Salami and Mozzarella Bread

I borrowed a bread maker from Kerrin's mom, Josie. I thought making a bread by myself is healthier because it won't have any preservatives. 

First bread, was a fail! Forgot to take a photo of it, because I was like, oh noo, it's so hard...Oh well, it was a rocking hard bread like a stone. I could even kill a cat with that heavy bread. I didn't know why it turned into a rock, but anyway, I tried a second one. It was better, but something I didn't expect. I was expecting something good, just like bread from the supermarket. 

After six hours of making the bread, I gave up..haha.. silly me. I was confused why my two breads were so bad. 

The next day, I looked at other recipe. Salami and Mozzarella bread. Hmmm, that looks nice! I'm a big fan of salami and cheese. Then I put all the ingredients in the bread maker and left it baked for three hours. 

and voila...it worked! Here are the photo of my awesome bread! 

Golden colour of my bread

my Salami and Mozzarella bread

If you are interested of making your own bread, first of all, you need to buy your own bread maker ;-) They are awesome! Then, here is the recipe of my bread:

what you need:
For 750g bread
1 1/2 tsp Dry yeast
600g/3 3/4 cups high grade flour
1 tsb milk powder
1 tsb sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup chopped salami
2/3 cup mozzarella
1/2 mixed herbs
1 tbs margarine
315 ml water

topping
1 egg yolk

what to do:
1. Place all the ingredients into bread pan in the order listed. Wipe spills from the outside of the pan.
2. Place the bread pan into the breadmaker and close the lid.
3. Press the Menu button to program (1) Basic, then you need to choose the size, crust colour and press start.
4.  When the bread is about to bake, the machine will beep, thats the time to put the egg yolk on the bread.

It needs about 3,05 hours to bake a 750g bread like mine. Good luck! 

Using Colour Wheel in Interior Decoration

What is a color wheel? If you love colors and you want to decorate your room, or the whole house you need to know about this color basic wheel. I will give you some examples for using this color guidance in decorating, from different sources.

The color wheel is a color circle, based on red, yellow and blue, is traditional in the field of art. Sir Isaac Newton developed the first circular diagram of colors in 1666. Since then, scientists and artists have studied and designed numerous variations of this concept.

Differences of opinion about the validity of one format over another continue to provoke debate. In reality, any color circle or color wheel which presents a logically arranged sequence of pure hues has merit.

There are also definitions (or categories) of colors based on the color wheel. 

colour wheel

Monochromatic: a one colour scheme can incorporate several values of the colour to keep it from looking monotonous. Various textures help ehance the single colour scheme.

A monochromatic color scheme for the porch (via The Paramus Post)

Related/Analogous: This scheme uses three to five colours and includes one of three primary colours (red. yellow and blue). the related/analogous colours are the colour segments showing on either side of the primary colour. Varying the value and intensity of the colours is beneficial. 

Yellow, yellow-green and green bedroom via homedeco2u

Complementary: these schemes use colours that are opposite each other on the wheel, such as red and green or blue and orange. The result is usually vibrant and lively. It works best if one colour dominates and the other severs as a contrast. 

Blue and orange living room via alkemie

Triadic: Red, yellow and blue
this shceme uses three colours that are equidistant on the colour wheel, such as red, yellow. blue. One colour can be used as the dominant colour and the other two as accents.

 Red-yellow-blue bedroom via designintell

Split complementary: This scheme is one that uses any colour from the wheel in combination with the two colours that are directly opposite the one chosen. For example, you could use violet, yellow green and yellow orange.

via homedeco2u

and the last one is achromatic. There are colours in the white through to black range. Achromatic schemes are restrained and sophisticated. 

via housedesigndb

Hope this help to give you an idea how to decorate your room using the colour wheel. It's fun! Next week I'll talk more about the psychology of colour. 

I just Don't Have a Surname Like You Do

Saturday for a free post! Today, I feel like talking about the reason of not having a surname. I'll start introducing you about my root culture, Javanese.  

My family, both sides, are from Yogyakarta. It is a city and the capital of Yogyakarta Special Region in Java, Indonesia. It is renowned as a centre of classical Javanese fine art and culture other big city in Java Island. It's about 45 minute-flight from Jakarta.

My parents had migrated from Yogyakarta in 1966 and have been living in Jakarta since then. My three sisters and I were born and grew up in Jakarta.

Though I've lived in Jakarta for almost 26 years, I'm categorized as Javanese. In Java Island (the most populated island in Indonesia), there are about three major races, Javanese, Sundanese, and the Betawi (Native people of Jakarta). But today I just want to talk about my root culture first, Javanese. 

Jakarta

Yogyakarta

What is Javanese?

Java Island

The Javanese are an ethnic group native to the Indonesian island of Java. At approximately 100 million people (as of 2011), they form the largest ethnic group in Indonesia. They are predominantly located in the central to eastern parts of the island. There are also significant people of Javanese descent in most Provinces of Indonesia, Netherlands, Malaysia and Suriname. 

Javanese people do not consider or identify themselves as part of Malay race because they have their own language and culture. Most Javanese in Indonesia are bilingual fluent in Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) and Javanese (Hanacaraka). 

Culturally, Javanese people adopt a bilateral kinship system, with male and female descendants having equal importance. As such there is no preference on having a male heir like paternalistic cultures in India or China. Women have a high degree of autonomy and are respected in Javanese culture. 

Javanese naming system. 

Until recently, most Javanese did not have family names. Their 'surname' was merely another personal name. Usually, men and women have a given name and take the name of their father. Some married Indonesian women take the last/family name of their husband, but not all, and this name is usually added after their own 'last' name. Therefore, it is not uncommon for married couples to have different last/family names.

For instance, my mother didn't change or add her last name after got married with my Dad for all her official documents. She just used my dad's last name for casual thing.

I know, it sounds crazy to Western people. Like, when the first time I moved over New Zealand in 2009 for good, most of my friends here thought I've changed my name into Kristy because it sounds so English  LOL, a bit funny, my family have been calling me Kristy since I was a baby! 

My father, named his four daughters differently. Started with a baptist name (whole my family are Catholics),then followed by other pretty names afterwards, for example:

Brigita Amelia Era Krismayanti, that's my full name. My other three sisters names are: Maria Theresia Rika Erawati (First sister, nickname is Rika), Maria Mila Erastuti (Second sister, nickname is Mila), and Annathasia Puji Erasashanti (Third sister, nickname is Era). The only same thing in our names is the using of ERA. That's it. 

It's same with other millions people in Indonesia who don't have a surname. But, every family has different way of naming their children. 

Some people just have one word in their name, e.g: Sherly, or Michael. Some have two, three or maybe more words than my long name. Well,  it's indeed very complicated to understand. You can click this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_names if you want to know more. 

We dressed up in Javanese tradional clothing.
Right to left (back): my twin-cousin, Tissa (deceased), second sister Mila, First sister Rika, Third sister Era, and Myself
(Front): My Dad (deceased) and my mom

When I was in Jakarta, I used to put my name under Brigita Kristy to shorten my name. I always introduced myself as Kristy to people.

But, when I got to New Zealand, I've changed it as Kristy Gularso, because people keep calling me Brigita, which I don't like. Gularso is my dad's last name. Hope with this blog, it explains everything about my name.

So, next Saturday, I will talk more about the food and pop culture of Javanese. 

I've Never Thought of Gardening Before

Five years ago, I was afraid of dirt. I hated dirt, soil, small bugs, worms. Never thought I would do gardening. But, mid last year, when Kerrin and I moved back to Auckland from Sydney, I've changed my mind. 

Started from moving in to a cool apartment unit in Auckland Central, with an amazing view of Auckland harbor bridge, our apartment has a big balcony for an apartment size, 5m long x 1,5 m wide. 

the view from our balcony

Then, about mid of last year, I got into flowers. My family in Jakarta asked me the reason why I got into flowers? The answer is because I love colors. Bold and bright colors, just like flowers. 

Armed with my passion of colors, I decided to get cheap and reasonable price of flowers from The Warehouse. Started with Begonias, Geraniums, Calla Lily, Petunias and some herbs (Parsleys, Coriander, Chili plant).  

On my way back from The Warehouse with all my plants, I was kinda like; wow, is this happening? Am I doing this? Am I gardening? Oh my god, how about the dirt and the soil? How do I plant them?  All I know, all the weird feelings mixed in my mind. 

Well, finally put them in the wooden planters, with full of potting mix and bam! I got all my pretty flowers done! I was so proud of my self. Like, oh my god, I've done it!! 

Here are some photos of my first plants:

Pretty flowers in wooden planters

Pretty flowers in wooden planters

my first plants collection