Pickled herring – A Swedish midsummer tradition

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Boiled potatoes, ideally from this years harvest cooked and decorated with dill is a must.

Boiled potatoes, ideally from this year’s harvest
cooked and decorated with dill is a must.
Photo © JE Nilsson for CMC 2010

In mid June, Sweden arrives to an outdoor temperature and general climate we have more or less permanent in Singapore – warm, though less humid. To Swedes this but a short pleasure that lasts for a few summer months.

At this time of the year, the remarkably short nights slowly transform the warm evening sunlight to a warm dusk that after midnight eventually changes back into a Nordic lavender coloured morning. You can sit there and just look at it outdoors in your garden, cuddled up into a blanket, cupping your favourite hot beverage.

In the pot, boiled potatoes and dill for a Swedish Midsummer meal.

In the pot.

The long dusk-dawn period with its purple hues, apart from turning the entire Nordic region romantic, also begs for garden parties. It is the perfect time to chit-chat with friends about everything and nothing and eventually, you realize that you have stayed up all night and that the morning has broken into a new day.

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“See you at Raffles!”

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Cheryl Marie Cordeiro and Jan-Erik Nilsson, Raffles Hotel, Singapore with the Singapore Sling, outside East India Room.

Singapore Sling, the romantic signature drink of the Long Bar, at Raffles Hotel in Singapore.
Photo © Steven Grindrod, JE Nilsson and Cheryl M. Cordeiro-Nilsson for CMC 2010

The Raffles Hotel was established in the Late 19th century and rapidly became a meeting place for the rich adventure seeking class of western men of leisure, British colonial officers and businessmen seeking fame and fortune in the Far East, and to whom “See you at Raffles!” became the signature parting words.

To the general public, Raffles Hotel became famous through literature. Those who could not afford to travel but stayed home, read and dreamt, were swept away by the romantic writings of the greatest authors of their time, the most influential of which was probably Somerset Maugham who actually lived at the hotel and wrote some of his stores in the Palm Court.

In 1987 its importance was recognized by the Singapore authorities by naming it a National Monument, not a small thing in a city where anything older than last year could suddenly be torn down and replaced by something more modern.

Although it started out as something much more modest, the ambience inside the Hotel brings back echoes of colonial splendour with its unique blend of tropical gardens and classical colonial grandeur.

Stories and myths build romance and there are many such surrounding the Raffles Hotel.

Many of Maughams short stories deal with the lives of mostly British colonists in the Far East, and are typically concerned with the emotional toll exacted on the colonists by their isolation. For example one story entitled “Rain”, which charts the moral disintegration of a missionary attempting to convert a Pacific Island prostitute. Maugham himself maintained that many of his stories presented themselves to him in what he heard during his travels, which made him leave behind a long string of angry former hosts. Which, is probably why he eventually found himself writing at a hotel, abuzz with even more rumours from all faraway outposts of the British Empire.

As its literary fame eventually faded away in a world dominated by digital social media, Raffles Hotel remains famous as the place where the Singapore Sling was invented by the bartender Ngiam Tong Boon sometimes during the first decades of the 20th century.

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Muthu’s Curry along Race Course Road, Singapore

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Curried cabbage, Muthu's Curry in Singapore.

Cabbage and other dishes, served in individual dishes depending on your order.
Photo © JE Nilsson and Cheryl M. Cordeiro-Nilsson for CMC 2010

In this highly competitive culinary atmosphere that is Singapore and worse still, if the dishes in question belong to one of the country’s core ethnic groups of Chinese, Malay (even Nonya food), Indian or Eurasian, it isn’t easy to make it to the top recommendations list of places to eat of Singaporeans.

Muthu’s Curry along Race Course Road with its approximate 40 year long history came highly recommended as a place for good Indian food. What today is a restaurant chain, began in 1968 as a one-man hawker stall serving staple south Indian food on banana leaves. It was already famous during the 1970s for its full flavoured and generous servings of fish-head curry, and its signature dish has grown in popularity and reputation in its 40 years of development.

Just a quick tangent on Singapore eating…To get a feel for the local culinary scene, I would personally recommend that anyone visiting Singapore first hit a hawker center for their meals to try any, if not all authentic local food. Places such as the East Coast Hawker Center or the hawker center that is completely out of the city center that lies in the corner of Bedok in the East of Singapore (Bedok corner hawker center as I know it) serve pretty good inexpensive local fare. Other more familiar places that most visitors to Singapore might learn of from brochures obtained from their respective hotels or tour guides would be the East Coast beach (skip the seafood outlets, go for the hawker center), Chinatown for Chinese cuisine, Little India of Indian cuisine and Geylang for Malay cuisine that all have ethnic specific local cuisine.

Hawker centers are also known to charge a little less per dish / meal for no less tasty meals compared to their indoor air-conditioned counterparts of food courts and restaurants that you find along Orchard Road or in the heart of the city for example.

A naan basket, with a variety of naan types, Muthu's Curry, Singapore.

A basket filled with naan in a variety of flavours.

But alright, if you want out of the tropical heat after a long walkabout in Little India and you’ve heard about Indian food served on banana leaves, then Muthu’s Curry is a recommended experience for well-cooked authentic (mainly) south Indian food. The prices are mid-ranged, though definitely pricier than the coffeeshop and market stalls that you can find all around the area itself.
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CHIJMES, in the morning

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CHIJMES corridor, Singapore.

A cloister corridor featuring restored floors and a variation of Corinthian columns.
Photo © JE Nilsson and Cheryl M. Cordeiro-Nilsson for CMC 2010

Singapore’s night life is a vibrant one and CHIJMES, located in the heart of the city center that’s a short walk from the river banks of Boat Quay, is one of the coziest places to visit by night. The scene of people mingling, moving to the beat and generally having a good time is a familiar one.

But walking through the early 1900s built CHIJMES (now brilliantly restored) in the morning has a different feel than being there at night. The entire place alive with people, good food and music just the night before, is absolutely still of activity. You witness tables and chairs arranged in good effort after the spoils of the night before and the mynahs true to their Sanskrit etymology, bright and cheerful, hardly minding the disarrayed furniture, walk the lawns with you and bid you good morning as if welcoming you to their turf.

Outside of CHIJMES, Singapore.

Along Bras Basah Road.

CHIJMES Singapore.

A view of the Chapel.

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Cozy cafés in the west of Singapore

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The food culture is nothing short of fantastic in Singapore, where 24-hour eateries are quite common. Coupled with the dramatic changes of new buildings, new places to shop and explore – and I say this with absolutely delight – there are new places to eat! Singapore’s west in keeping pace with the city center’s developments, has also grown.

If you’re visiting Singapore free and easy and headed towards the Jurong Bird Park, you could make a stop over at the Jurong Point shopping complex that sits right beside the bus terminal, and explore one of Singapore’s heartland hangouts with general good food and a 24-hour grocery store called NTUC.

The extended wing at Jurong Point is not exactly new, but it’s the first time I’ve visited the place in almost a decade. I’d like here, to extend a warm Thank You to Professor C. Guan, who took the time to show us around the place and introduce the cafés Ji De Chi and Bakerzin .

Ji De Chi

The Ji De Chi café at Jurong Point has a vibrant culture where students and pensioners alike find their way there to have their favourite dessert. Translated from Mandarin, the words ji de chi means remember to eat, which I personally found ironic in my situation because it seems that I’ve been doing little else other than eat since my arrival.

Ji De Chi menu, Jurong Point, Singapore.

Photo © JE Nilsson and Cheryl M. Cordeiro-Nilsson for CMC 2010

I thought I was familiar with Singapore desserts having grown up here, but I was astounded at the array of mid-day snacks presented in the menu so much so that I had trouble picking out what exactly to have. It didn’t help that I pretty much liked all that I saw on the menu and the cookie monster in me wanted a little bit of everything.

Durian with sago at Ji de Chi, Jurong Point, Singapore.

Perhaps uncontestable is their puréed durian dessert, served cold with a touch of pomelo fruit and sago seeds.

The ambience of Ji De Chi is distinctly Chinese, where the theme and branding extends from the uniforms of the waitresses to the hard and squared wooden stools to the matching dark wood tables and decorations on the walls. It calls to mind an old school coffee shop, which these days in Singapore is a rather popular manner to style an eatery. The four-legged stools wouldn’t rank as some of the most comfortable to sit on, but they are nonetheless nostalgic in a sense and contributes to the tone and texture of the place.

Ji De Chi, interior, Jurong Point, Singapore.

Pictures of favourites or best sellers adorn the wall facing at Ji De Chi, helping customers navigate their choices.

Desserts are served hot or cold and you’ll be presented with a comprehensive menu that tells what you can expect from your order. Prices of desserts here range from low to mid-range, so you’re not likely to blow your budget on any mid-day snack here. If all else fails with reading the menu, a look at pictures on the facing wall will help navigate your choices.

Flaky ice-cream with a hint of peach, Ji De Chi, Jurong Point, Singapore.

Vanilla ice-cream with a hint of peach, arrived in a lovely presentation.

Mango with pulot hitam wrapped in a skin of glutinous rice, Ji De Chi, Jurong Point, Singapore.

An innovative combination of a ripened slice of mango wrapped in glutinous rice and rolled in coconut flakes.

Overall, it’s a place that I wouldn’t mind visiting again, though in the Singapore context, it’s more likely that you spend your days discovering a new restaurant, a new eatery, a new hawker etc. and will hardly find the time to even go back to your favourites.

Bakerzin

In contrast to Ji De Chi that is more oriental, Bakerzin at Jurong Point leans towards the occidental, in fact, French, with bright contrasting colours and neat interior decor.

Bakerzin, Jurong Point, Singapore.

The main counter of Bakerzin at Jurong Point.

The Bakerzin chain was established just over a decade ago and has its roots in French bread and pastries. So it was not surprising that what we spotted at this outlet and what we were drawn to, were the delectable looking macarons (petit gâteau rond moelleux) on display at the counter.

Macarons, Bakerzin, Jurong Point, Singapore.

Irresistible!

The macarons here are infused with a touch of Asia, so you’ll find variations of matcha or green tea maracons. You’ll also find variations of chocolate maracons and fruit flavoured macaros such as lemon, strawberry and banana – all equally sweet and scrumptious!

Iced lemon tea, Bakerzin, Jurong Point, Singapore.

Iced-lemon tea, an all time favourite beverage when in Singapore.

Quieter in ambience than Ji De Chi at the time of our visit, which is something I perhaps appreciated after a day of walking around the busy shopping mall, it’s a place where you can relax and have more than just dessert. On the menu are soups, salads and even pizza.

When here, a recommended try for dessert, other than their macarons is their warm chocolate cake!

Some things completely Singaporean…

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Things that make you smile

Every time I’m back in Singapore, I am immediately stunned at how much has changed since my last visit – new high rises that have plugged yet another green area, new roads I’m unaware of that make finding my way back home like a tour of the neighbourhood, an old favourite coffeeshop is gone etc., and then I am struck at how much that’s still and perpetually, the same.

First of all, all these well meaning information signs that are there to make us all feel happy and safe, while in reality perhaps create more confusion than help, such as this pedestrian sign that embellished a building site area in great numbers.

Pedestrian sign, Singapore.

Helpful signs, adding to the confusion.
Photo © JE Nilsson and Cheryl M. Cordeiro-Nilsson for CMC 2010

And then the obsession with perfection, that everything here has to be neat, clean and tidy. There are new and neat litter bins everywhere and not enough litter to go around. So even the insides of the litter bins are clean.

Litter free, public bin, Singapore.

Clean on the inside as well – that’s efficiency on a whole new level.

And for exercise – shopping!
And then there’s Singapore’s national sport above and beyond everything – Shopping. That every year when the Winter rush and the New Year’s rush and the Spring rush is over, businesses think it is time to spice things up with the Great Singapore Sale. Regardless of your intentions there is no way not ending up buying at least something. Everything from designer clothes to hopelessly outdated electronics (from last month), shoes and household items alike, are on sale.
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The Umbrellas

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Clarke Quay canopies, Clarke Street, Singapore.

Large umbrellas or canopies shade the streets at Clarke Quay.
Photo © JE Nilsson and Cheryl M. Cordeiro-Nilsson for Cheryl Marie Cordeiro 2010

Not exactly a Renoir in atmosphere but Singapore architecture brings ‘sky light’ to a different dimension. While there is ample cloud cover on most days in this tropical city, the sun can be ferocious on a clear day and Singaporeans deal with the sun by carrying umbrellas in all sorts of designs and shapes – metallic or reflective ones on a sunny day to a plain matte black for the thunderstorms. So it’s perfectly natural that umbrellas or canopies are incorporated into building designs and walkways.

Pastel under the canopies, Clarke Quay, Singapore.

A patterned canopy tops off the pastel shades of windows in Clarke Quay.

Clarke Street, Clarke Quay, Singapore, under the canopies.

Street name on pastel.

At Clarke Quay, you’ll find one of the prettier sky lights in the form of large umbrellas or canopies covering the walkways. Set against these brilliant overhanging structures are the roof tops and windows in pastel shades of colour that lends a festive flair to the place even at its busiest times.

It’s eye candy architecture.

Children playing in fountain, Clarke Quay, Singapore.

Fountains under the umbrellas where children play.

Too add to the light-hearted mood of the place, the fountains at the central intersection of Clarke Quay invite children of all ages (and some adults too) to dance and play under its water arches, the laughter of the children synchronized with the pattering of the water from the fountains.

Vesak Day and a long weekend in Singapore

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Cheryl Marie Cordeiro, Clarke Quay Singapore

At Clarke Quay.
Photo © JE Nilsson and Cheryl M. Cordeiro-Nilsson for Cheryl Marie Cordeiro 2010

Yesterday came as one of the best days to take a stroll through the heart of Singapore’s financial district, it being Vesak Day on a Friday, leading up to a long weekend in this city country that hardly ever sleeps. Vesak is an annual public holiday, sometimes informally called “Buddha’s birthday”. This long weekend meant that the streets were virtually empty along Raffles Place, Boat Quay and Clarke Quay. At the nearby parking houses, one could see such unusual signs as, 889 parking lots available…

We began at Raffles Place, walking through Boat Quay and landing up at Clarke Quay. Together with looking at old pictures of the area from an art gallery at Clarke Quay and then realizing what fantastic infrastructure they’ve built these days in the same spaces made the entire walk through the area surreal.

Cheryl Marie Cordeiro Clarke Quay Singapore II

At Mulligan’s, Clarke Quay.

It’s quite a difference from a cool 8C in Sweden thereabouts to land in 28C with a humidity that constantly cloaks you. It doesn’t take long walking in this heat to make you want to run to the nearest water cooler for a drink and any drink sitting in a bucket of ice becomes all at once attractive and desirable!
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In the sun

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Cheryl Marie Cordeiro 490, plum tree, Sweden.

In the garden, finally, after a long and cold winter
Photo © JE Nilsson for Cheryl Marie Cordeiro 2010

It’s just about approaching summer here in Sweden, where garden parties and the hearty aroma of barbeque grilled meat will soon fill the air. As is, the southern archipelago of the Swedish west coast is experiencing its fair share of tourists these days, with the ferries filled with people speaking different languages, all wearing their summer gear of shorts, sleeveless t-shirts and sandals.

Here, I’m all casual in a nautical striped dress from Zara. The nautical theme is somewhat of a summer staple in Sweden, with Swedish designers such as Filippa K having their take on it. Even the mid-range H&M have their annual summer nautical range to choose from.

Cheryl Marie Cordeiro in a nautical Zara dress and Chloe shoes.

The dress I’m wearing features nautical stripes in white and navy, with a drape neck to the front and an exposed zip to the back of the dress. The bottom of the dress is cut like a pencil skirt, ending just above the knee. I’ve paired the dress with a pair of blue strappy wooden heels from Chloé and a goldtone bangle from Dyrberg Kern of Denmark. The blue suede belt is vintage.

Plum tree flowers, Sweden spring summer 2010.

The neighbourhood is currently in full bloom, these are white plum blossoms that promise a great harvest come autumn.

Bridesmaids in focus…

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Bridesmaids in Jessica McClintock dresses, Styrsö Sweden, summer wedding.

Bridesmaids in a summer wedding, in light blue dresses.
Photo © Kevin D. Cordeiro for Cheryl Marie Cordeiro 2010

A girlfriend of mine excitedly told that she had been asked to be bridesmaid at a friend’s wedding, which of course immediately raised the question of “What to wear?”. And to answer that isn’t all quite that easy.

Personally I think it is ultimately up to the bride to tell what kind of wedding she has in mind. So as a bridesmaid, I think one should just listen carefully and then try to help make the big day everything that the happy couple had hoped it to be.

Brides come in an array of personalities and a most perfectly sane woman might turn completely unrecognizable when it comes to her wedding. So there are some real bridezilla’s out there and then there are some who just want the whole thing to be a big happy family get-together and plan the whole event with the guests in focus rather than themselves. I definitely can’t say there is a right or wrong here, but I think a little bit of both is probably ideal. And when it comes to the bridesmaids dresses, I think it is really is up to the bridal couple to decide how they want the entire event to look and feel.

Personally I think the overall colour scheme is the most important consideration, since the bride will pretty much be flanked by her maid of honour and the bridesmaids throughout the whole event and it is good if they look like a nice group together. I like to think of the key women in the wedding as a flower bouquet, where the bride is the central flower and the surrounding group should be as complimentary as possible. In this way they and their dresses are the focal point of the whole event. The rest is just setting the stage so to speak, so that you give the guests a “good show”.

Lilacs på Styrsö, summer bridesmaids bouquet.

A bundle of ribbon tied Lilacs for the bridesmaids.

This way of looking at it gave me a lot of options when I planned my own wedding in 2006. Basically, the early summer date with its fresh leafy greens and light blue sky set the tone, and I went looking for something graceful, elegant and as feminine as the early buds of May and most important, the bridesmaids should look “approachable”, since they would be the ones who would be there to deal with any tasks or requests of fixing or fetching anything that the guests might need.

My final choice fell on a strapless light blue chiffon dress that had a side rosette detail. The choice of low heeled white shoes to go with that dress was the bridesmaids’ own and a very wise one too, considering all the walking they would do through the day.

Light blue Jessica McClintock dresses, bridesmaids dresses, Sweden.

Chiffon dresses with rosette details, by Jessica McClintock.

Again looking only at my own setting, which happened to be on an island in the western Swedish archipelago, everything in our plans needed to be founded on that fact. With a different place setting, you would naturally need to base decisions on that location and its surrounding context. Where we were, we didn’t even have cars since they are strictly banned by the private community that owns everything here right down to the roads and beaches.

For the flower bouquets to the bridesmaids, we went for fresh lavender and cream coloured Lilacs from our own garden, snipped, bundled and tied together with a ribbon. It was all part of the fun to get together, sit down and tie them up and I had let the girls decide what kind of bouquets they were going to carry and how large they wanted the bouquets to turn out.

Bridesmaids hairstyles, summer wedding, Sweden.

With flowers and blue silk ribbons in their hair.

In line with that my bridesmaids should look splendidly pretty, our hair dresser styled their hair with flowers and blue silk ribbons. The small white flowers, like the lilacs in their homemade bouquets were snugly interwoven with the blue ribbons into half buns into the girls’ hair in a hairstyle that was intended to be as functional as it was beautiful, the purpose of the half bun was to get the hair out of their face for the day, yet keep the length of their hair draped down their napes.

Bridesmaids on a moped, mode of transport in the southern archipelago of Gothenburg, Sweden

No cars allowed here as all roads are privately owned. The mode of transportation for the day was a three wheeled transportation moped.

Maid of Honour dress, Styrsö wedding, Styrsö church, southern archipelago, Sweden.

Maid of Honour in lilac.

My maid of honour chose her outfit herself, which turned out to be a perfect fit with our theme and surrounding. I feel flattered and happy when guests go out of their way to dress up as gloriously as they can. In my view, nobody can outdress a bride at her own wedding anyway, so I would say just dress up and enjoy yourself! The more people in colourful and glamorous wear, the more festive the atmosphere!

Maid of Honour, flower bouquet, Styrsö church, Sweden.

Maid of Honour, holding the bride’s flower bouquet during the wedding ceremony.

Aerial view of the Champagne Session, Styrsö Sweden. Summer wedding.

Champagne session, prior to dinner.

Basically, your own wedding should be the best and most memorable party you are likely to ever host, so if I would have a say in anyone’s plans, that would be for the bride and groom to plan it themselves, together, and look as little as possible to what anyone else wants. Make it your own, and just have fun every step of the way. Bridesmaids and maids of honour are to help in realizing that dream event.

So, for anyone’s bridesmaids dresses? Well, just figure out what makes the bride’s eyes sparkle, and go for that.