2013

Dear twenty thirteen, it's been good.

Somewhat, I had a good school year; whether it was the love-hate relationship with biology (not a fan of the ecology unit), or my love for history. I'm loving the fact that I'm saying goodbye to geography & physical education, because quite frankly, my mapping skills nor my coordination is top notch. But I'm entering year 11 & 12, my two final years of high school...

Besides school, I've encountered some of the most amazing experiences;

Becoming a HuffPost Teen blogger
!!!!! is all I can say. I cannot believe that some of my work is being read by many, many people!

Work experience at the hospital
Just a year ago, I applied for my work experience at RMH, not really thinking I'd get the placement (since there are only limited places available to students), but I did! Although it was only for a mere week, it really opened my eyes into the medical world; it makes me want to pursue that dream. However, I'm not sure whether I'll make it, since it is incredibly difficult & competitive to get a placement in med school, I'm going to try my best! If not? That's okay.

Charity work

After all these years, I've finally taken the initiative to do some charity work. I raised over $700 for a baking fundraiser. Half of it goes to the UN's world food programme and Stop the traffik. I also hosted a Girl rising screening at my school!

EUROPE TRIP
Going to Europe; Paris and London has been a long-time dream of mine.

Taylor Swift's concert 
I WENT TO T-SWIFTY FOR THE THIRD TIME!

Favourite recipes of 2013? 
Green tea ice cream

Brown butter chocolate chunk cookies

I declare it as the BEST chocolate chip recipe ever.

Most popular recipes
One of the most viewed recipes this year was my coffee cupcakes! Definitely a pleaser for coffee-lovers.

Blueberry muffins

The best blueberry muffin recipe I've encountered so far. The streusel is delicious and the muffin itself, very fluffy!

So I don't know about you, but I've had a pretty good year.

Christmas 2013

I think a lot of people are in a food coma, comme moi (like me) after Christmas. We had our Christmas eve dinner.

There was more food than this, we just couldn't fit everything on one table!

HAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

We ordered a turkey & the best ham ever...

We cooked prawns, curry & noodles (of course you have to put an east meets west twist), potato gratin, roasted potatoes with duck fat, salad, roasted vegetables. It was my first time roasting potatoes in duck fat. This technique was suggested by M's boyfriend, who read an article on The Age. Very successful! The outsides were crisp and the inside was fluffy. I seasoned it with rosemary & pepper & salt. Quite indulgent; my mum was saying why I wanted to make the potatoes even more fat, and I proclaimed "BUT IT'S CHRISTMAS!" 

Dessert: Green tea ice cream, fruit cake, tiramisu, pavlova and cheesecake. I made the green tea ice cream, which was a pretty big hit! It's SO simple yet tastes amazing (and no egg yolk fuss, like in usual ice cream recipes). Aunty SS made the cheesecake, pavlova and fruit cake. My mum made her tiramisu. ALL delicious!

Next year I'll be in year 11 during Christmas... What? 

I hope you guys had a wonderful Christmas. It's literally my favourite time of the year, and I had a really nice one this year :) We have so many left overs, it's time for me to make my grilled cheese turkey & ham sandwiches mmmmmmmmmm!

London

I enjoyed London, more than I thought I would. Prior to visiting, I wasn't that excited going to London because I perceived the city as just another English city, some what similar to Melbourne. The only mutual thing between London & Melbourne? The weather is pretty crazy.

Dearest V

Dearest V,
Thank you for being an awesome eldest sister. I love the fact that I'm half a head taller than you, but at the same time, I hate the fact that some people mistaken me as the older one.

More than a decade ago!

Just like everyone in the family, you are an utterly smart, and have definitely set the bar high, as you're the eldest sister. I'm sorry that I tower over you, but hey, if it helps, you are a feisty short person who can really argue (how else would you be a lawyer? Or yell at me.)

REVERSE HEIGHT ORDER: From youngest to eldest.

I must have caught the reading bug from you; I heard you got into some trouble during primary school reading books in class! I would read until late night (past bedtime whoops) during primary school with my reading light on (and to this day, still do that). Thanks for letting me borrow some of your books as well :)

So thanks sis :)

Anyway, asides from my open letter, we celebrated my sister's birthday, just like last year. Over stuffed and stomach aches.. 

Entree: Peking duck from a restaurant take away

Main: Mum's curry laksa 

Dessert: Three cakes.

Yeah you heard that right... THREE cakes. I helped my mum bake a mango cheesecake with macadamias (Star hit of the night), I made a vanilla sponge with white chocolate ganache & raspberries and Aunty SS bought a flourless fig & almond cake. I've been eating far too much cake! 

 I used my vanilla cupcake recipe but doubled it. I made some ganache but whipped it so it was more spreadable. I also made some dark chocolate ganache in the middle with strawberries & raspberries, to counteract too much sweetness from the white chocolate ganache.

The massacre