Birthday 2012

Birthdays should be a very special day for every single human being in the world.  It is a day when you breathe and work towards bringing fun, laughter, joys, tears and drama to others around you. 

I'm not sure how are the birthdays important to you. Though for me, it is a day that I would be treated like a Queen, special and somewhat its all about me.

There are definitely abundance of birthday greetings on Facebook.  Where I feel superficially loved for that 2 seconds that they took to write on your timeline.  Moreover, in the other 355 days of the year, they don't really know your existence nor a word is being exchange in person/text or phone call. Well, yes you might say that it is the thought that counts.. Without Facebook Birthday reminder.. I doubt I would even get a text from anyone to related their well wishes to me.  Call me cynical but you and I know so much that it is true.

Now, back to the purpose of writing today. 

Here's the story of my 32nd Birthday.  The worst to date by far.  I promise myself from 2013, I would make it a point that I am to leave the country regardless how near or far. 

So, I met someone interesting. Made a date to meet at Clarke Quay for a night out.  I thought why not? Its my birthday, having to spend it out and about in town over drinks doesn't sound half that bad, does it?  Communicated via whatsapp with him.. till I arrived to Clarke Quay.  He did not show up.

Why? A reason he gave - I wasn't easy enough for him to bed! WTF?  I must have come across to him that I'm smarter than he is and hence he chickened out.   Moreover, he didn't dare answer my phone call or text messages.   BUT it followed with a series of apology till 4am in the morning.. ... Throughout telling me he has fucked up and would come and pick me up for drinks!  To think that you've stood me up, would I even be the least interested to give you a second chance now? Fat hope.

Having recently gone through a series of unhappiness about friends who take you for granted and totally not appreciating.. to also have strangers calling you fat in the face and saying that I look like a pig.  All these piled up ... I broke down whilst sitting at a bus stop..  for a good hour before I picked my arse up and hop into a cab and stopped along a 7-11 to get myself a pile of potato chips.. Stuffed my face silly and finished the night with crying.

I am asuming that my hormones are running on high speed these days.  I have decided on a few alternatives too.  On a short term basis - vacation somewhere just to sort my thoughts out.  A more interesting option which has been swimming around my brain for a good couple of months.  I want to be a nun.

It would take alot of courage to give up the current lifestyle and bring myself to join a convent.  But the idea is calling out louder each day.  I would have to read up on being a nun and maybe I would be one.  And be peaceful with myself for the rest of my life?

Perhaps.

Where did 2011 go?

Time flies.. that's what most people say. And it is very true. Look I've managed somehow not to update this blog (but somehow being lazy updating twitter pretty frequently).

Do you know sometimes how you wished that you need to get something off your chest but oyu have nowhere to get it out too? That's what I am feeling now.. I need to get something off but I don't know where to go. As my trusty rusty memory, I managed to revive this blog and hopefully once in awhile more frequently than updating it once a year! :P

Culinary wise, I have not achieved much. Not stepped into the kitchen in a long time to make something special to increase the waistline of people around me. I have kinda lost the passion with messing around in the kitchen. Maybe one day soon, that passion will sneak back into me when I am sleeping?

Getting a writer's block. Hence I'll end here. BUT I will definitely be back.

Twitter Nation

It has been a good 3 months since the last post.

I have over the months posted pictures and little snippets on Twitter. The easily accessed Twitter has taken over the blog posting. Guilty.

But with such convenience I am just able to write anything within the 140 characters limitation about the yummy food that I have tasted! The delicious home made stuff.. So what's there not to like about Twitter? :)

If there are some people out there who is reading my blog for inspiration and ideas on what to cook or make at the next free time, why not follow me on twitter? @awesomejo

I am sure you'll be dully entertained too.

Next post, I promise more pictures of food. For now, follow me on twitter!

The Curse Of My Chocolate Mousse

Many posts ago, I wrote about making some Nutella Cupcakes and Chocolate Mousse. It was a success!! In August, while I was flipping through my collection of recipes. It reminded me of the awesome low fat chocolate mousse that I made.

So I tried to recreate that awesomeness again.. BUT it did not happen. I spent the whole month trying to recreate it. Nothing came close!! I was cloe to pulling my hair out!

The mousse did not set, I end up having chocolate milk or I have over heat it and curdles. After which, many hours were spent over the stove just so that I can re-create it.

In a spur of frustration, I decided that I could and should mix it up since its hopeless. I pour in some chocolate chips and a wee bit of gelatine hoping to make it somehow jelly like texture.

Oh well, left them over night in the fridge. Who knows.. it worked!! The mousse turns over velvety smooth and creamy too. I now have to work at it again because I don't know how much of what I've poured into the mousse mix.

FML.

In Loving Memory of Tom O'Regan

Tom was someone that I met some short months ago. Last night I learnt that he has passed away a month ago on 28 Jun 2010. He was 29 years old.

How fragile is life?

Autopsy showes that he died in his sleep and nothing was faulted. Now that he is gone, the world has lost a talent.

Tom or Thomas the Tank Engine as I like to call him, loved song writing and has a youtube channel showcasing his talent. Tom had so much going on for him but one night after a great night out, he left us all.

My favourite night out with him was to Indochine at Wisma Atria. He took stage with the band and sang a couple of songs. People loved him. That night filled with accented conversation. Hilariously, speaking in french (I love the french accent - which he does so well). We downed so much mojitos and vodkas that we left the bar happy.

Hanging out at his apartment watching telly or just goofing around and watch him play the guitar was just great! I remembered how excited Tom was when he got his Employment pass approved for another year and that he is going to quit smoking. Which eventually he did, 2 weeks flat. Cold Turkey - his way. :)

This photo is Tom's favourite. He is doing the Brazilian martial arts - Capoeira.

He's now gone from the face of earth and hopefully even much happier at wherever he is. Tom is very much missed and I have still not come to terms that you are no longer just 5 minutes away from me.

May your soul rest in peace and music.

Loving you always.

Its July and I have a Tiramisu to share

The months of April, May and June went past at lighting speed.

What happened? We are now into the 3rd quarter of the year. I must say I did not do a good job at keeping my blog updated (guilty).

I have only a tiramisu to share. (During those months, repetition of chocolate cupcakes and brownies were abundant)

Sharing with you a photo of the quick tiramisu. It is made with cream cheese instead of the usual mascaropone cheese and egg whites. There are now many recipes online that uses cream cheese

too.

Here's the end product.

NB: I done a non-alcoholic version and it does not taste as nice as the one with alcohol.

Home Made Fresh Pasta

Pasta is something everyone loves - I'm assuming this :P

But making them fresh over the choice of dried store bought ones isn't something anyone would want to lay their hands on.

Honestly, pasta is darn easy to make but I suppose because of the huge quantity produced the option of using the dried pasta emerge as the winner.

For every 100gm of flour, use 1 egg (60gm). I used 600gm of Double 00 flour (or you can choose all-purpose flour). A tiny pinch of salt just to make everything better.

The well in the flour with 6 eggs

So having carefully using the best and most efficient mixer in the world - my hands. Bind the eggs and flour together as you would making bread! The body heat and weight translate to the dough. Making it smooth and soft - honest truth.

Freshly rolled out Pasta!

After having set the dough aside to rest - approximately 30 minutes or so. Roll the dough flat to the desired thickness and then make them into either lingunie or fettecuine - choice is yours!

I made mine into fettecuine! Eager to test and taste the texture of the pasta, I made a small serving. Using bottled pasta tomato sauce and some dried herbs, topped with cheese.

The Result

Cooking time for fresh pasta is way much shorter than dried ones. Slightly over 5 minutes in salted water. And then dress the salad with your favourite sauce. Dinner is served. :)

Maybe this might inspire you to mess around the kitchen a little to have a taste of making your own pasta?