Just You & Me...

Tea for Two, sung by Doris Day.

Yesterday I had a class at home. It was a class on Baking of American Carrot Cupcakes and Ice Cream Cupcakes. I had intended to start early and end early so that I could share a 10 minute cooking session with one of the students. She lives near my home and a delight to know her as she would often help me when I had classes. Its my way of saying "Thank you" and to appreciate the time she took to come early and help me with my classes.

She is newly married, a young and dutiful wife. Living in her first matrimony home with her hubby. On a separate email she briefly told me she was struggling to cook a curry chicken dish to please her hubby. But failed terribly. The chicken had more taste of curry powder and something doesn't seem right. She said she followed the recipe to the dot and couldn't figure out what went wrong.

So I decided to teach her how to do a quick 5 minute curry chicken with the curry paste I made recently. Claire was pleasantly surprised and didn't expected that I had plan this for her. I also taught her a trick or two how choosing the best cut of chicken for this.

Then she tells me that ever since she started cooking at home, her hubby has gained weight. Ever since she started her first baking class with me last year, it started a sudden interest and love in cooking too. Because I tend to side track sometimes if I see a student who wants to learn to cook. I get all too eager to share the knowledge.

When her hubby came by to pick her up, we talk a fair bit. They shared with me that they are intending to get a dog for their home. And I shared with them on basic dog training too. Claire was impressed with the way I trained and raised my dog, Jing Jing to be well behaved and obedient.

When they left my place, it reminded me of the early days with just Benny and me. Just him and me. When I first got married, when we had our first home. Just the two of us. And soon after, Benny bought me a puppy, a male shetland sheepdog named Fable. Mainly it was to keep me company when I come home each night to an empty house. As he often worked late. I have Fable to keep my company. To play with and to watch sad movies with.

Just like my student, Claire and her hubby. Just starting out..a home build on love. A puppy to fill up the void of days when one is away on work or duties outside.

I remembered so much on the days I struggled to cook. I had no one to tell me how and what. My mom was a phone call away. I learnt mostly by trial and error. So to hear what Claire had to share with me of her cooking adventures at home, it reminded me of my early days as Mrs Lim.

And I assured Claire that the power of Love does wonders to a person. How Love changes me. My mom couldn't change me. Its so obvious that Claire is so much in love. Seeing her and her hubby reminded me everytime how much I have grown from a person who can't boil water to cook instant noodles to one now who cooks and bakes to feed others.

She took this class was because her hubby loves American Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting.

The American Carrot Cupcake..though not the one that Claire did. This was baked/decorated by another student when I first taught this at Robinsons, last December.

And I realised too, in all my years of teaching others to cook or bake, how many young women I have taught, both newly married or single but spoken for. Because I don't just teach them to cook or bake, I also impart my love for my family and how love is spread through the things we do so willingly for the people we love.

In that 30 minutes or so, I taught Claire to cook the dish I made last week for my girls ...this is what I did last week :



Butter Garlic Rice, Grilled Djorn Mustard Chicken, Char-grilled shitake mushrooms..some veggies on the side. Top with Mascaprone Cheese whipped with Mandarin Oranges..