Across the country, regular folk and celebrities alike, are getting into the Christmas spirit, and we were invited by YTL to the YTL’s Cameron Highlands Resort to ladle up seasonal activities like a piping-hot mug of spiked nog. For starters, the world renown shoemaker Dato’ Jimmy Choo hit the button and the night was ablaze with sparkling Christmas trees as carol singers burst into triumphant Yuletide songs. Amongst the other luminaries present at the event were the dashing Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, Executive Director of the Star, and his gorgeous wife, Datin Seri Florence Wong. As luck and perfect timing would have it, it was Dato’ Jimmy Choo’s birthday, and a surprise birthday bash was thrown in his honour, designer-shoe -cake and all, thanks to the clever arrangements of one Ms. Tracy Khee, the director of public relations for YTL hotels.

Christmas carol singers

Dato’ Jimmy Choo lights up the Christmas trees and YTL Hotels and Resorts executive vice-president Laurent Myter looks on

Surprise birthday cake for Dato’ Jimmy Choo

Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, Executive Director and Group Chief Director of the Star, and his gorgeous wife, Datin Seri Florence Wong

YTL Hotels and Resorts executive vice-president Laurent Myter was present to host the Christmas tree lighting ceremony, and the grand dinner that followed was nothing short of spectacular either. Apparently this is the sixth year that they have lit up the Christmas trees early for the Yuletide season. Set amidst tea plantations and rolling hills, this boutique hideaway worked its colonial magic on me, and by the end of my stay I was reluctant to say goodbye to the mighty timber-beamed ceilings, the handsome and tall French doors and the old world charm of plantation shutters that made this resort so romantically unique. Oh yes.. Cameron Highlands resort, you have captured my heart with your quiet elegance you have.

Jim Thompson Tea Room at Cameron Highlands Resort

Located in the state of Pahang, approximately 200 kilometres north of Kuala Lumpur, Cameron Highlands is a gorgeous holiday destination and the only place where you can find tea plantations and strawberries in Malaysia. Situated 1,500 metres above sea level, it is the highest area on the mainland and enjoys a cool climate and fresh air. The name “Cameron” does not sound terribly Malaysian and that is because, these highlands get its name from William Cameron, the surveyor who mapped the area in 1885. It didn’t take long for the locals to notice the place and soon, Chinese vegetable farmers, tea planters and wealthy colonialists seeking a cool escape from the heat of the lowlands all came to make home in these highlands. The temperature in Cameron’s is delightfully mild, ranging between 10°C to 21°C, and in this fertile area vegetables grow in profusion, flowers are cultivated for sale nationwide and wild flowers bloom everywhere. It’s also the centre of Malaysian tea production.

What’s most enthralling about Cameron Highlands are the sprawling jungle trails, waterfalls and mountains, even less-taxing points of interest, including colourful temples, rose gardens and tea plantations, that present some form of ‘adventure’ for any visitor to discover. The alternative road running from Ipoh to Brinchang and Tanah Rata offers a much easier and speedier route to the Highlands. Much of the character of the highlands remains unchanged since colonial times. The cool climate on the picturesque plateau and its surrounding hills and forest make this a popular retreat for golfing, jungle trekking and exploration of the many plantations and gardens. Cameron Highlands Resort is a fabulous retreat for families, honeymooners and holidaymakers who just want to get out of smoggy KL.

For the next two-days, our group of media personnel and celebrities could choose to get pampered or get busy with the facilities in and around the resort such as golf, a slow ramble along jungle trails, or a leisurely walk through tea plantations and strawberry farms. Or if strenuous activities are not your ‘cup of tea’ then you could literally have a cup of tea instead in the drawing room and read a book.  One of the interesting, must not miss trails is the Jim Thompson Trail. Jim Thompson was an American businessman who helped revitalize the Thai silk industry in the 1950s and 1960s. He mysteriously disappeared from Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands while going for a walk on Easter Sunday, March 26, 1967. On that fine day, Jim Thompson set out from the Moonlight Cottage for a mid-afternoon stroll in the jungle after which, he was never seen again. Walking the trail is great as you get to experience first hand via your guide, the stories and hypothesis surrounding the mysterious circumstances of Thompson’s disappearance. Cumi went on this trail and his riveting story will follow soon!

Otherwise, if trail walking is not for you then, there is always the rather tempting option of an avocado massage, or a tea bath at the Spa Village, which I happily opted for;) All in all, a terrific pre-Christmas party and get together. A big thanks to YTL for their terrific arrangements and Oliver Ellerton of the Ritz Carlton Kuala Lumpur for the invite.

The gorgeous Spa Village

Tea is served whilst waiting for the spa session to begin

aromatherapy oils

the walk to the private bath and massage rooms

Cumi and Ciki opted for the Crysanthemum & Avocado Escape for two

Tea by the gazebo after the Spa session

Ciki could get used to this to easily!

English Tea and Scones at the Jim Thompson Tea Room

Alilfatmonkey poses with his favourite food group – desserts!

The amazing rooms

Your own personalized pillows that are embroided with your initials.. what do they do with all those pillows after we leave?!

Dinner at Gonbei – Japanese styled steamboat

Siobhan O’dea Executive PR for YTL

Joseph Kelly – Executive PR for YTL

 Ciki and Alilfatmonkey with Dato’ Jimmy Choo

 Tracy Khee joins in the group hug

End of first night at Cameron Highlands Resort… what a great dinner at Gonbei!

Breakfast at the dining room – waffles, cream and strawberries for breakfast.. eat now, diet later!

 Big breakfast, English style.. yum yum.

 Off to the BOH tea plantation visit for 2 hours..

 Can you say, BOH .. ?

Later that night, the Christmas Dinner party commences. L – R, Dato’ Jimmy Choo, Ciki, Laurent Myter, and Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai

Oliver Ellerton’s famous pose..

 fine herb pacific scallops gratin, chestnut mash and buttered green beans

medium rare roasted wagyu medallion

Christmas carol singers entertain over dinner

strawberry mousse, vanilla souffle, orange scented valhorna mille-feuille

More singing in the Jim Thompson Tea Room.. live grand piano, pianist and carolers to serenade the guests

Tracy Khee is not just a great PR director, she is also an accomplished singer.. so we found out!

Georgina Chang and Nora Shereen from MediaCorp (Radio 99.5FM) Singapore

It’s past midnight, but my glass slipper turned to chocolate instead..

Wishing Dato’ Jimmy Choo, “Many Happy Returns of the Day.. Stay Cool – and don’t forget my Jimmy Choo’s in size 8! “

 Cumi and Ciki wishing you all a Merry Christmas from Cameron Highlands!

For those seeking solace from the maddening traffic and hectic pace of city life, Aman Rimba is like a dream come true! Situated just a mere 1 hour from Kuala Lumpur, this lovely traditional, kampong experience retains its charm and is hard to replicate anywhere in the city. Yes, if you really need to get away from it all, Aman Rimba is situated on a three-acre plot of land in Kampong Janda Baik, and has all the lovely features of stepping into Kampong life, but amidst five-star amenities. I like the modern twist the place has added to all its rooms. Aman Rimba is sprawling but well kept and super clean. It’s the best place for some R&R and to catch up on some reading.

welcome to Aman Rimba!

Talking to the owner, Mr Sabri Rahman (and his lovely wife, Wati) we learned that Aman Rimba was not initially conceptualised as a commercial venture. It was first designed to be a private weekend retreat for family and friends. They wanted a place big enough to house all their children and family and so, Aman Rimba was born.  They also wanted to keep the Kampong spirit alive in the younger ones who were mostly urban-dwellers, and Aman Rimba was perfect for them to walk around in flip-flops, listen the birds chirp, play by the brook or watch the fruit fall from a durian tree grown in their own orchard, then eat it! Over the years, however, as the children grew up to further their studies, these family gatherings became few and far between. So, in 2009, Sabri and Wati decided to go public with Aman Rimba.

Sireh House, where Cumi & Ciki stayed the weekend..

one of the cosiest, kampung style bungalows we have had the pleasure of staying in..

our stylish, modern bedroom at Sireh House

The Sireh House where we stayed at over the weekend was amazing. It is the first massive bungalow you see, as you enter the grounds of Aman Rimba. It is a traditional Malay kampong house, with one modern styled double bedroom, a huge living area with all sorts of lovely personal collectibles and memorabilia to make one feel at home. It’s just like as if one were staying at a friend’s home. We loved that fact that since we were there as a party of more than 10 people, all our friends came over to chill out at our bungalow. The Sireh House blends perfectly into the lush forests and with the sounds of nature. We even had a fruit bat pay us a visit on one of the nights!

The gorgeous Kantan Suites

The Kantan Suites comprises two units of accommodation that is separated by the use of a wooden screen panel. The suites have identical mirroring layout, and are attached via the sitting room

The ginormous bedroom

According to the staff at Aman Rimba, Chengal is used for the walls, part of the flooring, the roof trusses and the beams, and Balau is used for most of the flooring. No wonder everything is so solid and sound proof.  On this trip, our other friends stayed at different locations on the property, all named after herbs, in Malay. They included ‘Halia’, ‘Kunyit’ and ‘Serai’ (literally ‘ginger’, ‘turmeric’ and ‘lemongrass’) and were slightly smaller than the Sireh house. Then there was the modern mansion on the hill, across from the little lake, at the back of the property. The magnificent, looming Kantan Suites. The Kantan Suites are comprised of two units of accommodation that is separated by the use of a wooden screen panel. The suites have identical mirroring layout, and are attached via the sitting room. The living room is so enormous, it even has another smaller queen bed by the window! This is great for children to sleep in. The Kantan suites are truly a fusion of five-star luxury within a rural setting. I was particularly impressed with the epic walk in bathroom – a huge area for two sinks in the dry bathroom – then you enter the wet/main bathroom which has an open-air Jacuzzi and shower area, a spacious walk-in wardrobe, and high huge mirrors everywhere.. I like!! Looking out from the balcony into the land below, I felt like a princess. I want to stay here forever!

for those who do not like swimming in the river, there is always the child friendly swimming pool (not very deep at all – about waist deep)

the games room

the common dining area

Apart from the terrific bungalows, Aman Rimba also has a common swimming pool, a dining area, a bar and a games room. Food is not allowed in the rooms so the common place just outside the Sireh House is where we have our common meals, which is an open-air area covered with a high roof with exposed beams, rafters and trusses. This is a very cool place to hangout at before and after meals. We particularly love the breeziness of this dining area in the afternoons. And there is always hot drinks (milo and coffee) and water available 24/7 for the guests. At night after dinner, we used this area to watch movies on a big screen, and to play board games. All the meal were cooked for us here and my particular favourites were the Malay styled lunches we had over the two days. I learned how to eat “machang” a fascinating fresh fruit dip that goes with rice, or raw vegetables (ulam) that resembles tempoyak, but is less smelly. The fruit looks like it’s from the quinine plant and the flesh is yellow, tastes tangy, sour and sweet at the same time. Totally addictive!

machang (top right) – my lastest addiction 

The Machang fruit – top left

fabulous Malay Kampong food prepared everyday for us, for lunch

A river runs through it

What can we tell you? We love Aman Rimba – one of the best Kampung style holidays we have had in ages. Situated on a three-acre plot of land in Kampong Janda Baik, it has all the terrific attributes of stepping into Kampong life, but amidst five-star amenities. We highly recommend the place!

A huge thank you to Sabri and Wati for hosting us, this rowdy city bunch, and to Chris for organizing the event. Much obliged!

ABOUT AMAN RIMBA
Aman Rimba is situated in Janda Baik, and it takes only 45 minutes to 1 hour, to get to Janda Baik from Kuala Lumpur, through the Karak Highway (E8). It is a mere 14 km from the well-patronised Genting Sempah R&R. The resort accommodates 20 and is leased out on a full board basis. For ultimate privacy and comfort, the policy is to lease out the whole estate at any one time. Breakfast, mid-morning tea, lunch, tea and dinner are all inclusive of the price. There is a full-time cook who can also prepare made-to-order dishes for guests. There is also a karaoke machine for budding singers, a large projector movie screen for conducting meetings/team-building activities, a foosball machine and numerous board games and books.

One of Sabri’s daughters is a young entrepreneur and she runs this website called ShopShipUK for more details, please visit the website.

It was during an impromptu visit, to a certain Chocolate exhibition earlier this year, that we met a some people from the Malaysian Cocoa Board (MCB), named Easther and Felicity. Cumi being the curious one and always loving a little adventure wanted to find out how cocoa was planted and processed so we talked with MCB about a trip to a Cocoa plantation and processing center. Initially, MCB suggested going to Tawau, Sabah, since there is a cocoa museum there and plantation tours (Tawau is a large producer of cocoa) but Tawau was too far for us. After several months of intermittent email exchanges with MCB, we finally got down to setting a date and rounding up a bunch of friends to visit the cocoa research center in Jengka.

Jengka is approximately 2.5hours from KL. It’s relatively easy to reach using the East West Highway. There is a stretch with signs warning of heavy fogs and it was true…

… just like a driving into a different dimension

You know you are a food blogger… when the first thing you do at an event is take shots of the food table!

Our program prepared by Easther from MCB started 9am with a fantastic breakfast made for REAL Malaysian champs.. Amazing fried egg noodles with slivers of chicken, fish cake and vegetables. Golden fried egg and sweet, hot prawn paste chili accompanied the noodles. A simple dish but done smashingly well for us!

Su was a little late due to a wonky GPS, so we waited around.. and it gave us more time to binge on the yummy breakfast – you can’t get this quality in city! Finally she arrived and we were ushered into a new a/c meeting room with comfy chairs for an informative slide-show presentation by Rozita Osman and Raize Shah on the cocoa plantation, pests, facts & figures, and community projects.

COCOA POD – The fruit has green, yellow or maroon colored shells resulting from different hybrids. Through bud grafting a tree can have a variety of different cocoa hybrids growing on its grafted branches.

Some interesting facts:

Three decades ago, cocoa production was dominated by Ghana, the Ivory Coast, Indonesia and Brazil. Only a decade ago Malaysia was finally recognized as one of the major producers of cocoa after the Ivory coast and Brazil. This is a consequence of the development policy of export-led growth and the role of the state in providing necessary forms of encouragement and technical assistance

Three phases that spurred the Cocoa Industry :

1. changes in commodity prices
2. the investment climate and
3. the nature of political control in Peninsular  Malaysia, Sabah & Sarawak

Above: Different stages of cocoa seeds after it is removed from the pod. Seeds used for planting

1st phase (1880s – mid 1940s)
Cocoa was planted as an experimental crop, overshadowed by rubber and palm oil.

Cocoa (Theobroma Cocoa) was probably introduced by the Dutch in the 1700s. Its earliest presence in 1778, found in the garden of a Portuguese widow in Melaka. Experimented as commercial crop by European planters in Melaka, Penang, Singapore, Perak and N. Sembilan.

2nd phase (1948 – early 1960s)
The Cocoa Industry was revived as part of the country’s policy of greater economic diversification.

The initiative was taken by colonial government through private sector to boost the cultivation of cocoa. This phase also saw the promotion of cocoa as a small-holder crop.

3rd phase (late 1960s – onwards)
The Cocoa Industry took off as an important commercial crop after oil palm and rubber.

Cocoa was introduced as a key cash crop in order to play an important role in the raising peasant incomes. A hybrid cocoa with superior yielding properties and tolerance to disease made it especially attractive as an inter-crop with coconut. Research had shown that the two crops were complementary – coconut providing shade cover to the cocoa.

In Summary:

Export 2009:

-    18,152 tons produced
-    0.9 % of world Cocoa
-    Ranked 13th Cocoa producing country in the World

Cocoa Grinding in Malaysia 2009 :

-    279,228 metric tons produced
-    8.0 % of world grinding
-    5th in the World
-    Largest di Asia

Some other Facts on the Planting Cocoa:

-Cocoa can be planted with other crops (inter-cropping)
-Cocoa needs shade
-Cocoa simplest crop to plant and process – can be done by anyone
-Cocoa prices almost doubled in 5 years, i.e.  in 2005 RM5.32/KG to 2010 RM9.00/KG
-Several varieties of cloned cocoa species. These hybrids provided better protection against pests and infection.
-Malaysian cocoa has a superior cocoa butter content and therefore a higher melting point

Outreach Program to Orang Asli

During the presentation, we also learned a bit more about an outreach program to indigenous tribes (Orang Asli) in the deep Malaysian interiors. MCB is assisting them with cocoa plantation knowledge and supply of seedlings. This aid was taken up rather enthusiastically by the Orang Asli, so much so that the demand became greater than the ability to produce the seeds. It’s not easy to teach them the skills involved because many lacked the education and were not well versed in plantation techniques, irrigation and bud grafting. It was a win-win situation between MCB and indigenous tribes. For MCB it is their goal to spread the cocoa plantation in the country and community service to help those less fortunate.

Another community project initiated by MCB, “Koko untuk Rakyat” or “Cocoa for the citizens” was launched several months ago. Free plants (1-50 seedlings) are given out to any interested parties (subject to approval). Technical knowledge on how to cultivate the plant and process the fruits will be provided by MCB. Objective of the program is to increase production of cocoa, increase family income, increase awareness of cocoa cultivation and to be more “green” – greening the earth. Interested parties can check out MCB website listed at the end of the post. We took home 2 seedlings!

After the informative presentation and Q&A session, the real exciting part of the program came… Time to hop on the Toyota trucks and see the plantations.

how to get a tan in a cocoa plantation..

At its maturity, the cultivated tree measures from 15 to 25 feet tall, though the tree in its wild state may reach 60 feet or more. It takes 2 years to reach full maturity.

However, in 25 years the economic usefulness of a tree may be considered at an end, and it often becomes desirable to replant with younger trees.

While the cacao tree bears fruit (or pods) all year round, harvesting is generally seasonal. The pods come in a variety of types since cacao trees cross-pollinate freely. These types can be reduced to three classifications: Criollo, the prince of cacaos, is a soft thin-skinned pod, with a light color and a unique, pleasant aroma. Forastero, a more plentiful type, is easier to cultivate and has a thick-walled pod and a pungent aroma and finally Trinitario, which is believed to be a natural cross from strains of the other two types, and possesses a good, aromatic flavor. In recent years cacao growers have turned increasingly to hybridization as a means of improving the quality of the bean and making it more disease resistant. Scientists using state-of-the-art biotechnology techniques are also trying to improve the quality of cacao and its resistance to disease. MCB research center has at least 8 hybrid varieties that is available to planters.

The job of picking ripe cacao pods is not an easy one. The tree is so frail and its roots are so shallow that workmen cannot risk injuring it by climbing to reach the pods on the higher branches. Pickers are sent into the fields with long handled, mitten-shaped steel knives that can reach the highest pods and snip them without wounding the soft bark of the tree. Machetes are used for the pods growing within reach on the lower trunk. It requires training and experience to know by appearance which fruit is ripe and ready to be cut. Ripe pods are found on trees at all times since the growing season in the tropics, with its evenly distributed rainfall, is continuous.

Pruning keeps the good cocoa close to the main branch. The useless tall branches are snipped way to give easier access to the pods.

A snazzy device that quickly covers the cocoa pods from pests

Easther asks, “Ever wondered what cocoa fruit taste like?”

It actually has the texture of and tastes like a bland soursop

This is where cocoa comes from.. the seed (later, the fermentation process)

This is how you break open the pod. Just smack them together and they will come apart in the center

Mmmmm.. delicious! Different hybrids have different taste and texture.

We climb on the trucks and head on out to have a look at how inter-cropping is done.

Cocoa plant on the left; a straight row of Tongkat Ali on the right (REP 1)

Here we see some interesting inter-cropping with Tongkat Ali! Tongkat Ali root is the local organic aphrodisiac and… NO… the plant does not add further enhancements on the cocoa’s supposed sexual-healing properties! All of us had the same question in mind. MCB planted the Tongkat Ali  at different different distances to study the effects of fruit production.

The cacao tree is very delicate and sensitive. It needs protection from the wind by other, taller trees and requires shade. A newly planted cacao seedling is often sheltered by a different type of tree. It is normal to plant food crops for shade such as banana or coconuts or even tongkat ali. Rubber trees and forest trees are also used for shade. Once established, however, cocoa trees can grow in full sun light, provided there are fertile soil conditions and intensive husbandry. There were a variety of durian and dokong(small yellow fruit) fruit trees here but we just missed the fruiting season. Many groaned at the missed opportunity!

However , the consolation came later on for lunch.. Pandan coconuts! And they really tasted of pandan (screwpine leaves) flavor. Remember we mentioned earlier that the two crops (cocoa and coconut) were complementary – coconut providing shade cover to the cocoa.

Back on to the Trucks.. and out to the Nursery..

At the nursery, saw how the Cocoa flesh was removed from seeds with saw dust, then covered on gunny sack to be planted then rubbed with pesticide to prevent infection.

At the Nursery, we also watch the Propagation process. A Bud grafting demonstration was witnessed by all of us. Bud grafting provide different types of cocoa pods on same tree (different colors)

Here’s a video of a live demo. on Bud-grafting

What is this?

We saw many interesting egg plant, tiny cucumbers and ladies finger plants at the nursery.

Continuing on to the fermentation center, we finally got a clear picture of the entire process:

1. Once the cocoa pods are full-grown and have changed color from green to yellow-orange. With great care, not damaging the branches, the pods are harvested by the plantation workers. The cocoa pods ripen for a few days after the harvest. The outer peel is opened using long knives and a very precise cutting movement, without touching the beans. This process can either be done by manual labour (above) or machines (below).

VIDEO

2. The pulp containing the precious cocoa beans is then removed from the pods and collected in large baskets. The beans are then, depending on the type, left to ferment for five to seven days.

Fermentation is important since this process naturally removes any of the remaining fruit pulp that sticks naturally to the beans and increases the rich aroma. The beans change color from beige to purple and develop their aroma. At fermentation, the only chocolate aroma is a stench.

3. After fermentation they are spread out and left to dry in the sun for about six days. The beans are turned regularly so that they retain just a fraction of their moisture content. Drying is essential, both for stopping the fermentation process and for storage.

Some of us, so hungry for Chocolates, decided to eat the dried cocoa instead. MMmm.. taste just like bitter dark chocolate! Needed to be roasted though.

We ended the plantation tour at around 1p.m. and headed back to the Cocoa Research & Development Centre for lunch

Fantastic Malay style dishes eaten with rice.. super delicious and spicy. The Pièce de résistance (top right of collage) the Patin Tempoyak Curry (photos in collage courtesy of Boolicious of Masak-masak)

The lunch even topped the breakfast we had. It was awesome! Freshly cooked Patin (silver catfish) in a delicious tempoyak (fermented durian paste) curry sauce [voted best dish by all], fried chicken (ciki loved this), curried ofal & brinjals, and a super-duper hot chili sauce that had all of us weeping! Fortunately we had the freshly chopped pandan coconut, and lychee fruit & rose flavored punch to cool us down.

Also, nobody leaves without getting a wonderful goody bag full of MCB memorabilia as well as a fantastic box of chocolates made with the finest Malaysian Cocoa of course! THANKS MCB!

Well, we really need to mention that we were bowled over by the great experience and the amazing hospitality provided by Raize, Easther, Rozita and their colleagues!

Thanks MCB for the opportunity to “Melawat sambil Belajar” (Learn as you visit) at the Jengka Cocoa Plantation & Research Center.

Don’t miss the “Malaysia Cocoa And Chocolate Day 2010″
Learn about the history of Cocoa and the importance of Cocoa plus meet local and international chocolate makers & suppliers.
Date: 15 – 17 October 2010 , Time: 10am-8pm
Location: Hall 2, Mid Valley Exhibition Centre, Mid Valley

To find out more about Malaysian cocoa, enquire at www.koko.gov.my!

PAPARAZZI SHOTS OF THE PIRATES OF COCOA-LAND!

The hungry ghosts arrive!

FBB (Fatboybakes) being the “Dad” and spraying the lil’ ones with mosquito repellent

Delectable Su, tries out a new nose for size

Oliver and his pair of perky.. er.. cocoa pods?

Oliver… “my cocoa pods brings all the girls to the yard..”

Monkey tries to eat the whole lot.

PIRATES OF COCOALAND!

My lonesome Cocoa pod.. says goodbye..

THE END

PART II – Kuala Lipis Town and Lunch. Later, exploring Bentong Town.

Imagine, in the 1880s, a town in the middle of nowhere; accessible only by river, which took at least a couple of days to a week of paddling to get to. Why carve a town in the heart of the jungle? Why not just make do with the seaside towns for convenience and accessibility? But unbeknown to many, Kuala Lipis may have a history far older than that written in our history books.

The town began its life as a trading centre for jungle products such as animal parts for medicinal values, feathers from exotic birds for decoration, roots and herbs, and gaharu (a fragrant aloe wood used for joss sticks) collected by the tribes in the interior and traded with Chinese middlemen for rice, salt and other basic necessities.

The town grew as their reputation as a trading centre brought Chinese and locals from afar to the area.  As tin mining fever finally spread across to the interior, the colonial government built the railway to transport precious ore out of the jungle.

In 1920, the railway line extended from Gemas in Johor in the south to Kuala Lipis, linking these isolated trading centres to the ports. Traveling on the 12 hour long train ride from Kuala Lumpur to Wakaf Baru station in Kota Baharu, one can only imagine the enormous task that engineers and coolie laborers undertook in clearing areas of thick jungle and building bridges over jungle rivers that were well prone to monsoon flooding. The bridges and railway lines are in use till this day. (Check out Cumi’s Ah Beng stylo mylo hairdo )

History lesson from here.

Since we had some time to kill before lunch, we had time to explore Kuala Lipis old town. Above and below, pictures from a Hainanese Bakery. Above picture, what you can’t see are those popular square buns from yesteryear – the ones sprinkled with granulated sugar and raisins places in a matrix.

There was a distinctively Chinese area and a Malay area in the town. The Chinese businessmen built their atypical Chinese Shop houses, mainly along the 400m long main street aptly called Jalan Besar (Main Street).

There was also the Pasar Tani (Farmers Market) that we managed to explore in the short time we had. The market was massive. It spanned several streets and even snaked down to smaller side roads. We wished we had more time to spend here. It’s held on a Saturday if you’re wanting to visit. A mosque from the 1800s still stands next to the river. We forgot to take a picture.

Here is the nice lady who sold Cumi the Gula Kabung. Sugar made from a type of jungle palm tree and this type of sugar is made mostly in this part of the country. Traditional desserts such as bubur kacang, kuih koci, kuih kelepong, dodol, waji and agar-agar, made with gula kabung supposedly tastes better than using gula melaka, another type of popular palm sugar made in Malacca state.

Then we chanced upon this duku-langsat looking fruit that was neither duku nor langsat. The man at the stall told us that it was Taban(Ganua curtisii), a wild fruit. It tastes less sour than langsat, tangy and is less aromatic/fragrant. It contains a slimy seed (similar to  mangosteen).  Cumi found it bland but I liked it!

The soft, moist interior is delicious! I really like this fruit.

Time for lunch at Fung Seng Lao Restaurant! Our troop  of 17, after the long drive from KL and the morning ‘exercise’ at Sunshine Chicken Farm plus the walkabout around Kuala Lipis town, had growling stomaches eagerly waiting  to be fed! Our first dish was the Yim Kai. This yim kai/Capon was of the Malai Kai (Kampung Chicken) sort. The last time we had the Fahloh Kai (Color Bird) at Chef Tam Restaurant. (Review of the Color Bird Yim Kai).  The Fahloh Kai had a softer texture compared to this Malai Kai. Although delicious,  it had a tougher bite. If you are wondering, the skin does have a natural bright yellow color when cooked and not artificial coloring.  Sunshine Farm was so kind to provide the chicken complimentary, so we were only charged RM8.00 for the cooking.

The other goodies for lunch were cheap, tasty and plentiful! For two tables (20pax) here are the dishes and prices, starting from top left (the green tofu) clockwise…

Jade Tofu (made with wheatgrass) with snow peas, clams and prawns – RM25.00, Two types of Vegetables dishes(fried four angle beans with dried shrimps and fried sweet potato leaves with sambal)- RM10.00 each, Butter Ribs – RM22.00, Roast Duck – RM20.00, Saito Yu Wat (Parang river fish paste) – RM35.00, Wild Boar Curry – RM12.00, Wild Boar with ginger & spring onions – RM12.00

The bill came up to RM24 per head! My favourite was the Ginger Wild boar (who would dare prepare the mighty boar this way, for fear of the gamy smell of the boar? This place did it to perfection – smooth, tender and not a trace of gaminess on our tongues!). The butter ribs were excellent too.

Of course, of special mention is our dear friend Thule/Leo, who so kindly provided us a large river Patin Fish to be added to lunch since we were in his home town. The photo does not do it justice as the Patin was huge at 3.5kg! According to Leo, the fish came from his friend, Ah Kao, whose fish farm is famous for rearing fishes free from any muddy taste – a characteristic of river fishes. His fish is reared in Sungai Lipis. (surprise, surprise:P) The fish was halved for our 2 tables, steamed in soy sauce, sesame oil, topped with fried garlic bits and garnished with corriander leaves. With a prized fish being this fresh and in the hands of a good cook, we don’t need to tell you how good it tastes.  Both tables left only its bones and head on the platter. The fish being a present from Leo, the cooking came up to a whopping RM8.00!

After lunch we all said our goodbyes and began our slow drive back towards KL…. with some stopovers..

Later, C&C, Munkey and Missy Chocoholic went on a hunt for the famous ground nuts in the Sempalit area .. and found it! We made a pit stop to try the peanuts and to drink some sweet pandan coconut.

We also stopped at Bentong for the legendary ice-cream at Kow Po. (For past Betong, Pahang posts, click here). The 74-year-old man, fondly known as “Bentong Uncle Ice-Cream”, is famous for his ice-creams and ice kacang, in this small town. My favourite was the Peanut ice-cream.. tasted like frozen milky peanut butter. Kow Po is a real 1Malaysia spot as all ethnic groups congregate here cheerfully to enjoy a simple dessert. In the background we even heard non-Chinese speaking chinese to the owners.

Tan, a true blue Teo Chew man, who inherited the ice cream business from his father, has now passed it down to his two sons, Jeff Tan, 48 and Michael Tan, 40. Tan’s daughter-in-law, Helen Ng also helps out with the business.

For some exercise, we took munkey and chocoholic on a walk around the  not-so-sleepy town of Bentong. At a corner restaurant, we found people scurrying about like mad-caps, preparing for a wedding dinner. The highlight was the sifu busy roasting the suckling pigs by the side of the restaurant together with an assistant, who applied coats of secret sauce in between roasts. We were contemplating grabbing a skewer and making a run for it..  but unfortunately we had over-eaten throughout the day, and feared our legs would not carry our extended tummies fast enough

All in all a great lunch and a fantastic outing with the gang. We hope to do this again soon!

The End

PART I

This post is entitled : HOW TO CASTRATE A CHICKEN. Do not watch the following videos if you are squeamish!

Following our review of the Yim Kai (Castrated Chicken) at Chef Tam where we met Gerald d’Cruz of the Kuala Lipis Sunshine Chicken farm, we were soon invited  by him, to see the Sunshine Chicken Farm in Kuala Lipis. Cumi & Ciki, A lil Fatmonkey, Memoirs of A chocoholic, Babe KL and hubs, Marian, Lemongrass, Bald Eagle, ‘A‘ of Friedchillies, Thule and Boo of Masak-masak made up the road-trip posse.

Upon arrival at the farm, all the four wheel drives are sprayed with a healthy dose of disinfectant.. I suppose this is to make sure we do not bring in any microbes with us, that might contaminated the chicken.

The Sunshine Chicken Farm.

Chicken grazing on the farm.

We felt really honoured when we were told that we would be served a light western breakfast at the farm before the walkabout – courtesy of Chef Marinus of The Grand Life Sdn Bhd. We had some gorgeous, Chicken Terrine and Liver Pate (chicken and /or duck) spreads to go with our French Loaf and coffee and tea.

Apparently Chef Marinus also supplies his pate and terrine to O gourmet, Bangsar Shopping Center.

After a quick breakfast and briefing by Mr Ong above, owner of Sunshine Farm, we were soon ushered to our farm tour. Since not all readers understand the Cantonese dialect, a simple translation says the poultry is fed on Guinea grass (as you can see in the video) or “Ma Cho” grass ,as well as corn.  Guinea grass is a variety of Napier grass which according to Mr.Ong has health benefits to humans as well.  Guinea/Napier grass is a main source of food for livestock around the world. The water used to water the vegetation is pure, unadulterated water. All these elements only combine to give 90% of the winning formula (the rest is a trade secret for obvious reasons) that will produce chicken of superb color, flavour and succulent texture.

There are two types of Yim Kai (Castrated Chicken). The Malai Kai (Kampung Chicken) and the Fahloh Kai(Color Bird). The biggest Fahloh Kai can reach 6.5kg, whilst the biggest Malai Kai can only reach 6kg. The Fahloh Kai has the softer texture, whilst the Malai Kai though delicious, can be tougher.

The weight of a chicken varies, however, a chicken tastes best when it is mature, regardless of its size.

You can see bald patches of vegetation that has been consumed by the chicken on the plains. Free range chicken are the healthier version to normal chicken as they are not subjected to hormone injections nor vaccines and are fed natural vegetation. They are also free to run (more exercise! – hence the ‘free range’ term) which results in less fat and more lean meat than the average chicken.

a) Free Range Chicken (Ma Cho Kai) – The farm has both hens and roosters, roosters being slightly more heavier – generally they weigh between 1.3kg to 3.0kg.

b) Free Range Castrated Rooster or Capon Rooster (Yim Kai) -  These are only available in limited numbers as it takes more then 20 weeks to mature. Capon Roosters generally weigh between 3.5kg to 6.5kg. The procedure is fast, and the rooster does not suffer. A small incision is made to remove the reproductive organ  (gonads) then the bird is up and running with no down-time. A Capon’s flesh is known to be juicier, tender and flavorful compared to an un-castrated cock.

We managed to observe a freelance castration expert at work on this visit.  His deft hands and skills are the result of  over 30 years of experience and has been in the ‘operating theater’ since aged 15 years. It also helped that he came from a lineage of castration specialists.  He can tell if the chicken is ready for castration just  by handling the chicken in his hand. Unwell chickens are left to recover first as they need to be healthy to survive this ordeal.  You will see from the video that it takes just approximately 2 minutes to complete the painless procedure. This is a dying trade which our parents have witnessed in their daily lives and we’re fortunate to have documented.

Please click on the video below to see how a chicken is castrated (WARNING! Not for the faint-hearted).

Here below, you see the Rooster, after the procedure, up and about. No bleeding nor down-time.

The cock bids his gonads good bye.

The Chicken testes are apparently good for the kidneys. They can fetch, up to RM20 for 100gm.

I'm next guys!

Next up, exploring Kuala Lipis and Bentong Town with the gang. Lunch is served. Thank you Babe KL, Cumi and Gerald for organizing the itinerary so well that things went on without a hitch.

PART II .. lunch in Kuala Lipis