July 2016

SAMUI

Seafood Beach BBQ Buffet, Mondays & Thursdays

www.samuiholiday.com

FREE COPY

JULY 2016

Sareeraya Villas & Suites

Call + 66 (0) 77 914 333 www.sareeraya.com

Spoiled for Choice When it comes to food and drink, Samui offers myriad possibilities.

There’s an extraordinary variety on offer when it comes to wining and dining on Samui. The island has every type of restaurant you could possibly think of, and all of them will offer you a wonderful welcome. The only difficulty is making a choice in the first place. Are you looking for a romantic dinner under the stars (perhaps in your own gazebo on the sands)? Or perhaps a venue more suited to a group of friends out to enjoy a very informal evening? Or again, maybe you're seeking a small but creative restaurant that offers food that’s highly original? Samui offers all of these possibilities and more.

the fittest survive. The results speak for themselves: a plethora of great-tasting food, wonderful presentation and good service. In addition there’s cuisine from pretty much everywhere in the world. Some people, when they arrive, expect there’ll be great Thai food with a small choice of international fare. But this isn’t the case at all, and hasn’t been for some time now. Samui’s restaurateurs vie with each other to bring you not just amazing Thai dishes, but equally delicious dishes that have their origins very far from these shores. And somehow, they manage to get them right each time, too.

You'll be quite amazed at how many restaurants there are on the island – and there are always new ones opening. All are run by dedicated professionals. They have to be as there is so much competition. It’s culinary Darwinism; only

Samui has so much to offer its diners that it’s hardly a surprise that so many people return here for their next holiday. Whatever you're looking for when it comes to food and drink, you'll find it on Samui.

SAMUI

SAMUI

Seafood Beach BBQ Buffet, Mondays & Thursdays

www.samuiholiday.com

FREE COPY

JULY 2016

Sareeraya Villas & Suites

Call + 66 (0) 77 914 333 www.sareeraya.com

Spoiled for Choice When it comes to food and drink, Samui offers myriad possibilities.

There’s an extraordinary variety on offer when it comes to wining and dining on Samui. The island has every type of restaurant you could possibly think of, and all of them will offer you a wonderful welcome. The only difficulty is making a choice in the first place. Are you looking for a romantic dinner under the stars (perhaps in your own gazebo on the sands)? Or perhaps a venue more suited to a group of friends out to enjoy a very informal evening? Or again, maybe you're seeking a small but creative restaurant that offers food that’s highly original? Samui offers all of these possibilities and more.

the fittest survive. The results speak for themselves: a plethora of great-tasting food, wonderful presentation and good service. In addition there’s cuisine from pretty much everywhere in the world. Some people, when they arrive, expect there’ll be great Thai food with a small choice of international fare. But this isn’t the case at all, and hasn’t been for some time now. Samui’s restaurateurs vie with each other to bring you not just amazing Thai dishes, but equally delicious dishes that have their origins very far from these shores. And somehow, they manage to get them right each time, too.

You'll be quite amazed at how many restaurants there are on the island – and there are always new ones opening. All are run by dedicated professionals. They have to be as there is so much competition. It’s culinary Darwinism; only

Samui has so much to offer its diners that it’s hardly a surprise that so many people return here for their next holiday. Whatever you're looking for when it comes to food and drink, you'll find it on Samui.

Graeme Malley Editor

Preeda Tuajob (Puy) Graphic Designer

Akaphon Phongninlaarphon (Don) Photographer

Seksak Kerdkanno (Klauy) Webmaster

Thailand’s Top Dishes A brief guide to some of the best-loved Thai dishes and what makes them so special.

Rob De Wet Feature Writer

Dimitri Waring Feature Writer

Natalie Hughes Feature Writer

Karan Ladd Feature Writer

Peter James 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. 2016

Distribution at Bangkok Airport courtesy of Bangkok Airways.

Over the last couple of decades, Thai food has become particularly popular the world over. It’s partly to do with all the visitors to the country who become seduced by the dishes they’ve tried while here. But many people who’ve never set foot in Thailand also fall in love with the cuisine, thanks to many Thai restaurants having opened up just about everywhere in the world. Even so, not everyone knows how good Thai food tastes, or even the names of the most popular dishes. So here’s a handy collection of some of the all-time favourites that you can try while here on holiday.

These dishes are all incredibly popular, not just amongst visitors to the country but also amongst the Thais themselves. They’re mostly traditional recipes, handed down through generations, and with so many cooks making them, you'll find there are many variations. Without further ado, here are Thailand’s top dishes.

Gaeng Kiaw Wan (Green Curry) The striking colour makes this dish instantly recognizable. The taste’s as pungent as the colour itself, and you may have to be careful when ordering it, as it can be very spicy. Green curry is a soup that’s very filling, and is usually a meal in itself. One of its main ingredients is aubergines, but don’t complain if you don’t see them – these are Thai aubergines that are small and round, and not the western-style ones. There are other vegetables too that you can often find, such as chopped green beans. The dish is made with a plentiful amount of coconut milk and a dessert spoon or two of green curry paste. You can eat the dish vegetarian or choose to have with chicken, pork or prawns.

Khao Pad (Fried Rice) This dish is engagingly simple, and consists of white rice that’s wok-fried with egg, onion, and herbs. The mix is usually completed by chicken, pork or shrimps but you'll also find it as a vegetarian option. Squeeze lime juice over the rice and enjoy with cucumber. At home, Thais will often use leftover scraps to complete the dish. It’s not fiery, so to give it more heat, just add chilli. If you're in a restaurant you’ll find plenty of chilli on your table in a ceramic or glass pot.

Kway Teow Pad Thai (Pad Thai) If you like noodles then you'll be enticed by this noodle dish which is sold around the country.

The noodles are made from rice, and then there are various vegetables added, along with chopped firm tofu, peanuts, and egg. The dish is flavoured with tamarind pulp, fish sauce, dried shrimp, garlic or shallots and palm sugar. To round off the dish, raw bean sprouts are usually placed on the side.

Tom Kha Kai (Chicken in Coconut Soup) Yet another dish that’s made with lots of coconut milk, but tasting totally different from any we’ve mentioned so far. It’s a cousin of Tom Yum, but is a lot milder and hence is a favourite with holidaymakers. You'll still find some chillies in the concoction, along with galangal, lemongrass and slices of chicken. Once you’ve tasted the dish, you'll want to eat again. It’s filling but without any heaviness, and can be eaten along with rice.

Kai Pad Med Ma Muang (Chicken with Cashew Nuts) A stir-fry dish you'll find everywhere and which can be made for you, fresh, within minutes. It is usually on the mild side, though there are some chillies. You'll also find carrot, mushrooms and pepper, with soy sauce used in the mix. What makes it so well-known is the addition of cashews, usually roasted, and a little honey that give the dish its unbeatable flavour. The list of ingredients gives no sense it’s anything special, but this is one more case of something being more than the sum of its parts. Just wait till you try it!

Pad Krapow Moo Saap (Fried Basil and Pork) Minced pork on rice hardly sounds like an amazing dish, but if you've been out and about tasting Thai food, you'll know better than to make a knee-jerk judgement before you've tried it. A favourite with Thais, rather than holidaymakers, this is a wok meal that’s made to order. Minced pork is stir-fried along with torn-up basil leaves (which give it its unique taste) and green beans and soy sauce. An option is to have a fried egg on top, which adds to the taste. Since this can be a very fiery dish, be careful when ordering!

Som Tam (Green Papaya Salad) To many westerners, it might sound a strange idea to combine fruit, peanuts and shrimp together and call it a salad. Does it even work?

The answer is, yes, it really does, and for those who dislike the dish, it’s usually because it’s too fiery for them. The dish is a northern one that has become popular all over Thailand, as well as outside it. The salad is completed with garlic, green beans, and of course, chillies, along with the other ingredients.

Tom Yum (Spicy Soup) Most Thais and westerners are united in loving this spicy soup, usually made with shrimp, that combines lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves and fresh Thai chillies with lime juice, to make a broth that’s both healthy and mouth-watering. For some, however, it’s too sour or too spicy, so some caution is needed if you're trying it for the first time.

Yam Nuea Yang (Spicy Beef Salad) This dish can be quite hot and combines fieriness with the delicacy of strips of fried beef. The ingredients that help make this a best-loved dish are carefully chosen to bring out the unique taste.

You'll find lime, mint and onion used alongside coriander and the ubiquitous chillies. It’ll definitely appeal if you like things spicy.

Brief as this round-up may be, it’ll certainly help you get started with Thai cuisine. These are the most popular dishes ever, and you'll see that they're not all spicy. I’ll wager that you'll find at least one that delights you, even if you're a die-hard fan of western food. Thailand is a country of culinary regions, so if you're travelling you'll find dishes that are specific to each area you're stopping at – try what’s on offer and you'll soon find your own favourites.

Dimitri Waring Pictures courtesy of Rice Barge & Terrace at Nora Buri Resort & Spa.

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

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A drink from Paradise...available on Earth

Located at Tesco Lotus Chaweng, Tesco Lotus Lamai and Central Festival 2 www.siamwininganddining.com

Gaeng K

Kway Teow Pad Thai (Pad Thai)

Kiaw Wan (Green Curry)

Khao Pad (Fried Rice)

Tom Yum (Spicy Soup)

Tom Kha Kai (Chicken in Coconut Soup)

Kai Pad Med Ma Muang (Chicken with Cashew Nuts)

Pad Krapow Moo Saap (Fried Basil and Pork)

Som Tam (Green Papaya Salad)

Yam Nuea Yang (Spicy Beef Salad)

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 & Villas Chaweng Beach.

Free round trip transfer from Chaweng, Bophut and Choeng Mon. For reservation please call 0 7723 1500-8 www.siamwininganddining.com

3

The Amazing Avocado What's in a name? – PR success for pear-shaped fruit.

In these days of branding and marketing everything’s about image. But even right back in the early 20th century, when California farmers started growing their newly imported crop from Central America, they realised that a name could spell the difference between success and failure; from selling their new fruit or having it pile up unbought. The peoples of Southern and Central America had been eating this particular fruit, the 'ahuacate' for centuries, and it was a mainstay of their diet, but it was only just becoming popular in the United States.

But what to call it in English? The literal translation of ahuacate – testicle – was unappetizing to say the least. The local name that the farmers had then given the fruit was ‘alligator pear’ due to its shape and bumpy green skin. And it is still called this in some parts, though the agreed name that they finally came up with was avocado.

The PR worked, and the journey of the avocado started, as it made its way onto more and more plates throughout the world. Though some people still had problems with this new food – many were unsure just how to eat it, and there were complaints from some who said that the skin was too hard when they bit into it.

However we have a come a long way from those early times, and today the avocado can be found popping up everywhere from smoothies

to wraps and to the well-known guacamole. It’s now hailed as one of the so called super-foods.

good thing’ but avocado on toast for breakfast is certainly a great way to start any day.

These claims arise from the nutrients that are packed into this fruit; it contains almost 20 vitamins and minerals including potassium and vitamin B, as well as folate, which is crucial for cell repair during pregnancy. Just one-fifth of an average sized avocado is enough to reap all the benefits. And these days there's lots said about health benefits that range from improving heart disease risk factors, to contributing to lowering cholesterol levels and also to the easing the symptoms of arthritis (through avocado extract).

When you're buying avocados look for fruit without any bruises or dents in the skin. A firm but slightly yielding outer skin means the fruit is ripe. The avocado should not be squishy – this is an over ripe fruit. Generally a darker skin means the fruit is ripe, but do not go by colour alone, touch is your best gauge here. If you have unripe fruit never put it in the refrigerator; it's best to place in a paper bag or fruit bowl to ripen. However, ripened avocados can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week. If you have a half used avocado that you wish to save, rub it with lemon to stop it from going brown and place in an airtight container and put in the fridge.

Avocados, by the way, do not contain any cholesterol or sodium. But don't forget that they are also packed with fats, about 20g of fat to every 100g of weight. Some of that fat is the so-called ‘good fat’, or monounsaturated fat, that helps lower cholesterol, as long as you eat them in moderation. Avocados are also quite high in calories, approximately 190 calories per 100g, so if you're looking at them for health benefits and as part of a healthy diet, then like anything else it's all about balance. Avocados seem to be turning up in a lot of smoothies these days; it seems that everyone is adding them to their blenders. But it's also adding a lot of calories so it’s best not to get carried away. Most nutritionists would warn against ‘too much of a

In Thailand you have two choices when buying your avocados - imported or locally-grown. In Thailand, avocado plants were introduced by missionaries, and were planted initially in Nan province in northern Thailand, about 90 years ago. Most avocado production is in the northern regions of the country, and on a personal note they are just as good as any imported avocado and much cheaper of course. They are also a little bigger, but have the same wonderful creamy and nutty-flavoured flesh like all good avocados.

There is even a way to prepare your avocados for maximum health benefits. As with a lot of fruit and vegetables much of the goodness is actually in the skin or the flesh nearest to the skin. If you've simply been scooping your avocado out of the skin you may be losing out on some of the benefits. Advice on how to get the maximum goodness comes from the California Avocado Commission, which recommends the ‘nick and peel’ method.

Proceed as follows: cut the avocado in half lengthwise, then gently twist the two halves in opposite directions until the halves come away.

Remove the pit, and then slice each of the halves into halves again so you have four avocado quarters. Then just peel the avocado skin away much like you peel a banana. The final result will be a peeled avocado that contains most of that dark green outermost flesh that is richest in carotenoid antioxidants. This is similar to a method used by Mexicans in their own cooking which relies so much on avocados. They incidentally have a recipe where they add slices of fresh avocado to hot chicken soup giving it a creamy texture and taste. The avocado warms and mingles with the chicken without losing its nutritional value.

But of course it's best to eat avocados raw to maximise the health benefits. Or simply add to the dish once it has already been cooked.

Are you ready for a brand new dining experience?

Join us at RockPool, Kanda Residences' spectacular beachfront restaurant and bar situated just 5 minutes from Chaweng.

Daily happy hour with buy one get one free on selected drinks from 2pm until 7pm.

For reservations or more information call +66 77 234 500 www.rockpoolsamui.com Facebook: rockpool.kohsamui 4 www.siamwininganddining.com

There are lots of ways to enjoy avocados at home. As we’ve said they're remarkably versatile and can be used in many ways; added to your smoothie, or sliced up on toast in the morning, or cut into chunks in a salad. Slices can also be used as a topping on recipes relying on beans, such as black bean chilli. But perhaps the simplest way is to use ripe avocado as a replacement for mayonnaise when making sandwiches. It’s particularly yummy as alternatives go.

No matter how you wish to enjoy the alligator pear, take heed that it may become an obsession, and you may find yourself adding it to everything. Some people can never have enough of the avocado and for them it tops the list of their favourite food. In Thailand the avocado’s nutritional value and relative low cost is still not so widely known, and it has yet to catch on big here. Already, however, there are plenty of farms where avocados are grown, including Samui, so you can definitely enjoy this tasty fruit whilst on holiday.

Natalie Hughes

Underneath the Banyans, Pines and Ears Finding the perfect spot at Relax@Samui and Relax Beach Club.

What do banyans, pines and ears have in common? Yes, they are all names of tropical trees. Well, the full name is actually The Wide Ear Tree! The other things that they have in common at Relax@Samui, are that they are all huge, mature shady trees. And hanging from them are colourful lanterns made from local Thai baskets, together with brightly coloured material, blowing gently in the ocean breeze. Yes, it also happens to be right by the beach, and the gorgeous sparkling ocean, with fantastic views towards Koh Pha-Ngan. It really is the perfect spot for a relaxing and atmospheric lunch, snack, drink, dinner or even a special occasion like a birthday, anniversary or even a wedding.

‘Salvage’ and ‘reclamation’ are another two words that have a specific meaning at Relax.

This is an authentic Thai restaurant, and if you can picture an authentic Thai house, you will know it is made almost entirely of teak wood.

This includes the doors, shuttered windows and frames. The owner and manager at Relax, Khun Jaran Hassadee, has rescued and recycled these from old houses and used them to build large individual salas. The word ‘sala’ in Thai means ‘rest’ or funnily enough ‘relax’! It is also the name given to a covered, but open-sided wooden platform or seating area, often made from bamboo - great for a private dining spot.

But look around your sala at Relax, some of the sides have old teak window frames complete with shutters and metal security bars, and old balustrades that used to surround balconies.

Check what you are sitting on, it may be an old door, covered with Thai cushions. A modern twist is that all these salas have power! This provides lighting for evening dining, but there is also an electrical socket if you need to charge a phone or laptop, and yes, there is free high-speed Wi-Fi. There are tables right out on the peninsula, on an area built over a rocky headland. This is the best evening spot to watch the night sky turn from yellow to orange, gold, pink and red during a fabulous Samui sunset. Here you can dine with the cooling ocean breezes surrounding you, and only the stars and moon above you.

All around the area are hammocks, swings and even a kid’s area with an old wooden rocking horse. If you feel the need for some exercise, there is also a kayak you can use. The whole atmosphere is one of relaxation and tranquillity.

You feel encouraged to just chill, snooze, read a book, catch up on emails or ‘chew the fat’ with a friend. The whole place just oozes calmness.

Just down the road, about 200 metres east, towards Maenam, you will find Relax Beach Club, which has been open now for two years.

You will find the same type of salas, but the main area here is along a long stretch of gorgeous sandy beach. And whilst it has the same rustic theme as Relax@Samui, it has a totally different atmosphere. This is not just a restaurant, it’s also a daytime hangout, a place to meet friends, eat and drink, swim, sunbathe and catch up with Facebook or Instagram with the speedy Wi-Fi, whilst lounging on one of the many beanbags or sunbeds. The vibe is laid-back and chilled. No loud ‘beach club’ type music here, just low-level easy-listening rhythms in the background.

Mozzarella Cheese and Spinach. It’s not on the menu, so make sure to ask if it’s available.

In the evening, colourful lanterns are turned on, and what seems like millions of candles are lit along the beach and in all sorts of nooks and crannies. The whole place transforms, and the ambience changes. This place is popular with locals and tourists alike, and this is when they come out to dine on the beach. Often there is a band playing live music, normally Wednesday through Friday from 6.00 pm until 10.00 pm, changing the mood and ambience yet again.

There is also the option of ‘Private Romantic Candlelight Dining’ on the beach, book ahead and they will organise a special table for you in a perfect secluded spot.

There is a section of Isaan food (if you like it really spicy), don’t worry; you can specify your desired level of heat! You will even find crab, New Zealand mussels, and from Australia, three different crocodile dishes. You are really spoilt for choice. The portions are large and prices are low, especially for the location and setting, and you won’t find any tax or service charge added to your bill. The service is great and all the staff are easily recognisable in their smart orange polo shirts.

Relax Beach Club is another great location for weddings, birthdays or special occasions. The photographic backdrop is very sought after, and many people come here to make videos of their special day. Have your occasion or event at either location, and Khun Jaran will personally organise everything; from tables, flowers, decorations, food and cake, whatever your heart desires. He is a true local born Samuian, and has all the right connections! If you are celebrating a birthday, expect all the staff to come bearing a cake, singing and playing Thai instruments. They really do go the extra mile to make your day extra-special.

Okay so the location and ambience are great, but what about the food? Well, there is the same menu at both locations, and it’s very comprehensive. The menu is mainly Thai dishes, but there are a number of western style options such as sandwiches, burgers, pizza, steaks and salmon and of course, French fries. Many people come here for the seafood; it is bought fresh from the local market every day, so is dependent on what the fisherman catch. One of the most popular specials is Baked Scallops with

There are many fish dishes and you can have it fried, steamed or barbequed, with all sorts of sauces and accompaniments. All the Thai favourites are there such as pad Thai (stir-fried noodles with chicken or shrimp and vegetables, with a sprinkling of peanuts), chicken with cashew nuts and som tam (spicy green papaya salad). Make sure you try the roasted pineapple rice with chicken or seafood. It comes in half a pineapple, and for a simple dish is divine. The combined flavours of cashew nuts, raisins, pineapple and vegetables with the rice and chicken or seafood, are really something else!

“Enough”, I hear you shout, “Where can I find these places?” Well, they are in Bang Po. If you are coming from Nathon, travel north and then east towards Maenam. Relax@Samui is the first that you come to, and is about one kilometre from the bottom of the big hill. You will see a big ‘Relax’ sign on the left-hand side of the road.

The beach club is 200 metres east towards Maenam, and again the ‘Relax’ sign is hard to miss. If you are travelling from Maenam direction, travel west to the Bang Po 7/11.

There's only one in Bang Po, with a Morya pharmacy next door. Across the road, with all the red and gold lanterns hanging outside, is Relax@Samui Beach Club. Both venues have huge parking areas, so just pull in and get ready to wind down and just relax. Opening hours are 11.00 am to 10.00 pm.

Choose between them or choose both, they are definitely authentic Thai beachside dining spots you absolutely should not miss out on whilst you are here on Samui.

Karan Ladd For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7760 2228 or 0 862 663 730. www.relaxsamui.com

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 beautiful music. A superb dining experience and great memories.

Fisherman’s Village

Tel: 077 430 030, 077 245 035 www.kruabophut.com

Free Parking available at The

Wharf!!

www.siamwininganddining.com 5

Surprising Newcomer While Chinese tea has been around for millennia, Thai tea is still the new kid on the block.

While the Chinese, Burmese and other nations seem to spend a good proportion of their time in tea shops, eating snacks and drinking various forms of tea, the situation in Thailand’s rather different; home-grown tea is still quite a small part of the culture. But it’s one that's on the rise, along with Thai coffee.

Some visitors to Thailand expect there to be a tea culture here that mirrors that of the Chinese, going back thousands of years. They're surprised to find this isn’t the case at all; tea’s a very recent addition to this nation’s beverages.

There are just two historical links, but neither goes back very far. The first has to do with the end of opium cultivation in the north of Thailand, and the second originates with the Kuomintang armies, who fought against communist China and Mao Tse Tung.

Serpentine roads meander through beautiful northern valleys leading to Thailand’s main tea areas. They're harder to reach than many in Thailand, and have a remote feel to them. They used to be part of the infamous Golden Triangle and not so long ago, if you climbed over a thousand feet, you'd find many fields of opium, a crop that naturally yielded plenty of money.

These days opium has been replaced by a plethora of different crops, and you'll see fruit,

6 www.siamwininganddining.com

nuts, vegetables, coffee and tea. The transition was a major one, yet took place in a relatively short period of time.

variety of tea bush that grows wild in the region.

As did the Shan people who live in the border lands between Thailand and Burma.

So why did the region get an agricultural makeover? The short answer is that modern times demanded it; Thailand needed to boldly proclaim itself as a developed country, and having regions derive profit from anything linked to the drugs trade was a big no-no.

Starting in the late 1960s, thanks to His Majesty the King, the farmers were offered a better and more secure way to make money. It was a solution that was sustainable and benefitted everyone in the area. The Royal Projects turned the opium territories into orchards, fields and, last but not least, tea gardens. Scientists first identified what crops would thrive best. To do so they had to conduct extensive research and take into account the region’s diverse geographic and climate conditions. The commission decided that for the high altitudes, traditionally inhabited by hill tribes and Chinese migrants, that the most suitable crops should include coffee and tea.

However, the wild tea that grew in the area was a non-starter when it came to serious cultivation and production. And that’s where the Chinese connection turned out to be crucial. It was after all the Chinese who established tea drinking in the first place; tea was in their blood, and luckily for Thailand there were quite a few Chinese in the north of Thailand living in mountain districts of Doi Mae Salong and Doi Wawee. They’d arrived in the early 1950s, the remnants of General Chiang Kai Shek’s Kuomintang army. They’d failed to subdue the Cultural Revolution in China, and had been living in exile ever since. When news went round that tea was replacing opium, they remembered their traditions and knowledge of tea. And they remembered their army colleagues who’d ended up in Taiwan, settling in the mountains of Alishan, where they’d started producing Oolong and green teas, so successfully that they’d become popular throughout the world.

Tea, however, wasn’t a completely new idea.

Some of the hill tribes that had moved into the north of Thailand from China, around 200 years ago, used to collect tea leaves from a local

Their Thai counterparts established contact, and received help that would change not just their lives, but influence the drinking habits of

Thailand itself. In 1994, a consignment of tea species was sent from the mountains of Alishan to the mountains of Thailand. The consignment contained some of the best Oolong tea species that were growing in Formosa. It was a biological treasure and the Kuomintang remnant and their children recognized its importance, carefully planting and cultivating the species.

The tea’s been growing in the Mae Salong and Doi Wawee region ever since. The Royal Project cultivation is a bigger affair, but the Chinese have a multitude of small to medium family-run tea businesses along with state-of-the-art production. They’ve also broadened their tea portfolio from Oolong and green teas to a range of scented or flavoured teas, such as jasmine tea and rice tea, as well as some herbal teas made from local herbs such as the Chinese immortality herb Jiaogulan and safflower tea.

Thanks to the Royal Projects and the Kuomintang connection, tea production is now strong, and Thailand is now on the world tea map. That's not all. With the hill slopes covered with tea in various places, many more tourists have arrived, and once they go home, they spread news of the growing industry, boosting it still further.

And since you're in Thailand you can now try Thai tea for yourself and you don’t even have to venture into the mountains of the north. You can buy it at supermarkets, drink it in cafes and restaurants and at humble stalls. You can even find it in convenience stores albeit in a highly sugary, processed state. It’s becoming ever more popular. When you watch people making it, you'll see that the powder or leaves are placed in a sock-like device before water is poured over it. It’s then topped with condensed milk from a tin. Usually the tea will have an attractive orange colour. It’s traditionally drunk cold, with plenty of ice and can also have ingredients added such as star anise, crushed tamarind or cardamom. If asking for it, the Thai expression is ‘cha yen’ or ‘cold tea’.

Give it a try, as it’s quite different from your usual cup of tea, and you'll find it deliciously cooling on a hot day. The sugar comes added and be prepared for the drink to taste very sweet!

Dimitri Waring

Gourmet Golf Santiburi Samui Country Club is renowned for more than just its golf course.

To eat at the restaurant at Santiburi Samui Country Club is to be completely surrounded by nature. It’s set high up on Samui’s north coast, right in the heart of the countryside. From the clubhouse, where the restaurant is situated, you look out over a dreamy palm-clad plain that stretches away to the coast. Framed by a valley, you can see nearby Koh Rathian, an enigmatic islet just out to sea, while further north you can see the entire silhouette of Koh Pha-Ngan. The view is as panoramic as it is picturesque. People who come to the restaurant never tire of it, and you can spend long minutes gazing at all the beauty. There’s always something new to see and then, if you're lucky, you might spot some of the wildlife that makes its home in the grounds of the golf course.

The golf course has been designed to meet international standards, and is certainly one of the most beautiful courses in the region. It’s a five-star, 18 hole, par 72 championship course with a pro shop, and naturally you can get golfing lessons here too.

If you're playing here, it’s a challenging course, not least because of all the natural obstacles.

You'll find creeks and even a waterfall, and everywhere there’s greenery. But you certainly don’t have to be playing to enjoy being here.

Many people come to the clubhouse as it has a top-notch restaurant that’s known for its highly tasty Thai and international dishes. The atmosphere is both friendly and relaxed, and whether you're a golfer or not, you'll be made very welcome. And by the way, there are no fees of any kind to be paid to come to the clubhouse and restaurant.

Many guests come just for the happy hour, which is daily from 5:00 pm until closing time at 7:30 pm. You can avail yourself of the very generous offer of a 240 ml pitcher of Singha beer for just 150 baht. It’s ideal for sharing while you kick back at one of the terrace tables and enjoy the views. If beer’s not your thing the restaurant stocks a nice selection of wines with something to suit every pocket. On the wine list you'll find a choice variety of reds and whites from some of the world’s most notable wine-growing regions.

You can, for example, choose a Bordeaux from France, or a Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot from Chile. From California and South Africa meanwhile, there are some great-tasting Chardonnays. Naturally, you can also have wines by the glass, both red and white.

You can also come for breakfast, lunch, an early dinner, or anything in-between as the restaurant’s open daily from very early morning. It is easy to find. On the ring-road, if you drive through Maenam towards Nathon, go past the traffic lights and continue for two kilometres until you see the sign for Santiburi Samui Country Club on your left, before the turning to Wat Napalarn.

The menu is clearly laid out and you'll find sections on Thai and international food. On the Thai side, there's everything from appetizers, soups and salads, through to main courses. You could start off for example with chicken satay and then move on to a spicy som tam, or papaya salad, and then try one of the mains, such as massaman curry or a green curry, made in the traditional style.

The restaurant’s perhaps best known for its mouth-watering pad Thai, although on the menu it’s spelled rather differently - Pud Thai Goong Sod. It’s a seafood version with ‘goong’ meaning prawns. The taste of this dish is sublime; originally pad Thai was food for the poor, and a dish that was promoted and propagated by the government; as such it was designed to be as tasty as possible. Although it’s quite hard to go wrong with a dish like this, it’s equally hard to make it stand out from the crowd. But at Santiburi, it does, and is excellent.

The international side of the menu also has mouth-watering fare. The restaurant’s sandwiches are highly popular, and come with French fries.

Then there are beef burgers, breaded chicken, lasagne and even fish and chips. And by the way, you might want to try the one or other of the all-day breakfasts, especially if you're hungry – portions are on the generous side, as they are with everything here. Try the hearty Santiburi Breakfast, which consists of eggs, bacon, pork sausage, grilled tomatoes and sautéed mushrooms, toast and tea, coffee or Ovaltine,

along with fruit juice or fruit salad. It’s a great way to start the day – or continue it. There are also American, continental and Asian breakfasts.

If you're in the mood for dessert, you're in good hands here, and an ideal way to finish lunch or dinner is with one of the Mövenpick ice-creams.

The restaurant even stocks some home-made ice-creams, too.

A visit to Santiburi Samui Country Club is a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours. It’s a world apart from the rest of Samui, and is much-loved by those who know about it, whether they're golfers or not. It’s highly recommended for both the view and the quality of the food and drink.

Dimitri Waring For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7742 1701. www.santiburi.com

www.siamwininganddining.com 7

Spirited Soirées

Thai spirits fuel the nation’s good times and always guarantee fun nights out.

Almost wherever people are sitting, there’s a view of the sea. The little bar faces Koh Pha-Ngan, just across the water, and you'll see long delicate chains of lights that mark out the coastal villages on the other island. It’s a beautiful sight. But nobody is even looking. The bar is filled with weekend drinkers enjoying some of the nation’s most potent drinks. And judging from their enthusiasm, giving them a definite thumbs up. These are all tried-and-trusted tipples that have been fuelling the nation’s drinkers for decades. It’ll be hours before everyone goes home, yet there's no sense of drunken uproar. People here know how strong these drinks can be and are careful around them. Part of the fun seems to be in knowing where the border lies between inebriated and totally paralytic and not crashing through it. Well, that's the theory.

The world of Thai spirits is a defined one, with its own rites and rituals, and the brands that are to be found nationwide are barely known outside the country. Perhaps one day they will be, but there’s still a way to go yet. You’ll probably have come across Thai spirits when you've visited one of the island’s convenience

stores. You'll see them arrayed behind the counter, out of reach of over-enthusiastic hands.

And of course, you may be tempted to try them yourself.

Amongst the usual suspects you'll always find Mekhong, named after the river in the north.

Many people refer to this drink as Thai whisky (‘lao’), but this can be misleading as it’s nothing to do with western-style whisky. It’s actually a type of rum, as is its sister drink, Sangsom. Low in price and high in alcoholic content, buying this won’t break the bank but it can lead to some memorable hangovers. The smell gives an indication of its strength, and quite a few people don’t really like the taste when it’s neat, so it’s usually drunk mixed with generous amounts of coke or soda water. Thais know how to spin their drinks out to avoid a headache the next day. Some foreigners refer to it not as Mekhong Whisky but as Mekhong Whack.

For those who don’t like the taste, the alternative is the already-mentioned Sangsom.

This rum drink is made from sugarcane and has been around since 1977. It’s incredibly popular; a staggering 70 million litres are sold nationwide

every year. You can also try Sangsom Special Rum which is left to stand for five years in oak barrels before it’s finally bottled and then sold.

This variant won liquor competitions in both Spain and Germany. Sangsom is exported to 20 countries, but 99% of its sales are in Thailand. A popular way to drink it is to combine a 300 cc bottle of Sangsom with two bottles of coke – simple but refreshingly tasty.

Undiluted, both Mekhong and Sangsom may taste rough to unaccustomed palates, but that’s nothing compared to home-brewed ‘lao khao’.

It’s sometimes referred to as ‘Thai tequila’ and is not for the faint hearted! Other spirits made here include Hong Thong and Blend 285. They're both very popular and are made by Thailand’s largest beverage company, ThaiBev. Thai spirits are guaranteed to be popular as imported beverages can be very expensive. If you rely on international liquors of any kind for your tipple, then you'll be paying a hefty price, even if you’ve bought your drinks at the local supermarket. This is due in part to the massive tax levied. If you stick to local liquors, however, then you'll reap the advantages financially while

the drinks themselves generally taste reasonable unless drunk neat and in large quantities.

You'll probably have heard of the infamous ‘buckets’, a highly popular way to imbibe local spirits, and a cheap one too. At parties, especially the Full Moon Party on Koh Pha-Ngan they've become de rigueur amongst western drinkers. Of these, the vodka and whisky-based buckets are always the cheapest. They tend to be mixed with Red Bull and either Coke, Sprite or Fanta. Since you're never in the least sure what’s gone into the bucket, it pays to drink with caution. You can basically never gauge how you're going to be feeling by the time your drink’s finished. And at Full Moon Parties, drugs of one sort or other can complete the mix.

Drinking from a communal bucket is widespread just about everywhere in Thailand, and not just a phenomenon seen only at large parties. Each drinker has a straw and it not only saves having to use glasses, but it also acts to bond the drinkers together. Try it for yourself and you'll see what I mean. It’s hard to stand on ceremony when you're head-to-head vacuuming up powerful alcohol through a six-inch straw.

It’s not just the alcohol that loosens the inhibitions here. It’s all part of what the Thais refer to as ‘sanuk’, or fun.

On Samui you'll see many places to drink, and they're not all obvious ones, due to zoning laws that are, let’s say, less rigid than in many countries. And many bars seem quite at home with the idea of impermanency. Since many have no walls and are little more than a collection of tables and chairs, the business can up sticks and re-locate within 24 hours. On Samui you may have a sense of déjà-vu when you see exactly the same bar but in a totally different location – no need to question your sanity; it’s simply moved on. The spirits you'll be served, however, will be exactly the same.

They're worth trying but what you'll end up with, apart from perhaps a hangover, if you're not careful, is an unexpectedly convivial time that isn’t just to do with the drinks themselves but the whole atmosphere that surrounds them.

Dimitri Waring

Discover authentic

Indian Cuisine

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

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Samui 2012 WINNER

2013 WINNER

2014 WINNER

Fine Beachside Dining with Spectacular Sunsets

THE SIAM RESIDENCE B o u t i q u e

R e s o r t

Thai & International cuisine in Lipa Noi / Koh Samui Phone: +66 (0) 77 420 008 | samui@siamresidence.com | www.siamresidence.com

Picking Poppies A magical hideaway dining experience at Poppies Restaurant.

Poppies Restaurant is one of the most firmly established and leading restaurants on our beautiful tropical island. It opened 22 years ago, and is still owned by David Hill and John Taylor.

Poppies is staffed by an extremely dedicated and very established team, many of whom have been employed since its opening all those years ago.

The boutique resort and restaurant have been lovingly maintained in the original Thai style, with teak wood structures and thatched roofed buildings, befitting of the original Samui environment. The Chaweng area has changed quite dramatically over the last 22 years, with some new developments designed in a more modern and contemporary style, but Poppies stays staunchly loyal to the natural environment and traditional Thai style architecture.

As you wander through the resort from the reception area towards the beach-side restaurant, you begin to enter a different world, a magical transformation takes place and you feel like you are in the majestic past of Thailand. A meandering pathway takes you through the resort and envelops you in lush tropical landscape, surrounded by flowers and butterflies.

You are led over rustic bridges as you follow a stream with occasional ponds, past 24 spaciously laid out cottages, past the small spa and library

and then down towards the restaurant, pool and stunningly perfect beach with its turquoise blue sea.

It is an immensely calming and relaxing environment; you feel worlds away from the hustle and bustle of Chaweng. And when you see the beautifully elegant and ornate teak Thai-style open-air restaurant, you know that you have made the perfect choice. The restaurant itself seats up to 80 diners, and includes the beach terrace and poolside. Poppies has a great reputation, and can get very busy, particularly in the evening, so it is always advisable to book ahead.

So why is Poppies so popular? Well, it is not only the calm, tranquil and elegant environment. The food itself is traditional and no nonsense, always prepared with love and attention to detail. The fantastic Thai Executive Chef is Khun Wantanee Panplum, and she has been at Poppies since the day they opened. She cooks real authentic southern Thai food which is renowned amongst local residents. There are five different menus to choose from; Thai, International, International Lunch (with lighter dishes), Vegetarian and a Dessert menu. All menus have a wide range of choices, so you can select from traditional Thai

or international dishes such as Australian beef steak or lamb cutlets, pan roasted chicken breast with brie, Phuket lobster, pizzas and pasta dishes. You are so spoilt for choice you may have trouble choosing. So Poppies have come up with the perfect solution for this situation; the kantoke.

Kantoke is a Thai word that literally means ‘rattan tray’. When found on a menu it refers to a selection of four to eight small portion dishes, designed for sharing between two people - great for trying a number of different flavours or textures. The kantoke has become so popular at Poppies that they now have eight different ones.

Five of them include Thai dishes, including a vegetarian one and another with seafood. The other three are selections of international dishes prepared by talented International Executive Chef, Khun Noi. The Traditional Thai Kantoke includes a spicy prawn soup with lime leaf, stir-fried morning glory, fried chicken with ginger, charcoal roast duck curry with grape and pineapple, deep fried prawn cake with plum sauce, steamed jasmine or brown rice and Thai style banana fritters with coconut ice cream, all for only 1,550 Baht between two guests.

The three international kantokes are called ‘selections of small dishes’ on the menu. Order the Selection of Small Poppies Favourites and you can sample; nori wrapped lobster in crispy breadcrumbs with sweet ginger and soy sauce, traditional Caesar salad, roasted duck breast with plum and strawberry sauce, feta cheese and rocket salad, veal tenderloin (from Australia) with whole grain mustard sauce and sautéed asparagus, steamed snow fish fillet with sweet ginger and seaweed soy sauce and warm chocolate lava cake with raspberry coulis and vanilla ice cream.

Your taste buds are probably tingling right now, and rightly so. All the ingredients are fresh. Fish, seafood and vegetables come direct from the local markets, and the amazing choice will please everyone. Poppies is perfect for everyday or special occasions. Everything has been kept to the original Thai style; calm, classy and simply charming. The service is exceptional and the cuisine is simply divine.

Every Saturday evening a special Thai culture event is organised. At 7:00 pm, live music is presented by students from the Plai Laem Temple School, on a special stage set over the pool. Following on at 8:00 pm, 10 traditional

Thai dancers perform their skilful and artistic movements. There is also a handicraft market where local artisans are keen to demonstrate their skills in cookery, artwork and soap, fruit and vegetable carving. Ideal for any last minute gifts to take home.

Poppies Resort is located at the southern end of Chaweng Beach Road. If you are coming from the north end, go past Centara Grand Beach Resort and Poppies is approximately another 200 metres further along, on the left side. If you are travelling from the southern end, go past Seascape Beach Hotel, and Poppies is the next resort on the right-hand side. Restaurant opening hours are from 11.30 am to 10.30 pm. The lunch menu is served until 5.30 pm.

So don’t miss the opportunity to ‘pick Poppies’ whilst on Samui. It will be a dining experience you will treasure long after you leave these tropical shores, and your tan is only a memory.

Karan Ladd For reservations or further information, telephone 0 7742 2419 www.poppiessamui.com

Authentic Middle-Eastern chic in a tropical paradise. Enjoy a cocktail or a cup of freshly brewed Turkish coffee on our spacious beachfront terrace or treat yourself to our chef's culinary delights while being entertained by belly dancing shows.

Reservation: 0 7743 0105 Open: 6.00 pm - 11.00 pm Beachfront at The Wharf, Fisherman's Village www.siamwininganddining.com

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Truly Laid-back Dining H Bistro’s romantic ‘Dining on the Bed’ is both superb and unique.

When was the last time that you had dinner in bed? I’ll warrant it might not have been the best of occasions; in all probability you were ill and had to make do with your food being brought to you. But dinner in bed can be a very different, positive experience. And if you're on Samui, it couldn’t be more different! For a start, there’s the setting. The bed isn’t in a bedroom of any kind, but on the top deck of H Bistro, at Hansar Samui in Fisherman’s Village.

The setting’s decidedly open-air, and you're facing out over the water to neighbouring Koh Pha-Ngan. It’s an excellent place to watch the sun go down and the stars come out. Down below, you'll see people walking past on the promenade, but from your cosy eyrie, you're in a private world of your own. There are just a handful of beds up on the terrace, with a large space between each, guaranteeing intimacy. Soft music plays in the background, and the bed seems to become a space all of its own. You'll soon feel extremely relaxed. More relaxed than you would at a table. You might wonder just how you eat in a situation like this. A low table is the perfect solution; it’s placed on the bed and you just slide your legs under it. You'll find that it’s actually very easy to eat this way, sitting up with your back propped against cushions. Soft lighting completes the scene and adds to the laid-back ambience.

The staff are extremely well-trained, and do their utmost to make you feel welcome. They'll also answer any questions you may have. Basically, they will look after you inordinately well, and their service just adds to what is already a great night out. The only thing you need to remember to do is to phone ahead to reserve a ‘table’ – this is essential to avoid disappointment.

The food is excellent, and that’s not surprising given that it has been created by a culinary maestro. Stephen Dion hails from Canada and was private chef to His Majesty the King of Jordan, so is used to treating his guests as if they were royalty. At H Bistro he focuses on both

French Mediterranean and Thai cuisine. Dining on the Bed starts with selection of breads, home-baked on the premises, and a simple but tasty butternut dip. The first course is ‘yam tua poo’, a salad consisting of wing beans, Alaskan king crab and jumbo Hokkaido scallop.

Madagascar prawn. It’s delicately prepared and is scented with lemongrass and chilli paste. This is followed by ‘pla neung ma-naow’ and features a steamed Mediterranean wild sea bass filet, along with red chilli, garlic, lime and fresh coriander.

The fish feels light yet is highly satisfying.

It’s very tasty, as are all the dishes you'll be eating. And by the way, your waiter or waitress will first ascertain the degree of spiciness you prefer for your meal. But no matter how hot you like your food, you'll never find that the other tastes and flavours are pushed aside by the heat.

Stephen relies on using the freshest of herbs and ingredients, and the food is delicately nuanced, making each bite mouth-watering.

There now comes something of a hiatus in the dinner. You're served a sorbet, but this doesn’t signify it’s time for dessert. The sorbet cleanses your palate, as something very different will shortly be on its way: ‘penang neua’, or Thai-style beef penang curry. The beef in this case couldn’t be better; it’s slow-cooked sirloin from Tajima. It’s filled with flavour, and perhaps this is why this dish isn’t served in the time-honoured way, with the meat in the sauce. Here they're separated, so you have a chance to taste the meat all by itself.

Next comes ‘tom yam goong mang-korn‘, the famous spicy Thai soup, but here it’s accompanied by Canadian lobster and lobster morsels. It’s extremely delicious and a brilliant twist on the classical Thai dish, which normally uses prawns.

The food, by the way, is simply and beautifully presented and is yet another touch that adds to the charm of the meal. And because this is Thai cuisine, you can see the individual ingredients on the plate.

If you like, you can choose to pair your dinner with a different wine for each course, and the list of wines that Stephen has chosen for the evening perfectly matches the food. They're all delicious and come from a variety of sources. Only a connoisseur would be able to put together such a selection. They include, for example, a delicious Ultra Brut Rosé Sekt from Austria, a Bordeaux Blanc from France and a Carmenere Armador from Chile. If you know about wines, you'll love this excellent combination, but you don’t of course have to be an expert – these are wines that are simply very enjoyable, and doubly so with the courses that you're eating.

The next dish features fish and meat, the delicious ‘pla goong, gai-goong’ and consists of French Volaille de Bresse chicken along with a

It’ll probably be some of the best beef you've ever tried. Tajima cows have been renowned since the 8th century for their stamina and taste; they're highly prized as purebred seed stock cattle in the breeding of Wagyu cattle throughout Japan.

The dinner now moves on to dessert with ‘pineapple ravioli’, where the ravioli are filled with coconut sorbet. It’s a delicious way to end the dinner, but before you go there’s one last treat in store for you – Elefin tea or coffee, accompanied by chocolate pralines.

With the expertise of Stephen and his team, you'll really feel that you're dining in a royal way. And then there's the added factor of being on a bed under the stars. It’s an unusually good combination – it may seem strange but it works extremely well. This six course dinner is a superb way to enjoy the evening.

Dimitri Waring FFor reservations or further information, telephone 0 7724 5511. www.hansarsamui.com

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Getting All Fruity When it comes to buying fruit on Samui, you might be in for a surprise!

Don’t you just love them? They’re all so waxy and polished and packed in their own little wraps of bruise-proof foamy white sheathes!

They’re like little artworks; the product of a hundred-and-one Euro rules and regulations.

They’re Healthy (capital ‘H’) and they’re Safe (capital ‘S’). Apples gleam. Oranges beam.

Polystyrene-packed pineapples pose antiseptically and bananas glisten in skin-tight films. Yep, there’s nothing like the fruit section of a big Western supermarket to make you feel cared for and loved. No two ways about it, there are no germs here!

When I got married, a small group of us all headed off to an organic farm for some pre-nuptial diversion. There was nobody in the crumbling ruin of the farmhouse, but soon a tractor came chugging up. The driver leaped down grinning. He was 87 years old, and had got that way (so he insisted) by eating healthy food.

He even toured the county giving lectures on it.

And the best bit, he said, was when he told all the grannies at the institutes to spit on their food before they ate it. Because, and it’s true, we all need to ingest the right kind of bacteria for our bodies to work properly. And most of these have

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been processed out of modern supermarket produce in the interests of ‘health and safety’.

On Samui you’re not faced with this. Well – it all depends where you buy your fruit. But, on the whole, Thailand, and this includes Samui, isn’t bogged down by all these regulations. Samui originally came to fame as an island full of coconuts. Way, way, back in the 1900s, boats sailed from the mainland just for these – so we’re told. But I can’t believe that. Nor will you, if you have the time to tour around off the beaten track and look to see what’s being grown here. And that means adventuring away off the ring-road and having the courage to get lost down a dusty track or two. And there’s another problem: there’s a good chance you might not know what you’re looking at.

Take cashew nuts, for example. On Samui there are several cashew nut plantations, although you’ll also see cashew trees growing wild, just about everywhere. But they only fruit once a year, at the height of the dry season. And you won’t see anything that looks at all ‘cashewey’.

What you will see is an old, twisted, gnarled thing that looks like a neglected apple tree. And

it will have red apples growing on it. But at the tip of the ‘apple’ will be a small black twisty lump – the cashew in its husk. (And how you get it out is an essay in its own right!)

Some things are easier to identify. Bananas are easy to spot. Durians, too, although to most people they look just like breadfruit. Pineapples come as a surprise as they grow on the ground and not on a tree. But, again, how many of you can recognise a mango tree? Unless it’s bearing that familiar yellow fruit it’s just another pretty spreading tree. But this in itself is a clue. On Samui, if it’s a tree, it’s a fruit tree – there are no oaks or elms or birches here. Every tree bears some kind of fruit. There are a million tamarind trees, but they’re so plentiful that nobody bothers to harvest or market them. However, there are exceptions – trees that have been specially imported by some hotels for decoration, like the wonderful African Flame Tree. And then there’s also maybe the odd kapok tree, but its giant fluffy bean pods give the game away, anyway.

Fruit on Samui falls into two categories. One is the fruit that can’t grow here because it’s too hot – tomatoes, strawberries (yes, really), cucumbers,

apples, potatoes, some types of melon, grapes, even coffee beans. These are all grown in the cooler regions of the north, around the area of Chiang Mai, and shipped here to the big supermarkets. Then there is the local produce that’s grown all over the island. Melon, rambutan, pumpkin, mango, durian and breadfruit, kaffir lime, mangosteen, longan, dragon fruit, papaya, passion fruit and so many more. (I’ve even seen mature blueberry trees growing and fruiting here.) And all these fruits can be found in the local markets, when in season.

And this is where Samui diverges from the usual style of market. In Bangkok, you’ll find 10 or more weekly markets, and another hundred little local ones that run every day. But they all sell everything, from pets to toys to jewellery to clothes . . . plus fruit too. But Samui has several markets which sell only food, such as you’ll find in Maenam, Bangrak and Chaweng’s Laem Din. (And these also sell meat and fish.) But . . . all over the island, along the side of the road, you’ll also see trucks selling whatever local produce is currently in season, and at bargain-basement prices. In the little Thai ‘mom n pop’ stores, they’ll have a range of produce from their own

gardens. And some of the more savvy little shops in tourist areas are now even stocking ‘farang’ items like potatoes and tomatoes, although they must surely buy them from a supermarket and sell them on (at twice the price!).

I reckon the most-usual questions that get asked here on Samui are, ‘is the water safe to drink?’ and ‘is it safe to eat the fruit?’ And I can understand the concerns. Water, no, not from the tap – bottled only. Fruit? Well, yes and no. Let’s go back to where the story started. In Europe, pesticides, sprays, and growth hormones are carefully monitored and regulated – hence the monitored bar-codes in supermarkets and all those ISO standards. But not so in Thailand. And it’s a shrewd guess that the commercial growers who are selling in bulk to the big supermarket chains might want to maximise their investment somehow. But the locals? Never. So just buy local and wash your fruit first. Or at least spit on it and give it a wipe – the right sort of bacteria will keep you feeling fruity all day!

Rob De Wet

Finding Finesse There’s a whole new world of experience waiting at Whisgars cigar and whisky lounge in Lamai.

I wonder how many of you have turned the page already? Most of the females, I expect. And possibly more than a few of the males. And that’s a shame. Yes, for sure, the heading conjures images of leather armchairs and quiet men discussing finance. But that’s a stereotype.

And in our modern age of access and entitlement for all, such things are frowned upon. Certainly the ethos of ‘the cigar’ is something of a niche – but the whole business runs parallel to that of wine. The difference, of course, is that the mystique in this case seems to imply something a lot more specialised. But if you can appreciate the bouquet and the subtle hints and flavours of wine, then you’re half way there already.

Traditionally, it has to be said, such cigar lounges are a refined affair, quiet, sombre, and comparatively formal. But this is the holiday island of Samui. And formality went out of the window the moment your plane put its wheels on the runway. Whisgars is an upmarket name in Bangkok, well-known and respected. And it’s to be found – as on Samui, too – in a number of the top 5-star hotels and fine-dining restaurants.

But here, on the island, as well as supplying such exulted names as W Retreat, Four Seasons, Centara Grand and Anantara, it’s also appeared in a unique cool and glossy mini-lounge in Lamai. This is exceptional, and a spark of genius by the management company, the Hathor Investment Group, as they move away from the accepted mould into something freer, easier, and altogether more accessible.

There’s a world of difference between a cheap cigar and one that’s been hand made. And, to go along with that, a world of jargon too, much of it confusing. Quite a bit of this centres around the names that go with the sizes; half-coronas, coronas, double coronas, toros, robustos, panatelas, Lonsdales, Churchills – it’s enough to make you dizzy. But ignore this. Size isn’t important! Because how it’s put together, and from what, is the focal point of it all. As an example, a hand-made cigar will have an outer wrapper, an inner binder, and then the filler in the centre. And all three will be from different sorts of leaf, carefully combined for a particular flavour.

Compare that with a pack of pub cigars, machine-made from the same tobacco. Pull it apart and the inside comes away in little shreds and scraps. Handmade cigars have a filler made up of long leaves. Different leaves from different countries, even, and also from different positions on the tobacco plant. They’re all combined together so that the cigar burns slowly and evenly. If the filler is too loose or scrappy, it’ll burn too hot, and then it’s harsh and unpleasant.

So the wrapper, the filler, and the binder are the key. All from different countries, all of different plant varieties and all utilising different leaf positions, higher or lower on the plant.

Undoubtedly there are many people who at one time were smokers and have now given up. But the entire business of good cigars is about not inhaling the smoke at all. It’s savoured. It’s rolled around in the mouth, much in the same way as

you’d appreciate a good wine. And, unlike a cheap cigar, it’s the smoothest of caresses on the palate. Draw it in using your cheeks and allow it to hang in your mouth before exhaling. This is when you’ll detect the flavours, both of the smoke itself and the after-tastes left behind.

Tobaccos from different countries have varying flavours, and are blended together with this in mind. For example, a lot of mild cigars, generally from Dominica and Honduras, have a mossy flavour. And the outer wrapper is often selected for the taste it adds – hints of coffee, chocolate, leather, honey, liquorice and many others are to be found.

And the way the cigar is lit is vital, too. The flame mustn’t actually come into contact with the tobacco or it will char the expensive and delicate wrapper. Cigars have been deliberately kept in a humid atmosphere and you need to gently toast the end until it begins to glow by itself. It all sounds rather daunting. But one of the advantages of the Samui Whisgars is the General Manager, Matus Valant. He’ll be on hand to advise and guide you in the selection of your cigar and everything that’s associated with it, and introduce you to the mystique. And that includes a choice of what whisky to pair it with.

Yes, whisky. As the name suggests, Whisgars is able to offer a range of single-cask or single malt whiskeys. They are all obtained directly from the distilleries of Scotland and, in the same way as the cigars, each of them has distinctive flavours and characteristics. For instance the 12 year-old Bowmore Islay Single Malt has hints of lemon and honey balanced by a peaty smokiness, whereas the Macleod’s eight year-old single malt exhibits honey notes, hints of spice and mixed peels, a suggestion of sultana and a touch of sherry together with a smoky finish and a hint of barley sweetness. It takes experience to know which whisky to put together with which cigar; fortunately Matus will be on hand to guide you.

“As well as dealing with, advising, and supplying the island’s top resorts and restaurants,” Matus explained, “we quite often see people venturing in just to see what it’s all about. One myth is that it’s all very specialised and expensive and, of course, once you get really involved, then it can be. But I can offer a pairing of, say, a Perdomo Habano Petit Corona with an eight year-old highland single malt for just 899 baht. And, for just a few hundred baht more, there’s quite a range of other combinations available.”

You’ll find the Whisgars lounge in Lamai, just adjacent to the entrance of Beach Republic. As you finally come out of the hills away from Chaweng onto the flat, it’s signposted three hundred metres or so on the left. It’s a terrific place to drop into and, while you’re at it, pop into Whisgars to find a rare touch of blended finesse, too!

Rob De Wet For further information, telephone 0 969 040 010.

Daily Theme Nights From 7pm.

Monday Classical Thai Night Buffet - THB 590 Tuesday Catch of the Day - from THB 250 Wednesday Italian Night Buffet - THB 490 Thursday Steak Supreme - from THB 300 Friday Beach BBQ Buffet featuring live music and a fire juggling show - THB 690 Saturday Surf & Turf - THB 790 Sunday Roast Chicken Sunday - THB 390 Daily Happy Hours at Beach Bar Buy 1 get 1 free beers and cocktails from 12pm - 2pm l 5pm - 7pm l 9pm - Midnight Sentinel Band Enjoy music from the Sentinel Band - Monday to Saturday from 7pm – 10pm Dining on the Beach Moonlight beach dining with your own private chef, from THB 1,500 per person

Chaweng Noi Beach For reservations please call: +66 77 448 994 www.impiana.com.my/hotel/impiana-resort-chaweng-noi-koh-samui/

www.siamwininganddining.com

13

Going Native Joining the locals at Jok Mordin.

The name of this restaurant comes from the words ‘mordin’ which is a type of clay cooking pot and ‘jok’, the Thai word for one of the nation’s staples, rice congee, which is traditionally a breakfast dish but can also be eaten at any time of the day.

The restaurant produces a lot more than just the one dish, however! Now in its seventh year, it’s owned by the chef herself, Khun Pasu, who comes from Nakorn Sri Thammarat, on the mainland. It’s a friendly place and has a convivial atmosphere. Like many restaurants of this kind, you'll find it in an open-sided small building that allows plenty of air to circulate. It has two cooking stations that cater for customers who mostly come here from local offices, shops and businesses. It’s also highly popular with the foreign residents who live in the area, and those holidaymakers who chance upon it. You'll find it on the ring-road in Maenam, just two hundred metres past the traffic lights as you head towards Chaweng, opposite Home Mart. Car parking, never that easy in Maenam, is a cinch here. You can either park at the back of the restaurant or across the road in Home Mart’s large car park.

14 www.siamwininganddining.com

You can recognize the restaurant by its bright orange and red striped awning, which is fortunate, as there’s no name in English.

It’s a handy place to eat if you're off to the beach – just walk a few minutes further on, turn left down the small lane and it’ll bring you straight to a quiet and beautiful spot right in the middle of Maenam beach.

Enter the restaurant and you'll find a dozen plain wooden tables with stools for seating. It’s very informal; simply sit where you'd like to and you'll be warmly welcomed. The atmosphere here is calm and poised even though the ring-road can be a bit hectic with traffic.

There's a menu which is in both Thai and faultless English. Ordering is easy as there are pictures of many of the dishes, and in addition the staff can get by in English too. They’re used to dealing with guests from all over the world, and will be able to understand what you'd like.

Your food won’t be long in coming. You'll be able to see Khun Pasu cooking in the

background on a big range with gas burners; she’s very agile and efficient and can belt out any number of dishes without seeming at all phased. Khun Pasu originally started working in a restaurant as a dishwasher. She graduated through the ranks chiefly because she watched the cooks at work, and learned to do what they were doing. She built momentum and confidence by cooking whenever she could, and steadily increased her repertoire of dishes. She honed them to perfection and eventually knew she was ready to open her very own restaurant, Jok Mordin. It covers a wide range of Thailand’s best-loved dishes and is always dependably good, serving mouth-watering food to whoever drops in.

Her menu has some great offerings. If you like your food hot, you'll enjoy the spicy seafood salad with fresh lemongrass or the prawn tom yum soup. But she also makes milder dishes such as the excellent pad Thai. It’s highly recommended and comes with the freshest bean sprouts and cucumber. There are plenty of stir-fry options too, such as sautéed mixed vegetables in oyster sauce or the very popular

stir-fried rice with tuna green curry, which is then wrapped in an omelette.

You'll also find fusion food on the menu in its own separate section. These dishes are all traditional ones, such as the already-mentioned tom yum, but here it’s served with spaghetti. The combination sounds a little strange, but it’s definitely one that works. If you're a traditionalist, then you can always have the spaghetti Napolitano, in a rich tomato sauce.

Jok Mordin also prepares chicken dishes, and you'll see there's a separate display nearer the front of the restaurant. It’s tended by Khun Pasu’s son, Khun Cha, and he prepares steamed, breaded and roasted chicken. Soup comes with these dishes and they're great if you want to eat quickly and go. Khun Cha will have your order ready in some two minutes. Speed is of the essence here – many of his customers will be eating on the hoof and have stopped during a busy working day to grab a bite. Some are driving trucks; others work in the bank next door, and there's always someone coming or going. The luckier ones have time to sit down and eat.

For refreshment there's tea, green tea and coffee as well as water, soft drinks and beer. You'll also find plenty of fruit juices, and if you'd like a truly chilled dessert try the shaved ice and fruit.

The ice is coned up high over the dish and it’s ideal for a hot day. It’s designed to be shared and you simply dip into a bowl filled with various fruit, some of which may not be familiar but all are delicious. If you attempt to eat the dish by yourself, then expect to get the sugar rush of a lifetime – this is a dish that’s definitely not for just the one person.

If you’d like to experience Thai-style home-cooking that’s always affordable (you can eat here for as little as 60 baht) then take a seat at Jok Mordin. You'll find plenty to please your taste-buds and, if you're a resident, you'll want to add this restaurant to your local where-to-eat list.

Dimitri Waring

Experience the very best in authentic Thai cuisine at Chef Chom’s Thai Restaurant at The Tongsai Bay Chef Chom's serves truly authentic Thai cuisine with an emphasis on local southern Thai cuisine. Wherever possible, ingredients are sourced locally and dishes are prepared from scratch.

This real Thai taste is the pride of the kitchen, and dishes are not 'watered down', the taste of Chef Chom's food is just the way Thais would have it.

Chef Chom’s is open daily for dinner from 7pm to 10pm. Tel: +66 (0) 77 245-480 www.tongsaibay.co.th

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15

Towards Mecca A closer look at Halal food on Samui.

For a long time now, there’s been a Muslim community on Samui. This isn’t really surprising - the Malaysian border isn’t all that far away.

And the further south you go towards it, the more Muslims you come across. Traditionally the largest assembly on Samui is to be found on the southern part of the east coast, in Hua Thanon, just about where Lamai comes to an end. Here the picturesque fishing village features the attraction of some really spectacular paint schemes on their traditional boats. There is also at least one restaurant that’s purported to be halal, plus the island’s largest and longest-established Nurun Eia San Mosque.

However, over the last six or seven years or so, the Muslim religion has been spreading. Small mosques have been popping up all over the island, most of them unpublicised and with no online presence, noticeable only if you happen to hear the to call to prayers, or spot men wearing the long robe, the ‘thawb’ (or ‘jelab’), in the vicinity. There’s a small one in Maenam and another in Bang Po. In these instances, the buildings are small and unassuming, little more than a house or shop being used for this purpose.

Probably the thing that’ll strike you immediately about the Muslim village in Hua Thanon

(particularly if you have become accustomed to some of the more rigorous forms of Islamic expression in western nations) is just how very ‘normal’ every ones seems. The Muslim outlook in this part of Thailand is very much more relaxed than in many places – for instance you’ll see woman wearing usually only the much-abbreviated form of ‘hijab’ (or simple headscarf) and going about their business quite freely, running shops, selling food and driving about cheerfully on motorbikes.

But there’s one thing that just about everyone subscribes to, and that’s halal food. ‘Halal’ simply means ‘lawful’ or ‘permitted’. But it’s a lot easier to describe what’s ‘haram’ (not permitted). And this includes alcohol, blood, pork or any carnivorous animal or bird of prey.

Or ‘any animal which has not been slaughtered in the name of Allah, in the correct manner’.

And this is where things start to get interesting.

I suppose you could interpret everything as being either in the spirit of the law (‘Sharia’ is Islamic law) or strictly in accordance with it. For example, the full requirements of Sharia are that the animal in question is slaughtered is healthy and alive at the time of death, and has all the blood drained from its body. And this is where the actual letter of the law seems to change its

typeface somewhat, according to what part of the world you live in and what particular manifestation of Sharia you subscribe to – and there appear to be many.

For instance, to be fully in accord with the strictness of the law, the butcher needs to be authorised and qualified for such an event, and will recite a prayer to Allah as he kills the animal, which needs to be facing towards Mecca. The cut must be made in one single motion, below the Adam’s apple, and should sever the jugular veins on both sides and the windpipe, allowing the blood to drain fully from the body, pumped out by the still-beating heart initially then, when dead, left to drain fully.

So let’s step back for a moment, away from Samui, and take a look at what’s been going on around the world in recent times. In Europe, and of late throughout Australia, halal meat has been flocking to the supermarket shelves in pre-packed droves. The bottom line here is that this has become big business, generating sales worth potentially millions of Euros, and aimed precisely at the ever-increasing Muslim population in these nations. But it has generated a lot of public reaction and debate on this journey. The bone of contention is that of animal cruelty. The argument is that, when these

Muslim laws were formed, many hundreds of years ago, the prescribed form of slaughter constituted the most humane way known at that time – and this is what’s at the heart of the halal ritual - compassion towards the animal.

Today, it is argued, there is the technology to end up with the same result – stun guns and other devices – which renders the animal alive but unconscious and incapable of feeling pain, prior to its blood being drained, whereupon it dies quickly and humanely. Without this the animal feels the same pain and panic that a human would feel under the same circumstances; it takes up to a minute to lose consciousness through a massive blood loss of this nature. As a result, all the Scandinavian nations have passed laws banning this kind of ritual slaughter, together with Luxemburg, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, and other countries are hot on their heels towards a similar decision.

But we’re on little ole Samui! I’ve met many, and got to know several, of the island’s Muslim inhabitants. And they seem to range from imperious subscribers to Sharia, to the usual happy-go-lucky outlook on life that characterises the vast majority of Thai people. Some of these acquaintances will cheerfully take a beer or a

wine from time to time. Not all of them pray facing towards Mecca five times each day. But they all would emphatically state that they are Muslim and their religion is Islam.

Which poses an oblique problem when it comes to halal food. Is it . . . erm . . . kosher? The answer is that nobody quite seems to know, exactly. There are several ‘halal’ restaurants in Chaweng, as well as one particular Indian restaurant in Fisherman’s Village. Plus anyone serious could always ask around in the Muslim village and in the vicinity of the Nurun Eia San Mosque – if you can speak Thai, that is. But, for the most part, as with anything else in Thailand, it doesn’t pay to ask too many demanding questions, as the inevitable result will be a lot of cheerful and undemanding answers.

The bottom line, on Samui anyway, is that if it says it is halal, then it is. It might not be 100% – but any percent is better than nothing when you’re facing towards Mecca!

Rob De Wet

Sabienglae restaurants offer traditional fresh seafood and cuisine in an authentic southern Thai style.

Come and enjoy our unique dishes, many of which you won’t find elsewhere on the island, in a relaxing atmosphere. An experience to truly complete your holiday.

Sabeinglae Restaurant

The Wharf Samui, Fishermans’s Village For reservation please call 077 430 094-5 16 www.siamwininganddining.com

Hin Ta Hin Yai, Samui Ring Road For reservation please call 077 233 082-3

Wimaan Buri Resort, Chaweng Ring Road For reservation please call 077 962 333

Thailand’s Greatest Recipes Make it yourself: tom yam kung or Thai prawn soup with lemongrass.

Having read the article about Thailand’s top dishes earlier in this issue, how about learning to make one of them? Tom yam kung lifts the spirits of just about every Thai, even those who’re born and bred outside the country; it’s the nation’s quintessential dish and you'll find it everywhere from street stalls to the most sophisticated restaurants. There are countless variants and the dish is a true crowd-pleaser, one with a unique taste all of its own. There's nothing quite like it anywhere else in the world.

Ask virtually any Thai and he or she will be able to list what goes into it and, in all probability, will have cooked it at some point. It’s that popular. It is one of those appealing comfort dishes that Thai mums and dads will make for their hungry children, and it’s healthy and cheap, as well as being extremely tasty. The ingredients are all easy to find in Thailand.

Outside, maybe a little more difficult. And that brings me to the only warning: if you're back in your own country, simple as this dish is, it’s not one that works well if you're switching too many ingredients.

You might be tempted to throw in a little soy sauce instead of the ‘nam pla’ or fish sauce, or use dried herbs out of a jar instead of the fresh ones. Don't. The results will probably not work out well. If you use dried herbs, for example, the great taste of the soup will morph into another taste – that of herbal medicine. And talking of herbs, when you make tom yam kung, it’s not like making, say, chicken massaman. With tom yam kung, you can see exactly what goes into the soup: everything’s there, totally visible, the very opposite to a curry where a uniform sauce coats the main ingredients. Here instead, you're basically infusing broth with fresh herbs and everything’s served up, rather than being strained.

In Thai ‘tom’ means ‘boil’, while ‘yam’ means ‘mix’ and ‘kung’ means ‘prawn’. Because transliterations from Thai are so difficult, you'll find many variants are used in English. ‘Tom Yum Goong’ turns out to be exactly the same soup.

Tom yam kung captures all the flavours of traditional Thai herbs and cooking. It’s a dish that bursts with freshness. The herbs give it a distinct citrus aroma, while a salt taste comes courtesy of fish sauce. It’s completed by the sweetness of coconut and palm sugar, while chillies give the dish some fieriness. Everything ends up being balanced.

It wasn’t until the 16th century however that Thai cuisine was to become radicalized. The Portuguese, who had been out to South America, brought back chillies with them. They took them to Ayutthaya, the then capital of the country, where they soon being devoured with zest by the Thais. Up to that time, pepper had been used to give Thai dishes heat. Chillies and

Tom yam itself was first mentioned in 12th century cooking instructions; it appears in some of the first ever cookery books in Thailand. It was popular with the royal courts and was known for its health benefits. It was definitely part of the culture of those days, as there are even songs and poems that mention it. Oddly, however, there’s no reference of when prawns were first added to the broth. Tom yum kung as a whole dish is untraceable.

Thai cooking go so hand in hand that many people simply cannot believe that chillies originally came from outside the country.

Tom yam kung is therefore a dish that is steeped in Thai history – as well as in sheer goodness.

Try it for yourself and you'll soon add it to your favourite recipes.

Instructions Boil water in a large pot. Make sure the prawns are peeled and de-veined. Slice the lemon grass into sections that are approximately six inches in length, and then bruise them. Boil the lemon grass for five minutes in the pot, first tying it in a bundle.

Next take the bowls that you'll serve the soup in and put in the fish sauce and the juice from one lime. Add crushed chilli to taste.

Dimitri Waring Ingredients (serves two) • 3 chilli peppers • 5 sprigs of coriander • 2 tablespoons of nam pla or fish sauce (more if a stronger taste is needed) • 3 kaffir lime leaves • 1 stalk of lemongrass • 1 or 2 limes • 6 mushrooms • 1 tablespoon nam prik pao (Thai chilli paste). Optional • 1 cup of prawns • 4 cups of water

Now add the kaffir lime leaves to the pot, making sure the stalks are removed. Then add the halved mushrooms and boil. Finally, add the prawns and immediately turn off the heat.

The soup is now ready to be placed in the bowls. If needed, add the nam prik pao at this point. Serve after sprinkling with fresh coriander.

(Recipe courtesy of ThaiTable.com.)

Relax@Samui Thai food - Seafood - European food Romantic atmosphere Private seaview cottages The best seaviews on Samui Bang Por Beach, Tel. 0 7760 2228

Take a bread cake and bakery Tel: 088 502 3112

Location: Samui Ring Road (nearly opposite Big C)

www.siamwininganddining.com 17

The Wine Page Anyone for port?

Ask me if I like port, and I will tell you I love it.

I have fond memories of the sumptuous flavours of a well-aged vintage port, and even more so, the delicate, subtle pleasures of a 20-year-old tawny port.

But these delights reside mostly in the past. And for reasons I cannot put my finger on, I almost never drink port anymore. The gastric urge for a nice after-dinner glass of port (or Cognac) has largely faded, overcome by the diminished stamina of my middle age (and the desire to be not only awake and productive the following morning, but headache free as well). Port is a fortified wine, after all. You may not immediately taste the 20 percent alcohol in a well-balanced version, but it can quickly catch up with you. When I put my nostalgic mind to it, the cinnamon-sweet, nutmeg-spice notes of a 20-year tawny come right back to my palate. It makes me wonder if I need to reacquaint myself with the pleasures of port. But how? Here in Thailand it is not easy to even find any, and if you do, they are invariably as expensive as they are rare.

My feeling is that port needs to re-invent itself.

Lose the shackles that consign it to the end of the meal. Other fortified wines are more versatile. Even the sweetest Madeira, with its jolt of acidity, seems much less sweet than port, and therefore more flexible with savoury foods. Fino sherry is dry, with far less alcohol, and makes a glorious aperitif. It also works well supporting many dishes in the traditional Mediterranean locker, and accompanies delicate white fish extremely well.

But port? It‘s hard to see beyond cheese, especially blue cheeses like Stilton, and aged Cheddar style hard cheeses (or chocolate, of course). As for savoury dishes, I have recently read some food reviewers raving about port with steak au poivre, ahi tuna and leg of lamb.

And I must admit the suggestion has got me curious. A wine and food matching website I like, also suggests that tawny port makes a fine substitution for Sauternes in the classic pairing with foie gras. It also claimed that it would pair well with caramelised pork, although I am a little sceptical on that one. Maybe at the next dinner party I give, I will try matching the food with a port. It will be interesting to see the reaction. I‘m still holding the torch for port, but everybody else has forgotten it, so it may fall outside of most people’s preference. And no doubt, although the port will be politely sipped, the usual red wine varieties will be enthusiastically welcomed, and probably quaffed down at triple the speed.

One of the reasons I feel port needs re-marketing is that, because of tradition, most people are only interested in the vintage variety.

Which is a great shame, as port is produced in many different styles. The grapes come from daunting terraces built into impossibly steep, rocky hillsides in the Douro region of Portugal, where they bake in dry, often unrelenting heat.

Once picked, the best grapes are sometimes still crushed by feet in stone tanks, while the rest are

Manathai Koh Samui 18 www.siamwininganddining.com

Samui Ring Road

Lamai

Telephone 0 7745 8560-4

www.manathai.com

done mechanically. The juice is then fermented about half way until the process is halted by the addition of brandy. Vintage port, which is bottled, after two years or so, in barrels, and tawny, which is typically aged longer, are the two best-known styles. And I suppose, for good reason, they are the most magnificent expressions of port.

Even so, this is where there is a possible gap in the market, for mid-range port that delivers on the unique taste, but is free of the old-school vintage obsessed baggage. The classic vintage ports are made only in very good years (maybe three every 10 years) and can require decades to soften their fiery, extravagantly fruity character.

Tawny ports mellow in the barrel, where they acquire their reddish brown colour, and are generally a blend of vintages. And good tawnies generally come with an age statement, indicating the average age in the blend. For me, 20-year tawny is ideal, showing the complexity of age at a still-affordable price. (And this can be another issue with buying traditional port, so long do they need to age, you would pretty much be buying them for your children to drink.)

While I have fond memories of vintage ports being enjoying in the 1970s and 80s, I really cannot remember it being popular since. When I was involved in the restaurant business here a decade ago, port by-the-glass was occasionally requested, but by-the-bottle sales were unheard of. Although only tenuously connected, port seemed to die out with smoking. And now, amongst the younger generation of wine drinkers, there is definitely a mystique around port. I have noticed young women do, from time to time, order port, but it still has the image of being an obscure old man’s drink.

This image problem has a simple but direct method of appealing to younger generations cocktails! Port (and sherry) from a cocktail ingredient perspective, is a breath of fresh air.

One of the easiest ways to come up with new cocktails is simple substitution, port for vermouth, for example. Equivalent in alcoholic grunt, but new textures, colours and flavours.

By port, I mean ruby port, a simpler, fruity, more accessible cousin of vintage port, and a blend of several vintages. For a fine example of a port based cocktail, try the little-known, St. Valentine, a blend of ruby port, white rum, Grand Marnier and lime juice that has a wonderfully ripe, round and refreshing quality.

While tawny ports are ideal for substituting bourbon to make rich and subtle variations on the Manhattan.

In my experience, most proven gastronomic food and beverage favourites always come back into fashion, eventually. Port has been stubbornly avoiding rediscovery, for a long time now. It needs a catalyst. Possibly, dare I suggest, from a celebrity endorsement? And some re-branding, aimed at the young, along with reduced prices, from the producers of this gorgeous, forgotten fortified wine gem.

Peter James

Opening Times 10am – 1am

Silavadee Pool Spa Resort

Silavadee Pool Spa Resort presents a wide range of restaurants and bars featuring a variety of cuisines to suit all tastes.

Premium cocktails and selected wines are also available in each outlet.

STAR

A stunning rooftop bar where you can sip our signature cocktails and enjoy some snacks while watching the sunset or gazing at the stars above.

Open: 17.00-23.30hrs.

The Height

Sun Deck

Wine and Cigar Lounge

Oering an extensive menu of delightful Thai cuisine, the restaurant has both air-conditioned and open air seating options, all with stunning views of the surrounding sea.

Open: 17.00-22.30hrs.

Exclusive dining on the deck with breathtaking views.Enjoy International delights in a romantic setting with your loved one. Please reserve in advance.

Refreshments, cocktails and snacks with a selection of premium wines and cigars to enjoy the breathtaking view.

Open:18.00-22.30hrs.

Open: 17.00-23.30hrs

Silavadee Pool Spa Resort 208/66 Moo4, Koh Samui, Suratthani 84310 Thailand Tel: (+66) 077 960 555 Fax: (+66) 077 960 055 www. Silavadeeresort.com www.siamwininganddining.com

19

Rice Barge &

Terrace

Fine Beachside Dining at the Rice Barge & Terrace Authentic Thai Cuisine WEEKLY CALENDAR MONDAY - COWBOY DAY Cowboy Steak Night Buffet @ 1,129 Baht/person. Children half price Advance reservation discount 15% Costume Theme Night: Cowboy style will get 1 free bottle of beer Entertainment: The Barge Band TUESDAY - GRILLED NIGHT Lobster & Seafood Basket for 2 @ 3,500++ Steak Set for 2 @ 2,700++ or Seafood Set for 2 @ 2,700++ Entertainment: The Barge Trio Band WEDNESDAY - HAWAIIAN STYLE Hawaiian Seafood Buffet @ 1,290 Baht/person. Children half price Advance reservation discount 15% Entertainment: The Barge Band and Polynesian show THURSDAY - COCKTAILS DAY Lobster & Seafood Basket for 2 @ 3,500++ Steak Set for 2 @ 2,700++ or Seafood Set for 2 @ 2,700++ Free Flow Cocktails 5pm-7pm @ 950++/person/hour Entertainment: The Barge Trio Band EVERY DAY - FREE STYLE Thai Cooking Class & Bartender Master Class - Reservation required Happy Hours: Hillside Pool 1pm-3 pm. Beachside Pool 2pm-4 pm Lobby Lounge: 6pm-8pm. Rice Barge: 6pm-7pm. The Barge 9pm-10pm Private Dinner 3,500, 7,500, 8,500, 11,000 baht. Reservation required Free Flow Local Beer (Singha/Chang) @ 550++/person/hour Open Bar @ 650++/person/hour - Gin, Rum, Vodka, Red Label, Local Beer, Juice, Soft Drink Open Bar @ 850++/person/hour - Wine, Cocktails, Spirits, Local Beer, Juice, Soft Drink SATURDAY - WEEKEND DAY Chef Signature Food Set Menu 1,350 Food Only, 1,850 with Wine Pairing Entertainment: The Barge Trio SUNDAY - PASTA NIGHT Fresh Pasta and Pizza Corner and Salad Bar @ 550++/person

Rice Barge & Terrace Nora Buri's Signature Restaurant Chaweng North For Reservation Tel: 0 7791 3555 E-mail: ricebarge@noraburiresort.com www.noraburiresort.com

Chaweng Beach Road Chaweng North

It’s all happening at Nora Beach Resort & Spa Tuesday Night- Siam Kingdom Thai Night. We invite you to experience a variety of traditional Thai dishes.

Price THB 850 per person.

Thursday Night - East Meets West. Enjoy our chef’s special buffet creations. Price THB 950 net per person. Children 6-12 years old half price. Entertainment: Polynesian Show & Mariposa Duo. Thai Cooking Class Learn how to cook 3 authentic Thai dishes with our Thai Chef. Price THB 1,500 per person Inclusive of chef hat, apron, certificate and recipe.

Fruit Carving Class Price THB 1,500 per person. Inclusive of chef hat, apron and certificate.

Daily Happy Hour Beverages Special offer 50% off (Except wine, Corona beer, all spirits by the bottle) Pool Bar 1.00 pm - 2.00 pm & 4.00 pm - 5.00 pm. Prasuthon Restaurant 6.00 pm - 7.00 pm.

Lobby Bar 7.00 pm - 8.00 pm & 10.00 pm - 11.00 pm.

Romantic Private Dining Dining on the beach with private chef and waiter/waitress.

Thai menu THB 5,000 per couple.

International menu THB 6,000 per couple.

Advance reservation required

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

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