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November14
Lynda Adraste
Owner of frenchlingerieshop.com
Five years in Singapore
Where are you from?
Paris, originally.
How do you shop for French
ingredients?
We used to shop at Carrefour, like
the whole French community. We
were very sad when they decided
to close down. Now, I like to shop at
Marketplace because they have the brand Casino and a good
range of ham and cheese. For bread and pastries, I like Tiong
Bahru Bakery and ABC bakery.
Do you miss anything from France?
I most miss my favourite artisanal chocolate – Charles
Chocolatier – which makes dark chocolate that’s so good
for you it can even lower your bad cholesterol! I also miss
the range of yoghurts in French supermarkets, of course, and
some of the summer fruits.
Your favourite home-cooked French meal?
A very difficult question! Probably
boeuf bourguignon
,
blanquette de veau
and
cassoulet
– all the heavy stews.
Your favourite French restaurant here?
Singapore has a lot of good restaurants at a range of prices.
For a casual lunch, I like Le Bistrot du Vin, which is excellent
value. But Jaan is definitely the best for food, creativity, service
and the view.
Catherine Michelet
19 years in Singapore
Where are you from?
I was born in Lyon.
What food is the region most
famous for?
Lyon has a very rich cuisine, as everything is cooked in
a good quantity of butter, and it’s regarded as the food
capital of France. We’re known for our
cochonnaille
(pork products such as
saucisson
,
boudin
,
tripes
and so
on), plus
poulet de bresse
,
quenelles de brochet
sauce
Nantua
,
gratin dauphinois
, and
cardons
à
la moelle
. Also,
cheeses such as Crottin de Chavignol, Saint-Marcellin,
Saint-Félicien and more. And wine – we like to say that
Lyon is in the midst of three rivers: Rhone, Saone and
Beaujolais!
Are you a keen cook, and where do you shop?
Yes, I am, and I do most of my shopping at FairPrice or
FairPrice Finest, or from time to time at Cold Storage.
Since living here, I cook a lot of home-created “fusion”
cuisine.
Do you miss anything from France?
I miss the seasonality of fruit and veggies, and in terms of
meat, I miss veal (the real white veal) and rabbit.
Your favourite French restaurant here?
Actually, when I patronise a European restaurant, I love
Etna – though it’s Italian, the food is very similar to our
South of France dishes. I also like Greenwood Fish Market
& Bistro, where the grilled fish is outstanding.
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