Interview: Lemonzest owner, Beth Wilson
If you’ve been keeping up-to-date with our spurts of fandom, you’ll know that we’re head over heels when it comes to Lemonzest. After all, this Holland Village-based kitchenware store is a top pick of ours, and our Managing Editor’s clearly a fan of this culinary-catered playground. We snag a chat with Lemonzest owner, Beth Wilson, who casually tells us about her shop’s most popular item, quirky home-cooked recipes and must-have gadgets to be a kitchen whiz.
Hi Beth! So first up, Lemonzest is a very unique store in Singapore; what led you towards starting this business?
I’ve always loved food and cooking – putting together a beautiful meal and experimenting in the kitchen balances out the stresses of my other life as a lawyer, even when it sometimes ends in culinary disaster. I’m also quite obsessed with good kitchenware, and having gone to the effort of figuring out what’s best, I wanted to share it with others.
How important do you think it is to give kitchens a stylish touch?
For me, it’s essential as I’m motivated to try new dishes by having lovely things to cook with. What is “stylish” varies from person to person. I love bright colors, fun patterns and clever designs. This aesthetic is pretty much the hallmark of my store. My goal is to find things that are well-made, functional and beautiful, which I hope will, in turn, inspire my customers the same way they have for me.
Beth Wilson, owner of Lemonzest
We’re always nipping into your store to buy fun, practical gifts for our pals. Hit us with A) a great buy for under $20, B) a pressie for kids and C) a big budget, impressive gift.
Under $20: an Ulster Weavers 100% linen tea towel. They come in so many beautiful patterns and just get better the more you use them. Also, they sell on Orchard Road for double our price!
Pressie for the kids: our melamin popcorn box. It’s got the look of an old-fashioned red and white popcorn box from the movies, but you can use it over and over as it’s melamine.
For a big budget, impressive gift: our Agresti cutlery box. They are hand-made in Florence with the finest burl cut wood and perfect for storing antique serving pieces, napkin rings and special cutlery. I don’t think anyone else in Singapore has them.
What’s the most popular item that gets snapped up from Lemonzest?
We sell lots of silicone ice balls right now. They make big round ice balls that don’t melt right away, so they’re great for drinks on the rocks. Mini spiralisers are also quite popular, though I think the larger version with the turning handle works better.
Your store is so colourful and creative; we’d love to know more about your own kitchen at home!
I have lots of stuff! It’s hard for me to keep it uncluttered as I always have to try new products before we bring them into the store. If the product is a winner, I want to keep it! Cookbooks are my major weakness; I had 120 at last count when I entered them on Eatyourbooks (great website to electronically search your own collection of books for recipes).
A library of cookbooks is available at Lemonzest.
What cookbooks would you recommend? Some of us are simply hopeless in the kitchen…
My favourite is the New Basics, which has been out for over 30 years. It has no pictures, so it doesn’t sell well in the store, but the recipes are the classic ones you’ll want to make over and over again. I love YouTube for instructional videos on techniques or dishes I’ve never tried before. (Jacques Pepin always makes everything look easier than it is). And finally, if I look up a recipe on the internet, I always read the comments that people have written. Some of the best tips, tweaks and shortcuts on making the dish are in the notes below the recipe.
What are some kitchen essentials that you can’t live without?
I love my mini santoku knife from Global; it’s just the right blade length and has a decent surface area for scooping up chopped veggies. All my citrus presses get a workout as I love fresh lemon and lime juice. For appliances, my Magimix Food Processor is indispensable. I use it to make fresh pesto with all the basil from my terrace garden. And I’m in love with my Magimix Vision Toaster. It’s so nice to watch it heat up and turn the toast perfectly golden brown. I love to toast the sour dough bagette from DaPaulo next to the shop.
With all these gadgets, you must be a whizz in the kitchen; what is one homecooked dish you’re most proud of?
There are a few. I like quick and easy meals during the week. One of my favourites is a white fish pan-fried in an egg batter and served with a tequila lime sauce. Sounds complicated, but it’s really simple. I made it in the Cookway non-stick frying pan, which has a really durable finish and heats evenly. A couple of times a year, I make my own jam using a low-sugar pectin and our Kilner jars and jam sets. Most recently, I’ve gotten into fermenting using the Kilner flip-top jars, which let the gases escapte, and am so excited by the results!
Christmas is coming soon! Can you share any tips on how to prepare feasts for parties?
Proper planning is critical to pulling off a big holiday dinner. Gather your recipes a couple of weeks ahead of time and make sure you have all the cookware and serving pieces you need to make the dish on hand; same goes for the ingredients. Try and keep a few dishes simple by focusing on quality ingredients that have a big impact with minimal prep – think burrata, jamón ibérico, caprese, a cheese and pickle board. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! It’s a lot of work for one person, so asking guests to bring a vegetable dish or a pie is a good idea. I usually start three days prior to the day as there is so much baking, prepping and cooking to be done. Always make sure you have a working oven thermometer to monitor your oven temperatures (very few ovens are really true). And always make your own cranberry sauce – it’s so simple and just so much better than the canned stuff. (P/S: keep an eye out on the Lemonzest blog for my go-to recipe as we get closer to the holidays.)
Let’s end with a fun one. When life gives you lemons, you…
Rejoice! Store them in a bowl on the counter with limes and oranges where you can see their beautiful colour every day. Never store lemons in the fridge as they just dry up. Roll the lemon on the counter before squeezing it to get the most juice out of it. Use the juice in your homemade salad dressing (tip: you can find great olive oils and vinegars at Vom Fass in Singapore), to brighten up some homemade marmalade as they’re also a great source of natural pectin, or to make a simple lemon curd. Store the rinds in the freezer to have zest handy, which can be used to add brightness without the acidity of the juice. Try cutting the rinds into strips and candy them. I challenge you not to finish it all in a day.
Lemonzest, 43 Jalan Merah Saga, Chip Bee Gardens #01-80, Holland Village, 278115. 10am – 9pm, seven days a week (‘til 10pm on Friday and Saturday).
This article is sponsored by Lemonzest.