Cheers to a New Year!

We're passing the middle of January 2011. Ooh, time goes by very fast.
In fact, I'm still enjoying the raining that cleansing the city and the wind that supplying fresh air into the city.
Beautiful.

Last month, we were very busy and ... very happy at the same time. We enjoyed the wonderful season with our big family. I remember, when we used to live far from our family, many-many years we celebrated Christmas just two then three then four of us, without our relatives around. It was fine at that time, we managed to find our own way to enjoy the season. But now, I can feel again the joyful of being around among our big family during the Christmas season.
Precious.
This week, after all our activities are back to normal routine, I can think clearly that ...yeah, we've already passed 2010. Looking back my blogging and food photography journey during 2010, I realize that I was not productive. Not at all!
Little bit dissapointing.



On the other hand, I'm glad that last year I had chances to learn lots of new things; exploring something that I have never imagined.

I feel so lucky being a member of SLF community. With the other members, we discussed many things about food photography. From the technical photography to the food styling. I learned more about lighting, colour, texture to the camera angles.

All those pictures above are some of my entry during 2010 SLF challenges.

Even though the group is no longer active, but I have to say that this owesome group has given me enlightenment to capture the food stylictically appealling. Being with such talented people kept me on my toes and pushed me to do better each time.

Half year on 2009, after moved from India on June, we were very busy exploring our city, Jakarta. We visited some museums, markets, malls, parks and also the seaport.
And last year, I had opportunities to travel to some places in Indonesia (actually, most of the time I joined my husband's bussiness trips). It opened my eyes bigger to the beauty of my beloved country, and gave me opportunity to explore more about travel photography. Oh yeah, I love it!

Yogyakarta, May 2010

Onething that very interesting is that I need two different approaches for food photography and travel photography. In food shoots, everything is stylized and curated, whereas in travel photography we use snap-as-we-go approach. It let us capture the images that we consider beautiful and 'freeze' them as they are. Oh, I love both of them.

I love travelling, I love styling the food and I love photography more and more.

*I did prewedding and wedding photography last month, and ... I like it as well. Ooow! and I always enjoy to take family pictures.

Bali, November 2010

Kota Gede, May 2010

So, last year I had a great time while visiting Yogyakarta on May, Bali on November, many-many times visiting Bandung and Bogor.
Yogyakarta and Bali, both have rich cultural traditions and beautiful panoramas.
During my visit in Yogya, I had a chance to capture the Waisak Celebration in Borobudur Temple (the biggest Buddhist Temple in the world) and also visited the 'old' town Kota Gede.
Bali, ...yeah I remember my promise! *promise again*
Bandung and Bogor are not too far from Jakarta. From our home, it took 2 hours journey to Bandung and 1/2 hour to Bogor *by car*. Most of the time, we visited both places for culinary journey. They are famous for their inovative street food. We brought our children, and introduced them with many traditional food and let them familiar with the street vendor and traditional market.

It's very enjoyable to visit all of those places, just need a good planning and always prepare high capacity flash card when you go travelling.

Bogor - West Java, October 2010

Now let's start talking about food. Well, this time about drink.

As I wrote before, we visited Bogor for culinary journey with our children. Now let me introduce you to Bir Kocok (they spell it 'Kotjok' - old version spelling). It was very famous from old generation and it's famous until now. They sell it at Jl. Suryakencana (around Gang Aut), Bogor.

Bir Kocok means 'Shaking Beer', but not like 'normal' beer, this beer contain 0% alcohol! No, it's different with some of beer brands that claiming to be 'zero alcohol'. This beer is made from spices (ginger, cinnamon, cloves, etc) and shaked inside the metal container to produce the foam. The result; physically it looks like any other beer, but the flavor is totally spicy!

If Bogor has Bir Kocok, then Jakarta has Bir Pletok. For me, the flavor it's not different, because they're made of almost same ingredients; spices, sugar and water. I tried to find out, why they call it bir pletok?? The answer, the word 'pletok' came from the sound that is generated while they shake the bir mixed with ice cubes inside the metal container... "pletak... pletok.." :D

Bir Pletok @ Jakarta Fair, July 2010

For now, Bir Pletok is not easy to be found, even in Jakarta. Only during Jakarta Fair (on July) or in some Jakarta's Festival, this traditional beverage can be found.

Why not make it by ourselves? All the ingredients are everyday spices that normally we stock in the kitchen. Only one that probably not ready on our kitchen cupboard; the Secang Wood. It's not that hard to find it in some supermarkets, and it helps giving reddish colour to the drink.

Now, let's refresh and warm ourselves with this healthy Bir Pletok...
let's coloring our year 2011, and let's explore the beauty of this world ... Cheers!!

Es Bir Pletok
source: Primarasa, Es Segar Ceria :)
Bahan / Ingredients
100 gr jahe / 100 gr ginger
3 lembar daun pandan / 3 pandan leaves
3 batang serai / 3 stalks lemon grass
5 lembar daun jeruk / 5 lime leaves
3 butir cengkeh / 3 gloves
3 cm kayu manis / 3 cm cinnamon bark
1/2 butir pala / 1/2 nutmeg
25 gr kayu secang / 25 gr secang wood
250 gr gula pasir / 250 gr granulated sugar
1.5 liter air / 1.5 liter water
es batu / ice cubes



Bahasa Indonesia:
1. Kupas jahe, iris tipis. Potong-potong daun pandan.
Memarkan batang serai. Buang tulang daun jeruk.
2. Taruh jahe, daun pandan, serai, daun jeruk, cengkeh, kayu manis, pala, kayu secang, gula pasir dan air dalam panci.
Jerang di atas api sedang hingga mendidih.
3. Tutup panci, kecilkan apinya, masak hingga aroma rempah-rempah keluar (+/- 25 menit). Angkat dari atas api, sisihkan hingga dingin.
4. Saring minuman dan buang ampasnya. Bagi minuman dalam gelas saji.
Tambahkan es batu, sajikan.

English :
1. Peel the ginger, slice it thinly. Cut the pandan leaves.
Crush the lemongrass. Discard lime leaves 'bone'.
2. Put the ginger, pandan leaves, lemongrass, lime leaves, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, secang wood, sugar and water into a saucepan.
Cook over medium heat until boiling
3. Cover the pan, reduce the heat, and cook until the aroma of spices is released (+/- 25 minutes). Remove from the heat, set aside to cool.
4. Strain the drink and discard pulp. Serve it into several cups with ice cubes.