A year in Coventry

A Male Bullfinch

Last Friday (1st June) was a year since I started working on the Sivanandan Collection. To commemorate the event, I've decided to set up another blog to highlight and publicise the project.

As the cataloguer, I have the privilege of examining each book in the collection, and I will be using the blog to share some of my discoveries.

The highlight of Friday evening was watching the friendly between England and Brazil. Our boys just don't have the staying power. Last minute Brazilian goal and we're even one all.

On Saturday, CC and I celebrated our first year working in the library and moving to Coventry at the Noodle Bar in town. We'd a lovely time despite both of us still mending from the flu. I'd the Chef's Bowl soup special of udon noodles with seafood and Chinese vegetables. CC had hers fried with meat. The chilli condiment really blew our viruses away.

We checked out what the gals/guys are wearing/doing. Browsed in M&S, Monsoon and H&M. I'd never been in H&M. I thought their stuff might be too young (?) for me. We'd fun trying out masses of clothes and it was buy one get one free on sale items!!! We came out very much poorer...

Then to Coventry Market which was voted the 'indoor market of the year 2007' by the National Association of British Market Authorities. It was home to 180 stalls selling everything under the sun. CC, who sews, bought materials identical to the ones we saw in Monsoon. I'm so envious and looking forward to see her haute couture.

We'd homemade icecream before parting. It was a lovely day out. Lonely Planet author, Jolyon Attwool, who also lived here, described Coventry as 'doomed by postwar planning' and having a 'stark, concrete ring road' in the guide. There are oasis to be found which I'll highlight as I come across them.

Before Kevin gave me a lift into town, I prepared a dish of East (recipe) meets West (slowcooker). My niece, Zetty had a cooking session on her blog on how rendang was made, grandma's style. I was drooling like crazy. Checked out the Chinese shop and found they stocked rendang sauce. It won't be like grandma's but beggars can't be choosers. Used the slowcooker as it needs to simmer gently. Throw everyhing in and left it on its own device.

When I got home, 4 hours later, the house smells delicious and spicy. It was bubbling happily but cooking in a slowcooker means the liquid hasn't evaporated. Transferred into a wok to dry up slowly. I needed kerisik to make it more authentic. Dry fry dessicated coconut and pound them with my never-used marble mortar and pestle until the oil appears. Add it in. The slow simmering process allows the meat to absorb all the spices and coated with sauce.

Kevin commented that it doesn't look as dark or as hard as grandma's rendang. Guess, we'd to make a trip back to Malaysia to taste the real McCoy. Bon Appetit!!!

On Sunday, we went to our usual playground. The dragon and damsel flies are out and about. The reserve was on full volume. Fluffy chicks everywhere. And we saw the handsome bullfinch at the top of the page, isn't he lovely.

At work, CC suggested that we do our outings monthly. Anyone wanna join us...................