Passion in Cooking

Cooking is always my passion and I love cooking with lots of herbs and spices - basil, parsley, rosemary...

Last weekend, I cooked grilled chicken and here are the ingredients;

• 4 chicken legs, jointed
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (I use McD pepper, I always kept some when i dine there :p)
  
• A big bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked, stalks finely chopped
• 2 big handfuls of red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved, and ripe plum tomatoes, quartered
• 1 Lemon
  
• 1 whole bulb of garlic, broken up into cloves
• 1 fresh red chili finely chopped
• Olive oil - I use Tesco Basil Infused Olive Oil
  
• Optional: 1 14 ounce can of canellini beans, drained
• Optional: 2 handfuls of new potatoes, scrubbed
• Optional: linguini or spaghetti

Here is the result, looks nice huh? yes, it is as nice as it looks. I marinated the chicken with dried herbs, combination of oregano, basil, parsley, salt, etc.

the picture taken during cooking, not yet put basil leaves

Few seconds before serving, put basil leaves (not to overcook the leaves). I forgot to take the picture of serving, I guess it was too tempting and I couldn't resist to lay my hand on the chicken thigh and taste it, yummy.

More to come in the coming weekend, soon....

-saucer-

To our 2nd year and to many more to come...

You know some of what you said about me are not entirely true... *frown* I never said other guys are my 'dream' guys... I just mentioned to you before I had my version of a dream guy, per se, and some random guys (friends of friends, actors in movies, grandpa, etc) happen to touch my heart with their small, sweet, deeds. I'm sorry if I made it look like I'm comparing you to them, that was never my intention.

I can't believe we have actually lasted two whole years! I never thought I was capable of being in a relationship for so long, considering I never managed to. :P But you showed me how things work in a true, loving relationship, how people tolerate each other, how to accept the goods and bads... With all the amount of information you poured to me, it's a wonder I didn't boot earlier. Hehe...

I would really like to say... Thank you for being patient with me. Thank you for all the times you put a smile on my face, no matter how difficult it was. Thank you for simply appearing in my life...

This is to our 2nd year anniversary... and to many more years to come... Cheers! :)

XOXO,
Cup

Nandos - Buy One Free One with Mystyle

Recommended by friend, so we tried out the Nandos Buy One Free One Offer with Mystyle. Simple, just type "my111 nandos" and send to 33365, wait for a while, and you shall get a one time voucher which will cost you RM3.50 per sms. Anyway, it's quite worth it as you are going to get yourself another 1/4 chicken with 2 side lines which costs RM12.80 ! So, we tried it and it worked, Nandos accepted the mobile voucher and here are the photos of the 1/4 chicken with 2 sidelines.

1/4 chicken breast with coleslaw and rice as sidelines

1/4 chicken thigh with coleslaw and peri fries as sidelines

Nandos is always popular for its peri-peri sauce, which gives a twist to its chicken, no matter garlic sauce, mild hot, hot or flaming hot, it definitely makes it stand out from others.

For me, I always order the hot or flaming hot flavor and always ended up with satisfaction ;)

Experience in Ribs Restaurant

We went to Ribs to try out the food there as I have a Diner's Club which grant me a 20% discount on total bill. The whole experience was quite good but the food, I shall say not up to the expectation.

Full Ribs Main Course

Above is the full ribs main course, first bite of it gets you feel the strong aroma of its thick barbeque sauce, but however the meat is soft and tasteless. Maybe some of you out there will like this type of cooking method, but one bite of it made me feel like the meat was marinated, then boiled, then BBQ for a minute and then served. Another thing is the ribs were at room temperature and not served hot at all.

From the definition of BBQ ribs, I would imagine a hot crispy hot pork skin where you could bite and pull with your hand, yummy and satisfying meat enjoyment.

Ribs with lamb combo

However, the lamb is not bad but nothing special about it, but you could forget its taste once you are out of there. In conclusion, I wouldn't recommend this restaurant, it's just not worth your penny.

After that we went to Belissa Row for an ice-cream treat as it was 31st Oct, meaning 33% discount on Baskin & Robbins :) but when we passed through the shop, it was crowded with people queuing to buy. Haih.....hate to queue...


-saucer-

Happy 2nd Year Anniversary Darling ~~~

Today has been 2 years + 7 days since our first date Oct 31st, back in 2005 with my dearest cup. Next, it will be Nov 15th, which was our first kiss, muaksss :*

I shall say throughout the 2 years, I really have my sweetest moments with you. Even though we did not spend most time traveling together due to the budget constraints, it makes our short trip to Singapore and Cameron Highlands even memorable and valuable. Now, I'm so looking forward for our Bali trip early next year, dear.

In the 2 years, I know we argued a lot but then we love each together like it never happens. Every time it happens, I'll try to think of the reasons to not repeat it again. I really hate it when you disagree with me, when you have so much ego that you won't ever want to leave it behind, when you always want everything to be the perfect, when you request this and that... no matter how strong my ego, I would still try to fulfill your requests and be a better person to fit you. No matter I did it willingly or not, it's simply because I have too much to lose... you.

I know you enjoy comparing me with you friends, who you claim to be your dream guy, who able to bring you to fancy restaurants and treats you like a princess. So, it makes me wonder what could I do to beat those guys? Should I bring you occasionally to fancy restaurants (even though it hurts my wallet deeply as I'm not even reach a financial freedom yet), should I treat you like a princess and your say becomes my order (to follow and let you win in every conversation)? So is this it? Is love to be judged by this?

People says loving someone meaning you would sacrifice things for him/her (to give but no to take), but I would say humans is selfish and tends to forget what's in front of him/her. It's simply because humans always attracted to new things, things that they couldn't resist and curious to explore into it.

To be perfectly honest, I am always loyal to all of previous girlfriend and you as well. I'm always proud of that because when I love someone, I would stick to her, like an octopus. I will never complains to her how other female friends are better, softer, sexier than her. I wouldn't want her to even feel the threat and lose confident in herself.

Other guys might be better than me in some ways, but it's not going to stop me from loving you more each day and learning to be better than them.


~ saucer ~

Cornetto + McFlurry....... What a Taste !

Yesterday, I was in Tesco, cup and I agreed to indulge ourselves with McFlurry Oreo, which is cup's favourite flavor. When we reached the counter, I was attracted to a new Cornetto McFlurry. I must admit I am a fan of Cornetto, so I persuaded cup to try this new perfect match - Cornetto + McFlurry combination.

the result? :( cup didn't want to make a move on the decision and insisted on her McFlurry Oreo, so we ended up getting one each for each of us, haih..... (sigh) what a stubborn head !!


McDonalds has introduced Cornetto McFlurry, claimed to offer crunchy sweetness of crushed Cornetto cones mixed with mouth-watering chocolate chips. It is either served with chocolate or strawberry topping, it's a totally new and delicious way to enjoy Cornetto in one cup.

Anyway, my comment on this new flavor is fairly good, all I remembered is its sweetness !! So, if you have a sweet tooth, this is definitely for you. It has the crunchy cones and chocolate chips in it, as claimed and they are totally visible to your tongue. Another thing is that it is absolutely stickier and creamier compared to other flavor because of the chocolate syrup.

So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead, get one and give yourself a try, especially if you're a Cornetto freak like me ! :p

signing off,
saucer

Glorious steak, lamb and beyond...

It was the 3rd of October, marking the special day of my birthday! Time really flies... Before I know it, I'm a quarter of a century old now.. *sob*sob* And in order to make me feel a wee bit better, sweet dear Saucer brought me out for dinner. *yay* We went to Victoria Station in Penang Island, some place that I have never been to before.

Inside the restaurant, there was a coach built-in, not unlike a train coach. Ooo... exciting! Of course we chose to sit inside the coach, to make it seem like we're really having our dinner in a train. The service was friendly and attentive... We ordered our dinner and shortly after, were served with bread and butter. Then, my drink came... it was a Chocolate milkshake, which, at RM4.90, was really cheap! Tasted wonderful as well!

Then came Saucer's main course, which was a Sizzling steak. It smelled glorious and the sizzle took quite a long time to subside. The taste was fantabulous! I loved how the steak was marinated beforehand, and how it was sizzling hot when it went into my mouth. The accompanying sauce was also done perfectly. I would definitely order this again next time... :)

A closer look (RM32.90)

Next came my order, which was a grilled lamb cutlet with mint sauce (RM29.90). The presentation itself was already pretty. Aside from the fatty part of the meat, the lamb was delicious as well. It was grilled just right and portion was huge.

After the main courses, we were both full to the brim... however, we still had the dessert to conquer! We ordered the Bombe Alaska (if I remember the name correctly) and when we saw it coming, we were surprised at how huge it was! At that point of time, we were both cursing each other for ordering such a dessert. The best part, however, was the presentation!
My camera could not capture it very nicely, but the dessert was literally on fire! When the waiters were at the side of our table, one of them was pouring rum on the dessert plate and then he lit it up! The second waiter who was holding the dessert plate then continuously scoop the rum from the plate and pour it all over the dessert, while maintaining the fire burning. It was the first time I saw something unique like this... and it was really cute.
After the fire subsided, the waited cut the dessert into half and served it on our plates. One serving (half of the dessert)looks exactly like this:
There was a scoop if ice-cream on top of a piece of swiss roll, with the combination covered in sweet whipped cream and topped with crispy meringue. Nope, we did not finish the dessert... but I definitely finished my ice-cream! Lovely dinner, lovely atmosphere and most importantly... lovely company... :) Thank you so much!

XOXO,
Cup

My PSP 2000 (a.k.a PSP Slim)

I have always dreamed for a psp and finally ............ I got it for my birthday !! It's the psp2000 a.k.a slim version. The differences? It's 33% lighter and 19% slimmer compared to psp1000 (a.k.a fat version now, it's not used to be fat, we called it fat once the slim version is out, life isn't fair, huh?). I chose white as my fav color is always white, especially for gadgets. Other "extras" features available for the slim version are it's tv-output enabled (with a special cable), higher memory from 32MB to 64MB, thus giving advantage in faster loading time. There are slight changes to the external design, such as the WiFi switch is moved to the top. The battery is believed to be more "fuel efficient" as well. After a fully charged, the battery information shows 6.41 hours (depends on the brightness and speaker volume you set).

You can even choose from a variety of themes with different colors and set pictures as wallpaper, etc.

"PSP Slim with Pink color as Theme"

"PSP Slim with Pink color as Theme"

For video, you will have to convert the format into mp4. For this purpose you may use freeware such as PSP Video 9 or PSP Video Express. I shall say the video looks clear, bright and nice. It's worth your every cent !

"Video showing on PSP Slim - screening Naruto Episode 218"

"Video showing on PSP Slim - screening Naruto Episode 218"

I believe for most of the people, gaming is the ultimate purpose to get a psp but for me, i enjoy all the features - gaming, wifi, video and even music players. There are even softwares available in the internet to enable it for calendar, scheduler, pdf reader and many mores not to forget homebrew games !! There are huge number of games available, some people called it "ahem games" :p

"Game - Naruto - Choosing a team"

"Game - Naruto - VS mode"

"Game - Naruto - Loading"

"Game - Naruto - In Fighting"

Overall, i would say the psp slim is truly satisfying and worth to buy. It will keep you busy especially while waiting in airport/bus and even while waiting for your girlfriend. My rating is 4.0 out of 5.0 stars :)


signing off,
saucer

Tao Restaurant at E-Gate Penang

This is my 3rd time visit to Tao as I heard the Scallops are back !!
Let's start the food review.


Personal Rating: 1.0 stars (out of 5)
Comment: I shall say the content is very little, most of it is flour. You will feel the dryness right away once you put inside your mouth.
Value for Money: N/A
Unique Flavor: N/A
Suggestions: It should be served with sauce.
Recommended: No

Grilled Lamb

Personal Rating: 1.2 stars (out of 5)
Comment: The soya sauce is too strong, causing me to drink my iced lemon tea regularly. The meat is tender and cooked right. However, there are lots of carbon on top of the meat, makes it unhealthy. So, I ended up with 1 serving only.
Value for Money: N/A
Unique Flavor: N/A
Suggestions: N/A
Recommended: Neutral

Steam Unagi

Personal Rating: 0.5 stars (out of 5)
Comment: The unagi serving is small, most of it is steam vegetables. Nothing special.
Value for Money: N/A
Unique Flavor: N/A
Suggestions: N/A
Recommended: No

Grilled Salmon

Personal Rating: 2.0 stars (out of 5)
Comment: My comment on grilled salmon is it's quite good, simple and nice.
Value for Money: N/A
Unique Flavor: N/A
Suggestions: N/A
Recommended: Yes

Kimchi Beef

Personal Rating: 1.1 stars (out of 5)
Comment: This is very much under my expectation, the beef is just a few slices and most of it is kimchi. The taste of the beef is just a normal one, nothing much special about it.
Value for Money: N/A
Unique Flavor: N/A
Suggestions: N/A
Recommended: Neutral, try for yourself.


Personal Rating: 1.8 stars (out of 5)
Comment: A normal fried shrimp tempura. Nothing much special about it.
Value for Money: N/A
Unique Flavor: N/A
Suggestions: N/A
Recommended: Yes.

Sashimi

Personal Rating: 2.0 stars (out of 5)
Comment: I have experienced a very much fresher sashimi and I would rate this one as average only.
Value for Money: N/A
Unique Flavor: N/A
Suggestions: N/A
Recommended: Neutral


Personal Rating: 2.2 stars (out of 5)
Comment: It has been my 3rd time to Tao and I still like this dish. It's quite special with the "melting" effect in your mouth. However, you gets bored quickly with it as it's covered with butter.
Value for Money: N/A
Unique Flavor: N/A
Suggestions: N/A
Recommended: Yes


Personal Rating: 1.5 stars (out of 5)
Comment: A light dish and it tastes quite nice.
Value for Money: N/A
Unique Flavor: N/A
Suggestions: N/A
Recommended: Yes

signing off,
saucer

The hunt for cheap haircut

Can't believe the first ever post in this blog would be regarding a cheap haircut... Certainly that reflects how 'cheap' we are in person, or not! :) Anyway, Saucer wanted to get a haircut for quite some time and according to my brother, there is quite a good barber who charges merely RM4 for a reasonably nice hair cut! Now, is that cheap, or is that cheap! Now, this barber is located somewhere in Kampar, Perak, which is my hometown. Yay! It so happened that Saucer and I are back in Kampar for the weekend, so we decided to hunt this place down in the morning.

Before that, Saucer, as usual, would not miss his dose of 'yin yeong' or 'cham' ice, which is actually Kampar's rendition of 'teh' plus 'kopi'. His favourite stall is located in one of the junctions off Jalan Idris. I don't remember the road name but took this photo.

I also took the packet of drink that he bought. Cost=RM1.40, but size is huge! He could not even finish the whole packet himself... Goes to show that Kampar food is CHEAP! :)

OK, back to our hunt. So we went to this housing area called Bandar Baru and started looking for the 'purple gate house' that my brother labeled... and found it! Well, we were straining our necks to make sure we were at the right place. Sure, there will be no signboards or whatever to show that this is indeed an operating business, since this is a private business. But, there should still be indication of whether it is open or not, right? So there we were, straining our necks and squinting our eyes looking for the slightest indication... and then we spotted it! Can you?

Look harder...

Need some help?

There you go! Hidden beneath the louvres of glass panes... for god knows who...

Signing off,

Cup