Beginner’s Choice: Lemony Treats

Every year-end Aunty Julie makes lemon curd, and she distributes it into country-kitchen-style jars to be given away as gifts. It has become one of my favourite Christmas treats. It was only last year that I learnt that she makes a limited number of jars, as the process is laborious and the ingredients are expensive.Continue reading “Beginner’s Choice: Lemony Treats”

Student Special: French Night

It’s always a joy to have exchange students round for dinner. They are always appreciative of home-cooked food. It’s also a joy when they offer to cook their own cuisine. Berenice commented last night that it was so nice to have a familiar French meal in Singapore. I understand her completely. I missed Asian cuisineContinue reading “Student Special: French Night”

Beginner’s Choice: Simply Spanish

Nelly, who is part of HomSkil’s culinary team, recently went to Spain for the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. It is a long trek to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. I have many friends who have done the Camino (as it is usually called for short) and some have done it more than once.  AlongContinue reading “Beginner’s Choice: Simply Spanish”

Beginner’s Choice: The Kampung Breakfast

Breakfast is often a piece of bread and a cup of coffee on the go for many people. It’s no exception for my friend Mar, who is from Spain and who is on holiday in Malaysia. She commented at breakfast that we eat too much in Asia, judging from the variety of breakfast dishes. SinceContinue reading “Beginner’s Choice: The Kampung Breakfast”

Kid’s Choice: Memories of Childhood Favourite Food

Most of us have memories of our childhood favourite food. Mine was without doubt a macaroni dish my mother used to cook. It was a simple tomato paste-based macaroni dish with onion and chopped ham, seasoned with Worcestershire sauce and fish sauce. The fish sauce gave it an anchovy flavour.  It was probably from oneContinue reading “Kid’s Choice: Memories of Childhood Favourite Food”

Beginner’s Choice: A Cool Way to Start May

We always look forward to the 1st of May, because it’s always a holiday. We have a number of festivals which are based on the lunar calendar, such as the Lunar New Year, Easter, Deepavali and Eid (Hari Raya), which fall on different dates every year. Family Day This year we decided to celebrate FamilyContinue reading “Beginner’s Choice: A Cool Way to Start May”

Student Specials: Anne Lise’s Easter Dinner and Vici’s Easter Brunch

Anne Lise always amazes me with her culinary skills. I often wonder how she finds the time to cook elaborate meals for her friends at university in London. When I went to university I didn’t know how to cook. A family friend in Hong Kong gave me a beautiful cookbook which inspired me to attemptContinue reading “Student Specials: Anne Lise’s Easter Dinner and Vici’s Easter Brunch”

Beginner’s Choice: The Special Easter Brunch

Why Special Easter Brunch? Well, there are some simple explanations. Many Christians attend the Easter Vigil which ends late on Saturday night. Sunday morning is for catching up on sleep. There are others who wake up at the crack of dawn on Easter morning to make their way to Church to celebrate Easter. Easter isContinue reading “Beginner’s Choice: The Special Easter Brunch”

Beginner’s Choice: Birthday, New Year and Longevity Noodles

I have always associated mee sua noodles with birthdays, because they symbolise longevity. They are long and thin wheat noodles and they are softer than other noodles. This week I learnt that they are also served for Chinese New Year. If you have been following this blog, you will remember Aunty Geraldine’s focaccia bread, heart-shapedContinue reading “Beginner’s Choice: Birthday, New Year and Longevity Noodles”

Beginner’s Choice: New Year’s Celebration

A new year means a fresh start. What better way than to start the new year with fresh fruits and wishes for a fruitful year ahead! It’s always fun to have new ideas for New Year’s Eve, but in the interest of sustainability, it’s best to recycle décor. We had a candlelight dinner at homeContinue reading “Beginner’s Choice: New Year’s Celebration”