What it's like to be a foodie in time of Corona Virus pandemic
As you guys might have guessed, this won't be a food review on a new place that I love. But rather a foodie love letter that I'd want to put inside a "time capsule" (lol my website) and read it again years from now. It sounds dramatic I know, but life as a foodie pretty much changed 180° during the Corona Virus "Circuit Breaker" period. My life has gone from hawker hopping to eating delicious Teochew styled home cooked food everyday, from goreng pisang and fried chicken to bread made in air fryer and homemade baos.
Is it better or worse? 20 days into this Circuit Breaker and I still can't tell.
It does make me wonder what other foodies are up to during this period. Do they scroll through their food pictures and reminisce about their last trip to their go-to cafe? Do they stalk through their favourite restaurant's IG and create a list of food they'll eat the moment Circuit Breaker is lifted? Do they doddle pictures of bubble tea and McDonald fries?
Here's a snippet of what one foodie's life is like right now and 5 things that are legit hashtag on another level during this time.
1. Goodbye buffet and Korean BBQ (and hotpot and etc.)
Just weeks before the Circuit Breaker, I've started to develop some real feelings for Korean BBQ. Was it my Korean drama and Running Man binge that led me to it? I don't know. But anytime grape soju and sizzling pork belly is mentioned in one sentence, baby, I'm there. The Circuit Breaker meant that we couldn't gather in places together, let alone poke and prod and the same pile of food in buffets and hot pot. So my growing love for these places are put on immediate hold. An-nyeong ha-seyo, Sarangahe Oppa!
Me thinking about soju & korean BBQ
2. RIP McDonalds
It's ok, I thought, we can still order in right? Wrong. Though luckily some of my fast food darlings are still one Grab delivery away, McDonalds has suspended their sales until the end of the Circuit Breaker. I didn't even had a chance to have one last McSpicy before they closed, which was a tragedy in itself.
This is just a reminder that in life you have to live it to the fullest. If you have a craving for McSpicy at 1 am then order it! Fuck diet man, you never know if you never have another chance to ever smell the beautiful scent of freshly fried McDonald fries ever again. Well, at least for 1 month, but you know what I mean.
3. Bubble Tea led to legit fights
Yet another plot twist in this Circuit Breaker telenovela, bubble tea which was considered an essential service was also made unavailable in pursuit of flattening the curve. The demand for bubble tea delivery on the day it was announced led to fights between the store and the delivery man, which was understandable since bubble tea is considered life itself (it's a joke please don't at me). Luckily though, my thoughtful husband, whom now I call the bubble tea oracle, bought one just hours before the announcement so I'm good until the end of the Circuit Breaker. In other news, recipes on how to make your own bubble tea is now available online, so we're all safe.
4. All the best places deliver now
If I would've told my 2018 self that Les Amis and The Burnt Ends deliver right to your doorstep, I would've probably laughed. But yes, it's true. In light of the Circuit Breaker and encouraging everyone to stay at home, all of the best places deliver their goods right to you. Gone are the days you have to line up for Shake Shack or make reservation way in advance for Blue Label Pizza, now you can just order and wait. Check out these brands if you're planning a fancy #StayHome date night or just feel like treating yoself.
5. Everyone is a MasterChef / Dalgona Queen
If there's a silver lining as a foodie during this time of pandemic, it is discovering just how many talented friends you have in your circle. Many of my colleagues and friends are posting crazy delicious shots of their cooking and bread they've been baking on IG stories and I'm just truly impressed. Just last weekend, I found out that my husband and my sister in law knew how to make seriously delicious homemade baos.
My ex-housemate sent me a recipe on how to make a delicious butter chicken, and I found out that you can make bread using an air fryer. Food and cooking is now a way for self healing and maintaining sanity during this crazy time, and there's nothing more beautiful than that.
So there it is...
Just a little snap shot of what it's like to be a foodie during this #CircuitBreaker period. Honestly, even though it's different, there's nothing to complain about as I feel so lucky to be able to have any type of food on table every day and not have to worry about it. For the rest of you out there, please #StayHome and stay safe. Support organisations who are providing food to those who need it, and remember to always tip your Grab driver extra.