Seafood Lover's Heaven

Mmm, if I had to become a vegetarian, I would become a flexitarian or a pescatarian in a heartbeat! Seafood is more easily digested than any red meats. Fish is quite versatile; you can prepare it in a slow cooker (for soups), on the grill, in a pot (for fish curry or in the style of steamed fish), or even baking it in the oven. If you are confused by "fish curry", look up Tom Yum soup on allrecipe.com; it's Thai and it's a bit spicy and sour. If you want to make a fish curry paste from scratch, here are some of the basic spices and ingredients: tomatoes (crushed/diced), tumeric, ground almond (helps thicken the sauce), cumin, coriander, chillies, lemon grass, galangal, and a titch of lime juice. Laziest way? Buy a packet of Ibrahim's fish curry sauce. Sh, don't tell others I cheat sometimes.

Yesterday, I stumbled across Billingsdale Seafood Market for the very first time! The place smells deliciously fishy!! Their Catch of the Day for fish and chips is to die for. Now, I know where to buy my fish and have a yummy seafood lunch. Other places to melt in seafood heaven: Wok King (in Chinatown; it's very hidden right next to Garden Bakery) and Save-On Foods' pre-marinated/pre-prepared raw seafood aisle. If fish guts soup doesn't sound gory, you are in the right place at an authentic Chinese restaurant.

People often wondered why the communal dorm kitchen smelled fishy. I love fish.

H1N1

Running out of masks? H1N1 Ninja to the rescue..... Hyuh! Best part? It fits under your glasses.
Disclaimer: Unused garments are highly recommended.

So What - Miles Davis

I played this song for one of the RCM Grade 8 etudes/study pieces.

There is a contest going on at work, geared towards the United Way fundraising campaign. If selected, I get to perform at the September 30 United Way kick-off, where 'celebrity judges' will pick the most talented "banker". I suppose I could've played Beethoven's Sonata in G Major, Op. 49, 2nd movement, but it needs to be shorter than 3 minutes. The original recording of So What is a lot more spontaneous than what was written in the Hal Leonard Jazz piano series. I can't wait to see what others would do if they do decide to participate. Who knows... maybe a closet magician.. or maybe a singer or a dancer. Meanwhile, I'm just another ordinary bank teller.

A Simple Affair with Food

Spices are my colour palettes when it comes to food. Making a curry paste from scratch is a lot of fun, but can be a lot of work. Being a modern day lazy girl, however, I don't use the mortar and pestle to grind the spices together -- just like my grandma did. The food processor cuts the length of 3 hours into less than 1 hour. Sometimes, even the simplest combination of spices can change the way you eat food. I just discovered that paprika is such a versatile spice! You can use it to brown ground beef and chicken (in lieu of black pepper) or you can use it to make a huge pot of chilli.

Since I am no longer in school, I have all the luxurious time to experiment with cooking. The inspiration, of course, usually comes from eating my boyfriend's Oma's cooking, watching cooking shows and browsing various recipes online. We can watch as many cooking shows as we can, but it is only practice that makes us better cooks. There are so many reasons why we should try to eat home-cooked meals everyday: you can have a lot of fun shopping for fresh ingredients weekly at the local farmer's market -- which surprisingly is a lot cheaper than buying from grocery stores. YOU have control of what you put into your meal; also, it allows room to be creative and fun while it helps leave less carbon footprint for the environment.

The daunting part, however, is usually the number of people you are cooking for. I find it unmotivating to cook for just myself -- heaps of leftovers every day for the next few days... hurrah! But then, it solves the problem of having to go out for lunch when you're on a strict budget.

Some spices are best taken uncooked; a holistic doctor told me that if you were to drink water mixed with a quarter teaspoon of tumeric powder, its enzymes will help kill any bacterial infection in the intestines. Cumin seed goes well with your tea for good health. Without further due, here was what I did to the chicken drumsticks with paprika:

-Marinate with salt and pepper and paprika; the paprika gives it a sweet red pepper zest to it
-Brown the chicken in two tablespoonfuls of heated olive oil for at least more than 20 minutes, until thoroughly cooked through
- Add a splash of sherry cooking wine and a sprinkle of brown sugar at the near end.

My boyfriend was complaining that he doesn't like brown rice, so I did something different: add a bit of chicken broth while cooking the rice. There are many exciting ways to prepare rice -- it can be boiled, fried or steamed; to make curry fried rice: fry it in a pan using approximately one tablespoonful of curry powder (or tumeric powder, cumin seed, coriander, tad bit of red chilli, lemongrass) along with a bit of yoghurt or coconut milk; if you don't like the heatiness of curry, you can always wind it down further with a sprinkle of sugar. Alternatively, simply adding just a bit of coconut milk when you are boiling your rice gives it a nice flavour too. Then, you can always prepare rice in jambalaya -- the perfect hearty one-pot dish to have for the week. In the case of adding too much water and broth while making rice, you will end up with a delicious congee.

Cooking doesn't have to be restaurant grade to be good; it just has to be nourishing and wholesome for your body and mind.

Bakeries: Today's Endangered Shops

Growing up in a small town, my family has always made frequent visits to the local bakery. It was a schoolmate's family business. Back then, you had the choice between buying baked goods from Jee Ho Hin, Tasty Shop, Sea View department store or Smart (which is now SupaSave). B$1.00 for a fresh big loaf of bread from Jee Ho Hin. If you wanted something quick for an afternoon tea, there would be butter buns, curry puff, egg tarts, red bean buns.... It was the bakery my family would go to for years on birthdays until Moi Nam and Marilyn bakeries opened. Bakeries still thrive in my hometown; they are popular hangout places in a very laid back country. WYWY offers a range of baked goods to "nasi lemak" to satay. I dare say they have the best satay in town at the moment. What can we say? Bruneians love to eat and the food is very affordable.

Sadly, in Edmonton where it isn't really fair to compare to any small towns at all, independently owned bakeries are rare. Once they close, they will never open again. Their competitors: Costco, Walmart and other retail grocery stores which offer convenience and fresh baked goods in bulk. At the same time, coffee shops can be an indirect form of competition. If you are willing to pay $5.00 for a fancy venti non-fat something-something latte, why not spend that $5 for a decent cup of plain coffee and freshly baked pastry?

118th Avenue may have a bad reputation in the city for being the hot spot for tramps and johns, but it is home to a community of many independently owned authentic shops. Handy Bakery (8660 118 Avenue) is one of the best Italian bakeries I have ever been to. The cookies literally melts in your mouth into cookie heaven; Cookie Monster could probably have tasted them even though he were to inhale them. There is a deli section for sandwich meats; you can get a freshly made sandwich for $3.00.

Another bakery to check out is Empress Bakery on Whyte Avenue. There were more bakeries on Whyte Avenue, but they slowly disappeared as Whyte Ave became more urban.

Baking is an art; when it is mass-produced, it becomes rather efficient, dull and wasteful. Let your senses be simulated: the smell of freshly baked danishes, the taste that screams the passion and the love of baking, the texture of quality baked goods that crumbles vulnerably in your mouth and the sight of perfectly decorated pastries. Feel free to explore! Add your favourite local bakeries by dropping on comment on this article. Bon appetit!

Car Shopping

It is true: never go car shopping alone. They will rip you to shreds until you get hypnotized to their sales push. Shopping for a used car has never been more stressful; so many options, but yet difficult to find out the actual conditions of a used car.

The sleazy salesman strategies/trick(s) that I have witnessed so far: they get to know you by finding out what your first name is; try to find what your budget or payment schedule is (so that they have better bargaining power); exaggerate the strength of any vehicle and encourage you to take it for a test drive.

A car is a very tricky investment: it depreciates very quickly. Then, there are projected expenses that comes with a car. Sigh, shopping for your very first car takes a lot of research. Buying a new vehicle can be an option, but I wish I printed out the prices quoted on carcostcanada.com prior to visiting a dealership. The price quoted was much higher than the manufacturer's suggested retail price. Buying a car is like playing a game of poker, I suppose. Show no emotions. Show little excitement.

Life at a stand still

Wait, this is a threshold where life shifts its gears
It is a brand new exciting year:
A turning point, where each moment lingers... new experiences to give a sense of wonder

Yet, when it slows down, someone please help put that frown back on upside down
It feels like life is standing still
when there are hopes and dreams to fulfill --
What has happened to finding ways when there's a will?

Trying to hold the world like an oyster in my hands;
Perhaps, it takes patience like finding the right man
But the candle has only so much wax for hope to keep burning
I am still waiting....

Sauerkraut Chocolate Cake

2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda

Combine these, then cream:
2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Add: 1 cup coffee
2/3 cup sauerkraut rinsed & chopped fine

Add liquids to dry ingredients. Mix well. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes. Cool.

Frosting: 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
3 Tbsp icing sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp vanilla

__________________________________________________________
Notes: I personally have not tried this recipe, but it is my boyfriend's mom's recipe.

A Piano Concert Review

(Much thanks to Lianne P for the ESO tickets! I was able to write this review for an applied music course.)

On January 31, 2009, I had the greatest pleasure to watch the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra’s Keyboard Masterpieces in concert.

MOZART
Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat Major, K271 "Jeunnehomme" (32’)*
Allegro
Andantino
Rondeau: Presto[1]

Sara Davis Buechner performed an intricate Mozart’s three-movement piano concerto. It was amazing how the piano soloist could remain in perfect timing with the orchestra throughout three different tempos. Every trill and ornament played during the concerto was very graceful and elegant; there were a lot of trills in the Allegro movement; there was a sense of youth in the first movement. Also it was very rewarding to be able to observe what the song was going to unfold by watching the pianist’s facial expressions. This was evident in the second movement in C minor; it was as if I was watching an opera singer singing a sad aria. It was very dramatic; there was a change in character. You could tell there must have been something tragic happening during this movement. Observing character changes between different movements during this piano concerto has helped me with interpreting the songs I have been playing as a classical pianist.

The highlight of the piano concerto No. 9 in E-flat Major was the transition between Andantino to Rondeau. The dance sharply contrasts the mood from Andantino. There was a great and glorious emphasis of repetitive patterns in the dance movement. There is a passionate story behind the pianist’s interpretive playing; that story was worthwhile listening to.

Overall, the concert was very inspiring. It made me realize how countless hours of practicing can be very rewarding. There is a story to tell in every song. It is the story that people would love to listen to, rather than just paying attention to the techniques alone.

---

[1] http://www.edmontonsymphony.com/SeasonTickets/200809Repertoire/ProgramNotes/tabid/420/EntryID/20/Default.aspx

Duck Fight!

World Wrestling of Ducks, Wedgewood, Kelowna BC -- during reading break in February 2009. I'm not entirely sure what the ducks were fighting about; perhaps it was over a piece of bread.

"BAILOUT": the most loosely used word today

Domino's Pizza is having a Super Big Taste Bailout. "We know times are hard, it's a reality we are all facing," says [Dave] Brandon, [CEO]. "But I didn't go to Washington to ask for a bailout. Instead, we are giving one. I'm proud to be able to offer our consumers a promotion with such a great deal on pizza. By adding our oven baked sandwiches to the mix we are further increasing the number of taste varieties to the offering." (Yahoo Finance)

After watching the TV commercial on Fox TV, I can't help but roll my eyes and yet be amazed at such a genius marketing campaign. People will tend to reduce their fine $300 dining to something cheaper -- guess what, pizza just so happens to be convenient and decently affordable. When there are so many pizza eateries competing for market share, you need a good strategy to bait your customers.

Hearing the word "bail-out" being used loosely makes me cringe. First, in basic economic terms, it is an "economic stimulus package". I understand it is a lengthy phrase to use, but "bail" kind of rhymes with "jail" -- it somewhat leaves a bad taste in my ears; it might connote free money when it's taxpayers' money. Of course, most of you would have heard about the recent AIG executives' compensation scandal by now. Nevertheless, when the average North American is hooked on tabloid news, it's so easy for people to sensationalize the state of the economy. Little do they know when the media delivers unnecessary bad news, they are playing with fire: economic confidence can be dwindling further. There is a fine line between telling the truth and dressing up the facts with feather boa and stiletto heels. Sadly though, the reality is: bad news sell.

All of a sudden, it is super cool to be frugal again. Many companies are adjusting their marketing campaigns accordingly. Maybe this recession should bring us a reality check. Do we really need what we want? I know things are so much cheaper now, compared with prices during the boom periods. We, however, need to realize we are living in a demand-driven society. If the manufacturer receives very few orders, based on our purchasing habits, for a particular item, it would not be profitable for them to produce so much. There is about 80% over-capacity in the auto industry; cars are not going to sell when people have less disposable income during a recession.

Having a quick glance at DPZ's (Domino's Pizza) Dec 2008 financials, they are not doing too shabby financially; they have decent liquidity ratios. Present economic times will still present some challenges for DPZ, but it would not be as major as most would think. I think the CEO's quoted comment is cute/smart: you can't really compare food industry to the auto nor financial industry. (Different industries do well at different cycles of the economy; different goods have different values in price.) So, the usage of the term "bailout", in this case, is meant to create hype.

Are we going to see a recovery? Yes, I would hope so. I believe it will recover, in time. It will take time for my generation to build net worth and invest in equity. The growth might not be as significant as it was when Baby Boomers were holding onto their stocks, but it is not the end of the world. The Andex charts can prove it.

Two Queens in Chess Titans?

I would be ecstatic if you could resurrect another queen when your pawn advances to the other side. This game is so newbie friendly! I have been in competitive chess tournaments where you swear the clock is going way too fast for you and where "a touch is a move". I am not learning anything by undo-ing all my moves all the time, but hey, I can beat the computer! Look:

Chapter 20

Image found on flickr.com

This poem was written when I visited Brunei when I was 20. I had completely forgotten about this poem, but it still remains in my room. This poem brings back quite similar sentiments at Chapter 24, being once again back in my hometown.... It's funny how old poems never fail to re-inspire and help validate the person you always have been. Happy New Year, everyone!
(A poem by Cynthia Chiew, written on 20th July 2004, at 11.00pm)

CHAPTER 20
Each stage in life
has its commas,
question and exclamation marks!
Bend the pages
You can't go back but
You reminisce
Each chapter, each story,
smile and laughter
Hold your breath,
There are more chapters
Awaiting a happy ending ...