Mangiare Bene

An Italian Fare for Eid

One of the joys of celebrating Eid is the chance to sample and savour different types of dishes when visiting homes of friends or relatives. Even more so, sampling and savouring similar dishes but cooked according to each person's recipes and cooking techniques which results in the same dishes having special tastes and aroma. That is the very reason why for Eid alone we have at least four different types of 'Beef Rendang' cooked according to the different recipes of four out the thirteen states in Malaysia.

What is even more interesting about enjoying the gastronomic adventures of Eid is that home owners are now becoming more liberal about the food they serve during this celebration, that is, they no longer confine their menus according to the traditional fare. They are becoming a little more adventurous by serving their guests with more international fare.

This Eid for example I had the opportunity to experience this shift in paradigm whereby my youngest sister served us pizza when we went visiting her house on the second day of Eid. On the following day, my fifth sister went all out to cook a whole spread of dishes which included lasagna and potato salad. This goes to show that, not only are we shifting to a different set of menu for our Eid celebration, but we are expanding our gastronomic repertoire. What's in store for us next year? British fare, perhaps!

Eid Mubarak

A Chance For Family Reunion

Eid Fitr is the day every one eagerly awaits every year, more so for the Muslims who have been fasting for one month prior to that, and also for Malaysians of other races who join in the annual celebration.

Eid is also an opportunity for family members to reunite after a long absence from each other. Each of us have our own responsibilities to tend to, our jobs and careers and also our families to care for, which in a way hinders us from seeing each other as often as we may want to.

Thus, it is not only an opportunity to catch up with old times and updating each other with current developments, it is also a time to just get together to see each others' faces. It is a time to get to know the latest addition to the family, be they nieces, nephews, grandchild or even in-laws. It is definitely a time to see the expansion of the family.

In a nutshell, Eid is definitely a time when every one should rejoice. It should not just be ignored because it only comes but once a year. If one misses this year's opportunity, then one will have to wait another 365 days to do all the things mentioned earlier; which, in essence, is a very long wait.

A Matter of Responsibility

Relaxing Under A Shady Palm Tree

The roads were very congested that day and all the vehicles were practically crawling inch by miserable inch under the hot four o'clock sun. Matters were made worse because for the whole month of Ramadhan a particular section of the road in the town of Gemas has been closed to make way for the annual Ramadhan Bazaar.

I had been going up and down this particular road for almost half an hour, visiting the stalls, going to the tailors and buying somethings for our break of fast. I was searching in vain for the policemen whom I had seen earlier chatting with each other, oblivious to the traffic jam which was happening right under their stumpy noses. I was hoping that, if they were still there, they would have helped to ease the traffic congestion.

And after squinting my eyes and getting them acquainted to the scorching rays of the sun, I caught sight of one of the policemen, taking shade under a palm tree. Being a busy body that I am, I stood across the road and to my dismay, noticed that he stood there for almost half an hour, merely watching the congested road in front of him. That makes a total of one hour of idling.

I am not against resting. But if a teacher were to play truant like the policeman mentioned earlier, I am sure people from every quarters would make a hell of a noise, condemning the teacher; including the policeman himself. People should be fair in passing comments and not restrict them to people from one occupation only. I'm being fair in passing my comments! Thank God for blogs!