Stories from the Kitchen
September 15th, 2009
behold! in fair E.C. (name of dorm building), where we lay our scene — t’is a tour of the refrigerator that came with our suite, its compartments divided and ruled to observe excellent property law and refrigeratory peace among the five suitemates, all alike in dignity:
this is the boys’ compartment. as you can tell, the three of them are all growing up to be big, fine, strapping men
my section :D
…… and my roommate’s section. hahaha.
and here is my very first dorm-cooked meal:
super fuss-free bacon n eggs! which, i was delighted to discover, taste just the same here as they do back home.
and of course, being very aZn, i just had to eat my bacon and eggs with not just rice, but also kimchi and soy sauce. yes, that is the by-now infamous lee kum kee soy sauce bottle with the metal cap which i had a lot of trouble removing — the attempts are all documented on my twitter and facebook, according to advice kindly dispensed by my lovely friends on both twitter and fbook.
advice #1: ask macho guys. tried and failed — this was actually the first thing i did, but the big burly manly men in our suite could not open the bottle either, and in fact told me to just go and buy a bottle opener.
advice #2: use a wet cloth. failed — it resulted in a broken fingernail.
advice #3: TALK TO THE BOTTLE NICELY in a corner to ‘loosen it up’, as suggested by the sagely @kennysia. tried and failed because the bottle got more uptight instead. -_-;;;;; /super layan face
haha i look so young in this photo of my layan face. i was only 17…!
advice #4: dip cap in hot water. CANNOT believe i didn’t think of this earlier! but it didnt work either.
advice #5: wrap a rubber band around the cap and twist. this sounds terribly inventive and clever, but for some reason it did not work. the rubber band is now stuck in between the glass bottle and the metal bottle cap.
advice #6: hit against counter. i did and it failed — resulted in chipped counter surface. oops.
then i tried #4, #5 #2, and #6 successively in order, but the bottle cap STILL WOULD NOT OPEN. aku dah pasrahhhhhh. the bottle is still unopened. some advice i have yet to try:
advice #7: use teeth. i mean, really.
advice #8: hit the middle of the cap with something hard so that the edges spring up, or a hole is created in the cap. actually, in my earlier trials i did do this with a fork, but the bottle cap ended up bending the fork’s tines…
advice #9: open using the top of my fist. i have no idea what this means — it sounds like bartender jargon — but it seems as painful as using my teeth. i shall avoid.
advice #10: smash the bottle while holding on the bottom; apparently this will result in me holding on to the bottom of the bottle which should still be carrying a substantial amount of sauce. just like ‘what they do in the movies with beer bottles, except the opposite’, according to Ron.
advice #11: “throw at the wall”, is songjun’s inspired advice. did i really once date this guy?
advice #12: put bottle in gap of ajar door and then pry the bottle cap open by closing the door. this also sounds very innovative and clever, but i know it’s going to result in my apartment smelling of soy sauce for a month.
SIGH.
I REALLY LIKE MY EGGS WITH SOY SAUCE.
Entry Filed under: General
64 Comments Add your own
1. nileey | September 15th, 2009 at 8:08 am
advice #8: hit the middle of the cap with something hard
my mum uses a spoon to tap the side of the cap, usually 3 times. And it ALWAYS work!
2. Yappy | September 15th, 2009 at 8:14 am
Hi su ann, how about adding some cooking oil between the metal cap and glass bottle to loosen it? But not cover the whole bottle with oil so that you can still get a good grip on it and then use a wet cloth on the red cap. Sounds silly, never even try this method before, probably wont work. lolzzz… good luck with opening the bottle! =)
3. carol | September 15th, 2009 at 8:19 am
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
eh try standing the cap in very hot water for a couple of minutes, THEN using a wet cloth that’s not the slippery kind la.. but the towelly kind and quickly turning it..
OR maybe you’re twisting it in the wrong direction…..
4. kennysia | September 15th, 2009 at 8:41 am
I swear #3 works.
5. songjun | September 15th, 2009 at 9:13 am
just dip the metal end into boiling water, wait for a wihle, then try pulling it out :P
6. smartypants | September 15th, 2009 at 9:49 am
your meal looks wholesome. a great homemaker in the making. i like your pair of chopsticks kinda of elegant.
7. Marlene | September 15th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Have you tried prying the cap a little with a knife (blunt knife is ok) so that it will release the vacuum… then it should be quite easy to open.
8. smartypants | September 15th, 2009 at 9:57 am
these pics are great ‘resume’ .. for your future ..self-preservation.. to remain in-laws and not outlaws..hahaha
9. shadow | September 15th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Use the bottle opener?
I think the back of a spoon or fork should works fine.
LeeKumKee definitely serve the best soy sauce.
Nice to eat it even with white rice only.
Good for people living on a shoestring like me.
10. LennyTheLion | September 15th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Oooooh…i miss BnJ’s everything but the swirl!!
11. sweatlee | September 15th, 2009 at 11:09 am
i loveeeeeeeee egg+rice+soy sauce!! the cap is plastic what why so hard to open! why u didn’t try using a saw/chainsaw to cut it open and show him who’s da man wtf
12. KY | September 15th, 2009 at 11:21 am
HAhhahah so tragic, i think you should just buy another bottle :X
13. Ping | September 15th, 2009 at 11:21 am
hmm…. running under tap water? and try to open it?
14. p | September 15th, 2009 at 11:29 am
gotta push in and then twist..
15. sheon | September 15th, 2009 at 11:58 am
send it over to me, i’d get it opened in no time at all!!!
there’s actually a device that i’ve seen in jusco/ace hardware that’s a proper screw-cap opener. TA-DA!!! that’ll be your coming birthday gift from me.
16. CraSH | September 15th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
hmm.. i dont see any metal cap!! if the cap is inside the plastic… then open the plastic cap first…. look at the cap, is it a bottle opener kind? if so, open with bottle opener….
if not, see whether it is a twist open? look at the sealing interface for tongue and groove interface. if there is any, then it is a twist open. then do what your readers said… run hot water on the cap, say for about 5-8 minutes then get a firm grip and open it by twisting it counter-clockwise….
worse case scenario, use a bottle opener with a counter lever that punches a hole.. and do it that way… if you ask your boys!! tell them to make it like a beer shooter, but its not on the soy sauce bottle instead.
anyway, good luck
17. pinkpau | September 15th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
GUYSSSS
obviously if i had a bottle opener i wouldnt be in this predicament! (that’s why my suitemates told me to go buy a bottle opener when they failed to open the bottle)
i’m just too lazy and too cheap to buy a bottle opener. haiyo :P
18. mumzzy | September 15th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
hahaaa….
#1 Talk sweet nothings to the bottle ! :)
#2 Try rubbing the bottle like the magic lamp!
19. CraSH | September 15th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
oh ok!! then.. here is the technique you are looking for… hahaha
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieK3_X6Vc5c
20. lily | September 15th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Use door knob, y’know the hole on the door frame. Use it as bottle opener. .I use that to open my beer bottle.Try it.
21. CraSH | September 15th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
if you dont have a lighter… use this….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QAE9crPHOY&
22. melissa | September 15th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Hi Su Ann! I came across this quote and it reminded me of you haha! xD
“I’ve been on a calendar, but never on time.” – Marilyn Monroe
sorry i have no advice to contribute on how to open a bottle. I have very innovative brothers to take care of that problem for me most of the time.
23. nat | September 15th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
pliers!!
24. Huai Bin | September 15th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
I was going to reply yesterday with the rather innovative and time tested method of using a dry piece of cloth (preferably the inside of your t-shirt…at least that’s what I always use) and apply force in a counter clockwise motion. Always worked for me. ;)
I like the name of the ice cream (?) Everything but the…
Good copy. :)
25. Patricia | September 15th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
pretend you already have kimchi in your dish :))
aha, maybe u should just… exchange the bottle for another that can actually be opened. dont smash the head though! u just might have glass + kimchi whee.
26. Patricia | September 15th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
of course i meant soy sauce! my bad :P
27. yeshy | September 15th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
OMG i have the EXACT SAME bottle that i gave up opening a 5 months ago! its still deep within the depths of my kitchen cupboard ==
28. bs | September 15th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
the rubber band move is actually quite effective for me, but have to be patient when the rubber band gets stuck and just try again and again and again…
29. ju | September 15th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
If it IS a metal cap, the easiest brain vs brawn thing to do is use a spoon, and pry outward one of the cap’s ‘claws’ which are kiap-ing onto the glass bottle’s corkscrewy ridges. That should let air into the vacuum and you’ll hear a POP and behold! you can openth the bottle of soy sauce! :)
30. annant | September 15th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
i will knock it against something hard..
and i once hit too hard that da poor tomato puree splashed on da floor..and da most geksei thing is, i have to clear da mess myself =.=
31. hw | September 15th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
put tip of index finger and thumb and flick index finger on the top of the cap few times… hold bottle sideways, get a towel/cloth, push the cap inwards towards the bottle with palm (sounds counterproductive but works for me) and twist it open.
32. nick au | September 15th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
wei, I don’t think the men in your suite is macho enough. I would’ve opened it in a jiff. Long time never kacau you on your blog.
How’s you!?
33. sabb | September 15th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
hiee…
number 12 really works 4 me!! and the content wont spill…it will just longgarkan the cap…u’d still hv to twist it open…
34. organic | September 15th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Treat it like siham and lala, if you can’t open it, it’s a spoilt bottle. Get another. Creative positive thinking!
35. whimsicaljottings | September 15th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
Wakakaka. I was just about to say the EXACT same thing as commentor #34 above. But he/she beat me to it.
Aquistare una nuova bottiglia.
Meglio ancora, una apribottiglie!
P.s: Mi si acquista una Ferrari quando sono diventato un miliardario :P
36. vvens | September 15th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
hahahaha oh. i never thought that i can talk to the bottle nicely! HAHAHA. i will try it next time.
37. maysnow | September 15th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
Hi pinkpau ^^ Dunno whether u saw it or not, but I left u a msg on twitter (my 1st, no less! =p) saying that you could try wearing rubber gloves to open it! works for me all the time hehe :)
nat’s #23 suggestion of pliers sounds good too! I think I’ve done it before… but I guess it’s kinda hard to find a pair of pliers with such a big “mouth” =p
38. WP | September 15th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
I’m surprised #1 didn’t work…I would try #4 if twisting with a cloth doesn’t work and I don’t have the #1 “tool” available :P Usually the hot water trick works fine…maybe you didn’t dip it long enough?
39. xiao | September 16th, 2009 at 12:16 am
i’m wondering if it’s open now…
40. Hanson | September 16th, 2009 at 12:53 am
“The growing pains of Lim Su Ann….”. We likey. ;-)
I hope you’ve gotten your bottle opened by now!!
Otherwise, look around for some other Asian dudes / dudettes that have a “I got kicap in my room” look laaa, just borrow theirs first lor….
41. passerby | September 16th, 2009 at 5:36 am
is it the beer bottle kind of cap?
try using a key to slowly pry the edges.. or use a tweezer!
if it’s the screw cap kind, then .. um, you’re pretty much screwed i supposed. heh.
42. kehrol | September 16th, 2009 at 8:40 am
HAHA i like how everyone is still trying to virtually aid you in opening TDB – that darned bottle :P
43. fatcat | September 16th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
HAHA. HAVE U OPENED THE BOTTLE?
Dip cap in hot water n bottle in cold water. LOL!!! Or… get more ppl to open! sometimes, the “joint” effort works! :D
44. pinkpau | September 17th, 2009 at 1:50 am
i have not opened the bottle T__________T
I AM GIVING UP. BUYING A NEW BOTTLE LATER TONIGHT.
45. chareli | September 17th, 2009 at 3:27 am
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
(i seriously have nothing else to say after reading through this.)
46. xiao | September 17th, 2009 at 3:29 am
why not an opener instead of a new bottle?
47. McG | September 17th, 2009 at 6:46 am
…assuming it’s a lift off cap like in non-twist-off beer bottles….
Place lip of cap onto a piece of flat metal with a square edge (eg hand rail), Use free hand to strike top if cap gently – cap should pop off like a beer bottle.
or
Get yourself a BIC lighter. hold the neck of the bottle just under the lid like you are gripping a stick. Place lighter ontop of your holding hand and under the lid. Using your hand as a fulcrum, push the other end of the lighter down to pop the lid.
That’s how we pop the top off Corona’s… Good Luck.
48. Jeff from LA | September 17th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
The answer is so simple: Go knock on your neighbors’ doors until you find someone who has a bottle opener you can borrow. I’m sure someone nearby has one. This way you don’t have to spend any money AND you have a good reason to meet your neighbors. Additional bonus – you can even find out which neighbor of yours is actually nice/friendly.
49. rahsia | September 17th, 2009 at 9:39 am
try using a knife to poke two holes on the metal cap.
50. fatcat | September 17th, 2009 at 10:13 am
HAHAHA. So much for soy sauce! :P You should complain to the soy sauce manufacturer!
51. Caffy | September 17th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
pinkpau! If you’re getting a new one, get someone at the store to open it first before paying for it!
52. Ping Ping | September 17th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
i think dipping into hot water one only works for metal cap cuz it’ll expand…plastic one cannot kut… =)) soysauce+rice+egg is the BEST ever!!!!! <3
53. chm | September 18th, 2009 at 2:22 am
oh Lord. This is bloody hillarious. Substitute Jack for Lee Kum Kee den ahhahahahhahaha OR you can do what some people in mangas do. grab a katana n slice da neck of da bottle off ahahahahahahha
54. Michelle | September 18th, 2009 at 3:36 am
Why buy a new bottle? Seriously la pinkpau, get a BLOODY CAN OPENER!
I’M URGING YOU. IN CASE YOUR SUITEMATES DECIDE TO KILL YOU, THEN YOU CAN USE A CAN OPENER WHAT…
or not i mail you one.
55. lydia | September 18th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
i usually run my under REALLY hot water from the tap, not just dipping it in hot water. works like a charm! :) x
56. songjun | September 18th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
laugh at u if the next bottle same story AHAHA
57. Tyler | September 18th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
HAH! I had the same nasty surprise when I bought my bottle of Lee Kum Kee soya sauce when I discovered a stupid metal cap that separated me from the sauce ><
I tried banging it against the counter too leaving dent marks (oops), tried a wet cloth which resulted in my cloth getting torn due to the sharp edges of the cap. Finally I stuck a knife under the edges and pried the edges out which then made it easier to pull it off. You can try that if you want.
58. Shingo T | September 19th, 2009 at 8:31 am
Eggs are epic!
59. Jas | September 20th, 2009 at 2:21 am
For a second I thought that was KimberlyCun!
60. Yong Sheng | September 25th, 2009 at 4:36 am
You got Bens n Jerry!!!! I miss those! hahahah :) Malaysia still got la.. just that i miss those time when eating there :)
61. April | September 28th, 2009 at 4:45 am
I bought the exact bottle of Lee Kum Kee sauce when I was studying in Melbourne last year. Having just moved in to my new apartment, I figured a bottle of kicap would be essential to my cooking. Imagine my horror when I found out that there was a metal cap covering it, & I had no bottle cap opener!
I was cursing Lee Kum Kee so so much for being so cina! I resorted to using a knife to ‘bend’ the metal and ended up almost stabbing myself whilst at it.
I subsequetly switched to Kikkoman soy sauce after that. LOL.
62. Simon Seow | September 29th, 2009 at 7:28 am
Bacon with rice? That’s a new one.
63. Kiran | October 12th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Sigh. The bottled is vacuum sealed. So you need to use a butter knife to lift the cap and remove the vacuum. Once you hear a “pop”, you can immediately open the cap!
64. pinkpau | October 12th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
problem solved, all ! a mysterious unknown person came into my suite and benevolently opened my soy sauce bottle, and left without anticipating praise or reward — though he did leave the bottle cap forlorn on the floor. we can all have soy sauce with our food now. happiness!
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