Saturday, April 13, 2013

The Singapore Memory Project #sgmemory

If you are a twitter or instagram user, you would probably have seen the hashtag #sgmemory being used. Do you know what it is about?

The Singapore Memory Project (SMP) is a whole-of-nation movement which aims to capture and document memories and moments in life related to Singapore.

Many people says things are so temporary in Singapore, buildings get torn down, the school you studied is no longer there, hawkers retire from their trade. There are so many moments out there to capture and preserve. Do you want to help make those memories permanent?

#SGMEMORY

You can share your memories of Singapore, just anything about Singapore by having it permanently archived at the www.singaporememory.sg portal. You can deposit your memory accounts in the form of texts, audio files, video file and images.

You would have photos of your schools that's no longer around? Videos of your Primary 5 National Day Parade outing. People don't take photos of food that they eat like they eat now, but there should be some who do!

Submit them all to the Singapore Memory Portal. Guess what? Selected memories will be developed into creative audio-visual presentation by specialists too and presented on the same portal.

For Instagram or Twitter users, you can use the hashtag #sgmemory to help create awareness of this project.

Last weekend, a group of us foodies were going around Singapore to have taste food in Singapore that has been around for a very very long time! We went around eating and tagging #sgmemory to our instragram and twitter posts. This blog post is like a recap of where we went. If you are wondering what you can do for the coming weekends, you can follow the route we did too!

So where did we go?

#1 Zam Zam, 697 North Bridge Road, Singapore 198675

#SGMEMORY

Have you been to the Singapore Zam Zam? This restaurant has been around since 1908!

(So, what happened in 1908? Hmmm Singapore's first Chief Minister, David Marshall was born in 1908!)

In 1908, Encik Abdul Kadir, an enterprising Indian Muslim from Kerala in South India, started Zam Zam. Today it is run by his grandson, En Sulaiman Abdul.  They only have one shop and remains so till today!

#SGMEMORY

One of their famous dish is Nasi Briyani. Many Singaporeans grew up eating it, are you one of them? I wonder who has pictures of this same dish when it was served way back in the early days!

Notice the iPhone with a red cover? That's my fellow food lover. Catherine's taking photo with her mobile phone. Yes, food lovers love to document what they eat. If you take photos too, remember to hashtag it with #sgmemory when you decide to share it through twitter or instagram!

#SGMEMORY

The Murtabak (roti prata that's stuffed with eggs, onion and meat). Many people says it is the best Murtabak in Singapore. Do you think it's the best around? Mutton, Chicken or Deer for you?

I want to go back again with the wife to try the Deer version. Sounds so cheesy, but I will have Deer with my Dear! LOL

#SGMEMORY

The cross section of part of the murtabak. Have it with the 2 different types of curry that they serve. A comfort food for many! Murtabak Zam Zam - Singapore's version of savoury crepe that has been around since 1908!


#2 Rich and Good Cake Shop. 24 Kandahar Street, Singapore 198887

#SGMEMORY

Yup, it's photo taking and hashtagging time! Remember, #sgmemory in your tweets and instagrams!
(Do I sound like a broken record repeating that over and over again?)

#SGMEMORY

Run by Madam Lily Liu, this shop has been around for probably 15-20 years? I should ask them how long they have been opened the next time I go there.

I wonder how they came out with the name of this shop! So direct and straight to the point! 

#SGMEMORY

The most popular item in this shop is their Swiss Rolls. This green long roll is the Kaya flavour. Probably their most popular flavour too!

Best eaten cold, the texture kind of melts in your mouth when you put it in your mouth. A layer of sponge cake that is airy is spread with kaya and rolled up.

#SGMEMORY

Not the usual thicker version of swiss rolls that you get elsewhere, their version here is thinner and when you cut it, it's bite size. Easy to eat! Here's the mango version of it.

What's your memory of swiss rolls? Where was the shop that you got your swiss rolls from when you were growing up?


#3 Seow Choon Hua Restaurant. 33/35 Sultan Gate, Singapore 198481.

#SGMEMORY

Chope! Let's take a photo with the #sgmemory tag first! LOL

The next place we went to was to Seow Choon Hua, a 70 year old eatery. They are famous for their Red Wine Lees Chicken Mee Suah and Foo Chow Lor Mee.

#SGMEMORY

Oh, I realised I forgot to mention that the agency that brought us around was Tribal DBB and Daniel Ang of DanielFoodDiary.com is our 'food guide'. No, both agency and Daniel are not that old. Got to thank them for this interesting trip!

That's the food that we all shared with other food lovers that we all know from blogosphere.  Cuisineparadise, Camemberu, Melicacy, DanielFoodDiary.

#SGMEMORY

If you do come here and try their food, order the Meat Wrapper know as "Yan Pi". Pork meat that had been bashed to death is then mixed with sweet potato flour and formed into a thin skin. It's then wrapped with filling. Looks like wan tan, but it's not, it's a lot of hard work gone into it and it's awesome.

Not to be missed too are the Foo Chow Rou Yan. 4 types of fish, Yellow Eel, Red Fish, Grouper and Ikan Parang and minced and kneaded into balls and stuffed with minced meat. Delicious!

#SGMEMORY

Usually only for ladies during confinement, the Red Wine Lees Mee Suah is available here. I have tasted the ones meant for ladies during their confinement that's really strong, this is a milder version that's suitable for us males. Haha!

It's quite nice and the flavour grow on you as you eat it. Go try it to see if you have not tasted them.


#4 Tiong Bahru Galicier Confectionary. 55 Tiong Bahru Road, #01-39, Singapore 160055.

#SGMEMORY

Started in 1975 near Killeney Road serving western confectioneries and cakes, they later moved to Tiong Bahru 12 years ago and started making Nonya Kuehs from Uncle Tan's nonya grandmother.

Some call it the 'original Tiong Bahru Bakery'.

#SGMEMORY

I like how everything here were handwritten for so many things.

#SGMEMORY

The old bell probably had reached the end of its useful life. It looks lopsided.
That's Huat Kueh. The way they spell it makes it really 'haute' yeah?

#SGMEMORY

They have a huge range of kueh kueh and are all very well made. We tried them!

#SGMEMORY

If you like Chiffon Cakes, the ones here are addictive. I bought 2 to the office for my colleague to eat and a colleague who said it looks ordinary but after tasting it, kept coming to my room for more and finished it! The orange chiffon was very addictive!

#SGMEMORY

This lady, when I asked her how to 'call' her, says just call me "Aunty Jenny". What a lovely and cheerful lady! She says, let me treat you all to some cakes. Aunty happy, aunty treat you lah..

Look at the whole tray of goodies!

#SGMEMORY

Lemper Udang. Nak makan tak?
Or you prefer Lemper Ayam (Chicken) on the right.

#SGMEMORY

Started as a western confectionery, they still bake bread for restaurants that they don't sell in their shops. These are the milk bread that Shashlik serves. They are so soft and fluffy. Sometimes when they bake extra, you can see them on sale.

#SGMEMORY

Their Kueh Dadar here is made from freshly grated coconut instead of gula melaka. It gives it a lighter and cleaner taste to it. Try it!


#5 Queenstown Libary.

After the whole eating tour, we all went to where the oldest library in Singapore.

(Stamford Road Library was the oldest, but since it has been torn down, the Queenstown is now the oldest standing libary)

#SGMEMORY

If you visit any of the National Library Board's Public Library around Singapore, you will see the "My Home, My Library" Exhibition.

#SGMEMORY

What you will see is a huge Tinbox!

Did your grandparents store their valuables inside tinboxes? Go ask them if you are fortunate enough to have grandparents still living with you.


Inside the Tinbox are displays of memories collected from residents in the neighbourhood.
The exhibits features stories and photos from residents of each neighbourhood split into 2 themes, My Home and My Library.

#SGMEMORY

Instead of Carnation, the NLB folks have milk tins that are Collection tins. There are special postcards available and you can pen down your memories and drop it in the tin!

#SGMEMORY

Go back in time and think of your memories of places and libraries in Singapore. Read about other's memories too when you are there.

If you post a picture of the exhibition on Twitter or Instagram with #sgmemory, you stand to win up to $200 in shopping vouchers in the weekly Snap & Share Contest!

#SGMEMORY

I think I have photos of being little kids like that too. But not in Queenstown library.

#SGMEMORY

Noticed how the Singapore Libraries have evolved with the time?

#SGMEMORY


It was a very exciting afternoon we had. It was fun visiting different eating places around Singapore that has been around for some time. Makes you think of the food you had when we were still little ones.

Go check out the "My Home, My Library" exhibition at public libraries island wide from now till 29 April. 

If you use Twitter or Instagram, start to tag #sgmemory with it. It doesn't have to be things 'old' or 'retro'. Just anything Singapore-related. Enjoy!




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2 comments:

Tony Johor Kaki said...

My late dad used to take me to the National Library in the 1970s. It wasn't his favourite place. He found it boring but he took me there in his Honda Cub as I needed to go there for the books. Actually, it was more for leisure reading than school work. Then it's time for the wanton mee just outside the library which both of us enjoyed. Otherwise, it's the Indian rojak stalls in front of the old SJI. I also remember my first roti prata. It was along Bras Basah road. I still think it is the best in the world.

Anonymous said...

I have enjoyed your sgmemory posts and think it is a great initiative!
Singapore is definitely a food mecca for international and local cuisine, in modern and more traditional settings. That being said, I think the whole food culture is at risk due to modernization and people retiring. I really hope you don't end up like us here; only chains with unfresh foods. Thankfully, people are making better choices and this is improving our food culture, but it had to come full circle. Cheers!

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