Foodie Issue 105: December 2019 Christmas Countdown

ISSUE 105 | DECEMBER 2019 | WWW.AFOODIEWORLD.COM

Christmas Countdown

FESTIVE MENUS, GIFTS, AND SEASONAL RECIPES TO GET YOUR HOLIDAY SORTED

Whoot! has arrived, and HK's dining scene just got more rewarding.

Find out what all the Whoot! is about inside.

INTRODUCTION

RED, WHITE, AND PRETTY GREEN Year on year, we at Foodie get a little bit wiser about just how to eat more mindfully, CEO Lily Ng CTO Derek Kean COO Shirin Ong E D I TO R-I N-C H I E F

ethically and sustainably. Yet, it's important that we emphasise that we are still able to dine very, very well. We are celebrating exactly that this year with a mixture of traditional Christmas fare and more unconventional seasonal eating ideas.

Alicia Walker E D I TO R-AT-LA RG E

We’ve got our favourite green-minded chef,

Celia Hu

Tom Burney, giving us tips and tricks for

D I G I TA L E D I TO R

eating greener festive feasts and reducing

Stephanie Pliakas DESIGNER Miho Yawata I T S P E C I A L I S T & D PO Dale Foo D I R E CTO R O F B U S I N E S S D E V E LO P M E N T

Christmas dinner waste, as well as our regular Christmas round-up of all the specials, events and gifting ideas (hello, whisky advent calendar!) that’ll give you and your loved ones a big dose of Christmas cheer.

We also head for the hills of Italy to discover every delicious food that

Jason Strickland

hails from that beautifully boot-shaped country. There are recipe ideas

EVENTS &

for the holidays –both conventional and un– to get your taste buds

CO M M U N I CAT I O N S A S S O C I AT E S

driving you into the kitchen to start generating the smells of home

Jeniffer Chiat, Angela Wong

cooking, which is what really gets the holiday spirit flowing through

CO N T R I B U TO R S Cindy Lam, Laura Williams, Tom Burney

our bones.

Eat well and be merry!

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Alicia Walker, Editor-in-Chief alicia@afoodieworld.com

42 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong www.afoodieworld.com

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THE CONTRIBUTORS If you’d like us to help you to promote your brand, please contact our team at sales@afoodieworld.com, 3791 2564

Laura Williams

Cindy Lam

Tom Burney

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

06

18

10

02

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

26

06

CHEWIN' THE FAT WITH...

CHRIS HANSELMAN

18

30

FOOD OFF THE GRID: ITALY

MEATLESS MONTHLY

Chris Dwyer travels north to south

Cindy Lam makes our

The founder of Pacific Rich

discovering the edible delights of the

vegetarian days super

Seafood talks all things

different regions of Il Bel Paese

under the sea

10

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN A feast for the eyes with a host of holiday specials, hampers and happenings

32

26 MY LITTLE HONG KONG KITCHEN

GREEN KITCHEN EXPERIMENTS Chef Tom Burney hands

Laura Williams with this month’s

out tips for making a

wholesome recipes to make

greener Christmas dinner

at home

this year. And they are all super easy!

03

FO R STA RT E RS

f or starters T HE HOT T E ST NE WS B I T ES

BEAN-FREE LAB-MADE COFFEE

A BUZZ ABOUT NEW PROTEIN

Looks like our coffee orders just got longer. Coffee

Things are about to get a whole lot buggier. We’ve been

without the beans is the next product to enter the

introduced to cricket flour, mealworm farms and, now, fruit

molecular food space. Instead of the traditional

fly grubs. With no greenhouse gas emissions and low water

coffee grounds, Seattle-based Atomo has developed

requirements, the larvae can multiply by 250 times during

what the co-founders are calling “the Tesla of coffee”

their week-long lifespan. Seafood behemoth Thai Union

in an effort to mitigate the negative effects coffee

Group has committed a whopping $30 million to Israeli

farming can have on deforestation. As the drive for

start-up, Flying SpArk, which produces the protein from the

more sustainable F&B options continues to gain

fly larvae. Mmmm, sounds like supper.

steam, will molecular coffee be the next thing? One oat-milk, no foam, bean-free molecular latte please!

ESCAPING AEROPLANE FOOD Often the airport can be considered slim pickings for eating options.

But Hong Kong has had a spate of interesting new openings in recent times. These include the blessed burgers – both meaty and plantbased – from Beef & Liberty; the famed US gourmet coffee and food shop Dean & Deluca, British comfort food from Gordon Ramsay’s new Plane Food To Go, followed by the critically acclaimed celeb chef’s latest opening, and first in HK, Wolfgang Puck Kitchen, serving up California-casual high-quality seasonal fare with an Asian twist.

There’s definitely a case now for filling up before getting on board instead of enduring whatever may come to your single-serving tray.

04

CHEWIN' THE FAT

CHEWIN’ THE FAT WITH...

CHRIS HANSELMAN The founder of sustainable seafood supplier Pacific Rich Resources has launched Hong Kong's first online

As well as providing sustainable seafood direct

the movement of Atlantic cod further north, as they prefer

to local doorsteps, Chris Hanselman shares his oceanic

colder waters to spawn, and b) at the same time, wild-caught

expertise in blogs with subjects like underloved fish –

salmon on the west coast are moving further south, due to

what to buy, how to cook – only buying fish that’s in season;

the plentiful food being available in the warmer waters. So

altering fishing quotas; aquaculture and much more.

changes in climate are affecting the fish life cycles, growth,

and then of course fishermen need to move and fish greater

We were keen to tap into his wealth of

knowledge on this complicated subject.

distances to catch.

Chris, how is climate change affecting sustainable seafood?

Is the flavour of the fish being affected? I don’t think there

The bottom line is that climate change is occurring, and

is much change in the flavour of the fish per se due to this.

it is affecting the sustainability of seafood. One effect is

But, of course, there will be ramifications. If the waters are

simple. Because of the slight increase in water temperature,

warmer, the fish could grow more quickly. This means softer

fish shellfish are more prone to disease. An example was a

meat. If they have to swim further, then they will have more

whole season of oysters been wiped out in Mexico, due to

oily meat. Because they are eating alternate diets, their taste

the onset of an innate virus, which came to life because

will change, but I would suggest not to a noticeable extent.

of the warmth. Two other complementary examples are a) 06

P H OTO G R A P H Y: B A R R A M U N D I D I S H A N D C H R I S H A N S E L M A N

market for 100%-responsibly-sourced seafood

CHEWIN' THE FAT

How are these changes affecting what we see in the supermarket? At the moment, there is no change, as the supermarkets purchase on price and products that are caught and then frozen, so they are available all through the year. What we need to do is drive them to change and supply seasonal seafood. Firstly, it is a sustainability initiative, and secondly, it means that you are getting the best fish at the best time of year. But we the consumer must

Are there any new developments in the sustainable seafood

push for this. The supermarkets will not change.

world or anecdotes you can share? It’s a very sensitive

How are the prices of sustainable fish changing? There

area, and one has to pick one’s fights. Salmon in Canada

is a belief in the market that sustainable-accredited

is a hot topic at the moment. Did you know that sockeye

seafood is more expensive. It is not. Most producers in

salmon only really run (migrate to rivers to spawn) every

the world realise that they must produce seafood with

four years, the next one being in 2022? Hence the need for

suitable accreditation so the major markets in the world

aquaculture. The issues are: what should be farmed, where,

– Europe and the USA/ Canada – demand it. So it is the

and how. In Hong Kong, my frustration is the attitude of the

norm. If there is a substantial price increase, it is because

supermarkets. They really should lead and be educators. I

the supermarkets are seeing an opportunity to inflate

believe strongly that people want to make a difference, but

prices. It’s a bit like paying more for organic beef or grain

we must have a proper plan.

fed. It is just a marketing technique. But the cost price is Are there types of fish that people hadn't previously been

fundamentally the same.

interested in that are going to become bigger sellers in What are your thoughts on RFID technology and gill

the future because of the lack of availability of previous

tagging on individual fish to know exactly where they're

favourites? There aren’t really any new wild-caught fish,

coming from? I think this is fine with some farmed fish,

but when we talk about seasonal catches, there are also

but for wild caught, it is a little excessive – well intended

by-catch fish that were previously labelled “trash fish”; I

but excessive. If the accreditation and audit system for

prefer to call them “underloved fish”. Some of these include:

fisheries and people in the supply chain is done correctly,

Atlantic butterfish with white, flaky, oily meat, which gets

that should be enough. If RFID was fully implemented, that

caught alongside squid; dogfish, also known as rock salmon

would be a huge cost increase, the processors would balk,

or rock cod in Europe, is good for fish and chips. Ground

and the sales price would definitely have to increase. A step

feeders get a bad rap, but given the popularity of halibut,

too far at this stage I think.

which can be a bit pricey in Hong Kong, look for gray sole, torbey sole, yellowtail flounder or American plaice. Pacific grenadier is a by-catch of black cod and tastes like tilapia, with better flavour and texture.

PACIFIC RICH RESOURCES, Suite A, 27/F, 8 Hart Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong www.pacificrichresources.com > From left to right: shrimp and raw tuna

07

PROMOTION

Can We Get A WHOOT WHOOT!

H O N G KO N G’S D I N I N G S C E N E J U S T G OT A W H O L E LO T M O R E R E W A R D I N G

Heading out to our favourite restaurant always

We’re talking a cup of coffee on the house, a side of fries, or

puts a little skip in our step but now we’re being gratified

a dessert to end the meal, taken right off your bill. Earning

with more than just the wonderful food in our happy

tokens is a snap, you can get them just by logging in daily,

bellies. Just launched dining rewards programme Whoot!

dining, submitting reviews of your favourite restaurants

now adds an extra-wide smile to our faces with freebies

and even when you first download the app!

(who doesn’t love free stuff!).

Founded by two brothers, Shawn and Howard,

Whoot! is a fun twist on a rewarded dining platform, with offers just waiting to be redeemed all over Hong Kong.

They’ve made it easy all within the Whoot! app, which is free to download and use. The fun twist? Whoot! Tokens, their in-app currency, which diners can simply earn and trade in for free food and drinks at any partner restaurant. > Above: promoters at the Whoot! road show 08

P H OTO G R A P H Y: W H O OT! AT R B H K

an incredible array of partner restaurants and over 400

PROMOTION

rainbow. Whoot! helps diners discover this gem, that’s not only aesthetically a hipster haven, but also has the most Instagrammable crepe cakes to go with that cup of coffee, and a chic little clothes shop inside too! If you didn’t know about it already, it’s time to join Whoot! and find all the other secret spots people are keeping to themselves.

And what’s the reason the restaurants love it so

much? They gain new customers at a low cost with a high

As co-founder Shawn puts it, “Eating out is

exposure that leads to a large increase in sales. The app

a favourite pastime with most people dining out several

allows diners to quickly locate and search for restaurants

times a week. It, therefore, made sense to upgrade the

in their area or based on cuisine and price range. Plus

experience for everyone. Whoot! members are rewarded for

the loyalty aspect keeps those same customers returning

dining and can make savings too. Plus, the more tokens they

over and over again. It cuts out all the need for email lists

earn and redeem, the greater the reward. Whilst businesses

and physical stamp cards and gives eateries a platform to

can benefit from increased customers and loyalty as a

showcase their signature dishes to their valued clientele.

result. It’s win-win for everyone.”

You’ll also discover great new restaurants and

hidden gems with Whoot! all over the city. Partners on the app include greats like Welcome Little Vegas, Babbo Trattoria, Sweet Dreamer Dessert, Happy Lamb Pot, and Presotea. And you know, it’s not just the freebies that make Whoot! so engaging, the beauty of the app lies with the relationships.

Take Shiotama, the cosy Japanese restaurant in

Causeway Bay that has been with Whoot! since the app’s

inception. When a customer walks into Shiotama, they are

how well, and how easily, this partnership works. So the

treated like friends, it’s an instant connection that the diner

customers are happy to be received so warmly and the

makes with the restaurant, and what’s more fun than being

restaurants are ecstatic to be welcoming in new diners and

so warmly greeted at an eatery you’ve never visited before.

repeat business thanks to the custom reward aspect.

And take hEat in Wanchai, a fine dining

The three examples above are just a taste of

Free to download, the Whoot! app is available

restaurant that has hooked Whoot! diners on their extensive

from the App Store and Google Play. You’ll nab your first

list of tapas, oysters and Japanese cod fish all available on

token right after registration and then can work your way

the reward programme. The reason diners keep returning?

up through Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Diamond Token status

Crazy, delicious food and the Whoot! system of “the more

increasing your rewards as you climb the food-filled ladder.

you dine, the greater the reward”.

It’s also an excellent way to narrow down the options for

Another great case is the super sweet “Healing,

where to dine in this ever-increasingly restaurant-filled

go yard”, an independent cafe nestled in an industrial

city with hotspots easily searchable by location and cuisine

building in Cheung Sha Wan. This little pot of gold coffee

while you’re on the go. Free tiramisu just down the street?

shop is exactly like what you find at the end of the

Yes, please, my taste buds are taking me there now. > From left to right: Whoot! at RBHK and Whoot! minibus

Download Whoot! now and start stacking up those tokens that lead you to free food. Follow Whoot! and stay up to date @whoot_hk on Instagram and whoot.hk on Facebook to see what everybody else is eating and earning.

09

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN ‘Tis the season to feast your eyes on a host of holiday specials, hampers, and happenings to ring in the Yuletide season GET INTO THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS How better to start the countdown to Christmas Day than with a whisky advent calendar? Why have we been bothering with chocolate ones when we could’ve had little windows of whisky each day? Each advent calendar includes 24 tiny whisky or gin bottles from Tiffany’s New York Bar at the InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong

for Scotch connoisseurs for $2,988, and if you’re feeling really flush, you can opt for the limited Deluxe Edition 2019

IT’S BEGINNING TO SMELL A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS

for $15,888, featuring old and rare whisky bottles of 30

This season is always a time of year when the aromas

years or more.

wafting through the air are extra fragrant. This continues

To order a daily dram for the whisky lover in your life, call

with a collaboration between Madame Fù and Neal’s Yard

2731 2831 or visit, bit.ly/ICGS_Xmas2019

Remedies for a special Christmas aromatherapy workshop

> Above: Madame Fù and Neal's Yard Remedies special Christmas aromatherapy workshop and afternoon tea set 10

P H OTO G R A P H Y: C H O C O LAT E S B Y RYA N L F O OT E

Kong. There are options for $1,988, a more tailored version

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

and tea event. Give a little gift to yourself by learning to blend different woody, citrus, and spicy essential oils from an experienced aromatherapist into a unique perfume to take home. You’ll also be introduced to the new frankinscense range and enjoy a specially curated afternoon tea featuring natural treats inspired by the Neal’s Yard ethos. Set within the cool confines of Tai Kwun’s contemporary Chinese restaurant, this sounds like a pretty fragrant way to get into the holiday spirit.

The workshop will take place on Saturday, 30th November, from 11am–3pm for $450. Call 2114 2118 to reserve.

MERRY CHEESE’MAS If the holiday season just screams indulgence for you, what TOY AND TEA TIME

could be more binge-worthy than sinking yourself into a

Head to Cordis if you want to enchant your imagination and

beautiful cheese coma? PLAYT is here for all your cheese-

taste buds this December. The luxury hotel’s Alibi restaurant

needs that you may not even know you were needing. Over

is offering the “Voyages of Discovery – Christmas in London”

10 cheeses are celebrated in various froms at a live station

Afternoon Tea with international storytelling company

that includes scallop cheese chowder in cheesy puff pastry,

PAPINEE. From 1–31 December, every day from 3–5pm, for

quattro formaggi and Buffalo wings with blue cheese dip;

$555 for two, you’ll join Henry Strix the Owl on his journey

cheesy lobster noodles, roasted eel cream cheese roll and

to London to celebrate the festive season. Enjoying an array

soft shell crab hard roll with cheese. The desserts are

of British savoury and sweet treats from the duck confit

cheese filled of course too with half baked cheese tarts

croquettes, roasted chestnut and bacon quiche to the white

and cheesecake and festive sea salt raclette cheese gelato,

peach Earl Grey tea trifle and scone with clotted cream and

alongside regular Christmas favourites. There’s even a

fig jam plus a whole bunch more along with two glasses of

cheese fondue for those dreaming of the Swiss Alps in this

Spiced Romance mocktail. Each guest will also get to take

not-so-wintery wonderland of Hong Kong. Available from 7

home a mini Henry Strix the Owl with monogram ornament.

December 2019.

Book at 3552 3028 or cdhkg.restaurants@cordishotels.com

Book at 2839 3311 or playt@parklane.com.hk

> From left: Cordis “Voyages of Discovery – Christmas in London” afternoon tea and PLAYT cheese fondue 11

PROMOTION

Have Yourself A Murray

Little Christmas

I T ’ S F E S T I V E F A M I LY F U N AT H O N G KO N G ’ S R E N O W N E D L U X U RY H O T E L W I T H H O L I D AY B R U N C H E S , T E A S A N D PA R T I E S F O R T H E H O L I D AY S E A S O N MERRY AND BRIGHT BRUNCHES

Set amidst the stars

family and friends at The Tai Pan and Garden Lounge. From

is the hotel’s stunning

7 to 22 December enjoy a semi-buffet teeming with salads,

rooftop

restaurant

smoked seafood, charcuterie and mains made-to-order.

and

Popinjays.

You can indulge in the Christmas Day brunch for $798

For a truly celebratory

with gingerbread decorating station, ornament making

Christmas

station for kids or the New Year’s Day brunch for $698. Or

Christmas Day, tuck in

head up to Popinjays for their sumptuous Champagne and

to an extravagant six-course Christmas dinner featuring

Seafood brunch for $988 and includes a bountiful Plateau

European classics with a modern touch such as Scallop

de Fruits De Mer, live carving stations for roasted turkey

Carpaccio and Aquitaine Caviar, Foie Gras à la Ficelle,

and barbecued meats. Live Christmas carols and visits

Irish King Langoustine with Perigord Black Truffles and

from Santa Claus himself are available at both restaurants

Grand Veneur Wild Venison. You’ll experience the best

on Christmas Day.

bar,

Eve

and

> Above: The Tai Pan Christmas Sphere Dessert 12

P H OTO G R A P H Y: P O P I N J AY S C H R I S T M A S B R U N C H

FABULOUS FEASTS

Celebrate the season with long, lavish brunches with

PROMOTION

of festive repertoire with

includes a glass of house pour to ring in the new year.

a glorious way to end the

Free-flow packages are also on offer where bottomless

year for $1,288. Or enjoy

alcohol will flow from 9.30pm to 3am. Tickets for free-flow

The Tai Pan’s

packages are available until 15 December for the early bird

artisanal

seasonal

produce

price of $1,488, as well as table packages available for a

with

highlights of Tasmanian

truly opulent evening from $7,888.

Ocean Trout, Maine Lobster Consommé Prime

and

Beef

CLAUS AND PAWS FOR TEA

Grilled

Tenderloin.

Their plush 5-course Christmas Eve menu comes in at $1,088, or the deluxe 5-course Christmas Day dinner for $988, or the bountiful 6-course Gala Dinner for $1,088 on New Year’s Eve. Along with premium ingredients like

Patagonian

51 Toothfish

and

Mayura

Farms

Wagyu Beef, the New Year’s Eve Gala dinner offers a $1,888 option, which also grants access to Popinjays’ countdown party at the rooftop.

If you prefer to host at home, you can order in The Murray

Join the Flamboyant Festive Rooftop Afternoon Tea

Free-Range

which

available from 1 December 2018 to 5 January 2020 and

comes with a chestnut-sage stuffing, buttermilk-whipped

priced at $728 for two persons. Or the Garden Lounge is

potatoes, roasted winter vegetables, giblet gravy and

serving its signature Christmas Afternoon Tea for $688 for

spiced cranberry sauce. For $1,988, the boutique bird can

2 guests, with sweet and savoury bites and a dessert trolley

feed between eight to ten persons and presents an elegant

filled with Christmas treats. The pet favorite, Paws For

and hassle-free Christmas dinner.

Tea will return 14 and 15 December with customised dog

California-raised

Organic Turkey,

scones and doggy treats for guests’ furry friends at $449

SHAKE YOUR TAIL FEATHERS COUNTDOWN PARTY

per person.

GLITTERING GIFTING The

Murray

Hamper

is always going to go down well, no matter who is the recipient of this basket full of luxurious treats. ChockPopinjays will be hopping with their New Year’s Eve party

full

this year. Featuring a line of live DJ performances that

goodies of Cinco Jotas

with

gorgeous

will open with DJ Yukiko and culminate with celebrity DJ

5J hand-carved Ibérico

Tom Price blowing the roof off this holiday season before

Bellota Pata and Loison Italian festive panettone, and a

closing it down to the feel-good beats of DJ Patrice. Your

bottle of Niccolo Signature Prosecco. Priced at $2,888, this

ticket awaits with an entry ticket price of $488, which

hamper is guaranteed to impress.

> Clockwise from top left: Popinjays Christmas Pudding, Garden Lounge festive afternoon tea, The Murray Hamper and Popinjays NYE

For enquiries and reservations, please call 3141 8888 or email festive.themurray@niccolohotels.com.

13

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

SPEND YOUR HOLIDAY EATING YOUR WAY AROUND HK If you’re looking to reconnect with your roots, or discover new flavours, why not book in for a holiday edition of Humid with a Chance of Fishballs. This Michelin-recommended food tour company was founded by Virgina Chan, who specialises in going off-the-beaten-path, preserving and showcasing old Hong Kong craftsmanship and providing an insider look at Hong Kong daily life. The tour heads out to the lesser-known parts like Kowloon City and Sham Shui Po for authentic flair and flavours.

Book

at

www.humidwithachanceoffishballs.com

with

coupon code XMAS2019 to get 15% off.

SWEET BABY CHEESUS We’ve always been fans of a good holiday pun, and Beef & Liberty have brought back this old chestnut, the Sweet Baby Cheesus ($139): a burger worthy of the name, with beef topped with blue and Brie cheeses, cranberry sauce, onion jam and house pickles. They’ve also got a veggie Cheese & Beets ($49) special with deep-fried goat’s cheese, beetroot and watercress, and you can add the perfect ending with a warm Christmas cookie & cream ($69), made with Christmas spices, raisins, dark chocolate and cream. Top that off with a pumpkin vanilla shake ($89) to gift yourself with a truly decadent and calorific cuppa this Christmas.

Check out www.beef-liberty.com for all their locations.

> From left: Beef and Liberty Sweet Baby Cheesus burger and Humid with a Chance of Fishballs Tours 14

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

YE OLDE CHRISTMAS If you’re looking for a super-traditional Christmas Day feast, the Conrad Macao is doing it by the numbers. You’ve got your classic roast turkey, you’ve got all the trimmings, you’ve got Christmas cake, gingerbread, mince pies, you’ve even got little cupcakes iced to look like Christmas trees.

You name it – it’s the festive food of your dreams along with a quick escape across the water for a little holiday during the holidays. For the lunch buffet, prices range for Christmas Eve to New Year’s Eve range from MOP$298–

A YULE TREE AT THE HARBOUR GRAND

$388 and the buffet dinner is $498.

The Harbour Grand’s Corner Café has perfected the art

Call +853 8113 8910 or email

of the classic Christmas yule log cake. These beautiful

macau.grandorbit.reservation@conradhotels.com

Christmas desserts come in different flavours of traditional chocolate, mango, strawberry, charcoal, and egg white & cream. Order a whole cake for $248/pound or try them all piece by piece for $48 per slice. We say, throw another log in my belly!

Call 2996 8098 to order.

> From above clockwise: Conrad Macao buffet, Harbour Grand's Corner Café Christmas yule log cake and Conrad Macao Grand Orbit buffet 15

PROMOTION

A Taste Of The Phuture

T H I S D E L I C I O U S P LA N T- B A S E D M E AT I S WITHIN OUR REACH Alternative

are

particular interest in sustainable living. Together, they

becoming more the norm in

meats

are launching this inspiring, innovative and tasty product

the marketplace as people’s

line, starting with their plant-based minced pork. Made

minds have been opened to

primarily of non-GMO soy, chickpea and pea protein, they

the environmental crisis the

use only minimal ingredients and minimal processing to

planet is facing. Pushing the

create Phuture Minced Pork, that looks, smells, tastes and

limits into a whole new sphere

feels like real meat.

of how flavourful plant-based meat can be, comes Phuture

with plant-based minced pork that’s healthy, nutritious, and

environmental awareness, cruelty-free and living healthy,

Promoting food sustainability and security,

incredibly delicious.

the first plant-based alternative pork by Phuture Meats Founded in 2018, Phuture

will be launched in early 2020.

Limited aims to create a variety

Read more at www.facebook.com/phuturefoods

of plant-based meat for the Asian market. Phuture is the brainchild of Jack Yap and Jin Yin Lim both vegetarians for over eight years and passionate about the environment.

Jack is a serial entrepreneur and seasoned professional in the F&B industry as well as being an avid chef, founding seven restaurants over the past six years. Jin Yin has built his career overseeing the development of innovative and sustainable system designs for buildings and has a 17

FO O D O F F T H E G R I D : I TA LY

LIVING LA DOLCE VITA: AN ITALIAN TASTING TOUR Chris Dwyer travels north to south discovering the edible delights of the different regions of Il Bel Paese Ahhhh, bella Italia. The country where

for one ingredient. But, most of all, the impression was

everything you eat has been lovingly handmade by an

reinforced that eating was never about fuelling up, never

ancient, smiling nonna from the finest produce that

about grabbing something to fill a gap – but always about

couldn't be more local. Fresh ravioli are made with eggs

pleasure in all its myriad forms.

from her backyard chickens, flour from the mill down the

road and then they're filled with ricotta from her neighbour.

from north to south, via inland mountain lakes and volcanic

Or so we'd like to think.

islands, all punctuated by simply brilliant things to eat. It

The truth is, of course, that nowhere - not

all started in a village called Paganica outside the small

even Italy – is immune to industrialised food and big agri-

town of L'Aquila, just 90 minutes' drive north-east of Rome.

business. But Italy does still have more than its fair share

It's home to some of the world's finest saffron (zafferano)

of producers and chefs, winemakers and artisans, meaning

production, but we were here to see one man. Mr De Paulis

that food still underscores life in a way that most countries

is a fourth-generation prosciutto maker, known as one of

will never fully understand.

Italy's very best salumi producers.

An early summer tour proved this point – and

My two-week visit crisscrossed the country

Since 1924, generations of his family have

then some. It reminded that from the aperitivo through

produced just 150 legs of prosciutto a year. It's so good –

to a post-dessert grappa, dinner could take three, four,

and sustainable – thanks to their technique of manually

sometimes five hours – with almost no one looking at

working the pork in ancient methods, then seasoning and

their phone. People would drive miles out of their way

letting it dry in the air of mountainous Gran Sasso. Tasting 18

P H OTO G R A P H Y: C A P O F A RO TA R A N T I N O

FO O D O F F T H E G R I D : I TA LY

former stockbroker took over his father's restaurant when he died in 1999, despite knowing nothing about cooking.

Twenty years later, he holds a reputation as something of a bread genius, not to mention three Michelin stars and the #51 spot on The World's 50 Best Restaurants for his sublime restaurant Reale.

We experience his food first at ALT Stazione del

Gusto, his contemporary and design-driven roadside café on the only road linking the Adriatic and The Mediterranean. is truly believing as the flavours sing of happy animals

This is a temple to his extraordinary signature bread and

raised in one of Europe's most beautiful and wild regions.

also bomba, a sensational sort of street food. In both

Don't miss the other meats, cheeses, wines and assorted

savoury and sweet versions – such as with mozzarella and

produce in his tiny shop which truly makes you wish it was

tomato or filled with fruit creams – these are basically the

your local.

greatest, lightest doughnuts you'll ever eat.

It's then an hour's drive through breathtaking

Next comes his fine-dining restaurant Reale,

Abruzzo to get to another tiny artisanal producer, Gregorio

sitting in a beautiful ancient vineyard surrounded by rose

Rotolo, just outside the picturesque lake town of Scanno.

gardens and rooms where you can stay the night. It's also

A relative newcomer, making his cheeses for only half a

home to his award-winning culinary school for serious

century, this shepherd looks like a cross between Santa

immersion in the art and science of food. Dinner left this

Claus and one of his elves, especially when wearing his

diner almost speechless, such was the innovation, execution

trademark woolly hat.

and complete lack of reference points to dishes I've eaten

before.

He uses oak barrels from esteemed local

winery Valle Reale to make cheese including pecorino,

ricotta and caciocavallo barricato. Its name has an equine

ethereal, an ash potato reminded me of a creation at

link because as the cheese ages and hangs, it looks like legs

Mugaritz in the Basque Country. Most of all, his truly perfect

dangling either side of a saddle. He also makes sensational

pasta, capellini and tomato water. If it sounds simple, it

salumi from legs of sheep, flavouring them only with wild

couldn't be further from the truth. Hugely labour-intensive,

fennel, salt and pepper, explaining how in days gone by,

technically brilliant, utterly delicious.

they'd simply dry the legs in the sun.

Vigneto di Popoli, Vendemmia 2013 and a Valle Reale San

With the ham and cheese in hand, you have

A roasted tomato glazed with honey was

Incredible local wines were paired, notably a

the perfect excuse to take a bottle of Valle Reale's San Calisto Montepulciano D'Abruzzo (available in Hong Kong from Certa in Wanchai) and hike up into the hills behind his small workshop – where brown bears and wolves still roam – before enjoying a picnic with views that truly beat them all.

Staying in stunning Abruzzo, we head next to

visit one of Italy's gastronomic superstars, the supremely talented but decidedly modest chef Niko Romito. The

> From left to right: Paganica prosciutto and Scannese shepherd cheese

19

FO O D O F F T H E G R I D : I TA LY

Calisto Montepulciano D'Abruzzo. To finish a remarkable

hundreds of kilograms a day of biscuits.

meal, a fitting dessert of licorice granita, white vinegar,

white chocolate and balsamic vinegar, which took

honey-like vin santo to slightly soften them, but they're

agrodolce – the southern Italian flavour profile of sweet

just as good with coffee or as an ingredient in your own

and sour – to new heights. (Incidentally, Romito's cuisine -

creations.

and his famed bread – are also served at Bulgari hotels in

Beijing, Shanghai, Bali and more.)

local Tuscan hazelnuts or pistachios, but my favourite

The renaissance jewel of Florence came calling

were the brilliantly named brutti e buoni – in other words

next, a city replete with legendary dishes. There were the

ugly-but-good, knobbly little almond-rich bites. Handily

famed tripe-filled panini called lampredotto that came

these days, Mattei sell online and deliver, but they're also

with vibrant green salsa verde, the soothing soup ribollita

available in global stores including our own Lane Crawford.

with kale, bread and beans, or huge bistecca Fiorentina

T-bone steaks.

a food jewel if ever there was one. Travellers have waxed

But it was again a humble artisanal food

lyrical for millennia about the unique culinary attractions

producer who particularly entranced this visitor. Antonio

of this spectacular island. The volcanic soil is largely

Mattei have been making biscuits since 1858, before

responsible as it provides the perfect base for amazing

Italy as the country we know today was even founded.

local produce. From large knobbly lemons to strawberries

Their most famous creation are cantucci, made with just

so good they'd make you weep, grapes behind legendary

five ingredients: wheat flour, eggs, sugar, almonds and

wines to cheeses that truly taste of the wild, you are never

pine nuts.

going to go hungry here.

When you visit their charming and original

Cantucci are designed to be dipped in the

There are also biscuits with chocolate chips,

Finally, from Florence a direct flight to Sicily,

One way to truly understand this rich tapestry

home in Prato, a few minutes on the train from Florence's

of produce and influences is to hit up the Anna Tasca Lanza

central station, they'll even let you have a look around the

cookery school. It sits on the beautiful Regaleali wine

fragrant workshop space, where a team of just 23 make

estate in the heartland of central Sicily, itself a unique

> From left clockwise: bomba by Niko Romito, Anna Tasca Lanza cookery school, capers, a selection of bread, Capofaro estate and caponata 20

FO O D O F F T H E G R I D : I TA LY

terroir that contributes to stunning wines and much more.

finest artisanal Italian production, we drive vertiginous

The winemaker tells us on a tour of the

roads overlooking azure seas until we reach a smallholding.

property. "We're not in the south of Italy – we're in the

This is where Italy's most prized capers are found, so

north of Africa." This reminds us that, at its closest points,

much so that they have been celebrated by the Slow Food

Sicily sits less than 100 miles from Tunisia.

movement.

Over glasses of Regaleali's famed Rosso del

These capers are still picked by hand from

Conte, lunch at the cooking school founded by the famed

May to August, with elderly workers starting at 5am to

food writer and activist Anna Tasca Lanza was a revelation.

beat the heat. They're then laid out to dry in cool spots

She sadly passed away in 2010, but her daughter Fabrizia

and then mixed with coarse local sea salt before being

Lanza took on running the “experiential food education”

cured by being transferred between different buckets and

programmes that teach guests as much about farming,

containers. In a month, they are ready and can keep for up

sustainability and culture as about food.

to three years. Firm, sharp and sweet, they're perfect in a

We started with incredible involtini of

tomato sauce, with seafood or, best of all, in the Sicilian

aubergine where ricotta (from sheep grazing a nearby hill)

sweet-and-sour classic caponata, a vegetable dish to beat

was bound into aubergine, Parmesan, tomato and oregano.

them all.

Then fish with a lovely salmoriglio sauce that simply

The finest imaginable produce, made with

combines garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and seasoning. To

integrity, at the heart and soul of a dish? That's Italy on

finish, we ate a lemon curd with lemons from less than

a plate.

50 yards away, served with “sour cherries from the trees

KEY ADDRESSES:

behind you”, as Fabrizia explained. As we were told later,

Paganica Prosciutto

with a smile, this food was "less ‘farm to table’ and more

Salumificio Ugo de Paulis, 1 Via Fioretta, 67100 Paganica

‘arm to table’.”

Scannese Cheese

Our final Italian stop came in the breath-

Bio Agriturismo Valle Scannese, 67038 Scanno

taking Aeolian Islands, a short ferry ride from the Sicilian

www.facebook.com/Bioagriturismovallescannese

mainland. One of them is Stromboli, infamous for its

Niko Romito's ALT Stazione del Gusto

volcanic activity, but our destination of Salina was 35km

Strada Statale, 67031 Castel di Sangro www.altstazionedelgusto.it

distant, meaning that the gently smoking giant provided

Niko Romito's Reale Restaurant

jaw-dropping night-time shows.

Piana Santa Liberata, 67031 Castel di Sangro AQ

Salina is home to the Capofaro estate,

www.nikoromito.com/en/reale

where Malvasia vines yield brilliant sweet and aromatic

Antonio Mattei

wines. Guests can stay in the beautiful rooms and suites,

Via Ricasoli 20, 59100 Prato www.antoniomattei.com

including some under the original lighthouse that gives

Regaleali estate

the estate its name. Memorable meals from Chef Ludovico

www.tascadalmerita.it/en/estate/regaleali

De Vivo start with bread voted the “best on the table in

Anna Tasca Lanza cookery school

Italy” by the country's esteemed Gambero Rosso restaurant

www.annatascalanza.com

guide. He lets the produce shine, including something that

Capofaro estate

grows wild across the estate and has a varietal distinct to

www.capofaro.it/en Certa wines

Salina: capers.

www.certa.com.hk

Finishing our journey as we started, with the 21

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Kum Kee has become a well-known household name

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1888

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Use of Fresh Oysters

1980

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L E E K U M K E E Q U I C K F ACT S •

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PROMOTION

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INGREDIENTS:

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1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine Lee Kum Kee Hoisin Sauce, peanut butter, Lee Kum Kee Pure Sesame Oil and Lee Kum Kee Minced Garlic with a whisk.

2. Bring to a gentle simmer and slowly whisk in the water or coconut milk.

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23

PROMOTION

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PROMOTION

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25

MY LITTLE HK KITCHEN

26

MY LITTLE HK KITCHEN

MY LITTLE HONG KONG KITCHEN Recipe blogger and home-cook extraordinaire LA U RA W I L L I A M S shares her recipes for wholesome dishes to get you inspired in the kitchen. www.mylittlehongkongkitchen.com

C A U L I F LO W E R A N D PA R S N I P S O U P SERVES: 4–6 — P REP T IME: 15 M IN — CO O K TI ME: 1 H O U R I N G R E D I E N T S:

1 large head cauliflower

1 tbsp butter

3 large parsnips

bunch fresh thyme

1 onion

700ml vegetable stock

2 cloves garlic

2 tbsp natural yoghurt

3 tbsp olive oil 1. Preheat oven to 200ºC. Begin by breaking or chopping the cauliflower into small florets. Place into a bowl. Now, peel and chop two parsnips into cubes around 2cm big and place into the bowl with the cauliflower. Add in the leaves from 2 sprigs of thyme, 2 tbsp olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper.

Gently toss the ingredients together and place onto a baking tray. Roast for 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are golden and cooked through.

2. When the roasted vegetables are almost cooked, finely slice an onion and place into a large saucepan with 1 tbsp olive oil and the butter. Allow the onions to cook and soften for a minute or two. Crush the garlic into the onion mix and add a few more leaves of thyme. Continue to cook until the onion is completely softened and the garlic is cooked through.

3. Reserving a spoonful of the roasted cauliflower for serving, add the rest of the roasted vegetables to the pan with onions. Mix through for a minute or two and then add in the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 5–10 minutes.

4. While the soup is cooking, use a potato peeler to peel the last parsnip into long strips. Place these thin strips onto a baking tray and add a touch of oil and salt and pepper. Cook at 200ºC for 10–20 minutes, ensuring you regularly check them to prevent burning. When the strips are golden and crisp, remove from the oven.

5. Use a stick blender to blend the soup into a smooth, creamy texture. Add a little water if it's too thick and to reach your preferred consistency. Stir a spoonful of yoghurt through the soup for extra creaminess and serve topped with the reserved roasted cauliflower florets and parsnip crisps.

27

MY LITTLE HK KITCHEN

28

MY LITTLE HK KITCHEN

P U M P K I N G N O CC H I W I T H S AG E, P E A S A N D PA N C E T TA SERVES: 4 A S A MAIN, 6 A S A STARTER — P REP TI ME: 20 M IN — CO O K TI ME: 1.5 H O U R S I N G R E D I E N T S:

1 large Hokkaido pumpkin or

200g diced pancetta

butternut squash

8–10 sage leaves

2 large baking potatoes

150g frozen peas

200–250g plain flour

Parmesan to serve

1 large egg 1. Preheat oven to 210ºC. Slice the pumpkin or squash in half and score vertically and horizontally with a knife to create a square pattern (this will allow the vegetable to cook more quickly). Use a fork to prick the potatoes all over. Place the pumpkin and potatoes onto a baking tray and cook in the oven for an hour, or until everything is cooked and soft all the way through. Allow the vegetables to cool slightly.

2. While the potatoes are still warm, press them through a potato ricer and into a bowl.

3. Use the ricer to press the pumpkin into a separate saucepan. The pumpkin will have a little extra water in it. Cook the pumpkin purée over a medium heat to remove the water. After around 5 minutes, this will become a lot drier. Allow to cool slightly and add into the potato mix. Reserve a couple of spoonfuls of the pumpkin purée for serving.

4. Combine the pumpkin and potato mix well and then add in a pinch of salt and pepper and the egg. Mix well. Add a little of the flour into the mix and combine gently into a dough.

At this point, tip out onto a clean surface and continue to add the flour until you have a soft dough. Take care not to add too much flour or overwork the dough as this will make it tough.

Dust a piece of cling film with flour and place the dough on it. Wrap well and allow to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

5. When the dough has rested, remove from the fridge. Dust the surface with flour, take a quarter of the mix (wrapping the rest back up) and roll into a long sausage shape until it is around 1 inch thick all the way through. Using a sharp knife, cut small pieces of the dough around 1 inch long all the way down. Continue this with each quarter of the dough.

6. To cook, place a deep pan of boiling water over medium heat. Drop each gnocchi into the pan, one at a time. They will initially sink to the bottom. Give the pan one gentle stir when they are all in and allow to cook for 2 minutes. When the gnocchi float to the surface, they are cooked. I recommend cooking only half the gnocchi dough at a time.

7. While the gnocchi cook, place a frying pan over a medium heat and add in the pancetta.

Allow the pancetta to heat gently and release its own oils into the pan. As it does this it will become crisp. Now add in the sage. Allow this to cook in the pancetta oil. As the gnocchi float to the top, use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water and add to the pancetta and sage. Toss the gnocchi through the mix so that it is well coated in the oils and begins to slightly crisp. Add in the peas and mix well until they are soft.

8. To serve, spoon a little pumpkin purée onto a plate and swirl into a large circle. Top with the crispy gnocchi and finish with the cooked pancetta, peas and sage. Grate a little Parmesan cheese on top to finish.

29

MEATLESS MONTHLY

30

MEATLESS MONTHLY

MEATLESS MONTHLY C I N DY LA M of O L I V E O LY K I TC H E N cooks delicious vegetarian recipes that support local farms. www.oliveolykitchen.com

S P I CY ROA S T E D P U M P K I N W I T H S AG E P E S TO R I S OT TO Not only a perfect primo for vegans or vegetarians, this recipe is so versatile and can easily be adapted.

Have the leftover purée any which way you want, be it in a pasta dish or simply a spread.

SERVES: 2–4 — P REP T IME: 10 MIN — CO O K TI ME: 40 M IN

½ medium-sized pumpkin, cut into 1½ inch cubes

F O R T H E S AG E P E S TO:

1 clove garlic

½ cup fresh sage leaves

1 tsp ground paprika

1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ cup walnuts, toasted

½ onion, chopped finely

½ garlic

1 cup arborio rice

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus extra

½ glass Prosecco (dry white wine as alternative)

for serving (can skip if you are vegan)

800ml vegetable stock (keep it warm by heating slowly)

1–2 tbsp lemon juice

extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

zest of 1 lemon

breadcrumbs, toasted, for serving

1. Preheat oven at 200ºC. Pulse sage, parsley, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice and zest in food processor then slowly pour in the olive oil while pulsing. Stir in Parmesan cheese manually. Set aside.

2. Season the pumpkins with paprika, cinnamon, salt and pepper along with a few drizzles of olive oil. Mix and spread evenly on a baking tray. Bake for about 15–20 minutes, until soft and golden.

3. Transfer the roasted pumpkin cubes and garlic to a food processor and blend until smooth.

4. Preheat a saucepan with a drizzle of olive oil on medium heat, cook the onions until tender and translucent.

5. Toss in the rice and evenly coat with the onion mixture before adding the Prosecco.

6. Add a couple ladles of the vegetable stock and stir until absorbed. Repeat this step by adding a ladle at a time on low heat for about 15 minutes.

7. Add about 2/3 cup of the pumpkin purée and 1–2 tbsp of the sage pesto along with another ladle of the stock. Stir and let the rice absorb. Repeat this step by adding one ladle at a time for about another 5 minutes until the rice is creamy and thick.

8. Serve the risotto with a drizzle of olive oil, grated Parmesan and toasted breadcrumbs.

31

GREEN KITCHEN EXPERIMENTS

GREEN KITCHEN EXPERIMENTS

Festive Edition C H E F TO M B U R N E Y of I N V I S I B L E K I TC H E N investigates new methods for cooking in greener ways

GREEN CHRISTMAS DINNER R U L E 1: I T ’S A L L A B O U T T H E S I D E S

If cooked well, the side dishes really are

the best things on the plate. So why not ditch the meat altogether? As long as you have an amazing gravy, it’s a very easy thing to do, and people really aren’t going to miss the meat (hands up if dry, bland turkey is your favourite meat?)

If you love turkey, go for a free-range or

organic option. This is the same advice I’d give for eating any meat at any time of year, and it stretches to seafood too: eat less, eat better. Better means your source is better and the supply chain is shorter and less mass-produced.

A

season

for

giving,

receiving

and

overindulging – Christmas dinner is meant to be a feast, right? The truth is that in terms of keeping a green kitchen, it’s normally one of the worst meals of the year.

By following two simple rules (and a few pointers), you can turn that around, boost your culinary kudos and create new family traditions at the same time. > From left: festive slaw, cranberry tart 32

GREEN KITCHEN EXPERIMENTS

like this one – as food wastage will significantly drop if your food is tastier!

R U L E 2: S H A R E!

The more, the merrier they say, and it is doubly

true around the holidays. Cooking for two people produces proportionally more kitchen waste than cooking for 20, so inviting friends and family is more fun and reduces waste.

Plus, there are more people to take home any leftovers you do have.

Of course, you don’t want to run out of food,

This is a simple rule for a more sustainable way to

so planning a smaller main course along with lots of small

eat meat.

starter dishes and desserts that can be delayed is a great

Always look up the farm your meat comes

idea. Keep some cheese in the fridge that can fill a gap or

from. Is the farm a real place or actually a quaint brand

be saved for another time without creating wastage.

name? Is it within 500km of you? By checking where your

meat or seafood comes from, it does a lot towards making

someone who will make a soup out of it. Wash and recycle

your diet more sustainable. Seek out sustainably certified

your foil or turkey tray. Freeze any leftovers you’re not

seafood. If you’re looking for smoked salmon, the blue MSC

likely to eat within three days so that they don't end up

tag is still the most widely used label, and you can now

pumping nitrogen into a landfill.

find it at Hong Kong supermarkets.

Try using Omnipork instead of pork meat for

snacks you won’t end up eating, start looking close to

stuffing balls. Mixed with breadcrumbs, chopped dried

home and plate up a few extra meals for domestic helpers

fruit and some fresh herbs, fry them up and no one will be

to share with friends.

the wiser (and you’ll actually get compliments on them!)

You can choose whether or not you actually reveal they

wastage, make better use of your leftovers and share the

are, in fact, meat free.

love. You’ll not only be doing your bit for the world, but

you’ll be loved by those in your own little world too.

In terms of side dishes, go to town here. For

If you have cooked turkey, give the bones to

If you’ve cooked too much or overbought

Reduce meat, cook better veggies, reduce

me, a good Christmas dinner is like tapas – everything complements everything else with contrasting flavours.

Think about sweet, spice, salt, acid, savouriness and heat and consider different textures of smooth, crunchy, crispy, and silky soft to make your Christmas dinner exciting to the palate.

When you can, buy your veg from local farmers’

markets. Beetroot, broccoli and cauliflower are often great in December, but if you have to go to the supermarket, you have the trade-off between buying more local loosepacked vegetables rather than plastic-wrapped organics, which may be more sustainably produced at the source before hopping on the plane. Use local sweet potatoes instead of air-freighted Idaho spuds. If no one likes sprouts – don’t cook sprouts! Add a little spice and honey to your root veggies and make sure you’re not under seasoning anything. From my 20 years of experience as a chef, most people don’t use anywhere near enough salt and pepper to make their cooking tasty. It’s probably the biggest thing you can do to reduce wastage – especially for big meals

> From left: vegetables from local farmers’ market, vegetarian buffet

Ask Tom your own kitchen queries and he’ll experiment to find the answer! Email him at asktom@afoodieworld.com 33