The durian debate
It’s always a joy to receive news from Feisan and to hear about her life in Sabah. A few days ago, Feisan sent photos of some toasts with delightful unusual spreads. Yes, durian and ube spreads!
I don’t know what durians in Sabah are like, but my Malaysian friends and I often agree to disagree on where the best durians come from. I always insist that the best durians are found in Thailand, while my Malaysian friends say that the best durians are found in Malaysia. We agree that it is a sensitive topic.
For the benefit of those unfamiliar with durians, Malaysian durians are sweet and creamy, while Thai durians are firm and less sweet. My mother is a fan of Thai durians. There will always be some in the fridge when we are in Thailand. One of my uncles has a durian farm. My mother told me that he has a dog that knows how to open durians and to eat durians. I don’t know how the dog manages to avoid being injured by the sharp spikes on the shell.
The durian toast delight
Feisan sent the following note with her photos:
“My dad is a big fan of durians, and recently planted a few trees of his own. I really like the creamy sweetness of the fruit. The texture is like the cream in a cream puff. So I thought, why not use it as a sweet toast spread.
I made two sets of toasts, one for my dad and one for myself. Each of us got a sweet toast and a savoury one. My dad’s sweet toast was durian and bananas (with sprinkles of cinnamon and ground fennel seeds). Mine was durian and mashed purple sweet potatoes (ube). For savoury, we both had savoury mashed ube (lightly toasted in garlic and olive oil) and eggs. All 4 slices of bread were first toasted in garlic and olive oil before assembly.
Colourful and tasty start to our days!”
Sustainability begins at home
When I told Fesian that I had just attended an event on sustainability, she told me that she is into recycling and re-using things. “At home, I rarely buy wrapping paper because I just reuse things.” Feisan.”
The wallet refurbishing challenge
I was inspired to try my hand at sustainability. My mother gave me a wallet-refurbishing challenge. She asked me if I could save an old black wallet and give it a new lease of life. She liked it because it had more compartments than the usual wallet. She couldn’t find someone to custom-make one for her.
I thought that the challenge was mission impossible, but I had some repair materials from Daiso at home, so it was worth a try. Below is the outcome of my efforts.
I don’t know how long the re-furbished wallet will last, but it can be re-furbished again easily, like how I refurbish my mobile phone case every few months.
Have a great week ahead.
By Chayo, HomSkil Editor 1, 17 December 2023
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