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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 1, September 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 |
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Los Angeles: Jeff 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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We all want to know more about
great places to eat, great wines to drink, secret food places few other
people know about, the latest super-premium gin, the purest mineral water and
the most succulent seafood from the clearest, cleanest waters. This is what our newsletter is
dedicated to. Experienced food journalists Sue Dyson and Roger McShane, as
well as a band of intrepid international food reporters, search the world for
the finest restaurants, the most exciting wines, the best produce and the
most wonderful food experiences. And we are doing this all for you! You can visit foodtourist.com
to find out what topics are to be discussed in the next three issues – a
unique feature of Discourse! We are also launching two brand
new series with this newsletter. Each month our series, Dining DecodedÓ ,
will look at a menu offering we have seen and explain what it really means.
We have done this because we think that many restaurateurs are going out of
their way to make their dishes sound obscure. Our Drinking DecodedÓ
series will look at a wine or spirit each month and highlight the important
aspects on the label that you need to be aware of, as well as what is
missing. We will also discuss the merits of the drink itself, naturally! Discourse is published by
foodtourist.com and espouses the same policies as that Web site. We are
fiercely independent. All reviews are conducted anonymously; we do not accept
free meals and restaurants cannot submit copy for inclusion. We decide where
we go and we decide whom we write about. You will receive this newsletter
by e-mail in the middle of every month. We have chosen this time because so
much other e-mail gets sent out at the start of the month. |
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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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As the Air Littoral plane
banked over the azure seas to approach Nice airport we could see the snow on
the mountains in the distance. This augured well for our visit. Snow adds allure
to vistas. We were here partly to continue
our quest searching for the food of Alain Ducasse and were heading for the
mountainous Moustieres St Marie. We also wanted to renew our acquaintance
with this fascinating region and with its superb food and underrated wines. Immediately after arriving we
headed for the centre of Nice to sample a restaurant that seemed to sum up
all the things we like about eating. We had heard of a tiny
restaurant called La Merenda where the chef had an impeccable background in
some serious restaurants and yet now ran a tiny kitchen in a side street in
the centre of Nice. We knew that it specialised in local dishes. After sampling stunning stuffed
sardines, one of the best examples of daube of beef with accompanying panise
we have ever tried, a classic tripe dish and a perfect lemon tart, we thought
we had reached food heaven. But food obsessives cannot
linger. We were booked into the restaurant at Alain Ducasse’s Hostellerie de
l'Abbaye de la Celle so we had some distance to drive before we could eat
again. When we arrived, the unfinished, yet carefully manicured gardens
allowed guests to wander while gaining an appetite for the evening meal in
the beautifully restored abbey. The guest rooms were well-appointed, warm and
inviting. Here both the menu and the wine
list also reflected the produce of the local region. We were pleased to find
a Domaine la Ferme Blanche, Blancs de Blancs 1996 from Cassis and the
stunning (although too young at this stage) 1997 Chateau de Pibarnon from
Bandol. We are particularly excited about the future prospects of the Bandol
region in general and Pibarnon in particular. (See the November edition of Discourse for a
review of the Domaine Tempier red from Bandol.) We dined on légumes de
printemps en vinaigrette tiède, a dish of black pasta with a ragôut of
octopus, larded veal accompanied by perfectly light gnocchi, some of the
lovely goat cheese from the region and pommes au fours caramelisées, which
was a lovely example of how to combine flavours, textures and appearance. Well-satisfied with our meal,
we headed for Cassis the next morning to try the local bourride. Fish soup is
a passion and we will search anywhere for local variations. We had tried
bouillabaisse in Nice and Marseilles, but we had heard that the local
bourride was very different. The thin, almost milky concoction was
interesting without being a flavour hit, but the local Clos Sté Magdeleine
white was a special treat. On leaving the restaurant we lingered to watch the
locals playing boules and sipping pastis to while away the afternoon. Then we headed for the
mountains! The first glimpse of the village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie is
enough to take the breath of even the most seasoned traveller away. Perched
high above the valley floor below the brooding peaks with the church
seemingly reaching desperately for the heights, the scene is definitely one
for picture postcards. We were heading for another
Ducasse restaurant, La Bastide de Moustiers, which is based around an old
17th century coaching inn with modern cottages dotted through the expansive
gardens. The food was similar to the
previous night, but slightly more rustic as befits the surroundings.
Asparagus had been cooked as we like it (not undercooked) and was lifted (not
swamped) by a hint of balsamic vinegar and some asparagus cream. Potato
gnocchi with spinach was accompanied by a fine jus, halves of artichoke and a
crisp piece of country bacon. A leg of perfectly roasted veal was brought to
the table and carved for us. It was served with fava beans, carrots and other
spring vegetables. A pigeon had also been roasted to perfection and was
accompanied by lots of spring peas and shavings of black truffle. We walked
through the piercingly cold night air to the warm and comfortable garden cottage. Next morning we were heading
back to the coast for our long-awaited dish of bouillabaisse at the most
famous exponent of the art. To get there we decided to traverse the famous
Verdun gorge along the exciting (well, quite dangerous, really) mountain
roads. The scenery was breathtaking, the road a challenge and the experience
unforgettable. Finally Cap d’Antibes came into
view and Restaurant de Bacon, our lunch destination, was clinging to the
shores overlooking Nice. We naturally ordered the famous dish. Our minds then
turned to the wine. We were interested in the small appellations immediately
behind the city of Nice, so we ventured the suggestion of a Chateau de Bellet
Cuvée Baron G 97. The sommelier agreed that this would be the perfect
accompaniment. A platter of five different
types of fish, including the absolutely essential rascasse, was brought to
the table for our approval. We were able to see the shiny eyes and the pert
scales of fish that had only recently made the supreme sacrifice. The soup was served in a bowl
and the fish had been retrieved from the cauldron and the flesh was served
separately. Rouille and garlic cloves and croutons appeared. It was all as good as we had
hoped. Restaurant de Bacon really does make one of the best bouillabaisse
dishes on the planet! Finally, on to Monte Carlo, the
playground of the rich and famous. No time for us to waste at the casino or
wander along the waterfront admiring the obscenely large yachts. We needed to
see whether Le Louis XV was as good as Ducasse’s other three-star restaurant. From the minute we walked in,
we were immediately at ease. The staff were welcoming and the space inviting.
We then experienced one of the best and most interesting meals that we have
ever eaten, with a dish of stockfish tripe being a particular highlight. A
full review of this dish will appear in next month’s edition of Discourse. A soup of asparagus poured over
goats cheese, another variation of spring vegetables, the stockfish tripe,
chicken with roasted endive and a chocolate rice soufflé all contributed to a
satisfying, complex and memorable meal. The next morning we left early
because we needed to drive across France for our next food encounter at the
fabulous El Bulli in Spain … but that is another story. |
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From our Los Angeles
correspondent Jeff Shore |
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My wife and I found Tacos
Jalisco because it met our two criteria for selecting a great Mexican
restaurant: a) the décor was sufficiently bleak, yet well-populated with neon
beer signs; and, b) there was a parking space in front. We were in San Pedro
– a harbor city with a lengthy fishing heritage – several miles south
of downtown LA, and I had my hopes set on finding fresh fish tacos. Well, the combination
waitress/maître’d/busperson dashed my dreams for fish tacos promptly,
informing us that they had no such item on their menu. We’re
"fisho-vegetarians" and I still craved an authentic Mexican taco,
so I asked if they had any tacos without meat. "Just the potato tacos,"
replied the waitress. With these words, our culinary
world was changed forever. I’m serious; I don’t want to ruin the ending of
this little story, but this restaurant has become our Alain Ducasse, our
Flower Drum, our "place-to-go when something major needs to be celebrated
and it’s time to pull out all the stops." Needless to say, we ordered the
potato tacos. The tacos appeared as a mound of iceberg lettuce and white
cheese, with just a few patches of tortilla peeking out from underneath. The
tacos themselves are simply corn tortillas stuffed with a heaping tablespoon
of mashed potatoes, then folded in half and deep-fried. They taste delicious, of
course; the maize and potato flavors blend perfectly, and the mystery
mozzarella-esque white cheese provides just the right amount of tang. For us,
the real delight of these tacos is, to borrow a wine term, in the
"mouthfeel." The ingredients seem to perform an elegant,
contrasting dance for the senses. The fried tortillas and lettuce shatter in
the mouth, while the cheese and potatoes provide a soothing, pasty
smoothness. The cold lettuce and cheese set off the warm tortillas and potato
filling. All these sensations will set you back US$1 for two tacos, a fact
that only makes the experience feel more decadent. Since our initial visit, we’ve
tried several other things on the menu – the chile relleno, a not-too-spicy
green bell pepper stuffed with cheese and deep-fried, sticks out as another
particularly good choice – but nothing makes us crave a trip to San Pedro
quite as incessantly as the irresistible potato tacos. (Note: to make the mini-trip to
San Pedro even more fulfilling, take the gorgeous coastal route through Palos
Verdes and around Portuguese Bend.) Details: Serving potato tacos (or any
other meal you desire) from 10 am to 10 pm Monday through Friday, and from 9
am to 11 pm Saturday and Sunday. |
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Second Restaurant:
Café Boulud |
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By Sue Dyson and Roger McShane |
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It is now the done thing for
famous chefs to have more than one restaurant. For some, this has caused
their undoing. Others, like Alain Ducasse, seem to be able to instil their
vision into many places simultaneously (we have eaten at seven of his
restaurants, and have loved them all). Chefs in all corners of the
globe are attempting it. Alice Waters has had two restaurants for ages (the
second one is Chez Panisse Café above the Chez Panisse restaurant). Terence
Conran now has more restaurants than he can count, including one in Paris and
one in New York. In Sydney, Steve Manfredi and Neil Perry both divide their
time between their restaurant empires. So we decided to embark on a
hunt for second restaurants, because sometimes they are more approachable and
not as expensive. We had heard a lot about Daniel Boulud and had enjoyed a
snack at Payard Pattiserie, but didn’t have time to eat at his restaurant, so
Café Boulud, his second restaurant, seemed like a place to try. We have only had one meal at
Café Boulud, but it was enough to convince us that this was a very special
place with a very fine chef at the helm. It happened, purely by
accident, that we were staying next door at the Surrey Hotel. On our last
night in New York we just had time to fit in a meal before heading for JFK on
our way to London and Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. We were so pleased that we
did. The restaurant itself is a
pleasant space and we scored a reasonable table in the corner. Very
comfortable. The attentive waiting staff
knew that we had limited time and ensured that the meal was completed in time
but that we weren't rushed. The bread that started the meal was some of the
best that we had eaten. We almost didn't order the
truffled risotto because we had the same dish a few nights before at
Lespinasse where it was just sublime. However, we decided to see if the
significantly cheaper dish on offer here measured up. The shallow bowl that came to
the table was full of perfectly cooked grains with a very generous quantity
of truffle shavings. The dish had depth and complexity and packed a lot of
flavour. A very serious dish indeed! A dish of fettuccine with
bottarga saw a central mass of very fine pasta studded with the pungent
compressed tuna roe and slices of very fresh razor clams. Both of these dishes teamed
beautifully with a 1996 Volnay 1st Cru from the domaine of Maquis
d'Angerville. While this may be Daniel
Boulud’s second restaurant, don’t think the food is second best. This is a
serious restaurant serving some of the best food in the city. |
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It is a wonderful game to try
to think of the best restaurants in the world! Obviously, any such list will
depend on your personal food preferences, your cultural background and your
range of dining experiences. We have found that people tend
to favour restaurants in their own country. This is because the flavours are
familiar, the cultural expectations are secure and the service is
predictable. We have scoured the world for
great restaurants and have been hard on those of our own country – Australia.
We have endured overnight transcontinental flights, subjected ourselves to
long drives through the winding roads of Spain, endured four star hotels in
the Paris left bank area and submitted ourselves to the rigours of the accommodation
at the Peninsular Hotel in Hong Kong. All so that we could compile this list
for you! So, a pressed pigeon terrine at
Alain Ducasse in Paris, a dish of stockfish tripe at Louis XV in Monte Carlo,
a chestnut dessert at Le Bernadin, unbelievable roast chicken at Chez
Panisse, perfect Chinese pastries at the Flower Drum, confit ocean trout at
Tetsuya’s, Coquilles Saint-Jacques wrapped in paper-thin slices of
cauliflower at Arpege, shredded roast duck with jellyfish at the Spring Moon
in Hong Kong, a single pike quenelle surrounded by lobster cream which was
almost ethereal in its lightness at The French Laundry in Yountville,
California and a dish of Spanish ham and fava bean ravioli at Spain's El
Bulli. So, here is our list: Alain Ducasse (Paris,
France) Louis XV (Monte Carlo) French Laundry (Yountville,
California) El Bulli (Roses, Spain) Chez Panisse (Berkeley,
California) Flower Drum (Melbourne,
Australia) Arpège (Paris, France) Tetsuya’s (Sydney,
Australia) Spring Moon (Hong Kong) Le Bernadin (New York, USA) Postscript: We are aware that Alain Ducasse is moving
the location of his Paris restaurant and the new venue won’t be up and
running until the 20th September, but we are absolutely confident that the
move will be seamless and the new venue will rate just as highly. Two others we need to mention
are Taillevent where we enjoyed a wonderful meal, and Charlie
Trotters where we have tried three times to secure bookings on flying
visits to the windy city, but have been unsuccessful each time. Gordon Ramsay
in London (despite its lack of three-star recognition from Michelin) is also
knocking on the door of greatness. We have not had a chance to eat at
the newly opened Ducasse restaurant in New York. If all goes well there, he
is in danger of having three restaurants in the top ten list! If you think you know a restaurant that deserves to be
in the list (by being better than one of the ones we have awarded), please
send a recommendation to mail@foodtourist.com. |
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Recipe of the Month:
White-cooked Chicken |
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Recipe by Sue Dyson and Roger
McShane |
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One of the great ‘comfort’
foods of the world is white-cooked chicken. It comes in many varieties from
many cultures. Perhaps the most famous is the dish from the island of Hainan in
southern China. This succulent, silky dish is usually served at room
temperature accompanied by a ginger sauce, some steamed rice and a bowl of
deeply satisfying chicken soup. Whether you are in the
Chinatown area of San Francisco, Vancouver or Paris, this dish will be
available. Similarly, the markets of Singapore vie for the best version of
this popular dish. We think that the best is to be found at the Tian Tian
Hainanese Chicken stall #1-10 in the Maxwell Road Food Centre. There is also another variant
to be found in that city. The Samsui women were Chinese immigrants who came
to Singapore in the early part of the 20th century to work on
construction sites. They were very poor, but once a year they celebrated with
a dish that has become known as Samsui chicken. It is very similar to
Hainanese chicken but is served with lettuce leaves with which you wrap up
the chicken slices. To try this dish we recommend
the Soup Restaurant at 39 Seah Street, just near the famous Raffles Hotel. So, how do you prepare perfect
white-cooked chicken? This explanation is more of a technique than a recipe.
You should experiment with the cooking times because the quality of your pots
and pans and the size of the chicken will affect the final outcome. The
chicken should be cooked right through but still be very tender and very
moist. Bring a large pot of water to
the boil, together with a knob of ginger that’s been sliced and two or three
chopped spring onions. The pot must be big enough and full enough to allow
you to subsequently fully immerse a whole chicken in it and you must have a
lid for it. When the water comes to the
boil, immerse a fresh free-range chicken (preferably corn fed). It must not
have been frozen. Allow the water to come back to
the boil and while it is returning to the boil skim off any scum that forms
on top of the water. Lower the temperature to a
gentle simmer, cover the pot and let the chicken cook for 10 to 15 minutes
(as a guide, 10 for a small chicken, 15 for a large one). Remove the chicken from the
heat but don’t lift the lid. Allow the chicken to sit in the
hot water for 45 minutes. (During this time it will continue to cook.) Just before the 45 minutes is
up, prepare a large dish of cold water filled with ice cubes. Carefully remove the chicken from
the pot and drain it well, holding it upright to drain any liquid from the
cavity. Be especially careful not to pierce the skin so that you don’t
release any of the juices. Plunge it into the iced water.
Leave it there for one hour. Remove it from the iced water
and refrigerate it. It can then be used when you need it. You’ll find that
provided the skin has remained intact a delicious jelly forms between the
skin and the flesh. This is probably the best bit. |
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Reviewed by Sue Dyson and Roger
McShane |
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One of the most enjoyable and
relaxing eating experiences we have had in recent years was at the wonderful
French Laundry in Yountville just north of Napa. Relaxed and knowledgeable service,
a soothing atmosphere, an interesting if not extensive wine list and then
lots of thoughtful, provocative and even exciting food. Food that you want to
really eat, not just play with. The experience we had at the
restaurant suggested that Thomas Keller is a driven man who does everything
as well as humanly possible. We assumed that this would also be the case with
his cookbook. And we were right. So often, when the world’s
great chefs put their thoughts down on paper, it is impossible for us mere mortals
to even approach the techniques and approaches they suggest. They often
assume that you have a brigade of twenty to do your bidding. Well, when you
are cooking for ten in your home kitchen, you are the brigade! Keller and his co-writers Susie
Heller and Michael Ruhlman have done a great job at proposing recipes that
are challenging for the home enthusiast but not beyond our reach. In fact, we
recently prepared a seven-course dinner with four of the recipes being
adaptations of those in this fine cookbook and they all worked perfectly
(well, at least our guests were kind enough to say so!). This is a large book in every
sense. Large in size, large in the ideas and large in the generosity with
which Keller’s ideas are shared with us. It is also backed up by stunning
food photography (one of the hardest areas of the photographic arts) by
Deborah Jones. We like the fact that the book
is a story recounting Keller’s road to the French Laundry and how he has
developed his techniques rather than just being a recitation of recipes. The
stories are supported by the recipes, rather than the other way around. This
makes it a book you can sit and read and then head off to the kitchen when
one of the techniques suddenly drives you to the stoves. Keller goes out of his way to
make sure we understand why he does things the way he describes. He also
manages to get across the comforting idea that you don’t reach perfection the
first time. In the section on hollandaise, for example, he describes how he
used to make this unctuous classic every day for two years in his search for
understanding. He also explains the reasons
for his "big-pot blanching", something we have taken up with
enthusiasm. As vegetables cook, they release enzymes which attack the colour
pigments. If, however, the water is above boiling point, these enzymes are
destroyed. Therefore, if you have a large pot of water on the boil and drop
the beans or peas into it, it is less likely to go off the boil than a
small pot of water! The other trick he uses is lots of salt. This helps
reduce the release of the pigments and also helps season the vegetables. Not all the recipes are
complex, although the results are wonderful. Try the lovely cauliflower
pannacotta, for example. The flavour of this much-maligned vegetable is
magnified in this dish. Once you master the technique of reconstituting
gelatin leaves and get the proportion of gelatin to liquid right, you will
make a perfect pannacotta every time. As an aside, if you want to try
something different with cauliflower, cut it into thin slices (about 5mm),
brush the small pieces with olive oil and then roast it in the oven for about
20 minutes at 180C. It develops a wonderful, nutty, complex flavour. For a visual feast that goes
perfectly with crab or salmon tartare, try the cucumber jelly. It takes a
while to prepare, but isn’t difficult once you work out how to make tiny
cucumber "diamonds". Also try some of the techniques
he describes to enhance flavours and appearance on the plate with vibrant
herb oils. There are so many good ideas in
this book we could keep describing them for ages. But the best idea would be
to jump onto the Internet and order a copy for yourself so that you can enjoy
reading the book and getting inside the mind of a great chef. The French Laundry Cookbook |
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It’s probably better not to get
too interested in tea. The reason is that it can become an obsession. One day
you are sipping a cup of the pale amber brew from the local supermarket, then
before you know it, you are frantically tracking down the latest first flush
Darjeeling from one of the 86 official ‘gardens’ in the state of West Bengal. Darjeeling tea is often
referred to as the ‘champagne’ of teas and the first crops of the season are
sought after with the same passion as wine lovers hungering for the first
Beaujolais. So what makes Darjeeling tea so
special? The first thing to notice is how the border of India suddenly juts
upwards into Nepal. The border ensures that the prized teas fall within
Indian territory. The tea plants were first
brought to the area from China, by the British, in the middle of the 19th
century. The plants thrived in the rarefied air, the good soil and the
plentiful rainfall. Some of the first plantations were Makaibari, Alubari and
Margaret’s Hope. By 1866 over 20000 kilograms of tea was being produced
annually. Today, there are 86
"gardens" or "estates" officially recognised by the Tea
Board of India as being producers of Darjeeling tea. Between them they
produce over 10 million kilos of tea and employ a staggering 65000 workers on
a full time or seasonal basis. Darjeeling tea is controlled in
a similar way to wine appellations in Europe. If you want to check to make
sure that you are drinking ‘official’ Darjeeling tea, you will see the
official logo on the packaging. If you are still in doubt, make
yourself a cup and check that it is a light golden colour with a distinctive
‘grape’ or muscatel aroma. Let’s now look at how it is
grown and classified. The tea plants lie dormant in the cold winter months at
such a high altitude. (Some of the gardens are over 7000 feet above sea
level!) The plants grow and mature is the same way as vines. The terroir
affects the flavour of the tea. Soil, water, rainfall, rate of growth, rock
type and cultivation method all contribute to the final flavour and style of
the tea. As spring approaches the buds
appear and the pickers turn out to harvest the first of the leaves and buds
that become known as the Easter Flush or, more commonly, the First Flush. This is the tea that is so
highly sought after. It is a very light, golden colour and has that
characteristic muscatel aroma. It is delicate, fragrant and subtle. It is a
tea for connoisseurs. It is like savouring a delicate Burgundy from
Chambolle-Musigny rather than a huge Syrah from the Rhone Valley. The next crop is known as the
Spring Flush and this is fuller and rounder on the palate and is preferred by
many for its more concentrated flavour. The subsequent Summer Flush and
Autumn Flush produce more robust and less refined flavours, although, like
wine, this depends on climatic factors. Sometimes an Autumn Flush tea is
superb! An indicator of the quality of
the leaves that are used can be gained from the grading system. You will see
some tea referred to as OP (Orange Pekoe) or FOP (Flowery Orange Pekoe).
These terms are used to refer to the largest leaves. These are generally the
lowest quality. They then range through several grades until SFTGFOP (Super
or Supreme Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) is reached. This is an
indicator of the finest tea picked from the small delicate tips. Sometimes
you will see a 1 or 2 used in the code to indicate first or second quality
within the grade. So, what should you look for if
you are seeking the finest teas. There are three estates that Discourse
particularly recommends as producers of the finest teas with the most refined
flavours. Seek out the teas from: Castleton Tea Estate Margaret’s Hope Tea Estate Makaibari Tea Garden The last of these produces
their teas using organic techniques. There is no doubt that teas
from these estates will cost considerably more than regular tea, but the
difference will amaze and astound you. |
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If there is one thing sure to
get the purists outraged it is a change in tradition. In the wine industry it
is only the brave or the very foolish who advocate replacing corks with the
more appropriate Stelvin caps. Food purists would never consider making a
rouille with a blender. And yet, the brewers at the
Pilsner Urquell brewery in the Czech Republic town of Plzen now lager their
golden brew in stainless steel tanks rather than the traditional wooden
barrels lined with tar. The purists swear that it has reduced the complexity
of the beer. So why the outrage? It is
probably because it is the most outstanding example of a pure Pilsner in the
world, and nobody wants to see such a beautiful drink become diminished in
any way. The history of beer from this
Czech Republic town starts when the fabled King Wenceslas moved the town to a
more favourable location and thanked those who moved there by granting them
the right to brew beer and sell it from their houses. In the ensuing centuries the
locals cooperated to share the burden of brewing, culminating in a decision
by about 200 people to establish a ‘Burghers Brewery’ in 1842 on the banks of
the Radburza River. They employed a difficult, but brilliant, brewer from
Bavaria called Josef Groll, and it is he who is credited with developing the
technique of making the alluring, clear, golden, complex brew that we now
know. Pilsner Urquell is still
regarded by many as the greatest in the world. Some of the factors that
contribute to it appealing aroma, its complex, bitter flavour and its
crystalline clearness are the water, the barley, the brewing technique and
the lagering. The water is exceptional. It is
some of the softest water to be found anywhere. Many sing the praises of the
water at Burton in England, but this leaves it for dead! The barley used for
the malt is sourced locally and from nearby Moravia. The bitterness is added
through the renowned Saaz hops. The triple-decoction mashing ensures that the
yeast can do its work. Finally it is lagered in large steel vats for up to 40
days before bottling. So, next time you see a bottle
of Pilsner Urquell grab it. Sit back relax and then enjoy the complex
bitterness and full, round, clean flavour that will make you wonder why you
don’t have one every day! |
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Great Dishes Series:
Celery Root Soup at Gramercy Tavern |
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A Discourse regular feature |
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Gramercy Tavern was the venue
for one of our most enjoyable meals on a recent trip to New York. The bar at the front serves
slightly simpler food and, joy of joys, you don't have to book. But we had
secured a reservation for the restaurant, so were shown through to the large
space at the back. A celery root soup with crème fraîche, white truffles and
Parmesan croutons was stunning. Served in a deep white bowl, tiny cubes of
celeriac lurked in the bottom, while floating on the frothy surface were the
croutons with the crème fraîche and truffle. The flavour was wonderful, the texture
contrasts perfect and the aroma divine! |
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Dining DecodedÓ – |
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A Discourse regular feature |
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Each month we will explain a
dish that we have found on menus from around the planet and we will ‘decode’
the language. Miso-glazed Chilean sea bass served in a spicy Thai
shellfish consommé with herbed spatzle and steamed asparagus. Aqua is an up-market and
expensive restaurant fixed firmly in the centre of the financial district of
San Francisco. The clientele are generally financial or information
technology types who use the restaurant to impress clients and to do deals. Huge mirrors dominate the large
room despite the high ceilings. The mirrors reflect the wonderful flower
arrangements for all to see. Here we managed to order a dish
that included Japan, Chile, Europe and Thailand! The fish was served in a
deep white bowl. It was surrounded by spears and tiny dice of asparagus. The
spatzle was flecked with fresh herbs and was cooked perfectly. Luckily the
Japanese and Thai flavours were so muted that they didn’t interfere with the
delicate flavours in the dish. The main ingredients are now
explained. |
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Miso: Chilean sea bass: Consommé: Spatzle: |
The long-fermented product of
soy beans (or sometimes rice or barley) used as the basis of the popular soup
or as a seasoning. The most famous brand is the revered Hatcho miso that uses
Hokkaido soy beans (see our November issue for a full review of Hatcho miso) A deep-sea fish with a firm flesh
and quite a high fat content. The fish is more commonly known as the
Patagonian toothfish. It is unrelated to other bass varieties. We are
currently monitoring the scientific literature about this fish, as there are
some suggestions that illegal harvesting is putting this slow-growing species
at risk. A clear, light essence or broth
usually made from chicken, veal or beef, but sometimes from seafood. Usually
clarified in some way (often using egg whites) to remove impurities. Tiny dumplings popular in central
Europe that are made from flour, eggs, salt and water (and sometimes baking
soda). The batter is cooked by dropping small amounts into boiling water. |
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Drinking DecodedÓ – Martin Codax Albarino |
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A Discourse regular feature |
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Each month we will choose a
wine or other drink and help you come to grips with the information on the
label. The Albarino grape is reputed
to be a relative of German riesling and may have been brought to Spain by
monks as far back as the 12th century. It is grown in the Rias
Baixas region of Galicia, which is snuggled in between Portugal and France on
the rugged and beautiful Atlantic shores. Martin Codax is a name given to
this white wine by the group of small producers who have banded together to
make wine in the Bodegas de Vilarino-Cambados. This wine has floral overtones
and it typified by the peach or melon aromas that are always present. A
flinty, dry white, it is suitable for summer drinking and goes well with
summer dishes such as salads or seafood. Our prediction is that Albarino
wines will become excessively trendy as more people come to realise what
amazing value for money they represent. |
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Why isn't Gordon Ramsay a three-star restaurant? |
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A meal at Gordon Ramsay’s in
London produced a dining experience that was the equivalent of many Michelin
three-star restaurants and certainly superior to two-star restaurants such as
the Hotel Astor and Le Pré Catalan in Paris. We wonder when Michelin will
give full recognition to the extraordinary effort put in by the kitchen staff
and the front of house here. |
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We were underwhelmed |
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Occasionally we will briefly
mention a restaurant where our dining experience was underwhelming. We agree
that the restaurant may have had a bad day and that on another it might be
different. We made a special pilgrimage to
Don Alfonso 1890 at Sant-Agata sui due Golfe on the Amalfi Coast because of
its three-star rating in the Michelin Guide and were severely disappointed. We thought we had conjured up a
great story. Three restaurants with three stars in three days in three
countries! We were going to write about Don Alfonso 1890 in Italy, Louis XV
in Monte Carlo and El Bulli in Spain. Two were wonderful, one wasn’t! The chef is clearly tired and
bored as was evidenced by his frequent "smoking trips" during the
afternoon with his faithful dog. All very well if everything is flawless in
the kitchen – but it wasn’t. We would not have given this restaurant even one
star using the Michelin ratings. |
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San Francisco style |
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From our San Fransisco
correspondents, Lawrence Banka and Judith Gordon |
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Located in historic Jackson
Square, mc2 ("mc squared") is a stylish restaurant
serving outstanding food. Chef Yoshi Kojima imparts a subtle French–Japanese
perspective to American ingredients to create memorable and beautiful dishes,
complemented by an admirable wine list. Desserts also are wonderful, and the
cocktails distinctive. If there’s no time for dinner, visit their adjacent
cafe, zeroo ("zero degrees"). Open from early morning until
late at night, the cafe is equally stylish, with great homemade ice creams
and sorbets (don’t miss the caramel ice cream) and desserts made by the
restaurant’s pastry chef. It’s definitely worth a detour to take in the
restaurant and explore the surrounding neighbourhood, which is noted for its
pre-earthquake buildings, furniture showrooms, and antique stores. Details: |
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