After 20 years...


Last July, I found an old friend. We met when we were teenagers and lived not too far from each other in my hometown. We met through our fathers. Her father was my Dad's former boss in the Ministry of Youth & Sports. For some reason, I never remembered my Dad's bosses but Lin's father stood out. He was a strict but fair supervisor and my Dad always spoke very highly of him. After Lin moved back to West Malaysia, we did keep in touch for a while but didn't do so for many years after.

Now, back to July 2007. I was waiting for my father-in-law near the check-in counter at Newark Liberty Airport when a young lady walked by me several times. She looked familiar but for some foolish reason I thought, "No! It can't be her. Can it be her?" She still has that same youthful look of 15 years ago." Then, I told myself, "Serene, if you don't ask her, you'll regret it forever. You would have missed this one good opportunity to reconnect with an old friend!"

Holding that thought, I walked up to her and asked, "Are you Lin? Lin Idrus?!" The moment she said "Yes", it was like a dream come true. What are the odds of meeting again after all these years?! And, of all places - the airport, where thousands of people poured in and out of its gates on a daily basis. It seemed like "somebody-up-there" had arranged for us to bump into each other again. Thank you!

Unfortunately, Lin had to check-in soon. She was on the same flight as my father-in-law. We quickly exchanged e-mail addresses and I learned that she was in the final year of her doctorate program at Harvard. Lin is one of the smartest person I know and it's no surprise that she studied in three Ivy League Colleges in the eastern seaboard, with the exception of Princeton. Yes, I'm dropping a major hint here for you, Lin. I'm expecting you back in New Jersey after a couple of years in NUS.

So, we kept in touch - on and off. I'm kinda bad at it but vowed never to allow one score minus five to pass before meeting again. When Lin e-mailed about a month ago, telling me that her parents will be making a short trip to NJ/NYC, I jumped at the chance to get together.

We FINALLY met last week. It was like the years never went by. We picked up where we left-off immediately. I supposed true friendship is an eternal enigma that withstands time and distance. We brought Lin, Uncle Idrus & Auntie Asmah to Spanish Tavern for dinner. Indeed, there was some major catching-up to do. The night went by so quickly and I didn't want it to end. Adrian had never met them before and yet they hit it off so well!

From left to right: Uncle Idrus, Auntie Asmah, Lin, me & Adrian

We shared two Paella dishes between the four of us. The portion - huge! Thank goodness our waiter suggested that we share.

Auntie Asmah's trout in pignoli sauce. Good choice!

Psst!!!
Uncle Idrus is also a blogger. In blogspot.com, he is simply known as Pak Blogger Idrus and keeps an interesting account of his daily life in Malaysia and also, of his travels and other socio-political issues. I've added his blog in passing - malaysian to my daily reads.

Perhaps our next reunion will be in Ampang, Kuching or here in NJ? Who knows but it was really, really good to see you all again.

Baking Itch


Every now and then, I get the itch to bake. Especially after a hiatus. My baking inspiration this time comes from Martha Stewart's Everyday Baking. Yes, I am a big fan of David Barricelli because he makes baking fun and simple. I love all the baking gadgets and utensils in the Everyday Baking kitchen.

For this recipe, click here. Frosted Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes - it's very easy to make and taste yummy! It's a big hit too. Normally, my cupcakes tend to sink in the middle. But, this recipe seems fool-proof. I've baked them for the past 2 weeks and it comes out well each time.

Apparently the ice-cream scoop is supposed to help prevent mess but I still managed to make a mess out of it. Spots of choc batter all over the muffin tray.

Light cream cheese frosting is easy to spread but not my favorite though

Ok, so I lied. I got carried away and made some brownies along the way. My baking itch usually spills over to a second offering. Can't help it!

Stradsburg Rail Road & Rail Road Museum of Pennsylvania

Trains, trains, and more trains! That's the theme of the day. Our overnight stay at Lancaster County began at the Stradsburg Rail Road and the Rail Road Museum of Pennsylvania. The weather was gloomy and it rained on and off. When we arrived at Stradsburg Rail Road, it was still overcast but the rain had stopped. Hurrah!

We bought our tickets for the 45 minute ride at the station and waited at platform #6: open-air carriage.


Here comes the conductor. Ticket stubs, please!

You gotta love the reversible seats!

Rail Road Museum of Pennsylvania - where we saw trains of all shapes and sizes. I suffered from train overdose very quickly. But, the most enjoyable part for me was the train ride :)

Another train passed by...



Through Lancaster County's country side, farms and Maize Maze...

Wake up in Lancaster County

"Wake up in Lancaster County" is the tag line of the Lancaster Tourism website. And, that is exactly what we did over the July 4th weekend. Yes, we visited the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country.

Now, first order of business is to clarify common misconception about the word "Dutch". Dutch in this context means German or Deutsch, and it refers to the descendants of German immigrants who came over to Pennsylvania before the 18th Century. So, it has nothing to do with windmills, milkmaids and wooden clogs.

Lancaster County is the perfect example of how modern lifestyle could co-exist with the minimalist i.e. Amish way of life. It is possible to give up our worldly luxuries and still survive, but not many would do that. I think it is difficult to live like an Amish if you're not born one.

Buggies everywhere. One of the most unique sights around Lancaster County. One horse buggy cost around 6K these days. Just like our car, it is also custom-fitted to meet the needs of the buyer.

We are told by our guide that an Amish woman probably has 3-4 outfits throughout their lives. Single women wear white caps while married women wear black caps. Their hair is center parted and pulled tightly into a bun. Amish men and women also do not wear jewelry, wedding ring included. Buttons are only permitted for single women. Married women use pins to hold their aprons and dress together. Ouch!

Amish boys are into roller-blades! Interesting to know that their shirts have no pockets.

Widowed Amish women wore black for a year after the death of their husbands. You could tell that there's no such thing as the Macy's One-Day, Weekly, Mid-Year and Year-End sales for them!

Amish ladies are good with their hands; from baking to sewing. They make the most beautiful quilts. The Amish Bible is in German. When they die, their bodies must be embalmed and their coffin - plain and simple, no adornments and intricate designs.

Farming is their way of life. Is that an Amish cigar?!

Amish children go to a typical one room school and their education ends at Grade 8. Between 16-18 years old, they are allowed to experience our "world", a phase they refer to as rumspringer.

What's unique in Lancaster County? Covered bridges and shoo-fly pie!

What if Mary & Joseph were Amish? We found an artist's interpretation while exploring Lancaster. Also, we came across an old gas pump in the village of Intercourse. Haven't seen one of these in a while :)

While we were driving around the country side, we chanced upon a yard sale. Bought some jams and Chow Chow from an Amish family. The jam was exceptional! I regretted not buying more. This will be an excuse to come back. After all, it's only 2 hours from New Jersey.

Coming up: Stradsburg Rail Road..Choo-choo!

IFT New Orleans (Part II)

Riverboat Casino

Of course, not all of Adrian's trip was work related. He took a short tour of the City late in the afternoon. Adrian's last visit to New Orleans was during his college days ;) Perhaps, he didn't remember much after the follies of New Year's Eve many years ago. It's not a bad idea to revisit.

Celebrity Homes & Restaurants

Brad Pitt's former home (as we all know, Brangelina ditched New Orleans for France)

The Lalaurie House which is Nicholas Cage's house. By the way, it's haunted. Perhaps, just right for a Ghost Rider.

Renowned voodoo practitioner, Marie Laveau's house

Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville

Emeril's Restaurant, Nola

Snippets around New Orleans

The Cornstalk Hotel once accommodated guests such as author Harriet B. Stowe (Uncle Tom's Cabin), Hillary & Bill Clinton, Elvis Presley, etc.

St. Louis Cathedral

Creole House with lots of windows to see the tax collector and avoid him, of course!

Jean Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, which is also New Orleans' oldest bar. Not very fancy, ain't it?!

Louisiana State Museum (also, the Cabildo) where the Louisiana Purchase was signed

Another haunted hotel

Funky Pirate Blues Club

St. Anthony's Garden - love the shadow effect!

Around Bourbon Street

Bourbon Street Striptease Shop

Day scenes...



Night scenes...



Dinner at Coop's Place

Jambalaya Supreme at Coop's (recommended by the buggy guide)

Maybe, I'll get to go to New Orleans one of these days.

Short talk: It's Independence Day again. We went away to Strasburg and Lancaster County, Pennsylvania for the past two days. Yes, home of the Amish and covered bridges. A welcome respite after a hectic work week. Last Sunday afternoon, we received a jolt from our daily lull. Once again, we were reminded of the fragility of our mere mortal life. TJ, a dear friend of ours, passed away from sudden heart failure on earlier that morning. We attended his wake last Tuesday and bade him farewell for the last time. It was tough to see TJ's wife at such a sad and unexpected moment. Adrian had just talked to TJ 10 hours earlier and our friends who saw him at Mass less than 6 hours before his passing, were even more shocked. We were numbed from the news for 2 days until we saw him lying there, so stately in the funeral home. TJ, thank you for being such a good friend to us for the past 3 years. Saturday Mass will be strange in the coming weeks although life must go on. It'll take time for everyone to adjust to your empty seat, and most of all we shall miss you very much. Rest in peace.


IFT 2008 New Orleans (Part I)


Adrian attended the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Expo in New Orleans last Monday. Being new in this industry, his Boss thought that it'll be a good idea to expose him to some of the players of the food/flavor industry. Not a bad idea at all, I reckoned!

Oh, yes. I forgot to mention that Adrian changed jobs three weeks ago and works for Symrise now. It was a whirlwind business trip and his "tour" of the Expo began as soon as he touched down at the airport.

Let the fun and sampling begin.

Mmmm....food. What's cooking?

So this is what it is :)

Nice :) An interesting combo.

Raspberry scones, anyone? I'm sure the Queen doesn't mind.

Rolls - probably sweet but who knows? Adrian didn't taste it.

Chicken Jambalaya

Mini BBQ Beef Sandwiches but it's vegetarian?!

Some of the IFT Exhibitors

Here's one familiar brand name, in spite of all the bad rep

Another brand that is commonly found in most Asian kitchens

An old but trusted brand - Morton

Who knew? My brother's favorite soy sauce

For lovers of the fiery sauce - Tabasco

Some samples: thumb-size salt & pepper shakers from Morton, cinnamon gum, soy lip balm, Tamari sauces and wheat free crisps in Cajun and Szechuan flavors

Unfortunately, not all of the Exhibitors felt that there's a need to be competitive or as we like to call it in Malaysia and Singapore "kiasu".

Most Simplistic Award

Malaysian Palm Oil Board Booth. Hardly any samples and literature on the table. Just two lazy guys who wouldn't even stand up to talk to their only visitor. Tsk, tsk!

Most Slumber Award

To: Nanjing Foreign Economic and Trade Development Co. Ltd.

We visited your booth at the IFT Expo in New Orleans recently and your staff was not very co-operative in answering our questions. All we got was a snoring reply.

Sincerely,
John Doe & Co.