I Live To Eat, Too.

 

 

And that’s an open secret with me because I believe that:

 

 

 

This image is from http://www.vinyl-wall-decals.com/

 

Thank you, Jessica, for permitting me the use of this image on behalf of your company.

 

There is some exciting bit of information at the end from Jessica’s company, 

‘Vinyl Walls Decals’  (http://www.vinyl-wall-decals.com/)

 

 

 

In this post, I will not share the obvious i.e. how much I love feeding my face eating, but how I ‘use’ food.

 

 

Food comforts; that’s a known fact. First, I will let an excerpt elaborate on how that fact plays out in my life.

 

 

This excerpt is between a friend, who I shall refer to as Friend, and myself. Friend’s words are in blue; mine, as always, in brown.

 

 

Friend: I try my best to cope with my problems, but some days, Kate, I feel like nothing works. So I work on keeping myself busy with stuff.

 

 

Me: This can be a good thing, Friend, but please make sure that your distractions are not related to work and chores alone. Indulge in activities that make you feel good. For me, it’s something as simple as my (childhood) ‘Sunday breakfast’ which, since my return to the nest, I do not have on Sundays anymore because I am happy to be home again after years of living like a nomad. But when I need a pick-me-up or even just to get a hit of feel-good feelings for the heck of it, I go for that familiar Sunday breakfast.

 

 

I take an egg out of the fridge the previous night. As I down my one litre of green tea (over a period of an hour) before brekkie, I anticipate digging into the finished product. The excitement builds as I begin making the breakfast itself.

 

 

I fry an egg, sunny side up, I slather one slice of brown bread with butter, turn the egg over on the unbuttered slice, spread the yolk all over, sprinkle pepper and grated cheese, and if I have some at home, I cover the entire slice with deli meat.

 

 

I’ve never liked to chomp into the whole sammy because I don’t like food getting smeared around my mouth. I feel uncouth uncomfortable, too, trying to grab the whole thing with both hands. So I cut up the sandwich into 2-bite, bite sized pieces, pull up a chair to face one of the open windows in my dining room, look out into the garden and HALLELUJAH! The winged ones go all Broadway on me. For realsies, Friend! 🙂

 

 

Then it’s onto the coffee preparation.  

 

 

 

This image is from http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/

 

This image comes very close to what my own cuppa Joe looks like

– colourful cup and non-pro looking, finished product.

 

 

 

I love coffee, but I drink it only when I’m extra happy or if I want to make myself happy. This process, too, is anticipated and salivated over.

 

 

The coffee I drink today is way better than what Isabella fooled me with when I was little. I still like it all-milk-no-water, strong and sweet, just the way Isabella lovingly made it for me, but in my early 20s, I discovered the magic of Bailey’s or Amarula with coffee. 🙂 Being a teetotaler, I detest the stench smell of alcohol, but I absolutely love how alcohol transforms certain culinary preparations. Over the years, I have gradually learned to, um, inspirit dishes from hors d‘oeuvres  to desserts, and of course, coffee. 🙂 

 

 

With both these, the sandwich and the coffee of my Sunday breakfast, every step is even more exaggerated than the way I normally eat. I am s~l~o~w, deliberate and then, I savour the sun kissed, ripened fruits of my patience.

 

 

My Sunday breakfast leaves me happy for a whole hour at least.

 

 

I’ve also noticed that when the high subsides, I don’t crash with a thud, but I am more mellow for the rest of the day, or that breakfast happiness sets off a chain of mini happy things for me.

 

 

What also makes me happy is reading or watching something funny. And another sure winner is music and dancing. I just turn it up and dance like no one is watching. Well, no one can watch me because I lock myself up in my room, blast the music and Harlem Shake off the blues. Half an hour is all I need.

 

 

Because I enjoy eating as much as I do, Lent is a particularly good time to test my willpower. Last year, I shared my food related Lenten experience in ‘Giving Up. And Taking On.’  We’re three weeks into Lent this year. How am I doing?

 

 

This excerpt between BFF One and myself will tell you. A little background first.

 

 

Growing up, BFF One and I lived two homes away from each other, and were nigh inseparable from primary school till we both left home for uni in different states. Today, she lives 15km away from my home. We meet every two weeks, speak over the phone every week and e-mail almost every day.

 

 

BFF One knows I’m greedy a foodie. So she regularly brings me some of my favourite food stuff whenever they eat it at her home. Last week, she came over with goodies as usual and … read the rest.

 

 

Me: Barbecued chicken. Sigh. Chocolate Mud. Sigh. Cheesecake. Sigh. Saving any of these items for after Easter would defeat the purpose of not eating them now.

 

 

Still, there’s your veggie stuff for me to enjoy. So yes, God still loves me 😉 despite all those things I won’t touch until the end of March.

 

 

BFF One: Ohnoohnoohno! Sorrrrrry, Katieeeee! I clean forgot your Lenten promise. Sooooo sorrrrry. I won’t tempt you again until Easter. I won’t bring any of your favourites until then. Sorry, Kate. 

 

 

Me: Oi, please BRING everything! I mean, whatever you want. Mum and Isabella enjoy these, too, you know?

 

 

My view of the purpose of abstinence in Lent, like Yom Kippur, Ramadan and Shravan or any spiritual fasting, is that it is to:

 

 

i. Avoid being dependent on the material world

ii. Acknowledge that the material benefits I have are blessings from God

iii. When not distracted by material factors, focus on God (through prayer and my deeds)   

 

 

So your yum temptations were good; they were my test. And I passed! Yaay!

 

 
I sniffed the Chocolate Mud (from [Name of confectioner in our city] in all likelihood; they use good quality chocolate and pure butter), sniffed the chicken (that familiar, great blend of your herbs), and of course, Cheesecake doesn’t have to do anything, I love it unconditionally. Ha ha!

 

 

When I sniffed each of those things and let my senses get washed over with the aroma, I did not feel the slightest desire to eat any of those. YESSSS! Victory.

 

 

In fact, like I always do, when I spread out everything to assess the bounty you bestow before I out everything away, I usually run to Mum wherever she is and gleefully announce her favourites or mine when I identify each item.

 

 

 

 

After you left the day before yesterday, as I divided my favourites between Mum and Isabella, I said to Mum, “God wants to test me? I’ll show Him.” And we both laughed. 

 

 

 

And because I enjoy eating as much as I do, I am intolerably intolerant toward those who don’t. 

 

 

The following excerpt between Bestie Boy and myself is a good example of how bad I can get.  

 

 

As always, Bestie Boy’s text is in green and mine in brown. This exchange was on this past Christmas morning.

 

 

Bestie Boy: Until we Skype later this evening, I hope, actually, I know you are having a suitably festive time and are enjoying all the best things Christmas brings – FOOD! 

 

 

Me: Yesss! Lots of this stuff, too.

 

 

Since Big Sis is to leave after Christmas lunch today (*WAAAIL*), you know I had ordered some of our Christmas goodies and non-Christmas yummies, every day from the day she landed i.e. the 18^th. I hadn’t said a word to her about any of the things, and she got surprised every day. I wanted to make sure she pigged ate as much as she could before she left.

 

 

This is the booty of her first and second days.   

 

 

 

I’m grateful … and greedy for all this grub. 🙂

  

 

1. Pasteis de Santa Clara: Turnovers with almond paste filling, deep fried, and dusted with icing sugar.

 

2. Sozzled Trismas 😉 Cake

 

3. Chocolate Mmmousse

 

4. Brownies: I requested the confectioner not to cut the brownies into squares to prevent them from drying out.

 

5. Mint Chocolate Cake: Called ‘After Eight Cake’ in my family.

 

6. Bolo Caramel: You can’t quite see how tall this cake is, Bestie Boy. I measured it just now. It’s 14 cm high. 4 layers of caramel cake soaked with caramel (liquid) and cashews.

 

 

 

Oh, Mum used to order all these and other Christmas sweets every time I came home, no matter the time of the year. As you can see, too, not all the items here are Christmas specific. That’s because these are specifically Big Sis’ favourites. To borrow your words – I am not bothered either way. That’s because I eat everything. Unlike you. *grumble, grumble* Thank goodness Big Sis does not give me trouble with food like you do. Bad Bestie Boy.  

 

 

 

I’m wiff me big sister in the lil’ skirt!

 

I’m also stiff as the sign post behind me. Why?

We were on holiday three months ago

and

a handful (uh huh, that’s all it takes for this wuss) of locals

happened to cast

a few curious glances in our direction. Duh.

 

 

 

Bestie Boy: We’re having chicken for Christmas lunch because [his relative visiting from overseas] is not so fond of turkey – I am not bothered either way. 

 

 

Me: Arrgh, Bestie Boy! Your apathy towards food is long past surprising, confusing and shocking. I now get frustrated, maybe annoyed even. 

 

 

How, I mean, like, HOW can you not enjoy a particular type of food or preparation? Or the anticipation of your taste buds being tantalised, the pleasure while savouring every mouthful and the satisfaction upon satiation? Foodgasm isn’t an accidental portmanteau, you know?

 

 

Alright, alright! I know that you know that not very many people I know live to eat like I do. But it’s so much easier to snarl and underscore instead of smile and understand differences between myself and others. 🙂 

 

 

Food may not be Bestie Boy’s beast, but footie is!

 

 

 

A warm-up is as good a time as any to mess around.

 

 

 

 

  

 

I know

that living well

is also

about

being gracious and accepting

of the differences between people,

and

because

I

like to think

I have

a modicum of sense

in

my sometimes grouchy being,

I

(eventually!)

make peace

when

people I know

do

not

drool over food

(or other things)

the way I do.

 

 

 

 

::   ::  ::   ::   ::  ::  :: ::     BLOG BUDDY BIRTHDAY  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::   ::   ::   ::   ::

 

Hi my blogging friend, Elvie Rose in the Philippines!

 

Someone has a little message for you!

 

This image is from http://ladyfi.wordpress.com/

 

You were expecting him to say something else? Well, he’s doing it on my behalf, and there’s no way I can fool this clever canine. He sees right through me and speaks my mind!

 

But I do have another message for you – have a lovely day today, Elvie Rose! May you continue to spread your fragrance via your words in person to those privileged to know someone as kind as you, and via your words on your own blog ‘FLOWERSBLOOMS by “Elvie”’ (http://flowersblooms-elvierose.blogspot.in/) ….  and here via your comments!

 

Happy birthday, Elvie Rose!

 

Thank you, Lady Fi in Sweden, for letting me share your doggone cute pooch!

 

Readers, I’m not good with photographs, but some of you are.

So check out Lady Fi’s blog,

‘Lady Fi’

http://ladyfi.wordpress.com/,

for what I think are very cool (quite literally!) pictures.

 

 

::   ::  ::   ::   ::  ::  ::  ::  ::     BLOG BIRTHDAY  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::   ::   ::   ::   ::

 

Yup, you read that right. A blog birthday.

 

A not-so-wee blog turned one last month.

 

‘Rantings of an Amateur Chef ‘

Food…cooking…eating….tools – What works, and what doesn’t!

http://rantingchef.com/

 

Having eased off the Publish pedal here, I finally found the time to RSS your blog, Ranting Chef. Am enjoying what little I’ve experienced so far.

 

I like the little anecdotes that accompany the recipes and I like that the recipes come from non-professional (therefore, more doable in my eyes) cooks, but most of all, I like how you are generous and welcome your readers to post their recipes. It ain’t easy letting go of the spotlight.

 

Keep up the good work, Ranting Chef!

 

Oh, and Happy Belated Birthday, Ranting Chef Blog! 🙂

http://rantingchef.com/2013/02/19/happy-birthday-blog/

 

 

::  ::   ::   ::  ::  ::  ::  ::     KARMA CONNECTION   ::  ::  ::  ::  ::  ::   ::   ::   ::

 

‘Vinyl Walls Decals’ (http://www.vinyl-wall-decals.com/)

is a family operated company

based in Reno, Nevada, U.S.A.

 

When I contacted them to ask if I could use their image, which is at the very top of this post, they (Hi Jessica!) readily  agreed …. and threw in an offer for you, dear readers!  

 

When you go to their site

and

you see something you fancy

and

you decide to buy something from them

and

you use Code “FYD“

(as in ‘For You, Daddy!’),

you will get

25% off all orders until 31 March 2013!

Wa-hay or wot?

 

Besides purty piccies and cutesy quotes for a variety of events and various rooms in our homes, they have some options in Spanish and Norwegian as well.  

 

So. What’s my cut for doing this for ‘Vinyl Walls Decals’ (http://www.vinyl-wall-decals.com/)?

 

Bragging rights!

 

Dude, there’s nothing that lifts me higher than doing someone a good turn gratis

AND

being able to blast my own bugle over it.

 

Oh, except building a bulge in my belly! 🙂

 

Oh! Oh! Oh! And with this whole doing-my-good-deed-for-the-day, um, thing … which is not really a thing, I smell fodder for a future post. Yaay!

 

 

 

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Thank you, ROHAN7THINGS, for signing up to follow my posts. 

 

Thank you, You’ve Been Hooked! and FLOWERSBLOOMS by “Elvie”  for commenting on my last post.

 

Thank you, You’ve Been Hooked!, Șic și clasic – “Chic & Classic” and FLOWERSBLOOMS by “Elvie”, for liking my last post.

 

Thank you, A Clown On Fire  and Coffee, Camera & Kids – My Crazy Life, for liking my ‘About My Blog’ page.

 

Thank you, Moolta, for liking my post of 15 December 2012 titled ‘You’.   

 

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P.S.: Cheerful Monk adds a footnote to every post acknowledging those who comment on her previous post. She also links the commenters’ names back to their own blogs.

 I like both these practices of acknowledging the time and effort made to comment, and the free advertising! So I’m doing what I do well – being a copycat!  

 

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