Of course it is Edible!

The forgotten and forsaken domain

 
I knew very early on that I could never be a chef. Fire, splattering oil, sharp knife on slippery ingredients, and the constant worry that whatever I cook is not cooked through... I was so thankful that we were put in pairs for Home Economic lessons in the kitchen. My poor partner often had to take over the portions I was squirmish about but I was always more than happy to do the dishes thereafter! As a young adult, I could never do more than instant noodles and scrambled eggs. Even when I moved into my own apartment, my standard "cooked" meal was simple wraps using my trusty waffle/panini/sandwich maker. 

So when the lockdown last year forced me to rethink my resistance to cooking, encouraged and enticed by a newly renovated kitchen available to me, I decided to document my exploration into this forgotten and forsaken domain. Because.. me?!?! cooking?!?! the effort definitely deserves mention and byte space! But when I had to name the album in which I intend to collate pictures of my food creations, still concerned about the possibility of my husband and myself coming down with food poisoning, I could only come up with a "Edible?"

 Seventeen months after, I have to say I come a long way. 

In the initial stage with near-zero experience, I felt more secure following recipes to a T. One tablespoon means exactly that. I would use a proper measuring spoon and level out whatever ingredient that is being measured. A cup of rice to two cups of water. Placing the measuring tool on the counter top, I would lower myself to avoid parallax error in reading the measurement. I struggled with the ambiguity of corn flour versus corn starch. I googled for definitions of simmer and broil, and watched videos on how to clean or cut an ingredient. Sticking the thermometer into every meat dish. I favoured recipes that state the exact time requirements and often relied on the timer of the induction cooker. I especially disliked recipes with judgement calls such as "when the onion turn translucent". I would never start on a recipe unless I had absolutely everything in its ingredient list. 

Cooking was stressful. Ha!

Just made the fifth iteration of a favourite of this household - oven baked chicken and rice. Whilst cooking, I noticed an ease and confidence in myself that was not there before. Although I was still referring to the online recipe in my tablet, I had decided to make my own judgement calls - reducing the amount of rice and matching the required amount of broth accordingly; additionally marinating the chicken in a concoction I remembered from a previous recipe; skipping an entire step because I didn't see the need to waste a non-essential foil wrap; shortening the cook time because the chicken looked done. I could hardly believe this is the same me from last year!

With how well this dish had turned out with my experimentation, I feel like I have "graduated". At least into secondary level. Hahaha... I still can't cut onions and I avoid pan-frying at all cost but cooking is no longer stressful. It is almost enjoyable. I am also starting to see how cooking for loved ones is an expression of affection regardless the standard of the food. 

Thus I think it is time for me to change the name of my photo album... suggestions?

I wish I never tasted my first chee cheong fun

What was your first introduction to chee cheong fun? 

My earliest memory of it was the pre-made type kept in a food warmer alongside a variety of similarly mass-produced bao and siew mai. It takes no time for it to be dumped on a plate and topped with sweet sauce and if you are lucky, sesame seeds. As a picky eater who disliked vegetables and complicated food, that was often my go-to "meal" during recess in early school years. I think I liked it very much then. 

I wish I could remember when was my first introduction to the other chee cheong fun. I am referring to the freshly-made type using steam to cook the liquid rice flour on a cloth into translucent rice sheets with savoury ingredients such as char siew or prawns. Served steaming hot with a super light soy sauce. Okay, I am salivating as I am typing here. This is the only type of chee cheong fun I allow into my stomach now.

I was pondering this question of why was my first chee cheong fun not the second version as my husband and I were enjoying this very delicacy bought from the newly opened Chef Wei HK Cheong Fun in our neighbourhood. I really love this version of chee cheong fun!!! And I seriously feel shortchanged somehow that I grew up thinking the first version was acceptable..

As mentioned, I think I liked it then as a child. It was enjoyable then even though the rice rolls were way too thick and the dish had minimal nutrients. Perhaps in a school setting where the turnover rate is high, all the chee cheong fun I had then were soft and warm. It was during my working days when in the interest of time and convenience, I ordered a plate from the drinks stall at a coffeeshop and was served one with rice rolls that were dried up at the edges and a sweet sauce that was too watery, and no sesame seeds. Oh, the indignation I felt then. 

I can't be sure but after getting my first taste of the Hong Kong style chee cheong fun, I believe I have never (in the words of the famous doctor photographer) wasted another calorie on the version made for convenience. 

Convenience. Just a word. Who doesn't like convenience right? Me. It has become a word with negative connotations to me now. I do like ease, honestly who wouldn't like life to be easier, but no, not at the expense of life itself. How did we come to this point when convenience takes precedence over our health, our wellbeing, our only home, our planet? 

Back to the question to which I have no answer. It is hard to imagine a Chef Wei in even one school canteen. With an average of 30 minutes for recess, who has time to wait for freshly made chee cheong fun? How else to serve the masses but with mass-produced food? Yet, I can't help thinking how I would never ever stomach the pre-made convenience version if my first taste had been the freshly made authentic quality food that we deserve.  

 

Too Environmentally Conscious?

I prefer dining in to taking away. Period. I honestly feel a heartache if I have to use one-time disposables. So whenever possible, I will choose to have a sit-down meal even if it means I have to look out of place eating on my own. I have become so thick-skinned in that sense.

Along my journey, I am really thankful to discover alternatives such as beewax wraps, Keepleaf and Roll'Eat that allow me to not incur disposables when I am in a hurry. When I was moving into my own apartment, one of the first things I "stole" from my parents was a tingkat container. Haha!

So you can imagine I almost never order deliveries. Generally too cheapskate to pay for the delivery fees but also just unable to deal with the amount of plastic that inevitably comes with each one. However, during this circuitbreaker period when so many of our hawkers are adversely affected, I do want to help in my small ways. I ordered something which I had been craving but unable to find anywhere within walking distance. And I intentionally chose a hawker who is engaging private drivers (as they will receive 100% of the delivery fee) to deliver their food so as to kill multiple birds with one stone. #HawkersUnited #savefnbsg Support local hawkers! Satay forever!

But without a dine-in option, meals have been mostly settled at home. Definitely getting more comfortable in the kitchen! In the rare times when I do dabao, I would certainly have to plan in advance. What to eat? Is it dry or soupy? What containers to bring? Are they big enough? And I think through my approach.. my first question to the seller is always if they will accept my container. Unfortunately despite the government's call to BYO, it is still the hawker's prerogative to accept them. And I am prepared to walk away if they say no. I also tend to approach stalls that are less busy and thus will be less stressed about a disruption to their routine. Yes, I recognise that it might break their flow.

From when I first began years ago, being embarrassed and paiseh about my request, to now after trying-and-testing at various places on numerous occasions, I thought I found my balance point between convenience and environmentalism. 

I was not prepared for today.

Out on my grocery run/cycle, I had my tingkat ready and brought along my all-encompassing food bag just in case the tingkat is too small for the char siew rice I had in mind. While waiting for my rice, I spied some chwee kuey nearby and since I had an extra container, I seized the opportunity to buy myself an extra treat.

"Auntie, 水粿5个. 可以放里面吗?" 
(5 please. Can you put them in?) Pointing to my bag.

She eyed my bag and gave a nod so I waited happily.... until I observed her scooping the chwee kuey while my bag was far from her.

"Auntie, 可以直接放里面.这个可以放食物的." 
(You can put them in directly. This bag is specifically for food.) 
I tried to reassure her as I had done many times with other hawkers.

She still looked unconvinced but with some gentle persistence, she finally transferred them into my bag. I mentally heaved a sigh of relief and hoped she becomes more accepting in future with this first occurrence.

As she watched me closed up my bag.... "你太环保了" 
(You are too environmentally conscious)

My heart and face fell. Or sank. So hard I thought I heard a thud somewhere. I was momentarily stunned and I did not know how to respond. I wondered if my eyes above my mask reflected what I felt inside. And I am still feeling it right now as I type. 🙁

I suppose this is the whole crux of the problem?

I get it that we are already used to a lifestyle where things are efficient and convenient. 
I get it that not everyone has had the same experiences as me to want to go to this extent to avoid plastic. 
I get it that my individual efforts right now may not so much make a dent of a difference to the issue our collective presence imposes on this planet. 

But, TOO environmentally conscious? How can anyone be too much of the right thing to do? How about just becoming more conscious of choices and decisions made?

My ZW intended Wedding

my self-made mini bouquet made of shells - spot the rings!

If you have no idea what ZW refers to, perhaps this post will not interest you. Although the concept of zero waste is getting increasingly common, I personally think it is really important to frame it properly and realise that ZW is a desirable and even essential goal but to achieve absolute ZW given our current lifestyle will not be easy. Sometimes it feels downright impossible especially when you care about your relationships with others.

I have always cared about the environment, the main reason most people got started on this journey. Beginning from my uni days when I joined NUS Students Against Violation of the Earth (SAVE) group, I really want to be part of the solution by acting and choosing consciously in my everyday life. But I would say I only really learnt about sustainability and the power of choices and actions after joining the Facebook group - Journey to Zero Waste (JtZW) in Oct 2016. That is how my intention to make my own wedding a ZW one came about.

First of all, I am not the person to go to when planning events. I dread organising this sort of thing and easily get disheartened by the mere knowledge of the potential waste that such events almost inevitably incur. But as this was my own wedding, with newfound insight to ZW possibilities and the support of a fiance hailing from the country with world's highest recycling rate, I somehow found the strength and faith in myself to want to make it happen.

In my mind when I began planning the wedding, I remembered distinctively that I wanted a small and simple wedding. Many ZW-based choices simply come down to doing away with what is not necessary and having attended my fair share of weddings, I knew what I did not want in mine. Unfortunately for my now-hubby whose idea of "small and simple" was just the signing of the papers with immediate family, I did still want to involve my extended family and at least the tea ceremony. Still traditional in some ways.. and somehow the wedding became a lot more elaborate than expected.

Venue(s)

With the initial idea of "small wedding", I first looked at restaurants that are able to cater to less than 100 people but after taking into consideration the location, cuisine and whether they served sharks fin (big no no!!), each of them was eliminated one by one. Eventually I contacted my first choice hotel, found their package fitting and our date available that I just stopped looking at others!

PARKROYAL on Pickering is my first choice because it is an eco-friendly hotel and I just love the whole architecture design with greenery along flowy lines. It was also easy to finalise on it as it was where Axel and I had our first staycation together. Lots of sweet memories already made here.
The package we selected was a basic solemnisation one without excessive themed decorations or wedding favours. (One of the first things I knew I did not want to have at my wedding.) Given their status as a Green City Hotel, I made assumptions that waste in the hotel is already minimised. However during our meetings with the manager Joelyn, I did explicitly state that I was aiming for a ZW wedding and even suggested to them to consider rolling out a ZW-focused wedding package! It will be such a niche, befitting the hotel!

After deciding on having a lunch buffet at the hotel which cater for an ideal number of 100 guests, and with various queries from friends who found out about our upcoming wedding, I began toying with the idea of also having a dinner party just for friends. As Axel had been very accommodating to my preferences with regard to my family, I thought it would be lovely to have the dinner venue to be somewhere distinctively German. Again, without spending too much time and effort, we swiftly decided on Stuttgart Blackforest Boutique S-Cafe. Similarly, during our meetings with manager Wen Cheng, we made it known our intention to make it a ZW event and thus one of the first points that he took note of was to "hide the straws". Unfortunately, some wastage I had not forsee and had to accept included paper table signage, paper napkins and plastic dessert containers here. Could I have insisted on cloth napkins? Hmmm....

For both venues, as they are proper dining venues with actual cutlery and kitchen ware, no disposables were used despite both meals being buffets. This point was very important to me. Each venue also had its own unique ambience and design that there was no need for me to bring in additional decorations even if I wanted to. Finally, I like that both venues are within walking distance to a MRT station and centrally located in or near Orchard. Although I could not possibly have controlled how my guests arrive for our wedding, at least the option to take public transport was not totally out of question!

Food 

From most wedding banquets that I had attended, unfinished food at every course was almost a given.

Thus, I preferred the idea of buffets for which I can somewhat control the amount of food being prepared by ordering less than the expected number of guests, a suggestion I learned from JtZW group. As it was still highly likely to be leftover food, I fiddled with the idea of purchasing mason jars or similar as wedding favours so that guests may immediately utilise them to pack the excess food home. I put this idea forward to the JtZW group and received a lot of feedback from the community which brought up food safety concern among other considerations that I had not factored in. Through that post, a founder of Food Rescue @ Events reached out to me to consider having their team to save the remaining food after our meals. What a brilliant idea!

Naturally, Axel and I were both very keen to prevent the excess food from going to waste but getting approval from the respective venues was not as easy as we thought. Given Singapore has implemented time-stamping on cooked food, the managers were understandably resistant to have a third-party collect the food for later consumption. Thankfully, myself together with the volunteers of Food Rescue @ Events were able to  reassure and convince them that the food were taken at our own risk and I was very happy to see the food being packed to benefit others.

 

 

Bouquet and Floral

I have never really been a flower lover. Generally I prefer admiring and smelling them while they are still planted with roots in the soil so I did not really see the need for floral decorations at our venues or even a bridal bouquet. Such a pity for these to subsequently wither and die, no?

Over at PARKROYAL, the package was inclusive of table centrepieces by their own florist. There was also a slightly larger setup for the reception table which doubled up as table decor for the solemnisation table held on a different level. Love the innovation of my bridesmaids! I only hoped that these were reused or re-purposed by the hotel given their green status and my conversation with manager Joelyn. On hindsight, perhaps I could have collected them and redistribute them to a nursing home like the people from Happy Flowers. But the logistics of it..... hmmmm......

I really almost got away without a bridal bouquet until my sisters/bridesmaids heard of it and would have nothing of it. One of them was ready to order and pay on my behalf so I gave in and accepted her florist's number. Surprisingly, I ended up quite liking what I saw (simple stalks tied together with twine) and made arrangement with said florist. We were at the point of payment when I found out there would be a lot of wastage from that one bouquet as she does not have a shop and could not benefit from economies of scale nor save the excess. And when I finally decided to go with it anyhow she was no longer available. I wouldn't be surprised that she might be just weary of having to deal with a ZW-focused bride..

As even mummy dearest stated that I should have a bridal bouquet, I began a search for it albeit reluctantly. And I did find my dream bridal bouquet eventually! On Carousell no less! Just happened to chance on it and even Axel was receptive to it so we agreed to rent this gorgeous grey-silver masterpiece. Moreover, it totally matched my shoes and Axel's vest on that day! Really love that it is such a statement piece and can be reused again and again. If I knew I would have a bridal bouquet, I would have made my own bridal brooch bouquet! Maybe with a touch of red..

On a side note, Carousell was also where I found perfectly reusable bridal car decor that dolled up the car without being overdone! Fixed them up on the car myself with the help of daddy dearest with some satin ribbons from my own craft collection. Within a week after the wedding, re-sold them on Carousell!

One thing the traditional me wanted to do was to express my gratitude to my parents during the wedding. After all, it has been nearly 40 years before they could marry me off and really I am who I am today only because of their love, care and upbringing. When it came to selecting a gift for this purpose, I was very pleased to discover Bloomback which not only re-purpose flowers to more lasting gifts but also train and hire marginalised women.

Attires, Hair and Makeup 

My wedding makeup artist was the first person I hired in the planning of my wedding. I hardly wear makeup and am nowhere near even proficient when it comes to prettifying myself. This was one task I knew would be outsourced and it had to be no other than her as I really liked what she did for my bestie for her wedding. She being a professional MUA would also be less likely to waste all the makeup products necessary for the task. I was also quite glad that she did not generate much waste (only 2 tissue papers!) during the process although I made no mention of aiming to be ZW to her. Additionally, she was able to loan me a gorgeous veil for the day! Unfortunately, I lost the dried flowers in my hair which she wanted to reuse and I also threw away the fake eyelashes at the end of the day.

My first option for wedding dress was to rent but I was unable to find one I really like despite trying on quite a few. Next I looked at purchasing one that is versatile enough to still be worn in the future. But mummy dearest wanted me to look like a bride so in one afternoon with my mother and sister-in-law, we browsed dresses on Taobao and found an ideal one in ivory (not white) with a low back. Again, not wanting to waste time and effort, we ordered it. It came and it fit and so it was settled! It is now listed on Carousell and hopefully not be hanging in my wardrobe for too long.

My shoes was a pair I had for more than a year but never worn. It was not bought for the wedding but it turned out to match the dress and bouquet quite beautifully. Similarly, Axel wore a suit and shoes he already owned. However, considering Singapore's humid weather, he had a grey vest tailor-made so that he could have the option of removing the coat and still look well-dressed.

 

Invitations

This was one item I was certain I did not want to waste for the wedding. So I made full use of my aesthetic side and created my own e-invites with the help of Canva. What an amazing tool! I had so much fun designing and redesigning not just the invitations to the lunch and dinner, but even some background slides that was projected on the big screens during the event and an instruction sheet for the reception table.

The invitations were Whatsapp-ed to my guests and I maintained the guest lists (and wedding day schedule) entirely on Google Sheets so I could keep the printing of documents to a minimum.

 

Photobooth?

As we were not having wedding favours, and there were going to be some waiting time in the schedule, I considered the idea of having a photobooth where guests could have fun making memories during our wedding and at least bring home a picture as a keepsake. But eventually I decided digital photos were just fine. But I did make my own photobooth props for the ocassion! Almost all out of recycled materials. Super proud of myself. I was also very luckily blessed by someone from the JtZW group with some used party decorations which I incorporated into mine as a backdrop for the photobooth. These were thereafter reblessed to others in the same group.

Final Thoughts

I tried my best. Really gave this shot to the best of my ability. But as the ex-teacher in me would say, "There is always room for improvement." And when you are planning a major event that involves your family who do not quite buy in to the entire ZW concept, compromises need to be made. With a lot of the traditions carried down over generations, my mother and I had a lot of give-and-take. Initially, I said "no" to many things as I really do not wish to purchase a brand new item that would only be used for a few moments. My mother ended up purchasing new fan, umbrella, lamps and tea set amongst other items because she really believed that these would ensure a blissful marriage for Axel and myself. But my stubborness had also deterred her somewhat that with some "essential" items, instead of buying them for me, she gave an angbao for each in lieu.

Anyhow, I think the most important thing in any wedding of any sort, ZW or not, is to have fun! I had loads of fun and really really enjoyed our special day with our dearest and closest. ☺️