Estate of the Art

January 6, 2021 / by China Daily Lifestyle Premium

We all know art and wine make fine bedfellows, but news of Donum’s pending distribution in Hong Kong is a clear call to action for aesthetes and connoisseurs of the finer things in life. The winery is renowned for its single-vineyard, single-appellation pinot noir and chardonnay, and is home to a monumental open-air sculpture collection (with more than 40 pieces) at the estate in the acclaimed northern Californian wine region of Sonoma.

“As proud residents of Hong Kong, we are delighted to have found a partner to introduce our wines to the city,” say Mei and Allan Warburg, the owners of Donum. “The Donum art collection has gathered worldwide attention in the art community and, through this recognition, we have met many lovers of art who also have a passion for fine wines.”

Having hosted receptions to celebrate artists alongside Hong Kong’s annual Art Week in March, the estate features more than 40 major works from artists across the globe, including Yayoi Kusama, Louise Bourgeois, Keith Haring, Tracey Emin, Zhan Wang, Yue Minjun, Danh Vō and others.

As far as its winemaking prowess, the estate comprises 200 picturesque acres north of San Pablo Bay in the Carneros area, and employs both biodynamic and organic farming practices. “With our terroir-driven ideology, our wines can transport people to our vineyards with each sip,” says Donum winemaker Dan Fishman.

Alongside its distribution in Hong Kong through Vinopolis, Donum will be added to the wine list of acclaimed Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant and art space Duddell’s. “Our clients have a deep and active appreciation for art,” says the restaurant’s co-founder, Alan Lo. “With Donum’s monumental art collection and artist-designed labels, it’s a great addition to our wine list.”

Chocolate Dreams

December 16, 2020 / by China Daily Lifestyle Premium

Yes, Chef…

December 16, 2020 / by Philippe Dova / photos by Calvin Ng

Image above: Chiu Chow Marinated Goose

What’s the story behind this dish?

Chan Kan Kee’s signature dish, Chiu Chow marinated goose, was created in 1948. Back in the 1940s, my grandfather was selling marinated goose in a village in Chiu Chow in Guangdong Province. Our family then migrated to Hong Kong and continued selling our Chiu Chow marinated goose on “Chiu Chow Lane” – today’s Heung Hing Lane in Sheung Wan – where there were a lot of hawker stalls like ours.

Can you share any of the secrets of your family’s recipe?

For one, we use galangal instead of regular Chinese ginger. In addition, Chan Kan Kee’s lushui [stock for marinating] was started in 1948 by my grandfather. Over all these 72 years, the same lushui has been repeatedly used to marinate the geese. The lushui has been re-boiled every day to maintain the quality of the sauce. All the flavour of the geese has been concentrated in this 72-year-old lushui and that’s what really makes Chan Kan Kee marinated goose special.

How do you select the goose for this dish?

We use goose from Chiu Chow, namely the flathead goose (平頭鵝). We think the texture of the flathead goose meat is softer and easier to be marinated.

Does the goose need to be of a specific size or weight?

We usually use geese that weigh around 6kg, as we find the meat is just right for slicing. It’s not fat and is very soft.

Chiu Chow Marinated Goose

For the lushui (stock)

• 1.5kg pork belly (if making new lushui)

• 19g Sichuan pepper

• 10 pieces star anise

• 75g cinnamon/cassia sticks

• 300ml light soy sauce

• 75ml dark soy sauce

• 300g crystal/rock sugar

• 8 slices galangal

• 150g leeks

• 150g garlic

• 75ml Kaoliang liquor/baijiu

• 6L water

Preparation

The whole process takes around 1.5 hours. After cleaning the goose, hang it up to dry. Wash the pork belly (if you’re making new lushui), Sichuan pepper, star anise, cinnamon/cassia sticks, galangal, leeks and garlic. Chop the leeks into small pieces of approximately 5 inches. Lightly smash the galangal. Heat a little bit of oil in a wok. Put the aforementioned ingredients in, and fry them for a bit. After that, add the water, light soy sauce and dark soy sauce.

Bring the stock to a boil, then pour it into a stock pot. Boil on low heat for 30 minutes to retain its quality; high heat will make the sauce overly concentrated and it will be too salty.

Add the meat (goose, duck, or pork) that you’d like to marinate into the stock. If you’re using a smaller pot at home, chop the goose or duck into smaller pieces (i.e. divide it into 4 portions). Marinate it for around 1 hour. During the early stages, lift the goose up from the sauce from time to time to make sure each part is evenly and completely marinated.

Before the marinating is complete, add the Kaoliang liquor/baijiu and the crystal/rock sugar into the stock.

Tip: Marinate the pork belly (1.5kg) if you’re starting a brand-new lushui (stock). This way, the fat and meat flavour enriches the stock. The same lushui can be re-boiled for repeat use – and you don’t need to add water into the lushui if you reuse it.

Hip to be Square

December 16, 2020 / by China Daily Lifestyle Premium

The Global Spirit

November 18, 2020 / by China Daily Lifestyle Premium

Image above: Baijiu Society aims to change contemporary perceptions of the famed Chinese spirit

Few modern statements of geocultural appropriation are as declarative as combining Chinese baijiu with British cocktail habits and craft beer. But in this quirky venture of innovative liquefaction, the traditional brewing and distilling cultures of East and West have been synergised to evoke a potentially legendary new drink.

One of baijiu’s great strengths (quite literally) is its familiarity to all Chinese people; the Neolithic Age liquor is thought to be around 27,000 years old and is considered the planet’s strongest spirit. Among the drink’s weaknesses is the prevailing lack of awareness towards it in the West. Enter a group of overseas brewers and distillers to form Baijiu Society, composed of visionary alchemists creating a series of world-class Chinese baijiu concoctions. The group is led by Craig Butler, who fell in love with the ancient spirit on a trip to China 25 years ago and was determined to find ways to keep the enigmatic character of the nation’s most storied spirit alive for generations to come – not just in China, but for a new global audience and via an inventory of creative drinks.

Here in Hong Kong, Baijiu Society’s newly launching portfolio of exotic baijiu pours in six infusions of beautiful complexity with velvety-smooth finishes. The creations retain enigmatic features from the spirit’s Eastern history while incorporating bold elements for darker, smoother and easier-drinking iterations.

Unexpectedly, there are also two premium baijiu-infused beers. Earlier this year, Baijiu Society earned a double-gold medal at the Asia Beer Challenge 2020 for its Baijiu Beer Premium, which balances baijiu’s sweet vanilla tones with a light, crisp beer and velvety carbonation, while Baijiu Beer Original’s pear drops, citrus and bittersweetness also caught the judges’ eyes and palates.

And while COVID-19 may have put a dampener on so much of 2020, Baijiu Society notes an uptick in the numbers of people playing mixologist during their home-staycations. To wit, the group has created three signature cocktails – Baijiu & Tonic, Baijiu & Soda and Tropical Baijiu – to mix as part of its #BaijiuCocktailChallenge at home. All three concoctions use one of the craft baijiu spirits, which feature splashes of yuzu, star anise, clove, cherry, peach, orange lychee and even cinnamon.

Yes, Chef…

November 18, 2020 / by Philippe Dova / photos by Calvin Ng

Image above: Dover sole with yellow wine sauce and morels (serves 4)

Where did you get the inspiration for this recipe?

I had several sources of inspiration. First, the idea to roll the sole fillets came from my dad. In his restaurant, he cooked the sole fillets in herb butter and served them rolled. Sole is a fish that I particularly like. I’m also particularly fond of autumn, because it’s mushroom season in France and I use mushrooms in most of my recipes during that time. I was also inspired by traditional recipes from French gastronomy: sole meunière, of course, as well as poularde with yellow wine and morels, a recipe from Jura, the region where yellow wine is produced.

How long did it take to create it?

There have been several variations, because it evolves and follows the seasons. The real signature is the rolling technique – it gives more volume to the sole fillet, and the butter melts and sprinkles the flesh of the fish. Last summer, when I began creating the recipe, I cooked the sole with seaweed butter and spinach to offer a dish full of freshness, adapted to the season with a reference to Brittany thanks to the seaweed butter. It took me three weeks to transition with the seasons, create this autumn recipe, and find the garnish I liked.

Can the sole be replaced with any other flatfish?

No – this recipe can only be done with sole, because it’s the only flatfish that has very fine fillets. If you take another flatfish like plaice, dab or turbot, the fillets will be very difficult to roll. You really need sole, and for a generous portion and elegant aspect on the plate, each one should be at least 600 to 800 grams. I use sole from Brittany, because the seawater there is colder than here. I tried to use sole I bought in local Hong Kong markets, but the flesh is less firm due to the warmer seawater. I prefer the texture of French sole. For this recipe, the quality of the butter is also very important; I use a French semi-salted butter by Bordier.

Dover sole with yellow wine sauce and morels (serves 4)

For the fish

• 2 Dover sole (600-800g each)

• 100g Bordier semi-salted butter (or any high-quality butter)

Fillet the fish, then spread the butter on the fillet and roll it. Hold the shape with a skewer. Then, roast the fish in the butter until it gets a nice colouration. Finish in the oven (1 to 2 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius) and give it some time to cool down before plating.

For the yellow wine sauce

• 250g yellow wine

• 250g liquid cream

• 100g Bordier semi-salted butter

• 2 eggs

• Salt and pepper (to taste)

Pour the yellow wine and the liquid cream in a pot, then reduce the quantity by half (250g). Put the hot liquid in a blender and add the room-temperature butter. Mix until smooth. When the mixture is still warm, add the eggs and mix well again. (The temperature is important, as it’s helping to cook the eggs within the mixture and will give it a smoother texture.) Add salt and pepper to taste. Put the mixture into the cooking siphon gun, then add three gas capsules.

For the morels

• 50g dry morels

• 250g liquid cream

• 2 shallots

• 25g butter

• 400g seasonal mushrooms (I like to use French girolle mushrooms or shiitake)

Use dry morels, as they’re easier to procure. Soak them in water until softened. Then, in a pan, add the butter, chopped shallots and morels. Sear them, then deglaze with the yellow wine and add in the cream. Let it gently cook for a while (around 30 minutes). À la minute, sauté the seasonal mushrooms in the butter in a pan.

For the candied lemons

• 5 lemons (for zest)

• 200g lemon juice (from the lemons)

• 80g sugar

Take the zest of 5 lemons and julienne them, then blanch them twice. Take the juice from the lemons and combine with the sugar to make a syrup.

Plating

Use a plate with a little depth for the sauce. Start by pouring the sauce. Add 2 tablespoons of morels in the middle of the plate; this will be the base for the fish. Put the fish on top of it. Place some sautéed mushrooms around the dish. Decorate with candied lemon and any nice leafy greens (such as spinach).

Yes, Chef…

November 4, 2020 / by Philippe Dova / photos by Calvin Ng

Image above: Fresh Crab Croquette

What’s the story behind this recipe for fresh crab croquette and why is it a signature dish? 

I learned this recipe in Japan on my first job and I liked it very much, so I kept it for over 20 years. This recipe wasn’t part of the Gonpachi restaurant group at the beginning. When the Hong Kong owner, Paul Kwok, got the franchise from the Gonpachi Japan group and opened this Hong Kong restaurant [in Causeway Bay at Lee Garden One], they only had two signature deep-fried items: deep-fried shrimp ball and potato croquette. 

I had the idea that fresh crab croquette might be also interesting to have on an izakaya restaurant’s menu. Therefore, I proposed this recipe to Paul. He thought it tasted very nice and that it might be a good idea to make it a signature dish. The Gonpachi group in Japan also agreed. Thus, fresh crab croquette became the unique signature dish at the Hong Kong Gonpachi and over the past seven years, it has become one of our best-selling items.

Fresh Crab Croquette

Makes about 30 croquettes

Ingredients

• 500g crabmeat

• 100g butter

• 100g flour

• 750ml milk

• 2 onions

• 25g sugar

• 2g salt

• Eggs

• Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

Preparation for the mixture

Finely chop the onions. Heat some oil in a pan and sauté the chopped onions until golden-brown, then set aside. Melt the butter in a pan. Add in the flour and cook for a few minutes. Pour in the milk and stir constantly. Add in the onions and crabmeat, and season with salt. Wait until the mixture cools down. Finally, put it into the fridge overnight and allow it to thicken.

Forming the croquettes

Beat the eggs in a bowl. Prepare the flour and panko in two separate dishes. Form the mixture into a ball. Coat it with the beaten egg. Then, coat it with flour. Dip it into the beaten egg again. Lightly press the panko onto the mixture ball. Repeat for each croquette.

Deep-frying the croquettes

Prepare oil in a saucepan and heat it up to 160°C to 200 °C. Deep-fry until golden brown.

Trunk Show

November 4, 2020 / by China Daily Lifestyle Premium

Image above: The entrance to the new flagship store

Few local success stories in recent times can match the kinetic evolution and development of Elephant Grounds, which started life in 2013 as a small coffee counter at the back of a lifestyle store on rapidly gentrifying Gough Street – and which felt more like a fanatical scientist’s lab than a conventional caffeine house.

Its rise since has been remarkable. Lifestyle entrepreneur Kevin Poon and restaurateur Gerald Li have percolated a formula for success which has seen the zeitgeistful brand, with its “coffee and chill” mantra, establish six retail outlets in Hong Kong, and across four other cities in Asia including Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Manila. 

It’s also about more than just the coffee. The opening of its new 7,000 square foot Elephant Grounds Roastery flagship store on Hollywood Road sees the launch of the brand’s first retail bakery, helmed by executive pastry chef Eane Wong, formerly of L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Hong Kong; she also worked on secondment with the Tokyo bakery Tysons & Company No. 4. Such pedigree and knowledge allows Wong to source the finest flours from Yokohama alongside silky, complex and aromatic French butter from Normandy to conjure her artisanal viennoiseries, including the pistachio cruffin and the banoffee croissant. 

Elephant Grounds sources coffee from farms or farmers who are trusted to produce the best-quality beans and roasts in small batches, allowing for greater levels of control, and thus ensuring consistency and freshness. Starting this month, the company will introduce a monthly coffee subscription programme, in which customers can try a diversity of single-origin coffees and have seasonal blends delivered to their front doors. Elephant Grounds’ mobile app is also available with the addition of the new bakery, allowing users to pre-order croissants, cruffins and other baked goods in advance. 

At the new flagship store, aesthetics are high-key in keeping with Poon and Li’s ambition to create an “urban oasis” for the new normal of working away from the office. “We had an opportunity to build a new focal point for this area,” says Poon. “It was important to cater to the lifestyles of the people in the neighbourhood.”

Redefining Local Cuisine

October 21, 2020 / by China Daily Lifestyle Premium

Image above: Lee Lo Mei’s retro interior

Hong Kong is a city like no other. In terms of food, it’s a compendium of gourmandism, thriving on its fast-moving modernity while proudly retaining its culinary traditions. Lee Lo Mei, the Cantonese restaurant that pays homage to this culture, serves reimagined Hong Kong-style food by combining innovative techniques with unabashedly nostalgic flavours – and its new à la carte menu has just launched for autumn.

“So many of Hong Kong’s old restaurants are disappearing, so we wanted to reflect the nostalgia of those times,” explains Max Lee, the director of culinary and operations at Lee Lo Mei. “We’re showcasing the dishes Hong Kong people love, but with more modern presentations. For some dishes, we’ve even added a hint of other Asian ingredients to create new flavour combinations.”

To wit, see Chef Lee’s Ping Pong Buns (HK$118), inspired by the humble Hong Kong pineapple bun. He has elevated the dish with an Iberico pork patty (grilled to perfection) with char siu sauce, grilled pineapple and homemade pineapple jam; it’s served with crinkle-cut fries and homemade sweet-and-sour sauce.

For the main course, try the Lucky 8 seafood rice (HK$268), inspired by two Hong Kong perennials: claypot rice and sizzling platters. Instead of using cured meat, however, the chef features a mouth-watering array of seafood including Argentinian red shrimp, lobster, Hokkaido scallop, clam, squid, slow-cooked octopus, cod and crab. It’s all served in a claypot with crispy rice, cherry tomato, coriander and spring onion, then finished off with a homemade lobster broth.

Snowy Tofu (HK$68) combines the best of local dessert worlds: almond tea and black sesame. Lee Lo Mei’s version features home-made almond sauce with apricot kernels and rice, with a touch of Japanese black sesame sauce, and is served with tofu ice cream.

From the East to the Middle East

October 21, 2020 / by China Daily Lifestyle Premium

Image above: Pineapple millefeuille

Following the success of its harmonious blend of Chinese and Middle Eastern cuisines, Bedu’s new à la carte autumn menu (with seven new dishes and six new cocktails) showcases an impressive collection of blended influences, from the sandy dunes of North Africa to the vibrant bazaars of the Middle East. All are familiar and recognisable, but have been enhanced in some way.

Start with the reinvented red pepper labneh (HK$55), made with roasted red peppers, and the much-loved roast baby squid (HK$165), vibrantly layered with smoky hummus and pomegranate seeds. Follow it up with some modern Mediterranean fare with the baked feta (HK$115), drizzled with smoky spiced honey and served with an orange glaze. The tataki-style shawarma beef (HK$160) is dressed with harissa sauce and served with a pistachio dukkah. For pescatarians, the marinated salmon (HK$145) is accompanied by a flavourful beetroot salad marinated in herbaceous oil.

For those of a greener disposition, the charred cabbage (HK$120) is served with a fennel pollen garnish and a bed of avocado cream, while the eggplant carpaccio (HK$125) is splashed with savoury tahini sauce, olive oil and pickled chilli for a spicy little kick. Covered with shanklish (aged cheese), the salt-baked celeriac (HK$115) is heaped with almonds, and dressed down with toasted brown butter and Mediterranean yoghurt.

Of course, no feast is complete without a lip-smacking dessert. Diners can conclude the adventure with the pineapple millefeuille (HK$85), layered with spiced granita and drizzled with house-made salted caramel.

For those looking for libations, there’s a bevy of cocktails worth trying, too. Eclipse (HK$95) is composed of kaffir lime-infused Havana rum, coconut cream, lemongrass syrup and a squeeze of lime juice. The T8 (HK$100) is infused with lavender Beefeater gin and soda water, along with a pop of burnt grapefruit and pepper oleo. Sweetness over strength is represented by the Qawa Sada (HK$100), with coffee-infused Olmeca Blanco tequila, house-made salted caramel, peach and a dash of espresso, as well as by the Monsoon (HK$95), comprising red wine, Averna, soda water, and richly balanced kicks of orange and apple flavours.

Yes, Chef…

October 21, 2020 / by Philippe Dova / photos by Calvin Ng

What is the origin of this dish?

I have been offering this dish in Hong Kong since my arrival 11 years ago, but I created it at the Abbaye de la Bussière in Burgundy about 15 years ago when I first became a chef.

Tuna isn’t the most common fish in Burgundy cuisine…

Exactly! And that’s why I created this dish. I wanted to come up with something completely unexpected in the region.

Did the inspiration for your recipe come from Japan?

Actually, I had never been to Japan or Asia when it was first created. It was a very personal creation. Now that I’m in Asia, everyone thinks it’s a Japanese dish, yet almost none of the ingredients are used in Asian cuisine. It’s quite interesting…

How long did it take to create it?

With my sous chef, it took us six to eight months to find the perfect balance. When a chef launches a dish, he can never be 100% sure that the customer will like it – or that he himself will like it. It’s a process that people don’t necessarily see, but for a chef, cooking is constantly evolving. It changes all the time, as do customer expectations. There is never a given. You have to constantly question yourself.

When I launch a new dish, I really like to observe people eating it. That’s one reason I like working in an open kitchen. The way they eat that dish gives us a glimpse of how we’ll potentially rearrange the dish on the plate so that they’re sure to take in all the ingredients at the same time.

What sort of tuna and spices do you use in this recipe?

I use albacore tuna from France, but it’s not a problem if you use tuna from Japan, as long as it isn’t too fatty. Toro doesn’t work at all with this recipe; you have to use maguro. Then I use five spices: fennel seed, sesame, anise, poppy seed and pink peppercorn, which I don’t break up too finely because I don’t want it to be mixed. We did a lot of trials with numerous spices. We had quite a few problems at the beginning – there were spices that dominated too much – until I discovered that these five spices were the most suitable to put around this tuna.

The shallot vinaigrette is also very important for the acidity. It has about 30 ingredients. The shallots are cooked with vinegar; it’s a rather intense reduction of juice that you then relax with grapeseed oil, chopped garlic and a little bit of chives. When you put this on the tuna with the avocado, which is a little rich and fatty, there’s a really interesting interplay of textures and acidity. It’s a recipe that isn’t too complicated – but of course you have to respect some of my little secrets!

Grilled Tuna with Five Spices (serves 4)

• 250g white albacore tuna loin

• 50g mixed spices: black and white sesame, anise seeds, fennel seeds and pink peppercorn

• 2 pieces crushed avocado with finely chopped red onions, coriander and lime juice

• 80g deep-fried shallots

Dressing

• 15g ginger pickles

• 10g fresh ginger

• 50g Pedro Ximénez vinegar

• 50g finely chopped shallots

• 30ml mirin

• Grapeseed oil

Preparation

Portion the tuna in a consistent and straight rectangular shape. Put the tuna into the mixed spices and coat it equally in the mix. Sear 30 seconds on each side to roast the spices and give it some colour; set aside.

Smash the avocado and add the finely chopped red onions at the same time as the coriander. Finish with a splash of lime.

For the dressing, simply combine all the ingredients.

That’s the Hong Kong Spirit

October 7, 2020 / by China Daily Lifestyle Premium

Image above: The Perfume Trees lab

Nothing tells the story of a place and its culture quite like a local spirit, which speaks volumes through the botanical character indigenous to location. Hong Kong lacked in this respect for a long time, so the founders of Perfume Trees Gin, Kit Cheung and Joseph Cheung (no relation), decided to create a spirit that told the compelling story of the Fragrant Harbour.

“Capturing the essence of Hong Kong has always been our dream,” says Kit, a mixologist with more than 18 years of bar consulting and bartending experience both locally and in Europe, and who serves as the artistic driving force behind Perfume Trees. “Using the classical spirit of gin as a canvas, we have painted broad brushstrokes of traditional fragrances and aromas, transporting you on a gentle breeze to a portrait of our Hong Kong.” Meanwhile, Joseph is a cardiac nurse practitioner and Master of Laws graduate, who joined one of Kit’s cocktail classes before they started their gin-making journey together.

When they set out to make their gin, Kit and Joseph were on a mission to capture the fission and fusion of the city’s colliding cultures. The pair worked closely with local farmers and suppliers to understand the unique terroir of Hong Kong.

It hasn’t been the easiest story to tell. Ultimately, the duo landed on a business model where they select their botanicals locally, then send the ingredients to the Netherlands, where the spirit is distilled and bottled. By selecting aromatic, evocative botanicals, their lively libation captures the very heart and soul of Hong Kong, transporting the drinker to the city’s colourful streets. Specifically, they have used white champaca flowers from the white champaca tree, nicknamed the “perfume tree”, which was once ubiquitous in the city – a humble plant that supported the living of elderly women who sold it on street corners. According to Tibetan beliefs, the Buddha of the next era will find enlightenment under the white flower canopy of the champaca tree.

The essential oil of champaca, a plant also sometimes referred to as white sandalwood or white jade, is also known as one of the most expensive in the world, and is often used in premium perfumes. Tom Ford has a perfume called Champaca Absolute and Japanese avant-garde fashion label Comme des Garçons produced Luxe Champaca, while Christian Dior’s J’adore L’Or, Calvin Klein’s Euphoria and Michael Kors’ Gold Rose Edition all invoke champaca as a middle note.

Many gin brands use dry botanicals, but the two Cheungs specifically wanted the white champaca flower despite its very short shelf life; its flowers wilt in around six or seven hours at room temperature. Sourcing a steady supply of the flower in Hong Kong was difficult, so after a year of research, the pair opted for an organic flower farm in Taiwan. 

The gin also uses sandalwood, paying homage to the city’s long history as a port town and place of trade. The sandalwood hails from India and is a common sight (and scent) in Hong Kong’s temples today. Perfume Trees sources the sandalwood from Wing Lee, a provider of incense sticks for more than a century in Hong Kong. There’s also 15-year-aged tangerine peel. A Chinese proverb says that aged tangerine peel is worth its weight in gold and it’s often used as an infusion in wine in China, but this is the first time it has been used to make a gin. The bitterness of the tangerine peel is softened by the lengthy ageing process, leaving a sweet citrusy flavour that has become a traditional seasoning with medicinal properties throughout Southern China.

Tea plays a part, too. The gin is infused with a premium blend of Longjing green tea from a traditional Hong Kong tea house, which lends a strong and flavourful foundation. And while many Western distillers already use angelica in gin, Perfume Trees uses Chinese angelica, with its distinctive warm, earthy and liquorice flavour profile.

Certainly, Perfume Trees has been gaining all the right accolades, too. It has picked up awards at a number of major global competitions, including the Best Contemporary Gin (Gold) at the World Gin Awards in 2019 and 2020, the Best in Class Gin (Platinum) at the 2019 SIP Awards in the US, and the Best Design Label at The World Gin Awards 2020.

K-Cuisine for the Soul

September 23, 2020 / by China Daily Lifestyle Premium

Image above: Blessed tofu skin pocket stuffed with sweet potato noodle

If soul-phisticated vegetarian cuisine in the form of lovingly created Korean temple food is your thing, then the restaurant Soil to Soul in K11 Musea in Tsim Sha Tsui East is a must-visit food destination. At the elevated but humble helm is certified temple food master and World Master Chef Gu Jin Kwang – a six-year protégé of renowned Korean Buddhist nun Woo Kwan – responsible for highlighting healthy eating, wellness and minimalism with his modern take on a Korean food philosophy which dates back more than 1,000 years to the Goryeo Kingdom.

While Korean temple food adheres to strict principles, Gu contemporises and liberates the traditions of its trio of basic fundamentals: clarity and sincerity of both chef and diner to “nourish the soul”, flexibility and harmony, and compliance with the Buddhist dharma. Ultimate monastic adherence dictates that garlic, green onion, leek, chive and onion are so pungent they distract the mind with impure thoughts.

Thankfully, Gu takes those pretexts with a broader pinch of purified salt crystal and interprets the ancient wisdom with a nourishing selection of à la carte specialities, lunch sets and six-to-eight-course dinner tasting menus, alongside contemporary bar snacks and an exclusive Temple Food Tasting Menu of between eight to ten courses, available omakase-style (though it has to be ordered a day in advance). Throughout the offerings, Gu ferments and preserves seasonal vegetables and fruits from local Hong Kong farms for pickles, traditional style kimchi and his own handcrafted Korean sauces.

There’s something for everyone at this shrine to wellness, from the dinner tasting menu (HK$598-$788, featuring perilla seed with taro soup with jangajii wrapped rice, and blessed tofu skin pocket stuffed with sweet potato noodle) to the takeaway lunch sets of Korean vegetarian bento (HK$138), and from the bar snacks (daily Korean mini-pancake, HK$68 for three) to the soju-inspired cocktails and mocktails.

Ancient Rome on a Plate

September 23, 2020 / by China Daily Lifestyle Premium

One of the most remarkable aspects of being an ancient Roman time-traveller to contemporary 2020 would be discovering that much of the food consumed 2,000 years ago remains essentially the same today. Despite some exotic tendencies, the Romans ate roughly 85% of the foodstuffs we now consume. A piece of cheesecake in Starbucks would be recognisable to our Roman ancestor as libum. Were they to venture into a McDonald’s, if they could get past the technology, an isicia omentata (hamburger) would be their all-too-familiar lunch.

We know this from consulting the Apicius de re Coquinaria, often referred to as the world’s first cookbook, a compendious volume of Roman culinary recipes assembled by Marcus Gavius Apicius in the first century CE. A mix of scientist, educator and gastronomist, Apicius lived in the times of Roman leaders Augustus and Tiberius; he was the official cook for the latter. At that juncture, the Roman Empire had reached its highest point, when the seeds of decline, though in the ground, were not yet apparent.

Apicius’s tome sets the tone for all cookbooks that followed it. He collated his findings across numerous chapters under headings including The Careful Housekeeper; The Meat Mincer; The Gardener; Vegetables – Pulse, Legumes; Birds, Poultry; The Quadruped – Four-Legged Animals; The Sea – Seafood; and The Fisherman.

There were, of course, numerous ingredients commonly used during the period. Ubiquitous across Roman cuisine, used both in cooking processes and as a condiment, was a seasoning known as garum. It consisted of fish juice made by fermenting fish guts, heads, and tails in large amounts of salt for several days outside in the sun. (Fish sauce would be today’s equivalent.) The garum was served in different ways depending on which fish the oils had been sourced from, though the most popular were bluefin tuna and mackerel.

Spices were used, but only consumed by the richest Romans; these included pepper, myrtle, cumin, coriander, celery, fennel, dill, caraway, sesame and mustard. Herbs were prominent, notably lovage, which was widespread in Roman cuisine and today would probably be approximated to parsley. Also common were a species of wild mint, pennyroyal (not unlike modern peppermint), thyme, oregano and dill.

Time-travel back to ancient days and ways, and sample a selection of Roman staples you can still create and enjoy today.

RECIPES

Hypotrimma Salad (serves six)

Preparation time: 5 minutes

• Assortment of salad greens

• 100g unsalted farm cheese

• 2 tbsp honey

• 100ml vinegar

• 1 cup garum (fish sauce)

• 50ml olive oil

• 100ml defritum (substitute port or Malaga wine)

• 100ml dry white wine

• 2 pinches pepper

• 1 cup dry lovage (can substitute parsley)

• 3 tbsp dry mint

• 2 tbsp pine nuts

• 1 tbsp raisins

• 12 dates

Cut the mint and lovage. In a salad bowl, crush the cheese, incorporate the honey, and add the vinegar, garum, olive oil, white wine and port. Mix well. Add the mint, crushed lovage and pepper. Blend the resultant mixture with the salad greens. Season and garnish with pine nuts, raisins and dates cut into strips. Serve chilled.

Eggs & Honey (serves two)

Preparation time: 5 minutes

• 4 eggs

• 250ml milk

• 25g butter

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 3 tbsp honey

• Black pepper  

Beat the eggs with the milk and butter. Heat a pan with olive oil and add the mixture. Whisk with a fork until it begins to take shape and then flip it to cook the other side. Fold in half and plate. Warm the honey and pour over the omelette, then cut into thick slices. Sprinkle with black pepper and serve.

Melon & Watermelon with Pepper (serves six)

Preparation time: 5 minutes

• 1 melon

• ½ watermelon

• 1 cup honey

• 2 pinches freshly ground pepper

• 1 tsp dry pennyroyal (a kind of peppermint)

• 1 tbsp passum (a sweet raisin wine; substitute vin jaune (“yellow wine”) from Arbois)

Ugly Beauty

September 9, 2020 / by China Daily Lifestyle Premium

Have you ever wondered why the sandwich you buy during office lunch hour never incorporates the crust from a loaf of bread? And if one day it did, would you still buy it? Most likely you wouldn’t, as your aesthetic and epicurean perceptions dictate that tough outer parts of sliced bread don’t make for esculent sandwiches. The store that sells you it thinks the same, and tosses the two crusts away from every loaf it sells each day. But think about such egregious waste the next time you purchase your “poster sandwich” and then digest this: Every year, globally, sufficient food is produced to feed every mouth on the planet multiple times over. Humanity’s model, ironically, has been so successful, that we have created a surfeit in our food production cycles by about 400% while simultaneously destroying the planet’s resources. And yet, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that one-third of all food produced on Earth goes to waste each year on account of its looks, or more accurately, its lack of them; that amount of produce would feed a staggering two billion people.

For example, just because a humble banana from Ecuador might be too short, too long or too curved for its destined European market, or a potato from a field in France might be too small to be harvested by farm machinery, the powers that be ignore and discard such perfectly edible produce. The FAO estimates that six billion pounds of American fruits and vegetables remain unharvested or unsold for aesthetic reasons annually. Staggeringly, as much as 46% of fruits and vegetables never make the journey from farm to fork.

In late July, the FAO unveiled a comprehensive platform to help the global community step up action to reduce food loss and waste, gearing up for the inaugural International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste on September 29, 2020. The initiative brings together a wealth of information on measurement, reduction, policies, alliances, actions and examples of successful models applied to reduce food loss and waste across the globe.

“Wasting food means wasting scarce natural resources, increasing climate change impact and missing the opportunity to feed a growing population in the future,” remarked FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu at the platform’s launch in Rome. The Hunan-born Qu, appointed in August 2019, previously served as China’s Vice-Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and is the first Chinese national to head the organisation.

The FAO talks of “food loss” and “food waste”. Of the 33% of food that is lost or wasted in developing countries, as much as 40% of it is lost during the harvesting and processing stages. This is “food loss”.

In developed countries, more or less the same 40% is lost at the consumer or retail stage, throwing away food that isn’t bought at stores or food that remains uneaten at home, restaurants or cafeterias. This is “food waste”, and has become a modern-day malaise and a dangerous habit. We buy more than we need at supermarkets, letting fruits and vegetables spoil at home or ordering more than we can eat at restaurants.

For example, the US produces four times as much food per year as it actually needs to feed its population. Reducing food loss and waste has numerous benefits, such as more food available for the most vulnerable, a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, less pressure on the land and water resources, and increased productivity and economic growth. When we waste food, we waste the labour, money and resources (seeds, water, feed and so on) that go into making the food, not to mention the resources involved in transporting it.

To change the world’s mindset, Qu cites the need for innovation, both technological and operational, across multiple declensions of the problem. This includes finding technological solutions for post-harvest management, new ways of working together and improved food packaging. He also suggests relaxations on regulations and standards concerning aesthetic requirements for fruit and vegetables, better consumption habits, government policies targeted at lowering food waste (such as guidelines to redistribute safe surplus food to those in need through food banks), and alliance-building that transcends the food sector, for example, with climate agents.

Make Mine a P&T…

August 19, 2020 / by China Daily Lifestyle Premium

As we’ve all been cooped up at home, you’ve probably caught up on your reading – or perhaps become a bit of a mixologist. Say you’ve mastered the classics, but you’re looking for something a bit more refreshing and off-the-beaten-path. Port isn’t a drink you typically associate with hot weather or late summer, but white port is a different story entirely. 

White port’s not new or innovative; it’s just seldom been drunk outside of its native Portugal. In the Douro Valley, the birthplace of port, generations have been drinking its white iteration for decades.

White ports are produced exactly the same way as reds, but using white grapes (Donzelinho branco, Côdega and Rabigato, among others). They can vary in taste from sweet to dry. Typically, red port is served as a dessert wine, but its white and tawny siblings are more often served as an aperitif.

Enter the port and tonic. Known as Porto Tonico in Portugal, its name may remind you of a similar libation: the G&T. Unlike the G-force of a gin and tonic, however, the P-force of a P&T carries only about half as much alcohol content. White port contains about 20% alcohol, which drops to about 10% once diluted by tonic water. Hence, it makes for longer drinking – and its popularity is soaring.

In taste, white port, not unlike gin, exudes a certain sweetness that combines just as well as its spirited counterpart with the bitterness of the tonic. One proviso is not to overdo the tonic, as the gentler, nutty flavours of the white port are more easily overwhelmed than gin’s. For a garnish, Lisbonites typically serve it with ice cubes, mint leaves and lemon or orange, though you could throw in a slice of ginger for additional pizzazz.

So, the next time a Campari, Negroni or Lillet moment presents itself, amaze and intrigue guests and friends with your pre-dinner P&T prowess. As they say in Portugal: Saúde!

The Frog’s Metamorphosis

July 22, 2020 / by Philippe Dova

One of the pioneers of the New Languedoc, Jean-Claude Mas established Les Domaines Paul Mas in 2000. The innovator behind the concept of “luxe rural”, Mas now owns and operates 800 hectares of vines in his homeland of Languedoc-Roussillon in the South of France, in addition to 1,500 hectares with some 80 partner winegrowers. In 2005, he created the humorously named brand Arrogant Frog, which has grown into a global success story, with more than 5 million bottles sold every year in more than 40 countries.

The stereotype of French arrogance has long persisted in English-speaking countries – and in the early 2000s, French products, especially wines, were losing market share. Amid this unfavourable economic environment, an idea popped into Mas’s head – leading to 2005, when he launched Arrogant Frog, a wine brand that mocks French self-confidence.

Prominently featured on the label is a dandy frog, wearing a beret and holding a glass of wine. “It’s a character who is obviously a frog, but a caricature that one can imagine being a somewhat snobby French wine producer,” explains Mas. “Arrogant Frog also uses a bold graphic style where humour holds a major place. The Frog plays multiple roles in situations, whether it’s poetry or playing sports, without ever losing that French elegance.”

As a modern amphibian, The Frog is constantly adapting to the circumstances. A few months ago, when France was locked down due to COVID-19 and people were cooped up at home, Mas created a limited-edition run of Confined Frog labels in a mere 72 hours. The Confined Frog is a gourmet connoisseur who loves all the good things in life: the best vintages, vegetables from the garden, fish from the nearby river, and eggs, cold meats and poultry from the neighbouring farm. Like a good farmer, the January alerts linked to the virus led Confined Frog to store goods well and go green before the confinement orders.

Perfect Sips

July 8, 2020 / by China Daily Lifestyle Premium

“I drink upon occasion and sometimes I drink upon no occasion,” declared literary icon Don Quixote, the title character of Cervantes’ classic 17th-century novel. That seems as reasonable an approach as any, especially in these times, for navigating our treasured and leisured way through post-lockdown summer season. And if any season demanded reason for a splash or spritz of indulgent liquefaction, then surely it’s this one. Here are three of our favourites among the coolest, most quaffable and thirst-quenching summer cocktails.

The  Mojito

One of the iconic summer cocktails is the Cuban mojito – from Havana to be exact. This perfectly balanced libation of lime, rum and fresh mint maximises the season’s herbs. It’s not only the perfect summer concoction, but one that will get you dreaming of the sea and surf in the deep, dark solitude of winter nights, too. 

• 30ml (1 ounce) lime juice

• 60ml (2 ounces) white rum

• 120ml (½ cup) soda water

• 15ml (½ ounce) maple syrup 

• 4g (1 tsp) fine sugar

• 3 mint leaves, plus additional for garnish

The Aperol Spritz 

The Italian neo-realist cinema and sunglasses-clad drink of choice, the spritz Veneziano was invented in the 19th century as a way of watering down wine to make it more palatable for delicate constitutions, while the Aperol Spritz became a cocktail du jour from the glamorous 1950s onwards. As bright as sunlight and bittersweet as orange today, the contemporary drink’s success relies on using the best-quality prosecco to mix with the Aperol – and serving it as chilled as possible. 

• 60ml (2 ounces) Aperol, chilled

• 90ml (3 ounces) prosecco or other sparkling wine, chilled

• 30ml (1 ounce) soda water

• Ice

• Orange slices (for garnish)

Yes, Chef... 

July 8, 2020 / by Philippe Dova / photo by Calvin Ng

Image above: Sautéed Mud Crab with Brown Sauce, Edamame and Glutinous Rice Cakes

Executive chef Chen Xiaohe of 10 Shanghai has devoted himself to cooking for more than 20 years and developed an expertise in Chinese cuisine. He has worked for a variety of renowned restaurants and government organisations, including the Fairmont Peace Hotel, Oriental City Hotel and Empire City Huaiyang, and was the director of Shanghai & Huaiyang cuisine for the Super Star Group in Shanghai. Chef Chen also worked for the Chinese People’s Armed Police Force in Beijing from 2002 to 2011, where he was responsible for preparing Huaiyang feasts for directorate officers. 

Here, Chen shares his inspiration and his recipe for sautéed mud crab with brown sauce, edamame and glutinous rice cakes.

When did you create this recipe? 

I created it in 1999 when I worked at the Fairmont Peace Hotel in Shanghai. Rice cakes are popular in Shanghai, while Jiangsu [north of Shanghai] is famous for seafood like mud crab. I came up with the idea of cooking crab and rice cake together when I was chatting with a colleague. I imagined that the rice cakes would absorb the essence of the crab and that it might bring the rice cakes to another level. So we gave it a try and found it tasted nice. Later, I recommended this dish to my customers and they loved it. 

Where do you source the ingredients from? 

For Huaiyang cuisine, most of the ingredients are imported from Shanghai and Yangzhou. [Like terroir in wine], the place, breeding or cultivation of the ingredients will affect the flavours.

Why is Yangzhou known as such a hotspot for outstanding chefs? 

There’s a long history for this phenomenon in terms of Yangzhou’s unique geography and culture. Starting in the Shang Dynasty, Huaiyang cuisine developed quickly, especially during the Qing Dynasty, and became famous among the various Chinese cuisines. For a long time, Yangzhou has had an established food culture. Its famous dishes include Yangzhou fried rice, braised pork balls in brown sauce, braised pork knuckle and more.

In the Qing Dynasty, the Qianlong Emperor [who ruled from 1735 to 1796] took seven trips to Jiangnan [a region that combines today’s Nanjing, Ningbo, Hangzhou, Yangzhou and more]. When the emperor went to Yangzhou, he discovered that the cuisine there was very delicious and he liked it very much. Yangzhou people wanted to please the emperor’s stomach so they could make a living, and competition among chefs became fiercer and fiercer. Hence, people were motivated to meticulously develop even more traditional dishes. 

Today, Yangzhou cuisine is usually served at state banquets. Premier Zhou Enlai was born in Huai’an, so he loved Huaiyang cuisine. Interestingly, it’s said that Yangzhou is famous for three knives: the chef’s knife, the pedicure knife and the haircut knife.

Is there a philosophy behind this dish?

In terms of Chinese medicine, crab is considered a type of “cold” food, while the brown bean sauce is “warm”. In order to keep our bodies healthy, the brown bean sauce is essential to balance out the cold nature of mud crab. It’s a similar philosophy with ginger and vinegar, which is usually served with hairy crab.

There is a symbolism for this dish, too. Mud crab will turn red when fully cooked and in Chinese, “red” corresponds with fire, symbolising good fortune and joy. Rice cakes have an identical sound to 年, meaning “year” in Chinese. As such, eating this dish has the symbolism of bringing good fortune every year. Therefore, people normally order it at weddings, Chinese New Year or other celebrations.

Sautéed Mud Crab with Brown Sauce, Edamame and Glutinous Rice Cakes

Ingredients

• 850g mud crab

• 110g glutinous rice cakes (Ningbo rice cakes)

• 40g shelled edamame

• 15g ginger

• 15g scallions

• Flour

Seasonings

• 32g Kwong Cheong Thye dark soy sauce

• 15g light soy sauce

• 30g granulated sugar

• 30g Shaoxing Huadiao wine

• 15g oyster sauce

Wash the mud crab thoroughly and chop it into pieces. Slice the ginger and glutinous rice cakes. Cut the scallions into 5cm-long pieces. Remove the skin from the edamame beans.

Heat some oil to around 200˚C in a wok. Dust the crab with flour before adding it in. Fry until golden brown and set aside.

Reduce the amount of oil, then add in the ginger and scallions and fry until fragrant. Add the crab back into the wok and pour in the Shaoxing wine. 

Summer Sips

June 17, 2020 / by China Daily Lifestyle Premium

Instead of drinking plain old water, “detox water” can get you all the good stuff from H2O for your body and a lot more – and it’ll be super-tasty, too. Used as part of your daily regimen or as a method of nutrition replenishment during a detox session, it’s a perfect physical and mental refresher. But before you jump into it, there’s an unmissable step: Get a beautiful glass bottle or pitcher so you’ll have that much more motivation to stick to your routine. 

Step 1 – Select the fruit(s).

Recommendations: 

Strong

Lemon/lime 
Orange
Grapefruit
Pineapple
Cucumber 

Mild

Watermelon
Strawberry
Kiwi

Step 2 – Select the herbs or other side ingredients to add flavour.

Recommendations: 

Mint leaves
Parsley
Cinnamon sticks
Ginger root
Honey 
Himalayan salt

Step 3 – Add the fluid(s).

Water

Other recommendations:

Green tea
Coconut water
Apple cider vinegar (diluted with water)

Step 4 – Refrigerate.

Refrigerate your pitcher with all the selected ingredients for anywhere from three hours to overnight, depending on how strong you want the flavours to be.

Pineapple Lime Detox Water

A bowl of pineapple wedges and a lemon cut into wedges 
Juice of 2 whole limes 
Some fresh parsley leaves
Water

South Asian Treats

June 17, 2020 / by China Daily Lifestyle Premium

A great cooling food for the summer, live yoghurt is extremely nutritious and helps keep your gut bacteria healthy. Recent research from Osteoporosis International has also concluded that the habitual consumption of yoghurt could lead to stronger bones. But if you want to try something besides eating directly out of the container, check out our Indian-inspired recipes for some tasty ideas. 

Mint and Cucumber Raita 

This mint and cucumber raita recipe is a classic. Simply mix all the ingredients together; you can eat it on its own, or serve it with breads and various other dishes. 

1 cup natural yoghurt
½ cup cucumber, grated or chopped
3 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons chopped green onions
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of salt (season to taste)

Mango Cardamom Lassi

A blended drink of yoghurt, milk, fruit and some light spices, mango cardamom lassi delivers natural sweetness. Mix all the ingredients with a spoon or in a blender to achieve a smoother texture.

1 cup natural yoghurt
1 cup chopped ripe mango 
½ cup milk
Pinch of ground cardamom
1 to 2 teaspoons honey 
Some ice (optional) 

Masala Chaas

Also known as “Indian buttermilk”, this masala chaas has a stronger taste with various spices added; it’s also good for digestion due to the addition of kala namak (Himalayan black salt). 

1 cup natural yoghurt 
¾ teaspoon kala namak (black salt)
¾ teaspoon chaat masala (spice blend)
3 teaspoons fresh mint leaves
2 cups chilled water 
1 small green chilli, chopped (optional)

Any Way You Slice It

June 17, 2020 / by China Daily Lifestyle Premium

How Sweet It Is

June 3, 2020 / by China Daily Lifestyle Premium

Have a sweet tooth? Love candy? Get excited by all things fun and colourful? Then you’d be wise to seek out British confectioner Spun Candy, which this month brings its magical candyfication to Hong Kong with the opening of its inaugural Asia store in Harbour City, located within LCX on the third floor. 

All of Spun’s candy offerings are vegan, gluten- and GMO-free, and handmade. The brand not only makes a range of seasonal candy mixes, but also works with shoppers to create personalised candies and lollipops for any event or occasion. Spun’s master candy-makers can use a name or word of your choice (up to eight characters) on lollipops across a range of flavours such as orange, strawberry, tutti-frutti and passionfruit. There are also candy faces, which is like having your portrait painted – in candy. 

The brand also has a reputation for its masterclasses, showing customers the art and science of hand-making traditional British candy – be it lollipops, candy, fudge, honeycomb or brittle, or anything else you can dream of. Spun promises to lead you “through a journey of experimentation and push you to new creative heights”. These masterclasses are even suitable for children ages six and up.

Yes, Chef... 

June 3, 2020 / by Philippe Dova

Tell us about your recipe.

The inspiration comes from the Chinese steamed fish with green onions, ginger and soy sauce. We simply steam the fish, then we make a sauce with soy sauce and sugar. I make the sauce with hoisin sauce and I use fermented white soybeans with fish stock. I make it very simple, so you get the flavour of soy, but you don’t get that very dark colour from the fermentation; it’s lightly fermented so as not to overpower the fish.

What kind of fish do you use?

I use wild cod fish. I like the texture, since it’s a fatty fish. It’s very simple to cook it sous-vide – that’s how to get the perfect temperature to get that nice texture and lock in the flavours. 

What’s your inspiration?

Anything that comes from Hong Kong – so I could be inspired by a landmark or a person. The menu I have right now is called “a Hong Kong story”, using fine ingredients from around the world.

Poached black cod in yellow fermented soy sauce (serves 2)

Ingredients

• 4 black cod fillets (cut to 5cm x 10cm, approximately 4cm thick)

• 10g Chaozhou seaweed

• 30g Chinese yellow fermented soybeans (mein see)

• 15g ginger

• 500ml fish stock

• 50g butter

• 80g monkfish liver (optional)

• Sweet potato vermicelli (optional)

Slowly sauté the fermented soybeans and ginger in 10g of butter for 2 minutes. Add the fish stock and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add the fish fillets, then cover and poach for 10 minutes.

Remove the fillets and keep warm. Reduce the poaching liquid to half. Pour the contents into a blender and liquefy them. Sieve and pour back into the pot, and bring to a boil. Add the seaweed and slowly add the remaining butter to thicken the sauce.

Perfect Pairing

May 20, 2020 / by China Daily Lifestyle Premium

One unexpected upshot of the stay-at-home global pandemic is people’s increasing appetites to become more creative with their cooking and drinking at home. One way of elevating the domestic dinner-table offering is by pairing your dishes with the appropriate Burgundy wines – not of the stratospherically expensive auction kind, but what the Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) calls the lesser-known, more affordable “hidden treasures” of the region’s appellations.

These include Bourgogne and Mâcon, which perfectly complement the comfort food classics of Cantonese cuisine. It all makes perfect sense, given the city’s relationship with the French jurisdiction. Hong Kong retains its special place as a high-value market for Bourgogne wines, with year-on-year exports increasing 5.9% in volume and 8% in value in 2018–19, according to BIVB.

“These wines offer an entry point into the unique terroirs of the famous region with incredible taste and price-to-quality ratio,” says Anne Moreau, the president of BIVB’s communication committee. “They highlight areas in the Bourgogne or Mâcon appellations with specific characteristics. This narrows the wine down to a village, such as Mâcon-Uchizy, Mâcon-Lugny or Bourgogne Épineuil, to name just a few; to a distinct part of a region, such as Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise or Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune; or even to a climat, such as Bourgogne La Chapelle Notre-Dame and Bourgogne Côte Saint-Jacques.”

“Bourgogne and Mâcon, plus the geographical denominations, are a true gateway to Bourgogne terroir, whatever the occasion or meal,” says Moreau. “Often ready to drink from a young age, they marry with a wide range of diverse cuisines, and are also the perfect choice to enjoy at home with friends and family over a home-style Cantonese dinner.”

Indeed, many of Burgundy’s admired (and accessible) Bourgogne and Mâcon wines are especially complementary for Cantonese cuisine and its numerous culinary styles across Guangdong. The following six reds and whites can be purchased in Hong Kong with ease.

Mâcon-Cruzille, Cuvée 910, Domaine du Clos des Vignes du Maynes (2018) is recommended for deep-fried crispy chicken, a classic Cantonese favourite, with the wine’s refreshing acidity reducing the greasiness, and the cherry and cranberry flavours complementing the chicken flavour like a plum sauce. (HK$365 at La Cabane)

Barbecued pork is an icon of Guangdong cuisine – tender to the bite, charred and slightly crunchy on the outside, with a smoky caramel flavour. Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune, Jean-Philippe Marchand (2018) matches the sweetness with fresh fruit flavours of blackcurrant and blueberry, and an aroma of mint. (HK$268 at The Wine Guild)

Guangdong’s famed speciality of steamed Chencun rice noodles with beef brisket pairs perfectly with Bourgogne Le Chapitre, Le Chapitre Suivant, René Bouvier (2017). It lifts the sweetness of rice noodles with the wine’s fragrance of roses and peony, with a peppery taste. (HK$307 at SommTech)

Celebratory steamed seasonal fish is a perfect pairing with Bourgogne Chitry, Domaine Alice et Olivier de Moor (2018) – an easy-drinking wine with a matching salty mineral taste, and the aroma of lemon to enhance the vital umami flavours. (HK$260 at La Cabane)

A Chaozhou classic is pan-fried oyster pancake, using baby oysters in a thin and crispy omelette, served with fish sauce on the side. Mâcon-Fuissé, Les Tâches, Domaine Pierre Vessigaud (2017) features lemon and citrus acidity that matches ideally with the metallic, briny taste of oysters. (HK$270 at Natural Food & Beverages)

The Charms of Chocolate

March 18, 2020 / by Philippe Dova

For more than 50 years, Christian Constant has been a chocolatier, which has earned him international renown. He travels around the world in search of ingredients that will perfectly flavour his subtle cacao concoctions. This self-proclaimed “chocolate composer”, who proved himself at the Parisian culinary empire Lenôtre in the 1960s, picks his geranium notes on the verdant slopes of Réunion Island and his ylang-ylang fragrances on the shores of the Mayotte. Some of his finest ganaches release aromas of jasmine and cardamom, while others smell like frangipani – and each creation is a gourmet break for the discerning palates of Paris and Tokyo.

When did you first become so passionate about the cacao bean?

As the son and grandson of winegrowers, I became interested in processing cacao beans. There’s a very strong relationship between the preparation of wine and that of cacao, both of which are the result of alcoholic fermentation. This process leads to acetic fermentation via malolactic fermentation. Unlike wine, processed chocolate doesn’t improve with time – quite the opposite. 

So how exactly are the beans transformed into chocolate? 

After fermentation and drying of the beans, the preparation consists of very light roasting – the Maillard reaction – then shelling and removing the germ. The beans are left to be ground and transformed into a paste with a texture of less than 12 microns. It’s left to be sweetened, more or less to balance the acidity. Large cacao beans are always slightly more acidic than “merchant” cacao beans.

Like wine, chocolate is a pure product. Just as one prepares a kir or sangria, it’s possible to add things like dry milk to it, or even something else. The so-called “white chocolate” is made of the fat (called “cocoa butter”) obtained by pressure, to which dry milk and sugar are added.

How did cacao evolve into what we know as chocolate today?

The moment it was mixed with sugar still remains a mystery. Sugar cane was brought from the East by Marco Polo and then transplanted to Jamaica, but from there… 

What are the historic origins of cacao consumption?

Mesoamerican civilisations report such consumption, but in a totally different form from ours. Cacao appears there as a generator of force or power, as humoral medicine did in other civilisations. The cacao tree is a tropical plant living in shade in the wetlands of the Orinoco. Monkeys, who eat the sweet pulp of the fruit, are credited with the transit to the wetlands of Central America. The actual plant cultivation dates back to the conquest of New Spain by Cortés, in what is today Venezuela. The Portuguese cultivated cacao in Brazil and transplanted it to their African colonies – from São Tomé to Príncipe, to Bioko and to the Gulf. From there, the French took over its cultivation in the Ivory Coast via Ghana. It could then be found in Madagascar, Ceylon, Indonesia, Vietnam, Samoa and beyond.

Tell us about the main varieties… 

For a long time, the vocabulary of Venezuelan farmers was used. In Spanish, they distinguished between local (criollo), foreign (forastero) and hybrid Trinidadian (Trinitario) cacao. This semantics can be picked up by any Spanish-speaking and cacao-producing country. Researchers today distinguish more than 25 hybridisations, often from research centres in each producer country. The cacao tree is as unfaithful as the tomato. The laws of the market distinguish “fine” cacao from “merchant” cacao, with price differences from one to five. It is possible to improve the yield and resistance to diseases – such as Ecuador’s CCN-51 – of the wonderfully aromatic Nacional Arriba, down to the low-yield, even if it’s from the same country. Involuntary crossbreeding will be inevitable in the near future.

To you, what are the most beautiful cacao plantations in the world?

A few examples include the famous Porcelana of Maracaibo, the Trinitarion of the San Juan estate and the Nacional Arriba of the Esmeraldas estate in Ecuador.

Switching gears a bit, which alcoholic beverages are best paired with chocolate?

Generally speaking, certain alcohols: rum, cognac, whisky or even white spirits. As far as wines are concerned, the junction occurs with all the muté wines somewhat oxidised by ageing, such as Rancio, Maury, Rivesaltes, Porto, Xérès and so on.

In the kitchen, what are the possible options for using cacao? Or is it only for dessert?

Unsweetened cacao has been used not only for its very strong taste in small doses – such as red wine sauces, in rivalry with ginger – but also in infinitesimal doses on Catalan-style lobsters, for example. It’s also used for its tinting and thickening power.