Latest Addition To The Family

        As the year draws to a close, I am reminded that I have been terribly remiss where this blog is concerned. In fact, this would only be my third update in this year. Typical year-end musings or ruminations would be on accomplishments, profound life lessons, tribulations, resolutions for the coming year and even regrets. But the thing that came to my mind was something that only entered my life two weeks ago but has sparked such joy in my kitchen and dining table.

        It's my 26cm Le Creuset Buffet Casserole in Sugar Pink. Together with 18cm Round French Oven, 20cm Round French Oven and 25cm Oval French Oven, we happily welcomed the BC to the family. And in these two weeks, she has been working hard and has delighted hubby and I with four lovely dishes.

        Her first dish was a simple and healthy yet delicious Waterless Steamed Pomfret. Hubby's comment as he descended the stairs was "What's that lovely smell?" 

        A Buffet Casserole is also known as a Shallow Casserole or a Braiser. So my new sexy baby decided to flaunt her braising capabilities next. Voila! Hubby's favourite Hakka Braised Pork Belly with Black Fungus was incredibly scrumptious. And the best part of it all : less washing up as the cookware is also the serving platter. 

        Eager to impress us again, she went on to prove that a very tasty dish can be produced with minimal preparation and a mere 5-minute cooking on the stove. Again using the waterless method, the Steamed Garlic Prawns Vermicelli was truly a joy to behold and to devour. 

        And for tonight's New Year's Eve dinner, she begged to be allowed to come out to party again. She was revelling as she presented her friends (the prawns, the clams, the squid and the salmon cubes) in the Dry-steamed Seafood Tomato Soup, which was thoroughly enjoyed by hubby and I. 

        Thank you, my beloved 26cm Le Creuset Buffet Casserole in Sugar Pink, for working so hard for us. We are looking forward to more sumptuous dishes from you in 2023. See you next year!

Third Time Lucky at Great Wall

        After raves from my good friend, Angeline, who's a coffee connoisseur, I was eager to try the brew at Bercham Great Wall Kopitiam. She had earlier shown me the way there as it's not the easiest place to locate, being tucked away in a hidden area at the foothills.

This is the unassuming coffee shop which serves excellent coffee at really low prices!

A menu like this will make a coffee aficionado very happy.

        My excitement to taste the coffee there was fraught with disappointment on two consecutive days as the coffee shop was closed. The third time is the charm as I found it open and bustling with business when I went there again after my car service.

        Despite the crowd, I managed to secure myself a table after queueing to place my order. It was a 20-minute wait for my coffee but I used the time to send text messages to hubby, survey the available food stalls, savour the aroma of coffee wafting in the air and to people-watch.

Look at the queue to place orders!

        My cup of Dark Roast El Salvador (RM4.50) has arrived! 

Mmm...it's a well-balanced brew with medium body, the right amount of acidity and a honey-like sweetness.

Dunking my soda cracker into my coffee (hmm...I wonder if a 油炸鬼 can work too?)

        Noting that there were some regular customers who even brought their own tumblers to have their coffee taken away, it gave impetus to future visits to try Great Wall's other blends without having to jostle for a table. Now, should I go for the Macchiato Lover or should I try their Gula Melaka Latte next time round?

Having been tempted by me, my other good friend, Lee, drives out to get himself a cuppa just before the coffee shop closes for the day!

Of Samurai, Shogun and Sumo

         Although I've never been a fan of fast food, I do occasionally indulge in Burger King's onion rings as well as McDonalds' GCB. But when the Samurai charge into town, they send my heart aflutter. To be precise, it's McDonalds' seasonal Samurai Burger that gets me excited.

        Laid on a bed of crunchy lettuce, smothered with Teriyaki sauce and mayonnaise and sandwiched between lightly toasted sesame buns, the juicy quarter pounder beef patty (or chicken patty) makes me drool. Whenever McDonalds delights us with this periodical offer, I never give it a miss, with the exception of 2021. Last year, the Samurai Burger made its appearance in May, at the time when the Covid-19 lockdown was reintroduced. My fear of the virus superseded my love for the burger, so I chose to play it safe at home.

        This year, I am determined to indulge with a vengeance. Two Fridays ago, I ordered a Double Samurai Beef Burger. At the same time, I converted my dad to a Samurai fan too. And today, I was won over by the mightier Shogun Burger. It's an egg-stra flavourful cousin of the Samurai Burger as there is an additional fried egg wedged in together with the beef patty, lettuce, Teriyaki sauce and mayonnaise. And as I was placing my order at the drive-through, the Sumo Burger seemed to wink at me from the menu board. "Me for the next round!" the double beef patties and two fried eggs appeared to be telling me.  

        I am not sure if I will indeed take on the Japanese heavyweight wrestler (Sumo). But I am now officially in love with the Japanese military ruler (Shogun). Its minion, the Japanese warrior (Samurai) can still make me weak at the knees. 

Thinking of Shogun and Samurai, mighty Kanazawa Castle comes to mind.

        How I wish these tantalising teriyaki burgers can be absorbed into the regular McDonalds' menu! The Samurai Pork Burger (bet that's even more yummylicious!) is available all year round in Thailand. Or perhaps McDonalds Malaysia can ape its Southern neighbour and treat us to the Ninja Burger, which features a chicken patty coated with crunchy cornflakes, drenched in the Japanese Nanban sauce and housed in lightly toasted charcoal sesame buns. Mmm...oishii!

My incredibly tasty lunch today

Samurai welcomes Shogun and Sumo to join the conquest of Irene

MCO 4.0 - Day 45

 15 July 2021     Day 45 of Movement Control Order 4.0

13,215 new Covid-19 cases in Malaysia today

Dinner : Roasted Balinese Coconut Turmeric Lemongrass Chicken, Steamed Brinjals with Fried Shallots

MCO 4.0 - Day 44

 14 July 2021     Day 44 of Movement Control Order 4.0

        As the black font shows, Malaysia's Covid-19 cases have clinched another record. Unfortunately, this new record of 11,618 cases is nothing to brag about. On the contrary, it is extremely alarming, especially since the World Health Organisation has warned of impending "devastating outbreaks" caused by the Delta variant, which is sweeping across the globe at a "scorching pace".

        Black seemed to be the colour of the day. We had Black Pepper Pork Slices for dinner, complemented by the good old ABC Soup.

I had not planned to cook this dish when I went to the market last Saturday, so I didn't have the foresight to buy green capsicum to be cooked with these Black Pepper Pork Slices.

ABC Soup - easy to make, yet it's nutritious

Corn, taken out from the soup, for nibbling

MCO 4.0 - Day 43

 13 July 2021     Day 43 of Movement Control Order 4.0

        When hubby came home during lunch time, he happily informed me that his presentation went well and we would be celebrating with a Japanese dinner from Uncle Autumn later. However, taking one look at today's whopping high 11,079 new Covid-19 cases and the torrential rain that was lashing down in the evening, we changed our minds. 

        Fortunately, I had a portion of chicken that had been defrosted earlier. So I could jump into action and in my haste, I didn't don the plastic gloves. Hence, my hands, fingers and nails are now all brightly painted in yellow! Yes, I handled turmeric as I cooked Braised Turmeric Chicken for dinner and an easy-peasy Salted Vegetables Soup.

        As I cooked, I took a look at the evening sky. By then, it was only a drizzle, and everything looked so peaceful after the storm. And I wondered about the "storm" that our country is going through now. Our Director General of Health has acknowledged that Malaysia is now in "very critical condition". Will life ever be normal again?

MCO 4.0 - Day 42

 12 July 2021     Day 42 of Movement Control Order 4.0

        Despite living in football-crazy England for two years, I've never been big on the game. I do understand the game and have followed some of the matches; how could I not when I lived with a Manchester United enthusiast for a year? He tried to turn me into a fan too and used to sing "Glory glory Man United" to annoy me. And when I travelled to Liverpool to visit a friend, he shook his head in disgust and asked why I would want to visit "that horrible city". That's Alec, my host dad, who loved to bug me to agree that he's a "handsome English gentleman"!

With my English family...see that "handsome English gentleman"!

        I can feel his heartache, which I'm sure he's moaning over now, after England's heart-rending loss to Italy at yesterday's European Championship Finals. Winning 3-2 on penalties, Italy claimed the Euro 2020 crown at Wembley Stadium...England's home ground! Arghh!

        So tonight, Alec, I cooked an Italian dinner. No, I was not being disloyal to England. I remember your exceptionally delicious spaghetti bolognese and how you taught me to literally lick my plate clean! We used to drive Pat crazy with our barbaric acts. 10,673 km may separate us now but I share your heartbreak, Alec.

It was a fusion meal, to be exact : Meatballs Marinara Spaghettini with Sweet Corn Egg Drop Soup

Meatballs Marinara without too much herbs (just the way we like it)

Hubby enjoyed his Meatballs Marinara Spaghettini

        Oh, I dearly miss my host family in England, Alec, Pat and Grandma Ball! And Tynan the dog, who's returned to doggie heaven. When this Covid-19 pandemic ends, I would love to return to England and pay you a long overdue visit.