If Julia Child could see us now...

SINGAPORE-

Julia Child requires no introduction. The American chef, author and TV personality introduced French cuisine to mainstream society in the US.  Her best-known cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking published in 1961, also became the basis for the recent bestselling book and Hollywood movie, Julie & Julia. 

Julia Child and I both went to Smith College.  She graduated from Smith College in 1934, me sixty-two years later.  This prestigious liberal arts college is the alma mater of famous authors: Sylvia Plath, Betty Friedan, and Gloria Steinem. 

Studying at Smith is a special experience, learning with the best women in America and the world. I was astounded to know there were more than a hundred valedictorians in my entering class as a first year.  No doubt, the students here were oozing with talent and intelligence. But to many non-Smithies, this prestigious liberal arts college was known for its glamour. Immigration officers frequently teased me, “Where are your gloves and pearls?”, since Smithies traditionally wear a strand of pearls.   And there was no denying that First Ladies, Barbara Bush and Nancy Reagan, both studied here. 

Indeed, I can’t complain about being spoiled there- living in charming houses instead of dorms, Friday afternoon tea with chocolate dipped strawberries and freshly baked cookies, and candle-light Thursday night dinners.

Yesterday, I found myself in the company of two Smithies.  Two weeks ago, I gave a talk in the National Musuem, talking about how Nothing Goes to Waste in the Filipino Kitchen.  At the end of a workshop, a lady approached me. “You’re from Smith, right?”  I’m Cathy from Smith, Class of ’86.  Two weeks later, Cathy, myself and Lin Lin gather at Bukit Timah to shop for ingredients for the lunch we were about to cook.  Lin Lin is a Singaporean, a year my senior at Smith.

 Left to Right: Lin Lin, Me, and Cathy (thanks to Lin Lin for this photo)

We did not have any recipe in mind, instead we hoped to gain inspiration from what was available in the market.  Lin Lin was our gracious hostess, sharing her home with a proper oven. (Most flats in Singapore don’t have ovens equipped for serious baking or cooking).  Lin Lin was our knowlegable guide to the delicious finds at Bukit Timah market, a ten-minute walk from her home.  This enclave of Singapore is home to many international schools, and a popular residential area for expats.  The market naturally caters to their specialized food needs.  Unlike other markets in Singapore, this one has herbs: thyme, rosemary, dill, basil, and oregano for $2 a bag.  It is a bargain compared to the usual $2 for a few sprigs charged by most groceries. 

Cathy purchased Brussel Sprouts, her favorite winter vegetable.  There were figs, raspberries, cherries, blueberries, mushrooms, and a plethora of western fruits and vegetables. Rarely finding these in Singapore, Cathy and I were impressed.  The organic carrots still had their leaves on, making them look like Bugs Bunny’s signature snack.

                                             What's up doc?

Next to the organic vegetable vendor, my eyes laid on the most beautiful vegetable I had ever seen.  It looked like a floral arrangement as big as a dinner plate, with curly green petals.  “Fuguisa,” the vendor told me is its Chinese name. It means “Fortune Vegetable.”  The food stylist in me could not resist buying them.  I immediately bought three of them.  The uncle told me they are great for stir-fries, and are available only during the weeks leading to New Year. Whether it was going to bring me good fortune, I was not certain. 

                      Amused by the fortune vegetable

 I was getting attached to the pretty fortune veg, I almost didn't want to cook it.

Cathy verbalized how buying fresh fish intimidated her.  I shared tips to check on its freshness. The eyes must be clear. The gills must be bright red. The feel of the scales not slimy, and the body must be firm. 

Veering away from the usual salmon, we chose a silver pomfret.  We decided to bake the fish with the fresh dill, lemon, and garlic.  It was accompanied by garlic mushrooms, roasted carrots, and stir-fried Fortune vegetable with Chinese wine, pepper, and light soy sauce. 

                   A pair of silver Pomfrets all set and ready to be baked

As we washed the veggies, chopped, and cooked, the conversation flowed. A few hours before, we were all strangers who shared the same alma mater with Julia Child.  By the end of the meal, as we sipped Lin Lin’s favorite Rooibos tea, we were tightly bonded. 

     A quick and Easy, healthy home cooked meal from Bukit Timah Market

We all agreed how wonderful it is to connect with Smith Sisters.  It did not matter if did not share the same cultural heritage. Despite coming from a Korean, Singaporean, and Filipino heritage, we were still magically connected.  Together we all walked out of Lin Lin’s flat. Her backyard was very much like a Kampung, a traditional Malay village. She pointed to the pandan leaves, the Thai Basil plant, and the bitter gourd growing in her neighbor’s backyard. She encouraged Cathy and I to pluck a few pieces of herbs to take home.  And we did.

Indeed, it was a beautiful Saturday!  “If only Julia Child could see us now,” I thought.

MaidaPineda.copyright.2009.Dec.6.2009.3:20pm

So Japan-Nice!

I arrived back home in Singapore, two days ago at 2am in the morning. It was a long journey leaving Philadelphia at 6:50 in the morning. In total, the trip lasted 32 hours including the stopovers in LA and Tokyo.

I was initially annoyed that I had to stop in Tokyo, adding more hours to the trip, plus the hassle of departing the plane and boarding back in again. Why can't we just go directly from Los Angeles to Singapore? But judging from the half-empty plane, I assumed it made more financial sense to get more passengers to and from Tokyo.

By the time they served the first meal, I was no longer upset with the Tokyo connection. To cater to the Japanese passengers, there was naturally Japanese food. It was a brainless decision for me to choose between Baked Chicken or Unagi Don. I was happy with my choice of delicately delicious Japanese fresh water eels glazed in a sweet soy sauce served with cold green soba noodles and an appetizer of california roll. Beautifully presented, it erased all traumatic childhood memories of airline food's unpalatable smell, taste and appearance. Kudos to Singapore Airlines for the great food, excellent service, and the nice touch of serving Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream for dessert.

The swine flu scare is seriously addressed in Japan. A team dressed in white uniforms, goggles, and masks entered the plane using a high tech machine with a red light. They aim it at passengers to get their body temperatures. Then each one is given a yellow piece of paper to signify they had passed the screening. It was like being an extra for a science-fiction TV series.

But most amusing was my visit to the Ladies Room in Narita International Airport during my brief stopover. The toilet was thoughfully equipped with a bidet. It was no ordinary water contraption. I pressed a button and it made a loud melodic tune mimicking the sound of a toilet flushing. I'm not sure why you'd want that when you use a bidet. But hey, it was fun and funny. A detail perhaps only the meticulous Japanese would attend to.

Overall, this has been one of the most comfortable long airline journeys I've had in years. With fewer passengers onboard, I had no seatmates all the way from Philly to LA, LA to Tokyo, and Tokyo to Singapore. I had the row of three seats to myself. It allowed me to sleep lying down, with my legs curled up. Some passengers had four seats to themselves, giving them an instant narrow bed to lie down with their legs all stretched out. I managed to get many hours of blissful uninterrupted sleep. Nice!

5.21.09.11:35pm. Singapore

The photo shows my second Japanese meal: Japanese Beef curry served with cold soba noodles. I couldn't reach for my camera when I was served my unagi meal. My tray table was already in place and my camera bag was in the overhead compartment.