A ship full of Canadian sailors recently had their first-ever culinary experience in Singapore’s traditional desserts – known as kueh.
The crew was onboard the Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Calgary, a Canadian warship that made a stop at Changi Naval Base last week (4-6 April).
During a regular deployment, HMCS Calgary would dock for a longer period of time, and the crew would be allowed to get off the ship. However, they had to remain on ship as a protection measure against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although disembarking the ship was out of the equation, the crew did manage to have a taste of Singapore as they were handed a silver platter – literally – with a variety of local kueh to feast on.
“Not sure what’s in it, but it looks delicious”
In a video uploaded on HMCS Calgary’s Facebook page last Tuesday (6 Apr), sailor first class Hart Young was filmed bringing an assortment of kueh around the ship for his crewmates to try.
Generally, the kuehs garnered positive reviews from the Canadian sailors.
“Excellent”, “Delicious”, and “Some good dessert” were some of the comments given by them.
A couple of them even commented on the gelatinous texture of the kuehs, one of whom noted that it was “very good” and “very creamy”.
One crewmate even had quite a surprise when trying an Ondeh-Ondeh, as he nearly spat it out after it “just exploded” in his mouth.
“It was tasty, once I got over the initial surprise,” he said while chuckling in amusement.
Watch their reaction video here:
“Canada and Singapore enjoy strong and friendly bilateral relations”, says High Commission of Canada in Singapore
From 4-6 April, HMCS Calgary docked at Changi Naval Base as it made its way through the Indo-Pacific and Middle Eastern regions on Operations PROJECTION and ARTEMIS.
“These operations are intended to further strengthen Canada’s relations with regional partners and contribute to maritime security and stability,” said the High Commission of Canada in Singapore in a statement last Sunday (4 Apr).
“Canada and Singapore enjoy strong and friendly bilateral relations. With over 125 Canadian companies located in Singapore, and bilateral trade totaling more than $2 billion a year, the commercial relationship is particularly robust,” it stated.
The High Commission also noted that Singapore and Canada are signatories to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), adding that shared interests also make both countries “natural partners on important global issues” – such as climate change and regional security.
“The two countries also work closely together in regional and international organizations, given Canada’s status as a Dialogue Partner with ASEAN; our collaboration in in APEC and the WTO; as well as through Singapore’s contributions as an observer to the Arctic Council,” it remarked.
The High Commission added that Canada and Singapore have “increased their engagement with bilateral defence talks and the exchange of personnel on leadership and unique skills courses.”
“The two countries work closely together in regional and international organizations, given Canada’s status as a Dialogue Partner with ASEAN; our collaboration in APEC and the WTO; as well as through Singapore’s contributions as an observer to the Arctic Council,” it elaborated.
The High Commission went on to say that Operations PROJECTION and ARTEMIS “demonstrate Canada’s ongoing commitment to global peace and security”.
“The deployment of HMCS Calgary to the Indo-Pacific and Middle East regions contributes to making the world more secure and stable and shows how the Royal Canadian Navy is ready to support Canada’s interests around the world,” it concluded.
