Civet Cat Coffee - THE TRIAL

Yes, the one you have all been waiting for!! (Perhaps)

Very fortunately a friend's colleague's husband (are you following?) imports Kopi Luwak (Civet Cat Coffee). So he managed to get a sample for us to try.

To recap briefly, Kopi Luwak is 1) made from coffee beans that have been eaten and pooped by a Civet Cat. 2) extortionately expensive if you buy it in shops.

We don't have any fancy coffee-making equipment here in Singapore. I have a nice Italian number in London, but it was definitely not included in my 30kg baggage allowance! Instead another friend bought some nifty Vietnamese style coffee makers. Just put in the ground beans, push down the strainer, add hot water and wait for it to drip through.

Ground Kopi Luwak has a pleasant smell. Quite strong, quite earthy. The powder was mid-brown and looks similar to other decent roasts as far as I could tell. You will be very relieved to hear that it neither smells of, nor resembles, poop! Apparently there are two versions available now: the real 'expelled' version, and a version that has been treated to simulate the chemical reactions of the cat's gut.. without the cat. Ours was apparently the original.

The brew: we drank it black first. The flavour is strong and woody / charcoaly, but it does not have the acid kick that you'd expect from strong black coffee. It was smooth and a little nutty. Not bad at all. I'm not used to drinking coffee without milk and sugar, but I'm still not sure I would spend SG$30 / £15 on a cup of it. It is definitely worth a try if you can find it more cheaply, however!

Round 2: the control. As a 'compare and contrast' our friend also bought some good quality Vietnamese coffee with him. I had not realised this in the UK, but Vietnam is famous for its coffee culture and roasts.

I had a sip / sniff of this black. The aroma was lovely - strong but fragrant, less woody than the Luwak, maybe a bit more fruity! And the straight brew had an acidity that I would expect. Then we had it with traditional sweetened condensed milk. I like sweet, milky coffee, so it is possibly no suprise that I preferred this version! In fact I liked it a lot compared to several other coffees I have tried with milk and sugar (Italian, Javanese etc)

After this we tried the tiny remainder of the Kopi Luwak with sweetened condensed milk. Sadly it was not really enough to get the full experience of the coffee - but I think I preferred this to the 'unadorned' version. This is just personal preference of course.

So if you get a chance to try either of these delicious coffees, I would maybe recommend taking it black, and then adding a little bit of milk at a time until you reach the taste you like.

Olympics Ceremony 2012

Yep it was on at about 3am here in East Asia. But you can catch the full footage here! Blogger won't let me embed today. So here's the link: Enjoy! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4As0e4de-rI

Cockney Rhyming Slang

The more I end up explaining UK ways to my Asian friends, the more convinced I am that the British are a bunch of weirdos!

Take Cockney Rhyming Slang, for example. Quite a regular thing if you've lived in London for 20 years as I have. But explain it to a Japanese friend and one has to stop and admit it's odd. So for those of you who have NOT lived in the UK or London for a huge chunk of your lives, this is what it is in all its strangeness:

Cockney Rhyming Slang is a supplemental language used mainly by working-class people in the East End of London. Most commonly these are market traders and those whose families date back locally to the 1800s, when the craze began there. Though some elements are used in day to day English by other Londoners, including me.

Words are used that are not the actual word, but a rhyming one or part of a rhyming phrase. So sentences in CRS (including Cockney accent) might go:
Example: "Giz a butchers, I'm so Hank Marvin you'd hardly Adam and Eve it."
Translation: "Give me a look, I am so starving you'd hardly believe it."

Example: "What kinda Barnet is that, gotta be a syrup."
Translation: "What kind of hair is that, it's got to be a wig."

A lot of the rhyming words or phrases come from names of London places, or things  connected to old-fashioned market life. But there are new versions too. Here's a short list of common ones:

Hank Marvin = starving (after the Shadows guitarist)
Apples (& pears) = stairs
Butchers (hook) = look
Barnet (fair) = hair
Syrup (of figs) = wig
Dog & bone = phone
Pete Tong = wrong (after the DJ)
Adam & Eve = believe
Britney (Spears) = beers (called Britneys)
Hampstead (Heath) = teeth (called Hampsteads)

I have no idea why some are direct rhymes and some have dropped the real rhyme. But it is thought this slang arose as a kind of exclusive code. Possibly so that market traders could discuss things without customers understanding, or that crime gangs had a secret language from the police. There are many theories and I don't think any one has been proved.

Cockney Rhyming Slang, when used, is slotted into regular English. And, contrary to some American movies, Londoners don't all use it, nor do Cockney people use it continually throughout conversation! It is actually rare to hear it nowadays, though I admit I use Hank Marvin, Pete Tong and Barnet. ^^

Actually while researching this blogpost I discovered that some words now in dictionary English, started life as rhyming slang. One example is 'On my tod' - meaning 'on my own'. Original phrase: Tod Sloan (a famous jockey in the early 20th century).

Sweet and soursop

OK, nothing below probably looks too yum, especially to the Western eye. But I can assure you it all is! Like so many things in Asia, don't judge by the appearance.

I was first intrigued when I saw these giant green armoured slugs at a fruit stall in Singapore's Chinatown. The fruit seller told me they were soursop. I got ranging descriptions from friends about this fruit 'it's kinda sweet' 'it's sour' (you would expect sour, after all!) So the next time I was at Tiong Bahru market's shaved ice stand I ordered the 'tadpole, soursop, almond jelly' combo. And here's what it's like:

The shaved ice combo was yum.
The soursop in it was also yum - it is both sweet and tart. Fruit pieces consist of small 'envelopes' each surrounding a flat, black stone, similar to a custard apple's (in fact the fruits are related). The white, fruity part is textured a little like a fibrous and very ripe peach!

For this dish, the soursop pieces were in a syrup, which probably added to the sweetness element. Definitely worth giving both the soursop and the shaved ice with tadpoles a try!

* Not real tadpoles btw. They are actually small jelly balls, or (in the case of the grey ones) tiny fleshy seeds in syrup.

Open soursop image courtesy sixmonthseaside blog

State of Independence & some more lessons in marketing

Singapore National Day appoacheth - and yes we know it! I am not saying this is bad, but the Singapore government knows a few things about conveying brand messaging - repetition being one of them.

Over the past few weeks we have had numerous - and I must say impressive - 'rehearsal' air displays. These feature loud fighter jets in formation, and Chinook helicopters flying around the island toting a giant flag of Singapore. Don't forget I am currently living on the 24th floor of a block. Finding the Chinooks and flag suddenly lurking at eye-level outside my window was a slightly surreal experience to say the least! We don't get that back in Blighty!

Added to this is a slow growth of National celebration flags blazoned on houses around the city. If there are flags up on people's homes in the UK, it is usually because homeowners have put them up for the festivities. Here, I am pretty sure quite a few are installed by the government. (I suspect this partly because of the regularity of flag size and positioning - but also because there is a large one on a house belonging to friend who is from USA plus never at home to do decorations!)

The history: This August 9th marks Singapore's 47th year of independence. During World War II, Singapore was briefly occupied by the Japanese. It reverted to loose British Colonial control in 1945 (end of the war). In 1963 Singapore joined with the then Federation of Malaya, to form Malaysia. Political disputes followed, however, and in 1965 Singapore became its own republic. Some say it was an unwilling de-merger, hence the name of National Day (rather than Independence Day). Indeed, tiny Singapore - with unemployment, and limited land, population and natural resources, didn't seem to have much going for it as a separate entity. This 'burning platform' is said to be the spur that made Singapore into the determined and prosperous nation it is today.

National Day celebrations are Singapore's largest national event, with parades, anthems, dragon dancing, light shows, fireworks and (yes) the air displays. Nowadays apparently you need a ticket to get a good view - and these are unlikely to be granted to visitors. So I might watch on TV. Having said this, I've already seen some of the good stuff from my bedroom window.. on repeated occasions! So there might not be many surprises on the actual National Day, but we've certainly got the message.

Chinook air 'rehearsal' as seen from a central rooftop bar this Saturday!

Civet Cat Coffee: a more updated update

Excitement of the Week: I might actually get to TRY civet cat coffee tonight! I know you are jealous, but there's nothing I can do about that ^^  .... except update you on the experience once it's done!  

(Yes, for those who have not been following this blog, that is the  Indonesian coffee made of beans pooped from a cat.)

*** Watch This Space ***

An unusual insight into laundry...

Problem 1: children.
When I was little, in a rural part of the UK (where people had gardens) we had a washing line tied between our house and the shed. Our neighbours and family had these more high-tech contraptions (below left). 

In both cases, we used to try to swing on them. I don't know why, as the obvious outcome was that a child would be too heavy, and thus break the washing line. Which we often did!

Problem 2: outdoor access.
In London and high-density city areas, it is very rare that you have a garden or balcony to house a real washing line. Only ground floor premises normally have access to the garden if there is one attached to your block. So you usually dry laundry indoors. This is done either with an electric dryer machine - hugely expensive on electricity, and can shrink clothes; or naturally on an indoor 'clothes horse' (above right) - which can take serious time even in summer.

A nifty solution to both problems: the SE Asian way!
If you are upstairs in a high density housing area, with no garden access - you can still hang your washing out in the breeze / sunshine to dry ...using handy bamboo poles. AND it is extremely unlikely your children will want to swing on them and break them. (Let's hope!)

Actually, in my other childhood (in Malaysia) we used to see high-rise blocks festooned with hundreds of these poles, with pegged washing merrily swishing away in the tropical heat. I am not sure if it is still common practice in all parts of Malaysia and Singapore now, but some people still use that method, as I discovered today. It's cheap, and effective. What's not to like?

Clothes horse image courtesy graceandgloryhome.co.uk

And what about 2nd breakfast? Mamak-ing & more cultural findings

In the UK we have these traditional eating options after 3pm:-

Posh people:
4-5pm: Tea - consisting of usually a cup of tea plus bun, or piece of cake. You wouldn't do this tea at work. But might at weekends.
8pm: Supper - a proper meal with meat, carbs, veggies. Dinner is a slightly more formal word meaning supper.

Working class people in some regions:
6pm: Tea (or High Tea) = a proper meal with meat, carbs, veggies. This actually makes better sense if you have young children.

When I was a child our house had 'small' tea and 'late' supper. But if I was with my mates and their mum said 'Be home in time for tea' it meant 6pm. Of course all of these traditions change if you are working long hours in a city. But in rural areas I believe it's still the same.

To confuse matters further, I've discovered that Singaporeans have:-

8pm: dinner. With meat, carbs, veggies.
11pm: supper. With MORE meat, carbs, veggies!

Whoever said 'In Asia, food is love' (actually it was my Chinese friend Maria) was not wrong!

I guess this supper is similar to the Malaysian concept of 'mamak-ing', where friends go out and sit at a roadside food stall, chatting over beers, hot tea - and yes, more food! - from 11pm until the wee hours. You might have dinner at home, but mamak out. The mamak culture comes from the Tamil Muslim population, apparently, though all races and religions go mamak-ing.

Mamak-ing in Malaysia. Pic courtesy followmefoodie.com

Nosh of the Day: salak

Salak are fruits which outwardly resemble reptiles. They really do.

The skin is dry, shiny and scaly, exactly like a snake's. You peel it off (it also peels a little like you might imagine a reptile skin would) to reveal a bunch of white 'cloves'. These are sweet, but have the crunchy texture of garlic. And a stone inside. The flavour is reminiscent of jackfruit, though it is no relation.

I've lived in SE Asia before but had never clapped eyes on or even heard of salak before, as it is native exclusively to Indonesia. (A friend brought these over). There are a few different salak varieties, with slightly differing textures, apparently. The fruit grow in clusters at the base of a low palm, and unsurprisingly are known locally as 'snakeskin fruit'. Indonesians even make salak wine!

 

Click on pix to enlarge.

A weighty topic

It's official. UK women are heiffers!

(Compared to Singaporeans)

I know this because I am a UK 10 (fairly small) but once again this week found I could not fit into a Singaporean XL!

Then there's recent LSHTM* data put out by the BBC showing that the average BMI for a female like me in the UK is 26.87, while it is a tiny 22.19 in Singapore (below the global average). People here are on the slim side compared with Europe.

So I was a little surprised to see this interstingly branded outlet over here. When is says 'weight management' perhaps they mean 'helping locals increase their weight to be like Londoners'?? Though I kinda doubt it!

*London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Quick caffeine update

Not coffee, but Starbuckses other treat for Asians this summer: the Hojicha frappe with Earl Grey Jelly. ie a sweet ice-blended tea frappe with soft, refreshing cincau-style jelly at the bottom.

Very nice indeed... possibly almost nicer than its partner, the green tea and red bean option (tried earlier this month). Thick straws required!

Martial Art of the Month: South Korea - Yongmudo

Here's an obscure (but quite cool) one! Yongmudo - sometimes written Yongmoodo - is a hybrid martial art developed recently and formally announced in 1998 by Yong In University in South Korea. The university has a well known college of martial arts and physical training.

Yongmudo combines elements of traditional arts such as Judo, Taekwondo, Hapkido*, Gumdo* and Ssireum*, alongside modern scientific principles to create an all-rounder martial arts system. The selling point is its flexibility of response - ie you have a bit of all systems at your fingertips to apply in any situation. Practitioners use kicks, throws, locks, grappling and hand strikes, while also being trained in protection (breakfalling etc).

Apparently Yongmudo is first and foremost a defensive system. The offensive elements are secondary, though Yongmudo tournaments exist and the first World Championships were held in 2007.

In Korea at least, Yongmudo practitioners wear distinctive green uniforms / doboks. In tournaments, opponents are distinguished by a red or blue belt.

Also interesting (to me!) are the marketing principles behind this martial art. Strong in the ideology of Yongmudo are goals to spread the system worldwide. This to deliberately boost awareness of S Korean martial arts - but in this case, also of Yong In University! Check out the video below. Could the art have been developed solely as an elaborate marketing tool?!

To date over 1000 Yong In alumni have set up Dojangs overseas to practice and establish S Korean martial arts, among them Yongmudo. This strategy was initially used (successfully) in the 1960s to spread the little known art of taekwondo, and with it awareness of S Korean culture**. Yongmudo is now gaining international popularity, with key groups in SE Asia, and at several US Ivy League universities, interestingly. 

Anyway, back to sport! Most YouTube clips appear to show Yongmudo demonstration (flashy, pre-choreographed moves). So here is a little real sparring:

I heard about Yongmudo because we had a Yong In taekwondo instructor in London. If I can get hold of him for more info (not in Hangul!) I'll post it up!

*Hapkido and Gumdo are Korean martial arts with similarities to Aikido and Kendo respectively. Ssireum is a form of Korean wrestling.

** Taekwondo is now practiced by over 70 million people worldwide.

Photo courtesy mardb.com

A week of glamorous nosh-festing

I was very pampered this week, and got introduced to two fabulous new food places by friends in Singapore!

1. K ki - on Ann Siang Hill in Chinatown

Yep, K ki as in 'kēki / ケ-キ' (Japanese for cake). This is a very charming little cafe/shop selling arty books, gifts and - appropriately - YUM Japanese/European influenced kēki !! They are not giving these creations away - one will probably set you back around SG$8.50 - but it is well worth the try.

The cakes have names inspired by the shop-owners.

My friend had 'Onigiri' - a chocolate mousse, with a little chocolate sponge and marmalade coulis on top (I hope I got that right!)

I tried 'Emily' due to the fantastic crimson colour, and the fact that 'Emily' is one of my middle names. It consisted of a champagne mousse, vanilla sponge and strawberry puree inside, encased with a very fine, crunchy, red powder shell.

All washed down with a very nice, fragrant tea containing rosebuds.

That was Wednesday. For Friday read on....

2. House at Dempsey - the Vintage Tea Party

Dempsey is a weird area of Singapore, which resembles a jungly colonial warehouse district. But now the 'warehouses' contain posh shops and restaurants favoured by white ex-pats. In terms of stores and layout, it rather reminded me of the USA, actually!

A friend had niftily discovered that House had an upmarket but affordable all-you-can-eat buffet on two afternoons per week. So off we went.

This restaurant/cafe is large but designed in an 'arty European' way - ie eclectic, interesting old nick-nacks and unmatched furniture etc. I really liked this aspect. Better still, the food was bountiful and very good!

The selection of eats covered savouries: crostini with all varieties of toppings; mini canape style 'pizzas' with truffled mushrooms, seafood and more; little pies; make-your-own mini open sandwiches; cheeses (I even had some really good brie and blue brie - a rare treat in Asia!)

And a huge selection of sweets: little cakes; eclairs; mini-pavlovas and crumbles; large slices of cake; tarts... Most of the nosh was European but with the occasional Asian twist. We both had several servings - enough probably to last for a few days!

You can click on pix to see larger versions.

 

Big rain and brain drain

Obviously we have stabbings, muggings, pickpockets, ram-raiding and gangland drug violence, but here is one danger Londoners don't have to contend with. The storm drain.

Necessary across SE Asia due to the excessively humungous nature of tropical rain, this to me conjures up whole new mental images of the phrase 'found drunk, lying in a gutter'. (Unfortunately a well-known British saying, due to the popularity of binge-drinking.) You could fit tens, or maybe even hundreds of drunks into one of these guys! And I can only imagine the number of stumbling 'piss-artistes' who would fall into them.

In fact you might find yourself almost plunging into one when sober, if you don't watch your step. I guess locals expect to find them next to most roads and pavements; Brits don't!

Nosh of the Day: matcha & ankou frappuccino

Courtesy of Asian Starbuckses. The idea of green tea (matcha) and red bean (ankou) in a frappé  might sound grim. But it's actually blooming yum!

There isn't any coffee in this drink, the matcha part is made I think with ice-blended green tea ice-cream. Topped off with sweet, nutty, mildly syrupy beans. It follows that Asian old fave rave: sweet drinks with bits of solid stuff in them. (See May's entry Taiwanese Grass Jelly & the Rise of Michael Bublé  Tea.)

Make sure you ask for a spoon, as the 'extra-wide' straw won't suck up all the bits and you'll be left with a 'bean pudding' at the end. Defo worth a try, though. Also new: a Hojicha + tea jelly frap, that's next on the list!



Singapore, PC and semantics

This week I had to use a term I don't like to describe myself. I was at a medi centre where they required my race for their records. After attempting to accurately describe my slightly complex multi-racial background to blank faces, I opted for Eurasian.

This term is used openly in Singapore in official processes, and socially - in a way it would never be used in Britain. In terms of form-filling I partly understand the need to be brief. But in England we would just say 'mixed-race' or 'mixed-race Asian/European'. It's not too accurate, but at least it's not offensive!

To me the specific term 'Eurasian' has derogatory connotations and I don't like it at all. Having grown up with a British, middle-class, ex-colonial family, my understanding of the word is that it relates to this hierarchy:

1. White
2. Eurasian
3. Asian

The tacit assumption, in this stratum of British society at least, is that 'Eurasians' are a little superior to Asians (by virtue of our whiteness) but a little inferior to whites (because of our Asian blood). Not really something one might wish to perpetuate in the 21st century! And today the term is uncommon in the UK, for these reasons. (Though I know the view is still privately held by some people.)

I am proud of my background. In today's global marketplace, mixed-race people often have an advantage in terms of adaptability, cultural awareness and languages. I think science and business now know that generally strength lies in diversity, not homogeneity. And we probably don't even need to start on which region of the world will hold economic power this century. So pro-white derogatory terms are outmoded as well as unhelpful.

On the accuracy note, Eurasian also describes an infinite number of permutations. As a 'Eurasian' I get lumped into the same category as an Iranian-Spaniard, a Lithuanian-Korean or a Kazakh-Greek - and most of us share no ethnic or cultural ties whatsoever! And it's not 100% flattering to be defined with a very general identity like this. 

[I know a similar situation arises from saying you are simply 'Asian' or 'European' but in Singapore at least, you get a choice if you happen to be ethnically Chinese, Indian or Malay!]

The British ruled Singapore from 1826 - 1963, and overall I am not sure if 'Eurasian' is still used here because:
a) It is a colonial hangover, and Singapore is still living in a peculiar 'un-PC' British past (there are other factors here which suggest this could be the case!)
b) It just has no connotations here, as Singapore is already so multi-ethnic. ie It's just not a big deal because most people are a mish-mash of some sort.

Different countries' histories bring about different meanings and naunces to words. I remember talking with a Chinese-Canadian friend who found 'oriental' offensive when applied to people. To her (and other North Americans) 'oriental' is something you use to describe rugs, pottery or other chattels - not human beings. In the UK I don't think this negative association exists.

And about PC
I have yet to suss out political correctness (by which I simply mean 'equal respect and opportunities') in Singapore.

My UK ex-pat friends all tell me it doesn't exist, though I think it does - but in different ways.. and perhaps these relate to traditional culture rather than modernity? For example, there is respect for the elderly and infirm here which we do not have in Britain. But if you are a single and female, many doors will be inexplicably closed. There appears to be a general acceptance of many ethnicities.. but within those there are underlying prejudices held by different groups. It's probably a whole series of blog posts in its own right - if I ever do manage to understand or articulate it.

So more later! (Possibly.)