LOCAL FLAVOURS

Tusitalabooks launched Local Flavours, celebrating Singapore Heritage Festival (SHF 2021). The project combines 15 poets and illustrators, producing unique illustrations, animations, and stickers, based on poetry inspired by local dishes. This piece created was based on KOPI GAU SIU DAI written by Daryl Lim Wei Jie.

KOPI GAU SIU DAI
by Daryl Lim Wei Jie

Chocolate shades into sour on the roof
of my mouth. Temples whirring, occult
mechanics of the body, the drapes
stiffly raised. Fire-eyed, fog cleared,
might never close them again.

The kopi uncles, those Hainan baristas,
they know-
kopi gau siu dai is a special drink.
Evaporated and condensed milk dilute
the sugar. Gau, like the blood of coolies.
Old pots breed ancient and new flavours.