A major rearrangement

Image by hbl via FlickrYesterday, Sunday, my wife got an eyesore with some of the leafy plants at home. She would usually be thrilled with the flowers (orchids, cyclamens, begonias), but she would be irked by some inconsistencies in the sceneries sporting leaves, purely leaves.

An emergency move was done, and I was set to repotting (which was planned for some time already when the flowering plants were seen to be overgrowing their small pots. And of course, I was 'experimenting' with some of the leafy varieties, cutting some and planting those cut stems. Most wilted, I could say, due to the non-mature age. I know, because at least one of them I saw to be shooting out roots. I guess that is what she saw, the wilted plants!

And the orchids, especially the phalaenopsis and dendrobiums, are directly under the sun. I am trying to see if these can tolerate the midday sun right at our front door. We get the morning sun, midday sun, and the afternoon sun. Our balcony is more of the bright light, but not the sun directly, only at the later part of the day, evening time, then some sunlight peeks at the balcony; I think about 3 days, and the sunburn at the leaves of the phalaenopsis is becoming more and more evident, so I told my best half about it, and we were off to the major rearrangement!

The begonias and cyclamens that were in the balcony before, at the opposite side where the sunlight doesn't shine, were brought out and put right in front of the main door - as if to make you be greeted by flowers when you open the doors! And the orchids were transferred to their original place: from the midday sun, the orchids would still be receiving bright light and good breeze, without the scorching midday sun. Boy, isn't that a lot of heat to take?

As I've come to refresh and add to my knowledge about orchids, I am hoping that my collection now will start to grow, both biologically and numerically.

The balsams, planted from seeds, were a fiasco. I think these packets of seeds are a no-good way to start with. I've tried it back then, and the results are consistent: nothing grew, not even one. I was in need of more soil, and I have several pots big and small (I think 4 of them) with soil and the supposedly seedlings that were being grown. I tried to spade off the soil in the pot with the Anaheim chili seeds, and knowing where I've situated the lot, I dig on the soil around that area. Primary goal is to use the soil, and second is to check on the seeds. I was happy that they are actually growing; the roots are starting to come out, measuring about 5mm already! A month and a half ago, I was able to grow Cayenne chili from seeds, and about a week ago, the capsicum seeds were also sowed, and they grew! The Anaheim chili seeds are my second batch to be sown, the first batch, about 3 weeks ago, failed. These were from dried seeds. I guess I haven't learned that skill yet, sowing from dried seeds. The Cayenne chili seeds were from mature pods that were not dried, simply taken out from almost-decaying pods, specifically set aside for the seeds for sowing. The capsicum and the Anaheim, having learned from the failed batch from dried seeds, were both sown from seeds of pods while they are fresh - can be used in seasoning. I did that because I saw in one of the books that we have at home (I wasn't using my resources properly, you see) stated it in one of the methods of propagation, using other fruit as example, of course. Then I learned from my primary school kids that competition among plants and trees happen when their root systems are adjacent and crossing bounds - one's roots would tend to 'grab' the soil nutrients faster than the other - and that makes them healthy (or should I say, healthier?) Using that updated knowledge, I put the seeds about 3 inches away from each other in a rectangular pot, and there they are growing nicely.

The capsicums are doing the same, as if they are trying to catch up with the cayennes, and the leaves are just starting to come out. With the Anaheim seeds already germinating, 2 to 3 more months, I should be seeing those pods soon, very soon!

I have to say that I enjoy watching the pods change color as they go through the stages of maturity from the flower, to the ripened pods. And what way to enjoy them more when the leaves and pods are used in savory dishes?

So hopefully, we will have our own backyard in pots, providing greens, flowers and fruits (pods), adding beauty and spicing up dishes.

Related articles

• My orchids: Dendrobium and Phalaenopsis (micasadenipa.blogspot.com)
• Your winter gardening worries - solved (mirror.co.uk)
• Sowing the seeds of confidence (telegraph.co.uk)
• What's Blooming (commercialappeal.com)
• Orchid care (micasadenipa.blogspot.com)
• Native Orchid (perennialgardener.wordpress.com)
• Orchid Information - The Key To Healthy Orchids (hbb2obm.com)
• This Week in the Garden (daysontheclaise.blogspot.com)
• Orchids brighten a room with little effort (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Interflora's Su Whale at the Floraholland Show (interflora.co.uk)

Flies in foodstall: Action taken by NEA

Letter from S Satish Appoo

Director, Environmental Health Department, National Environment Agency (NEA)

We refer to the letter “Flies make home in our eateries” (April 10).

Our investigations confirmed the presence of flies in the refreshment area of the foodshop at Sembawang Drive. The foodshop management has mobilised its pest control operator to locate and eradicate the fly-breeding sources. Our field officers have also extended their checks to the surrounding areas. The foodshop operator will face enforcement action should breeding be found in his premises.

During our inspection, food for sale was found to be properly covered. We have reminded the operator of his responsibility to ensure that crockery and cutlery are properly covered, and refuse properly bagged and disposed of.

We thank your reader for the feedback.

From WEEKEND TODAY, Voices – 18, 19-April-2009

‘We will be more vigilant’

NEA ON HAWKER CENTRE HYGIENE

Letter from Andrew Tan

Chief Executive Officer, National Environment Agency

I THANK all letter-writers and journalists of Today who have commented on the importance of maintaining high standards of public hygiene in our hawker centres following the severe incident of food poisoning traced to a stall at the Geylang Serai Temporary Market.

We at NEA are deeply saddened by this episode that is linked to more than 150 people falling ill, many acutely, with two losing their lives. Our hearts are with the affected people and the grieving families to whom we have extended our deepest condolences. The outpouring of concern rightfully shows the widespread sympathy we share for them as well as the high standards expected of our markets and food centres.

Maintaining Hygiene Standards

NEA has the overall responsibility for ensuring high standards of public health and hygiene in Singapore. We would like to assure the public that NEA will strive to uphold these high standards.

The current system for upholding public hygiene comprising legislation, surveillance, enforcement and public education has served us well. The number of food poisoning cases in Singapore is very low. Over the last three years, there has been an average of only four food poisoning incidents a year, even though we have 5,600 hawker stalls across 106 hawker centres.

Grading of Stalls

The grading scheme, introduced in 1997, was intended to motivate licensees to improve on their personal and food hygiene and upkeep of their premises. All stalls that are graded and allowed to operate meet the basic hygiene requirements. The grading scheme sought to differentiate and recognise those who made greater efforts to improve and sustain the cleanliness and hygiene of their operations. By making the grades public, it was hoped that consumers’ choice could also lend pressure to encourage hawkers to strive for higher standards.

NEA, on its part, also actively worked with stallholders to encourage them to improve, by paying more attention to those with lower grades. NEA facilitates upgrading courses so that food handlers gain the knowledge to raise standards.

Food stalls in hawker centres that are graded A and B are inspected every eight weeks, while stalls graded C and D are inspected more frequently — every six weeks. NEA uses a point demerit system to penalise foodhandlers for any lapses in maintaining good personal and food hygiene. When a food handler accumulates 12 demerit points in a year, his licence will be suspended for two weeks. This is how NEA keeps unhygienic stalls from operating.

This regime has led to a significant improvement in food hygiene levels in Singapore. Over the years, the proportion of Grade A and B stalls has increased from 46 per cent in 2002 to 86 per cent last year. The remaining 14 per cent of stalls are graded C and they meet hygiene requirements.

The grading and point demerit system, together with a regime of regular inspections, have helped to keep food poisoning incidence low. Notwithstanding, food poisoning incidents can occur in any food establishment, regardless of its grading, if there are lapses in personal hygiene.

Overall hygiene standards at hawker centres have also improved through the Hawker Centres Upgrading Programme. Since 2001, a total of 72 centres have been upgraded with better facilities and toilets, among other improvements. The remaining 30 or so centres will be upgraded by 2012.

Cleanliness of Geylang Serai Temporary Market

When markets and hawker centres are being upgraded, grassroot organisations and their advisers can choose to have a temporary market which is not provided for under the government’s Hawker Centre Upgrading Programme (HUP). If so, they also carry the responsibility of keeping the temporary market clean to meet NEA standards. However, NEA will intervene if it assesses the need to do so in the interest of public health.

In the case of Geylang Serai Market, the Kampong Ubi CCC decided to build and manage the temporary market. Despite the best of efforts put in by the Temporary Market Management Committee in implementing its cleaning regime and in tackling the rat infestation problem, the problem persisted. NEA should have moved in firmly earlier to address this problem. Sustained efforts with NEA’s assistance and enforcement have now led to a marked improvement. NEA will continue to require the Management Committee to sustain ongoing cleaning and pest control efforts.

Greater Vigilance

Going forward, NEA will step up its vigilance and enforce higher standards of public hygiene on all food outlets. NEA will also conduct more refresher training on food and personal hygiene for stallholders and food handlers. We will further tighten up our own procedures to ensure the timely issuing and display of up-to-date grading labels.

To impress on the need for good hygiene practices by all and enhance understanding of the overall system, NEA will step up engagement of market managements and operators of food establishments, Public awareness efforts so as to also involve consumers in maintaining high levels of public hygiene at all times are also being looked into.

NEA will further improve on the current system, taking into account the useful feedback and suggestions thus far. We thank everyone for the valuable feedback and suggestions. We continue to welcome views at contact_NEA@nea.gov.sg and 1800-CALL-NEA (1800-2255 632).

From WEEKEND TODAY, Voices – 18, 19-April-2009

Eating out is out for me

BUDGET TAI-TAI
I’ve learnt my lesson: Home is where the safe food is

HONG Kong starlet Ella Koon was recently nicknamed “hell’s chef” after the dishes she whipped up in celebrity food show Beautiful Cooking caused the guest judges to throw up. Later, when challenged to defend her lack of culinary success, she retorted: “Living in Hong Kong, eating out is never a problem, is it?”

Yes, living in Hong Kong — or for that matter, most parts of Asia — eating out is never a problem. Walk onto a street and you’ll be sure to see a hawker stall around one corner or a restaurant around another.

There’s no call to have to cook at all. Why should you when there are others who can conjure up something far tastier than any of your humble efforts for just a dollar or two more than the cost of the ingredients themselves?

That’s probably why Hong Kong kitchens are so tiny. Mine has just enough space for a sink, fridge and two-burner cooker. The toaster has to be stacked on top of the microwave oven and my Kenwood mixer has been banished to the dining room.

Recently, after I posted some food photos on Facebook, my friends from Europe remarked: “You guys seem to eat out a lot, huh?” What was perfectly normal to me was strange to them.

For them, “outside food” (whether dining out or getting a Chinese takeaway) is so expensive that every meal not cooked at home is an occasion. They thought we are extremely wealthy to be able to do that every day.

When I was working in Singapore, we’d eat out or pack food home every weekday. After all, the coffeeshop was just around the corner and by the time I reached home at 7.30pm, I was just too tired to chop, slice, fry and clean up afterwards.

But now I am thinking of heading back to the kitchen again. The catalyst has been my back-to-back bouts of stomach flu — most likely triggered, according to my doctor, by bacteria in some food I’d eaten.

I’m not talking days. My two episodes lasted two weeks each with a gap of only a week between. One was caused by undercooked chicken rice and the other by some dodgy curry rice.

I had them for dinner at different “dai pai dongs” (coffeeshops) in different areas but the result was the same: Diarrhoea, a stomach ache and vomiting so bad that I had to live on plain porridge, crackers and Pocari Sweat for days on end.

“This would never have happened to me in Singapore, where the food is so clean,” I remember telling my husband.

Famous last words, of course, seeing as a few days later, the Indian rojak food poisoning broke out, killing two people and causing one woman to suffer a miscarriage. It was almost unheard of. Yes, you knew that bad food could cause you great discomfort but for it to kill...

And then, just this weekend, another dozen people or so came down with food poisoning from eating steamboat. What is going on? You hear of such things happening elsewhere, but not in Singapore.

That’s why I think our mothers were right. Home-cooked food is the best. You know where it has come from and has been prepared.

It’s a pity really that a lot of us have become like Ella Koon. We have become so used to others cooking for us that we don’t even know how to boil an egg.

I know of many working women who wear their lack of culinary skills almost as a badge of pride. They seem to think that they’re so important they’re above such housewifely pursuits.

Why be proud of a lack of ability? I can’t assemble an Ikea bookcase or pilot a plane but you don’t see me crowing about that.

Maybe it’s time we brought back cooking as a skill to be proud of. Maybe we should make home economics compulsory for all — for boys too, because why should they expect others to do for them what they can do themselves?

Then we can stop being so reliant on outside food. And for those who love to boast: “I can’t cook to save my life”, maybe it’s time you learnt. Because one day, it just might save your life.

Tabitha Wang is on the lookout for a good recipe for homemade Indian rojak. Can anyone help?

From TODAY, Voices – Friday, 17-April-2009

Not business as usual

NEO CHAI CHIN, chaichin@mediacorp.com.sg

AT MEAL times on a typical day, diners would swoop in on just-vacated seats at Geylang Serai Temporary Market. But it has hardly been business-as-usual, since the mass food poisoning almost two weeks ago.

Business has dropped by over 50 per cent, and yesterday afternoon, about half the food stalls were not even open. Because of bad business, Mr Nur Muhammad said the hawkers might have felt it was “better don’t sell than to sell”. The 27-year-old helps out at his mother’s cooked food and his aunt’s dessert stalls, which were open.

The hawker responsible, Mr Sheikh Allaudin Mohideen, has had his licence suspended and will be taken to court by the authorities. Two people died after eating his rojak and 154 were sickened.

At his Eunos Road 5 flat yesterday, Mr Allaudin, 70, said he could not comment on the charges until he is officially notified. He opened the door to Today with a young boy by his side and only spoke on condition that no photos were taken.

His fellow hawkers have voiced sympathy for him. Some felt that pressing charges against him is too harsh. Others said he should be held responsible for improper handling of food, but not for the deaths.

“I don’t think he intended for all this to happen. It could have happened to any one of us,” said drinks stall assistant Abdul Jaffar, 33.

Sundry goods seller Ong Tiong Gheu, 48, said the confiscation of his hawker’s licence is punishment enough.

But the hawkers are more worried about their own dismal takings. Mr Nur said that his aunt’s chendol stall made slightly more than $200 last weekend, much less than previous takings.

Many are also unhappy with the “C” grade hygiene rating they received last Saturday.

“We cleaned and did housekeeping before the National Environment Agency officers’ checks, but still got a ‘C’. More customers will surely be put off,” said chicken rice stall owner Mr Nor, 45.

From TODAY, News – Thursday, 16-April-2009