CLICK HERE to read more about 10 fascinating facts about ancient cuisine.
Have a blessed day.
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) has analyzed chicken nuggets to understand the contents of the processed food.
Researchers found that there is a lack of actual chicken meat. Only 40 to 50% of the chicken nugget was meat; the rest was a combination of fat, skin, sinew, blood vessels, nerves and bone fragments.
Richard deShazo, professor of medicine, pediatrics and immunology at UMMC said : “I was floored. I had read what other reports have said is in them and I didn’t believe it. I was astonished actually seeing it under the microscope. What has happened is that some companies have chosen to use an artificial mixture of chicken parts rather than low-fat chicken white meat, batter it up and fry it, and still call it chicken. It is really a chicken by-product high in calories, salt, sugar and fat that is a very unhealthy choice. Even worse, it tastes great and kids love it and it is marketed to them.”
CLICK HERE for the rest of this post.
Thanks to Angela who shared this link.
One of the biggest problems with the traditional American diet?
Too much sodium, too little potassium.
Studies suggest boosting your potassium intake and curbing salt and sodium can slash your stroke risk by 21% and may also lower your odds of developing heart disease.
Potassium, a mineral, works by protecting blood vessels from oxidative damage and keeps vessel walls from thickening. Adults should aim to get 4,700 mg of potassium a day. (Too much potassium, usually from supplements, can be dangerous, so try to get your intake from healthy eating unless a doc says otherwise.)
These delicious foods can help you reach your goal.
CLICK HERE for more.
Thanks to Mr TSK for sharing.
Thanks to Mr LYK for sharing this.
I never knew this! Flip the bell peppers over to check their gender. The ones with four bumps are female and those with three bumps are male.
The female peppers are full of seeds, but sweeter and better for eating raw and the males are better for cooking.
It's almost lunchtime so here's a post specially for readers out there who, like me, love potato chips but have thus far abstained from indulging due to health/diet reasons. Thanks to PCC who shared this.
#20 Baked Eggplant Chips
Cut the eggplant into slices, sprinkle with salt and let sit for an hour or so until the water drains out. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and other seasonings before baking.
CLICK HERE for more and perhaps..to drool. :-)
Have a great day!
Thanks to Mr LYK who sent this via email.
Hi All,
For those who believe in alternate medicines.
However, No harm can be done because it is the cheapest Vegetable eaten all around the world
A secret revealed ...
Some years ago, a former professor of mine showed me a blood test, what I saw impressed me.
The five key blood parameters, ie urea, cholesterol, blood glucose, lipids and triglycerides had values which far exceeded permitted levels. Commented that the person with those in dices should already be dead or, if alive, this would be just out of stubbornness. The teacher then showed the name of the patient who until then had been hidden by his hand. The patient was himself!
I was dumbfounded! And I said: "But how? And what did you do?".
With a smile he introduced me to another sheet analysis, saying: "Now, look at this, compare the values of the parameters and see the dates."
That's what I did. The parameter values were clearly within the recommended range, the blood was perfect, flawless, but the surprise increased when I looked dates, the difference was only a month (between the two analysis of the same person)!
I asked: "How could it? This is literally a miracle!"
Calmly, he replied that the miracle was due to her doctor, who suggested treatment obtained from another doctor friend. This treatment has been used by myself, several times, with impressive results.
Approximately once a year, do analysis of my blood, and if either is present tendency to breakdown, return immediately to repeat this process. I suggest that you try.
Here's the SECRET: weekly for 4 weeks, buy at the fair or supermarket, pumpkin pieces. Should not be the pumpkin squash and pumpkin rather large, which is usually used to make candy. Daily, peel 100 grams of pumpkin, place the pieces in a blender (raw), along with water (WATER ONLY!), And mix well, making a vitamin pumpkin with water.
Take this vitamin fasting, 15-20 minutes before breakfast (breakfast / breakfast). Do this for a month, every time your blood needs to be corrected.
Can control the outcome, making analysis before and after treatment with other pumpkin. According to the doctor, there is no contraindication, because it is just a natural vegetable and water (do not use sugar!).
The teacher, excellent chemical engineer, studied the pumpkin to know which of the active ingredients it contains and concluded, at least partially, that it is present in a solvent of low molecular weight cholesterol: cholesterol more harmful and dangerous - LDL. During the first week, urine has a large amount of LDL (low molecular weight), which results in cleaning of arteries, including the brain, thereby increasing the person's memory ..
PUMPKIN ... Do not make it a secret ... SPREAD! -
Thanks to Angela who shared this link.
What will they do next?.
Police in Chongqing's Hechuan district have discovered a production site for fake honey and confiscated about 500 kilograms of the fake nectar
"The artificial honey contained zero per cent real honey," the report said, showing a chemical analysis report according to which the honey contained 187 milligrams of aluminum residue to every kilogram of honey.
CLICK HERE to read all about it.
Are dreaming or planning to open a restaurant? Whatever the case, take a look at the 55 slides of hilarious restaurant names. I am sure you will be grinning from ear to ear!
CLICK HERE to view the slides.
Thanks to Angela who shared this link. Have a nice day!
Thirty companies manufacturing century eggs in China are under suspicion of involvement in the latest food scandal -- speeding up the production process using industrial copper sulphate.
Century eggs, called 'pidan' in Mandarin, are a popular Chinese delicacy here. They are usually made using duck eggs, which are packed in a mixture of clay, ash, salt, rice hulls and quicklime to preserve them, a process that usually takes a few months to complete.
According to a China Daily report, 30 companies involved in the production of pidan in Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi Province, have been closed by the Chinese State Food and Drug Authorities.
The companies are suspected of using industrial copper sulphate, which halves the time period for preserving the eggs from two months to just one.
Three plants producing the eggs had been revealed by CCTV to be using copper sulphate to be using the copper sulphate. Two of the three plants' licences were found to be in order, raising concerns that the practice might be common among all processers in Nanchang county, which produces 300,000 tonnes of preserved eggs annually, or about 15 per cent of the country's total, according to CCTV.
CLICK HERE for more.
Thanks to Angela who sent me this link.
If there’s a single factor that reliably sparks social unrest, it’s food becoming too scarce or too expensive. So argues a group of complex systems theorists in Cambridge, and it makes sense.
In a 2011 paper, researchers at the Complex Systems Institute unveiled a model that accurately explained why the waves of unrest that swept the world in 2008 and 2011 crashed when they did. The number one determinant was soaring food prices. Their model identified a precise threshold for global food prices that, if breached, would lead to worldwide unrest.
The MIT Technology Review explains how CSI’s model works: “The evidence comes from two sources. The first is data gathered by the United Nations that plots the price of food against time, the so-called food price index of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN. The second is the date of riots around the world, whatever their cause.” Plot the data, and it looks like this:
CLICK HERE for the rest of this entry.
Recently, a friend returned from Japan and gave my family some presents including my favourite MOCHI, Bourbon chocolates and a box of chocolates for the construction of a chocolate house.
Since he received it just before his exam, he put it aside for two weeks till yesterday. His father said, "No need to construct it. Just eat it like it is meant to be eaten."
I did not know that the other two bars of chocolate were actually meant for the roof. In fact, I thought they were bonus bars :-) so I happily devoured one bar all by myself.
So, when my son opened the refrigerator to get the box, he gasped in horror when he discovered one bar was missing!
"Mom, you ate my roof!!"
"I what?"
"You ate the roof!!"
*gulps*
Guiltily, I tried to convince him to use another bar of chocolate of a different brand but alas, it was much heavier and surely the walls could not withstand the weight. Thankfully, my boy took the case of the missing roof pretty well and was not at all sore about the episode.
Here's my boy constructing the chocolate house:
Note: Tiger is staring at Nicholas sucking his fingers!!
Finally....
Aerial view of the chocolate house with half the roof in my tummy yum yum...
And then the heat was too much for the chocolate house! Timberrrrrrrr........Earthquake magnitude of 1.3 with no casualties :-)...
All in all, it was truly great fun and a wonderful excuse to eat chocolates! Have a wonderful evening!
Thanks to LYP for the present!
Use yesterday's leftover rice...or put a cup of rice, properly washed in the freezer and refrigerate them to rice icing in the freezer.
To cook porridge, just put the frozen rice in boiling water and cook for 10 minutes.
You will then have a pot of well cooked soft porridge.
Reason: After freezing, the structure of a grain of rice produces tiny spherical holes with enhanced water absorption.
When you put in hot water, the rice grains become loose, and the starch in the grain of rice begin to turn into a paste like which will turn into porridge quickly.
Try it yourself. You can also store a small box of frozen rice in the freezer to make quick porridge for breakfast/supper.
Very convenient indeed!
Thanks to Angela who shared this article.
This evening, I had a lovely seafood dinner with my dear husband, son, mom-in-law and another couple at Bali-Hai Restaurant in Gurney Drive Penang. For starters, we had freshly salmon sashimi followed by jellyfish salad and (sorry to confess) shark's fin soup :-(. I was so hungry that I forgot to take pics of those dishes. Then we had a fresh lobster steamed in ginger and other condiments.
The next dish was fresh drunken tiger prawns.
Following that, we had stir-fried broccoli. Soon enough, the waiter brought sauteed dragon fish cooked with capsicum and pacific clams which we slowly washed down with a few bottles of Merlot.
We also had seafood fried rice and kam poh mussels.
It was such a lovely meal and would recommend the place to any visitor to Penang. There is ample parking space behind the restaurant. The food is fresh, staff friendly, attentive and helpful but most of oil, the food is fabulous - not oily and definitely no MSG cos I am very sensitive to any such additives. Do try the place if you have yet to visit Bali-Hai. During my previous visit, I remember I had black towfoo with crispy deep fried inoki mushrooms - absolutely divine.Take care and have a lovely evening!
I rarely cook on Sundays so we normally eat at our favorite haunts. As usual, my husband would ask me for suggestions so for a change, I suggested the famous Line Clear Nasi Kandar* place which has been operating for almost FIFTY years! After parking our car at Jalan Kampung Malabar, we took a slow walk to the alley off Penang Road via the back lane of the shops nearby.
Believe me - I could not believe it when we reached the place. The long line was not clear and the many long tables there were occupied by patrons who were happily devouring their nasi kandar. Grudgingly, I walked down the alley and kept asking my husband to go somewhere else. The line was almost endless and patiently he said, "It will clear very quickly. Don't worry. Waiting for our turn will help you to develop patience."
*gulps*
Obediently, I took my place in the line behind three Malay gentlemen from Kuala Lumpur who were on holiday in Penang. They told me that it was their fourth visit to Line Clear and that they would come again the next time they visit the island. I was very embarrassed that despite being a true blue Penangite, it was my first time there!
We waited for almost 20 minutes for our turn. I could not believe my eyes when I saw the pot of nasi bryiani before me which costs RM 6.50 per plate. Nasi Briyani is bismati rice that is cooked with spices and served withmeat, fish, eggs or vegetables. The name is derived from the Persian word bryiyani which means "fried" or "roasted".
Nasi Biryani was brought to the Indian Subcontinent by Muslim travelers and merchants. It is popular in South Asia, Arabia and within various South Asian communities in Western countries.
Nasi Briyani @ Line Clear
I had mutton, beef, cabbage and cucumber @ RM 12.50. Frankly, I am quite happy with the nasi kandar at Line Clear because the taste is just right, not too oily or spicy and the prices are quite reasonable.
The last time I had nasi kandar was two years ago @ Pelita. If you want to see pics of the food they serve at Line Clear, do visit THIS LINK OR OVER HERE.
Do leave a comment to share your comments about where one can get the best nasi kandar. If I remember correctly, nasi kandar operators may be facing difficulties in getting workers in the future due to changes in the requirements for foreign labour. Take care and have a lovely evening!
________________________________
Nasi Kandar is a popular northern Malaysian dish, which originates from Penang. It is a meal of steamed rice which can be plain or mildly flavored, and served with a variety of curries and side dishes. Sometimes, some nasi kandar shops also sell nasi briyani.
The word Nasi Kandar, came about from a time when the food hawkers or vendors would carry a kandar stick i.e. a pole on their shoulders with two huge baskets containing an array of dishes and rice. The name has remained and today the word Nasi Kandar is seen on most Tamil Muslim or "Malaysian Mamak" restaurants and Indian-Muslim stall meals.
Believe me - I could not believe it when we reached the place. The long line was not clear and the many long tables there were occupied by patrons who were happily devouring their nasi kandar. Grudgingly, I walked down the alley and kept asking my husband to go somewhere else. The line was almost endless and patiently he said, "It will clear very quickly. Don't worry. Waiting for our turn will help you to develop patience."
*gulps*
Obediently, I took my place in the line behind three Malay gentlemen from Kuala Lumpur who were on holiday in Penang. They told me that it was their fourth visit to Line Clear and that they would come again the next time they visit the island. I was very embarrassed that despite being a true blue Penangite, it was my first time there!
We waited for almost 20 minutes for our turn. I could not believe my eyes when I saw the pot of nasi bryiani before me which costs RM 6.50 per plate. Nasi Briyani is bismati rice that is cooked with spices and served withmeat, fish, eggs or vegetables. The name is derived from the Persian word bryiyani which means "fried" or "roasted".
Nasi Biryani was brought to the Indian Subcontinent by Muslim travelers and merchants. It is popular in South Asia, Arabia and within various South Asian communities in Western countries.
Nasi Briyani @ Line ClearI had mutton, beef, cabbage and cucumber @ RM 12.50. Frankly, I am quite happy with the nasi kandar at Line Clear because the taste is just right, not too oily or spicy and the prices are quite reasonable.
The last time I had nasi kandar was two years ago @ Pelita. If you want to see pics of the food they serve at Line Clear, do visit THIS LINK OR OVER HERE.
Do leave a comment to share your comments about where one can get the best nasi kandar. If I remember correctly, nasi kandar operators may be facing difficulties in getting workers in the future due to changes in the requirements for foreign labour. Take care and have a lovely evening!
________________________________
Nasi Kandar is a popular northern Malaysian dish, which originates from Penang. It is a meal of steamed rice which can be plain or mildly flavored, and served with a variety of curries and side dishes. Sometimes, some nasi kandar shops also sell nasi briyani.
The word Nasi Kandar, came about from a time when the food hawkers or vendors would carry a kandar stick i.e. a pole on their shoulders with two huge baskets containing an array of dishes and rice. The name has remained and today the word Nasi Kandar is seen on most Tamil Muslim or "Malaysian Mamak" restaurants and Indian-Muslim stall meals.
You cannot imagine how relieved I am that my son's exams are over. Some of you might think I teach my son at home but I don't. All I do is ensure he has good and proper meals and that he has his quiet time to study, enough time for his piano and violin practices and of course his play and reading time. I have never ever checked his homework or school bag and believe kids should be taught to be independent from nursery. Before the exams, I did not watch any movies so it has been a real 'merdeka' for all of us when his exams ended last week. For a treat, I decided to take my family to E & O Hotel for the Traditional English Afternoon Tea.
We made our way there and were led to our table smack in the middle of the parlour. From my days as a little girl, that hotel always fascinated me because of its history. Located in the heart of Penang, the Eastern & Oriental Hotel is a tranquil haven with a nostalgic kind of old colonial charm. Needless to say, its furnishings and service are impeccable.
Our English Afternoon Tea was at 1885, a very appropriate name indeed seeing that the hotel was founded by the Sarkies brothers in 1885. Since then, famous guests have patronised the place including Noel Coward, Douglas Fairbanks, Hermann Hesse, Rudyard Kipling and Somerset Maugham. Despite its price and small size, still the hotel remains a favorite with discerning travelers who are looking for more than just a place to sleep.
It was my second time at 1885 which is situated on the ground floor of the hotel. Guests can enjoy their tea on the lovely terrace but of course yours truly chose to hide from the blistering heat in the comfortable and cosy parlor to be attended hand and foot by the attentive and warm staff.
I ordered Creme Orange Tea while my husband had Sweet Berries Tea and my little hero chose Minty Fresh Tea. Soon after they brought our tea in silver pots, a friendly waiter brought a silver two-tiered rack of scones and finger sandwiches including salmon sandwiches, cucumber and dill sandwiches and the roast beef sandwiches too.
The scones were served with freshly whipped cream, strawberry jam and butter.The chef gave us complimentary sausage rolls which were absolutely scrumptious.
Of course, the most delightful platter of sweets were served very elegantly.
I could see that each piece was a work of culinary art, prepared with tender loving care and meticulous finishing touches. Needless to say, we enjoyed our tea with silver utensils and crockery made from fine bone china.
With the pleasing and comfortable ambiance of the place coupled with the finely brewed teas and savory plus sweet offerings, my family and I had the most delightful English Afternoon Tea. We were so full that we did not have dinner. If ever you are up in Penang, do make your way to 1885, E & O Hotel - you will not be disappointed!
We made our way there and were led to our table smack in the middle of the parlour. From my days as a little girl, that hotel always fascinated me because of its history. Located in the heart of Penang, the Eastern & Oriental Hotel is a tranquil haven with a nostalgic kind of old colonial charm. Needless to say, its furnishings and service are impeccable.
Our English Afternoon Tea was at 1885, a very appropriate name indeed seeing that the hotel was founded by the Sarkies brothers in 1885. Since then, famous guests have patronised the place including Noel Coward, Douglas Fairbanks, Hermann Hesse, Rudyard Kipling and Somerset Maugham. Despite its price and small size, still the hotel remains a favorite with discerning travelers who are looking for more than just a place to sleep.
It was my second time at 1885 which is situated on the ground floor of the hotel. Guests can enjoy their tea on the lovely terrace but of course yours truly chose to hide from the blistering heat in the comfortable and cosy parlor to be attended hand and foot by the attentive and warm staff.
I ordered Creme Orange Tea while my husband had Sweet Berries Tea and my little hero chose Minty Fresh Tea. Soon after they brought our tea in silver pots, a friendly waiter brought a silver two-tiered rack of scones and finger sandwiches including salmon sandwiches, cucumber and dill sandwiches and the roast beef sandwiches too.
The scones were served with freshly whipped cream, strawberry jam and butter.The chef gave us complimentary sausage rolls which were absolutely scrumptious.
Of course, the most delightful platter of sweets were served very elegantly.
I could see that each piece was a work of culinary art, prepared with tender loving care and meticulous finishing touches. Needless to say, we enjoyed our tea with silver utensils and crockery made from fine bone china.
With the pleasing and comfortable ambiance of the place coupled with the finely brewed teas and savory plus sweet offerings, my family and I had the most delightful English Afternoon Tea. We were so full that we did not have dinner. If ever you are up in Penang, do make your way to 1885, E & O Hotel - you will not be disappointed!
A couple of my loved ones including my better half, son and dearest Angela have all told me to "Go get a life beyond the laptop" and I am pleased to say that I started my get-fitter-get slimmer program this week, in a bid to battle the middle age spread which is spreading at an alarming rate, thanks to blogging and the sedentary lifestyle that comes with it. Every afternoon, I have been working out at a gym for cardio-vascular workouts and weights training. So far, it has been quite refreshing to tear myself away from the laptop. Today, I was away from the laptop for six hours - the longest break ever! And I survived with no awkward withdrawal symptoms like before.
Anyway, after my workout, I took my son and aunt out for dinner as my better half was late from work. This time round, we went to Sri Batik Nyonya Cafe @ New World Park. Previously, it was at an obscure corner but they moved to their new site on December 1st. I liked what I saw from the French window so we walked into the restaurant feeling quite impressed with the heavy wooden door and the huge lion-head door-knockers.
Upon entering the restaurant, a warm feeling enveloped us. Slowly, we walked on the red-carpeted floor and we were quite impressed with the ambiance of the restaurant and red walls. Peranakan ornaments and furniture filled the restaurant which gave one the feeling of being in an actual Peranakan home with a touch of the modernist feel- most authentic indeed.
All three of us had been working out today and did not want to put back the calories we had burnt so laboriously. My aunt ordered Nasi Lemak with red date tea while my son ordered Nasi Ulam and chrysanthemum tea and yours truly had the Nyonya laksa and warm water.
We were so hungry that by the time the food was served, I forgot to take pictures. Believe me, for RM7, the nasi lemak is an excellent bargain as it comes with a few meaty chunks of curry chicken, lovely acar (pickled vegetables), a fried egg and rice cooked in santan. My son's nasi ulam(RM7) was simply fabulous. The daun gaduh and tumeric leaves had been finely shredded and the rice was mixed with the correct proportions of chopped shallots and kerisik (toasted grated coconut).
And then the Nyonya laksa came.
This nyonya version(RM5.50) is not the usual Penang laksa which is cooked with tamarind juice, mackerel, bunga kantan (ginger flower), daun kesum (Thai basil leaves), serai (lemon grass), lengkuas (galangal), shallots, dried chillies, turmeric and belacan (shrimp paste). Neither is it anything like the Siamese laksa which is cooked in coconut milk and other spices.
Sri Batik's Nyonya restaurant offers the best of both worlds as the gravy is both sourish minus the tamarind juice and not that rich even though I could taste the coconut milk (santan) in the soup. The vegetables had been finely cut and the pineapple chunks had been boiled so they were soft, succulent and did not have the stinging after-taste on the tongue. Unlike other shops or stalls that served laksa, the rice noodles here were thinner and extremely fine in texture. This version is not served with prawn paste so those with allergy problems need not worry.
The soup was not rich or overly 'lemak' like in other places but had the correct combination of everything! According to Kenneth, the cafe owner who is a Baba, this is a family recipe that has been passed down from his great-grandparents.
Throughout the meal, my aunt and son kept saying how the Nyonya laksa is the best choice etc. so I got the hint and ordered a second bowl much to my boy's delight and that is how I snapped a pic of the dish. Here's my aunt (who is on vacation from San Francisco) and yours truly, looking very satisfied after a lovely Peranakan meal.
The next time you are in Penang, do check out Sri Batik Nyonya Cafe to whet your appetite. If you google for it, you can find many websites that have reviewed its authentic dishes and feast your eyes on the wonderful photography.
Take care and do share with me where you have tasted delicious laksa. Thanks and have a nice day!
What an eventful day it has been indeed! As arranged last month during our Gertak Sanggul durian outing, I picked up Elizabeth and her mother-in-law (Marcel's mom whom I have known since 1986) for another durian outing.
When I picked them up, I gave a squeal of delight for Elizabeth gave me a slab of my favorite Sarawak layer cake.
After the usual hi's and how are you's, it was down to serious durian business for Elizabeth is a real durian lover, after all - they will not get to eat durians when they return to Auckland. We had two options - Gertak Sanggul again or Balik Pulau.
There was one teeny weeny problem though. I did not know the way to either spots!!! I seldom go out on my own except to a few places as I prefer to be at home and have great difficulty making my way around Penang *blush* as I prefer to be driven than to drive :-).
I did not have a choice today. Marcel was in Hong Kong, hubby was at work, Elizabeth hails from Kuching and Auntie is already 85 years old. Gingerly, I garnered enough courage to proclaim that we would make our way to Balik Pulau.
Even at the Bayan Lepas roundabout, I did not know which way to go and followed my instinct. By the time we reached PISA, I decided to turn into Sungei Ara. At the traffic lights, I asked the lady in the next lane if we should turn right to go to Balik Pulau. She must have thought I was a would-be bandit because I spoke to her in Penang Hokkien and was as clueless as someone from out of town.
With more confidence, I swung right and drove to what I thought was Balik Pulau. I tried to use my GPS but forgot what to do so that was a bummer! Along the way, we were exchanging notes about various topics when suddenly, I realized I was in Paya Terubong! Golly! Elizabeth thought it would be a bit silly to call Marcel in Hong Kong so I rang my dear hubby and explained where I turned and my exact location.
"Dear, we are on our way to Balik Pulau and I turned into this lane at Sungei Ara and drove straight but somehow, we are in Paya Terubong," I whispered as sweetly as I could to my dear hubby.
Dead silence.
"How on earth did you get there? You are very far from Balik Pulau!" was his calm response because hubby is quite used to me getting lost when driving.
"OK. I'll find my way back. Don't worry," I replied and of course his response was a soft ok as always.
After a few turns here and there, we finally found ourselves in Balik Pulau. Time taken was forty-five minutes!!!
First, we headed for the famous Balik Pulau Laksa coffee shop where we had our lunch. Elizabeth and Auntie had the sour Penang Assam Laksa while yours truly had the Siamese version.
Shortly after that, we tried to ask around for the best durians in the area. I did not dare drive to my usual Bao Sheng Durian Farm for fear that I might end up lost again. To our disappointment, almost everyone gave us dismal responses to remind us that we were now in the tail-end of the durian season and would not get the best fruits any more.
We headed to the new market to see if we could get some durians but the place was closed except for a few stalls. There, I bought three types of keropok and durian cake.
Quite adamant that we had to eat durians, I drove around aimlessly and scouted for respectable roadside stalls. The first stall that we visited was manned by a foreign worker who picked some fruits for us while his masters were sitting on stools smoking. To our horror, we were told that the fruits were being sold at 5RM per kilo!!! Good Lord! That was daylight robbery so we went off in a huff and a puff and headed to another stall manned by a kind-looking middle aged man whose price was the same. The first fruit he opened for us was a terrible letdown and we complained so much that I am sure his ears must have hurt. In the end, he succumbed to our rantings and sold us two fruits - Goldfish and 222 at 14RM.
We were quite satisfied after devouring so much food!!! Good golly! I am going to survive on one meal a day and no more durians till the next season!
After paying, we made our way home and only then did I realize that it was pretty close to where Elizabeth's in-laws lived. The journey home took only twenty minutes. Thanks Elizabeth and Auntie for the lovely time spent together. See you at the end of the year! I will certainly miss you and Marcel...God bless!
The next part of the day was even more eventful. My new laptop was delivered to my home. To be honest, I am not like most ladies who go goo-goo ga-ga over handbags, branded clothes or shoes. I get lots of those as presents from friends and relatives but my main interest in life is tech gadgets. I had done lots of research as to which sort of laptop to buy after my 17 inch Dell Inspiron which I had for less than two years died on me because the fan was faulty and the graphic card was burnt from overheating. The past three weeks had been most awkward for me because I had to be weaned off my laptop and the net.
As I touched the sleek HP model that I had purchased, I knew I should have been happy that I made an excellent choice, with recommendations by my former student, Chris Chua. It competes directly with Dell’s new Latitude series and is equipped with the power of Intel’s new Centrino 2 platform. If not for my sentimentalism, I daresay I am satisfied with its mix of stylish and elegant design, sturdy build quality and superb performance in a slim form factor. It is one of the best business notebooks currently available in the market as it is one of the best mobile processors available today and provides a potent mix of power and power efficiency.
But somehow...it is not the same...there are no woofers like in my old laptop and the screen is too small ...sob sob...But it will suffice...at least for the moment.
What a tiring and eventful day it has been indeed...I am sure tomorrow will even be better...Have a lovely evening, dear reader. Good night.
The past few days have been incredibly hectic and enjoyable for me and largely because my dearest friend Angela was up in Penang for a couple of days.
On Thursday, I picked her up for squash and thereafter a swim at golf club. I thought she had membership there and likewise she thought I was a member there when in fact, hubby and I were members at another golf club. Both of us did not know each other's membership status. *choke*
Upon arrival there, I discovered that she had a reciprocal membership which did not allow her to use the squash and pool facilities and thought that I could sort it out with my membership. *gulp* Now the joke is this - I thought it was her sterling acting skills and tried my best to put on an Academy award winning stunt but er...to cut the long story short, in the end, I clocked in as a guest of another friend.
After this and that, we finally ended up at the squash court. I used to play everyday during my varsity days but my interests detoured to bowling and other pursuits. It had been three years since my last game whereas Angela plays every week. I thought the difference in stamina would be considerable but not THAT disgraceful as I am more than ten years her junior and she is undergoing chemotherapy.
I was wrong. VERY WRONG indeed!!!!! *faint*
The Squash Game that Squashed Me.
My forte in my game has always been my service thanks to a girlfriend's coach who used to tag along whenever I played with her after my graduation. He helped me to refine my game and would probably deny ever knowing me had he seen me play that day :-).
Most considerately, Angela assured me that I would not fall splat on my face as I prophesied and promised that she would send the ball to me :-). Well, Angela plays golf, does line dancing, swims and goes gardening whereas yours truly only started her real physical workout on June 22nd!! I think if not for that, I would have collapsed in the court that day.
The sweetheart kept her promise and tried to make it 'easier' for me. Her stamina, grit, strength and aggressiveness is totally AMAZING, AWESOME and MOST INSPIRING.
After forty minutes, I 'surrendered' as I felt that my legs would collapse. Many times, she snickered and politely muffled her laughter hehehe but I still love her very much *grins* !!! She declared that it was not a game but a ball picking session...eh not that bad - I was lazy to get the drop shots :-) even though she kept shouting "LUNGE! LUNGE!" OK. Gimme 6 months to get back into shape...er hopefully not in my dreams.
Thereafter, we went for our swim. She went ahead while I spent some time looking for my goggles. By the time I finally started, she was into her 4th lap and when we stopped, she had done 14 laps while I did a miserable 8 laps in the Olympic-sized pool. Gone. Gone are the days when I could do 20 laps non-stop....Those were the days but I will get back my fitness level.
Then we had dinner with Ted at Roti Bakar and I spent Friday afternoon snooooooozing and trying to recharge for the next day.
On Saturday, Angela, Dr. Murali, Dr. Chee. Teik Lim, Richard Loh, Ching Ling, Calvyn, Lucia and 60 others attended the eLawyer - EXABYTES PENANG BLOGGERS & LAW FORUM 2009 which was held at USM. Sadly, Encik Shamsul was unable to make it and Mr. Foong Cheng Leong and Mr. Steven Tan held the fort. Thereafter it was food again when we lunched with Eddie Law, Foong, Ching Ling, Dr. Murali and Angela.
After a short rest, it was tea at Winter Warmers where Dr. Murali treated Dr. See, Angela and me.
I really had a great time the past few days. Er...too great. Apart from all the fun, laughter and learning, I also had a lot of gifts from friends...including
* 2 boxes of 'chai kuih' from Sungei Bakap compliments from Angela
* a big bottle of home-made kimchi from Alex
* a box of exquisite liqueur chocolates from Eugene (sorry no pics cos I devoured it in 1 day) that had my favorite Cointreau, Drambuie, Vodka, Grand Marnier, Whisky etc etc
* a box of Duc d'O Belgian chocolates from Dr. Murali (Mumu I tell you this is sabotage for my diet but I love it LOL!!!)
* a packet of Famous Amos Chocolate Chip + Pecan cookies from Dr. Murali for Nick
* a box of my favorite Crystal Taro cakes all the way from Taiwan from Jackson whom I taught for 11 years. He is back for summer vacation for three months and is the sweetest, most loving, respectful student with the best mom, dad, granny and sis anyone can have. He visited me last night with his mom and sis last night and we chatted for hours on end.
* Last but not least, a pack of my favorite Hsin Tung Yang beef jerky from Taiwan which Jackson gave me last night. It is so YUUUUMMMILICIOUSSSSSSS!!! For those of you who can eat beef, believe me - this beef jerky is the best in the world!!! And if you love jerky and have never eaten these before, ah - you are missing out in life!!!!
Thank goodness my family and I went hiking yesterday evening. This time round, I took 22 minutes to reach the top - much better than the 40 minutes I took last week. Coming down was a problem as I had forgotten my hiking staff and always have to cope with my phobia of hiking accidents.
Perhaps now you can understand why this post is called an uphill task for a downhill trend. I am trying desperately to lose weight and it is absolutely a monumental task with all the goodies and treats I have been getting :-). Nonetheless, I am delighted with these gifts haha - no complaints :-).
To be honest, I told my husband that I would like to go for a brisk walk with him this morning but alas, I woke up at a disgraceful hour @ 9.30a.m. only because of an outstation call from Hobart's mom, Elaine.
Ah - it is a beautiful life to be lazy for once in my life :-) like today. After all, my whole body is aching...Whatever it is,, I am determined to continue to feel as though I am in my 20's, try my best to look like I am in my 30's when in actual fact, I am in my 40's LOL!!!
After I click the publish button, I am going on my exercise bike and then cool down on my treadmill before I do my weights and then shower and ZZZZzzzzzzzzzz....and then I willl blog again later n the afternoon.
Have a nice day folks and wish me luck as I continue my Get Fit program before I go for my medical check-up.
There is something that my older boy and I love to bits. The best thing to eat at anytime of the day, anywhere in the world, indoors, outdoors, alone, with your loved ones is none other than the OREO cookie. I am not referring to the newer versions which are adulterated and a form of blasphemy to me! The peanut-butter oreos are the worst of all.
I just had my dinner and am dreaming of my oreos - that singularly, succulent sustenance which has always been numero uno in my life together with chocolates. And how do I enjoy this delectable delight?
First of all, I must make sure I have OREOs! I am kicking myself now because I forgot to buy it last night while doing my groceries at TESCO. Now, perhaps you can understand the reason for this post :-). Since OREO without milk is like Anthony without Cleopatra, the second requirement is fresh, cold milk. Yummy! Thirdly, I must have a short and fat glass - for dunking purposes, of course.
Once those materials have been gathered, I sink in my sofa, sit quietly by the lamp and start relishing my OREOs.
It is a ritual that must be executed almost with reverence. However, bear in mind that the OREOs from Singapore and US are much better than the ones we get locally and I do not need to explain why this is so because a look at the details on the packaging speaks volumes!
A greedy person would dunk the whole OREO in the milk and pop it into his/her mouth. To me, that is an abominable crime indeed. Taking one OREO at a time, slowly, steadily is vital to relish every bite making it a memorable and unforgettable event. I NEVER eat the whole cookie right away.
Turning the chocolate cookie part in a clockwise direction (but never pulling too hard as that would break the cookie and the sugary filling), I would then dunk half the chocolate piece in the glass of milk and slowly devour it - exquisite - hmmm yum yum! I would allow the chocolate flavour to be released in my mouth as my tongue twirls the half-bitten cookie. In a few seconds, the biscuit part would soften and then its taste would then merge. Bit by bit, I savor it...
The rest of the cookie would then be dunked into the milk. Sometimes, I get a bit greedy and leave it in the milk a wee bit longer and when I feel it softening, I will regretfully plonk the piece in my mouth, scolding myself for shortening the ecstatic process of enjoying my cookie because by then, it might lose its enigmatic taste and texture.
Sometimes, I do the mow the cream routine. Have you tried that? It is but a simple process, dear reader. All it takes is front teeth and two fingers. :-) Just allow your front teeth to scrape off the cream without cracking the cookie or making crumbs that would stick to your shirt. Now once I have harvested all the cream, ooo la la...the moment of victory would be celebrated as once again, I use my tongue to play with the cream until it liquidizes in my saliva. :-) Now in doing so, I am left with the cookie without the cream. If my resources allow, I would then use the chocolate pieces to make an ice-cream sandwich.
Alternatively, I could build a cookie stack i.e. to disassemble the cookies and stack them one on top of the other. The height of this cookie stack would depend on the size of your mouth, that is the bigger your mouth, the higher the stack :-).
The choice is yours what you wish to do with the stack. For me, sometimes, I squirt whipped cream around it and then surround the cream with more ice-cream :-) and garnish with Hershey's chocolate sauce. Absolutely yummy!
Ah - as I age, I do not indulge in the last procedure lest I become more horizontally challenged than what I am already. Nonetheless, I would encourage you, dear reader, to partake in this epicurean delight. OREOS and me - a sublime and ecstatic ritual of the ultimate in cookie consumption which sends me off to the Milky Way ;-) and if you don't mind, I think I need to log off now and drive to TESCO to stock up on OREOs!
Have a lovely evening, dear reader - Oreo-ing or whatever...Cheerio!
