The Good Morning Towel Project - A Walk Through Our Heritage, Past and Living

Our minds were ablaze with childhood nostalgia at Night Festival 2012. It was a surreal experience, walking into the Great Singapore Souvenirs (GSS) collection. It was like walking down memory lane. Personal memories of playtime at primary school, my grandparents’ shophouse on Pasir Panjang Road… flooded my mind.   

At this National Day showcase, Bak Chang, 5 Stones, Nonya Kuehs and shophouses etc. were memoralised into contemporary design. What reality left behind was served into the spotlight, and back into our everyday lives.

For us, what really triggered the nostalgia was the Good Morning Towel dished up in gold threads; upgraded to symbolise the improved quality of life in Singapore, not unlike Kampong Punggol being remade into a waterfront town.

I remember the Good Morning Towel from my childhood – on the bamboo clothes poles in my neighbours’ backyards, draped over Ah Pa’s shoulders at the barbershop, atop the bamboo steamers at my favourite dim sum stall... Nenek too had a particular fondness for these white cotton towels. It was a mainstay in our kitchen. And it never missed a family dinner.

Perhaps in the beginning, the only towels available were Good Morning Towels so they have now become a habit born of our heritage. Or perhaps the stark white colour is a useful indicator of hygiene. I like to think its the bold red greeting that instantly warms its bearer to anyone – the rickshaw rider and his passenger or the barber and my father. A secret code between strangers.

In any case, I started to notice that the Good Morning Towel is still being used everywhere. It is in the office pantry, on the coffee grinders in the Toastbox outlet downstairs of my office and over the counters of my beloved Sago Lane egg tart store. In fact, Matt and I spotted it at the Nepalese café in Toa Payoh he frequents. The Good Morning Towel has really transcended cultures and generations in our society.

It was only natural then, when I found out about the Heritage Blog Competition, and reflected on what “Singapore heritage” means to me, I almost immediately thought of the Good Morning Towel and ting ting ting!  The idea for our little project came about almost instinctively.

What project? You may ask. Well, we set out to brand our heritage with the Good Morning Towel! We started with where we remembered the Good Morning Towel to be, and stamped those places with the Good Morning Towel – the stamp of our own brand of heritage.

The Good Morning Towel cleaned marbled table tops in kopitiams, wiped the sweat off the brows of trishaw riders, dusted the shelves of our good ol’ minimarts and kept the ice-box of the ice-cream uncle’s mobile cart dry.

The Good Morning Towel had always been just there, along with our friends and family. It was at our dim sum breakfasts and the roadside barber where I watched and waited for my father. It laid watching over my favourite kuehs prepared by the nonyas in Joo Chiat. It was also at the temple my family visited during Qing Ming to pay our respects to our ancestors.

Even on Channel 8 dramas, on the shoulders of samsui women in the 1980s drama “红头巾”, (Samsui Women), the unassuming towel was the preferred prop, used alongside tin cups, in reenacting scenes from our heritage. Across the causeway, the Good Morning Towel is paid tribute to in its own solo number in Broadway Parodies Lagi Lah!; a clear sign that it is a ubiquitous symbol of the Straits Chinese.

We also sought to brand other images outside of our Straits Chinese heritage. We laid the Good Morning Towel at our favourite prata store and the neighbourhood mosque. It was our small way of acknowledging what makes Singapore, well, Singapore. It really struck me, when I was in Sydney, hungry, cold, craving for prata only to find that it costs AUD9 for three small squares. I felt then, more than ever, how much I have taken for granted our multi-racial heritage. In Singapore, prata is part of our staple diet. Elsewhere, it is an exotic culinary experience.

And it is in a localized German street stall that we sought to reconnect using the Good Morning Towel; at Erich’s Wuerstelstand on Smith Street where we munched on currywurst. Like how Erich is trying to connect his culture with ours, we are adamant the Good Morning Towel features when we try out his, and our changing street food scene.

While on our branding campaign, we came across living scenes unchanged from before. Like a place stuck in time, the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple still hosts retired men and their games of Chinese chess.

Time moves forwards, memory in the other direction. In the backalleys of Kembangan, state of the art condominium developments tower over old shophouses and five foot ways. At Clarke Quay, bumboats no longer deliver sacks of rice to godowns, but ferry tourists to admire the spectacular waterfront with its skyscrapers.

At the end of our day, and much to our delight, we also found old toys like tikam tikam and pick-up-stix at the Singapore Heritage Center. These served as sources of innocent joy common to both our parents and us. Like these old toys repackaged as mementoes, the Good Morning Towel has also been repackaged by Goods of Desire. we found it transformed into boxer briefs, floor mats, eye masks etc. – clearly, this towel of humble beginnings is keeping up with the changing times, and finding new ways to stay in the modern household; and not unlike the beloved place we call home – Singapore. 

Four Ate Five: Delicious Coffee and Eggs

Anybody who takes their coffee seriously would know to work as much coffee into their itinerary when in Sydney. Its pretty tell-tale, from how Starbucks never really took off in Australia. The Aussies know how to make a good cup of coffee and recognise what really should go into a good cuppa.

We had our first coffee fix in Four Ate Five... and it turned out to be the best, most aromatic and thickest coffee we got to taste on our trip.

Despite sitting in a suburb that leaves the brunch-hungry spoilt for choice, Four Ate Five packs in the crowds consistently on the weekends and has amassed five-star reviews for its hearty brunch choices. We visited the cafe on a Monday morning and were lucky to be seated immediately at the front window; the perfect backdrop really, with the occasional breeze and the trendy passerby on Crown Street. 

I picked the poached eggs, smoked salmon and avocado on sourdough bread. I always do, I know. But it always excites me, how a little ricotta, dill cream or whichever minuscule variation promised in the menus, can make a difference to poached eggs. I think I could be curious about poached eggs again and again, be they with crabcake or salmon or proscuitto. Once, I tried to be different and ordered coconut pancakes. Three mouthfuls into the coconut pancakes I began to wonder how the poached eggs would have tasted. Three more mouthfuls later, I concluded I had wasted a perfect brunch appointment by choosing something other than poached eggs. I am narrow-minded about brunch and poached eggs like that.

I never regret a poached egg-choice, I just end up wishing sometimes there were more of it - I didn't have to at Four Ate Five. At Four Ate Five, I was fighting a dilemma between my overly expanded belly and the too-delicious-to-be-missed mouthfuls of the two-egg, creamy avocado and nicely salty ricotta, smoked salmon on crispy sourdough helluva help-there's-so-much-going-on-and-I-can't-get-enough-of-any-one poached egg experience. The poached eggs won, of course.

FOUR ATE FIVE
485 Crown Street
Surrey Hills 2010

  

Harry's Cafe De Wheels: Serious(ly Good) Hot Dogs By Cowper Wharf

When Matt was posted to Sydney for work, a colleague of his who used to study at UNSW gushed about Harry's Cafe De Wheels as a Sydney tourist attraction not to be missed, lauded it the high honour as the best hot dog joint he had ever visited in his life and taunted Matt about missing out on the best thing Sydney has to offer if he skipped making a trip down to their Woolloomooloo caravan.

That's right, a caravan. A caravan cafe near the front gates of the Woolloomooloo naval dockyard to be precise, boasting dockside views of blue waters glistening silver on a sunny summer day.

It was only natural that two years ago, Matt, curious about this not-to-be-missed gastronomic experience, ventured to Woolloomooloo naval dockyard for some of Harry's hot dogs. 

Two years afterwards, I found myself walking down George Street, through Hyde Park and the Royal Botanic Gardens, past the NSW Art Gallery, along Cowper Wharf and finally onto Woolloomooloo naval dockyard, for hot dog with pea mash - phew! That was a mouthful. It was one big morning walk for a hot dog...

Which turned out to be well worth it.

Finally, a hot dog that is bigger than my face, is slathered with chilli con carne so spicy it made me sweat in the chilly dockside breeze, is bedded in thick creamy pea mash and crowned with swirls and swirls of caramelised onions. I never knew sweet pea mash and wickedly spicy chilli con carne make the perfect pair. But the folks at Harry's Cafe De Wheels sure did. And this, I think, is the reason why their hot dogs have struck a chord with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Anthony Bourdain, Jason Biggs... (the list and the photos just go on and on...), and the reason why I will never so much as look at any other hot dogs again.

The next day, Matt and I, legs sore from the hike we took to Harry's Cafe De Wheels the morning before, boarded the tram to the Sydney Fish Market and passed a Harry's Cafe De Wheels sitting right outside Haymarket, just two hundred metres from our hotel. 

HARRY'S CAFE DE WHEELS
Corner Cowper Wharf Roadway & Brougham Road
Woolloomooloo NSW 2011
See www.harryscafedewheels.com.au for opening hours and other locations

Cockatoo Island

These pictures are of art installations on Cockatoo Island. The old shipyard and penal establishment proved to be a great venue for the 18th Biennale. The art installations loomed large in the spacious warehouses, which ran so long that we could never really see what was in the next room until we stepped right in and into full view. 

It was our first time to Cockatoo Island and our trip was totally unplanned. We had run out of things to do in the city, and had just come from lunch close to the free ferry service from Circular Quay. But the harbour views from the ferry and the island, and the interactive, experiential art installations, easily turned Cockatoo Island into one of the highlights of our holiday. 

Chat Thai: Reinventing Thai Street Food

We got two times lucky with Chat Thai. The first, was while taking a new route back to the hotel from George Street, and the second, while shopping in Westfield Sydney Shopping Center. 

The long queues and working kitchen in the front of the restaurant at Campbell Street complete with bowls of kueh, coconut jelly and multi-coloured glutinous rice were enough for us to suggest Chat Thai for supper with Matt's friends the next day and then jump at spotting Chat Thai on the store directory while shopping around Westfield Sydney Shopping Center on our last day - it quickly turned into a natural choice for our last dinner in Sydney.

For supper at Chat Thai, I picked the Khao Sao. Egg noodles and braised chicken in coconut curry and chilli oil. On a chilly winter's night in the city, this dish warmed me completely through my belly. It was very comforting because the rich spicy broth reminded me of laksa from back home, and yet its sharper curry and chilli flavours carried their own weight, forming a perfectly appetising balance of spice against the coconut cream which does not sit too heavily on the gut. Perfectly dangerous - I could keep drinking the curry without feeling it weigh on my stomach.

On our second visit, we had Todt Mun Goong Gaeng Keaw, battered green curried prawn mousse deep-fried and then served with pickled plum sauce. The pickled plum sauce and curry spice lent an interesting and  refreshing sharpness and flavour to what would otherwise have been the usual prawn cake.

We also had Gaeng Keaw Louk Chin Bpla Gaia, housemade fish dumplings and eggplants soaked in green curry (can you tell I really love green curry?), and, in a measly effort to make up our vegetable intake, emerald duck or stir-fried five-spice duck with greens. These were delicious dishes and the flavours were nicely balanced.

But what really took the cake that night was the dessert.We picked the Dessert Lovers' platter, eager to try a little of Chat Thai's bests - sticky rice and mango and Khao Nieaw Daam Bieak, black sticky rice and coconut cream pudding with yam and coconut flesh. What I really enjoyed about the sticky rice and mango was the creamed mango which had an almost pudding-like texture and the fragrant, scented sticky rice. It was a first, and a very good first, with creamed mango and sticky rice, and it was a very sweet note to a very sweet meal. The Khao Nieaw Daam Bieak was also interestingly sweet and salty, creating a richly flavoured and creamy black sticky rice porridge. The platter also came with a small glass of dessert wine, but with strong offerings like the sticky rice and mango, I thought it was a little bit extra. 

We walked out of Chat Thai at Westfield full and fully satisfied. Chat Thai reinvents Thai street food that is deliciously playful, but stays close enough to familiar favourites to create one very interesting and still comforting Thai dining experience.

CHAT THAI THAITOWN
20 Campbell St. Haymarket
10am-5am, Mondays-Sundays

CHAT THAI WESTFIELD
Shop 6002, level 6
188 Pitt Street
Westfield center point
10am-10pm, Mondays-Sundays

Lazy Afternoons in Oxford Street and Newtown

One of the nice things about holidaying in a place we have been to is the long walks we can spare around familiar neighbourhoods. We try to do that with new places but also tend to get slightly obsessed with the mandatory tourist sights. I know, I always start out trying to think I'd be all indie and un-touristy, but chicken out when I stop to pick up one of those tourist maps from the airport - you can't count yourself as having really been to Sydney if you don't have a shot with the Sydney Opera House in the background, right?

These photos were taken in and around stores along Oxford Street and King Street in Newtown. We walked into many surprises along our way: the Dr. Seuss Gallery, the Australian Photography Centre, so many bookstores, bookstores that weren't huge but seemed to know exactly what was on my reading list - it comes as no surprise then, that I ended up buying more books than dresses.

First Taste of Sémillon And Two-Fold Experiences With Shiraz - Tin Soldier and (More Impressively) Iron Gate Estate

The first time I have tried, or even heard of, Sémillon, was also my first time in the Hunter Valley. Known as the iconic wine of the Hunter Valley,  Sémillon is used to make dry or sweet whites, and is often paired with spicy foods and seafoods. A perfectly light and fruity accompaniment to our foods back home. 

We were first introduced to Sémillon at Tin Soldier. Light yellow in appearance and slightly acidic on the nose, it washed down our throats light, slightly dry and with hints of citrus and lemon. 

We were then asked to try Sémillon that had been aged several years. Sam drew our attention to the deeper golden hues of the aged Sémillon. Sémillon, over time, takes on a darker colour and develops nutty, buttery notes which we got to taste first hand and were left feeling impressed and wanting more. Observing the shades of yellow in a Sémillon would get any Sémillon-loving connossieur guessing excitedly about the degree of richness it has taken on with its age. 

At Iron Gate Estate, we tasted Sémillon which was heavier in colour and in flavour. More interestingly, we were treated to the 2010 Sweet Mandala, which was a mix of Sémillon and Verdelho, unwooded. Before the 2010 Sweet Mandala, we were treated to a round of sugar coated butter fingers to sugar levels in our taste buds. This made sure that our tastebuds, previously left dry and acidic by their Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, would not be overpowered by the sweetness of the 2010 Sweet Mandala and would be prepped to sample and appreciate the balance between the aromas of peaches, apricots and tangerines, and the characteristic citrus and lemon flavours of the Sémillon. We found the 2010 Sweet Mandala the perfect go-between for wine-drinkers who preferred something sweeter but found the dessert wines made from the Botrytis infected Sémillon variety overpoweringly sweet

We also had the chance to try some of Tin Soldier's Shiraz 2010. Most of us didn't enjoy the oak notes on first taste. After reading this from our wrinkled faces, George picked up a wine glass, cupped its rim with his palm securely, and, much to our surprise, gave it a good hard shake. He then told us he was just aerating the wine, and to much appreciated effect! - The oak flavours were significantly mellowed and the fruity undertones were more pronounced. George had very simply created two wine tasting experiences out of the same glass of wine.

Our experience with Iron Gate Estate's 2010 Sweet Shiraz was also two-fold. Our first sip drew lightly sweet and fruity flavours with a very slight spicy finish. We were then served as chocolate cake and urged us to take another sip. And wow this time, the Sweet Shiraz rolled in our mouths like chocolate coated cherries. It felt like we were gulping down a mouthful of black forest cake. It came as no surprise then when we were told the 2010 Sweet Shiraz is one of Iron Gate Estate's top sellers. 

Image courtesy of weekendnotes.com

Image courtesy of irongateestate.com

It also came as no surprise when Sam told us Iron Gate Estate is one of the Hunter Valley's top wineries. Unlike big players like Penfolds and Brown Brothers, Iron Gate Estate grows their own grapes, which are then handpicked for wine-making. They get to control the quality of each and every grape. The team at Iron Gate Estate are so particular about their grapes that they forewent a year of wine-making after less than ideal weather conditions last year. 

And their precision has seemed to paid off - each wine we tasted was notably more aromatic and with fuller body, than the ones we had at Tin Soldier, or any other wines I have personally tasted in my very young and uninformed wine-sampling pursuits. Special mention should be made on the 2010 Premium Shiraz which was full of fruity flavours balanced with the right tinge of oak with a very smooth liquorice finish. I never thought I could enjoy a red but I now think I can with Iron Gate Estate.

We all very much enjoyed our experience at Iron Gate Estate. Each of us left with a bottle of our personal favourites in tow, eager to recreate the experience back home. 

IRON GATE ESTATE
Oakey Creek Road 
Polkolbin
NSW 2320
Australia