Sweet & Sour Eggs

Ingredients:-

4 eggs

1 onion ( sliced )

1/2 red chilli ( sliced ) @ dried chilli

1/2 stalk scallion ( sliced)

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp fish sauce ( if dont have fish sauce, replace with extra salt )

3 1/2 tsp sugar to taste

3 tbsp cooking oil

tamarind pulp ( soak in 1 cup water )

Methods:-

Fry the eggs and set aside

Squeeze the tamarind pulp to extract the juice and discard the pulp

Heat up wok and add in cooking oil

Fry the onion until golden brown or aromatic

Add the tamarind juice and bring to boil

Add in sugar, salt, fish sauce, scallion and chilli.Simmer for 1-2 minutes

Pour the mixture into the fry eggs

Serve hot

Kaya Recipe

Kaya, also called srikaya (from the word meaning "rich" in Malay based on its golden color) or coconut egg jam, is a coconut jam made from coconut milk, duck or chicken eggs which are flavored by pandan leaf and sweetened with sugar. Kaya is sweet and creamy, available as a golden brown or green colored spread depending on the amount of pandan and extent of caramelization of the sugar. As with other jams, kaya is typically spread on toast to make kaya toast and eaten in the morning but is enjoyed throughout the day.

Ingredients:-

• 10 eggs
• 420ml thick coconut milk, extracted from 2 grated coconuts
• 550g sugar
• 6 - 8 pandan leaves, knotted

Methods:-

Beat eggs and sugar well with a hand whisk.

Put beaten eggs and Pandan leaves in a saucepan over a very gentle heat to
dissolve the sugar.

When sugar has dissolved, removed the pan away from the heat and stir in thick coconut milk, mix well, then strain the micture into a double boiler pot.

Cook over rapidly boiling water.Keep stirring the mixture with a long wooden spoon until it thickens. Top up the boilling water in the lower pot whenever necessary.

After it thicken, cover the pot with big towel to prevent water dripping into the custard.

Steam for 1 to 3 hours until cooked. Do not stir the custard during this time.

Banana Cake Recipe

Ingredients:-

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter@margerine
• 2 eggs
• 5-6 rips banana, mashed
• 2 cups all multi purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Methods:-

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease & flour one of 9 x 13 inc cake pan or round shape pan

Mashed the banana and prepare to use

Heat the pan and melt the butter stick and prepare to use

Combine all the ingredients and mix thoroughly

Add in walnut and pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes.

Bona Dea Teahouse & Emporium

Bona Dea, Italian for “Good Goddess”, is a Gathering Place founded by local area business-women to introduce Colorado Springs to the more worldly side of Tea.

Bona Dea teahouse serves light lunch,scones, and desserts, plus over 150 high grade loose leaf teas from around the world. It's an international tea house, with each table decorated as theme from different countries. There are themes from Japan, Irish, African, French, Indian and etc.

Reception area

Seating according to different countries

I chose the french theme table and had "Neptune's Delica-Sea and Rosmerta's Magic for our brunch. It has the 'feel' of France with it's authentic decor and touch.

Victorian theme

Balinese theme

It has an emporium with unique gifts from all over the world.

I had Raspberry Tea and I loved it! It's made of fruits and flowers. I end up getting a pack of the Raspberry tea leaf. Now I get to enjoy the lovely tea at comfort of home sweet home.

Culture East Vs West

Blue --> Westerner
Red --> Asian


Opinion

B: Talk to the point
R: Talk around the circle, especially if different opinions



Way of Life

B: individualism, think of himself or herself.

R: enjoy gathering with family and friends, solving their problems, and know each other's business (keh poh).

Punctuality

B: on time.

R: in time.

Contacts

B: Contact to related person only

R: Contact everyone everywhere, business very successful.

Anger

B: Show that I am angry.

R: I am angry, but still smiling... (beware!)

Queue when Waiting

B: Queuing in an orderly manner

R: Queuing?! What's that?

Sundays on the Road

B: Enjoy weekend relaxing peacefully.

R: Enjoy weekend in crowded places, like going to the mall.

Party

B: Only gather with their own group.

R: All focus on the one activity that is hosted by the CEO .

In the restaurant

B: Talk softly and gently in the restaurant.

R: Talk and laugh loudly like they own the restaurant .

Travelling

B: Love sightseeing and enjoy the scenery.

R: Taking picture is the most important, scenery is just for the background.

Handling of Problems

B: Take any steps to solve the problems.

R: Try to avoid conflicts, and if can, don't leave any trail.

Three meals a day

B: Good meal for once a day is sufficed.

R: At least 3 good meals a day..

Transportation

B: Before drove cars, now cycling for environmental protection.

R: Before no money and rode a bike, now got money and drive a car .

Elderly in day to day life

B: When old, there is snoopy for companionship.

R: When old, guarantee will not be lonely, as long as willing to baby-sit the grandkids.

Moods and Weather

B: The logic is, rain is pain.

R: The more the rain, more prosperity .

The Boss

B: The boss is part of the team.

R: The boss is a Fierce god.

What's Trendy

B: Healthy Asian cuisine

R: Expensive Western cuisine.

The Child

B: The kid is going to be independent and make his/her own living..

R: Work, live and all for the kids, the centre of life.

Lovely Lavender

I love lavender. I have always loved it.

I love her aromatic fragrance.

I love her natural remedy for a range of ailments from insomnia and anxiety to depression and mood disturbances.

When I found this fresh Lavender selling in the farmers market at Palisade, I smiled!!

I smiled as well my little angel!!

Canyonlands National Park, Utah

SB will be finishing his assignment in United States and both of us will be going back to Malaysia sometime end of October or beginning of Nov 2009. So, we make the most of our time travelling around Colorado or nearby states during weekend.
Last weekend, we drove 7 hours to Canyonlands National Park in Utah. Last year, we went to Arches National Park, which is just next to Canyonlands but we missed it. Nothing special in this park compare to Arches but we both enjoyed our 1st camping for this summer inside the park. We managed to wake up early for our 1st sunrise :)
We visited a few places on our back to Colorado Springs. I saw my 1st Peach farm & Grape vineyard in Palisade town, bought my 1st fresh Lavender flower at the farmer's market, taken our lunch in a Chinese restaurant in Parachute and shopping at Silverthorn Factory outlet.

Setting up our camp at Willow Flat, Island in the Sky

Shafer Canyon Overlook

Mesa Arch

Buck Canyon Overlook

Grand View Point Overlook

Mesa Arch sunrise

Farmer's market at Palisade

Peach farm at Palisade

Grape vineyard at Palisade