Australia Day!

Happy Australia Day to all the Aussies around the globe :-)

Today the entire nation down under is having their official holiday and having a good time. So time travel of 8 hours from Sydney, here I am in Manila thinking of my own ways to celebrate this day. I also asked myself what Australia Day means for me to celebrate tonight.

It was year 2000, when I first fell in love with the beauty of Australia. It was because of my friend who studied in UTS, Sydney who made me feel that way. He sent me e-mails narrating his life stories in Australia. He told me the places he visited, the people he met, the lifestyle he had and so on. He also sent pictures for me to visualize the beauty of the country who became his home for two years. It was his stories that inspired me to see Australia. I promised myself to visit my friend when he was still there. It didn't happen. I set aside that promise. But it was always there in my heart. Seven years later, finally I was able to go Australia. I stepped on the city of Brisbane for few hours, visited Melbourne for a week and resided at Sydney for a month. I embraced their culture and appreciated every single detail of their life. To my amazement about the life I had their for a month, it made me tell myself once more: "I promise that one day this is the place I will settle down and live the life I always dream of." It was a dream that will take two people to pursue. I thought this dream was shattered. I don't see it will happen anytime soon. But who knows what life brings? I will never find the answer today. Things happen for a reason, I may not be able to embrace that thought now but the future will prove it's true. So, starting today I will never take away that dream in my heart. It will always be there. And it takes a positive thought for good things to happen and for me to reach my dreams.

"Everything you want to learn about life is best learned with sand between your toes because life is a beach"

So tonight, let me celebrate by grilling my marinated pork in black beer with honey. Things I learned during my barbecue class in Sydney. And let me use my blender to come up with my Frothe Cerveza Negra with lemon and honey. Isn't that a feast for dinner already? And who wants to join me for dinner tonight?

Good Day Mate! :)

hugs,
joanie xxx

Hppy New Year

"In Korea, Solnal is the first day of the first month of the new year. While many Koreans celebrate the New Year on January 1st of the solar calendar, the lunar new year is still popular today. In many Korean communities, the New Year is celebrated twice. The Lunar New Year starts on February 12 in 2002. According to the Asian Zodiac, 2002 is the Year of the Horse. The Koreans focus on the family as they celebrate the beginning of the New Year. Children put on new traditional clothes called hanbok. They kneel and bow to their ancestors and elders. Family members wish each other prosperity and good fortune. Then they exchange gifts. Children receive lucky money, candy and fruit from the elders. The family spends time together and have rice-cake soup for breakfast. Children often take this day to play special New Year games." For More Information Look here http://www.familyculture.com/holidays/korean_new_year.htm

In the new year it tradition to give gifts . I received a very nice doc (rice care gift box). On this day it also tradition to eat New Year Soup TteokGuk떡국

Here is the recipe
http://aeriskitchen.com/2009/01/korean-lunar-new-year-soup-%EB%96%A1%EA%B5%ADtteokguk/

Quiche

So Some friends came round Saturday night I made some Quiche.
I used 5 eggs a cup, of milk a cup of cheese and salt and pepper.
One Quiche was basil onions mushroom and spinach . The other was smoked salmon, dill and asparagus. I made the pastry I always use .
http://macs-foodkorea.blogspot.com/2008/11/irish-apple-tart.html
I cooked it at 190 for an hour and 15minutes

Jok Pal Korean Pigs Feet

Jokpal the Korean Crubeen.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jokbal

"The hair is removed from pigs' feet and they are thoroughly washed. Leeks, garlic, ginger, cheongju (rice wine) and water are brought to a boil. The pigs' feet are added, brought back to a boil and then simmered until tender. Then additional water, sugar and soy sauce are poured into the pot and the contents are slowly stirred. Once the jokbal is fully cooked, bones are removed, and the meat is cut into thick slices. It is then served with fermented shrimp sauce called saeujeot (새우젓).

As the preparation of jokbal is quite painstaking and requires a great deal of time, jokbal is usually ordered for delivery or purchased from a jokbal shop. Jangchungdong district, Jung-gu, Seoul is very well known for featuring a large number of such shops."

Jokpal is considered an Anju.

"Anju (pronounced [andʑu]) is a general term for a Korean side dish consumed with alcohol (often with Korean soju)."

Jokpal and Bosam are usually served in the same restaurants

http://macs-foodkorea.blogspot.com/2008/06/bo-sam.html

In Ireland we eat Pigs feet also we Have a beautiful name for them Crubeen here is a recipe
http://www.europeancuisines.com/Crubeens-Cruibini-Crunchy-Pigs-Feet-TrottersZenKimchi has two nice recipes
Above Image is from Zenkimchi
http://www.zenkimchi.com/FoodJournal/?p=76

strawberry

yummy, isn't it??????? yum yum ....yummmmy

it's 12am. sharp.

happy birthday shahli~

this is da comment i gave him

hey. happy birthday. [ikot timing mlysia juge! =P]

last year, i'm the 1st kan! haha.this year? i dunno.

anyway. u're 20!hahahaha. pakcik! kamu da tue!

seda skit. =P erm. have a blessed birthday. okay?

wishing u da very best, more success. n no stress.

owhhh. happy chinese new year! haha.
[gile gempak bday public holiday] =P

anyway. moga pnjng umur. murah rezeki.most of all,

moga berjaye & bahagia sentiase.

d dunia n akhirat hendakNya.
insya allah. amin.study smart, n not too hard. and...

hope u'll b a great successful doctor.

that's what u really3 want all this while aite?

take care BH =]

and my sms;

salam. hye. qila ikot wkt mlysia x pe eh? Huhu..

Happy 20th birthday 2 u! hee. u're a big GUY now.

hopin dat u'll b stronger, smarter n matured enough

2 face this unexpected life.

wishing n praying da very best in everything u do.

take care. have a blessed birthday =]

and he said; [sms]

thnx so much.. xpe2.. kate rkyt msia.. hehe..

slame nie xmatang la yerk? hehe..

tq 4 da wishes.. doakn exm shahli trbaek skali..

alang2.. hehe

Frozen Strawberry-Mango Cake

I heart Strawberries.

But my strawberries from Benguet failed to taste as sweet as it used to be.

But nevertheless I still made this cake and was able to share it with people who are part of life. I hope I didn't fail to give them the sweetest dessert possible. And to the Ace Saatchi people who also tasted it, you should order next time :)

To my readers, here's how to do this frozen cake.

You will need butter, cream, gelatin (diluted in warm water), condensed milk, vanilla extract, sugar, broas, mangoes (cut into cubes) and strawberries (sliced into halves)

Arrange broas inside a tray. It will serve as the base of the cake then set aside. Heat a casserole in low heat then melt butter. Add the cream, condensed milk, vanilla extract then followed by sugar and the gelatin mixture. Pour the mixture on top of the broas. Cool for 10 minutes until firm. Then top the strawberries and mangoes. Place inside the freezer for 4-6 hours. Then serve.

Hope you like it!

hugs,
joanie xxx

have a nice day

if money doesn't grow on trees,
then why do banks have branches?

why does a round pizza come in a square box?

why doesnt glue stick to its bottle?

why do we still call it building when it's already built?

if its true that we are here to help others,
what are others here for?

if u aren't supposed to drink & drive,
why do bars have parking lots?

we are funny bunch of ppl,

living in a seriously funny world.