Home Brew

Home on the Dot

What is the flavor of home? What is the flavor of Singapore? There are plenty of national dishes, including chicken rice. But if there is a national breakfast, it’s eggs, toast, and coffee; three simple elements that constitute the flavor of home for many Singaporeans, wherever they are in the world. In this episode, student-producer Ruby introduces us to the simple breakfast served at kopitiam, or coffee shops, that brew a strong cup of coffee throughout Singapore, and she highlights one of the companies that has standardized this Singaporean breakfast and taken it overseas: Ya Kun Kaya Toast. She also speaks with cultural geographer Ong Chin Ee, who shares his thoughts on Singapore’s food culture, globalization, and the dangers of mummifying foodways.