KEBAYA CAKE HOMECLASS 22nd NOVEMBER 2010

 

The Road Not Taken

By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

Salam again, dear friends!

I bet not very many of you know that Chef Baini loves reading poetry in her spare time. A few days after today's home class, Chef Baini rediscovered one of her favourite poems that keeps on inspiring her time and again: THE ROAD NOT TAKEN by the American poet from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA.

Some of you may have watched President Barack Obama's inauguration on TV a few years ago. During that ceremony, there was a reading of a poem by an Afro-American poet, chosen by the then President-Elect himself. At the risk of stating the obvious, Barack Obama, the 44th President of the USA, is the first non-white president of that country.

Well, Robert Frost was the first ever poet invited to read a poem at a presidential inauguration, a tradition started by John F Kennedy at his inauguration sometime in January 1961. In fact, JFK said of Frost " He has bequeathed his nation a body of imperishable verse, which shall be the treasure of generations."

This poem, one of his many that are famous, tells the story of a traveller that came upon a road that split in two directions, stopped for a little while to evaluate his options before deciding which one to take. The parable is clear, one has to make choices somewhere along one's life, a choice that can't be undone very easily.

How many of you have faced that defining moment in your life, especially when you have to that life-defining decision all by yourself, without advice or counsel? Things would be so much easier if there were roadsigns at that pivotal moment so you will know which way to take. Like so:

 So if you chose the road to NORBAINI CAKES, you will reach Chef Baini's humble little hut where you will be welcomed like an old friend! Even if you are a friend who is Greek and brought a gift! Arigato!

 

Chef Baini's door is always open to the lonely and hungry traveller, so if you happen to be famished, today at Norbaini Cakes, the main course is the Kebaya Cake!

Some of you may be saying to yourselves "Am I watching a movie by Quentin Tarantino? Because he always starts his movies with a long winding road before getting to the point!" Well, Chef Baini likes to take a leaf from other people's books every once in a while, you can learn quite a few tricks that may prove useful sooner or later!

So lets get straight to it then....Today Chef Baini had 3 travellers who wanted to learn about Kebaya Cakes.....

All three proved to be very serious students, following Chef Baini's instructions to the letter....

Surely this will be a another Red-Letter Day!

The picture above shows the stages of transformation....Transformation -  a word that's en vogue in Malaysia nowadays....especially in July 2011 when the TRANSFORMERS 3 movie hits the screens!

Thus at the end of the day, the 3 travellers wiped the sweat off their eyebrows and saw their handiwork...Their achievements today did raise some eyebrows as well, not to mention smiles too!

Chef Baini salutes today's 3 travellers: Rozy, Kak Yan and Kay for their dedication to making the Kabaya Cake and making it well! Salud!

If we take the road not taken, not knowing where it will lead, relying on hope and determination, we will likely be better off, even though the road may get a little bumpy. Just think: Now Chef Baini's 3 friends know how to make a Kebaya Cake. What they choose to do with that knowledge is up to them, be it to sell Kebaya Cakes, give it as a gift or mark a special occasion with it.

Here's the last stanza of the poem, for us to contemplate on its meaning:

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference

Hard work is always worth it.

 P.S.>

Since Chef Baini is in a poetic mood, CB will treat you with 1 of her seminal poems that she wrote way back high school. It goes like this:

Two three cats running,

Where got same with striped cat,

Two three Leng Chai I can find,

Where got same with you my darling-lor!

Ha-ha!CB hopes you enjoyed that poem too! Take care, everyone!