Monthly Archives: July 2012

Life — 2 Comments
15
Jul 12

Wing Chun

I didn’t know much about Wing Chun until I watched the movie Ip Man. Wing Chun is a southern chinese martial art that emphasises simplicity and efficiency. According to legend, Wing Chun was created by a Shaolin nun, Ng Mui. Yip Man and Bruce Lee are the two better known practitioners of the art. The things I like about Wing Chun are that it’s practical, it doesn’t require a high level of fitness, and it doesn’t have a lot of high kicks.

I’ve recently joined a Wing Chun class. I don’t have a martial arts background but I’ve always wanted to learn some practical self defense skills. The basic Wing Chun principles are based on science and sounds logical enough to me. The drills are heaps of fun too.

I wouldn’t say Wing Chun is the best martial art there is, but it’s a good fit for me.

Food — 1 Comment
13
Jul 12

MasterChef inspiration

MasterChef is one of my favourite tv show. I have to watch the show on TVNZ Ondemand as it screens at an inconvenient time slot; the inconvenience being it’s my working hours. I suppose that’s a good time to inspire all those who are about to prepare dinner to try something new.

I’ve recently tried cooking medium rare steak, which turned out more medium well than rare. I’ve also tried a red wine jus, which ended up with too much stock and over reduced. There was also the crème brûlée that looked like I’ve detonated a bomb to caramelise the sugar; though it still tasted surprisingly delicious. While MasterChef hasn’t made me a better cook, it has definitely inspired me to try new dishes.

I used to think cooking takes a long time. After watching various cooking shows, I learn that with good planning, one can prepare a delightful meal, complete with an appetizer and dessert, without spending too much time in the kitchen.