Setting up a new site only for the cooking. I need it to de-stress to prevent myself from becoming distressed.
Today was another day that i continued on the food quest that started since mid october. Last weekend was xiao long baos galore at ding ti feng, where I single-handedly polished off 20 of the little buns.
Over the weekend I visited the restaurant twice and we tried some of the other dishes. There was a chicken soup with noodles that proved to be one of the bland-est stuff on earth. Either we were served something that was not included in the menu or it was meant to be. As you can see it warrants no pictures nor a better review. Also tried the Shrimp siew mai. Another disappointment. Imagine a xiao long bao with a skin twice as thick with a shrimp balanced on it. Not impressive at all. Other than the XLBs, the next best item was arguably the tea followed next by the appetizer. Made of salted vegetables and also with strings of hidden pork, it was a mild delight to have something to offset the taste of the noodles.
SUSHI TEI TODAY! Excellent food, however it might be due to the items that we ordered. Maguro platter (it had some fancy japanese name, but it was in short, 1 maguro sushi, 1 otoro, 1 negi toro temaki and six tekka makis) Chawan mushi and also sukiyaki. I love the otoro, will be going back again for otoro only. enuff said.
The Line on Friday. Went there once recently, discovered it was not as good as the many rave reviews that I found online, now it is time to see if the second visit would yield any undiscovered gems. Oh. and the cheese counter there found next to the salad bar has some rather nice cheese. Also, the melon with parma ham is something that will definitely be on my list of to eats again. Subsequently, the laksa, I feel is something that is only for foreigners to say, “hmmm, I went to singapore, saw blah blah, did blah blah blah..” and finally when they run out of fond memories to relive, moan at the terrible taxi drivers that we have here, cursed about all the not so fond memories, and perhaps if they dig deep enough, will add as an afternote,” and ate laska at shangri-la hotel.”
Reading about the upcoming US elections. Found it extremely queer that there is going to be any contest. I mean, I am all for giving chances to another party to perform. Yet, there should be a limit. I mean, what were the significant contributions of the Bush Jr Adminstration? Fighting a war on terror. And the terrorist they really wanted to catch remains at large, despite all the economic advantage and technological advantages that the USA have. Fighting a physical war against phantom weapons of mass destruction. Ya ya, they gave Iraq democracy, but wells, I really do not think it is really such a big deal, living in a socialistic democratic state. I would rather not worry about people shooting RPGs into my house, cars going boom in the street. Not to say that Obama’s adminstration did a brilliant job, but heys, they are doing the best that they can given all the terrible state of the country they were given. Wondering when was the turning point that twisted USA from a country where dreams come true (well, they gave the world Mickey Mouse and Disney Lands) to wells, a country that seem to believe in men who give empty promises.
Today, was a day that I lived again. A day where I completed one of the items on the list of “stuff to do before i die” with special attention to the “to Eat” section.
I had been dreaming of eating toro for quite some time. Being a more partial to maguro whenever I order japanese food, I have been craving an even better cut and even better cut of fish for quite some time. However, the cost has always been putting me off trying it. I mean, there should be a limit to what we should spend on food right?
Toro, the fatty stomach of the tuna fish. True blue sashimi eaters know that this is one of the best things that you can ever eat in life. And today, as I walk in Takashimaya’s Cold Storage, I saw, the most amazing item on sale. 12 pieces of chutoro, going for the amazing price of $12.60 cents. And I bought it. I BOUGHT IT, and ATE IT.
Have you ever experienced your mouth going to heaven, while the rest of your corporeal form remains on earth? I did today. The succulent flavours made me forget quite a lot of things. My job, my trepidation at having to bring in $100,000 of business in a month, etc, vanished. And I realised the reason behind the denial of the Japanese that they were hunting the blue fin tuna to extinction. It is probably true, because they would not be the only people in the world to do so. Everyone who had eaten toro before would probably crave it. Can you believe that it is at least 100 times better than a nice piece of jyo-karubi. It does not come with the oily feel of a marbled piece of beef, further more having a fragrance that seem to defy the fact that oxidation of fish fats should give out a dreadful odour.
Today, I lived again.
TO whomever is the wussy who came up with that, 2 words for you.
FUCK YOU.
I am a father!
Don’t you just love these shocking statements? Anyways, bad jokes aside, I am not having any little critters mushrooming about. It is my grandmother, who came to live with us. Just to write out some thoughts before I loose the opportunity to.
It is getting really hard for Old Lady to walk around at the Grand Old age of 87 years old. And she is getting really forgetful. But then again, there are a few things that never really change. Like example, she has a habit of making herself amazing clothes. She trusts in one brand only, MOF for all her dressing needs. FYI, My Own Fingers. And the part of her that faces her own mortality. She is now making clothes for my sister and me, or rather clothes for my unborn children, because of all the rave reviews she got from all her children and grandchildren. Apparently, all of us when very young are bedecked in her handiwork, to the extent that we would fuss terribly if we were dressed in store-bought children’s wear. So she decided to make some clothes for her unborn great-grandchildren, just in case she does not meet them.
But at the grand old age of 87, there are many things that our bodies seem to be failing. e.g, her hearing. As I work from my home office, it sometimes gets a little annoying as she has the TV on full-blast. Yet, she is watching the program and at the same time sewing like a devil. The cacophany of sounds is a welcome change from the usual silence when I am not meeting clients.
She criticised my PASTA! Gosh, it has been so long since anyone did that. Apparently she found the herbs too strong and it was not salty enough. Lols. Maybe I shoudl have added a stronger asian flavour.
Wells, living with an older member of the family sure is different. It requires some patience and the rewards are endless. I am picking up Teochew at a very quick rate. And there are a lots of cooking suggestions that produce amazing results.
Go nuts and win a trip to Japan. iLike.
Everyone lies. Even those who claim that they don’t, are liars too.
This is especially true as I progress further in the industry. It seems that everyone is always trying to wriggle their way out. Analysts trying to improve their figures, Fund managers trying to give more assurance, agents trying to bamboozle the client, the clients faking claims on the insurer, and the insurer enticing the masses into getting something that is completely to their portfolios. (just look at how many of them call themselves the PREMIER insurer/prefererred insurer)
AHhhh, not to forget, the biggest liars of all, the many “friends” who promise to meet. Oh gosh, don’t get me started on the different lies that are generated. However, the best so far, “NO, I don’t want anything. I don’t care. Don’t call me anymore. Bye!” Btw,if you never said this, it is not you. And if you ever did, I don’t need you, good luck ploughing through the many different products in the market, and may you find someone else willing to help you.
To be honest, there are limited ways that a financial consultant can help the client, and not necessarily in that order,
1. to value add to the client’s portfolio (come on, that is why we are always selling something)
2. to help the client save money (Eh, yet, some black sheeps churn policies to the detriment of their clients)
3. give assurance and a listening ear.
In fact, that is all. And the funny part is that, when it comes to making money, everyone forgets that it is like all endeavours in life, i.e. it takes time. No wonder lottery is making so much.
Wells, this post is just to vent out at that asshole. Thanks for trying to make me feel down for a while. Thanks for making me realise that you are not a friend. And finally, thanks, for not wasting my time too.
A nice closure, but not really that good if it is a stand alone. Highly recommended by yours truely to go through the intial three films before going to catch it.
It was my first 3D movie experience. IT WAS AMAZING!!!! Okay now, where are all the twerps that told me that the experience would be traumatising? I was so WOWED by the fact that the DREAMWORKS logo was almost within reach…. ooooo, just that little bit moreeeee… urgh.
Catching a movie at 1.50 on its opening day is really a hhuge treat. The entire cinema was almost empty. Somewhat like a private screening… lols.
No pictures but heyz it was excellent. THe meat was well marinated, the salad good, the mash potato a little undercooked, but wells, even an ill sister managed to finish the whole thing!
Recommendations – MArinate for 7 Chops
2 tbs Worchestshire sauce
4 tbs soy sauce
pepper to liking
1 tbs mirin or Huadiao wine
1 tbsp salt
4 shallots chopped to a paste
Marinate for about 8 hours, would taste better if overnight.
It appears that I do have a loyal reader. Wells, this follow-up post on my attempt to create the perfect butter cake.
I realised that for different cooking conditions, the recipe has to be tweaked a little. But it should be generally be in the following order. Before adding flour, 1 part softened butter, 2 parts sugar, 2 eggs (per 1/2 cup butter), a little bit of vanilla essence (for people who wants more vanilla, just adjust accordingly) and 1.5 parts milk. ( I really prefer Knudsen’s Half and Half). beat until you get a consistent texture. Apparently, this is one of the mot important step.The fluffier your mixture at this point, the better it would taste.
I cheated and used self-rising flour. Add sieved flour to the mixture until you get a nice creamy consistency. If you add too much flour, it would become a really dry cake, that you’ll have to eat buttered. Finally, follow the baking instructions for your oven/cooker etc.
Did anyone notice something missing? YES. I forgot the salt this time round. Another F. But wells, at least the cake is now moist…..
Many a times, in life, you come aupon a point where you have to trust your instincts. Take for example, if you have a crush on someone, you’d have to act on it, rather than regret later.
Many times in life you may chance upon such situations, to save a life, to love, to create, to choose the final bonus question in an exam that would be your saving grace for the absymal grades you scored over the semester. Yet, the cruelest part about it all is the instant you decided not to act, and the results would be disastrous.
Today was such a day.
Where I had to react on my instincts.
And I decided to place my faith in words.
All Hail, the creation of a butter cake that only, ONLY taste good after you spread butter on it. Wells, otherwise it is just cake. On second thoughts, a moist cakie (the unfortunate offspring of a closet pâtissier and a new cooking device, something thicker than a cookie, less moist than a cake.)
Looking on the bright side, I have graduated from cookies.
OMG! This must be where the statement, my body is a temple evolved from.
today was my first Yoga session, that I was made to commit to, rather grudgingly initially, but now, I am all for the second one. It was amazingly good, especially after a hard day, to be able to recharge.
Today, I also passed my BTT. =)
When washing dirty laundry in an international conference, it is an ugly thing. And some people are just don’t understand that. And this is where we see a fact that many people try to play decision makers, while none actually makes any sense.
I realised that the Japanese and also the Koreans are very polite people, so polite that they would not tell you outright that you have already veered off the track.
Today, I ate my first Yami Yoghurt.
And my last. What a farce.
Resting shortly. Will be going back to the wake to relief my cousins.
Last night, to say our goodbyes.
Tonight was the night where we actually sent wai gong the resilence package. I left it off the last post with the inflation without actually explaining more.
I realised that there are a lot of people burning many large denominations of incense and bank notes to their ancestors. And I started to wonder, would there not be a very high living expenses in the other world, due to the fact that everyone has abundance of money and preciously little of everything else? As a result of the high demand and low supply, would there not be hyperinflation? hence, I developed an idea to come up with a Resilence package for my recently deceased grandfather, to help him combat the inflation, (not a very good idea though) by sending him even more money. On second thoughts, maybe I should have sent him the necessities instead……….
Going to say my goodbyes very soon, 1.30 a.m and seriously lacking sleep.
I miss my grandfather.
Grandfather passed away.
And today, I heard the sound of a breaking heart. Grandmother came as we were folding the paper ingots, trying to help my newly deceased grandfather cope with possible hyper inflation (I call it the Resilence Package.) She came in her wheelchair, and then started singing. It was not a song of grief, but the discordant notes of despair were intermingled in the tune, a tune to remind the man in her lafe for the past years, that now that he is gone, to remember to look after and bless all his children and grandchildren and whatever descendents that would come.
The song, sung in Hokkien, left a very strong impressoon in my mind. Tears came to the eyes of all of us who were there to witness and hear the song. It was not a song of selfish demand, but rather, a song that ignores the pain of losing someone so dear, and to invoke all the possible blessings to all of us.
The impact was not loss on me. I wonder if I can love anyone as deeply as my grandfather, whose wife became physically disabled for so many years. Not once did I ever see his heart waver. Many other would have abandoned their partners or become abandoned.
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Resting tonight, tomorrow will be sleepless, as I accompany him on this final journey. Meanwhile, I have a BIG handsome moth in my room, is it him? I wonder.
Been in and out of the hospital the last few days, tired. But determined that this time, I will NOT be too late again.
Wondering if this is a bad year for sending off relatives?
Is there a god? If there is, can there not be any deaths?
How is it that one can be so happy, just a few days back, and so worried just a few days in?
Happy. Did something I wanted and planned for for very long. Came to fruit, and harvest was huge. Happy. Ichhabe freunde
Introducing….
A solar powered lamp. The irony – When I was in Ikea, in order to power up this lamp, I needed to shine 2 halogen lamps on the solar cell. In short, you can save electricity on 1 lamp by using 2 lamps to power it up. HURRAY! -_-||| So much for power saving lamps.
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On further research, it would require rechargable batteries. So wells, it is not thay useless afterall. =) but heys, at the point of discovery, it was really funny……..
Current song that gripps me heart.
Apt.
