Adrian Cooks

This year was the first time in 16 years I celebrated my birthday without any of my 7 childhood friends around. I managed to have a belated celebration with them last year when I visited KL in late November. I thought I would do the same this year but it didn't happen. Although I felt something was missing but I still had a very good time with many firsts:

Oil painting of Totoro from Yim.


Homemade Strawberry Cheesecake from Gate. (Note: the studio maid, Ba Dom, poses at the back)


Todd bought me my first alcohol in 4 years: tequila shot. I got sore all over my neck and shoulder the next day.

There's also a sketch of a Yogini in Tree pose from Peewee, and birthday song sang by my favorite Baritone, Or. Not to forget my Thai good friend, Nook, whom spent the day with me while my husband was busy at work.

Nook taking picture of the foods at The Deck, Arun Residences.

An outrageously expensive Japanese dinner at Tsunami. Although the staffs sang me birthday song and gave us complimentary Japanese melon as birthday treat, still, it's waaaay overpriced.

Months before my birthday I told Adrian I wanted nothing but his cooking. There's a history that leads up to this:

Two years ago when we just met, I told him I wasn't the cooking type. He on the other hand told me he did. I thought what a great deal: my man is handsome, smart AND he cooks! Two years into that conversation I, the one who didn't cook, now have a food blog. Adrian, still handsome and smart, was yet to show the third quality that I so valued. Something was amiss, I thought.

So I got him to promise to cook for my 29th birthday. Despite the fact that he was busy on my birthday, I wasn't the slightest unhappy because of what's to come the following week. He was going to make me breakfast but I wasn't going to let him get away with that - a breakfast and a dinner.

I caught glimpses of him surfing the net for recipes. It made me happy. Finally came the big day. I came home after a morning rehabilitation work with my client to a spread of brunch. On the table was polenta (sun-dried tomatoes, onions, cheddar) served with mushroom and fried egg - an adaptation of my Parmesan Polenta with Chili-Roasted Mushrooms; Pomegranate Salad with Maple-spiced Pecan and Honey-mint Lemon dressing; and the best smoothie he ever made with yogurt, frozen blueberry and dried fig!

I was so happy he did it for me. Imagine how excited I must be for the dinner to come! He was to make it the next evening. In the afternoon he mentioned he would go to work the next afternoon and that he would make me dinner another day. I was very very very disappointed and didn't speak to him for the rest of the afternoon. He noticed my long face and was concerned. I told him how I felt and he said he was going to do it but hadn't had the chance to tell me. That put the smile back on my face. How easily manipulated I am.

He wanted to make enchilada but given the time factor, he decided to go with something easier and less demanding. I'm not sure what it's called. This is what I gathered:

1. Sauteed together yellow pepper, red pepper and spinach.
2. Blend firm tofu, cheddar, cream cheese and cream.
3. Mix them all together.
4. Layer phyllo dough over a baking dish, fill it with vegetables. Cover with more phyllo dough. Sprinkle with poppy seeds and bake.
   

It was a bit bland to taste. But we figured there's a lot of room to play with the ingredients. For instance, roast the vegetables; substitute tofu with feta cheese; use a mixture of cheddar and gruyere; etc.

So there's my 29th birthday. Birthdays are always good :)