So a few exciting things have been happening recently. First up, I got a job offer this morning which I'm really excited about! Woohoo! Time to put my 7.5 years of training into good use.
Over the weekend, AR and I decided to put together a wedding gift registry that is uncommon in Asia countries but common in Australia,UK and US. We didn't want guests to feel that they are obligated to provide gifts but then we didn't want to end up with 2 toasters and 3 food processors either... hence the decision. It still feels strange because where it is considered as rude to give money (as in ang pows) in the Western culture, it is ok to requests for gifts? Hmmm...
So question- What do YOU think of wedding gift registries and ang pows?? Your answer is appreciated because I'm really curious!!!
OK, back to cookies!!!!
After trying out Zen Chef's Flat and Chewy cookies, I excitedly looked at the Thick and Gooey version. Although I'm not usually a fan of chewy cookies, it's good to learn that a slight change in composition of sugar, eggs and flour can alter the texture of the cookie dramatically. The thick and chewy version has less flour but 1 more egg. It also uses less baking soda, possibly the deciding factor in terms of influencing the texture of the cookie.
In all honestly, I didn't really like the cookie. I know Zen chef really liked it but it didnt worked out for me. I feel bad just by writing that! Not because it wasn't nice but it was just not as addictive as the flat and chewy ones. AR has no complains as he happily chomped down a few at one go. It's a good cookie-just not one that I personally like. Not to say that YOU wont like them though!!!!!
Zen Chef's Thick and Gooey Cookies
2.5 cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp kosher salt
226 grams butter
1.5 cups of brown sugar
1/4 cup of sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
3 cups of chocolate bits
2 cups of chopped walnuts
1) Preheat Oven at 180C. Line 2 baking trays with paper.
2) Sift flour, salt, baking powder and soda. Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar till fluffy. Add eggs one by one. Fold flour mixture till dough form. Fold in chocolate and walnuts. Chill dough.
3) Roll 1 tablespoon of dough into a ball and flatten it. Chill dough btw batches as u bake the first batch for 15 minutes. Cool sightly before transfering them onto a tray.
Ps-the thin n crispy one coming up soon..and I did not forget about the bake off!
Congrats on the job offer!
ReplyDeleteYes, I do think it is quite common in the Western culture to request for gifts. Are gift cards considered a gift too? Almost similar to ang pows! :D
Yay on the job offer!
ReplyDeleteI think a registry is the way to go. I give hongbao here because it's expected, but would prefer to buy gifts because it's more fun. Do you know there's a 'going rate' on wedding dinners? I think it's 150 ringgit per head, if you're friends. Or was that last year's price?
Where do you put all those cookies?? *jealous*
that's great!!! congratulations on your new job... :) for the asian culture here, gift registry, is a concept that's quite acceptable nowadays... but "Ang Pao" or "Red Envelope" are quite appreciated more ... to help the new couple start, they say... :)
ReplyDeletebtw, those cookies look good... :)
Congrats on your job offer! Gift registry is common in western world, so make one in Australia but keep the angpow in S'pore.
ReplyDeleteyup, gifts registry is a norm here altho most of the times, the bride/groom would list all the expensive stuff whc i think puts a burden on the guests. For our wedding, since it was done in Msia, when my friends asked whc do prefer, id tell them cash.
ReplyDeleteI cant bring any electronic stuff since we know we were not going to live in Msia. But i do love other things like bedspread, table cloth, album and picture frames.
For your wedding, maybe you can let the sporean/msian guests know that ang pow is greatly appreciated. ;)
OOooooohhhh....goooooey! I get into the mood for such food now and then. Love nibbling on such stuff! Yum!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the job! We were lucky since we received both ang pows and gifts from the registry as we had a mix of western and eastern culture in attendance:) Good luck with the rest of your planning!
ReplyDeleteI think both registry and angpows are equally okay nowadays. Though my parents were bit 'shocked' when they learned about registry. We got married in US. Then they kinda like 'This makes sense, instead of having 10 sets of dinnerware and 2 sets of this and that.' But most our guests knew that cash works better for us, heehee..we already bought a house 1.5 years before that and no longer need household stuff.
ReplyDeleteI heard the latest registry is 'honeymoon' registry!! Where guest can chip in to your honeymoon cost!! Isnt that wild?
I am still following your quest for choco chips cookies! :D
congrats on the job offer!!! :D
ReplyDeleteI think the wedding gift registry thing is a great idea ... if not, one might just see that extra toaster or food processor lurking around ebay one day too ;)
The cookie looks heavenly though you don't like it ... u can send some to me and I will help u finish them up, hehehe...
congratulation to your new job offer!!.Don't worried by asking your guests,you wanna CASH as the gift.I think ppls understand that ecomony is bad and you can use the $$$ to buy something you like instead.I have a Msian friend just married an american,and they going to have wedding dinner.Invite us and I ask what they want.They told us they ask all their guests to give themt CASH coz they don't have their own home and no need all the gifts now but going to buy one later. oh!! the choc chips cookies look good!!
ReplyDeletei'm happy to hear you've a job offer. that's fantastic. when you're back in spore/kl, you dun need to worry much cos Chinese guests are expected to give angpow and not gift
ReplyDeleteActually wedding gift registries are not that uncommon now in Singapore. Well, of course cash is best, but if you starting a new home, it might help to get a headstart with household stuff. But still in Singapore, cash is the most popular.
ReplyDeleteAlso, many congrats on getting that job. All the best!
Hello everyone!! Thank you so much for the congratulations! I'm really excited about this position!! =)
ReplyDeleteSig-i didnt know that SG has gift registries now.
Babe_Kl-u r right, only in Aus that we are thinking of the gift registry.
beachlover-haha. i think it depends on the group of friends too.
noobcook-exactly right! hehee. Except if it is a kitchenaid of course. LOL
cecil-hehe, a honeymoon registry isn't a bad idea afterall..
sharon- congratulations on your first yr wedding anniversary! And that sounds like the best of both worlds!
wmw-^5
salt&tumeric-yeah.Have to be careful about the prices of the gifts. It is a wonder how registries tend to "push" us to go for the expensive stuff too.. Like a set of dinnerware for $1.6k!
little corner- i guess either one is useful..I'm beginning to think we have the best of both worlds.
milky- true!
dee-My FFIL says it can go beyond $200 too. But that depends on the r/s and location of the wedding! So many things to consider while attending one huh.
tigerfish-true! we received giftcards as engagement presents and they are quite nice!