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Artisan Handmade Bread: Surviving MCO

Posted on May 26, 2020June 20, 2021 By Alexandra Wong No Comments on Artisan Handmade Bread: Surviving MCO

When Covid19 hit, Sam Lau of Artisan Handmade Bread was forced to return to his baking roots – but not all’s gloom and doom.

“Come come, Alex, you must try some sourdough from this young man.”

My ears pricked up. Sourdough was starting to trend in Kuala Lumpur, but I had not heard the word in Ipoh, until that moment (circa 2015/6).

I walked curiously to where my friend Pak Peter was standing beside a popup stall, one of several taking part in Indulgence Restaurant’s outdoor food bazaar.

The young baker – whose name I found out was Sam Lau – smiled tentatively as he handed me a piece of rye sourdough spread with fruit preserve.

I bit into it and gasped. Wow, it was delicious!

“This young man has lots to offer Ipoh,” Pak Peter gushed as Sam tried not to look embarrassed. “You’ll be seeing much more of him!”

Pak Peter was right, for Sam was no ordinary baker. Some 20 years ago, he had left Ipoh in search of better opportunities for the United Kingdom. He worked at Michelin-starred restaurants and was mentored by top chefs like Grady Atkins. Now that he had come back to Ipoh, he wanted to use what he had learned and introduce British French bistronomy to the food scene in his hometown.

In those short years after I first met him, Sam made waves with Artisan Handmade Bread, the cafe he opened in the revitalized heritage section of Ipoh around Sekeping Kong Heng. Accolades poured in fast and furious for this ambitious young chef. Newspapers, magazines, TV appearances … he even scored a mention in New York Times!

Then after four years, something happened that no one saw coming. One after another, food and beverage establishments got shuttered by COVID19.

On April 27, Artisan Handmade Bread became the latest victim. After Sam uploaded a “Closing Down” post on social media, a multitude of fans flooded his Instagram and Facebook accounts with comments.

I was heartbroken too, but decided to wait until the dust had settled before catching up with him.

Before I had the chance to do so, a new notice went up on May 16 saying he was back in business.

“Sam! What’s happening?Are you going to start another cafe?” I texted him excitedly.

“Nope. I’m going to go back to where I started: baking bread.”

Bread became one of the most sought-after commodities during the Movement Control Order. Pictures of folks lining up for Gardenia bread circulated widely. Naturally, the high demand for bread spilled over to Sam.

There was just one problem: With MCO, he was down to a one-man show, so he couldn’t bring interns to help him. He would have to do everything by himself, from baking the loaves to taking orders to making the deliveries. But with no other sources of revenue, bills to pay, and two dependents, he had no choice in the matter.

In between churning out wholemeal oat, rye sourdough, foccacia garlic herbs and kaya, Sam shared easy recipes on social media. He barely had time to sleep, but he was happy that in times of crisis, the folks of Ipoh gravitated to his baked goods for comfort.

In four years of operation, he had never received so many orders for bread.

By the second or third week, it was clear to Sam that a new normal would take over after MCO was lifted.

“COVID19 has changed customers’ behaviour. People are scared. They want healthy, affordable and convenient food – and safety is a top concern.”

Dine-in was not going to be sustainable, especially for small players like Sam.

“With the new social distancing rules, my shop can only seat maximum 10 persons. How could I cover my expenses?”

Even more so because of Sam’s unique dining concept. Before MCO, his menu featured artisanal bistronomy food with a local twist. His interpretation of loh mai fan, for example, has the glutinous rice base cooked risotto style, served with a sous vide chicken roulade and curry reduction, and garnished with marigold flowers and watercress leaves.

What’s even crazier?

At Artisan Handmade Bread, Sam sold his food at wafer-thin margins because he wanted to introduce Ipoh people to an artisanal dining experience that paid homage to old traditions while embracing new methods.

Despite this, not everyone was a fan. Over our chats, he sometimes shared his frustration at the harsh comments he received. Some customers thought his food was pretentious. Others accused him of being a show-off just because he had learned culinary skills overseas. Etc etc.

“To be honest, I’ve been struggling to keep going over the last few years. What was the point of trying so hard when people don’t appreciate what you do?”

COVID19 merely accelerated the inevitable. Clearly, fancy meals weren’t going to be a thing for some time. The realization helped Sam made up his mind quickly. He decided to cut his losses and close his outlet in Old Town Ipoh. The lease was up anyway.

On April 27, the shutters came down on Artisan Handmade Bread, the cafe, for the last time.

Back to his baking roots

When we speak on the 16th, I note that he sounds surprisingly calm, for a man who just closed a business he spent four years growing. I soon find out why.

Turns out, he has just found a small shop near his house which can serve as a central kitchen to bake bread and make condiments like preserves, kimchi and kaya. He intends to focus on private pre-orders and home deliveries. He works with local service provider Rider Empire to deliver the orders. #supportlocalbusinesses

It’s a great idea, I tell him. “Do you plan to offer full meals too, like you used to?”

“Not for now. I’m just going to being a baker .. do simple basic stuff.” He adds with a laugh, “No more fancy food.”

At his words, I feel a mix of pain and relief. “Will you miss your previous life?”

“It was a good experience. I’m happy I had the opportunity to have done all that, but that part of my life is over now. I’m just grateful for the chance to start over.”

There is an unmistakeable sincerity that comes through his voice. I have no doubt he is telling me the truth.

Then he pauses. “It is every chef’s dream to open his own restaurant. Yes, it was painful to shut it down after pouring so much time and energy into it. But I tell myself it’s not the end of the world. There will always be a demand for good, simple food. I may have lost my shop, but not my skills. As long as I have that, I can survive anywhere.”

Gambate, Sam. We’re all rooting for you.

 

Sam hopes that by sharing his story, he can encourage other small business owners to carry on. Sometimes, life may take an unexpected turn but it can be an opportunity to start something new to offer your customers.

Post-MCO, Sam is taking private orders from customers and makes home deliveries. His revolving menu includes:
– Multi-seed loaf with sunflowers seeds, fibre seeds, raisins and cinnamon
– Italian Foccacia with rosemary, garlic and chilli flakes
– Langit Jobs tears wholemeal sourdough
– Organic Buckwheat honey loaf (nutty and sweet)
– Organic Raw Kombucha Probiotics drinks 500ml
– Vegan Homemade Gochujang kimchi pickles
– Homemade *Cafe de Paris butter 125g
– Traditional homemade kaya
– Vegan pea spread

Sam uses all natural ingredients with his own wild yeast levian starter.
Please check with him what’s available as the menu changes according to ingredient availability in the market.

To order from Artisan Handmade Bread, https://wa.me/60165978922
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Lead photo credit: Saravanan Sambad

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Stories Tags:baker, F & B entrepreneur, post MCO

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Who’s Ipohbunny, lah?

Welcome!

I’m Alexandra Wong, a self-taught Malaysian home cook on a mission to simplify and healthify recipes using affordable quality ingredients. I am a writer by profession, mostly known for my feelgood stories about people, travel and food.

ipohbunny

I love all sorts of cakes, but carrot cake is sacr I love all sorts of cakes, but carrot cake is sacred territory.

My mum used to make it. Her cakes were wondrously crumbly and moist, and filled with so many goodies (We Ipoh people call it "toh liu") that nothing sold outside has ever, ever come close. 

Until @grumpyoldman_bakes

I didn't plan on ordering his cake, honestly. But I'd had to rush back to Ipoh for an emergency, and after some very stressful days, I figured I deserve a cake. Cakes make everything better right?

I'd read him waxing lyrical about his carrot cake and against my better judgement, I decided to order one. Gulp, risky. But what's life without some risk?

He was so sweet and helpful in his interactions, and even tolerated my unnecessary rambling (I express to destress). 

When I popped the box lid open, I gasped at how pretty it was. The whole cake was covered in thick frosting and topped with fresh walnuts. 

And then I cut a slice for mum and was even more shocked. You could see the grated carrot and nuts - it was so generous portioned - but the proof was in the tasting. MUm's tasting, to be exact.

She took a  bite and smiled approvingly. "It's so moist inside!"

That is the HIGHEST compliment, in my opinion, one can ever pay a carrot cake. So many out there guilty of dry, pebbly abominations. 

I took a bite and immediately noticed how fresh it tasted. And, I realised, tears springing to my eyes, how close it was to Mum's version, which I last ate more than 20 years ago. 

Thank you Chris for awakening these wonderful memories. 

#carrotcake #grumpyoldmanbakes #ipohbaker #homebaker #ipohhomebaker
I made my own #salmon #gravlax!!! #achievementunlo I made my own #salmon #gravlax!!! #achievementunlocked

It was not bad, just too salty but I have an idea where I went wrong

1. I initially soaked the slab of fish in a mixture of salt, sugar, star anise, peppercorn - and pickle juice because one of the chef recipes indicated so. 

2. However, when I read some other recipes, I realised none of them recommended soaking the fish in any liquid. In fact the salt is supposed to draw the liquid out of the salmon. True enough, when I checked the salmon after 18 hours, I found the flesh was still soft and raw. I suspected the culprit was the brine, so I poured it away. 

3. Then I packed on some more salt and wrapped it tightly in cling film and poked holes to let the liquid drain. I did it this way because I feel nervous about putting a heavy slab on top of the fish - scared the weight will break the fridge shelves!

4. Anyway, I think my method worked because after 36 hours, the flesh had firmed up visibly so I knew curing had taken place. Yay!

5. I could slice it quite easily, even though I didn't have a sharp knife. However, it was definitely too salty. More Googling. Turns out that I should use coarse kosher salt, instead of regular table salt otherwise the salmon would be too salty. Ah.

All in all, a pretty decent effort for a first timer. One more notch on my culinary belt :)

Edit: Just had an idea. I can always make salmon pate. By mixing the salmon with other ingredients, I redistribute the saltiness, so the salt is less concentrated. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPUfeKMpdGB/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

#salmongravlax #homemadegravlax #homecooking #Malaysianhomecook #cookwithipohbunny #ipohbunnyrecipes #fish #easyrecipe
OK, @higherground.my is an unapologetic Instagram OK, @higherground.my is an unapologetic Instagram bait - and I'm an unapologetic Gen Xer with the heart of a #cafehopping Gen Z-er 😀

I wanted to come since spotting it on @penangfoodie So did half the Penang Gen Z population too. Though I think my hubby and I probably increased the median age by at least 20 years when we stepped in, haha! 

Flat white (RM14) and hot chocolate (RM16) were watery. Cakes looked generic, so didn't feel like trying. Hope the food will improve, cos the place is damn gorgeous.

Nice for people watching. 

#penangcafes #penangfoodie #cafehoppg #coffee #coffeegram #malaysiancafes #cafegram #cafespotting
@oowhitecoffee So did this super popular upmarket @oowhitecoffee

So did this super popular upmarket kopitiam live up to the hype?

One sentence: Come for the coffee. Which is really what made this place famous. Mum kept raving about how good her "kopi oh ping" was and my Kopi ais was excellent too. You can take away the coffee in convenient bottles too, which I found out is quite common in Penang outlets with a strong coffee brand like Stall 76 Batu Lanchang, SBK Concept etc. 

Other pros: clean, comfortable, elderly-friendly environment. When asked how his chicken hor fun was, Dad commented, "Tastier than the Ipoh version." He downed the whole bowl of soup! Both their HK and Portuguese egg tarts were well made. 

The cons: Mum was not impressed with the hokkien mee. In fact, I have yet to find one in Penang that meets her sky-high standards. As for my nasi lemak I believe I can cook better sambal and rice lah 😅 (thank you @che_nom) though the tasty fried chicken made up for it. Hubs' tan chi (softboiled egg over buttered toast) was nothing to shout about but he did say the bread was good, as it was soft and had body, like brioche. 

Be forewarned. If you arrive after 8am on a weekend, good luck to you circling around the area looking for parking. I dragged my parents out at 7.20am. We came before twice at 9+am and lunchtime, both unsuccessful because there was just no parking in the vicinity. Oh and expect higher than average Penang prices, though I think KL folks won't feel much pain paying RM10+ for a bowl of noodles 😂

#oowhitecoffee #foodblogger #Malaysianfoodblogger #kopitiam #penangfood #Penangkopitiam #Malaysianfoodie #penangcafe
After trying out so many famous #Nyonyarestaurant After trying out so many famous  #Nyonyarestaurants, Bibik's Kitchen remains my undisputed No 1 choice. Yes, it's not so well known nor does it appear on that many "best of" lists, but that's because the food here is cooked home-style. Nor are they active on socmed. 

Meaning the taste is not so commercial because there is no msg, no excessive amounts of salt or chilli - the dishes are made using generations-old family recipes.

And guess what? One of the most critical foodies I know gives it the thumbs-up. My mum :)

I was nervous about bringing her because as a terrific cook herself, her standards are damn high. But she was sold after her first bite of her favourite dish  #otak-otak, which she praised for its super smooth texture, subtle flavours with a strong but not overwhelming fragrance of daun kaduk. "Mum's otak-otak also tastes like this," she commented, referring to herself la. Translation: that's the pinnacle of praise 🤣

Otak2 aside, Bibik's chicken dishes are some of the best. This round, I haven't found Penang any chicken #karikapitan that comes close, and the #inchikabin is superb as well. 

And if you come for lunch, you must try the #Nyonyakuih here, which is actually sold in Kuih by Bibik, run by the Mum Girlie on nearby Lebuh Clarke 

Kuih by Bibik's is THE BEST Penang #nyonyakuih I've eaten - and only a few ppl know because the Nyonya Girlie makes it in very small batches. Unlike the commercially made versions, you can really taste the difference in terms of the quality of ingredients. My mum and I can both make Nyonya kuih (OK I can only make kuih bingka) so we know our stuff lah :p

#penangfood #nyonyacuisine
One of the more delicious discoveries I've made re One of the more delicious discoveries I've made recently in Ipoh, @hyggebakehouseipoh is a cosy #Ipohbakery making their own #shokupan (fluffy and soft while retaining a nice bite) #sourdough and all kinds of cakes, cookies and desserts, including one of the best #brownies I've eaten - very chocolatey and almost as fudgy as @718pizza (which also makes a killer giler-fudgy brownie). Luckily the cafe is quite far from my house, or else very dangerous for my diet haha. Proud too that the quality of bakeries in Ipoh is Comparable to KL. The inside-flowy basque cheesecake at @girliescafe
remains my all time favourite.

Glad I followed your recommendation @milockosong 🤗

#Ipoheats #Ipohcafes
No chicken? Eat duck lor :P Stumbled across @what No chicken? Eat duck lor :P

Stumbled across @whattheducksetia when it was a quirky little cafe on Nagore Road many years ago. Was so impressed by the quality of the food - its fine dining but at such humane prices.

Today, we visited its new incarnation at Setia Spice and the food is as tasty as ever. 

Hubs had the set dinner of duck confit (delectable! I actually crunched the bones!), passion fruit tea, soup and dessert while I had the spicy Indonesian bek bek pasta.

Man, I miss this ❤️

#whattheduck #duckconfit #penangfood #duck
Here's another #cheat #hack you can use if you rea Here's another #cheat #hack you can use if you really feel like eating chicken rice but can't be bothered with the whole song and dance to make proper chicken rice.

Your lifesaver? This super handy, super tasty Bentong ginger paste that I discovered in a market in Pulau Tikus market!!

What else you'll need?
1) Chicken rubbed with salt
2) Chicken stock
3) Rice

That's it!! 

Now, everybody knows that for good chicken rice, the RICE is probably more important than the chicken itself.  It's got to be a flavour bomb, literally. So how do you achieve that?

This is where the magic of the Bentong ginger paste comes in.  Aside from ginger and garlic, it's also seasoned with oyster sauce, salt, etc as well as oil which has been flavoured with all those seasonings. What I did was scoop up a few tsp of the flavoured oil, mix it with the rice and chicken stock, cook it in my rice cooker, and voila, chicken rice! Simple kan?

As for the chicken, just steam it with the ginger paste for 20 minutes and voila, the most delicious chicken rice with just three ingredients!

#3ingredientrecipes #kitchenhack #Chinesecooking #chinesecuisine #homecook #Malaysianhomecook #homechefs #weeknightdinners #easyrecipes
It's been ages since I made #samwongtan or steamed It's been ages since I made #samwongtan or steamed three eggs, the Chinese classic comfort food. I got myself a century egg and salted duck egg from the Batu Lanchang market so decided to make it again.

How do you get flawless steamed 3 eggs?

1. Use an egg: liquid ratio of 1: slightly less than 2. Yes, 2 is the gold standard but I found it just a little on the side of watery so a bit less will do the trick. For the liquid, you can use either water or stock. If you use water, just season more.

2. Whisk the egg mixture until lump free before steaming. 

3. When you are ready to steam, place the egg custard on the steaming tray only when the water is boiling already. Then reduce to medium low and steam for 10 min.

If you have any other good tips, pls leave them in the comments below :) 

#Chinesecooking #homecook #homecooking #eggs #eggdishes #healthyeating #steamedeggs #foodie #Malaysianhomecook #vegetarian #eggrecipes #vegetarianrecipes
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