shiokadelicious!

Am I a Cultural Schizophrenic?

While it may seem obvious to those who read this blog on a regular basis that my Chinese (and Asian) roots run deep, it may be less evident how deeply I’m also influenced by my Western educational upbringing. While I may observe and zealously preserve all the Chinese traditions and customs, I am also a curious, maybe even schizophrenic, blend of English thinking (partly inherited from our former imperial colonists, from whom we have also obtained the basis of our government administration, judicial system and many of our social structures and mores, and partly derived from my English schooling) and American mass culture.

Having always had nothing but a non-local education, I speak differently from the vast majority of Singaporeans. But that doesn’t mean I speak like a Westerner either. When I was studying in the UK, the English used to say to me that I had such a strong American accent, and they would inevitably ask if I had grown up in the States. But each time I visited the US or Canada, the Americans and Canadians always found my “very English” accent “so very cute”. And I spoke exactly the same way whether I was in Oxford or Vancouver! (This in itself speaks volumes about the concepts of human interpretation and contextual observations, but this is not the time and place to go down that road.)

Whenever I was home, a lot of Singaporeans thought I was simply trying to “slang” (that’s local speak for “trying to talk with an - often affected - foreign accent”). But what many didn’t realize was that if I had tried to speak Singlish, it would have been an intolerable torture on their ear-drums, and I would then really have been “slanging”. Singlish was almost a foreign language to me! When I first came back to Singapore and was in my first job, almost all the local customers couldn’t understand me when I spoke to them. I had to “un-learn” my “foreign accent” and try to speak English like a local. Now, decades later, I probably have what is called “the Singapore International accent” - - along the lines of that possessed by such people as our Prime Minister, Senior Minister and the Minister Mentor. I can manage to throw in some Singlish every now and then, but requiring me to carry out a lengthy conversation in pure Singlish simply drains me of too much energy. And even now, when I am excited, or maybe riled and irritated, unconsciously my “Singapore International accent” slips into a more pronounced English-American hybrid, and I guess that is when I start “slanging” again - unconscious though it may be.

“Wah lau” and other similar terms have great difficulty rolling off my tongue (spontaneously that is - - it is usually a conscious decision on my part to use such words, and often to achieve a certain effect), and yet “oh wow!”, “my goodness!”, “good heavens!”, “gosh!”, even “oh dear!” or “oh my!” clatter smoothly out of my mouth.

I often find it terribly trying mentally, and incredibly slow-going, when I have to read the informal writings (for example on blogs and in forums) of some Singaporeans and Malaysians. My brain seems to find it difficult to “fill in the blanks” when English is not written in full sentences with proper spelling and a good measure of grammar mixed in. So now days ah, I dun evn read mail send 2 me dat writ in sm kind of way dat I dun no also dun understand one. So dif one leh. Like wat only. Try 2 read & read also donch understand. Haiz. Mebe me old alredi & donch understand how young peeps nowadays like 2 write one. So gv up lah. Juz kp 1 side only lor. Sometimes, when confronted with a passage like that, I almost feel like I am back in my Roman Law tutorial at University and have to decipher some obscure Latin passage! And the above is not even close to an “accurate” rendition, as I do not have a deep or intimate enough knowledge of or acquaintance with the full intricacies of the special flows and rhythms of such grammar-free, syntax-completely-not-considered text. But I digress.

My friends sometimes joke that I am too Western for the East, yet too Eastern for the West. I have come to the conclusion that I am a rather mixed up, maybe even confusing, blend of Singaporean, Chinese, Asian, English and American influences in the way I think, communicate and act - - and yes, also in the way I think of, relate to and eat foods!

Take for example: up until recently, I almost inevitably choose to try out recipes that are written in cups and tablespoons. Oh, how fiddly measurements in grams and millilitres seem to me. But now, I’m equally comfortable with both - - nothing fazes me anymore (although I can’t help but suspect that the recent purchase of a nifty electronic scale has much to do with that ).

But please don’t ask me to give my height in meters (or metres, if you prefer - - it matters not to me), I only really know it in feet and inches. I still find it “weird” when people tell me the weight of their newborns in kilograms; I expect that piece of information in pounds and ounces, just as I measure my own weight only in pounds. Yet, at the same time, if you tell me your weight in stones, you are liable to give me a massive headache!

On the other hand, please don’t EVER try to get me to buy my food in pounds and ounces. That will only leave me completely dumbfounded and in a right old bad mood. I’ll only take my groceries when they are weighed out for me in kilograms and grams, thank you very much.

At other times, my brain seems given to doing mental gymnastics. Usually, when I have to guess or estimate the size of an object, my mind almost always switches to its “inches-and-feet” mode, yet, when I actually take a measuring tape and measure the very same object, I am more likely to read off the measurements in centimeters and millimeters - - even when there are both inches/feet and cm/mm readings on the ruler. Go figure.

I gauge my oven’s temperature in Centigrade, and find the constant necessary recipe conversion from Farenheit to Celsius rather irritating. I also know that when the mercury soars above 33C, it’s way too hot and muggy for me to want to start the oven and do some baking, but I have no real concept of how warm a “low 90s” weather is.

By the same token (or maybe not so same a token), I know how many kilometres and kilometers my car does on each litre or liter of petrol, but I haven’t a clue how many gallons of fuel it takes to fill the belly of the car. And yes, I only fill up at the petrol station, and hardly ever at the gas station - - or only when I’m in the US. The concept of speed is completely lost on me when I have to think in terms of miles per hour. I mean, geez, how am I supposed to know that 80 miles an hour is speeding? Since we are on the subject of cars, I hail a taxi just as often as I call for a cab, which is only when my car is in the workshop.

But back to food. Oh, something as simple as eating a meal can be a minefield of hang-ups that can send a person onto the psychiatrist (or shrink, depending on your side of the Atlantic) couch.

It took me almost my entire first year in England to get used to being told by someone that they were about to have their tea, round about the same time as I was about to have my dinner. Other than that, I’m just as likely to start my meal with a starter as I am with an appetizer, to be followed, with equal frequency, by either a main course or an entrée. But, while I love desserts, and think they bring all meals to a lovely, sweet finish, I find it very hard to think of the final course of my dinner as “pudding”.

Speaking of all foods sweet and wonderful, I am given to having periodic, intense cravings for brownies and huge ice cream sundaes with “the works”, yet, I hardly ever dream of or have insatiable longings for trifles and all things pudding-like. Then again, I have never quite understood the allure of the all-American apple pie.

As a child, I had a soft spot for sweets, but hardly ever gave candies much thought. Nowadays, I’m neutral to both, preferring instead the ambrosia of the gods - - chocolate!

I like cookies when they have chocolate chips, peanut butter or oatmeal and raisins in them, or when they go by the name Oreo. But I only take biscuits when they are called Digestives, Tim Tams or any other of the hundreds of varieties of small, flat-ish baked goodies. I’m also not adverse to having a bikkie or two every now and again. But be they cookies or biscuits, I have a definite preference for the crisp and crunchy kind, rather than the soft and chewy.

With other baked items, things can get a little confusing. Many years ago, when I first encountered the American biscuit, I was shocked at how different it looked and tasted from its namesakes across the sea. Something must have changed irreversibly in the gene pool during its voyage across the Atlantic. Or maybe it just suffered an identity crisis. It certainly looks like its cousin, the English scone, but it seems to think of itself as a descendant of its harder and flatter neighbour. Or, maybe, when it first arrived in America, it found that its neighbor had taken on a name change, going from biscuit to cookie, so it decided to do likewise, and took on the neighbor’s former name. Who knows. What I do know though is that while I love American muffins, I only like English muffins. While I adore English scones, I don’t particular care for their American counterparts. When it comes to breads though, I eat buns as often as I do rolls.

For afternoon tea, I like nothing more than to have a couple of fresh-from-the-ovens English scones slathered with rich clotted Devonshire cream and luscious whole-fruit preserves, with maybe a few slivers of dainty cucumber sandwiches on the side. The mere thought of glazed donuts (or doughnuts, if you prefer), on the other hand, makes my temples ache from a sugar over-load. And I get indigestion just from the mention of a high-tea buffet table loaded with nasi lemak and mee siam and other such like. I’m okay with such a concept for dinner or lunch, but for tea?

I have to admit I have never quite taken a fancy to the thick, fluffy American pancake, preferring instead the thinner, lighter English version with its Continental overtones.

As far as savory foods are concerned, I only ever eat chips with deep-fried, batter-coated fish, but these never ever accompany my burgers. Oh no, for my hamburgers and cheeseburgers, only fries will do. While I have given up my habit of snacking on chips whilst veging out in front of the tellie, I have never been a potato crisps sort of gal.

My food preferences seem to defy cultural divisions. I am more likely to order a steak than Sunday roast beef. Yet, when I spy Yorkshire pudding on the table, waves of delight wash over me. But please! Don’t ever serve me black pudding - - that gives me the willies!

I think there is nothing more wonderful than tucking into a luscious omelette at Sunday brunch, and increasingly I have also become open to the idea of having smooth, rich omelets too.

While I like to buy filets of fish, I think less frequently of buying fillets. However, I’m equally at home buying a whole fish; I do not baulk at the thought of serving up an entire fish with head and tail intact. I only balk at having to clean the fish after I get it home; I always get my fish guy to do the dirty work for me.

For those who read this blog closely, you will have noticed far more spelling inconsistencies than the above in all my posts. I write about always looking to add color to my dishes with the ingredients I use, just as often as I write about the colour of the ingredients in the dishes that I cook. I seek constantly to add complex layers of flavors to my food, as I like nothing more than food that are rich with flavours. And on grey, gloomy days, a bowl of comforting, restoring Chinese-style sweet soup always manages to perk up my spirit no end. Yet, I have never had a gray day before.

This extends to the way I speak too. I try very hard to remember (though very often not succeeding) to take my vie-tamins every morning. I have never taken vee-tamins in my life. I adore fresh, juicy, sweet toe-mah-toes, but I’m not sure I’ve ever eaten a toe-may-to though.

I enjoy going on holidays and eating exotic foods, but rarely do I take vacations to do the same. Sometimes I have been more than willing to join a long, snaking queue for delicious food, but rarely do I stand in line for scrumptious delicacies. At the supermarket, I am more likely to go to the cashiers to pay for my grocery selections, rather than to go to the check-out counter. I usually pay by cash, as it is not common practice here in Singapore to pay for such things by cheques. And no, we never pay for anything with checks. And in a restaurant, we always ask for the bill, and not the check. Each time I visit North America, I usually experience at least ¾ of a day of quizzical, blank looks from wait staff before I start making the switch and ask for the check rather than the bill.

I have, on many occasions, bought take-away food, but I inevitably find it very strange to have to buy take-out. Yet, I instantly understand when the person behind the counter asks me if my food is to go, while it takes a tenth of a second longer for me to register a question about whether the food is to be taken away.

The “flip-flopping” (now, there’s a phrase de jour for you ) continues… I am just as likely to exclaim “awesome” as I am to say “how lovely” when faced with unspeakably delicious food. Then again, I say just as frequently: “wah! Shiok!”

Now that it is October, I am reminded of how I really like the autumn, but I am ambivalent about fall. I will call someone up on the phone, but I rarely ring or phone anyone.

I probably have as many Americanisms as I do English conventions in the ways I talk, write, think and see things. At the same time, there are parts of me that are totally Singaporean. But most of all, at my core - - no matter how schizophrenic I may come across at times - - I am purely Asian with deep-seated Chinese roots.

That’s me. A rather complex, multi-cultural me.

Alrighty. I think that is enough verbal diarrhea from me for a while. You have to understand - - it’s Thursday, and it’s been a very, very long week for me.

But I’m now just a little curious how many of you bothered to read this entire article, devoid as it is of the usual recipes and glossy pictures, from beginning to end, and every word in between?

Copyright © 2004 Renee Kho. All Rights Reserved.
Please contact me for permission to copy, publish, distribute or display any of the images or text contained in this article.

Yahoo! Picks Shiokadelicious!

A very big thank you to Yahoo! for choosing Shiokadelicious! as its Pick of the Day!

Activating My Green Fingers, If Any

Happy Monday to you! Hope you had a fantabulous weekend!

I’d like some advice please.

I’m thinking of starting a tiny patch-sized herb garden. I’m tired of the constant “struggle” of buying fresh herbs from the supermarket / market, not using all of them up, and feeling guilty when they end up having to be thrown out.

While I won’t say I have black thumbs (is that the correct saying?), neither will I classify myself as a green-fingered magician. Plants very often don’t like me; or maybe I don’t give them enough attention for them to like me!

So, I’m thinking I should start with herbs that are fairly low maintenance and fairly hardy – things that will thrive in our tropical climate, and under my less-than-perfectly-attentive care.

Right now, my heart’s sort of set on coriander (I love and use tons of this stuff, so it’s probably worth my while to plant some), sweet basil, rosemary, dill and maybe thyme – just to start.

Questions:
• Do all these herbs fare well in tropical weather?

• Or are there other suited-to-the-tropics herbs you would recommend?

• Where can I get propagated plants of these herbs? Or do I have to grow them from seeds? I’ve heard that Cold Storage sells some potted herbs, but I have not been able to find any at the Centrepoint branch. May I know where I can get small pots of these herbs in Singapore?

• What sort of care do these herbs need? Sunlight or shade? Daily watering or not? Constant trimming or just leave them be?

Lots of questions I know, but growing herbs is totally alien to me. I’ve cooked with them for years, but have never grown or cared for them.

Heh! It almost feels like having a baby! Scary but exciting.

Any help or advice would be so very much appreciated!

Thanks!

Glad Tidings

Just a quick note : I have been informed by Cold Storage that they have a new shipment (from their new distributor) of Arnott’s Tim Tams - - in the Classic Dark flavor! (And of course, also in the regular milk chocolate flavor too.)

So, for those who have been missing these bikkies and been suffering withdrawal symptoms (or am I the only incurable addict around here? ), they should be available at Cold Storage outlets. I’m not sure if they are available island-wide though.

As for me and my mum? We’re two happy campers today… now that we have gotten a whole new stash of our daily sugar fix!

Thanks to Cold Storage for making it happen.

So Good To Be Home!

Thank you all for the supportive wishes through the comments on this blog and via email. I’m very touched by your caring concern. Thank you.

To those who have written to ask after me, I’m doing okay; maybe a little tired physically and mentally and still a little drained emotionally, but otherwise okay. : ) Thanks for asking after me, and thanks for caring.

I can’t tell you how good it feels to be home… to sleep in my own bed again! The avalanche of paper that greeted me from my in-tray was a sight to behold; but nothing could dampen how happy I felt to be back. There’s time enough over the next few days to turn my attention to the backlog of work. Right now, I’m just savoring being home.

I’ve missed blogging… I’m hoping to be able to catch my breath and resurface from under that mound of paper in a few days, and to share some pics and tales with you...

Going Offline

Just wanted to drop a quick note to say that this blog may be a little quiet over the next few weeks…

My uncle (father’s second brother) has just passed away, and we’re going away for the wake and funeral… and just to be with the whole family. I will then have to go on my pre-scheduled business trip, which has now had to be pushed back. So, I probably will not be able to do much, if any, updating for a short while.

Anyway, I’m off to bed… hope to catch a couple of hours of sleep before we have to head out to the airport for our early morning flight. In the meantime, take care and I’ll talk to you soon…

Technology Woes

Just a quick note to say that I am currently experiencing problems with my shiokadelicious email address.

If you have sent me an email over the last 24 hours or so, I would not have received it. My entire email account seems to have completely disappeared from my domain provider’s records! *poof* Vanished into thin air... just like that. So, while I try to sort this thing out with my service provider, please re-send your emails to my personal email address, which can be accessed by clicking on the email button on the navigational menu bar on the right.

My apologies for the inconvenience. What can I say? Technology!

Hmmm…

Hmmm… seems like my blog has become part of the menu – the reading menu that is – of the NUS (National University Singapore).

This is rather unexpected…

Interesting…

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

And oh, did you know that Amazon.com now sells all sorts of stuff; like cookware, bakeware, kitchen gadgets and even Kitchenaid? I didn’t. Okay, I am probably a real laggard about this (I haven’t been surfing Amazon in ages), but it’s amazing what they are selling on that site now. Amazing Amazon…

Just spent a good hour of precious time drooling over and dreaming about a new Kitchenaid and a Le Creuset Dutch Oven. Oh! These kitchen gadgets and toys are so wicked, I tell you! Well, they’ve gone on my wishlist (wishful dreaming has never hurt anyone I say). Besides, I always believe: you never know when you are going to get lucky

Wanna see my wishlists? (Yeah, plural, not singular. I’ve got two wishlists… one with amazon.com and one with amazon.co.uk. I would prefer it if they can link all the International sites together and make life easier, but there you have it; the things consumers have to do to distinguish between the UK editions and US editions of the books they want.)

Okay, I think that’s enough nonsense from me for one night… I’m off…

New York! New York! In Melbourne

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Information

Here's some technical/housekeeping information...

Recently, some of you may have experienced difficulties posting comments to this blog and/or other blogs that are hosted on TypePad, and here's the reason why:

(as quoted from an announcement by TypePad)

Recently we added some simple tests that eliminate a large amount of comment spam on TypePad blogs. According to our logs, most spammers try to cover their tracks by sending their posts through an "Open Proxy Server". An Open Proxy Server is a misconfigured or infected machine that forwards web requests for anyone on the entire Internet. The spammers use these proxies to avoid the one commment-per-minute restriction and the Blog Owner's IP address blocking.

So, we started blocking Open Proxies -- all 1.5 million of them. It immediately reduced the comment spam problem. In fact on our first day it blocked over 20,000 spam attempts!

While effective, these open proxy checks are not always perfect. If our server thinks your machine is an open proxy it will display an error message when you try to post:

Your comment has not been posted because the computer you are using appears on a list of machines exploitable by spammers. You can fix the problem by consulting the following results:
If this happens don't panic, it's possible that a virus or malware installed an open proxy on your computer. Run a scanner from a trusted vendor, such as Trend Micro's HouseCall to rid your computer of o-pen proxies and virus infections. An extensive discussion of the problem and possible solutions written by Chrstian Wagner is also available.

When you are confident your machine is secure you can remove the blocks. You can do this by visiting the web sites mentioned on the TypePad error message you received when you tried to post.

Unfortunately, I'm not very tech-savvy, so I'm really not too sure what the technical aspects entail, but I hope the above information helps those who have been experiencing difficulties to find out what is going on.

Please Help…

Speaking of kitchen toys… I would really like some help…

I am desperately seeking some individual-portion sized ramekins. I have searched high and low, but for some strange reason, haven’t been able to find any small ramekins on this ‘lil island of ours! I’ve scoured the “specialist” places like Sia Huat and even Phoon Huat. I’ve recced the cookery wares section of the major department stores. I’ve even rummaged through Ikea. No luck. There doesn’t seem to be any ramekins available in Singapore! But surely that can’t be true. Would you know where I can get hold of some ramekins of maybe about ½ to ¾ cup or 120ml to 180ml volume each? I would really appreciate any leads on this. I’ve been craving to try my hand at making some soufflés.

Also…

Would you know how these things should be cared for? I recently bought several of these silicon baking trays at the FHA. I was told that I cannot use washing liquid on them! Only warm water. Is this true?

I have to admit I’m slightly uncomfortable with the idea of not using detergent on them. The thought of a gazillion e-coli bacteria having a feeding frenzy on even the thinnest film of food remnants left on these trays, especially given our current very warm (34C / 93F) and humid weather, gives me the willies.

I’m not sure if the materials of these currently very popular silicon baking wares differ from brand to brand. The ones I bought are from this French company that was exhibiting at FHA. I had contemplated buying from Demarle – another French company and apparently, according to their website, the original inventor of the Silpat and the Flexipan. But they were only selling large sized trays suited for large sized commercial ovens, and even then, only in bulk.

I would appreciate it if you would share any experiences you may have in using and caring for these silicon contraptions.

Thank you!

Copyright © 2004 Renee Kho. All Rights Reserved.
Please contact me for permission to copy, publish, distribute or display any of the images or text contained in this article.

Of Butterflies and Lighted Candles

Just as an aside to the previous post… interestingly, I was just exchanging emails, a couple of days ago, with a fellow food blogger about being butterflies and lighted candles in the wind of ugliness that sweeps this world… and I am now eating my own words.

You Are Too Cute!

That was the subject line of an email I received yesterday.

And this was what the email said:

Renee I love your adorable blog. I just posted a link to it on
Tribe.net http://www.tribe.net/ (in the Asian Homestyle Cooking
tribe)
http://www.tribe.net/tribe/servlet/template/pub,TribeCard.vm/tribeName/ asianhomestylecooking. Here's what I said:

* shiokadelicious. Is a cute photo-packed blog on one woman's asian food
experiences in Singapore (both cooking in and eating out). I ran across
it while doing research for my impending trip to Din Tai Fung in
Artesia, CA. Her story on the DTF in Singapore (like most of her other
stories) was info and picture packed
www.shiokadelicious.com/shioka...cious/2003/12/din_tai_fung.html Im
sure you'll find other stuff to drool/fantasize about there as well,
and i was charmed by her silly-chatty writing style
www.shiokadelicious.com/ *

Again, I really enjoyed it. Its nice to see other asian foodies not
being shy about sharing their experiences. And I love it when I run
across other people that are as anal and organized as I am. I'll definitely be comming back for
more!

[* marks the section that was posted to tribe.net]

I’m flattered… I guess.

No… ya… I am… flattered I mean. I’m always flattered when a reader bothers to take the time to write, to respond to me in some way or to simply link me. Yeah, I’m flattered.

But…

“Cute”? Me? Really? Well, I guess there is always a first for everything in life. I could get used to being “cute” I suppose.

But, may I be honest? I prefer “gorgeous”. Much as that was a dear friend exaggerating like crazy. But hey, I’m entitled to be self-delusional once in a while, right? Oh, ok, I can live with “cute”. It could be worse.

My blog too. I guess it doesn’t really mind being “adorable” and “cute”. Although I am sure it had misguided visions of being glamorous, sophisticated and witty. Sigh! More self-delusion.

“Silly-chatty writing style”… hmmm… well, I guess I do try to be humorous once in a while. Yes, sorry, that was really me trying to be humorous. Honest, I wasn’t trying to be silly. You mean, I’m that UN-humorous? Oh dear, talk about a gaping, yawning gulf between intention, self-perception and received message. Why didn’t you guys tell me I was being silly and my humor was falling flat? Aren’t you guys supposed to be my friends? *pout*

I guess maybe I should now put any remote and wild fantasies I ever had of becoming a respected food-writer, who will be taken seriously (or humorously at least), on the back-burner… for a while at least… or maybe forever.

I guess I do try to be chatty, personable and friendly in my writings. By far the better I think than being a stiff, boring stuffed shirt, no? Blogs… aren’t they supposed to be personable, if not personal?

“Anal and organized”. Why does that not sound like something I should or want to aspire to be? Am I really coming across like that? Guys and gals (those who have been reading my blog for a while), is that how I sound and appear?

Maybe I just don’t like that word. That “A” word. It is the opposite of where delicious food enters my body. Foodies don’t particularly like that word, you know what I’m saying. Yeah, that must be it. Maybe that is my issue. I don’t like the sound of that “A” word. Don’t get me wrong. I like “A”. “A” is Awesome. Advantageous. Aesthetical. Affectionate. Attractive. “A” is A-alright.

But then again, maybe I am… “anal” that is. I mean, I must be right? To pick out four words from the entire email and write an entire post on them. Yeah, maybe I am. Am I?

But who cares right?

So, yeah… I guess I am flattered… I should be… I mean… I am… I mean… I know I should be…

But…

Why do I feel curiously un-flattered?

Excuse me, I like you… you’re so anal…

Hmmm…

Well, at least I’ve learnt something new today. Maybe like beauty, compliments are perhaps in the eye of the um… beholder… or maybe I should say, bespeaker. Sorry, was I being “anal” there?

I was being complimented, wasn’t I? Or at least I think the intention was to compliment me.

So, yeah, I am, I guess… flattered, I mean. I should be, right?

Never mind.

*looks at calendar*

Maybe it is just that time of the month.

Excuse me, I think I will just go and navel gaze some more… or was that some other part of the human anatomy I should be gazing at?

The Wonder Of It All

This is a non-food related post, but I came across this today, and just wanted to share it.

In these times of upheaval, uncertainty, tragedies, fear, loss and pain, sometimes it helps to be reminded of faith, hope, peace, love and the wonder of it all…

More Food Talk

Did a spot of links housekeeping, and have added a few more very interesting links to food-related blogs in the right side menu bar. Some are laggard inclusions, and others are delicious new gems. Check them out!

• pastry school
• put down the donut
• fatman seoul
• umami
• everybody eats: a journal
• let’s eat with meg and ted
• the amateur gourmet
• appetites
• a live one
• the radical chef
• too many chefs
• obsession with food

Delectable Morsels

I discovered these delicious morsels while following links…

More appetite-whetting pics and recipes… from Tripe ‘E’ Cooks.

This was a treat for the chocoholic in me… chocolate alchemy… does that sound divine or what?

Want to snack, but without the calories? Check out this Snackspot.

Now, this is what I call guilt-free, sinless indulgence!
(What I wouldn’t do for a Dairy Queen Triple Chocolate Utopia right now! Heaven indeed!)
(And I’m still waiting for the day when the golden arches and BK burgers I order look as tall, perky, fresh and luscious as those pictures. Why do I suspect it will be a very, very long wait?)

Talking about burgers… well, burger me!
Often maligned, but secretly loved?

But, if you are looking for a little more “refinement” and “grace”… how about the nice English tradition of afternoon tea? Mmmm… yes, let’s do have a nice cup of tea and a sit down…
Now, this is the life…

You won’t believe your eyes for this one…
If you are a sushi and sweets lover like me, you’ll also be wishing that they ship internationally. Kooki, indeed!

So, okay, I admit defeat. I’m not such a candy “connoisseur” afterall… sigh!
Fancy yourself a candy bar expert? Take the test.

If not, you can always start a new hobby.
[via the foodsection]

Copyright © 2004 Renee Kho. All rights reserved.
Please contact me for permission to copy, distribute and display any of the images and text contained in this article.

Oh Sweet Valentine

Spotted in today’s papers:

“Get steamy this Valentine’s Day in a Hot Chocolate Milk Bath to soften the skin, followed by a Chocolate Crunch Scrub. Next is the Cocoa Cocoon, which evens out skin tone and hydrates dry skin. The 2 ½ hour experience ends with a Mocha-Mania Massage. The guilt-free alternative for chocoholics to savour their favourite food, without the calories”.

This is what a local spa is offering as a Valentines special.

A part of me finds this rather icky. But the chocolate fanatic in me is absolutely blown away by the idea of swimming and wallowing in chocolate, being enveloped in and smeared with chocolate. It’s like the wildest nightmare and sweetest dream come true all at the same time! Remember those times when you saw the most decadent, elegant and delicious chocolate creations, and just wished you could not only eat them but also drown in them? And now there is a real-life chance of doing that!

And what is it that they say about chocolates being aphrodisiacs?

It could be a sweet, sweet Valentines Day indeed!

Copyright © 2004 Renee Kho. All rights reserved.
Please contact me for permission to copy, distribute and display any of the images and text contained in this article.

Welcome!

I would like to warmly welcome the newest member of the food blogging family... Toru. Keep those photos and posts coming! : )

Also in the UK... Italian food enthusiast-turned-food businessman, Carlo Albertoli. For those in South England, do check out his personal cooking services, offering authentic modern Italian home cooking. Sounds absolutely scrumptious!

Copyright © 2004 Renee Kho. All rights reserved.
Please contact me for permission to copy, distribute and display any of the images and text contained in this article.

We “Fowled” Up

Speaking of the rain… something has been haunting me for days…

It has been raining almost non-stop since the 2nd day of CNY (save for maybe 1½ days of clear weather). It has been the wettest January in 30 years. A few days ago, while I was standing in the check-out line at the supermarket, an elderly “auntie” who was standing in front of me in the line, suddenly turned around and said to me in Mandarin:

“Auntie": aiyo… everyday raining… not good one. This year sure bad year one. Everytime New Year raining, that year sure bad luck one.

Renee: (smiling, and trying to put a more positive spin on things) People say rain good what. Got water (“you shui”) means got money, so Singapore economy will be good this year.

“Auntie”: ya, last time is like that. But nowadays, like end of the world like that one. Everything tebalek (topsy turvy). Last year also raining every day during CNY, then we got SARS. This year, even more rain, sure jialat (bad/terrible). Now, everywhere got the chicken disease, duck disease, cow disease, pig disease and dunno what disease also. I think ah, soon we have nothing left to eat one…

Just then, her turn came up, and the conversation ended. But it struck a chord within me. The year has not started well for Asia, to say the least. Ten countries are battling the avian flu virus. It has not reached our shores… (yet?). But is it only a matter of time? Only Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines currently stand unaffected. But for how long?

However, what has truly haunted me in the past days are the images, played relentless on the TV, of hundreds and hundreds of chicken hung on huge rotating metal racks as they are slaughtered and processed to be sold to consumers; of thousands upon thousands of baby chicks thrown alive into gunny sacks to be culled; of tens of thousands of chicken carcasses thrown into mass graves. Are we humans so numb to “life” and emotions that we feel nothing as we watch this? Can we really watch such images with total detachment? I see images of the faces of these chickens and my heart breaks. These are living creatures who share our planet. How did we reach this low point?

Yes, I do believe that culling is probably the most effective way right now to deal with the problem. However, I also believe in doing it with as much dignity and grace as possible. This is a human-created problem. We have violated the balance of the natural world, and the natural world is hitting back in its own way. Let us not compound our “crimes” further.

I’m not against eating meat. Neither am I suggesting the whole world go vegetarian. I do however believe in the natural balance of things. The natural world has its own “checks and balances”. Even though Nature is always in flux, it always strives to return to a state of balance (no matter how briefly). As humans, being at the top of the food chain has afforded us certain “privileges”. But we have abused these “privileges”. And the natural order requires balance to be restored.

I am appalled at how this crisis seems to be handled by certain governments. Have we not learnt from SARS? Already eight lives have been lost (officially that is). I believe the unofficial toll is higher. Of these, quite a few are very young children – around 6 years of age. And yet, sick chickens continue to be sold, some fed with herbal folk medicine that purportedly cures the chicken of the virus. These chickens are sold to poor consumers at half the price of normal healthy chicken. Yet, the healthy “live” chickens are sold side-by-side with the sick “live” chickens. So, how does that work? Are the wheels of commerce more important than human lives? Sure, the poultry industry in all the affected countries amounts to a multi-billion dollar business. But how much is a human life worth?

The latest developments are all the more worrying. The WHO now deems it a “possibility” that there has been a case of “human to human” transmission of the virus in Vietnam. Two sisters have died from the virus, possibly having gotten it from nursing their sick brother, who had since died ahead of them. Peter Cordingly of the WHO sounded wearied, dejected and almost defeated yesterday when he announced this. He said: “we are losing more battles than we are winning”. It is not a good prognosis at all.

Another thing that has struck me… the seeming lack of interest in the rest of the world in this outbreak. Hardly any mention on CNN. Does it take the virus to reach across the globe before notice is taken. I assure you, this virus, like the SARS virus, knows no geographical boundary. Why this complacency? The only people currently interested in the issue seems to be the poultry and egg producers of Australia, the EU, US and Brazil, who are looking to cash in on the predicted poultry and egg shortage in Asia. It is still money, not human lives, or poultry lives for that matter, that speaks.

And what of the chickens? I haven’t been able to eat chicken for days. Each time I see chicken meat, images of the faces and eyes of those chickens as they are being culled swim across my mind. Admittedly (and ashamedly), it has taken this crisis to jolt me awake to the horrors of the conditions of commercially farmed chicken. Sure, I’ve “known” about it all along. But it’s easy to appreciate it from an intellectual or even “idealogical” point of view. To see the chickens “face to face” as it were, that is another matter altogether.

I marvel at people still tucking in heartily to chicken meals; at people worrying about getting alternate supplies for chicken so that their consumption will not be disrupted; at people declaring that “I will die if I don’t get to eat meat”. Are we, as a species, so unmoved by what is happening? Is there not a sense of co-responsibility for the state of affairs? Where is our conscience… the one thing that supposedly sets us apart from other animals, and which puts us at the top of the food chain as it were.

While this “crisis” is about battling avian flu, I think it says more about us humans than anything else. And the message is ugly. We have become ugly humans. We don’t deserve our place at the top of the food chain. We have abused our position of privilege. Can we be saved? Do we deserve to be saved?

This could be a year where we humans reassess (and put right) our relationship with the rest of the natural world, or this could be a year where the natural world puts right its relationship with us, and puts us in our places. It is up to us. We can each make a difference. One drop of water can an ocean make.

Copyright © 2004 Renee Kho. All rights reserved.
Please contact me for permission to copy, distribute and display any of the images and text contained in this article.

Crunch Time

I’m back! Yes, it’s been a while… What have I been up to? Stuffing my face… feasting… eating… delicately munching… tasting… imbibing… chewing… ingesting… gobbling… Errr… Okay, I think you get the picture… I now have truly well-exercised, well-toned, thoroughly worked-out jaws! LoL.

I had a grand time this New Year. I hope those who were celebrating also had a wonderful and meaningful New Year’s with family, friends and loved ones.

I thought I would take a break from my PC. Are you kidding? Withdrawal symptoms? Who? Me? No way. Sure, I can just chill… No problems. Yeah, right! Well, I fought a good fight. I stayed away for… err… longer than I’ve ever stayed away from my PC! I am proud of myself. I didn’t even surf. Imagine that! Yes, it is now proven, I can live and survive without my mouse!

Seriously, though, there was a legit reason for trying (trying being the operative word) not to post anything with lots of photos. I need more highway space. Thank you to the nearly 1000 visitors that visited this site each day over several days of the past week! Wow! I am completely stunned. I was completely caught off guard. I never expected it. I am humbled. I am flabbergasted. I am troubled. Within those few days, I busted my monthly bandwidth allowance by a whopping 374%! Kudos to Typepad. They have generously kept this site up.

All is well… and so, I am back! I can’t wait to share the loh hei pics. Loads and loads of pics. Ahhh… loh hei yu shang. My favorite New Year dish. Akan dating… coming tomorrow (erm… actually, it should be today already, shouldn’t it). The seventh day of the CNY is “yu shang day”, so pretty appropriate, no?

Alrighty… I shall scoot off now to start sorting through those loh hei pics…

Copyright © 2004 Renee Kho. All rights reserved.
Please contact me for permission to copy, distribute or display any of the images and text contained in this article.

Two Months Old

This blog turns two months old today. Still a baby by any standards. It has been a fun two months, during which time my perceptions and experiences of food have grown and expanded. It has been an enriching experience for my family too. We have become more aware, indeed even more enthusiastic, about the food we eat and cook. In that sense, it has also been a great bond-enricher too.

I have also inadvertently discovered a new side interest – food photography. While I may still be struggling to capture, with my small pocket-sized point-and-shoot Canon camera, the beauty and the pain-staking work of the chef (any chef) in all the food I shoot, I have become more aware of the visual aspects of food and how that speaks to us. My awareness of food presentation and how different ingredients look together on a plate has grown. Maybe, one day, I might actually graduate to a “pro-consumer” camera

When I started this blog, I did not think about who (or how many) might read this blog. As it is, it has turned out to be a wondrous opening and sharing of a small window into the Asian and Chinese food culture, as viewed through my family’s eyes. Just as I have learnt much and thoroughly enjoyed my glimpses of other food cultures and cuisines through the many food blogs I visit and read regularly, I am heartened that others have found my own food culture interesting. In many ways, by sharing glimpses of the Chinese cultural heritage, as filtered through my family’s interpretations, I myself, have become reconnected to and re-inspired by my own Chinese cultural roots. For this, I am very grateful to the friends and readers who have stopped by and expressed interest in my postings.

It is also one of my hopes with this blog to share some of the places for good food in Singapore, the region and wherever I may have stopped, eaten and tasted a gastronomic experience. I of course recognize that “one man’s treasure, is another’s poison”. Food is such a personal experience. I have many times eaten food that came highly recommended but which I personally found “okay”. By the same token, I have raved about food which friends have found to be “run-of-the-mill”. Similarly, I have tried recipes that gave me experiences other than what was recommended to me. And I do expect that there will be people who try my recipes and decide to improve them. And this is the exciting and exhilarating part of any sharing of food experiences, is it not? The exploring of new ideas and recommendations. The discovering of new taste sensations, and the resulting growth and expansion of our own ideas, perceptions and understanding of food and different cultures.

I love receiving feedback about the recipes on this blog that some of the readers have tried, how they have made it “better”, or how they have their own variations to a similar recipe they have always cooked from. It makes me (hopefully) a better cook in the process. It’s a joy to be learning something new every single day.

It would be nice to have fellow Singaporeans (or anyone who has eaten in Singapore) share their own experiences of good eats on this blog – food even tastier, yummier than what I have experienced and written about. I love discovering great food-finds. Indeed, I welcome the sharing of great food venues anywhere in the world. I personally feel strongly that good food establishments should be supported. It is the diners who eat at restaurants, small eating houses or just the neighborhood hawker stalls that enable their owners to stay in business and to continue to hone their skills, talent and passion for food. The food and beverage industry is not an easy industry to survive in. Speaking from the point of Singapore’s food industry, an owner has to contend with high cost structures, a finicky eating public and intense competition. Every village, town, city and country has its share of excellent dining. There will always be more than one great eating place, and there is room for them all.

I realize the impossibility of eating at ALL the eating places in any country or society. And so my perceptions and understanding of its food will be colored by my personal experiences, for better or worse. Through reading the food blogs of others, I have gained precious nuggets of information that can and will only enhance my next experience of their food and culture. It is my sincere hope that this blog can do the same, in some small way. Each society, culture and geographical region has its own culinary gems – each unique, different and special in its own right.

There are countless food blogs in the blogging world. Many have provided me with great moments of inspiration and learning and have entertained me with wonderful and humorous joie de vie, and even more remain to be discovered and enjoyed. I am happy that there is a place for everyone, a place filled with so much diversity, creativity and imagination, and free of competition. Each blog is unique, special and highly personal. I celebrate that.

Finally, in a world that is already so divided by competition, hatred, intolerance, discrimination and misunderstanding, I would like to think that food blogs can be places where people come to freely share in a common love and passion for food, places which celebrate the incredible diversity that makes this planet of ours so beautiful and special.

I hope to continue writing this blog for as long as it remains an enjoyable, happy and interesting experience for both myself and those who take the time to stop by to read it.

I know two months is not a long time, but I would like to thank the many numbers (200+ - and rising - daily visitors) who have stopped by during this time. Thank you too to those who have taken the time to show your support through emails or in the comment boxes. They are all truly appreciated. I would like to make a request: please do not leave remarks that are potentially sensitizing and/or discriminatory against other races, ethnic backgrounds, religions, cultures, societies and social sectors.* Thank you.

I dream of a world filled with greater love, understanding, acceptance and thus peace and harmony.

The Master painter uses the full arsenal of paintbrushes at his disposal to create his masterpiece. There are big brushes to paint the sweeping landscape, then there are the fine and delicate bristles for drawing in the refined details of human feelings, emotions and experiences. Let us not paint the world with a limited brush of ignorance and prejudice. For it is in the diversity of details where we will find the true beauty and glory of the human spirit. Let us step outside of ourselves and enjoy the sprawling landscape that is humanity.

* Such comments made on this blog prior to the date of this posting, which have remained unedited and in their original forms, are the views expressed by the comment’s authors, and do not reflect my own personal views and opinions, nor do they indicate my agreement with or my support of such views.
Any such comments made subsequent to this date will be edited and/or deleted, without prior notice to the comment’s authors.

Copyright © 2004 Renee Kho. All rights reserved.
Please contact me for permission to copy, distribute or display any of the images and text contained in this article.

Heralding the Stork!

CONGRATULATIONS to Deb & hubby! On the safe arrival of their little princess on 15 January 2004. Wishing all three of them many years of health and happiness!

Copyright © 2004 Renee Kho. All rights reserved.
Please contact me for permission to copy, distribute or display any of the images and text contained in this article.

Wheezing and Sneezing

I am up to my elbows in dust and clutter. The annual spring clean is now underway in earnest. Each year, I never fail to be amazed at the amount of “unseen” dust that lies hidden in obscure corners of rooms, cupboards and shelves. I am always stunned by the amount of “junk” one manages to accumulate in the space of 12 short months.

The countless “unique” jam jars and empty bottles, stacks of “pretty” biscuit tins that I “just have to keep”… the many “must-buys” that are picked up during various saunters through the kitchen gadgets department of different departmental stores… all squished, crammed, shoved, hidden into every available nook and cranny of every kitchen drawer, cupboard and shelf. At the time, I was so sure I would have fabulous uses for these things. And yet, for 12 months they have lain “hidden” and forgotten in the dark recesses of a kitchen cabinet. So, every year, a big sweep is done. Jars, bottles, tins, gadgets… they get found new homes either with a new family or in the big wide world of the rubbish dump.

The fridge is a shocker. Bottles of curry spice mix, ground spices, half-used packets of nuts… all having outlived their natural life span in this dimension. Ackk! I’ll spare everyone the gory details.

It’s not just in the kitchen either. Magazines, clippings, paperwork… a zillion other things. How do humans manage to accumulate so much stuff?! I marvel at my own optimism each and every year. Magazines and cuttings of interesting articles are set aside… “I’ll read those when I have more time”. But “more time” never comes, and the magazines sit collecting dust. One would think I would have learnt by now…

Clearing my wardrobe always reveal interesting finds too. Clothes that I don’t even know I have - some still with the price tags on them! [Note to self: do NOT impulse buy clothes again]. Well, I guess some lucky people will be getting brand new clothes for New Year – free.

And so, the annual wheeze and sneeze session is in full swing. We started really late this year. The New Year is only 5 days away! A weekend of scrubbing and mopping lies ahead…

* * * * * *

On a different note, I just need to whine about this… I’VE PUT ON WEIGHT in the past 12 months. This is not good news. I had not noticed the weight gain. I don’t usually weigh myself, so it was a little upsetting (shocking?) yesterday when I tried on my cheongsam (qi pao) from last year. I was intending to wear it to a New Year function next week. But hey, guess what? It no longer fits! This is so depressing! Unfortunately, the cheongsam is such an unforgiving dress to wear. Just put on an extra ½ inch around the waist, and one ends up looking like a bak zhang (wrapped rice dumpling). Sigh! Maybe by some miracle I can still find someone to do alterations for me at this late stage…

Anyway, female whinging over… back to more food talk… : )

Copyright © 2004 Renee Kho. All rights reserved.
Please contact me for permission to copy, distribute or display any of the images and text contained in this article.

Good-Looking Pilaf

Oh, watched A Cook’s Tour tonight. (Yes, my weekly epicurean TV fix. Can you tell I’m a fan? ) One of the two episodes shown was the Bangkok/Singapore one. And the home-cooked pilaf in the Singapore segment looked so good! And best of all, it was cooked in a rice-cooker – simple, easy and quick. Wow! I would love to know the recipe for that pilaf. It was cooked separate from the meat, and had dried fruits, nuts, veggies etc. Yum! I’ve been looking for a good pilaf / briyani rice recipe for the longest time – one that is fuss-free, quick and easy.

And the dessert served in the Nefertiti Restaurant in Bangkok looked really yummilicious too! Looked like a cross between bread-and-butter pudding, crème caramel and custard. Hmmm… more "soul food". (Today does seem like a day for comfort food doesn't it?) I would love the recipe for that too!

Drool, drool… I think I shall have very tasty dreams tonight!

Copyright © 2003 Renee Kho. All rights reserved.
Please contact me for permission to copy, distribute or display any of the images and text contained in this article.

A Cook’s Tour in Singapore

Just watched the Singapore episode of A Cook’s Tour on Discovery Travel & Adventure Channel. Really enjoyed it. It was so funny to watch Tony Bourdain’s expressions as he tried our local food. Loved the part when he had the deer penis wine at the Imperial Herbal Restaurant, and he said something about maybe having to walk out of the restaurant with a tablecloth tied around his waist.

And it’s the first time I’ve seen Seetoh (of Makansutra fame) speak proper English! LoL! And I enjoy watching the guy when he’s not trying so hard to ham it up for the camera. He’s quite a humorous and funny guy! I think he should do the Makansutra shows as his “real self”.

Hmmm…. The nasi padang (Malay mixed rice) place that Tony ate at… it looked really good. Missed the name of the restaurant though. I think it’s in Geylang Serai? Not sure. But the beef rendang looks really good!

And is Sin Huat really that good? I’ve never tried the place. But the food looked absolutely sublime in the show. Well, I guess that place is now on my “to try” list. Imagine… learning about my local restaurants from an American eating show! LoL!

Was surprised though that Tony didn’t get round to eating so many of our “great” local dishes – eg char kuay teow, laksa and chicken rice (how could he come to Singapore and not eat Singapore Hainanese Chicken Rice?!)

Anyway, it was an enjoyable show.

Update: Just found out the name of the nasi padang place featured in the show. It's Hjh Maimunah Restaurant (11 & 15 Jln Pisang, Singapore 199078, Tel: 6291 3132). Hope to try it out soon.

Copyright © 2003 Renee Kho. All rights reserved.
Please contact me for permission to copy, distribute or display any of the images and text contained in this article.

Smile!

Have you noticed my brand new animated smilies? Aren't they great? Thanks Wena! Three cheers for Wena!

Copyright © 2003 Renee Kho. All rights reserved.
Please contact me for permission to copy, distribute or display any of the images and text contained in this article.

Maiden Post

A few months ago, I stumbled upon my first food blog (yes, I know, I'm a late starter in this department), and was hooked. I thoroughly enjoyed the entertaining, sometimes humorous, write-ups, and absolutely drooled over all the glorious photos of food, food and more food. It was a feast for the eyes, and food for the soul. I was inspired to start my own food blog... Well, it has taken this long... but I've finally gotten round to doing it.

Many sites were inspirational. Here are just a couple of them. Thanks to Wena and Wena's spunky grandma ; ) for reminding me how precious and heart-warming home-cooked food is. So often I found myself nodding as I read her posts: yeah... we cook that at home too... so similar yet so different. I was facinated.

I'm just bowled over by Deb. Pregnant and yet so inspired and dedicated to cooking for colleagues and loved ones, and to experimenting with food and recipes, and producing the most incredibly tasty looking results ever.

I've always loved food, and used to dream (many years ago) of owning a cafe or bistro. Now, I'm inspired to cook for loved ones. This blog is also a tribute to my mum and her wonderful cooking. As she passes her recipes to me, I now realize that they are more than just recipes, they also embody the love and warmth of family and represent warm memories joy and laughter.

This is my trail for food that is SHIOK!

Copyright © 2003 Renee Kho. All rights reserved.
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