Baby Gaga

Image credit: http://www.modelsandmoguls.com/2011/03/02/human-breast-milk-ice-cream-would-you-try-it-survey/, posted March 02, 2011.

Lawyers for Lady Gaga have threatened legal proceedings against the makers of breast milk ice cream named 'Baby Gaga'. The latter were given until Wednesday to change the name “if you wish to avoid proceedings for trade mark infringement and passing off”, according to a letter addressed to London restaurant The Icecreamists Limited. The cafe in trendy Covent Garden must also “cease and desist from in any other way associating with Lady Gaga any ice cream you are offering”, said the letter from law firm Mishcon de Reya to the store owner, Matt O’Connor.

The letter accuses The Icecreamists of “taking unfair advantage of, and riding on the coattails of” Lady Gaga's trademarks in a manner that is “deliberately provocative and, to many people, nausea-inducing”.

However, O'Connor insists he has been unfairly targeted, calling the legal threat "preposterous and outrageous". He tells UK’s Evening Standard, "We think this is very unnecessary, the whole thing will be over by next week, but we are prepared to fight this in court... This is a David versus Goliath battle I'm convinced we will eventually win. The world's biggest superstar has taken umbrage with the world's smallest ice-cream parlor. For Lady Gaga to accuse us of stealing her image is laughable when you consider how much she has borrowed from popular culture to create her look and music. She also seems to have forgotten that since the dawn of time the word gaga has been one of the first discernible phrases to come from a baby's mouth. This is why we chose the name (Webpage http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2011/03/05/lady_gaga_threatens_to_sue_over_baby_g, posted March 05, 2011). O’Connor may have a point – Lady Gaga is said to have taken her moniker from Queen’s 1984 hit Radio Ga Ga.

The ice cream – a creamy and rich concoction of human breast milk, Madagascan vanilla pods and lemon zest – has proved a big hit, with the first batch sold out within days of going on sale. It is made with milk expressed by 15 women who replied to an advertisement posted on an online mothers' forum, Mumsnet – they were paid £15 for every 10 ounces of milk. But it is now off the menu after Westminster City Council, the local authority, seized the ice cream for health and safety checks.

Cake-hearts, Anybody?

I was at KL Sentral today for the KL Advanced Toastmasters meeting. Rohijas Sharif had to leave the meeting at the halfway mark, and as the highest ranking officer at today’s meeting, I dutifully took over when he left. There were two interesting speakers, but I particularly enjoyed Sandra’s Ice-breaker speech – it had a certain rhythmic fluency that was simply alluring. There was also the Table Topics session, and I was predictably voted the Best Table Topics Speaker. But what made today special was the return of Jean-Yves Gicquel to our Toastmasters ranks. Many of us who know Gicquel beamed with delight and clapped with joy because we are welcoming back a friend and fellow Toastmaster.

With February 14 just around the corner, baker Lily Vanilli is being cleverly creative because she has these oozing, anatomically correct cake-hearts on sale for this Valentine’s Day. They're a little larger than a cupcake, they ooze blackcurrant and cherry "blood," and “come in a cute perspex box tied with a pink or red ribbon and a note if you want to add one." They're £7 plus delivery, which includes a charitable donation (Webpage boingboing.net, posted January 25, 2011).

I happen to think that these “cake-hearts” are ingeniously inspired and I would buy them if only they are available in Malaysia.

Vietnamese Food

And of course, no visit anywhere is complete if I do not try the local food. And I did. A must try is Phở, a popular Vietnamese dish of rice noodles in clear beef- (or even chicken-) based soup served in a bowl, and commonly accompanied with basil leaves, mint leaves, bean sprouts and lime to enhance the flavors. And not forgetting also, the strong Vietnamese coffee. Nope, I did not try any street food – well, except the one instance when I had this fruit cocktail (a glass of assorted cut fruits drowned in condensed milk and topped with shaved ice) and sitting on a low red stool somewhere in the Old Quarter.

The one eating place that really stands out is Quan An Ngon, a popular place located at Phan Boi Chau where you can really experience Vietnamese food. Its popularity is well-deserved. On the Tuesday afternoon that I was there, I found the shared tables packed with many locals, expats and even tourists. A place as noisy and raucous as Hanoi itself. I was with the others sitting under a web of sail-like awnings. Surrounding me on all sides are little "food stalls" dishing up specialties like green papaya salad, fresh spring rolls, clams in lemongrass and beef with chili and salt. Just about anything you order off the huge menu will be delicious – and we did order many a dish! I would highly recommend Quan An Ngon. Too bad I didn’t take any food photos!

On Tuesday, the other Group F combatants New Zealand (ranked a lowly 78th in the world) and Slovakia also produced a similar 1-1 draw – thereby leaving Group F wide open, very similar to the Group A predicament on Friday. In Group G, the match between Ivory Coast and Portugal was below-average and the result was an insipid goalless draw. In fact, in this whole sleep-inducing match, there were a meager total of 3 shots on goal! The third game between Brazil and North Korea, also in Group G, was more rousing with 37 shots on goal. Maicon (55) and Elano (72) scored for Brazil but North Korea replied in the 89th minute through Ji Yun-nam – and with this 2-1 win, Brazil topped the table.

Hunger Update

An update on my posting last Thursday. 

Yesterday was World Food Day – proclaimed in 1979 by the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). 

It marks the date of the founding of FAO in 1945. The aim of the Day is to heighten public awareness of the world food problem and strengthen solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty.

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BBC News had highlighted ActionAid, a development charity that has released a report, Hunger Free, to coincide with UN World Food Day, where it trumpets that hunger is "a choice that we make, not a force of nature".

"Hunger begins with inequality", it says, and then grows because of "perverse policies that treat food purely as a commodity, not a right". 

"It is because of these policies that most developing countries no longer grow enough to feed themselves, and that their farmers are amongst the hungriest and poorest people in the world", say ActionAid. 

In fact, just two days earlier, BBC News had carried another report – the UN's annual report on global food security, confirming that more than one billion people – a sixth of the world's population – are undernourished. 

"No nation is immune and, as usual, it is the poorest countries and the poorest people that are suffering the most", said the annual report of the UN's FAO and the World Food Programme. 

This report even depicts the Global Hunger Index – a survey published by the International Food Policy Research Unit (IFPRI) – that reveals that countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo has seen the steepest rise in hunger since 1990, followed by Burundi, the Comoros and Zimbabwe; while others have dramatically improved levels of malnutrition since 1990, including Vietnam, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Mexico. 

Psst, Malaysia is in the improved category, in position # 7. 

The survey describes a "food price crisis", with prices settling at levels too high for many people in developing countries. So, let's remember not to squander and waste food because there are those who go hungry every day. 

More importantly, what are we doing about it?

Pretty Food

Yesterday, we hosted a visit by Fifth Formers from SMK Alam Megah, S Alam and I gave a talk on Time Management. The guys and gals were really sporting, and some of them even posed for a photo at the end of the hour-long session.

Siew Ling (a friend at Inti Subang Jaya) sent me these photos of Japanese food that are not only very pretty to look at, but also presumably nice to eat as well. Now, where can I find these delectable foods here in KL?

Thanks to the “Synchronicity” column in the Malay Mail (March 19, p 17) by Raman Krishnan of Silverfish Books, I heard about this Malaysian book called Ripples – and which I subsequently bought for my reading pleasure. And it was worth the RM30 because I loved the stories, and I enjoyed the English. And this after reading only 2 chapters! This reminds me that I should start writing a story too, so that I can have it published... it's something I had long wanted to do since my high school days.

The Land of Food Blogs

Zhongg Internet Digest (http://www.zhongg.com/linkfest/the-ultimate-list-of-malaysian-food-blogs/#comment-16959) has identified more than 65 active food blogs here in Malaysia – and this amply illustrates why eating is indisputably our national No. 1 pastime. Still, I hear from the grapevine that a food blogger (www.foodposition.com) has indeed heard about us, and is definitely going to drop by and check out what we have to offer at HICT's Blackout Bistro. Tan Wei Wei and Toh Chin Hooi: You’d better believe this… Although this place is closed during December – most students are on a long break – it will, however, open its doors for 2 days (13th and 14th) in December 2008 because the college is having its Open Day & Career Fair on those stipulated dates. Just knowing Rachel Tan is in charge of the kitchen, can create sufficient kinetic energy to push moving objects (e.g. hungry people) to head for this little charming place on Level 5 of Klang Parade. Simple but interesting food beckons…

I am thinking out loud here, but there are so many food blogs out there that many a time, it is difficult to quantify the given feedback. When someone says “the food is good” – just what exactly does he or she mean? I too am not certain. May I suggest that food bloggers should take a leaf from Michelin by awarding stars to restaurants offering the “finest” cooking? The Michelin Guide awards restaurants between one and three stars, and they are coveted. 3 stars means the restaurant merits a special trip; 2 stars indicate the restaurant deserves a detour; and 1 star means that if it's on your way, you should stop. I think this is a great suggestion, don’t you think?