The end?

If it really is the end of the world as we know it, then I'd love to share this song with you.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6sUDoBJWtY&feature=plpp

If only you understand what it says. 

Birthday Pavlova

Haven't done much cooking lately. Too many excuses - work too late, tired, too many social gatherings, mom doesn't like me messing up HER kitchen, etc. In other words, simply can't be bothered. 

Well well well. It's mom's birthday today and so I should do something for her and she can't complaint about me messing her space. 

To be honest, I didn't really have time to plan anything. I knew I could always make tiramisu which I'm sure she likes but I do want to try something new. 

To boldly go then...

Raspberry ripple pavlova - recipe from BBC Good Food: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3224/raspberry-ripple-pavlova

It should look pristine white with whirls of red from the raspberry... But mine is like this:

I knew it's not working when that sweet but definitely burnt smell filled the flat half way through the baking. My meringue was out of control. It's brown (well, half burnt) outside but still soft inside. 

But I ran out of sugar and time. I just had to serve it. Mom was as lovely and loving as ever, she still said it tasted good. Dad was more honest though :p

Maybe I should make a tiramisu tomorrow. 

閱讀報告二：The Map and the Territory

記得曾經有朋友常常問我何解總是喜歡聽depressing music，並懷疑我終有一日會刀仔拮大脾。其實我也有喜歡的uplifting、開心的音樂，只是大家好像認為我只聽令人消沉的歌曲吧。

似乎我的閱讀喜好和音樂也差不多。

我鍾意Michel Houellebecq的小說。而，看完他的書，十之八九都會感到人生似乎沒有太多樂趣和希望。

The Map and the Territory (La Carte et le territoire) 是Houellebecq最新近作品，為他奪取2010年岡古獎 (Prix Goncourt，法國文壇一大榮譽)。故事講述藝術家Jed Martin的一生和他的藝術創作。Jed Martin是一個寂寞的人，只是他並不覺得這樣有何不妥。他沒朋友，也不需要朋友。成名後帶來的財富也好像對他無甚影響。後來他因為籌備個人展覽，因緣際會認識了名作家Michel Houellebecq (!)。兩人好像惺惺相惜，但又談不上是朋友。然後有日，這個Michel Houellebecq被謀殺 … …

當然，這書其實不是甚麼crime fiction (Houellebecq對這類小說好像十分鄙視)。和他之前的小說一樣，主題離不開生命的無奈：對感情的無奈、對年老的無奈。

沒錯，這書真的很灰。但更灰的是，書這麼快便看完了，不知幾時才可讀他的新作 … …

題外話一則：話說某日我向某人confess，告訴他這大概是我一年多以來的第一本書，他用驚恐兼責備的眼神和語氣跟我說：「怎麼可以這麼久沒看書？實在太過分了！」著實令我慚愧不堪，決定要勤力點，看多點書。

 

Île flottante

Île flottante，浮島，floating island是也，有時亦稱為œufs à la neige (雪中蛋)，是傳統法國甜品。蛋白加糖打至企身，在加入了雲呢拿的奶煮熟，待涼後浮在crème anglaise上，再淋上焦糖汁。

每次見到餐牌有île flottante，我都必定會叫來吃。

 

於某年夏天，在巴黎碰上了你。

有一晚你帶我到十三區一間小餐廳。那是我第一次知道Le Pays Basque和那兒的菜式是怎樣的。餐廳的氣氛熱鬧友善，食物也很不錯。最重要的是，和你談得很開心。

吃完主菜，侍應遞上餐牌問我們要不要甜品。我實在太飽，再也吃不下。你努力嘗試叫我陪你吃，我還是十分不解溫柔的拒絕了。

你想吃的就是île flottante。

數年後，和你相處下來，才發現原來甜品是你的Archilles’ heel。

始終沒有和你一起吃這個。

 

我喜歡的，原來你不

久違了的香氛，讓我又想起他。因為他說過不喜歡它。最初我也不以為然，直至有次他終於（在半醉下）忍不住跟我說很討厭這氣味。

於是，它從此被我打落冷宮。

昨天早上，忽然心血來潮，跟這香氛來個久別重逢。才發現我真的很喜歡這特別的氣味。

我實在是不應該因為一個人而改變。

Moving on?

I'm moving, again. Rents are going crazy. Landlords getting greedy. 

Well it's actually not new to me. 

As much as I like the new place I'm moving to, I really still don't like moving. The physical part - packing, going through stuff, throwing stuff, unpacking... The going through stuff part is the most annoying. Often it unleashes a few monsters. 

Albeit the small size of my current flat, I managed to put away a few things, totally hidden for the past two years. 

While frantically packing this afternoon, I found some hidden "treasure". Not. 

Some old candles and candle holders. Not a big deal really and I may as well just throw them away.  Wait... What are these? 

Right. 

Two candles and a flower thingy. Shite. He sent those to me. Five years ago. I was so happy when I opened the parcel. I wanted to light the candles at once but didn't as I didn't want them to vanish with the flames. I couldn't see him as often as we wished and so I wanted to hang on to every little thing that has to do with him. 

But like any candles and flames, we didn't last. We still exchange news from time to time though. 

The last time I moved, he was asking me how it all went etc. This time around, I don't think I'll be getting a word from him. He just seemed to have disappeared. 

Then I started to pack my CDs. And there they were, the two CDs I had been listening to non-stop that year. 

Sigh...

Panic Birthday Dinner

My mom’s birthday was early October so obviously this is a very late post…

The whole family already had the birthday dinner the weekend before the actual date and I thought I could just give her the tiramisu on the day. That afternoon, I called to say happy birthday and then I realised dad wouldn’t be coming home for dinner. So I told mom I would cook for her. 

After I hung up, major panic kicked in. I had no idea what to cook. And I didn’t have much time to shop and actually cook!!! Should I do pasta? Boring. Steak? Nah, she doesn’t like it that much. What does she like to eat? Well, pizza… but how the hell was I gonna make a pizza?! Oh, wait, she likes tabouleh! 

I wouldn’t have the time to chop all those tomatoes and cucumber and parsley. Plus I would have to think of another hot / meat dish to go with the salad. So, no tabouleh. Instead, I’d make a simple one pot dinner with couscous.

Couscous with Chorizo and Chickpeas

Ingredients

• 1 cup couscous
• olive oil 
• chorizo, sliced 
• 1 tsp paprika  
• 1 can chickpeas, drained 
• 425ml chicken stock
• chopped parsley, to serve

Method

1. Prepare couscous according to the packet’s instructions.
2. Heat olive oil in a large pan and stir fry the chorizo for 3-4 mins. 
3. Stir in the paprika, then tip in the chickpeas and the chicken stock. 
4. Simmer for 2 mins. Spoon over the couscous and scatter with chopped parsley.
5. Serve with a mixed leaf salad with lemon olive oil dressing. 

She beamed when she saw it’s couscous and that meant a lot to me. It feels good to cook for my parents. They always tell me it’s nice (whether it’s true or not, I don’t really care). Whereas my various attempts to cook for someone else never yielded this kind of result.