And she said yes

Last weekend was all about wedding, and I thought that I'm too old to be a "Ji Mui". Boy I was right. Experiencing the whole process again after a year (since my very own wedding) was as tiring as I can remember.    

The bride was one of my girl friends whom I've known the longest (mind you I don't have that many), 11 years to be exact. We were neighbors since our college days, and I used to "tumpang" (as my fellow Malaysian would say) at her small little room during my KL-UK trip those days. And boy oh boy, time really flies. It seems like just yesterday when her current husband then not-yet-boyfriend was still courting her. It stirred up alot of emotions in me seeing her said yes and finally became his wife after 7 years of courtship.

Back to my point, I am really too old for this thing called wedding. I stayed overnight at her place the night before wedding, and supposed to wake up at 630am the next morning. I couldnt sleep the whole night for some reason, woke up with puffy eyes and started the whole drill of getting ready -  make up artist / photographer / videographer came - prepare the tea for tea ceremony - lots and lots of photography session - leave the place to go to groom's place - another tea ceremony - more photography session etc. By the time the whole procession end, it was 1.30 pm, and I have to quickly rush back home, had a small nap and then went for the wedding dinner reception. By the time I reached home last night (or early morning) at 12 something, I was totally flat, but thank God I'm excused from the "playing games with the grooms and  groomsman session, if not the damage would have been even greater.

So the conclusion is, wedding is tiring! Don't get me wrong, I am really happy for my friend and felt honored to be able to be of some help to her, but seriously, after went through the whole bride thingy myself and being a 2 times bridesmaid and a 2 times Ji mui/ wedding coordinator, I think I would like to "retire" from this whole wedding "business" if I can. While I had stayed simple with mine, it always baffled me every time I heard about the sophisticated plan for weddings and the amount of moolah couples willing to spend for a single day. With that being said, its not my wedding, and its a matter of personal choices. So as long as they are happy, i'm also happy for them. BUT then, I am so glad that Peter is on the same page with me when it comes to these things. ;)

Anyway, my heart goes to the newly wed couple and I hope they will enjoy the companionship of each other in a deeper way in the days ahead.

Happy 31

It was Peter's BIG 31 last Monday. I wanted to give him a special birthday by treating him a 3 course lunch at a proper restaurant since I have an off day from work. After alot of online research, I have chosen DISH of the Delicious group as there are many good reviews about their food. They are famous for its steaks, wines and cheeses, but also the relaxing and surreal ambiance of the restaurant. I would like to think that the factors determining a first class dining experience is not just good food, but also good environment. Oh, not forgetting good companion as well.  

Well, it turns out quite ok, the food didn't really blown us away, but it was quite a nice experience overall. This was the first time I had a 3 course western meal by a proper chef. In fact its not just some other chef,  its Consultant Chef Steve Allen. There’s been a buzz about DISH ever since chef Steve Allen took over and rolled out a new menu. The British chef is used to be head chef with famous Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s in London.

Check out Gordon and his team (see 4, Steve Allen)

Previously I wasn't a big fan of Gordon Ramsay because I think his personality and foul words and bigger than his cooking, but after watching his latest show Ultimate Cookery Course on Channel 4, it sort of changed my perspective, in fact I like most of his recipe as it has a well balance ingredients with added Asian twist. Anyway, go watch the show if you like to cook at home, highly recommended.

Gordon Ramsay's ultimate cookery course

Anyway, back to the food. Here comes the menu. 

We started with some of the complements from the restaurant, which consisting of fried aubergine with dipping sauce, watermelon with feta cheese, and crispy Ciabbata bread with herb-ish butter, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

I enjoyed the fried aubergine tremendously, great texture, great flavors.  

Next is our starters. Avocado tempura, crab mayonnaise and apple dressing for Peter. Cured Halibut Carpaccio, pickled  cucumber and mascarpone for me. The Crispy avocado tempura was our favourite, no wonder the Chinese called them the "butter fruit" because its has the richness of butter and the freshness taste of a fruit. Halibut has a very creamy texture but I would still preferred beef / pork carpaccio over fish. 

Here comes our main, braised wagyu beef cheek, horseradish mashed potatoes, fricasee of mushroom for Peter, and sauteed fillet of salmon, truffle gnocchi and red wine fish sauce for me. Wagyu beef cheek was so tender and it nearly melted in the mouth, mashed potatoes was very creamy but we didn't get the hint of the horseradish. My salmon was alright, nothing special but the portion was seriously over generous.

Last but not least, our desert cheeseplatter and the passion fruit creme brule with a cup of coffee/tea. Unfortunately the dessert was a huge let down. The cheese platter comes with 4 type of cheese along with some other small bites like apple, raisins, walnut, crackers. According to the waiter the cheese are consisting of bree, cheddar, goat and cabot (or something sound like that) cheese. For some reason, the cheese doesn't goes well with our Asian pallet at all. I mean I've tried cheddar and goat cheese before, but it wasn't as bad as what the DISH served. There is this cheese in the platter which has a very pungent and stagnant smell which makes me felt like throwing up. To make it worse, it started to attract bugs! And I cant help but feel sorry for Peter for having such a bad ending to a great meal for his birthday. 

My creme brule have the perfect crisp outside, softy inside texture but it was a slight too sweet. The passion fruit taste was very evident in the creme brule but it was out-shined by the bitter chocolate ice cream. 

All in all, i think it was an good meal (taking the cheese platter aside). We enjoyed the atmosphere there and the overall dining experience.   

Last but not least, another pictures of the man himself, happy 31! Hope we have a great year ahead.

The BIG 30

* Take a deep breath * It's less than a year before the BIG 3 comes. Can you imagine that? Its so true that time wait for no ones.

Lately every time when the girls and I hang out, somehow this topic of being 30 will inevitably surfaced in our conversation. We'll said things like we must do some crazy shit thing before turning 30, maybe going to some exotic island for a holiday without our husband (actually its just me) and boyfriends; wearing sexy bikini and had the most memorable celebration of our youth before we wave it goodbye etc.

But putting those crazy ideas aside, seriously, when the day comes, I want to celebrate the great 30 years  I've lived instead of mourning for its end. Although there are ups and downs, but I've achieved many great feats which I think I can be proud of. And the funny thing is if i put myself in the shoes of my younger self, I would have never anticipated that life at 30 will be so much different from what I've planned since I was young.

When I was young, I have this funny thought that I am in the process of preparing myself to live THE real life, which is something yet to happen, who I'll be, where I'll go, what I'll do... In my head I have pictures and plans cataloged and stored for the day when my real life begins, because when it finally comes, I'm damn sure it will be BIG like Katy Perry's firework - show them what my worth, let them go ah- ah -ah, as I shoot across the sky.  Harboring this belief, I was eager for the moment of ignite-the-light-and-let-it-shine to come.

You would have guessed by now that the moment never comes. Before I've even realized it, a series of events took place- I fell in love, went to study abroad, graduated, landed myself with a job back home, bought a car and an apartment with Peter, got married and then the BIG 30 is smacking right in front of me. Wow! where the hell did my grandeur plan of REAL life goes?

And then, I came to realize that: There will never be a life changing, earth shattering MY-LIFE-HAS-FINALLY-BEGUN moment, because life is right now. However, by sheer luck or divine intervention, some of the pictures which I have painted for my REAL life were miraculously realized somehow throughout these years without much cautious effort. For example, bag packing to a country which I've never been before, alone, is one of the priorities in my catalog. But I've did that 6 years ago when I visited Paris! And it was an ad hoc spur of the moment decision without much planning at all!

When I was 23.....

So I've asked myself now, I'm living my real life now, and soon I will be 30, have all the pictures in my mental catalog became a reality? So I tried to list some, well, not just some... 30 actually. So that this will be my resolution for the next few months. Thirty things to do before I'm thirty, maybe big maybe little, but it must be new. Maybe not a big deal to most, but it will make the 30 years of my life chapter complete.

Here is comes the BIG 30:

1. Go for a dessert buffet
2. Re connect with 1 lost friend
3. Highlight my hair 
4. Do a message in a bottle and throw into the sea
5. Plant a tree or grow a garden
6. Get a piece of art for the living room 
7. Write a will
8. Have a bon fire at the beach
9. Do a dance performance 
10. Tell a stranger about the my life story
11. Attend evening mass in the church which Peter and I got married
12. Run a marathon 
13. Travel to another country with girl friends
14. Buy something for myself which cost more than RM1K  
15. Volunteer in a soup kitchen
16. Make myself a cup of cappuccino with latte art 
17. Watch a sunrise on a hill
18. Go to a dress up party
19. Eating a burger with at least 3 layers of meat patties
20. Go to a concert of my favourite band
21. Take a photo with someone famous
22. Attend a non work related workshop 
23. Had a candle light dinner with my love one
24. Make a souffle 
25. Participate in a singalong session or flash mob in public 
26. Try the best Char siew ramen in town 
27. Have a proper dance with Peter
28. Watch a theater / famous musical (Peter Pan doesn't count)
29. Go for a movie marathon
30. Invent something new

Anyone wanna join me in my BIG 30?

The brain is wider than the sky

Meet the new love of my life.

His name is Joshua, a 1 year old boy who is super alert, smart and just started to walk! Its not like I understand what's the level of intelligence a 1 year old should have, but I was constantly amazed by the way he responded to instruction and music, and how alert he is to new things happened around him. His spongy brain absorbing tons of knowledge like there is no end. 

Its funny that when we get older we no longer absorb information as well as we used to be when we are young. I don't have a scientific explanation to this but I think it's because when we get older, as we know more and more, it reach a state that we just lose interest with simple things in life. We started to subconsciously filtering information which received by our senses and before we realized it, only sophisticated and extra ordinary things can excite / stimulate us. It's such as pity that our brain is conditioning to only taking in new information when they are so called significant or serve our purpose, for example boring stuff like job related knowledge. I hope we can always remember the inner child in us, not just by heart, but by brain as well. 

I like to play with my mobile phone, yeah yeah

Baby Joshua like to see new things. He got hooked on every little things like the strangers walking passed him; the birds flying in the sky; barking sound of the neighbor's dogs and even how the vacuum cleaner works. 

I like to clap when i heard clapping sound. I like to blow big kiss and making big "puttttt" sound on someone else's arms using my mouth

There is this beautiful poem by Emily Dickinson (1830–86)

THE BRAIN is wider than the sky,
For, put them side by side,
The one the other will include
With ease, and you beside.  

The brain is deeper than the sea,
For, hold them, blue to blue,
The one the other will absorb,
As sponges, buckets do.

The brain is just the weight of God,
For, lift them, pound for pound,
And they will differ, if they do,
As syllable from sound.

The Brain is Wider Than the Sky is not just a sciences of a biological organ, but a state of mind, an attitude and aptitude towards life. I hope as baby Joshua growing up day by day, he will not just continue to learn more and more things, but more so find joy in learning.

Baking Addiction 6: Blueberries Buttermilk Cake

Remember in my previous post i mentioned that I have alot of buttermilk leftovers to make use of after baking the rainbow pancake? Well, this beautiful Blueberry Buttermilk cake is the outcome of it. 

Blueberries Buttermilk cake, made in less than a hour 

Before I am proceed with the recipe, just wanted to elaborate abit more on Buttermilk. Buttermilk is not a common ingredient you can find in grocery stores, so far I only manage to find it at cold storage and local baking store, and its expensive. However, there is a substitute for this but I haven't test it out yet, basically buttermilk is equal to Acid + Milk + a few minutes to rest. According to a baker's blog post -Just add one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Add milk until the amount reaches one cup. Let this mixture sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. The milk should look curdled. Stir the milk and use it straight away.

Recapping what I did was I searched randomly online for any recipe which utilize buttermilk, whereby most of it ends up with either cookies or teacakes. But frankly I wasn't too convinced with these recipes since buttermilk has a very distinct yogurt-ish taste, so I'm pretty sure the output would be something cross between chewy and dense. However, since I have so much of buttermilk to spare, I tried both cookies and teacakes recipes. And I was right 50-50. The buttermilk cookies was a nightmare, I was too ambitious with the fillings by adding too many chunks of dried cranberries, chocolate chips and topped lemon glaze. It was too sweet to my liking, and the texture doesn't seems right. of course, i will not mentioned the recipes of my failed products here. ;)

Here comes the successful half, the blueberry buttermilk teacakes was fabulous. It takes half the time of baking cookies to bake this cake, and its no fuss recipe, nothing sophisticated nor analytical, just simple straight forward mixing and baking. 

BlueBerry Buttermilk Cake

Recipe adapted from linden and rosemary.com
Makes 1 (9-inch) round cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for topping
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 large egg
1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup fresh blueberry, plus more for serving

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and coat a 9-inch round cake pan with some butter to prevent sticking.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.
3. In a larger bowl, whisk together oil and 2/3 cup sugar. Mix in vanilla and lemon zest. Add egg and buttermilk and beat well. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients in three batches, mixing until just combined. Spoon batter into cake pan and scatter blueberries evenly over top. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.
4. Bake until cake is just golden and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 20-23 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes then invert onto a rack to cool. 

This teacakes is perfect with a cup of aromatic tea (duh!), both my brother and sister in law love it. Will bake another one with strawberry soon.