Last Saturday afternoon Alan Soong, a friend of mine in Singapore, took Westley Field and myself on a tour around Kampong Glam and Arab Street [Gallery]. During the afternoon, as the heat increased, after all, Singapore is only about 1.5 degrees north of the equator, we decided that a cool dessert was in order.
We took an air-conditioned taxi to Liang Seah Street, between North Bridge Road and Beach Road. Alan led us to a classy little establishment. It was called “Remember Me”. [I had forgotten the name as I was writing this post and coincidentally Alan has just come on via Skype to plan some future workshops at NTU. He reminded me of the name of the eatery. How could I possibly forget?]
We three sat down at a table. We perused the menu and we ordered our rather exotic dishes. We consumed a variety of desserts. I had a red bean dessert. Yum.
Then Alan pointed out this dessert called Hashimi which included lizard saliva as an ingredient. Westley wondered what process was involved in securing saliva from a lizard. I kept envisioning the skinks and blue-tongue lizards that inhabit our garden. Of course there are larger “lizards” like Malayan Water Monitors (Varanus Salvator ~ don’t ask me why I remember that) or even the Komodo Dragons with their bacteria laced saliva.
Anyway, I ordered a bowl. It arrived on the table. The dish had a lid.
I carefully took the lid off the dish.
It looked quite fine. There were these wispy, ghostly remnants in the jelly. Was that the saliva?
Anyway, I ate the whole lot.
It was rather tasty. I enjoyed the dish. I will not be looking for lizards in our garden to milk them of their saliva. The proof is in the pudding.
May 2nd, 2008 at 4:06 pm
I may be being pedantic but… The proof is not in in the pudding. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Lizard saliva or otherwise.
I was recently offered BBQ bull testicles as a mid afternoon snack. I declined.
May 2nd, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Hi there,
Thanks for the comment [and the email]. I am glad you were pedantic. When I wrote about the pudding I knew there was something a little awry but I let it go. BBQ bull testicles… now that would be a challenge.
Cheers, John.
May 2nd, 2008 at 10:16 pm
Ah the memories. Never let it be said that Slinger Larkin is a whimp! What guts, or maybe whose guts? This is a man who always dives head first into culture.
May 2nd, 2008 at 10:24 pm
Thanks Westley! Yes, when in Rome do as the Romans do! See you at MLC!, Cheers, John.
May 9th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
[...] Westley was staying at the Hwa Chong Institution, where he was conducting a presentation on Skoolabarate, a Second Life collaborative project, the following day. We had dinner and a couple of drinks and the following day we met up with Alan Soong at Kampong Glam for an incredible lunch and also a very interesting round of desserts. [...]