Located in Bukit Pelandok, Negeri Sembilan where the majority of the population hailed from Fú Zhōu, is a 60-year-old biscuit factory —— Swee Tin Biscuits. A Fú Zhōu biscuit specially made annually just before mid-autumn festival —— “wooden biscuit” (also known as “firewood biscuit”, charcoal grilled sesame biscuit, “war biscuit”, or even “mouldy biscuit”) are produced in celebration of the occasion. The oblate-shaped “wooden biscuit” has no filling, with a floured surface and sesame-coated bottom, a savoury flavour packed with the aroma of sesame. Due to the texture of the sesame biscuit becoming hard and dry after being left out for some time, and takes some effort to chew, more people prefer to dunk it in coffee, hence the nickname “wooden biscuit”.
The oven used in baking “wooden biscuit” is not the conventional oven, but a customized urn-like stove. After placing the biscuits into the stove, cover it with the lid which also serves as a charcoal tray filled with red-hot burning charcoal. Periodically, the charcoal tray needs to be lifted for ventilation to prevent the biscuits from getting burnt, as well as top up fresh charcoal to retain the heat. The manufacturing process particularly requires experience and skill, moreover it is time-consuming and laborious.
Swee Tin Biscuits persist in employing the traditional way of baking, the process complicated, and the heat intense. Therefore each year it is only available for two months in conjunction with the mid-autumn festival, its production is carried out on Thursdays and Sundays, extremely limited and rare. The factory also offers goods baked fresh daily such as red bean biscuits, bridal biscuits, maltose biscuits, teochew biscuits, butter cookies etc.
Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen
有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Video Editor : Amelia Lim
Music : Aldershof from Felt Music
COPYRIGHTS 2018 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD
