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Food, wine and the Frugal Gourmet

The most obvious idea that took long to materialise

Wine, says the former Methodist preacher and now a celebrated TV cook, Jeff Smith, is the original medicine. And, God gave it to man to make him happy. HEY said it could never happen. FCC members tuming up in droves to hear a Methodist preacher? And

hanging, transfixed, to every word as he delivered a sermon? Impossible.

But it happened. Mind you, the preacher was rather out

of the ordinary. He was Jeff Smith, now America's Number One TV cook. ("I used to call myself a TV evangelist, but not anymore," he confided to members.)

And the serrnon itself was even less conventional the

theme was

wine. Most- FCC

members consider this a subject close to theirhearts. (Well, one's liver is close to one's heart, isn't ir?)

Smith's TV show, "The Frugal Gourmet", is watched by an estimated l5 million people a week. Even more remarkably, more than half the viewers of his cookery programme are male. His books are regular best sellers,

Iike and his catch phrases "Life's too short for fast food" are much quoted.

ft.4 in. from his extra-large shoes to the top ofhis Standing 6

shiny-domed pate, he does seem rather like an Old Testament prophet. His nickname is The Froog, although he explains that

his interpretation of the word

"frugal" simply means that he is an efficient chef who wastes nothing his meals are not for paupers. -

His talk was a rich concoction of history and wisdom on his religion two favourite topics and food. "Cod gave man wine to make him happy," he said. "Wine was the original medicine." More than a few members must have noticed the irony of a member of the Methodist church proclaiming the benefits of alcoafter all, it was they holic drink with triggering who are credited off the prohibition period earlier this century. Smith did not miss the point. He told the story of Bishop Welch and his followers who promoted teetotalism and marketed a non-alcoholic grape juice. Even more ironically, Vy'elch's grape

juice is a big seller in Hong

l-r" (l

The FCC witnessed last month the launching of yet another magazine - What's On, which

lists in three languages almost everything from jazz to factory outlets in Hong Kong, rnarketing team which could face up to the challenge of making a

Macau and China. T was, as most observers have said, the most obvious publish-

Biznews, an editorial services

in the past proVided PR services to corpo-

success of a magazine in a small place which alreadY has too many

company which

magazlnes.

why did the territory have to wait

rations.

PRIME

until t 988 to get

an entertainment listings magazine? Just as l,ondon hasTime Out,Hong Kong now has

Firstly, Hong Kong had to wait until the right ingredients came along - an editorial team

gredients came together over the last l2 months, with Evan-Jones'

What'sOn. But is itthe same animal? Not

which would be unfazed by the daunting task of compiling and

quite, says co-publisher Martin Evan-Jones, well-known as an ac-

commenting on listings in a city where a film can run for as

tive FCC member and chief of

short

ing idea in Hong Kong.

time

two days; and a

MOVERS:

The in-

Biznews providing the editorial muscle, and Middle Eastern publishing company Al Hilal being the major mover on the financing and sales side. "There are a lot of magazines

in Hong Kong, but this particular idea seemed missing in the territory's spectrum," says EvanJones. "We use three languages because this is an intemational city with a multi-lingual approach to life, and we wanted to reflect that." When the project was put together, they reckoned it would cost $500,000 to $750,000 to get the idea from drawing board to marketplace. In that event, the first issue managed to meet its target, and any future profits witl

be fed back into the magazine until it becomes strong enough to fend for itself and contribute to the coffers.

With a cover price of $10, and a planned circulation of 20,000, the company realises that costs are going to have to be kept down. To this end, they are using

mainly freelance writers, with

small in-house staff for important jobs such as listings. The editor is Evan-Jones'

Japanese.

joumalist wife Jeny. Contribu-

Jones. "The Chinese and Japanese listings are at a very early stage. But since many of our readers also can read English, we're going to take a little time to build up the other languages." How have they got over the

tors include well-known names such as columnist Stuart Wolfendale. The China editor is David Bonavia. And, the cruel pen of

recently-arrived artist Gavin Coates is a refreshing addition to

"We realise we have a long

way to go," says Martln Evan-

the scene.

hurdle of quick-change cinema

The listings section, called Billboard, is ambitious: "The

runs?

complete entertainment guide to Hong Kong, China and Macau," it proclaims itself. Behind it is chief researcher Ada Ho, whose daunting task is to catalogue everything from jazz to factory outlets. Obviously Hong Kong dominates, although there is a cursory list of major hotels in

long a film will last in Hong Kong - that's a problem every joumalist in the territory faces," says the

Beijing, Canton and Shanghai. There follows

ings repeated

few pages of list-

Chinese and

"You cannot predict how

publisher. In What's On you'll find reviews, approximate dates and phone numbers, so you can

ring the cinema and check for yourself.

If the operation thrives in its first yea¡ there are plans to make it weekly. But in Hong Kong publishing, a year is a long time.

Kong's Park'n Shop chain.

Other club members met Jeff Smith more relaxed, in the main bar. It was the preacherchef 's fourth visit to Hong Kong, and he likes it better every time. "Hong Kong is the best restaurant city in the world," he said. "What's your favourite dish?" a memberasked. "Food," he replied. "I can't

be more specific because it changes every day, especially in Hong Kong. Yesterday, it's a type of soup with poached egg white in

which was what I ate. Then

- had suckling pig, which we

promptly became my favourite that's the way it goes." His latest book, not yet on the stands, is to be called Three Ancient Cuisines. It deals with food in the cultures which most influenced modem eating. l'I bet you think one of them is French," he said. "Well, you're wrong. The three are China, Greece and Rome." Forthose who didn't try the Froog's food, it is rich and natural tasting. The dish that received most attention at the FCC seemed to be his com and clam chowder a creamy clam-filled soup that tasted of sunny days on the farm and l"ishing with a bent pin.

epRlr- 1988 THE coRRESPoNDENT

FCC golfers triumph. in the Carlsberg Classic Six members of the FCC's golf section took part in the Carlsberg Classic for the Richard Hughes Memorial Trophy held at Laguna in the Philippines last month.

dark.

the venue for the match this year.

The first day's competition

it took

closed as the sun went down over the palm trees at Canlubang, ac-