

Watch the video here.

8.When she took up Shu embroidery, a traditional Chinese craft

It is never too late to take a traditional craft skill. Take it from Li Ziqi who took classes with a Shu embroidery master to learn this ancient skill.

Also know as Sichuan embroidery, it is among the oldest known embroidery styles in Chinese history.

Using satin cloth and coloured silk thread, the handwork is painstakingly refined.

Watch the video here.

9.When she makes cosmetics the Chinese traditional way

If you are wondering how did the Chinese actresses in your old kungfu dramas have full makeup? This video will answer your questions.

It also tells you how the red paper used as lipstick in period drama was made.

Watch the video here.

10.When Li Ziqi made her own aromatherapy

Li Ziqi is known for her cinematic, captivating scenery in her videos. This video of her making aromatic dew is perhaps one of her most beautifully shot videos.

Watch her collect magnolia lilies, roses, grapefruit flowers, rosemary and Centella leaves and purify them to collect their essences.

Watch the video here.

Do you have any favourite videos of Li Ziqi? Let us know in the comment box.

How to support your friend’s online business

Published on January 13, 2020

Lifestyle

The best thing about online businesses is that you can start one without having any startup capital. That is why many have turned to online business as a means of income or just to earn some extra dough.

Besides selling your own product and services online, other types of online businesses include dropshipping, blogging and making online videos.

Everyone has at least one or two friends in their circle who are making their money through online businesses.

Be a good friend and show your support with these easy ways:

How to support your friend’s online business — Many have turned to online businesses as an extra source of income.

1.Do not just click ‘Like’, leave a comment on their social media pages, especially Facebook.

Fine, you have shown your support by clicking the ‘like’ button on your friend’s post. But you know what is better? Leaving a comment.

Every social media platform has its own unique algorithm to curate unique content for every one of its users. In other words, what appears on your feed is different from your friend’s feeds even if you are following the same accounts.

If it is on Facebook, the best way to show your support is leaving an engaging comment on their posts.

Facebook occasionally updates their algorithm, but the bottom line of its news feed algorithm is ‘meaningful interactions’.

Be a conversation starter on your friends’ online business page. If they are asking your feedback or opinion on something, leave a comment or tag another friend to talk about it.

The more interaction an online business has on Facebook, the more visible their posts are on their followers’ news feed.

2.Share the link not only on social media but on other platforms as well

It doesn’t matter if they are selling cosmetics or starting a vlog on YouTube, share the link! Share it to your family and friends. If you are active on LinkedIn, Quora or Reddit and you see a question or topic relevant to your friend’s online business, share the link.

Be honest and do not sound ‘spammy’. Let say someone is asking for travel recommendation on Quora, answer honestly “Hey, my friend has been there! You can check out her travel video if you want.”

Or someone is looking for a product, you can honestly answer “Look my friend has a homemade cosmetic line, you can check it out.”

3.Buy their products/watch their videos/read their blogs

If you can afford your friends’ product, then show your support by buying them.

Let’s say your friend has published videos online, watch them. Here is a trick, you can put them on a playlist and play the videos (and mute them) even when you are busy.

If there is an ad, watch the ad. YouTubers, for instance, make money based on people’s engagement with the ad. This means they only earn money if someone click their ads or watches an ad for more than 30 seconds.

How about if your friend is running a website or a blog? Then log on to their site, even if you have clicked them before. If there is an ad that interests you, click on it.

4.Offer feedback

Once you have experienced your friend’s products, give some feedback. Leave a review on their website or social media pages. Talk to your friends personally on what you think about their products.

5.Talk about your friend’s online business with other people.

If you have a chance to talk about your friend’s business with other people, then tell them about it. Remember them during your business or personal conversation.

Suggest them to others if you truly believe in their products. One of the ways to support your friends in growing their business is through word-of-mouth.

6 environmental issues of 2019 that you should know about

Published on December 13, 2019

Lifestyle

Looking back at 2019, there were so many environmental issues and news happening around the world that even the most closed off person would have heard about it.

Getting to know more about these issues and doing something about them will be way more meaningful than criticizing TIME Magazine’s person of the year for 2019 Greta Thunberg and her campaign. (ahem, Trump)

As we close the year, let us all take a look back on the major environmental issues for 2019 you should know (and hopefully concerned) about:

1.Our oceans are running out of oxygen

6 environmental issues of 2019 that you should know about — The oxygen in our ocean is depleting.

While the species on land are breathing freely, the species in the oceans are slowly suffering from low level of oxygen.

In a report by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the loss of oxygen from the world’s ocean is increasingly threatening fish species and disrupting ecosystems.

Driven by climate change and nutrient pollution, ocean oxygen loss is a growing problem for species such as tuna, marlins and sharks.

These species are particularly sensitive to low oxygen because of their large size and energy demands.

They are slowly being driven into increasingly shallow surface layers of oxygen-rich water causing them to become more vulnerable to over-fishing and becoming bycatch.

On top of this, very low ocean oxygen levels can also affect basic processes like the cycling of elements crucial for life on Earth such as nitrogen and phosphorus.

2.Almost half of the world’s Heritage sites could lose their glaciers by 2100

We know that our glaciers are disappearing, but according to a study by IUCN they are disappearing from almost half of the world’s heritage sites.

These sites include Grosser Aletschgletscher in the Swiss Alps, Khumbu Glacier in the Himalayas or Greenland’s Jakobshavn Isbrae.

Researchers predicted glacier extinction by 2100 under a high emission scenario in 21 of the 46 natural World Heritage sites where glaciers are currently sites.

Even under a low emission scenario, eight of the 46 World Heritage Sites will completely lose their ice by 2100.

In order to save our glaciers, there is a need to see significant cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.

3.More and more animals are found with plastics inside their stomachs

Whales, birds, deer, turtles and cows; these are among the animals found to have died from plastic ingestion this year.

Plastic pollution remained one of our top environmental issues for 2019. Clearly, we are not doing enough to curb the problem.

It is unsure if animals with plastic-filled stomachs are becoming more common sightings, or if we are more aware of the issue now.

Nonetheless, according to National Geographic, we are producing more plastics than ever.

In 1950, we produced 2.3 million tonnes of it. In 2015, we produced 448 million tonnes. Production is expected to double by 2050.

Unless we do something about our plastic pollution, we will see more and more animals with plastics in their stomachs making headlines in 2020.

4.Only one-third of the world’s longest rivers remain free-flowing

According to a study by scientific journal Nature, only 37% of the world’s 246 longest rivers remain free-flowing.

So what caused our river not to flow? Dams and reservoirs are greatly reducing the benefits that healthy rivers provide.

Now, only 21 of the world’s 91 rivers longer than 1,000 km still have a direct connection from source to sea.

Most of these rivers are in the Arctic, Amazon basin and the Congo basin.

Additionally, the study estimates they are about 60,000 large dams worldwide with more than 3,700 hydropower dams on the way.

Another terrifying fact is that recent analysis of 16,704 populations of wildlife globally showed that populations of freshwater species experienced the most pronounced declined of all vertebrates over the past half-century.

5.Forest fires became one of our top environmental issues for 2019

From Indonesia to Siberia, our forests are burning. According to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research the number of fires in the country had jumped 84% in August this year over the same period in 2018.

Meanwhile according to Global Forest Watch, the tropics have lost some 8.9 million acres of primary rainforest.

Even Siberia is burning with massive blazes producing more than 166 tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2019. That is almost equal to the annual emission of 36 million cars!

6.One billion people will be threatened by climate change by 2050

With the oceans warming and glaciers are melting, no part of the world will be spared by rising sea-levels.

These impacts of climate change could affect one billion people by 2050.

A new United Nation (UN) report released in September 2019 makes it clear that changes will continue, and they will be irreversible even if the climate stabilizes.

For example, ice-dependent polar species such as walruses and penguins are threatened with extinction as their sea ice habitat disappears.

All photos are from Pixabay.

What you need to know about the Japanese souffle pancake

Published on December 11, 2019

Lifestyle

What happens when you combine a souffle with a pancake? A souffle pancake of course! This jiggly dessert has been making waves around the world recently, all thanks to social media.

Here are 5 things to know about this trendy, Insta-worthy Japanese souffle pancake:

What you need to know about the Japanese souffle pancake — Japanese souffle pancake with whipped cream and strawberry for toppings. Credits: Pixabay.

1.Nobody really knows who started the Japanese souffle pancake… we only know it is from Japan.

While many have speculated on the origins of this dessert, no one precisely knows who invented the recipe.

Rumour has it that it was inspired by the Japanese cartoon, Crayon Shin-chan. The character was a slightly plump, small child shaped just like a Japanese souffle pancake. Another rumour was that the Japanese souffle pancake had its beginnings in Hawaii, US.

One thing for sure was that it made its first appearances in Japan some time in 2013. Since then, you can find it in all over the world including here in Kuching.

2.There are different toppings to choose from.

What makes it trendy on Instagram (more than 73,600 photos on Instagram and counting)?

The toppings make the pancakes photogenic on social media. From ice-creams to maple syrup, there are so many fancy toppings to choose.

Even chewy boba pearls have been selected as toppings for this pancake.

When you choose a topping, imagine what would be nice with this fluffy, soft yet thick dessert. If you choose cheesy toppings such as creme brulee or tiramisu, it might be too heavy for some people.

As for drinks to go with the dessert, opt for something slightly bitter like any types of black teas.

3.It is one of the food trends to look out for in 2020.

Yelp, a business directory service and crowd-sourced review forum, came up with its list of 2020 food trends to watch, and the Japanese souffle pancake made it to the list.

They came up with the list by analysing the foods Yelp users mentioning on the platform.

According to Yelp, the reviews on this Japanese culinary trend increased by 156.2 per cent in the last year.

4.You can try to make it at home.

If you are passionate about baking and pastries, you can try to make a Japanese souffle pancake at home. But brace yourself for failures. These fluffy stacks require skill and patience.

Firstly, the eggs in the recipe have to be separated. The egg whites and sugar are beaten into a meringue texture while the yolks are mixed with flour and milk.

You also need to chill the whites before whipping them in to keep the batter firm.

Additionally, the whipping time needs to be taken into account. You cannot even let it sit for 30 seconds or else it will be ruined.

Another thing for sure is that the temperature has to be precise. If it is overcooked by even a few seconds, it will deflate. If it is under cooked, it turns battery and wet.

5.Order it only when you have patience to wait.

Knowing how long it takes to make one, take note when you decide to order this dessert. It can take at least 15 minutes for you to wait till your Japanese souffle pancakes come.

Since it looks good on your Instagram feed, do not forget to take a photo before you dig in, or do a Boomerang or slow-mo effect focusing on the pancakes’ jiggles.

Book your home away from home at the Riverside Majestic Astana Wing

Published on October 21, 2019

Lifestyle

What type of traveler are you? Are you the type to hit the ground running, or the kind that just wants to relax, kick off your shoes and absorb your surroundings first? At Riverside Majestic’s Astana Wing, you can have it both ways (or more).

Situated in the middle of Kuching City’s golden triangle made up of a unique balance between the city’s architectural and cultural heritage sites, and its business district; you can explore, enjoy the local cuisine as well as its nightlife, all on foot from the ease of your hotel.

Riverside Majestic Astana Wing itself provides a luxurious hotel stay for casual travellers, while also providing fully-equipped facilities for digital nomads. It’s perfect for local event planners as well as incoming business travellers looking for an event venue and hotel stay with a killer view, and that is of one of Kuching’s most iconic heritage locations, the Kuching Waterfront.

No matter what floor you are on, the Kuching Waterfront remains the mainstage of your view. Thanks to constant upgrading and recent additions to the waterfront like the Darul Hana Bridge and most notably the Darul Hana Musical Fountain, you can never take a bad photo of the waterfront, morning, noon or night.

Book your home away from home at the Riverside Majestic Astana Wing — The view of Kuching’s historical waterfront from the Riverside Majestic’s events and meetings floor which features the spacious Alamanda Room, Orchid Room and Rafflesia Room.

For digital nomads and business travellers

Riverside Majestic Astana Wing enables digital nomads to plug and play here. Besides free wifi throughout the hotel, facilities such as the Surf & Chat business centre at the Mezzanine allows you to work while on holiday.

It’s neatly placed just above the buzz of families and fellow travellers checking in at the reception counter, and private enough for business professionals to work or hold discussions and meetups with clients and partners. Their choice of punchy colours and comfortable sofa arrangements definitely provide inspiring backdrops for serious business discussions.

Meanwhile, the Sape Restaurant provides a diverse and comprehensive breakfast buffet spread offering Western and Asian breakfast favorites.

The Deli Cafe below the Surf & Chat is perfect for a quick munch or a sugar hit with your coffee or tea.

The Sape Restaurant gives you the chance to enjoy the fresh air with an outdoor terrace.

For a fine dining experience at the top where you can enjoy the skyline over the Kuching Waterfront, you can spend the evening with a business partner or a loved one at Suasana on 18 Fine Dining.

Meanwhile, for those who don’t want to skip leg day or want to take advantage of the sun, the gym and swimming pool facilities are in the main Riverside Majestic Puteri Wing, and navigable through a scenic corridor connecting the two buildings.

A look at the Insiders Club

This is the handy app you didn’t know you needed. Free to download, membership is also free. Once you’ve logged in, you are automatically an Insiders Club member and can enjoy great deals and prices on their rooms and restaurants.

For frequent travelers to Kuching’s Cat City who enjoy the luxury, convenience and reliability of this hotel chain made up of Riverside Majestic Astana Wing, Puteri Wing and Grand Margherita Hotel, you can keep updated with their deals, book your rooms under member prices or collect and redeem Insiders Club points.

You can even book Room Promo Packages which will include sightseeing packages along with your hotel stay, making this app a perfect tool for business travellers and families looking for a fuss-free, memorable holiday.

Kuching may not be the biggest tourist draw when it comes up against tour destinations like the Maldives or Phuket, but Sarawak’s capital city has a lot of heart made up of its living and historic heritage, all of which can be experienced from the comfort of Riverside Majestic Astana Wing.

BIBCo 2019: Bead-azzling Night of Fashion and Glamour

Published on October 17, 2019

Lifestyle

BIBCo 2019: Bead-azzling Night of Fashion and Glamour

Every fashion lover would know that accessories such as a statement necklace or earrings would elevate their overall look.

In Sarawak, we have an affinity for our Borneo beads as the choice of fashion accessories.

The Borneo International Beads Conference 2019 (BIBCo 2019) promised everything any bead and fashion lovers would adore; fashion, glamour, opulent looks and of course, extravagant beads.

Held for the sixth time, BIBCo 2019 took place from 4^th to 6^th October in Kuching.

It featured Kuala Lumpur designer Bill Keith and Sarawak contemporary bead designers Lucille Awen Jon and Juliana Ambrose.

Also making an appearance on the runway was Livan Gallery.

The 6th edition of BIBCO also featured international bead and costumes designers; Chris Lim Zamora (Philippines), Floor Kaspers (Netherlands), Elaine Robnett Moore (USA) and Florence Wee (Australia).

The Gala Nite also showcased traditional Laos weaving in Luang Prabang by The Weaving Sisters from Laos.

BIBCo 2019 Gala Nite was officiated by Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Sarawak, YB Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

Here are some of the memorable looks showcased during BIBCo 2019:

An elaborate rainbow vest made out of beads
A back view of the colourful beaded vest

Another beautiful creation by the Weaving Sisters; a sapphire blue scarf

Suasana on 18: Fine dining with a view

Published on September 20, 2019

Lifestyle

Suasana on 18, just as the word ‘suasana’ (or ‘atmosphere’ in Malay) suggests, is all about the ambience.

Located on the 18^th floor of the Riverside Majestic Hotel Astana Wing, Suasana on 18 is intimate, classy (there’ll be live jazz music as you eat) and you will get a floor-to-ceiling panoramic view of the Kuching Waterfront and the Sarawak River.

Suasana on 18: Fine dining with a view — Enjoy the view of the Musical Fountain and the DUN Building lit up at night from Suasana on 18.

For those who may have been initially sceptical about the musical fountain (like I was), catching the light and water show in the evening as you enjoy your meal with a significant other, friends or even business partner, adds a certain magic to your fine dining experience.

With this relaxing and elegant backdrop in mind, just go all the way and order one of their two Western set meals; you won’t regret it. A modest 3-course meal – entrée, mains and dessert – you will get to pick and choose from two options for each course.

Revisiting the classics, with a twist

The dishes for the most part are classic fine dining dishes, enhanced with a delicate balance between Eastern and Western flavours, as you will see in entrees like the Honey Soy Grilled Blue Mackerel and mains like the Mibrasa Grilled Salmon with Miso Glaze.

The blue mackerel appetizer will appeal to those with a Sarawakian palate as it is an upscale version of the home favourite – sardines in tomato sauce. The blue mackerel in this case, however, has a firm, silky texture and a delicate fishy aftertaste, enhanced by the combination of poached egg, tomato vinaigrette and a slight spiciness from the paprika. The crispy barbecued cracker is a great addition to this dish as it breaks up all of these soft textures and flavours.

For those who like a little more oomph in their entrée, they can pick the Homemade Smoked Beef Pastrami. With rolls of slow-smoked beef brisket resting on top of brioche toast and drizzles of mustard mayo, this elegant dish has the comfort food feel of a traditional sandwich. Definitely worth a try.

The Pan Seared Duck Confit (pronounced cone-FEE) was so tender and tantalising that it may win over people who don’t necessarily go for duck. The duck leg was moist, fall-off-the-bone, and had a beautifully thin, crispy crust.

Another traditional fine-dining dish on the menu was the Mibrasa Grilled Tenderloin beef. Grilled delicately so that the juices are sealed inside, the beef was tender and flavourful, enhanced by the black pepper jus.

Like the other mains, this dish was served with a beautiful array of sides like pan-seared king oyster mushroom, potatoes praline, glazed French beans, and semi-dried cherry tomato flowers.

Have a sweet tooth?

Suasana on 18’s desserts were made for Instagram. Whether you choose the Chocolate Delice or the Vanilla Crème Brulee, both desserts are winners for the senses.

Visually the crème brulee was striking and bold as it sat on a magenta streak of raspberry sorbet. One of the best dishes on the menu; the crème brulee was rich and creamy, a flavour tamed with the burnt sugar on top, begging you to savour it slowly.

Another dessert to savour was the chocolate delice served with raspberry sorbet. Lovely to look at, the dark chocolate flavour and silky texture with the citrusy raspberry sorbet makes this dish luxurious and delightful to eat. Truly a great dessert to end your 3-course meal and enjoy with a coffee.

Planning a special occassion?

The price range for these Western sets (RM120-RM150 nett per person) combined with the view from the 18^th floor makes Suasana on 18 perfect for any special occassion or ice-breaker with a business client.

Open from 11am to 2pm, 6.30pm to 10.30pm except Mondays, call 082-532-222 ext 5006 to make a reservation.

Bon Appetit!

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