The Little Bookshop at the Corner

 BooksActually is a small independent bookshop on Yong Siak Street in Tiong Bahru.  A  little way from my usual haunts here in the east coast, you might have noticed.  It is a niche bookshop selling both new and second hand books - I once saw a nice collection of those old Nancy Drew hardbacks - copies of which once stood on my own bookshelves, many many years ago.  Aside from selling books, there's a selection of vintage bric brac - old crockery, glasses, bottles, etc.  Last but not least, the bookshop is presided over by a friendly pair of cats.

So back to the books. This little bookshop sells a variety of books about Singapore - about the different areas of Singapore, Singapore history etc.  My copy of the 4th Edition of Ellice Handy's "My Favourite Recipes" was bought here.  But it also has its own printing press and as such its real niche is in commissioning and printing the works of Singapore writers and poets.  I was especially taken by a series, Balik Kampung, which is a collection of short stories by different authors, each writing a story about a part of Singapore which they had stayed in for a number of years.  "Balik Kampung" is a Malay phrase, which means to go back to the home village.  [Note: It is sometimes used in a derogatory sense, to get rid of someone incompetent. It is particularly used in football matches, and applied to the referee after a particularly disappointing decision.]   The book was so popular that it inspired two more books, Balik Kampung 2A and Balik Kampung 2B.  There's another charming book, From the Belly of the Cat.  Same concept, except of course this time the short stories are about cats.  Particularly apt in a shop featuring these handsome animals.

It's a pleasant place to spend a rainy afternoon :-)

Pineapple and Apple Crumble

Vanilla Ice Cream with Pineapple and apple crumble

Or, what to do with leftover pineapple jam when you get tired of making pineapple tarts.

I was inspired to make this rather delicious crumble by a visit to Cafe Brio at the Grand Copthorne Hotel.  Their buffet lunch happened that day to serve a pineapple and banana crumble.  As I didn't have bananas handy, I decided to try it with apples instead.

It is a very easy crumble to make.  Peel and cut apples into segments, then layer it with the pineapple jam in the baking tray.  Top with the crumble.  Bake.  Serve with homemade vanilla ice cream..

Smooth, velvety ice cream contrasts with the deep rich caramel-ly pineapple jam and the crunch of the crumble.  A perfect pairing.

On Par

At last!  My right shoe has caught up with my left shoe!  I thought that reaching this milestone warranted two kasut manek posts in quick succession :-)

Now, to actually finish a shoe...

More precious than rubies

My grandparents, soon after they were married.
Cut out of a larger photo.

My Grandmother (who I last wrote about here) passed away on 1 May 2013, some five months ago. Had she lived, today would have been her 92nd birthday.

My grandmother did not have an easy life at the beginning. She was born in a large Peranakan family, one with perhaps too many children and definitely too many girls. So her mother's sister adopted her and raised her as her own - one of a family of six (including one other adopted daughter who was no blood relative). She was a clever girl, and completed her Form 5 at Victoria Street Convent.

Upon leaving school, she married my grandfather, a good 14 years older than herself. She had her first child soon after - she's likely in early stages of pregnancy in this photo. She would have two more children before she was 21 years old. My mother was her third child, born during the first few months of the Japanese occupation of Singapore. By that time, my grandfather had been interred in Changi Prison. My grandmother was left to look after her three children throughout the war, alone. Fortunately, the family was reunited after the war, all intact.

The family's troubles were not over. During the Maria Hertogh riots, my grandfather (being a Eurasian) was in danger and had to go into hiding. My grandmother, again pregnant with her fifth and last child, was again left to look after her children, the fourth child not even a year old, and her oldest son ill in bed and unable to be moved. That evening, men came looking for my grandfather. My grandmother met them at the door and firmly told them that my grandfather was not there, and asked them to go away.

My grandmother was as fierce as a lioness, a true Leo defending her children. Capable and practical, she managed the household well, and ensured her children were properly fed and appropriately clad. My mother remembers her searching for white ties for my uncles (then young boys of around 7-8 years) to wear at their First Communion, and when she could not find suitable ties, sewing them herself.

She was a supportive wife. My grandfather ran for election in 1959, and she was his election agent. In his old age, she nursed him devotedly until he passed away many years ago.

My grandmother was a good cook. Brought up in the true "agak-agak" school of cooking, she had a well-trained palette and was able to distinguish flavours of dishes and reproduce them in her own kitchen.

She was also a warm and loving grandmother. I remember many happy occasions in her home, at Christmas (when she played Mrs Claus) and at family celebrations. I remember afternoons running around the garden with my brother and cousins, coming only when she announced that it was time for tea. There was always something good to eat, at my grandmother's house.

Grandma had a long and happy life, with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren all continuing to visit her to the end of her days. Happy Birthday, Grandma, and God Bless.

Baba vs the Minions

So, apparently the "Minions" from Despicable Me are the latest in-thing, as is their rendition of the Beach Boys' hit, "Barbara Ann". 

But the Peranakans have their own version!  Check out "Baba Nyonya" by Alvin Oon:

. 

Of course, this song is not just made up of meaningless syllables like the Minions', as it is actually in Baba Malay.  Aside from repeating "Baba Nyonya" many times, it weaves in references to clothing ("sarong kebaya") and food ("otak otak" and "buah keluak").  Yes, we are all indeed happy eating yummy nyonya cuisine!

For photos on Peranakan houses, you can check out my Katong photo set on Flickr.