dayah's blog

tiramisu......oh tiramisu....

Hmmm...doesnt need introduction or so whatever...this blog is about my all time fav cake - tiramisu!!!..saje nak share this with all of u just in case u donno what tiramisu is (i know, i know, dont have to be genius to know what it is rite!) For the time being, (yes, im still searching) the best tiramisu i ever had is from The Westin Hotel in KL..Lightly sprinkled coffee and cocoa powder, the beatifully arranged berries, hmmm surely can water a person's mouth (or shall i say THE WALLET?) And its alcohol-free! Tiramisu is like a heaven in ur mouth (mmmm..believe me...) True to its meaning "pick-me-up" (the literal translation of tiramisu), the most that made up tiramisu is the mascarpone cheese, and the coffee taste..But that description just doesnt do it justice..I'll have to describe it for u  in more graphic terms i think..Lets see now, for those of u who've never had it before, how would i describe it?..

Well, first of all, think of a very light chocolate pudding. Very light. Think more in the lines of mocha-flavored whipped cream.

Now add in a little bit of body. Not heaviness, but substance -- you know, the kind of fullness that rich foods feel like in your mouth. Except that it doesn't taste rich, and it doesn't stay in your mouth long enough to become cloying. It tastes, well, dreamy.

Then, imagine this very light almost-like-mocha-flavored-whipped-cream concoction on sponge cake soaked (no, more like "kissed") with strong espresso coffee. Got that? Light, creamy, smooth cake, the rich aroma of strong coffee?.

Now finally, imagine that you're dressed in gossamer. You have delicate white wings and are sitting on a fluffy cloud. You are experiencing the greatest dessert ecstacy of your life. You are in Heaven, and Heaven is in your mouth...

THAT'S TIRAMISU..

TOP 10 FOODS FOR A GOOD SLEEP

What is the secret to getting a solid 7 to 8 hours of sleep? Head for the kitchen and enjoy one or two of these 10 foods. They relax tense muscles, quiet buzzing minds, and/or get calming, sleep-inducing hormones - serotonin and melatonin - flowing. Yawning yet?

Bananas. They're practically a sleeping pill in a peel. In addition to a bit of soothing melatonin and serotonin, bananas contain magnesium, a muscle relaxant.

Chamomile tea. The reason chamomile is such a staple of bedtime tea blends is its mild sedating effect - it's the perfect natural antidote for restless minds/bodies.

Warm milk. It's not a myth. Milk has some tryptophan - an amino acid that has a sedative - like effect - and calcium, which helps the brain use tryptophan. Plus there's the psychological throw-back to infancy, when a warm bottle meant "relax, everything's fine."

Honey. Drizzle a little in your warm milk or herb tea. Lots of sugar is stimulating, but a little glucose tells your brain to turn off orexin, a recently discovered neurotransmitter that's linked to alertness.

Potatoes. A small baked spud won't overwhelm your GI tract, and it clears away acids that can interfere with yawn-inducing tryptophan. To up the soothing effects, mash it with warm milk.

Oatmeal. Oats are a rich source of sleep - inviting melatonin, and a small bowl of warm cereal with a splash of maple syrup is cozy - plus if you've got the munchies, it's filling too.

Almonds. A handful of these heart-healthy nuts can be snooze-inducing, as they contain both tryptophan and a nice dose of muscle-relaxing magnesium.

Flaxseeds. When life goes awry and feeling down is keeping you up, try sprinkling 2 tablespoons of these healthy little seeds on your bedtime oatmeal. They're rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a natural mood lifter.

Whole-wheat bread. A slice of toast with your tea and honey will release insulin, which helps tryptophan get to your brain, where it's converted to serotonin and quietly murmurs "time to sleep."

Turkey. It's the most famous source of tryptophan, credited with all those Thanksgiving naps. But that's actually modern folklore. Tryptophan works when your stomach's basically empty, not overstuffed, and when there are some carbs around, not tons of protein. But put a lean slice or two on some whole-wheat bread mid-evening, and you've got one of the best sleep inducers in your kitchen.

I JUST LOVE THE LANGUAGE!!

-panjang sete - gelap guguk - pendek sketok - manis leting - pahit lepang - ceroh menerang - hitam beletung - putih slepuk - meroh menyale - kuning siyor - kepeh blepeng - kerah kejong/kretong - tawor heber - jauh jenak - bising bangor - senyap katok/sunyi - panah ketek/dering - sejuk ketor/siak - tinggi melangok - rendoh slepek - licing mayo - bulat gete - nipih nayang - halus seghiyuk - tebal netung - bodo leto - kecik tuek - kotor blokong - hanyar kubang -

Heavenly food, Heavenly bed, Heavenly Malaysia - PARTII

Explorace in the northern region of Malaysia. Till now penat badan aku teringatkan our journey. It was last year, we went for students observation in hotels in Perak, Penang and Kedah (that includes Langkawi).

Penang, the 1st destination. We went straight to Feringghi Beach (the famous tourist spot, especially for those empty nesters). We stayed in Bayview Beach Hotel (nice room, nice view, and it was so spacious we could hold a marathon inside there). That nite we went to the famous 'nite market'. Nuthing much to tell, only reminds me of beach version of Petaling Street. The next day we went to visit few hotels, Holiday Inn, Mutiara, etc, before checking in at the Casuarina (really antique hotel, I would say). Hotel ni famous for its return guests. According to the Front Desk Manager, most of the guests yg ada kat situ kebanyakannya return guests yang keep on coming since 10-20 years back. True to his words, mmg aku nampak yg bersidai kat lobby, beach, kebanyakkannya atuk n nenek semuenye.

Actually Penang beaches are nuthing compared to pantai belakang umah mak aku back in KT. Penang beaches are just to commercialized, but the best thing that keeps me going there is this makan place. Its the Mexican food stall located at Chulia Street. Aku terjumpa tempat ni pun by accident, while I was cruising for 2nd hand books. Tempat ni macam a bit rundown, belakang dia ada this one hotel yg looks like screwed up joint. But the tortillas, burritos, enchiladas, name it all, almost all the Mexican snacks that u can dream of ada kat sini.

And the brother behind the stall, he looks so kewl. A place to visit. And then, the mobile pasemboq kat Beach Street (or was it China Street?) next to Standard Chartered building. Aku selalu pegi situ petang, sitting and eating there, enjoying the city bustling streets. A plate of pasemboq, full of crunchy 'kuih udang lebih, sliced cucumbers, half boiled eggs and mouth watering kuah kacang siram atas rojak..hmm..realllly...(sampai tak boleh cakap dah ni..)

And dun forget the nasik kandaq. This place called Nasi Kandar Line Clear (??)..Really nice, and good hospitality too. Tapi bukan aku nak cerita pasal nasi kandaq cause I'm not really a fan of it. Yang aku nak cerita ni dia punya 'show of the house'..presenting..the teh tarik susu lembu..till now aku nak gelak teringatkan this place..The action only starts after 7pm till 2-3 in the morning. Aku rasa kalau Travel Channel tau pasal ni, musti diorang datang buat documentary. The 1st time aku tgk mamak yang tarik tu, I couldnt help myself from laughing. Macam Michael Jackson pun ada. So guys, pi Penang, dun forget the places ok. Thanks to Mr Victor of Mutiara for the courtesy call;)

Heavenly food, heavenly bed, heavenly Malaysia PART I

Wow, I can't believe it I'm actually doing a blog! (if u can call it one) Just wanna share my favorite makan place, my fav hotel, my fav hotel bed, etc...Just got back from our very own Newcastle (Kota Bharu) last week. Was there for my dearest students doing their practical training at KB hotels. Ni kira macam a short escapade from JB City la.

The reason why am doing this actually because of the most memorable experience in Renaissance Hotel KB. The best hotel bed ever! Barulah aku tahu how does it feel to sleep on tilam macam cerita mat salleh (always thought their tilams are so comfy) I've slept on many hotel beds (except for Carcosa Seri Negara) but this one was a different experience. The pillows and mattress are stuffed with extra fine goosefeathers. Kesian mak aku nak ajak aku gi jejalan pun susah cause aku tak bergerak from the bed (buat buat tido).

But at last after few ceramah from her, she managed to get my butt out of the bed. Eventhough I was tired cause I had to visit a student at Perdana Resort PCB earlier, aku ikutkan je la. Nanti karang dia menyesal lak ikut aku..

I took her for dinner at this makan place called 'New Horizon Garden Restaurant' near Pasar Borong Wakaf Che Yeh (the open market). It's a double-storey building located near the traffic light junction near the pasar. Man the food was sooooo good!!(believe me). Kitorang makan sampai the steamed seabass (siakap) dah tinggal kepala je. I was wondering where does all the bones go?(siap tengok bawah meja ingatkan ada kucing kat situ. Rupa2nya aku lah kucingnye..hehehe)

Mak aku siap sound cause aku mintak nasi tambah 3 kali. Kesian kat the waiter musti kalori dia banyak yang hilang malam tu berbanding malam2 yang lain. But I'd give him 5 stars for the service and hospitality. Such a professional and knowledgable waiter and if the restaurant does accept trainees, I will definately send my own students there. Not only the steamed seabass; the buttered prawns, the crispy lemon chicken and the sizzzzzzzling beef were damn nice. The best proper Thai cuisines in Malaysia I've ever had. It was really worth the price. Thanks to Miss Anne, the duty manager of Renaissance for the info and for the last minute restaurant's reservation. A very sweet person and always like to giggle at the end of the line (I was always wondering why).

OK guys, if you happen to be in KB, just checkout this place. A place not to be missed. Memang rugi kalau tak pergi. Heavenly food, heavenly bed, heavenly Kota Bharu....