Fabulous Food on Holiday, or a Food Specific Holiday? Durian Delights

 One of the joys of visiting a new country or revising a country, or just taking any holiday, is trying new food or new ways of serving familiar, favourite food. In Asia in my first week in Singapore I discovered a dessert of durian ice cream. It was the only dessert available at an oriental restaurant. I loved it!

My friend, Vera, in Singapore, told me that this year, 2023, as usual, she took a durian holiday to Malaysia. Half a dozen ladies go together.

 Unfortunately, because of the weather, their trip was too late for the start of the durian season, which was early this year. The group was able to visit only one durian destination instead of the usual five on a four night, five day holiday. 

After the group returned to Singapore, they heard that Malaysia had eneffitted from a second crop.

They went to a durian farm to try the durians.  Not durian shakes or ice cream. Fresh durian.

I don't like fresh durians. To me it is slimy, messy, with an overwhelming pungent smell. 

What I like is durian flavoured desserts, You can often buy inexpensive ice cream or mixed fruit with unidentified cubed vegetables and durian sauce, squeened on top form a bottle or dispenser. 

In previous seasons I have tried the durian lunch at Goodwod park hotel which runs March to August.

Durian has also reached restaurants in the UK.

If you missed out on the durian season, this year, plan for next year.

Useful Websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durian

Durian in Malaysia, trip from Singapore

https://www.easybook.com/en-sg/deals/singapore/musang-king-durian-day-tour-eu-holiday-at-tangkak

Durian In London, England, UK

https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Durian&find_loc=Londyn

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How to use chopsticks?

Photo by FiveRings in Wikipedia article on chopsticks.
From top to bottom: Plastic chopsticks from Taiwan, porcelain chopsticks from mainland China, bamboo chopsticks from Tibet, palmwood chopsticks from Indonesia (Vietnamese style), stainless flat chopsticks from Korea (plus a matching spoon), a Japanese couple's set (two pairs), Japanese child's chopsticks, and disposable "waribashi" (in wrapper)

Where might you need or want to use chopsticks?  In Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Nepal, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand^[ and to a much lesser extent Philippines. Or in restaurants from those countries.

How to use chopsticks?

Hold a pen as if you are about to write, between your thumb and first (next) finger, resting it on your middle finger. waggle the pen up and down. Easy, isn't it!

Add another pen next to it, balancing on the middle finger.Bring the points of the two pens together.  Waggle the first pen, your imaginary chopstick, by pressing down and up with your first finger (the one next to the thumb. So the point touches the point of the other pen.

If necessary, bring your middle finger further up away from the points, so the two points can meed.
Point the two points downwards onto an imaginary plate, such as a piece of white paper.

Practising
Imagine you are talking to somebody. Keep eating the food whilst listening to what your boss or host or guest is saying. It's like riding a bicycle. If you concentrate on something else, you find it much easier.

Then imagine that a bird or monkey is trying to grab hold of your food. You quickly grab hold of the food. If you are determined to do it, instead of hesitant, it is much easier.

The lower pen is held by the middle and fourth finger. As it moves up and down, you can see that you can grab something.

Get Guidance
If you are in a Chinese or Japanese or Korean restaurant, they will probably offer you a knife and fork. However, take the opportunity to ask for a pair of chopsticks. Practise on your own, or ask somebody to show you, a friend, or a waiter, or even somebody at the next table.

If you don't want to practise or delay eating in a grand restaurant, start in a hawker centre in Singapore (a food court). Chopsticks are widely available. Just ask a stranger at the same long table to show you.

Even if you cannot speak Mandarin and they cannot speak English, you can show them the chopsticks, and frown and shrug and look puzzled and hold your palm out towards your right as a question. They will be amused, show you how, all smiles.

Secret Rehearsal?
If you don't want to reveal to your host or guest that you cannot do it, you could arrive first and have a practise.

Otherwise, just ask your host or guest. They will be delighted to show off their skill and superior knowledge.

If you have children in your group, they are often less shy and like to learn a new skill. Show them what to do, then ask them to demonstrate to your guests.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.

Eat Out At National University Hospital

Problem
After a day in A and E, I went back to the ENT department for some checkups, as well as an X-ray. You are in the hospital during lunch hour. Where do you eat?

Hospital Location
National University Hospital is very convenient. It is right next to Kent Ridge MRT station.
The skyscraper building has a food court where the staff and the patients can eat, just like any other shopping mall.

Food Break
Your choice of food is varied. When I was there stalls were offering all kinds of chicken and meat and egg dishes, seafood, Chinese and Asian food, Japanese food, Indian and Malay food, Halal food, vegetarian food, a fruit and fruit juice stall, plus tea and coffee.

Choice Of Food
As usual, my husband and I differed completely on our views of the food. He had shellfish. I'm allergic to it. I had a durian dessert. He won't go near anything durian. (I kept the contents secret until I had finished.

My first thought was to go for my favourite, chicken rice, but I eat that a lot at home, so I opted for a novelty. I wanted masala dosai. However the dosai was unavailable.  Instead I had another Indian bread pancake, with two side dishes, one of which was chickpeas.

I could not try my husband's shellfish.

However, he was happy to try the Indian bread and chickpeas. he said it was good. I thought the bread was dry and so-so.

Durian Dessert
The durian was in generous amounts, but bland. It may not be the right time of year, because the McDonalds McFlurry durian promotion has just ended (October). I must say the McDonald durian was better.

This is all I got in A and E. A bread and jam sandwich and water.

What was good about the place?

Seats and Tables
Seats with backs. Very big and busy yet still no trouble getting a table.

Menus And Healthy Options
The menus showing dishes were marked with coloured ticks showing the healthiest and least healthy options.

Toilets
What was best of all? The toilets have built-in bidets. Turn a knob on the side, and you get a wash. That is much better than the old fashioned hose which sends water all over the floor and seat.

All in all, very good because it kept my escort happy.

Useful Addresses and Websites
National University Hospital
5 Lower Kent Ridge Road
Singapore 1199074
tel:(65) 5555

Hospital website
www.nuh.com.sg

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Singapore Singlish - chope - reserving tables

Problem
What is chope? It is on my Kleenex box.

Chope is putting down a pack of tissues or other item to reserve a table or chair when queing at a hawker center (food court).

When I first arrived in Singapore and saw tissues on the table I thought they were left there by the management of the hawker centre for customers to wipe their hands clean!

British people from Europe are familiar with the idea of Germans putting towels on loungers by hotel swimming pools to reserve convenient loungers - or all loungers - which is the source of much indignant or amused comment.

Chope is a Singlish word. Singlish is like pigeon English, using the grammar and vocabulary
of Chinese (Mandarin) or Malay or the local dialects spoken by the Chinese from Southern China.

Author
Angela Lansbury