16 minute read
Tuckerbox
CHRISTMAS CHEERS!
RAELENE TAN makes us hungry highlighting favourite food and drink from the holiday period.
We all know that Christmas gatherings are made even merrier by indulging in traditional food and drink. The anticipation of savouring festive classics such as sausage with chestnut stuffing, golden crisp roast potatoes, the freshest of prawns, colourful salads, tempting mince pies, homemade white Christmas slices and sumptuous chocolate log cake, all complemented by traditional Christmas drinks, adds to the celebratory mood. These once-ayear treats bring smiles all round, for young and old alike.
Raise a glass (or a mug!)
At our home, the all-time favourite is warm, spicy, MULLED WINE. When our children and grandchildren arrive for Christmas Day lunch, the moment they step over the threshold, their noses are attuned ready for the welcoming aroma of cinnamon, cloves, citrus and red wine. While the adults indulge, children excitedly help themselves to colourful FRUIT PUNCH, ladled from a large cut-glass punch-bowl, with tiny cubes of colourful assorted fruit floating lazily on top, intertwined with fresh mint leaves.
Aside from matching cool white and heavier RED WINE with meals or nibbles, not forgetting BUBBLY DELIGHTS, Christmas is the time to pamper family and friends with age-old customary drinks while reminiscing about festive times past, of childhood memories, of “Sugar Plum fairies dancing in my head . . .”.
Suitable for all ages, EGGNOG (sans alcohol for youngsters) – cool, creamy, spiced with nutmeg – is a recipe spanning three generations at our gatherings. If you don’t want to mix it yourself, it can also be purchased ready-made here, such is its popularity. Pauls brand from Brisbane is particularly good and can be found in various supermarkets in Singapore.
Harking back to apple harvesting in the northern hemisphere during the winter months is APPLE CIDER. Initially drunk as part of a community ‘wassailing’ custom (an ancient pagan Twelfth Night tradition), to wish each other good health, these days the popular tipple is available in individual cans, lightly effervescent and most refreshing. Icy cold Apple Fox New Zealand is recommended for its crisp, tart taste, and found at FairPrice Xtra supermarkets, including at JEM.
Remembering my years living and working in London, an unusual warm drink called POSSET comes to mind. My knowledgeable English landlady, Mrs. Spriggs, advised that posset was beneficial for good health, with Shakespeare also agreeing in Hamlet. Made with milk, honey, spices and more, including wine or beer, it was an easy-
Born in Adelaide, Raelene Tan is an etiquette consultant and a food and travel writer. She has authored five books and has been a regular guest on radio and television. to-drink festive concoction, especially around bedtime. Mrs. Spriggs used ginger ale in her version, in lieu of alcohol.
TEA and COFFEE with a seasonal touch adds to the mood. Cinnamon Chai is fragrantly spicy, or consider creating your own festive tea for a personalised touch. Blending Darjeeling and Earl Grey tea leaves has worked nicely for me. Add a cinnamon stick to your favourite coffee for a warmly comforting Christmas aroma, or simply serve coffee with chocolate mints or a gingerbread man. Whimsical touches will be appreciated and enjoyed.
Enjoy Christmas cheers with family and friends. May we all spread goodwill and look forward positively to the year ahead, filled with thanksgiving, hope and fresh new beginnings.
If there’s ever a year to ditch the traditional Christmas dinner it’s this one. When life feels a little bit different, you can deviate from the customary dining rules, too.
Out with the: Turkey Dinner
In with the: Duck Leg Roast and Spiced Potato Chokha Mash
This dish is representative of an Indian Christmas to me
BY EXECUTIVE CHEF SAURABH UDINIA AT REVOLVER (@revolver_sg)
“My first proper Christmas dinner was baked turkey at a friend’s house in Kerala. They typically don’t have ovens there, so they use traditional techniques to marinade meat in masala. I’ve transformed the recipe from an Indian curry dish to a Duck Leg Roast. It retains the techniques and spices used, but contains more love as it’s created with my family and friends in mind.”
INGREDIENTS
DUCK LEG 2 duck legs (120gms each) 30ml Chardonnay vinegar 200g chopped pearl onion 50g chopped ginger and garlic 5g chili powder 10g coriander powder 5g turmeric powder 10g garam masala powder 5g black pepper powder
Salt to taste 100g sliced red onions
Bunch of curry leaves 100ml ghee
SPICED POTATO CHOKHA MASH 200g medium baked potatoes 20g garlic 10ml lemon juice 10g green chilli 5g black pepper 2ml mustard oil 100g medium onion 20g coriander leaves Salt to taste
METHOD
For Duck 1. Grind the ingredients to a fine paste.
Marinate the cleaned duck pieces with half of the ground paste and vinegar. Keep it aside for one hour. 2. Roast the marinated duck legs over woodfire or tandoor. Keep it aside. 3. Add ghee to the pan and the finely sliced the onions and cook. When the onion becomes golden brown colour add the remaining half of the ground masala. Fry until the oil separates. 4. Keep aside. Finish the roasted duck in this masala.
For Potatoes 1. Peel and mash boiled potatoes and transfer them to a bowl. Keep them aside for a few minutes to cool. 2. Chop coriander leaves, onions, green chilli and garlic. 3. Add onions, garlic, mustard oil, lemon juice and coriander leaves to mashed potatoes. Mix well. 4. Season with salt and black pepper and mix well.
TO SERVE
On the serving plate, place 2 tbsp warm potato chokha mash. Top it with the duck roast and garnish with some fried onions and curry leaves.
Out with the: Brussels sprouts
“As a child in growing up in South Wales, I was a picky eater and didn’t eat much from a Christmas dinner besides meat, potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. Vegetables were hit and miss and sprouts were a no-no! They reminded me of soggy, overcooked bitter cabbage which you get forced to eat at every Christmas dinner. In with the: Charred Baby Gem with Leek, Chestnuts, Pancetta, Cranberries It’s great for the traditional feast to combine all the flavours you’d expect, but nice to inject the occasional element of novelty and surprise – it is possible to enjoy something a bit different. For this reason, I’ve given a spin on the sprout dish but still kept things festive. You can put your own mark on Christmas and make it uniquely special. Before you know it, your experimental dish could become a yearly tradition amongst your family and loved ones; something personal and with special meaning. This warmth is what I love and find wonderful about the true spirit of Christmas.”
BY EXECUTIVE CHEF PAUL HALLET SKAI (@skai.sg)
INGREDIENTS
2 baby gems, each cut into quarters 80g leeks, deveined and sliced thinly 2 cloves garlic, chopped 50g pancetta, cut into lardons 60g cooked chestnuts, sliced 30g dried cranberries 60ml olive oil 5g flat leaf parsley, chopped 20ml red wine vinegar 4 red radish, sliced Sea salt
METHOD
1. Use a hot pan without oil to char one side of the baby gems. Set aside. 2. To the same pan, add olive oil and
pancetta. Gently cook till light golden, then add garlic and leeks, and cook for one minute. 3. Add the chestnuts and a pinch of sea salt. Sauté for another minute. 4. Add the vinegar and remove from heat. Stir in chopped parsley.
TO SERVE
On a serving plate, place the baby gems then top with the leek mix. Garnish with cranberries and sliced radish.
I modified the ingredients of this dish my nana used to make back in Hawkes Bay
BY KACEY WHAITIRI ROBERTS DIRECTOR, TADCASTER HOSPITALITY
“This is a classic dish that my nana used to make back when I was growing up in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. I slightly modified the ingredients and added chestnuts to the custard to make it more appropriate for the holiday season. This recipe has been on all our restaurants’ menus (Café Melba Mount Sophia, The Exchange Asia Square, Molly Malones Boat Quay) for many years and has always had great feedback, so please enjoy! As I’ll be spending Christmas this year with loved ones and family in Singapore, hopefully by the pool with lots of laughter, I’ll be adding this dish to the celebrations.” Out with the: Christmas Pudding & Brandy Sauce
In with the: December Delight with Chestnut Custard
INGREDIENTS
FRUIT MIXTURE 397g mixed fruit 1 grated green apple 30g French brandy
PUDDING MIXTURE 170g butter 70g brown sugar 3 beaten eggs 10g French brandy 20g sponge gel 85g cake flour 2g nutmeg powder 2g cinnamon powder 1g salt 85g breadcrumbs 7g baking powder
CHESTNUT CUSTARD This can be made the day ahead 400ml milk 260ml cream 165g castor sugar 7 egg yolks 60g crushed chestnuts 1tsp vanilla essence
METHOD
1. Warm milk, cream and vanilla essence together in a pot till warm. 2. Whisk egg yolks and sugar till combined. 3. Mix half the liquid to the egg yolks and sugar, then add it back to the pot with the remaining cream and milk. 4. At a low heat, stir until it starts to thicken. Don’t heat it up too quickly or it will scramble. 5. Remove from the heat and crumble in the chestnuts. Reserve till needed.
Pudding Mixture 1. Mix the ingredients with the brandy and soak overnight in the fridge. 2. Preheat oven to 165 degrees, spray desired moulds with a non-stick spray and set aside. 3. Combine the sponge gel, cake flour,
nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, bread crumbs and baking powder. 4. Whisk the butter and brown sugar till light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one till incorporated, then add the
French brandy. 5. Combine all the ingredients including the fruit mixture to the batter and mix till combined. 6. Fill the moulds till three-quarters full and spread them out evenly in
a deep dish. Add warm water to the dish about halfway, cover with baking paper and foil. 7. Transfer to the oven and cook for approximately 35–45 minutes till set.
TO SERVE
Place December Delight in a bowl, drizzle with chestnut custard and serve. Extra ice cream optional.
Out with the: Mulled Wine
In with the: Festive Tropical “I love the festive season and the cocktails that are distinct to this time of year. I’m a fan of mulled wine; a warm glass really signals that it’s the holiday period. However, in Singapore’s heat the traditional warm
Sangria seasonal drinks don’t work, so I’ve created a chilled, tropical Sangria which is perfect for the hot weather and to enjoy with family and friends over lunch or dinner. It’s a recipe that will get the party started. My top tip for concocting it would be to not take it too seriously and have fun, it is the holidays after all.”
In Singapore’s heat, traditional warm drinks won’t work
BY RICKY PAIVA MASTER MIXOLOGIST AT FLOW BAR (@flowbarsg)
INGREDIENTS
1 bottle of Pinot Noir 100ml white Rum 100ml Cointreau 3 pcs strawberry (cut in quarters) 10 grapes (cut in half) 1 orange (cut into wheels) 1/4 pineapple (cut in small pieces) 1/2 red apple (cut in small pieces) 50 grams Turbinado or Demerara sugar 10 sprigs of mint 2 pcs bay leaves 2 cinnamon sticks 2 cloves GARNISH
Frozen cranberries
Cinnamon stick
Orange slice
METHOD
Add all ingredients together and let it sit in the chiller for three days. Stir every day.
TO SERVE
Strain ingredients. Pour the Festive Tropical Sangria over ice and frozen cranberries and top up with ginger ale. For extra snazz, garnish with cinnamon sticks and oranges.
Alcohol-Free Expat Life – The Next Big Thing?
A night on the town without booze is no longer just for teetotallers. Off the back of the pandemic, people have re-evaluated how they take care of their physical and mental health and cutting back on alcohol is a significant part of the picture. Globally, there’s a growing ‘sobercurious’ movement and Singapore is getting in on the act. Free Spirit make the switch to nonalcoholic drinks easier.
Is the alcohol-fuelled expat lifestyle becoming a cliche? A growing number of people worldwide want to reduce, or eliminate alcohol from their lifestyle. In Australia, the number of 18 to 24-year-olds who abstain from alcohol has doubled in the past 20 years. More consumers are choosing non-alcoholic drinks, with sales of alcohol-free beer up by 44% in the US last year. It can be a daunting prospect for many to cut back, particularly those in the expat community, as networking and making new friends usually plays out at a bar. When faced with after-work drinks where you want to stay dry, water with a lemon slice starts to get boring. After noticing there was a lack of alcohol-free drink options in Singapore, two entrepreneurs decided to deliver a refreshing solution. “We found we were always faced with the same problem: where were the decent alcohol-free options?” say Rebecca Forwood and Emma Pike, founders of Singapore-based Free Spirit.
As successful business owners – Rebecca runs The Fishwives, a food retail business with a store and online presence in Singapore, while Emma is the founder of Farmer’s Market, one of Asia’s leading online butchers – they know the local market. They also understand that the local scene is often filled with boozy brunches and wine mixers.
So they decided to use their combined energy and experience to bring Singapore consumers a carefully curated list of alcoholfree beverages that taste as good as the real thing. “Consumers should be free to choose a sophisticated adult drinking experience and not be relegated to sweet sodas and mocktails,” says Rebecca. “Asia is lagging behind other parts of the world when it comes to alcohol-free options, and we’re on a mission to put that right.”
Emma and Rebecca are filling that gap. While neither is completely alcohol-free, they both use alcohol-free drinks as part of a healthier lifestyle. “Free Spirit is not about giving up alcohol completely,“ stresses Emma. “But giving your body a break now
and again from alcohol is never a bad thing. If you find it hard to go completely dry, try to go drier.”
No more FOMO
Downing high-calorie sodas all evening isn’t that appealing and juice can contain just as much sugar, leaving consumers to lean on bland alcohol-free beer. But you can show up at a dinner party with an excellent craft beer or a classy bottle of wine, free of booze. As the first exclusively alcohol-free ‘bottle shop’ in Singapore, Free Spirit sells beers, wines and spirits that taste as good as the real thing, without the alcohol content. “Our products are higherend and lower in sugar and additives,” Rebecca points out. “The range of alcohol-free beers, wines and spirits we offer has grown exponentially since we launched in late 2020.” There’s no need for FOMO either, with all the choices available. “There’s so much to choose from, including traditionally-brewed craft beers and exceptionally good wines and botanical spirits,” says Emma. “We’ve both sampled incredible zero-alcohol sparkling wines that featured all the flavour we were craving, minus the headache the next day.”
It’s only a matter of time before a range of alcohol-free drinking options are widely available at restaurants and bars – similar to our changed eating habits. “In Singapore it’s totally normal now to cater to vegetarians and vegans, and we believe that sophisticated alcohol-free choices should also be on the menu wherever we eat and drink,” says Emma.
A positive trend with benefits
There are certainly many benefits of going no or low-alcohol: your sleep patterns will improve, you’ll be more hydrated and you’ll look and feel better.
“Even if you can cut back a few days a week or have just a few less drinks on a night out, you’ll be doing your body a favour,” says Rebecca. “But Free Spirit is not about sobriety, we’re about options. We’re not pushing abstinence; it’s more about having choices to easily take a break and reset.”
Many of their products are low-calorie, so it’s great if you want to lose weight. From sparkling Chardonnays to crisp rosés, even without the alcohol, the experience is just as sweet. “Everything in our store is tried and tested and hand-selected by us, so we can vouch that you won’t be missing the sugar – or the booze,” stresses Emma.
It’s easy to get these quality alcohol-free drinks delivered to your home via the Free Spirit website at freespirit.com.sg. The plan is to be able to enjoy their popular range of products at more local establishments – check out the growing list of local bars and restaurants stocking Free Spirit’s alcohol-free drinks at freespirit.com.sg/pages/where-to-buy.
“We’re determined to get Singapore’s bar and restaurant industry on board to give a better choice of alcohol-free options to their customers. It’s our dream to put alcohol-free beverages on the menus of at least 50% of bars and restaurants on the island in the next two years,” vow the Free Spirit founders.
Since they carry Singapore’s biggest selection of the world’s best alcohol-free beers, wines and spirits that taste as good as the real thing, it seems doable. Those who don’t want to drink but still want the feeling of drinking will be toasting their thanks.
Feeling sober-curious? Try Free Spirit
Enjoy Singapore’s biggest selection of alcohol-free drinks with 20% off your first order using code ANZA20. Try one of Free Spirit’s alcohol-free packs with a range of hand-selected products, especially if you’re new to the range. Free Spirit home delivers across Singapore six days a week, with free delivery on orders over $80.
Shop online at www.freespirit.com.sg info@freespirit.com.sg facebook.com/freespiritasia instagram.com/freespiritasia/
