Kung Hee Fat Choy!

Waiting for a verdict from PayPal about whether it will allow me to establish a business account for fundraising -- given the lower transaction costs and higher number of transactions permitted per year -- would have been considerably less pleasant had it not been for one of my favorite holidays, which occurred this week -- viz., Chinese New Year. 2009 is the obstinate, Year of the Ox.

What's so special about CNY? If you've ever sampled pineapple tarts, which are a staple of CNY celebration in Singapore and Western Malaysia, you'll know what I'm talking about. These wonderful jam-filled cookies are derived from the Peranaken or Nonya cooking traditions of Chinese immigrants to the Malaysian peninsula and are simply delightful. They make the perfect gift for family and friends, especially in this economic climate, as they are thought to symbolize wealth and prosperity due to their golden color.

Best of all, my dearest Elizabeth, whose mother hails from Sarawak and who grew up in Kuala Lumpur, made a killer batch over the weekend that competed rather successfully against my now second favorite brand of tarts brought from Singapore by her fairy godmother. To learn more about these wonderful treats, try here and here.

I'll try to eat only one per hour while I await a final decision from PayPal and clear the last hurdle to starting my EA2009 fundraising campaign -- although I think we've already polished off a pound of tarts since yesterday, setting my weight loss resolution back by at least two weeks!