Different…

I’ve tried the pineapple cakes from Taiwan a couple of times before here and here and what I do know is that some can be very expensive and despite that, many who go over would cart home a whole lot to give to their family and friends. Then I got some from my good friend, the late Jimmy, when he was based in Bintulu…and I did read in some blogs of the ones made in Penang which were, in no way, any cheaper, it seemed. Not too long ago, a bakery in town started making its own as well and I thought they were pretty good.,,but at RM1.50 each for that small thing, I would not say they were cheap either and lately, they are made available in boxes at RM10.00 for 6 pieces – the extra RM1.00 goes to the box, it seems, to make it more presentable when you want to give it to people.

Well, I would not say I am really fond of those – in fact, I am just so-so when it comes to those pineapple tarts that some would give an arm or a leg to get hold of some really good homemade ones, come Chinese New Year every year. Ok, I would enjoy eating the really nice ones but no, I would not buy any of those sold in the shops, not in the bakeries and even less, the ones at the supermarkets. I quite enjoy those made-in-Sibu pineapple cakes more than the rest because the jam inside is pretty fresh – like the jam on our own jam tarts…and it does not have that essence smell that would put me off anything that has it – like some of those factory-made cakes and biscuits.

However, I do appreciate the fact that my friend, Andrew, was so thoughtful and generous – he contacted me to get my mailing address as he had got some from Taiwan and would like to send me some all the way from Ipoh, Perak. I told him to just keep and enjoy them with his family for they do not come cheap plus the postal charges would be way too much…but he insisted. That was why, on Monday, the poslaju van stopped outside my gate and the guy handed me this…

Hmmmm…this one was different again – not the same as the ones I had had before and gee!!! There was salted egg yolk inside…

…and anything with salted egg yolk, I sure would like! Hehehehehe!!!!

Outside, it looked more or less like any of the rest…

…but inside, it was a little different…

You can see the layer of the salted egg yolk…

…sandwiched in between the pineapple jam and the pastry on the outside.

Yes, it was nice but no, it wasn’t something that would get me rushing back to the shops to grab hold of more…so when you hop over to Taiwan again, Andrew, thank you so very much but please don’t get me anymore. I love this that I found inside the box though…

– I don’t know whether it originally came with the cakes or whether Andrew slipped that in himself. Inside the box is a deck of cards with all the lovely family-themed quotations…

I really enjoyed going through them one by one and reading each and every line.

Thank you so much, Andrew. It is really so very nice of you and I am indeed flattered that you’ve kept me in your thoughts despite the fact that you’re no longer actively blogging and I may only get to see you dropping by or on Facebook once in a long while. I guess that now with your two little boys, you literally have your arms full! No worries – in the years to come, you will look back and realise that these are the best times of your lives. Do take care, all of you, and may God bless you and your family abundantly – as the card on the box says: A family is a God-given blessing, a treasury of love and joy.

Incidentally, should you be going on another working trip to Taiwan again, no, I don’t want those sun biscuits, much as I love them a lot, thank you very much…but the postal charges are far from cheap plus they are crumbly, not easy to bring home and send over – they may get here in powder form, believe you me. LOL!!!