Welcome to the ‘Jing: Angie Chan aka Chiffon Lady & Her Family

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Welcome to the 'Jing

The worldwide pandemic might be slowing down inbound visitors and new expats to China, but we're still meeting new people and seeing fresh faces around Beijing. So let's meet these new 'kids' on the block!

I was super excited when I first heard about Angie Chan. She had signed up to be on the Jingkids International Parent Board and had introduced herself as being from Indonesia, where I had also lived before Beijing. But what got me most excited? She bakes! Not just your usual cookies and cakes, but a very specific and special cake that only those who have traveled to the far reaches of Southeast Asia would appreciate – the pandan cake. Made from pandan leaf extract, a plant indigenous to the region, and enriched with coconut milk, this chiffon cake is fluffy yet moist, light, and entirely unique in its taste.

Now that we have properly established my love of pandan cake, let us give Angie Chan, aka the Chiffon Lady, and her family a proper Beijing welcome!

My name is Angie, I'm from Indonesia. I met my Malaysian husband in the beautiful island of Bali and got married seven years ago. We have been living in Hong Kong, Shanghai and now, Beijing. He is working in the airline industry, managing the business for the North Asia region. My 6-year-old son is studying in the British School of Beijing in Sanlitun (BSB, Sanlitun). I'm a full-time mom who loves baking and crafting.

Q

What has been the best thing about arriving in Beijing?

New city means another new adventure for us. We are excited to explore what the city has to offer. Meeting new people, experiencing new food.

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Q

Since you were living in Shanghai before, how similar/different does it feel?

Lots of people like to compare Shanghai and Beijing. For us, both cities are equally charming and each has its own uniqueness. Shanghai is a cosmopolitan city with ancient accents and Beijing is a charming historical city with modern accents. However, since we arrived in late August, we have been blessed with plenty of clear blue skies and generally great weather. One difference between the two cities is that air in Beijing is drier whilst in Shanghai, it’s more humid. We are grateful that we have the opportunity to experience life in both cities!

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Q

How is the family fitting in?

My husband is used to moving around every few years and he has been relocated so many times due to his job’s nature. He has no difficulty to adjust to a new place and have been traveling to Beijing regularly for many years. As for my son, we made sure that we relocated before the new school term started so he won’t miss first day of school, because I think it would allow him to familiarize with new environment, adapt to new school routine, and mingle with classmates.

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Q

How are you taking care of yourself through this transition?

For me, building support system around me wherever I live is very important. I was fortunate to have an Indonesian family as my neighbor when I arrived Beijing who introduce me to the other fellow countrymen who are also living in the city. I'm also active in the parent’s group at my son’s school. In the meantime, I continue to pursue my passion in baking and crafting.

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Q

We noticed you already set up a baked goods business! Is this something that you do in every city you move to?

This small home business was started one and a half years ago because I missed the baked pastries from my hometown and I could not fly back home due to the pandemic. At that time, I could not find pandan chiffon cake in any bakery in Shanghai. I decided to bake some from scratch, shared my creation with my friends, and posted it on my WeChat moments. The recipe was fine-tuned through trial and error. Soon, lots of people that I know were thrilled and they "forced" me to sell it because they missed it too. I received good responses because I keep the recipe authentic and use only natural ingredients with no artificial flavoring nor preservatives.

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(cont'd)

I now have various flavors of Chiffon cake besides pandan such as orange, Earl Grey, etc., and continue to experiment with new flavors from time to time.

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Q

What are you most excited about in Beijing?

I’m excited to explore lots of historical and natural scenic spots that are available in Beijing and its surroundings. Born and raised in a country that only has summer all-year-around, I am also as excited as my son to play in the snow during winter and I’m currently learning how to ski. Being in Beijing will also allow me to visit nearby cities like Tianjin, Qingdao, Harbin, and many more.

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Q

What are your plans for the summer?

I hope we can travel back to our hometown. I miss my family and I’m very sure lots of people are feeling the same. Otherwise, if that is not happening, we will definitely be traveling within China as well as exploring parts of Beijing that we have still yet to visit.

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If you would like to sample the delicious culinary creation that is pandan cake, scan the QR code below to order from Angie!

Images: Courtesy of Angie Chan

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