In a heartfelt celebration of food, memory, and multicultural identity, the Tagore Society of Singapore recently launched A Singapore Girl Cooks Abroad, a cookbook by 82-year-old Pauline Davenport Howard – an Anglo-Indian who grew up in Singapore and now lives in Australia.
Held at The Pod, National Library Building, on Dec 12, the launch marked Singapore’s 60th anniversary with a flavourful twist.
Born in Bangalore (now Bengaluru) to an English father and Anglo-Indian mother, Pauline moved to Singapore at age seven. Her upbringing in a culturally blended household – where Shakespeare and sambhar could co-exist – deeply influenced her palate.
She studied at Katong Convent while her father worked at Singapore Cables and her mother taught English literature.
Her life took her from Singapore to Hong Kong, Bangkok, and eventually Australia, where she now lives on the Gold Coast with her second husband, Roy Howard.
Through it all, cooking remained a constant. Known for her culinary finesse and beautiful food presentation, Ms Pauline has spent years conducting cooking demonstrations and curating recipes shaped by her global journey.
Prompted by Ms Dolly Davenport, a cultural leader and creative director of the Tagore Society, Pauline wrote A Singapore Girl Cooks Abroad not just as a recipe book, but as a memoir in flavours.
It blends Indian and Singaporean dishes with international influences, reflecting her life across continents. Each chapter is a themed menu – ranging from kids’ birthday parties to formal dinners.
Dr Manojit Sen, president of the Tagore Society, said: “Through this book, we pay tribute to Tagore’s (legendary Bengali polymath Rabindranath Tagore, who reshaped Indian literature, music, and art) global outlook and the universality of culture through food. In a world that often struggles with difference, this book reminds us how embracing diversity can be joyful, not difficult.”
Indian readers have warmly embraced the book. Ms Anju Patwardhan, a fintech company board member and venture capital investor, called it a “quasi-memoir that surprised and delighted me – it’s not just about cooking, it’s about life.”
Dr Havovi Joshi, director of the Centre for Case Learning Excellence at Singapore Management University, said: “I love the idea of carrying flavours from ‘home’ overseas.”
Guests at the launch sampled recipes such as lamb koftas, otak-otak, puris with smoked salmon and caviar, apple-guava salsa, and peanut brittle coconut ice cream on poached pears. The fusion was vibrant, just like Pauline’s life.
The book is available via the Tagore Society (dollysinhadavenport@gmail.com) for S$30 – a delicious passport into a global kitchen shaped by Singaporean roots and Indian soul.
santosh@sph.com.sg
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30 Oct 2025 21:09
