05/05/2024

Iconic Holland Village magazine store over 80 years

Goodbye Thambi Magazine Store
The iconic newsstand along Lorong Liput in Holland Village, close on Sunday (May 5). The shop has had over 80 years of history spanning three family generations

Periathambi Senthilmurugan always imagined he would run his business until his last breath. In fact, the 49-year-old, better known as Sam and the owner of Thambi Magazine Store at Holland Village, once proclaimed to his wife: “If I die in the shop with a magazine in my hand, that will be the most beautiful moment. I am that into magazines."

But the iconic newsstand along Lorong Liput – with over 80 years of history spanning three family generations since his late grandfather P Govindasamy started it as a newspaper distribution service in the 1940s – will officially close up shop at the end of Sunday (May 5), he told CNA Lifestyle. The decision was still clearly a sore spot for Sam when we visited his shop on Thursday afternoon. Even though overheads have increased since he took over from his late father, G Periathambi, and revenue has dipped, he shared that he is not making a loss. Readership is still going strong too despite the array of material online, “unlike what the public thinks”, he added.

While things could be better compared with the heyday of print magazines when his store held over 7,000 titles, Sam decided to call it quits mainly because he was told to reduce the size of his display area by half, although he declined to mention who informed him. Not being able to fully exhibit his magazines meant killing what he believes is the crux of buying and enjoying magazines. By removing half the display, he would “fail to display his product” and lose the walk-in crowd, which is a “major supporter”, he explained. “When people pass by, they see the magazines (they like), they will buy. It’s not like they come for the magazines; most of them don’t know (a particular) magazine is still around.”


Thambi newsstand closure is a lesson in appreciating the present

The closure of Thambi Magazine Store in Holland Village last month replayed a familiar scene in Singapore. A beloved place, fondly remembered by multiple generations, decides to shut down after several years of declining demand and insurmountable obstacles.

Upon hearing about the imminent closure, Singaporeans would emerge from their social media activity caves to, well, indulge in more social media activity by filming, photographing and (albeit rightfully) bemoaning the loss of what they’d describe as yet another piece of Singapore's identity. Often, they’d also panic buy from the very places they had not patronised for decades. Because, as one would say in Singlish, “last chance mah”. Despite what appears to be a superficial engagement with the past, I believe that such last-minute action and reaction - and this is common throughout the world - is an indication of just how important the past, and heritage, is to people.

There is another viewpoint though, and that is that the loss of Thambi and other places like the old Raffles Junior College Mt Sinai campus is inevitable and, in some ways, necessary. It suggests that one must keep moving forward, and being sentimental about the past does not do anyone any favours. This view also casts progress (often economic) and pastness (often cultural) as polar opposites. The past, couched in feelings of nostalgia, lacks purpose and usefulness. This is especially so of places that are neglected or lack novelty for financial gain. Nostalgia becomes an enemy that stymies society’s evolution. Such a view is of course simplistic and does not recognise the very real value that the past has for our everyday lives. Many individuals and organisations, like the Singapore Heritage Society, have advocated for preserving monuments, institutions and places that are deeply connected to our Singaporean heritage.


'Such a shame': Longtime customers of Thambi Magazine Store in Holland Village rue impending closure
Sam speaking with regular customers at Thambi Magazine Store in Holland Village on May 3, 2024. They stopped by to see him after hearing that he was closing. (Photo: CNA/Grace Yeoh)

On Thursday evening (May 2), Periathambi Senthilmurugan, better known as Sam, was “shocked” when longtime customers of his family business, Thambi Magazine Store at Holland Village, flocked to the shop. They came to express their well-wishes after CNA Lifestyle broke the news earlier in the day that the iconic newsstand would run its final day of operations on Sunday. The store has had over 80 years of history since Sam’s late grandfather started Thambi as a newspaper distribution service in the 1940s.

Sam had “underestimated” the number of readers, he recounted to us from his shop on Friday morning, which saw heavier footfall than usual. Many customers who stopped by to take photos and speak with Sam were still in shock but were grateful that Thambi had been the place where they could always find what they wanted. The influx of customers since Thursday also helped Sam sell several more magazines that he would otherwise have to return to his suppliers after his last day, the 49-year-old shared. He had decided to call it quits after he was told to remove half of his magazine display along the walkway, as he believes allowing customers to look at the range of titles and casually flip through them is key to enjoying magazines.

Although he had declined to mention who instructed him, he clarified on Friday that it was “not any government agency”, following queries from well-meaning customers. CNA Lifestyle understands that the walkway display in front of Thambi is within Holland Road Shopping Centre, a strata development, and has emailed its management corporation (MCST) about its reasons for requesting the magazine store reduce its display size. Repeated calls to the MCST office on Friday went unanswered.


'A universe of magazines': Meet the man keeping Holland Village's iconic Thambi Magazine Store going
Sam at his Thambi Magazine Store at Lorong Liput in Holland Village. (Photo: Joyce Yang)

You would be hard-pressed to find a magazine outside of hair salons, cafes, and aeroplane seat pockets in this day and age. That, and the iconic newsstand along Lorong Liput in Holland Village.

Periathambi Senthilmurugan, who prefers to be known as Sam, has dedicated his entire life to magazines. The 47-year-old runs Thambi Magazine Store, a family business with over 80 years of history. His shop is impossible to miss not only for its location, but also because it is probably the only roadside newsstand that stocks, according to Sam, nearly a thousand titles from all over the world. In its past life, Thambi Magazine Store was a newspaper distribution service. Sam’s late grandfather, P Govindasamy, started it in the 1940s and served British soldiers in its vicinity. “He would cycle to Selegie Road to collect the newspapers,” Sam explained, “and back to Chip Bee Gardens to distribute them to the villagers.”

Magazines only came into the picture when Sam’s late father, G Periathambi, took over. Back when foreign titles were not available in Singapore, he painstakingly sourced them from Malaysia for his mama shop. His humble shop in Holland Village would later form the backdrop of Sam’s childhood. “It was next to the Eng Wah open-air theatre, and we sold a lot of other things with magazines hanging here and there,” Sam recounted. “Those days, I would have my friends around here. It was a village atmosphere. We would come here, cycle around, play with marbles and fly kites.” Once the mama shop earned a reputation for its foreign titles, customer requests began to pour in. It was not long before magazines hailing from the states and across Europe found their place in Holland Village.


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04/05/2024

The Singapore Dollar SGD

Singapore dollar

The Singapore dollar (sign: S$; code: SGD) is the official currency of the Republic of Singapore. It is divided into 100 cents. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or S$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) issues the banknotes and coins of the Singapore dollar.

As of 2022, the Singapore dollar is the 10th most-traded currency in the world by value. Apart from its use in Singapore, the Singapore dollar is also accepted as customary tender in Brunei according to the Currency Interchangeability Agreement between the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Autoriti Monetari Brunei Darussalam (Monetary Authority of Brunei Darussalam). Likewise, the Brunei dollar is also customarily accepted in Singapore.

Banknotes Series:
  • Orchid series 1967 - The Orchid Series of currency notes is the earliest to be in for circulation in Singapore. Issued in the years 1967 to 1976, it has nine denominations: $1, $5, $10, $25, $50, $100, $500, $1,000, and $10,000. Each note has an orchid design in the centre of the note's front, the orchid being the national flower of Singapore. A scene of Singapore is depicted on the back, which varies across denominations. Standard on each note, is the Coat of Arms, a lion head watermark, and the signature of the Minister for Finance and chairman of the BCCS, on the front of the note. As an added security feature, all notes have at least one vertically embedded security thread, while the $10,000 note has two.
  • Bird series 1976 - The Bird Series of currency notes is the second set of notes to be issued for circulation in Singapore. Issued in the years 1976 to 1984, it has nine denominations, the same number as in the Orchid Series, albeit the $25 note was replaced by the $20 note. Each note features a bird on the left side of the note's front, a theme selected to represent a young Singapore "ever ready to take flight to greater heights". Standard on each note, is the Coat of Arms, a lion head watermark, and the signature of the Minister for Finance and chairman of the BCCS, on the front of the note. As an added security feature, all notes have a vertically embedded security thread, while the $1,000 and $10,000 notes have two.
  • Ship series 1984 - The Ship Series of currency notes is the third set of notes to be issued for circulation in Singapore. Issued in the years 1984 to 1999, it retains the number of denominations as was in the previous two series of notes, but switches the $20 note for the $2 one. A maritime theme to reflect Singapore's maritime heritage was adopted, and progressively shows across the various denominations, the different kinds of ships which have plied Singapore's waters as the country developed. These vignettes are located on the front of the note. On the back, various scenes depicting Singapore's achievements are shown, as well as an orchid, to symbolise the country's national flower. Standard on each note, is the Coat of Arms, a lion head watermark, and the signature of the Minister for Finance and chairman of the BCCS, on the front of the note. As an added security feature, all notes have a vertically embedded security thread.
  • Portrait series 1999 - The current Portrait series was introduced in 1999, with the one- and 500-dollar denominations omitted. These notes feature the face of Yusof bin Ishak, the first president of the Republic of Singapore, on the obverse, and the reverse depicts a feature of civic virtue. There are both paper and polymer notes in circulation. The designs of the polymer notes are very similar to the corresponding paper note except for the slightly slippery feel and a small transparent window design in the corner of the banknote. Polymer notes are progressively replacing the paper banknotes in circulation. The notes also have Braille patterns at the top right-hand corner of the front design.


The Singapore Dollar Currency

The Singapore dollar is the official legal currency issued by the Republic of Singapore. The country’s economy has become one of the strongest in the world, making the Singapore dollar one of the most widely traded currencies. The country’s central bank, the Monetary Authority of Singapore, closely monitors the foreign exchange rates for the Singapore dollar.

Singapore first began issuing its own currency in various coin and banknote denominations in 1967. The Singapore dollar was initially pegged to the British pound, then briefly to the US dollar, before becoming pegged to a trade-weighted basket of currencies in the mid-1970s. Starting in 1985, the Singapore dollar’s been allowed to float within a range of foreign exchange rates closely monitored by the Monetary Authority of Singapore to control inflation and support the value of Singapore exports. The country’s currency is somewhat correlated with the value of China’s yuan, but not nearly as tightly regulated as the yuan. The country’s central bank mints coins in denominations of 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, and one dollar. Banknotes are currently issued in denominations of S$2, S$5, S$10, S$50, S$100, S$1,000 and S$10,000.

Following the money laundering concerns and financial practices of many other countries, Singapore’s central bank began withdrawing its higher denomination S$10,000 banknotes from circulation in 2014 and plans to stop the printing of the S$1000 banknotes in 2021. Paper banknotes issued are gradually being replaced by polymer banknotes. In addition to the standard currency, the Monetary Authority of Singapore issues several limited-edition commemorative banknotes in denominations ranging from S$2 to S$50. The latest is a 2019 S$20 banknote that commemorates the bicentennial of the country’s establishment as an official trading post of the British Empire.


Singapore to stop issuing S$10,000 notes
Singapore S$10,000 note to be discontinued. Source: MAS

From Oct 1, S$10,000 notes will no longer be issued in a move to lower the risk of money laundering, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said today (July 2).

Speaking at the ABS Financial Crime Seminar, MAS Deputy Managing Director Ong Chong Tee said the development of more advanced and secured electronic payment systems has reduced the need for large value cash-based transactions. Mr Ong added that the discontinuation of the note is not expected to create any major inconvenience. “Existing S$10,000 notes in circulation will remain legal tender, including all notes under the Currency Inter-changeability Agreement with Brunei. However, we expect the stock of such notes to dwindle over time, as worn notes are returned to us and not replaced,” he said.

In his speech, Mr Ong also said the MAS plans to launch a public consultation on proposed amendments to its regulatory framework to tighten checks against money laundering and terrorist financing. Proposed amendments include requiring banks to screen customers, tightening the threshold for enhanced measures on cross-border wire transfers, and providing a risk-based approach for “politically exposed persons”, he said.


Singapore Circulation Currency: Notes

Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) took over the currency issuance function following the merger with the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Singapore (BCCS) in October 2002.

Since Singapore's independence, four series of currency notes and three series of coins have been issued for general circulation.

The Portrait Series Currency Notes (1999 - Present)
The Ship Series Currency Notes (1984 - 1999)
The Bird Series Currency Notes (1976 - 1984)
The Orchid Series Currency Notes (1967 - 1976)

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Circulation Currency: Notes
4th Series - The Portrait Series Currency Notes (1999- Present)

The Portrait Series notes are the fourth series of currency notes launched on 9 September 1999. This series has only seven denominations as the $1 and $500 denominations were excluded from this series. It marks the first time a portrait is featured as its main design theme. The portrait of Singapore's first President, the late Encik Yusof Bin Ishak, was chosen to honour his invaluable contribution towards nation-building. Portraits are used in the note designs to act as an effective security feature for the protection of currency notes against counterfeiting. Unlike animals or inanimate objects, the distinctive fine lines of the facial expressions on portraits are instantly recognisable and difficult to reproduce. Any slight change (such as a line, a dot or even a slight variation in colour) when producing a portrait, will alter the expression of the portrait. The Portrait Series strikes a balance between simplicity and clarity in design on one hand, and sophistication in security features on the other. At the same time, the security features must be effective and easy for people to recognise and remember. To help meet these requirements, a standard design approach was adopted across all denominations of the Portrait Series.

3rd Series - The Ship Series Currency Notes (1984 - 1999)

Similar to the Bird and Orchid Series, the Ship Series also has nine denominations. The denominations are similar except that the previous $20 note was discontinued and a new $2 note denomination was introduced. The pictorial and aesthetic themes of this series are based on maritime vessels and the modern development of Singapore. The vignettes on the front of the Ship notes depict vessels that have plied the waters of Singapore over the centuries.  The series pays tribute to the contributions of merchant shipping to the development of Singapore from an entrepot trading centre to the busiest port in the world. It starts with the merchant craft of bygone days and progresses to the modern bulk carrier which is featured on the highest denomination.

2nd Series - The Bird Series Currency Notes (1976 - 1984)

This series has nine denominations except that a $20 note was introduced to replace the $25 note of the Orchid series. The dominant feature is a bird on the left side of the front of each note. The birds depicted on the notes are noted for their strength, adaptability and independence which characterise the young Republic of Singapore with the potential of soaring to greater heights in its progress.

1st Series - The Orchid Series Currency Notes (1967 - 1976)

The Orchid Series has nine denominations. The dominant feature is a spray of orchids in the centre of the front of each note.


Circulation Currency: Coins
Third Series (2013 - Present)

The Third Series coins, comprising five denominations, were issued into circulation on 25 June 2013. The coins mark Singapore’s progress as a nation. The Third Series coin designs depict well-known icons and landmarks of our nation, economy and society that Singaporeans, young and old, can identify easily.

There are six denominations in the Second Series. Four denominations, namely the 5-cent, 10-cent, 20-cent and 50-cent coins, were the first to make their appearance on 2 December 1985, followed by the 1-cent and 1-dollar coins on 28 September 1987. The Second Series coins bear the flora theme and feature local plants and flowers. It aims at enhancing Singapore's image as a garden city. MAS stopped issuing the 1-cent coin from 1 April 2002 as the denomination was not actively used by the public. The 1-cent coins that are in circulation remain legal tender in Singapore and can continue to be used as a means of payment for goods and services.

The First Series coins, comprising six denominations, were issued into circulation on 20 November 1967. The First Series coins were a reflection of the new status which Singapore had gained as an independent republic in 1965. The designs represented a dramatic break from the past as coins issued by previous currency commissions had borne only the effigy of the reigning British monarch on the obverse.


The Tanglin Halt flats & a 1-dollar note
The Tanglin Halt flats
A 1-dollar note

Iconic landmarks in Singapore have been commonly used as the back designs of the former and current Singapore currency notes. Examples are the Supreme Court Building, Clifford Pier, Victoria Theatre, The Istana, Benjamin Sheares Bridges and Changi Airport, which have all been used as motifs in the previous Orchid, Bird and Ship series.

The dollar notes’ motif designs sometimes also tell a Singapore’s history. For instance, the back of the Orchid Series’ 1-dollar note, released in mid-1967, features the Tanglin Halt flats, which were built in 1962.

Fondly known as chup lau chu (“10-storey building” in Hokkien), these early HDB flats had existed for more than 50 years but eventually could not stand the test of time. Most of its tenants had moved out since 2008, and the vacant blocks will be demolished by end of 2015.

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THE 5-DOLLAR TEMBUSU TREE

We have become so accustomed to cash exchanges in our daily grind that we no longer pay our dollar bills a second look. The next time you fish out the green five-dollar bill from your wallet, do spare a few seconds to examine it. While the front design features the first President of Singapore Encik Yusof bin Ishak as do all bills from the Portrait series, the back design theme is Garden City with a Tembusu tree of a long outstretched low-lying branch.

This is our 5-Dollar Tembusu tree. It is not just a default artist’s illustration. As a matter of fact it is a feature of Singapore’s most famous Tembusu tree. Located near the Tanglin entrance of the Botanic Gardens, it is believed to have existed long before the gardens was officially laid out in 1859. That puts the tree at close to two centuries old!

With its low lying branch to sit on and boundless green backdrop, this old Tembusu has long been a popular site for family portraits and outdoor wedding photo shoots. The tree has been inducted into the Heritage Trees of Singapore, which was launched in 2001 to identify and safeguard mature trees that serve as important green landmarks in our natural heritage.

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The artist of the $50 note

Take a $50 bill and look at the back of it.

Do you see a pair of gibbons swinging through vines?

Most Singaporeans will have missed the painting by the late Chen Wen Hsi, one of Singapore's pioneer artists.

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The changing face of the Singapore Dollar
A $10 Malaya and British Borneo banknote issued in 1961. Photo: Nuria Ling/TODAY

Following years of searching, avid banknote collector Patrick Loh finally got his hands on what he described as one of his most prized possessions: A $10 dollar note issued in 1961 by the Malaya and British Borneo Board of Commissioners of Currency, and pre-dating Singapore’s independence.

“I got my first piece probably about five to six years back. I paid over S$1,000 for it,” the 47-year-old engineer said.

Mr Loh estimates that his collection of more than 1,000 banknotes is worth over S$100,000. It is kept in a safe at home. “In the event of an emergency, besides worrying about my life, the first thing in my mind would be to grab my collection before I run. It’s not so much because of the monetary value but its sentimental value,” said the father of three.

related: The man who designed S’pore’s longest-running currency series

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BEAUTIFUL BANKNOTES

It might be the root of all evil, but money can also be a thing of beauty. We take a look at some of the most remarkable banknotes from around the world:

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Singapore Currency Notes

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03/05/2024

Two Things To Check Often

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02/05/2024

Century egg 皮蛋 A Traditional Delicacy

How century eggs are made

Century Egg: Origin, Taste, Benefits & Preparation

Century egg (or hundred-year egg) is a Chinese delicacy of preserved duck, chicken or quail eggs. They become black in appearance with a dark green yolk after being processed for weeks or months in a clay, ash, quicklime mixture along with salt. There is a common misconception that century eggs are hundreds or thousands of years old. They are more commonly just a few months old after preservation. Century egg has an intense taste, interesting serving traditions and fascinating origins. Here’s everything you need to know about Century Egg.

Where Did Century Egg Originate? Century eggs are said to have originated in Hunan, China during the Ming dynasty some six centuries ago. The most popular story goes that a man discovered them during the construction of his home, when he saw duck eggs that had been lying in the slaked lime for two months. He ate them and enjoyed the taste, so he added salt to improve the flavour. Another, more romantic story, is of a man who left eggs in the garden of a woman he wanted to court, however she didn’t discover them until she cleaned the ash pit half a month later. Thus, leading to the creation of the century egg.

Despite a batch of fascinating monikers such as Century egg, Millennium egg, 100-Year egg and so on, the so-called ‘Century’ egg is, at most, a few months or usually weeks old. It’s also called the ‘pine-patterned egg’ because some of them have pine branch-like patterns on the egg white. This Chinese dish is not only famous in China, but throughout East Asia where they have their own names for it. Most likely, this dish was created during the need to preserve eggs in the past, so they were coated in alkaline clay which led to the creation of century eggs.


Century egg

Century egg, preserved egg of Chinese origin. To some a century egg might look as if it belongs in a museum rather than on a plate. The egg’s “white” ranges from golden amber to an unusual translucent black; its yolk contains merging rings of soft green, yellow, and gray; and the centre is soft, dark, and oozing.

People unused to these preserved eggs tend to perceive their odd colouring and odour with horrified fascination and can be hesitant to try them. In fact, most mass-produced century eggs take less than a fortnight to “cure,” whereas the more traditional ones are cured under a coating of ash, tea, slaked lime, salt, and often earth for about three months. Sometimes commercially produced eggs are cured in lye or, if from China, zinc or lead oxide, the last of which is poisonous and should thus be avoided. Duck, chicken, and other poultry eggs are used.

A century egg is usually eaten peeled but uncooked, often with pickled spring ginger. It may also be simmered with congee (rice porridge) and salted dried pork or steamed with spinach, garlic, and another type of Chinese preserved eggs (salted eggs). A century egg tastes rich, complex, and pungent, like ripe blue cheese with a very faint hint of ammonia. (A spoiled century egg has a strong ammonia scent.) The texture of its white (which the treatment turns amber or black) is gelatinous, and its yolk is soft.


What Is A Century Egg And How Should You Eat It?

You might know this distinctive ingredient as a "century egg" or "thousand-year-old egg." You might even know it by its Chinese name — "pidan" (pronounced pee-tan). No matter how you refer to it, though, you're not likely to forget a century egg if you've been served one, simply because it neither looks nor tastes like any egg you might have consumed before.

Contrary to popular folklore, century eggs don't need a hundred years — never mind a thousand — to end up looking, tasting, and smelling the way they do. Food52 says the process of turning a run-of-the-mill duck, chicken, or quail egg into a century egg takes just three months of sitting in quicklime, salt, and ash under a blanket of rice chaff to become one of the best-loved ingredients in Asian cuisine. Once they're ready to go, a peeled century egg will reveal a former egg white gone dark and gelatinous, while what was once the egg yolk is now a dark green with a squishy consistency, similar to a half hard-boiled egg. The eggs can also have a sulfuric smell, which is likely why they (undeservedly?) occupy a place in the Disgusting Food Museum.

Century eggs have been around a while. Travel Food Atlas says they were probably discovered during the Ming Dynasty, about 600 years ago, but legends vary as to how they were first discovered. One food origin story says they were discovered by a man who, while he was building a new home, had discovered a cache of duck eggs lying in lime for some time. Another story has them as the offering of a man who had left them in the garden of a woman he had been courting, but the eggs were not discovered until weeks later.


What is Century Egg

Century Egg (Simplified Chinese: 皮蛋 or 松花蛋; Traditional Chinese: 皮蛋 or 松花蛋.; Pinyin: pí dàn or sōng huā dàn), Century Egg (pí dàn) is a traditional Chinese egg product that tastes delicious, refreshing and salty, and boasts unique color and fragrance. Its main raw material can be duck or chicken eggs. Century Egg is not only popular among domestic consumers but also enjoys a high reputation in the international market. After particular processing, the eggs will turn dark and bright, with white pattern and a special smell all over. It is one of the favorite foods of the masses.

Century Eggs may have evolved from the salted duck eggs recorded in Important Arts for the People’s Welfare(《齐民要术》) in the Northern Wei Dynasty. Century Egg was first recorded explicitly in Miscellany of Bamboo-island Workshop 竹屿山房杂部 completed in 1504, also the 17th year during the reign of Emperor Hongzhi of Ming. Nowadays, Century Eggs have become common food in civil life and banquets and are also exported overseas. In the past, a certain amount of Huangdan powder (lead oxide) was added to produce Century Eggs, and the high lead content is harmful to human health. However, China has already invented low-lead and lead-free Century Eggs since the 1980s.

Weishan Lake Century Egg, according to the records, has a history of more than 500 years since the early Ming Dynasty, and Weishan Lake is also an important producing area of Century Eggs. Weishan Lake Century Eggs have been developing itself while being served all over the country. In the 1920s, Jin Zaixing, a native of the town, started to run a salted colored egg store called Jiuchang to produce and sell two kinds of Century Eggs, “Hucai” and “Jincai”, among which the latter turned out to be more distinctive. “Jincai” eggs are not only nice in color, but also taste refreshing, smooth and non-spicy. As a delicacy that goes well with wine and porridge, this kind of Century Eggs sells well in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai, and has even been exported to Southeast Asia.


What Are Century Eggs?

A century egg, also known as a hundred-year egg, is a Chinese delicacy. A century egg is made by preserving an egg, usually, from a duck, such that the shell becomes speckled, the white becomes a dark brown gelatinous material, and the yolk becomes deep green and creamy. The surface of the egg white may be covered with beautiful crystalline frost or pine-tree patterns. The white supposedly doesn't have much flavor, but the yolk smells strongly of ammonia and sulfur and is said to have a complex earthy flavor.

Ideally, century eggs are made by storing raw eggs for a few months in a mixture of wood ash, salt, lime, and maybe tea with rice straw or clay. The alkaline chemicals raise the pH of the egg to 9–12 or even higher and break down some of the proteins and fats in the egg into flavorful molecules. The ingredients listed above are not typically the ingredients listed on the eggs sold in stores. Those eggs are made from duck eggs, lye or sodium hydroxide, and salt. That sounds scary, but it's probably OK to eat. A problem does arise with some century eggs because the curing process is sometimes accelerated by adding another ingredient to the eggs: lead oxide. Lead oxide, like any other lead compound, is poisonous. This hidden ingredient is most likely going to be found in eggs from China, where the faster method of preserving the eggs is more common. Sometimes zinc oxide is used instead of lead oxide. Though zinc oxide is an essential nutrient, too much of it can lead to a copper deficiency, so it's not really something you want to eat either.

How do you avoid poisonous century eggs? Look for packages that explicitly state that the eggs were made without lead oxide. Don't assume the eggs are lead-free just because lead isn't listed as an ingredient. It might be best to avoid eggs from China, no matter how they are packaged, because there is still a big problem with inaccurate labeling.


CENTURY EGGS, THE MYTHS AND RECIPE (PI DAN, 皮蛋)

Although a delicacy loved by Chinese for hundreds of years, century eggs, for those who aren’t familiar with them, is considered a mysterious, questionable food item that takes some courage to try. Before talking about today’s century egg salad recipe, let me first explain some of the facts that you might find interesting.

Although called century egg, hundred-year egg or thousand-year egg in English, its Chinese names, such as Pi Dan (皮蛋), Bian Dan (变蛋), Song Hua Dan (松花蛋), etc., don’t indicate time, year or age. I have no idea where those English names come from, but they’re surely responsible for the misconception of century eggs being exceptionally old. In fact, it takes only a few weeks to produce them from scratch. The most common type of century eggs are made from duck eggs. However, other types, such as chicken eggs, goose eggs and quail eggs can be preserved the same way.

The traditional method involves the following procedure (I used to watch my mum preparing them when I was a child):
  • Mixture clay, ash, salt, quicklime and water. 
  • Apply a thick layer of the mixture to cover raw eggs completely.
  • Roll the eggs in grain husks to prevent them from sticking to each other.
  • Store in an airtight container. Leave to preserve in a dark, dry place for several weeks until the egg white and yolk solidifies.


What do century eggs taste like?

It seems that no two people describe the flavor of century eggs the same way. This Quora thread on the subject has many responses from both century egg-lovers and haters. Some people report that century eggs have a very strong, pungent flavor. A couple of tasters compared it to funky cheese, while others noticed an iron-y edge or some bitterness. Others said that century eggs mostly just taste like eggs, perhaps with some extra richness. Respondents were just as divided about the smell of the eggs, with some noticing sulfurous or ammonia odors, while others claimed that fresh, properly made century eggs shouldn't have a smell.

The century eggs we've sampled didn't have any strong or unpleasant flavors. The whites tasted mostly like egg white and the yolks tasted mostly like raw egg yolk. The flavor was much less dramatic than you would expect based on how the eggs look. When seasoned and served as part of a complete dish, the flavor differences between regular eggs and century eggs are not that noticeable. The texture was the most unfamiliar part, with the whites being pretty gelatinous and firm and the yolks being creamy or custardy.

You can find century eggs made with quail or chicken eggs, but most of the ones on the market are preserved duck eggs. Don't confuse them with salted duck eggs, though, which look very different and are cured in a different way (per Fine Dining Lovers). If you don't live near an Asian market, you can buy them from online sources. Amazon sells a six-pack for almost $2 per egg, but you can get them for a more reasonable price from specialty online grocers like Asian Veggies.


10 FACTS ABOUT CENTURY EGGS YOU MUST KNOW TO IMPRESS YOUR RELATIVES THIS CNY

Most Singaporeans and Malaysians know about century eggs, commonly known as 皮蛋. Some people would vomit at the sight of it (okay, a little too exaggerated, but you get the idea), while some like it so much that they’ve listed it as a trending food.

So, what’s so special about this egg that just looks…different? Here’re ten facts so that you can impress your grandparents during this CNY:
  • It goes by many names - While locally we often just call it 皮蛋, many people overseas have different names for it, from 1000-year egg to preserved egg.
  • It’s just a preserved egg - Some people think that it’s duck egg—well, no, no! It can be chicken eggs as well. A century egg is basically just an egg that is preserved with rice hulls, quicklime, salt, ash and clay.
  • It’s not preserved for 100 years - Despite its fancy name, it’s not preserved for 100 years. It’s usually preserved for a few days to, maximum, a few months.
  • It was discovered by accident - Rumours have it that 600 years ago, a man found an egg that has been preserved in slaked lime pool during the construction of his house. He then added salt to improve the taste, liked it and ta-da: that’s the birth of the century egg.
  • You don’t need to cook it to eat it - So essentially, you’re eating raw eggs that are preserved. Hmm…
  • Some people thought that it’s prepared by soaking eggs in horse urine - Of course, this is a myth. The misconception is due to the strong flavour of the eggs that some likened it to horse urine.
  • In Thai and Laos, century eggs are known as horse urine eggs - That’s not because they’re made with horse urine, but because it smells like one.
  • Some modern century eggs contain toxic compounds to speed up the process of preserving it - Some unethical manufacturers, in order to create the eggs faster (since the usual preservation period is a few weeks), added lead monoxide to produce the eggs. Therefore, get your century eggs from reputable stores!
  • It’s essentially a Chinese cuisine - So no, you won’t find it in a western stall.
  • The eggs turned colour because of chemical reactions - The egg white will turn brownish translucent while the egg yolk will turn dark green – all due to chemical reactions and not artificial colourings.


Century egg

Century eggs (Chinese: 皮蛋; pinyin: pídàn; Jyutping: pei4 daan2), also known as alkalized or preserved egg, are a Chinese egg-based culinary dish made by preserving duck, chicken, or quail eggs in a mixture of clay, ash, salt, quicklime, and rice hulls for several weeks to several months, depending on the processing method.

Through the process, the yolk becomes a dark green to grey color, with a creamy consistency and strong flavor due to the hydrogen sulfide and ammonia present, while the white becomes a dark brown, translucent jelly with a salty flavor. The transforming agent in the century egg is an alkaline salt, which gradually raises the pH of the egg to around 9–12, during the curing process. This chemical process breaks down some of the complex, flavorless proteins and fats, which produces a variety of smaller flavorsome compounds.

Some eggs have patterns near the surface of the egg white which are likened to pine branches. These patterned eggs are regarded as having better quality than the normal century eggs and are called Songhua eggs (Chinese: 松花蛋), variously translated as pine flower eggs or pine-patterned eggs

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01/05/2024

Happy Labor Day 2024


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