tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3705251430670374282024-03-14T15:18:46.915+08:00a feast, everydayA meal,
however humble,
when eaten with gratitude,
becomes a feasta feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.comBlogger289125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-41976313385491558602009-09-11T13:28:00.002+08:002009-09-11T21:50:29.388+08:00Tomita Farm @ Nakafurano<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3521/3886138117_ef4735fd6e.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3521/3886138117_ef4735fd6e.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>I have had so much trouble in putting out this post and the only reason was too many pictures to choose from. It took a long time to decide which to post. It is all about flowers, flowers and more flowers. We went totally head over heel in love with this place and I think for once none of us were complaining about hunger as our senses were so filled with the wonders of colors and scents.<div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2531/3886735814_7b205cef32.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 444px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2531/3886735814_7b205cef32.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div><div>From Furano we took the JR sightseeing 'Norocco-go' train to the special 'Lavender Station' which only operates during the summer months. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2457/3886742614_7e2259e4bd.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2457/3886742614_7e2259e4bd.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>An old steam train but refurbished into a very quaint automobile made this short trip very disneyland-like.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2495/3885940131_a2a76c8070.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2495/3885940131_a2a76c8070.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 410px; " /></a></div><div>The sunflower field along the Furano-Narafurano route.</div><div><div><br /></div></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2629/3885946863_362c9282fc.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 404px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2629/3885946863_362c9282fc.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>This station only operates during the two summer months, June and July.</div><div>Only the Norocco-go train stops here. If taking a normal JR train, get off at Naka Furano station and it takes about 25 minutes to walk to the farm.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2656/3886760250_8a67472309.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 343px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2656/3886760250_8a67472309.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>About three minutes walk from the Lavender Station will bring you to Tomita Farm, a paradise for all flowers lovers.</div><div>Entrance to the farm is free and you can wander around at your own pace. Besides the flower fields, there are many other attractions like the Hanabito House, Dried Flowers House, Potpourri House, Perfume House, Green House and a distillery workshop.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2578/3886754324_8a19f7d1c6.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 368px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2578/3886754324_8a19f7d1c6.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>These were the first flowers that greeted us. Despite the rainy weather and cloudy sky, it gladdened our hearts to see such a lovely sight. </div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2568/3906269078_a21fc0e58b.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2568/3906269078_a21fc0e58b.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px; " /></a></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is the most well known image of this farm - the rainbow field which is created by rows of different flowers and herbs planted on a gentle rolling hill. This image is made famous when they were used in the nationwide Japan Railway calender.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2525/3886967112_a08fba373e.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2525/3886967112_a08fba373e.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 457px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>The wheat plants created a golden hue for the rainbow field.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3450/3886166725_9c405c1cff.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3450/3886166725_9c405c1cff.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 499px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>These provided the lilac shade,</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2545/3906269104_3bb16e6932.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2545/3906269104_3bb16e6932.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>Another shade of purple.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2572/3906269066_5feb48d20f.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2572/3906269066_5feb48d20f.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>And a sea of white.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2556/3886764588_8a9a5cd6f9.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2556/3886764588_8a9a5cd6f9.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 490px; " /></a></div><div>The entire farm was blanketed in rainbow colors and the air perfumed with the most relaxing and refreshing fragrance of the lavender.</div><div>Lavender bushes in a field was mesmerizing, visually and aromatically, felt like I have arrived in heaven. It was a feast for the eyes, mind and soul.</div><div>I felt we arrived at the farm a week too late as the lavender were beginning to wilt and ready to be harvested. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3480/3886912944_8e4c7b65a1.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3480/3886912944_8e4c7b65a1.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 286px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>But I managed to find a few newly bloomed stalks. Individually, a stalk of lavender exudes exquisite aura and delicate sweetness. An amazing display of wonder of nature but such short life span... </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2438/3886903448_3a9d6d6160.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2438/3886903448_3a9d6d6160.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 341px; " /></a></div><div>Caught this young budding photographer in action. He was so totally engrossed with his endeavor, he didn't realize I was shooting him. The flowers do have that effect on most of us...</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2613/3886140401_fc3bc41a3a.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2613/3886140401_fc3bc41a3a.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 354px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>Except for these two beauties who were happily competing with the blooms...</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2446/3886155483_a0af051816.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2446/3886155483_a0af051816.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px; " /></a></div><div>Every shrub was shown the same tender loving care by the hundreds of workers scattered all over this farm.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2480/3886932300_f553e355f3.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2480/3886932300_f553e355f3.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 377px; " /></a></div><div>Young lavender plants for sale. So tempted to bring home one but knew it would not survive our environment here in Malaysia.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2586/3886126647_55ac4af53e.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2586/3886126647_55ac4af53e.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 333px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>A green house in the farm that enables visitors to witness the beauty of the lavender bloom even in the cold winter month.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3522/3886132001_ab6815f416.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3522/3886132001_ab6815f416.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 301px; " /></a></div><div>Looking out from the greenhouse.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3432/3886925912_4292f0c093.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3432/3886925912_4292f0c093.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 317px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2565/3886731496_f655c5448d.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2565/3886731496_f655c5448d.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 386px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2624/3886170741_2f0f08c985.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2624/3886170741_2f0f08c985.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 312px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3512/3886129885_35c4c4108a.jpg"><br /></a></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3504/3886971966_eae79ac906.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3504/3886971966_eae79ac906.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 380px; height: 500px; " /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3512/3886129885_35c4c4108a.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3512/3886129885_35c4c4108a.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 304px; " /></a>The many beauties in the greenhouse.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3499/3886906060_57ae84e648.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3499/3886906060_57ae84e648.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 404px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>This trip would not be complete without shopping... the potpourri house.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2423/3886910540_74aca58d49.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2423/3886910540_74aca58d49.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px; " /></a></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3612/3886942526_7f57a1bc22.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3612/3886942526_7f57a1bc22.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 333px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>Amazing display of dried flowers and plants.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2622/3886950372_e2d8991e43.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2622/3886950372_e2d8991e43.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 298px; " /></a></div><div>Dried flowers wreaths and things.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3507/3886947538_f38e6be806.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3507/3886947538_f38e6be806.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 397px; " /></a></div><div>Bouquet of dried lavender for about 1500 yen.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3495/3886899166_1cc2292663.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3495/3886899166_1cc2292663.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 500px; " /></a>Look what I found!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3478/3886104147_8148f7bdf5.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3478/3886104147_8148f7bdf5.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3478/3886104147_8148f7bdf5.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 333px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>and me too....</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3529/3906269076_d1497ff33e.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3529/3906269076_d1497ff33e.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 349px; " /></a></div><div>And many other spin-off products of lavender.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3517/3886176873_7c5163aa4e.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3517/3886176873_7c5163aa4e.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 249px; " /></a></div><div>Another famous produce of Hokkaido and also of Tomita farm... the rock melons.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2495/3885855449_da273a5228.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2495/3885855449_da273a5228.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 305px; " /></a></div><div>Ultra sweet and succulent... definitely lived up to it's reputation and price.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3107/3886914364_8a3c37f672.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3107/3886914364_8a3c37f672.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 312px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>Sweet sweet indulgence...rock melon ice-cream</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2424/3886921022_e6d908672f.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2424/3886921022_e6d908672f.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 428px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>and lavender ice-cream.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3510/3886912236_6c0d7d4545.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3510/3886912236_6c0d7d4545.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 330px; " /></a></div><div>A simple lunch but one of the best potato croquette I have ever had.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3469/3906269086_a3b37b28ee.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3469/3906269086_a3b37b28ee.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 347px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>These and...</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2644/3906269096_da5e4f1d49.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2644/3906269096_da5e4f1d49.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 475px; " /></a></div><div>these to further brighten your day! </div><div>Have a lovely weekend.</div></div></div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-19070543722149113292009-08-24T13:28:00.001+08:002009-08-27T06:18:57.870+08:00Daisetsuzan, Hokkaido<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 313px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2441/3811729264_8ce0918835.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div>Mui Fong did most of the research for places of interest n Hokkaido before we set off. She insisted on visiting this National Park. She read that this place is most beautiful in Summer and coldest in winter.</div><div>We took a train from Furano to Asahikawa, the second largest city after Sapporo in Hokkaido. From there we hopped on to a bus at Asahikawa JR Station which took us for a scenic one and a half hour ride to Asahidate Station. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2609/3843771925_10b85c09dd.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2609/3843771925_10b85c09dd.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 290px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2468/3811670118_c4b34bd5cc.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2468/3811670118_c4b34bd5cc.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 300px; " /></a>Daisetsuzan (big snow mountains) is the largest national park in Japan. This park comprises of a group of mountain ranges which includes Mt. Asahi, the tallest mountain in Hokkaido .</div><div><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2597/3810853111_6c226018e9.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2597/3810853111_6c226018e9.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 370px; " /></a></div><div><div>We took the ropeway to the Sugatami Station which cost 2800 yen per person.</div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2441/3811729264_8ce0918835.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2441/3811729264_8ce0918835.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 313px; " /></a></div><div>Mt. Asahidake. A breathtakingly rugged beautiful mountain. It is the highest peak in this mountain range. The term 'd<i>ake</i>' is used instead of '<i>san</i>' as in Fujisan is for this very reason as it is not a 'lone' mountain. It takes about two days to hike to the summit. Apparently it is not a difficult climb but the weather can be very fickle and temperature is known to dip suddenly. Just a few days before we were there, there was a group of hikers who lost their way and by the time they were found, ten died. Weather in the mountain changes very quickly and one has to be very well prepared. </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2589/3812955364_633707b07c.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></span></div></a><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3464/3811740626_cde48bb583.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 384px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3464/3811740626_cde48bb583.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Evidence of volcanic activity.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3515/3811745806_6288c10b7d.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 338px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3515/3811745806_6288c10b7d.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3535/3811749004_f9688e271d.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 298px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3535/3811749004_f9688e271d.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Steam activitiy.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2496/3810940087_015f7e5912.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 327px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2496/3810940087_015f7e5912.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Closest we could go to these sulfurous vents called fumaroles.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2549/3811720220_6867bd6222.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 336px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2549/3811720220_6867bd6222.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>A bell to warn of any unusual volcanic activity.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2661/3811713884_0fc8698a0c.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2661/3811713884_0fc8698a0c.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 333px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2670/3810903083_f0d21ebb3b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2670/3810903083_f0d21ebb3b.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Parts of the 60 minutes circular trail that begins at the ropeway's upper station.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3420/3811691204_1768662058.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 357px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3420/3811691204_1768662058.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>1st view point of the trail.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3572/3810890277_9a9f19e936.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3572/3810890277_9a9f19e936.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px; " /></a></div><div>Beautiful alpine plant along the trail.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2536/3812140015_2b05634862.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2536/3812140015_2b05634862.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>These alpine flora are small but so, so exquisitely vibrant in their colors and shapes.</div><div>Maybe they sensed the fleetingness of summer and want to make the most of it. </div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2589/3812955364_633707b07c.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2589/3812955364_633707b07c.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>These amazing beauties are found peeking from every nook of the rocky range.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3421/3843771947_09f81bf974.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3421/3843771947_09f81bf974.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 310px; " /></a></div><div>'Husband and wife' ponds</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2556/3843771939_fcb8297001.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2556/3843771939_fcb8297001.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 282px; " /></a></div><div>We encountered about five of these lovely pristine ponds along the 1.7 circular path.</div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-22781748467974740582009-08-17T13:28:00.000+08:002009-08-17T12:00:34.229+08:00Furano, Hokkaido<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 469px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2671/3803906876_cfe7106cbd.jpg" border="0" alt="" />The place where we stayed in Furano for the first two nights is called Pension Furanui. Located at the foothill of the Kitanamine ski resort and gondola station (about 5 minutes walk). About 10 minutes taxi ride from Furano train station. Location was ideal but the rooms were spartan, just 2 beds with rather thin mattresses and it cost 6900 yen per person with no meals. We had to open the window in our room to air it as there was strong cigarette smell. I won't return to stay in this place but I love the area surrounding it and would certainly return to stay if ever get another chance to visit Hokkaido. The reason we chose to stayed in Furano is because of its proximity to two destination we wanted to visit. <div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2599/3803096117_df040bf882.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2599/3803096117_df040bf882.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 361px; " /></a></div><div>There are abundance of lodgings to choose from.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2579/3814273998_479645614c.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2579/3814273998_479645614c.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Even back packers lodges.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3525/3803930038_f21d79dac1.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3525/3803930038_f21d79dac1.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 418px; " /></a></div><div>This is the gondola station for the skiers in winter. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2598/3813469503_ab4ae0502a.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2598/3813469503_ab4ae0502a.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 440px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>The ski tracks are at these hills behind the station.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2426/3813465651_257485b808.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2426/3813465651_257485b808.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 335px; " /></a><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2562/3803112989_7cac4274fb.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2562/3803112989_7cac4274fb.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 273px; " /></a></div><div>It is a very picturesque area. Reminded me of how our Kinabalu National Park could have looked like if we had taken more care of the natural environment of the place when building infrastructures.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2586/3803122271_ece844ca63.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2586/3803122271_ece844ca63.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px; " /></a></div><div>A small lavender farm 2 minutes walk from where we stayed.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2454/3803117207_9332a66764.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2454/3803117207_9332a66764.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 348px; " /></a></div><div>Viewed from the terrace of another hotel.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3520/3803102399_5a903091f2.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3520/3803102399_5a903091f2.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 336px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>Lavender bushes. It's everywhere here in Furano at this time of the year. These were found near a temple.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3600/3803915248_2c2a4a30d0.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3600/3803915248_2c2a4a30d0.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 270px; " /></a></div><div>A small temple a stone throw away from Furanui.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2443/3803921844_8084e851d7.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2443/3803921844_8084e851d7.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 342px; " /></a></div><div>A very quaint 'soto' cafe. Don't think they serve soto ayam though.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2511/3803940134_1c9ddb8df3.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2511/3803940134_1c9ddb8df3.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 442px; " /></a></div><div>I am as crazy about flowers as I am about food. This is the first one I am posting but definitely not going to be the last. Hokkaido at this time (summer) is a heaven bursting with beautiful flowers... I have more flowers shots than food shots taken here in Hokkaido.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3525/3803941902_730c7d0e42.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3525/3803941902_730c7d0e42.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 383px; " /></a></div><div>Second one and counting...</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2614/3803128481_c2d0968ebc.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2614/3803128481_c2d0968ebc.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 499px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>After the rain... it rained almost the whole time we were in Hokkaido. The rain we encountered here was very pleasant. It drizzled like fine mist, very lightly and very softly but continuously.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2575/3814286482_25f9db4f55.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2575/3814286482_25f9db4f55.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 464px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>One more for the road... These were all taken in Furano near where we stayed. </div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-66044986248112996882009-08-11T20:03:00.013+08:002009-08-11T21:31:19.778+08:00Otaru, Hokkaido<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 333px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2616/3791604964_aee976587b.jpg" border="0" alt="" />Otaru is a harbour city about half hour train ride north-west of Sapporo. It reminds me of KK, our home town but of course, a much cleaner version. It has a beautiful canal lined by old warehouses. <div>This has now become one of my favorite cities in Japan which you will later find out why. On this Hokkaido trip, this place was the only destination we visited twice for a very specific purpose. So glad we didn't follow a tour group.<div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2425/3791623980_5360470c16.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2425/3791623980_5360470c16.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px; " /></a></div><div>These buildings used to be warehouses but are converted into stylish cafes and restaurants. The canal was used by barges but now is just a scenic tourist attraction.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3447/3790825531_5a2d75d665.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3447/3790825531_5a2d75d665.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 484px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>One of the many artists displaying and selling his version of this canal.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2666/3790814775_0a14f5781c.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2666/3790814775_0a14f5781c.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px; " />H</a>e featured every season of the canal.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2458/3791645080_831489ea88.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2458/3791645080_831489ea88.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 350px; " /></a></div><div>These medieval looking couple blended in perfectly with the surrounding. They were plying some intricately hand-made bicycle models in wire.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2586/3791658820_6716cd7407.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2586/3791658820_6716cd7407.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 333px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>And this young man who so obliging posed for me,</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3519/3790834233_cd5c8c3be8.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3519/3790834233_cd5c8c3be8.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 437px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div> works one of these trishaws for tourists who don't like to walk.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3545/3790847749_d885415f40.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3545/3790847749_d885415f40.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 352px; " /></a></div><div>Met this couple who travel in style. Note the sizes of the bikes. His and hers Harley's?</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2478/3797795860_8fdcb91e3b.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2478/3797795860_8fdcb91e3b.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 444px; height: 500px; " /></a><div>We found this place quite by accident. After walking around the city and thought we had seen enough we headed back to the station area. Right next to the left of station was a 100 yen shop and we thought we'd take a look. Then something else caught our attention a few meters away...</div><div><div>We saw this entrance to a market place and as you know, we can never walk away from any market place without getting a sniff of the food stuffs.</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2631/3796998313_5e88fe3d9f.jpg"><br /><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2631/3796998313_5e88fe3d9f.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 371px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>This was what awaited us in this small one lane market. We hit mother lode of seafood!!!!</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2449/3797811514_7b73749736.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2449/3797811514_7b73749736.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 320px; " /></a></div><div>These and...</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3495/3790860755_a01557f2f5.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3495/3790860755_a01557f2f5.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 265px; " /></a>These...We were like children let loose in a candy store when we saw these endless glorious seafood.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3220/3797002791_b63096b942.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3220/3797002791_b63096b942.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 392px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>Dried scallops</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2608/3800179468_2495c1fb79.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2608/3800179468_2495c1fb79.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 468px; " /></a></div><div>Dried seaweed </div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2553/3796992105_cf1925e453.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2553/3796992105_cf1925e453.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 325px; " /></a>Live oysters, clams and more...</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3553/3796986707_eb44fc6c68.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3553/3796986707_eb44fc6c68.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 243px; " /></a></div><div>Scallops! 11 pieces for 1000 yen, less than 100 yen each.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2591/3797010003_b8f5123341.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2591/3797010003_b8f5123341.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 396px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>Every stall we passed offered these yummy tasting stations. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3104/3791665404_feca687187.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3104/3791665404_feca687187.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px; " /></a></div><div>Then we spotted these swimming in huge tanks.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3046/3790856019_3ba5a08a2b.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3046/3790856019_3ba5a08a2b.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 417px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>This is THE reason we came to Otaru twice. No, not because of Betty, it was that crustacean she was holding. Hokkaido famous king crab.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2431/3791690992_4a24302469.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2431/3791690992_4a24302469.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 282px; " /></a></div><div>This one cost 5000 yen which translated to ~ Rm180 and worth every single sen/yen. They are best eaten plain boiled.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3494/3791701290_75400748fd.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3494/3791701290_75400748fd.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 490px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2428/3790891277_8236e24855.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2428/3790891277_8236e24855.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 356px; " /></a>This has to be the best crab meat I have ever had in my entire life. Sweet with a touch of sea saltiness, succulent, firm and of a smooth texture. It was the dish I dreamed about the whole time when we were traveling around Hokkaido. </div><div>So, on the day we were to leave Sapporo for Tokyo, we headed here again for another feast. Knowing that we may not be back here again for a long long time we sampled almost everything there was on display. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3437/3790866639_54807389bb.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3437/3790866639_54807389bb.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 229px; " /></a></div><div>This stall has only two dining tables.</div><div><br /></div><div>This was what we had in this heavenly market beside the king crab...</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2529/3790878929_f3e09c5efd.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2529/3790878929_f3e09c5efd.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 451px; " /></a></div><div>Grilled scallop was very good but...</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2526/3797829382_bfbc4672dc.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2526/3797829382_bfbc4672dc.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 444px; " /></a></div><div>Sashimi scallop was even better. Every morsel was a fresh crunchy sweetness and a to-die-for taste of the sea...</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2459/3797835768_8231ea39fd.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2459/3797835768_8231ea39fd.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 453px; " /></a></div><div>Another two different crabs we tried. Both were good but nothing compares to the king crab in flavor and texture.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3588/3797024717_34e4f8d9db.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3588/3797024717_34e4f8d9db.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 322px; " /></a></div><div>But I love these roe found in this red spiky crab. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3543/3797857744_bfc48afcb4.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3543/3797857744_bfc48afcb4.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 375px; " /></a></div><div>A lesson in cracking open a crab. The shells of these are unlike those of our water. They are much thinner and softer, so much easier and faster to get to the meat.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2600/3797014017_fe897ae92a.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2600/3797014017_fe897ae92a.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 308px; " /></a><div>Smoked fish marinated in wine. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2472/3797833202_4cebc3d2fc.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2472/3797833202_4cebc3d2fc.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 376px; " /></a></div><div>Don't know the name of this fish but it was the best grilled fish ever. It had a texture very much like frog meat but creamier.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2649/3799362825_54e8a10c85.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2649/3799362825_54e8a10c85.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>It looked like this before it was cooked. Its dorsal fins open out like wing.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hubby saw this post in the making and decided this is THE place in Hokkaido he most wanted to visit...I have offered to be his tour guide!</div></div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-69435999780485280632009-08-08T14:28:00.004+08:002009-08-08T14:28:54.911+08:00Tokyo StationI Love all the train stations in Japan. Especially Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka. They have the most amazing shopping facilities anywhere. Tokyo station, one of the busiest railway stations, is no different. We had to take the shinkansen from here to Sapporo and we had a few hours to 'spare' trans:shop.<div><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 453px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2609/3784229556_b184bdff06.jpg" border="0" alt="" />What better way to kill time.........<br /><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2636/3784233952_81bb080167.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2636/3784233952_81bb080167.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 373px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>Mui admiring her newly purchased bag. In with the new, out with the old. See that poor bag on the floor? : (</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3509/3783438717_9876b42b39.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3509/3783438717_9876b42b39.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 456px; " /></a></div><div>Waiting for our train to Sapporo.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3471/3784211732_c593deea26.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3471/3784211732_c593deea26.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px; " /></a></div><div>Pre-elementary school children on a field trip.</div><div>Very disciplined, two-by-two and holding hands. Their little hats made me look twice, sooo cute.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2562/3783449977_a4f05f390b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2562/3783449977_a4f05f390b.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>This shinkansen took us from Tokyo to Hachinoche which is one of the northernmost cities of Honshu island in less than 3 hours (2 hours and 50 minutes to be exact). To compare how fast the shinkansen travels, the same distance by car would take 8 hours. From here we transferred to another train to Aomori, an hour ride. From Aomori we travelled to Sapporo in 7 hours and 25 minutes. Traveling through the night, we didn't get to see any scenery. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3491/3783417285_76c00b9888.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3491/3783417285_76c00b9888.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px; " /></a></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3526/3783413719_10824b119a.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3526/3783413719_10824b119a.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px; " /></a></div><div>My lunch before the long journey. Ebi tempura with soba and some sushi. The leaf-wrapped bundles were mackerel sushi. I wasn't able to photograph my sisters' meals as they had 'dug' in before I could get my camera ready.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3516/3796884261_c8fa14e696.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3516/3796884261_c8fa14e696.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 291px; " /></a></div><div>We had a lot of these bento meals bought at stations. Very convenient, economical and filling when traveling.</div></div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-30478498486037031782009-08-06T19:28:00.003+08:002009-08-07T12:46:27.833+08:00Asakusa @ Tokyo<img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 485px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2656/3783987444_29e20a673f.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div style="text-align: center;">The Kaminari-mon (gate)</div>My one and only visit to Asakusa was on my first trip to Japan in 1984. I never had a chance to re-visit during the subsequent trips. We decided to go again as Pit Fung had never been there before.<div>I remembered an old temple with a huge container burning incense giving out lots of smoke up front and a few small stores selling souvenirs along the pathway leading to the front door of the temple.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3476/3783991544_11bb00e662.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 387px; height: 500px; " /><div> <div>What greeted me was totally different from what I remembered. There were endless stores selling everything imaginable stretching from the Kaminari-mon gate right up to the Senso-ji (the temple).</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2643/3784279710_c34d8635ef.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2643/3784279710_c34d8635ef.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 383px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>With many side alleys too. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3448/3783290343_e9e837fe85.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3448/3783290343_e9e837fe85.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 351px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>A stall selling nothing but umbrellas. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3513/3783473909_ea1529b4e6.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3513/3783473909_ea1529b4e6.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 336px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>I remembered buying these on my first trip here. Don't think I have ever made good use of them though. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2553/3783172733_539586144b.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2553/3783172733_539586144b.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>Maybe I should get this lovely casual kimono this time. Only about 3,000 yen (i remember my first trip here when the exchange rate was Rm1 to 100 yen - this outfit would have cost only about Rm30!).</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3483/3784106370_4f1cfe446c.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3483/3784106370_4f1cfe446c.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 382px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>Hand-made traditional azuki bean paste buns.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2647/3783204337_d00bfe34df.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2647/3783204337_d00bfe34df.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 313px; " /></a></div><div>Pretty ladies selling green tea.</div><div><br /></div><div>Needless to say, all these distractions took us hours to walk the short stretch of Nakamise-dori to reach the Senso-jo. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2442/3783606721_aaac8029ba.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2442/3783606721_aaac8029ba.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 491px; " /></a></div><div>Finally saw the sign of the Senso-jo ...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3520/3783486243_9e921619e6.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3520/3783486243_9e921619e6.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 301px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3559/3783477671_d174666314.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3559/3783477671_d174666314.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px; " /></a><div>The temple looked totally brand new to me even after 25 or more years. There must be an on-going refurbishing program.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2653/3783489317_87e1876af3.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2653/3783489317_87e1876af3.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 375px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>The five-story pagoda next to the temple.</div><div>Anyway, we took one short tour round the temple, headed back to the enticing stalls and continued with the 'worshipping'.</div></div></div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-58981674264391046622009-08-03T20:32:00.006+08:002009-08-07T12:31:09.999+08:00Tsukiji Fish Market @ TokyoWe had a day in Tokyo before going up north. I have always wanted to see the tuna auction here in one of the biggest wholesale fish markets in the world, so Tsukiji fish market was the obvious first choice.<div>We were staying in Shinjuku and the evening before had planned the subway route to the market. We left the hotel at 5 am but didn't count on how complicated and disorientating it would be for first timers navigating the Shinjuku subway station. Cut a long story short, we didn't make it to the auction in time, we arrived a little past 6 am and only witnessed the frenzied zig zagging of the turret trucks whizzing out of the auction with their catch of the day. I am optimistic that I will return in the not too distant future (better still with hubby) to fulfill this dream. </div><div>Luckily for us we did manage to witness the amazing skill in carving a whole tuna.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2105/3775854345_7408d543ab.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 443px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2105/3775854345_7408d543ab.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>It took these two men a good 5 minutes to get the head off this fresh tuna.<br /><br /><div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3077/3776669730_f3d222e673.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3077/3776669730_f3d222e673.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 460px; " /></a></div><div>The older man (obviously the more experienced) slit the fish right in the center lengthwise.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3567/3776672612_301b73c23d.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3567/3776672612_301b73c23d.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 437px; " /></a></div><div><div>He passed the long blade to the younger man who cut deeper into the slit and eventually a quarter (lengthwise) of the fish came off cleanly.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3497/3776898873_fcd46812ab.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3497/3776898873_fcd46812ab.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 413px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>This shot from another stall paints a clearer picture. Look at the blade used. It was about 1.5 meter in length and looked super sharp.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3524/3776903681_5a30f4711b.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3524/3776903681_5a30f4711b.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 437px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>Here it took three men to complete the job.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2652/3775847931_872fb3c220.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2652/3775847931_872fb3c220.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 361px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>I wonder what they do with these left-overs? I know for sure they do not waste any parts of the fish.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3426/3776662724_6031b56590.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3426/3776662724_6031b56590.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 288px; " /></a></div><div>Three of the many blades used to fillet the tuna.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2625/3775866975_ce9c0f6b87.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2625/3775866975_ce9c0f6b87.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 433px; " /></a></div><div>The flesh was then carefully trimmed and voila, sashimi to go.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2633/3776716452_77b6e5479c.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2633/3776716452_77b6e5479c.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 462px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div><div>Did witnessed an auction in progress...</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3545/3776712680_0b07078230.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3545/3776712680_0b07078230.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 490px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>For gingko nuts.</div><div><br /></div><div>To make the most of the rest of the day we went round the whole market and the area surrounding it, we discovered there were much more to this market than just tuna auction.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3488/3775870481_e43ff26d2d.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3488/3775870481_e43ff26d2d.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 414px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3537/3776500643_14d2104461.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3537/3776500643_14d2104461.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 390px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Seafood section</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2531/3776719372_2b94a7fdc0.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2531/3776719372_2b94a7fdc0.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 351px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Vegetable section</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2570/3776538357_ec4f1a3a9e.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2570/3776538357_ec4f1a3a9e.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 304px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3528/3776491037_57b1113900.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3528/3776491037_57b1113900.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 339px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Household</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3421/3777281936_ff24217f4f.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3421/3777281936_ff24217f4f.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 469px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Knives</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3542/3776507379_c2888b3872.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3542/3776507379_c2888b3872.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">With sharpening service too.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3583/3775917831_f6705dc4d8.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3583/3775917831_f6705dc4d8.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">And of course, the food.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2456/3776454895_4188e6ef8c.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></a></span><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2456/3776454895_4188e6ef8c.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 458px; " /></div><div style="text-align: left;">A sashimi don with delicious crab meat. Pit Fung finally became a sashimi convert after this meal.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2479/3777252460_eeef2dc734.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2479/3777252460_eeef2dc734.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 297px; " /></a><div style="text-align: left;">Assorted sushi.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This place was Disneyland to me and it was hard to leave.</div></div></div></div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-68997964906449628302009-08-01T18:18:00.002+08:002009-08-01T18:22:44.035+08:00Japan, Once AgainHi and thanks to all who visit this blog. I am very sorry for missing in action for soo long again. I know I am way behind in my posting as I have yet to get to my trip to NYC, the big apple and Stockholm in late June after the trip to Auckland.<div>Got back two days ago from Tokyo and is still busy editing the 2000 plus pictures taken mostly in Hokkaido. </div><div>This Hokkaido trip was conceived last year after my 3 sisters came back from a trip to Takayama, Japan and caught the Japanese fever. They couldn't and wouldn't stop talking about Japan. So crazy and so determined to visit Japan again that two of them bought their return tickets to Tokyo last year during a Malaysia Airlines promotion for July this year!</div><div>I have been to Japan many times before but always with tour groups. So when asked to travel on our own across Japan, although very tempting and challenging, I was very apprehensive as none of us speak nor understand Japanese (not even minimal, except for thank you and excuse me). Anyway, thanks to the wonderful world of technology, especially the internet, we did our homework - a thorough study of the public transport system in Japan... but we still don't speak a word of Japanese...</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2568/3776575301_5711bef4fe.jpg"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2568/3776575301_5711bef4fe.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 487px; " /></a></div><div>Anyway, armed with this magic railway pass, maximal optimism and bare minimal baggage we set off from Kota Kinabalu direct to Tokyo. In the coming posts I will do my best to showcase all the highlights of our journey and I hope to be able to do justice to the amazing beauty of Hokkaido's summer. Stay tuned... </div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-88315632537394399712009-07-22T21:30:00.001+08:002009-07-22T21:30:00.532+08:00Christmas In June @ Auckland<div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2536/3704642922_8608a563aa.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 399px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2536/3704642922_8608a563aa.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><div style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div></span></div><div>With the cold weather and most of the family around (alas minus Heather and Bryan), it felt like christmas to me. Then, there was this enticing honey glazed slab of ham I could not resist when we visited the local supermarket, The Foodtown.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2675/3704637548_559a8dfa12.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2675/3704637548_559a8dfa12.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 333px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>A very yummy hummus dip for appetizer.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2431/3703815699_a6374da06c.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2431/3703815699_a6374da06c.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 374px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of my favorite fruits, cherries and grapes for dessert.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2492/3703838677_27757ab5de.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 416px; height: 500px; " /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Ham accompanied by some pan-fried gourmet potatoes and fresh salad. Soooo good. Merry christmas :p</div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-25407602397959731322009-07-19T21:39:00.003+08:002009-07-19T21:39:00.244+08:00Pho @ Auckland<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3086/3637916059_812fcebc5c.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 380px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3086/3637916059_812fcebc5c.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a><i><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i>Dry pho</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i></i> </span></div></i><div>Starr and Zoe (starr's cousin from Hanoi) decided to cook pho for this family who is crazy about Vietnamese food (or any food for that matter). They chose not to do the soupy pho as that would be too tedious (utensils and ingredients wise). The dry pho is much easier to do and very refreshing to eat, said Starr. As we have not tasted dry pho before (to me, pho means one thing and one thing only ie gloriously fragranced beef soup), we eagerly and very patiently waited for this dish as each item was prepared and laid on the table.<div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3313/3637916031_b225e7ee27.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3313/3637916031_b225e7ee27.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 422px; height: 500px; " /></a><div>The two girls were super efficient and I only get to help with crushing the peanuts.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3582/3637915991_4baa53a585.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3582/3637915991_4baa53a585.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 333px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>Thinly sliced meat marinaded lightly with chopped garlic, freshly ground black pepper and fish sauce. Stir-fried quickly over high heat to medium rare...yummz.</div><div>According to Starr, her grandma's recipe stipulates not less than 300g of beef per person for this dish! There certainly wasn't any objection to that, especially with such wonderful beef here in NZ. </div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3329/3637916015_293cccdde9.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3329/3637916015_293cccdde9.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 323px; " /></a><div>When all the ingredients are ready, each get to concoct his/her own dish to suit one's palate much like the home-made fresh nyonya popiah.</div><div>It was a wonderful meal and like Starr promised, it was very refreshing but I am still partial about the steaming hot soupy pho...</div></div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-64437455415445458992009-07-13T13:28:00.002+08:002009-07-13T13:28:00.854+08:00Movenpick Ice Cream @ Auckland<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2590/3704586486_2bf14a7ee1.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 333px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2590/3704586486_2bf14a7ee1.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">After the car-breaking-in episode, we all agreed we needed something sweet to help brighten up the rest of the day and this ice cream paradise was the perfect place.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2513/3704593014_9ec3a68656.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2513/3704593014_9ec3a68656.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 295px; " /></a></div><div>We went crazy with so many flavors to choose from. Finally we decided on these awesome combination. These were easily one of the creamiest and smoothest ice cream I ever tasted. And the flavors were incredible. See the waffle cones? They were handmade fresh daily. Very tasty and crispy on it's own. I was told that all the ingredients used were natural, no coloring or preservatives.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3206/3703793501_fd51df769d.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3206/3703793501_fd51df769d.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 468px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>Most gorgeous pecan pie with a rum n raisin ice cream to die for. My choice and I am still drooling over it. Hot pie with ice cream - my favorite things in life.</div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-50448073027431081692009-07-09T23:34:00.002+08:002009-07-09T23:34:00.891+08:00Tony's Lord Nelson's @ Auckland<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3317/3637839606_b35efd414b.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 333px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3317/3637839606_b35efd414b.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a>A lovely light, fruity and sweet sparkling wine from Italy set the mood for a wonderful evening.<div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3363/3637839664_51eda9fce6.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 497px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3363/3637839664_51eda9fce6.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a>A must for K and the first for Keshia and Leanne. Keshia didn't take to them but Leanne, like father like daughter, couldn't get enough.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2481/3637839632_1e99b8a66f.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 412px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2481/3637839632_1e99b8a66f.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a>Rib-eye fillet steak.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3612/3637839638_969031d69b.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 445px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3612/3637839638_969031d69b.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a>Fillet mignon with mushroom sauce.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3576/3637839618_963d2aba3a.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 463px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3576/3637839618_963d2aba3a.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">Deep-fried camembert cheese. Very well done with crispy outside and soft oozy inside.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Tony's Lord Nelson's steak house at Victoria Street. </div><div style="text-align: left;">No frills, just simply one of the best meat ever, perfectly done in all our orders. Tender, juicy and full-bodied flavor. K reckoned it is better than Angus Steak House... maybe but I do need to re-sample Angus Steakhouse as it was more than two decades since the last time I ate there and memories are short these days.</div></div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-65221353079085261682009-06-18T03:20:00.000+08:002009-06-18T03:31:21.492+08:00Auckland In June<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2474/3635318751_6f74345c9c.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 540px; height: 353px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2474/3635318751_6f74345c9c.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3410/3635181803_b60ac88e56.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 540px; height: 353px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3410/3635181803_b60ac88e56.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Auckland city viewed from a cruise ship</div><div>Hi, I would like to thank everyone who visits this blog for your patience and kind words during my long, long siesta. </div><div>We were in Auckland during the most recent two-weeks school holiday to see Don as he has not been home for more than a year. It isn't quite the right season in Auckland for visit as it is winter now but it was the only time Leanne and her daddy could get off and we missed the koko so much...</div><div>We were there for about 9 days and the initial plan to drive around North Island was shelved after a car break-in at the Mission Bay park on the very next day we arrived. Of all places in the world, Auckland was one place I thought was very safe...</div><div>Anyway, the weather was too wet and cold to entice us to any form of sightseeing. So, we ended up doing nothing but shopped, cooked and ate and ate and ate...It was kind of a dream holiday - very relaxing and stress-free. Lots of board games and books...</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3662/3636545756_1a383c1b74.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3662/3636545756_1a383c1b74.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 353px; height: 540px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3027/3636520866_d997082881.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3027/3636520866_d997082881.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 393px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>Did managed to squeeze in a cruise or two and this one round the Auckland harbour saw only this group of crazy Asian braving the chilly weather in the entire tour. Three crews to five passengers - like we chartered the whole cruise ship! </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3613/3636585962_279bf0bf06.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3613/3636585962_279bf0bf06.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px; " /></a></div><div>Hubby found his dream tom yam here in Auckland at Food Alley at 9-11 Albert Street.</div><div>Have many more pictures and am trying to edit and upload as fast as I can but the flickr is not very cooperative. Hope to post all the wonderful food, especially the home-cooked ones, as soon as possible.</div>Hubby, Keshia, Leanne and myself arrived home only on the 15th of June. We didn't managed to catch the last flight to KK when we arrived KLIA on the 14th night from Auckland. We couldn't wait to get home but Leanne was very happy for an extra day of holiday.a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-80166313854612744892009-04-27T10:07:00.001+08:002009-04-27T10:07:00.144+08:00Spicy Chickpeas<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3319/3450295464_38fd9525ed.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 421px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3319/3450295464_38fd9525ed.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">I love chickpeas and that love affair started long time ago during our stay in KL. II would wait patiently for one particular vendor on bicycle in the afternoons who came around our housing area with this steaming snack. He would scooped a cup of these into a cone cup he made with a piece of brown oiled paper and that could be exchanged with a mere 50 cent. The aroma and flavors from these goodies stayed with me for years. During a <a href="http://thedroolteam.blogspot.com/2008/06/yoko-farm.html">Yoko farm outing </a>last year, Margaret came with a dish that brought such nostalgic feel I had to get the recipe from her. Like a kind soul that she is, she explained the entire process and I quickly scribbled on the back of a supermarket receipt (I kept all these bits and pieces solely for these purposes as I tend to forget easily).<br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3347/3450295456_35b9f02f51.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 333px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3347/3450295456_35b9f02f51.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a>Very few ingredients needed and measurements are not crucial. A handful of curry leaves, 1 tablespoon or so of mustard seeds and as many or as few dried chillies as you like for 500g of dried chickpeas.</div><div><br /></div><div>To prepare the dried chickpeas:</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3562/3449407487_c2de24abdc.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3562/3449407487_c2de24abdc.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 412px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>Rinse the legumes well in a colander off dirt and grit, pick out bad peas and small pebbles. Transfer into a bowl and add 1 teaspoon of turmeric (kunyit) powder and 1 teaspoon salt.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3357/3449407507_1e02788ee6.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3357/3449407507_1e02788ee6.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 419px; height: 500px; " /></a></span></span><div style="text-align: left;">Cover with plenty of water and let soak for 6 hours or overnight.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3642/3458198345_ce1b56ba76.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3642/3458198345_ce1b56ba76.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 355px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Soak them, the legumes expand, boil them in the soaking water (I did mine in a pressure cooker for 10 minutes, cooking without pressure would take slow simmering for an hour or two) and they expand further. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Spicy Chickpeas</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">500 g cooked chickpeas</div><div style="text-align: left;">3 - 5 dried chillies, wash, snip into thin rings with scissors and discard seeds </div><div style="text-align: left;">1 T mustard seeds</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 cup curry leaves, roughly chopped</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 t turmeric powder</div><div style="text-align: left;">salt to taste</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 t chili powder, optional </div><div style="text-align: left;">2 T oil</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Heat wok and 2 T oil, fry dried chili on medium heat until fragrant (do not burn as they will taste bitter). Drain and put aside.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Fry the curry leaves until fragrant, drain and keep aside.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Fry mustard until fragrant and drain. </div><div style="text-align: left;">Leave 1/2 tablespoon of the oil in wok, add the turmeric powder and chili powder (if use). Return all the fried ingredients and peas into the wok and mix well. Season to taste.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Serve as side dish or munch on during American Idol.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3347/3449407521_5e0cbe4a18.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3347/3449407521_5e0cbe4a18.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 333px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><div style="text-align: left; "><div style="text-align: left; "><br /></div></div></span></span></div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-70041302162139412502009-04-18T22:06:00.003+08:002009-04-18T22:06:00.368+08:00Guinness Stout Chicken<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3306/3443981234_45295cf20d.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 432px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3306/3443981234_45295cf20d.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a>Hub handed me a cut-out (he does that very often) from our Star newspaper food column featuring Amy Beh dated 24 March. He said, "Try this", pointing to a chicken dish. "It sounds interesting". The only thing I found interesting was of course the stout. Never cooked with (nor drank) stout before but the overall ingredients sound promising and simple steps to follow, so I gave it a try. <div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3609/3443981178_6de95dccfb.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3609/3443981178_6de95dccfb.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 394px; height: 500px; " /></a><div>The only reservation I had was the marinade as it contained sugar and this dish calls for deep frying the chicken after marinating. See all the burnt sugar at the side of wok?<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3579/3443981168_7d541d5a86.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3579/3443981168_7d541d5a86.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 469px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>Anyway, the chicken after frying tasted so good (the nam yee gave the meat such a lovely fragrant) I almost didn't continue with the rest of the recipe. I would have left it at that if I hadn't gotten the stout specifically for this dish. Oh, now I know what I should have done...ate the chicken together with a bottle of chilled stout!!</div><div>The dish turned out very well as the stout gave the end gravy a velvety texture with a slight bitterness which was hardly noticeable (to the girls) and no taste of the beverage at all.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here is the adapted recipe with slight changes.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Guinness Stout Chicken</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">1 chicken or 4 thighs and drumsticks, chopped </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Seasoning (A)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">2 T (tablespoon/s) light soy sauce</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">1 T sugar</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">2 pieces red fermented beancurd (nam yee)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">1 T water</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">2 T cornflour</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Sauce (B)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">2 T oyster sauce</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">1 can Guinness Stout</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">50 g rock sugar</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">1/2 t (teaspoon/s) thick soy sauce</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">100 ml chicken stock (or dissolve 1/2 cube of stock cube in 100 ml water)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Marinate chicken with (A) for few hours (I left mine overnight).</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Deep fry chicken pieces in hot oil until golden. Drain.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Heat up another pan (as the wok frying the meat would have all the burnt caramel stuck all over), put a tablespoon of oil from the wok into the pan. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Add (B) and bring to boil.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Add the fried chicken and simmer until the gravy thickens.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Serve with a plain boiled leafy vegetable and steaming rice. Yumzzz.</span></div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-69262327359542975322009-04-09T10:03:00.000+08:002009-04-09T10:03:00.962+08:00Radish Kimchi<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3416/3420894558_0a6d96bedd.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 446px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3416/3420894558_0a6d96bedd.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Radish Kimchi</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3590/3420080639_2d30433f19.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3590/3420080639_2d30433f19.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 333px; height: 500px; " /></a><div style="text-align: left;">Daniel gave us this bottle of cincalok he made himself and the 'scent' that wisps out is oooh soooo potent. Must get the recipe from him. Whenever we open the lid, never failed, all the flies from the neighborhood come zooming in. </div><div>What is the first thing that come to mind when that familiar aroma hits the nasal sensory? KIMCHI!! This is perfect for kimchi making. </div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3301/3420886984_400e7f76b9.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3301/3420886984_400e7f76b9.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 473px; height: 500px; " /></a><div>I was flipping through this new edition of Flavours on board the flight from KL to KK recently and it was featuring none other than Korean cuisine! Needless to say, found many kimchi recipes staring at me. These kimchi recipes looked so intriguing as they call for apple and pear alongside the usual pickling ingredients. I decided to go with the radish kimchi according to the recipe in the magazine and found this a true keeper. The fruits imparted a slight hint of refreshing sweetness to the otherwise intense dish. The kimchi turned out perfect in every way - crunchy, spicy, pungency and all things kimchi.<br /></div><div>Here is the recipe...</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">Radish Kimchi</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">2 kg radish, peeled, diced into 2cm cubes</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">2 T coarse sea salt</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Kimchi pickling paste</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">100g chilli flakes</span><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">10 fresh chillies*, seeded and diced</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">1 brown onion, peeled and diced</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">1 pear, peeled, cored and diced</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">1 apple, peeled, cored and diced</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">3 T cooked rice</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">50 g ginger, peeled and sliced</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">1 bulb garlic*</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">3 T fish sauce</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">2 T cincalok or Korean brined baby shrimps</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">sugar and salt to taste</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">* Optional. The recipe for this radish kimchi has no garlic, I added them because we love the garlicky taste. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">1. Marinate radish with the 2 tablespoon of salt for at least 2 hours. Rinse salt off radish thoroughly and drain well.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">2. Blitz chilli flakes, fresh chillies, onion, pear, apple, rice and ginger to a fine paste. Add the fish sauce, cincalok, sugar and salt. Mix well.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">3. Mix the paste into the radish well and store in clean glass bottles. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">4. Leave to ferment for a day and it is ready to serve. Can be kept in fridge for weeks (if they get to last that long). </span></div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-34791718400519203722009-04-06T20:20:00.006+08:002009-04-06T20:20:00.722+08:00Zesty Pork Tenderloin<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3640/3410982021_d53b3d3825.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 397px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3640/3410982021_d53b3d3825.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a>This recipe is from channel 703. Although we seldom use oranges for cooking except as salad dressing, this dish looked so good I decided to give it a try. The dish above looked no way near the finished dish I saw on TV but nevertheless, it did taste very good with a citrus aroma from the zest and a tangy flavour from the juice. Give it a try. It is very easy to do and a nice change from the usual soy sauce, oyster sauce and more soy and oyster sauce.<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Zesty Pork Tenderloin</span></span></div><div>300 g pork tenderloin, sliced into 1/2 cm thickness</div><div>2 - 3 dried chillies, washed and diced</div><div>1 inch ginger, sliced thinly</div><div>2 - 4 cloves garlic, peeled</div><div>1 chili, seeded and diced</div><div>1 carrot - optional, peeled, sliced thinly and parboiled </div><div><br /></div><div>Sauce</div><div>1 orange, zest and juiced</div><div>1 T black vinegar</div><div>1 T soy sauce</div><div>1 t sugar</div><div>salt </div><div><br /></div><div>Marinade</div><div>1 t sesame oil</div><div>1 t cornstarch</div><div>1 egg white</div><div>salt and pepper</div><div><br /></div><div>oil for deep frying</div><div><br /></div><div>1. Marinate pork slices with salt, pepper, egg white and cornstarch. Add a tablespoon of water if the marinade is too thick. Leave for 10 - 20 minutes.</div><div>2. Heat oil in pan, deep fry the pork, drain and keep aside.</div><div>3. Leave 1 or 2 tablespoons of oil in the same pan, fry the dried chillies until fragrant, add the ginger and garlic, again, fry till fragrant.</div><div>4. Add the black vinegar and soy sauce, bring to boil.</div><div>5. Return meat to the pan, add the carrots (if using), some diced chili and the orange juice with zest. Cook until sauce thickens. Season with sugar and salt to taste.</div><div>6. Dish out, garnish with orange slices and chili. Serve with rice.</div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-74857790161703283712009-03-30T15:33:00.006+08:002009-03-30T15:33:00.292+08:00Peach Crumble Cheesecake<div>Heather asked why I haven't blog for so long and I have been asking myself that too. Laziness most probably sums it up but that is not the entire reason. </div><div>I love the part about the food - cooking, eating and even the photo sessions (have tons of photos waiting to be posted) but not so much the latter part of blogging, ie the photo editing, composing and typing. The most daunting task for me is converting my Chinese thinking mind into English hardcopy. To put down in English words what I am thinking in Chinese calls for some major reconstruction thinking (a lot of brain cells) and so very time consuming. I told hubby I need to go for English course. Hubby sometimes helped to correct my grammar and punctuation! </div><div>So, when I do not appear in this space for a while you know I am taking a break from thinking... in English only ie :-p.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3432/3356006771_780a3f9fc8.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 419px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3432/3356006771_780a3f9fc8.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a>I have done this cake three times for different occasions and always a crowd winner. The recipe came from a cook book Mui Fung gave me 4 years ago for my birthday. It is called 'A Touch Of Classic Baking' by Kevin Chai.<div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3656/3356027607_f44029618b.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 438px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3656/3356027607_f44029618b.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a></div><div>This is a simple basic cheesecake but with the addition of the peach and the crumbles on top, the humble cake gained superstar status in my book.</div><div>Here is the recipe.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Peach Crumble Cheesecake</span></span></div><div>500g cream cheese</div><div>100g caster sugar</div><div>3 eggs</div><div>250ml whipping cream</div><div>2 T cornstarch</div><div>1 can (825g) halved peach, drained and wiped dry</div><div><br /></div><div>Base</div><div>250g digestive biscuit, crushed</div><div>120g butter (melted)</div><div><br /></div><div>Topping</div><div>150g plain flour</div><div>40g caster sugar</div><div>75g butter</div><div><br /></div><div>Preheat oven to 160C</div><div>1. Combine finely crushed biscuit (I put all the biscuits in the food processor and gave them a good 1 minute blitz) and melted butter well. Press evenly and compactly into the bottom of a 9" cake pan.</div><div>2. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add in eggs, one at a time, making sure each egg is properly mixed in before adding the next. <br /></div><div>3. Stir in whipping cream and cornstarch, mix well.</div><div>4. Spread a thin layer (about 1/2 cm thick) of the cheese mixture on top of biscuit.</div><div>5. Arrange peaches onto the layer and pour in the remaining cheese mixture to cover the peaches.</div><div>6. For the topping, combine flour and sugar, rub in butter until mixture resembles bread crumbs.</div><div>7. Sprinkle over the cheese mixture.</div><div>8. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes. Cool completely and refrigerate. Serve cold. </div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-33037798587471694052009-03-22T14:18:00.001+08:002009-03-22T14:18:00.130+08:00Oaty ChocoChips Cookies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2332/2218181853_7d123a30e8_b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 450px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2332/2218181853_7d123a30e8_b.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div><div style="text-align: left;">It was a school holiday project for Leanne and my hair-pulling strategy to get her off her PSP. Go to <a href="http://hungryhamster.blogspot.com/2007/06/yummy-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies.html">Hungry Hamster</a> for the recipe as we followed it to the T except for the chocochips which we threw in a few handfuls (definitely more than 12 oz) and added some chopped walnuts as those were the only nuts I had in hand. <br /></div><p>A true winner with me for its simplicity and the lovely texture which was crisp on the outside and moist/chewy inside. </p><p>The oat content make this indulgence a healthy snack in my book *hookwink*and between my two girls and me we polished off these in one movie sitting!</p></div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-55010325069999701872009-03-10T22:33:00.000+08:002009-03-10T22:33:00.556+08:00Sawi Korean Style<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3073/2549617543_57a927ca0e_b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3073/2549617543_57a927ca0e_b.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Koreans do pickles as much as the Chinese and the Japanese. Similar yet with distinct differences. This dish is not quite a pickle, more a salad, I think. It reflects Korea's cuisine - rugged, simple, unpretentious and no fuss and frills. The good thing about this dish is it can be eaten as soon as it is prepared, no need to wait for days like the Korean kimchi.<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);">Pickled mustard greens</span></span></div><div>300g mustard greens aka sawi aka sayur bunga</div><div>1 fresh red chilli</div><div>2 thin slices ginger, julienned</div><div>2 cloves garlics, peeled and chopped</div><div>salt</div><div>vinegar</div><div>sugar</div><div>sesame seeds, toasted</div><div>sesame oil</div><div><br /></div><div>Wash the leaves off all grit and dirt. Use drinking water in the last rinse, drain and pat dry.</div><div>Gather in a bunch and chop them into about 1/2 cm bits.</div><div>Use about 1 teaspoon of salt, rub into the veggie until they turn deep green and sweat. Leave for about 30 minutes. </div><div>Wash the salted sawi, drain and squeeze out as much of the moisture as possible.</div><div>Add the rest of the ingredients, adjust sugar and vinegar to suit one's taste. </div><div>Drizzle a teaspoon of sesame oil. Mix well.</div><div>Best served chilled and with a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds. </div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-11060871021173822042009-03-04T14:05:00.005+08:002009-03-04T20:53:09.115+08:00A Thank You Note<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3652/3326958701_e864fd80cf.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 375px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3652/3326958701_e864fd80cf.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Hubby and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary on the 1st of March this year. That sounds like a lifetime but actually feels like the blink of an eye. Time does fly especially when we are taking care of 5 lively children. <div>We had a lot of plans as to how to spend this special day but then everything changed when Heather, our eldest daughter decided she would be home for the occasion. She started planning last year when she realised she couldn't be home for x'mas or CNY. She wanted it to be a surprise but realised she had to let one of us in on her plans to make sure we do not fly off to somewhere at the time. She decided to surprise her daddy as he has always been the one giving surprises. So I was made to conspire in my own surprise anni celebration. I didn't anticipate this job to be sooo difficult...I had to turned down a culinary trip to Changmai, a visit to NZ to see Don and a Rod Steward concert in Singapore!! And my hubby was getting very upset as the date approached and I was refusing to go anywhere he suggested. I was bursting to tell too when the younger siblings asked when the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">che che</span> be home but I had to keep mum.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3387/3327104752_1486e1a641.jpg?v=0" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Anyway, back to the surprise, the look on hubby's face when he spotted Heather in the car after I picked her up from the airport was worth all the torture. Now I understand why he loves to give surprises, the pleasure was all ours...the planners.</span> </a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3387/3327104752_1486e1a641.jpg?v=0" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "></span><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3387/3327104752_1486e1a641.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="text-align: left; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 480px; " /></a><br /></div><div>We spent one night at the Kinabalu National Park as this was the place where we first met more than 35 years ago. Our honeymoon 30 years ago was, yes, you guessed it, here too. This has to be our favorite place on earth. </div><div>The surprise gift Heather presented us was most touching and couldn't have been more appropriate-- a dinner by a French chef. </div><div>For Kevin, it was like a dream come true whereby he got to work closely with a chef (he called himself sous chef for that day) and he got to ask the chef all the culinary questions he needed answering so much so that William let him on to a secret. If he ever get a chance to dine at a top restaurant in Paris, Tokyo or New York, keep all these questions flowing, the chefs might think he is a Michelin inspector and he just might be lucky enough to be served the best meal they have to offer. He even got the chef to teach him how to sharpen all his knives. </div><div>I was told to go do my nails, pamper myself and only come downstairs when the guests arrive. I was also told not to take any pictures. So I had to steal all these pictures from hub's camera. One shot I would love to have taken was my three girls serving the seated guests. They were so good! Thank you, girls.</div><div> </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3370/3327589476_25c0238272.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3370/3327589476_25c0238272.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 366px; height: 500px; " /></a><div>The chef at the market and....</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3326/3327697524_5c6dc70d3a.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3326/3327697524_5c6dc70d3a.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 480px; " /></a></div><div>all the hard work that went into making the most enchanting evening...</div><div><br /></div><div>Thank you, Heather for your love and thoughtfulness. William, thank you for so generously sharing with us some of your culinary secrets and artistic skills. </div><div>Go to <a href="http://hungerhunger.blogspot.com/2009/03/kev-jos-anni-dinner.html">Terri</a> for the night's food review as she summed it all up perfectly. For us it was an eye-opener as far as entertaining at home is concerned. Simplicity is the keyword but having a chef certainly helps. </div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3404/3326761779_d66481db4c.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3404/3326761779_d66481db4c.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px; " /></a><div>I felt so inadequate as I had so limited equipment and kitchen utensils for them to work with but look how far a little creativity can get you. They sourced all these from my kitchen, store room and garden. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3623/3327601580_e836b96e35.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3623/3327601580_e836b96e35.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 342px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>And turned an ugly duckling into a swan... a beautiful table setting...</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3622/3326799855_2553316f84.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3622/3326799855_2553316f84.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 333px; " /></a></div><div>To our dear family and friends who shared with us the lovely evening, thank you for making this a truly memorable anniversary. </div><div>We would have loved to share this occasion with all our family and friends, however the logistics and location would have made it impossible to make it the intimate, memorable and culinary experience that it was. </div><div>We are deeply grateful to God for all these years we are permitted to be together. No words are ever adequate to express our deep gratitude.</div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-43898966189492877182009-02-25T09:27:00.001+08:002009-02-25T09:27:01.028+08:00Lai Lai Yong Hi Soy-Bean Milk, Shanghai<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3143/3112654063_c4b62452c0.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 266px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3143/3112654063_c4b62452c0.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a>This is a Taiwanese store in Shanghai that serves soybean dishes and other small eats.<div>We found this outlet near the Bund and the food was surprisingly good as the place didn't look too promising at first. We went in because our feet were hurting and it was drizzling. The place was half-filled with mostly locals (you can tell by the noise level).<br /><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3077/3112637981_bd0d2c48dd.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 491px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3077/3112637981_bd0d2c48dd.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a>These xiao long baos were very good, better than those we had at one high-end shop at Nanjing Lu.</div><div> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3076/3112631521_5f95563d21.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 493px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3076/3112631521_5f95563d21.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a>Traditional Shanghai soybean milk served with seaweed, sliced <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">you tiao</span> (a long deep-fried bun flavored with salt and garlic) and many other stuff (can't remember) but I do remember that it was very tasty. It was creamy without being oily. I thoroughly enjoyed slurping it down and dipping the extra long buns into the soup soaking up every last drop.</div><div>Another dish I must have if I have another chance to go to Shanghai. </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3247/3113482968_0f490d57c5.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 496px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3247/3113482968_0f490d57c5.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a>This is soybean curd served Shanghai-style, savory of course with seaweed, a sprinkling of dried shrimps in a soy sauce base. It was good too but I like the soy milk more.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3198/3118641436_3df2d16866.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3198/3118641436_3df2d16866.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 484px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>Pumpkin buns and dumplings, both yummy.</div></div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-71677566189606200032009-02-23T08:42:00.002+08:002009-02-23T17:32:16.481+08:00Chicken-one-pot<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3527/3296220196_4942ec1686.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 438px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3527/3296220196_4942ec1686.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a>These days there are usually only three of us for dinner. Knowing me, I like short cuts and have everything in one dish - save on dish washing too! I don't remember where I came across this recipe so sorry I can't give credit. I like it because it is really simple to cook and with minimal everyday ingredients that can be found in most household, it is a breeze. As for taste, according to Leanne, she doesn't like it... but loves it! She likes to tease me with a long pause at the... :0 Naughty girl.<div>Any veggies like celery, bell peppers, peas can be added too. A good fridge cleaning recipe.<br /><div><div> <br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3645/3296188770_2af1abfb09.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3645/3296188770_2af1abfb09.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 333px; height: 500px; " /></a><div><br /></div><div>3 chicken thighs, deboned</div><div>corn starch seasoned with salt and pepper to coat chicken</div><div>2 T oil</div><div>1 big onion, diced</div><div>1 carrot, diced</div><div>1 tomato, diced</div><div>2 cloves of garlic, crushed and peeled</div><div>2 T brown sugar</div><div>4 T apple cider vinegar</div><div>1 T Worcestershire-sauce</div><div>black pepper, freshly ground</div><div>salt</div><br /><div> </div><div>Cut chicken into two. </div><div>Pat dry and coat them in the corn starch. </div><div>Heat oil in pan, fry the chicken until it is golden and cook through. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3536/3295369947_6d9c506b8f.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3536/3295369947_6d9c506b8f.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 393px; " /></a></div><div>Remove to a plate.</div><div>Fry onion in the same pan on fairly high heat until fragrant and slightly caramelized, add garlic, carrot and tomato. </div><div>Combine sugar, apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire-sauce in a bowl and adjust the sweet and sour balance to taste, add 2-3 tablespoon of water if like thinner gravy. </div><div>Add to the veggies and cook for a few minutes until sauce thickens a little. </div><div>Return the chicken to the pan and mix well. Season with some black pepper and salt if you like. Dish out and garnish with cilantro (which I didn't have) and serve with rice.</div></div></div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-46325899088314463552009-02-20T12:33:00.000+08:002009-02-20T12:33:00.324+08:00Dolar Hot Pot Shop, Shanghai<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3457/3243773376_c44157a3f8.jpg?v=0"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 396px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3457/3243773376_c44157a3f8.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a>I love steamboat especially so when the weather is cold. It is so comforting sitting around a hot stove surrounded by family and food. <div>This is one of Dolar chain stores that serves steamboat which in Shanghai, is called hotpot. The difference between this hotpot restaurant to the rest is that here each patron has the choice of his/her soup base which is served individually in a small pot with it's own small stove. Cool. Put in whatever your heart's desire and create a soup that is uniquely you. <div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3302/3243805428_1bb2edd038.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3302/3243805428_1bb2edd038.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 466px; " /></a></div><div>Seafood soup which actually has two baby hairy crabs about the size of a spoon. My choice, obviously.<br /><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3368/3242968851_b83965a8b1.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3368/3242968851_b83965a8b1.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 438px; height: 500px; " /></a></div><div>A sour soup with preserved veggie, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">hum choi,</span> Leanne's choice, obviously.<br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div>Heather had the mushroom soup which looked very yummy too, San San and hubby had mushroom and seafood too. </div><div>This was also one of the very few places in China that I was told I could not take pictures but I managed a few stolen shots when the waitress was out of sight. Please excuse the</div><div>rather shoddy images as I had to snap quickly from where I sat. It was a pity as I only managed pictures at our own table and wasn't brave enough to venture to the sauce station where the culinary happenings were. The sauce station is where you, as a chef for the night, go to concoct a designer's, one-of-a-kind dipping sauce from an immense (sooo many, tooo many) variety of condiments. I was like a child in a candy store...didn't know where to start at first but once got started, couldn't stop...:p. My first sauce turned disastrous as I got too greedy and piled on everything. The good thing was, you could start all over again until you get the prefect sauce to complement your hot pot. </div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3488/3243820770_c5933753c9.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3488/3243820770_c5933753c9.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 351px; " /></a></div><div>Too impatient, added too many ingredients at one go and the slice of beef landed in a cold soup :O</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3390/3242994577_bf8b9ac5d7.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3390/3242994577_bf8b9ac5d7.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 423px; height: 500px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3110/3242980649_9873048447.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3110/3242980649_9873048447.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 391px; height: 500px; " /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3513/3242962377_f0a21d5916.jpg?v=0"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3513/3242962377_f0a21d5916.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 254px; " /></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">One pot each, a tableful of food and a night of total indulgence.</div></div></div></div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-370525143067037428.post-5899873150012341312009-02-17T08:06:00.002+08:002009-02-17T08:06:00.811+08:00Yong Tofu<div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3191/2861520557_9c8fee7d7d_b.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3191/2861520557_9c8fee7d7d_b.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; " /></a></div><div><div>I grew up with traditional Hakka food and to me <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">yong tofu</span> is just that - stuffed beancurd with mince meat (most times of pork but fish is more popular now for health reasons I suppose). I only learnt to eat all the different types of stuffed veggies when we were stationed in KL years ago. </div><div><br /></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3079/2861515893_595f6300f9_b.jpg"><img style="text-align: center;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; " src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3079/2861515893_595f6300f9_b.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">Mui Fong has taken on the task of marketing for me these days. She reckons home-grown veggies without pesticides and chemicals are easier to find in Tamparuli. These are some of the very fresh veggies she brought over, a few of each. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3002/2862347404_0bdc627d18_b.jpg"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3002/2862347404_0bdc627d18_b.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; " /></a></div><div>So, to make a feast out of them, I sliced, slit and stuffed them...</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3012/2861526115_b530f8a542_b.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3012/2861526115_b530f8a542_b.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a></div><div>The <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">yong tofu</span> without the tofu<br /> </div><div>I like to cook this dish as a one-pot-meal and the veggies go down easier for the young ones.</div><div>I was lazy so I bought two packets of minced pork from the Lido market, minced some fish flesh (about 300g) and mixed it into the pork. </div><div>Stuff the veggies. <br /></div><div>Deep fry the stuffed eggplants, bitter gourd and chillies to brown, not to cook them but just to make them more attractive to the young ones. Drain and keep aside.</div><div>Fry some chopped shallots and garlic with a tablespoon of oil until fragrant. Set some aside for garnishing (which I forgot).</div><div>Add a tablespoon of oyster sauce into the same wok.</div><div>Before the mixture burns add in 2 - 3 cups of stock (use the remaining fish bones to make stock or just boil some ikan billis or bonito flakes in water for 10 minutes, strain and use the stock). </div><div>When boiling, place bitter gourd in first as they will take the longest to cook (omit this if some members of family don't eat this veggie), then chillies, egg plant and then lastly the lady fingers.</div><div>Cook until the stuffing turns color and the veggies slightly soft.</div><div>Thicken the gravy with 1t cornflour + 1T water. For a soupy dish, omit the thickening, just add more stock, season to taste.</div><div>Eat with a chilli/lime/garlic/soy dipping sauce.</div><div>My favorite from this selection has to be the stuffed red chilli (do deseed them before stuffing).</div>a feast, everydayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09484249437057361143noreply@blogger.com4