Brioche in the oven, dumpling in the steamer.....

Don't expect anything about cooking or food in this post. In fact, the last few months was completely lacking of cooking in any way. Why? Oh, because there wasn't much I could stomach before it was quickly on its way out of me (the same way it went in) due to wonderful pregnancy hormones. I have never been as homesick as I am now - mostly for the food. When I wasn't busy hugging the side of the toilet, I was craving, CRAVING Malaysian food. My comfort food. My poor husband was doing everything he could to get me nourishment that would stave off my nausea, driving around to get me soupy noodles, which was all I ate for almost a month. Could not stand the thought, let alone the sight or smell of burgers, pasta, pizza.....everything that surrounded me in abundance. *Shudder! Gag!*

The queasiness has since almost come to a halt. Still happens sometimes after a particularly greasy or non-compliant meal. However, one thing happened that put it all in perspective. I had an ultrasound procedure done about two weeks ago. We saw our little baby, healthy and bouncing off my uterine walls like an astronaut in zero gravity. The very sight of my child moving around with heart apounding and all limbs intact was enough to quell every ounce of yucky nausea. Everytime I am about to complain about a faulty appetite, I stop myself and think of how the very thing that's making me sick, is the very thing that is keeping my baby happy.

Need a mother ask for anything more?

Peace, Propaganda & The Promised Land

I was sent the link to this video by a friend. I'm sorry, it has nothing to do with food. However I felt that it is imperative that we spread the TRUTH about what is really going on in the Middle East, even if it has to begin at my blog. Please do me a HUGE favour and spend some time watching this . And please pass the message on to your friends. P. Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land provides a striking comparison of U.S. and international media coverage of the crisis in the Middle East, zeroing in on how structural distortions in U.S. coverage have reinforced false perceptions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This pivotal documentary exposes how the foreign policy interests of American political elites--oil, and a need to have a secure military base in the region, among others--work in combination with Israeli public relations strategies to exercise a powerful influence over how news from the region is reported. Through the voices of scholars, media critics, peace activists, religious figures, and Middle East experts, Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land carefully analyzes and explains how--through the use of language, framing and context--the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza remains hidden in the news media, and Israeli colonization of the occupied terrorities appears to be a defensive move rather than an offensive one. The documentary also explores the ways that U.S. journalists, for reasons ranging from intimidation to a lack of thorough investigation, have become complicit in carrying out Israel's PR campaign. At its core, the documentary raises questions about the ethics and role of journalism, and the relationship between media and politics.

Welcome to the surface of the sun! - Part Two

Okay, the heat's not letting up. I just saw the forecast that it's going to be 105 Fahrenheit this whole next week. *@&%@#*^!!! Looks like we're eating out of the pantry this week. I am NOT trekking out there and risk becoming Instant Carnation Raisin. It's a replay of the same two weeks this time last year. The week my family was here for my wedding, it was hot. And then someone cranked up the thermostat - the week after was excruciating!!!

*Grumble, grumble....* Ok, where did I stop the last time? Let's see if the bloody picture will load this time.......TA-DAA!!! Success! Gah, noodles....ack, this is pure torture!

Ahem, right....continuing on with Vegas. When we weren't working (we really didn't work that much), we spent many a day and evening out walking along the Strip to different places of interest. We spent some time at the Secret Garden & Dolphin habitat at the Mirage. Saw Siegfried & Roy's (go ahead and giggle) old white tigers and lions.....and bears. Oh my!!! (ok, no bears)
The dophins were cool.....literally. I would be too if I had my own pool to frolic around in. They swam around to the viewing window and teased us endlessly with their splashing and silly cackling. I would have paid big money to dive in the pool with them, except I don't have money - big or small. Haha.

Now, one place I definitely recommend for any tourists to Vegas would be the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace. This place is gorgeous and HUGE! 175,000-square-foot, three-level shopping centre, with ancient Roman architecture flooding the walls and floors, from frescos to gigantic sculptures. Everything here is designer - Versace, Harry Winston, Kate Spade, Gucci, Hugo Boss, etc. Coolest thing? Spiral escalators! I've never set my eyes on one before, so that was quite an experience. (Added picture for your viewing pleasure. You're welcome!)

A really great, family friendly place would be the Mandalay Bay Hotel. It's nicely laid out with some of the best restaurants in Vegas. Case in point - the Burger Bar. Fantastic food, burgers were top-notch, non-greasy but still flavourful. Jon ordered the Colorado lamb burger which was astonishingly good. I had a grilled shrimp on mesclun salad with Japanese dressing and sundried tomatoes. (was craving some greens that day). Turned out to be a great choice. It had layers of flavour from the crisp greens, to the succulent shrimp and the tangy umami of the dressing.

After that delectable meal, we adjourned to the Shark Reef which is within hotel limits. Tip - if you go after 7pm, the tickets are $5 off for adults. It was an impressive effort to showcase strangely creepy oceanic creatures along with sinister-looking pirahnas from the Amazon basin. Couldn't help thinking what it would be like if I put my finger in the water. Chills!

This is probably more information about my trip to Vegas than you'd care for, I should think. There's more to come actually, but I think I'm all worded out for now. Peace!

Welcome to the surface of the sun! - Part One

It is hot. It's been unusually hot everyday for the past month and it is increasingly hotter day by day, if that's even possible. This will be my seventh summer in Texas. I should have gotten used to it by now, you say. Well, no......for me, that would be close to impossible. This heat surrounds and envelopes you with its sultry arms, and then surges forth from inside you, not unlike after having had a large, spicy meal. So, one way or another, you're being roasted on the outside, and stewed on the inside.

I have a hate-hate relationship with the sun. I hate the heat, first and foremost. And I hate the way my skin just toasts up a few shades darker just by me emerging briefly into the rays, say whilst running from my apartment to my car, and from said car to end destination. So having said that, what the heck made me decide to sit by the pool at 4pm in Las Vegas with the temperature being 112 Fahrenheit (45 Celcius for everyone else's reference) for an hour???

Vacation madness. That's what it was. Then again, it was a working vacation. We were there for a trade show. Took advantage of the locale and had some fun when we weren't working. We almost didn't make it there.....money issues. Had the priviledge of staying at the Venetian, one of the nicest and newest hotels on the Vegas Strip. Very beautiful, totally puts you in a completely different place altogether......I think they were aiming for hmmm....oh, Venice? : P

The sky you see in the picture? It's not real. It's perpetually daylight in there, with variations for dawn and dusk. Messes you up when you come in from the dark of night. That's how they keep you awake. They mess with your internal clock so you'll walk in from outside and it's bright as day, you're thinking "Oh, it's too early for bed." Completely oblivious to the fact that you've actually been up for 48 hours straight, you head straight for the casino and then....BAM! there goes all the money that you're worth. Slick, very slick.

Since this blog is primarily about food, I couldn't leave this post without something about it. We had some really nice food when during our stay there. Most of it was just ridiculously expensive. One thing that really stood out to Jon and myself was the Noodle house, in the Venetian itself. Some of the best noodles I've had in years! It's very reminiscent of the Taiwanese noodles I used to love back home in Malaysia. These were definitely mind-blowing. Would go back all the way to Vegas just to have the noodles. Pure, succulent wheat noodles cooked to al dente perfection, bathed in spicy Szechuan beef broth, with the most tender cuts of meat with the most amazing flavour. (Trying to load picture, alas....not successful.)

Am so hungry now thinking of noodles. *Sob, sob!!!*

Anyhoo, it's time for me to head back to the blazing reality. Join me again for Part Two. Coming soon to a PC near you.

New crazy member of the family

No, it's not what you're thinking. Jon and I got a new kitten. We named her Sprinkles because of her unusual colouring. She's a little off, I have to say. Doesn't know the meaning of fear. She spends her days and nights terrorizing the other two cats, Chino and Tigger. But she's still a little baby and loves to be cuddled.

Now, I have to apologize for the tone of the previous posting, but I had to get it out of my system. I was blog-constipated for almost three months before then, not being able to find the right words to put down. Jon and I are a work in progress and we've moved on, but we never forget.

Why the new kitten, you ask? Well, it was partly self-indulgent, to fill a really huge void, but it was just a meeting of two forces and perhaps, love at first sight for the three of us. We knew she was coming home with us the moment we held her. The fact that she gets along famously with the other two proves that it was the right decision. Anyway, she's growing too quickly. So, Jon and I make up for it by smothering her when she wants us to. Silly kitty!

Shhh.....our angel is sleeping.

Non-eventful is hardly the appropriate word to use to describe things that have happened over these past three months. The roller-coaster ride persists, looping dangerously high and low and sometimes coming skin-close to crashing into the abyss of nothingness. And then, as hope seems wispier than fog, sunlight shines through and everything seems a little clearer, the ground unyielding below my feet. And I feel in that moment, I will know my heart again. But you never forget those eternal seconds that seem to envelope you completely in blackness.

I have never truly known what it feels like to be really empty on the inside. As much as I have experienced emotional pain physically, this Pain obliterates all others. It stabs and snags at every nerve and fiber of my being, making me want to tear my heart out, and at other times, leaves me ice-cold numb. Walking the line has been anything but easy.

I know our sleeping angel. She visits me in my dreams. Jon and I talk to her, wondering if she hears us. We tell her to be good, to be patient; we will see her again soon - whole, healthy and perfect.

I thank the heavens for Jon. He is my sunlight and my unyielding ground. He walks with me through the nothingness and holds my hand through the journey. I know he knows the Pain, for it lives inside him too. But this Pain, which takes so much from the core of us, this Pain rearranges the little shards of our stolen essence together again, more exquisite than ever. Like a beautiful glass mosaic, purposefully broken and then ingeniously made whole again, one tiny piece at a time.

Happy Doggy Year!

It is time for another celebration. The year of the Fire Dog began on January 29, 2006. For the benefit of those who may not be familiar with Chinese traditions, Chinese new year is celebrated usually in January or February of every year depending on the Lunar calendar. The festivities last for fifteen days, beginning on a new moon and ending on a full moon.

During these fifteen days, it is customary to visit family and friends, and likewise, host family and friends with hoards of epicurean goodies. Being so far from home, it is difficult to get into the spirit of the festivital. In fact, over here in Fort Worth, there is barely a whisper of Lunar merriment. Usually, I try to make up for homesickness by cooking up a storm, and baking cookies two weeks before. Unfortunately, this year I did not have the time to bake, but still managed to have our friends over for our annual CNY get together.

The menu was as such: Yue Sang, the traditional CNY salad of mixed finely shredded vegetables and pickles, Fried fragrant chicken (chicken rice style), Shiitake mushrooms with baby bok choy, Fried stuffed beancurd rolls, Beef hot pot, with coconut cookies and Malaysian coffee as dessert. Jon cooked and chopped up the chicken, with some of my help. It went through tedious cooking processes, but was ultimately worth it!

All in all, it was delicious! And the company, even better. This is the time of year that I get the most homesick, and it is always fun to spend time with my surrogate family.

'Til next time.....Ciao bella! Back to the Winter Olympics.

Holidays, holidays and more holidays!

Wow! I've been bad. I haven't posted anything since the beginning of December.
Well, time has been passing annoyingly fast. It's been a month since I quit my job to take care of my new business. Christmas and New Year's day has come and gone and we're on the third day of the Chinese New Year. Check out the cake I made for Mary Lou and Brad's Holiday Pudge Party!

Since the new year, all has been well to an extent. I've been very preoccupied with getting the business up and running. Unfortunately, it's not been moving very quickly at all. But, hope is in sight! We have decided to take it to the limit by participating in three trade shows this year. The biggest one will be in March in L.A.

Working from home has been good for me. It's nice to be near everything I feel comfortable with. On the other hand, it's been a brain drain, which leaves me with not much energy to cook much anymore. Having said that, I had been craving Yong Tau Foo, a stuffed vegetable and tofu dish, that I decided to make it myself. It's basically an assortment of vegetables: eggplant/brinjal, bitter gourd, red chillies or jalapenos, tofu puffs and beancurd skins stuffed with a mixture of ground pork and fish with green onions.
I fried them in oil and then made a garlic-oyster sauce gravy to go on the top. We had it with some flat rice noodles, which we dressed with hoisin-soy sauce and sesame seeds. (chee cheong fun!) It was absolutely yummy.

Having said that, I am preparing for a few days of cooking for this coming Saturday's Chinese New Year feast. I'll save the details for the next blog. Expect some good stuff!!!

Birthdays Galore

November is the beginning of the year's birthday run. More than half of my family and friends celebrate their birthdays in November and December. That includes me and Jonathan.

We had a great get-together at our dinky apartment on Saturday, November 12, 2005 to celebrate Jon's and ....surprise! ....Phil's birthday. I had planned an all-out menu of mostly Malaysian food like curry puffs, beef rendang and fried fragrant chicken. Check out the Blackforest Cake I made for my husband!

Then, four weeks later, it's my turn to be surprised with a birthday party. It was at Tiffany and Stephen's place and they had gotten take out from Asia Bowl, a Pan-Asian Restaurant with some Malaysian dishes. Mee Goreng, Pad Thai and Spicy Chicken Wings.....Yummy!!!

It was really great to spend my birthday with my closest friends. Not to mention that amazing Banana Pecan Cake that Ammar made for me. Super Yummy!!!

Company is everything, don't you think?

Let me introduce myself.....

Hello all!
Welcome to Planet Foodie. My name is Pleasance and I will be your Foodie Queen. On Planet Foodie I will discuss thoughts on all things food, wine, family, friends, loves, hates, things that make me go hmmmm.....and things that make me go ICK!

A little about myself....I am a wine wholesaler by day and food advocate by night. I'm married to the best husband on earth, Jonathan, who's my best friend too. I couldn't ask for a better person to rule Planet Foodie with. I have the most wonderful parents and a truly amazing sister whom I'm terribly proud of. I have a small circle of friends who are truly more like family. They are a true blessing in my life especially since I'm incredibly close to my family, my friends make the pain of being so far away from family a little more bearable.

My job is truly an experience. Most days, it's more like a roller-coaster ride. Those of you who know me, know how much I loathe those. I seek comfort in coming home every evening and preparing dinner for myself and my husband. I live for the weekends when I can throw myself into my culinary experiments and cook for my fabulous friends.

So, I will keep you all posted...literally....on events in my life. Prepare yourselves though, ....things have been volatilely up and down in my life lately and I'm famous for my brand of honesty. There may be an off-comment or two and probably some emotional outbursts.

I look forward to and welcome all comments and responses.

Till next time,

Foodie Queen.