AT HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

Am at home all week for the Christmas holidays.  The mobile phone is on silent mode.  I've ceased to check my work emails.  It's my feeble pursuit of tranquility. Living with emotionally needy parents can be draining.  On Sunday I attempted (unsuccessfully) to read a book.  With every 2 pages that I turn my mum would appear by my side with either a question, something to discuss, or something to say.  

Yesterday I finally spent half a day on my own - in a cafe, sipped fruit tea and read a novel.  A much needed (albeit brief) liberation.

This afternoon, while Mum was busy at the sewing machine, I made a batch of Drop Scones.  At the speed of light and quietly as a mouse I moved, and even managed to snap a few photos before the sun got smothered by layers of dark clouds.  

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GATHER ROSES WHILE YE MAY ETC

Recently, a friend reminded me to take time to smell the flowers. Today I did just that!

THIS USED TO BE MY PLAYGROUND

Did you know that I used to live in Jalan Bukit Ho Swee when I was a toddler?  My parents would go to work, leaving me with the granny who lived next door to us.  I've lost count of the times that granny and I have visited Tiong Bahru Market and its vicinity.  We'd have lunch.  We'd pick out a small toy or a cheap snack.  We'd shop for tableware and household knick-knacks.  

I lived in Block Number 32 until I was almost four years old.  The building still stands today.  The old cluttered shops have been replaced by new designer ones.  So amused to find these good old enamel plates on the shelf!

OUT TO LUNCH

Today is the first time that I mixed up a lunch date.  Lee Ling and I are suppose to meet tomorrow (Sunday) but I thought our appointment was for today (Saturday).  I had Whatsapp'd her this morning with the message, "See you at 1PM!"  Fortunately I scrolled up, re-read our previous conversation, and saved myself needless embarrassment by following up quickly with a 2nd message, "Tomorrow".

:P

My brain was out to lunch - for sure.

看孔雀的日子

@ Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa
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喘息

忙碌了好几个星期，今天告訴自己一定要小小的喘息一下！

有一整年没自己做面包  感觉生疏了 今天就来做个简易的。

参考 Jamie Oliver 的 video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX6K-Z67vI4

用日本凯萨琳高筋粉 Casarine Flour（又称流淚吐司粉 ）做出的focaccia 特别有弹性。

刚烤好 空气充滿香草和淡淡的橄榄油香味。

在忙碌的生活中 希望大家找到最適合自己的紓压方式， 好好地休息！

灰分0.35%  蛋白质 11.6%

Bread dough: 300 grams Casarine flour, 4 grams instant yeast, 4 grams dried Italian herbs, 2 grams caster sugar, 5 grams salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 190 - 210 grams water.  Topping: olive oil and coarse sea salt

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SATURDAY BRUNCH

At home on a lazy Saturday.  Too hot a day for overly complicated, labour-intensive recipes. Made a simple Pasta Bake. A large pot of cooked penne. Tossed in plenty of olive oil.  Brown button mushrooms that had been stir-fried in garlic butter. Sliced hotdogs. Freshly grated cheeses, and a sprinkle of dried Italian herbs. Chilli flakes for a bit of attitude. Nothing particularly fancy about the ingredients, just an easy dish put together for family brunch.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU: PRECISE PIG PARTS

Last week I came across a recipe, written in Chinese, for Miso Pork that called for 梅花肉。It was rather perplexing not knowing which part of the pig that was!  So I did some research to learn the different cuts of pork.

This evening I asked Mum if she could help me buy 300 grams of 梅花肉 when she goes to the wet market tomorrow.  "There isn't such a thing!" she scoffed.  "You really mean 五花肉, don't you?"  

"No, no!  Certainly not!" I protested.  "五花肉 is the belly.  I don't want the belly."

"Describe it to me," she demanded.  I tried to indicate the part I meant by placing my right hand on my left shoulder, turning my body to show her.

My impersonation of a pig must've been weak because Mum still didn't get it.  (Perhaps it'd help if I had stood on all fours.)  The truth of the matter was, she laughed out loud and cried, "You don't really expect me to perform a charade in front of the butcher do you?"

I then informed her that the pork was to be used in a stir-fry.  She answered, "Oh, you mean 枚肉！" Some light (though dim) at the end of the tunnel at last.

Chilli Crab is now on Instagram !

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到香港公干

四月十八日到香港出差几天，其实最放心不下得是家中的长辈。还好有Naw在家。Naw是我们请来的帮佣，已住进我们家5个月，母亲也逐渐把厨房里的大小事务交给她。今天午餐一桌菜都是Naw煮的。回国后在家好好与家人吃一顿饭，也是种简单的的幸福。

在香港W酒店做conference，一切都非常顺利。酒店的员工都很专业。多年来在新加坡、曼谷、河内、巴厘岛都host过conference, 我对曼谷的Mandarin Oriental服务的评价是最高的。目前觉得W Hong Kong可以媲美。

在conference的前一天抵达香港，中午checkin 后便一直呆在房间里工作到下午三点多，忽然觉得好饿！酒店楼下是圆方(Elements Mall), 便下去”正斗“吃了碗云吞面。我点的云吞面是小份的：半个面＋4颗云吞。那样的话，还可以尝尝蛋挞仔。大份的云吞面则是整个面＋6颗云吞。

明晚的晚饭定在丽思卡尔頓酒店(Ritz Carlton Hong Kong)102楼的天龙轩(Tin Long Heen)，所以务必先探索一下。金碧辉煌的米其林二星餐厅。 我们定了三间private room。 Minimum spending 是HKD30,000。

空前绝后的view。

然后回到W继续苦干。从房间内可以欣赏夕阳。

晚餐也在圆方里解决了。独自享受了一整只“桃花源”(Tim's Kitchen)的烧鹅脾，够奢侈吧？

开会咯！我为同事们安排了好多好吃的。

Conference的最后一天，眼看还有一小时便要结束了，心想这几天都过得还蛮写意的 （暗地里偷笑）。不料我们的Global CEO这时才给我发了个难题：要我在会议结束以前弄来24只招财猫！

我临危不乱，使命必达（握拳）

一切都归功于W 的Concierge。年轻的职员为我上網查询，写了地址，还打印了地图。我迅速地搭德士前往，然后又迅速地把猫儿们带回会议室。All done in under an hour.

会议结束了，告别甲级的W，搬进油麻地的Cityview Hotel。缺了WIFI, 多了点私人空间。好好享受下午茶：花园街兰亭咖啡阁新鮮出炉鸡批 and 无敌蛋挞。

因为时间的关系，都没跟在香港的朋友联系。抱歉呐！下次一定约你们出来吃饭。

自己吃早餐。点得太多，差点儿吃不完。