HAPPY BIRTHDAY PA!

Pa (as we call him) and Mum, still got it after 26 years

My dearest papa, him of the lazy Sunday mornings (and afternoons too, come to think of it), Manchester United fan and Penang Gourmet Sleuth celebrates his Birthday today. Stuck offshore in a foreign platform (see previous post), I managed a call this morning to wish him.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PA! Wish I were at home in Penang to celebrate with you guys.

If there's anyone who was serious about food, it would be our pa. I remember the rainy evenings with Bak Kut Teh in Air Itam, where he would encourage me to "tambah rice". I don't like BKT anymore, but the memory lingers somehow. We'd drive 45 mins to the BKT stall in Air Itam just to eat from there. His fondness for "tu kha" or pig's trotters and intestines, which I would be Miss Priss about. Taking me to the BEST Indian mee stall in Penang, known only to Penangites. My dad knows them all.

Road Trips! Eating in Ipoh on the way to KL, where we'd - without fail - get hopelessly lost and have to call my uncle to come rescue us.

And - how I wish I inherited this - his still amazing metabolism rate.

Pa also helped me buy a house this year, and I will be forever grateful for that. My kids will know that their grandpa helped mum buy her first house!

He came out of a business partnership and worked for someone else, drawing a salary instead of being his own boss (in other words, no longer a "taukeh") because he knew that that would be better for the future of our family. And it was.

He takes mum (with or without the Brothers Grumps aka Daniel and Dom) on a holiday once a year. They've gone to China and Korea already, with HK next on the list.

His generosity when entertaining - nevermind if there are only 10 adults and 5 kids, order for 30 pax! Better too much than too little - something I always remember when cooking for others.

When I experimented with baking cookies last Christmas, he bought 2 jars to give to his colleagues. That made me like a baker! Not sure if he ended up giving them away though - the cookies ended up in so many shades of brown and sizes that I was a bit embarassed, to tell the truth.

He does yoga!! Cool or what??? Although from what mum tells me, he attempts to do yoga (hehe) Only guy in his class (which he attends with mum, flirting with the other middle-aged ladies).

Pa, take care of your health, try to stay away from those hun chiang, and we love you!