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taste Dec 201 4 / ISSUE 1 9

A Purple Sage Monthly Publication

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THE AMERICAN DREAMTRAVELLING OUTSIDE of Asia has been a dream to me my whole life, let alone come to America. What was even more exhilarating to my spirit was that I transited in London, so that meant I left Singapore to visit both Europe and America on one same trip. Mind-blowing, right? Well to me it was. Quite evident on my face too, since I had this idiotic grin of gratification on my face from the moment I checked in at the British Airways counter up until I landed in London. That’s FIFTEEN hours of idiotic smiling, mind you!

Another nine hours go by and I finally arrive in the USA. The first thought I had when I landed was how completely fat I was going to get. But contrary to that, stepping into an American supermarket for the first time… oh holy cow, I couldn’t get over the unending aisles of snacks, desserts, and pastries. There was just SO MUCH that it made me overwhelmingly faint-hearted. I curled right back into my sheltered-Asian-girl-cocoon and soon forgot about my initial I-will-eat-everything-in-America-greed. Is this how everybody eats in America? You know how in Singapore they sometimes get so stingy with things like icing on a cupcake or any food-related item for that matter? Well here here in America, it is completely the opposite. Boy do they pile on the icing and the sugar and pretty much every food item you crave over.

Now, back to the exciting relaunch of TASTE – where have I been? Where has TASTE been? I’ve been taking a long break from the food scene, shifting from gluttony, to self-restraint, to preservation of self-image (or in other words, my figure), back into gluttony again, and now I am in a serious search for fresh balance between love for food, and love for my mind and body. And where else do I challenge my determination other than in America where everything is super-sized?

In the mean time, here is yet another Holiday Issue of TASTE, brought to you with a storm of Christmas shopping experience in America, Christmas menus and hampers by Purple Sage, and even an interview with a dapper young bowtie designer, Jahmal Landers.

Before I leave you again, I’d like to share my New Year Resolution with you, and that is “to have more acceptance.” Acceptance of everything that I am – positive and negative – and acceptance of the wonderful changes that are happening to me at all times, even if it is an obstacle in disguise. You never know what the universe is assisting you to achieve. I mean, I waited twenty-five years to come to America!

So Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, and I will see you soon.

TIDA WEIEditor-in-Chief

Editor's Letter

Editor-in-ChiefTIDA WEI

Founder & PublisherTONY SEOW

Sales ManagerCATHERINE LIMBLOSSOM CHIA

Marketing ExecutiveSHERMAINE TNG

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WINTER PARTY SET B FOR 10PAX@$400SALAD

Japanese Potato SaladRusset Potato & Vegetable Salad

With Sesame DressingWinter Wonderland Salad

Broccoli, Spanish Onion, Red Chicory & Mock BaconWith Italian Dressing

CHRISTMAS MEAT PLATTERA Fine Selection of:

* Pastrami Beef * Home Cured Corned Beef

* Tea Duck Breast * Chicken Roll

* Accompanied with Pickled Vegetables, Horseradish Cream, Dijon Mustard & Mango Salsa

MAINSSucculent Roasted Turkey with Caramelized Banana Shallot & Truffle Oil

Pan Fried Island Catch with Nantua Velouté Oriental Spicy Oxtail Stew with Root Vegetables

Pan Fried Deep Sea Prawn with Roasted Aubergine & Garlic ConfitOven Roasted Caramel Kumara with Melted Marshmallows

Grilled Cocktail Sausage with Potato Rosti & Veal JusTraditional Winter Vegetables with Smoked Tomato Sauce

Steamed Saffron Rice with Raisin & Almonds

DESSERTCranberry Cream Puff Petite Christmas Fruit Cake

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…

Your gourmet Christmas dinner all prepared for you and your friends, family, and colleagues with our finest ingredients, made with love by Purple Sage’s executive chefs. Spend precious time

with your loved ones and enjoy a merry meal this holiday.

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CHRISTMAS GOURMET MENU1. OVEN ROASTED COTE DE BOEUF

In butter bath with thyme, garlic & Dijon mustardServed with buttered vegetables and port wine sauce

$120 per kg (min. 3kg)

2. OVEN ROASTED AUSTRALIAN GRAIN FED STRIPLOINIn butter bath with thyme, garlic, & Dijon mustard

Served with garden vegetable and winter truffle sauce$50

3. WAGYU BEEF CHEEKSlow braised beef cheek with herbs and buttered vegetables

$68 per kg

4. LAMB SHANKBraised lamb foreshank with rosemary and buttered vegetables

$58 per kg

5. SALMON WELLINGTONAtlantic salmon, mushroom duxelle & spinach wrapped in puff pastry

$55 per kg

6. BAKED EMPANADAS Turkey and ham empanadas

Mushroom ragout empanadasBeef empanadas$30 for 10 Nos

7. OVEN BAKED BEEF LASAGNA$40 for 2kg

Self-collection Timings: 10AM, 1PM & 4PM at Purple Sage Group’s Office | T&C’s Apply5 Harrison Road #04-01, Singapore 369645

T: 6396 6990 | F: 6396 6980 | E: sales@purplesage.com.sg | www.purplesage.com.sg

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WINTERIN AMERICAOur Editor-in-Chief, Tida Wei tells about her first American Holiday experience.

These almond crusted squash looked absolutely amazing at Whole Foods. Somebody bring this supermarket chain to Singapore already!

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THERE IS A FASCINATION that dawns on you when you step foot in this country for the first time – it’s humongous, diverse, and full of surprises. What contribute greatly to the culture of this country are their seasonal

celebrations – something completely different from Singapore. We celebrate Chinese New Year, Vesak Day, and Deepvali, while they celebrate Halloween,

Thanksgiving, and a great deal of Christmas. Because seasons can change drastically, different times of the year bring a different energy to daily life here.

Like Halloween and Christmas, festivals here are taken very seriously, and decorations of ghosts and ghouls, stockings and wreaths will be seen on the front yard of each home months before the actually holiday. This means the

holiday atmosphere gets prolonged from October up until January, making you feel a all warm and cozy just a while longer after the actual holiday has ended.

A SUPERSIZED EXPERIENCEAnother unique thing about America, of course, is their super-sized food

scene both in terms of size and variety especially when it comes to the holiday season. They have Santa and reindeer shaped sweets and chocolates in

duty-free-souvenir-sized bags, AKA “Family-Size” everywhere. This, mind you, could leave you feeling quite overwhelmed considering they fill up majority of the supermarket space. Standing in front of three full racks of Reese’s peanut

butter cups in all its versions (big, mini, nutty bars) would leave one feeling quite faint-hearted to be honest.

We celebrate Chinese New Year, Vesak Day, and Deepvali, while they celebrate Halloween, Thanksgiving, and a great deal of Christmas. Because seasons can change drastically, different times of the year bring a different energy to daily life here.

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GROCERY SHOPPINGThe local produce, on the other hand, was a real joy to browse - everything seemed to be multicolored! Baby carrots in orange, yellow, white and purple, and asparagus in green, white, and purple as well. Their meat and seafood were the same – a rich variety of cuts and readily marinated flavors were everywhere. One thing that seemed different from Singapore was how fresh these meats look – red, moist, and juicy looking. But considering that Singapore imports everything since there is little to no land for agriculture, it makes sense that our produce would look a shade duller than a big country like the USA where there is plenty of land and natural resources.

AN AFFORDABLE LIFESTYLEAnother wonderful thing about shopping in America is how cheap things are. You get a bunch of kale for three dollars here, as opposed to ten dollars in Singapore. The wallet feels a bit more comfortable compared to our home country, and there is more lee way for an indulgent lifestyle – you’ll pop by the grocery store next door and get a big ball of mozzarella cheese for just four dollars to make your favorite pizza, pasta, and salad. In Singapore, it is the same thing for six to nine dollars!

CHEESESpeaking of cheese, the selection here is absolutely fantastic. You’ll find flavors like Irish whiskey, blueberry cheddar, and about ten varieties of blue cheese to choose from. Even shredded processed cheese ranges from Mexican, to Colby & Montery Jack, to the classic mild cheddar.

APPLESApple, pumpkin, and cinnamon are three very popular flavors in the USA. Their winter candle collections that are widely available in all grocery stores would consist mainly of these three scents during the winter in colorful shades of red, green and brown. America also proves that some things taste better when it is locally grown, like their apples. Walking into the fruits and vegetable section of a supermarket, you will smell this fragrant fruit from meters away – and they taste even better than they smell. They’re crisp, sweet, juicy, and so fresh. And funnily enough, tropical fruits like papaya and mango that taste sweet and delicious in the Asian region are absolutely tasteless here, which is no surprise.

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Various greens we don’t usually see much of at a local Singaporean supermarket. The vibrant colors and shapes of these organic vegetables were exhilarating. My favorite is kale and turnips.

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The variety of cheese at a typical American supermarket is mind blowing. They don’t hold back on the dairy here!

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Check out these fresh slabs of meat at Whole Foods. They have loads of juicy looking ones, marinated cuts, and stuffed ones like these beef flank steak.

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These are from the food court at Whole Foods. Everything looked magical. I couldn’t decide on one to buy so I actually bought them all !

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5Historic Christmas Facts1. Christmas is derived from Crīstesmæsse in Old English,

which means “Christ’s Mass.”

2. The date of Christmas may have been chosen to correspond with the day exactly nine months after what early Christians believed Jesus to

have been conceived.

3. The holiday has become a significant event even for non-Christians due to it being the year’s key sales period – a factor of our growing economy over the

past few centuries.

4. December 25 is also Dies Natalis Solis Invicti which means “the birthday of the Unconquered Sun”, a festival inaugurated by the

Roman Emperor Aurelian to celebrate the sun god during winter solstice.

5. In the Middle Ages, Christmas gift-giving was usually only between people with legal relationships, such as tenant

and landlord.

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CHRISTMAS SHOPPINGThe best thing about being in a country that is so festive during the holiday season is waking up in a neighborhood with wreaths, stockings, and red velvet ribbons hanging and tied all around every house starting in November. Not to mention the Christmas trees and lights! The way you see American homes in Hollywood movies is how warm and fuzzy the winter holidays are here in their cold weather. It is one experience Southeast Asians would fantasize about a lot – to spend time in cold weather in a country that celebrates the occasion so very devotedly. Every home and arts and craft stores would be filled up entirely with Christmas décor right after Halloween is over and everyone would be just as excited to redecorate their home.

Christmas has become a religious holiday that is enjoyed by all – the sales, the busy gift-buying, the Christmas music, and the beautiful lights and Christmas trees. Even though some religious holidays other than Christmas still fall around the period, Christmas is now observed by the whole world as a beautiful time of the year, and should no longer be associated with only Christian. If such beautiful celebrations bring family, friends, lovers, and colleagues together so harmoniously, we believe the world should make more effort to celebrate life every weekend like it’s Christmas Day, even if it means over indulging in carbs! So why not stock up on some decorations, colorful table clothes, and some exotic spices and start brushing up those domesticated decorating and coffee-making skills for life. We promise you that toffee pumpkin spice lattes taste gorgeous even in the summer, and your loved ones would just love you more for how you make their life seem like it’s a holiday every weekend.

Don’t forget to buy those scented candles too.

Until next time.

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WHAT I LOVE ABOUT CHRISTMAS IN AMERICA

PEPPERMINT CANDIESFrom peppermint bark chocolate bar, peppermint patties, candy

canes, to peppermint chocolate biscuits.. I love them all! According to folklore, children were given candy canes in the 1600s to stay quiet during mass and to remember shepherds who paid a visit to infant

Jesus.

EGGNOG This is a creamy, frothy drink whipped up from cream, sugar, eggs,

and bourbon, rum, or brandy. Whoever came up with such an indulgent cocktail is genius.

I can’t have enough of this here.

ROAST BEEFAmericans reserve their turkey for only Thanksgiving, so don’t expect

to see turkey at the dinner table. They opt for roast ham or beef on Christmas day instead.

PUMPKIN PIEThe Native American tribes grew squash and pumpkins and brought these to the first settlers of America as gifts. 50 years after the first

Thanksgiving Day, the pumpkin pie was born!

WHAT I DON’T LOVE ABOUT CHRISTMAS IN AMERICA

Surprisingly, Americans don’t celebrate Boxing Day (the day after Christmas). So if you didn’t have one too many eggnog cocktails, you will

be expected to show up at work.

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Braised Beef cheekRECIPE FOR

DIRECTIONS

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in an ovenproof 6-quart wide heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. While oil is heating, pat beef cheeks dry and season with salt and pepper. Brown beef, without crowding, on all sides, about 20 minutes total, and transfer with tongs to a bowl. Pour off fat from pot, then add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and cook onion, carrot, celery, Thymes and Bay Leaf over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180°c.

Stir cocoa powder into vegetable mixture, then add wine and scrape up any brown bits. Increase heat to high and boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.

Return cheeks (with any juices) to pot and add tomatoes with juice, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then braise, covered, in middle of oven until very tender, about 3 hours.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 tablespoons olive oil• 4 ( 12-oz) beef cheeks, trimmed of excess fat• 1 medium onion, cut cube• 1 medium carrot, cut cube• 1/2 celery rib, cut cube• 2 cups red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon)• 1 can whole tomatoes including juice, chopped

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt• 1 teaspoon black pepper• 15gm Thymes• 3nos Bay Leaf• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt• 1 teaspoon black pepper

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STEP 4 Hashtag #purplesageturkey ( make sure your photos are made public! )

Multiple entries are welcomed for the lucky draw.Contest period: 1 – 15 Dec 2014. The Lucky Winner will be announced on Facebook on 17 Dec 2014.

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Tis aseason

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BOWYER & FLETCHERWith the rise of classic dapperness in

men’s fashion, Jahmal Landers brings back vintage trends in the form of bowties to the scene.

Photos by Phil Chester

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THE WIND OF WINTER arrived just in time for Jahmal Landers, a young entrepreneur and men’s accessories designer who had just moved to sunny Florida from Oregon. Fresh-faced and looking exceptionally dapper in his tangerine Bowyer & Fletcher necktie, Jahmal stood at our door step with a humble smile we don’t see much of anymore around the neighborhood. We were actually expecting him to come earlier, but a man has his rights to be so fashionably late too (we don’t blame him). His turquoise suit contrasted his tie and copper toned pocket square almost outrageously, yet matching perfectly with his trousers in a cool Bleu De France color. We wondered how one could pull off such colors (let alone put them together), but he did it very elegantly. After arriving at the quiet café by Clearwater beach, we dived right into our first question.

What is the essence of Bowyer and Fletcher?There is some intrinsic value to creating an accessory that someone is going to wear and feel more confident at a job interview, better on Monday morning, or even just heading to the coffee shop. When somebody puts on a tie or wears one of our pocket squares, I’d like to help that someone add a little bit to their appearance and confront the world with whatever challenge is on the other side of their door. We adhere to classics, and incorporate modern elements into it like a denim or a camouflage bowtie.

Is that the most important thing about your brand?Yes, and to be considerate of the details of the quality and the origin. Originally, I was working on leather goods – shoes and wallets, but none of those things I knew how to make with my bare hands. If you own a bakery, you want to know how to bake, and with shoes, I’d be at the whim of the shoe factory everyday. So instead, I took up sewing class and asked the teacher to teach me how to sew up a bowtie.

There is some intrinsic value to creating an accessory that someone is going to wear and feel more confident at a job interview, better on Monday morning, or even just heading to the coffee shop.

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And what started your fascination with bowties?After learning how to sew my own bowtie, I went to find some fabrics and just started making bowtie after bowtie. The TV shows Madmen and Boardwalk Empire were also at their height of popularity and the main protagonist had signature looks that were very dapper and sharp, and it was a signal of change in men’s fashion for me.

Any exciting things coming up for B&F?Antonio Harvey, an ex-NBA basketball player turned Portland Trail Blazer radio broadcaster will be wearing a different bow tie from us at all 82 NBA games this season. 82 games, 82 bowties. We’re also designing our own signature textile and reaching out to some retailers in Singapore. Singapore has a huge appreciation for bespoke fashion.

And what is your vision for B&F?Our brand is described by marketing people as a movement. I definitely want the brand to be around in a hundred years and be known as one of the best tie makers in the world. It isn’t a marathon or a sprint, though, we don’t want to fly over night. We want to grow and stand the test of time.

Best thing about starting this brand?It is my creative outlet. I’ve always been an amateur artist. I love appreciating art, but more than appreciating I love creating. When I am able to do these things I feel free. There is an item, object, proof that not only was I here, I did something, and I shared it with people. It is empowering and liberating to have an idea in your head, draw it out on paper and then fabric, cut it out, assemble it, and put it in a nice package to give it to someone. It never gets old to see them put it on. You never get tired of it. Being able to share those things I had in my head through a physical object with someone, and that person with another person, it is really special.

Your hardest struggles.There are times where you go into business with friends and things become personal, we’ve remedied that through a clearer communication. There were also times where we were told no, and it was a hard blow, and it takes getting used to being rejected. You have to trust yourself and each other to work your butts off to see things through. You will accumulate a kind of wealth from going for your wildest dreams and accomplishing things you never thought you could.

I love appreciating art, but more than appreciating I love creating. When I am able to do these things I feel free. There is an item, object, proof that not only was I here, I did something, and I shared it with people.

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