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Discourse |
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Editorial Panel |
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A newsletter of food, wine, restaurants
and travel |
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Sue Dyson, Roger McShane, Robyn Colman |
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Volume 1, Number 2, November 2000 |
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Contents |
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Layout Coordinator |
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Robyn Colman |
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Correspondents |
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Australia: Sue Dyson, |
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Roger McShane, Lisa
Sutherland- |
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Fraser |
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Los Angeles: Jeff Shore & Danielle |
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Pillet-Shore |
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San Francisco: Lawrence Banka |
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& Judith Gordon |
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Singapore: Emma Lewis |
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Tokyo: David Meredith |
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All correspondence to |
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mail@foodtourist.com |
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About this Newsletter
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Welcome to the
second, and spectacularly late, Discourse newsletter! This month we start our
journey of discovery in wonderful San Francisco and sample the delights of
that great food city. Sue and Roger nominate their favourite places to eat
and Lawrence and Judith add one of their special places, as well as providing
guidance for those who desperately seek good coffee. Our ‘second’ restaurant
this month is a very special Thai restaurant in Sydney where flavour-packed
dishes are a far cry from the dumbed-down fare experienced in many suburban
Thai restaurants. We explore the
fabulous world of Scotch whisky and lead you to some of the best aperitif and
digestif whisky examples you are ever likely to find. Jeff and Danielle have filed another of
their delightfully quirky reviews – this time forcing themselves to undertake
a chocolate indulgence on behalf of Discourse subscribers! Our Singapore
correspondent, Emma has been busy exploring the delights of that great city
and she brings to our attention a restaurant serving Sichuan cuisine in an
opulent setting. From the
delightful Gippsland area of south-east Australia, Lisa reports on a seaside
restaurant serving appealing bistro-style food. All this, plus
our normal Dining Decoded and Drinking Decoded along with a review of an
Alain Ducasse cookbook and the delights of an offal salad at Restaurant
Gordon Ramsay. |
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All articles in this newsletter are
copyright and must not be reproduced in part or
in whole without the written permission of the publishers. To seek such
permission simply send an e-mail to mail@foodtourist.com. |
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San Francisco Dining
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Sue Dyson and Roger McShane
report |
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San Francisco evokes many memories.
The incessant clang of the cable cars. The haunting beauty of the fog rolling up the harbour and lingering among the
hills. The chill of the evening winds. The charm of the wooden houses
clinging to the side of steep, steep hills. The symbolic grandeur of the
bridge. The easy-going, yet determined locals always on the move. But for us the most lingering memories
are the food and the passion about food. The incredibly mixed heritage of the
city is one of the factors. Chinese, Italians, Spanish, Vietnamese and
northern Europeans have all left their mark. So has the climate. You can grow
just about anything in the areas around the city. Throw into this mix people with a
passion for food such as Alice Waters and you have the recipe for a great
food city. In fact, along with Paris, New York, Hong Kong and Sydney it is
one of the most exciting food cities in the world. There are so many food experiences
available here that you need a very long visit to take advantage of them all.
We have produced a selection, which will help you try the best there is on
offer. If you haven’t been to Chez Panisse in
Berkeley, then you are missing one of the most interesting dining experiences
in the world. Set up by Alice Waters over twenty years ago, Chez Panisse has
been at the apex of the food scene for the entire time – no mean achievement
given today’s fickle diners and the problems with retaining consistency over
such a long period. We first dined here in 1985 and have
been returning regularly ever since. On every occasion we have enjoyed the
most amazingly fresh flavours from superb produce. But don’t go here
expecting refined, contorted, overworked food. Go here for great produce
treated with absolute respect and left to speak for itself. We can still
remember a simple dish of roast, corn-fed chicken on our first visit that
redefined flavour for us. The staff here are knowledgeable and
helpful and are always anxious to make sure that your evening is a pleasant
one. The wine list is also well-chosen. It was here that we first fell in
love with the Domaine Tempier wines from Bandol in Provence. So expect simple but perfect flavours.
A pizza with some seafood topping. A chicken and sweet corn soup. A piece of
Niman Ranch beef. A salad of garden vegetables with a perfect dressing. We
guarantee you will remember an evening here as one of the highlights of your
dining experiences. We usually go to Chez Panisse on our
first night in town, so next day we look for something different. Usually
lunch is dim sum at the Yank Sing in the financial district. You might have
to wait to get a table, but the food is fresh and expertly prepared. Our evening meal will consist of a
drink at the bar at Zuni’s in Market Street, followed by a meal in the
restaurant. This is another long-term player on the food scene that has
displayed a remarkable consistency over the years. If you have the time, hire a car and
drive to the Napa Valley for another memorable dining experience. The French
Laundry in Yountville just north of Napa is one of the world’s top
restaurants. The chef Thomas Keller (we reviewed his cookbook in the last
edition of Discourse) is a fanatic in search of perfection. His seven course
degustation lunch shows classical French techniques married to new world
produce and lifted with a sense of humour. We liked his little food jokes
dotted throughout the meal. Back in town you should not miss the
passion evident in the cooking at Delfina. Here you will find some of the
most serious Italian food in the country served in relaxing surroundings by
cheerful staff relaxed in the knowledge that their job is made easy by the
wonderful food on the plates they are carrying. A dish of Niman Ranch pork
arista served with figs was one of the absolute highlights of a recent trip.
The brandade de morue was also memorable. Not too far from Delfina is a great
Vietnamese restaurant called The Slanted Door. Vibrant, fresh flavours burst
from the plates here. A hallmark of a great food restaurants is that the
diners are all happy and wanting to share their enjoyment with others. This
is particularly noticeable here. Perhaps it is a happiness brought on by
sampling the wine from the incredibly wide-ranging list. In between meals we always drop in to
the Imperial Tea House perched high on the hill in Powell Street. The wide
range of top quality Chinese teas are treated with the respect they deserve
and the staff are knowledgeable and passionate about their wares. Another experience not to miss is the
San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, which is held near the Embarcadero
every Saturday and Sunday morning. Dozens of growers of some of the best
organic produce you are every likely to see set up their stalls for both
locals and tourists to drool over. We could also talk about some of our
other favourites such as Hawthorne Lane, Restaurant LuLu, Rose Pistola and
Aqua, but the list would be too long. Two of the restaurants we haven’t
tried yet are mc2 (reviewed favourably by Gordon and Judith in
last month’s Discourse) and Restaurant Gary Danko, both of which we have
heard great things about. We have also thoroughly enjoyed Campton Place in
the hotel of the same name, but the chef has moved on and we have not had an
opportunity to try the food currently being produced. If you haven’t been to San Francisco
for a while, book your flight soon. The food experiences alone make this a
must-visit destination! Chez Panisse, 1517 Shattuck Avenue,
Berkeley, ph 510 548 5525 Delfina, 3621 18th Street,
Mission, ph 415 552 4055 French Laundry, 6640 Washington
Street, Yountville, ph 707 944 2380 Imperial Tea House, 1411 Powell St,
ph 415 788 6080 The Slanted Door, 584 Valencia
Street, Mission, ph 415 861 8032 Zuni Café, 1658, Market Street, ph
415 552 2522 Yank Sing, 427 Battery Street, ph 415
362 1640 |
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San Francisco style
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From our San Francisco
correspondents, Lawrence Banka and Judith Gordon |
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Coffee In San Francisco: Emporio Armani, 1 Grant Avenue (415.677.9400) - in fabulous
former bank building, c.1920. zeroo ("zero degrees"), 490 Pacific
Avenue (415.956.6651) - great housemade ice creams, too. XOX Truffles, 754 Columbus Avenue (415.421.4814) -
delicious housemade truffle with every coffee. Zuni Cafe, 1658 Market Street (415.552.2522) - wonderful
coffee and people-watching. Coffee in the Bay Area: Café Fanny, 1603 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley
(510.524.5447) ... owned by Alice Waters of Chez Panisse. By Lawrence Banka and Judith Gordon |
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When you’re longing for a stylish,
easy-going place to dine, check out Ristorante Ecco. Tucked away in a
charming area called South Park, this restaurant offers Italian-inspired food
that shines, thanks to the talent of its chef, Benjamin de Vries. Like us, Ben
hails from Michigan and personifies the qualities associated with the
midwestern United States — open, engaging, hardworking, and very sincere. The menu changes with the seasons.
Whatever you order, you can count on fresh ingredients and robust flavours.
Among several memorable dishes we’ve tried are linguine with pears, pecans,
Gorgonzola, and Parmesan, the lightest, tastiest gnocchi imaginable, savoury
roast suckling pig, and spinach with currants and pinenuts. The pastry chef,
Laura Mayer, is equally adept at creating lovely desserts, including an
outstanding warm chocolate pudding with mascarpone cream. The wine list
offers many affordable wines to complement the food. Another plus is the
graciousness you’ll encounter from the entire staff, headed by manager
Samantha Rissel. A special note to sports fans: Ristorante Ecco is only a few
blocks from the new Pacific Bell Park, home of the San Francisco Giants. Ristorante Ecco Address: 101 South Park (between 2nd
& 3rd, Bryant & Brannan), San Francisco, California, 94107 Phone: 415 495 3291 Credit Cards: All major cards |
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Second Restaurant: Canteen at Sailors Thai
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By Sue Dyson and Roger McShane |
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David Thompson redefined Thai cooking
in Australia with the opening of his long-famous Darley Street Thai
restaurant. It quickly became a mecca for food writers, chefs and lovers of
Asian food from all over the world. Absolute dedication to authenticity, an
immense feeling for the harmony of flavours and textures and a respect for
this noble cuisine that had been grounded in years of research meant that
diners were regaled with a roller-coaster ride of sweet, sour and spicy,
flavour-packed food that had few peers anywhere outside Thailand. Darley Street Thai was a temple where
you came to worship (and to relish) the food. But Thompson wanted to broaden
the clientele who could access these wonderful flavours. He had the
opportunity to open a second restaurant in the popular Rocks area, near the
Sydney waterfront, and so Sailors Thai was born. Offering a less-demanding
menu (both for the chefs and the diners) but still retaining the authentic
flavours of Thailand, it quickly became popular. As did the upstairs Canteen. This has become, and remained, one of
our very favourite restaurants. The long, gleaming stainless steel
table seats about 50 people. You can either choose to join in conversation
with your neighbours or you can dine 'alone'. During 1996 and 1997 we had a number
of jobs that took us to Sydney every week. And every week the first place we
headed for was the Sailors Thai Canteen. Since then we have made it our first
stop every time we have landed in Australia's most exciting food city. We often see people looking through
the window and seeing the large, long table and being unsure whether they
should go in. Well if you get to Sydney don't worry. Go straight in and the
waiting staff will soon find you a place to sit. We usually order three dishes between
two and accompany them with a bottle of the Tresoli white wine. It has been
specially chosen to accompany the style of food. We might order the popular Som dtam,
which is a green papaya salad that has been pounded to a pulp and then served
with strips of green papaya, peanuts, dried prawns and accompanied by coconut
rice and chunks of sweet and salty pork. Or we might order Geng sapparot
which is a sweet curry of fresh mussels and pineapple or the fabulous Parlow
gai which is chicken and bean curd that has been simmered with star anise and
Chinese broccoli. Recently we marvelled at a beef and radish soup that was
one of the most complete and satisfying meals we have tried in years. So much
flavour in one bowl! But it doesn't really matter what you
order. It is all wonderful and it is always skilfully cooked. |
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The lure of Scotch whisky
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Whisky is
very simple to make. However it is very difficult to make great whisky.
Essentially, whisky is just distilled beer. That’s all
there is to it. Malt some grain and let it ferment and then distil it! That’s
all you have to do. The
difference between indifferent whisky and great whisky lies in the quality of
the ingredients and the way they are treated at every stage in the process.
Unlike wine, there is not very much difference between the price of the very
ordinary and the price of the very extraordinary (probably only a factor of
two or three). Therefore it is worth seeking out the best and paying that bit
extra. The word –
‘whisky’ - derives from uisge, which is an abbreviation of uisge beatha,
meaning ‘water of life’. And the water is one of the important ingredients in
whisky, just as it is in beer. But the grain is also important (Golden
Promise barley is often used in premium whisky), the peat that is used to
malt the grain, the strains of yeast that are used to create the alcohol and
the shape and style of pot-still used to distil the alcohol. They all play
their part in the final product. The
techniques for making whisky probably came to Scotland from Ireland, but you
would probably cause a fight in a Scottish bar if you suggested that. In a future
edition of Discourse we will analyse the production of whisky in more detail
because it is a fascinating story. In this edition we want to tell you about
a few special ones to seek out and enjoy. The Scottish
regions produce distinctly different styles. The main regions are the
Highlands (centered on the Spey River), the Lowlands (roughly from Edinburgh
to Glasgow), the Campbelltown area on the Mull of Kintyre, the Orkney Islands
in the far north and the western islands of Skye and Islay. Each of
these regions produces distinctive styles of whisky. But let’s start with the
very best – the one that tantalises our taste buds the most. It is
Lagavulin 16 year old – the smooth, refined, peaty, smoky, iodine-flavoured
pure malt Scotch whisky from the southern coast of the island of Islay off
the west coast of Scotland. This is
almost the perfect whisky. It is treated with restraint by the makers and
there is a lovely balance between the alcohol content and the other flavours
which are not dominated by raw alcohol as with some other examples from the
west coast. Drink this
fine scotch after dinner or at any time of day as an aperitif. Resist the
urge to pour it over ice as it will ‘dumb down’ the incredibly complex mix of
tastes that form the integrated whole. In fact,
Islay is such a fine producer of whisky that two of our other favourites are
made here. The gigantic and iodine-dominated Laphroaig is an acquired taste,
but once you have got over that first iodine shock you realise what an
appealing drink it is. Lying somewhere between Laphroaig and Lagavulin on the
taste scale is Ardbeg 17 year old, another stunning drink. North of
Islay is the romantic, rough and remote island of Skye with its haunting
crags and cliffs. It is worth the drive to the other side of the island to
visit the simple Talisker distillery, as this is another that must be on your
list. Up in the
highlands there are two among the dozens of first class malts that you must
try. The Macallan 25 year old is a stunner. Much more refined that its
western cousins, it lingers on the palate for a long time with its attractive
smoky undertones. The Glenfarclas of the same age is also an incredible
drink. We can’t
finish this survey without mentioning two others that are well-worth seeking
out from opposite ends of Scotland. From the remote Orkney Islands, the
Highland Park 12 year old pure malt reeks of heather and honey and sherry. It
is one of the smoothest of all the top brands. At the other
end of Scotland in the Campbelltown district, the Springbank distillery
produces whisky with a subtle hand. Try the 12 or 21 year old. The brands
we have reviewed here are all single malts. No blending is carried out. This
is not to say that there are not good blended examples – there certainly are.
We will address that issue later. So go out
and find one of the bottles mentioned here, sit down, pour a large splash
into a brandy glass or a large wine glass, swirl it around, savour the aromas
then sip lightly and pick up the peat and the salt and the sherry and the
smoke and then let it slip slowly down the back of your palate. The longer it
lingers the better you will like it. Don’t bother with ice – it will kill it.
Some aficionados prefer a drop of water, but we figure that the whisky maker
has already added the amount of water they think is best anyway. There is a
lifetime of exploration to do here – which is a pity because we are going to
tell you about American whiskey in the December issue and that constitutes
another lifetime of exploration. |
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A cake that won’t lie to you
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by our Los Angeles
correspondents Danielle Pillet-Shore and Jeff Shore |
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In the average American coffee shop, dessert is a constant
source of disappointment. The stakes
are high. For the average American, a
disappointing dessert can, in and of itself, be traumatic. Wasted calories plus wasted money equals a
deep sense of existential ennui. The
source of this frustration rarely is that the actual pie, cake, cookie,
muffin or other generic pastry is simply bad; the problem usually lies in the
fact that, moments before consumption, it looked (and, as described by the
server, sounded) so darn scrumptious.
We are aghast; the dessert has lied to us! To avoid the problem, one can simply avoid ordering
desserts unless certain of the pedigree of the pastry chef. (Delicate and beautiful, such treats are
often quite memorable.) But what if
you crave a great coffee shop cake, a basic, “average” cake? This would be a monstrous cake, its
chocolate darkness seeming to consume the light from all that surrounds it,
its waves of icing threatening to drip off the sides at any moment. We’ve found this cake, right in the heart of the most
delightfully “average” American coffee shop.
Hof’s Hut is a chain of “family restaurants” across the southern part
of Los Angeles, over a half-century old and still owned by the Hoffman
family. Vinyl-booths and American
staples – chicken fried steak, creamed corn, mashed potatoes – abound. And, in a large glass display case,
positioned right by the entrance, you will find an array pies and cakes,
ranging in size from large to ridiculously large. No one who has fallen under the spell of chocolate,
however, can avoid gravitating to the one known as a “Chocolate Chip Wipeout
Cake.” (In the immodest world of
American baked goods, this is a rather restrained name; other common names
include “Rapture,” “Better than Sex,” and our personal least-favourite,
“Death by Chocolate.” Ow.) It’s dark, it’s chocolate, and it’s very
big (all sizes are at least 6 inches tall).
Hundreds of Nestle chocolate chips cascade down the sides, immobilized
by a layer of gooey, thick, dark chocolate icing. Judging by appearances, the stage is set for stunning
disappointment. But just take a
bite. The icing melts in your mouth –
creamy and chocolatey. It resembles a pudding or chocolate mousse more than
the hyper-sweet icings of other coffee shop cakes. The crunchy, semisweet chocolate chips enrobing the cake add a
rich layer of texture. The biggest
surprise, however, is the sheer quality of the cake itself: it is actually
moist. Robust and satisfying, this common coffee shop cake manages
to achieve an unexpected elegance.
Certainly, no one expected us to use it as our wedding cake. (But that’s another story.) Hof’s Hut 23635
Crenshaw Blvd 1-310-325-0470 Serving chocolate cake (or any other
meal you desire), Hof’s Hut is open from 6am to 11pm, seven days a week. Lifelong residents of Los
Angeles, Danielle is getting her Ph.D. in Sociology at UCLA and Jeff is the
Content Manager for Zeal.com. |
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Sichuan in Singapore
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by our Singapore correspondent
Emma Lewis |
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Located in
Singapore’s premiere culinary road, Red is a welcome addition to a street
already lined with many great and varied restaurants. Set in an old Chinese style shop, the
setting is memorably decorated in red and black
with touches of gold. From the red
chopsticks and tablecloths, to black cloth chairs and gold menu’s the feeling
is of vivid colours; a blend of gold opulence, with simple lines of red and
black. The
domination of dramatic colours is spawned by the theme of the menu – Sichuan
cuisine. Renowned as the fieriest of
all Chinese cooking forms; Sichuan cooking uses bold, intense flavours and
wraps them in hot chilli with exciting results. The menu
starts with a section appropriately entitled ‘lovely beginnings’. This features a wide selection of foods
from Red’s special lobster salad, to fragrant marinated jellyfish rolls and
crispy rice squares topped with a minced chicken salsa. While pondering the choice’s an amuse
bouche is served – of highly flavoured miniature carrot rice rolls served
with soy sauce and a fine smoky dried chilli. For our ‘beginning’ we choose the sliced Sichuan duck roll and
pork slices with a piquant Sichuan garlic sauce. The presentation on square plates owed much to novelle cuisine
and the minimalist look so often seen in restaurants these days. Portions however could be served small or
large. The rolls came already sliced
and wrapped in gelatine ensuring the succulent meat shined through. The pork
was sliced thinly and covered with a rich delicious sauce that had an
enhancing sweet edge to it. Several main
dishes are offered – selections of shark’s fins, abalone and sea cucumber,
another section of ‘other treasures from the sea’, birds, pork, beef and
lamb, ‘green things’, noodles and rice and ‘hearty soups’. Staff are extremely helpful and will
gladly offer serving suggestions.
While Sichuan cooking is the dominant theme, other flavourings creep
in such as Sichuan crispy duck with red wine and kiwi-fruit sauce and udon
noodles with seafood. Again,
dishes can be ordered large or small allowing diners to sample a variety of
flavours. We ordered kung-pao chicken
stir-fried with dried red chillis, beef slices lightly cooked and served with
sichuan chilli oil, fried spicy eggplant sandwiched with a vegetarian filling
and portions of braised udon with seafood and golden fried rice with
seafood. All were delicious – the
eggplant came fried in a light, crispy batter with a hearty vegetable dipping
sauce. The chicken was coated in a
thick, cloying chilli sauce while the beef came in a rich gravy with robust
flavours of chilli and ginger. The
rice and noodles were also good, featuring generous portions of seafood and
lightly fried to enhance the flavours. The
restaurant caters for those who enjoy glamour, finery and striking meals, and
those who prefer robust, flavoursome food and relaxing times. RED 29 Club Street Singapore, 069414 Tel 227 7187 |
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Recipe of the Month: Spring Pleasures with Asparagus
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Recipe by Sue Dyson and Roger
McShane |
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One of the
advantages of living in a temperate climate such as Tasmania is the fact that
we have four seasons and, with each one, different foods are at their best. Although you
can buy asparagus throughout the year, for most of the time it’s less than perfect,
partly because it has travelled so far to get to its location. Asparagus is
one of those vegetables, like sweet corn, that needs to be eaten as soon as
possible after its been picked. In spring, though, you can buy local
asparagus or, if you’re really lucky, pick your own. In the southern
hemisphere, if you live in a temperate climate, good green grocers should now
be stocking local asparagus this month. In the northern hemisphere, you’ll
have to wait until next spring. Char-grilled asparagus
While it’s
hard to beat asparagus that has been simply steamed in water, try this recipe
for a change. It brings out its natural sweetness. Its
inspiration is definitely from Chez Panisse, Berkeley’s restaurant for food
lovers which never fails to disappoint us. In fact, it was a momentous meal
at Chez Panisse in 1985 that brought home to us more than anything before and
since, the foolishness of artifice on a plate and the virtues of purity and
simplicity. We’ve been back twice since then and it remains, in our mind, one
of the world’s great restaurants for anyone seeking an understanding of just
how good real food tastes. We started
with Alice Water’s Chez Panisse Vegetables, one of the first sources
we turn to for information about vegetable cooking. Alice Waters recommended
blanching the asparagus and then grilling it. It was delicious. Then we found
a recipe for grilled asparagus in Paul Bertolli’s Chez Panisse Cooking.
He had been a chef at Chez Panisse since 1982 and this book was written in
1988, some eight years earlier than Chez Panisse Vegetables. It was,
not surprisingly, similar but there was no blanching. Fascinated by this,
with our next experiment, we halved a bunch of asparagus, blanched half of
it, and then grilled all of it. We found the non-blanched version infinitely
better. The spears were tighter, with none of that softness that
characterises the centre of steamed or boiled asparagus, and the taste more
intense. So, having
paid due recognition to two inspirations, here’s our recipe for grilled
asparagus. You need an
open-grill barbeque top that operates with wood or charcoal. The asparagus
only takes a few minutes to cook so, if you have it for a first course, you
can cook the remainder of the meal over the same fire. Build a wood
or charcoal fire (we use a Hibachi with Australian red gum charcoal). It
takes about 40 minutes for the charcoal to burn down. In the
meantime, prepare the asparagus. Bend each spear of asparagus near its
end. It will break naturally at the point where it becomes slightly woody.
(You can use the left-overs to make soup or thinly sliced they can form the
base of a risotto.) Once you’ve broken each end, trim the end of the spear
with a sharp knife to tidy the break. Pour two
or three tablespoons of olive oil on to a plate or bowl that’s wide
enough for the asparagus and suitable for serving from. Add a grinding or two
of black pepper and some good quality sea salt. Coat each
spear in this extra virgin olive oil bath. When the
fire is ready, put the spears on the grill at right angles to the grill bars. After about
three minutes, roll the spears over. After six
minutes, test a spear by inserting a sharp knife near its end. If it goes in
cleanly, the asparagus is ready. Return the
asparagus to the remains of the olive oil. It’s now
ready to serve. It’s perfect alone but you could also top it with
finely-shaved parmesan or crumbled grilled prosciutto or pancetta if you want
to dress it up. |
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Book Review: Ducasse Flavors of France
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Reviewed by Sue Dyson and Roger
McShane |
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When the
only chef ever to gain the coveted three Michelin stars at two restaurants
simultaneously puts out a cookbook then the food world sits up and takes
notice. Having eaten
his food in a number of his restaurants, we were worried that the recipes
would be inaccessible and overly complex for the lay cook to even
contemplate. Nothing could be further from reality. In producing
this book, Ducasse has taken great efforts to ensure that the techniques and
the ingredients are appropriate to the environment they are aimed at – namely
the home kitchen. The recipes
in the book are divided along the traditional lines of aperitifs, vegetables,
fish, meat then desserts. There is also the standard section at the back for
the basic techniques for making stocks and sauces. The very
first recipe gives you the confidence to explore further. Fennel marmalade is
a simple yet refreshing garnish to be served on small pieces of toast – ideal
for walking around the garden with a glass of pastis prior to a long summer
lunch! A
multi-layered omelette sees five thin omelettes with different ingredients
providing varying colours and textures, stacked on each other and then served
in bite-sized pieces. Having
tasted his stunning spring vegetable dish at two of his restaurants, we
delved into the Vegetables section with anticipation. A wonderful broccoli
soup with a crème fraiche froth starts the offerings. Further on is a
perfectly simple recipe for potato gnocchi. This is one of those recipes that
relies almost solely on technique. Good gnocchi is a rarity in restaurants. When reading
his recipes, however, it is always a good idea to remember that many of the
flavours that remain with us long after we have left France are because he
only uses the finest, purest and freshest ingredients. Therefore, don’t even
attempt the tart of young lettuces and tomato confit unless you have perfect,
field-ripened tomatoes and lovely young lettuce. Moving on to
the seafood section we find many of the recipes including citrus flavours so
reminiscent of the Provence area. One in particular, the sea bream with
orange ‘daube of beef’ sauce is a triumph of flavours. In the meat
section, some of the recipes require many ingredients, however apart from
fresh black truffles, most of them are readily available in specialty
greengrocers throughout the world. The sautéed
veal chops with a blanquette of vegetables is a classic and the roast chicken
is demanding but worth the results. In the
Dessert section we were particularly taken by the technique for the roast
pineapple dessert even though the photograph does not match the technique
described in the recipe on the facing page. Similarly, a lemon tartlet with
orange chips asks you to remove the rind and pith but the photograph shows
them retained. Nevertheless the recipe itself is wonderful. Many recipes
are accompanied by recommended wine styles. Mercifully, in keeping with
Ducasse’s philosophy (for which he has been heavily criticised within
France), the recommendations include wines from Italy, California, South
Africa and Australia as well as some of the lesser known regions of France
such as Bellet and Cotes de Provence. Overall,
this is a great book setting down the ideas of a great chef. Linda Dannenberg
has managed to simplify and clarify the thoughts of Ducasse without losing
the essence of his passion for produce. Ducasse Flavors of France Alain Ducasse with Linda Dannenberg Published by Artisan in 1998 ISBN 1-57965-107-0 |
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Gyokuro tea
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In the last edition of Discourse we
sang the praises if Darjeeling tea. This month we want to alert you to a
wonderful, and very different, tea that is sourced from Japan. Gyokuro is a delicate and refined
green tea that has been shaded with mats made of reeds for the last ten to
twenty days before harvesting so that it retains a brilliant green colour.
The shading process reduces the likelihood of photosynthesis occurring. It was first grown in the mountains of
the Uji district near Kyoto and now is also cultivated in the Yame region of
Fukuoka and the Ashina region of Shizuoka. After the finest leaves are
picked, they are steamed, dried and then rolled to the distinctive needle
shape. In Japan Gyokuro goes by various names
including ‘jade dew’, ‘pearl dew’, ‘jewelled dewdrops’ and ‘precious
dewdrops’. It is one of the most expensive and highly-sought after teas
produced in that country. It seems to have everything going for
it. Gyokuro has a large quantity of the amino acid, theanine, a component of
the distinctive sweet taste. It is also high in caffeine (a bonus for we
coffee lovers) and catechin. Catechin, which is a bioflavonoid related to tannin,
has been receiving a lot of attention for its health qualities. Studies have
shown that people in the Shizuoka prefecture who drink more than ten cups of
green tea a day, live longer and are less likely to suffer from some cancers.
In addition, theanine is reported to have a positive effect on the liver –
maybe there is hope for us yet! Because of the brilliance of the
colour and the subtlety of the flavour, we like to make this tea at a reduced
temperature, around 150°F. You can tell when the water reaches this
temperature because it is when the steam just starts to break free from the
surface, but before the bubbles start to form. Leave it for about three minutes (no
longer otherwise it becomes bitter) after you pour the water over and then
pour to savour the delicate flavour. We find that it is a perfect afternoon
tea as a refresher when you want to keep working either in the office or in
the garden. If you can find the organic Tokusen
brand, then you will be in for a particularly rare treat. |
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Bistro Blue
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Reviewed by Lisa Sutherland-Fraser |
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A little gem
in the land of green hills and cows, Bistro Blue is a godsend. It always has the “Fully Booked” sign
outside whenever we have visited – usually on a Saturday night. Nestled in
the main street of Inverloch, a lovely little beach hamlet 2 hours drive
south east of Melbourne, Bistro Blue provides a little bit of Melbourne to
the country. You feel automatically
cosy, with the retro décor of lava lamps, lighting and artwork adorning the
walls, and in winter the woodfire burns in the corner. It seats around 40 people so there’s a
wonderful sense of intimacy and generally, on the three occasions we’ve
visited, the service is prompt and caring.
I love the
pre-dinner serving (at no charge!) of warm crusty bread, kalamata olives,
olive oil and balsamico. Requests for
more bread were also free of charge.
The wine list doesn’t overwhelm as it has a good compact list of
choices, on this occasion we chose the Long Gully 1998 Chardonnay and the Jim
Barry 1999 Riesling, both truly refreshing.
The music softly grooving, the menu was so tempting and hard to
choose. We both went for entrees, as
the desserts looked so divine we wanted room to fit them in. Panfried
scallops in a saffron and herb cream sauce with scented risotto was as
delicious as it sounded, I wished I’d ordered the main size. Second entrée was BBQ prawn tails with
zucchini and noodle pancakes with avocado and coriander vinaigrette. Both looked superbly presented and tasted
exquisite. My partner had black
mussels cooked in a garlic cream and white wine sauce. Like two meals in one, the mussels first,
then the broth second. Vegetarians
were catered for with basil and lemon risotto cakes, baby spinach, oven
roasted tomatoes and a creamy pesto sauce.
As expected in the Gippsland area, carnivores are more than adequately
catered for with two beef main courses plus chicken, duck and lamb. We finished
the meals off with a summer berry pudding with orange custard and berry
coulis and a long black coffee.
Definitely a place to be visited if you’re in the area. BISTRO BLUE RESTAURANT 23 A’Beckett St, INVERLOCH, Vic, 3956 56743339 Credit Cards: All accepted |
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Great Dishes Series: Pigs trotter salad at Gordon Ramsay
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A Discourse regular feature |
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In the September edition of Discourse
we questioned why Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London’s Chelsea district was
not a three star Michelin establishment as the food and service we
experienced were clearly superior to that of any French 2 star. The food was
innovative, packed full of flavour and visually stunning. The service was
also caring and attentive. One dish that was a stand-out was the
salad of crispy pigs trotters with calf sweetbreads. This careful
construction of flavour and texture contrasts, saw three crispy cylinders of
pigs trotters stuffed with sweetbreads and supported by a perfectly-made
celeriac remoulade. One of the cylinders was topped with a fried quail egg to
provide even more contrast. This dish achieved a harmony that we
rarely see in most restaurants. If you go there and it is on offer, try it –
you won’t be disappointed! |
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Dining DecodedÓ – Purslane salad at MG Garage
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A Discourse regular feature |
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Each month we analyse a dish that we
have enjoyed from restaurants around the world and explain the terms used on
the menu. Our dish of the month featured an offal salad, so we thought we
would ‘decode’ another salad we had eaten on the opposite side of the world. This month our dish comes from one of
the best restaurants from one of the best food cities in the world – namely
Sydney. The restaurant is the wonderful MG Garage. Warm salad of snails, pig's trotters and pig's ears
with purslane and escarole. MG Garage is a good example of how to design a restaurant to be
visually appealing and yet still very functional. Wood and stainless steel
combine to form a modern, sleek, yet comfortable space. The kitchen is on
show and the calm, purposeful chefs go about their business oblivious to the
interest of the diners. There are many interesting ingredients used in dishes here
reflecting the polyglot nature of the staff and the Greek background of Janni
Kyritsis. We were delighted with both the
texture and the perfect mix of subdued flavours with the oils in one
ingredient playing foil to the acids in another. The main
ingredients are now explained. |
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Snails |
The snails were a visual counterpoint
to the other ingredients and added that beautiful texture that comes only
from this little gem. Traditionally served in Burgundy, the local variety is
almost extinct and the French now mainly eat the petit gris or common snail
variety. Marketed as escargot, they are available throughout the world canned
or frozen. |
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Pigs trotters |
The feet of the pig. The wonderful
thing about pigs trotters is that they are highly gelatinous and the meat
retains some of that oily, gelatin texture. |
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Pigs ears |
Becoming popular in Australian top-end
restaurants, these are difficult to prepare properly. We first became
addicted to pigs ears in northern Chinese restaurants where they are served
cold with sesame oil as an appetiser. They are known as ‘Thousand layered
wind’ because of the fine, marble-like layers the thinly-sliced ears exhibit. |
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Purslane |
Purslane is slightly tart (with its
wonderful 'fatty' flavour provided by linolenic acid) and was the perfect
counterpoint to the oily pigs trotters and ears. Its small, rounded leaves
should be used in moderation, but add great salad texture to a dish such as
this. |
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Escarole |
Popular in central France,
particularly near Anjou, it is related to chicory and has a slightly bitter
taste that is perfect if balanced with other ingredients. Use only the inner
leaves in a salad as the outer leaves can have a harsh taste. |
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MG Garage Phone
Number: +61 2
9383 9383 Credit
Cards: All
major cards |
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Drinking DecodedÓ
– Greco di Tufo
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A Discourse regular feature |
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Each month we
choose a wine or other drink and help you come to grips with the information
on the label. A recent trip
to the Campania region of Italy, just below Naples, opened our eyes to the
amazing range of good-value, top class wines available from the region. Just
as we were turning away from northern Italian wines such as the great Tuscan
because of the dramatic increase in prices, we discovered these well-made,
delicious wines at very reasonable prices. It’s not surprising, of course, as
it is one of the oldest wine regions in Italy. But, be warned.
They will not remain good value for very long because the collectors are
moving in already. The region has
been brought into the modern world through a combination of passion, money
and good wine making techniques. Some of the top end wines are stunners. We
were amazed at the vibrant 97 Montevetrano, thought that the Mastroberardino
Fiano di Avellino and Taurasi Radici were stunning, and fell in love with the
Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo – a lovely crisp, vibrant white that matches
the food of the region perfectly. The Feudi di
San Gregorio estate is producing a range of beautifully made wines and they
are certainly worth seeking out. It is situated in the province of Avellino
near the town of Sorbo Serpico. The Greco di Tufo is the grape variety and it
is said to have been brought to Italy by the Greeks over 2000 years ago. Have a look for it in good liquor stores throughout the world.
You will be pleasantly surprised by the price. |
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News and Reviews
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Valrhona chocolate |
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When we think
of fine chocolate we normally think of Belgium, however one of the finest
manufacturers of chocolate in the world is from across the border in France.
The Valrhona company was established in 1922 and produces ten tonnes of fine
chocolate per day (a tiny amount compared with some other chocolate
manufacturers). They source the
finest of cocoa beans from around the world, including trinitario, criollo
and forastero. One of our favourites Valrhona products is the Guanaja
containing 70% cocoa based on the trinitario bean variety from South America.
The high cocoa content and the very low sugar content make this an ideal
chocolate for eating and also for making stunning desserts. |
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We were underwhelmed with L’Avenue |
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Dominating a
corner of Montaigne avenue in the 8th arr in Paris, this ‘tres
chic’ brasserie is the sort of place people go to as a social display. Highly
groomed and expensively dressed social robots adorn the outside tables
desperately conveying image and coolness. If our experience is anything to go
by, food is not a factor in their reasons for being there. We were
immediately whisked upstairs as we don’t exude coolness. The massive upstairs
space was comfortable and could work reasonably well if the waiting staff
focussed more on their job. We were offered a salmon carpaccio that totally
lacked any flavour. The beans in a baby haricot vert salad were cooked very
well but were then totally wrecked by a highly aggressive balsamic dressing.
(Maybe the United Nations could ban the use of balsamic vinegar outside
Moderna under the chemical weapons convention?) The bread that accompanied
the starters would not have been out of place in outback New South Wales or
in the mid-West of the United States! A steak tartare was overprocessed and
only rescued by some good Polaine toast. Overall our experience was highly
unsatisfactory. We won’t go back. |
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A great resort – Pangkor Laut |
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Even if you
haven't seen the name of this resort you probably know the picture. It is the
one with the rooms on stilts sitting over the still blue waters off the west
coast of Malaysia. It is one of the most relaxing and stunningly beautiful
resorts that you will find anywhere in the world. You drive or
fly to Ipoh and then head towards the fairly ordinary town of Lumut of the
West coast of Malaysia (its about half way up the coast). You then catch the
resort's boat to the small island just off the coast. You will be
greeted warmly and taken to your air conditioned rooms prior to a relaxing
dinner in one of the restaurants where you can dine formally in the five star
tradition or take advantage of the informality of one of the Asian-style
restaurants. If you can't
relax here then you have a real problem. We started the day with a swim in
one of the three pools and then went hiking through the dense tropical
rainforest. When we emerged at a beach on the opposite side of the island,
resort staff were there, waiting with cool face towels and champagne to make
sure that we could recover from our walk! A swim in
the crystal-clear waters also speeded our recovery. If you only
ever go to one resort make sure it is this one. A warning however. Drive
carefully - the traffic from Ipoh to Lumut can be challenging to say the
least! |
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Provence addresses |
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In the last
edition of Discourse we neglected to provide the contact details for the
restaurants reviewed as part of the Provencal Perambulations story. Here they
are: La Merenda,
4 rue Terrasse, Nice. No phone. No bookings. Hostellerie
de l'abbaye de la Celle, Place du General de Gaulle, La Celle (near
Brignoles), ph +33 4 98 05 14 14 La Bastide
de Moustiers, Quartier Saint-Michel - Cheminde Quinson,
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, ph +33 4 92 70 47 47 Restaurant
de Bacon, Bd de Bacon, Cap d’Antibes, ph +33 4 93 61 50 02 Le Louis XV,
Hotel de Paris, Place du Casino, Monte Carlo, ph +377 92 16 30 01 |
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Past issues |
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If you have missed out on
receiving the past issue, it is now available on-line at foodtourist.com.
Simply click on the Archive link on the Home page. |
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In the next issue |
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We have a lot planned for the next issue which
will be sent to you on 17th December – one week early to make up for the
lateness of this issue. It is close to Christmas, but you won’t find any
recipes for turkey, no plum pudding secrets and no places for special festivities.
Instead we bring you a special feature on good value wines from around the
world, a review of a very special restaurant in Spain, where to dine in
Sydney, a survey of the great bourbons, as well as stories from our
correspondents around the world! |
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