One Flower, One World | Aruna and Her Baking

The first time I met Aruna, she was working at Pirate Wine Bar, and at that time our two shops shared a storefront on Yeyu Road. She seemed bright, gentle, and always smiling, getting along well with everyone. Later, she went to work in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

When Honghong traveled to Thailand alone, she had a motorcycle accident and lost her bank card. Aruna took care of her, took her out to eat, and lent her money to use for now. They weren't really close at that time, which shows that Aruna is a warm and kind-hearted girl.

Later, she returned to Dali, converted a camper van that was also a coffee truck, and would park by a quiet roadside to sell coffee. During the two years of the pandemic, she opened a baking studio, making her own bread, brunch, and teaching baking.

Recently, she rebuilt a baking studio called Zayaa by the fields in the village. From design to renovation, big and small matters, she handled everything herself. It is mainly used for teaching baking students, and recently she joined our Cangshan Hiking Family, specifically responsible for the flower cake making experience. When she has free time, she also co-leads hiking and tours.

Because we have been working together over the past few months, we have had some occasional chats, but not many and not in-depth. From the few words exchanged, whether about her work in Thailand, the bakery, the coffee truck, life, or relationships, the difficulties and setbacks she encountered seem to have already been resolved through her own growth.

Making rose flower cakes with Aruna, you will experience the making of this Dali specialty food, and also get a glimpse into the life of a girl living in Dali who has gone through twists and turns, independent, free, kind, gentle, and resilient. I hope you will enjoy it.

Jason

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About the Flower Cake Making and Baking Experience

Text: Aruna

"I remember the first time I came to Dali. Passing by a flower cake shop on Renmin Road, a fragrant aroma wafted over. The cakes had just come out of the oven, and I bought three of different flavors but only ate one at the time. When I returned to the guesthouse and ate the remaining two, the aroma was not as rich and they were no longer crispy.

Later, after I moved to Dali and started baking, I often missed the taste of freshly baked flower cakes, and so today's flower cake experience came about.

Flower cake is a specialty pastry of Yunnan, made with edible Dianhong roses. The whole process, from kneading the dough to baking, takes about 2 hours. Adults like to make petal shapes, while children prefer to create animal shapes. Looking at the shapes they make, you can tell that the kids have observed many small animals, including pigs, hedgehogs, and little fish.

Sometimes the adults get anxious and want the children to make the conventional petal cakes, but I still think that the flower cakes made by the children themselves should reflect their own ideas and creativity. After all, the ingredients are the same. Isn't making a flower cake with one's own unique shape the fun for the children?

Making flower cakes is not a complicated process. It is about personally participating in the making process. All the ingredients pass through your own hands, and added to the moment when they are freshly baked and taken out of the oven, I believe the participants will return with fragrant and crispy memories."

Experience content:

1. Making flower cake filling: using the prepared fresh petals

2. Making flower cakes: from rolling the dough to wrapping the filling, shaping the flower design, and baking until done.

3. Making rose jam: fresh petals are made into rose jam, which you can take away and use for daily rose jam tea.

Participants: Adults or children over 4 years old

Duration: 2 hours

Environment:

An old house by the fields, 2 kilometers from the old town, a baking studio personally designed and renovated by Aruna. Surrounded by fields, with convenient parking and an independent leisure space. Located in Xiaocun Village, 3 kilometers from the old town.

Tea or coffee, fruit, and snacks are provided.

Now she is doing more hiking, camping works now, check here:

Guide Introduction - Aruna

Photos