BB's Random Stuff

RIP Mulberry 1984-2003

Overnight on early Friday morning, Sept 19, as I was in the air to Sydney, my dear cat of 19 years passed away from old age. I only just missed her by about 14 hours. She was obtained at a town fair as the best kitten in a litter that was being given away, some time back in October 1984.

After a long and lazy life, eating food and polishing floors with her gut, she finally succumbed to old age. I last saw her in January 2003, where she was in somewhat better health.

Made in Brasil

Spotted stepping off a train today in Hilversum - a latin looking girl complete with tan and a tatoo just above her bum in large letters that read Made in Brasil. Clever.

Dutch RBT

I haven't been pulled over for an alcohol breath test in years, not since Sydney, where it's pretty much expected once in a while. Last night in Hilversum they diverted a whole street and were testing everyone, and I was one too. Not random here...everyone. I'm used to winding the window down to blow. This time I had to take my helmet off as on was on the moped.

I passed of course.

Current book

I'm currently reading The Analyst by John Katzenbach. Excellent reading, a riveting thriller/mystery. It's hard to put it down, but I also want to savour the enjoyment.

Read it.

To truly enjoy a Tim Tam

Perhaps the most popular chocolate biscuit in Australia is the venerable Tim Tam. Best described as a slab of chocolate, sandwiched between two chocolate biscuit bases, then dipped in chocolate, they are loved by all Aussies. Millions of women also cherish them dearly on a monthly cycle, due to their chocolate content, widely believed to exceed international daily recommendations.

Unless you're Aussie, you may not realise that there is a correct way to eat the Tim Tam. You don't just eat it like any other biscuit! To savour it fully, there is a method known as the Tim Tam suck. This maximises flavour, stickyness and overall satisfaction by taking advantage of the porous nature of the delicacy. The correct protocol for the Tim Tam suck is as follows:

1. Prepare a hot cup of coffee, or tea. Any sweetish hot beverage will do.
2. Take the Tim Tam and bite off a pea sized chunk from diagonally opposite corners. This should expose a small amount of the innards. Savouring of these little chunks is suggested.
3. Holding the Tim Tam near the top, dip the bottom bit-off corner into your drink, about 5mm deep.
4. Now put your mouth to the top corner you bit off, and suck like mad. Eventually you'll feel and taste your coffee/tea/etc as it is drawn through the whole Tim Tam.
5. Immediately take it out of the drink and pop the whole gooey sticky Tim Tam in your mouth and relish in the chocolatey-coffee-tea goodness of it. Failure to do this quickly will result in a disintegrated Tim Tam drowning in the drink. Which doesnt sound too bad an alternative.
6. Lather, rinse, repeat until the pack is empty. Then lick your fingers clean.

I've yet to find anyone who doesn't love them. No matter what part of the world they are from, my little supply here never fails to create another addict. I feel like a crack dealer.