Was having dinner with the mother at home last evening and the topic was the new dessert bought from the dessert stall at the coffeeshop downstairs - Beancurd Skin with Gingko Nuts & Barley aka “Fu Chok”. A favourite Cantonese local dessert greatly loved by not only me, but also many at the office.
Suddenly, I had this notion to cook it myself! So I started a series of questions to my kitchen “Guru” of 54 years. Kekekeke… Satisfied with all the answers, I ran to get changed and headed for the door. The mother sure was stummed. Kekeke… Anyway, I guess she knows me. When I wanted to try something, it’s just not that easy to stop me. Kekeke… 
I half-walked, half-skipped my way to the supermarket. On the way, mentally shortlisting the items I need to gather for my “adventure”! Thinking of how I could then extend this to my frens at the office to ease the crave, or even start a “freelance dessert business”! *So enterprising* 
I gathered all the ingredients and then started on the quest as soon as I got home.*So excited* It was after something like an hour of watching over the fire and stirring that I started to realise some possible areas for improvement next time, ie. China-produced barley is not so suitable for this dessert as it does not soften easily and that, it would be better to cook the barley separately from the beancurd skin to prevent too much water from vaporizing from the heat. 
Well, like anything in life, the beginning is usually the most difficult step. For me, it was no exception. While waiting for the barley to soften, I decided to hit the showers. It was not long before I smelt a strong smell of the brewing dessert. Just to make sure everything is ok, I peeped from the toilet and oh my gosh! It has overflowed! *Haiz* Ok ok! 1st instinct is to wrap myself in towel and off the stove! Lucky it was not burnt. 
The mother called me twice from granny’s place - once to check on how I was doing with her kitchen (of cuz I didn’t tell her how I “terrorized” her turf! Kakakaka…) and the other time to tell me that China-produced barley would not be as soft as those “non-China” ones… Well, I sorta realized it already… 
Next, I transferred the pot to the other side of the stove so that I could clean up the mess. Kekeke…
Anyway, I managed to come out of this episode quite happily and “safely” (so did the kitchen and the stove)… Kekekeke… Next is to seek an objective opinion! Steph? Don’t remember she eating this. Our all-time-all-things-objective-critic, Hwee Liang of cuz! Kekeke…
This morning I saw Hwee Liang at the lobby and happily handed him my “masterpiece”!
His verdict: “A little too sweet and perhaps should try those “non-China” barleys or even various barleys in order to find the most tasty formula. Overall, PASS!” *Yeh!!!*
Other comments include:
Steph: So… When are you going to make MY favourite Burbur Pulut Hitam? Huh? Huh? (Kekeke… On the way, Steph. In fact, i’m surfing the Net for the most “tasty” recipe already! Kekeke…)
Dave: If you intend to start the freelance dessert biz thingy for the Beancurd skin with Gingko Nuts & Barley, you’ve already got a customer here! (Wow… That’s really very encouraging! Thanks Dave! 
)
Next thing is, I hope to try out a few more of those desserts that I like, such as tiramisu, burbur pulut hitam, Japanese rice balls (those with red bean paste in them)… *slurrrpppp* Kakakak… Hmmm… Think I can really start this freelance dessert biz thingy after all!
