Giving Thanks in Singapore

Thanksgiving at the Teeters has happened across the globe, and this year, I was thankful to take part in a Teeters thanksgiving right here in Singapore. Thanksgiving in the states is not just another hallmark holiday. Well alright, it is a hallmark holiday but it feels like the most genuine and is shared by all Americans despite religion and background. Sure enough (and in the American spirit...), Thanksgiving is also exportable to other countries!  Thus, our enormous table of colleagues and friends from all over the globe enjoyed that which is makes this holiday such a favorite.... good food! Just like all holidays, there is a standard menu, with some adaptations for preferences and availability. Fortunately for us, Singapore is one of those countries which has embraced all commercial holidays (not sure yet about kwanza but I'll let you know) so the supermarkets even carried canned cranberry sauce... which we did use b/c they did not in fact have actual cranberries! The two obese turkeys were pre-ordered and accompanied by hand-mashed potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes with pecans, fresh corn, green beans, and three types of stuffing, which were creative, fresh and by far, the best I've had to date!  Top your turkey with home-made applesauce and whiskey gravy (yes, that's the reason for the bottle pictured below not my drinking habits) and you're in business. And what am I most thankful on Thanksgiving? That Pies and tarts are a staple of this fine holiday. There isn't a pie I wouldn't give thanks for, top with whipped cream and then destroy. Our dessert spread included David's pumpkin pies, Monica's apple crumble, Junji's Japanese strawberry n red bean rice cakes (after all, we are still in Asia), and my chocolate, banana tart and pecan pie (notice the painstakingly arranged pecans please!)... Thanks for thanksgiving in Singapore! 

 

 

   

Pumpkin Season Year Round

Pumpkins are always in season in Singapore but the time of the year that brings to mind pumpkin carvings and pies, and all that is this versatile gourd is known for, is the season of autumn, and the month of October in particular. Versatile is an understatement when referring to this vegetable. It is used in soups, salads, entrees, sides and desserts. All parts can be consumed. You can carve a pumpkin for decor before you eat it too!... my fav (see NYC archive entry for cool pumpkin carving idea). I love toasting the seeds with a sprinkle of kosher salt the way my dad used to for a delicious snack and the mushy insides can be ground for just about any type of flavor added to fillings and foods. The bright colored meat (and skin if you're into that sort of thing... I am) can be cooked up and used in just about any meal. SO Kay and I used pumpkin as the staple of our smorgasbord one night in Singapore. We boiled slices of Japanese pumpkin (the one that is widely available here in Asia... though there are plenty of varieties) for a diced pumpkin appetizer - tossed in salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste - along side whatever we could find in the fridge... which turned out to be fried bacon wrapped cabbage (finely diced and crunched by hand free of it's natural liquids - which to my surprise turns out to b the same form as sauerkraut), a board of freshly chopped cheeses and prosciutto and my dad's bruschetta which is nothing more than fresh tomato, oregano, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Don't forget the dessert of ritter and haribou grapefruit and a game of Jenga for a perfect night in! 

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Cross-Border Brunch at Home

Walking out of my friends apartment in Central, Hong Kong is a breath of fresh air. O wait, no, that's fish, steamed buns, spices, organs, and smoke... all mixed into one morning whiff. And I couldn't create a better site to wake up to on the morning run for goods to brunch at home. Everything is right at your doorstep. So as good expats would, we head straight for the supermarket... how boring?! Nah, just needed to grab some ground coffee. BUT the way back, we hit up stalls and stands to pick up fresh fruit for a colorful and worldly fruit salad of figs, grapefruit, mango, watermelon and blueberries and freshly steamed black sesame/lotus paste and custard filled buns and sauteed pork dumplings. Arrange them all of a table alongside some cool yogurt and just-brewed coffee, you have an zen-like brunch in your home. 

 

Sunday Dim Sum in HK

Sundays are for family and friends, and good food of course. Every enclave has it's Sunday home-style meal. Whether that's an egg and french toast brunch or pasta dinner in my family, Sunday meals should be shared. One of my all-time favorite brunch meals is Dim Sum. From Flushing with my uncles, Chinatown NYC with my hungover mates, or Din Tai Fung, everyone's fav chain dim sum here in Asia (though admittedly not really mine...!), with colleagues, Dim Sum is the perfect Sunday meal everywhere! My brother and I went to Happy Valley in HK for our Sunday dim sum to a place called, you guessed it, Dim Sum. It's an older establishment with a huge variety of dim sum, traditional and non, AND it serves dim sum ALL day... which isn't easy to find! We tried a variety from savory including crystal veggie, the classic steamed pork bun, scallop/shrimp, and tofu-wrapped mushroom, ending with the sweet of toasted- sesame, macadamia morsels and the godly mango tempura with mango custard filling.

 

Lan Kwai Fong and Hong Kong Treats

Oh Lan Kwai Fong... you'll try to branch out but know you'll end up there every at some point during the weekend when spending times with visitors in HK. The street (L-shaped to be exact) in Central, Hong Kong, is packed with tables and chairs that are filled with people, mostly expats, drinking wine and beer on Saturday night when my brother and friends headed out for some food and drink. Chinese, Malaysian, Thai-fusion and beer? What else?! And how about Middle East for dessert?  Hookah, wine and baklava anyone??

 

 

Sunny Sydney

Sydney (not to be mistaken for Sydney Levin, my home girl! ok there's your shout out) is a cosmopolitan and sleek city with a chilled out and beachy vibe. It could be b/c it's surrounded by water and beaches and people commute by ferry from the burbs ... yes I did spot dolphins on my 20 minute commute into the city by ferry and yes those are TWO rainbows over the Sydney opera house spotted from the window of my office and yes I was able to go running with a client during his lunch break over the bridge you see pictured below. And on the other side of the bridge? Oh just a quick dip in the salt water public pool... Nice work/life balance? I should say!  After the work week, I spent the weekend on the beach in Manly with my buddy Dan... we indulged in great crispy spinach pizza, cones of gelato, and a sweet and savory brunch right on the water. Whether exploring the coastlines filled with beautiful beaches or driving around in the sun (top down please!), Manly is a lovely weekend getaway. 

Big Mouth Eats in Melbourne

St. Kilda street in Melbourne is right off the coastline in Oz so on a sunny and cool day, it's a perfect spot to get shop around and eat (what else?!)... start off with a BIG breakfast at big mouth. Josh and I sat outside and split two enormous plates of eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, breaded mashed potatoes and grilled tomatoes. Don't forget the lattes! A couple of kg's of meat later and we were off to hit up some local shops... one such shop had fun and creative kitchen wares (with some completely unnecessary ones as well...) like the condiment gun that Josh takes aim with below. And what's a walk down St. Kilda without cake? Not worth with it, that's what! Take a look at one of the bakeries we stopped in for some good ol' Aussie pavlova... that really sweet white meringue and whipped cream cake named after the Russian ballet dancer after one of her tours to down under! 

For dinner and drinks that night we met up with some friends at James Squire's pub on the pier. They've opened up tons of great restaurants along the piers which makes for good eats and a fun nightlife. At James Squire, we got both... and live music, my fav! The beer is locally brewed and without chemicals so no hangovers (although I'm sure you can achieve one if you push it...!). Pub fare is normal for Aus, with chicken parmesan (apparently pub fare down there...) and Roo burgers... yes that's me trying to get a Big Mouth bite outa that Kangaroo burger. Nice and rare! It can also be ordered over mashed potatoes, pictured below. My roo burger was satisfying but the best part was the dessert ... I know that's a theme with me, but the Bailey's bread pudding and sticky toffee pudding with ice cream were both scrumptious. The bread pudding was the best version I've had anywhere to date...! Wash it down with a local brew, a good laugh, and some live jams... life ain't half bad here....