Sunday, September 25, 2011

Thank you Sonia and beer for hospital patients


Food Diary (September 25, 2011)
Breakfast: Rolled oats with plums, sunflower seeds and flax seeds
Lunch: Sautéed chicken gizzard, liver and potatoes
Dinner: Cheese on toast, pickled carrot and apple salad
Baking/sweets:

In my mail box (physical not cyber) I received a package kindly sent by Sonia from Nasi Lemak Lover. I was selected in a giveaway (and I presume Sonia thinks I have one of the best blogs ever – just kidding, I wish). The package contained "nonya flavours: a complete guide to Penang Straits Chinese Cuisine", flavours magazine and a wooden angku mould for making fancy looking sweets. 

This is the only recipe book that I own, that makes it very special. I have tried some Nonya foods though I am not too familiar with it. Now I have no excuse to not make it at home. Nonya cuisine is acknowledged as one of the earliest examples of fusion food, combining Chinese and Malay cooking, as well as influences from other cuisines such as Thai. 

Thank you so much Sonia for your kindness and generosity.

Today's Favourite Photo
Shroom Burger



Today’s Favourite Blog
A very eye opening article. The author visited someone in a hospital just before lunch time. The persons lunch arrived it is contained mac-and-cheese, green beans, beef-and-barley soup, corn muffin, orange gelatin dessert, coffee, and Budweiser beer. That’s right, beer. And as you probably guessed already, this happened in the US.

The patient said "I didn't ask for it. The doctor ordered it." And he gets Budweiser for breakfast also. What a great hospital, what a great doctor.

The author of the article called the hospital to check if they really give out beers. The response was yes. Doctors sometimes order beers for patients who are going through withdrawal.

The Massachusetts law prohibits giving or delivering alcoholic beverages to hospital patients "except under the direction of a physician."

I have never heard of hospitals giving out beers, or doctors prescribing it. This may give incentives for certain persons to find ways of becoming patients. You get a comfortable bed, clean showers, beautiful nurses to get acquainted with, nice meals and beers. I have heard of people committing crimes just to enter prison because in some prisons conditions are far better than perhaps what the ‘crime committer’ was used to. I have heard for example that living conditions in UK prisons is comparable to a 3-star hotel.

Back to Budweiser’s being offered in hospitals. Some may argue that Budweiser is more water than beer. Whatever the case may be, it is still officially considered beer.

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18 comments:

  1. Congrats for getting the prize for best blog ever! :D I have the same recipe book and I fully recommend the dishes in there. They are pretty authentic. Believe me, I'm nyonya AND from Penang. There are so many out there claiming to be the same and they are all rubbish! I even bought one for my niece in the US.
    A friend of mine insists that beer IS food and healthy ... if minus the alcohol content. Whatever.

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  2. Wow I so want a mould like that :)

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  3. Congratulations for getting the three gifts!!! You are so lucky! I have heard about nonya, but never knew what it was... Thanks for the explanation. I hope to see now some nonya recipes on your blog.
    The spoon would make every gadget freak feel like in heaven!
    Beer in the hospital sounds unusual, but I know in many private birth clinics young fathers are allowed to bring champagne for their wives just after the birth. Also, when you think that just before the second world war beer was advertised as a beverage to be drunk by breast-feeding mothers and by children to increase their appetite...

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  4. congrats...you very well deserve them all...:)
    keep rocking..
    Tasty Appetite

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  5. Yummychunklet: it was!

    ping: really good to know that the recipes are fully authentic. Curious why you have a copy of the book, I guess you could have written the book yourself with your knowledge:) Beer is food for sure, your friend is right! Even the Guinness ad says it, that can’t be wrong.

    Angsarap: you might be able to buy in NZ I guess

    Sissi: I think many breast feeding mothers still drink beer, thanks for smart advertising by Guinness! I don’t know if nonya cuisine is well known and accessible outside the region. I think even in the region the cuisine might be dying and there are efforts to keep it alive.

    Jay: thank you

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  6. Oh wow, that mold looks amazing! Can't wait to see what you make with it :)

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  7. Yeah, the nyonya traditions and recipes are dying alright. They died with me :( that's why I needed the book. If you haven't noticed, my blog isn't too much about nyonya foods and if there happened to be one, I'd already massacred it somehow. But, on the bright side, it's coming alive way over your side, right? You can be the hero in this movie :D

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  8. Congrats on winning that little goodie package. I totally want a mould like that :D I just dont know where to buy one.
    *kisses* HH

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  9. I am amazed at this beer thing. I mean really, wow, so much to say but I will just leave it at really- come on- can we not do any better than that in our hospitals. On another note, I love that cookbook you got!

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  10. Congrats on the great giveaway win!

    When I worked as a nurse (a LONG time ago), it wouldn't be that uncommon for patients to be given some sort of alcoholic beverage in the evening (via doctor's order).

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  11. That burger looks just amazing! Wow, that beer story is unbelievable.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  12. Hannah: it does, I have some ideas on what do make with it

    ping: I don’t want to agree with you but I will:) I guess there might be a small case for upgrading nonya food with smoked liquid, ajvar, cookie bars etc. Or maybe not! With my book and mould I can surely open a nonya restaurant here to keep the tradition alive in Northern Europe:)

    Heavenly Housewife: you can buy from Malaysia!

    Kitchen Belleicious: that book is great

    Lizzy: OK, its the first time I heard of it. Good to make friends with doctors I guess!

    Rosa: it is unbelievable.

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  13. great win!! I love that lunch is usually your larger meal. I did this yesterday and really enjoyed it

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  14. Congrats on the gifts! That is amazing about the beer - but then again in England they sometimes serve sherry before dinner - really!
    Mary x

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  15. My stepfather is a doctor and has always maintained the medicinal benefits of a glass of red wine. It's a theory I firmly subscribe to....

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  16. What a great gift! I'm sure those will be some wonderful reads. Oh, and that hamburger...yum! The slightly charred bun is my favorite part.

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  17. I look forward to some nyonya recipes from you. :)
    I've never heard about beer being served in hospital before!! Can't believe it!

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