On your Marks, Detox, Gooooooo

My colleague, Melvin, called me a traitor this week for drinking tea. I disagreed, it was a detox regime in preparation for the next wave of coffee tasting. I learnt this is necessary the hard way.  My internal cells just do not cooperate the way I want them to i.e., both Uma and her cells are like two separate entities requiring constant counselling on many lessons related to human existence.

Early this month, I finally made that trip to Kampar and Ipoh, the plan that Poh Lin had to dig out of the ancient archives.  This was not my first trip there though.  My father's job required him to move to various places in the country during my schooling years. This gave me the opportunity to experience each state's culture a tad more than just being a happy tourist.  Ipoh was one such place. This recent trip, however, was the first for just a cup of coffee. I booked myself on the earliest ETS train out on Saturday, Poh Lin joined me at her stop in Kampar. I have known Poh Lin for a while now, she once worked in Cyberjaya and was my travel companion on that schedule-less RapidKL bus to work. Up until recently, I had her listed as ‘Pauline from the train’ in my contact list. 

Look look, there it says Old Town White Coffee

Ipoh is the administrative capital of Perak, 200km north of Kuala Lumpur. In the late 19th century, Perak was regarded as one of the more economically wealthy states due to mining opportunities. This brought in many Chinese immigrants who brought along with them the famous ‘kopi’ from China. Today many of these local mines have been forced to close due to the collapse of the global tin industry. However, the presence of the local coffee remains strong.

We visited the famous Jalan Bandar Timah in the old town district.  I was overwhelmed to see a countless number of Hainanese styled coffee restaurants, each carrying its own brand of packaged coffees. We visited two of them. First Nam Chou who is also famous for its Curried Noodles. According to Poh Lin, Nam Chou serves good hot local coffee. So that’s what I had. I liked it, it’s an excellent wake-me-up coffee, stronger than the local coffees that I am used to in KL.

Dymanites come in small packages

The next was one of those life-saver coffees which are my antidote for stress. Many of us know this as the Old Town White Coffee. Nam Heong is where it all started. According to google search, Nam Heong has been in existence since 1958.  It was almost noon, and we were in an overcrowded restaurant on a sweltering day. Yet, we managed to share a table with a friendly family before moving to a smaller one for two. The cold ice-coffee was refreshing. I also found it strong, perhaps just as strong as Nam Chou's. My decision to have fried Char Koew Teow (the vegetarian version) was probably not a wise one. I did not feel like myself when the overdose of strong coffee and noodles kicked in. 

The beans used and the way the beans are roasted there contributes to the uniqueness of Ipoh coffee. Some add sugar and margarine to the roast to give it a distinct flavour. My close friend, a local Ipoh-an - Chong agreed to show me places where they roast these beans. That’s in Ipoh 2.0 and I am looking forward to it.

My grand plan of trying various coffees was short-lived due to natural body defences. After just two cups of local beverages, I surrendered to lime, ginger and barley juices to detox that day and had regularly been detoxing ever since. Again, listen to your body, it knows what’s best.

Get your Mississippi.

As Forrest Gump's momma said, ‘life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.’ That’s true, you'd never really know. Take for example earlier this week, the barista at Starbucks decided that my colleague would be known as Peter for the day and I got to be his sister Petra.  That was a hilarious start and it sure made the day sunny.  In reality, we have many of those unknown chocolates.

Someones at my desk!

We are all sailors at some point, facing mixed weather conditions en route to the destination. While sunny days don’t erase away threatening waves, we welcome them because they bring some form of comfort and clarity. They give us that little push to cover a bit more distance. It’s nice to be that sunshine and to have some of that warmth around us. 

The sea had been calmer over the last two weeks, the sails finally out. Signed-off! Some would say its routine, but only those on board know the depth and dangers of that voyage. The next mission is to be on auto-cruise and then it would be finally accomplished.

Rivers are tightly knit to the seas, so allow me to introduce to you a coffee I am very fond of: the Mississippi. This is a freshly brewed German coffee from an in-house coffee machine, and when you have this in Germany, it fulfils the local coffee criteria. You cannot get any more original than with the Mississippi. I call this coffee so because that's the name of the building where the coffee machine is located. There are two machines doing a fantastic job, but for simplicity, I will just stick to one coffee name for both.

 

Oh Sweet Mississippi.

The Mississippi blend is available in a few preparations, namely cappuccino, latte and espresso. Its fragrant aroma is so inviting, especially in the early hours of the day that even anti-caffeine demonstrators would surrender willingly.  The coffee, however, is only available at the 3rd-floor Express building in Bonn. So, I am sorry demonstrators, it’s a tough call, no fee is going to get you one unless you join us. And there are always ways to get around. ;)

Though technically, the coffee can be served in any mug, its perfection is enhanced when served on the sunny-yellow cups belonging to the organisation. This is shown in the picture. Try a sip, it’s guaranteed to make cold days feel warm. You must have noticed, my premium coffee grading standards are pretty high, but the Mississippi has earned a perfect-7. This week’s coffee journal entry is for all the teams whom I worked with and the friends we made across the globe. We made friends in Malaysia, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands and the US en route to GECO.  When we meet, I will buy you a similar coffee, scouts honour!

To the bubbly barista at Starbucks who served us that morning, the Aiman-like baristas and coffee machines around the world, thank you for being that sunshine, keep doing what you do. Through these cups of coffees, you cheer us up, making our days a little easier to get by....and for me to count those stars.

Seriously, it was caramel, wasn't it?

The first night in Singapore city and at the Star Performing Arts Centre, hopping on and off buses and uber-rides made us feel like serious tourists on a fast-paced sight-seeing mission. By the time we finally dozed off that night, it was almost after three. Yaay, we almost reached the record that we had set in Lang Tengah Island a couple years earlier.

The second day promised us nothing less. With hungry tummies and caffeine deprived pulses we headed to Penang Road in the Orchard district to Devil’s next recommendation. It was a charming boutique cafe. On the way, we received a text message from Muthu, an old friend who is also working in Singapore now. He was supposed to have joined us for coffee but couldn’t make it that morning due to a personal matter. We were disappointed, the three of us were office colleagues many moons ago. But the dentist is not someone a little girl, Muthu’s daughter, would want to visit if she had a choice.

Cafe's Signature Kopi

At the cafe, after a brief parking-lot syndrome and a five-minute intense discussion, we agreed to be seated indoors. Devil was not too pleased, but I got the guest-privilege to decide this round.

This place, which I choose not to name, is well respected for its food and for its signature coffee. Or for its Kopi rather. It is a smooth, silky textured espresso with creamer. The flavour had a hint of caramel or fruit, perhaps even a honey extract. I asked the store manager to reconfirm my observation; her reply was not convincing. Nothing is added besides the espresso, she said. So, I decided to go with my taste bud’s observation. If you are into flat-white styled coffee, this is something worth trying mainly for its twist. The price is upper middle range. Its customers were primarily from the Singapore expat group, with a few visitors like Devil and me & a couple of locals. The ambience and the presentation were perfect. Its location hidden but not too difficult to find within the city, making it ideal for a cosy cup of coffee. I learnt there are a couple more of its branches across the island.

Devil spent a good amount of time organising this fun-packed 24-hour trip for me. Being the warm and perfectionist person, she is, I suggested she takes up coach-surfing. She raised an eye-brow giving me ‘an I’ll-think-about-it look.’ I see a good freelancer in the making.

Our parting coffee at Novena Square was a simple old-timer on the block, the Americano, not so local, but it served its purpose. If Americano is calling, there is hope for Delphi. Sweet, that was a nice weekend!

One for the road.

And who is this Pianist again?

I recently had the opportunity to spend a weekend with a close friend, Lil Devil and to attend a piano recital by Yiruma, in Singapore. Here, we also took the time to catch up on stories over some very serious coffee tasting sessions.

It has been years since I touched the white and black keys and my knowledge is stuck mostly at those few classics I repeatedly played to pass my music exams. Desperate to make up for not being up-to-date (both music & on personal updates), I agreed to go to a contemporary performance. We were indeed mesmerised hearing and watching Yiruma for two hours as he glided effortlessly across those octaves. Here's a secret, as much as I love music, I can’t sing to save my life. If I did sing, I’d be handing Simon Cowell the platter he would so enjoy! I am what you call tone-deaf. These are extraordinary people, with other unique and humbling talents, but singing to pitch is not one of them. Someday, if you want to know more, I will tell you over a drink.

The trip to Singapore is a pleasant six-hour bus ride or a 45+ / -minutes flight to Singapore. Options are plenty, depending on your preference. Singapore was part of the Federation of Malaya from 1946 to 1963. To many of us from this region, Malaysia and Singapore are still geographical relatives separated by politics. Singapore is one of the leading economies in this region  and offers an array of opportunities. For me, it’s the music!

Devil promised me good Singapore local coffee at Ya Kun, in Paragon.  The queues here were long and all seats at Ya kun were taken. Many customers were standing behind those seated to reserve their seats next. According to my mate, this is common, and she tells me to be thick-skinned and to do the same. It’s a survival game, she reminded me.  Devil is blog-and-camera-shy, but if you look closely at the picture, you will notice she is not hand-shy. She recommended the steamed bread and milk coffee. I ordered a set each thinking it would be more economical for us given the high currency exchange rate but, ended up with uneaten half boiled eggs.  That was not too economical after all. The coffee, on the other hand,  was hot, not too strong, and just perfect after the long and wet bus journey. I hadn’t had breakfast nor lunch, and if not for my next early dinner appointment, I would have stocked myself up with more steamed peanut butter and kaya bread.

I noticed Ya Kun also served this coffee in a few variations. Classic styled, black or interestingly white with butter. The prices are affordable by the average working-class standards, starting from as low as SGD1.80 for a basic hot coffee. Personally, I don’t like being rushed to finish my cup due to the crowd. Yet I do understand this is not really like those uppity cafes which I rarely visit.

Devil was right, the coffee here is a good deal, and I am glad she had this franchise as the first on the list.

More on another coffee in Singapore next week. Till then here’s to another great week friends!

Roses are sweet and so are you!

Coincidentally, I got a chance to spend the morning at home last Wednesday for some errands. On the way after for my post-valentine’s coffee, I stopped by to see from afar how my niece was coping in play school. Like many other three-year-olds, this was her first month here, away from the comfort of familiar faces.  She is one of the few I know who so dislikes going to school and beams with relief when classes are over. She is totally the opposite of her mother and me. Perhaps it was just the chocolates that got me hooked, but the irony is, I loved school. To me it was like a Neverland so full of Peter Pans. I could have stood watching her a little longer, but I didn’t want to give passers by the impression I was stalking pre-schoolers.

Watching her there made me think about my own friends and how much each means to me. We meet many, who hop on and hop off our path at different stages. They influence and shape some aspects of our lives or decisions and without any announcement or expectation be just there when you need them. Some stay longer in our lives. Sometimes, we feel their angelic presence even when they are not close.  And there would be times when the words just don’t flow through as they should and silence over rules. We don’t tell them how much their presence means. 

Rose Vendor in Hanoi, perfect for the occasion

My coffee for the week is Kopi Kota Bahru, a local coffee famous in Kelantan. This is in the northeast state of Peninsular Malaysia. I have tried this coffee on several occasions, and each time, I found the taste to be a little sweeter than my acceptance level. If my valentine is also as sugary as this every day, I will puke, thankfully it is just the right flare. The coffee is a dark roast – a Hainanese styled one instead, with a robust-bodied flavour and bitter tasting.  I liked mine hot and learnt so do most Kelantanese. Just on taste alone, for me, it gets a three.

Bitter, yet sweet, Kelantan's Coffee

Hallmark is not going to be too thrilled with me, nor the local joint where I have this coffee. Fact is fact! Ah well, what the heck, as for valentines, someday in the future when one is wiser or due to economic pressure, the roses and RM30-greeting-cards may get replaced with coffee and WhatsApp messages. Then we would realise that every day is actually Valentine’s Day and every friend is a valentine in some way. So, Hallmark, make your money while you can before we all go broke and realise this. And as for the coffee joint, you need to do something about the service. The street vendors bravely walked in to sell their products. I'd like to help, but today I am here because I want my space.

Pick One, its yours

I hope my niece will accept school a little better tomorrow than she did yesterday. Hopefully, she too finds those little Peter Pans I promise I saw. Still, she is such a sweetheart, against the odds, she picks up her school bag and goes there anyway. I just love her courage for being so brave.

To all my friends, whether you are my college/school-mate colleague, ex-boss, a friend from work or volunteer projects, someone dear I met during travel or family thank you! You are in some way been a part of me, and I hope I am the same to you. Happy Valentine’s week!

Turn ‘em on Loud.

When you see; red decorations in shopping malls, carton loads of mandarin oranges in stores, lion dances, drums, colourful cheongsams, red angpows (money packets) and firecrackers in the Asia Pacific or South East Asia regions, you are probably witnessing one of the most widely celebrated festivals in this region. The Lunar New Year.

Oh those colours.

The Lunar New Year or the Chinese New Year (CNY) is a 15-day celebration, celebrated by the people of Chinese origin. The Chinese zodiac is an interesting belief, there are 12 animals in total, each year is dedicated to a specific animal – starting with the Rat and ends with the Pig on the 12th. The cycle repeats annually.  Others waiting for their turn are the Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster and the Dog.

On 28 January 2017, we bade farewell & thanked the Monkey for a blessed year and welcomed the Fire Rooster into our lives. The saying goes that a person inherits a bit of the characteristic of their birth year animal. I like my birth-year animal very much. I always wanted it as a pet but I would get arrested if seen with one in my apartment. Keep guessing, I am not giving any hints. 

Do search the web for your zodiac animal too when you have time. It’s a fun way to learn about yourself.

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

I have my own way to show respect for the season. In the past I have worn red outfits, had dinner with friends who celebrated the occasion and indulged in peanut cookies that melt in the mouth. These are just a few festival related traditions to name. This year I did the same. Angpows (small red packets containing money) are usually given by those who celebrate the event to single people or to their close relatives. I do not qualify for any. But I do say, I collect the empty red packets distributed by local banks and supermarkets because they just look too pretty not to.

The first two days of festival holiday fell over the weekend, giving us an extended weekend. Due to this, it was also a good  time to travel. But travelling during this season can be tricky. - you may end up paying for high-priced-cheap-seat airline ticket like I did. Well, I took advantage of this long weekend to visit a dear aunt (mom’s older sister) in India who was not feeling well. She took care of me when I was young and still looks out for me from where ever she is. She is much better now. To me, family is important, I wouldn’t put a price tag to that.

After only two hours of sleep, on a red-eye flight with the most uncomfortable seats of the plane, I now start my work week. To keep me energised, I start the CNY week with a local white coffee and Kaya (coconut jam spread) toast. The coffee’s origins would remain stateless until the workers here figure out where it’s from themselves.   And on the second attempt, I finally got served.  If you are in no hurry, willing to wait and enjoy the ambiance, it is worth a try. Premium coffee grade - 4.

Blissful

Happy Chinese New Year friends, enjoy the season.

City lights so bright, Coffees so right

A visit to Malaysia is not complete without having a glass of the famous Mamak Coffee Tarik. It is a typical backyard-instant-coffee prepared by the mamaks. It is sold at tea stalls and restaurants and served in glasses. This coffee is usually enjoyed with a Roti Canai (a type of flatbread). The mamaks are just regular friendly Malaysians of Tamil Muslim origin.

If you still can’t find a stall, ask any local. He may even take you there himself and join you for a cup of coffee or tea. 

Mamak Stall

The taste of this coffee, in my opinion, depends on how fast & how much coffee is scooped out. Also, important, is the quality & amount of condensed milk poured into the mix and the water temperature.  In other words, it is a skill that's acquired. Most established mamaks have perfected the art of preparing this to a similar consistency each time.  The word Tarik means ‘pull.’ It occurs where steaming hot coffee is poured from one stainless steel container to another. This is done to cool the coffee temperature and to form a layer of foam. The Tarik is an age-old tradition that originated from the Indian sub-continent.

I particularly like the coffee served at outdoor stalls, and yes, the tropical heat adds other natural and unique ingredients too!   

My first ever outdoor-night mamak coffee experience brings back sweet unforgettable memories of Maybank. This was where I had once worked. I have fond memories of my colleagues and the ‘camping at work days’. Shift B was on duty that night. Knowing how naive I was, during their break, these Shift Taiko’s or brothers decided to show me a bit of Kuala Lumpur during the wee hours. I must admit at this point, that my sisters and I had a somewhat conservative upbringing so going out at night without my parents was non-negotiable. But work was different, and it was a responsibility to fulfil. 

He is fixing me a glass of coffee.

Now back to that night. I had no idea what to expect but seeing these fantastic neon city lights blinking in my eyes and seeing so many cheerful people from all walks of life sipping coffee at the Puduraya stalls simply got me exhilarated. The city at 3 am was different and it was alive!  After that night, I don’t recall ever saying no to batch support duty. Later, over the years I had worked for several other banks, and I continued providing integration support at night. I did this during project cut-overs and made many more close and trusted friends from all races and age. This coffee-experience united us then and continues to do so today.

The mamaks, like the taikos, are generous and affectionate people but in different ways.  Their kindness is often displayed in abundance through their hospitality and food.  They also like to make sure the coffee is sweet! So, if your personal goal is to keep sugar levels under control, take this coffee in moderation, common sense will tell you what is best.

Because coffee is affordable and tasty, it is also popular. More importantly, for me, it is unpretentious.  You can try preparing it at home, but after several attempts, you'd probably be back to the stalls. Some days you’d even get a chance to meet a celebrity or two there.

Today, just for you, I decided to have some mamak coffee tarik and roti canai.

Have good week friends.

 Mamak Coffee Tarik & Roti Canai

Run Back to You Over & Over

Poori’s, family, friends and Bryan Adams. Coffee, lots of it.  What more could I ask for?  It was a fabulous concert. One that I wouldn’t have missed in a lifetime. Give me a chance,  I would run back to you for more. 

Go Get 'em!

It was a nice end to an ordinary week where extraordinary things made their way through.   A roller coaster, but that’s not new.  I had been awake some weeknights counting hours instead of the stars. Yet, this time it was not because I had over-shot the coffee limit. During the ride this week, one of the conversations struck me dearly when a friend and teammate told me ‘It’s okay, you tried your best, don’t feel bad’. Indeed, I had tried my best and so did all the rest.

Its all in the mix.

Have I mentioned before about the self-imposed two-year ban on coffee?  That is so true. The smell of coffee during the prohibition was so teasing and intoxicating. But my good college mates helped ooze me away from the temptation to have a sip each time. And the paracetamols, boy did I pop up so many back then. Caffeine withdrawal Syndrome, they called it — a bitter lesson my friends. Life is short; if you like coffee (or tea), drink it. But, don’t overdo it; anything in moderation is not harmful. 
This week will lead us into the 2nd week of the Australian Open. This reminds me that if I want to have a decent warm-up game with my friend Libor someday, I have to call the coach to-the-rescue soon. Coach is not going to be happy. I had been skipping sessions for a while and barely made it through the last endurance test. 

Preparation time.

I became an instant BA fan the day I heard Please Forgive Me in 1993 together with Under-Pressure(from the Queens). The two played a small role in helping my close university mates and I scramble out of bed. Giving us the push we needed to get ourselves into the cold and attend classes on time.  When my assignments were almost turned in late, I used a good amount of effort aiming to offer these two songs in return. The negotiation didn’t come through, the voice went silent and guilt over-ruled. I had no choice but to be on time. Coincidental winner!

The Summer of ’69 is a catchy tune, and it got everyone in Stadium Malawati electrified and on their feet. January 21st 2017 will always be a sweet reminder that I'd been there too, charged up, on my feet, as I beam and tick off one more item from the list. 

Have great week friends. :)

Gates lock at 3pm, Curfew is unchanged.

Where Do I Begin To Tell The Story

Coffee Curfew! Now that’s something I am cursed with. As much as I love coffee, drinking it after 3pm at any given local time would have me counting stars and trust me, I could count all the way up to Pluto. I don’t drink as much as I post, but I do select premium coffee.

Now Premium Coffee is subjective. My taste calls for local flavours with a hint of a soul; and if this can be enjoyed by the vast in terms of cost, that’s another class, that’s perfection.

The quest for the perfect cuppa started in 2015. This was the year that I slept the least.  I missed my slumber, but I sure made lots of online friends in Prague. These were Network and Security folks mainly.  Before you get ideas, I am a salaried employee, working for a 24x7 global serviced MNC. These friends are my IT colleagues, and I was practically pleading for the change-request and system security approvals.

The place where it all began, Hanoi, Paris of the east. Just about 400 days ago.  Vietnamese coffee was such a treat and sprinkle it with a few good fellow travellers, then there you get your song. I’ll tell you about that another time.

The fascination for local coffee itself, however, started years before that. Quite accidentally, in a boutique café in Empire Tower (Kuala Lumpur). It was in 2006 where I had met up with a friend after a lousy project day.  Curiously and out of self-sympathy, I asked for the ‘Poor Man’s Coffee’ that was listed. Well, what more can I say, it did live up to its name. The price of that coffee had me more miserable for the rest of the month. The taste - good that it got wanting to try more.

Now back to my premium Coffee classification. Here’s what I look for, the 7-point match in no particular order

• Soul

• Flavour

• Character

• Sweetness

• Attention

• Are locals drinking it

• Is it on par with the cost of living, i.e., affordable - Local coffee should be an option rather than a privilege.

With that, I leave you with a shot taken at a café in Gurney Drive (Penang).  The city is still asleep while we enjoyed being one of their first few customers for 2017!  Four nice young coffee baristas and one Americano to see me all the way through the storm to Delphi.

Here’s to a great 2017 Coffee Search!