Human psychology and lunch

I love to cook with local materials and ingredients. I am one who believe strongly in : "In Romes do as the Romans". Having lived outside of my birthplace for many years, I have acquired the philosophy and skill to cook like the locals do.

When I lived in Australia for many years, I hardly go to the Asian stores. I cooked and ate a lot of local products. The area I lived had a lot of immigrants such as Italians, Greeks, and Labonese. There are a lot of stores that sold mediterranean products. As times gone by, I started to acquired the love for mediterranean dishes. I love olive, fetta cheese, and all kind of food that I can find in Sydney market. I remembered I used to cook a lot of lamb chop because lamb was so cheap then in Sydney. I used to grill or bake lamb with mint. It was one of the easiest and cheapest food you could have. I remembered a short stint in K.L, a male friend took me to a very expensive restaurant @ Ampang road in K.L. He probably wanted to impress me , he ordered one of the most expensive dishes, lamb with mint sauce. When I looked at the price of the dish, I did not have the heart to tell me ,' A so-chai, don't be stupid lah, don't spend that kind of $, lets eat something local lah.' However, I have learned not to rub man ego long time ago, so I let him ordered the lamb. I of course lied the biggest lie, told him it's the best lamb I had ever ate in my life. Yes, girls can lie through their teeth.

I am one who don't believe in cooking food that required ingredients from oversea. To me now oversea is Malaysia, so I won't cook as much curry, laksa, sambah Belachan, TomYan etc...than say when I was in Malaysian or Brunei. I found it more practical to cook food that I can find ingredients locally. Of course, I do cook Malaysian food now and then, more so when I have guests over for dinner or for our Indonesian / Malaysian fellowship meals.

I found it ironic that a lot of Asians go to a great length to show off that they are Westernized. They go to a 'high class' Western Restaurant, just to have steak and roti ; or even more ironic to Victorian station to have some Spaghetti and roti. Why eat steaks with knife when you have so many tasty nice delicious Asian food ? And the other ironic thing which I don't understand is when when they live oversea, they will go high and low looking for Yeo Hap Seng soya sauce ? You tell me Why ? I don't understand.

I have an opposite mind set, when I live in US, I eat steak, potatoes and cheese. When I lived in Malaysia, I ate Kuching Laksa, Belachan Bee Hoon and drink Puak :)-. I don't need to show off that I am Westernized lah because I am not. I still pick my nose at public, ha ha ha ha.

Today I cook quiche again. This is one of the easiest dish you could ever cook.

Pie crest , left over pork, frozen spinach, onion, eggs/milk, and today I added pepperroni !















Quiche with a side salad with fetta cheese