Entering the new year and about turning 40

FIRST, the new year started about a week ago. For me, like any other new year, it just came without so much of a celebration. I went to a barbeque though, and there was a bottle of champagne, but we were just having a small casual gathering with nothing much to do, didn't plan of doing anything much, but mainly just because there was nothing much to do ... hmmm that was a great way to start a new year, eh?

Anyway, it came. The beginning of a new decade ... I won't begin with the new year as yet. We'll save the best for last, shall we?

For me personally, it's the end of a decade of life which was very fulfilling. It started when I moved to Kuala Lumpur in 2000, the new millenia. Exchanging the beaches of Sabah to the skyscrapers of the metropolitan city of Kuala Lumpur. For ten years it was a life lived moving forward. It was exhilarating, euphoric, intoxicating. I was addicted to the living and that suit me just well. I was very happy, to say the least. But the nature of life is not always beautiful and sweet melody. The roller coaster of life, with all the excitement it brings, also promises some downward rides. I am just human after all ... That will make it a natural way of living a normal life, won't it?

Ten years! What has it come to looking back at it now? I didn't have a five-year plan. Never ask myself where or how or what I'd be in 10 years time. Then I turned 40 in December last year. And that was also the beginning of a new decade of my life. Done with the last decade, here come the exciting one! I've never thought that I'd say how exciting it was to turn 40. I remembered having a friend who was freaking out on his 40th birthday, just because he turned 40! I didn't see it that way then. I sympathized him for his agony. I was thinking that my time would come and I might face it exactly the same way. But there I was, in the freezing cold of fall in Paris late last year, celebrating my coming of age.

Above: The three ladies of The Lourve, the beautiful Venus de Milo and the graceful Nike, the Winged Victory of Samonthrace and Mona Lisa with her famous smile

So yes, I was in Paris. I walked along the River Seine, humming the melody of the song "La Vie En Rose". Viewed the spectacular night of Paris from the Eiffel Tower. Sipped champagne. Ate snails. Munched on the baguette. Tried to speak French ... I smiled at Mona Lisa. Took picture with Venus ... Yes I was in Paris. The beautiful city of light, love and great food ... Romantic city. Uber metropolitan. Filled with tourist. And cold and wet ... ahhhh, why December?

I was too busy being "in" Paris that I think I forgot to enjoy what I thought Paris would have to offer. The light, the love and the food. I saw Paris at night only in one of the nights, from the Eiffel Tower. There was a light show being performed on the tower, but what it was for, I didn't know. I forgot to walk the streets of Paris at night. Strolling along the cobbled streets under the yellow glow of the lights. Maybe stopping in one or two bars and taking in all the lively night life that might be roaring there, while sipping a glass of French wine.

I ate escargots, foie gras, lots of cheeses and wash them all down with glasses of champagne ... but somehow I felt that it was not just that.

Have you heard people say that there's no overweight French in France? Well, I don't remember seeing one anyway. They say they eat well. Love to eat. Like it's a feast, a celebration, enjoying the food, but leisurely. Taking time having their meals. Was I always rushing here and there trying to see and do everything so there's nothing left behind not being seen? Somehow I did.

And love? I will get to that in my next blog ...

Mussels with a Parsley Crust

I made this tasteful dish for dinner today. Easy and didn't take that long to prepare. Based on a Spanish seafood recipe I recently discovered in one of the cookbooks I've got for Christmas, I was quite surprised at the end result for it tasted quite like it was prepared with some shrimp paste. For me, that was delicious!

The following recipe serves four:
INGREDIENTS
450g fresh mussels
45ml water
1 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

1. Scrub the mussels thoroughly, scraping off any barnacles with a round-bladed knife and pulling out the gritty beards. Sharply tap any open mussels and discard any that fail to close or whose shells are broken.
2. Place the mussels in a large pan and add the water. Cover the pan with a lid and steam for about 5 minutes, or until the mussels shells have opened.
3. Drain the mussels well and discard any that remain closed. Carefully snap off the top shell from each mussel, leaving the actual flesh still attached to the bottom shell.
4. Balance the shells in a flameproof dish, packing them closely together to make sure that they stay level.
5. Preheat the grill (broiler) to high.
6. Put the melted butter, olive oil, grated Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic and black pepper in a small bowl and mix well to combine.
7. Spoon a small amount of the mixture on top of each mussel and gently press down with the back of the spoon.
8. Grill the mussels for about 2 minutes, or until they are sizzling and golden. Serve the mussels in their shells, with plenty of bread to mop up the delicious juice.

I enjoyed this dish with fried rice in butter, garlic and onion. Not what was recommended, but it was nice. I hope you will enjoy it too :-)