Bedak sejuk, a trusted beauty secret of our grandmothers
![bedak sejuk © Adrian Cheah](/images/great_penang/culture_heritage/bedak_sejuk_07.jpg)
At dusk, when women with white sceptre-like masks ventured out of their homes to purchase a snack or visit neighbours, children would gawk while adults would shrug their shoulders in indifference.
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The vibrant and colourful Nyonya kerabu bee hoon
![kerabu bee hoon © Adrian Cheah](/images/great_penang/food/Kerabu_bee_hoon_01.jpg)
When it comes to good food, the only one you have to really satisfy is yourself. When it comes to cooking (without deviating too far from the recipe), you can add whatever you like to your dish and omit all the ingredients that do not tickle your taste buds.
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The upside-down tree – Penang's very own Baobab
![Penang's Baobab tree © Adrian Cheah](/images/great_penang/culture_heritage/boabab_tree_01.jpg)
According to African legend, the Baobab wanted to become the most beautiful tree of all. When it realised that this was not possible, it put its head into the ground, so only the roots pointed heavenward. Another legend holds that when the Baobab was planted by God, it kept walking, so God pulled it up and replanted it upside down to stop it from moving.
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Never Forgetting Balik Pulau – exploring an alluring, rustic village in Penang across time
Josephine Choo
Photography, design and layout by Adrian Cheah
![Never Forgetting Balik Pulau © Adrian Cheah](/images/ACEK_Creative_Solutions/Publications/Balik_Pulau_01.jpg)
"Never Forgetting Balik Pulau" is part memoir, part guide. The author, after spending her entire youth in the village, accumulated a bagful of tales. Exploratory trips back gave credence to past memories but gradually, a comprehensive guide with maps to the village evolved.
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Spongy Kuih Bahulu recipe
![Kuih Bahulu © Adrian Cheah](/images/great_penang/food/kuih-bahulu_02.jpg)
Kuih Bahulu (also known as Kuih Baulu or Kuih Bolu) is a perennial favourite among Malaysians of all ages. In Hokkien, it is called Kay Nui Koh. It is a mini light and fluffy sponge cake made from eggs, flour and sugar. It has a slightly crusty outer layer with a soft and fluffy inside, quite similar in taste and texture to a French Madeleine. However, when compared to many western cakes, Kuih Bahulu is much lighter in texture and has a subtle sweetness.
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My unforgettable birthday dinner at The Tamarra
![The Tamarra © Adrian Cheah](/images/great_penang/food/230108_Tamarra_01.jpg)
I turned 55 this year, travelled 55 times around the sun, clocking a distance of 8,228 million kilometres. Although moving at breakneck speed of 1,670 kilometres per hour through space, my precious life on earth seems to crawl at a much slower pace.
I look up at the night starry sky and marvel at the millions of miles I have travelled across the universe. I close my eyes and look within and marvel as well at more than half a century of wisdom and experience I have encountered. I am truly blessed!
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