A Quick Introduction

Some of my sharpest childhood memories involve food - the eating of it, the making of it, the fighting over it and the recovering from it. Indeed, for me, food is inextricably linked to my emotions. I eat (and cook) to celebrate my happiness, sadness, successes and failures. One emotion could set in motion an appetite for various things - for example, happiness is usually accompanied by a hankering for fresh oysters and foie gras, while sadness usually draws a taste for potato chips, cheese and ice cream. On days when my world feels blissfully at peace, I crave the slow-cooked comforts of mee siam, itek dim or beef short ribs braised in red wine.

I guess as a first post, an introduction is necessary. I am a writer living in Singapore, who has been described by her friends as a small girl with a big appetite. When I'm not eating, cooking or thinking about eating and cooking, I spend much of my free time doing sport - running, swimming, biking, squash, Pilates, yoga...Indeed, given the vast amounts of food I consume each day, all that activity is certainly warranted.

I don't believe in small portions. I eat heartily and I make no apologies for it. On one occasion, while ordering lunch with an old friend, he turned to me and said, "You sure eat like a man." We both laughed. Many a true word said in jest.