Munchies & A Lil' Bit Of Everything

I’ve always loved Bak Kua even when I was living in Asia and now that I’m not in Asia, of course I craved for it when the Chinese New Year season is round the corner.  I think moreso during the festive season, for the Chinese New Year is a huge festival in Asia.  Someone asked me the other day if I missed home and I have to say that I missed the food more than the place.  If they had a mini Hong Kong or mini Asia in Canada, I think I’m all set.

Bak Kua comes in various flavor and sizes – many varieties to choose from and during the Chinese New Year season, folks would queue up for hours at the most popular Bak Kua store and wait for a few boxes of Bak Kua for gifts and personal consumption during Chinese New Year.  Lucky for me – the spouse travels a lot around Canada and United States, so I got my munchies for the new year from Vancouver and they are certainly not cheap at all.  about $25 for 1Ibs of meat jerky – my grandmother would have flipped.  Not everyone is as lucky as I am to be able to afford something so small and so expensive, I am really grateful for my life here in Canada and a good spouse.

It’s funny how a simple dessert that I’m used to having since I was a kid is so missed by me – now that I’m staying abroad.  Never did I ever think that I won’t be having this dessert at anytime I want.  My kids don’t like soy anything at all even though I tell them it taste great and silky but they refused to try it at all.  They say the texture is just too squishy to enjoy  – I guess they are like any American kid who loved their burgers and meat.

I remember when I was young and my parents would send us out in the evening with a bowl in our hands and 50 cents to buy a big bowl of Tao Foo Fa for my grandparents to enjoy.  We would not have any till my grandparents and aunts had enough – what a difference with this generation.  Our kids are always taken care of first and the adults later and even though things were quite different for us when we were kids – it sure beats eating just burger and fries.  The Asian culture is way too rich to ignore.

I don’t attend many function these days – unless it’s for charity or for the spouse’s work and the spouse and I keep a very low profile even though he runs a department in an international company.  I’ve often been invited to attend functions with him – but I rather not go because I don’t want to be pretentious and pretend to be interested in his kind of work – no offense to the spouse – I know he loves his job and loves his company but I usually keep a distance with his work.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the occasional cocktail and dressing up but to travel with the whole sales team and then to close the convention with a big drinking bash – is just not for me anymore.  I don’t have to show face – as his company already know and many have asked me what about the spouse drinking and with so many beautiful ladies around him – am I not afraid?  do I not need to tell the world that he is taken.  It’s really funny – I find when people tell me such, will it helped if I do that ?  if a man wants to stray he would think of any excuse and will have all the opportunity regardless what kind of job he is in.

Having said that – it also doesn’t mean that I am not concern or do not care – of course I care but I don’t want to appear paranoid about it – and thus make the spouse thinks that I must be going crazy. I trust the spouse but that doesn’t mean that my eyes are closed – my eyes is very wide open but I don’t rant nor bitch about things – I make the best of all situation and learn to do things subtly plus I intend to look my best and keep myself up to date – in any kind of situation – be it foreign affairs or financial affairs.  I never want to be taken by surprise .  Socializing is great but not an event where I keep an eye on the spouse, he’s a big boy ! he can choose to be responsible or not – but he cannot have his cake and eat it too.

Trips to Vancouver usually amazes me how many new restaurants are opened – since the last time we were there – and we do go to Vancouver very often at that.  Recently there – we were introduced to some fine dining around Vancouver – by some business associate of the spouse – and food was indeed awesome.  With so many restaurants popping up like popcorn in Vancouver,  I too want to own a  restaurant supplies company in Vancouver, I bet I will make some good money.

This was a Japanese restaurant that we had gone to – I can’t remember the name – but it was at West Broadway – and it was pretty good and will try this restaurant again in the near future.

More sashimi – for us during the evening.

We had also visited a new Chinese restaurant that sold roasted pig – I haven’t had this for a long time now.

Some fried crab noodles for the table.

And for dessert – mini egg tarts.  Yummy to the max.  I do love going to Vancouver – they have so many nice and great restaurants there – I would love to live there when the spouse retires.

I was introduced to this restaurant 5 yrs ago – and was happy to see that they were still opened for business – in fact they have expanded.  Food was awesome ! and service phenomenal!  this is comfort food to me and my spouse knows how much I love a good Shanghai dinner – so when we were in Vancouver recently – we headed straight from the airport to here.

It’s Sunday here in Canada and my girlfriend who is currently in Hong Kong called to tell me about her market experience in Hong Kong and also my favorite pomelo that we used to get together when we were younger and working in Hong Kong together before migrating.  Those were the days – where we would go for “yum cha” in the morning – take a morning walk in the wet market and watch as the people go about their busy life.  In Hong Kong  – Sundays has got to be the busiest – because family and friends take the opportunity to spend time together.  Whether to shop for lunch or just to go shopping for clothing or watch a show – or just hang out at Yau Ma Teh – or Chong Wan (Central) – it was buzzing with life.  Unlike here in our town – it’s very quiet – I didn’t think I would miss the hustle and bustle of Sunday mornings in Hong Kong – but I do – time to make a trip home soon and refresh those memories and quench thirst for home cooked food.

The spouse who is currently in Indonesia for work – visited my favorite munchie store – and tried some of my favorite munchie that I loved when I am in Indonesia.

I loved the ones with the gula melaka in it and not the coconut ones – but you could have the ones with peanuts too – if you wished.  These are really yummy and light – and anyone would love it – because they melt in your mouth.  I remembered my mom buying them for us after going to church every Saturday.

An ancient art – not many practice – I think this is a dying art.  Beating the hell out of your noodles was what the spouse called it.  You see the man on the bamboo?  he sits on it and bounce on it until the flour is all rolled up nice and springy.   In fact – you don’t see this very often now – so when we were in California and saw a chinese restaurant that did that – we figured we had to go try out their noodles. I have to say that I do like their green tea noodles – in fact I liked it so much – I had to have another bowl before leaving the airport.

Check out their green tea as well – so rich and milky.

My children do not have Chinese eyes even though they are half Chinese – and the funny thing was when they were younger – other kids would teased them and do what the above kids did to my kids and then they would “taunt” my kids and said ” ohhh – I’m Chineseeeee!”  When my kids came home crying about being teased – I would not get upset – and explained to my kids that it was true that they were half Chinese  – since mummy was from Hong Kong and that they shouldn’t feel ashamed that they were half Chinese.

Of course, when you are a kid – you don’t feel as gung-ho as your mom and I understand it totally – but kids can be “mean” at times – and no matter what I said – it wasn’t going to comfort my kid.  When I first arrived in Canada – everyone thought that I was from China – and at that time Hong Kong was still and independent country by itself – but as long as the locals saw me – they assumed that I only learned to speak English after I arrived.

My kids got tougher as the years went by and since we had to travel so much because of my spouse’s work – we didn’t get to stay in Canada for long – so they made new friends in Paris, in Switzerland and Holland.  I really feel that the kids in Switzerland and Holland were much kinder too. Till this day – my kids are still in touch with their high school friends in both country.   Now my kids make fun of themselves with those funny eyes thing. KIDS!

This is a local dish found in Penang, Malaysia – the flat noodles are made fresh – unlike the ones here – you find – that are slightly thinner and dried.  If I wanted flat noodles now – I would have to soak them for hours before I can fried them.  But this fried noodles is called kuay teow – I never used to like it – but now that I can’t have it – I craved for it.  The spouse on the other hand travels a lot – so he gets to try different things.   Look at how huge the prawns are – you can asked to add addition prawns like we do – when we go back home for a visit – which is not often – but we love the sambal that comes with it.