16 Dec 2013 – In Norway

Dec is the darkest time of the year in this winter wonderland. During the Christmas period many of the food traditions come to the fore and Scandinavian hospitality expands. Have been fortunate to celebrate many Christmases in Norway with wonderful Norwegian families and got to taste the traditional dishes from various families.

1968: 1st Christmas in Tromsø/Norway when rakfisk was introduced, fish dish made from trout or sometimes char, salted and fermented for two to three months, or even up to a year, then eaten without cooking. The smell is so distinct that they have to be stored in the garage, but the taste is heavenly. Best with flatbread, onions and sour cream.

Since 1968, have celebrated Christmas in Norway until 1984. Previous posting about cookies so this one will be on some of the savoury Christmas dishes. Starting with the more traditional ones:

1. Lutefisk: one of my least favourite dish. L&M’s great-grandmother made it yearly and have tasted it once and that was enough! It is made from aged stockfish (air-dried whitefish) or dried/salted whitefish (klippfisk) and lye (lut). It is gelatinous in texture, and has an extremely strong, pungent odour. Its name literally means ‘lye fish’.

2. Ribbe: similar to the Chinese roast pork and when roasting it, the kitchen smells delightfully delicious and is warm with all the cooking. Thank goodness the air out is usually cold and refreshing to open the kitchen windows. Sometimes the head of the pig with an apple in its mouth will be displayed on the table with this dish!

3. Ellen’s Medisterkaker: this is very special and really yummy. She mixes reindeer meat hunt from her own family mountain terrain. Reindeer steak is a bit on the gamey side for me but these meat balls are out of this world and the broth is a die die must try. Drank so much of that broth even Ellen remembers that she was nearly out of broth one year 🙂

4. Rype/Grouse: this is Kari’s tradition and they hunt for it in Rypefjord, Finmark/Northern Norway. Only she can prepare this dish to make it taste out of this world. Thank you Kari, will always remember this feast fit for the King!

5. Balcalhau: is the Portuguese word for cod and—in a culinary context—dried and salted cod. Ingrid serves this dish, another yummy fish dish serve during Christmas and Easter.  There are some restaurants that serve this year round. Had it Sep 2012 when touring Norway with Peggy and Kenson.

There are many other dishes which different families will have their own traditions. The other dishes will be smoked and salted meats, pickled herrings, variety of breads and beverages, both sodas and beers  made especially for Christmas.

And the last Christmas celebrations in Norway with L&M, their grandparents and aunt was 1991, en route back to the US after following the USS Missouri around the world on a good-will journey.

With the 2 postings of some of the tradition Norwegian Christmas foods to wish everyone velkommen til bords/welcome to the table!

Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift – Mary Oliver

15 Dec 2013 – What in the world is going on…

http://www.news.com.au/world/middle-east/snow-in-cairo-for-the-first-time-in-112-years/story-fnh81ifq-1226783021497

Sat: shootings in Queen Subway Station Toronto/Canada and another one is CO/USA

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/queen-subway-shooting-leaves-man-in-life-threatening-condition-1.2463956

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/12/13/us/colorado-school-shooting/

A weekend on catching up with rest and sleep and enough of these kind of sad news, to some tasteful uplifting memories!

Sun: thank you May for sending this pix of Olai with his first peperkaker/gingerbread baking at his great-grandmother’s. Good memories of Norwegian Christmas preparations to remember.

The only pix of pepperkaker baking in Norway found was from 1978 where Linn and her aunt Cathrine were busy with a rolling-pin which is probably the same one Olai just used 🙂

The usual 8 traditional Norwegian I used to bake and every family will have their own favourites…

1. Berliner kranser: eggs, flour, sugar and butter. Oven for baking

2. Fattigman/poorman (check the ingredients and you will be poor after shopping for eggs and brandy!) : my favourite Norwegian Christmas cookie, egg yolks, cream, icing sugar and brandy fried in oil.

3. Goro: eggs, sugar cream, butter, flour and brandy. Need a goro iron for this.

4. Krumkaker: cream, sugar and flour. Again another iron and this one can be shaped 2 ways, one like our CNY love letters and the other in a cone-shape so one can fill it with cream or jams etc

5. Pepperkaker: gingerbread with various receipts, a must but not my favourite where taste is concerned. Good for all kinds of shapes to decorate with, especially for the gingerbread house.

6. Rosettbakkels: eggs, sugar, flour and water. Fried in oil and need an iron

7. Sandkaker: butter, sugar, egg yolks, flour and chopped almonds. Good plain or with various fillings.

8. Kransekaker: coarse ground almonds, icing sugar and egg whites; an all time occasion and favourite cake/cookies.  One can decorate it to what the occasion calls for. Still have the rings if anyone in SIN wants to attempt baking it.

13 Dec 2013 – Festival of Lights

St. Lucia’s Day: festival of lights is celebrated in Norway, Sweden and the Swedish-speaking areas of Finland on 13Dec in honour of St. Lucia. One of the earliest Christian martyrs, St. Lucia was killed by the Romans in AD 304 because of her religious beliefs.

In Scandinavian countries each town elects its own St. Lucia. The festival begins with a procession led by the St. Lucia designee, who is followed by young girls dressed in white and wearing lighted wreaths on their heads singing traditional songs. The festival marks the beginning of the Christmas season…

This year no candles for the Holiday Season. Thank you for lunches and dinners with sis, sis-in-law and nieces throughout the week. To complete Christmas mailing,  shopping and movie catch up week:

3 Peas In A Pod***SIN made movie filmed in Australia is a rather unusual film that will make viewers re-examine their views on romance and love. 3 university students studying in Australia (Penny from SIN, Perry from Taiwan and Peter from Korea) are good friends whose lives are intertwined with one another’s. Just before they graduate, the 3 friends decide to go on a road trip. Little do they know, this farewell holiday is a trip that would change their lives forever.

Diana***about the last two years of the life of Diana, Princess of Wales. The biopic focuses on her relationships with heart surgeon Dr Hasnat Khan and Dodi Fayed. How sad for anyone who is so beautiful and seem to have everything but peace of mind and happiness!

Don Jon***Jon Martello objectified everything in his life, his apartment, his car, his family, his church, and, of course, women.  Yet even the finest flings don’t compare to the transcendent bliss he achieves alone in front of the computer watching porn. Dissatisfied, he embarks on a journey to find a more gratifying sex life, but ends up learning larger lessons of life and love thru’ relationships with two very different women.

It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light – Aristotle  Onassis

9 Dec 2013 – Wet in Chinatown

This is NOT the kind of news anyone wish to deal with on a Monday morning!

http://www.straitstimes.com/the-big-story/little-india-riot/story/singapore-police-control-riot-little-india-20131209

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25294918

Mon: those who know me also know that I shy away from political and religious issues. But what just happened in SIN triggered a part of me that will not let me shy away from. Am both saddened about the situation in Little India and perturbed also at people who do not act in peace. But all easily said as the situation is more complex. C’est la vie mais la vie a sa douce côté trop…

‘Whatever events may have sparked the rioting, there is no excuse for such violent, destructive, and criminal behaviour –  Lee Hsien Loong SIN PM

‘Intolerable, wanton violence. It is not the Singapore way – Ng Joo Hee

Not only not the SIN way, violence should NEVER be the way anywhere!

Those who wish to visit or live in SIN should live by the SIN laws and if not, just get out, or change it for the better in peaceful and constructive methods. And those who create trouble should be deported. SIN has come a long way working hard to make this a clean and safe society.

Sun: Mario sent me a message that he will be late for our lunch appointment but was not online and thus did not receive the message. Imagine the relief seeing him after 1.30hrs wait and was just so glad that there was no need to file for any missing person. Learnt that for SIN, only after 40hrs one can then file for a missing person report, but for non-SIN, one can do so within the hour! Getting more paranoid after all that has happened in 2013 so far…

Tourist guiding Mario thru’ Chinatown and explaining that it is not easy for SIN pop of 80% of the Chinese race to keep this cosmopolitan society balance!! Was impressed the he was game for trying frog legs, rawfish salad and even durians. Such a fantastic tourist to show SIN and its foods to.  The wet rainy weather did not dampen his positive spirits. Thank you for his sunshine. He can be my guest anytime 🙂

Even managed to have a drink at The Dubliners Irish Pub located conveniently by the bus-stop where no. 36 heads direct to the airport 🙂 🙂

Safe and sound journeys back to Ireland until we meet again, stay safe and healthy.

7 Dec 2013 – If only I am Superwoman!

Thu: amazing how every one decides to travel to SIN around the same time! After seeing AmyCA off, bro Lawrence called to say that he will be arriving the next day. Started the day bright and early on the bus and view from the corridor at the National Dental Care. At cousin Ken for dentist appointment and the bad news is that one of the crowned tooth is infected and needs to be extracted and then implant! Ouch in every way, was told that the final bill will amount to S$5,000+

Good to catch up with Leonard, my computer guru for breakfast in Chinatown where the preparations for the Horse year galloping in even before Christmas! Off to the airport (more horse!) to pick up Lawrence.

Lunched at Paradise Inn***/Changi Airport T1 quite decent food and good soup. Thanks to Leonard for lunch. Lawrence and I took a short and quick trip to pay respects to our parents at Mandi Crematorium.

The day ended at Les&Ivy for a hot-pot dinner. Kat&Greg and Devon are in town, good to catch up with Les&Ivy’s whole family. Was just adding up the numbers our branch ie my siblings and their families (green, orange and purple generation) and we are total of 66, probably the largest branch for the green generation!

Fri: news of Mandela passing. This man spent 27yrs in prison for something he believed in and lived to see the changes he so hoped for! RIP Nelson Mandela! You were an inspiration to us all.

Met with Mario who is on his way back to Ireland after his month’s stay in Australia. A trip to Tiong Bahru Market and the Botanic Gardens. Not a good day for the body. Had to stay and rest in the library while Mario went strolling about the gardens. Splitting headache and fever. Apologies, Mario unable to show you around in the afternoon. Need to rest for a day before I collapse.

Sat: our bodies hold all of the information we need to function at our best, but too often we ignore their messages and plow ahead with what our minds tell us ignoring what our bodies are saying. So now to rest rest and more rest. Coughing and no appetite, just as well… need to lose weight 🙂

Your body is a sophisticated, intelligent machine, but too often we fail to understand them because we don’t value them as highly as we should –

5 Dec 2013 – Second Cousins

Sun: thus starts this first Sunday of Advent on 1 Dec. Dank je wel/thank you in Dutch to nephew Clement for letting me watched movies at his lovely bachelor-pad and thank you to 4th sis-in-law Poh Kit, nieces Judy & Daisy and grand-nephew Darryl for dinner company and shopping at Ikea

Tue: welcome cousin Amy back for her second visit in wet rainy SIN. Wed morning nasi lemak breakfast and some shopping in the MP area before heading to the museums for the afternoon.

Quite coincidentally, Amy is my name sake, same generation but nearer to Linn’s age and she also married and divorced a Norwegian!! So we will be referred to AmyCA and me as AmySG when both of us are in the same picture.

Thank you Joy LAM-THIO for a delicious dinner with the yummy Roasted Almond Chicken as their signature dish at Shang Palace****/ShangriLa Hotel. The last time I saw Joy was in the 1950s and for AmyCA, this is their first meeting. Later in the evening, managed to connect the dots. Joy’s father was my father’s first cousin, ie Joy’s and AmyCA’s grandfather was my grandfather’s brother.

Joy’s father uncle LAM YatChong was from the first wife and he passed on in 1951 before she was born. AmyCA’s father uncle LAM YatMeng is from the second wife. Met up with him and his family for the first time a few years ago during their SE Asia visit and again in Oct during my CA visit.

Pix of grandfather LAM SongKee, grand uncle LAM JieChiew and their families in the 1930s

Wed: great to catch up with AmyCA. Delighted to re-connect with a long-lost cousin Joy and she certainly lives up to her name, a joy to be in her company. Safe journeys to both who will be travelling in different directions, one back home to CA via HKG and the other to Canada for her Christmas holidays.

Special Dec dates:

14 Happy Bdays Ingrid HUSTAD & LAM Cheng Chwab

16 Happy Bday Andy LAM

23 Happy Bday Minos LAM

24 Happy 14th Anniversary Patricia LAM & Albert CHUA

25 Merry Christmas

27 Happy Bday Lisa XIAO

We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves – Buddha

The end of Nov 2013

Fri: Happy Birthday to eldest grandson John W, the only one of my grandchildren born in SIN 7yrs ago! Pix with L&M of his first wedding party! when niece PatLynn got married to David.

This Salvatore Ferragamo at Paragon Shopping Centre is ready for the Black Friday Deals! I for one will not stand in line waiting to get into any shop!! Would rather do without.

Lisa comment on FB, ‘Jus passing bystander right aunty Amy Lam? Or it’s ur YOLO moment? Lol’. My answer, just a passer-by and was amazed that people would stand in line to get into the shop! My first thought was that I do not even own anything from this brand until I remembered this, and NO I did not buy it, tkx to Linn 🙂

The halls in Paragon are all ready and decked this year which seem to be leaning on the angelic theme. Am a fan of tiny angels and have a host with the biggest no bigger than 2”/5cm in height. Will get my Christmas village out sometime soon, but first the advent calendar 🙂 🙂

Thank you Hong Sze for lunch at the Tanglin Club. Nice to be updated with our latest happenings and joining the dots! Have known HS for 6 decades. Our parents were good friends and glad that we have managed to continue with our friendship, following the tradition of our parents. Both HS & KK were my first male play-mates who are not in the family. Quite amazing to think that my parents allowed me to slumber at their homes when we were kids 🙂 🙂 🙂

Sat: Peggy hosted a popiah party for 1962 class-mates from CHIJ. Dessert of local cakes and fruits by me! Sitting from left: Lynne who lives in Oxford/UK,  Rebecca, Sylvia, Juliana, Evelyn; standing from left: Janet (Peggy’s sister) me, Peggy, Penny, Shirley, Lydia and Pat. Except for Juliana and Janet, have known the others since 1962. Appreciations to Peggy for a heart-warming cheerful afternoon on this grey rainy day.

28 Nov 2013 – Happy Thanksgiving

26 Nov 2013 – Good Local Production 

SIN film Ilo Ilo was named the Best Feature Film at the Golden Horse Awards in Taipei on Saturday, the biggest award of the night. It won a total of four prizes, including Best New Director and Best Original Screenplay for director Anthony Chen and Best Supporting Actress for Yeo Yann Yann.

Ilo Ilo****/爸妈不在家: set in SIN about the relationship between a family of three and their newly arrived Filipino maid, Teresa. The family needs to adapt to the presence of this stranger, which further threatens their already strained relationship in their 3-room HDB flat, 700sq ft size as my apt!

Teresa and Jiale, the young and troublesome boy she cares for, soon form a bond. Their unique connection continues to develop and soon she becomes an unspoken part of the family. But this is 1997 and the Asian Financial Crisis is starting to be felt in all the region…

A must see movie for me not just because it won the awards but because the need to understand and relate to the local scene during my stay here. SIN-made movies do not usually make it to the overseas big screens and will try to catch them here if possible.

The local made movies reflect on the life in SIN. And no do not have a maid but know people who have at least one or two maids but would prefer calling them house-help. Grew up here in 1950s & early 60s with house-help. But they were there to clean and cook, not to look after the children! It was a different era then!!

Iloilo is the name of a province in Philippines where the real Teresita Sajonia is from. She was the nanny for the director’s family, the Chens from 1988-1997. Somehow the Chinese title Father Mother not at Home does not come across as exciting or interesting as Ilo Ilo!

Happy ending for former nanny Teresita Sajonia as she hugs Christopher Chen, the youngest of her three former wards in Singapore, at a  hotel in Iloilo City. Sajonia is the subject of a Cannes’ award-winning film  written/directed by Christopher’s eldest brother, Anthony. Photo courtesy of Selrahco.

http://entertainment.inquirer.net/111665/nanny-beloved-from-iloilo-now-nanny-the-movie

All pix on this posting are downloaded from various media.

I’m very happy that they remembered the years we were together and that this was made into a movie. I’m happy that they grew up well – Teresita Sajonia

24 Nov 2013 – Chinatown, Suntec City & Beach Road

Thu: finally the painting work completely but could not shut the main door overnight and if I did, the paint could be ruined. Thank goodness the outer gate is in place and can be locked with a pad-lock.

Fri: today Linn & family move into their new house and feeling a bit down that I am unable to help even though she has ensured me that they have plenty of help. All the best and good luck to them towards another new start.

Great to catch up with niece Daisy C for updates of her branch of the family. To Henry, tkx for helping to eat frog-legs congee with raw fish salad dinner at Tiong Shian Porridge Centre 長城粥品****/New Bridge Rd and for helping out with a job. Had a good night sleep until the storm started when the lightning and thunder nearly struck me out of the bed !

Sat: tkx to nephew Clement and Audrey for a BBQ pork, roast duck & pork lunch at Alex’s Eating House***/Beach Rd with dessert at Ji De Chi**/Liang Seah St. Decided to try the YinYang, almond and black sesame paste to discover that am no fan for that mixture! Glad that they were separated as in pix and could carefully eat first the one and then the other. Like almond paste on its own and same with black sesame but some of these fusions do not agree with the taste-bud 🙂

The Black Sesame Cold Cake and Osmanthus Flower Cake were so-so

A stroll to Suntec City to see the revamped version, and quite a change, especially the convention section where I used to help set up various conventions and shows. Another Christmas tree up and Thanksgiving is not even here yet!

Audrey drove us around Lavender MRT area. Usually when in this area, it is for a wake as that is where SIN Casket is located. Tyrwhitt Road has some trendy places where the younger generation gathers.

Chye Seng Huat Hardware, a fashionable coffee joint which is rather unexpected when one passes by the front door! They make their own brew but anyone who knows me also know that coffee is no no for me after 12n. As my bro said, she is hyper as she is, can’t image what she will be like with coffee 🙂 🙂

Further up the road are: the tiramisu hero, menu looks quite good but the eyes are wider than the stomach where there is not even space for another drop of water! Konzepp, with funky stuff, Chinese Druggist Association and with such a name seems an exciting place but was closed 🙂 🙂 🙂

Appreciations to Audrey for introducing these new locations. Enjoy exploring new places and such an eye-opener. Am blessed that these young people include me for their afternoon out.

He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed – Albert Einstein