Last Meal of 2008. :D

It's quite tonight. :D

Our indoor temperature is at 15 degrees right now. That means outside is about 11-13 degrees. In Hong Kong's standard, it feels like 1 degree in Edmonton (when I was in Edmonton, 1 degree feels like I can still wear mini skirt :P)

It's a perfect night for hot pot! So that's what we have. :D

Hehe! We have all kinds of meats :D Fish, beef, lamb, meat balls, blood cubes, fish dumplings.

Shrimps! Always love to have shrimps in hot pot situations. :D

For vegges, we have cilantro, spinach, 'tong ho', watercress, mushrooms, and daikon. :D

The hot pot in action :D

My bowl of goodies. :D

Lunch for tomorrow! :D haha

Such a good meal. :D

飲上癮的涼茶 Unforgettable herbal tea!

最近我家樓下開了間涼茶舖. 本來開涼茶舖是沒什麼大不了的, 但是呢間的茶 入口甘甜, 齒甲留香, 令我家上下都迷上了.

We had an herbal tea store opened just downstairs recently. It's not such a big deal really, but the tea this store make is so delicious, the aroma and and taste lingers in your tongue and teeth for a long time. My family visit it a few times a week at least. :)

我今天買了兩枝返屋企打邊爐用便承機影幾張相, 介紹下呢間茶店喇.

This is the store front.

The store only sells 5 types of tea. They include: 'snake tongue grass and chrysanthemum tea (白花蛇舌草)', 'five flower tea (五花茶)', 'wild veggie and chicken bone herb tea (野葛菜 雞骨草)', '24 herbs bitter tea (廿四味)' and 'general flu tea (感冒茶)'

This is the owner. He looks so cheerful and kind. :P He was kinda camera shy though. In the background, you can see their store made turtle jelly (龜芩膏).

These are the herbs they used to make the tea. I think it's a very smart display. It shows the store really used loads of herbs to make their tea instead of diluted it. My dad thinks it's a very smart advertisement without really advertising. 真材實料!

Mrs. LaBean's Ultimatum! 辣豆媽的最後通牒! - a Follow up :D

Referring to a previous post dated 7 December, 2008: Mrs. LaBean's Ultimatum! 辣豆媽的最後通牒!; mission finally accomplished. :D

I cleaned my closet space in time for new year. :D One less new year's resolution to list out. :P

I love train sets

I love train sets. Although I have no space for it at home, I always enjoy watching them run. It's so handy to have my digital camera with me. This video was taken at the Temple Street of Hong Kong. :)

Christmas Dinner (A Recap) :D

We celebrated Christmas on the boxing day this year. :D On Christmas day, we actually went to have a snake banquet. (Yes, just like the one earlier this month :P 食過返尋味)

As it's quite impossible to roast a turkey in my mom's kitchen due to the lack of regular oven, so we settle on having a chicken instead. Somehow, I was reminded that we have George Foreman oven! :D

Yes it is a curious looking oven. :D Let's open it and you will see the goodies inside.

Sorry for the blurry picture. :D This oven opens up and it fits 1 medium sized chicken, 2 chopped up potatoes (my mom insisted to bake some), 1 large onion, 1 large carrot. :) We set the timer to 90 minutes. But it end up only needing about 75 to finish baking. :)

The advantage about the George Foreman oven is that the oil from the chicken would drip down to the little tray at the bottom (you see it like a roundish removable dish sitting underneath the oven), so you don't have to eat all that fat. :D

This is the finished chicken. :D It's nicely browned and meat was very juicy and tender. :D Once again, it's a success. :)

We also had some side dish:

Saute mushroom in creamy red wine and onion sauce

Mashed golden pumpkin! :) This was sooooo good! :)

It was a lovely dinner. :) It's nice to be able to celebrate the holidays with my folks this year. :)

Of Men and planes! :D

Hehe I took this picture at my colleague's desk. :D I think he put it up there as a reminder of his manhood. :D

English translation:
Age 10, a model plane, not a real plane
Age 20, a helicopter, lift off instantly
Age 30, a fighter jet, agile and alert
Age 40, a bomber plane, explode with action :p
Age 50, a courier flight, leave after delivery
Age 60, a spy plane, just pretend to look cool
Age 70, a training plane, just talk, no action

Hehehe :D This is a Chinese poem about the Male's sexual development through age 10 - 70. :D I tried my best to translate it. It's certainly not my personal view. :D

無莽之災

我今晚走去 銅鑼灣 嘅一間魚生店買魚, 一如以往, 人山人海, 水洩不通, 就 o係 我等緊我嘅厚切魚生時, 一個面目猙獰, 吾係痩嘅師奶突然走過來, 破口大罵:

師奶: 你做咩鬧我個女呀?! 仲推佢出馬路!?!
我: 吓?! 我冇啵!
師奶: 你吾認?! 我個女話係個肥妹做o家!!
我:　 (環顧四周), 看來呢度吾只我一個係肥o家啵!
師奶: (狂燥) 你有種就吾好走, 等我叫返個女來!
我: okee dokee

o(~_~)o o(~_~)o o(~_~)o o(~_~)o o(~_~)o o(~_~)o o(~_~)o

師奶: 女! 你話邊個!
女:　(指向另一邊嘅三個只瘦我少少嘅中女) 係佢地囉!
師奶: (面有難色, 走向那三個三八) #)$#)*#(#$@)O@ FX!E@)@)(#+!!!

o(~_~)o o(~_~)o o(~_~)o o(~_~)o o(~_~)o o(~_~)o o(~_~)o

那個師奶鬧完那三個中女之後，走到我面前陳述那三個女子的壞事做盡，草菅人命後, 搏同情, 對我說了一聲 '吾好意思' 便匆匆離開該店.

看來又係時候要 '增瘦' 喇, 以免比人點錯相... :D

Silent Night.. Holy Night...

It's the 24th of December! It's the Silent night!! :D I still have to work tonight.. so I sure hope it's 'silent' at work. As I work at a call center, silent is good. :D

I have put up a paper Christmas tree at my desk. It was one of the presents from Mike's family, Jan. :)  It is quite pretty and special.

Following western tradition, I had put the presents I prepared for my team members under the tree.  They are stored in these little snowman package. :)

For those who didn't get any gifts from me, I wish you all a Merry Christmas nonetheless. :)

冬至大過年! Celebrating the Winter Festival

Sunday was the Winter Festival (冬至). It's a day even more important than the Lunar New Year day. :D As usual, it's time for good food and family get together. :D
上個星期日係重要嘅冬至. 正所謂 "冬至大過年", 我地又有好野食喇!!! :D

I was in a very good mood that day, so I decided to show off my cooking skills once again. :D　
我那天心情大好，所以我便自動請英,整返個撚手小菜喇.

The menu of that evening was:

• Winter Festival double ginseng soup (冬至雙參湯)
  
• Store bought steamed chicken :D (白切雞)
• Steamed fish with black bean sauce (豉汁蒸魚)
• Veggies cookied in chicken stock and garlic (蒜泥炒唐'Ho'菜)
• Prawns in tomato sauce (蕃茄煎大蝦)
• Creamy soft sweet sesame dumplings (軟滑芝麻湯圓)

Obviously, I wasn't in good mood enough to make all the above. :D I only made the prawns. It was very successful as usual. :D
好明顯, 我的心情沒有想像中咁靓嘅, 最後只出手做咗一味: 蕃茄煎大蝦

Ingredient 材料:
1 tomato
1 purple onion
a few stocks of green onions
a few cloves of garlic
Lots of huge prawns :D

First you pen-sear the prawns on a wok in medium high heat.

While the prawns are searing, you can chop the tomato and onions. :D When you are done, it's perfect time to flip the prawns. :D
切! 切 切!

When everything is chopped and ready, just put everything into the wok and stir! :D

Here's the end result. :D 完成! :)


Not to brag! :D But these were ultra yummy. :D You can see it on my dad's face :D
吾係話我認叻! D 蝦真係好好味o家! 你可從我老豆面上看到佢幾咁 enjoy! :D 不過, 或者無論我煮嘅野有幾難食都好啦, 佢都會 enjoy 嘅. 呢 D 就係親情喇! :D

工展直撃 - Live at Hong Kong Brands & Products Expo

今日放假, 天朗氣清, 所以, 我地辣豆家就一舉出動, 到一年一度嘅 '工展會' 掃貨喇! :)
It's my day off today, so, my parents and I went out to the Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo at the Victoria Park.

情形係 人山人海, 群情洶湧, 只雖十元, 便可以 '維园一日遊'啦! :D
It was crowded and full of crazed shoppers hoping to get good deals on things especially in this economy downturn. For only HK$10, we get to do this Victoria Park 1 day trip, I guess it's a good deal.


呢個工展會到底攪咗幾多年呢? :p
Hmm.. I wonder how many year has this Expo been held in HK? :D










張飛就話 43 屆, 但場內就話 70. 到底攪咩鬼? :D
The ticket (on the left) says 43rd while an exhibition booth inside the venue says 70! :D What gives!! :D

我影咗都幾多相片, 好難把它們全放在這, 如有興趣, 請到這裡看看
I have taken too many pictures to include in 1 post, so here is the link if you want to check out what the expo looks like. :D

East Asian Cuisine

Last Sunday was LaBean Sr.'s birthday, so, after work my parents and I went out for dinner. :D Our choice of food this time was South Eastern Cuisine.

First dish, chicken, pork and lamb on sticks. :D We love satay! :D The special satay sauce to dip these meat in is fantastic! :D





MmMMm.. Yummy meaty crab cooked in red curry sauce.

It also has quite a bit of transparent noodles at the bottom to soak up the yummy curry. It's always our favorite dish.

Then we have Padang chicken. It's one of the restaurant's signature dishes.

It's a roasted chicken with their special spicy nutty sesame sauce. :D It's very tasty.


And then, we have the lemon grass Thai pork chop. It was okay. The pork was tender, but not enough lemon grass taste. I guess the subtlety made this pork good. :D


I always wonder how come the veggies at restaurants are usually better tasting than the home cooked?! :D Look at how green the "tong choy (通菜)" is! It's cooked in their famous 'mackerel (馬介休)' sauce. Very very good. :D


There's always rice when there's some sauce! :D Heh






Here's my big huge gigantic claw of a monster crab!!! :D You can see the little scoop of rice sneaking up on it on the background, trying to soak up its yummy curry juice... :D hahaha


Are you quite envy of me? :D

老豆也上網! Old Beans are online! :)

My parents have gone to China for the weekend! :D I finally have a clear mind and quiet environment to do things around the house. :D

So I figured I will connect my parents up to the internet! :D  After more than 3 months of nagging, I've finally did it today! :D  It's all wireless! :D

To prove i have done it, here's a picture of the Firefox website. I won't let them be corrupted by IE!

Christmas Hamper 2!

It seems a festive Christmas for me this year.  Other than the Christmas hamper from the CEO of my company, I got some more gifts from Mike's side of the family too. :D

The sight of these boxes made me so excited :D 

Should I wait till boxing day to open them? :D...

Christmas Hamper!

This Wednesday, I was invited to this work potatoes town hall meeting to say something about my HKCCA competition award. :D

So after some blundering but entertaining speeches, I was rewarded my CEO's personal Christmas hamper! :D

It was quite large, so my CEO took pity on me and said she'd take it home with her that night and will arrange delivery later. I have received it on my desk today.

I was quite an amazing sight! :D

Let's dissect it! :D

Festive looking Spaghetti.

Some kind of rose flavored candies.

Some honey from Scotland!

A can of Earl Gray Tea

Chocolates in a mug :)

Too much chocolate!

Strawberry Preserves with Champagne!!! Yummm!

Crepes!

Count down chocolates! :D

Tropical Fruits flavored jelly slides!

Bottles of White and Red wine.

A little cup cake :D

Wax sealed dark chocolate! :D So much chocolates! Sweet me to death! :D

A box of cookies :)

Whoa! Italian cake!!

Last but not least! A golden box of dark chocolate with wine filling! We had devoured it this afternoon. "We" are the people at work! :D

All in all, I think it's exciting to get a personal gift from a CEO! :D I love the trunk most of all as it's so exotic looking! :D

I am sharing the majority of these goodies with my colleagues.

This made me have such a good mood today! :D