Sleep Deprivation Equals To Apple Pie


It crosses my mind (at this wee hour), that when you can't get your eyes close and adrift in a good night dream, images of recipes and good foods always come uninvited. I browsed a website and dang over there were these gorgeous blueberry pie and a chicken pot roast and lemon-lime danishes and the list is further miles ahead.

I can't sleep. But my brain is entirely exhausted. I worked until 6 in the morning yesterday and once I opened up my eyes exactly at 12.48 pm today (Tuesday), there were 18 missed calls from the Company.

That is not the point. My point is, I can't sleep. And when I did a little rummaging just now in my fridge, I found a bag of apples, a few kiwis, gazilions of portobelo mushrooms, and a box of butthead lettuce. A thorough thinking has been done, and I am planning to mash up all the apples and make some pies. Finding blueberries here, is like digging for a little japalenos in a bunch of cili melaka. They don't have blueberries, but they have a rack filled with C grade grapes. What can I do with grapes? Press it and make my home made wine?

So with that, I think an apple pie will do.

I have to shut my eyes close. Tomorrow will be an endless meetings day. First meeting at 8. Great.

p/s: Where can I find maple syrup here in Kuantan?

Comments

Kak Teh said…
Salam Zubaidah, I cant sleep either but I've got mee bandung takeaway, waiting tantalisingly in the kitchen. Its going to be soggy and cold, but hey, its mee bandung from my favourite restaurant.

Apple pie sounds nice - but have you tried apple tart with mascarpone cheese and lemond curd? much easier to make in the middle of the night. (well, if you've got mascapone cheese and lemon curd, that is).
EdAlia said…
Salam,
The answer to your wondering-ment. Try Carrefour at ECM.. :-)
Zubaidah Arshad said…
Kak Teh, I hope they have a cheese house over here. Tart sounds delectable. I should try one of these days. Where did you get your mee bandung? Cooked them last week. Tastes deliriously good. Hehe

EdAlia, I browsed the racks there at East Coast Mall. Couldn't find it. Either I was blinded by the swarm of many other bottles, or they put it at the highest shelve. Ermm. Perhaps a visit to Giant will be fruitful. I tried to go there once, tapi sesat. Ermmm
Unknown said…
..crumbly apple pie.? sheesh..you r going straight to the guts of this old man..a mengkuang mat spread out on the sand..children and parents frolicking in the white-crested sea..and you sat there with a slice of pie on your lap..freshly baked, you can still feel its warmth.hot cameron tea in a flask..and you looked to the horizon and see your past..
Zubaidah Arshad said…
Pakmat, that is exactly what I would do if I have my own babies and an insanely handsome husband.

My idea of spending time with the loved ones would be on top of a hill, on a lazy Sunday, with a basket of freshly baked cookies, a few bottles of milk and a sprawl of fruits beside a jar of honey. Overlooked downhill is an english suburb.

Bliss :)
Izni said…
it's scary how much we think alike. anyway,are you a workaholic? i mean,working until 6am!
Zubaidah Arshad said…
Izni, I know! You love books too right?

If I have a choice not to stay until 6 in the morning, I would still be in the office until 6 in the morning. Responsibility is like a colossal monkey clinging behind your back.

You would like to put it down, but it just won't and keeps on following you wherever you are.

I guess those workaholics and those who are married to their jobs, aren't really workaholics or married to their jobs. It is just the responsibility. And trust. And believe me, you don't want to take those two lightly.

:)
Anonymous said…
So you live in kuantan?
Then try the Pantai Selamat Mini market,that's where you normally get imported stuffs in Kuantan.
Anonymous said…
When you wrote that it is not a matter of workaholics but your responsbility...make me realise how lucky that I'm at home doing whatever I like and taking life leisurely. For some it is unproductive, no not me I had enough of the oorporate world!
Zubaidah Arshad said…
Anon, yes I live in Kuantan. At the border of Kemaman. Serene!

Will go there this very evening right after work. I've asked my colleagues and it sounds like the area is kinda posh. Ermm. Many expats eh? Will make some pancake tomorrow!

I wish I can work from home too. But I can't. Too bad eh. My ultimate dream is to be the natgeo photographer and get to travel around the world. I mean, travel to places you never dreamt of to be. Must be really really exciting :)
Unknown said…
..you r opening up,lady..and pakmat likes it..:) cheers..
Zubaidah Arshad said…
A little bit Pak Mat, and about to close up in a few entries to come :)
Anonymous said…
Yes that's the 'Damansara Heights' of Kuantan.

Just wondering if you are aware there is a nice cafe/restaurant known as "Crocodile Rock" which serves western food further down the road. Its owned by an English lady and her Malay hubby. Try the pizza, its good! It seems she just opened a cafe..."Little Croc" that serves delicious scones (according to my niece). Oh ya, the cafe also has big b/fast on the menu. Scones are daily made by the lady herself.

My sis were staying in Kuantan until recently. Kuantan is my escapade...kind of like the slow pace. The owner is her friend.

I presume you are not from Kuantan and you seem to enjoy British stuffs( the links and the food in the fridge).....well who knows you might meet the insanely future husband at the mentioned places...and make those cute babies Good luck and cheer up!( you do sound depress at times. It is a pity you are so intelligent)

By the way, work hard now, plan well ahead and trust me you can travel the world. That's what I'm doing though not to very exotic places, just the normal touristy stuff, but I do travel...more to places of historical importance.

P.S By the way do I sound like the big big sister here? I hope not!
Zubaidah Arshad said…
Anon, funny that I had just drove my car around the vicinity of the so called Mini Market. Equipped with the hand drawn map given by my clerk, I headed there, and to my surprise and I couldn't find it.

I blame my poor sense of navigation.

Of course I am not from here, just moved here almost a year ago. Working in one of those petrochem plants in Gebeng. Most of my friends told me the air is polluted and acidic, but I believe they were joking because if what they said was true, people of Kuantan might be a troop of mutated X-Men by now.

It seems like you interpreted me through my writings really well. I've been looking for good eateries but couldn't find one. Not that I am complaining, but consuming all those generic thai foods every single night (if the cooking mood isn't on) sure does not make the thai food itself special anymore.

I missed having to start my day with a cup of coffee and a generous serving of scones. And have my power lunch of sandwiches and some pot roast for dinner. Ermm once upon a time.. Will pay a visit to that cafe! Can't wait.

I do a little bit traveling too. Staying in one place for an extended amount of time can be depressing, hence my stressed out stories. thihihi. My next planned destination would be Peru. I want to see those Nasca lines. I know no one can be there except scientists and archeologists, but an aerial view from the plane is more than enough!

You surely not sounding as what you thought. It is comforting to know someone is enjoying her time over here in Kuantan. But I love it here. As what you've mentioned, slow pace. ermmm
Anonymous said…
Oh do try again. Forget to inform you the rest. serves dinner only and probably opens at 6.00 pm. The cafe is in town near the BMW showroom.
By the way beside the minimarket is a Western rest., fairly good for that qucik cupppa of coffee or hot choc. You can buy fresh salmon here. The stationery shop also stocks fairly good selection of imported mags.The Hyatt has a nice eating place by the sea side( by hotel standard), probably more for the ambience.Not the coffee house though.
As for local fare, go to Shahzan Hotel in town for the chinese food. I would recommend the Hailam noodles. The place is popular for its steamboat. Planet mee curry at Kubang Buaya and at Telok Cempedak is a must, that is if you have not been there. Do try the smaller stalls along the Beserah Road for ikan bakar. Can't really go wrong...the fish is alway fresh.
You must be familiar by now with the famous Kemaman stuffed crabs.
Happy exploring and do tell us of new eatery gems in Kuantan and the surrounding area.

I presume you are also into baking. I would recommend the specialty baking shop along the main road to Telok Cempedak. Go there for your baking needs.

And Alamak! Peru! Wow! I would like to visit its heritage sites. So to the budding natgeo photographer take lots and lots of photos when you are there ok, and share them with us.

Somehow all these talk of travelling and scones, remind me of my visit to the Lake District and the Costwolds....well for the moment arm chair travelling with Astro would suffice, probably shall enjoy it my very own homemade apple pie.
Zubaidah Arshad said…
Anon, amazing that you do know Kuantan so well! I don't even know those restaurants, been to the Hyatt but not that exciting. The restaurants along Beserah road are great. Have you tried Ikan Pari Masak Asam Pedas at Riverview Pantai Batu Hitam? Bleeding awesome. Have seen myself go over there for quite number of times now for that delicacy.

And if you do have time, please please go to Pantai Batu Hitam and stop over at the open eating place by the seaside. One of the stalls do serve Satay Tulang. Taste good. It was my first satay tulang ever. Pretty cheap too at 60 cent a piece on a breezy evening, just perfect for two.

Other than that, I haven't been to any eateries you've mentioned. Not too much time in hand to do the exploring bit, but seriously I really really need a good place to have my coffee and my fair share of bread and butter. Starbucks seems too cliche for me. And the spots are not that welcoming. They probably have to relocate or open a new branch at the Kubang Buaya area (I've been there last night!)

I have thrown my 3-month leave application for end of this year trip. Specifically going to Japan. But the approval seems far fetched though. But I'll try to seduce him. I need my time off.

Seriously.

And you, butt off from the chair and start planning to go to somewhere exotic. Lake District and Cotswold are perfect for a morning stroll. Fresh. But I can't really tell, why I don't really fancy those places. I am more into weird sightseeing. Oh I know why, the photographical elements are less over there.

India sounds sounds amazing for a photography treat, dont you think?
Zubaidah Arshad said…
Found Pantai Selamat Mini Market. Awesome. They even have japalenos in jar. Spent a sum of money just now stocking up my food stock.

And I found my maple syrup too! Thanks!

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