Popcorn

19 Jan 2012 -  A new study suggests that people living along the coast of northern Peru were eating popcorn 1,000 years earlier than previously thought. Researchers say corncobs found at an ancient site in Peru suggest that the inhabitants used them for making flour and popcorn. Scientists from Washington's Natural History Museum say the oldest corncobs they found dated from 4700BC. They are the earliest ever discovered in South America. The curator of New World archaeology at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington DC, Dolores Piperno, says maize was first domesticated in Mexico nearly 9,000 years ago from a wild grass. Ms Piperno says that her team's research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that only a few thousand years later maize arrived in South America, where it evolved into different varieties now common in the Andean regions. Her team discovered the maize in the archaeological sites of Paredones and Huaca Prieta. "This evidence further indicated that in many areas corn arrived before pots did, and that early experimentation with corn as a food was not dependent on the presence of pottery," Ms Piperno explained. She says that at the time, though, maize was not yet an important part of their diet.

Marmite War

25 May 2011 - Denmark has already threatened to reimpose national border checks to control immigration, now it has moved to expel the savoury spread Marmite. Danish officials say the product breaks food safety laws because of its added vitamins and minerals. The Danish authorities must give their permission for products with such additives to be sold. Over the past few years several well known items including breakfast cereals have been banned. Already a shop in Copenhagen has been ordered to remove jars of Marmite from its shelves, says the BBC's Europe correspondent, Chris Morris, in Brussels. He says outraged expats in the country are already threatening a campaign of civil disobedience and there are suggestions that the Danish ban could break European laws.

Mangosteen

12 May 2011 - The mangosteen season is coming! For centuries, those in Southeast Asia have revered the mangosteen, both for its flavor and the suggestion that it promotes good health. The whole mangosteen fruit has been used traditionally to treat a variety of health conditions, actually. As early as 600 AD, scribes recorded the use of the mangosteen in the support and maintenance of good health. Legend has it that Queen Victoria offered knighthood to any subject who could bring her a mangosteen fruit in prime condition. No one succeeded. The virtual impossibility of preserving the fruit during the weeks-long journey prohibited anyone outside of the growing regions from doing so. But, thanks to the Queen’s admirable quest, the fruit achieved the title, “Queen of Fruits,” a name still used around the globe.

Easter Bunnies

5 April 2011 - The Swiss chocolate firm Lindt and Spruengli has won a marathon court battle to protect its golden Easter bunnies from an Austrian rival. A Vienna court has told the Hauswirth company to stop making its own chocolate rabbits wrapped in gold foil. The legal battle dates back to 2004. The Lindt bunny, sporting a red ribbon and bell, first appeared in 1952 and was given EU trademark status in 2000. The Vienna court said Hauswirth's bunny could be confused with Lindt's. A Lindt manager, Adalbert Lechner, said the judgement had confirmed his company's view that "Hauswirth harmed our trademark". "We hope the legal proceedings are finally closed with this judgement," he said. Hauswirth had argued that Lindt was using its trademark clout to crush competitors.

Hawking

8 Feb 2011 - Malaysia is famous for its hawkers. To "hawk", according to the dictionary, is to "sell food on the street or at doors of houses, especially while moving from place to place". Hawker or street food is therefore the fare commodity sold by such vendors. In Malaysia, hawker food was first offered by petty traders who carried their fare from house to house, in a basket or ray balanced on the head. In two baskets, one in each hand, or in two baskets slung across a pole heaved upon the shoulders - such as was practised by the nasi kandar vendors - or in baskets and other receptacles fastened onto bicycles, tricycles and later, motorcycles. Some hawkers carry along a stove to cook their food, and s stool or a small bench for their customers to sit on while chowing down. Today, the food may also be sold from the back of cares or vans. When  the habit of buying food from vendors became entrenched in the culture, the hawkers could afford to lessen their burden by becoming less mobile, setting up stalls in a fixed spot which allowed the business to expand and the variety of food to increase.

Festive Cookies

30 Jan 2011 - It is a good time for making some extra money. Housewives who bake well make a small fortune here in Malaysia during the build up to the Chinese New Year. A ready market coupled with a passion for making homemade goodies has enabled many talented homemakers to earn an extra income. Housewife Leong Koon Ying, 32, first started selling her homemade cookies during the Chinese New year period 13 years ago. Leong says she was fortunate because her youngest son shared her passion for baking cookies and pastries. She claims her most popular biscuit is the pineapple tart. However, her son Chan has mastered the art of making fait koh which has been their best selling item over the years. Fait koh is associated with good fortune as they are made in the shape of money bags. The pastry is offered as gifts with ang pow, kuih bakul and mandarin oranges. It's almost as if Leong can go straight to Harry Pooter school.  

Appalachian Cooking

22 Jan 2011 - For the first time ever I met a TV cook. For 10 years Mark Sohn had a half hour cooking show on one of the USA network. He specializes in Appalachian cooking. From his website I learned that the foods of Appalachia are the medium for the history of a creative culture and a proud people. This is the story of pigs and chickens, corn and beans, and apples and peaches as they reflect the culture that has grown from the region's topography, climate, and soil. Mark Sohn has also written a cooking book about Appalachian cooking which unfolds the ways of a table that blends Native American, Eastern European, Scotch-Irish, black, and Hispanic influences to become something new and uniquely American. He shows how food traditions in Appalachia have developed over two centuries from dinner on the grounds, church picnics, school lunches, and family reunions as he celebrates regional signatures such as dumplings, moonshine, and country ham. Food and folkways go hand in hand as he examines wild plants, cast-iron cookware, and the nature of the Appalachian homeplace.

Thai Pomelo Salad

14 Nov 2010 - This is probably one of the easiest recipes ever: You will need:
300 gr. pomelo (peeled, small pieces)
1/2 tsp. chili
1/2 tsp dried shrimp
50 gr. pieces of boneless chicken
30 gr. red onion (chopped)
30 gr. greast coconut
2 tsp. lime juice
1 tsp. fish sauce
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
50 gr. cashew nuts

The recipe is so easy because you simply have to mix all the ingredients and top with the cashew nuts before serving. You can also add shrimps. Guaranteed success.

Meet Patty

12 Nov 2010 - A typical hamburger patty is packed with the meat and fat of 50 to 100 cattle from two or four countries. Eat two hamburgers a week - as the average American does - and in a year's time you have wolfed down 5,200 to 10, 440 cattle. High quality hamburger patties are made entirely of minced beef and seasonings. The patty needs to be cooked at an internal temperature of 80 degrees Celsius as food-borne bacteria such as E-coli may enter due to improper preparation of the meat. In Japan, restaurants regularly serve the hamburger meat without the bun, and call it a hamburger steak. They are served with brown sauce or occasionally in Japanese curries. Mind you, I am talking about the perfect patty here, and I am not sure if you will get the same quality in MacDonalds or the Burger King.

Durian buffet

7 Nov. 2010 - First of all: I really do not like durian fruit. But I am now in the part of the world where people grave for the smelly fruit. The best way to enjoy durian is - they say fresh from the market. And that is not the supermarket, but the wet market. The latest trend is the durian buffet, which can be found at the roadside in KL and other parts of Malaysia. At jalan SS2 at least four durian stalls are vying for the customers' attention, but most of them offer the same deal: RM10 for all you can eat (fresh kampaung durians only). It sounds like the perfect treat for durian-lovers (and there are many), but ther is also a downside. One has to finish a durian before ordering again, and the stall holder picks the durian for the customer. Effectively, that means one is bound to get some watery or rotten ones sometimes. Not for me!

Ginseng

4 Nov 2010 - Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) highly values ginseng. The ideal ginsend specimen resembles a person, with a small knob at the top, a proportionately sized torso and evenly placed branches, for the legs and arms. It is probably safe to assume that ginseng is not consumed for its flavour - it has a distinctive, bitter taste that is not to everyone's liking. The root though, can fetch very high prices because of the myriad curative powers attributed to it - among other things, it is believed ginseng increases sexual prowess and longevity, boosts energy levels and cures cancer and diabetes. The shape, cultivation methods and age of a root determine the price. Scientific studies show that at least some of the medicinal values attributed to ginseng are valid.

Tea Record

16 Oct 2010 - Sri Lanka is known for its internal conflict, culture and beautiful beaches, but it is also one of the world's leading tea producers. It has now become the scene of one of the world's most bizarre records - the largest cup of tea ever. A giant red mug was filled with more than 4,500 liters of water, 64 kilos of tea, 875 kilos of malted milk and 160 kilos of sugar. It was about three times the size of the previous record, which was set last year. The tea was driven around in Colombo, Sri Lanka's capital, and handed out to locals in small plastic cups. The tea came from Sri Lanka's own estates, and was brewed in a giant urn in a way that is popular on the subcontinent: with lots of sugar and malted milk. A representative from Guinness World Records certified the attempt to set a world record.

Mc Wedding

12 Oct 2010 - More about weddings. From 1st January selected McDonalds restaurants in Hong Kong will offer a wedding banquet service. Instead of traditional - and pricey - banquet food like shark's fin soup, abalone or roasted pork skin,  McDonald's Hong Kong will offer a fast food variety of French fries for starters, sundaes and milkshakes for dessert, and strictly soft drinks only for the wedding toasts. Showpiece is the wedding cake, which is specially made with apple pies, burgers of your choice and even filet-o-fish. Ronald MacDonald is available to increase the happiness (or horror) of the moment. "Traditionally weddings use cherries for the newlyweds to eat together and kiss. We will have French Fries for them to kiss", says Helen Cheung , director of corporate communications at McDonald's Hong Kong.

Kimchi crisis

10 Oct 2010 - South Koreans love their kimchi. Kimchi is a local dish made of fermented vegetables, mostly cabbage, with varied seasonings. However, the price for Chinese cabbage has recently soared. Not too long ago 2,5 kgs of cabbage did 2,480 won (HKD 16.87) on the local markets, but now one needs to pay up to 11,500 won. The rising prices have resulted in a kimchi crisis. Company cafetarias have reduced the amount they offer workers and some restaurants charge for refills - which was unheard of until recently. Chinese cabbage needs steady, cool weather to grow ell. But this year's rain and heat has ruined many crops in China. The farmers are suffering valuable income, but the South Koreans are suffering an identity crisis.

Buy Local, Eat in Season

24 Sep 2010 - How much longer will we be able to enjoy seafood on the menu? It is a somewhat unsettling but realistic question, also - or some would say in particular - in Hong Kong. Some restaurants have already stopped putting fish on the menu altogether. "Dealing with fish is too risky," says Todd Darling of Posto Pubblico in SoHo, "So many are nearing extinction." However, Hong Kong's appetite for fish and seafood has risen dramatically over the years. Demand has now reached a critical point that threatens the existence of some species. In many areas across the globe, humans are taking fish out of the sea faster than many species can repopulate. Restaurants will hopefully learn to only put sustainable foods on the menu. Customers should put pressure on restaurants they frequent and ask question where the fish was caught. The advice of those in-the-know in the sustainable food movement is "Buy local, eat in season". Buying out-of-season fruits and vegetables, or eat fish that can not be caught in Hong Kong or Guangdong waters means the environment pays a price for these imported goods. 

Food Capital

22 Sep 2010 - The Chinese city of Guangzhou is gearing up for the organization of the East Asia Games later this year. Athletes and officials will be in for a treat, Guangzhou has recently been named the mainland's "fine food capital", with he average resident spending RMB 6,000 a year on eating out, the Yangcheng Evening News reports. A panel of experts from the China Cuisine Association and the Wold Association of Chinese Cuisine , who chose Guangzhou, said the residents themselves were the real experts on fine dining. Guangzhou has more than 40,000 restaurants, and last year the city's food and beverage industry make 61 billion RMB, about a quarter of the sector's earnings in Guangdong province. Hopefully the East Asia Games will be a success, but some spectators may flog to the city for the food and not to watch the sports.

Mooncakes

19 Sep 2010 - It is almost Mid Autumn Festival. Traditionally, People exchange mooncakes for the event., while people hope for a bright full moon on this special night of the year. However, dietitians warn to be careful with the delicacies. Since the Hong Kong Government introduced compulsory labeling of all foods, it is possible to learn the fat and sugar content of the delicacies. And it is not good! Some mooncakes contain almost one-and-a-half times an adult's recommended daily intake of sugar , while for others a single cake could account for a full day's fat consumption. A dietitian warns that a mooncake contains as much energy as three bowls of rice, but people should not worry too much as long as they know when to stop eating. She says that eating a quarter of the mooncake sis totally acceptable. She also recommends to eat less rice during the festival as it will compensate the heavy mooncakes intake.

Gorgonzola

13 Sep 2010 - I love gorgonzola, but unfortunately it is madly expensive in Hong Kong. The distinctive green-blue veining is characteristic of gorgonzola and other types of blue cheese used to come about naturally as the cheese was aged in damp caves, which had edible penicilium spores floating about in them. Nowadays, the spores are mixed in or injected into the cheese curds. The amount of mould gives an indication of the ripeness of the cheese - as it matures , the veining becomes more prominent. There are two types of gorgonzola: dolce and piccante. The former has a creamy, mild taste, with a soft texture. The Gorgonzola piccante is crumbly, drier and much saltier, sharper and stronger in flavor. The gorgonzola can be used to make a pasta sauce, but I think it is best on a cracker with a glass of red wine.

Snowflake Ice

24 Aug 2010 - Taiwan is often overlooked as a tourist destination or culinary hotspot. However, Hong Kong people have discovered the treats and opportunities of the island for many years and there is a steady stream of Hong Kong tourists going to Taiwan. But now one of Taiwan's treat has come to Hong Kong, because Snowflake ice cream parlours are popping up everywhere. Snowflake ice is made by special machines, that freeze flavored milk or fruit juice and shave off downy layers that resemble sculptural displays. The process creates a finer, more airy dessert that melts in the mouth. Its delicate texture, complimented by a variety of toppings, has made it a favorite with many young people. One of the favorites is Ice Club in Yuen Long, which specializes in tofu snowflake, made from frozen soy milk.

Chinese becomes Japanese

12 Aug 2010 - For decades Chinese restaurants in Holland served the Dutch community with exotic foods, ranging from Fu Yung Hai to Tsap Choy. But now it is reported that many Chinese restaurants in the country are changing their menu into Japanese, as the Dutch prefer Japanese over Chinese food. Japanese is in particular popular among the younger generations, as they like healthier food. The concept is simple: pay a fixed amount and eat as many sushis as you can. A representative from the restaurant sector said that in the last year at least 50 Chinese restaurants turned Japanese. Other Chinese restaurants turned into "deep fried (wok) food" restaurants, but most Dutch people quickly get bored with a choice between fried chicken, fried pork or fried beef. It was reported that about 90% of all Japanese restaurants in Holland are now managed by Chinese.