Life in Lockdown: Some Perspectives and Musings

As Singapore enters the final week of what has now been seven weeks of “circuit breaker” measures limiting people to the walls of their personal cocooned sanctuaries in order to curb the spread of Covid-19, I have put together some reflections on life during lockdown. 

Of course, I am acutely aware that my musings on the current situation may sound utterly mundane and reek of privilege. One doesn't need to drive a Bentley, be dripping with jewels, have holiday homes tucked away in picturesque corners or go jet-setting to exotic lands at the drop of a hat to recognize that they still have it better than many. This fact inadvertently disconnects people like us from the swarming millions of less fortunate around the world whose reflections will be focused on whether they will eat today or whether they will receive the medical care they need to live to see another day or what the future holds for their children as they have for several weeks now. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to have not lost our livelihood or incomes substantially affected, to have escaped the physical and mental burden of being a "health hero", to have remained healthy and to have still retained the same quality of life (sans the excesses), are so far removed from the alternate reality, that we may as well be living in another world.

It is during unprecedented crises like these where we can witness, on one hand, people inconsiderately hoarding provisions, medical supplies and whining about restricted freedom of movement whilst riding out the pandemic in relative comfort versus the other, struggling to keep a roof over their heads, keep their kids in school and put food on the table. The pandemic not only has exposed but also exacerbated the grotesque inequalities of humankind. But having said that, my reality is what it is and for that, I can only be humbly grateful.

With that, here are some thoughts that have stemmed from these past few strange weeks,

Baker's Corner: Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread

Saturday breakfasts/brunches at my place often features an egg-based main dish like a cheese and mushroom omelette, mixed vegetable frittata, shakshuka, quiche or eggs benedict. I always rustle up some oven-roasted herbed potatoes, grill whatever bread I have on hand and prepare a fruit platter to go along with it. It makes for a colorful, delicious and hearty weekend meal which we all love and look forward to eating.

A few weeks ago, I made some homemade cheesy garlic bread to go with my signature shakshuka. My kids absolutely love the garlic bread from Pizza Hut so I had been thinking about making it at home. To save time, you can buy store-bought bread, dress it up and pop it in the oven or else, if you have some time, you can make from scratch.

Unfortunately at the time, I had only parmesan and cheddar cheese in my refrigerator and no mozzarella. With the coronavirus pandemic, we were experiencing a bit of a slump in the supply of dairy products and speciality flour both at physical supermarkets and while placing online orders so getting my hands on the ingredients I wanted for savoury bakes was proving quite the challenge. Despite the absence of an important ingredient, the cheesy garlic bread turned out really good and my family loved it. I really wanted to make it again with mozzarella cheese, obviously, because it melts so much better and forms that lovely oozy cheesy layer on top. Anyway, I did eventually get mozzarella cheese at the supermarket but by then, I had run out of bread flour and that was out of stock everywhere I checked so I had to wait a few more weeks. Finally, when I had both the cheese and the flour that I needed, I made the cheesy garlic bread again and just as I had expected, it turned out even better and the whole things was polished off in minutes. This homemade cheesy garlic bread is going to feature commonly in our weekend menu henceforth 😊

This is a very easy recipe that comes together fairly quickly (aside from the time needed for the dough to rise). You just need a few ingredients and you can come up with bread that is warm, soft, chewy, garlicky, cheesy, herby.....basically all kinds of yummy. Be sure to scroll down to the notes section for additional tips and substitutions.

Try it and you won't be disappointed. I promise 😊

Restaurant review: Carrotsticks and Cravings, Dempsey Hill, Singapore

One of the last restaurants we visited before the debilitating impact of the coronavirus hit Singapore happened to be Carrotsticks and Cravings, a charming Australian café located in Dempsey during early March. The occasion was my husband’s birthday and I was keen to treat the family to a sumptuous meal. Characteristically, I was on the lookout for kid-friendly places and this café popped up in my search. I checked out the menu of the café and found that it was right up my alley so I convinced my husband that he would like it too 😜 Birthday venue and meal timing finalized, I promptly made a reservation for Saturday brunch.

Carrotsticks and Cravings is the brainchild of Terri-Anne, a Melbourne-born food photographer, food stylist and author of three cookbooks. The café aims to bring the Australian-inspired healthy café experience to Singapore. It isn't surprising that the café is known to have a predominantly expat clientele.

Carrotsticks and Cravings boasts a lovely location on Dempsey Hill, sitting quietly in a secluded nook shrouded by century old trees. We almost drove right past it! There is a small car park out at the front from where the café remains partially hidden. Once we walked past the gate, we were stuck by the cafe's casual and homely vibe.

First thing we noticed when we entered the premises was a tidy little outdoor play area. There were also some small cars for toddlers to ride in. My five-year old's took off like rockets to the play area and were soon lost in their own world.

This is a very kid-friendly café indeed. There is a coloring station with art supplies as well. I had read that there is a trampoline but I couldn't see it anywhere. If I hadn't been aware of this information beforehand, it wouldn't have occurred to me to check out the back of the café. Once my kids were done at the play area, I took them to the trampoline and they spend a good chunk of time jumping up and down and building up an appetite.

The seating area is actually quite limited and the tables are small. Seating is primarily outdoor so keep in mind that it can get quite warm especially during sweltering summer months. We chose a table from which we had a good view of the play area.

The decor can be described as a mix of minimalist chic and rustic country with primary shades of white and lots of natural elements used as decorative accents.

I really liked the menu options because there is something for everybody. The restaurant delivers healthy superfood cuisine made with fresh and quality ingredients. You will find the generous use of fresh veggies, greens, sprouts, fruit, wholegrains, beans, seeds and nuts in most of the dishes.

They have crowd-pleasers like avocado toast, baked eggs, sandwiches, pancakes, burrito, green bowl, parfait, salads, smoothie bowls, baked goodies, fruit juices, coffee, tea and smoothies. The kids menu has a select few dishes that are fun yet nutritious at the same time (not the typical fries, nuggets, mac n cheese that you get everywhere else). You can expect an impressive range of vegan and vegetarian-friendly dishes, gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free delights. Those with dietary restrictions will find that this cafe caters to every need. I suggest you go to the counter and take a good look at their desserts and breads or check out the boards for daily specials before placing your order.

Table service is not offered so ordering and payment has to be done at the counter inside the café. We were sitting at the table for quite some time before we realized this. You would also need to get your own cutlery, napkins, seasonings and sugar (it can be a bit of a bother if you have to keep going to get more).

Here is a round up of our order,