GAN KWOK YEE
CO-FOUNDER AND GENERAL MANAGER OF JIGGER & PONY
Aside from running the bar Jigger & Pony together, Kwok Yee and her fiancé Indra also often throw barbecues and cocktail par ties in their backyard. This holiday season, they plan to have their usual relaxed backyard-style par ties. Hear ty dishes on the festive menu include Porterhouse steak with homemade chimichurri sauce and grilled sea bass wrapped in bacon, paired with rum punch. Their music of choice will be jazz and blues “to create a more casual atmosphere.”
Start food preparation early— and buy ready-made desserts.
“I usually order ingredients such as meat beforehand. One day before the party, we start the brining and marination so the flavours can be left to soak in overnight. We try as much as possible to prepare the right amount of food based on the number of guests. For alcohol, we always order more than required though, since, to us, it is more important to keep the drinks flowing. Keep a party manageable by buying after-dinner nibbles and desserts. We usually order the tiramisu and cheesecake from Da Paolo Gastronomia.”
Buy ingredients from the best places possible.
“We go to Huber's Butchery for its great Porterhouse steak and the wet market at Holland Village for vegetables and herbs. The wet market opens till late in the afternoon—perfect for those who aren’t early risers—and the vegetable seller carries a wide variety of Western herbs and vegetables like fennel and artichoke. For wines, Indra and I like Crystal Wines. For liquors and spirits, we usually purchase them from La Maison du Whisky.”
Mix cocktails you love.
“We make our Classic Rum Punch and Chatham Artillery Punch. The Classic Rum Punch has Jamaican rum, dark rum, lime, sugar, and freshly brewed green tea while the Chatham Artillery Punch has cognac, bourbon, dark rum, lemon, sparkling wine and club soda. Serving cocktails always help to break the ice.”