Eve of Holiday Is Always the Best

Started my holiday break a week earlier, but it felt like CNY has already started from the first day of my break. I usually worked until the eve of CNY, and when this break came early, the festive mood came early too. As usual everyone was eager, energetic and the festive mood had set in, though the actual day was another 5 days to go. This year, I spent my CNY at Sarikei, and tomorrow it is time to continue celebrating back in my hometown in PJ.

It's true that when New Year comes, you will get to eat stuff that you hardly has chance to taste throughout the year. This year, to me, the main course is the Sarawak layer cake. You can see it in almost all the house, and it is a must have like pineapple tart, prawn keropok or kuih kapit to Klang Valley folks.

Many people may have seen the famous Indonesia layer cake and thought that the Sarawak version looks the same. But they didn't know that Sarawakian are a creative lot, with many unthinkable colors added into the cake such as blue, pink and black. For them, rainbow consists of not only 7 colors. The only downside is the taste, as different colored cakes may end up giving the same taste.

In Klang Valley, green cake is 99% pandan flavour. But in Sarawak, it could also mean peppermint or just plain natural.

Happy CNY Tiger Year 2010 : Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoo!

This is the Chinese New Year week, where rest & dine overtake work & stress. We have another 9 days before the ang pow giving, lion dance and fireworks take a break, and return in 2011.

For this year's 14 Feb, it was a triple celebration; Chinese New Year of Tiger, Valentines Day and my baby's 1.5 months birthday. I had the privilege of experiencing Sarikei-styled Tuin-Nin Fan (reunion dinner) and CNY First day meal. For Foochow people, eating Mee Suah with Chicken Soup and Mushroom, plus teaspoon full of Red Rice Wine on the first morning of CNY is a must to symbolize long life (Cheong Mehng Pak Soui).  I walloped 2 bowls and this means double long life. (added)

Hope it's still not too late to wish everyone dan mereka yang berada di kawasan yang sewaktu dengannya, GONG HEI FATT CHOY & FATT TATT!!

Deepavali Vartekel

Want to take this opportunity to wish my local Indian and Hindu frens, dan mereka yang berada di kawasan yang sewaktu dengannya, Deepavali Vartekel!

To my Hindi frens, Happy Diwali!

To yang lain-lain, Happy Weekend!

Mid-Autumn & Tanglung

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to all! Just to show some usual food Malaysian Chinese have on this day.


> Moonlight Cake (月光饼）. Used to have this when I was child, and thought this is a mooncake


> Mooncake, agar-agar type


> Pomelo


> Mini Yam


> Ling Kok (Bull's Horn). Hard on the outside, white on the inside. Looks unusual, but taste like a chestnut. (Edited the term)

Valentine's Day 14 Feb 2009

This is the first time wishing ):-0 "Happy Valentine's Day" online.

Valentine's day is only once a year, but celebrating it is a whole year affair, though on a smaller but frequent scale.

The actual fact is; What you do the whole year is not comparable to what you did not do on that particular day.

Chinese New Year of Ox 2009

Gong Xi Fa Cai! Wish everyone is in good health because with health, wealth is possible. This is especially to a close friend who is nursing himself after an operation.

This year, CNY was spent in both my place and wife's place. My place is PJ, her place is Sarikei. Many may have not heard of this place. It is a town located 1.5 hrs road journey from Sibu, Sarawak.

A quick preview of the town.


> Symbolic Pineapple & Clock Tower


> Bus Station & Market


> Jetty


> Main Road


> "Da Jia Hao" Barber

> Clever Road sign "Turn left when exit is clear"

One way to introduce Sarikei is to show the different kinds of food not familiar to me and many in the Peninsular. Below are the typical CNY must-haves:


> Layer cake


> Chicken soup Mee sua (Vermicelli) with Red wine


> Pek Kueh (White Rice cake)


> Duck in Soy sauce