Coffee theology: I learn how to die for you...

Before I kiss you goodbye, when I eventually live to my last breath, you will hear me say: I love you, till death do us part... Inseparable, that's what they say. Precisely, that's what I reply. I will die for you, cause you are what I'm always dying for... Today, tomorrow and the day after, I learn how to die for you...

House blend @ RM15.80 for two

I'll die for you, won't I?

Starbucks English Fruitcake @ RM4.00 (FOC, when you order coffee in French press)

You're free... from the shelf, simply because, you're given for free, when my love is by my side...

East meets west family breakfast

Welcome to a lovely Sunday! Today's post features a simple but warm family breakfast for Papa Bear, Mama Bear and Baby Bear... Luckily Goldilocks did not sneak in when the three of us went out of the house to run some errands, leaving our breakfast on the dining table for almost half an hour.

Kaldi ground coffee

From water...

... to coffee

Hmmm... the darker the better...

Our east meets west brekky

From the east:

Chicken 'Woh Pau'

Egg tart and 'Nam Yue' Pie

From the west:

Bonne Maman Marmalade, Nutella hazelnut spread and Ballantyne butter.

Wholemeal bun

Interracial marriage between Italian and Japanese

Food intermarriage in Pam's house has been fully legal since Pam discovered the art and mystery of food. Food pairing is a serious business here so appointing the best food connoisseur with unlimited flow of inspiration to identify which food and drinks go well together is an utmost necessity. We are glad to announce that we have found the most qualified expert (me lah...) to carry out this practice and the result is, of course, nothing less than excellent!

Shall we review one of her best works in combining Italian coffee with Japanese curry?

Segafredo Zanetti Espresso Casa

2 servings of coffee

You leave me breathless. You're everything good in my life.

Time for a cuppa...

Japanese vegetarian curry (paste compressed in bar form)

Japanese rice curry

Chicken gizzards

Fried egg

Black Pepper Chicken Pie & Apple Puff

Hooray! It's the school holidays! Knowing that I travel a lot, many caring colleagues were curious to know where I'd be heading to this time. Sorry to let them down cause I ain't going anywhere this holiday. Be leaving by train on Sunday to Segamat to visit some old friends and stay put for a couple of days, before returning to Perak on Wednesday. There comes another 2-day trip to Penang with the School Prefectorial Board immediately after the Segamat trip. Born a busy traveller by nature, and I always am. That's why la... where got time to travel overseas, hoh?

Not sure if I could get some good pastries throughout the week so I'd better treat myself to some sumptuous little snacks before my cuti-cuti Malaysia trips... Bon appetit!

Fruit tartlets and chocolate tartlets

Black Pepper Chicken Pie & Apple Puff

Apple Puff with sweet custard base

Black Pepper Chicken Pie

Generously stuffed with chunks of chicken and mushroom

Espresso made from Italian Roast

Unadon @ Wasabi Sushi

An Unadon, literally means "eel bowl", is a popular rice bowl (donburi) dish made with grilled eel coated with a sweet sauce. In other words, Unadon is the glazed-grilled Unagi on top of Japanese rice.

Unadon @ RM15.90

Ocha @ RM0.50 per pax

Wasabi Sushi

Jalan Kota (next to Kok Beng Chicken Rice Shop)

34000 Taiping, Perak.

Wok Sifu @ Kinta City Shopping Centre

Followed by the closing of Food & Tea Hong Kong Cafe at Kinta City Shopping Centre, here comes the successor - Wok Sifu! This sifu is more versatile compared to its pioneer as you will be able to see an extensive choice of cuisine in the menu. To name a few, Hongkie cuisine, Taiwanese cuisine, Korean cuisine, local etc. This new addition is certainly not something diners would rush into when this genre of food seems to be mushrooming all around town lately. It's perhaps too early to tell how long this eatery could survive considering there are strings of strong competitors just a stone's throw away. New Hong Kong style eateries that wish to seek greener pastures may need to think of better strategies to survive in such harsh condition when the more established brands remain moving one step forward for having their steady stream of customers. We will have to wait and see if Wok Sifu will eventually end up like Food & Tea, poised to take its last breath before succumbing to competition from their biggest rival next door - De Garden.

Wok Sifu

The menu

Almond drink with raw egg @ RM4.90

Claypot Loh She Fun @ RM9.90

Korean Bibimbap @ RM14.90

Kimchi

Mushroom soup

Shaved kiwi ice @ RM5.90

Shaved chocolate ice RM5.90

Wok Sifu

Kinta City Shopping Centre

Ipoh, Perak.

Grand Opening of 2011 Malaysian School Sports Council (MSSM)

Was assigned a very heavy responsibility last Friday - to be the chaperone for the lantern team at the grand opening of the 2011 MSSM annual sports events. On that faithful day, the Perak Stadium overflowed with students and athletes, all waiting for the arrival of the ministers, delegates and VIPs. As conclusion, the whole gala was a money-wasting, time-wasting and manpower-wasting event! Biasalah... kwan si ka ho (Hokkien slang...)

The Perak Stadium

Perak team and its 'seladang' mascots

Hornbill, the Sarawak mascot

Eagle, the Kedah mascot

Unknown giant bird, the Sabah mascot

The liveliest mascot of the night

Wondering why it was moving so fast...

Making a 'bull'rush to hug the bull???

(Ever seen a bird hugging a bull before?)

1Malaysia lantern

Lighting the torch

Brightly lit 1Malaysia lanterns surrounding the Ipoh stadium

Here comes the firework display!

Wow! $$$ burning...

More $$$$$ gone...

RM20,000?

RM25,000???

My condolences to the tax-payers' hard-earned money...