Culinary Tourism - Jalan2 Cari Makan & Kopitiam Trends

It was supposed to be my off day today, but I ended with a journey with my best friend. It started with my quest in getting a scholarships.. after half day discussing with my distinguished academic advisers, there.... 4 different Kopitiam, 4 cups of black coffee and various type of "roti bakar" (toast with butter and kaya-coconut cream jam), a 6 hours journey - culinary tourism. A very unpredictable day, but interesting

FYI
Culinary Tourism is a new term for special group of tourist that emphasis on finding interesting, food that offered in a particular country
Kopitiam is term for coffee shop, normally offers local coffee blends, toast, soft-boiled eggs, maybe nasi lemak and curry puff included in their menu

Here some of the history
Currently Kopitiam is the trends here in Malaysia. The coffee "craze" in Malaysia was started back in 1995-1997 with KLBC or Kuala Lumpur Best Coffee, way before the arrival of international chain -Starbucks, San Francisco's or Coffee Beans. Prior to that, coffee was consumed in small scale, unglamorous way at many roadside stalls and restaurant. Maybe after realizing that, the "branded" coffee actually overcharging their customer, Malaysian are indeed supporting much cheaper, more suitable coffee blend of their own familiar kopitiam, there's you got the popularity of Kopitiam in more professional run businesses.

For those who like to travel, please drop by these well known kopitiam, at the middle of town of Kemaman, Terengganu or The Kluang Railway station, Johor or you could just have the coffee anywhere in town near you.... enjoy your coffee

Culinary Research Paper

As promised, this is my space on chef and culinary world. As for start, here are some insight of my (planned) original academics works, with objective to enhance the knowledge spectrum of culinary education around the world. Expects more to come in near future:


My current research paper ( with 2 other writer) entitled"Blending of Science and Culinary Arts; An insight into University Putra Experience" are in progress and expected to be cited and published with Journal of Culinary Science and Technology, in first quarter of 2008

My PhD paper entitled "Culinary Conceptual Curriculum Development from Malaysia's Stakeholder Perspective" expected to complete in 2009. Current stage are proposal submission and to be followed with proposal defence in first quarter 2008

My aim was to published at least another 3 topics in culinary area, as I complete my graduate study by end 2009.

The other area will coming soon in this blog, will be Q&A for cooking, health cuisine, and Malaysian Herbs and Spices page.. so, wait for another mouth watering desserts to be served as I getting tutorial from experts (thanks, bro. Rahman) in developing this site further.

Stay tune

Happy Birthday, Dear

Today embarks another chapter of our life, the 11th anniversary and a birthday with no cakes, no romantic dinner, just a kiss each from our lovely children to the only best girlfriend, Happy Birthday dear.

The List of Ingredients

Most Malaysian have realized that their weekly chores to the nearest market or supermarket are no longer the same, everything has gone up or "Barang Naik" (BN). Don't blame yourself of your lower qualifications, has provide you with basic job, with meagre salary nor blaming your boss giving your RM-based salary instead of US dollar, better bet, the Euro.

But the culprit is - increasing petrol price, will increase everything

I dont have to become Professor of Economics to explain the spiral effect, but hey look further and deeper;

Its cost RM4 Billion (shared with 26 million Malaysian) to subsidized the petrol that we are paying at 1.92/litre

but RM16 Billion to subsidized, roughly about 10 the Independence Power Producer (IPP) is never an issue...
(the facts is electricity could be easily supplied by TNB even without IPP)

who's suffering now, who's laughing all the way to the bank :(

why can't our government change the subsidized regime to RM16 Billion to 26 Million rakyat, and RM4 billion to 10 business, after all business is about taking risks. The Answer: Crony for BN

think about it Malaysian, next year another increament promised. If you vote BN, then suffers barang naik

It is funny indeed, with ingredients and gas to cook, it become my first issue in economics suffered by Malaysian.....

(update 30/11: MIER has announced today that we, Malaysian are OK with 40 cents increament - AFTER ELECTION!!! - wow, OK - that will be RM2.32 per litre or for my 15 yr old iswara - about RM95 full tank x 5 per month = RM475!!!! even at this moment at RM1.92 or 70x5= RM350 I already feel a pinch.... how about all the ingredients price - TAK NAIK? oh please, with Shafie Afdal controlling everything, you will know the spiral effects, everything is increasing 40% for sure, yet the MIER person who announced it known as Professor bla bla, never mentioned anything on the spiral effects... as stupid as someone to be known as a Professor, it stinks even to the highest heavens)