Life / 生活
24) Unfolding my kitchen cabinet
Once again, I am talking about the old days and my sweet and sour story. I beg your pardon for the continuation of this part two of my old house kitchen.
Back to the olden days again, to own a refrigerator is like owning an expensive continental car. We have a special cabinet designed to store the unconsumed balance foods for the next day as foods are precious and we can’t afford to throw it away.
The design allows air ventilation so that food will not turn foul easily in this humid climate. The netting also keeps away flies and other insects for sharing the food. The legs were supported with bowls filled up with water sprinkled with kerosene or salts to deter ants from entering the food cabinet.
Well, some ants still managed to swim over to the flourish land in exchange with some number of drowning incidents!
Some of the cabinet compartments came without doors for storage of bowls and plates etc. It’s is easy to pick up whatever you want just at a glance!
Offering prayers to stove god, Vesta is also quite a tradition among the Cantonese here. The altar is always placed on the ground in the kitchen area. It is believed that the stove god will protect the owner and ocuupants of the house to have a full stomach throughout the year and guard the kitchen in a safe condition.
23) My fanciful day
Remembering when I was a little child, I fell sick and lie on the floor with my mum by my side. Those days, a family of seven, were all cramped in a one-room flat. I have to sleep on the living room floor left with not much choice. That night, my mum used this straw fan to cool me down and put me in comfort.
I remember clearly I told my mum something from the bottom of my heart. “Mum, I’m okay! I am alright!” Since then, I never forget the story about this kid and his mum and the fan in her palm. This is one fancy memory I have.
In those days where air-cons and electric fans were considered luxury items, to cool ourselves down we either relied on the nature’s wind direction or the hand-held straw fans. This very authentic fan made of straw is one essential item in every household to refresh each individual soul. With the humid weather we are having on the equator, we just have to keep fanning till we reach our dreamland.
This simple light-weigh fan has many usages and it emits fragrance of natural straws each time you use it! The Satay man needs it for his wavering stove. Some use it to chase away mosquitoes while some use it to tout business.
Olden days, to express herself more dramatically, grandaunt matchmakers carry it with them all the time. Or most probably is she trying to cover her hard-sell body language on the potentially singles that she is trying to unite?
But for now, it is no longer a drama prop in my house. It has its special role to play in my home. It beautifies a corner of my home and it brings back some warm memories I can’t erase.
While the light beam seeps through the fan, a glow seeps through my heart with reminiscence. I wish I could be the fan in my mum’s hand.
What this simple fan has provided me is not just the precious cool wind, it is the uncountable fanciful days I had with it and going to have with it. Would you agree..?
22) Two articles in the toilet cubicle
I managed to extract two informative articles pasted on the inner side of toilets cubicle partition in Singapore Botanic Gardens. The open-concept toilets surrounded with beautiful plants and chirping birds is indeed a good place for inspirations!
1) Do you know the milky saps from Chiku trees (manilkara zapota) produces a gum that was the original source of chewing gum? Does it remind you of the ‘Chicklets’ brand chewing gums or others?
2) Do you know the sea coconuts in our local dessert are from the fruit of palm, borassus flabellifer. The male and female inflorescences are born on different plants.
While doing your business, you’ll enjoy the beautiful plants and birds chirping around you. What more, you can enrich yourself with this information. Isn’t it an idea as brilliant as the beaming sun!
21) My urn, earn me a day of grace!
When I was young, we used to have an urn placed in our lavatory filled up with water. As bathroom and laundry is a combined usage area, it is common to have an urn in most households to hold water for daily usage.
As water is as precious as dews and water supplies are not that efficient in those days, keeping an urn with water is good for emergency. As dragon symbolizes benevolence, prosperity, longevity and renewal of life, I guess having a dragon urn is more than what we can ask for.
While some believe putting some coins in the dragon water urn will bring prosperity and wishes come true. Showering with the water can enhance your lucky spirits! Well, to me it reminds me of the song “three coins in the fountain”.
I don’t have such a big urn in my apartment now as my lavatory is too small to make room for the urn but I have got a similar mini urn, size of a flower pot. It does not serve me with water but just sweet and culturistic memories.
To me, keeping a piece of the sweet past ‘urn’ me a graceful day, what else do I ask for….?
20) I’ve touched the earth for one month
Traditionally, for a one-month “young” new born, the baby’s family will host a celebration to welcome the sweet event. It’s a time to celebrate the baby’s birth and marks the end of the mother’s confinement.
Some have a buffet spread for guests while others had the celebration in restaurants to accommodate more guests. Other than this, food boxes with cakes, red dyed eggs or glutinous rice will also be given to friends and relatives. These days, food boxes come in more varieties like cupcakes, mini tarts or puffs.
Eggs are chosen as they represent fertility and new passage in life. The red dye represents luck and blessings and their round shapes symbolize harmony.
Glutinous rice with toppings like slice stewed pork, fried dry prawn, mushrooms and sprinkled with onions and garlic shallots will also be given out with the food boxes.
A pair of “Ang Ku Kuey” (“red tortoise cake”) signifies the new born will be blessed with luck and have a life as long as the tortoise.
Last but not least, a milk bottle that feed you with all the sweetness and happiness with that new bundle of joy!
19) Few steps to CNY
Wooden clogs are versatile shoes appear in and out of your house in olden days. I remember during my childhood, I saw my mother wearing it into the toilet to do the laundry. Another pair is placed outside the corridor, she wear that to do her gardening.
It is also part of street hawkers’ attire in those days. So it’s hard to miss out the “clark, clark, clark” sound throughout the busy food street.
Wooden clogs are uncommon these days. But as the scent of Lunar New Year gets closer, I realize I need a pair of wooden clog for this festive season. Traditionally, it signifies “步步高升” literally means “higher steps” for the prosperous year ahead.
This pair is meant for the ladies. The shape resembles a woman’s perfect measurement! In the past, it is common footwear for housewives to walk down the street doing bargains with their marketing or sometimes chasing their kids with a cane with it!
The male version comes with broader shape. It is not only domestic footwear for hawkers or coffee shop baristas, it is also ideal footwear for wearers to alert their movement with the sounds it created.
I shall dedicate these two pairs of wooden clogs to all fellow Bloggers and Followers.
Wishing all taking their steps higher and higher, with good health and a very prosperous Lunar New Year!
18) My three fragrant friends better than my perfume
This Laksa leaf (polygonum odoratum) is one of the strong flavored among herb-plant species. Traditionally, it is a must to enhance laksa with it. Topping with this leaf makes this Singapore/Malaysia curry soup more wonderfully complete! Local delight “cereal crab” comes with these amazing leaves upgrade your taste bud to another level.
This is another popular fragrant herb, popularly found in Vietnamese spring rolls, salads and their local cuisine. In Thailand, most of their cuisine can’t do away with this well-liked fragrant plant, it is eaten raw or with spicy dips.
This is Lemon grass (cymbopogon citratus). When we mention about Thai curry or soups, we have to tag him along as well. The slender leaves with hairy and sharp edges, gives off a refreshing lemony fragrance one can’t forget. Lower parts of the stems are more commonly used in cooking or making drinks. It is commonly used in Vietnamese salads and spring rolls too.
This is Mugwort (artemisia vulgaris), commonly used in Japan/Korea for their festive rice cake. It gives the rice a greenish green. Aromatic mugwort are used as a cheaper alternative for tobacco too. It was used as a magical agent, protecting traveler against evil spirits and harmful animals in the Middle Ages. It is also an insect repellent, repelling insects like moth.
For some, these herbs are better than their perfume!
17) Where are my Romeo and Juliet?
Where is this building and what is it for? And what does it has to do with Love?
Yes, this is the Registry of Marriages (ROM) and Registry of Muslim Marriages (ROMM). The favorable building is located at 7 Canning Rise, Fort Canning. A place where couples tie their knots, and leaves a memorable lifetime event with their friends and families!
ROM & ROMM will be there to greet you before you enter this sacred land of lifetime happiness.
This is the place where couples in Singapore love to come and register themselves as “Love Birds”. Most did the solemnization here before their customary ceremony. While some “by appointment only” solemnization are done in religious premises or at venues at the comfort and convenience of the couples.
Before the entrance to the Registry Hall, two eye-catching sculptures welcome you with bliss of delight. The one on the left (ROM logo) with an “M” signifies the Quintessential Elements of Marriage. Everlasting Bliss and Love are represented by the fluidity and continuity of the stroke “M” which is the Registry of Marriages.
The other one on the right (ROMM logo) with the letters “T” and “U” signify “Tranquility in Unity”.
The Fort Canning Park behind and the little roundabout with a circular planter is a favorite photo shooting spot for newly weds.
Today, I am searching high…
and low….till now…
For lovebirds…
and Romeo & Juliet
16) Winter is the beginning of all season
Today, is one of the twenty-four solar terms of the Chinese calender the “Winter Solstice“. The winter solstice is the beginning of the twenty-four solar terms in ancient times. In Chinese belife, the Winter Solstice is greater than the Chinese Lunar New Year.
今天是”冬至”，华人二十四节气中之一。在古时候冬至是二十四节气的起点，所以有冬大过年的说法。
The arrival of the winter solstice, is floating in the festive atmosphere. You will see everyone gathering together for celebration. It’s just like the western Christmas seasons, one celebrating with turkey, another with rice ball dumpling.
冬至的到来，充满着浓浓的节日气氛，你会看到大家聚在一起大肆庆祝一番。这好比西方的耶旦节，吃的是火鸡，华人吃的则是“汤圆”。
Rice ball dumpling, in additional to its shape of delegative round, it is wrapped with flour and stuffed with knead, lotus seed paste, peanuts, sesame etc. The lightly sweet taste filled and warm the stomach in the winter.
汤圆，它的外形除了代表团团圆圆外，以面粉搓成包住的不同的内馅，有莲蓉，花生等等，吃起来让人感觉甜甜蜜蜜。
This warm in the winter, fullfilled my stomach and warm my heart just like rejoicing the human race and traditional close relationship. Just like the tree roots wrapped around the earth, it is the image of the extension to the traditional practices of intergenerational, how appropriate!
这种温暖在冬季，吃在口里，暖在心里，代表人情与传统有密不可分的关系。那天，偶然拍下树根的照片。如果把树根缠土的精神，延伸到传统习俗对世代相传的贡献，不是再贴切不过吗？
Today, is not end of the world, is just the beginning of all seasons. Let’s have the rice dumplings as wine and toast to our heart content, I wish all of you a wonderful festives, happy and healthy life all year round!
今天，不是世界末日，是新的一年的开始。在此，我借汤圆当酒，祝大家圆圆满满，幸福安康！
15) A bottle of Coke in you and me!
This traditional local branded bakery shop, is more than enough for you to explore their recipe for your entire life, not only the secret method to produce, but the persistency and the spirits of hardship.
Today, I passed by this bakery. With a glance, I guess I have missed the lunch crowd and the Moon Cake festival. Just like others, I like the moon cakes of this bakery. This bakery may not be a favor with people who likes fanciful moon cakes, but to the local, we know he is someone standing on his own ground firmly, with pride and vision. The good taste never changed!
The shop was established in 1938. Since then, the hands of this traditional bakery shop never stop its hand movement! With original recipe and without preservations, the art passed down from one era to another. Bake instantly with fresh ingredients, this is the slogan for every single cake lovers of our nation.
During the Moon Cake Festive seasons, shoppers queue in rain and shine with paper carrier printed with the Chinese name on it. If you have the cheek to ask them why not go for the fanciful cakes made of durians, birdnests, chocolate or even ice-cream! I believe the answers are the same for sure! “I love the traditional moon cakes”!
In fact, by looking at the long queue, it’s not hard to know they are not an ordinary celebrity, with fans from all ages and from every corner of our country.
Though Moon Cake Festival is over and a snowing Christmas with Santa is arriving soon, but I still think this is just like a bottle of Coke in you and me, with sweet memories and sense of belonging, deep down in our homeland.
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