Kindly Yours

 The nostril arousing cooking aromas wafted through the house. It was a hands on encounter of delightfully trying to second guess the source of the ingredient utilised.  At times, it was irresistible to just go downstairs to see what Mummy was dishing up over the stove.  The equatorial afternoons can be oppressive outside. So on a public holiday or weekend, we would most likely be preserved behind closed doors with the air conditioning fully switched on. I would go through  a spectrum of reading material, which would reveal the wonder and complexity of the world outside.   Cocooned as I was, I could hear the cries of passing vendors, visitors to the house at the gate and at times, the rumblings of a budding thunderstorm.   Best of all was listening to the radio, with voice inflections, pronounciations and enchanting beats of music.  Friends from school would drop by on their bikes.  We would chat outdoors during the coolish evenings and ...

 

 Why is is that Yum Cha is never served like on a sushi train, with diners sitting around a carousel and picking up the moving  tapa sized plates? Why are not more different culinary dishes served in small snack sizes late at night to accompany laughter, the party mood and small shots of alcohol after midnight? Why are not more non Japanese restaurants using the useful Bento boxes to showcase samples of their food? Why are serves of food still sticking to rather large bowls or plates - and diners wanting small serves are not catered for? Why does the asking price for simple street food dramatically rise in price with the addition of a piece of seafood? Why do we appreciate knowing the source and origin of ingredients used in our restaurant serves? Do we welcome complimentary serves of appetisers like Korean Banchan - or hot piping soups and free fruit platters at the start and end of Cantonese banquets? Must hot curries be accompanied by cooling yoghurts or pickled vegetable s...