Author: Philip wong (Sydney)

Greetings from Sydney. We have just returned from a short "balek kampong" trip to Singapore and we were amazed to find such a great varities of fusion food between eastern and western food available to us. We did enjoy these new food versions but what we missed were simple traditional foods that filled us with memories of the tradition kitchens, with its preparations for special feast days and the ritual of everyday family meals.

We are awared that food preparations and cooking stlyes have evolved with the hectic lifestyle and needs of the younger generation. But unless we the silverHairs passed it to them (on the presumption that they wanted to learn) these traditional food and cooking secrets will be lost and slipped beyond the realm of recall.

My wife is currently compiling a collection of simple home cookings and recipes that are normally handled down from parents to children through the generations by word of mouth. We are writing this post to ask for your help and share with us your family cooking secrets so that we can preserve the true flavour of the original food for the young ones to keep.

Dear Members,

May I add my name to the member list. First of all, I want to tell you the reason why I have to join the club.

On my last "balek kampong" trip to Singapore, my teenage son accompanied me to have lunch with  five  of my long lost and  recently found schoolmates. I knew it was a mistake but my schoolmates insisted that they want to meet him. Anyway, it didnt bother him as he made himself occupied of his time with the help of his ipod and mobile phone. On the way back from lunch, nothing has prepared me for an off  the cuff remark from him. He said, "Gee Dad, you don’t have many friends left in Singapore, I can count them with one hand."  That’s hurt,  but dont feel sorry for me. I need your help. I have made a challenge with him that on the next luncheon not only he  has to use his other hands, he needs his toes to count the friends I have.

Let me briefly tell you about myself, Have been working away from Singapore for more than half of my life. Sydney is home at the moment. I am turning 60 in Oct. Still working as a support worker with the Department of aging and disabilities and Home Care in NSW. Went back to school 2 years ago just to embarass my teenage son. Manage to come out with an educational degree in May. (took me 40 years to obtained it.) Like the old Chinese saying says " There are many paths to the top of the mountain but the view is always the same." Many of you have finally reach the top but hopefully we can all still continue to make  new friends and enjoy the view. Thanks for having me.