This ain't fusion

Today's breakfast was cheese, bacon and poached egg on toast with wasabi mayo. The addition of wasabi mayo wasn't an attempt to 'fusionize' my cooking, but it's what I call what-is-left-in-the-kitchen cooking. 

Today's lunch was aglio olio linguine with zucchini, red bellpepper, sun-dried tomato & bacon.

Anyone can be a cookbook chef, but I believe that the real challenge is to add our own touch into the food that we are cooking. The bacon, egg, toast with wasabi mayo might not be a good example, as it's just bacon, egg, toast & glorified mayo. Nor is the linguine, but the point is; if one wants to grow as a chef, even if it's home chef, one has to trust his or her own senses & cook accordingly.

We have too many celebrity cookbook chefs on TV, we don't need more at home as well. 

I know this is a lame attempt to start blogging again, but ...

What did you have for breakfast this Sunday?               

Selective religious practises

This post might offend some. As I am not here to please anyone, it shouldn't matter.

Within my limited travels, from my young adulthood till now, I have eaten at various eateries, from street food in Siem Reap to (almost) fine dining in Kuala Lumpur, but I failed to understand a few religious practises related to food.

I failed to understand why some Hindus don't eat beef, but eat other meat. It's clearly stated in various Vedic scriptures that Hindus must be vegetarians. Some where in the past 4000+ years, this ancient religion's practise has changed. Now, some don't eat beef & pork. Some don't eat beef, but eat pork. Some don't give a damn.

I failed to understand the importance of halalness of the meat to a Muslim, but orders a glass of red wine to accompany his medium rare fillet mignon. Forgive me if I am wrong, but doesn't the Quran prohibit the consumption of alcohol?

Some have selective memories, but some selective religious practises, I suppose.

What do you not eat?

Alcoholic

 

Both the photos above were taken on a Sunday. One in the afternoon & one in the evening. Both of them quickly earned me the title "alcoholic", as I posted them on facebook. It's amazing how much two simple images can put such an imagination into people's head. 

Little did they know, the cocktail (which I loosely called Sangria) had 70% orange juice, apple juice, orange, apple and 30% red wine & Grand Marnier. On Saturday, my sister bought a bottle of red wine, which tasted bad (& had even worse after taste). Instead of forcing it down our throat, I decided to make a cocktail out it. I had two glasses of it, over the period of 3 hours. Later that night, as we were eating in a German Bistro (which played ESPN Live way too loud), I wanted to try a German beer, but unfortunate Belgium won & I had Leffe Blond. Of which, I had a bottle. 

So 2 glasses of cocktail & 1 bottle of beer, had earned me the title "alcoholic".

How often do we assume, without asking the simpliest question?

p/s I am not promoting the consumption of alcohol on a daily basis, but anything done in moderation is acceptable. Many of us (including me), have seen or experienced how alcoholism breaks-up families & destroys careers.

Food Critics

This entry is not about Roti Jala or Chicken Curry. It's about food bloggers.

Over the past months, I have been reading various food blogs as a preparation for my own food blog & to plan marketing strategies with food bloggers.

With technology, individuals with camera think they are photographers. Individuals with a blog, think they are writers. Right at the top are food bloggers, who think they are food critics.

If an individual wants to criticize a restaurant or cafe or pub, they should at least do some research on food they are not familiar with. For example, you don't order Chicken Fried Steak (or Country Fried Steak) & complain:
1. It's not chicken? or 
2. The steak is not grilled ?

I almost embarrassed myself, thinking that the restaurant served me risotto instead pasta when the description said "served on orzo pasta". It was Valentine's & kept my complains to zero, luckily.

Saying that I am totally impressed with some food bloggers, for their attention to details, the passion & patience. Just wish, one day I can reach there.

You know who you are.

Are you a food critic too?

Pre Order

You hear about it, you read about it & when you are finally there, you go "so?". The scones were good, but not great. On the other hand, ambiance, cool weather, birds chirping away and company certainly made the journey worth travelling. 

This entry is not about the scones, but it's about the pre-order concept at The Smokehouse Restaurant, Fraser's Hill. As were enjoying our afternoon tea, we decided to book a table for dinner & we were introduced to this new concept (at least to us) of "pre-ordering your dinner a day before". Perhaps they were understaffed, perhaps they are being a snob or perhaps ...

Whatever the reason is behind the "pre-order food" concept, it's unacceptable. Specially when we were served mediocre food at above-the-average price. 

Unless someone as passionate as the pioneers saves The Smokehouse Restaurant, it's glory days will be gone forever. 

Do you have any peculiar restaurant policies to share ?

Food Crawl #1

This was the first Food Crawl which I had organized for a client of mine. With 18 bloggers & 6 venues in a single night, it wasn't easy as I thought it would be. 

The night went well, with no major hick ups. There was a delay after the third venue, but besides the 15 mins delay which finally added up to a delay 30 mins at the end, it was fun :)

And the bloggers were :
My story

Aly's Wonderland
Have Your Cake & Eat It Too
Brought Up 2 Share 
PureGlutton
theQGuides.com
Ipoh Mali Talak Sombong!
QuiRkY Malaysia 
You Got Me FLIPPING!!!
PieCe oF My MinD
Marcky.My (That Thing I Do)
You Get What You Give
MICHAEL YIP | 叶志坚
Babe in the City - KL

Food4Thot

Thanks to ALL of you for your time & participation.

See you at the next Food Crawl?

Light Lunches

Not that anyone would have noticed, but I have not blogged for a week. With my days packed with back to back meetings, I barely have time to have lunch, even less time to blog.

My love for food does not allow me to go on a diet but occasionally I get to eat light healthy lunches. This is not due to discipline or anything near that nature, but merely because I don't have the time to eat. Therefore, I will settle for sandwiches or salad & continue to work while having my lunch. Work is my only distraction to eating.

For me, the best diet plan has been : work.

Do you even bother going on a diet ?

TV Dinner

Occasionally I try to eat healthy (refer to the sandwich, not the wine) at home, for a few reasons:

1. I eat rather rich/unhealthy food outside

2. I don't spend enough time at the gym

3. Healthy meals are easier to prepare (most of the time)

This blog is not about healthy food, but it's about TV Dinners. With our busy lifestyle (work & pleasure), families rarely have dinner like how it used to be. We get back when we want to get back home. We stay late at the office. We get stuck in the jam & the list goes on & on. 

I am guilty as charged as well. The only time we (my sister, my nephew & I) get to eat together is over the weekend(occasionally). As much as I still like to party over the weekend, I look forward to this simple (oh well, depends on who is cooking & how many guest we have) dinner we have at home. It's the only time we spend quality time together. Food certainly bring friends & family together, in this part of the world.

 Perhaps one day, it will all be TV Dinners. 

How often do you eat at home, with your family?

In Search Of ...

One favorite pastime for Malaysian certainly is eating & some of us will go all out for the best of something. For example, some of us are willing to travel all the way to Klang for Bak Kut Teh, which apparently is the birthplace of Bak Kut Teh, but we are not going get into that debate today.
 

If it's Hainanese Chicken Ball Rice, we are willing make a weekend trip to Malacca. I can't really tell the difference between the Bak Kut Teh in KL compared to the ones in Klang, but I would certainly travel all the way to Malacca for the Hainanese Chicken Ball Rice (plus the fact that they have Satay Celup, Nyonya food & Portuguese Baked Fish).

My current search is for the best Crispy Pork Rice.  Criteria:

1. Crispy on the outside

2. Tender & moist on the inside

3. Tasty oil rice (the "chicken rice" rice)

4. Clean restaurant is a bonus :)

Sounds simple & yet I have not found my perfect Crispy Pork Rice. The reason there is no rice in the picture above is because the restaurant ran out of "chicken rice" rice & I did not want to have it with plain white rice. Yes, I am fussy.

Have you found your perfect Crispy Pork Rice?

Banana Leaf Rice & Dining Etiquette

I was told that my photos ain't that good. This is the best I can do with my phone & photography skills, but this post is not about my photography skills. 

Being a Malaysian & an Indian, I must have my monthly(or more) dosage of Banana Leaf Rice. The two important factors in choosing the venue are : cleanliness & choice of freshly prepared dishes (ideally prepared ala minute).

Here, I was, at my favorite Sunday Banana Leaf Rice restaurant. As I was early, I had to wait for my sister, giving me a lot of time to observe the rest of the patron. As usual, there were more non Indian patron compared to Indian patron, perhaps it is because of the neighbourhood. I am not complaining, but merely an observation. At a table, a Chinese man was teaching this young son on how to fold the banana leaf after he finishes his meal. The right way is to fold the leaf towards yourself, to indicate that you like (appreciate) the meal. I was also thought that you fold the leaf away from you when you are eating at a funeral. 

The next debate is "to eat with fingers or fork & spoon". I used to live with an Australian that constantly say that a civilized person should eat with fork & spoon, and this same person walks around the house in his underpants. I am pretty sure man started wearing pants way before he started using fork & spoon to eat, & I rest my case. When you are in an Indian restaurant or house, you are not required to eat with your fingers, but I believe one is required to respect the Indian tradition of eating with fingers. It's not about being civilized, but it's about tradition & dining etiquette.

Do you have any dining etiquette to share ?