My best Christmas pressie!

I have long been a supporter of the "do it by hand until you can do it eyes closed" philosophy of cooking. No mechanical tools should enter into the equation until I can chop like a machine, whip egg whites like a she-devil and knead dough with the other beefy-forearmed bakers out there. I was stubbornly proud of the fact that I could make a Chinese New Year meal for 50 without any mechanical aid. But the more I cooked, the more I realised that I was a bit of a wimp, and my knife skills, while they didn't suck, were nowhere near my dad's food processor-like chopping action.

Then I started to research. And then I started to pine. And then it happened, I fell in love with Babe. Oh, she's fiery all gowned in red and she can dance with the best of them, but in the UK she is also an extrememly expensive date (sort of like me in my younger, singler days, sigh). She is also not the daintiest of creatures and my flat lacks a certain amount space to house something as lovely as she in comfort. So the pragmatic side of me said "No way honey, it just isn't meant to be." But every so often, I'd look her up and pine some more. Then Christmas 2005 happened.

When it comes to giving (and especially receiving) presents, I truly believe in the "It's the thought that counts" camp. The fact that someone has taken the time to go and buy me something, take it home, wrap it up and possibly label it with one of those cute gift tags, well that alone is a pretty big thrill (although I am still perplexed by certain gifts I have received over the years, I nonetheless appreciate the gestures enormously, whether or not the presents finds themselves into my day-to-day living situation).

My darling husband, S., kept asking me what I wanted. I tried to be reasonable and asked for a couple more cookbooks, small stuff in light of our impending move (more on that later). He then went all quiet, so I figured he had found something. Christmas arrived, we went down to my in-laws and had a big present opening all around. And I had a BIG present opening indeed. I thought I would share my latest acquisition with you. Kitchen Aid virgins, turn away now, you may not be able to handle the sheer glory of the stand mixer. It is my pleasure to introduce you to Babe.

Yes, Christmas has long come and gone, but what with 3 weeks of travelling, plus the current upheaval of moving to another country (yup you heard it here first folks, soon I will not be a UK-based blog, but a Singapore-based one. J., CH and company, here I come!), my posting has been non-existant. I know, what else is new right?

Nevertheless, isn't she gorgeous? I have already whipped up a soufflé cake and a big batch of dumpling filling for the New Year and it took me no time at all. Just think what concoctions I'll be able to cook up next. Stayed tuned...