TrueBluePenangite

Not Been Blogging for a Year!

2009-08-11T10:25:00.002-05:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

So I kinda stumbled onto my old blog while cleaning out my bookmarks and realized that I have not posted anything for a whole year! Wow, I can't believe that time flies so quickly. I guess the sands of time moves especially quick when you're having a wonderful time.

In a year, I had....

Bought a wedding gown
Gone home to Penang for a visit
Hired a fabulous wedding planner in Msia
Designed my wedding logo and invitations
Worked hard
Been on a committee at work
Struggled with the visa and immigration issue
Made new friends
Planned a surprise birthday party
Moved in with the fiancee, only to move again into a bigger apartment. The second move was a disaster as we did it in only 3 nights (we had to work during the day).
Registered my marriage in the US
Received a surprise birthday party....which was totally awesome!
Realized that I have the best group of family and friends a person could ever ask for
Thanked God copiously and repetitively
Planned a Pig Roast to celebrate our marriage
Tasted lots of cake :)
Realized that I am completely overworked
Planned a wedding for 350 guests, 10 000 miles away from where I live. Cannot be more grateful to have Touching Hearts as my wedding planner
Discovered Bikram Yoga....and how poor my own state of physical fitness was
Survived the Pig Roast which included a thunderstorm, car breaking down and having power failure as the guests were arriving but then realized that nothing could ruin our celebration because I had awesome friends, family and a wonderful husband who took everything in stride.
Updated my blog!!!!!!!!!

Just Tired

2008-08-01T21:33:00.002-05:00

Nothing new, in fact ...same old same old. I am seriously tired. Two more 10 hour shifts to go. Just have to keep going.

Ever feel like life is about just hanging on, one day at a time?

Good night peeps!

Pain, Pain and More Pain

2008-07-28T00:25:00.003-05:00

Definitely not a post about food.

The bf....now fiancee came up this weekend to visit and brought an exciting new toy, the Wii Fit!! We had so much fun with the new game that it was so worth the effort in tracking down a unit in the first place. Believe it or not, we have been trying to buy one since May.

Anyway, in our craze to out-do one another and prove whose fitness reigns supreme, we abused our poor bodies on Friday.

On Saturday, we joined our good friends B and M on a 5 hour canoing event, aptly named "Brews and Canoes," organized by the friends of the Milwaukee River......had a up close and personal dunking into the polluted river when our canoe hit some rocks and tipped us over...... and generally abused our bodies some more. Not contend to let a spare moment pass without turning on the Wii Fit, we then played late into the hours of the night.

Sunday morning.....woke up pleasantly sore, but still able to move without screaming in pain, we went out for a leisurely brunch with friends and then the fiancee drove home, and had an easy rest of the day. Me, I was not smart. No sireee....I decided to bike to a friend's house...about 1.8 to 2 miles away.....which was fine. Then went for a nice long walk to the beach with said friend, her husband and very active, lovely child. Still okay.......learned how to skip stones. Great! Then walked back to friend's house. Crap! Realized that sunlight is fading and I have no lights on my bike. Said goodbye at least 10 times to friend and family before leaving the house. Damn, now it's getting dark and I am slightly scared. Biked home really fast.....meaning...really fast for me. Lance Armstrong would probably do it in half the time and even less effort.

Now, I just feel pain. Burning pain in my thigh muscles. My vastus intermedius, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis and rectus femoris are all screaming bloody murder at me now. Not that I feel good in the other parts of my body as well.

This weekend shall be known as the weekend of PAIN!!!!!! Arrggghh.....!!!!!!

Now where's that Advil?

Sorry

2008-03-23T19:03:00.000-05:00

Sorry that I have been MIA for so long. I guess I just don't have it in me to blog daily anymore. It has been extremely therapeutic for me and the realization that I have fully recovered from a truly difficult time is bittersweet for me. I no longer have to blog to escape certain realities of my life and yet, I have abandoned the outlet that has seen me through difficult times. I leave you here with my #1 favorite song....ironically entitled 'Sorry'

P/s Milwaukee was hit with 16 inches of snow in the course of a day, IN MARCH. And people keep asking me why I want to move.

Home At Last!!

2008-01-27T04:31:00.000-06:00

I am in Penang and I am having a BLAST! It was really great catching up with high school friends that I have not seen in a while and seeing how everyone has changed.

Do not really miss the freezing cold and mounds of snow. The heat needs getting used to though. Will write more later.

Ta for now..

Tick Tock, Tick Tock...

2007-12-30T09:29:00.000-06:00

Widget says, " Only 21 days left before trip to Malaysia."

Why does that feel like an eternity...and yet, when I think of all that I need to do before I leave...not?

Anyway...Wishing all off you a Happy New Year and all the best of things to come in the year 2008.

If My Head Was Not Attached To My Body.....

2007-12-19T12:25:00.000-06:00

This was one of my father's favorite sayings when I was a child.....unfortunately, it still applies today. True, I am slightly better organized and do lose things a LOT less (it gets a little painful when you start paying for your own possessions), I still get a little scatterbrained sometimes and "misplace" things. It's not really lost, but just...misplaced...the irony of which is that said "lost" item appears a few months later when you least expect it and have bought another replacement. Yes, I do my part to keep the flagging US economy going....and no siree....I don't do it on credit! See, mom and dad, I did learn something from you, after all.

Okay, so...the currently misplaced item is my battery charger for my digital camera...gasp! I know, this is why I have been unable to blog my home cooked meals lately. And I have been cooking a lot more because I am currently on a health kick. Funny isn't it, that my "health kicks" always coincide with an upcoming trip home to Asia? You see....eating healthy does have the wonderful added side effect of weight loss for me. So, in anticipation of people back home that have no shame saying..."Wah...U.S food it so good ah? You so fat already!" or "Your face is so round, you look so...prosperous." And more, the completely shameless and clueless ones will start pinching your cheeks or even worse...tummy flab roll. Stop already! Being a size 2 in the US means NOTHING in Asia where skinny, anorexic looking girls are the norm! Well still, to give the haters their due, I am usually seen stuffing my face in Penang and eating twice the normal portions of food so I can why they cannot resist the applying the adage, it takes a village to raise a non-obese child.
*Scratching head, wondering how I got from misplacing camera's battery charger to this rant*

Anyway, I'm making Asparagus Stir Fried with Tiger Prawns In Chili Paste today. Sounds good and it's unbelievable simple. I'll post a recipe and pics when I find a solution to said problem above. However, don't hold your breath.

On a completely different but more important note, please support the Menu for Hope 4 that ends December 21st. It's a charity fundraiser organized by the fabulous Pim of Chez Pim that supports the UN Food Programme.

This year, they are raising money to feed the hungry schoolchildren of Lesotho. Since I am a big proponent of keeping kids in school, I entered the raffle too and did my part. Ya gotta walk the talk, honey! So I am a little late, since the raffle ends on Friday but it only takes a few minutes of your time and it's unbelievably easy. The hard part is picking out the amazing prizes. That took me a while. So don't wait any longer and get to Firstgiving and start donating! They have raised $45, 520 at posting time. Results will be posted at Chez Pim on January 9th.

3 AM Food Craving

2007-12-16T03:13:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

Why do I do this to myself? I come home from work at 3 AM and what do I do? I sit in front of the computer, read food blogs and then look through my archives of Penang food pics and then suffer. I am craving this right now with a capital K!!!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Penang cuisine ( well...probably not many.. because the 4 people who read my blog already are familiar with it), it's a dish called Chee Cheong Fun, Pig Intestine Noodles would be a direct translation. The moniker is derived from the rolled up appearance of the rice noodle which resembles intestine and not because it's made from pig parts. It's actually harmless white rice noodles, steamed in sheets and then rolled up after being oiled. The rolls of noodles are stacked up in a glass case, usually until a portion is ordered by a customer and then it is steamed and then cut into bite sized pieces.

Then the seller ladles on prawn paste, tee cheow (hoisin sauce), shallot oil, chili paste and then tops it with toasted sesame seeds (Bamming Emeril style optional) and serves it up with a flourish.

I always ask for the noodles to be unfurled prior to saucing because I like my noodles to have maximum surface exposure to the delicious sauce prior to stuffing my face. As children, my brother and I took utmost delight in unfurling each rolled up piece of noodles slowly and then stirring it into the sauce, to the dismay of our dining companions, the adults. Can you imagine how long it would take us to eat a plate?

A morsel in your mouth reveals a tangy, sweet and fiery taste, all at once from the amazing sauce. The soft chewy and silky noodles are an amazing canvas for the delicious finger and plate licking good sauce.

We like to eat this dish in the morning at MaCallister Lane in Penang. Can anyone help with the exact location of this stall? Update: Thanks to Tine who says this stall is very hard to miss because it's located near the junction as you turn into MaCallister Lane.

Now going to bed, very frustrated.

The Godsister Should Love This

2007-12-15T04:51:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

Oh boy... I just microwaves 2 peeled bananas in a bowl, mashed them with a fork, added some brown sugar (no gula melaka, alas) and a pat of butter. Stirred it together and ate it all up. It's 4:53am.

Ah...how the mighty have fallen.

Just occurred to me that the addition of a drop of pure vanilla extract may not be amiss.

Witty Repartee...NOT!

2007-12-13T11:04:00.000-06:00

I was walking down the hall leading to the emergency room last night when I passed two nurses in their winter coats, in the middle of their shift (obviously going out to smoke cigarettes). We exchanged hellos and as we were parting ways, I said playfully, "Hey, you know, smoking is bad for you."

To which one replied, "Yeah, so is being a bitch"

Huh...WTF??????????

I was so stunned because that comment came out of the blue that I could only call out, "Hey, that was uncalled for!"

In my fantasy world, without missing a beat, I would have immediately volleyed back, "Then you'd better quit, shouldn't you" or "It takes one to know one" or better yet, "Oh fancy that, a talking female dog!"

In the real world, I fumbled...hahaha...not that I would have been that rude anyway. My father has always said, "You do not have to sink to their level to fight them," an advice that I've taken to heart. Still, I sometimes wish that I did have a quicker, wittier tongue.

UPDATE: I went to work today and was told by said nurse above that she meant that being a bitch was not good for her.....not me. A fellow colleague had asked her about our little exchange and suddenly realized that her comment could have been perceived as insulting to me and apologized. Since I smiled at her as soon as I saw her today (even before hearing the explanation), she realized that I had no hard feelings. Alles gute!

Dear Anthony Bourdain..

2007-12-11T00:01:00.000-06:00

Dear Mr Anthony Bourdain,

I have been a big fan of your wonderful show and acerbic wit ever since I stumbled upon No Reservations 2 years ago. I loved the fact that you've shown us that eating well does not necessarily equate to paying exorbitant prices. Unless of course, you're talking about El Bulli, for which I would gladly sell my left pinky toe to finance the meal. I am extremely fond of all my toes, I mean, how else would my Manolos fit properly...ok, who am I kidding, I don't own any Manolos...but I digress....

You have brought the art of gastronomy to the street level and have used street food as a conduit to exploring and understanding a foreign culture. I do salute you!

I could barely contain my excitement when the episode of No Reservations: Malaysia aired. As a Malaysian, I am inordinately proud of our cuisine. Where else in the world can you find food with Malay, Chinese, Indian, Portuguese, English, Thai and Indonesian influences, often along the same street or square, reflecting the multi ethnic population of it's citizens?

However, to my horror, I barely heard a mention of Penang Island during the one hour episode. This is an outrage! Penang is famous for it's uber-delicious food. It's one of the best states in Malaysia to eat in. Forget the wild pigs in Borneo. You will weep at the first taste of Char Koay Teow. I fear that you may never forgive yourself for missing out what may have been the best hawker food and seafood that you have ever tasted. I therefore must insist that you recount the votes...I mean, visit Penang Island and gorge yourself with the amazing array of gastronomic delights that awaits you. I will volunteer to be your guide. Consider yourself invited!

Yours sincerely,
TrueBluePenangite

p/s Offer valid only from Jan 20th to Feb 24th. Airfare and accommodations not included. Sponsor is not liable for any gastronomic related illnesses (ie overeating,unintended weight gain, elevated cholesterol, depression after leaving Penang).

Lonely....

2007-12-09T11:21:00.001-06:00

He left for Penang, Malaysia yesterday.

My Widget tells me that I have 41 more days to go.
It just seems like a loooong time.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!!!

2007-12-01T16:53:00.003-06:00

Oh, the weather outside is frightful,
And a fire would be delighful,
And I can't go anywhere, I know,
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

It doesn't show signs of stopping,
And in fact it's also sleeting,
Driving visibility is way down low,
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

I will actually have a good night,
Because I don't have to go out in the storm;
Not going to work tonight,
Thank God coz I'll actually be warm.

I know the ER will be busy,
Full of drunks and crazies,
But as long as I don't have to go,
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.........
(sung to the tune of Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow)

Milwaukee is currently experiencing temperatures of -1°C with gusting winds up
to 45 km/hr, which makes it feel like -7°C. We are being hit by freezing rain and heavy
snow right now but looking at the Weather Channel's doppler map, I know ice is coming soon. Aren't YOU glad you don't live here? My fridge and freezers are stocked up in case I can't get out of the house..hehe

P/s Will update picture when possible.

Cashew Chicken

2007-11-26T00:23:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

I was reminded two days ago that real bloggers actually update their blogs...so I took the opportunity to test out Rasa Malaysia's Kung Pao Chicken recipe that had me almost drooling onto my keyboard. For years, I've heard of Kung Pao chicken in Chinese-American restaurants and thought that it was a made up dish....kinda like Chop Suey. However, after reading RM's blog about cooking authentic Kung Pao Chicken, I realized, "Hey, my grandma makes this dish!" It was similar to a dish that my grandma calls Cashew Chicken and does NOT in the slightest bit resemble the Americanized version of Kung Pao Chicken.

The pleasant memories flooding my tastebuds prompted me to make this dish tonight. I adapted RM's recipe, substituting cashew nuts for peanuts, added sesame oil and oyster sauce to the dish. I also cheated on the steps and cooked it all at once instead of cooking the chicken and sauce in two steps and then combining them.

Cashew Chicken

Ingredients:
5 pieces of boneless & skinless chicken thighs
1 large handful of roasted and salted cashew nuts
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 stalk diagonally sliced scallion
8-12 small dried red chillies
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1 thumb sized knob of thinly julienned fresh ginger
1/2 of a small yellow onion, sliced

Chicken Marinade:
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoon ShaoXing wine
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Pinch of black pepper to taste

Sauce:
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
3-4 tablespoons water (depending on how thick or runny you'd like the sauce)
1 tablepoon corn starch
1 tablespoon ShaoXing wine

Method:

Prepare marinade and sauce in separate containers.
Clean chicken meat, pat dry and cut into 1cm cubes. Place in container with marinade and mix well. Set aside for 1/2 hr.
Heat the cooking oil in a large pan/wok on High setting until the oil is smoking. Add garlic and fry till golden brown.
Add scallions, ginger, chilies, onions and cashew nuts to pan. Fry together until the aromatics are soft and fragrant.
Add the chicken meat and cook until all of the pieces are cooked through
Pour in the sauce and stir-fry until sauce thickens and coats the chicken pieces well.
Add a pinch of sliced scallions "Emeril" style after plating for style and drama.

We ate it with steamed jasmine/long grain rice. It was GRREATTT!!!! The bf gave it two thumbs up :)

I Dream of Blue Skies, Warm Seas and Good Food

2007-10-25T14:27:00.000-05:00

Sitting in a cold lonely room,
Wishing for some sunshine and warmth,
Reminiscing about lovelier times,
Can you blame my longing heart?

I will return to you one day.......Greece, I love you....

Murtabak Fever

2007-10-18T06:18:00.000-05:00

I just can't help it, I want to eat this dish so badly!!! According to the countdown clock on my dashboard, I have 94 more days to my Malaysian trip. This is going to be one super exciting trip because I am :

a)Going home to see my parents and grandma. Always a pleasure.
b)Going to be a bridesmaid to my bestie, Tine.
c)Finally going home for Chinese New Year (Feb 7th 2008) after missing out on the ang pow action for 7 years.
d)Going to take a short family vacation to Perth to see my brother. Tried to squeeze Melbourne into the Australian trip but it was too much for me to handle. Yes, I am wimpy. You try sitting on a plane (and in airports) for 32 donkey hours from the US to Penang and see how well you handle it.
e)Going to eat Murtabak...with curry and the red onions (See dish above). It's a large piece of pulled dough that is stretched paper thin and then filled with a mixture of minced meat, seasonings, onion and garlic folded into a mixture of beaten egg before being folded like an envelope to seal in the filling and griddle fried until golden brown.

And wash it down with....you guessed it..... Teh tarik!

Watch how they make it here. What's not to like?

What City Do You Belong In?

2007-10-12T09:51:00.000-05:00

You Belong in London

A little old fashioned, and a little modern.
A little traditional, and a little bit punk rock.
A unique soul like you needs a city that offers everything.
No wonder you and London will get along so well.

What City Do You Belong In?

Ya know, I would have guessed Paris. I suppose I am a little colonialist at heart.

Beautiful Ending To A Beautiful Day

2007-10-11T10:35:00.000-05:00

The bf and I took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and went for a walk last week. we were awed by this beautiful scene. I can't believe I live here!! This picture was taken at Lake Drive, Milwaukee.

Finish this sentence...

2007-10-10T09:31:00.000-05:00

I don't usually do memes but I was inspired to do this one from MayNi, ingenuously sent via email:

1. I've come to realize that my last kiss was.... going to have to last me 2 weeks until he returns again...sob

2. I am listening to... Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley

3. I talk... like I have verbal diarrhea

4. I love.... eating and dressing up to go out.

5. My best friends are.... more precious than the rarest gems...John,MayNi, Christine, Lia, Doris, Anastasia, Georgia, Ming, Jamie and Wans

6. My Car is... a beautiful Honda Accord that was the biggest purchase of my life....and I love it!

7. My love life.... is blessed. And also very private :)

8. I hate it when people ask.... me why I speak English so well? or why don't I have an accent since I'm Malaysian or my personal favorite...How can you be Malaysian Chinese? I always reply, "Have you heard of African-Americans? Chinese-Americans? Polish-Americans? Do I need to continue?"

9. Love is.... what keeps me going. I am a hopeless romantic.

10. Marriage is... what you make of it.

11. Somewhere, someone is thinking... why is smoking not banned yet? Ok, I confess, I'm the one thinking that.

12. I'm always... running late. It's a disease

13. I have a secret cheesy crush on..... Colin Firth...it's the damn English accent

14. My cell phone... is my constant companion. It's my phone, alarm clock, calculator, calender and sometimes camera.

15. When I wake up in the morning... I snuggle deeper into the sheets and blankets.

16. When I go to bed at night... I call the bf.

17. Right now I am thinking about... what to eat for lunch. I hate going to work at 11am because I never know whether to eat breakfast or lunch.

18. Babies are.... especially adorable when you can give them back to their parents at the end of the day.

19. I get on myspace.... ?

20. Today I... go to work and think positive thoughts. Okay, maybe I'll pray at work. Constantly

21. Tonight I will... sleep well after I hit the gym

22. Tomorrow I will... clean up my house...I have said that everyday for the past week :p

23. I really want to... learn French, move to Europe, exercise more, ride horses, sing soprano, travel the world and love my job.

24. Someone that will most likely repost this is... Christine..because I am tagging her to do this on her blog.

Christine, you heard me...you're it!

Thank You Christine !!!

2007-10-05T13:25:00.001-05:00

Oh for those of you who are admiring my new blog design, the credit should go to my bestie Christine, whom despite wedding preparations, visa applications and work stress had kindly offered to chng (pimp) my blog. I'll try to work hard and blog more so her efforts aren't wasted on a lazy blogger like me.

Kudos to Tine and thanks so much.

It's WARM out!!!!

2007-10-05T13:14:00.000-05:00

It's in the eighties today and I am going OUTSIDE!!!!! I am so excited for the last hurrah of warm weather this week that I can't wait to go out and enjoy the day. My friend, G and I will be going out for some good eat in a few minutes. Since we are in a month with an "R" in it, we are going to the Milwaukee Public Market for some nice, plump oysters and mussels. That's right.....I have finally found the seafood motherload.

The seafood vendor, St Paul Fish company recently expanded their stall to include an oyster bar and grill. Needless to say, I was overjoyed at the prospect of not having to go to some atas restaurant to pay $15.95 for a plate of mussel appetizers. I am going to go this time, armed with my camera so I can take some pics of the lovely food we'll have. Oh dear....I hope G brings her appetite.

Banana Attack!!

2007-09-27T21:38:00.000-05:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

I was rummaging through the kitchen when I spied 4 bananas that had somehow eluded my notice when they were optimally yellow and now, they were just 4 sad brown bananas. I thought briefly of chucking them in the trash but the notion quickly discarded by the heavy sensation of guilt that settled upon my shoulders. I was after all, brought up in Asia where it is a SIN to waste food. "Think about all the starving people in Somalia," my mother used to say.

Imagine my horror when I finally met some Somalians in college who turned out to be the biggest food wasters that I had ever met (until I lived in America, that is. Marquette dorm students take the cake). Luckily, these days, she never has to push us to eat. In fact, she's mostly telling me to stop stuffing my face!

So, I decided to make banana bread. I found a bunch of recipes online but alas, a quick survey of my kitchen revealed .....no baking powder, no lemon juice, no walnuts, no mixer and worse....no loaf pan. Somehow, my pan mysteriously vanished.

Anyway, I did the best I could and adapted a recipe that I will share, because the final product turned out awesome. It's simple,quick and does not require a mixer....just needs some elbow grease :) Instead of a loaf pan, I used an 8x8 pyrex pan. I call it the puddingcake because of the resulting dense, creamy and moist texture. Try it out, it's pretty much foolproof.

Banana PuddingCake

Ingredients:
4 very ripe bananas
2 handfuls of California raisins, soaked in water or rum
2 heaping tbs of Greek yogurt
3/4 cup of sugar
1 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 tsp of pure vanilla extract
4 oz (1 stick) softened butter
4 eggs

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Mash bananas in a large mixing bowl.
Add sugar, butter, vanilla extract and salt. Mix well
Beat the eggs in a bowl and set aside.
Add half the egg mixture and half the flour, mix well and repeat with remaining ingredients. I used a whisk.
Stir in the yogurt and raisins and then pour the batter into a well greased and floured 8x8 inch pan.
Bake at 375 degrees F for approximately 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the puddingcake.
Allow to cool and then dig in.

Personally, I think it would be kick-ass if served a la mode with a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Damn, no ice cream!

Arrrrggghhhh!!!!

2007-09-21T14:24:00.000-05:00

For the past few days, my photo editor software has been psycho and decides to have an "error" whenever I try to save edited work. Yes, edited photos that I have been working on for 10-30 mins. Isn't that incredibly frustrating? I spend precious time working on my pictures with nothing to show for it. Well, I guess that I'm lucky it didn't wipe out my original photos.

I WAANNNT Photoshop......even if I have no idea how to use it. Camedia Master from Olympus just doesn't cut it anymore and iPhoto is almost identical....except that it has the "retouch" option so I can ch'ng my ~~pimples~~ imperfections away.

Okay...so you get to hear me whine today but have nothing to look at. Sorry :P

Sigh......

The Breakfast of Champions

2007-09-20T04:22:00.000-05:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

Growing up, I have always been lectured about the importance of eating breakfast. It's touted to kick start your body into full gear and feed your brain, so to speak. I remember a teacher in high school rambling on and on about needing to eat breakfast, even going as far as having those who did not confess to eating breakfast that particular morning singled out and ridiculed. Yes, I am talking about Miss Ang.

And speaking of breakfast, nobody does it as well as Malaysian. We are champion breakfast eaters. Where else in the world would you find people who eat everything from nasi lemak (coconut steamed rice with anchovies and boiled egg) to curry noodles to chee cheong fun (steamed rice noodles with fermented shrimp paste, sesame oil and chili paste)?

One of my favorite things to eat for breakkie is Hainanese French Toast with Malaysian Kopi. The sugary sweetness is enough to induce diabetes but it is oh so good....and actually quite okay to eat once in a while.

I like the sweet aroma of Malaysian roasted coffee (with margarine, salt, sugar and sometimes chicory) paired with creamy condensed milk bright and early in the morning. It gives me a reason to get out of bed.

The French Toast was completely soaked through with the egg-milk-sugar mixture and tasted delicious. My only complaint was that the surface was not crispy enough.

Msian coffee+French Toast, by their powers combined=Simply delicioso!

Summer's Over

2007-09-18T07:54:00.001-05:00

My mom complained that she is tired of seeing my feet whenever she logs onto my blog. Summer's over and so should the hiatus......but I feel so lazy after NOT blogging for several months. Besides that, I am swamped with work and life while makes it really difficult to find time to sit in front of the computer for hours at a time. Yes, people...it actually takes me hours to compose the post and then edit the pictures. Now try doing that after 10 brutal hours at the ER, being abused by screaming patients...you get the picture.

Yet, I love my blog too much to just let it rot. So, my solution is to make a little compromise. I will continue to write mostly about food and I will include interesting things that I come across during my daily life and travels. Of course, you get to hear my rants as well :)

This way, I can continue to keep updating my blog more frequently and you get to hear all about my life. You have been warned!

Hiatus

2007-07-04T14:36:00.000-05:00

Hi dear readers,
Summer is officially here and it's BBQ season. Finally we have consistently warm weather, although it was in the 60s last weekend (go figure). Anyway, it's too beautiful outside and we can finally sit beside the pool to cookout, have a party, swim, bike, picnic and have long walks by the lake. Thus, my blog has been suffering from abandonment. Knowing it's Wisconsin, the nice warm weather only lasts a few months and I do not want to sit and blog when I can be doing a billion things outside. I apologize to those who do read my blog daily but I'll be back in full force when it's cooler outside....believe me, it won't be long.
Wisconsin summers are very short and we are only warm (in the 80s) for a few short weeks but we take full advantage of the warm days. We have Summerfest, Jazz in the Park, Farmer's Market, Bastille Days and many more events going on every summer. If you're in the vicinity, do check out some of the event. You won't regret it.
Oh....we are going to Six Flags on the 21st!!!!!!!! Wheeee!!!!!!

View of the McKinley Marina from my apartment. Ah.......summertime.......I love it!!!!

A ShoutOut To My Wonderful Friends

2007-06-16T18:01:00.000-05:00

It was my birthday last Thursday and since it was a weekday, we or rather, I did not have any celebratory plans. At the most, the bf and I were going for dinner and then, I was planning to go to Jazz In The Park with the bf for some socializing. Hahaha.....someone once said something about the best laid plans.....

I think I once mentioned to the bf that you HAVE to have at least a birthday cake to celebrate the anniversary of your birth. Since I came to the US in 2001, I have not had a birthday cake and I really, really missed having one. The wonderful bf remembered and this year, after dinner at Coast (because the last attempt to have dinner at Coast went awry--long story that deserves another post), he told me that we have to go to a friend's house to drop off an Ipod car kit adapter. Innocent enough.

Then, when I walked into my friend's apartment, I saw a cake (not just any cake, it was a STRAWBERRY cake) with lit candles and balloons in the air and the best part of all, my closest friends!!!! They were all shouting "Surprise" and "Happy Birthday". And this is, was one of the best birthday's ever!!!!

To the mastermind: I love you very much!!! Thanks for so many wonderful years together.

To the rest of the party planners: Thank you very much for planning this. I am very touched by your effort and grateful that you are my friends. My friend, L once told me, "At home you rely on your parents, outside the home, you rely on your friends." You guys are definitely people that I can count on through thick and thin and I am so proud to call you my friends.

Thanks again.

Happy Happy Birthday!!!!

2007-06-09T11:16:00.001-05:00

To my dearest friends, and in birth order: Tine, Misery and Wans

Wishing all of you a very Happy Birthday from me. I am so honored to be your friend and to have shared such an awesome experience in Sec School. I know distance has kept us apart for several years but I still cherish our friendship. May each of you achieve your dreams and goals in life and find everlasting happiness. I miss you all very much. After all, where else can you find a bunch of friends who are all both Monkeys and Geminis?

Photo source: http://free-ecardsforall.ezthemes.com/pcenhance/wp/preview.phtml?blank+34134

Milwaukee Downtown Dining Week-Yanni 5/31/07

2007-06-09T10:52:00.000-05:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

The bf and I went on a double date with another couple for Downtown Dining Week (DDW) to Yanni's Restaurant. I've been to Yanni's several times for dinner and have always been impressed by the quality of their food and service. Thus, when I found out that they were participating in the DDW events, I immediately called to make a reservation. Let's just say that we were very happy with our dining experience.

The service was excellent, as usual and our waiter was very attentive. Since, I already had planned out my meal one week in advance, it didn't take long to take our orders....yes, usually I am the one holding up the table with my indecisivenes.

I had the crab cake for my appetizer, beef tenderloin for my entree and the chocolate ice cream Jubilee. The bf had the soup, the fish and again ice cream. Our other dining partners each chose something different and we all shared.For 20 dollars, you get to choose 3 items from the menu below, one from each category:

STARTERS/APPETIZERS
- Soup du Jour -- Chef's inspiration

- Wood Stone Baked Crab Cake -- Single jumbo lump crab cake with spicy dijonaise and remoulade sauces

- House Salad -- Mixed greens, radishes, cucumbers, eggs, grape tomatoes, carrots, croutons and choice of dressing

ENTREES
- Beef Tenderloin Tournelle -- 5 oz. petite fillet of beef served with sauteed spinach, truffle potato croquette and shiitake Madeira sauce

- Mahi Mahi -- Served baked with steamed vegetables in a champagne garlic lemon herb sauce

- Chicken Trio -- Three chicken breasts, marinated and sauteed with fresh herbs, garlic and spices, and served with sweet potato mash, sauteed spinach and three individual sauces: lemon cream, Madeira and apricot

DESSERTS
- Ice Cream Jubilee -- Vanilla or Chocolate ice cream topped with a cherry jubilee sauce

The waiter brought out the bread basket and we all dug in. The bread was served with several kinds of flavored butter and a dipping oil. My favorite was the strawberry butter. I totally pigged out on the butter and bread more than intended.

The bf's soup of the day. I can't even remember what it was but I was too busy enjoying my crab cakes and didn't really pay attention to his appetizer. The other couple also had the crab cake.

The absolutely scrumplicious Wood Stone Baked Crab Cake. It was served with 2 different sauces, a Dijon mustard sauce and a remoulade sauce. I liked both sauces equally but the Dijon sauce seemed to bring out the flavor of the crab meat better compared to the remoulade. I really took my time rolling the briny crustacean meat in my mouth...it sounds gross but tastes like heaven. B, my friend appeared to have immensely enjoyed her crab cake as well.

Now for the entrees:

The bf had the baked Mahi-Mahi in a lemon sauce preparation and liked it very much. I had a small bite of his dish and discovered that the fish was very fresh and did not have a "fishy" smell or taste to it. I think the lemon sauce did help to mask the original smell of the fish and made the dish more palatable. Those of you who know me know that I do not like fish, ...well... except for, you know, sushi. B's bf also had this dish and have it his stamp of approval.

B had the Chicken Trio, a serving of 3 generous pieces of grilled chicken breast, accompanied by 3 different sauces. It also came with a portion of mashed sweet potatoes, topped with sauteed spinach. The dish was so generous that she was unable to finish it alone. Even after some help from us, she had to box it up to go.

My entree was absolutely a treat. It was a perfectly grilled 5 ounce beef tenderloin cooked to medium rare and came on top of a potato croquette. The sauce was slightly sweet and very flavorful...you can definitely taste the Madeira and the woodsy mushroom in the sauce. I loved every bite of the tender meat that melted in my mouth.

I was not impressed with the dessert at all so I didn't even bother to take a picture of it. I've never had ice cream jubilee before but I am so never ordering that if I had a choice. After the magnificent appetizer and entree...the dessert was rather...boring and disappointing. What can I say, I am an ice cream snob, after all. Yanni, I did expect better.

All in all, we had a wonderful time up to dessert and the company was great. B and M, lets do this again.

YANNI'S

540 E. Mason St.
Milwaukee, WI 53202
414.847.9264

Hours:
Sun: Closed
Lunch:
Mon - Fri: 11 am - 2 pm
Dinner:
Mon - Thu: 5 pm - 10 pm
Fri - Sat: 5 pm - 11 pm

Lessons (NOT) Learnt from History

2007-06-08T09:38:00.001-05:00

My dad has always said that we learn history so that we can learn from the mistake of others made in the past. Thus, we do not have to make the same mistakes twice. But then again, do we really learn anything, or do we just memorize enough to regurgitate the answers on an exam sheet and then conveniently wipe it from our memories. I'll let you decide after watching this video:

Sad, isn't it?

Milwaukee Downtown Dining Week

2007-06-05T23:03:00.000-05:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

I just wanted to announce that May 31-June7 is Milwaukee's Downtown Dining Week. I know, I know, it's almost over but it's still not too late to go out and catch an impromptu lunch or dinner at some of the participating restaurants. It's a week when many fine dining restaurants offer a 3 course lunch for USD 10 and dinner for USD 20. What a steal!!!! You don't even have to make reservations for lunch but dinner reservations are recommended lest you arrive at the restaurant disappointed.

Here's the link to the Downtown Dining Week website. You can see the list of participating restaurants and their offerings. I generally look at the menu and then decide on the restaurant. This way, I'll be guaranteed to like the offerings. Two hot tips: Yanni and Coast. I'll blog about my culinary adventures soon.

What are you waiting for....go out and eat, Milwaukee!!!!

Curry Mee

2007-05-18T10:04:00.000-05:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

I found a bunch of pictures of Malaysian food that I had took during my last trip home and so I'll slowly post them up. Here are two pics of Curry Mee(curry noodles) from my favorite stall in Penang. It's located on Dato Kramat Road, in the little corner coffee shop next to the small Chinese temple/Convent Datuk Kramat. Ask the locals :)

This couple's stall sells Curry Mee, Koay Teow Th'ng and Kai See Hor Fun. All of the dishes are sooooo GOOD, but it's the Curry Mee that always has me salivating.

The curry broth is utterly scrumptious and just lemak (creamy/rich) enough without leaving a jelak (how to translate this....er...overly-rich) taste in your mouth.

This stall also makes their Curry Mee old-school style, meaning it has see ham (blood cockles), jew-hoo (rehydrated cuttlefish) and too-huik (congealed pig's blood). Aww....don't gag people... it's absolutely delish! Honest! Ok....it's also an acquired taste and I've been eating this stuff since I was a child.

Looks good doesn't it? I would kill for a bowl of good Curry Mee, here in good ole Wisconsin.

Funny Comedian/singer

2007-05-14T11:57:00.000-05:00

I was just browsing around You Tube and found this guy. He is seriously hilarious!!! Just click on the ~~link~~ play and listen. ~~When I get smarter, I'll hopefully learn how to post the video directly on my blog. Anyone willing to teach me?~~ A big shout-out to Tine for teaching me how to do this. You rock girl!!

Just for the record, Pachelbel's Canon in D is one of my absolute fav piece of music. So, lovers of Canon in D, don't kill the messenger.

Enjoy!

Korean Delights at Seoul Garden

2007-04-26T12:22:00.000-05:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

The bf and I were filling up my car with gas on Prospect Ave, when we happened to glance down the street and saw that a new owner had taken over the former Han Kuk Kwan, a Korean restaurant that we were not very impressed with. So unimpressed were we that we had never gone back after eating there once.

When I lived in KL (Malaysia's capital city), I had these two Korean friends who would either cook kickass Korean food (do they just call it food in Korea?) or take me to great, authentic Korean restaurants. I became spoilt. I mean, I remember going to a restaurant in the middle of a bunch of nondescript office buildings where nobody on the wait staff spoke a word of English and the utensils were made of solid stainless steel (old school, man). If you didn't go with someone who spoke Korean, you were reduced to pointing at pictures and gratefully eating whatever they put on your table. Yes, the food as THAT good. Now, I cannot remember the name of the restaurant and have lost contact with my two friends but the taste of what constitutes as good and authentic Korean food has been permanently burned into my taste buds. Needless to say, I have been searching for a good Korean restaurant since moving to the US but have been unable to find one....until now. The name to remember is Seoul Garden.

The restaurant is situated in a little building where Ichiban used to be before they moved into the bigger, nicer building next door. The decor has changed but the cozy setting of the dining space has not. I still love the coziness of the space and especially find the tiny little nook that serves as a semi-private dining area (only fits 4 people, I think) very adorable. But the food....is spectacular. It's homemade (cooked by the owner's mother and brother), flavorful, authentic and delicious. Most, importantly, it's non pretentious. The owner confided to us (the bf, a friend and me) that she had asked her mother to cook up something different (think fusion) to make the food more acceptable to mainstream American diners and her mother had replied, "I don't know how to cook that. What you get from me is authentic Korean food." Wow!

Seoul Garden serves a buffet lunch from 11:30 am to 2:30pm on weekdays. I think it's USD 7 something per person. The bf and I have been there several times to eat and the buffet remains mostly the same with the exception of 3 dishes that is changed daily.

View of the buffet. The rice cooker is being blocked by the plant.

The far end of the buffet contains pickles, kimchi, lettuce leaf of a sort of wrap and sauces.

These two dishes are my favorite: Top-Bulgogi (beef), Bottom-Jeyuk (pork). I can't even begin to speculate what the seasonings are for the two dishes. I can only say...I likee a lot!

You can even use the lettuce leaf to wrap up the meat, add the sauce, (I recommend the fermented soyabean paste on the far right), roll it up and stuff it into your mouth before the darn thing falls apart. You think that after years of eating lettuce wrapped bang-kuang char, I'd be able to do this with finesse but noo....I still suck at it. Mine fell apart so I had to improvise (see pics below) You can also add a small dollop of rice to the roll but I was having technical and mechanical problems so I skipped the rice.

This was also the first time that I had tried barley tea. It's just brewed barley pearls from what I gathered and is served unsweetened. It's not bad but I prefer green tea. To me, a barley drink has to taste like good old barley-peng from a kopitiam (typical coffee-shop in Malaysia). This bland drink, I was not crazy about.

My first round at the buffet. Will only show the first round because to paiseh (embarassed) to let you know how many times I went back.

The bf went hunting and gathering next and came back with this.

Remember the lettuce roll that I was talking about earlier? It's called ssam and is supposed to look like this, pre-wrapping/rolling. The disaster comes with the rolling/wrapping part.

The bf attempting to properly assemble a ssam. Note that there is significantly more leaf than there is filling. That's just not good eats :)

Finally fed up with my crappy assembling skills, I made modified ssams and just spooned them into my mouth. Yummmy, less of the lettuce leaf and more filling. Ya gotta think outside the box!

I went back to the buffet table and put together this plate, which I proceeded to devour. After taking a few pics, of course!

Close up shot. Isn't that absolutely scrumplicious looking? It tastes even better than it looks. Like a little bit of heaven.

I am so happy to have found this little gem of a restaurant. And the service was absolutely wonderful. We went there late for lunch once and the waitress was supposed to get off her shift but she stayed to serve us and was as nice as can be despite the circumstances.

If you live in Milwaukee, you need to try this treasure of a restaurant out. I promise you'll like it. They also have dinner but that's another post.

Seoul Garden
2178 N Prospect Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53202
414-289-8208

Drugged and Drunk

2007-04-19T15:29:00.000-05:00

I came home from work this morning at 4 am and saw the bottle of Nyquil that I had asked the bf to get for me sitting on the kitchen table. I picked it up and thought...hmmm.....I'll get some sleep tonight. I then took the recommended 30ml (had to read the label because it was my first time ever taking Nyquil, I usually let my body battle it out with the virus) and got ready for bed.

THEN.....my head started pounding, my face felt tingly and flushed. I shifted uncomfortably in bed and held my breath....yes, my heart was racing and I began to feel nauseated.....oh crap, what was in the damned Nyquil? I finally made my way back to the kitchen and read the label. Oh shit! Alcohol is listed as the first inactive ingredient...alamak!

I can't process alcohol......

Was passed out till 2 pm today

SICK!!

2007-04-18T14:41:00.000-05:00

Arrrgghh......I fell victim to the evil cold virus that is circulating out there....and now in my system. I thought my immune system was at it's peak from being exposed to so many types of bugs and viruses at work but it suddenly lost the battle yesterday...just as I was going to work. Then, I spiked a fever at work and it was all over....the virus took over. I started sniffling, having hot and cold flashes, stomach cramps, the shakes (yeah, I found that one new symptom AS I was suturing up a patient's face), a headache, I can't hear out of the right ear and my throat is KILLING me.

I HATE BEING SICK!!!

Anyway...I was craving for some comfort food but my body was aching too much to cook. So I sat in front of the computer for an hour, then finally had enough caffeine in me to move. This soup based dish is really simple to make if you have the right ingredients in the kitchen already. Since mine is always stocked to survive a famine, I didn't have to drag my body to the grocery store.

Mee Suah or Tang Hoon Soup

Ingredients:

Half a package of Mee Suah or Tang Hoon (dried)
2L of Swanson's Chicken stock
One can of baby straw mushrooms (drained)
An assortment of meat balls, fish balls, squid balls etc
4 stalks of baby bok choi, cleaned and cut into bite size pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of soy sauce

Cooking method:

Put stock into pot to boil.
Add the assortment of meat/squid/fish balls and cook until they float to the surface.
Add the straw mushrooms, baby bok choi and the mee suah or tang hoon.
Season to taste.
Consume.

Simple and most importantly, minimal work.

Enjoy...pic coming, no energy to edit.

Guilty pleasures: Coach bags

2007-04-13T15:00:00.000-05:00

I kept telling myself, cannot spend money frivolously, cannot, cannot, cannot!!!

And then I saw it, looking back at me from the display case....calling my name...and I knew. I had to have it.

Isn't it gorgeous? It reminds me so much of springtime and flowers and sunshine and rainbows!!

I stood in the store for quite a while and was mentally tallying up the damage to my credit card and finances. Then, I thought, "I shouldn't make an impulse buy, I have to really think about this." After all, I was in Naples, Florida and I was about to board a plane in 2 hrs. How to carry so much baggage? I was rather proud of myself as I walked out of the store without making a purchase.

Then, I landed in Milwaukee and went to the Coach store the next day and burned some plastic...hehe :)

And then, I saw this other baby.....and thought, what the heck, if I'm already burning plastic, may as well make it MELT!

I am so in love with my new bags. *Mentally calculating how many extra shifts I have to work*

Do you love bags?

Bah Kut Teh

2007-04-11T12:58:00.000-05:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

I made Bah Kut Teh (pork bone tea soup, for the uninitiated) last night but didn't even get a chance to take pictures of it before it was devoured. I was cooking this delicious soup meal for a fellow Penangite, S.H who was visiting the bf and I from New York after suddenly being struck with homesickness.

I was puttering around the kitchen from 7pm last night, trying to recall how to cook the dish. Mom and Dad conveniently neglected to answer the frantic phone calls that I made to them to ask for advise. Thankfully, S.H was a big help in the kitchen and we managed to get the pot going.

After I announced that dinner was ready, I went to grab a quick shower and walked out to discover that they were on helping #2 already!!!! I didn't get any pics for my blog, needless to say but here's the recipe for those of you who may be homesick for the dish. We had stopped at the chinese store and even bought some Yew Char Koay (fried cruellers). Man, it was delicious!

Bah Kut Teh recipe: a word of warning....all these measurements are agak-agak (a rough guess-timation). My philosophy, just add stuff until it tastes good. And have Pizza Hut or Dominos on speed dial.

Ingredients:

One packet of A1 Bak Kut Teh Spices (should have 2 sachets inside)
2 plus pounds of cut and cleaned pork ribs with bone. I asked the butcher to cut it into short rib pieces for me.
Three or four pieces of Tong Kwai.
One whole head of garlic-peeled and smashed.
One package of pork/beef balls (I bought the ready made frozen kinds from Vietnam)
Five stalks of baby bok choy....cleaned and separated from the stalk.
10-15 cups of water. I just fill up my pot to almost 3/4 full.
Freshly cracked peppercorns (I like using the white peppercorns)...use one heaping tbs.
One cube of Knorr's pork bouillon.
One can of Golden Mushroom (Kim Chiam Koo), well drained and separated.
One packet of ready made Yew Char Koay
Two tbs of thick soy sauce
Three tbs of oyster sauce
Three tbs of normal soy sauce

Yeah...the preparation is so hard. I am a fanatic and will spend a lot of time stripping fat and skin away from the meat. The soup is a lot healthier and leaner but of course, the oomph factor is a little compromised. What the heck, it was still good. So good that the boys just continued to eat and eat. They each ate 3 full servings!!!

Okay....now comes the easy part. You still have to stand in the kitchen though and watch the pot. But if your kitchen has a little bar area that opens up to the living room, you can also relax and watch TV at the same time. I was watching House.

To Cook:

Put the pot on the stove and boil the water on High.
When the water is really bubbling, put in everything else, starting with the meat EXCEPT for the beef balls, baby bok choy, mushrooms and Yew Char Koay.
Boil in High for 3o mins, then turn the heat to Medium and cover. Stir occasionally.
After 1 1/2 to 2 hrs (whenever the meat is soft enough to just fall off the bone), turn heat to high and put in beef balls, mushrooms and then blanch the baby bok choy in the boiling soup.
Remove baby bok choy and serve on a platter. Place cut up Yew Char Koay on a serving platter.
Dish up soup and dinner is ready.
Do I have to tell you to cook white rice as well??? This one is a no brainer.
Oh....word of warning...don't leave the food undefended to take a shower. No good can come out of this.

Down on My Knees......Begging Please..

2007-04-08T19:30:00.000-05:00

You guys have really done it.

I check my blog daily with puppylike enthusiasm to look out for any comments and I am always disappointed. I am now reduced to begging people to comment, comment, comment please on my posts. I need some feedback to see how I'm doing and so far...I am only relying on word of mouth info and data from sitemeter.com. And sitemeter tells me that you guys are reading my posts.

So guys, if you are reading my blog and like it, let me know. If you hate it, keep it to yourself! I am kidding, I'll always welcome constructive criticism.

To the bf, the god-sister, sweetcontemplation and Misery, thanks for being such loyal supporters and leaving comments. I love you all for that. Ok, not just only that but other things as well.

A special Easter shoutout to all my family, friends and readers. May you have a wonderful Easter this year, surrounded by the ones that you love. May your days be filled with joy and laughter always.

I was going to write an Easter post on a magnificent buffet brunch at Westmoor Country Club but I was operating on only 2 hrs of sleep after a 10 hrs stint last night in the ED so I boo-booed and forgot to take any pictures of food...or the Easter bunny. It took a huge amount of make-up this morning to look as though I was not wearing any (ironic isn't it) and I was concentrating on trying not to look dead at the brunch table. As tired as I was though, it was still nice to spend quality time with family and I had such a wonderful time.

Naples, Florida. Part Deux: Sunsets

2007-04-06T17:06:00.000-05:00

Every evening, at sunset, a large crowd would gather along the beach-front and on the beach to watch the sunset. By 7pm, people would start milling around the swimming pool and beach bar of the Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club. It's a great time for people to mingle, chat and relax after a long day of.....A) laying on the beach, soaking up the sun (lazy-bugs) or B) long medical lectures and workshops (me...super hardworking). Alright, I managed to do a bit of both every day.
When the sun starts sinking down towards the horizon, the crowd will migrate towards the beach and stare at the great ball of fire for what seems like hours. When the sun finally sets, you eyes are temporarily blinded from staring for such a long period of time and you literally see stars (and not only the ones in the sky).

I had the pleasure of watching the sun set with friends for a total of 5 nights and each night's show was completely different. This was also a time when the dolphins would come close to shore and play, so we also spent a lot of time scanning the horizon, hoping to see dolphins. It was really a beautiful and enchanting time of day.

Being the doofus that I am (as a result of absorbing too much UV rays), I had forgotten to bring my camera to capture pictures of the first 4 sunsets. Luckily, on my last night there, I brought my camera along and was able to get these shots.

I shot hundreds of pictures and almost blinded myself in the process. Looking at an LCD screen with sub-optimal light is a bitch, I tell you. There were lots of oohs and aahs of appreciation as the great golden ball of fire finally touched down on the horizon. It was absolutely fascinating to watch it sink, and sink and sink. Then you suddenly realize that the air is getting cooler and cooler and every strand of hair on your arms is standing at attention because you are still wearing a tiny bikini, sitting on the beach, shivering without the sun's rays to warm you. Not to mention the fact that you have family and friends that live part time in Naples but no one has advised you to bring a sweater.....

And then you hear it. It starts out as a single clap....then more clapping... and then the whole crowd joins in the applause at the magnificent display of nature that they had just witnessed. I have never heard or seen such a thing...applause for a sunset. Then I shrug and join in. What the heck, if you can't beat them, join them.

Ok....now what's for dinner?

Naples, Florida aka Paradise. Part I

2007-04-04T10:34:00.000-05:00

I landed at Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee 2 nights ago and immediately wanted to turn back and board the next flight back to Florida. It was cold! And I was told that it would only get colder in the next few days. I wish that Wisconsin would quit doing it's 'spring menopause' thing soon because I realize that I am addicted to 85 degree weather.

I spent 6 glorious days at the Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club with 3 other former PA classmates and 350 other Emergency Room PAs, going to lectures, workshops, eating, drinking, dancing and lazing in the sun. I hadn't anticipated the immensely satisfying sense of belonging that washed over me as I interacted with so many like minded individuals who had so much in common. The ER stories that we told!! It was rather amazing to talk to other ER PAs and to learn about how they practice.

The other great thing about going to a conference was being on an expense account. In an expensive city like Naples, there is no way to eat cheaply (unless you had sandwiches and soda for every meal= $8-10 USD) so it was nice that my meals were taken care off by someone other than moi :)

We obviously had many meals at many restaurants but I am only going to highlight the best places that we ate at. The restaurant featured on this post is called "Yabba Island Grill" and serves Carribean style seafood. I quickly learned that there was no point taking home doggy bags as we were living in a hotel so I started ordering 2 appetizers which served as an appetizer and an entree. No more wasted food!!!

Steamed Mussels with Garlic, Roma Tomatoes, Artichoke Hearts, Basil, White Wine and Lemon

Verdict: The mussels were very succulent and plump (unlike the 3 other disappointing mussel dishes that I'd already had) and perfectly bathed in the golden colored broth. The broth itself was very flavorful (and garlicky) without being too salty and the acidity of the tomatoes balanced the sweet juices from the mussels. Loved it!!!!! I sopped up all the broth with the toasted, thick sliced sourdough bread and the server removed a completely empty, almost clean plate.

“Maryland Style” Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes with an Old Bay, Citrus and Sherry Wine Remoulade

Verdict: I thought that the portion was rather small. Each crabcake was approximately 5cm in diameter and there were only 2 crabcakes per portion. Yet, each tiny bite packed a huge punch of soul satisfying crab meat (no fillers here, ladies and gentlemen) and I was completely full as I devoured the last bite. The crabcake tasted like it was deep fried, rather than baked and as a result, had a crunchier crust which contrasted very nicely with the creamy crab filled center. This was also a spectacular dish.

Looking very pleased with my mussel dish and choice of restaurant!!!!

Stay tuned for more pics and of course, food.................

Pretty Fruit Tart

2007-03-22T10:12:00.000-05:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

We picked up this absolutely scrumplicious strawberry and kiwi fruit tart at Whole Foods Market up the street from our apartment for dessert. I kept staring at it on the way home coz it's so pretty. I took tons of pics but due to the bad lighting (and poor cameraperson- my dad always said that a bad carpenter blames his tools) this is the best picture.

And then, we ATE IT!!! Yummo....the sweetness of the strawberry and custard balanced out the tartness of the kiwi slices. The pastry shell was perfectly made, able to hold up it's shape, despite of the moisture in the custard and when placed in my mouth...melted into a mass of buttery goodness.

Wouldn't you like a fruit tart for dessert tonight?

My First Meme

2007-03-19T11:17:00.000-05:00

I got tagged by SweetContemplation and decided to try my hand at my first meme. Here goes:

[A is for age]: 26 plus. My mom has been yelling at me for being too honest about my age, "Where got people so proudly announce that they are 26 one???"
[B is for booze of choice]: Alamak, cannot drink at all. Lacking an enzyme called acetaldehyde dehydrogenase....makes me turn red, sick in the stomach and then puke...without the benefit of getting high first! Supremely unfair, kan?
[C is for career]: Physician Assistant in an inner city ER
[D is for your most dreaded]: Flying cockroaches. Euuww!! Can't think of anything worse than this, Tine.
[E is for essential item you use everyday]: Cellphone-also doubles up as camera, alarmclock and mp3 player. Love it so much!!!
[F is for favorite song at the moment]: How To Save a Life by The Fray.
[G is for favorite games]: Twister. I remember the good old days in high school playing that game.
[H is for Hometown]: The sunny, beautiful island of Penang.
[I is for indulgence]: Laying in a hammock on the beach of Redang Island, looking out to the beautiful, crystal clear water and reading a romance novel. The is a warm breeze stirring about and the sky is completely cloudless as I look up. And a hot guy bringing me a cool, tall glass of watermelon juice....paradise.
[J is for favorite flavor of juice]: Watermelon
[K is for kids]: None=Tadak
[L is for last hug from husband]: Tadak also
[M is for years of marriage]: Not married yet
[N is for name of your crush]: Hahaha...most of my CGL cronies know this one. Man, I was so obsessed with this guy until I met him socially for the first time, then....big letdown.
[O is for overnight hospital stays]: Tadak
[P is for phobias]: I am claustrophobic.
[Q is for quote]: "SHUT UP! Enough already, Ballstein! Who cares about Derek Zoolander anyway? The man has only one look, for Christ's sake! Blue Steel? Ferrari? Le Tigra? They're the same face! Doesn't anybody notice this? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills! I invented the piano key necktie, I invented it! What have you done, Derek? You've done nothing! NOTHIIIING! And I will be a monkey's uncle if I let you ruin this for me, because if you can't get the job done, then I will!" Mugatu from Zoolander
[R is for regret]: Not pursuing a career in mass media and broadcasting. I played it safe and choose medicine, a stable career instead. Sometimes, I daydream about being on TV. Would love to be on a food/travel/leisure tv show like Samantha Brown or Rachel Ray.
[S is for status, married or single]: Still single.
[T is for time you wake up]: When my alarm tells me it's time to get up. I have weird shifts and get up at weird times.
[U is for underwear]: Sloggies from Triumph.I love them...have to stock up everytime I go home to Msia.
[V is for vegetable you love]: Kangkung=water convulvus. Majorly need some belachan kangkung right now.
[W is for worst habit]: I grind my teeth at night. Very bad for jaw.
[X is for x-rays you’ve had]: Chest and back. Hahhah, it's sounds like T&A
[Y is for yummy food you make]: Blush...hopefully everything is yummy lah.
[Z is for zodiac sign]: Gemini. Hmmm...a Gemini who is born in the year of the Monkey...it's like a double whammy, isn't it?

Not really sure who to tag because not sure who reads my blog on a regular basis. Anyone offering to be tagged?

The Real Pulut Mango

2007-03-14T17:19:00.001-05:00

I took a picture of a Thai dessert called 'Pulut Mango' at my favorite Thai restaurant, Chok Dee when I was back in Penang but somehow misplaced the file. I found this today and thought that this would be a good time to let you guys know what the real thing looked like, following my post about sticky rice dessert. Doesn't it look scrumplicious?

I had to jilat (lick) my spoon and scrape my plate clean after eating the absolutely fabulous dish at the restaurant. Yeah, sorta was an embarrassment to my parents because all sense of shame fled my body as I claimed the half-full plate of pulut mango for myself. My fellow diners were complaining of being full after the meal.

Man, I can't even begin to tell you how sweet and juicy the mango slices were, combined with the steamed, sweet, sticky and chewy glutinous rice. I was transported to a Thai paradise at that instant when the first bite made contact with my tongue. One minute, I was sitting in a crowded noisy restaurant in Penang and the next, I was lounging on a chaize on a pristine white beach on Phi Phi Island in my bikini and eating a delicious juicy mango. Just like in the movies.....

http://www.charteryachts.info/arabesque/newimages/monbeach.jpg

The Making of Sticky Rice Dessert

2007-03-01T20:54:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

I made this sticky rice dessert because I was craving Pulut Mango (a sweet coconut cream glutinous rice dessert with fresh mango slices) in winter. Obviously, there were no mangoes to be found in the dead of winter...way to go, taste buds!! I thought to myself, make the rice first and worry about the topping later.

I used sweet glutinous rice from Thailand and soaked them overnight. My mom had once tried to make Loh Mai Kai (Steamed Savory Glutinous Rice with Meat and Mushroom) without soaking the rice and spent hours (plus a whole tank of gas) steaming a dish that was never going to cook.

Then, the rice was drained well and placed in a stainless steel shallow pan for steaming.

Some people use fancy bamboo steamers or a rice cooker but I just used a big pot, added 2 inches water at the bottom and suspended the stainless steel pan over a wire rack. I have a very small apartment with a tiny kitchen so I have learned to be creative and not need so many specialized equipment. Just cover the pot and turn on the stove. I put the heat on High and steamed the rice for 30 minutes, regularly checking the level of the boiling water and topping it up when the level runs low.

After 30 mins, the rice is ready and turns transparent. I like mine chewy but you can obviously tailor the texture of the rice to your taste by either shortening or lengthening the cooking time.

Meanwhile, I opened a can of coconut cream...also imported from Thailand. Seriously, you can get anything here in the Midwest nowadays, unlike 20 years ago.

Just spoon 3 tbs of coconut cream onto the rice, add a dash of salt and some sugar and incorporate well into the cooked rice. I mixed the ingredients in a little mixing bowl before adding it to the rice.

I substituted fresh mango slices with Kemps vanilla ice cream. I could have used Haagen Dazs but it would have over powered the humble steamed rice.

Three scoops of Old Fashioned Vanilla on sticky rice and I am good to go!! Enjoy with a good book or a loved one. I did both :)

It doesn't photograph that well but I assure you it was scrumptious. Mmmmmmm.....

A Simple Home Cooked Meal

2007-02-20T12:13:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

Ever since I came back from Penang, I have been craving a simple home cooked meal. I have also told myself that I should cook and eat at home more instead of going out to eat so often.

A) It's much healthier and more nutritious.
B) It's easier to lose weight-yes, I put on weight in Malaysia. I'd to be insane not to eat my fill while I was home.
C) I can save more money.

The only obstacle: My laziness

I used to love cooking and it used to relax me after a long day but since starting work in the ER, I have been working wonky shifts and feeling jet lagged 24/7. How to cook like that? By the time I come home, I am completely whacked. Mentally and physically. The bf will attest to that.

Now, I only cook on my days off.....when the 'jet lag' wears off. Those days are few and far in between, I can tell you.

A few days ago, I was inspired to make this simple but wholesome meal by RasaMalaysia's post on making egg omelette's. I decided to kick my basic "tua liap chang nui"(onion omelette) up a notch by adding luxurious lump crab meat and scallions. The seasoning for the egg batter was shamelessly copied from RasaMalaysia's blog. The results, delish!!!

As you can see, the dish had very little egg and LOTS of liao (fillings)

Crab, Scallion and Onion Omelette

It really tastes better than it looks here. I just need to work on my macro photography skills.

To accompany the egg dish, I also made butter-garlic stir fried broccoli and black soy sauce minced pork.

Butter-Garlic Stir Fried Broccoli

This recipe, I got from my beloved god-sister and it really kicks ass! Ok, hers is much better but I think I didn't do too badly for my first attempt. I just need to not overcook the broccoli. Me likes it cruncy!!!

Black Soy Sauce Minced Pork

This is one of my favorite childhood dishes. I remember my grandmother cooking this dish and after she had plated the meat, she'd scoop out 2-3 cups of cooked white rice from the rice cooker and "fry" the rice in the recently vacated wok so that the sticky sauce clung to the white rice and flavored it. My brother and I would fight for the pleasure to eat the scrumptious "brown rice". Waste not, want not, after all. Unfortunately, the rice was not cooked by the time my meat dish was done so I had to "sacrifice" the sauce to the garburator.

The bf had never eaten the dish-ever! I couldn't believe it. Next time, I'd even fry the rice for you, baby.

A simple Chinese home cooked meal. Kinda took me home AND down memory lane. Can you think of a dish that takes you back to your childhood?

GONG XI FA CAI

2007-02-19T00:05:00.000-06:00

GONG XI FA CAI!!!!

Wishing everybody a Happy Chinese New Year. May your cup overfloweth with prosperity, good health, happiness and may your bowl always be filled with delicious morsels of food.

I wish I was home in Penang like RasaMalaysia. I have made up my mind to go home for Chinese New Year next year. I can't believe that I have not been home for CNY for the past 6 years :(

Mom and dad, I miss you lots.

The Cheesecake Factory

2007-02-07T23:11:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

The bf and I braved the bitter cold and ventured newly renovated Bayshore Mall (intended to rival MayfairMall) yesterday, having decided to have ~~brunch~~ an early dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. It was 4:30pm and thankfully, almost empty. The Cheesecake Factory (TCF) is a very popular place to eat and there is usually a 30-45 minute wait during lunch and dinnertime. We were lucky to just hit the period in between and was shown to a table by a very gracious hostess right away.

Hypoglycemic to the point of fainting, I was tempted to order everything on the menu but my last thread of sanity reeled me back. We intended to go shopping afterwards and then spend a cozy few hours at Barnes and Nobles, my favorite bookstore so we did not want any leftovers to cart around. Hence, no appetizers.

The wind chill was reported to be -31^oF and so we needed to warm up fast. Naturally, the bf has a mojito (a cocktail made with rum, mint and traditionally, sugar cane juice).

Because I ~~am useless when it comes to drinking~~ am allergic to alcohol, I settled on a pot of nice black English Breakfast tea, with a spot of milk (yes, yes, how very British, we colonized, remember?)

Our server, Nicole brought some freshly baked bread which TCF is famous for and we dug in with great gusto. To my disappointment, the normally chewy and flavorful breads were rather dry and hard. Nicole explained that they were probably baked for too long and offered to get us a new batch that the kitchen made. Not wanting to spoil our appetites, we declined

Shortly thereafter, the entrees arrived. I had ordered Renee’s Special, consisting of
one-half of a chicken salad sandwich, a cup of wild mushroom soup and a small green salad with balsamic vinaigrette. The hearty mushroom soup really hit the spot and helped the thawing process. I found the sandwich bread a little too greasy for my taste but I have no complaints about the chicken salad filling. They did not skimp on the chicken meat and the dressing was delightful. The salad was a welcome side dish after consuming all that buttery, creamy, high caloric foods.

The bf had Cajun Chicken Littles, a huge platter that came heaped with mashed potatoes, corn, and pieces of boneless chicken breasts, breaded, seasoned and then deep fried.

When the waitress, Nicole picked up this plate in the kitchen, SHE complained that the portion of chicken pieces were smaller than usual and made the kitchen fry up an extra portion of chicken! This is what I call customer service. Have you even heard of such a thing in Malaysia? As a customer, I wouldn’t even DARE complain for fear or retribution (eg spit in food or worse. Go watch “Waiting” if you don’t believe me) and here is a waitress, championing our cause. We were honestly floored. Believe me, she got a good tip.

This is the extra portion of fried chicken that our dedicated waitress scored for us.

After such a fantastic meal, we thought, what the heck, we have leftovers anyway so let's order dessert to go and we can have supper later. The bf had his predictable carrot cake while I went with the raspberry-lemon cheesecake. Due to the huge bag of food that we had walking out of The Cheesecake Factory, we had no choice but to leave the food in the car before hitting the shops. I don’t know about the bf but I was warmed by the good service and wonderful dining experience that we had.

Kudos to Nicole and the Cheesecake Factory!

The Cheesecake Factory
Bayshore Mall,
5799 N. Bayshore Dr. #L100,
Glendale, WI 53217
(414) 906-8550

Padang Brown Hawker Food

2007-02-01T03:36:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

I was feeling rather guilty by the lack of new posts on my blog when everyone knows damn well that I ate like a pig in Malaysia and Indonesia. I have been working nights for the past week and a half (which is good because it eliminates the need to acclimatize back to US time=no jet lag) and am truly exhausted. However, out of guilt and my innate eagerness to please emerges this post that I hope will make all of you salivate...and for those of you who can, head out to Padang Brown for some yummy afternoon snacks.

This particular trip to Padang Brown was brought on by intense hunger, having skipped lunch for a family photo shoot (needed all the help I could get to ~~look thin~~ not look fat). So it was at 4:30pm when I could not take it anymore and begged my dad to accompany me for some light makan. This was done with the full knowledge that we had a dinner plans for a full 8 course Chinese dinner at CRC Restaurant. I know, I am such a pig.

The food "court" consists of about 8 hawker stalls selling a variety of street foods and several metal tables with metal stools. The system goes like this: You go to a stall, tell the hawker what you want (e.g ang tau seng, mai ang tau), where you're sitting and then go back to your table to wait while your food is prepared and brought to you. You then pay the hawker. The process can be repeated at other stalls while you wait for your order to arrive.

We first stopped at a Dim Sum stall. It's not your typical dim sum place where the little dumplings are steamed in wooden baskets and then the cart is wheeled to you for perusal.

We're eating street food here, so the dim sum are dumped willy-nilly in a large metal steamer and portioned out per customer order. Nevertheless, it does not detract from the taste, nor even the aesthetics. I mean, it still looks BEAUTIFUL to me.

Clockwise from top: Fishball, squid-ball, siew mai and har gow. Accompanying the tasty morsels is chilli sauce and sweet sauce (tee cheow).

We also ordered the famous Padang Brown mamak-style popiah. Popiah is a variation of the many types of springrolls found in Asia. This stall used to be run by an old man whom I was informed passed away last year. His daughter in law has taken over the business but she has made no changes to the recipe so the taste of the popiah remains as delicious as ever.

She starts preparing my order by laying down a piece of popiah skin on the wooden board, then smearing it with fragrant date sauce as a base before laying down a trimmed piece of lettuce. Then,2 heaping spoonfuls of stewed filling made with jicama, tiny shrimp, long beans, shallots and garlic are added on top of the lettuce leaf. Next, blanched beansprouts (tauge) and cooked tofu is added to the top and the popiah is rolled up. Finally, she cuts it into bite sized portions and tops the whole dish with more date sauce and gravy from the filling.

I was so starved when this baby arrived that I accidentally ate one before remembering to take a picture. Doesn't that look absolutely scrumptious? I am salivating at the recollection of savoring it.

Then we topped off our gastronomic adventure by ordering some Malay-style prawn fritters, called cucur udang, with an extra order of deep-fried (read unhealthy) beancurd, fishcake, which came accompanied by slices of raw cucumber (in attempt to neutralize the deep frying?)

The uncle, spurred into action by the presence of my camera sportingly demonstrated how the prawn fritters are made.

Basically, blanched beansprouts and pre-cooked small shrimp are placed in a small, shallow, metal ladle and then white colored batter is spooned onto the ladle. The while ladle is slowly lowered into a pot of boiling oil and the cooking process detaches the fritter from the ladle. The fritter is then turned so it cooks evenly into a golden brown color and is fished out and set to drain on a wire rack.

When semi cooled, the fritter is cut up into pieces by the uncle's wife and served with a kickass garlic based, sweet chili sauce.

Here's a closer look below.

Mmmmm........brings back all kinds of fond memories. They say that a family that eats together stays together, don't they?

I am still wondering how my light afternoon snack, intended to tide me over until dinner evolved into an eating spree. Thanks dad, for sacrificing your stomach space to accompany me on this eating session :) We still did good during dinner, didn't we?

How Sinful Are You?

2007-02-01T01:41:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

I found this cute sin-meter on sweetcontemplations' blog. Decided to give it a whirl. This is how sinful I am. It kinda figures, huh? What's yours?

Your Deadly Sins

Gluttony: 60%

Envy: 20%

Greed: 20%

Lust: 0%

Pride: 0%

Sloth: 0%

Wrath: 0%

Chance You'll Go to Hell: 14%

You'll die from a diabetic coma.

How Sinful Are You?

Back In Freezin Milwaukee

2007-01-25T01:18:00.000-06:00

As expected, the one month vacation flew by so quickly that I didn't even have a chance to really catch my breath before I had to go back to work again. Not that I am complaining as I am truly broke and need to fill up my piggy bank again. Sigh...why is it so easy to spend money but so hard to make it?

Anyway, I had a fabulous time in Penang and Jakarta and will slowly tell you all about the fabulous foods encountered. I need to really get my pics in order and then I can really start to blog. I also replaced my trusty ole Olympus camera with a smaller, lightweight, snappier, point & shoot model that is waterproof and shockproof but does not take as fabulous pics as compared to the old clunky model. I guess you can't have everything, can you?

I just want to apologize for not updating my blog while I was in Malaysia, I felt that there were not enough hours in a day to cram in all the activities that I had planned. Plus, the earthquake ib Taiwan really slowed down the internet and after a few attempts at uploading pics, I gave up. Obviously, these are all excuses but hopefully now that I am back in the US, I'll be more industrious in putting up new posts. To the god-sis, the ban chang kueh (pancakes, or whatever you called it) post will be up soon. I did eat some for you!

Good Eats at Anson Road Market

2007-01-04T23:21:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

Anson Road Market

~~Sometimes~~…ok to be honest, most times, the best food in Penang are found in the strangest place. In this case, mom and I went to the Anson Road wet market to hunt for breakfast. The sustenence? Wanton mee and koay teow th’ng. It was a typical Malaysian wet market that sold meat (pork and chicken but not beef as many Chinese do not eat beef for religious purposes. Obviously I do not have such reservations), seafood (fish and shellfish) and vegetables. Also sold at the wet market are religious paraphernalia such as joss sticks, paper money…etc and also clothes. Most markets have an adjoining area where hawkers will sell food and oftentimes, the food is good.

Mom had koay teow th’ng, a soupy dish with rice noodles, a chicken and pork based broth and slivers of yummy chicken meat. Tradition dictates that hoo-wan (fish meatballs) be included in the dish although some hawkers substitute the fish meatballs with bak-wan (pork meatballs) and also add tauge (beansprouts). I find the traditional version more delicious, somewhat like comfort food as this is a popular “sick dish”, something that you would order if you were ill but had to eat out because your family was entertaining guests.

I had wanton mee, akin to the famous Sarawakian Kolo mee that is often featured on Kenny Sia’s blog. I apologize in advance because I have never tasted kolo mee but the two dishes look very similar that I imagine they must taste the same. Wantan mee/noodles are made with wheat flour, lye water and eggs. The result is a springy noodle that is chewy to the bite but not exactly al dente for it is much softer. I love the texture of the noodles and its wavy strands are perfect for sopping up the dark sauce.

The dish is assembled by blanching the noodles in hot water and quickly cooking it. Then, the dark sauce is made by mixing thick soy sauce, thin soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and a tiny amount of chicken broth. Some hawkers claim to add their own special sauce to the blend but I would not care to speculate on what that “special ingredient” might be. I just eat it. The sauce is poured onto the noodles and some gai choy, char siew (BBQ pork) and shredded chicken meat is placed on top of the noodles. Oh, I forgot the best part, the ingredient that gives the dish it’s name: WANTONS. Again, there are variations. Some hawkers serve the dish with poached wantons, others with deep fried specimens. I find that both are equally good.

After gulping down my own dish and sampling some of mom’s, I was still feeling ~~gluttonous~~ hungry and we ordered a dish of char koay teow (fried rice noodles), Penang’s signature dish (more of this in a future blog) to share. That was only so-so. I have had better and I intend to blog about it!

Ah….it was a great start to a great day.

Apong Manis Ah Guan

2007-01-03T04:54:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

When the bf and I come home to Penang, we never fail to visit our favorite apong manis stall located next to Union School on Burmah Road. Mr Uan or Ah Guan has been selling his famous apong manis there for as long as I can remember.

We are attracted to the stall and the man behind it because of the consistently delicious coconut flavored, soft ‘pancakes’. The pancakes are cooked using a combination of grilling and steaming method where the fragrant coconut batter is poured into little round shallow pans which grills the outside of the pancake and then when it is partially cooked, Ah Guan closed the cover and allows steam to finish cooking the batter. He then adds slices of ripe banana and a large dollop of creamed corn and the deftly folds the pancake in half. This creates a sweet golden brown pancake with a soft center filled with flavorful gooey bananas and corn.

Ah Guan does the cooking with panache and his cheerful personality makes a visit to his apong manis stall a real delight. He flashes his warm smile at you as soon as you approach the stall and he never fails to charm his customers.

However, I must warn you that there is always a wait for his popular delicacy and so if you are in a hurry or are impatient, this is not the place to go. Ah Guan lets you know that there is a wait right as you approach and he marks the length of the wait by how many pieces of apong manis that is on back order. When I went there last week, I was 30 pieces of apong manis behind. The wait is quite pleasant as he chats away happily with you as he prepares your order. There is another apong manis stall along that stretch of hawker stall but it is always bereft of customers while Ah Guan’s stall is always popular with the crowd, despite the waiting time.

Each piece is priced at RM 0.30 and most people usually order 10-15 pieces. I had ordered 30 pieces and had to wait a little longer than usual. During our chat, Ah Guan told me that he was a former Free School Boy and was English educated. I found this to be rather interesting as most Chinese hawkers are Chinese educated and can barely speak English. This makes Ah Guan a great interview subject when non-Hokkien speaking TV crews, some coming from as far as Singapore and Hong Kong feature him on their food programs.

I left his stall with 30 aromatic pieces of pancakes. By the time I got to the car, there were only 28 pieces left. Nuff said.

Apong Manis Ah Guan
The stretch of hawker stalls just before Union School on Burmah Road.
Just look for the crowd.

Goo Bak Koay Teow (Beef Noodle Soup)

2006-12-22T19:29:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

Yesterday, my dad, the bf and I went to have my beloved Goo Bak Koay Teow for lunch. I have been craving this dish for some time but have usually managed to "trick my stomach and taste buds" by eating Vietnamese Pho. This dish is quite similar to pho but the soup is slightly thicker in consistency and there is a slight variation in the seasoning. The noodles served with this dish is called koay teow (lit. cake strips) made with rice flour, tapioca starch and water. The consistency of the noodles is similar to that of pho rice noodles but it is cut into wider strips and has a "springier" bite to it.

This stall sells the best Goo Bak Koay Teow on Penang Island (my opinion and the bf's actually coincide) and we have been eating there for years. The stall is located at the junction of Beach Street and Chulia Street, opposite the Fire Station. I was surprised that the lady operating the stall still recognized me and she called out the Hokkien equivalent of, "Long time no see" as we arrived. We also met a family friend who happened to stroll into the shop for a nice bowl of noodles and we all ordered 3 small portions (RM6 each) and 1 large portion (RM8) with extra liao (ingredients).

The small portion came with koay teow, bean sprouts, tripe, slices of rare beef, tendons and one beef ball (the bak wan kind, not bull testicles....pheew). Also floating in the soup was crouton-like, deep fried chunks of pork fat ( bak ew phok). This probably contributed to the overall deliciousness of the dish. Kicked it up a notch, so to speak.

The slick, chewy noodles were swimming in a flavorful beef broth ( I tasted coriander, star anise, cinnamon and spring onions), surrounded by savory morsels of beef (from all different parts of the cow). Not a dish for the weak but utterly heavenly.

The Goo Bak Koay Teow was everything that I dreamt of and more. How not to be happy in Penang? How? How? How?

Beef Soup Koay Teow or Goo Bak Koay Teow
Located at the junction of Beach Street and Chulia Street, opposite the Fire Station.

I am in Penang!!!

2006-12-21T19:04:00.000-06:00

Up in the clouds

The journey did not start out great.

I missed my flight out of Milwaukee to O'Hare. Stupid United Airlines did not deign to inform me that my flight was moved up and I arrived at the airport just a little too late to board. How could this happen? I guess, the answer is that it could only happen to me.

Luckily, my champion of a friend who had given me a lift to the airport saved the day by driving me from Milwaukee to Chicago in rush hour traffic and I arrived in time for my connection to Japan. I had already not slept for 24 hrs even before starting my journey and now, waiting at the check in counter at O'Hare while the airline groundstaff swiped my passport again and again, all the while looking puzzled did not help to stabilize my emotions. I thought that they were going to say that my passport was defective and I could not travel. My friend took a look at my face and started patting my head. Finally, they figured out the problem and I was on my way.

The flight from Chicago to Narita was uneventful. In fact, it was pretty darned good. I think that taking Japan Airlines was a good choice given that the route was better (decreased number of connections and layover time) and the price was fair. The food was not too bad as well. Naturally I didn't eat much due to the anticipation of gobbling down authentic Penang food. My favorite airline is still Singapore's SIA but I guess poor beggars cannot be choosers.

I had to switch seats on the flight from Narita to Singapore because I was sitting next to this guy who was reeking of stale cigarette smoke. I was practically gagging as the plane took off. I quietly explained the situation to the stewardess who was alarmed by the greenish tinge of my complexion as not to embarrass the poor guy sitting next to me. Much to my dismay, the empty seat that she choose to place me in belonged next to the girlfriend of this guy!!! Alamak! In the end he'll find out that he was so smelly that I could not even sit next to him. I covered my face and slept for the entire journey.

As the plane touched down in Changi Airport, my heart began to pound in excitement. I was traveling on Business Class from Singapore to Penang, thus giving me access to the premier class lounge for 8 hours. Finally, a place to take a shower, eat and sleep laying down. It was really heaven after such a long journey. I could even check my email and make some phone calls.

The koi pond and Chinese garden at Singapore's Changi International Airport, an oasis of serenity amidst a bustling, noisy airport.

It was my first time flying business class and it was such a fabulous experience. I MUST do it more often. Finally, I did touch down in Penang International Airport. My dad and the bf were waiting to greet me at the gate AND my baggage BOTH made it. That's a pretty sweet ending compared to the sour beginning.

What a looooong journey!!! It's so good to be finally home at last.

A big shout out to my friend Andi Dodol for driving my ass to Chicago. I owe you big time!!

2 More Days

2006-12-16T20:56:00.000-06:00

I am desperately counting down days until I board that first flight in a series of flights that would take me home to Penang. Isn't it funny that as much as I am looking forward to it, I am also dreading the passage of time. I fear that I would blink and before I knew it, I would find myself on a plane heading from Penang to Milwaukee, my long awaited holiday---over. I guess time does fly when you're having fun but I am just afraid that it would be another year before I see my beloved family, friends and hometown again.

Is that not ridiculous for someone who had ONE more day of work AND still more packing to do before leaving in 2 days? I think I need to see a psychiatrist.

Peach Bun

2006-12-12T13:55:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

It's almost too cute to eat. Warm lotus seed center encased in a soft chewy mantou-like dough and hand painted to represent a peach. Delish!! Anyone know what it's called in Chinese?

I know it is supposed to represent longevity and is usually served on birthdays. I remember holding on to one when I was really little on my Lai-Choh's (paternal great-grandmother) birthday dinner because it was so pretty.

Pizza attack!

2006-12-09T01:21:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

When it's really cold outside and you don't even want to step out of the apartment to hunt for sustenence, what do you do?

We ordered pizza. This is one thing REALLY nice about living in America...delivery service. I know we have delivery service in Malaysia too but it's only from the atas restaurants and pizza joints. You can go to your favorite char koay teow Ah Pek but will your char koay teow Ah Pek come to you? Here, tons and tons of food are available for delivery and it's so much easier to make a phone call and have food sent to your doorstep than to trudge through snow and ice to get it.

I had a free hand at ordering the pizza because the bf bravely promised that he would eat anything that I ordered.

So I ordered a large pineapple and anchovy pizza.

Ok, I was kidding. I actually ordered a pizza with meatballs and breaded, deep fried eggplant. He he he.....with fresh garlic. It even came with a bottle of coke because we had a free coupon.

Verdict? I liked it. Garlic...yumm, eggplant...good, meatballs.....delish.
The bf ate it but did not think it would win any awards. And then he ate 3 more pieces!

Fortune Restaurant

2006-12-06T23:50:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

It was on a snowy Monday night that my god-parents, the bf and I decided to head over to Fujiyama for some of the fine half priced sushi. Hoping that the restaurant was less packed than usual due to the bad weather, we trundled towards Fujiyama's doors only to find that there were many other sushi enthusiasts who were undaunted by the weather. Unbelievable! There was a 30 to 45 min wait to eat COLD food in winter (20 degree Farenheit weather and snowing to boot!) I thought only Penang people were that siow makan ( food crazy).

We decided not to wait and headed off the our favorite Chinese restaurant just across the street called Fortune Restaurant (West Allis).

Fortune serves some of the best Chinese food this side of the pond and is always busy, no matter the time of day. Fortunately, it was not as packed as Fujiyama and we were shown to a table immediately. It used to be that the service there was horrendous but nobody cared because the food was so good. Ever since I got adopted by my god parents who have been patronizing the restaurant for years, the service has improved tremendously and the wait staff has been nothing but nice. It pays to know the right people, I guess.

I had the privilege of ordering the food that night and all these dishes are tried and true palate pleasers. Oh one more thing, Fortune has 2 different menus. There is an American menu (read, fake crappy dishes like moo goo gai pan, chop suey, General Tso's chicken and other so called 'Chinese' dishes that I've never even heard off before coming to the US) and then there is the Chinese menu, pages and pages filled with exotic ingredients like tripe, salted fish and even jellyfish. I ALWAYS recommend ordering off the Chinese menu, even though you have no idea what it is. Regardless, will always taste good. So what if you get a dish with some exotic elements? Life (and dinner) is more fun when you're being adventurous and spontaneous. I am just kidding, the wait staff is always happy to recommend authentic dishes and identify suspicious looking ingredients/parts.

We had 5 dishes for 4 persons:

Beef tenderloin in Black Pepper Sauce: The dish came on a sizzling hot plate that launched a fragrant cloud of black pepper flavored steam into the air. It was just a pleasure sniffing the air in the booth.

Stir-fried Clams with Spicy Black Bean Sauce: A family favorite. It's a little spicy so for those of you who cannot take the heat, have a glass of cold water ready. For me, it's a just perfect counterbalance to the cold weather outside.

Hong Sue Tofu with Vegetables: Deep fried tofu with Chinese mushroom, bamboo shoots, pea pods and char siew (BBQ pork) in a savory garlic sauce.

Eggplant with Chicken and Salted Fish Cooked in a Claypot (acquired taste): It took me years to even touch, much less like salted fish, and I grew up in Asia! Now, I can't get enough of it. Isn't the purple color of the eggplant just gorgeous?

Salted Fish and Chicken Fried Rice: I kid you not. The taste of this dish is amazing. The rice was fried so well that each morsel of rice was coated evenly with seasoning and released such a fragrant aroma when chewed. The texture of the rice was perfectly al dente, with perfectly interspersed tiny pieces of chicken, salted fish, egg and crunchy lettuce.

We had plenty of leftovers to take home for another kick-ass meal. I just can't wait to warm up food containing salted fish in the microwave at work. Won't that be FUN?

Fortune Restaurant (West Allis)
2945 S 108th St
Milwaukee, WI 53227
(414) 328-9890

Nissin Udon Style Seaweed Noodles

2006-12-05T22:18:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

I was craving something simple for dinner after eating a huge rich Chinese meal yesterday at Fortune (will blog about it soon). Somehow, my mind equated simple=instant noodles. Yummy! My grandmother has always told me that if I ate too much 'maggi mee', my hair would start falling out. I think it's an old wives tale based on the high content of salt and preservatives in the soup base but it has served its purpose in controlling my intake of the noodles. I guess I could hear her reminder in my head every time I reached for a packet of noodles, even after so many years living abroad. Gasp! The brainwashing was very successful.

Here are some pics of my Nissin brand, udon style seaweed flavored noodles. I added some extra dried Chinese seaweed for extra oomph. Also threw in an egg to boost protein intake (like I am so protein deficient). You can also throw in some surimi (imitation crabsticks), squid or mussels for a seaweed/seafood flavor explosion. Bam! Bam! Bam!

Below is a close up view of my noodles

Doesn't it look good? Washed down with a nice hot cup of Japanese green tea.

Brussel sprouts

2006-12-03T12:23:00.000-06:00

I went to the grocery store today and saw a familiar vegetable displayed in an unfamiliar manner. I didn't know that brussel sprouts grew on stalks. Has anyone else seen this?(ok-maybe this question is only for Malaysians in Malaysia) Or am I that sua-ku?

I had my camera on me so I quickly and covertly took pictures. And looked up to see another shopper staring at me like I was insane. The bf had already deserted me as soon as I pulled out the camera. I think he thinks that I am damn sio-sia (embarrasing to be with or disgraceful).

Isn't that weird? It's like bugs on a stick.

Winter Snow Storm

2006-12-02T00:01:00.000-06:00

As I was driving to work yesterday afternoon at 4:45pm, I heard on the radio that we were going to get 6-10 inches of snow by the next morning. At work, I was told that a severe snow storm warning had been issued and the predicted snowfall was 10-12 inches. It was expected to start snowing at midnight. I kept warning all my patients to go straight home and stay there before the bad weather started.

When I left work at 3:50am this morning, the sky was still clear with no sign of snow. My colleague who was walking out with me predicted that the storm had probably changed directions and would probably miss us. I drove out of the parking structure. The radio announcer said that he just stepped out of the building and from what he observed, people should wake up a little earlier and be ready to use the snow shovel. I also remembered thinking that he must be on crack. The sky was completely clear!

Not 3 mins later, flakes started to fall. Tiny flakes turned into big flakes, big flakes turned into puffy snow and I started to drive faster. As I got onto the highway, gusts of white stuff was blowing everywhere! It went from clear skies to a full blown blizzard within minutes. By the time I got home, snow was already accumulating on the ground.

This was what the East Side looked like this afternoon when I woke up at 2pm:

Mounds of white stuff on the ground. I am so glad I didn't have to go to work today!!!

Beans and Barley

2006-12-01T23:07:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

I woke up last Saturday at 1:30pm and was surprised to find the day still sunny and warm. It was a perfect day to visit a favorite neighborhood café for a relaxing brunch before heading in to work at 5pm. Beans and Barley is a small specialty grocery store/deli that sold health foods and some organic produce. It also has a small café with approximately 20-25 tables within a glass conservatory. I love the atmosphere in the café as it is always sunny and warm. It’s perfect for a relaxing meal and catching up with old friends.

On a nice day like this, I like to take a slow stroll from my place to the café but because ~~I was too lazy~~ I had to go to work later, I decided that we should drive there. Beans and Barley serves a wonderful selection of breakfast/brunch dishes including Whole Wheat Pancakes (elect to add blueberries!), thick sliced Almond French Toast, Pesto Scrambled Eggs and their 3-egg Omelettes (choose from Fine Herbs or Vegetable). I was practically salivating at the thought of a 3-egg vege omelette with extra turkey meat. The café serves a huge selection of vegetarian dishes and only two kinds of meat: turkey and chicken. Carnivores would feel out of place here.

Unfortunately, there was a wait when the bf and I got to the café and brunch was over by the time we were seated. I was about to bawl because I could almost taste my omelette in my mouth. Deflated, but not defeated, I decided to have the Chicken Pine Nut Sandwich while the bf had the Hummus and Vegetable Pockets.

First, I started off with a nice calming pot of black tea with milk.

After we ordered, I started fooling around with the camera and took these pics:

Then the food came:

We shared a bowl of Vegetarian Chili as an appetizer. The chili (a stew-like dish made with chili powder, beans and traditionally, meat) came with a choice of either raw onions or cheese as a topping. I thought that the pungent aromatic bulb added a nice crunchy texture to the chili but its strong aroma completely overpowered the meatless chili stew. What can I say, I like meat!

The Hummus and Vegetable Pockets: Toasted pita bread stuffed with baby spinach, tabouli, sliced tomato and cucumber, alfalfa sprouts and dollop of hummus, served with tahini dressing. It was deliciously crunchy and refreshing. Hummus, made from mashed chickpeas, olive oil and sesame seed paste is very high in protein, fiber and mono-unsaturated fat. Thus, it’s very filling, making it the food of choice when I am on a diet and trying to get more bang for calories consumed.

The bf couldn’t wait for me to set the white balance on the camera and took a chunk off the side of this pita pocket.

The Chicken Pine Nut Sandwich: A cold sandwich made with 2 slices of French bread, sliced tomato, lettuce and stuffed with a chicken salad made with lemon-shallot mayo and pine nuts. I was disappointed with the quality of my sandwich. The bread tasted and looked like day old Wonder bread and the chicken meat was dry and tough. I have had this sandwich previously at Beans and Barley and it has never tasted like this. I wonder if this was a fluke or if the quality of the food has declined. The bf’s pita pocket tasted good though and I ended up eating a lot of his food.

Both dishes at a glance

All in all, it was an enjoyable experience because of the relaxing ambience and nice wait staff.

The bill came up to RM76.96. What kind of meal can I get for that kind of money in Msia? Anyone volunteering to go makan-makan with me when I am back in Penang?

We left the café as the sun was setting. It signaled the end of a beautiful day and the beginning of another long night for me at work.

BEANS & BARLEY MARKET & CAFE
1901 EAST NORTH AVENUE
MILWAUKEE, WI 53202

(414) 278-7878 VOICE
(414) 278-7800 MENU INFO

NOW OPEN 8:00 A.M. - 9:00 P.M.
SEVEN DAYS A WEEK

*&@$%$ Road Runner! I lost my post

2006-11-30T16:02:00.000-06:00

I spent one and a half hours of precious time writing a post and it got eaten up by the evil internet connection failure. Frustrated does not even begin to describe how I feel right now. Damn you stupid road runner!!

State of the Art Hot Dog Cooker

2006-11-25T14:00:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

This post is not for the faint-hearted or easily offended people. Warning, potentially offensive material below. I received this picture from a forwarded e-mail and was caught off guard when I saw the pic. The title of the e-mail was the same as the title of this post. I was laughing so hard, I almost fell off my chair. If the bf had been around, he would have thought that I was mad. Okay-lah, who am I kidding, the bf knows that I'm mad.

Without further ado, I give you the creative achievements of some really bored people......

With ref to above quote from Brillat-Savarin, "Hot dog anyone?"

Best of all, the email was forwarded to me by my dad!

p/s I would like to give credit to whoever took this picture. It's brilliant.

Thanksgiving Teaser

2006-11-25T13:57:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

I was invited to celebrate Thanksgiving with my god-sister's in-laws last Thursday. Boy, it was such a magnificent feast! Her in-laws are both very creative, artistic, gracious and most importantly NICE people that I felt so honored to be invited. I was a little apprehensive about asking permission to take pictures because I did not want to be rude but the spread was so beautiful that I finally had to ask. Little did I know that Mrs. A* had already read my blog and she okayed the Thanksgiving post. Unfortunately, my camera's batteries died.

I was so bummed out until my god-brother offered me the use of his camera and I snapped tons of pics. I'll post them up when he sends them to me. It will be worth the wait.

My stomach was so happy after that huge meal. Thanks so much Mr and Mrs A.* It really feels great to be a part of such a wonderful family.

*Names abbreviated for privacy purposes

Casino Royale

2006-11-22T17:39:00.000-06:00

The name's Bond, James Bond.

Went to watch the new 007 movie last night with the bf and my godparents. Despite my initial skepticism, it was really good. And the airport scene also explains why I temporarily lose my suitcases every year while flying home. @%#* you, terrorists and secret agents.

My initial reluctance to watch the movie stemmed from my inability to digest a blond Bond. However, shortly after the opening credits, I saw him in action and my jaw dropped. This guy is good. And HOT. He makes Pierce Brosnan look like a sissy-boy. And I like Pierce Brosnan! I have always wanted to see Hugh Jackman be cast as Bond but then again, I'm totally biased. I'd see Hugh Jackman in anything...the man can sing, act and dance. More importantly, he kicks ass, sprouts metal blades from his knuckles and kills vampires. Can you beat that? The only way to defeat this hero is by proclaiming, "I am a Scientologist" This trumps everything.

Jumped on couches lately? It's okay, just say, " I'm a Scientologist"

Insulted any depressed post-partum women lately? It's okay if you're a Scientologist

The press hounding you for making stupid, chauvinist statements after CCTV operators focused on the thighs of female journalists instead of the Penang Municipal City Council meeting proceedings? "If the dress was not sexy, the incident would not have happened" Instead of blaming the decently dressed journalist, the Penang Municipal Council president Datuk Abu Bakar Hassan should have replied, "We're Scientologists" Would have worked out better for him, I think.

Okay, I am getting out of hand. Back to the Bond movie.....spoiler alert. Stop reading now if you have not watched the movie.

This Bond is more testosterone laden and athletic compared to all the other Bonds, barring Sean Connery's. He's quick to react, unafraid to take risks but most impressively, pauses at times to assess the situation and THINK. Beauty and brains= I like. Craig's juggernaut-like Bond contributes to propelling the movie's momentum from the get go. It hit the ground running, so to speak. Just look at this man, he gets my blood running.

I particularly enjoyed the clever dialog, especially between Eva Green's Vespar and Craig's Bond. The scene on the luxury train to Montenegro was well crafted. During Vespar and Bond's verbal exchange, we witness a crack in his impassive facade and catch a glimpse of vulnerability as well. Vespar uses her sarcasm and beauty as armor and could have come off as a total bitch if not for her ready smile which comes off looking sincere. She laughs at others but more so at herself, as though she was only playing a role. We later find out that she is.

Casino Royale allows its audience to see the man behind the mask that is James Bond, to see that for all his amazing abilities, he is only a man. This Bond feels, he loves and he screams in pain as his family jewels are walloped over and over again. As soon as I figured out what Le Chiffre was going to do with the rope, I could not stop a very loud, "OWWW" from escaping in the theater. This prompted laughter from some members of the audience. Sorry people. In this situation, the usual silent stoic Bond would have been unrealistic.

Besides the great scenery and background locations (hello, Mr White's castle in Montenegro), those were the best parts of the movie. They kinda lost me a little during the sappy falling-in-love scenes.

Also disturbing was the realization that I was more upset upon seeing the destruction of Bond's Aston Martin (what a gorgeous car!!) than watching people get killed. I was like, "Noooo...... don't harm the car" This is a testament to the prevalence of violence in movies, mirroring the escalation of violence in today's society. I am reminded daily at work.

I also like to pick apart movie plots and nothing bothers me more than loose ends or gaps in the plot/logic. Pleasantly, there were only a few things that bothered me while watching the film:

The scene where Bond goes to the Bahamas to track the originator of the 'ELLIPSIS' text message. He has the exact time when the message was sent so he goes to the security room of the beach club and searches the security camera archives for the suspect. Clever no? Then he correctly picks the one camera that was focusing on the driveway of the club. Wow. Then he fast forwards the film to the exact time that the message was sent, and sees the suspect coming out of his car and handing the keys to the valet. Brilliant right? Wait, how do you send a text message and valet your car at the same time? I'm not that talented personally so I think this scene's logic is flawed.
After Bond was poisoned with digitalis (we were informed in the movie), he was instructed to use the defibrillator to shock himself. Unless, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) guidelines changed on me, you cannot shock unless you are in ventricular fibrillation (V-fib) or pulseless ventricular tachycardia (pulseless V-tach), at which time you would not be talking. It's called a cardiac arrest for a reason. And he was certainly not there yet according to the scanner rhythm shown, so the machine would not even work! This is to protect people from getting shocked by accident-something that can actually trigger cardiac arrest. It definitely made more sense when Eva Green shocked him when she found him unconscious. I'm sure there were at least a few ACLS instructors, paramedics, nurses, physician assistants and doctors that cringed at that scene. This is also why the bf does not watch medical shows with me.
Why did Vespar have to die? If she was innocent and was coerced into betraying Bond, why didn't she fight to live? She knew that Bond loved her and proved it by struggling to save her even after she betrayed him. That's just selfish man.

All this aside, it was still a great movie and I'd definitely watch it again. I would give up 4 plates of Char Koay Teow (fried noodles) for this movie. Five plates of Char Koay Teow for Mr Daniel Craig. Yummmy!

Fun times at Fujiyama

2006-11-20T01:00:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

Every weekend, I look forward to Monday night. Why? Am I mad? Don't I get the Monday blues? No!....thanks to Fujiyama's Half-Price Sushi Night. I got excited last Sunday night at work and told my co-worker about my gastronomic plans to which she replied, "Oh no, it's going to gastroenteritis night" Haha...maybe for the weak but my Penang-trained cast iron stomach is strong. And also, Fujiyama serves very fresh seafood. Trust me, I'm Asian :) God, I love that line.

So, the bf dutifully makes a reservation for two persons after I crashed into bed at 10:30 am. I had the worst nights ever at work and came home two and a half hours late. I awoke with a start at 6 pm after sleeping the day away and panicked, thinking that we were late for our reservation. The bf kindly told me not to get my knickers in a bunch and that our dinner reservation was for 8pm. Apparently, Fujiyama does not take reservations on Monday nights from 6pm to 8pm.

Fujiyama Restaurant

Despite having reservation, we had to wait a little while to be seated. The restaurant was crowded as usual. Woe to you if you do not have a reservation. You need to wait your turn, competing with other walk-ins as well as wait for the people who have reservations to be seated first. When finally ushered to our table, the bf and I pounced on the menu. Our attentive waiter appeared almost immediatly and took our order. As usual, we ordered too much. We used to order a lot of individual nigiri pieces off the half price menu (USD 1 to1.50 per piece) but the brilliant bf figured out that we'd get a lot of bang for our back if we ordered the rolls (priced at USD 3 to 6 per roll-usually cut up into 6 pieces). I started ordering first. After I was done, the waiter asked, "Anything else? This is to share right?" I shamefacedly told him that this was only my order. The bf had yet to order. The look he gave me was priceless.

Then, he managed to catch himself and said that I was a good thing that we were ordering a lot because the new rules set by the management didnot allow add-on items after the initial order had been placed. This, I thought was rather strange but apparently it's to dissuade people from lingering too long at a meal. What if I was still hungry? I did not worry too much about the new ruling as it seemed rather improbable, if not outright impossible that I would be hungry after the mammoth amount of sushi I just ordered. While waiting for our meal, I played around with the camera. The bf just whinged about being hungry. See, if he ate as often as I did, he wouldn't be starving all the time. Sheesh....

The impressive menu, which we ignored that night

Trying to be artistic. The bf and I had a chopstick holder folding competition.

The half price menu on the left vs the normal menu on the right

Close up of the ninja roll, accompanied by some pink pickled ginger. Does anyone know why it's pink? (forgot what's in it)

This is half of the bf's order. Clockwise from top:

3 pieces of tako (octopus)
California roll
Spicy tuna roll
Eel and avocado roll
Boston roll

Followed by:

Spider roll
Dragon roll
Ninja roll
Rainbow roll

And then my order came:

Spicy tuna roll
California roll
Dragon roll
Inari (beancurd skin)
Masago (flying fish roe)
Ninja roll
Spider roll

And we ate it all.

Ok, I lied. We tar pow-ed (doggy bagged in Cantonese) it home. I had sushi for breakfast and dinner. I think the bf did not eat lunch the next day :)

Oh yes, we also had green tea ice cream for dessert but I was too full to reach for the camera. The ice cream was okay only but due to the lack of availability of green tea flavored ice cream, I gave in to temptation. The best green tea ice cream is made by Haagen Dazs but is unavailable here in the US or at least, the Midwest. This is a real shame.

What can I say? I love eating and sushi.

Fujiyama Restaurant
2916 S 108th St

Milwaukee, 53227

(414) 755-1988

I Can't Wait To Go Home

2006-11-19T21:59:00.000-06:00

I have been running around for the past few days, partially in preparation to go back to Penang (please read: buying presents) I had the past 3 days off, will work one day tomorrow evening and then have three days off (including Thanksgiving day). After that, all hell will break loose and I will be working like a fiend to maximize my shifts before flying back to Penang. Yes, I'll be working right until the day before I leave. Then I am going to collapse into a comatose state until I reach Singapore. I will be determined not to eat on the flight, okay, will tell the truth, determined not to eat a lot on the flight so that when I land in Penang soil, my family can cart me to the nearest hawker center and shove food down my gullet to revive me.

Last year, on my Singapore to Penang trip, I declined the 'generic airplane crap' that MAS serves and caught incredulous looks from the passengers sitting next to me. They probably thought that I was mad because I didn't even take the food that I had already paid for. I thought that they were mad because they were wasting stomach space on crappy airplane food when delicious Penang food was only minutes away. I will be saving my stomach for your culinary splendor, dear Penang Island.

For those of you who are not acquainted with this charming little island, it's my beloved hometown, located off the north-western coast of Peninsula Malaysia. See Penang on Wiki. Penang is a food paradise and has spawned millions of food snobs, including myself. When I was living in Penang, I would rather skip the meal than eat bad tasting or sub-standard food. Living or rather, eating there was a real luxury. Living in the Midwest has brought me down a peg or two. But I would still rather not eat 'Penang' food at all than to cheat my tastebuds with non-authentic fare. Anyone can identify with this quirk? I'd rather wait a year and then hentam the real thing.

The typical greeting when meeting friends and strangers alike is, "Have you eaten yet?" or in Hokkien (the most commonly spoken chinese dialect), "Chiak pa liao boay?" If you answer in the affirmative, it would inevitable lead to an interrogation of what, where and when you ate. Many discussions that have started out amiably have ended in arguments about where the best places to eat are. Say no and your friends/hosts/strangers would either tell you the best places to eat or simply drag you off for a meal.

Every Penangite thinks that they know where to find the best food. Ironically enough, nobody can come to a consensus. The bf and I often disagree on where to eat the best Char Koay Teow on the island. My favorite stall is at Song River while the bf likes the one in New Lane. This time, for the sake of my blog, I will attempt to find the best places to eat authentic Penang staples and complile a 'best of' list (which will probably be challenged by most Penangites) I don't care, get your own blog if you disagree with MY list. I will work hard, sacrifice my figure, grow fat and appear gluttonous for the sake of getting to the truth. And this is going to be my excuse when people ask me why:

I am so greedy and eat so much
I eat more than one dish per meal (e.g. roti canai and nasi lemak for breakfast)
I am getting so chubby or fat (this is from the truly rude)
I am eating like there is no tomorrow. People, I am storing up gastronomic memories to sustain me for a year. By now, I cannot remember what laksa tastes like.
I spend so much money on food
I take pictures of every dish before eating it
I prevent people from eating before I take pictures of the food
I am always talking about food, asking during lunch, "What's for dinner?"

30 more days to takeoff!!!!

Noodle House

2006-11-18T11:44:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

The bf and I went to dinner at Noodle House on 35th and National with a group of good friends. The restaurant serves Vietnamese/Chinese/Thai food and is run by a Hmong family. It's a typical mom and pop joint and the food has a homemade feel to it. Compared to my favorite Vietnamese/Chinese restaurant, Phan's Garden, it's only so-so. Nevertheless, we like to go there because it's one of the only restaurants in town that serves stir fried frog legs and curried catfish.

I was not feeling too adventurous that night but supremely hungry so I ordered a huge Combination grilled chicken, pork and shrimp salad, which came with a spring roll (popiah) and the bf ordered Thai Iced Tea and Mussamun Curry with rice. We also had an appetizer dish of summer rolls (the ones with the clear skin) but due to aformentioned hunger, I did not have time to take any pictures. The bf sensing sustenence, immediately pounced on the poor roll and devoured it. I followed suit. If you can't beat them, join them-la.

Mussamun curry: It had fried potatoes and chicken meat in a curry sauce and spring onions. I thought that the curry was too sweet and watery. Furthermore, the onions were raw. I like raw onions but they were cut too thick to be eaten raw and did not enhance the taste of the dish. I gave it a D+ but the bf must have liked it because he finished everything.

Combination Grilled Salad: I took a look at this dish and though, "Hey, in the picture, the shrimps were grilled" But I sucked it up and decided not to make a fuss. Go watch the movie 'Waiting' and see if you ever dare to send anything back. If I have a problem with the food, I tell them AFTER my meal so that they can improve things in the future and not have the chance of spitting in my food. Think I am paranoid? Go watch the movie. I dare you.

So, I poured the sauce into my salad and mixed it all up. It was delicious. The barbecued aroma of the pork and lemongrass flavored chicken was enhanced by the accompanying sauce (made of fish-sauce, chilli and vinegar). The softness of the vermicelli was balanced by the crunchiness of the julienned carrots and cubed cucumbers. Finally, the oiliness of the meat was countered by the crisp, fresh taste of the vegetables, making this dish not only great tasting but rather healthy as well. I enjoyed every bite. And so did the bf.

A friend had this dish...forgotten it's name but the grilled pork was similar to the one in my dish. This dish came with some stirfried vegetables to compose a balanced meal of carbs, veggies and meat. Except that the proportions are whacked. See food pyramid for correct recommended proportions.

Another friend ordered the Curry Catfish with rice and it was rather good. The catfish was deboned, cut into cubes and then deepfriend before having curry sauce poured on top of it. I took a small morsel and was prepared to encounter a mouthful of fishy mush. Surprisingly, it had no fishy odor and was permeated with the aroma of the lemongrass based yellow curry. Yes, I think turmeric was a main ingredient in the sauce besides lemongrass and pepper. The bf liked it as well but if you are going to order this dish, tell the waitress right away as it takes a while to cook. Fish is not my thing, unless it's sushi or sashimi, so I give kudos to this dish as I did not gag at all but I certainly won't be ordering this in the future.

We filled up our bellies and moseyed over to Potawatomi Casino, hoping for lady luck to smile on us.

Noodle House

3433 W National Ave

Milwaukee, WI 53215

(414) 672-6693

JuJu Necklace

2006-11-18T01:43:00.000-06:00

Haha..this post is not about food. It's about a GORGEOUS necklace that I had my eye on for a while. Okay-lah...a months. I could not stop thinking about how pretty it was, especially on moi neck. Those of you who know me would probably pray that I go get the damn thing now because I will obsess about it forever....and end up buying it anyway (after whinging for a protracted amount of time) Lucky for you isn't it, bf? I am faithful to the things and ones I love.

I stumbled across this adorable little store during a 'girls day out' with my godsister and was very impressed with the line of jewellery that they carried. A second stake-out with the bf (hunting for a Christmas present for his mom) yielded this fabulous 5 stranded Liz Paiacious necklace that I absolutely loved. Alas, I told myself, no more spending money on frivolous non-necessities. Christmas time is for spending on other people. If I were a Christian, then I would have said that Christmas is about Jesus and God. But I am not, so to me it's all about love, family and presents.

I was told on my second visit that there would soon be a sale and if I signed up for the mailing list, I would be invited. Ha! there was the excuse I needed. I said goodbye to my necklace and waited patietly for my invite. Happily, I received a postcard yesterday from the store about their Holiday Preview Weekend and stupidly assumed that it was the sale that the proprietress was talking about. I cajoled the bf into dropping by the store today to purchase said necklace. I think that the dissapointment must have shown on my face when I was told that the sale was some time ago and didn't I get the email. Sadly....no. The store owner, Nichole Nikolic decided to give me the sale price today as I did not receive my email about the sale. What a wonderful woman! I got MY necklace and it's beautiful. Merci beaucoup to Nichole from JuJu.

Nichole Nikolic, Owner

Store interior

Creative paper snowflakes

And finally, my necklace:

JuJu Gifts, Accessories & Decor

Milwaukee WI, 53202

Phone: 414-221-9580

Fax: 414-221-9589

Fake Ark Thooi Mee Suah

2006-11-16T23:27:00.000-06:00

This morning, as I drove home from a gruelling 10hr shift, I started thinking about food. It was too early (6:35am) to wake the bf up for breakfast and too late to eat anything before going to bed. Suddenly, a vision of a steaming hot bowl of ark thooi mee suah (duck drumstick rice noodles) came to mind and I was overcome by a ferocious need to eat that dish. It's times like this that I desperately miss home. There is no way that you can just walk or drive to the nearest hawker stall and just buy whatever you want to eat on demand. The nearest Chinatown is 2 hrs away, in another state...hello. Whatever you want to eat, you have to make.

Now, I have no clue how to make this dish so I did the next best thing; I called my mother to complain and whinge. My hope was that she would have an easy to prepare recipe. No such luck. My mom sympathized with me for 2 mins and then told me to use my imagination. This is what ensued:

I used one packet of Pepper Spice soup mix ( I swear it tastes like too-tor th'ng/ pig stomach soup) and prepared it as per instructions on the back. Ok-lah, I tore open the packet and added the sachet to 1500ml of water in a slow cooker, set to low. I then set aside 4 pieces of frozen chicken thighs with instructions for the bf to add to the slow cooker when completely defrosted and then I went to bed.

The bf popped the chicken thighs into the pot at 1pm and by 6pm, the whole apartment was filled with the delicious aroma of pepper soup.

10 mins before serving, I added 1 can of baby straw mushrooms (drained) and 1 can of drained quail's eggs (CHOLESTEROL!!!!!). The bf force fed me 5 fish oil pills tonight because of that. Then I boiled some mee suah and voila! dinner is ready. Not ark thooi me suah but not bad either. I did not add any extra salt but it still tasted delicious.

Luan Luan Lai Mee Suah

Close up shot

The bf's verdict: Not bad.

ONLY??? Cheh, next time I'll let the food critic make his own dinner.

Blogger in Beta

2006-11-16T21:57:00.000-06:00

After days of deliberating, I switched to Blogger in Beta. I hope I did not make the wrong move. Anyone running into problems with the Beta version? Please let me know.

Chinatown Foray and Joy Yee Noodles

2006-11-09T01:00:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

Our gastronomic foray to Chicago’s Chinatown was a triumph and we came back laden with delicious food. As we approached my apartment, the bf suddenly said, “What’s that smell?” I sniffed the air cautiously and an image of tauge (beansprouts to all the non Malaysians) fried with soy sauce materialized in my mind. The bf was amazed by my fantastic olfactory abilities...I told him it’s because I am Chinese and can sniff out Chinese food anywhere. Then it hit me, hmmm..fried tauge today, the aroma or stink (whichever rocks your boat) of fried kiam-hoo (salted fish) last week, the faint scent of incense...our neighbor must be CHINESE. Hah! Must arrange a stakeout to confirm my suspicions.

Anyway, back to the Chinatown trip, I must say that we take a drive down south pretty often but I haven’t in the past been able to get decent pictures for a blog. Today we visited Joy Yee Noodles (www.joyyee.com) and Feida Bakery. Due to it's large size, I am going to split this blog into two parts.

Walking along the shops of New Chinatown

Joy Yee’s has always been a favorite of ours and we had eaten there many times in the past. They serve a wide variety of asian fare and although I cannot say that each dish is authentic, I can certainly confirm that it is GOOD! To detractors that complain about the lack of authenticity of the Chinese food, it is not a Chinese restaurant. Now, shut up and eat. It’s been a while since we’ve been there because we found a new dim sum restaurant that took over as THE favorite. I’ll save that for another blog.

Joy Yee’s has always been a very popular restaurant and it is always packed when we’ve tried to eat there. Patrons go through this ritual where they push past a sea of people standing in front of the front door and put their names down on a waiting list to be seated. Then you either stand waiting along the wall, in the restaurant, where mobs of people continually push at you to get to the list or you can wait along the wall outside, where is it pleasant in spring summer and hell in winter. No matter the time of the day, there was always a line.

It was a pleasant surprise to walk right into Joy Yee’s today and immediately ushered to a table. Actually, the ever vigilant bf spotted a crowd nipping at our heels and rushed into the restaurant to secure a table, whilst gesturing to me to hurry up and come in. I was taking pictures-lah, damn kiasu. Ok-lah, I admit that I was grateful for his speedy reaction because every table in the restaurant was filled after that. It seems that the congestion at the original Joy Yee’s in Chinatown has eased due to the opening of 3 other locations in the city (see list below)

The service was quick and efficient and within minutes, we had already placed our order. Our drinks came shortly thereafter. Joy Yee’s is famous for its bubble teas, fresh fruit freezes and smoothies. I ordered the Watermelon freeze with tapioca balls. The bf had green tea smoothie with tapioca, which was marvelous but contained a generous amount of half and half (not for weight watchers or people with high cholesterol). My watermelon freeze looked rather anemic but it did not compromise the taste. I love the crisp, fresh taste of watermelon as it reminds me of home.

We had Butter Fried Squid as an appetizer. Entrees were Malaysian Style Seafood with Baked Rice (the bf) and Korean BBQ short ribs (me). Here are the yummy pics:

Green Tea Smoothie and Watermelon Freeze

Butter Fried Squid. I did not like this dish because it was too buttery for my tastes but the bf loved it. The batter was crispy while the squid was tender inside.

Malaysian Style Seafood with Baked Rice

Korean BBQ short ribs

What a whole lot of food. The hungry bf is already digging in.

Korean BBQ short ribs AFTER I was done with my meal. The only complaints I have about this dish is that it is not something you can eat politely in public. I prefer to eat this in the privacy of my home where I can scrape my teeth againts the bone to got all of the meat. Which is what I will be doing for dinner tonight.

The bill, USD 35.94 without tax. Not bad for a huge meal like this. Plus we will be fed for then next two meals.

Feida Bakery and Old Chinatown

2006-11-08T23:56:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

After the meal, we moseyed over to Feida Bakery to pick up weekly supplies. Previously, walking into Feida was a scary experience because the lady behind the counter would yell at you if you did not rattle off your order fast enough, if you hesitated between orders or added new items to your completed order. Strangely enough, the ladies behind the counter were so pleasant during our past 3 visits. The first time it happened, the bf asked if we should stop at a gas station to buy a Powerball ticket. Being Chinese, we did get the ticket but didn’t win.

Today’s visit was also very pleasant and the lady actually gave us a discount on some buns and exchanged the cup soybean milk (few hours old) that we picked up from the counter for a steaming, fresh off the stove cup. I was so disorientated that I forgot to take pictures inside the store. Here are some pics of the storefront and goodies that we carted home. The soybean milk was completely consumed before we even got home.

Feida Storefront

Pak Thong Koh or Steamed Rice Cake

Paper Cupcakes and Curry Beef Bun

The paper cupcakes are called Zhi Pau Tan Koh (cantonese) and are so delicious that I often inhale more than one in a sitting. Then I found out that the 'special ingredient' is lard. Sigh...things that taste good are often very bad for you.

Feida is also known for their egg tarts but we didn't not get any today. Watching my cholesterol-mah.

Feida Bakery
2228 S. Wentworth Ave, Chicago, IL

(312)808-1113

Hours: 7 a.m.-9 p.m. seven days a week

Also featured are random pics of Chicago’s Chinatown. Enjoy:

The famous Chinatown Arch

A beautiful example of Chinese architecture and craftsmanship. The intricate carvings are amazing

Another angle of the same building

A beautiful glazed peacock

The bf wanted to know why I was taking picture of everything except for the Penang restaurant. Sub standard food-lah. I am from Penang, how to endorse poor quality food? So I made do with taking pictures of the restaurant. To give them credit, there are some dishes that are very well prepared, like their nasi lemak and kangkung belachan. Don't even try dishes like laksa or hokkien mee. You are just asking for trouble.

Lessons learnt:
Never try to drive to Chinatown on an empty stomach. You may last till you reach the restaurant, but you’ll order way too much food.
Always go to the bathroom after a meal and before taking a long drive home. Chicago traffic is ALWAYS congested and Murphy’s Law dictates that traffic will come to a standstill just as soon as you feel the need to relieve yourself.

Continuing with the Greek Theme

2006-11-07T21:10:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

This is my second entry for today. I finished my yoghurt entry earlier and went to a meeting at 5pm. When I arrived home, hungry again (what else?) at 6:30pm, I found this on the kitchen counter. Apparently the bf went hunting and gathering and came back with sustenance.

Excitedly, I looked into the package and found of all things, Greek food from Apollo. This Greek restaurant is located a few blocks from my apartment and serves pretty authentic fare, tried and tested by my Greek friend. The bf picked up 2 items: Apollo combination plate and grilled chicken souvlaki.

Apollo Combination Plate

Contains:

Baked potatoes-standard-lah, baked with oregano
Feta cheese-acquired taste. I used to hate it at first, now I love it. Chau gu-leng bee
Spanakopita-spinach fillo pastry pie
Gyro meat-mystery meat shaped into a long fat skewer and slow roasted on a spit. You hope it's beef
Pastitio-baked pasta casserole with bechamel sauce. Kinda like lasagna but softer with a hint of cinnamon
Dolmades-stuffed grapevine leaves with rice and meat. My Greek friend makes it with cabbage leaves and lemon-egg sauce. Yummy
Pita bread-self explanatory
Tzatziki sauce-yoghurt sauce with cucumber and garlic

Grilled Chicken Souvlaki

The bf stealing a piece of chicken

The answer to my earlier postcript; we are having Greek for dinner! Isn't it such a coincidence that we were on the same page...or rather country? The bf swears that he didn't read my earlier post before hunting down dinner.

MmmmMmmm Yoghurt

2006-11-07T15:39:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

I woke up today feeling RAVENOUS at 2:30 pm. This is the problem with having so many shifts at work (5 different shifts) and then going to bed hungry when I come home at 7am after a long, long night. It's too late to eat before I go to bed, unless of course I don't care about how fat I get. So I kuai-kuai went to sleep and when I woke up...ROAR. My stomach demanded breakfast but the clock told me it was way past lunch and only a few hours to dinner. What to do?

For instances like this, I stock up on yoghurt. Not the wimpy kind that is watery, full of artificial flavoring and lotsa sugar. No, you're talking to a yoghurt connoisseur, having grown up as the daughter of a dairy distributor. Ok-lah, I am not that atas. It's just that I have a Greek friend who loves the stuff and picked up a few cartons of Fage Authentic Greek Yoghurt for me whenever she visits the Greek grocery store. I instantly fell in love with the creamy texture of strained yoghurt. It is unsweetened and comes with a small compartment of honey. Yummm. I love the tangy flavor of the unadulterated yoghurt, with it's milky aroma combined with the sweet golden honey. Some Greeks eat it with nuts (walnuts, pistachios) or fruit. I personally love it with honeydew melon.

Many people have expressed their doubts about the freshness of the product after being imported from Greece to the US but I have personally encountered not problems. After all, yoghurt is fermented milk la. The most it can do is get more fermented right? To my delight, the health foods store near my house started to stock this item so I no longer have to trek across Milwaukee to buy it at the Greek store.

The downside of this utterly delicious dairy product is its 110 fat calories. Many people are frightened off by the high fat content but this is FULL FAT MILK. And I eat it as a between meal snack or more often as a meal replacement. It also keeps you full for many hours due to the release of cholecystokinine by the gallbladder, triggered by the high fat content.

The USDA recommends 3 servings of dairy a day as part of a healthy diet. See http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/milk_amount.aspx#
And the calcium in the dairy helps you burn fat and build strong bones, preventing osteoporosis.

The real bummer, its USD 1.99 per carton. Arrrggghhhh!!!

p/s I wonder what's for dinner.

A Taste of Nostalgia

2006-11-05T23:27:00.000-06:00

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.—Brillat-Savarin

My latest obsession is reading food blogs. It started with a blog that I accidentally stumbled upon while looking for a Malaysian recipe online. Soon, I was completely hooked. I was spending more and more time looking into the lives of other people, not through their eyes, but rather through their stomaches. Living in the Midwest is great but I really missed Malaysian food. Reading Malaysian food blogs made me feel closer to home, especially when the writers are from Penang. After weeks of staring at other people's food blogs, the boyfriend (who henceforth, shall be referred to as "the bf") suggested that I start my own, since I liked food so much. I deliberated for a while and the thought, "Why not?" I eat, I cook, might as well write about it. After all, the Malaysian goverment is trying to promote Malaysia through it's food.

My problem with starting my blogs stemmed from the fact that I could not ever remember to take pictures before digging in. Oftentimes, I would be three-quarters way into a meal when I suddenly remembered, "Alamak! Forgot to take pictures for my blog."

Thus today I am so proud that I actually have pictures of 2 dishes I made. I was overcome by a sense of nostalgia when I read this blog about tau yew bak that I actually called my mother in Malaysia and asked her for the recipe. Now, my mother is an awesome cook. The problem was, when asked how to cook a dish, she tells you, "Hah, tumi the garlic and then add light soy sauce and dark soy sauce.." Ok, mom, how much of each ingredients? "Eh, you agak-agak lah"

Not helpful. Yet, today, I managed to make tau yew bak and bang-kuang char. Incidentally, bang-kuang is called jicama in the US. This is pronounced 'hee-kam-mah'. Spanish what.

Mom told me to use hae-bee (dried prawns) and jew-hoo (dried cuttlefish) for the bang-kuang char but I could find any so I used ......drumroll....dried scallops instead. Oohh, the decadence. Here are pics:

Soaking the dried scallops

Cutting veges for bang-kuang char

Julienned vegetable-whew, hard work

When I started to cook this, I didn't know it would take more than one hour!

Starting to cook tau yew bak

Final products

Lessons learned during this cooking session:

Never start a dish that that takes two hours to cook when your bf is hungry, much less two.
If you attempt No. 1, make sure you have something to feed the hungry bf (I had tamales)
The secret to good bang-kuang char is julienningthe veges thinly. My dad exclaimed when he saw a pic of the final product, "Aiyoh, why your veges so chor-loh wan?" My first time make this dish mah!
You can never make food that tastes as good as your mother or grandmother's.
It is also cheaper to go out and tar-pow food than to buy individual ingredients to cook at home. It's true, mom, I swear.
The taste of success is sweet. The bf gave the 2 dishes his seal of approval :) And that is the best reward of all.