A Home Cook’s Dream

Singapore may be small but there isn’t anything that a home cook could desire that isn’t available on our little red dot anymore, thanks to the efforts of gourmet grocers and specialty outfits.

Long gone are the days when home cooks used to pine about not being able to find good quality ingredients in Singapore, let alone those that are exotic. But thanks to the efforts of so many gourmet grocers and specialty outfits that have set up shop in Singapore, nothing is off limits anymore. While it isn’t possible to list all the amazing work done by everyone in this article, we have rounded up a handful of lesser known players to showcase the fine products and ingredients that they bring in, making dreams of home cooks a reality.

A SLICE OF GREECE

Blu Kouzina Mart (blumart.sg) by Blu Kouzina offers an extensive range of healthy products from Greece, personally curated by founder Dennis Tsakiris. In addition to its range of local Greek lentils and chickpeas, BluMart carries uniquely Greek products such as Delta yoghurt from the island of Crete made using a twice-strained fermentation process; nutritious carob rusks; capers and caper leaves from Santorini; Epiros Feta, lauded as being the most awarded feta in the world; and Talagani cheese, a traditional 100 percent handmade Greek cheese.

Also available are Greek wines, some of which are found only in Greece; Green Gold extra virgin olive oil, where olive groves are organically maintained on the Tsakiris Family Estate; and tomato-based products by Kyknos, a 105-year old homegrown company that uses only 100 percent Greek tomatoes for its GMO-, gluten- and preservative-free tomato condiments such as tomato paste, tomato juice, tomato purée, ketchup and barbecue sauce.

IT’S A PLANT-BASED WORLD

Brought to you by the same family behind Salad Stop!, Good Food People (goodfoodpeople.sg) is an online marketplace that offers a variety of plant-based ingredients including meat-alternative proteins and homemade sauces. Its mission is to make plant-based options convenient and accessible. Home cooks can create healthy meals effortlessly with its Market Boxes & Bundles or Meal Kits, filled with fresh vegetables, fruits, sauces and plant-based proteins.

Alongside brands like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, you’ll find other products not commonly found in ordinary grocery stores such as Tindle, Herbyvore and Karana. Pre-cooked packs such as Kung Pao Heura Chicken and Karana Buah Keluak feature proprietary recipes created by their in-house chef and are not available anywhere else.

COMMITED TO QUALITY

As the saying goes, good things come in small packages, and it’s true when it comes to boutique brands. Limwood Gourmet (limwoodgourmet.com) represents boutique producers, most of which are family-owned and are passionate about what they create, hence quality is non-negotiable. It carries premium products from Pukara Estate, a veteran Australian producer from Hunter Valley.

Initially an olive grove making naturally infused extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), Pukara Estate’s repertoire has grown to include premium balsamic vinegars, salts, dukkahs and other condiments. The gourmet grocer also exclusively carries honey from the United Kingdom’s Keepr’s range of honey and honey products, all of which are free of pasteurisation, dilution and additives.

FRESH & CURED MEATS

If you are looking for sustainable options when eating meat, MeatCo (meat-co.com) has ethically sourced and high quality products specifically from Gippsland and Tasmania in Australia, and Hawkes Bay in New Zealand. Some of its more popular products include Barley-fed Top Sirloin Roast Beef, Victorian Rolled Lamb Rump and Canadian Rare Breed Rolled Pork Loin. MeatCo’s Barley Fed Beef is the only free-range yet grain fed beef programme in Singapore at the moment, offering the benefits of grain fed qualities without the intensive feedlot process that causes a high carbon footprint.

It also sources organic chickens from Bostock Brothers which uses a completely closed energy loop for its chicken rearing. All chicken feed are grown on the same farm, fertilised by chicken manure harvested from the coops, which in turn powers the electrical requirements on the farm. Biodegradable packaging is used to pack the chicken, making it a sustainable and healthy option for everyone.

For something a little different, Baggie’s Butcher & Deli (www.baggiesdeli.com) offers a wide range of in-house cured meats, including the unique South African biltong (which is what got them started in the first place). They have since expanded into fresh meats and produce, specialty sausages such as droëwors and boerewors (both South African favourites), as well as chilli sticks, cabanossi, and a large range of high quality fresh meats at great value. Baggie’s also carries a range of products mostly from South Africa, including Secco drink infusions, zero alcohol gin, dairy free milk alternatives, and more.

ALL THINGS VEGAN

Just because something is vegetarian doesn’t mean it’s healthy. One way to avoid preservatives, refined sugars and other nasties is to check out Nourish by Eat Roam Live (nourishsg.com). The store offers healthy, ethical, cruelty-free, sustainable and plant-based products all under one virtual roof. There is a wide range of organic and affordable gluten-free products and snacks available, along with Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine-based products.

Unlike many other gourmet grocers, Nourish sources most of its unique artisanal products locally, including fresh plant milk from brands like The Family Kitchen and Ega Juice Clinic, and vegan artisanal cheeses from Nut Culture and 4My (also available on its Gourmet Vegan Platters and curated cheese platters).

Nourish also offers healthy Breakfast and Dessert boxes curated by local brands and chefs. Home cooks can elevate their cooking through superior quality EVOOs, pasta sauces, pestos, olives and other hardto- find Mediterranean products from Spain Finally, indulge in Nourish’s range of sustainable vegan wines such as Zero Sugar Wines from Pure The Winery that aren’t widely available in Singapore yet.

A TOUCH OF LUXURY

Inspired to recreate that Michelin-starred meal at home? E-gourmet purveyor and fine food shopping destination Fave Fine Food (www.favefinefood.com) represents brands and producers who share their vision for distinctive and time-honoured products, made by masters who respect the land, animals and centuries-old traditions. So jazz up your dining table with its specialty products such as Poilâne Signature Loaf, freshly flown from Paris weekly from the famed Maison Poilâne boulangerie, where carefully selected stone-ground local grains are transformed into healthy, handmade bread following an ancestral slow fermentation technique.

Home cooks can get their hands on the exclusive Rosso Di Mazara, a 100 percent pure Gambero Rosso (red prawn) oil extracted from frozen freshly caught Gambero Rosso heads. Other exclusive luxury products this e-gourmet store carries includes Sturia caviar, Alba White Truffle (Tuber Magnatum Pico), and bottarga.

GOING NUTS FOR NUTS

Amazin’ Graze’s (www.amazingraze.com/sg) latest range of Health Essentials offers a selection of heart-healthy nuts and seeds alongside handbaked granolas, Asian-inspired nut mixes, 100 percent natural nut butters, guilt-free Brownie Chips and wholesome Goodness Bowls. Perfect as wholesome snacks on their own or as part of other recipes, the new range of essential building blocks offers Australian rolled oats, Mexican chia seeds, organic dried Turkish figs, lightly roasted USA walnuts and pecans, California almonds and cashews.

Amazin’ Graze sources its ingredients from all around the world, using them to produce unique localised flavours and products with healthy ingredients through artisanal processes. Refined sugars are a no-no; instead, sweeteners like honey, organic molasses and coconut sugar are used (their low GI properties prevents any spike in blood sugar). Dried fruits are also used for added natural sweetness.

A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING

What started out as a place to get great avocados has grown by leaps and bounds. Little Farms (littlefarms.com) needs no introduction; in addition to carrying an extensive range of fresh seasonal produce and groceries procured from all around the world, the Little Farms home brand offers kombucha, juices, salads, Australian lamb patties, Black Angus beef, free-range eggs, freshly baked bread, coffee and frozen fish.

Also exclusive to the store is the Mt. Barker Fresh Chicken and Pork, one of the few Australian certified farms where fresh (never frozen) chicken and pork are allowed to be imported into Singapore.