Shifting Lenses

I won’t forget the first time I heard the unmistakable sound of the ice cream truck coming down my street. Having just moved back to the US after growing up in China, this well-known American experience was new to me, and I became an instant fan. So, I was happy to discover that Singapore also has its own version of the ice cream truck, but with a unique twist. Instead of elaborate songs being played, their truck simply rang a little bell as it parked along the street. The ice cream itself is served as blocks, neatly sliced and placed between two square wafers. Surprisingly, the taste is exactly like a scooped ice cream cone from an actual shop, offering a familiar flavor in a different look. It’s like eating an ice cream sandwich that tastes just like a cone, but put into a more efficient, clean, and logical form, which feels very on-brand for Singapore.

It struck me as another example of how our world has always operated, even dating back to Marco Polo and earlier: taking an idea and changing it to fit a local culture, like Detroit-style pizza baked in automotive parts trays, or the California roll with avocado becoming one of the best known types of American sushi. Singapore’s efficient ice cream wafer sandwich is just the latest delicious example of this ongoing global exchange and “localizing” of ideas.