Pleasures of the Table: By Chef Gene R. Gonzalez
Foodies who have the time and means to enjoy great cuisine in this country at present have never had it so good with the great availability of ingredients and access to communication. Thus there is relative ease of transferring knowledge and culinary technology all around our neighbors in Asia. What used to be exotic for many maybe had become more often because of easy travel and better longevity of food by improvements in packaging and agricultural selection.
Take the case of certain types of food that were absolute luxuries in the 70’s such as Broccoli, Asparagus, Salmon, cheese and good wines ( I can even order a box of cigars from Hongkong via internet and have it delivered to my doorstep in 36 hours…) Now because of better production these are now regular table fare.
What seems to excite me with the opening up of Asia to its own neighbors is the concept of a borderless cuisine. East-West fusion for the moment was a novelty but the mingling of Asian ingredients from different countries together seems to create more natural affinities since flavours and methods of cooking do not seem to be too distant from each other. Asian to Asian cooking fusion however is not new to us in certain ways.
Creative ways with Japanese ingredients done in a Taiwanese style seems to have been around for a few decades. The mingling of Indian and Chinese condiments with Malay ingredients such as a coconut cream are true flavours that are only one facet of numerous versions to a single dish in Malaysian and Singaporean cooking. The prevalent Korean styles have always been merged with Chinese spices and Japanese flavors dating back to the building of the Great Wall. Our Filipino – Chinese cuisine that takes its lineage from Fookien cooking is in itself its own Asian on Asian style. One can now even go to Bangkok and experience Thai Sukiyaki.
Any takers for adobo with kimchi or Tom Yam flavored siopao?
SHORT STOPS:
1. Chocolate! Chocolate! Chocolate! – Kudos to Taste writer Joseph Tanchee who passed as a certified Callebaut Chocolate trainor in the recently concluded Confectionery and Baking Workshop. Most memorable were these absolutely sinful soft dark Callebaut truffles that just collapse on your palate leaving this velvety finish that he made on the first day. (More of this on our forthcoming issues…)
2. Galileo – It is this small Italian deli on F. M. Martinez St. near Mandaluyong City hall on the way to Shaw Boulevard. I chanced upon the Italian owner, Cayetano who is now building quite a good selection of Italian wine and spirits they import. The store also brings in some excellent grana padano cheese (normally cheap tasting stuff in other delis…) that is worth trying as well as truffle oil, imported pastas and cured meats such as salamis. I bought a bottle of dessert vin Santo at 450 pesos (whole of a deal…) to dip with my specialty biscotti called cantuccini (it’s as good as it sounds…)
WINE PICKS OF THE MONTH:
1. San Valenti – An inexpensive young wine retailing at below 300 pesos. This is an unoaked Grenache full of spice and reminiscent of black cherry and cranberry with whiffs of perfume. Excellent with roasts or grilled meats, salmon and long simmered Asian dishes. (Imported by ATR).
2. Henschke Harry’s Seven Blend – One of the top producers of high quality Australian Shiraz produced this rather eccentric blend of Shiraz, Grenache and Viognier with the intention of bringing out a lot of fruit and flowers on the palate with light hints of oak. Sold by Zen Asia at about 1,500 per bottle. This wine is well worth it’s price with its juicy, succulent and soft texture on the palate.
3. Heartland Viognier / Pinot Gris – Fragrant with a capital F with citrus, fruit jelly and pear notes. Great with spicy cuisine like Thai and Indian. Sold at about 650 pesos by Zen Asia.
