Cassava Wine - Badek

I was on Kota Gede. The most sacred place in Jogja. It is a place of Jogja's Sultan in the ancient. But the kingdom's atmosphere is still strong. The people still hold some tradition things here.

I visited my friends house in Kota Gede. We played guitar, we were having chat. There was something different here. My friend served a beverages that never I tasted and heard before. It was Badek. My friend told that it was the liquid from fermenting the cassava. Just like the usual wine, it was 'cassava wine'. The aroma was sweet sour, it was white yellowish. I sipped it, wow, it was really sweet, as sweet as honey, I could taste a little sour, but just the little, the taste was soft, very soft. My friend said to drink it slowly, and never drink it without chatting with anyone, it will be not tasty anymore. Well, this was one of new liqueur I tasted. What about you?

Malioboro Sweeties in Afternoon

It was 3 o'clock in the afternoon on Malioboro, Jogja's town center. So many people here selling clothes, traditional accesories, batiks, souvenirs, everything! This is the place where you can learn everything of Jogja's culture without book or lecture. Just coming here, and enjoy everything.

Okay first of all, my friends and I decided to visit Beringharjo traditional market. We bought not much money, just enough! We walked around while we were listening so many people spoke about everything. Its asia, land of smile. Everybody smile to you, people are nice and friendly. We heard there was unique semi-modern lolly ice. And hey, we found that. It was written 'es tiptop' on the wagon. we asked the owner, the price was only Rp. 1OOO, he offered pandan taste, grape, durian, chocolate, original flavour. We grabed some and hey, its really semi-modern lolly ice. The owner serve it with western's style (lolly), but still traditional ingredient. It wasn't milk, it was coconut milk, very javanese taste. Hmmm, sweet is the java,s culture taste. Yes, it was everything sweet here. we bought cenil also. Cenil is traditional snack which is contained a lot of sticky rice, sugar, and served with minced coconut. And we bought klepon; balinese snack made of rice, palm sugar, pandan leaf, and a lot of coconut, served with minced coconut also. Our sweet hunger never been satisfyed here, we looked for beverage on this market. We didn't use our eyes, it was very aromatic, we trusted our nose to find it. Yes tropical region's most aromatic fruit; durian. We found a beverage contained a lot of durian, 'es durian'. It was sweet, aromatic. Es durian is the beverage from tropical regions it is durian, poured with coconut milk, and ice. Its good to close your afternoon, because we ended this trip with it. Love your town, your cullinanry culture, explore your market.

photos and article by Tito

Arabica Coffee – The Recipe of

One day in my year-opening holiday I was checking this blog for posts, stats, and photo reviews. Just right when I edited an article, Tito sent me photos and a recipe of Arabica Coffee, plus an additional snack beside it. Well, this is what he sent:

Arabica Coffee

Arabica coffee (I brew it with proportion, 1tble spoonful of coffee and 180 ml hot water)

ginger (this is Indonesia, there's no rule to use it, you can use it as much as you want)

creamer powder, 1 tea spoonful.

The unique herb you can use is cinnamon powder, give it just a little bit.

I enjoyed it with a 'noga'. I don't know what this was, this is traditional snack. My neighbor who was from West Java, gave me this snack, she said that this was made of coconut, palm sugar, and sesame. It was very sweet, sticky, just like candy, but a little oily. I enjoyed this to neutralize the bitter of the coffee.

Arabica Coffee

  1.   1tbl spoon of coffee and 180 ml hot water

  2.   1 tea spoonful of Creamer powder

  3.   Ginger (optional)

  4.   Cinnamon powder (as much as you need)

  5.   Noga (optional)

Recipe and Photograph by Tito

Introduction by Gerry

Arabica Kalosi Review

I couldn't sleep in my first 2013's night. It was too sweet to take a sleep early in the first night of 2013. Ok, but the problem was: nothing to do. As a food sucker, I went to my kitchen, closed my eyes and opened my eyes in random place. Hey I found a jar with a coffee in it, it was Arabica Kalosi, my uncle gave it to me as New Year's present. Umh, it was still fresh. I brewed my coffee with 1 full table spoon and 180 ml hot water, then stirred it, closed the cup for a while. After 5 minutes, I opened it, and awesome, the aroma was so beautiful; sweet, distinct, strong. The color was perfect black. I sipped it, it was nice, bitter, smooth, aromatic, all filled my mouth softly. I enjoyed the sensation, I thought I need some peanuts for the next. It contained enough acid, I could feel it, I still could enjoy it. It left strong and long lasting after taste. Overall, it was nice, I recommend you to have it some grams.

By Tito