An invitation to Fatboybakes’ legendary dinner party

FBB's dinner party

If at the end of this year you asked me to list out my most memorable events in 2008, this dinner party would definitely make the Top 10 list.  After having suffered through FBB’s numerous accounts of dinner parties he had hosted, I thought my time would never come.  But it did, thanks to my multiracial background.  For some *skewed BN inspired reason, he needed someone of Indian heritage, and I dug deep into the bottomest layer of my fatty epidermis to pull out the Indian card, and thus kindly fulfilled his masyarakat majmuk quota.  So if you haven’t been invited to one of FBB’s legendary dinner parties, take a good look at yourself and ask if you’re too pale.  Cackle.

(* no relation to the topic at hand, but I felt a strong urge to include it anyway)

lasagne

His dinner menu included Paprika’s Lasagne Al Forno Con Melanzane, an adaptation of Delia Smith’s recipe with an almost genius inclusion of a layer of fried aubergine (and the exclusion of lasagne sheets, which doesn’t make it a lasagne, does it??) which got this dish crowned a winner with the guests.  I would try this recipe at home, but my dear Bald Eagle screams like a banshee when he sees anything resembling, tasting or smelling like an aubergine on his plate.  I really should have included a condition on aubergine when I agreed to marry him.  It’s too late now.  Sigh.

shrimp bisque

The shrimp bisque prepared by FBB’s wife was exquisite. If it were any thicker, the little bits of shrimp would reassemble themselves and start mating with each other.

scallops salad

Pan Seared Scallops on a bed of Aragula and Frisee, With Balsamic Honey Mustard Dressing, accompanied by Quails eggs.

The scallops were mating too.

I know you’re drooling.

briyani rice

This lovely sunshiny briyani rice with wasabi cashews and raisins were a perfect accompaniment for….

chicken muglai

…..Nigella Lawson’s Chicken Mughlai.  I found out later that it was his virginal effort (I’m quite sure he enjoyed the experience, together with the picture of Nigella’s ample bosom openly displayed on his kitchen counter), and I was suitably impressed (not by the bosom).

I loved the Zuchinni and Mushroom Pie, but I didn’t capture a good enough photo worthy of the wonderful sensations I felt while eating it. The delicious mint chocolate cake which FBB served also failed the photo test. But I can tell you that it was akin to brushing my teeth after consuming a wonderful homecooked meal fit for the best muhibbah (not necessarily BN) crowd.

The dinner party was thrown in honour of The Woman FBB Is Scared Of.  Now if that’s what it takes to get a dinner such as this, look out coz I ain’t gonna wait till Halloween to grab that title.

The sweet folk residing in Abu Dhabi may view the pictures HERE.

Christmas Roundup 2007 – Of Family Gatherings and A Very Retro Christmas

Polvoron

It is ironic that after over a month-long buildup to Christmas, everything’s put away in boxes in anticipation of the next major festival here. Lucky bamboo plants are already up for sale, and gaily coloured boxes of yee sang (or at least what tries to pass off as yee sang in its colourful artificial glory) are displayed prominently in supermarkets. Hello! Chinese New Year is more than a month away. Give me back my Christmas! I’m not done yet.

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Before I get caught up with the CNY festivities and the feastings that follow, let’s do a quick roundup of my Christmas week. When Bald Eagle and I are not traipsing the planet at year end, we normally spend our time at his parents’ house in Kajang. Christmas dinner this year was with a difference. Recognising the family’s roots in Kelantan, there were no turkeys or mince pies or plum puddings. This was a traditional Kelantanese Christmas dinner in all its juxtaposed imagery. We feasted on typical Kelantanese fare of steamed nasi dagang (a reddish brown glutinous rice) served with ikan tongkol (albacore tuna) in a creamy curry cooked so perfectly by my mother-in-law. To add to its authenticity, Bald Eagle spoke Kelantanese for a good 5 minutes. If I closed my eyes, I would have thought I married someone else. Well, sometimes, with all his impersonations, I am not quite sure of the man I married, but…it’s too late now, isn’t it? 🙂

polvoron

As a celebration of the traditions we hold dear, Bald Eagle presented us with a box of Goldilocks Polvorons which he brought back from Manila. His addiction to Goldilocks’ Mamons (beautiful fluffy cakes) and Polvorons is a result of his 3-year stint in Manila several years back. I can understand his love for these confections. The Polvoron is made of toasted flour, butter, sugar and milk (and probably a whole host of unmentionables…err..I mean, secret ingredients) and has a powdery texture which means that if you don’t pop the entire thing in your mouth, it will disintegrate in your hands. Quite a messy affair if you want to exercise decorum (i.e. taking ladylike bites). For Christmas, they coat these delicious biscuits with chocolate and decorate them with pretty shapes and colours.

A Very Retro Christmas

Christmas with the bloggers was more of a riot. The food bloggers booked the entire restaurant (My Elephant in Section 17) and as an added surprise, came up with a list of “awards” for those who were present. Some of my favourite awards are:

Masak-masak – most idolized blogger. Woohoo! (she received a “masak-masak” set to keep her occupied when her oven ever gets broken)
Precious Pea – with her obsession over crabs, it was obvious that she was going to be crowned Queen to King Crab. (prize: pepper crab flavoured instant noodles)
WMW – the Human Tripod blogger – see her photography skills with just a camera and her wrist! (prize: an empty box to replace the use of her limbs)
Kenny Mah – most flirtatious blogger (but of course) (prize: condoms – will come in handy, I’m sure)
Lianne – the enlightened blogger, for moving from an obscure blogsite to a mainstream blog this year! (prize: a lightbulb)
Teckiee – the blogger with a gender crisis. Not sure why, but some people think she’s male. But seriously, she’s sometimes confused as well with XX/XY chromosomes (prize: a pair of boxer shorts)
Jackson – the blogger most recognised in KL, Klang, Shah Alam, PJ and some say even in Bangkok. (prize: disguise sunglasses)
Jason – the blogger with the most kissable lips! (prize: lipbalm)
Joe – the blogger with the best nick earned – Nipples. (prize: a baby pacifier)
Tankiasu – the activist food blogger (prize: a “cert” of a certain political party)
Kampungboycitygal – sweetest blogging couple (prize: a packet of sugar)
Nic – most poetic blogger (prize: a childrens writing set)
SC – almost a vietnamese blogger – visit her blog and you’ll know why! (prize: almost vietnamese coffee)
Kusahi Keat – best male cook blogger (prize: a spatula)
Paprika the Ravenous Rabbit – hungriest blogger (prize: a bunch of carrots)
Friedchillies.com (Adly) – spiciest website (prize: a bunch of chillies)
Big Boys Oven – “One of the best bakers in town” blogger (Gardenia buns)
XiuLongBao – Former Malaysian Blogger now going down south (Prize: Malaysian flag)
Christine, Ai Wei, Yin and Jun – sweetest female bloggers (prize: sweets)
Ekeng and Riz – most handsome male bloggers (prize: sweets)

I almost fell on the floor laughing when they gave me the Celebrity Blogger of 2007 award. Well, I was touched too, as the girls (Precious Pea and WMW) had gone through the trouble of downloading a newspaper interview, printing and laminating the article. And Kenny Mah delivered a lovely speech to me. *blinking back tears* I do have the dearest blogging friends in the world!!

Unfortunately, I was too caught up in the fun to take any photographs, but do visit some of the links above to see what they have to say about the event – A Very Retro Christmas 2007!

Until my next post, ladies and gentlemen, I wish you a Blessed Christmas (yes, it’s still Christmas in my heart and in my tummy) and a Very Joyful New Year 2008! God bless all of you!

Bald Eagle and niece, little Lydia

Pick n Brew, Glenmarie

1. Old Friends.

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When a Makan Club member gets married, we honour her. This is my pictorial tribute to my dear friend, Jo aka Pretty Pui, who married her childhood sweetheart on 15 December 2007.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. – 1 Corinthians 13 v 4 – 7.

2. And New Friends.

IMG_3119It was a jungle of sorts. A concrete jungle filled with homogenous looking structures. Gigantic mammoths spewing smoke in their imposing garments. As I sped along the grids of Glenmarie industrial area, I looked left and right, drinking in my surroundings, committing names to memory as that was the only way I would be able to escape this imposing looking place on my way back.

I hunted for a welcoming light, but I only saw white fluorescent lights illuminating coffinlike guardhouses at the entrance of each industrial building. After only one wrong turn, warm lights beckoned me from a distance. In the heart of this maze was a diamond in the rough, bearing the name “Pick n Brew”. I was late, of course, even though Bukit Jelutong was only 10 minutes away. I barged into the private room with a very loud “Happy Birthday, Teckiee!!”.

What I like about Pick n Brew is that it exudes warmth. From the cozy sofas to the huge glass panelled walls letting in sunshine during the day, it is the kind of place where I feel comfortable reading my newspapers with my daily cuppa.

Salmon Gravlax with Parmesan Tuile

Since Jackson was entertaining us as his special guests that evening, his chef whipped up two special appetisers for us. The Salmon Gravlax with Scallion Cream and Parmesan Tuile was very unique. The scallion cream went wonderfully with the smoked salmon, where it effectively downplayed the saltiness of the cured fish, and the parmesan basket was wonderful – chewy and full of flavour.

Chicken Consomme

Equally good was the chicken consomme, a clear broth with a pure, refined flavour that didn’t reek of that dirty word, MSG. The sundried tomato and spinach gnocchi had an almost melt in the mouth texture which I reckon would be an acquired taste to those who prefer their dumplings with a little more bite.

Seafood Galore

My main course came from the Christmas menu, aptly named Seafood Galore on Feta Spinach. At RM40, it came with spinach baked mussels, prawn thermidor and grilled fish. The grilled fish lay on a bed of spinach and feta cheese. While some liked the flavour of the cheesy sauce on the grilled fish, I found that it slightly overpowered the delicate flavour of the fish. Then again, I prefer my fish with little dressing. The spinach baked mussels were brilliant; certainly no fishy smell there. And the prawn thermidor was excellent, thanks to its freshness. Definitely a recommended dish.

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And what did the others have? Like me, Boolicious also had the Seafood Xmas special, while her honey buns, Splashie Boy, went for Chicken Chimicangas (RM19), a tortilla filled with minced chicken and spices, which he pronounced better than any other Chicken Chimicangas in Malaysia. I had to agree with this non-blogging foodie who definitely knew his chicken chimicangas. WMW had the grilled medallion of beef (RM35) in a special sauce of infused oil and coffee bean mustard. Jason went Asian with his Lamb Tikka served with Pilaf Rice (RM17). I must say that the Lamb Tikka was very good and it’s probably something I shall try on my next visit there. Precious Pea’s Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb (RM33) with apple mint yoghurt was enticing too. Birthday girl, Teckiee, had the Grenobloise Salmon Fillet (RM30) which came recommended by Jackson.

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Jackson’s Angel Hair Marinara (RM22) served with prawns, green mussels and squid in a tomato sauce was infused with the flavour of the seafood, and despite the fact that it was a little on the soft side, I’d vouch for the flavour of this dish.

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A variety of desserts are also available, and believe me, these cakes taste wonderful. The most outstanding of these cakes is the apple crumble cheesecake, inspired by the Apple Crumble team’s participation (consisting of Jackson, Teckiee, Precious Pea and WMW) in The Star’s recent Drive For Food contest. Incidentally, this was the cake that was presented to Teckiee as we melodiously sang Happy Birthday to her! (Yes, food bloggers can sing.)

collage

As a treat, we all got to create our own latte art. (Yes, food bloggers can draw.) Now that’s money well spent, if you ask me!

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Pick n Brew also has a great breakfast menu. All downed with a large cup of coffee.

banana walnut muffin

My American set (RM18) also came with a muffin. Yummy! Breakfast sets are priced from RM9 for a pancake to RM20 for a breakfast steak.

Pick n Brew,
Wisma CNI, No.2, Jalan U1/17,
Section U1, Hicom-Glenmarie Industrial Park,
40000 Shah Alam.

Tel: 03-5569 1216

I swiped the operating hours from Precious Pea’s blog. (You can also read what she has to say HERE. For the birthday girl’s account, click HERE):

Operating hours :
Monday – Friday : 8am – 8pm
Sunday : 8am – 3pm
Closed on Saturday and public holidays

CNImap

The good people of Abu Dhabi may view the pictures HERE.