First Day At Bahrain...

Working at Middle East has been one of thing that I always like to accomplish. Many friends wonder why I want to come to Middle East, most of  people think it is very religious and conservative place. But for me, it is another good market to explore, at least it has very good prospect for people like me in the oil&gas and petrochemical industry. Actually I have made up my mind before leaving UK that I would use maximum 5 years time to save money and gain as much as possible the oversea experience. With the modal and experience, I want to start a new business at Malaysia which nobody has done it before at Malaysia. Middle East is my first region to explore, think of going to China & Taiwan after ME. Anyway, we never know our future, things may change by the time it come. For whatever reason, I'm here in Bahrain already. I'm supposed to be excited to arrive to the ME, but I wasn't that excited upon arrival. Of course it is because my heart is still with someone at msia.

Though I have transitted at UAE when I went to UK last time, but this is the first time I have ever entered a ME country. The local people are definitely not friendly. Since I'm coming to earn their money, so I just take it lor... it doesnt really matter for me... I'm a salesman mar... :p
Company has allocated hotel accommodation before I find my room. The room is just ok, still alright for staying for short period.

The temperature is just 24C at daytime, just nice, even colder than msia because it is still in winter. But wherever you go, the view is very hazy. There is sand everywhere, with the wind blowing all the time, quite difficult to walk around without covering my eyes. This is the view from my hotel room window.

The view on the street. Can't really se clearly the builing at the back, too hazy.

There are many local restaurant, but don't really know what are the Middle Eastern food. There are some minimarkets too, the price of the goods here is quite expensive compared to msia. Don't really know how to describe the look of the street, just upload few photo here.

At least there are some shop that I'm familiar with.

Tomorrow going to office and start my working life again after one and half year. Work hard and aim to realise my plan. The starting of my life at Middle East.

When you know you are leaving a place for the last time...

The title of this blog post was first written when I was about to leave Manchester in end of December 2009 but no content was written then because I was too busy to travel to London then back to Malaysia. After being home, busy with Cambodia trip, meeting up with friends, CNY, other new blog post were created and draft of this post has been down there for some time.

I was driving home from KL tonight, felt exactly the same when I left Manchester - the feeling that you know you are leaving a place for the last time and won't be returning in near future. Leaving Manchester was a huge decision. Though I was looking forward to coming home and starting new career at Middle East, I still left with a heavy heart. Manchester is the city I lived, studied, made friends for 16 months. The places and the people have become so familiar. Really felt hard to leave all the good friends there.


This trip to KL was out of expectation because Jeff was supposed to go to Penang on that weekend. But he changed his plan few days before that to stay at KL. That's why I also changed my mind and went to KL to meet up with Lynn and Jeff. Lynn is still the same as I saw her at Liverpool in November last year, still super duper sweet with Joseph. Really didn't expect to see weiz in this trip because I knew she was super duper busy with gathering with her friends. Totally out of my expectation, I met her twice. The last meeting up was a mess but I really appreciate it.

Driving on highway, I switched off the radio, only the noise of the engine and silence of the night were with me. Great moment to meditate and think. Didn't turn to my back to see the place I was leaving, didn't do that at Manchester, didn't do that at KL. Definitely things will change by the time I come back, I wish...... but I don't know.. it is silly to make a wish like that.. we will never know the future.. maybe that's the reason we make wish..!!!

过年不能少的东西---梁妈妈的凤梨酥

记忆中打从第一次到俊杰家拜年起，每一年过年都不能错过梁妈妈亲手做的凤梨酥。我对它的喜爱程度绝对是到了不行的境界。俊杰每年都会在梁妈妈做饼时特别留一罐给我。去年在英国过年，没吃到梁妈妈的凤梨酥，就真觉得过年少了些什么。今年在马过年，俊杰和梁妈妈照例留了一罐给我。太感动了，小弟此生不知何以回报梁母，惟有能够在这里写篇日志来感谢梁妈妈。

过年时，市场上有各式各样的凤梨酥，形状，大小和凤梨馅的包法都不通。梁妈妈做的凤梨酥是把凤梨馅完全包裹在牛油酥里面的那种。

梁妈妈的凤梨酥之所以那么好吃绝对是因为凤梨酥的每一个部分她都处理得恰到好处。首先说凤梨馅，一定要带纤维，这样吃的时候才会吃到凤梨的口感。不像工厂大量生产的凤梨酥，凤梨馅是用搅拌机把凤梨打碎做成的，梁妈妈的凤梨亲手把一粒一粒的凤梨用磨具磨成凤梨馅的，这样的凤梨馅才会保有凤梨原来的纤维，而不是像用机器做成的凤梨馅只是像凤梨泥一般。

凤梨馅的酸甜度也是至关重要的，凤梨本身就酸味大过于甜味。在凤梨馅里加入白糖增加它的甜味固然是必要的，但甜味绝不能盖过酸味。梁妈妈的凤梨馅的酸甜度就刚刚好，甜的程度就刚刚好比酸略低一点，绝不抢了凤梨原来酸味的风头。

再来说牛油酥，好吃的酥饼一定要是入口即化的。但这种入口即化的酥饼太柔软了，很容易松散开来。其中秘诀就在酥饼进烘炉前表面上涂上的那层蛋黄，梁妈妈把整颗凤梨酥都涂上了蛋黄汁，烘出来的凤梨酥表面呈漂亮的金黄色，而且酥饼不易散开，让你能够每一次都能把一整颗完整的凤梨酥一大口的放进口中去品味它完美的口感。说到口感，最难和最考功力的就是炒凤梨馅及控制它的水分和软硬度。梁妈妈这方面绝对是到达了出神入化的境界，凤梨馅的软硬度做得和牛油酥的一样。这样一来，咬下凤梨酥当牙齿穿过酥饼到达凤梨馅的那一刻，不用再增加一丝力度，牙齿就早已穿透进凤梨馅里头。感受让你分不出是馅还是酥，似酥非酥，似馅非馅的口感。

最后还得一提的是凤梨酥的整体外形，不知道梁妈妈是有意还是无意的让某些凤梨酥的馅外露。若隐若现的事物往往是最迷人的，也许梁妈妈就正在体现这个道理。再加上每一颗凤梨酥的大小都有明显的不同，梁妈妈纯住家手工制作的凤梨酥实在是让人太有感觉了。