21 October 2015

Daftar Toko Buku dan Daerah yang Menjual Buku "Tetap Sehat dengan Yoga"


Buku Tetap Sehat dengan Yoga yang ditulis oleh Astrid Amalia


Bagi yang ingin membeli buku yoga saya "Tetap Sehat dengan Yoga", di bawah ini adalah daftar toko buku dan daerah yang menjual buku tersebut:


TOKO BUKU BIASA
              




1
BANDUNG FESTIVAL
BANDUNG
2
GRAMEDIA BANDUNG ISTANA PLASA
BANDUNG
3
GRAMEDIA BANDUNG MERDEKA
BANDUNG
4
GRAMEDIA BANDUNG PARIS VAN JAVA
BANDUNG
5
GRAMEDIA BANDUNG SUPERMAL
BANDUNG
6
GRAMEDIA CIREBON
BANDUNG
7
GRAMEDIA TASIKMALAYA
BANDUNG



1
GRAMEDIA ARTHA GADING
JAKARTA
2
GRAMEDIA BALEKOTA TANGERANG
JAKARTA
3
GRAMEDIA BINTARO
JAKARTA
4
GRAMEDIA BOGOR PADJAJARAN
JAKARTA
5
GRAMEDIA BOTANI SQUARE
JAKARTA
6
GRAMEDIA CENTRAL PARK
JAKARTA
7
GRAMEDIA CINERE
JAKARTA
8
GRAMEDIA DAAN MOGOT
JAKARTA
9
GRAMEDIA DEPOK
JAKARTA
10
GRAMEDIA EMPORIUM PLUIT
JAKARTA
11
GRAMEDIA GAJAH MADA
JAKARTA
12
GRAMEDIA GANDARIA
JAKARTA
13
GRAMEDIA GRAND INDONESIA
JAKARTA
14
GRAMEDIA KARAWACI
JAKARTA
15
GRAMEDIA KELAPA GADING
JAKARTA
16
GRAMEDIA MAL CIJANTUNG
JAKARTA
17
GRAMEDIA MAL CIPUTRA/CITRALAND
JAKARTA
18
GRAMEDIA MAL GADING SERPONG
JAKARTA
19
GRAMEDIA MAL METROPOLITAN BEKASI
JAKARTA
20
GRAMEDIA MAL OF INDONESIA
JAKARTA
21
GRAMEDIA MAL TAMAN ANGGREK
JAKARTA
22
GRAMEDIA MATRAMAN
JAKARTA
23
GRAMEDIA PEJATEN VILLAGE
JAKARTA
24
GRAMEDIA PINTU AIR
JAKARTA
25
GRAMEDIA PLUIT VILAGE
JAKARTA
26
GRAMEDIA PONDOK GEDE
JAKARTA
27
GRAMEDIA PONDOK INDAH
JAKARTA
28
GRAMEDIA PURI INDAH
JAKARTA
29
GRAMEDIA SEMANGGI
JAKARTA
30
GRAMEDIA SUNTER
JAKARTA
31
GRAMEDIA TERAS KOTA
JAKARTA
32
MAL KALIBATA
JAKARTA
33
TB GRAMEDIA AEON Mall BSD City
JAKARTA
34
TB GRAMEDIA Jbk Ciputra Cibubur
JAKARTA
35
TB. GRAMEDIA BAYWALK MALL
JAKARTA
36
TB.GRAMEDIA ALAM SUTERA
JAKARTA
37
TB.GRAMEDIA MEGA MAL BEKASI
JAKARTA
38
TRIMEDIA AMBASADOR
JAKARTA
39
TB. GRAMEDIA Cibinong City Mall
JAKARTA
40
TB. GRAMEDIA Melawai Baru
JAKARTA
41
TB Gramedia Jbk World CBD Bintaro
JAKARTA



1
BANJARMASIN

2
BATAM CITY SQUARE

3
DUTAMAL BANJARMASIN

4
GRAMEDIA LAMPUNG BOEMI KEDATON MALL

5
JAYAPURA

6
KUPANG

7
LAMPUNG

8
MAUMERE FLORES

9
PONTIANAK




1
GRAMEDIA MALUKU CITY
MAKKASAR
2
KENDARI RABAM MAL
MAKKASAR
3
MAKASAR MAL RATU INDAH
MAKKASAR
4
MAKASAR PANAKUKANG
MAKKASAR
5
MAKASAR TRANSKALLA
MAKKASAR
6
MANADO
MAKKASAR
7
TB.GRAMEDIA GORONTALO
MAKKASAR
8
TERNATE
MAKKASAR
9
TB Gramedia Manado Town Square




1
BALIKPAPAN
SAMARINDA
2
SAMARINDA
SAMARINDA
3
TB GRAMEDIA Big Mall Samarinda
SAMARINDA



4
TARAKAN
SAMARINDA



1
GRAMEDIA MEDAN FOCAL POINT
MEDAN
2
MEDAN GAJAH MADA
MEDAN
3
MEDAN MAL
MEDAN
4
MEDAN SUN PLASA
MEDAN
5
TB.GRAMEDIA MEDAN SANTIKA
MEDAN



1
JAMBI
PALEMBANG
2
MEGA MAL BENGKULU
PALEMBANG
3
PALEMBANG ATMO
PALEMBANG
4
PALEMBANG SQUARE
PALEMBANG

TOTAL PALEMBANG

1

PEKANBARU
2
PEKANBARU MALL
PEKANBARU
3
PEKANBARU SUDIRMAN
PEKANBARU
4
TRIMEDIA PEKANBARU
PEKANBARU



1
BALI DUTA PLASA
SURABAYA
2
BALI GALERIA
SURABAYA
3
BALI NIKITA PLASA
SURABAYA
4
GRAMEDIA CIPUTRA WORLD SURABAYA
SURABAYA
5
Gramedia Lombok
SURABAYA
6
GRAMEDIA PAKUWON SURABAYA
SURABAYA
7
JEMBER
SURABAYA
8
KEDIRI
SURABAYA
9
MADIUN
SURABAYA
10
MALANG BASUKI RAHMAT
SURABAYA
11
MALANG TOWN SQUARE
SURABAYA
12
SURABAYA EXPO
SURABAYA
13
SURABAYA MANYAR
SURABAYA
14
SURABAYA ROYAL PLASA
SURABAYA
15
SURABAYA TUNJUNGAN PLASA
SURABAYA
16
TB GRAMEDIA Lippo Plaza Sidoarjo
SURABAYA
17
GRAND CITY SURABAYA
SURABAYA



1
PEMUDA SEMARANG
YOGYAKARTA
2
PURWOKERTO
YOGYAKARTA
3
SEMARANG JAVASUPERMAL
YOGYAKARTA
4
SEMARANG PANDANARAN
YOGYAKARTA
5
SOLO SQUARE
YOGYAKARTA
6
SURAKARTA
YOGYAKARTA
7
YOGYA MAL AMBARUKMO
YOGYAKARTA
8
YOGYA MALIOBORO
YOGYAKARTA
9
YOGYA SUDIRMAN
YOGYAKARTA
11
TB. GRAMEDIA Rita Supermall
YOGYAKARTA
10
TB GRAMEDIA Jogja City Mall
YOGYAKARTA


Terima kasih! 


20 October 2015

Nordic Cuisine with Jaakko Sorsa at C's Steak and Seafood of Grand Hyatt Hotel

C'S STEAK AND SEAFOOD RESTAURANT 
Grand Hyatt Hotel 
Jl. MH. Thamrin Kav. 28 – 30, 
Jakarta 


Gina Desmeralda from Grand Hyatt Hotel Jakarta, Chef Jaakko Sorsa from FINDS and me


What is Nordic Cuisine? How do they taste? Do I have to go to Europe to eat them?
These questions start to arise in my head when I receive the invitation to attend the Nordic Cuisine Dinner.

The term "Nordic" is derived from the local term Norden, used in the North Germanic languages, which means "The North(ern lands)". The Nordic countries are the countries in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic, which are Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. 

Nordic Cuisine is western food, prepared with ingredients of Nordic countries and typical European techniques including smoking, curing and pickling. Seafood is an important part of the cuisine as the people are surrounded by sea and lakes. The dishes are made from fresh raw materials and made in natural preservation to face the cold or winter season in the countries when the supply of the food is not as much as the other seasons.

In my situation, I can not imagine if I have to travel to all those five countries just to satisfy my curiosity about the Nordic Cuisine. It is gonna be a very expensive food blogging experience to go to the countries, although I hope someday I can visit them. Amen! 
But I can let go my worries as I get the invitation from the C's Steak and Seafood Restaurant at the Grand Hyatt Hotel that collaborates with Asian Food Channel to experience the Nordic Cuisine at their restaurant, not in Europe. Thank God :-D 
They bring Chef Jaakko Sorsa to Jakarta to introduce the Nordic Cuisine from his magic hands. Nice! 

Jaakko Sorsa is the Award Winning Executive Finish Chef at the FINDS which is stands for "Finnish Icelandic Norwegian Danish Swedish", the only and finest Nordic Restaurant and Bar in Southeast Asia located in a boutique hotel in Hong Kong. Its fresh-and-straight-from-Norway Salmon is the signature ingredient in the restaurant.
Jaakko Sorsa has the experience for many years to handle very important circles, like guests at Presidential Palace of Finland, Executive Board of Nokia, Princess Takamado of Japan, Princess of Sweden and Princess of Saudi-Arabia. He is also the author of his recipe book, Scapas Dining. He is the Chef of the Year 2015 in Foodie Fork Award. Wow! 

Chef Jaakko emphasizes that his dishes are healthy and pure. 
Looking at the menu, I can expect that the food are healthy, as most of the dishes are from Salmon and Vegetables. Salmon has healthy fat, protein and Omega 3, while Vegetables are known to be the number one healthiest food in the world for its fiber and nutrition.
Pure food is guaranteed as his food is the genuine Scandinavian dishes without any modification, and they are straightly from the nature. 

Let's start the journey to the Nordic Cuisine with Chef Jaakko Sorsa! 


Smooth Salmon Soup 
King Crab, Dill Cucumbers 


Smooth Salmon Soup


The first food to open my sense of taste is Smooth Salmon Soup. The Soup made from Grilled Salmon's Head that is crushed in a blender and mixed with various spices, vegetables and dill. On top of the soup, there are sprinkles of tasty King Crab. The soup is deliciously warm, and the dill cucumbers gives a fresh closing at the end. I love the dish as it has creamy texture and savory flavor. Don't forget, I always love Seafood and I tend to have salty-tooth :-) 


Salmon in Six Ways
Gravad Lax, Cold Smoked, Seared, Mousse, Pickled, Smoked Roe 


Salmon in Six Ways


This is the Chef Jaakko's signature dish in FINDS. 
The plate has six small cuts of Salmon cooked in six different methods of preservation.
The first piece is Salmon Gravad Lax. Gravad in Swedish means burying. Gravad Lad is the Swedish way to rub some salt into Salmon to cure it. The fresh Salmon is covered with Chopped Beet Root, Lemon Peel, and Sea Salt. After that, the raw Salmon was kept for 24 - 48 hours in a refrigerator or buried to let the salt absorbed by the Salmon. As a result, the thin sliced Salmon Gravad Lax will have reddish surface, and taste a bit sweet and salty. It feels like Sashimi.
The second is Cold Smoked Salmon. The third is Seared Salmon served with a Radish Slice and Citrusy Avocado Mousse. 
The fourth is the Creamy and Thick Salmon Mousse. The texture of the delicious Salmon Mousse is impressively smooth and soft. 
The fifth is Pickled Salmon topped with Pickled Baby Carrot and Pickled Pearl Onion. The last one is Salmon Roe with Creamy Cream Cheese
Do you know what's crazy about the dishes? The dishes are served with a shot of liquor! That is a real kick to my face :-D   
Chef Jakkoo suggests that the dish should be consumed in order from the light one to the most flavory one to experience the joy in tasting the different flavors. 
It is amazing to know that one ingredient can be cooked in six different ways. As the dishes have good combination of protein (Salmon) and fibers (vegetables), then they are also good for those who are on diet, especially on the food combining diet. 
Some of the dishes are so creamy that they are melted directly to my throat. 
Such an amazing experience I get from one plate of many joys! This is a very recommended one for those who like to explore and adventure. 


Roots and Mushrooms
Roasted Goldroot and Beetroot, Brined Mushroom Salad 


Roots and Mushrooms


This dish is very good for those vegans and vegetarians, or those who are in any kind of healthy diet. This is good for me too as I am a big fan of the sweet Beetroot. The fresh natural taste of mushroom create fullness in my mouth, while the Goldroot and Beetroot gives fresh and sweet closing at the end. 


Duck Breast "Patrami"
Smoked Bell Pepper Sauce, Burned Feta 


Duck Breast "Patrami"


The slices of Duck Breast are beautifully cooked, cured, smoked and seasoned. Some Cubed Pickled Pumpkins are served in Finnish way to balance the duck dish. The Burned Feta Cheese - one of my favorite things in the world - is on the side with a spark of Black Pepper and Fennel on top of it. It is marvelously delicious when the duck meets the feta cheese inside my mouth. The creamy effect is unforgettable! 


Slightly Smoked Veal Tenderloin     
Porcini-Barley, Black Currant Sauce 


Slightly Smoked Veal Tenderloin


Two slices of Veal Tenderloin is the main course of the night. The extraordinary tenderloins have been smoked and slow cooked. Topped with Blackcurrant Sauce with a slice of Carrot as "a sight for sore eyes". The tenderloins are accompanied with cooked yummy Barleys and Puree.
It is surprised me that the taste of the Barleys is like a combination of rice and oats. It is very smooth and easy to chew. It is totally a healthier choice than the usual mashed potato. 


"Daim" Parfait Dessert 
Meringue, Almond, Caramel, Dark Chocolate, White Chocolate, Red Berries, Spruce Needles  


"Daim" Parfait Dessert


This is also the Chef Jaakko's signature dish in FINDS. 
When I see "Daim" in the menu, my mind goes to the famous Daim Chocolate from Sweden. So, my expectation is not far from the richness taste of that famous chocolate brand from Europe. When Chef Jaakko serves his own "Daim" Parfait Dessert, I totally forget about my expectation, because Chef Jaakko's Daim Dessert is much better! 
All the ingredients that he blends (sweet meringue, almond, caramel, dark and white chocolate, red berries) complement each other, and they look so beautifully yummy!  
The unique and rare ingredient in the dessert is the Spruce Needles Syrup spread around the dessert. The syrup is made from the tip of Pine Trees. The syrup smells like a pine forest and tastes a little woodsy and citrusy. The syrup is a great match with the sweetness in the dessert. It is a brand new thing for me to "eat a tree" in my plate. Oui, il est parfait! Yes, it is perfect! 


Overall, the dishes are delicious and unique, as Chef Jaakko knows how to balance the main ingredients and the spices. The dishes are still pure, genuine and raw, while the spices only act as little taste enhancer. 
What I like from the friendly Chef Jaakko Sorsa is that he explains his food just like a story teller tells the story to the children. Very detail, warm and personal. I can sense that he knows his food very well. 
He also comes to my corner to explain about one of the dishes. I guess he knows that I was not available when he explained about the food earlier. His attention is very detail. Thank you, Chef Jaakko! 


Concha Y Toro Wines


The dinner is accompanied by Concha Y Toro Wines that makes the night feel even warmer and more intimate. The dinner is also a warm meet up with some closed friends. Can you feel the warm atmosphere in the event?


Cheers!


As usual, the dinner is full of laughs and happiness. Everyone understands that when the belly is full, then the heart is happy and the mind is calm. 

Enjoy your dinner, everyone!


Chef Jaakko Sorsa


14 October 2015

Coffee Tasting and Coffee Cupping: Bali Vintage Klasik, Espresso Roast, Guatemala Antigua



I am invited to do coffee cupping and coffee tasting of several coffees at the Starbucks Coffee Reserve Store in Grand Indonesia Shopping Town, Jakarta, Indonesia. So what is the difference between coffee cupping and coffee tasting? I have my own definition about them.  

Coffee cupping is the techniques or practices of observing and evaluating the taste, the aroma, the flavor and the profile of (brewed) coffee. To understand the differences of the coffees, it is necessary for the cuppers - the experts in cupping the coffee - to taste the coffees side-by-side. Cupping is also used to evaluate a defective coffee or to create coffee blends.

If coffee cupping needs two or more coffees to be observed and evaluated, then coffee tasting can be done with only one coffee to be tasted and reviewed. Well, this is only my own opinion. 

OK, let's start to explore the coffees! 


Coffee Tasting: Bali Vintage Klasik 




Bali Vintage Klasik coffee beans come from three villages in Kintamani, Bali, Indonesia. Kintamani is located near Batur Mountain in Bali, and is also used as a place to view the mountain. The villages are located in a cool highlands, and they are ideal for coffee production. The coffee beans are dry hulled and fully washed.

Dry hulled method is a simple and traditional method by using hands. In this process, the coffee cherry is picked from the tree and dried directly in the sun without peeling the skin. The dried coffee cherry turns to dark brown one, and the green seed is torn out from the skin and parchment layers by hand. All defects must be removed visually by hand. The profile of the dry process coffee is to have more body and lower acidity. 

Fully washed process means that the coffee cherry that has been fermented for several days is washed thoroughly to remove all traces of fermented mucilage. It is dried until the bean inside reaches its perfect moisture. This process can produce flavor characteristics that are brighter and lighter. 

Dry hulled method and fully washed process are traditionally known by coffee farmers in Indonesia.




Will the dry hulled method and full washed process make a difference? Let's see my tasting result below.   

  • Compare to other Indonesian coffees, the aroma of Bali Vintage Klasik is lighter and sweeter. 
  • The taste is light to medium with low acidity. The low acidity means that this coffee is also good for people with digestion problems. 
  • The taste is a combination between lime and toasted peanuts tastes, with brown sugar between them.

I suggest that the Bali Vintage Klasik is taken as a single drink without any additional milk and sugar. The milk and sugar will kill the taste of the coffee. 



Coffee Cupping: Espresso Roast vs. Guatemala Antigua 




Espresso Roast, created in 1970s, is the signature flavor of Starbuck espresso beverages. Espresso Roast coffee beans come from multi regions, while Guatemala Antigua coffee beans come from Latin America. The process method of both coffee beans are washed. While Espresso Roast can be made in espresso shots, lattes, French Press or brewer; the Guatemala Antigua is preferred to be made in espresso only. 




What is the difference between Espresso Roast and Guatemala Antigua? Let's see if my cupping result below is correct.

  • The color of Espresso Roast coffee beans is darker than the Guatemala Antigua coffee beans. It means the Espresso Roast is roasted a bit longer than the Guatemala Antigua. 
  • The flavor or Espresso Roast coffee is roasted caramel, while the flavor of Guatemala Antigua coffee is nutty. 
  • The acidity of both coffees are medium. It means that the profile of both coffees is a bit tastier and still have anti-oxidant properties. 
  • The body of Espresso Roast coffee is bolder than Guatemala Antigua coffee. It means Espresso Roast coffee tastes stronger than Guatemala Antigua. 
  • The taste of Espresso Roast coffee is like dark chocolate, while the taste of Guatemala Antigua coffee is like a fried peanuts. 

My prediction is that the Espresso Roast coffee can be taken as both single coffee drink and caffe latte (with milk, sugar and other syrups), and the Guatemala Antigua should be taken as a single coffee drink without milk or even sugar. 




Is my prediction right? So, what does happen when Espresso Roast and Guatemala Antigua are added with milk? 

Let's see the result! 

The Espresso Roast that is added with milk becomes Caffe Latte, and the Guatemala Antigua that is added with milk becomes Guatemala Antigua Caffe Latte. 
  
In my own opinion, the Caffe Latte has more taste than the Guatemala Antigua Caffe Latte. It is sad that Guatemala Antigua Caffe Latte tastes very plain in my mouth. So, my prediction is right that Guatemala Antigua should be taken as a single coffee drink without milk or even sugar and syrups. 

Have a great coffee, everyone! 















08 October 2015

Sehat dan Ramping dengan Makanan Mentah - Topik Siang ANTV



Senang sekali bisa menjadi narasumber untuk topik pola makan makanan mentah atau Raw Food Diet di acara Topik Siang (Viva Life) di saluran televisi ANTV
Tautan dari berita dan videonya berasal dari: 


Di bawah ini, saya tampilkan teksnya agar mudah dibaca. 

Selamat membaca!

-----------------------------

VIDEO: Tren Raw Food, Sehat atau Berbahaya?
Awalnya lemas. Selebihnya emosi lebih terkontrol.
Rabu, 12 Februari 2014

VIVAlife - Raw Food. Pola makan serba mentah ini tengah menjamur menjadi gaya hidup sehat masyarakat urban. Jenis yang disajikan tak jauh dari sayur, buah, dan kacang-kacangan. Bagi yang belum biasa, rasanya memang sedikit aneh, namun pola makan ini diyakini mampu membentuk tubuh sehat dan ideal dalam waktu singkat.

Salah satu pengikut raw food, Astrid Amalia mengaku sudah empat tahun menerapkan pola makan ini. Tapi Astrid tak melulu mengonsumsi sayur, buah, dan kacang-kacangan. Ia mengimbangi kebutuhan nutrisi dengan daging dan sumber karbohidrat.

Wanita yang berprofesi sebagai praktisi yoga dan craniosacral therapist ini mengatakan: makanan mentah jauh lebih sehat karena kandungan gizinya tidak terbuang saat proses memasak. 

Aturan konsumsi

Selain sehat secara fisik, dirasakan Astrid, ia lebih bisa mengontrol emosi. Awalnya ia sedikit lemas. Menjadi malas marah, apalagi menangis.

Astrid menjelaskan, untuk mengonsumsi raw food ada tahapannya. Tujuannya agar sistem pencernaan tidak kaget. Terutama bagi mereka yang tubuhnya sensitif, pola makanannya harus benar-benar diatur.
"Kalau yang sensitif mungkin akan diare, buang air terus. Dan, kalau gak kuat bisa pusing."

Hal yang harus diperhatikan dalam mengonsumsi makanan mentah adalah kebersihannya. Karena makanan ini sangat mungkin mengandung dua bakteri: Salmonella dan Escherichia. Keduanya bisa menyebabkan beragam penyakit pencernaan diantaranya diare, disentri dan tifus. Agar terhindar dari bakteri, sayur dan buah mentah harus dibersihkan secara bertahap. Selain itu, penggunaan cairan disinfektan juga harus dihindari untuk membersihkan buah dan sayuran mentah. 

"Cairan sabun disinfektan mungkin bisa mengurangi kadar bakteri, tapi harus tahu cara membersihkannya. Karena, selain bakteri, kandungan zat kimia sabun bisa masuk ke dalam tubuh," kata DR. Ir. Ahmad Sulaeman MS, PhD – Pakar keamanan pangan & Gizi IPB.

Berikut tahapan membersihkan buah dan sayuran mentah: 

- Buah dan sayur lebih dulu dicuci dengan air mentah
- Rendam dengan air garam sekitar 5 menit
- Cuci dengan air hangat bersuhu 60 derajat Celcius.
- Khusus buah dan sayur impor yang banyak mengandung lilin, harus dicuci berulang dengan air matang dan disajikan setelah dikupas.




03 October 2015

Amazing Yoga and Grills with Roger Mooking

Astrid Amalia and Roger Mooking at the dinner event


What happens when two of your favorite things can come together at one moment? Do you feel lucky? Well, it can happens in one's life that two of the favorite things - yoga practice and food - come together at one good moment. So, who is the lucky girl? Oh yeah, she is definitely me :-D 

The good journey starts when I receive an email from the people from Asian Food Channel asking about a yoga practice for their client. After we achieve an agreement about the practice, location and price, then they tell me that the client is Roger Mooking, the Canadian celebrity chef, musician, food book author, and TV host of Man Fire Food show in Cooking Channel / Asian Food Channel and Heat Seekers show with Aarón Sanchez on Food Network. Roger is invited by Asian Food Channel to visit some of the countries in Asia, so he can bring his "kitchen" there and meet his fans in Asia too, and Jakarta is one of the countries that he visits.  
I am a food blogger who likes to watch cooking show at the television, and this is a truly good news for me. I am going to meet and teach my idol! Woho! 

I feel both excited and nervous. I am always excited to teach yoga to anyone who wants to learn yoga from me. But I am so nervous too, because this yoga student is one of my favorite chefs in the world. I feel almost like dying in happiness :-)

On that Saturday evening, I have prepared everything that I have to face my idol :-))
Before the yoga practice starts, I have a great chat with Liyana - my new friend from Asian Food Channel - about the culinary world. After I finish preparing all the things for the yoga class, then I meet Roger Mooking himself. Oh my gosh! That big guy is right there ready to practice yoga with me!


Astrid Amalia and Roger Mooking after the evening yoga practice


The yoga practice with Roger Mooking is awesome! He is basically a guy who likes sport. He recently likes yoga practice for many reasons. So, you can imagine how good he is on the yoga mat. It is a good coincidence that his background is Ashtanga Yoga, the style that I have practiced at the beginning of my yoga journey. Those jump back and jump in, those flowing vinyasas, those flowing breathes. And don't forget those flowing sweats and tears :-D 

I am glad to share my energy that lightens his asanas. He also shares his powerful energy that gives me strength and happiness. Can you feel the positive energy between us? Yeah! 
I am glad that we both learn many things from our yoga practice that day. 

When I make the agreement with the Asian Food Channel about the yoga practice, they say that Roger Mooking can only do one yoga practice due to his busy activities in Jakarta. But hey, he decides to have another yoga practice. Yeay! Awesome!
And I promise him that I will introduce him to another yoga style I know, Energetic Yoga or Forrest Yoga.  

The second yoga practice is on Monday Morning. That Monday is beautiful as the sky is clear, and the wind blows a bit strong that it can fold and fly the yoga mats :-D


Astrid Amalia and Roger Mooking after the morning yoga practice


The Monday Morning Yoga Practice is awesome too. I have the chance to combine the Ashtanga Yoga with the Energetic Yoga or Forrest Yoga. Still the same jump back and jump in, and the same flowing things. But the different is that I steal some moments of the practice to teach him about maximizing the core strength builder with just small movements. I am glad that he feels it on his core muscles!
As I always, I end up the yoga practice with very short Thai Massage and CranioSacral Therapy to calm all of his stretched muscles down. 

That Monday becomes Super Happy Monday when he tells me that he invites me to his private dinner event called "Amazing Grill with Roger Mooking" held by Asian Food Channel and Indovision at the Bluegrass Bar and Grill Restaurant. Oh yeah! Super awesome! 

As soon as I know that I will attend the dinner, I do my own fasting until the dinner time. I want to give more space to my belly so I can eat all the food Roger cooks :-D




Bluegrass Bar and Grill 
Komplek Rasuna Epicentrum
Bakrie Tower lantai GF
Jl. HR Rasuna Said
Kuningan
Jakarta 12940
Tel: (021) 29941660


When I arrive at Bluegrass Bar and Grill, the crowds are excited to wait for the Roger Mooking show. I also meet some food blogger fellows I know. I can feel the excitement there. The crowds are excited to meet Roger Mooking, I am excited to eat his food. LOL! 

Befote the dinner starts, Roger says that his cook at the dinner will be inspired by many cultures he knows, and some of them will reminds the guests of Indonesian food too. He also warns us to prepare our belly well to finish all the food he cook. Oh yes, I am so ready for this!  

When the dinner starts, I guess heaven showers me with its love :-))

Let's talk about the food Roger cooks! 


First Course - Appetizer
Steamed Duck Egg
King Oyster Mushroom, Sesame Oil, Razor Herbs




The food without the bread is nothing, as the bread is actually the essential part to add more flavor in the food. I don't know how many eggs Roger puts at this food, but it is more than one egg. From here, I think this is perfect for breakfast too to replace the toast and egg we usually eat in the morning.  


Second Course - Soup 
Green Coconut Curry 
Whitefish, Moo's Chutney 






This food is very Indonesia! It reminds me of Indonesian's Opor Ayam or Chicken Braised in Coconut Milk, but Roger replace the chicken with fish. Opor Ayam is usually presented at Eid Al-Fitr day. The one Roger cooks is a bit hot from the ginger he adds, but this makes a difference between Opor Ayam and his food. 


Third Course - Salad 
5 Spiced Floats 
Braised Lamb, Micro Greens, Pickled Carrots, Ginger 




Where in the world you can find Salad with Lamb? Only when the chef is Roger Mooking. LOL! Yes, he mixes Salad with Lamb, and it turns out that the food match to each other. The combination is perfect. The Lamb is delicious, and the Vegetables are fresh.  


The Cooking Demo

Before going to the Main Course, there is a break where Roger demonstrates his skills in cooking. This is the one that we are looking for! At this session, Roger shares his method of cooking, like how to keep the beef tender and how to cook vegetables in healthy way. Very inspiring!







Fourth Course - Main
Beef Tenderloin with Black Bean Shrimp and Broccoli Dust 




The beef is very tender. It means the chef knows how to cook it. I also taste that the sauce is almost like black soya sauce or Indonesian people call it Kecap. Because of the soya sauce taste, the food reminds me of another Indonesian food called Semur Daging or Beef Stew. Yes, I can feel another Indonesian taste here, but in dry version and exclusive look :-)


Dessert
Mango Lassi Ice Cream, Honey Rosewater, Pistachio, Indian Puffed Rice




The Mango Lassi Ice Cream is sweet, and the Pistachio stabilizes the sweetness from the ice cream. The Indian Puffed Rice gives crunchy sensation in my mouth. It is perfect dessert to close the dinner.


The taste of all of Roger Mooking's food are very strong and full of spices. In most of the food, I can taste ginger. This is because Roger Mooking has received several cultural influences, like Caribbean, Asian and European backgrounds, that inspire his cook. During the dinner event, Roger is also mingling around to ask guests about the food and receive the feedbacks from them. That is what I call a good chef!

The dinner has vegetarian options, but of course I don't choose it. During the dinner, the servers who work in the restaurant offer me wine, so I choose red wine that is perfect for the whole food in the dinner. The servers who serve my table also know anything about the food. They can explain about the ingredients, the sauces, how they are made, and how to eat them. Fantastic! They are really 5 stars quality servers! 

And do you know what? That night at the dinner, I win a food and beverage voucher to eat and drink at Bluegrass Bar and Grill. Thank you very much, pak Rudy Tanoesoedibjo from Indovision who takes my business card from the bowl and announces me to be one of the winners of the voucher. Happy! What a lucky girl I am!
(The picture below is taken from the Indovision website).




And the dinner event ends with a happy belly and a happy heart inside me. 




Over all, I am still surprised by the generosity of Roger Mooking when he adds another yoga practice and invites me to his dinner event, but then I know later that basically he has a kind heart. Turns out that he is also known for his charity works with both local and international organizations. Yes, the world need more people like him! 

Just like Roger Mooking who can combine his love of music along with his love for food, I also hope that I can combine my love of yoga practice along with my love for food. The different is that he cooks, while I eat and enjoy :-))

Thank you very much, Roger Mooking! It is amazing to practice yoga with you and to taste the delicious food you cook! You are amazing! Thank you for all the positive energy and kindness you share with me and the world. The world can be a better place with more people who have the same positive energy and kindness like the ones you have. I really hope to meet you again soon! 


Astrid Amalia and Liyana Morrison


I would also like to express my gratitude to the Asian Food Channel / Scripps Networks people: Jing Lee, Liyana Morrison, Fairenza Cheng and Jimmy Cheang. You guys are the door to my happiness. Thank you very much! I really hope to meet you all again soon! 


Astrid Amalia, Fairenza Cheng and Liyana Morrison


The story I write in this blog will be remembered in my life with a happy smile. I will never forget the yoga practices with Roger Mooking, the happiness and the luckiness I get from the dinner event with him, and the new friendship I make with the people from AFC. Thank you, Universe and Mother Nature, for the precious chances you give me.   

Namaste.