Chocolate tradition for independence party
Chocolate tradition for independence party
By Mehru Jaffer
JAKARTA (JP): It a long trek from the highlands of west
Sumatra to the lobby of Jakarta's Shangri-La hotel.
But it seems to have been worth the trouble -- the Rumah
Gadang, the traditional house of the people of Minangkabau with
its distinctive saddle-back roof has had guests buzzing around it
like bees to a hive ever since it was put on display at the hotel
on Aug. 4.
After all, this is no ordinary Rumah Gadang. It is not exactly
made of honey but has been carved out of 200 kg of dark, milk and
white inedible chocolate by a team of six culinary experts from
the hotel in celebration of the country's 55th Independence Day.
And the only reason why less ants and more people are
attracted to it is because the entire made to scale structure is
bathed in a food spray that helps to keep the creepy-crawlies
away.
Herry P. Torry, 44, one of the architects told The Jakarta
Post that the model of the rare Austronesian house is placed on a
bed of over 50 kg of cinnamon sticks. The rectangular structure,
elevated on posts, was seen as a sacred representation of man's
ancestors and a replica of his imagination of the universe.
Ever since the hotel opened in 1994, it has been commemorating
the anniversary of the country's independence from colonial rule
with lavish butter or compound chocolate sculptures.
In 1995 a model of the entire archipelago along with all its
provinces was created to mark half a century of Indonesia's unity
in diversity. All those who remember it still recall it as being
an amazing exhibit.
However, Herry's favorite piece so far has been the Pinisi, a
traditional boat of the Bugis people of South Sulawesi, chosen
from the scores of schooners docked at the old harbor of Sunda
Kelapa that has been in continuous use since at least the 12th
century.
It was on display in August 1996 and Herry remembered letting
his imagination run wild in trying to capture all the hustle
bustle inside and around the magnificent, hand built boats that
still line the city's northern-most docks.
"The idea is to introduce to our guests here in Jakarta a
little glimpse of interesting parts of the city and also sights
from other far flung corners of our country in a unique way,"
smiled Eka Resmiasih, communications officer.
In honor of the Indonesian team participating in the Asian
games in Thailand, life-sized figures of all the dozen
participants carved in butter and sugar were displayed that year
at the hotel.
From the moment of its conception to its eventual display,
each project takes about two months to complete. But the actual
construction of the model is easily finished by the team of six
food and beverages artistes within two weeks.
Every month of Ramadan is welcomed with the model of a well
known mosque from around the country. The first one to have
provided inspiration was the Grand Mosque itself, at Mecca, Saudi
Arabia.
Since then mosques from Aceh, Ujung Padang and Jakarta have
also held the place of pride.
The model is invariably cut from styrofoam and melted
chocolate is used as paint while details are added in other
shapes and sizes either from blocks of compound chocolate or
butter, along with sugar.
The three dimensional human figures are always carved straight
from blocks of brown or white chocolate. Each year the models are
recycled but it is not possible to eat any part of the chocolate
sculptures.
Last year the model of the Bali Gate so impressed a guest that
he was allowed to buy it.
Herry who has been involved in this fascinating job for the
past 15 years says it is no big deal for him to make carvings
either of ice, butter or chocolate at any time. From a family of
batik painters in Solo, Herry wanted to go modern with his art
unlike his father who died painting the traditional batiks.
Now that he has put the last chocolate brick to the
magnificent Rumah Gadang structure, his mind is already on the
oldest Chinese mosque standing in Kota that he is expected to
replicate during the coming month of Ramadan in November.