ratatouille, ikmal and me..

Ra-ta-ta-what????

Ratatouille (pronounced as rat-a-too-ee).. is the latest pixar animated movie currently being shown around town. It's about a rat in france which aspires to become a chef in an expensive fine-dining restaurant..!!

Mmm.. while i'm not particularly crazy about animations, this story came into our life a few weeks ago via hubby who bought a set of pirated-dvds for his children whilst enjoying his teh-tarik session with some friends at some mamak-stall near his seremban office. That's my hubby's style of impulse-shopping.. With his lack of time pursuing other things apart from working and teh-tariking.. he'd buy whatever things that'd catch his fancy from direct-sellers who come direct to his coffee-table. Cheap dvds seemed to be the cheapest and easiest way to please his 3 children, then!!

My 3 & a half year old Ikmal has been watching the movie almost continuously the past 1-2weeks.. I've been glancing at it many times as i work from home whilst monitoring his morning activities and rituals.. Call me a bad mother, but daily watching of cartoons has been his most reliable babysitter!! The likes of Barney, Elmo, Mickey Mouse, Totally Spies and Powerpuff Girls have been his English teachers since he turned one!! ;))

Back to Ratatouille..

As Ikmal was watching and laughing and really enjoying his rat-movie.. i took a sudden interest in some of the opening scenes which showed Remy the rat enjoying a piece of cheese then later, a bite of strawberry. His facial and verbal expressions as he savioured each of the 2 foods one by one.. eyes closed, nose wiggling, mouth chewing ever slowly, head swaying.. was being immitated by my boisterous boy!! And when Remy mixed both the cheese and strawberry together in his mouth.. both Ikmal and the rat exploded in ecstacy.. and my interest in cooking was re-ignited!!!!!!!!!

My cooking-lesson on enjoying food ala french fine-dining for that day was.. cooking is about mixing the correct combinations of ingredients.

My teacher for that day was.. Remy the rat.

My inspiration for days and days to come.. Ikmal Arfudi, the other man in my life.

My future posts would include a new-found passion.. cooking!!!!! ;))))))