November 2013

SAMUI FREE COPY

Romantic Dining at Chaweng Beach

www.samuiholiday.com

1st _ 30th NOVEMBER 2013

Sareeraya Villas & Suites Call + 66 (0) 77 914 333 www.sareeraya.com

November

Knocks on…

It’s almost the end of the year, so what does November have in store?

joy ing we en ing & Din e’ at Bang Po in W i u m v a S ati month in . We ‘go n l n, but this coffee at Boncafé Sticking with loca r so a se y in d t. ga n ra u a h su e a p e th p o S B th e b r esort & iscove at Krua It may R d s e d ra h n a a is d d n s, i a a le tB Th tab high tea a authentic Thai vege and enjoy all about unusual , d o fo a e S ad . ou can re t Black cuisine, y ll as local sea bass read abou d n a s, ru e w Cyp apple as wine from new tax laws. re about e o th m h t it u o w fill ey face can find th rs s e e v g n lo gestions to e e ll Win the cha a few sug d r n e a ff e o in e r? W Forest W fter dinne at to do a h w n o s ver what k of idea and disco re Can’t thin gs. e th t u get o in r days… your even r’ on you e p m a ‘d put a t the rain So don’t le offer. s to Samui ha

SAMUI

Catch of t he D The sea bass and the case of mistaken identity.

Graeme Malley Editor

Angkanang Somwang (Peung) Graphic Designer

Ugrit Komlue (Grit) Photographer

Seksak Kerdkanno (Klauy) Webmaster

Rob De Wet Feature Writer

Rosanne Turner Feature Writer

Colleen Setchell Feature Writer

Peter James Feature Writer

Annie Lee Feature Writer

Nipawan Chuaysagul (Ning) Sales & Marketing Director ning@siammap.com Tel: 0 898 783 891

Henrik Bjørk Managing Director

Siam Map Company Ltd. 52/6, Samui Ring Road, Moo 3, Bo Phut, Samui, 84320 Thailand Tel: (66) 0 7742 2201 Fax: (66) 0 7741 3523 email: info@siammap.com www.siammap.com All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or pictorial content in any manner is prohibited without written permission from Siam Map Company Ltd. Whilst every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this publication, Siam Map Company Ltd. assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. c Siam Map Company Ltd. 2013

Distribution at Bangkok Airport courtesy of Bangkok Airways.

Reservation Center: 1771 Samui Chaweng Office: 0 7760 1300 www.bangkokair.com

The sea bass seems to be suffering from an identity crisis. While researching this article, we came up with at least five different names for it.

In Europe, it is marketed as Mediterranean sea bass, and it is called a branzino in Italy. It’s sometimes called white sea bass (which isn’t even a bass but a fish called a drum); sometimes it’s called a Chilean sea bass (which is a Patagonian toothfish and not something you’d actually choose to eat), or it’s sometimes called a giant sea bass (which is actually a grouper). In Asia, the sea bass is called barramundi or Asian sea bass. The word barramundi actually comes from an Australian Aboriginal language meaning

‘large-scaled river fish’. The native species is widely distributed throughout South East Asia across to Papua New Guinea and Northern Australia.

As far as looks go, the Asian sea bass has an elongated body with a large mouth and an upper jaw that extends behind the eye. It has a single dorsal fin and some of its fins have spines. They have large silver scales which may be dark or light depending on their environment. They are classed as both salt and freshwater fish because even though they are primarily an ocean-going fish, they don’t have a

problem entering fresh water, so can be found in coastal waters, estuaries, lagoons or rivers.

They like warmer waters and are happiest at temperatures between 26 and 30C. They can reach up to 1.8 metres long and can weigh as much as 40 kilos.

Asian sea bass are farmed in Thailand for both commercial and recreational purposes. There is a large farm outside Bangkok where, for a fee, you can spend the day catching this Patagonian toothfish; I mean giant sea bass, sorry, Asian sea bass. They are classed as ‘easy to farm’ because they are a relatively hardy species, the females

produce a lot of eggs which in turn grow rapidly, reaching a good harvesting size from only about six months. In contrast, in the wild they spend roughly two to three years in estuaries until they mature and migrate out to sea. The larvae can only survive in salt water, so they remain around the mouth of a river or a lagoon for spawning, which they choose to do at full moon. A shimmering can be seen in the water caused by their iridescent skin which flashes during their passionate love-making sessions. The large females can produce up to 32 million eggs in one season and no, I have no idea how they were counted! All fish are born

Please recycle or pass on to a friend.

Discover authentic

Indian Cuisine Samui Noori India Restaurant - Chaweng Centerr Chaweng Beach Road, opp. Chaweng Buri Noori India Restaurant - Chaweng South at Chaweng Cove Resort outh Noori India Cooking Center - Chaweng South ort Soi Colibri, opp. Centara Grand Beach Resort For reservations (English) - 0 867 407 873 or 0 7741 3108 For reservations (Thai) - 0 813 960 283 E-mail: nooriindia_samui@yahoo.com www.nooriindiasamui.com

2 www.siamwininganddining.com

Day

male and turn into females when they are roughly three years old. This means in the dating world of the Asian sea bass, females can only be courted by younger men. Nice touch, Mother Nature.

In Thailand the fish is very popular in Thai cuisine and is known as ‘pla kapong’. It is used in many dishes here and can be served in simple dishes steamed with lime and garlic, or deep- or stir-fried. You can sometimes even see it in aquariums where, again, it is sometimes misidentified and labelled as snapper.

Cooking Asian sea bass is very easy as it’s a very versatile fish. It has a mild flavour which means it can be cooked easily with other stronger flavours. The white flaky flesh is great on the grill, but make sure you grease both the fish and the grill first because the fish sticks easily and then promptly falls apart. It is quite a delicate fish so make sure you don’t overcook it. Like most fish, you’ll know it’s cooked when it’s completely opaque through the middle and flakes easily with a fork.

If you fancy having a go at cooking it, try this easy recipe. Start with a chunky fillet and season

it well with salt and pepper. Make a few slashes in the skin and place, skin side down, in a heated frying pan with a little oil. Fry until the skin is crisp and golden. Turn, and cook for roughly another 45 seconds and then transfer to a plate and keep warm. Using the remaining oil, fry ginger, garlic and chillies for about two minutes. Take the pan off the heat and throw in some finely sliced spring onions and toss for around 20 seconds. Splash some soy sauce over the fish and pour the ginger, chilli, garlic and spring onion mix over the top. Guaranteed it will go down well at dinner parties.

There is also a variation where you use a whole fish instead of fillets. Make sure the fish has been cleaned properly inside and place a pounded ginger, chilli, garlic, spring onion mix inside the fish, add a healthy splash of lime juice both inside and out, wrap in foil and bake in the oven for around 25 minutes. The distinct Thai flavours of the ginger, chilli and spring onion seep into the fish and the result is a beautifully flavoured, tender, moist piece of fish.

it an excellent low fat, low carbohydrate, high protein food. This means you don’t need to eat a lot before it fills you up and keeps you full.

So all in all, a pretty standard, albeit versatile, fish which is easily cooked, marinated, baked, fried and grilled. And when faced with the complexity of food and cooking nowadays, it’s nice to know there’s an easy alternative.

Colleen Setchell

Nutritionally speaking, one medium-sized sea bass fillet is roughly 150 calories. It has 6g of fat, 0.5g of carbohydrates and 23g of protein making

Romantic views, soothing sounds and classic Italian fare with a modern approach combine to please the most discerning diner.

Olivio - a must for visitors and locals alike.

Olivio ~ beachfront at Baan Haad Ngam Boutique Resort Chaweng Beach.

Free round trip transfer from Chaweng, Bophut and Choeng Mon. For reservation please call 0 7723 1500 www.siamwininganddining.com

3

Tropical Pick

November’s fruit of the month – the sugar apple.

They look just like small hand grenades, but they can be useful if you’re hysterical, or if you faint a lot. Some countries use them to destroy agricultural pests. In Mexico, you’ll often find them in hen’s nests. And the chances are that in Thailand, you’ll never even notice one – not unless you tread on it, that is. But if you stay here for more than a few days, you’ll probably eat some of them of them without even knowing about it.

The sugar apple (Annona squamosa) is actually a long-established favourite throughout the tropical world. It hates low temperatures, and is thus found basking in the sunshine of India, Asia, South America, Egypt and Central Africa. In Northern Australia, it runs wild (I’m told that most things do, out there) and grows in ditches and along the sides of the roads.

It’s easy to suppose how it got its name, as it’s about the same size as a large apple, and the tree it grows on is a similar size and shape to the apple trees we’re used to back home. It’s one of the members of the Annonaceae family, and is often misnamed after its brother, the custard apple. But, unlike its sibling, the sugar apple is much sweeter and a much nicer guy all round.

Except that it’s a lot lumpier, too, with lots of

4 www.siamwininganddining.com

little segments standing out all over its surface.

You’ll find that the sugar apple is grown all over Thailand – mostly the trees are hidden away on farms and plantations in the northern regions.

But on Samui, you’ll often come across them growing ‘wild’ – they’ll grow in any soil, including sand. So if one day you’re walking back from the beach and something wet and sticky squelches up between your toes – it’s (hopefully) a sugar apple.

Exactly quite where the sugar apple calls ‘home’ is lost in the mists of time. But what is known is that the Spanish traders carried the seeds to the New World in the 16th century, and that the Portuguese introduced it to India at around the same time. It was growing in Indonesia not so long after – and by the next century had spread to Egypt, Africa, Palestine, Polynesia, Hawaii, Mexico and Southern America. And so it’s not surprising that the knobby little sugar apple has more international names than the entire Chelsea football team.

Throughout South America it’s called anon … something. So in Cuba and Panama it’s anon azucar and in Dominica and Honduras it’s anon de castilla. And then you’ll also find anon

domestica, anon blanca plus a whole lot more.

Perhaps some of you might be more familiar with ‘sweetsop’, as they call it in the Bahamas.

But in India (just to confuse matters) it’s also called the custard apple. (I wonder what they call the real custard apple!)

But you’re not out there; you’re here, on Samui.

And this little fruit is delicious – so go and ask for it with its Thai name – noi na. When it’s unripe, it’s a pale green colour, with a faint and varied blue-ish sheen on the segments – and these are more compacted than with the ripe fruit. As it ripens, they begin to stand out more from the surface – to open up a bit – and the colour changes to a variegated orangey-brown, with the surface of the ‘lumps’ turning darker.

To enjoy one – just break it in two. The inside is actually very pretty – with dozens of mushy pale-orange packets radiating away from a central core. And each of these contains a sturdy, shiny black seed. Spoon out the segments and enjoy them – but spit out the seeds.

Unlike many Thai fruits (which are firm and can be cleanly cut or chopped) the sugar apple’s fruit becomes squishy and shapeless once you’ve got rid of the seed. And that’s the reason why

you won’t find it in a fruit salad or a dessert. But anytime you eat a (traditional) Thai ice cream, the chances are that the deliciously sweet (and fragrant) flavour has been produced by…guess what? Correct. Noi na.

It’s quite delectable – moist, sweet and delicious.

But there’s a lot more to the sugar apple than just sucking on the fruit. Take the seeds, for example. They’re not edible – so don’t try. In fact, they’re poisonous, and contain an alkaloid called anondine. You could dry them and crush them, though – and then use a paste made from this to cure…erm…‘head infestations’, like they do in India. And as I’ve already hinted at – if you’re a Mexican farmer, you’ll find this paste handy for keeping unwanted insects away from your nesting hens.

In a world of technology, mass-production, hospitals, and over-the-counter drugs and medicines, it’s sometimes hard to believe that life is quite different in many other countries. So you might be surprised to discover that the crushed leaves of the sugar apple tree give off a pungent aroma that overcomes faintness and nausea. In India, they make a concoction from them that helps counteract rheumatic pain. In many parts of South America, it’s common to find that

extracts from the astringent roots and bark are used to offset dysentery. And if you’re ever in the wilds of Egypt with toothache, you might eventually find that scrapings from the tree-roots are being poulticed onto your gums to relieve the pain.

One of the attractions of staying on Samui is that it’s still largely unspoiled. The markets and street-stalls have very much a taste of the real Thailand. And everywhere, on street corners, on the backs of trucks, in front of closed shops – you’ll find the local people selling fruit. There’s a riot of colours, textures and smells – not all of them fragrant! But if you’re looking for a sweet taste of Thailand, then you just can’t go wrong.

All of the fruit is delicious – but not least of all, the sugar apple.

Rob De Wet

A Taxing

Business Black Forest share the challenges of importing alcohol in Thailand.

Wine is not really the drink of choice in Thailand and most of what you see is imported. Even though Thailand does produce its own wine, it is quite expensive and is mostly exported to other countries. Tourists who arrive in Thailand are probably used to enjoying a glass of wine with their meals, be it a pizza or a three-course dinner at a fancy hotel, and are often shocked when they discover that sometimes the wine costs more than the food itself.

Black Forest Distribution was founded in 1994 on Phuket, by German expat Hans-Peter Blumer who, after getting tired of trying to find a decent wine on the island, decided to start importing quality wines from abroad. Since then he has expanded to importing spirits and beers too, always getting the best quality and making sure all his products have the best price possible for his customers.

But, as Samui branch manager, Matthias Gerbert, explains, this in itself can be a bit of a challenge.

“All wine is expensive here because of the huge import tax,” he says. “Imported wines will have another 400% or so put on top of the original purchase price. That’s a lot of money to pay, even before we add in the costs of the business and warehousing. So wine can be hard to buy and sell here.”

Matthias goes on to explain, “Tourists are charged a lot for wine here, especially if they don't know where to look for the best prices. Hotels and restaurants need to realise that many people go out at night for a meal and even if they’re ordering pizza or pasta, they’ll probably want a glass of wine with it, or a bottle to share. They can opt for the house wine, which should be reasonably priced. But sometimes there’s such a

high mark-up by the restaurant that it just prices customers out.”

changes in the tax laws might start to make this very difficult.

Sigh - we all love paying our taxes. Even when it’s deducted from our salaries each month, we understand that it’s all used for the good of all mankind. Isn’t it? We all know that taxes are part of everyday life, and most of the time we learn to live with them. But when they start to do more harm than good, we start to question the motives of those creating the rules.

It’s a terrible shame because even though people enjoy cocktails on this beautiful island, there are many restaurants that buy their wines from Black Forest and are pleased to be able to offer a good selection of international wines at very competitive prices. With the tax increases, will guests be forced to stop drinking wine altogether?

Will the new laws force them to drink the local beers like the government is hoping? Or is the government hoping that people will continue to drink wine and therefore pay the increased prices? How much would you be willing to pay for a bottle of a good French red with your steak or a bottle dry white wine with your pasta? It just won’t be the same enjoying succulent lobster without a glass of crisp white wine. A beer just won’t cut it.

At the beginning of September 2013, the Thai government announced a revised alcohol tax structure based on a new calculation method. The new structure uses the last wholesale price excluding value-added tax (VAT) instead of ex-factory prices, as used in the old formula, and is worked out using three elements: value or price, alcohol content and volume. They pointed out the change will make the competition between local and imported products fairer in terms of prices.

Various businesses have criticised the new alcohol excise tax structure as unfair.

Tax for beer is 48% while the tax for white spirit is only 4%. The tax on wine changes by how much the bottle originally costs and other drinks have their tax charged according to what percentage alcohol they contain, it’s all very confusing.

But how would this affect companies like Black Forest. They’ve been operating for nearly 20 years now and are experts in their field. They have an established customer base, and for years they have always made sure that they were able to offer great prices for their customers. But in situations like this, their hands are truly tied.

Their goal was to bring good quality wines to the island of Samui for people to enjoy, but the

Is this the end of the wine import business in Thailand? I don’t know, but what I do know is that whatever happens, Black Forest will always work to get the best price for their products and they are absolutely willing to fight to the end if need be.

Colleen Setchell For further information, telephone 0 7741 8585. www.phuketwine.com

www.siamwininganddining.com

5

Roald Dahl Dylan Thomas

Happy Birthday G d Gordon Ramsay

11 Sun 3 10 17 24

2013 November Mon 4 11 18 25

Tue 5 12 19 26

Wed 6 13 20 27

Thu 7 14 21 28

Fri 1 8 15 22 29

Sat 2 9 16 23 30

Here are some events that have made November memorable le e in foodie history. y 1st – This day marks World Vegan Day, and Samui has a few great vegetarian restaurants where you can celebrate the event. nd

2 – On this day, in 1755, Marie Antoinette, Queen consort of Louis XVI of France was born.

She’s renowned for her quote regarding the poor in her community not even having bread to eat: “If they have no bread, let them eat cake.”

3rd – In 1966, a law was passed stating that ingredients are required to be listed on food packages.

4th – The first cash register was invented on this day, in 1879, by James and John Ritty. It was an attempt to stop barmen stealing from the Pony House restaurant in Dayton, Ohio.

5th – And this is National Doughnut Day in the USA. The things that they will celebrate… th

6 – This is St Leonard’s Day, patron saint of greengrocers. So take a wander to your local fresh market today in celebration. th

7 – On this day, in 1872, the Mary Celeste sailed for Genoa from New York with a cargo of 1,700 barrels of alcoholic spirits. The ship was found abandoned near the Azores, the captain, his wife and daughter and seven crewmen missing, and no sign of violence. They were never seen again.

6 www.siamwininganddining.com

Well, surely they had enough to keep a party going for a while.

8th – 1974 - London's famous flower and vegetable market moves from Covent Garden.

9th – Today, in 1953, Dylan Thomas, the Welsh poet, died at the Chelsea Hotel in New York after consuming 18 straight martinis.

10th – 1871 - Journalist Henry Morton Stanley finds missing explorer Dr. David Livingstone near Lake Tanganyika – “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” Not too much to do with food, although no doubt they shared a gin and tonic after meeting. th

11 – In 2006, on this day, a Hong Kong real estate tycoon and his wife paid $160,000 for a 1.5kg Italian Alba white truffle.

12th – In 1974, after more than 125 years, salmon returned to the River Thames in England.

13th – On this day, in 1895, the first shipment of canned pineapple left Hawaii, offering some their first taste of exotic fruit. Luckily on Samui, we have the real deal.

14th – 1922 - The BBC officially began daily radio broadcasts with the 6 pm news. The channel is now known for its host of cooking and foodie shows.

15th – And sticking with TV, on this day, in 1969, the first colour TV commercial in Britain was aired, for Birds Eye Peas.

16th – This marks National Fast Food Day in the USA – hardly something to be celebrated.

17th – Well, something better to celebrate in the USA, this marks National Homemade Bread Day. 18th – Don’t try this one at home kids, but on this day, in 1307, the legendary William Tell shot an apple from his son's head with a bow and arrow.

19th – On a morbid foodie note, in 1961, Michael Rockefeller, son of Governor Nelson Rockefeller, disappeared, and was presumed eaten by the cannibals of New Guinea.

20th – Nothing to do with food, but it will make you feel good… on this day, in 1820, a whaling ship, the Essex, was rammed twice by a sperm whale and eventually sank.

21st – November marks Good Nutrition Month, so go eat something healthy, and make a habit of it.

22nd – This day, in 1992, marks the death of actor, Sterling Holloway. He was also the voice of Winnie the Pooh, the honey-loving bear in Disney's animated version.

23rd – Sticking with books, films and death … on this day, in 1990, Roald Dahl died. One of this British author’s most popular books was 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,' the film version was titled 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.'

24th – Americans celebrate a food each day of the year – seriously! So this marks National Espresso Day, as well as National Sardine Day – quite a combination.

25th – So often songs and bands have food in their titles, and on this day, in 1967, 'Incense and Peppermint' by Strawberry Alarm Clock hits number one on the charts.

26th – In 1991, Japan agreed to stop using drift nets in commercial fishing.

27th – This day marks the invention of the friction match (strike anywhere) in 1826, by John Walker, making life a lot easier for boy scouts and campers everywhere.

28th – Thanksgiving is celebrated today in the USA. We could also call it National Turkey Mourning Day… 29th – Today, in 2012, New York City fast food workers from McDonald’s,

Taco Bell and other companies went on strike as part of a campaign seeking union recognition and a $15-an-hour wage.

30th – We end the month on a dramatic note. In 1983, Alfred Heineken, president of Heineken (the beer) was kidnapped. He was freed after a ransom was paid three weeks later. Wonder if that payment was in beer or cash?

Rosanne Turner

Going Native

Joining the locals at Bang Po Seafood.

Two decades ago this was the one outstanding restaurant in Bang Po. You’d probably have been directed by locals to ‘the shack opposite the mango tree’, and found it because it was the only lit establishment on the beach. Now you need to look out for a small signboard somewhere along the main ring road opposite Soi Bang Po 4, and not to be confused by larger imitations: It’s not Haad Bang Po, or Krua Bang Po or any other but Bang Po Seafood (Takho).

And, when you do find it, the shabby frontage is not reassuring. There’s a red neon Coca Cola sign with the name in English, a weird cement fish, and a higgledy-piggledy collection of roofs of various miss-matched materials, tethered to beams like a jerry-rigged pirate boat. But yes, this is it, and that’s the sea glistening out there.

You’ll be drawn to the beachside tables, shaded by great sea-chestnut trees. I make it tough for the restaurant staff: I arrive alone, I arrive in the afternoon and I arrive hungry. But the genuinely friendly crew are unfazed. Even as they sweep the beach and cheerfully arrange the furniture for the evening rush, and I sit down at a big empty table to scan the menu, the house appetizer

arrives promptly. ‘Khuy jee’ was a quick snack prepared in the coconut groves of yore, and it’s redolent of the Samui when everyone ‘worked coconuts’, not just the chained monkeys. For lunch you’d take along a pounded smear of kapi (fermented shrimp paste) with grated coconut meat, shallots and garlic. Then you’d grill it over the fire on a shard of coconut and eat it with some local herbs and greens.

Mine comes to the table with young cashew tree leaves, albeit on a melamine plate, with cucumbers and green beans. In an interview for the Bangkok Post many years ago, owner Khun Sukkho explained that the restaurant’s khuy jee is adapted slightly from its original recipe by adding a little crab meat. “Giving it to our customers free is our way of saying, ‘This is something that you won’t find anywhere else. You’ve arrived on Ko Samui!’ ” He ruefully admits that “after the foreigners have tasted it, some say they’d have preferred some other way of letting them know that they’d arrived on Ko Samui!”

That is probably still true. And another truism is that the menu authentically reflects its Samui roots, not just in its simple plastic folder. Among

the seasonal local foods you’ll find an island delicacy called ‘wai’ - a large squid resembling an octopus. Islanders eat only the tentacles, roasting them for a curry called ‘wai khua’, or steamed in the sour curry ‘tom prio wan’. My personal favourite swims in coconut cream and young tamarind shoots, where the divine rich sweetness of the coconut is perfectly usurped by the sour tamarind. And I love that, in a region famous for its terseness, there is no short cut for the languorous literal lilt of ‘‘tom gatti yod makaam say pla muek.”

Another local delicacy is the rice. Khaao man is prepared by soaking dried mung beans and then cooking the rice in coconut milk with a pinch of salt. A first for me, and I enjoy how the beans impart an extra nutty flavour.

Seaweed or ‘sarai khaw’ is another original staple on Samui. Collected from the sea floor, it’s boiled very briefly and prepared as a salad (or ‘yam’) by pounding it with green mango, garlic, shallots, chillies, fish sauce, lime and peanuts. I order one with cockles and the combination of chilli heat, saltiness, sourness and nuttiness seem to bring the sea to life in my mouth. The texture of the

seaweed is hard to pinpoint - not quite rubbery, ery but not quite crunchy.

Staying with an island palette of flavours, I ask for some simple grilled fish. While the mullet is perfectly roasted, a slight sweetness in the seafood sauce is not to my taste. However, the ‘yam’ stands in as a perfectly bold companion to the rich smoky salty oily fish.

I make it a ménage à trois by adding ‘sataw’ which is sometimes translated as stink bean or bitter nuts. A southern seasonal favourite, these crunchy beans, stir-fried lightly with kaffir lime leaves, kapi, garlic and prawns, release a nutty sulphurous essence. Not for the faint-hearted!

multifarious concoctions are fresh-pounded to order in a mortar. Bang Po Seafood makes bilimbi (a sour member of the star fruit family), sweet and sour mango, fresh shrimp, and lemon nam prik.

I like the simple layout of the menu, and the local suggestions. It’s easy to navigate and with the aid of the simple pictures, you can’t really go wrong.

But invite some Thai friends to join you if you can. That way you not only get to share a variety of dishes, but you benefit from native wisdom in ordering. Not that you’d be lonely - in fact, it’s hard to get a seat, especially on weekends. You’ll find few will dispute that this is still one of Samui’s enduring food landmarks.

Annie Lee

Southern Thai food is also fond of turmeric and you’ll find its distinct yellow hue in the flying fish grilled in coconut milk with black pepper, as well as the ‘gaeng som’ (sour curry fish soup), and the free-range chicken broth with turmeric.

You’ll find many types of ‘nam prik’, a spicy dip/sauce usually accompanied by a plate of fresh and/or steamed vegetables, all over Thailand.

Referred to here as a spicy ‘pate’, these

Located in the beautiful Fisherman’s Village on Bophut Beach, our experienced chefs proudly present authentic Thai cuisine and Southern Thai dishes. Fresh seafood is a must with great quality at reasonable prices.

Enjoy the tranquility of the beach, the twinkling stars and the whispering waves along with the

(Fisherman’s Village) 16/16 Moo 1, Bophut, Koh Samui, Suratthani 84320 Tel: 077 430 030, 077 245 035 Free Parking!! Opposite the restaurant

www.siamwininganddining.com

7

High Time for T Romance is in the air at Bandara Resort & Spa. We’re a thoughtful bunch. It’s not enough that we, the writers here at Wining & Dining, get to sample the best of Samui’s cuisine. It’s also our mission to share. We’re all keen enough that, when we find somewhere new or some kind of special offering, we just have to spread the news.

We are compelled to help others by pointing out the places and things that you’d otherwise never get to know about. And this month I’m pleased to be able to blow culinary trumpets on behalf of Bandara Resort & Spa. Bandara has been around for a while. It’s one of those grand resorts in Bophut which were built in an era when the label ‘lavish’ went hand-in-hand with acres of real estate, too. Unlike some resorts, where the layout is a marvel of architectural compression, Bandara is big. It spans a substantial plot between the ring-road and the beach, just a little way west past the traffic lights leading to Fisherman’s Village.

The grounds are scattered with mature trees, bushes, ponds and water features, with the shady

cottages peeping through the foliage. The path towards the beach wanders lazily around lawns and through leaf-dappled salas spanning streams until, suddenly, you emerge from the greenery and into the open. In front of you is the pool, with its backdrop of the sea, the sky, and the island of Koh Pha-Ngan. And to the right is the resort’s signature restaurant, Chom Dao. Chom Dao is a beachside restaurant – but you won’t realise this right away, as it’s one of those place that seems to unfold as you enter. And it’s put together in the traditional Thai style: essentially a big roof with a space underneath and open on three sides. In this case the floor-space is cleverly terraced; this not only breaks up the layout but creates a series of ‘areas’, too. There’s the shady inner sanctum, with the heavy mahogany tables and chairs. There’s a slightly lower terrace that fringes the beach. And then there’s the walkway around the side of the pool that’s called into play for special occasions. Plus, of course, there’s the beach itself, where you’ll find yourself if you have romance on your mind –

the gastronomic sort, naturally!

James Taywakone is the very cheerful and laid-back general manager here. But beneath that genial interface lies a very thoughtful business mind. For some years, he’s been gradually introducing newer and more attractive elements, both in general, and in the restaurant in particular.

“Unlike some resorts,” he told me, “we positively welcome visitors from outside. Usually we’ll charge a nominal fee for the use of pool towels and the facilities. But this charge is waived if you dine here too.”

All well and good, but that’s an evening affair and nobody is going to wait about round the pool until it gets dark! James was quick to put me straight here. “Ah,” he continued, “we’ve got several other options. And in any case the best time for visitors is in the afternoon, and to take in the sunset.” And then he went on to explain that the happy hour is pitched to maximise this – and so is the High Tea.

Sea Wrap ...living by the sea...

There are not so many places that offer an afternoon gourmet experience. And here the High Tea is really something rather special. It’s enough for two people. And it’s presented on one of those lovely glass three-tier cake stands.

The top layer is a riot of fruits: strawberries, melon balls, dragon fruit, papaya, and cantaloupe. Beneath this, you’ll discover the sandwiches. Everything is lovingly presented and the chef – Khun Pamon – has taken the trouble to make these circular with crinkly edges. And the lower layer is a gasp-making riot of pastries (all made in-house) with chocolate and fruitcake and, of course, the English scones complete with jam and cream. Plus you get as much tea or coffee as you can drink; constant refills on tap, as it were.

However . . . there is a way to bridge the gap between the sunset and that special romantic dinner – and enjoy the effects of happy hour, too.

This is where the romantic gastronomy comes in.

Because Chom Dao is featuring a unique ‘Seafood Basket on the Beach’. And, believe me; you’ll

need to pace yourself if you want to enjoy the dessert, too!

Your personal waiter will attend you on your private table (on the sand and facing the sea) that’s suitably bedecked with candles and flowers.

There’s a complimentary glass of wine each to start, before the Caesar Salad appears as an appetiser. Then there’s a choice of soups. But the highlight almost needs two to carry it. There’s a whole Phuket lobster, plus small rock lobsters, mussels, prawns, squid and crab. And then you can specify what you want with it – all included in the price – fries, mashed, boiled, baked or sautéed potatoes. Or even pasta or salad if you wish. Or permutations of any these. But you’ll need to be exact about this when you make the booking; it’s not possible for chef Pamon to conjure up pasta or a baked potato while you’re dining. And to finish it all off there’s a lovely big fire lantern to sign-off with.

See? I told you it would be special. Another bonus is that all the prices at Bandara Resort &

Le Jaroen “A Secret World”

Ease yourself to the sound of gently lapping waves and enjoy the breath-taking sea views.

Savor Mediterranean bistro culinary delights & modern Thai specialties, for a unique beachfront dining experience.

Peace Resort 178, Moo 1, Bophut Beach, Koh Samui, Suratthani 84320 Thailand Tel: +66 77 425357 | Fax: +66 77 425343 www.peaceresort.com seawrap@peaceresort.com

Probably the most enchanting restaurant on the island for an unforgettable romantic evening.

Induldge your senses with an exquisite 5 course Chef’s Signature Menu or 4 course Thai Degustation Menu.

Tel +66 (0)77 962 198 info@thescenthotel.com www.thescenthotel.com The Scent Hotel 58/1 Moo 4 Bangrak Beach, Bophut, Koh Samui, Suratthani 84320, Thailand

8 www.siamwininganddining.com

Tea

Spa, and their Chom Dao restaurant, are what you see on the menu; there’s no ‘plus plus’ with tax on top. So I can definitely say that it’s high time you went there. Or should that be ‘time for high tea’?

Or even maybe ‘high time for high tea and romance’? Whatever! Either way it’s another scoop, brought to you hot off the press from the food writers who care. Enjoy!

Rob De Wet For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7724 5795. www.bandarasamui.com

Iconic Beachfront Restaurant Daily Modern European Asian Cuisine.

Oyster Sunday Brunch from noon - 4 pm.

With breathtaking views and an unrivalled ambiance, RockPool is an unmissable Samui dining attraction. Resting on the rocks just a few metres above the ocean, the RockPool terrace offers an exquisite beach-side dining experience. Chef Christopher's menu is an a la carte journey embracing an exotic tapestry of the freshest ingredients, delicately prepared to enhance each individual flavour.

RockPool is the perfect location for all celebrations, and is equally delightful for a casual, gourmet lunch or a romantic dinner. Sunday Brunch is a long, lazy affair.

RockPool is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

RESERVATIONS: 077 234 500 Email: info@kandaresidences.com www.kandaresidences.com Located Between Chaweng And Choeng Mon. Location In Thai:

ÌҹÍÒËÒÃà ͤ¾ÙÅ μѧé ÍÂÙË ÐËÇ‹Ò§ËÒ´à©Ç§áÅÐËÒ´àªÔ§Á¹

Complimentary one way transfer to or from your resort . www.siamwininganddining.com

9

Going Nuts with Food Forget about just eating it – you can use food for lots of other things too!

Sometimes I put my foot in it. Sometimes I just can’t help having a great idea that falls flat on its face. Like this story, for instance. On these pages in the past, we’ve covered tales of lots of strange foods – in Asia that’s not so hard to do! But what about a different angle? What about a story on using food for really odd things. Such as . . . polishing your patio with pizza? Well, maybe not.

That’s just the first thing that came to mind. But you get the drift. Excellent idea, what!

Wrong. I’ve got a couple of things in the pot, mind you (nothing to do with pizza), but they’re hardly enough for a whole story, not even with really big pictures. Like, for instance, using orange peel to stop your cigarettes from going dry. Yes, I know, healthy lifestyles and all of that. But you’d be surprised at just how many folks are pleased to find they can smoke freely over here. And, despite the humidity, everything dries out pretty fast. Slip a slice or two inside the packet to keep everything moist (and your cigs even taste slightly tropical, too.)

And another one. Did you know that pure soya bean oil is actually a varnish? Yes, the same stuff you cook your food with! A varnish is defined as any substance that, when dry, becomes insoluble and, if used on wood, seals the surface. There are three well-known natural varnishes. Outside of the furniture trade, probably the best known of these is raw linseed oil. But the prime candidate here is the exotic and expensive tung oil (aka ‘Chinese oil’), which really does bring out the rich colour and texture of the grain. And then there’s the stuff that’s on every supermarket shelf - soya oil. And it really works well, particularly when buffed with bee’s wax afterwards. Bet you didn’t know that – good, eh? And now for the rest. . . .

Hmmm. Did you realise that the internet is completely dominated by American offerings? And this is where my good story idea starts to wobble.

An hour with Google, and all I can discover is that housewives have a lot of time on their hands nowadays. They’ve all stopped slogging and turned to blogging. (All those new-fangled labour-saving devices, I expect.) And I can find thousands of enthusiastic tips about how to stop doors squeaking by using butter on the hinges, how to use mayonnaise for removing stains on wood (okay – forget about the pizza), and that lemon juice cleans everything made of metal.

I wonder just how many huge pictures I can persuade my editor to pad this out with . . . on the other hand, I confess that I did find out something useful - peanut butter. (It didn’t say, but I presume

10 www.siamwininganddining.com

not the crunchy kind?) I’m told that it works just as efficiently as jeweller’s rouge. Coat it thinly onto whatever you want to polish. Let it dry. Buff it off.

Result? Instant gleaming shine. Thank you housewives everywhere. (I must get a jar for my workshop.) And thanks to you also for pointing out that Tabasco sauce relieves toothache, too. I wonder if I can reciprocally dribble oil of cloves onto my nachos . . .

And, on a tropical theme, there’s breadfruit. Come to think of it, jackfruit, too. These look something like the durian; huge and spiky, but without the smell. Thus, you may be tempted to try one out, just for the hell of it. Whereupon your knife will almost immediately come to a halt, gummed up and stuck solid, due to the very sticky latex in the outer skin. However, back to natural oil again. If you coat your knife, hands, and anything else that might touch the gummy sap, with olive oil first, then it won’t happen. This fruit is used a lot in Thailand – well at least the tree is! The sawdust and wood-chips produce a deep, saffron-coloured dye and this is what Buddhist monks traditionally use to dye their robes.

And that puts us in the realm of all the rest of the tropical fruits, most of which you’ll come across growing naturally in Thailand. We’re on ‘Coconut Island’, and coconut water can be used for a variety of medical purposes, one of which is emergency intravenous re-hydration. But, then, so many of the fruits in these parts have unforeseen uses. The pomegranate tree contains isopelletierine, which kills tapeworms. Cashew nuts are used to make Madeira wine. Papaya contains an enzyme called papain, which is used to treat spinal disorders. Kiwi fruit has actinidin, which is a natural meat-tenderiser – just smear one on your steak and leave it awhile.

I was going to go on to dragon fruit, kaffir lime and the strange pandanus tree. But I seem to have run out of space. Fancy that! My story idea seems somehow to have turned itself into a flyer. I’d better send a note to the editor – he can use normal-sized pictures after all!

Rob De Wet

Not One, Not Two but Three Signature Dishes

Nora Buri express their love of seafood d with colour and creativity.

From the second you arrive, the staff at Nora Buri Resort & Spa smile and greet you like a long lost friend. But today we aren’t here to talk about the amazing staff, or even to talk about the beautiful resort with its typical Thai style rooms, or the sea-facing spa, or the gorgeous infinity pool with the sea view. We’re not even going to talk about their biggest restaurant on the hill, Manora which is used for all their big functions, festivals and even ballroom dancing events. No today we’re here to talk about some very special dishes that are served at their restaurant by the sea, The Rice Barge.

Nora Buri is located at the north end of Chaweng Beach Road, and the restaurant can be found on the third level of The Barge building, which is situated on the beachfront. It is open from 6:00 pm with last orders at 10:00 pm, and seats around 150 people. Traditional Thai music is played every evening, and you can relax listening to the beautiful music and enjoy the authentic Thai cuisine.

Most restaurants have one signature dish, a dish that they are particularly proud of or that shows

off their skills or love of a particular food or ingredient. But here at Nora Buri they had such a tough time choosing just one signature dish that they’ve chosen three!

So the three dishes sharing the spotlight are the ‘Mixed Appetisers’ starter and two main dishes: ‘Snowfish with spicy Thai Herbs’ and ‘Scallops with black pepper sauce’. Three very different but equally delicious Thai dishes.

Let’s start with the ‘Mixed Appetiser’. It’s a visually striking dish that’s been created with care and precision and you’ll be forgiven for taking time to appreciate it before you start tucking in. A hollowed out pineapple acts as the dish, and you’ll get two of everything because the dish is aimed at two people sharing (or one very hungry person). Two sticks of tender chicken satay served with a rich peanut sauce; two prawns wrapped in yellow noodles and deep fried until golden; two Thai fish cakes made with minced fish, Thai curry paste, chillies, kaffir lime leaf and Thai herbs which are tender, juicy and very savoury (and not spicy at all despite the curry and

the chillies). Then there are two good sized balls of deep fried crab meat which go very nicely dipped into the Thai sweet chilli sauce provided.

Finally two crispy vegetable spring rolls which also aren’t spicy but definitely savoury with a hint of pepper, and work well with either the Thai sweet chilli sauce or the plum sauce. And even though many of these things are fried, they are by no means greasy or oily but rather crispy and perfectly cooked.

The dish’s decoration deserves a special mention here. A chunky stick of galangal has been used to create a tree made with chillies and garlic and topped with flowers carved out of turnips. The craftsmanship is incredible.

On to the next dish - Scallops with black pepper sauce. Scallops are easily overdone and need to be cooked quickly over a high heat. But the scallops in this dish are beautifully light brown on the outside with a deliciously caramelised flavour.

There are quite a few scallops in this dish so don’t think you’ll get a token three or four!

Chinese mushrooms, red and yellow peppers and

onion are lightly stir fried and then mixed with a mildly spicy black pepper sauce and served in a red cabbage leaf. The dish is finished off with a huge juicy scallop drizzled with sauce, resting on top of the colourful mountain of vegetables.

Again the decoration deserves a special mention what’s been done to two red chillies is a work of art. They’ve been slit lengthways and then curled back to create the illusion of a long-petalled flower and are laid next to a spring onion which has had its green leafy bits curled like ribbons.

How do they do that?

The third and final dish is ‘Snowfish with spicy Thai herbs’. If you’re not familiar with snowfish, it has a very similar texture to salmon but is a white fish. It’s soft and succulent, yet firm with a very subtle taste. The Thai herbs served with this are a mixture of lemongrass, mango, garlic, ginger, green peppers and shallots. Spicy, fresh and with citrus undertones with a good taste of garlic, it perfectly complements the gentle taste of the fish.

Again, the colours are visually pleasing - orange, green, and white provide the base and the large piece of gently browned fish rests on top. The

beautiful decoration consists of a small green lettuce decorated with chillies and garlic.

Three very different but very tasty dishes. So, head over to the Rice Barge where you can learn that there is so much more to Thai food than pad Thai and tom yam soup.

I know I’m up for the challenge.

Colleen Setchell For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7791 3555 www.noraburiresort.com

Events @ the beach front Bistro Monday, Wednesday and Saturday: Live music.

Tuesday: Thai night with live Thai music and dancing Thursday: Lobster night Friday: Rustichella pasta night Saturday: All day tapas Sunday: International BBQ night with a live cabaret show.

Probably the most beautiful Restaurant on the island.

Dine outside in the lush gardens by the pool or inside the open air ‘dining room’. The exceptional Aziz and his team present a modern take on Classical French Cuisine.

www.siamwininganddining.com

11

A Special Beach Dining Experience Dining by the the sea - at The Sea!

BAR & RESTAURANT

Open from 10:00 am - 01:00 am (main kitchen), with pizzas being served until 1:00 am.

For reservations and further information, telephone 077 961 648 www.spagosamui.com

Grill & BBQ Fish and Seafood Open from 12:00 am - 01:00 am For reservations and further information, telephone 077 963 213

www.galangasamui.com 12 www.siamwininganddining.com

It’s funny living on an island and seeing signs for the sea. Why would they need signs when the sea is all around? Look a bit closer and you’ll notice it is written ‘The Sea’.

Yes, in Bang Po on a quiet stretch of white sandy beach with picturesque views of Koh Pha-Ngan, lies the boutique resort The Sea Samui. Consisting of 25 villas and suites nestled between lush tropical plants, right on the beach. Each villa has been specifically designed to feel like a home away from home, and the friendly staff will ensure that guests are comfortable throughout their stay.

The 20 metre long beachside pool is surrounded by loungers and tables for you to make the most of Thailand’s sunshine. If it gets too hot, simply sink into the pool and order an iced-cold drink or an exotic cocktail from their poolside bar, Breeze. Open daily from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm, they can conjure up a whole host of delightful holiday drinks or if you prefer something simpler, enjoy a glass of wine or beer or even a mocktail. They have music playing at a comfortable level because this spot is all about relaxing not partying.

It’s all well and good drinking by the pool, you might say, but what if I get hungry? Fair enough, but perhaps we need to take a step back and talk

about what you had for breakfast this morning …

Opening as early as 7:00 am, Café Lebay offers a buffet breakfast or an a la carte menu with Western and Thai dishes. A great way to start your day. If you are travelling back home and are leaving too early for breakfast, for your convenience they offer a breakfast box to take on your journey so there is no need to go without the most important meal of the day. Just make sure you ask at reception the day before.

Café Lebay is a modern style air-conditioned restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating.

It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers a great selection of international cuisine with steak, ribs, lamb, duck and seafood all featuring. The restaurant is a pleasant sight being the first thing you see when you arrive at the resort. The contrasting white walls and dark wood give the area a smart, upmarket feel and the black slate wall creates a striking entrance feature.

So where were we before we started discussing the restaurant? Ah, yes, I believe we were by the pool enjoying the sunshine and ordering cocktails.

The swimming pool operates from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm so you’re able to splash around and cool down all day.

Now, don’t be put off that there isn’t a restaurant here at the pool. Café Lebay is more than able to take orders from the pool area. And since it’s such a short distance between the two, your meal can be with you before you’re even halfway through your cocktail. Feel free to eat while relaxing on your sun lounger or sit at one of the many tables that have been laid out around the pool or on the beach. If you fancy something a little different, opt for the light lunch served in picnic baskets for a unique outdoor dining experience.

The Sea provides you with so many different opportunities to experience your beach dining with a special touch. A nice quiet beach, someone special, great food and the Gulf of Thailand sounds like a perfect evening.

Colleen Setchell For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7796 0567 www.theseasamui.com

Maybe you want to pop that ‘special question” or celebrate a special anniversary. A romantic beach dinner can be arranged for you amidst candles and lanterns. Lie back and enjoy a ‘Kantoke’ style dinner - a selection of Thai dishes served on a small pedestal tray. You will be treated to two glasses of complimentary sparkling wine and a unique, personalised romantic beach set up.

Barbecues at The Sea are very popular and you have a choice of on the beach, beside the pool or outside your villa. Every Saturday is the ‘Beach BBQ Buffet’ which runs from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Choose from a selection of fresh seafood such as king prawns, rock lobster, squid, blue crabs, chicken, pork and vegetables. You could even combine the two - barbecue and romantic dinner!

All You Need Is Love…

At Bandara Resort and Spa, Samui, brides and grooms need to bring only their love. All else is here – inspiring seaside setting on a peaceful stretch of idyllic island coastline, dedicated team of wedding professionals giving meticulous attention to every detail, and the genuine warmth of Thai hospitality to ensure one of life’s most important occasions is truly memorable.

Pure Asian Experience

Where love grows - all newlyweds plant a ‘Love Tree’ in the resort’s garden and are invited to return on their honeymoon to relive fond memories and see how their own unfolding love has graced where the bond began.

178/2 Moo 1, Tambol Bophut, Koh Samui, Surat Thani Thailand 84320 Tel: +66 (0) 7724 5795 Fax: +66 (0) 7742 7340 stay@bandarasamui.com www.bandarasamui.com www.siamwininganddining.com 13

After Dinner Entertainment The fun doesn’t have to end after your evening meal.

You’ve eaten a delicious meal. You are full of fresh seafood (which can be found all over Samui), you’ve enjoyed a nice glass (or maybe more) of wine, and cheekily ended it with something insanely sweet. Your stomach is smiling, you feel content and you glance at your watch. No! It’s far too early to go back to your room. So what now? What do you do on Samui when you’re finished indulging in some of the finest dining in the world?

The truth is that the island only really goes to sleep in the very early hours of the morning, and sometimes not at all - which is good news if you’re a night owl. So what is there to do? Let’s see what we can find.

If you’ve overindulged and you fancy walking it off, try one of the many walking street markets.

Small streets are closed off to cars and bikes and lined with stands selling food (sorry!), cocktails, jewellery, hand-made crafts and seemingly everything else. The markets move around so you’ll catch it in Maenam on Thursdays, in Bophut on Fridays and in Lamai on Sundays. If you can resist the tempting smell of barbecued food, this could be a nice outing after dinner,

14 www.siamwininganddining.com

although bear in mind, they do start packing away around 10:00 pm.

Perhaps chilling on the beach would be better. If you head to Bophut, Bangrak or Maenam, you will probably find a ‘laid back beanbags on the beach’ experience where you can sit back, relax, order a drink and watch the waves quietly lapping the shore. If you head to Chaweng, you will find a more vibrant, party atmosphere. Some of the resorts have sun loungers laid out on the beach until the early hours, with fantastic DJs and an endless supply of cocktails to make sure your night ends in the best possible way.

If it’s just a simple walk on the beach you’re after, you’re spoilt for choice. The sand is soft, the waters calm and the restaurants (okay, you might be feeling peckish again) and bars plentiful. Walk along the water’s edge, breathe in the fresh sea air and smile - after all, you’re on Samui.

Releasing a fire lantern is also popular. Vendors can be found walking along most beaches selling these beautiful lanterns, and often you can see the little blobs of orange floating in the

sky for miles. Simply made of thin paper, a simple wire frame and small receptacle for fuel, they are lit and when enough hot air fills the lantern, they slowly expand and are released into the air.

while shopping for some souvenirs, or you can head to a cabaret show. There are a few excellent ladyboy cabarets in Chaweng. Singing, dancing, miming, semi-covered bodies and very long legs are all guaranteed.

If you’re a sports fan, there are many bars where you can sit back and enjoy watching ‘the latest game’. The Fire Station in Maenam is a modern but chilled-out sports lounge with four 50-inch screens showing live sports from around the world. They also have a great sound system which plays some funky tunes in between games. They have a free pool table and free high speed Wi-Fi, and are open until the early hours of the morning.

How about watching a Muay Thai boxing match?

Most start around 9:00 pm which gives you plenty of time to enjoy your dinner and get to a stadium. At Petch Buncha Stadium, fights are held on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights, and at Chaweng Stadium every Tuesday and Friday. A buzzing atmosphere, live commentary and a healthy splash of Thai music all contribute to a great evening.

If you’ve had an early dinner, you might be able to catch the incredible fire show at the tiny little bamboo-structured Reggae Bar near Big Buddha.

The star of the show, Champ, is just 13 years old and will amaze you with his various fire tricks.

You’ll be on the edge of your seat the whole way through the show.

You could always head into the heart of Chaweng and practise your bargaining skills

If you’re hyped up from the boxing, dance it all off at one of the many clubbing venues, Green Mango being the most well-known on Samui.

Here you can dance, boogie, jive and generally move your booty until the club throws you out at around 2:00 am. Housed in a large warehouse type building, it has two main areas with one playing hip hop and mainstream and the other more house and techno music. Sound Club in Chaweng (which is open until 6:00 am!) is another popular club with an inside area

(playing hip hop and R&B) and an outside area (playing house). There are both resident DJs and visiting international guests.

You could always adopt the ‘I’m on holiday and refuse to move’ option, and on Samui, this is entirely doable. Most hotels and resorts have some form of entertainment every night, from Thai dancing to live music or cabarets. Smaller bars and pubs have pub quiz nights and even karaoke evenings.

So, we’re sure there is more than enough to keep you occupied after your meal. One thing you will never, ever be on Samui is bored. That much we can promise you.

Colleen Setchell

The Patio Restaurant serves authentic Italian an and nd Tha nd Thai delicacies delicacies. Enjoy breakfast breakfast, lunch and dinnerr with spectacular s sea views and live entertainment entertainment.

Pavilion presents the best in Samui Boutique Resort dining. Experience a romantic meal at The Patio Restaurant with outstanding sea views.

The Look-Out Bar is the ideal place to unwind with a drink by our beach side pool.

Lamai Beach, Koh Samui Tel: 0 7742 4420, 0 7742 4030 Fax: 0 7742 4029 info@pavilionsamui.com www.pavilionsamui.com

www.siamwininganddining.com 15

T ha hat ’ss a Wha What hat ?

Vegetable shopping in Thailand can be quite an eye - opening experience.

A few years ago, eating your ‘greens’ would include spinach, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and green beans, and very few people (in the West) could even name another green veggie, let alone know how to cook one. Then suddenly, it was fashionable to cook Asian-inspired (albeit westernised) dishes, and supermarkets and greengrocers started stocking kale and bok choy – but that was about as far as it went.

Nowadays, most big cities will have Asian markets supplying restaurants and trendy cooks with a wide variety of Asian fruit, vegetables and other products. But still – even with the West opening their larders to Asian vegetables, if you visit a market in Thailand, you’ll still be surprised at the array of vegetables, many of which you’ve never seen or tasted before. Walking around the fresh market can be a little intimidating, so it’s a good idea to bring a Thai friend along to explain the curious-looking vegetables on offer. Another good way to learn about them is to take a cooking class that includes a trip to the market beforehand with the chef. This way you’ll learn not only how to select the veggies, but also how to prepare and serve them.

And even vegetables that we all know, come in many shapes and sizes in Thailand. The common

eggplant, big, purple and shiny, known for its use in Mediterranean cooking, is available here.

But eggplant (makeau) comes in all shapes and sizes here. There’s the tiny ‘pea’ eggplant (makeau phuang), which is not commonly available outside of Thailand. They grow in clusters and look like oversized green peas. They are often added to curries or are eaten raw with nam prik (spicy chilli paste).

Thai eggplants (makeau prau) resemble golf balls, and are pale green and white in colour.

They’re served raw and crunchy as part of a mixed platter of raw vegetables and herbs, or steamed until soft and are a main ingredient in green curry. You’ll also find cucumber-sized pale purple Chinese eggplant as well as smaller finger-sized versions. And don’t be put off by the small, watery looking tomatoes. They might not be full of colour, but they are full of flavour.

But it’s the greens that really cover the full spectrum of both flavours and shapes. The aptly named ‘long bean’ – it really is long, about a foot or more, is used in curries, stir-fries and som tam (green papaya salad), and is a little crunchier than a regular green bean. Wing beans (tua poo) are very crunchy, and a strange irregular shape with almost serrated edges. They’re often eaten raw, or chopped up in fish cakes.

Heading to the roots, both taro (puaek) and yucca (mun sum pa lunk) roots are mainly used in making Thai desserts. Yucca is also known as tapioca or cassava in the west. Lotus root (hua bua) is another that’s used in Thai desserts, as well as drinks. Potatoes are the one vegetable group that lacks variety in Thailand, but you will find them used in curries such as massaman.

Fak kiow – careful how you say that one out loud – is also known as fuzzy squash. This, as well as smooth loofah gourd (buap hom), and opo squash (nam tao) are used in soups and stir-fries.

Garlic is used in virtually all Thai dishes, and most contain an onion of sorts too – from crispy little Asian chives or chive flowers, to green salad onions, white onions and small red shallots.

Bananas, although strictly speaking not a vegetable, do form a big part in Thai cooking.

The fruit itself is used in desserts, the leaves are used to wrap ingredients in cooking, such as for

A Unique Koh Samui Experience at The Farmer Th Farmer Restaurant & Bar is the only restaurant on Samui offering a unique The na natural ambience, set amid paddy fields and green meadows. It is perfect for a re relaxed lunch, or dinner under the twinkling stars.

sticky rice dishes or baked fish, and the flowers are used in salads or served on the side of phad Thai – only the tender, inside part is eaten.

Bamboo shoots and water chestnuts are used in several dishes, including stir-fries and curries, as is the daikon radish (hua pak got kao), which resembles a large white carrot.

In Western cuisine, herbs are usually used in cooking, and few, other than basil, coriander and parsley are eaten raw. In Thai food, there’s a fine line between herbs and vegetables, and you’ll often find bunches of herb-like greens lying with the vegetables at the market. Although they’re often used in cooking, they’re just as likely to be munched raw, often forming part of salads or on platters of greens used to cool or cleanse the palate alongside a spicy meal. Sadoa flowers and leaves are very bitter and are eaten with laab

(a spicy minced meat dish from Isaan).

Isaan food contains many ingredients that are an acquired taste, and also accompanying laab, are the very sour samek leaves, and the more palatable tia to, citrusy-tasting leaves.

But the best way to explore the diversity of Thai vegetables is to just give them a try. Some you’ll like, some you might not. But that’s all part of the fun of discovering a new place and what it has to offer.

Rosanne Turner

k k Duc Duc .1 Tasty s ’ r e s No

Farm Samui’ ed Vot

Vis Visit The Farmer and experience the real meaning of “Back to Nature” whilst en enjoying the best of local Thai, Western and seafood dishes.

Farmer’s Duck

Exclusive Lunch Promotion at The Farmer

Pizza Margherita

Crispy fried duck served with herb sauce, rice, gourd soup, fresh tropical fruit, 1 bottle of water.

299 Baht

12:00-15:00 daily

1 scoop ice cream, 1 bottle of water.

250 Baht

The Farmer Restaurant & Bar 1/26 Moo 4, Maenam, Koh Samui Tel: 077 447 222, 077 247 979, 083 092 2632 www.thefarmerrestaurantsamui.com email: info@thefarmerrestaurantsamui.com Free transfer for dinner guests Nathon - Maenam - Bophut. Other areas 300 Baht return. Для гостей из районов Nathon - Maenam - Bophut - трансфер бесплатный. Гостям из других районов острова мы возвращаем 300 батт от стоимости такси.

16 www.siamwininganddining.com

TOP TEN 2011 www.tripadvisor.com

Coffee Academy To celebrate 23 years in the industry, Boncafe is giving back to the community in November.

Although it’s Boncafe’s birthday in November, they are the ones giving away the gifts, rather than receiving them. So if you’re an avid coffee lover, or planning on entering the coffee shop market, read on.

Firstly, a little background on the company.

Boncafe (Thailand) Ltd. is a leading Thai-Swiss gourmet coffee manufacturer and exporter, as well as being a provider of coffee and tea products to the restaurant and hotel industry, as well as to the general public. With head offices in Bangkok, a factory in Sri Racha, Chonburi, several branches in the main provincial hubs as well as supplying ten supermarket chains, this popular brand of Thai coffee is available throughout the country.

Boncafe sources all of its coffee beans locally from Thailand’s two main coffee-producing areas.

The 'Red Earth' of southern Thailand is home to the Robusta plantations, while Thai Arabica is grown in the 'Misty Mountains' plantations in Northern Thailand.

Boncafe is UTZ certified, meaning that they only source their beans from sustainable farms that provide better opportunities for the farmers and their families. Farmers are educated in growing better crops in order to generate more income, while at the same time, safeguarding the environment for the future.

In November, Boncafe is celebrating 23 years in the industry, and to say a big thank you to their loyal supporters and customers, they’re offering several specials throughout the month. The first promotion is free workshop entitled, ‘How to Open a Coffee Shop’, and it’s to be held on 15th November at the Samui branch of Boncafe, along the ring-road in Bophut, heading towards Maenam. The two hour workshop promises to be very informative. Attendees will be shown how to make a perfect cup of coffee, and there’ll be

demonstrations on making speciality coffees using the many products on offer at Boncafe. All participants will also be entitled to discounts, on not only coffee machines, but also the vast selection of other Boncafe products. They’ll be trained in recipes and how best to use the coffees, teas, fruit juices and syrups, so be sure to book your place in advance should you be interested in the art of the barista.

Boncafe has evolved its product range over the years, and the company now sells more than just coffee and machines. The powdered iced tea is delicious mixed with water or soda, and Boncafe can provide recipes on how to make specialised versions, such as the ‘Milky Peach Pearl Tea’, or the ‘Lemon Tea Frappe’. Drinks such as these will help your coffee shop stand out from the crowd and draw regular customers too. If you’re keen to try them at home, pick up a recipe book as well as a tin of their iced tea, and start experimenting with your own combinations.

The Torani range of syrups is imported from California especially for Boncafe, and is delicious not only as flavouring for coffees, shakes and smoothies, but also to decorate milk froth or as a topping for desserts and cakes. Again, Boncafe has an interesting selection of recipes on how to use the syrups, and the staff encourage their customers to be creative too.

Boncafe’s recipes inside their free Bitter/Sweet publication also offer suggestions on how to use coffee in cooking. For a different take on pork, try the ‘pork tenderloin coated with coffee and thyme, served with a porcini sauce’.

• • • • • •

25ml Torani Strawberry Syrup 25ml Torani Vanilla Syrup 15ml strawberry yoghurt 60ml fresh milk ¼ of a fresh pink dragon fruit 1 cup of crushed ice

Combine all the ingredients together and put into a blender. Add the crushed ice, and blend well.

Serve in a glass, topped with a fanned strawberry and a wedge of pink dragon fruit. Delicious!

Aside from the free workshop, Boncafe is also offering other promotions in November in celebration of the company’s birthday. On 22nd November, customers can buy unlimited amounts of coffee products at a 10% discount, and non-coffee products are on special at 20% off, on this day only. Each Friday during November (that’s 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th), customers will receive big discounts on selected models of coffee machines, with demonstrations on how the machines work on all Fridays barring the 22nd, as they’ll be busy with the workshop.

So in support of a coffee company that supports the community, why not try one of their delicious speciality coffees – but be warned, you may just get hooked.

Rosanne Turner For further information, telephone 0 7742 7486-7. www.boncafe.co.th

A chat to Samui Branch Manager, Khun Tom revealed that one of her favourite Boncafe Torani syrup recipes is the ‘Dragon in Love Smoothie’.

And as a sample of the great recipes on offer, here it is:

Enjoy your lunch or spectacular sunset dinner at the open air Pavilion restaurant overlooking the sea and the intimate atmosphere of a small luxury villa resort.

Authentic Thai and international cuisine and wines.

Join us for a relaxed and unforgetable dining experience!

Open daily from 7.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. (ask for free pick-up service) Santi Beach – Lipanoi Tel: 077-420008 – Fax: 077-420009 e-mail: samui@siamresidence.com www.siamresidence.com

www.siamwininganddining.com 17

It’s

Chilli Here

But this infamous ultra-hot vegetable hasn’t always been around.

But is it chilli? Or is it chili, or even chile? And let’s not forget chilly. Surely not the latter I hear you cry? Yup, early reference books did use this variant but it’s now considered obsolete, and funnily enough, now refers to cold weather conditions rather than the hot, pungent vegetable.

Chili; well, prevailing consensus says it refers to the venerable hot and spicy American dish made from chillies, meat and beans. Chili is short for chili con carne. Chilli tends to be the favoured spelling in Australia, New Zealand and certain parts of Europe, to denote both the dish and the vegetable. It also pertains to the dried powdered spice which is a blend of dried chillies and other spices. However, the pedantic may point out that the Nahuati Indians, who have lived in Central America and Mexico for eons, called the plant ‘chilli’ and that was the original source of the word. Pepper remains, found in Tehuacan, Mexico, were dated to approximately 7,000 BC, clearly showing that chilli peppers were established there long before Columbus and his crew arrived.

As for chile, that refers to the plant or fruit of the plant species Capsicum. This is the Spanish spelling for the plant and is in common use throughout the southwest USA. Of course, it also refers to that long, skinny, chil(l)i shaped, country in South America!

Anyway, glad we’ve cleared that up! For the sake of argument, let’s forthwith refer to it as a chilli.

So what is a chilli pepper? To many it is only the hot varieties of pepper such as the jalapeno or the serrano. Others include the milder varieties like the bell pepper. Webster’s Encyclopaedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language defines it as, ‘The pod of any species of capsicum.’ So there!

But how did we get the word pepper? Well, it’s our old friend Columbus again. When he landed in the New World he mistook it for India, hence ‘Indians’. He also mistook the chillies as a relative of black pepper, ‘piper nigrum’, an unrelated plant from India. From piper came pepper.

However, the seeds were brought back to Spain and from there Portuguese traders spread the chilli peppers to many far flung locations such as India, Indonesia, Persia and later Thailand.

Okay, but what is it about some of them that can make your very eyes bleed. The agent responsible is an alkaloid called capsaicin and the hottest part of the chilli is not – as widely believed – the seeds, but the membrane which holds them, from which they can absorb capsaicin. So cut out the membrane, as well as the seeds, for much less potency. On saying that, some are bred hotter than others, and as a rough guide there is a handy measurement scale.

Known as Scoville Units, a method of heat index developed by Wilbur Scoville in 1912, they measure the level of capsaicin in peppers.

Ranging from one to ten, it starts with a one at 100-500 units (cherry peppers) and a ten at 100,000 to 300,000 units (habanero). Most people find jalapenos about as hot as they want to get, they rate a five, 2,500-5,000 units. Thai chillies can rate up to a nine, 50,000-100,000 units. So you have been warned!

Australia. Tested in 2011, it had an astonishing 1,463,700 Scoville units!

So, you’ve fallen for the old ‘I’ll bet you can’t eat one of those’ tricks and there’s something akin to nuclear meltdown going on inside your mouth.

What do you do? Some things do help.

Lipoproteins such as the casein in milk and yoghurt give some relief. Another remedy is to swish and gargle with vodka as capsaicin is soluble in alcohol. But be careful not to swallow though, as you’re likely to end up burning holes in your stomach lining. As a very last resort before passing out, you can swish your mouth with straight hydrogen peroxide, holding it without swallowing until it fizzles, then spitting it out. Repeat the process and the fire should at least be under control until the emergency services arrive!

Of course nothing you eat here will be that hot. Thai people know that westerners aren’t as used to chillies as they are, and they can adjust dishes accordingly. In fact, you’ll often be asked how hot you want it and, if in doubt, request that the dish is mild. Order a few different items and try them out, you’ll soon get to know what’s right for you.

And don’t forget, there are many health benefits to chillies. It is well known that they are good for circulating the blood and eliminating headaches.

They are high in vitamins A and C, have very few calories and absolutely no fat. Also recently, researchers at Yale University School of Medicine devised a candy, composed predominately of hot chilli peppers, to ease mouth pain in cancer patients.

Furthermore, on a sort of medicinal slant, a Canadian company now produces vodka called Inferno which contains chillies. The type is ‘911’ chillies, which rate about a five on the Scoville scale. It’s best drunk neat and it sends a pleasant river of lava through your veins. So grab a bar-stool first, get a cold towel second, and then thirdly - order!

Enjoy all that this versatile vegetable has to offer and relax into its warm embrace. And don’t worry if the people on the table next to you have tears streaming down their faces, running noses and trembling lips. They aren’t getting emotional; they’re just getting acquainted with Thailand’s favourite vegetable!

Johnny Paterson

However, if you read this and think, ‘Ha! I laugh at Thai chillies’; perhaps you might want to take on the very hottest. And that would be a Trinidad Scorpion "Butch T" grown by The Chilli Factory in

Weddings, Celebrations, Parties & Honeymoons River Prawn Tom Yum

Rock Lobster

Sunset Dining in Spectacular Surrounds Enjoy breathtaking sunsets while discovering our culinary delights at The Terrace, one of Koh Samui’s best beachfront dining destinations.

A holiday or a visit to The Passage would not be complete without sampling the food at The Terrace. Nestled on the beach, this majestic open-air restaurant affords diners a perfect view of the spectacular sunset over Laem Yai Bay and the distant islands.

18 www.siamwininganddining.com

Sea Food Taco

Lamb Chop

Beef Lasagna

Phuket Lobster Thermidor

Carbonara Pizza

This epicurean dining nirvana serves up the finest catches from the sea so our guests can feast like kings. Pay homage to our specialty – the royal triumvirate of lobster, tiger prawn and oysters.

Engage your senses as Executive Chef Moo takes you on a culinary journey, and discover the flavours that resonate in Thai-European fusion cuisine.

The Passage is not just a resort. It’s also a great location for weddings and honeymoons. The resort offers specially designed packages to suit your personal style and budget.

So come and experience the wedding of a lifetime at The Passage Koh Samui.

The Passage Samui Villas & Resort Laem Yai Beach Reservations 077 421 721 www.thepassagesamui.com

Beachside Dining Thai Style Krua Bophut offers a fine dining experience.

You don’t have to go far on Samui to enjoy dining on the beach. It seems as if every beach around the island has some sort of resort, hotel or restaurant that has claimed a spot and laid out chairs, tables, loungers, bean bags or even blankets. After all, most people come to here to enjoy the beach so why not enjoy your dinner there too?

Fisherman’s Village in Bophut is home to the Friday night walking street market where you can browse the various market stalls and buy anything from watches, clothes, music speakers and carved soap to spare ribs, deep fried insects and bugs, satay chicken, pies or mango and sticky rice or drink some insanely cheap cocktails.

The pumping music, the constant chatter, the street vendors trying to lure you in to view their goods - the atmosphere is alive and there is a lot going on. But what happens when you’ve walked the street, bought your souvenirs and are ready to sit down and enjoy a quiet meal on the beach?

Do you have to travel far to get away from the hustle and bustle of the crowd? No, the place

we’re talking about is not only on the beach, but also on the main street of Fisherman’s Village, so it’s really easy to find.

You’ve probably passed Krua Bophut many times.

It is situated at the far western end of Fisherman’s Village, with its own car park conveniently opposite. It has large dark wood shutters which open out onto the street, and a beautifully carved arched entrance. But stand back and take in the whole beautiful, dark wooden structure and you will see a classical antique Thai house.

The waitresses will greet you with a traditional Thai wai, dressed in their beautifully tailored Thai dresses and give you a warm, welcoming smile before asking you where you’d like to sit.

You have a choice of three dining areas, one they refer to as ‘the ambient, serene indoor’, the ‘expanded outdoor’ which is more like a garden terrace and lastly, yes you guessed it, a dining area on the beach. Well actually, they’ve gone one better. Instead of being ‘on’ the beach, they’ve filled their lower level with beach sand

and set up a dining area there so you get the feeling you’re on the beach and feel the sand between your toes, but you’re still able to enjoy a little privacy from the people taking an evening stroll along the public beach.

Pretty glass vases with sand, candles and various delights from the sea are on each table and add to the soft ambiance; traditional Thai music is piped gently through speakers hidden in the trees. The palm trees sway above you, the gentle sea breeze caresses your sun-kissed face - you are truly in an ideal spot.

Being a restaurant on the beach, they pride themselves on offering some incredible seafood dishes, and looking at their menu, you’re really spoilt for choice. Their southern Thai menu has been described as a ‘treasure trove of authentic Thai cuisine prepared in classic style’.

Prawns, red snapper, barracuda, crab and white snapper feature prominently on the menu, and can be prepared and served in a manner of different ways. Using traditional Thai ingredients

such as lime, lemongrass, Thai basil, chilli, garlic, coriander and many more, you can rest assured it will always be tasty and delicious. You can easily request the dishes to be prepared ‘not spicy’ but they’re equally happy making them ‘spicy’ if this is what you prefer.

But what they believe makes their menu so unique is that they offer alternatives from the normal ‘run-of-the-mill’ dishes that every Thai restaurant in Thailand seems to offer. Tourists are often reassured to find familiar dishes on Thai restaurant menus and that is perfectly understandable, but at Krua Bophut, they want guests to experience a whole host of different Thai dishes.

As well as an impressive number of duck dishes, the ‘Steamed White Snapper with lemon and chilli sauce’ and the ‘Deep-fried White Jumbo Prawn in tamarind sauce’ come highly recommended, as does the highly addictive ‘Deep-fried banana served with honey and ice-cream’. The snapper is cooked in a variety of ways including stir-fried with three spices, deep fried with turmeric, and

served topped with green curry. The jumbo prawns can also be enjoyed with garlic and pepper and even their signature dish has deliciously succulent prawns as a main ingredient.

So you seemingly have everything you need here.

An outstanding location on the beach; the beauty of traditional Thai architecture; friendly and attentive staff, and a selection of freshly prepared seafood.

What a fantastic way to experience Thailand and its wonderful cuisine.

Colleen Setchell For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7743 0030. www.kruabophut.com

www.siamwininganddining.com

19

g n i t a E f o n The Evolutio ar and finer. st 5to it fru d an h fis m fro – s ge an ch Mapping out the

I wonder if you’re interested in it? I am. But then I haven’t just landed here with my head full of sunshine thoughts. For someone on a holiday break, there’s already lots to do – even if that’s made up of different ways to relax! Most folks on Samui for the first time accept what’s around them. Meaning that what they see now is all they can imagine. It’s perfectly natural. But once you’ve been here a while your outlook changes.

You look around and the sudden shifts surprise you – in just a year whole chunks of coast can acquire new silhouettes. And that’s when you start to get interested in what things were like before.

At this point, I have to pause and smile; there’s a funny little thing that happens – maybe you’ll notice it while you’re here? People who have lived here non-stop for a year or so seem proud of it. They’re quick to let you know. It’s almost a status thing. But others, those who have been here for 15 or 20 years or more, when you ask them, will just grin and say something like “. . . oh, quite a while now, really”. And these are the people who are really interested in the way the island has changed. They’ve been here for a lot of it themselves. And they’re even more fascinated by what went before.

Time-spans are relative – five years, ten years, twenty years: they’re abstract and hard to grasp.

But when you think about just one generation, then it’s an easier concept to grasp. In just one generation, the island of Samui has evolved beyond all recognition. Coming today to Chaweng for the first time, you’re unable to picture it any other way than that which you’re seeing now. But just one generation ago, there really wasn’t that much there to see at all. The town was built-up around Soi Green Mango and a little to the north of this, but only a couple of hundred metres south of here there was more or less four kilometres where you could walk across a fringe of scrubland and onto the beach.

The airport was still a novelty. And in Chaweng there were no banks, no ATM machines, no taxis no 7-11s – and the beach road was a ragged, pot-holed dirt track that turned into a couple of miles of mud when it rained, and into clouds of dust when it didn’t.

Samui as we know it today is actually only really – in human terms – a growing teenager. And, now that I’ve given you a context, try to picture Chaweng with hardly any restaurants at all.

There were eateries - it’s true. One or two little burger places on the road, several bigger Thai

shops which did sandwiches too, a couple of decent Italian or Indian restaurants, tucked away (and only one place which was open 24 hours).

But all of them small and privately owned. The handful of more up-market resorts (plus the dozens of little bungalow resorts) all had their own beachside restaurants and cafés, but these were all out of sight and away from the road.

Then, as the airport took root and Samui became more well-known, around the turn of the century, something happened.

At this time, any international chef worth his wages was lining up to get work in the Middle East. This was where all the best-paid jobs were.

This was where the top international hotel chains had the pick of their crop, together with their 5-star restaurants – and on top of that, you could add all the country clubs and golf courses, together with the gourmet restaurants that went along with them. But, as Samui grew in stature and greater numbers of high-quality resorts began to appear, so more of the top chefs jockeying for positions in the Middle East began to step sideways and head to our little island instead.

This trend was like a snowball rolling downhill, gaining mass and momentum on its way. The

more big-name chefs Samui acquired, the more that restaurateurs saw their opportunity and set-up more new restaurants. And the more this happened, the greater the numbers of chefs looking for openings on Samui. And, of course, all manner of associated services began to develop in parallel. Fifteen years ago, the only place you’d see a decent loaf of bread was when it was baked in the kitchens of a quality resort. Then came the butchers and the bakers, the vintners and the importers of all manner of fine foods and comestibles. And don’t forget; all these international chefs began to train their Thai under-chefs in the ways of the West. And so, alongside all the rest of the exploding culinary scene, Samui began to create a whole new generation of budding, international local chefs, many of whom have now spent time abroad and gone on to senior positions all over the world.

and have set up outposts on our island. Some of these 5-star resorts have no fewer than four in-house restaurants. Plus, naturally, the pick of the world’s most experienced chefs to run them.

Little more than a generation ago, Samui was still essentially a sleepy island of coconut farmers and fishermen. It was the black sheep of the family who inherited the unproductive, sandy, salty, beach land as a lesson in humility.

Who could have known? Who could have foreseen that rolling snowball which was to become an avalanche? Ponder on this the next time you’re in Chaweng at night, surrounded by the glitz and neon and tooting taxis, while you’re cruising for a place to eat. And remember – it’s an evolution which is still going on!

Rob De Wet

There are some names which inspire awe in the glittering and cosmopolitan world of hospitality, so lofty is their status and impeccable their reputation. Four Seasons. Conrad.

InterContinental. W Hotels. Le Meridian. Plus a dozen other exclusive names. All of which have now decided that the time is right for Koh Samui

Authentic Thai Cuisine California Cuisine Succulent BBQ Seafood 20 www.siamwininganddining.com

A Garden of Happiness Picture a garden. An organic vegetable garden.

Can you see it? The neat rows of green, the empty ploughed rows of earth eagerly waiting for seeds to be planted. Rows with small seedlings that have just broken the surface and are enjoying the first warmth of the sun. You can smell the freshness; you can feel the work, the passion and the love that has gone into tending this garden. But there’s a garden in Bophut which is different. This garden doesn’t just provide lettuce, morning glory and lemongrass (and much more), it provides books, stationery, school bags, meals and a great deal of happiness.

How? Well let’s tell you a story about love, respect and responsibility …

CSR stands for ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’.

Big words with big meaning, but it is something Hansar take very seriously, because it’s all about them being responsible in their community. Based at the western end of Fisherman’s Village, Hansar aren’t content to just provide their guests with great accommodation, fantastic food and the largest salt water swimming pool on the island. No, they want to give something back and not only to their guests, they want to give something back to the whole island and further beyond.

It all started when when the CEO of Hansar Hotels & Resorts, Indra Budiman, decided to claim a huge plot of wasteland behind the hotel to start a vegetable garden. A few weeks of excavation with huge ground diggers were needed to free the plot from years of overgrown vegetation and dumped rubbish, but eventually, they were left with something they could plant in. Struggling with the quality of the soil (which is mainly sea sand), it’s taken years of hard work but it is now an established vegetable garden which has enjoyed over ten harvests already and has changed the life of so many people on this island.

They even have an aquaponics (a portmanteau of the terms ‘aquaculture’ and ‘hydroponic’) system. Don’t know what aquaponics is? I didn’t either - here’s the Wikipedia definition to help you out: “In an aquaponic system, water from

an aquaculture system is fed to a hydroponic system where the by-products are broken down by nitrogen-fixing bacteria into nitrates and nitrites, which are utilized by the plants as nutrients. The water is then recirculated back to the aquaculture system.” Hansar are clearly serious about using available resources to keep this garden going.

Each department in the hotel has its own plot inside this garden and are responsible for its maintenance. There is no external gardener employed here - everything is done by the staff.

The ploughing, the planting, the watering, the pruning and the harvesting. It is used for team building exercises and staff even involve their families on weekends and days off.

They regularly hold a number of events throughout the year to help those less fortunate than themselves. The source of this always comes back to that special garden. Starting in 2012, using produce from the first harvest, they prepared a 5-star feast for the monks and orphans at Bophut Temple. They joined other hotels and the local community to prepare a lunch of fried chicken and sticky rice for 380 students at a school in Bophut. There were presents for the children, games and even a quiz. They’ve also visited Wat Rathbumrung School to donate supplies for the children from local villages. The children received a school bag containing books and stationery. They’ve provided school bags, lunch boxes and food for the special needs children at the Samui Learning Centre for Special Needs and visited a group of 180 orphans living in the Hua Thanon-Lamai area to donate more food and school bags. The money to buy all these gifts was raised from the sale of the produce from the hotel’s garden.

Some of the harvested produce is used in the hotel but mostly it is sold to local markets. Any profits made go directly back into the garden to buy seed or compost (they do make their own compost, but they often need more because of the poor quality of the soil).

Hansar Samui is to hold a charity bazaar in its organic garden on th November 30 .

Well actually this time you have a chance to give something back to the island that is either your home or your favourite holiday destination, and you can have a whole load of fun in the process.

Book a date in your diary - Saturday 30th November from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. A charity bazaar will be held in the garden which will give you a chance to see this special place for yourself. 15 booths will be set up selling the organically grown produce from the garden’s latest harvest, T-shirts, local fruits and other locally produced goods. You can browse the booths and sample various Thai delicacies on sale from local partners such as som tam, pastries, Thai desserts, pad Thai and even some fresh seafood.

If that isn’t enough, there will be a fortune teller too and a stage setup with live music and a dance performance by local students during the day. If you spend more than 1,000 baht, you will be entered into a lucky draw to win one of ten wonderful prizes such as a spa treatment at the Hansar Spa or even a complimentary overnight stay. All proceeds from this event will be donated to nearby schools.

So you now also have a chance to see for yourself how this incredible garden changes lives. You can be a part of this magical concept and give something back to this beautiful island and its inhabitants. It promises to be a fun day for everyone.

Hope to see you there.

Colleen Setchell For reservations or further information, telephone 0 77 245 511. www.hansarsamui.com

So what is new and exciting about this garden and how can it make even more people happy?

www.siamwininganddining.com

21

Cyprus Wines Financial crisis or not, the future is bright for Cypriot wineries.

In the wonderfully diverse world of wine, Cyprus, despite its relatively small size, should never be overlooked. Not only has it one of the oldest wine growing traditions in the world, it is one of the most developed and successful wine producing countries of the eastern Mediterranean.

In the past, the Soviet Union bought vast quantities of their Commandaria wines. And Cyprus sherry made the running for many years.

So the fall of the USSR was initially a serious blow to the wine industry, but as a consequence of falling demand for the sweeter varieties, the island’s potential for good quality table wines emerged. And in the last 30 years, methodical innovations have opened doors to a thriving export market.

Luckily for lovers of intriguing Mediterranean wines, Cyprus’s Troodos mountain range attracts plenty of rain, which makes viticulture possible on what would otherwise be too dry an island.

The vineyards lie where the rain falls, in idyllic green valleys nearly 900 metres up into the hills.

And as luck would have it, the whole south-facing Troodos area is suitable wine country. Limassol, the port on the adjacent south

22 www.siamwininganddining.com

coast, is the base for the big four Cypriot wine companies: ETKO (the oldest winery on the island, dating back to 1844), KEO, Laona and Loel, and the cooperative SODAP. The most individual of Cyprus’s wines is the toffee-coloured Commandaria, made with dried grapes, both red and white, in fourteen villages, of which Kalokhorio, Zoopiyi and Yerasa are best known. Indeed, on the lower slopes of Troodos, Commandaria has been made at least since the crusading Knights Templar established themselves in their ‘Grand Commandaria’ on the island at the end of the 12th century. Its intense sweetness (it can have four times as much sugar as port) harks back further than records show.

There are references in Greek literature to such wines, which were invariably drunk diluted with water. The sweetness is achieved by drying the grapes to raisins on sheets spread on the ground next to the vines.

Today, Commandaria is made both as a straight commercial dessert wine, of moderate age and popular for the Sacrament in churches, and in very small quantities as the quite alarmingly concentrated wine of legend. The taste and texture of an old true Commandaria is

deliciously treacle-like, and the best have a remarkable haunting fresh grapiness. It is perfect for accompanying powerful cheeses. In fact, Cypriot wine makers have high hopes that, with the right marketing, their iconic wine could become a serious rival (or alternative) to port wine.

The range of grape varieties grown on Cyprus is much less eclectic than in most developing wine countries. The island has never had Phylloxera, and rather than risking it by importing new stock, growers until recently kept to the tradition local grapes: the black Mavro, the white Xynisteri, Opthalmo and the Muscat of Alexandria. The last decade though has seen a big increase in vineyard acreage, and the introduction of new varieties. The Palomino of Jerez is used in both sherry and for a very pleasant soft dry white wine. Grenache is now used to produce lighter red wines than the more heavyweight Mavro. And somewhat inevitably, there has been experimentation with the, in vogue Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Also, mainly because of its geography, Cyprus has found that kosher wine is a very lucrative niche market. (Which helps to make up for the fact that many of its other

neighbours are Muslim countries, and hence buy no wine at all.)

On the whole, Cyprus wines tend to offer very good value. Although of course, it does depend on where you are, and what import taxes are levied. Unfortunately, here in Thailand, they are not easy wines to find. But should you be lucky enough to visit Cyprus, prices are temptingly low. The modern face of Cypriot wine is similar to that found on Crete or Sardinia, with a ripe New World style creeping into the red wines as the vintages go by. To capitalize on Cyprus' hot, dry conditions, the island's wine companies have brought in winemakers from Australia and South Africa, who are used to making successful wines in this climate. Until the end of the last century, most local wine was made in the southern port cities, which meant the fruit had to travel long distances in the Mediterranean heat, and often in comparatively primitive transportation. Things are rapidly changing, however, with a new raft of Cyprus wineries growing their own grapes. Slowly, the island's modern table wines are developing their own idiosyncratic style, this will become more established over time, and earlier picking has

raised standards generally. It is noteworthy that at the Decanter Annual Awards 2013, a Cypriot wine was awarded a silver medal. It was a 2002 vintage of St. Barnabas Commandaria from SODAP. And a very chic, and trendily packaged, oak-aged sweet wine, called Anama Concept, won a bronze medal for its 2010 vintage.

Clearly, Cyprus is starting to move with the times. And with its rich wine tradition, we can expect to see new, more sophisticated and aromatic wines from this lovely island in the near future. For the moment diners at the best Greek restaurants (all of which seem to be run

by Cypriots) are very content with plain, but appealing red wines as Othello and Semeli.

These are wonderfully food-friendly wines, and are at their best when three or four years old.

And the first choice for a refreshing white wine in the Cyprus sun is the lightly fizzy Bellapais, made by KEO, and quaintly named after the local abbey.

Peter James

Serving an exciting variety of Thai, Italian and seafood from our open, show kitchen with genuine pizza oven.

Choose from open air seating on the first floor with ocean view or air-conditioned seating on the ground floor.

Live music every night.

Open daily from 5 pm till 11 pm Located on Lamai Beach Road opposite Pavilion Samui Boutique Resort Reservation: 077 424 420 www.siamwininganddining.com 23

Fine Beach & Hillside Dining at Samui's Newest Venue Quality Thai, Seafood & International Dishes The Ultimate Samui Dining Experience!

Monday - Cowboy Steak Night Assorted BBQ Meat Buffet Entertainment: Cabaret Show and The Barge Band Tuesday, Friday and Saturday Lobster Basket Set: 3,300 for 2 persons Seafood Basket Set: 2,300 for 2 persons Inclusive of Salad, Soup and Side dishes Entertainment: Duo Band Wednesday - Hawaiian Seafood Night Variety of Fresh Seafood & BBQ Meat Buffet Entertainment: Polynesian Dance and The Barge Band

No visit to Samui is complete until you have dined at The Barge

Thursday - Local Thai Night Variety Thai Food Buffet, Demonstration & Barbecue Complimentary Management Cocktail Party 6-7pm Entertainment: Thai Classical Dance or Pong-lang Dance Sunday Chef Creation Set Dinner and A La Carte Menu

Rice Barge Authentic Thai Cuisine The Barge Nora Buri's Signature Restaurant Chaweng North For Reservation Tel: 0 7791 3555 E-mail: thebarge@noraburiresort.com www.noraburiresort.com

Chaweng Beach Road Chaweng North

It’s all happening at Nora Beach Resort & Spa Tuesday Night - Local Samui buffet with complimentary management cocktails and snacks from 6.00 pm to 7.00 pm.

Tuesd m.

Enjoy fresh barbecued seafood plus a variety of special dishes created by our culinary team.

Price THB 990 net per person.

Saturday Night - East meets West with cabaret show. Enjoy the finest East meets West buffet.

Price THB 1,200 net per person. Or THB 1,550 net per person including half bottle of wine.

Daily Cooking Class & Fruit Carving Class Learn to cook 3 Thai dishes Fruit Carving Course Inclusive of chef hat, apron and certificate Advance reservation required Daily Happy Hour Beverage Special Offer 50% off (Except wine & liquor by the bottle) At Pool Bar 1-2 pm., Lobby Lounge 6-7 pm. & 9-11 pm.

Private Romantic Dinner Only you and your loved one dining on the beach with private chef and waiter/waitress Available daily. Advance reservation required

For further information please telephone 0 7742 9400 E-mail: reservation@norabeachresort.com www.norabeachresort.com

24 www.siamwininganddining.com