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22 Jan 00:34

Resepi daging Wellington versi halal dan mudah

by Butterkicap
Jim Paull

Why is this a thing? Why don't they just post, "Pick any recipe on the internet and use Gourmessa Beef Breakfast Streaky instead of pork."

Gambar recipes.co.nz.

Daging Wellington merupakan makanan yang mewah di negara barat seperti England kerana bahan-bahan yang digunakan memang mahal seperti pâté de foie gras dan filet daging.

Bagaimanapun, resipi ini sudah diubahsuaikan supaya sesuai untuk semua yang ingin mencubanya. Kebanyakan resipi daging Wellington juga tidak halal kerana terdapat daging ham. Jangan risau untuk mencuba resipi daging ini kerana semuanya dijamin halal dan mudah!

Bahan-Bahan

2 daging batang pinang
1 doh pastri paf, suhu bilik
200g cendawan chestnut
2 sudu besar kicap pekat
1 ½ sudu besar mentega
3 tangkai daun taim, batang dibuang dan daun dipotong
Minyak zaitun
Garam dan lada hitam secukup rasa

Cara-Cara memasak daging

Lapkan daging sehingga kering dan taburkan garam dan lada hitam pada kedua-dua belah daging.

Panaskan kuali tidak melekat pada api yang sederhana dan masukkan minyak zaitun.

Masukkan daging ke dalam kuali yang panas dan masak sehingga bertukar menjadi warna perang selama 2-3 minit untuk setiap belah.

Setelah masak, angkat daging dan pindahkan ke dalam pinggan untuk dibiarkan rehat.

Menggunakan kuali yang sama, masukkan minyak zaitun ke dalam kuali yang dipanaskan pada api yang sederhana.

Masukkan cendawan dan biarkan masak selama 4-6 minit , hanya menggaul sekali sekala supaya menjadi perang.

Tambahkan lada hitam dan garam secukupnya.

Menyediakan pastri puff

Dengan menggunakan belakang pisau, lukiskan garisan diagonal pada pastri puff yang berbentuk petak, ½” luas. Lukiskan lagi garisan mengikut arah bertentangan untuk membentukkan bentung silang yang menetas.

Separuhkan pastri puff dan masukkan ke dalam peti sejuk sekali lagi.

Memanggang daging

Letakkan daging ke atas dulang pembakar. Letakkan ¾ jumlah cendawan yang dimasak ke atas daging. Tinggalkan lebihan cendawan untuk sos.

Balutkan daging dan cendawan dengan pastri puff. Jangan takut untuk menarik pastri puff untuk membalut bahagian bawah daging sepenuhnya.

Letakkan daging dan pastri puff ke dalam ketuhar di rak atas dan panggang sehingga pastri puff menjadi perang keemasan dan daging tampak berwarna coklat. Proses ini selalunya mengambil masa selama 10-12 minit. Keluarkan dari ketuhar dan biarkan rehat selamat 2 minit. Apabila daging sedang berehat, siapkan sos.

Menyediakan sos

Di dalam kuali, masukkan baki cendawan yang telah dimasak.

Tambahkan kicap pekat dan sedikit air. Masak pada api yang besar dan didihkan sehingga sos menjadi pekat. Apabila sos menjadi, jumlahnya akan berkurang kepada separuh.

Tutupkan api dan masukkan mentega dan tambahkan baki daun kering thyme.

Hidangan ini kebiasaannya disediakan pada sambutan hari Natal. Anda pula boleh menyediakan hidangan ini sewaktu upacara istimewa kerana tetamu anda pasti akan memuji kemahiran memasak anda walaupun anda tidak bersusah payah di dapur!

Jangan lupa kongsi pengalaman memasak daging Wellington anda bersama kami nanti ya!

Resepi ini pernah dikongsi di www.butterkicap.com

Anda ada berita menarik untuk dikongsi? Sila email ke fmtohsem@freemalaysiatoday.com

22 Jan 00:33

Get Kids Moving in the Morning With These Tricks

by Meghan Moravcik Walbert on Offspring, shared by Meghan Moravcik Walbert to Lifehacker
Jim Paull

Words of wisdom for middle age women too.

As any veteran parent knows, getting out the door (on time) in the morning really starts the night before. Packing up lunches, stuffing homework into backpacks and having shoes ready and waiting by the door are a few of the basics that most parents have learned to save time and frustration in the morning.

Read more...

19 Jan 03:23

‘No Durian Allowed’: Wanita nekad ‘gergaji’ raja buah elak kempunan

by FMT Reporters
Jim Paull

Where the hell do you "borrow" a saw?

Gara-gara tidak mahu kempunan merasai durian, seorang wanita di China sanggup mencekah dan menikmati buah tersebut sendirian selepas dihalang daripada membawa ‘raja buah’ memasuki kawasan stesen keretapi, di bandar Quzhou, China, baru-baru ini.

Gambar yang menunjukkan wanita itu sedang menikmati durian menjadi viral dan tersebar di laman sosial di China.

Walaupun terkenal di Asia, China menganggap durian sebagai sesuatu yang berbahaya dan tidak dibenarkan membawa buah berkenaan ketika menggunakan perkhidmatan awam di negara itu.

Kerana tidak mahu membazir kos membeli durian yang barangkali mahal, wanita terbabit sanggup meminjam sebilah gergaji bagi memudahkannya mencekah buah berkenaan.

Walaupun berseorangan, dia kemudian ‘berkelah’ menikmati durian terbabit di bandar Zheijiang sebelum memasuki ruang berlepas stesen berkenaan.

18 Jan 01:16

Rosak Van DVD Player Leaves Boy No Choice But To Look Out Window

by Editor
Jim Paull

Seems like the Lim family has a Muslim driver. Is that common here?

SUBANG JAYA: Joseph Lim’s ride to school took a tragic turn this morning after a.

The post Rosak Van DVD Player Leaves Boy No Choice But To Look Out Window appeared first on The Tapir Times.

17 Jan 13:23

Romeo and Juliet: the last hopes to save Bolivian aquatic frog

by Agence France-Presse
Jim Paull

Awwwww

Almost a year after conservationists sent out a plea to help save a species of Bolivian aquatic frog by finding a mate for the last remaining member, Romeo, his very own Juliet has been tracked down deep inside a cloud forest. Not only did the wildlife conservation team return with a potential mate...
17 Jan 02:26

Sabah’s rice wine makers go exotic and eye expanding markets

by Tracy Patrick
Jim Paull

thumbsupthumbsupthumbsup Tasting Tour wine_glasswine_glasswine_glass

Ida with two bottles of lihing, a sweet wine made from fermented glutinous rice, at the market in Donggongon.

KOTA KINABALU: Wherever in the world rice is grown, the locals are busy making wine out of the crop. Kadazandusan communities in Sabah are no exception. Locally made wines like lihing and montoku are favourite tipples.

Japan’s own rice wine, sake, is now sold and enjoyed around the world, and its success is giving Sabah wine makers big ideas.

Will wine connoisseurs outside Sabah go for a lihing straight up or prefer a montoku blended with exotic forest fruits?

Stephanus and Pison have successfully come up with five flavours for their montoku, wine made from white rice.

Local wine-makers Pison Jaujip and Stephanus Lucas are putting their money on the exotic blends.

Long-time best friends, they are experimenting with combining their own wine with fruit and vegetables. So far, they have successfully combined it with banana and ginger, and are now venturing into blends with local fruit perhaps unfamiliar to potential drinkers outside of the state.

The pair are not afraid to blend their wine with the funkier durian smell-alikes native to Borneo, and Sabah in particular. They have found that bambangan, a savoury mango with a durian-like aroma, makes a palatable blend that sells well.

“We also market a blend of montoku wine and tarap, a fruit similar to durian but not so intense. We call it Wild Jackfruit. Exotic names attract customers, especially tourists,” said Stephanus.

Pison maintains the response has been encouraging.

“We could use globally available fruit like apples or oranges, but we want to be unique and truly represent Sabah. That’s a big part of our marketing strategy.”

The team promote their potions through Pison’s Facebook page, Ropuhan di Tanak Wagu, which he started as a cooking channel and now has over 32,000 followers.

They believe that their products have the potential to succeed in a far wider market because they are unique.

There is a fundamental problem, though.

“We can’t really sell our products without an alcohol licence but no new licences are currently being issued. We are hoping the new government will lift the suspension because then we can sell to pubs and generally expand,” said Pison.

Sabah wine usually has an alcohol content of between 13% and 21%, higher than commercially available wine which comes in at around 12%.

Stephanus and Pison have to come up with creative labels to describe their wines, even if it means using the four-letter word.

“Because of the licence problem, we try to be creative in making it clear on the bottle that the contents contain alcohol without actually using the word. So we say things like ‘drink responsibly’ or ‘happy juice’ on the label,” Pison explained.

Currently, they sell their products online and some souvenir shops have agreed to sell them too. Curious tourists buy a percentage but the bulk of their customers are still loyal locals.

Penampang is famous for lihing, a sweet wine made from fermented glutinous rice usually quaffed chilled or used in cooking. Chicken soup with lihing is a local favourite, not only sipped by women in confinement but also imbibed to chase away the flu.

Market traders source their wares from wine makers in their villages while some make it themselves.

One such artisan trader, Ida, said her latest batch of lihing has been fermenting in her kitchen for almost a year. “I want to make sure the taste is just right so that my lihing is the best in this market,” she said.

Ida, a Sarawakian married to a local Kadazan, said she learned the art of brewing lihing and montoku from her in-laws. When she started making it she wanted her lihing to be both good for cooking and delicious enough for drinking, which it turned out to be.

Ida sells her wine for RM15 a bottle at the market but she too has ambitions to expand.

“I think my wines are good enough to be sold more widely,” she said. “I’d be interested if anybody wants to help me sell my products.

FMT asked Sabah Agriculture and Food Industry minister Junz Wong what his ministry is doing to promote products such as rice wine to the local and larger markets.

“There are lots of Sabah products but many are not known by consumers,” he said. “I think local stores including supermarkets should be more passionate about selling Sabah products.”

He encouraged entrepreneurs to use social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to market their products.

“Let’s work together for a better Sabah. If anyone has any suggestions how to market our local products, please get in touch with us.”

Perhaps a good start would be to resume issuing the suspended alcohol licences.

Packaging will probably have to be improved too if these ambitious entrepreneurs really want their wine to conquer the world. At the moment it’s often sold locally in used beer bottles.

16 Jan 11:22

Cikgu lepaskan tekanan dengan belai haiwan eksotik

by Yati Yazid
Jim Paull

Haha

Melihat seseorang membela kucing sebagai hobi atau peneman adalah biasa, bagaimana pula dengan haiwan eksotik seperti ular?

Bagi seorang guru muda dari Kemaman, Suzila Hashim, dia memiliki keunikan tersendiri apabila berani menjadikan binatang eksotik seperti biawak dan ular sebagai haiwan peliharaan.

Bagi Suzila, memeluk dan bermesra dengan binatang eksotik membuatkan hatinya tenang dan mampu hilangkan bebanan kerja sepanjang hari.

Malah Suzila sanggup membina bilik khas di rumah untuk menempatkan ‘anak-anak’ kesayangannya itu.

“Setiap kali tertekan dengan kerja, saya akan memeluk ular dan biawak. Badannya yang sejuk membuatkan hati saya tenang,” ujar Suzila ketika dihubungi FMT Ohsem.

Suzila juga memberitahu haiwan peliharaannya ini diberikan diet khas, antaranya ulat, roti, isi ayam dan tikus.

“Jika tidak menjenguk ‘anak-anak’ maka akan timbul perasaan bersalah dalam diri, sebab itu walau sesibuk mana sekalipun, saya akan tetap luangkan masa bersama binatang-binatang tersebut,” ujarnya yang memiliki lebih 5 ekor biawak.

Suzila mengibaratkan haiwan-haiwan eksotik peliharaannya itu sebagai ahli keluarga sendiri, malah setiap kali ada ‘masalah’ dia akan berkongsi cerita dengan binatang berkenaan.

Ditanya mengenai cara untuk menjinakkan haiwan reptilia tersebut, beliau yang mengajar di Sekolah Kebangsaan Jalan 3 Bandar Baru Bangi itu berkata, sentuhan mampu merapatkan hubungan mereka.

“Semua haiwan ini jinak kerana saya menjaganya sejak kecil lagi. Haiwan ini mengenali saya seperti ibu mereka sendiri memandangkan kami sudah ada ‘bonding‘ ekoran dijaga sejak kecil ,” ujarnya yang menamakan salah seekor biawaknya sebagai Jane.

Sumber gambar: G2G Animal Garden Official

Selepas hampir 20 tahun jatuh cinta dengan binatang eksotik, Suzila mula berkongsi hobinya dengan membuka taman haiwan yang menghimpunkan beberapa reptilia dan mamalia kecil lain.

Taman haiwan berkonsep petting zoo itu dinamakan G2G Animal Garden.

“Pada awal pembukaan G2G Animal Garden, saya sememangnya berdepan pelbagai dugaan termasuk terpaksa mengambil cuti tanpa gaji selama setahun bagi menguruskan pelbagai dokumen termasuk permit haiwan,” ujarnya.

Kini, taman haiwan yang terletak Seri Kembangan itu menghimpunkan lebih 200 ekor haiwan daripada pelbagai spesis dan boleh dikunjungi orang ramai dengan bayaran masuk yang minima.

15 Jan 04:54

Homeowner Alarmed By Multiple Cross Sightings Out Own Window

by Editor
Jim Paull

Hahahaha

KUALA LUMPUR:  The residence of Abdullah Bin Bakar was on high alert this evening after.

The post Homeowner Alarmed By Multiple Cross Sightings Out Own Window appeared first on The Tapir Times.

15 Jan 01:31

How to See Next Weekend's Total Lunar Eclipse

by Aimée Lutkin
Jim Paull

Not for us.

A total lunar eclipse will be visible to sky gazers in North and South America and western parts of Europe and Africa on January 20. As a bonus, it will be a supermoon, so it’s a bigger eclipse than usual.

Read more...

15 Jan 01:31

Put MSG in Everything, You Cowards

by Claire Lower on Skillet, shared by Claire Lower to Lifehacker
Jim Paull

YES!!!!

By now, we should all be completely unafraid of monosodium glutamate, the umami-boosting molecule more commonly referred to as “MSG.” It will not give you headache, it will not make your arms numb, but it will inspire you to eat an entire head of roasted broccoli in one sitting.

Read more...

15 Jan 01:30

Where to Find Jeans That Fit Your Muscly Legs

by Beth Skwarecki on Vitals, shared by Beth Skwarecki to Lifehacker
Jim Paull

Just ask daughter in that family cooking show, she knows where to buy.

We asked where you buy jeans that actually fit if you have the butt and legs of someone who works out a lot. Standard sized jeans that fit your waist may not be able to squeeze over your quads, and it turns out athletes of many sorts (lifters, cyclists, and more) have this problem. Today, we present some possible…

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12 Jan 14:42

crispy rice and egg bowl with ginger-scallion vinaigrette

by deb
Jim Paull

Looks good.

It’s really unfortunate timing, because we’ve got a long year to go and I at one point had many great and luminous cooking plans for it, but they’re all cancelled now because on the afternoon of January 4th, before 2019 had really even kicked in, I ate the best thing I had or will all year or maybe ever — because what would the internet be without some unnecessary melodrama — and I threw it together from a mess of leftovers in my fridge.

Read more »

12 Jan 13:18

Recipe: Make-Ahead Croissant Breakfast Sandwiches — Recipes from The Kitchn

by Kelli Foster
Jim Paull

Yummy

Add these warm and cheesy breakfast sandwiches to your meal prep, and you'll thank yourself many times over in the days to come. These croissant sandwiches lend themselves so well to batch cooking: Once the eggs are scrambled, you'll spoon them onto buttery croissants, layer with slices of ham, and top with grated cheddar.

Then, you can bake the sandwiches to eat right away, or wrap them up and store them in the fridge for a few days or in the freezer for up to three months. Pop one in the oven first thing in the morning, and you've got a satisfying homemade breakfast to be proud of.

READ MORE »

12 Jan 11:00

Halal status: Firms can be fined RM5 mil for misleading consumers, warns Jakim

by Bernama
Jim Paull

$$$$$$$$

Jakim advises traders and entrepreneurs to develop their business by obtaining the halal certification. (Bernama pic)

PUTRAJAYA: Any corporate body found guilty of trying to mislead customers with the halal status can be fined up to RM5 million.

This warning comes from Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) director-general Mohamad Nordin Ibrahim.

In a statement today, he said it was based on the Trade Descriptions (Halal Definition) Order 2011.

“If an offence is committed by an individual, those concerned can be fined up to RM1 million or jailed for up to three years, or both, upon conviction,” he said.

Nordin said traders and entrepreneurs should be sensitive enough to develop their business by meeting the needs of both Muslim and non-Muslim consumers in the country.

He advised Muslim consumers to choose only premises that had been certified as halal.

Nordin was commenting on a statement by Federal Territory and Selangor Malay Muslim Food Operators’ Association (Permas) president Ayob Abd Majid that Jakim should impose a mandatory requirement to restaurant owners and operators to obtain the halal certification first before they start their operations.

Nordin also stressed that Malaysia’s Halal Verification Certificate (SPHM) was on a voluntary basis, in accordance with the Trade Descriptions Act 2011 and Trade Descriptions (Halal Definition) Order 2011.

Thus far, there are no regulations that require operators or owners of food premises to obtain SPHM, either from Jakim, the state Islamic Religious Department (JAIN) or the state Islamic Religious Council (MAIN), he added.

“The proposal for the mandatory requirement of halal certification for all food premises will require feedback from various parties,” he added.

Nordin advised all restaurant operators and food product manufacturers to obtain halal certificates from Jakim to ensure the food being sold was halal as well as to enhance consumers’ confidence.

12 Jan 05:27

Buy Two or More HEATTECH Innerwear Items From Uniqlo, Get $5 Off Each

by Chelsea Stone on Kinja Deals, shared by Tercius to Lifehacker
Jim Paull

Thumbs up

Uniqlo’s HEATTECH is the real wintertime MVP — I wear the long-sleeve crew neck tee under pretty much all my clothes once the weather drops below 40 degrees. And today, HEATTECH fans can truly get some bang for their buck by stocking up now: Thanks to an online promo, if you buy two or more men’s or women’s HEATTECH…

Read more...

12 Jan 04:05

What Do I Do With My Smelly Gym Clothes In Between Laundry Days?

by Jolie Kerr on The Inventory, shared by Tercius to Lifehacker
Jim Paull

Leave them in the bag.

I have a problem — I’m dependent on going to the laundromat to wash my gym clothes so I can’t wash them right away. How do I handle a build up of sweaty clothes when I can reasonably only wash them once a week? Do I start a soak bucket of water and vinegar and just throw them in there and let them accumulate? Do I

Read more...

10 Jan 00:36

Capers Fried in Duck Fat Are Your New Favorite Topping

by Claire Lower on Skillet, shared by Claire Lower to Lifehacker
Jim Paull

Hmm yum

Crunchy, salty things can improve almost any situation. The other evening, I was enjoying a fancy beverage at a fancy cocktail bar like a fancy lady, thinking about what a nice evening I was having, when the bartender set down a little ramekin of popped sorghum and fried capers, elevating the moment even further. The…

Read more...

09 Jan 01:42

5 things you didn’t know about the Big Bad Wolf book sale

by Vimal Palasekaran

The annual Big Bad Wolf Book Sale has always been a hit with Malaysians. Featuring 4.5 million books sold at 75% to 95% cheaper than their original prices, the last mega sale of books took place at Mines International Exhibition and Convention Centre (MIECC) in mid-December last year.

The 24-hour sale completes its 10th year milestone this year and as we wait to see what The Big Bad Wolf will cook up for us, here are five facts about this literary phenomenon.

Remainder books keep the prices low

Has it always been a mystery to you how Big Bad Wolf is able to keep the prices of its books so low?

That’s because they’re in the remainder book business, which simply means they get their books at really cheap prices from publishers before the paperbacks are shredded and pulped after they pass their in-store shelf life.

It all started with just two people

Almost a decade ago, when the Big Bad Wolf Sale kicked-off for the first time at Dataran Hamodal, it was manned by only two people, the founders Andrew Yap and Jacqueline Ng who did everything themselves, from hanging banners to pricing the books.

It was worth their effort, as more than 90% of the 160,000 books featured were sold, proving the sale to be a mega hit.

The idea came from a RM9.90 magazine shop

Before opening BookXcess (the bookstore which led to the sale), the couple had a 500 sq ft shop in Amcorp Mall called Reissued, from where they were selling backdated magazines for RM9.90.

This was followed by an opportunity to sell books, and in large quantities at that. And as they say, the rest is history.

Now in 16 cities worldwide

The Big Bad Wolf Sale has since made its mark in 16 Asian cities, including Jakarta, Manila, Colombo, Bangkok, Dubai, and of course, its home turf Kuala Lumpur.

Asia’s biggest seller of augmented reality books

augmented reality or AR books are the latest phenomenon to take over the children’s literature landscape and the Big Bad Wolf Sale is the place to get your hands on some of these copies at really low prices.

AR books are known for engaging with a child’s creativity and fostering interactivity through its cutting-edge presentation of content.

This article first appeared in uppre.com

04 Jan 05:49

The $20 Gadgets That Helped These People Lose 100 Pounds — Shopping

by Maggie Battista

I switched to a mostly plant-based way of eating nearly three years ago and haven't looked back. Above all other food groups, I love vegetables — and eating them has helped me stay healthier, maintain my weight loss, and, most importantly, keep me feeling good year-round.

Eventually, roasting carrots and eggplant and squash on baking sheets each night got boring, though, and I had to find other ways to stay in love with veggies. When I found a mandoline, a handheld slicer that allows you to create paper-thin slices of most anything, my salads got larger and my plates got more colorful — a thinly sliced veg is just a bit more fun to eat!

Still in love with my mandoline, I spoke with others who lost a lot of weight to understand the tools and gadgets that helped them maintain a healthy balance and keep up feel-good food habits. Their recommended gadgets — all priced at $20 or less — make for super-helpful ways to stay healthy (and a bit more mindful) throughout the year.

READ MORE »

29 Dec 15:28

Blame yourself for being poor, Mahathir tells Malays

by Melissa Darlyne Chow
Jim Paull

Haha, stop throwing stones under the bridge.

PPBM chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad says Malays must come to terms with the fact that they have faults and flaws.

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has once again criticised the Malays, accusing them of being lazy and taking the easy way out.

Speaking to PPBM Youth delegates today, Mahathir, who is also party chairman, said this was the reality being faced by the community now in many fields, but especially when it came to the economy.

“Why? Why are others successful and we are not? Yes, we can blame others for stopping us and cheating us, but others will not correct themselves for us to succeed. Only we can help ourselves to succeed.

“And for that to happen, we need to know our faults and our flaws. We have many faults,” he said in an impromptu address to PPBM Youth delegates at their annual general meeting here today.

Mahathir said Malays only had themselves to blame for the predicament they are in now, pointing out that the community has not made efforts, even though many opportunities have been given to them.

The Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman said while the country was rich in resources, if no efforts were expended to extract those riches, “we will continue to be poor and left behind”.

“Let us say we have gold and silver buried in the ground in our houses, but if we do not make efforts to dig and extract those metals, it will not make us rich.

“On the contrary, we like to give opportunities to other people who are more hardworking to dig the ground and extract such metals. They become rich because they are willing to work hard.

“This is our main weakness which has caused us to fail. We do not like to work hard. We want it easy. If we can, we would rather have riches come rolling in or flying at us.

“When that happens, we will continue waiting for riches to come to our doorstep,” he said.

Mahathir said this was a characteristic of past leaders, who were able to identify how Malays prefer the easy way out and take advantage of that.

Mahathir further stated that Malays must come to terms with the fact that they had faults and flaws.

“If we do not work hard to overcome this, we will remain weak and will forever be bogged down by these faults and flaws.

“The government is working towards helping the Malays succeed. But that does not mean we do not take care of the other races. It is clear that without help and opportunities, they can build themselves up.

“The ones who are weak, who will become weaker, is us. So long as we are stuck in our old ways, we will continue to be weak and left behind.

“One day, we will become so poor to the point that we’ll have to depend on the goodwill of others in our own country,” he added.

27 Dec 15:33

Public Service Announcement: Bulky Items Often Can’t Be Checked As Part Of Your Baggage Allowance (And Might Require A Seat)

by Sebastian Powell
Jim Paull

Ahhhhh, Madrid in the winter. One should never leave their miniature Darth Vader at home.

I witnessed an interesting situation this week when passengers who were checking in next to me for an Iberia flight to Madrid tried to check in their Star Wars Figure which actually had the size of a child.

It wasn’t possible to check in the item as part of the regular baggage allowance and required to be dropped off as bulky baggage or they were offered to purchase an extra seat for the figure.

Even though Iberia is quite generous with their baggage policy especially for status customers and in Business Class (I was displayed an allowance of 4 bags a 23KG for my MAD-PVG flight) that doesn’t mean you can check in items that exceed a certain limitation of dimensions.

You can access Iberia’s baggage policy here.

In you would like to transport equipment that is bigger than our permitted size ( 158cm height+width+length) , please contact us ahead of time to confirm whether it can fly with you on the same airplane.

Musical instruments, audio/visual equipment, industrial parts, etc. that weigh between 32 and 45 kg* are treated as an additional piece of baggage with extra charges.

Not sure what exactly the problem was here because the figure certainly wasn’t taller than 1,58cm but I didn’t follow their conversation too closely. The passengers did allow me to take the picture though as I though it looks… well, interesting.

Conclusion

Checked baggage allowance varies greatly between carriers and one should better be on their toes when carrying items that are out of the ordinary such as this special passenger. It’s not uncommon for people to book an extra seat for bulky items like music instruments which they don’t want to check into the cargo hold.

Purchasing an extra seat on this flight wouldn’t have been expensive at all. It was on sale for 67 Euro not too long ago. Of course if you have a connection that’s a different matter.

27 Dec 15:31

German police probe curious case of 9-year-old’s unwelcome Christmas gifts

by Agence France-Presse
Jim Paull

Hmm.

Many children know the heart-sinking moment when they tear off the bright wrapping of their coveted Christmas gift to reveal the wrong colour trainers or an ill-favoured toy. But one German boy, enraged by his paltry selection of Christmas presents, was not content to react with a thin smile and...
26 Dec 02:37

baklava babka

by deb

I have something really pretty and really festive for us today. I hope it doesn’t send you running for the hills. When recipe hybrids are good — think pretzel croissants, cronuts, donut-looking cakes, donut-tasting muffins, brownie cookies, and pretty much everything on one of my favorite wildly creative cooking blogs — it’s usually because the two desserts that are mashed up have more in common than just cleverness, elements in each that make each other better.

Read more »

23 Dec 01:15

10 Recipes to Make for Kwanzaa This Year — Recipes from The Kitchn

by Christine Byrne

As far as holidays go, Kwanzaa is a relatively new one: It was created in 1966 during the height of the civil rights movement by Dr. Maulana Karenga, chair of the department of African Studies at California State University, Long Beach.

A half-century later, the seven-day festival — starting December 26 and ending January 1 — is celebrated by millions of African Americans. It's a secular celebration of culture that's rooted in seven principles: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. And, like all holidays, it comes with plenty of delicious food tradition.

Kwanzaa is about family and community, and culminates in a feast, called Karamu, on December 31. The dishes served come from African tradition, but many also have influences from the American South and the Caribbean. If you're hosting Karamu this year and aren't sure what to put on the menu, here are some recipes that are perfect for it.

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23 Dec 00:56

Kwanzaa Lifts Up African-Americans, Affirms Their History

by The Conversation
Kwanzaa Lifts Up African-Americans, Affirms Their History
File 20171219 4965 irl2l8.jpg?ixlib=rb 1.1
Kwanzaa celebrations. Black Hour, CC BY-NC

Frank Dobson, Vanderbilt University

On Dec. 26, millions throughout the world’s African community will start weeklong celebrations of Kwanzaa. There will be daily ceremonies with food, decorations and other cultural objects, such as the kinara, which holds seven candles. At many Kwanzaa ceremonies, there is also African drumming and dancing.

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22 Dec 15:32

Work Toward These Advanced Poses in 2019

by Beth Skwarecki on Vitals, shared by Beth Skwarecki to Lifehacker

How’s the yoga challenge going? Are you getting the hang of a home practice, or maybe dropping in on classes at the gym or yoga studio? We can only do so much in the course of a month, and you can really dedicate years to reaching some of the more ambitious asanas. So at this time of year, it’s great to turn an eye…

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20 Dec 04:34

Recipe: Chewy Molasses Cookies with Crunchy Lemon Glaze

by Faith Durand
Jim Paull

Yes please.

We've all been in eager cookie-baking mode this month! Why, just yesterday we had Rebekah's warm, soft pumpkin spice cookies, and Megan's review of these scrumptious oatmeal raisin cookies from Flour. Now, my own favorite fall cookie: Simple molasses cookies, chewy and spicy, with a light swirl of crunchy lemon glaze.

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20 Dec 04:31

This Little-Known City Now Has the Most UNESCO World Heritage Sites

by Jessica Puckett
Jim Paull

Hmm

A city in Spain often overlooked by tourists now has more UNESCO World Heritage sites than any other.

Cordoba, a city in Andalusia about a two-hour train ride from Madrid, became the first city in the world to have four world heritage sites this year. According to CNN, that’s even more than other historic destinations such as Paris and Rome.

The UNESCO sites are determined by the World Heritage Committee, a rotating panel of government representatives from 21 countries among the numerous member nations around the world. To qualify, the sites must be “of universal outstanding value” and meet at least one of the committee’s 10 criteria (think: “represent a masterpiece of human creative genius.”)

Planning a trip to Spain? Here are the four sites you see with a single visit to Cordoba:

The Mosque-Cathedral 

Cordoba’s first registered UNESCO site in 1984, this ornate building was built between 784 and 786 CE as a mosque and was converted to a cathedral when Christians conquered the city in the 13th century.

Image by Mezquita-Cathedral de Cordoba.

The Historic City Center

The center of Cordoba is a winding labyrinth of narrow streets with monuments that can be traced back to Roman, Arabic and Christian rulers of the city. The area is bordered by the Mosque-Cathedral and the medieval Alcazar that was first used as a Visigoth fortress, housed Cordoba’s early Arabic rulers and later served as a primary residence for Spanish kings and queens. The city center was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

View of Alcázar of Córdoba Spain from the garden.

The Patios Festival

The city’s Patios Festival tradition began in 1918, and it involves local residents opening up their ornate patios to tourists and neighbors each spring to show off their elaborate plants for a competition. In 2019, the festival will take place from May 6 to May 19. As a culturally significant custom, it was recognized by the World Heritage Committee in 2012.

The Patios Festival is celebrated during the second and third week of May. Many houses of the historic centre open their private patios to the public and compete in a contest. Both the architectonic value and the floral decorations are taken into consideration to choose the winners. Cordoba, Andalusia, Spain

Medina Azahara 

Cordoba’s most recent UNESCO site is the ancient city of Medina Azahara, which was built on the outskirts of Cordoba by ancient Muslim rulers between 936 and 976. According to its website, Medina Azahara was likely founded “to promote the new image of the recently-created independent western Caliphate as one of the strongest, most powerful kingdoms in Medieval Europe.” Though most of the city was destroyed in civil wars in the 11th century, ruins of the city still stand and display the craftsmanship and artistry of the people who constructed it.

Entrance of Yafar

All images via Getty unless otherwise noted.

18 Dec 01:24

Cops reclassify Adib’s case as murder

by FMT Reporters
Jim Paull

Right on time.

Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim’s parents, accompanied by officers from the Fire and Rescue Department, at IJN.

PETALING JAYA: Police have reclassified the attack on Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim from attempted murder to murder, following the fireman’s passing tonight.

Adib, who sustained serious injuries after he was assaulted during the riots that broke out at the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Devasthanam temple on Nov 27, died at 9.41pm at the National Heart Institute (IJN).

“We have reclassified it from Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempted murder to Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder,” Selangor deputy police chief Ab Rashid Ab Wahab said in a statement.

Adib was part of the team of firefighters who rushed to USJ25 following a protest over the relocation of the Sri Maha Mariamman temple which saw rioters setting vehicles on fire.

He was dragged out of the Emergency Medical Rescue Services vehicle and was assaulted.

The riots erupted following a dispute over the relocation of the temple.

Last week, it was reported that four men – aged between 21 and 24 – were detained to assist investigations into the attack on the 24-year old.

The four were, however, released on a court bond and police bail after their remand order expired.

08 Dec 14:55

12 Festive Hanukkah Recipes to Make This Year — Recipes from The Kitchn

by Christine Byrne
Jim Paull

Yummy

Everyone celebrating Hanukkah likely has slightly different food traditions and recipe favorites, but the staples are frequently the same: perfectly cooked brisket and crispy latkes, plus a dessert spread that preferably includes as much rugelach, sufganiyot, and babka as possible. No matter which dish is your favorite, these festive recipes are perfect for Hanukkah and guaranteed to please a crowd. From tried-and-true originals to new spins on classics, there's something here for everyone.

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