Travel |

November 7, 2016

A Day at the Bab al-Bahrain Bazaar

A historic building located in Manama, the Bab al-Bahrain, which, in English, means the Gateway to Bahrain, marks the entrance to the Manama Souq. While the building may have undergone several renovations over the years, it has been beautifully restored to its former glory, and is now considered to be quite the cultural landmark.

Gold and Pearls
The Gold Souq is always one of the first points of calls for visitors to Bab al-Bahrain, because, with over 100 stalls packed with glittering goods, this promises to be a sight unlike anything else that you will have seen. Bahrain gold is usually 21 carat, and fashioned into a huge plethora of styles, from the traditional to the contemporary. In addition to its gold, Bahrain is also famous for its pearls, and these can also be purchased from the Gold Souk. The pearls that you will find here are natural rather than cultured, which is why their shape and color are quite irregular, with everything from cream and white to stunning greens.

Spices
Spices are what many believe are the secret of Arab cuisine, as these carefully chosen blends are what provide the dishes with their distinctive flavor and aroma. As soon as you enter the souq, the smell of spices will hit your nose, and, as you wander through, you will soon come across a quiet corner of the main souq that is often referred to as the spice souq. Whether you intend to purchase any items or not, it is still worth exploring the spices on display, as you will learn so much about the intense flavors behind Bahraini cuisine.

Textiles and Handicrafts
While it may initially seem as though the souq is packed with mass-produced souvenirs, you only have to venture a little deeper into it to find the traditional goods on offer. Textiles have always played a significant role in Bahrain, and you will find the most beautiful fabrics for sale here, as well as stunning authentic handmade Bahraini carpets. There are also plenty of handicrafts to be found, all of which are ideal to take back home as gifts.

Traditional Bahraini Cuisine
In addition to the shopping, one of the highlights of a day out at Bab al-Bahrain for many is the traditional Bahraini cuisine that can be found here, and while you will not find any fine dining establishments, these budget-friendly eateries serve up some of the tastiest dishes in town. From the Naseef Café that serves up an authentic Bahraini breakfast, as well as a deliciously refreshing mango ice cream, to the vegetable samosas of Aloo Basheer, which has been around for over 50 years, to Haji Gahwa, the oldest café in the kingdom, there is such a wide variety of local food available here that even the pickiest of eaters will find themselves more than satisfied.

The Bab al-Bahrain has always been one of Bahrain’s most popular attractions, and it is easy to see why. With its wonderfully authentic traditional shopping experience, combined with some of the tastiest local cuisine in the kingdom, it is always a pleasure to spend the day at Bab al-Bahrain.

Lifestyle |

July 20, 2016

| OROGOLD

Spicy Filipino Inspired Dishes

With an abundance of seafood and tropical fruit across its 7000 islands, the cuisine in the Philippines is quite diverse, but is never usually lacking when it comes to heat. From sticky slow-braised oxtail to a local empanada, these spicy dishes will each introduce you to some of the vibrant flavors that come from Filipino cuisine.

Ilocos Empanada
While the name of this dish may point towards Spanish origins, all of the ingredients used in its creation are local. The filling consists of a local pork sausage mixed with egg and grated unripe papaya, which is then stuffed into the empanada before being deep fried, and is always served up with a spicy vinegar sauce that gives each bite a fiery kick..

Kare Kare

Kare Kare
Kare Kare is a dish that originally features slow-braised oxtail, but the more modern versions utilize a number of different meats, with short rib being a particularly popular option. The meat is slowly cooked in a broth, along with some vegetables, such as eggplant and beans, and plenty of peanut butter. This gives the dish an incredible base onto which other exciting flavors, usually onions, shrimp paste, calamansi, and spicy chillies, are then added.

Dinuguan
Cooking with blood is a concept that is shared by many cultures around the world, and the spicy Filipino dish Dinuguan is one that is created with the use of freshly slaughtered pork blood. This hearty stew makes use of many different cuts of pork, from the liver to the belly to the cheeks, and is usually served up with steamed rice or sweet rice cakes.

Kinunot Na Pagi
Kinunot Na Pagi is a dish that originates from the Bicol region of the Philippines and is absolutely packed with so many different mouth-tingling flavors. The dish features either stingray or crab, which is then cooked in coconut cream, along with malunggay leaves and a huge heap of potent chilli.

Bicol Express

Bicol Express
Another fiery dish that has been developed into a unique version in the Bicol region, the Bicol Express is a spicy stew that features long chillies as one of its star ingredients. These are cooked with coconut milk, shrimp paste, onions, pork and garlic, resulting in one of the most famous spicy Filipino dishes out there.

Tapa
Tapa is a dish that features dried or cured meat, and is usually available in two versions; a mild and sweeter dish, or a hot and spicy option. Served with a fried egg and some garlic rice, this is often eaten as a breakfast dish in the Philippines, but it is also well-suited to being a hearty snack in the middle of the day.

In many regions of the Philippines, the cuisine focuses on a combination of sweet, salty and sour, but there are a number of areas that bring a strong heat into this too. From the fiery but creamy pork of the Bicol Express to the tangy and spicy vinegar that tops an Ilocos Empanada, these dishes will all guarantee a truly tongue-tingling experience.

Travel |

July 15, 2016

| OROGOLD

Singapore Food Festival

GTS Productions / Shutterstock.com

An annual event that is being held this year from the 15th to the 31st of July, the Singapore Food Festival is celebrated throughout the island of Singapore, consisting of food-related events, culinary workshops and demonstrations, themed celebrations and competitions. The main theme for the festival this year is “Savour the Past, Taste the Future”, highlighting Singapore’s local flavors while showcasing the innovative spirit of Singapore’s food scene.

STREAT
The signature event of the Singapore Food Festival each year, STREAT will be returning again in 2016, featuring award-winning local chefs. The event will feature a pop-up restaurant that will be serving up a specially curated five-course dinner that promises to elevate iconic street food dishes, and there will also be 10 popular hawker chefs present, cooking up a range of local and progressive dishes.

50 Cent Fest!
From the 30th to the 31st of July, Singapore’s Chinatown Food Street will be transformed into a foodie wonderland, lined with several delicious street stalls, as well as buskers and street entertainers. The local dishes on sale here will all be sold in small 50 cent portions, enabling visitors to really sample a different taste from each stall.

Open Stoves
Open Stoves is a special event that will be held from the 23rd to the 24th of July, and features a BBQ outdoor kitchen, live cooking demonstrations, live music from local bands, and even neon beer pong. This is a great event for those who want a behind-the-scenes peek into the kitchen, where resident and guest chefs will be creating new and innovative dishes in full view of their audience.

Recreating History
As Singapore has developed over the years, certain areas of the country, which were once go-to places for local dishes, lost their foodie charm. This year’s Singapore Food Festival aims to recreate that in certain areas of the country, bringing back the food stalls that once lined the Farrer Park district, as well as highlighting the heritage of certain eateries, such as the landmark hawker center, East Coast Lagoon Food Village.

Singapore Restaurant Month 2016
Singapore Restaurant Month runs in conjunction with the Singapore Food Festival and is part of the Health Promotion Board’s quest to encourage the public to eat healthier foods. There are 46 restaurants taking part in Singapore Restaurant Month, 10 of which are heritage establishments, and they have come up with 95 exclusive and wholesome dishes, which have been inspired by traditional local dishes. Each dish is under 500 calories, showing that it is most definitely possible for authentic local dishes to still be just as delicious, but much healthier. Some of the dishes that you can expect to sample are the Steamed Sea Bass with Spicy Chilli and Lime Sauce from Nara Thai, and the Eight Treasures Box filled with delicate steamed dumplings from Shin Yeh.

The Singapore Food Festival is always a highly anticipated event, with Singaporeans in general quite passionate about their food. Each of the special events that will be held in honor of the festival promise to not only showcase the way in which local food has held onto its heritage over the years, but also bring to light the innovative new dishes that have been putting Singapore at the forefront of the culinary world in recent years.

Travel |

July 1, 2016

| OROGOLD

Can’t Miss Sites in Singapore

An island city in South East Asia, Singapore has grown exponentially over the years, and with so much to see and do, there is no chance whatsoever that you could ever be bored here. From the spectacular beauty of the Botanic Gardens to the unforgettable flavors of the local street food, these are some of the sites that you definitely should not miss out on when in Singapore.

Singapore Botanic Gardens

Singapore Botanic Gardens
The Singapore Botanic Gardens was founded in 1859, making it almost 160 years old. It is the only tropical garden in the world to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and showcases a wide range of tropical flora and fauna. The prized jewel of the Botanic Gardens is the National Orchid Garden, which boasts over 3000 different orchid and orchid hybrid species, and is always a spectacular sight to see, even for those who are not usually interested in flowers.

Hawker Centres
Singapore is known for being a gastronomic delight, and the hawker centers that can be found just about everywhere around the island, are the best places to sample true Singaporean cuisine. There are a number of local dishes that everybody should try, including Char Kway Teow, Hainanese Chicken Rice, and Chilli Crab.

Chinatown, Singapore

Chinatown
To truly immerse yourself in some of Singapore’s heritage, a visit to Chinatown is a must. While British colonization may have driven away some of the Chinese population that has lived here for over 700 years, the architecture still remains, giving you a fantastic insight into the city’s past and contrasting magnificently with the skyscrapers looming in the distance. From temples and mosques to night markets and roadside stalls, this is a vibrant part of the city that is always fun to explore. There are also a few museums here worth visiting, such as the Chinatown Heritage Centre, the Peranakan Museum and the Asian Civilizations Museum.

Orchard Road
Stretching out for over 2km, Orchard Road is the most famous shopping street in Asia, and with good reason. From luxury brands to local labels, this area really is a shopper’s paradise, and would take quite a few days to fully explore. If you are short on time, the two local department stores, Robinsons and TANGS, are likely to be able to provide everything that you need.

TK Kurikawa / Shutterstock.com

Sentosa
The island of Sentosa can provide as much entertainment, from beachside bars to rainforest walks to theme parks to sprawling casinos. The best way to get there is by cable car, as this gives you a gorgeous view, and, once there, the options seem almost endless. For those who want to see more than what they can fit into a day, there are a number of luxury hotels and resorts on the island where you can spend the night.

With over 15 million tourists visiting the island each year, Singapore can often seem quite crowded and busy, but this is where the city’s exciting energy comes from. A melting pot of influences from all over the world, Singapore is a one-of-a-kind destination, providing you with a vacation like no other.

Lifestyle |

May 16, 2016

| OROGOLD

The Changing Scene of “Fast-Food”

The food industry is constantly changing, and while industrialized fast food may have been the norm over the past few decades, this may not be the case for much longer. With the health and environmental concerns that are continuously being linked to fast, convenient foods, and the increased awareness that consumers now have in wanting to know exactly where their food has come from, more and more people are now shunning fast food options in favor of healthier options that focus on freshness and quality.

Farmers Markets
Ever since 1994, when the US Department of Agriculture began to keep records on farmers markets around the country, numbers have more than quadrupled, and there are now over 8000 registered farmers markets dotted around America. This trend is also being experienced in many other countries around the world, from Europe to Australia, with many people now preferring to buy their food directly from the farmer that has grown it. Of course, the goods on sale will be seasonal, and can be completely different depending on which region you are in, but with winter farmers markets now just as popular as the summer versions, it is definitely possible to have access to farm-fresh produce all year round.

Meal Planning and Delivery Subscriptions
Meal planning is essential for most households, and there are now subscription services available that make this even easier, doing away with the temptation to opt for a fast food meal on those late evenings when you do not much feel like cooking. These new companies allow customers to sign up for a weekly meal plan, after which the exact ingredients needed for each meal are delivered to the customer’s door. Not only does this make cooking healthy meals at home much more convenient, but it also does away with the need to shop at grocery stores, and reduces the amount of food wastage, since you are only sent exactly what you will need for the week.

Fresh and Seasonal Menus
With the increased demand from consumers wanting quality when they eat out at restaurants, a number of eateries are now creating seasonal menus, stocking their kitchens with fresh and local produce. This not only reduces food miles, but also expands awareness on the delicious ingredients that can be found locally. These restaurants can be found just about everywhere, ranging from high-end fine dining to casual café snacks.

Farm Co-ops
Small farms face a number of challenges when it comes to marketing and selling their produce, not only financially but also in terms of the range and quantity of produce that they can offer. This is where farm co-ops come in, a concept that has already seen plenty of success. Essentially, a farm co-op is a group of food producers that use combined efforts to sell their goods, sharing advertising costs and dividing up tasks between them. This makes it much easier for them to also sell to larger stores and supermarkets, as together they are much more likely to be able to meet the demands of these larger businesses.

The rise of fast food has led to the decline of local food traditions and cultures, and has severely altered the way in which consumers view food. Fortunately, it would seem as though the “slow food” movement is continuously gaining momentum, and once this has been embraced to a larger extent, we will soon be able to see improvements in the overall health of the general public, as well as that of the environment.