Girls are made of sugar, spice and everything nice. This phrase couldn’t have been more apt last Sunday (18 Nov), during the Spice Adventure organised by the Singapore Philatelic Museum (SPM). Other than Jimmy, the friendly and knowledgeable guide who brought the tantalising tour to life, and a very young ‘gentleman’, the rest of the participants were females. This event drew about 15 participants from varied backgrounds – young and old, locals and foreigners, including a curious tourist from Vancouver who read about it from an airline magazine.

Prep talk by well-liked guide Jimmy, from SPM.

Although I associated spices with feminine connotations, the spice trade has stirred countless male explorers from Europe as early as the 14th century to venture abroad seeking the origins of spices, and to capture the lucrative trade for themselves. Even one of the first things Sir Stamford Raffles did when he founded Singapore, was start the island’s first botanical garden in 1822 at Fort Canning Hill to experiment with cultivating spices as cash crops.

Today, Fort Canning Park is home to a marvelous botanical Eden of tropical herbs and spices that families can explore. A trip will transport you to the early days of spice cultivation and trade in Southeast Asia as well as encourage you to take a leaf from the explorers’ spirit.

We embarked on our journey through a ‘secret passage’ near the SPM, which leads to the Fort Canning Hill, also known as the ‘Forbidden Hill’. The hill was believed to be off limits to commoners as the ancient Malay rulers had built their palace at that strategic spot in the early 14th century.

One of the first fruits to greet us was this jackfruit wannabe, which looked like a hybrid between a champedek X jackfruit. The result of crossbreeding, which is becoming so proliferate makes it hard to recognise some fruits.

More commonly known as ‘jambu’ by our parents, these brightly-coloured water apples cultivated throughout Southeast Asia are one of my favourite fruits.

The betel plant – Normally, I would associate betel leaves and nuts with the customary betel chewing in Taiwan and India. Little did I know that the betel leaves can function as a stimulant, antiseptic, breath-freshener, as well as aid lactation and indigestion.

We were also introduced to the one-of-its-kind Tongkat Ali. Native to Southeast Asia, its roots were valued for its aphrodisiac properties, and its name became an infamous byword for many connotations.

The elusive coffee berries were spotted amongst the trees! The bright red colour of the coffee berry indicates that it is ripe. After time, it will turn brown and falls off. Our adventurous spirit got us popping one of the peeled coffee berries into our mouths. To my surprise, it tasted slightly sweet, due to the inner pulp.

It is hard to believe that there are more than 1,000 species in the ginger family, and this torch ginger is just one of them!


Cinnamon originated from the aromatic bark of the cinnamon tree, where the strips of bark are dried and rolled. It is believed to stimulate respiration, circulation and digestion – a good remedy for stomach upsets!

I’m glad we never needed to use the biological name – Pandanus amaryllifolius – of the Pandan leaf in our daily lives. With its distinctive flavour and aroma, taxi drivers swear by its effectiveness as natural fresheners and cockroach repellents in their vehicles.

The curious young chap checking out the texture and smell of black pepper, one of the most widely-used spices in the world.


The journey continued into culinary talk that day, as the participants flooded Jimmy with questions and sought tips on lesser-known recipes.

Enjoying the fruits of their adventure – Participants indulging in delectable snacks and drinks prepared with spices.

Happy participants left with spice-themed stamps as souvenirs.
Other than exploring spices outdoors, the SPM will continue to tantalise your senses with more upcoming events. From 27 November 2007 onwards, admire Christmas stamps from a different perspective as the Spice Up Your Christmas! exhibition lets you discover different types of spices used in traditional Christmas fare. On 30 Nov and 7 Dec, excite your taste buds and learn to whip up delicious Christmas treats using spices in Spice Recipes.

Spice Adventure, Spice Up Your Christmas! and Spice Recipes are part of Explore Singapore! which happens from 10 November 2007 to 31 December 2007. For more information on Explore Singapore!, visit www.museums.com.sg/explore or call 62214463.