Happy 1st Birthday My Boy!

This is a belated post. 1 year just flew past like that. My son is 1 year old now. I still clearly remember the day of going to hospital, going through labour and the moment he was born. I guess this is the reminiscing part that every mum goes through when their baby turn 1. My assumption.

Before showing his playground birthday party, let's do a recap of all his first!

First second on earth

First smile - 6 day old

Actually I am not sure if this is his first smile, let's assume so.

First car ride

First month baby shower 

First cheeky look

First ferry ride to Gozo 

First winter

First Christmas Party

First swim

First "Girlfriend"

First flight

First Chinese New Year in Singapore

First touch of snow & First time in Sicily

First time in Oslo

First summer

First gym class

First time on a swing

First time "driving"

First time in London

First time in an outdoor pool

First time in Barcelona

First birthday

Happy birthday my beloved son! Daddy and Mummy wish you happy and healthy forever! We love you!

Kopi or Coffee?

This is instant Kopi at home. Usually they do coffee powder in the shops.

In Asia, you can get cheap local coffee known as Kopi at most coffee shops and markets. Usually restaurants served coffee like the American/European way, brewed with milk and sugar. As a Singaporean, I take both types of coffee but prefer Kopi to Coffee.

I believe most people would know what is coffee, those that you get from Starbucks, cafes, restaurants. So what is Kopi?

Kopi is black coffee with condensed milk. There is a variation to this, known as Kopi-si. Kopi-si uses evaporated milk and sugar instead of condensed milk. So do be careful if you are in Asia, at a local coffee shop ordering coffee. The way that coffee is brewed is different too. There is no machine, only human being. Through a sieve where coffee powder is, hot water is repeatedly poured in and out between 2 empty containers. This is supposed to help bring out the flavour and fragrance of the coffee.

People I met in Malta are amazed that we take our coffee with condensed milk. First question they asked was, "Isn't it fattening to take with condensed milk?" "With that, how do Asians stay slim?" Very interesting question. I don't think a cup or two of Kopi will make one fat overnight. However, do note that it does contribute to the calories, between 75-130 calories per cup depending on the sweetness level. I discover further that condensed milk here are mainly used for desserts or cooking. Even the packaging of the can say so!

So do try Kopi in Asia with a limit to keep calories under control!

 

Grow Fat with Bread in a Week!

I like to browse recipes. One day, we were chit chatting and Elson suggested that I try to make Tuna Bun, Singapore style. I decided to try a recipe from my friend after much hesitation. I have no experience with bread making. It seems difficult to me.

I did a total of 5 tries to get it right!

I bought my yeast next day, and bread appeared few hours later.

I didn't do enough research on kneading of dough. I couldn't managed the wet dough and kept adding flour, which is WRONG! My friend used machine, I used hand. Oh well, let's look at the outcome.

First outcome: taste alright, look awful, more like focaccia bread.

First Try: Tuna Bun



4 more tries to go....

Given my NEVER-SAY-DIE character, I tried again next day, this time Hotdog Bun. It was worse than yesterday because this time, I added flour to the surface of the dough, not mixed in. So, outcome was like eating flour on bread.

Failed again!

2nd Try: HotDog Bun (with flour :p)

I decided that this is not going to work, I did my research. I was too anxious, so didn't really do enough research. The 3rd Hotdog bun was overbaked, too dry and crispy. Not to my expectation.

BUT, I learnt something about dough here. I finally know what is a tacky and not sticky dough!

3rd Try: Crispy HotDog Bun (no flour :D)



Finally I decided that I MUST do intensive research. And I did. I found out the different techniques of kneading, different process, different hydration level, etc. I tried again for the 4th time.

Woohoo, not bad this time. BUT, it is still not the texture that I wanted, and I smelt flour. Boo!

4th Try: Bread Loaf - Taste Great!!! with a litle flour smell tough

Last research again, hours and hours of reading. Finally, here it is!

SINGAPORE STYLE TRADITION BREAD!



5th Try: SUCCESS!!! Soft and Fluffy Bread



Elson couldn't resist and finished half a loaf straight away. It was so soft and fluffy. It still taste as soft and good the following day. The smell was right, no more flour smell. I am definitely keeping this recipe!

It was a fun process though, and kneading isn't as easy as I thought it was initially. However, after getting the hang of it, it was manageable and fun.

Well, I have not tried using machine to knead the dough, maybe by then, I will not say kneading is fun.

Any bread recipe to share with me? I will share this recipe later.

10 Steps to import dogs to Malta

Our dogs took their first maiden flight, from Singapore to Malta!

Plenty plenty of paper works, health checks, vaccinations. Full of excitements and anticipations!

What will happen to the dogs during the flight?Will they get plane sick and vomit?

Will they be cold?Many many question marks?????

10 Procedures if you are thinking of importing/exporting dogs.
(export country: Singapore, import country: Malta)

1. Documents. Check with veterinary department of both export and import countries on the health requirements. This is very important as some countries require quarantine for imported dogs. Normally, the requirements are rabbis vaccination within a certain period of time, some require blood test for rabbies, health certificate issued within 7 days of flying.

For Malta, tapeworm medication feed is required 24-120hours before exporting.

2. Veterinary Officer. 

Email the relative department of the destination for information. I emailed all documents to Malta veterinary department to make sure I have everything in place and got a approval signature before I fly off.

This is becoming real...

Counting Down is over, finally the day for a change has arrived.

Weeks of preparation, everything went smoothly as planned.

Our new life together in a new place,

With our 2 beloved dogs.

Missing all my family and friends, stay connected and see you soon!

Departure & Arrival

A goodbye to Singapore

A nearly 20-hours long, delayed flight with Emirates, via Dubai.

Finally, we arrived at Malta International Airport.

Cool and windy weather welcomed us!

According to locals, it has been bad weather to them due to the big wind.

But inside our heart, we were grinning ear to ear. We love the wind!

Posted with Blogsy

Kim Kee Tanjong Rhu Wanton Mee

Visited our favourite Wanton Mee stall before He leaves for Malta in May. They have awesome Wanton Mee in Singapore that we cannot find anywhere else. We will miss it.

 While waiting for our food, something caught my eye: the poster below - they are relocating to a nearby hawker. Our luck to notice that for re-visit.

Recommendation: 1 small plate of Wanton Mee, 1 cup of coffee (must be prepared by old uncle), some Tanjong Rhu Paus (famous too)

Note to visitors: be prepared to wait for 15 minutes during off peak time, and up to 30 minutes wait during lunch time. They are not open for dinner.

 

It is finally happening!!

After a year of surprises, Elson's posting to Malta is finally confirmed. We are now preparing ourselves for the move. International driving license, dogs, Leng's job, our little red car, etc........

Watch out for the next few posts on our preparation.

We were thinking about bring our dogs. 

However we need to make sure the landlord allows pets in the house!

"Change apartment if landlord do not allow!" everyone said.

Well, our apartment is fixed. We are now pending reply from landlord, and checking out procedures/documents required for them to enter Malta.

We need to plan for their whereabouts when we are back in Singapore or on trips too!

Thankfully we came across another blog, www.mike-jess.com, which gave us an idea of the procedures and documents required for importing to Malta.