Durian Tasting

I went to taste durian for the first time. There were four of us, including two local Singaporeans, my friend Kimberley, and me. The stall is open air, due to the smell of the fruit. The aroma all around the stall smells a bit like fruity socks. I have been told many times since moving to Asia that durian smells worse than it tastes. Kimberley and I got there early so we were able to sit and watch some other people buying and eating.

It's usual for people to buy and eat durian at the stall instead of taking it home. I asked my two friends about this and one said she has a strict rule to never allow durian into their flat. The other said only families in which all the members like durian will let it come into their home. It might be tricky to get it home if you don't live within walking distance, though, because the fruits are not allowed on the bus or train.

Sweet Potato Laksa

Singaporeans are food crazy. I would say that the two national pastimes here are shopping and eating. Locally born Singaporeans are called Peranakan; they are descendants of Chinese or Indian male immigrants who married Malay women in the seventeenth or eighteenth centuries. Laksa is a traditional Peranakan curried soup, served over rice noodles.

Chinese Peranakan cooking blends Chinese ingredients with Malay sauces and spices. Peranakan food features shallots, chillies, preserved soybeans, prawn paste, and thick coconut milk. My favourite Paranakan dish is laksa. I like the tangy spice of the curry that is calmed (a little) by the coconut milk.

Chilled Cantaloupe Soup

Recently I've been inspired by reading magazines. For example, my local grocery store is called Cold Storage, and they publish a cheap quarterly magazine that is full of clever recipes. This chilled cantaloupe soup is from it.

But I like to read lots of magazines--almost any type are fine by me. I read sports ones about Formula One, running, or working out. I also like house and decorating magazines. I like essay magazines like Time, Monocle, and National Geographic. While in New Zealand on holiday in July I tried out a magazine called North & South ("the magazine for thinking New Zealand") which was very informative. And since arriving here in Singapore I picked up Time Out, of course.

Supermarket Finds (and Mysteries) in Singapore

Hello Singapore! My husband and I have just moved here and I have been settling in by finding my closest grocery store. Today I snapped some photos of things I found there. Some of them are exciting finds, others are mysteries to me. (Please chime in if you know what to do with any of them.)

How small are these limes?! (Fingers shown for context; heehee.) Wow, the large ones are not that big and the small ones are tiny! They would make cute garnishes, but could they really be used for juicing?