Something Sweet - Leng Lui Tong Sui

If you are hankering for some refreshing and healthy dessert like tong sui, head over to Leng Lui Tong Sui in Jelutong Market.

The name was actually coined by the patrons because the proprietress was quite a beauty in her hey day and later on, they noted that her daughters inherited her looks as well. Now, the daughters of the proprietress are running the business and they have expanded to another branch in the Terengganu Road area.

Their main branch remains at Jelutong, though, in a corner coffee shop directly opposite the Jelutong wet market.

Leng Lui Tong Sui in Jelutong Market

People can see their very familiar pink signboard from far away.

Leng Lui Tong Sui Truck

However, their operations are from this pink and yellow truck parked in front of the coffee shop building. There are other stalls operating inside the coffee shop such as sharks fin soup, Taiwanese sausages and laksa.

Their signature dish is the Mat Dou Yao. Translated from Cantonese, it literally means "a little bit of everything". The name for the dish was coined by a famous movie star from Hong Kong when he visited the place.

Milky Mat Dou Yao (RM5.30)

The above is a later evolution of the dessert that uses milk instead of the usual syrup that is the base for all tong suis.

Mat Dou Yao definitely lives up to its name as there is a little bit of everything inside. Ingredients include jelly, sago, kwan ling gou (herbal jelly), white fungus, ginko nuts, red bean, laichee and longan, to name a few. Customers can add other ingredients like lentils and pineapples by paying a little bit more.

I always ask for more ginko nuts. My favorite ingredient is their sago which I think has been soaked in syrup because they are sweet.

They have other tong suis as well, such as foo chuk and leng chi kang, but customers basically just mix and match whatever they want.

Leng Lui Tong Sui is only open for business in the evenings.

Sick Days Comfort Foods

The weather has been crazy lately, resulting in many cases of the flu and coughs going around. Yours truly is not spared either.

As such, let's look at some of the comfort foods that will automatically lift the spirits a little during those days when we are feeling under the weather. Hey, just because our noses are dripping like a leaky sink and our taste buds can't tell the difference between cardboard and candy, it doesn't mean we should curl up into a ball and feel sorry for ourselves.


Chicken Soup

Ah, the ultimate comfort food reminiscent of childhood and packed with healthy ingredients and all of mommy's love.

Every family has their own secret recipe for chicken soup. The fact is, chicken is so versatile to work with, it's the ultimate "blank canvas". Anything goes. You just need to boil some chicken carcasses and flavor the broth with any aromatic ingredient you want. Once all the flavors from the chicken bones have infused with the liquid it is boiled in, add the garnish of your choice.

You can add pasta, noodles, cream, potatoes, carrots, corn, peas, mushrooms, herbs, practically anything under the sun. But if you are feeling under the weather, add ginger. The heat from the ginger will act as an instant pick me up and stimulate your appetite. The warm sensation afterwards will slowly spread throughout your body and is very soothing.

Of course if you can't get homemade chicken soup, you can always have a can of Campbells cream of chicken soup as a substitute.


Hot Chocolate

Now who doesn't love hot chocolate, especially topped with marshmallows?

The trick is to add a pinch of cayenne pepper into the hot chocolate. There's something about that spicy undertone that instantly jolts the senses.

Besides, when you're sick, you don't really have much of an appetite. The rich chocolate will work well to keep your stomach filled and give you some energy while you rest.

Chocolate also stimulates the brain to produce serotonin, the feel good happy hormone that will make you feel relaxed and aid the recovery process.

So go ahead and down that cup of hot chocolate then get under the covers for a few hours of blissful sleep.

Tomato Soup

Tomatoes are full of vitamin C so it's natural that they are the perfect weapon to combat the common cold. The tangy sour taste will also help to stimulate your appetite

Tomatoes also contain lycopene which acts as an antioxidant and helps boost the immune system.

To prepare, cook tomatoes (preferably fresh but you can use canned tomatoes as well) in any broth of your choice with a mirepoix of carrots, celery and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Once vegetables are soft, puree till smooth and stir in cream. Serve hot.

Honey Lemon Tea

Honey and lemon have been known for centuries to help fight the common cold.

In ancient Egypt, honey was used to cure all kinds of maladies, event to vicious infections. Lemon, high in vitamin C and antioxidants will help boost the immune system.

Have a big tumbler of this next to your bed and take frequent sips to keep yourself hydrated. You can also add ginger juice, especially for warm honey lemon tea as this will help sooth raw and aching throats.

Fruity Smoothies

Smoothies are tasty and very easy to prepare.Blend any types of fruits that are high in vitamin C and antioxidants to create a rich and nutritious smoothie. Add yogurt to replenish the good bacteria in the gut.

The best fruits for smoothies include banana, apples, oranges, raspberries, passion fruit,  pineapple, strawberries and blueberry. Top up your smoothies with nuts like walnuts and almonds for added crunch.

So hopefully these comfort foods will help brighten the days when you feel so terrible that you just want to hide under your covers. Just bear in mind that it will pass, as long as you take care of yourself, get plenty of rest and keep yourself hydrated.

I will be back soon to discover and share with you more delicious food from my beloved paradise island of Penang.

A BAKER’S DOZEN, 12 or 13?

Just last week, I was super engrossed in a book that took the world by a storm with its horrific storyline, and as I read, I came across a line that surprised me. When a character namely Wendy frightfully climbed the stairs and slowly counting a dozen steps, she mentioned "a baker’s dozen".

A dozen = 12, so I automatically assumed that she took 12 steps. Apparently, a baker’s dozen is not 12, but actually 13!

So today, I discovered the reason why a baker’s dozen is actually 13 instead of 12. Yes I did! This even dated back as ancient Egypt where they have imposed stricter laws regarding baker’s wares. For instance, if a baker is found to be cheating someone, they would have their ear nailed to the door of their bakery. In Babylon, if a baker is found to sell a “light loaf” of bread to someone, the baker would have his hand chopped off! How outrageous!

But surely, bakers realized that it’s not that hard to accidentally cheat someone, the baker decide to give more rather than give less. Specifically in this term of “baker’s dozen”, in England, after the Assize of Bread and Ale Statute was enacted in the 13^th century, it became a common practice that if a vendor or other customer to order a dozen or several dozen loaves of bread from a baker, the baker would give them 13 for every dozen they ordered. This effectively made sure that the baker would never accidently break the law and be subject to severe punishment!

So, today we know that baker’s dozen don’t mean the traditional 12, instead it meant 13. Also, they don’t do it simply of for fun but they do it for a very crucial reason! Hope that was informative and I shall see you guys tomorrow! 

THE BATTLE OF BEER OR COFFEE, WHAT'S YOUR TAKE?

What’s with that long face guys? It’s Friday, like finally! It’s time to unleash all your productivity into your work because for the next two days you are going to have some crazy time spending your weekends, right? Most of us turn to the bittersweet caffeine goodness to keep us energized. The amount of coffee that I consume when I am working is simply ridiculous! But, there’s no choice because I need the energy to keep my eyes from drooping shut, I’m sure there are quite a number of you would agree.

However from a study being conducted recently, apparently beer has the ability that makes people more creative!  Such great news for all beer lovers! But, let us look more closely on what they actually meant that beer brings the creativity out of people and how does coffee actually kept us energized before you guys storm down to the local supermarket to stock up your beer. Here we go!

BEER

    A part of brain called cerebral cortex controls thoughts, conscious, language and interaction. When alcohol hits, you feel less focus but frees up your distraction. When your blood alcohol reach 0.07 (2 glass of beer)

           You become more CREATIVE! Advantage of beer is, it makes you less worried of your surroundings, which frees up your brains from distraction, and allow you to have deeper connection with your brain, and hence you become more creative! And the disadvantage is a couple of beers affects your focus and decreases your memory. So the best time to enjoy your beer if you are searching for an initial creative idea.

COFFEE

    When Adenosine binds with its receptor, you feel DROWSY. When Caffeine kicks in, it binds with Caffeine instead and in 5 minutes later… You have more ENERGY! The advantage is when caffeine kicks in only after 5 minutes and gives you more energy and stronger ability to focus! But the disadvantage is when drinking even small amounts of coffee will result in a tolerance and your body will be need more to get the same stimulation. So, take coffee when you are actually getting down in action, and if you just need to focus on your busy work.

So the conclusion is, when you are squeezing your brain out to look for ideas, beer is the best choice, while when you are executing the plans, coffee seems to be the best solution! However remember to take moderately because, too much of both will do no good. That’s all for today, till we meet again next week, Adios amigos! 

TRUTHFUL THURSDAY- DINNER or BREAKFAST?

Hello, it’s Thursday and you know it’s great because it’s 1 day away from FRIDAY! So, let’s keep the high spirit on and read what I have discovered recently. Hope this read takes the edge off your work, or school! In fact, this is a very short fact, but would really spice up your dull day (if you are having one!)

Did you know that the word “Dinner” used to mean “Breakfast”? Well it’s true. Right now, saying it out aloud seems ridiculous, because we are very accustomed to the word “Dinner” when we have meals in the night but somehow it used to mean “Breakfast”. But why did this happen? Why bother changing the terms for good and leaving you and I feeling so puzzled? Let’s find out!

“Dinner” comes from the French word Disnar which means “Breakfast”. Traditionally, dinner (breakfast) was the first meal of the day, eaten around noon. It also happened to be the biggest meal of the day, with a lighter meal coming later known as supper. Eventually, more meals started being added to the day with people eating meals before the large noon meal of dinner.

Rather than calling these earlier meals that broke the fast by the word that means breakfast (dinner), the name “dinner” now stuck as the largest meal of the day. As time has passed, in most cultures that use these words to describe their meals, the largest meal of the day got moved later and later in the day until it’d meal time was around the time we used to have supper. (This used to be a light meal) How surprising!

Hope you guys enjoyed this little piece of fact of the day, every little things counts you know. Now you can proudly brag to your friends and family about how DINNER used to mean BREAKFAST, and the transformation process. Happy bragging! 

SUPER SHOCKING FACTS OF THE DAY!

Hello people! I’m back again with a peachy mood and to make you go “Ewww” with the facts that I’m going to share today! Really, even as I read all those facts, I could not continue without grimacing all the way. So today, let’s learn some terrible, horrible knowledge together! Shall we?

*READ AT YOUR OWN RISK*

I’m sure all of us are fully aware that soda/ carbonated drinks aren’t really great for our health but did you know that the acid from soda has the “power” to dissolve a NAIL? In just 4 days! Oh my goodness! *Seriously?*

I love love love yoghurt, but did you know that some yoghurt actually contains BEEF or PORK gelatin! Oh gross! Will you ever look at yoghurt the same way again? I know I won’t!

Just few days ago, I posted about cheese and praised high and low about how great they taste, well yeah. Apparently there are thousand living parasites living on cheese! Imagine munching down all the living parasites down your throat?

Oh,oh here’s another one! Remember all the colorful, shiny jelly beans that we absolutely love? The ones that we actually choose based on their colors and the shiny textures, sometimes we even get into fights with our brothers and sisters over the colors? Know how they keep their shine? You sure? Okay, I’ll say it; they keep the shine on with shellac! *Ewww*

Okay, brace your heart for the next one, because this is about to get real nasty! Apparently, FDA allows certain amount of animal feces in packaged foods. *OH CR*P! No pun intended!*

Another super duper disgusting fact of the day is, *drum rolls* a person’s yearly intake of fast food contains 12 pubic hairs! *barf*

Am I speaking to any wine drinkers here? Well, I have something for you guys. Did you know that whatever falls over the vineyard gets mixed in wine…including MICE?

So, how are you guys recovering from your shock of disgust? I know I know. Well, it’s good to be aware about what are you putting in your mouth, better knowing than being oblivious right? That’s all for today! Will catch you guys tomorrow! Bye!

Green tea, I am not a fan, but what about you?

Holla people! We meet again! How are we feeling today? I am feeling green! Yes, green! Coming to think of it, green has been associated with various expressions before, for an example, “She is green with envy,” or “These greens are such a refreshing sight to the eyes.” Anyway, today I am going to talk about something that has been so popular among Malaysians for the past few years, that is – Green Tea! I am generally a Coffee person, so I am not much of a fan of tea, moreover if its green tea. So, I never really bothered to try green tea although my friends were already started to craze over this particular beverage.

However I was introduced to green tea when I was co-incidentally having my first course of Japanese food (sushi, and bento). I came to an understanding that the green tea is free flow, so we can refill all we want. “Great! Just like McDonalds”, I whispered before taking my first sip of my very first green tea. As the green tea come into contact on my palate, I was greeted with a hint of bitterness as well as blandness. I did not like it at all. My first try was unsuccessful but as I visit more and more Japanese restaurants, I still go ahead and try more and more green teas, and as time pass by I got used to the taste and flavour yet I didn't quite like it still, even today.

Behold! Before you abash me hurtful words, though I fail to grow my fondness towards green tea, I just want to justify myself by saying, yes, I know that green tea has wonderful benefits, in fact today I am going to share about the facts!

Did you know that green tea has the power to fight cancer? Yes, it does! This reason alone would naturally lead me to drink more of this green goodness. Green tea also lowers your cholesterol level, and reduces them to keep you healthier. Another benefit of green tea is they fight cavities! They also protect against heart disease as well as speeds metabolism.

Green tea also has the power to prevent dementia, as well as bad breath! Try to drink a cup of green tea before a date and you will see how wonderful things will turn out to be. Green tea is also full of anti-oxidants gives you a healthy skin. Another wonderful benefit by consuming green tea is it manages to prevent diabetes. Not only that, green tea also maintains a healthy circulatory system.

 One of the greatest deals of drinking green tea is it detoxifies! Most of our health problems when our body doesn’t detox all the toxins out from our body, and just imagine how much wonder can a cup of green tea make in your body?

Green tea has so much of benefits, and if you are just like me who is not exactly a fan of green tea, do remember to drink a cup or two to absorb all the wonders from the tea and enjoy the upside of the beverage! Enjoy your cup of green tea today!

CHASE YOUR MONDAY BLUES AWAY WITH THESE FACTS!

Good Morning everyone! Are you feeling the Monday blues just like me? Well, why don’t we chase away all the Monday blues far from us by discovering more facts that are simply mind blowing? That’s cool with you? Then, let’s go!

Have you ever wondered, why does Hamburgers are being called as Hamburgers? Mmm.. A good question eh? Let us find out why! In the early 18^th century, some Germans noticed during their travels to Asia that the locals would stuff their beef between their saddles while they would ride, to help soften it for later consumption. The Germans loved the idea of soft seasoned meat, and so they brought the idea back to their home in Hamburg. As time went on, soon it became known as Hamburg meat. A few years later, as German immigrants made their way to U.S, they shared the recipe of Hamburg meat. It wasn’t long before people began to put their own spin on things. Legend has it, that the first known Hamburger, in the form we think of it today, rather than just softened, seasoned steak, as it was originally, was made my Charlie Nagreen.

Second facts of the day are also very closely related to Hamburger as well. Have you ever had any doubts on where do French fries actually originate from? Crunchy, golden slices of goodness, mm... What a wonderful invention! Exactly who came up with this idea? Let’s find out. Historical accounts indicate that the Belgians were possibly trying to frying up thin strips of potatoes as early as the late 17^th century in the Meuse Valley between Dinant and Liege, in Belgium. In this area, it is very common for the people to fry up small fish as a staple for their meals. However when the river froze up thick enough, it tended to make it difficult to get fish. So instead of drying up fished in this time, they turn to potatoes where they slice the potatoes thin just like the fish. At the same time, the French claimed that they invented the French fries. Once it became popular that the French have invented French fries, especially in Paris, push-cart vendors’ starts to sell them and call them “frittes”.

I am a fan of butter, and jam goes great with butter. Wait, is that jam or jelly? Honestly. I didn’t know that jam and jelly had any difference; I thought they were the same thing! Well you know what? I WAS WRONG! Well the difference is here, jelly is strictly made from the juice of fruit, while jam is made from the crushed fruit. Specifically, jelly is made by crushing fruit, then straining out everything except for the juice. The juice is then boiled, typically with sugar and pectin added, the latter of which is reacts with the sugar and heat to give the jelly a thicker consistency for spreading. The first step in making jam is about the same as making jelly, but instead of straining the juice, the crushed fruit is left in. Unlike most jellies, jam may not contain pectin, as the mashed fruit will often give it sufficiently good consistency of spreading. If you are wondering on how to differentiate jelly from jam, all you have to know is that jelly will spread out evenly while jam will tend to be a little lumpy.

Hope you guys enjoy all the facts, as well as facts from last week! We will have more to discover in the future, I’m sure! Till then, adiyos!

Ribs, Anyone? Head To Morganfield's

If you are craving for a heavenly slab of ribs generously slathered with smoky barbecue sauce, then head over to Morganfield's. The speciality of the house is the sticky bones pork ribs.

The ambience of their outlets is very cosy and comfortable, with earthy wooden furnishings and soften lighting even during lunch time. But I guess they can certainly try to have a theme to the music played as there seems to be a mix of country, jazz, Sinatra and K-pop. This is supposed to be a all American country restaurant, after all.

But on the food, and this place is certainly a carnivore's dream.

First off, their signature sticky bones pork ribs.

Sticky Bones Pork Ribs (RM38.90)

This is only half a slab and an absolute must try! The ribs are generously slathered with barbecue sauce. The sauce has a very smoky flavor, probably from the hickory wood used to prepare the ribs. It is not too sweet, nor too tangy. The meat falls off the bones immediately.

The meat falls off the bones effortlessly

For you polite eaters out there, ditch your cutlery for this one. The only way to eat ribs is with your fingers and licking off the excess sauce after that for maximum enjoyment ;)

 Customers can order a full slab as well for RM68.90.

I ordered from their set menu which starts as RM16.90 and comes with their soup of the day or salad and endless refills of soft drinks.

Mushroom Potato Soup

I'll just give their soup an "acceptable" grade as it didn't really blow me away. It is rich and creamy, though.

For my main course, I chose their Tequila Infused Chicken.

Tequila Infused Chicken (RM18.90 with their set menu)

Don't expect to get drunk with this. There is barely any hint of tequila in the chicken, but one thing really impressed me.

Can you see the juice in the meat?

It's the fact that they managed to keep the juice in the chicken so they run out the minute the meat is cut. This makes the meat moist and very tasty. Definitely a thumbs up!

And the French fries that comes with dish are crispy and don't turn soft too soon. Look closely and you will noticed that the potatoes are cooked with their skin on for added goodness.

No dessert is included in the set menu but when I saw this particular dish, I couldn't resist ordering anyway.

Bread Pudding With Vanilla Ice Cream & Whiskey Sauce

This is to die for! Warm bread pudding that is moist and creamy, yet melts in your mouth, that little hint of cinnamon, the vanilla ice cream and that whiskey sauce with its very prominent taste of whiskey. Don't take too much of the ice cream with each mouthful or it will overpower the other flavors. Instead, a tiny bit of ice cream with each bite will ensure that you get a warm mouthful that is bursting with warm, happy flavors. Don't worry, you won't get intoxicated.

And now, on with the food porn.

Beer Battered Fish Fillet (RM18.90 from the set menu)

Black Pepper Chicken Chop

The Cheesy Burger (RM22.90)

1/4 Barbecue Chicken

Grilled Ranch Chicken

Definitely go check out Morganfield's when you have a gathering with friends for good food and whiling away the hours in their cosy ambience, but make reservations first, especially during lunch and dinner time and it could be hard to get a table.

There are currently 3 outlets in Malaysia:

* Pavillion, KL
* Gurney Paragon, Penang
* Queensbay Mall, Penang

ANOTHER THREE SURPRISING FACTS OF THE DAY… ARRR!

Ahoy! How are you guys feeling today? Must be in high spirit I bet! For working class people Friday must be one of the happiest days ever. There’s also another specialty about today, it’s “International Talk-Like-A-Pirate Day! ARRRR! So today, I will try to implement “pirate slang” as much as I can in upcoming facts. Ye’ can try it with your mateys later; Jolly up ye’ mood! After all it is the fun that counts! Shall we get started? Aye Aye matey!

Onions has been used in ye’ dish for ages, and each time ye’ peel the skin off, ye’ feel t’tears comin’ rollin down ye’ cheek, ye’ know why? Have ye’ been thinkin’ me hearties? (Droppin’ the pirate slang for scientific terms!) Well, it’d because onions absorb sulfur from the soil. When onions are chopped, it ends up breaking cells within the onion, which releases certain enzymes. These enzymes react with the sulfur, creating amino acid sulfoxides. This in turn, creates the highly unstable syn-propanethial-S-oxide, which is a combination of a sulfuric acid, sulfur dioxide, & hydrogen sulfide. When this substance, in a gaseous state, comes in contact with the moisture in your eyes, it triggers a burning sensation via the ciliary nerve. When the brain gets the message that there’s an irritant in the eyes, it kicks the lachrymal glands into overdrive, trying to flush the irritant out of ye’ eye with tears. It sure is irritatin’, feels a lot like one eyed pirate, thanks to the irritation!

Up next! Ye’ like munchin’ popcorns? I be’ great grand fan of popcorn! ye’ been thinkin’ why d' sweet lil’ popcorns pop? Think no more! I be’ here to tell ye’ why! (Droppin’ it again!) There are three main elements of corn that have to come together to produce popcorn kernels that are good for popping. Those three elements are the percentage of water content, hard, undamaged, water impermeable shell; and a starchy center. When the kernels are heated up, the water inside begins to steam. The starch inside the kernel then turns into a kind of a gel like substance as a result of this. Eventually, the pressure of the steam gets so great that the hard shell bursts! When this happens, the steam rapidly expands, which results in the gel expanding out and hardening into airy foam. Basically the gelatinized starch expands, forming a thin airy bubbled jelly which fuses together and then solidifies very quickly as it is exposed to air and cools off. The cooling sets the starch and protein polymers into the white puffy flakes, we know as popcorns. Walla!

Avast! Next up is somethin’ deep from the ocean me' sail on! Lobsters and crabs! Arrr! Have ye’ mateys e’er thought why do these rascals turn’red? The exoskeleton of most crustacean are made up of several pigments, one of which is a carotenoid called astaxanthin which provides a red tint. At normal temperature and when it’s alive, the pigments is hidden because they are covered with other protein chains that give their shells the bluish-gray and brownish green color we see. Exposure to heat destroys these protein chains, while the carotenoid pigment, astaxanthin remains stable. So when you cook a lobster or a crab or any other delicious crustacean mateys, the heat breaks down all the pigments except the astaxanthin; thus causing the striking, bright color of red.

Shiver me timbers! Some fine facts we ha’e here! Now ye’ kno’ some facts that many don'! Go thar’ share ye’ pirate spirit! Ha’e a grand, great day! So long me hearty, ARRR!

FOUR SURPRISING FACTS OF THE DAY!

First of all, I would like to wish everyone a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! Happy admiring the gorgeous full moon, as well as chomping down your moon cake!

I had a rough night last night, so today I wasn’t going to feel surprise at anything I see anymore. Well my nonchalance obviously did not last long, thanks to these awesome facts that I’ve decided to share with you guys! Be prepared to have your mind blown with these wonderful facts! Let’s check it out!

Have you ever wondered why do crackers have holes? Well, turns out the holes are there for a reason, and not for decoration purpose. Without these holes, crackers would not be able to bake properly. These holes will allow steam to escape during cooking. If you have notice, regular biscuits that we bake normally would rise a little, but these crackers will remain flat thanks to these holes. The holes positioning and numbers are depends on the size of the crackers. Let’s say the positioning of the holes are too close, the crackers will be too dry and hard. If they are too far apart, then the crackers will rise a bit and form bubbles which are quite unpleasant.

Ah-ha! Million dollar question! Have you ever thought why milk is white?  Well here’s why! Milk contains 87% water and 13% of various protein as well as fat. One of the major properties among these proteins is called casein, four types of which will make up 80% of the protein. The casein protein somehow suspended uniformly throughout the milk. White objects in nature appear such when there is some level of light diffusion going on and no parts of the visible spectrum gets reflected off the object any more than any other part of that area of the light spectrum. These casein proteins and some of the fats in the milk scatter and deflect light uniformly throughout the visual spectrum. This results in the milk being fairly opaque and appearing white to our eyes.

I am a huge fan of spicy food! So this fact serves me well. Why peppers taste hot? The heat sensation in the chili peppers is caused by capsaicin, which happens to be colorless, odorless, oily chemical that can be found in peppers. Capsaicin binds with certain sensory neurons which then trick your body into thinking that it is being burned or at least experiencing excessive amounts of heat in the area that the capsaicin comes in contact with, even though there’s no actual burning is taking place.

The fourth and final fact of the day is quite similar to the previous fact. Have you ever tasted mint, and have wondered why mint tastes cold? The thing here is, a chemical in mint, namely menthol tricks the brain into thinking that the area that has been applied by menthol is cold, even though it’s just the same. To be exact, menthol binds with cold-sensitive receptors in your skin; these receptors contain things called “ion channels”. The menthol makes these much more sensitive than normal and thus tricks your brain into thinking you are feeling a cold sensation. When in reality, everything else is exactly at the same temperature as before! 

SWEET FACTS OF PURE HONEY

I'm sure you are familiar with the name calling, “Honey,” just hearing the term alone can make us feel all warm and fuzzy inside and keep us feeling sweet and happy for the day. However, the real deal- Honey itself contains so much of benefits to the body and today yours truly will share with you amazing benefits of honey! Here we go!

Honey is known for containing anti-bacterial, anti-fungal as well as anti-viral properties. What’s better in battling cold and some irritation with zero medication? Honey of course!

Apart from that, honey also promotes digestive health. There are plenty of people out there who suffer from lack of proper digestive system, and honey can boost to digest properly. Also, honey works as remedy for skin wounds as well as infections. It also stabilized blood pressure, as well as balances sugar levels. How cool is that?

This is something that I practice every now and then. Whenever I am about to go on stage to belt one or two songs of mine, I tend to take a spoonful of honey to relieve my throat. Honey is also known to eliminate phlegm from your throat, and gives you a relieve sensation. Honey also known to calm nerves, probably this is why I don’t have stage fright most of the time.

Another remarkable advantage of eating honey is that it also helps with asthma symptoms. Asthma patients will find honey very helpful, in reducing asthma attacks. Also, honey is used to treat ulcers. Aren’t these facts amazing? 

Not only that, honey also able to reduce fever and fights fatigue! If you had a long day and feeling exhausted, well I guess it’s time to have a spoonful of honey to fight away your weariness!

Wow, so many wonderful facts about honey, and aren't they all wonderful? Get your share of honey today and get all sweetened up for the day and walk your way to healthier lifestyle today! 

Penang Beef Koay Teow

There are a few places in Penang to get beef koay teow, but today, we will look at 3 that are considered above average.

One thing patrons of beef koay teow need to look out for is to make sure that the sellers clean the ingredients very well, especially the innards like beef tripe. Otherwise the lingering smell will spoil any appetite.


Sin Yin Nam Cafe, New Lane

Situated at the corner of New Lane and Macalister Road, the beef koay teow stall here is very popular amongst tourists and locals alike.

However, quality is somewhat inconsistent, with the broth having a sourish undertone, most likely from coriander, which is more pronounced on certain days while conspicuous on other days.

Understandably, they cater to local taste buds, who feel that the smell of beef is less than appealing. Therefore, majority of beef koay teow sellers tend to use copious amounts of herbs like coriander to mask the smell.

Other than that, it is still appetizing, with beef balls, strips of beef, beef tripe and tendons.

Prices start from RM10.00


Kang Beef House

This establishment takes beef offerings to a new level with more dishes than just beef koay teow.

If you want something that is less soupy, try their crystal beef fried rice (RM12.80). They add rice krispys to the fried rice so every mouthful is a delightful crunchy experience. For those who prefer their rice a little moist, they may add soup that accompanies the rice.

For an appetizer, try their crispy deep fried beef balls with croutons (RM4.80).

Their beef koay teow comes in 3 different versions:

* Regular
* Claypot
* Herbal (tastes like bak kut teh)

If you happen to have a vegetarian in your midst, they will not be left out as well. Their vegetarian fried hor fan is just as tasty, even for a meat lover like yours truly.

They also have beef steamboat for big celebrations (RM20.00 per pax) with a variety of beefy-licious ingredients such as rib, tripe, balls, intestines and sirloin.

By special request, customers can also get the penis. What does that taste like? Well, the shaft is pretty much like tendons - opaque and tasteless. The balls, however, are an acquired taste but the texture is smooth. Will I eat it again? No thanks.

Overall, Kang Beef House trumps in terms of variety of dishes. However, my one complaint is that the taste of their broth can be more bold. As it is, the flavor is very diluted. At times, it feels like boiling water with a hint of beef.

Again, I'm not sure whether it is because locals tend to shun the smell of beef and they try their best to mask the smell, which to me is really unnecessary.

Kang Beef House is located on Perak Road, just a stone's throw away from the Jelutong police station. They open during lunch time and dinner as well and are closed on Tuesdays. However, the fried dishes are only available from dinner time onwards.


Kedai Kopi Lam Ah

Also popularly known as Bomba Beef Koay Teow amongst Penangites as it is situated just opposite the fire station, the beef koay teow here definitely rules the bull pen.

The coffee shop is at the corner of Beach Street and Chulia Street.

The thick broth filled with beefy goodness always gets slurped to the last drop. The pretty lady who runs the stall there has been selling beef koay teow since 1997.

Customers can have the choice of choosing koay teow, egg noodles, a combo of koay teow and egg noodles or rice. They can also choose to have dry koay teow instead of the soupy version.

Toppings include strips of raw beef that are seared with the hot beef broth, beef balls, tripe and tendons.

Note worthy is their sauce which accompanies the beef koay teow. It is a special blend of sweet sauce and chilli sauce that is created by the proprietress. You are not going to find this anywhere else.

Prices start from RM10.00.

The downside is that due to its popularity, finding an available table, especially for lone diners, can pose a challenge. Due to its location in one of the busiest sections of Georgetown, parking is also a problem, especially during weekdays when offices are opened. It doesn't get any easier during the weekends either.

The coffee shop is also pretty warm, so if possible, try to get a table that is near the doorways.

And again, because business is so good, it can be quite a long wait before you finally get your bowl of beefy heaven, so while waiting, customers can order the fried oyster, the only other stall in the coffee shop.

They open from Mondays to Saturdays from 11.00 am till around 3.00 pm or the beef koay teow is sold out, whichever comes first.


So that's the run up on the good beef koay teow available in Penang. If you have any other recommendations, please let us know and this bak ong will head over to the place to get the scoop ;)