I'd slept pretty well but not enough before doing a tad of
work and logging in to FT to see what was what.
At 9, the fire alarm went off. I immediately started packing
the briefcase with things I'd rather not live without, such
as the passport and the laptop. Shortly a PA came on asking
us to remain calm (nothing like such a statement to prevent
people from being calm) and await further announcements; a
few minutes later it turned out the alarm had been false. As
I've said elsewhere, there can be some benefit to normality.
Decided to carpe diem it and not risk getting burned up by
a false false alarm so went off on a quick food court tour.
Zion Riverside, one of the oldest and seediest in town, is
a quarter mile north of the hotel, so I went there only to
find just a couple soup stalls and a dessert stall open.
The famous fish tofu stall didn't open until noon.
Tiong Bahru Market, one of the most freshly renovated in
town and said to have some of the best food, is a quarter
mile south of the hotel, so I backtracked there (would have
taken the bus, but Zion is one way the wrong way) and ate
well and copiously. Soon, though, it was about time to
head to Newton and see what FTers I might encounter: well,
I found more on the way than at the food court, which is a
pity, as there are better food courts in the world and given
my druthers I'd have been elsewhere. Waited an enormous time
for the #5 bus, which takes one right to the Sheraton, and
gave up for some lesser bus that dropped me off by the
Marriott. The walk did me good anyhow.
About halfway up Scotts Rd, I encountered bseller, who was
on his way to a buffet lunch with WWBGD+1; I sent my
regrets, for two reasons: first, my belly was pretty full
from hawker treats and so not really up for a buffet, and,
further, I'd said I'd be at Newton at 1.
12:50. I saw these crazy waiguoren running in front of
traffic; even with my poor eyesight I recognized Spiff and
techgirl in the median. Greeted them and dodged a few cars
to have a little chat there, whereafter they proceeded
presumably to a pool party and I to the hawker center.
The only FTers (and almost the only customers) there were
Where2next and her PlusOne, seeking sustenance before
their jaunt to Bali. They kindly shared their plates of
mutton satay and char siu noodles with me, and I had a
big Tiger, which I offered to share, but they declined.
Quick trip on the 700A bus to Raffles, where at the Long Bar
I found Lori_Q, melville, and restlessinRNO sipping their
Slings ($22). Pulled up a chair and by way of contrariness
had a Million dollar cocktail, a relative bargain at $21.
We were soon joined by chchkiwi and lili for more Slings,
and then bdesmond. I promised people the quick and dirty
tour of the hotel (not so detailed nor so good as that
formerly provided by miles4all), but as we headed out,
we ran into newself, WWBGD, and mashg, who were chilling
at the courtyard bar. So we joined them for another round,
(mine the Raffles Revelry, apparently cooperatively invented
by the bartenders in honor of the hotel's 120th anniverary)
and by this time, I guess the opportunity for a dramatic
recitation of the tiger in the lobby story had past.
--mm
THE SINGAPORE SLING
cat: booze, approximate, airline
servings: 1
1 oz Plymouth Gin
1/2 oz Cherry Heering
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz Cointreau
1 chunk of pineapple, crushed
Splash of Benedictine
Ginger ale
Shake all ingredients except the ginger ale
with ice in a shaker and strain over fresh ice in a
sling glass. Top with the ginger ale. Garnish with a
fresh cherry and a lemon butterfly. Invented at Raffles
Hotel, Singapore, by Ngiam Tong Boom in 1915.
Bill Marsano, Hemispheres magazine 5-06
---
--mm
Singapore Sling
cat: booze, authentic
servings: 1
1 oz gin
1 Tb cherry brandy
4 oz pineapple juice
1 Tb lime juice
1/2 Tb Cointreau
1/2 Tb Benedictine
2 ts grenadine
1 ds Angostura bitters
Shake, strain into collins glass, garnish with
cherry and pineapple wedge.
P.S. The Long Bar that you see now is in fact
a replica of the original one, which used to
be in what is now the hotel lobby check-in area.
It is said that the guests one day were rather
shocked to find a tiger prowling through the
Long Bar. A rifle was fetched, and the manager
shot the gatecrasher, contributing to legend
and to the endangerment of the species.
Source: Raffles Hotel recipe card
---
--mm
Million Dollar Cocktail
categories: booze, historical
servings: 1
30 mL gin
7 1/2 mL sweet vermouth
7 1/2 mL dry vermouth
120 mL pineapple juice
1 ds egg white
1 ds Angostura bitters
Shake with ice, strain.
All it takes to relive the intrigue of the old East is
your first sip of a Million Dollar Cocktail at Raffles
Hotel's Bar & Billiard Room.
Once as popular as the Singapore Sling, the Million
Dollar Cocktail was, like the Singapore Sling, an
invention of Raffles Hotel bartender, Mr Ngiam Tong
Boon, around the early 1900s.
The Million Dollar Cocktail gained considerable
notoriety - and considerable sales for Raffles Hotel -
when it featured in one of Somerset Maugham's most
famous barside tales, "The Letter".
Raffles Hotel has immortalised one of Maugham's great
stories by continuing to serve the tangy, bittersweet
creation at the Bar & Billiard Room.
Source: Raffles Hotel recipe card
M's note: despite the pineapple juice being the most
prominent ingredient, the drink is notable for
tasting primarily (though hazily) of gin and vermouth.
---