Moving to Singapore in 45-60 days!

[uscate]

Speaking of those little wet naps provided by restaurants….REALLY?? I learned very early on to always have a couple of packets in my handbag, and when we'd take visitors out for their chili crab dinner, I'd always bring along a roll of paper towels, because there was no way that one little wet nap would do the trick.

[the lynx]

Speaking of those little wet naps provided by restaurants….REALLY?? I learned very early on to always have a couple of packets in my handbag, and when we'd take visitors out for their chili crab dinner, I'd always bring along a roll of paper towels, because there was no way that one little wet nap would do the trick.

That's why they provide you a small hand-washing bowl with a slice of lemon in it, although that bowl gets quickly cloudy with the gravy within your first 5-minutes of wrestling match with that shelled opponent.

[sundaymorningstaple]

^^This!

[JR8]

Speaking of those little wet naps provided by restaurants….REALLY?? I learned very early on to always have a couple of packets in my handbag, and when we'd take visitors out for their chili crab dinner, I'd always bring along a roll of paper towels, because there was no way that one little wet nap would do the trick.

That's why they provide you a small hand-washing bowl with a slice of lemon in it, although that bowl gets quickly cloudy with the gravy within your first 5-minutes of wrestling match with that shelled opponent.

In the outside pocket of my 'daypack' I must have accumulated 20+ odd packets of tissues and wet-wipes. Before eating with my hands I'll wash my hands in a sink it possible, but if not wet-wipes do a decent job. We leave some on the table for during the meal in case things get really sloppy The same procedure after eating will at least get you cleaned up enough to get home; assuming you cannot again find a sink at the feeding point.

--- re: being charges for tissues and water you haven't specifically requested; doesn't sound legally 'Reasonable' to me. Even more so if they are not listed on the menu as 'presumed as compulsory' [?] items, in a similar way that service charges are usually listed on a menu, but you still have a right to ask for them to be removed.

[Usmom]

Hi Everyone, Just wanted to update and say again, thank you to all. This was a great place/forum to get advice. So we have been here about 8 months now and have settled in. We live near the marina and love it. You get used to the annoyances like queing, invasion of personal space, unhelpful customer service, high costs, etc... and after a while they stop bugging you. We feel lucky to live here and glad we made the move. Last but not least, we found a hawker center that makes great chili crab for a decent price. Yes!

[maneo]

Glad to hear you've settled in OK.
Adaptability goes a long way.

Hope you get to try other local specialties, like bak kut teh, laksa, sambal stingray, dum biryani, roti prata, etc.

Just saw a show the other night with Gordon Ramsey learning to cook Malay Rendang.
He had a little difficulty dealing with amounts of ingredients being aga aga.
Someone posted this on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UjzXJcxr8k

[JR8]

Glad you're settling in USmom


p.s. That programme was very entertaining. I'm off right now for a homestyle lunch, all of which will have been cooked 'aga aga' style. I'll have to use that phrase on my mother-in-law
[Same reason it's so hard for her to give me recipes, it's not like that, everything is based upon the 'feel' as you go through the steps of preparing a dish].

[the lynx]

Glad to hear you've settled in OK.
Adaptability goes a long way.

Hope you get to try other local specialties, like bak kut teh, laksa, sambal stingray, dum biryani, roti prata, etc.

Just saw a show the other night with Gordon Ramsey learning to cook Malay Rendang.
He had a little difficulty dealing with amounts of ingredients being aga aga.
Someone posted this on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UjzXJcxr8k

That's how we cook! Agak-agak! Haha poor Ramsay.

That clitorial bush moment was hysterical. Until I watched that video, I didn't know we called it that name. We usually call it bunga telang.

[Primrose Hill]

of course, I cook agak agak all the time other than baking then no agak agak at all

[JR8]

Lol...

I think a difference is that 'in the West' young people are so busy with education, and then leaving home in their late teens to set up their own place, they don't get time to learn from their parents how to cook. I know plenty of adults back home who wouldn't venture beyond preparing bacon, eggs and beans on toast (the rest is pre-prep or ready meals). Hence when you try to branch out, you tend to slavishly follow recipes. It's far easier to completely wreck a dish if you don't have a recipe or the accumulated knowledge of preparing that dish. [Example: early memories of living in a very Sub-Con neighbourhood of the city I went to university, and 'bravely' branching out to trying to cook curry... from the fresh-ground spices.... just with no concept that it needed to be 'cooked-off' first ].

Also I suspect that styles of cooking back home go in and out of favour more frequently than out here. In the 70s 'Duck a l'orange' [duck with an orange based sauce and glaze] was all the thing, a French recipe. Then Pavlova (meringue and cream cake, probably originating in New Zealand (!?)). Then chocolate roulade (French). Then various fruit Syllabub desserts (medieval English?), Chili con carne (Mexican), fondues (Swiss). And on and on, there was always something new and the height of fashion.

There were TV cooking shows on, and the chefs had their books to x-sell, => fashion changed rapidly. I suppose it was all very exciting after the dreadful austerity that dragged on right into the 60/70s.

Just look at the ready-made meals in M+S. It used to be British and Italian, then came Indian (c1990?), then Chinese, then Thai, then Indonesian, then Indochinese (c2005?)... I probably wouldn't recognise their offering today. Name a current new exotic travel destination for the aspiring middle-classes, and M+S will probably stock examples of it's cuisine in 5-10 years time.

I had to go to cooking school to learn an amount of 'agak agak'. I.e. 'technical' cooking courses => stop following the recipe, but rather, understand why the ingredients are doing what they are doing. When you understand why what is happening is... life is a heck of a lot easier, as you can adjust/adapt as you go along.

I still use recipe-based cooking, I suppose it's in my bones, but a difference now in having some insight is I'm not terrified of going 'off-recipe' and taking the initiative when needed. A bit like following rules/orders, but having permission to use my head too at the same time...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavlova_(food)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syllabub

p.s. @PH. Yes, baking is a relative precision art. Once you're underway there is no adjusting or going back. Perhaps why baking has it's specific own courses to reaching professional status.

[Usmom]

update again:
Ok so I have moved from adjusting and adapting to now not wanting to leave. Sitting at the pool today with the kids and looking up at the beautiful blue sky, it's so peaceful. I guess this is why so many people try to get PR or citizenship, it can be so easy to live here. Am I in the honeymoon phase? I also have limited my reading of posts by expat wives on other forums. Some of them spend their whole day posting complaints about their frizzy hair, disobedient helpers, having to sell their $2k handbag cause it's so last season, suspicions of cheating husbands, etc.. Just enjoy your life and appreciate what you have, that's what living here has continued to remind me to do. oh and it doesn't hurt that I have found the most delicious rice porridge near our condo. It's only $3! Thanks hawker center cook!

[Primrose Hill]

Which website are these?

[JR8]

How long is the honeymoon phase? Hmmm... well, getting here, finding a home, getting the home set up and running. The working spouse mastering a new role and getting into a rhythm. The (as applicable) non-working spouse into their own rhythm, and a typical structure to a day/week established. Ditto for any children in school and a routine. Once that has been conquered, and 'pm by the pool' isn't as novel as it was, then your brain has time to wonder, and you are reminded of things you miss, or just little things can begin to nag... like (random example) how ridiculously expensive a small piece of Roquefort cheese is in SG. I always tried to flip such a thought into a positive one; 'but look how cheap x, y, z is'

Keeping horizons open, and keeping busy definitely helps. Ten months in and not a single grumble... I'd say you're doing well [and good for you!]

[Usmom]

Primrose, there are sites that are secret on facebook, you have to know someone to get you in and then you have to be approved by a set group of expat wives... so silly. but also kind of fun to read, like a salacious novel. lol

[cimars]

Primrose, there are sites that are secret on facebook, you have to know someone to get you in and then you have to be approved by a set group of expat wives... so silly. but also kind of fun to read, like a salacious novel. lol

They will invite you to regular social gathering

of course, I cook agak agak all the time other than baking then no agak agak at all

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