ISSUE 94 | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 | WWW.AFOODIEWORLD.COM
Ethical Meats HOW TO BE A MODERN CARNIVORE
Fun Food
Big Companies Making Better Choices
Fish Skin Wars
Edible turns technicolour
What good the global giants are doing in the world of food
Showdown of the salty egg yolk snack
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I NTROD UCTI ON
WHAT ARE THE BIG DOING TO COMBAT THE BAD? CEO Lily Ng CTO Derek Kean COO Shirin Ong Editor-in-Chief Alicia Walker Editor-at-Large Celia Hu Digital Editor Stephanie Pliakas Art Director Jen Paolini IT Coordinator Dale Foo Director of Commerce Joseph Kwok Marketing & Community Leader Yanhan Tan Design & Marketing Assistant Becky Fawdry Contributors Nate Green, Lisa Cam, Cindy Lam, Laura Williams, Hannah Chung
We’ve spent the last years heavily exploring the myriad issues surrounding our current world of food. With regular topics ranging from responsible sourcing and sustainability, looking at problems with packaging and waste, through to using food technology to combat some of these issues. We often write about and champion the small companies and start ups innovating and driving change, so this month we decided to take a look at what some of the global leaders in the food industry are doing to combat some of the problems that they themselves have helped cause. We also have our Zero Waste Hero Hannah chiming in with her column on how to do better, as well as our new Ethical Meats columnist Chef Nate Green who helps enlighten on how to be a responsible meat-eater. Check out our home cook recipes this month Cover image courtesy of Rhoda courtesy of the phenomenal Laura Williams, and finish up with our Meatfree Monthly from Cindy Lam with her spectacular vegan chocolate pudding that’s the perfect way to begin a new year of cooking. We hope this issue helps fuel both the mind and the taste buds for the new year ahead!
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Alicia Walker, Editor-in-Chief alicia@afoodieworld.com
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IN THIS
ISSUE
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F O O D WA R : FISH SKIN S M AC K D O W N It’s the battle of the salted egg yolk snack that’s already taken over the nation of Singapore and is now clutching the taste buds of Hong Kong
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FUN FOOD Oh the colours that have overtaken some of our ordinarily lacklustre foodstuffs. Take a gander at the technicolour dishes of Hong Kong!
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L I TT L E H O N G KO N G K I TC H E N Laura Williams shows us how to whip up some wholesome dishes at home
C H E W I N ’ T H E FAT : A S H L E Y S U TTO N
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He’s unleashing his latest hotspot Yojimbo and is set to unveil his next, more romantic, venture just in time for Valentine’s Day
M E AT L E S S M O N T H LY Cindy Lam warms us heart, soul, and stomach with her vegan puds
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What are the top global food brands doing to align themselves with a more thoughtful approach to doing business?
Our zero waste hero, Hannah Chung introduces fellow inspiring eco heroes who’ve helped her on her journey to a wastefree existence
B I G C O M PA N I E S M A K I N G B E TT E R CHOICES
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THE ZERO WA ST E D I A R I E S
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f or starters THE HOTTEST NEWS BITES
CUP OF RALPH’S
ANTICI-PASTRY Hong Kong’s favourite Swiss baker, Gregoire Michaud, has supplied everyone in town, from three Michelin-starred restaurants to independent eateries with his beautiful baked goods from his B2B business Bread Elements. Now, he’s finally set up his own pastry shop and café, Bakehouse. We suspect our taste buds will be thanking him repeatedly. 14 Tai Wong Street East, Wan Chai
Which Ralph, you may be wondering? Well, it’s the Ralph of Ralph Lauren. His brand of all-American fashion has been stealthily extending into F&B since the opening of his first restaurant in Chicago, then New York, Paris, and London, continuing now with his first Ralph’s Coffee in Asia. Situated within the Ralph Lauren shop at Ocean Terminal, they will be serving up Ralph’s own blends (a drip, an espresso and a decaf) and a selection of takeaway sandwiches, cakes and artisanal chocolate bars. Open daily 8am–8pm from 1 February, 2018. Shops OT311A-313, 3/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 3-27 Canton Road, TST
WELLNESS UNION Tizzy Shots has teamed up with Roots Eatery for the ultimate mindful nourishment. Roots Eatery opened last year and has gained popularity for their wholesome, well-priced meal-delivery service. Menu items like the US Hormone-Free Flank Steak with broccoli, mushroom and barley or Rainbow Pepper stuffed with tomato, zucchini, lentils, and quinoa, have us continually excited for lunch hour. Now, they’ve found their ideal beverage partner in Tizzy Shots, the immune boosing, detoxifying and energising ginger shots to accompany a healthy meal. The combos start at $120. Order at order.rootseatery.com.
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FOOD
TECH
The latest and greatest ideas being cooked up in tech kitchens:
ALEXA COOKS Amazon has unveiled a new range of cooking appliances with built-in Alexa smart home API controls. No more button pushing for these fingers, starting with the microwave, users can use the Alexa smart system to cook their microwavable meals by setting the time and temperature purely using the power of voice. The June connected oven will come next sometime later this year for more hands-free cooking. The appeal seems obvious, “Alexa, please re-heat last night’s mistake kebab…”
GMO APPLES DON’T TURN BROWN All hail the future where we no longer need to eat our sliced apples in a timely manner. The first genetically modified apple on the market is on its way to American grocery store shelves. The Arctic Golden uses gene silencing, which effectively creates apples that contain less of the gene that causes browning, meaning sliced fruit can be sold without added preservatives. Or, you could just buy whole apples.
PLEASE DON’T TELL Another mysterious speakeasy hits HK’s drinking scene and this one is New York’s famed PDT (Please Don’t Tell). No stranger to the accolades of the drink world, this lauded nightspot will bring its creative cocktails and clever design features that will have patrons entering through a phone booth before encountering the playful interiors. It’s the first permanent opening outside of its native NYC and no doubt Hong Kongers will be flocking to find it. With Amber’s Richard Ekkebus behind crafting PDT’s famed hot dogs, we’ll certainly be lining up to make a call. The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 2132 0188
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Although a new year has started, we’re still doing major #throwback to the food-filled year of 2017. And what a smashing year it was! In full Foodie- fashion, we ate, drank, shopped, and learned our way through 2017, and all with so many of you! Join the fun in the year ahead by signing up on www.afoodieworld.com. It's free!
we ate... ... a lot of great eats in those 12 months. “A lot” might even be an understatement, as we hosted at least one event every month, expanding our members’ taste buds with a panoply of different cuisines. Even at non-dining events, like workshops and conferences, we made sure our guests were well fed with delicious grub. Although the earlier months of 2017 may seem like a distant memory, we can still taste the dishes we kick-started the year with: an array of robatayaki and creative dim sum at hidden Wanchai gem LoYe (which sadly closed its shutters in September), and huddling up in the cosy dining studio of Chef Ermanno Lelli, as we watched him do his culinary magic and indulged in a tasty Italian secret. We hosted our signature Secret Suppers sporadically throughout the year, and they were as well loved as they were mysterious. In the midst of all the excitement, we spilled the beans with our Leaked Secret Supper and revealed the chef, Woo Wai Leong, the firstever winner of MasterChef Asia. In partnership with Foxglove Executive Chef Kelvin Lee, this was by far the biggest Secret Supper in Foodie’s history – it was a sold-out, 70-guest-strong event! With a MasterChef and the executive chef of Hong Kong’s beloved speakeasy in cahoots, they curated a six-course menu featuring exquisite dishes, each paired with drinks. What a treat for our guests!
we shopped... As one of the official media partners of acclaimed food festival Taste of Hong Kong 2017, we hosted our signature Foodie Market right inside the spectacular event. With over 14,000 guests at the festival and roaming throughout our market, loads of good food and drink were enjoyed. Then, feeling ambitious, we embarked on a 7-week long Foodie Holiday Market in collaboration with Fashion Walk, giving our Foodies time to get hold of their Christmas shopping, and celebrate the season with some festive cheer! 06 afoodieworld.com
FOOD I E CLUB
we drank... We first immersed our Foodies in an ultimate island experience, downing unlimited tiki shots and jamming on ukuleles at Honi Honi Tiki Cocktail Lounge. Foodies were then brought on an Español experience through the Estrella Damm Tapas Tour, where we hopped to four different restaurants in Wanchai and Sai Ying Pun, with guests feasting on an array of tapas. The result? Jolly bellies filled with food and Estrella Damm beer. Wine events did exceptionally well this year as they were generously filled with fine food, and of course, quality vino. We organised two fully sold-out events – one by the New Zealand Chamber of Commerce where guests tasted New Zealand wines from 20+ producers from North and South Island and indulged in delicious NZ-themed seafood canapés at Seafood Room (another that has sadly closed its doors). The second wine event was in collaboration with American winery Kendall-Jackson, where we pampered our Foodies with an exquisite range of wines from Kendall-Jackson and a huge Thanksgiving feast at Bostonian in Langham Hotel.
we learned... 2017 was a big year of learning for us and our Foodies, especially when we hosted our first-ever Food’s Future Summit. With over 300 guests gracing the event, it was a Saturday filled with enriching talks by speakers from key industries, campfire chats as well as more in-depth intimate sessions with inspiring figures. The event was a great reminder that everyone can make a real difference in their everyday lives – guests sorted and composted their own waste, brought or rented water bottles, and used their own containers for the provided lunch. This was definitely one of the most memorable events of the year. We also played an important role at the Kin Hong Seafood Festival, in collaboration with Ocean Recovery Alliance, where we learned about the ocean’s health and sustainable seafood. A thought-provoking panel discussion with key industry players continued into a sustainable seafood Foodie Table dinner at participating restaurant, Giá Trattoria. They also got hands on making their own spice blends with SpiceBox Organics, churned out sausages at a Feather & Bone workshop and even made their own gnocchi at a gnocchi and fresh pasta workshop with ilBelPaese! ‘Twas definitely a fun-filled year for Foodie Club, and we look forward to sharing 2018 with you! afoodieworld.com 07
Creating a Roar Throughout Causeway Bay Style-and-dine mecca 9 Kingston Street, home to over ten new concept stores, exclusive fashion brands and enticing restaurants, has now launched in Fashion Walk, Causeway Bay. Talented and prolific Thai artist Rukkit Kuanhawate illustrated the symbolism behind this new development with his eclectic artwork of the king of the jungle, reimagined as a vibrant lion that perfectly portrays this iconic new hotspot.
PROMOTI ON
1. EAT.it
EAT.it
This neighborhood eatery and market offers alfresco dining and serves up all things Italian in a casual and friendly manner. Italian delights such as pasta, pizza, antipasti, paninis, dolci and coffee will have you coming by to say ciao and staying until you’re stuffed! TEL: 2489 8822
2. Papi Papi’s aim is to bring the Italian small plates concept to Hong Kong. A full range of appetizer-sized Italian dishes like freshly made pasta, homemade pizzas and baked dishes are designed for family-style sharing and tasting as many dishes as possible. Papi uses the best ingredients, utilizing what’s freshest and in season to ensure top quality! TEL: 2808 0820
Papi
3. Strokes
Strokes
Get into the swing of things by working on your swing! Strokes is Hong Kong’s premier golf & lifestyle club with a retro neon Miami-style vibe. A selection of dishes that extends from the green and healthy to the indulgent and sinful. TEL: 2677 2800
4. The Artist House Opening in March 2018, this exciting new 3,000 square-foot space brings you innovative Belgian beers, crafted by artists using the best natural ingredients. This unique multi-purpose concept space features a microbrewery, beer bakery, coffee shop, hydroponic aqua-farm and fragrance laboratory designed to bring a wide range of experiences.
The Artist House
5. Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice
Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice
This beloved brand of Singapore’s Hainanese Chicken Rice is making its Hong Kong debut in March 2018 at 9 Kingston Street. The spicy chili sauce, ginger and dark soy with poached chicken on rice has earned it a Bib Gourmand in the Singaporean Michelin Guide, and they also do Singapore-style ramen, 50’s coffee, and Lao Jie Fang Cantonese beef brisket noodles!
BEST
CHOICE
FISH�SKIN�SMACKDOWN THE TIDAL WAVE OF SALTED EGG FLAVOURED FRIED FISH SKIN SNACKS HAS CRASHED INTO HONG KONG FROM SINGAPORE Fried fish skin is no stranger to Asian cuisine. A staple side dish in Chiu Chow street food, it’s ideal for dipping in soups and congee. How this evolved to be eaten as a dish by itself mixed with salted egg yolk sauce is a lesson for another day, but transforming this combination into a non-perishable, take-home packet has turned Singapore’s snack and souvenir scene on its head. Lines lasting for hours and sold out signs everywhere has blindsided the food scene and left us wondering – are they really all that? We blind-tasted — with two Singaporeans on the panel — the biggest names in the fish skin kerfuffle, plus the latest contender from Hong Kong, to see what the fuss is all about. BY LISA CAM
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FOOD WAR
THE GOLDEN DUCK CO. Price per packet: $50 One of the only brands of the coveted snack to make its way to our shores. Available from their outlets and select stores in Hong Kong and the Philippines, this brand is an easier one to get your hands on. Darker in colour and dusted in more seasoning, the first thing you taste when you bite down on the fish skin is the chilli, and it packs quite a punch. This quickly abates to the umami flavours of egg yolk and curry leaf and rounds off with exotic hints of coconut. Unfortunately, one of our Foodie tasters came upon a thick piece that wasn’t cooked through. For the uninitiated, it’s like when a few pieces of Kettle Chips are stuck together and joins into a super-chip that feels like it’s going to break your jaw. But when it’s fish skin it’s worse because a thick unflavoured piece just tastes like bad seafood. Our other tasters didn’t encounter the same problem, but this is like getting a stinky oyster in the dozen and kind of spoils things. Verdict: Strong, punchy and slightly exotic, but we had a bad few in our bunch. Foodie rating:
IRVINS SALTED EGG
FOUR SEAS
Price per packet: SGD $8
Price per packet: $36
We had to jump a few hoops to get our hands on this one. Notorious for its long lines, five-packet per person quota, and selling out within an hour or two, there are even scalpers re-selling these on the street corners of the CBD in Singapore. Boasting as the brand that started it all, we must say we were quite impressed. The first flavour to hit the palate is the depth of the salted egg flavours followed by the medley of curry leaf and spices. The fish skin is crisp, with a wafery texture and just a hint of briny saltiness where the aroma of curry leaf lingers. We can see why this brand has the hashtag #dangerouslyaddictive on its bag.
Hong Kong’s F&B giant behind the city’s biggest potato chip brand, Calbee, has just released its own version of the snack invasion from Singapore and we must admit, expectations were exceeded. Accessible at 7-Elevens around the city, the little bag of fish skin is readily available for $36. We even spotted it on special for $28.50! Crunchy and light, the fish skin has an airy quality to it. The seasoning is noticeably lighter with this one, which lets the fish flavours play a bigger part and it actually increases the experience of umami. Salted egg and spices definitely aren’t as big a part of the flavour profile, but there is almost a slight creamy note on the back end, leaving a pleasant fragrance on the tongue to finish.
Verdict: A foodgasmic mix of moreish flavours but this brand is frustratingly hard to purchase.
Verdict: Four Seas is not a bad substitute given price and availability.
Foodie rating:
Foodie rating:
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CHEWIN’ THE FAT WITH...
ASHLEY SUTTON This award-winning Australian designer is responsible for some of Hong Kong’s hottest nightlife spots: from the peacock-themed Ophelia, metal-monger playground Iron Fairies, and discreet speakeasy J.Boroski, to the newly unveiled Japanese laser-lit Yojimbo. Sutton also has a planned spot within the long-awaited Central Police Station development and is currently in the midst of a new full-menu concept, Dear Lilly, a romantic-themed restaurant atop IFC Mall opening just in time for Valentine’s Day:
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CHEWI N’ THE FAT
Yojimbo
What was your vision for Yojimbo? The concept for Yojimbo was inspired by my life in Tokyo when I was designing Iron Fairies there. I loved Japanese culture – from the drinks, fashion, underground nightlife, to pop culture, and Yojimbo is a coming together of that. Do you have a favourite of your HK bars so far? J.Boroski. I love the use of the different materials and the layout. It’s also just a comfortable space that is not loud; you can easily spend a whole night there. What can we expect from Dear Lilly? A romantic, magical florist which provides a calming experience to everyone that visits. This all-day-dining concept will be one of my most intricate projects yet and I can’t wait to introduce it to Hong Kong. [It’s a] complete contrast from Yojimbo, which is more minimalistic. Located on the roof of IFC, it will be nice and full of flowers –
Geisha’s Aphrodisiac
that’s all I’m going to say for now! It will be unlike anything Hong Kong has seen before. Have you experienced any difficulties with that venue? We’ve spent three years manufacturing all the materials. I was very specific with what I wanted for this location and not everyone can make the things I need, so we’ve spent a lot of time creating the right pieces for it. What factors do you take into play when you start to conceptualise a new bar? Location, space and budget. My mind is constantly thinking of new ideas and sometimes when I see a space, I know exactly which concept will fit that location. Why have you decided to open so many venues here in HK? The nightlife scene in Hong Kong is one of the most vibrant I’ve ever seen. People go out every night of the week and they’re always looking for something new and exciting.
Dear Lilly
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BIG
C O M PA N I E S
ma in k g BETTER
CHOICES We often champion the small, but what are some of the big players doing to lessen their damaging effects on the world? Big companies should bear a big responsibility to do good as they grow, but instead they are often responsible for creating some of the colossal problems that our world now faces. Deforestation, vast amounts of waste, the growing obesity epidemic and plastic pollution – these are but a few of the immense issues that enormous enterprises contribute to every minute of the day. As consumers become more mindful, more vocal and choosier with their buying power, they force companies to become accountable and obligated to make changes for the recovery of our planet and our all-round health. We are demanding it. Here are a few of the beneficial changes that some of those behemoths have embarked on that, if realised, could have an extremely positive effect on the future, leading the way for other corporations to undertake their own constructive sustainability and health programmes.
BI G COMPANI ES
I IKEA One of the business leaders in sustainability, global furniture giant IKEA is continuing in that vein, starting with the food services division. According to AgFunder, IKEA was spurred on by the horsemeat scandal in 2013, which surreptitiously found its way into its beloved meatballs. Afterwards, IKEA decided a “radical change” was necessary and great attention needed to be paid to the provenance of their meat, as well as other issues within their F&B processes such as food waste. Michael La Cour, managing director of IKEA food services, said, “It was a great opportunity for us to take responsibility for what we serve, where we source it and who we partner with.” He continued, “Everything we do is driven by sustainability design. It’s at the core of what we do and not a bi-thought.” IKEA asserts that their salmon, herring and shrimp are all responsibly farmed from “well-managed, sustainable fisheries”, and they continue to innovate, not just in their clever furniture designs but also with food products like the seaweed pearls made from kelp – a great vegan caviar substitute – and the introduction of veggie meatballs, which La Cour said have a much lower carbon footprint, setting the course for the necessity of a more plant-based diet.
Photo Credit: Etienne Girardet
The company has also implemented smaller changes like the removal of sugary soft drinks from their menus in Europe, with fruit waters in their place – although that change hasn’t reached Hong Kong’s bistros yet. IKEA’s goal is to halve their food waste by 2020, with 90 per cent of the remaining waste being recycled or composted.
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IKEA
In May 2017, Unilever revealed that they are largely on track with their efforts and have found that their sustainable living brands grew over 50 per cent faster than the rest of the business. CEO Paul Polman stated, “We have made great progress. Our results show that sustainability is good for business, with increasing evidence that our sustainable living brands do better.”
McVegan
I M C D O N A L D ’S This might not be considered a humongous change, but it does mark what we think is an important one: the largest hamburger chain in the world has launched the McVegan. This soybean burger will be a permanent fixture on the menus in Finland and Sweden, with a McDonald’s spokesperson quoted as saying in a statement translated by 16 afoodieworld.com
Quartz, “Vegetarian and vegan is a strong trend, and more and more people want to eat more plant based today.” This is a small but pertinent advance in the movement towards a more meat-free diet and will hopefully continue to drive innovation in the plant-based protein products (hello, Beyond Burger) that are rocking the food world. They also pledged to switch to chicken that is largely antibiotic free, committing to going cage free for their North American eggs, and debuted their salad bar concept here in Hong Kong in 2015 at Admiralty’s McDonald’s Next, which has now expanded to countries around the world.
Photo Credit: McDonald’s Sweden
This vast British-Dutch company behind so many popular consumer products such as Magnum ice cream, Hellmann’s mayo, Dove soap, Flora margarine and Lipton tea has been consistently gaining esteem with their ethos to “make sustainable living commonplace.” Back in 2010, they unveiled their ambitious plans to make sustainability part of their new business model and to cut the carbon, water and waste impacts of their products in half.
Photo Credit: miss eskimo-la-la / Wikipedia
I U N I L EV E R
They are also going to finally commit to recycling in all of their 37,000 restaurants by 2025, says Fortune. Currently, only 10 per cent of their stores recycle.
I N E ST L É The damaging effects of sugar are being discovered more conclusively every year. As a result, Swiss F&B giant Nestlé has reduced the amount of sugar in its products and intends to cut a further five per cent by 2020. But what's more, the R&D division of Nestlé has invested in exploring sugar alternatives. They believe they have found a way to modify sugar’s essential
BI G COMPANI ES
I CEREALS
Trix
Photo Credit: jeepersmedia / Flickr
Nestle
structure by constructing a hollow crystal using natural ingredients that will drastically reduce the amount of sugar used in their food items, including chocolate, but that taste almost exactly the same. Nestlé CTO Stefan Catsicas, said, “This truly groundbreaking research is inspired by nature and has the potential to reduce total sugar by up to 40 per cent in our confectionery.” The new range of confectionary products is planned to be on the shelves later this year. They have also opened two “zero water” factories in Brazil, with four more slated to open this year, helping to earn Nestlé the food industry’s top spot on the 2017 Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Nestlé claims to strive for zero environmental impact in its operations. Although marking the right sentiment, this seems a bit of a broad statement given the murky waters surrounding their seemingly lapsed commitment to stop deforestation by using “conflict palm oil”. According to the Guardian, this was meant to cease by 2015 but has now been deferred to 2020 (Unilever was also cited in palm oil scandals last year despite their own commitment to sourcing sustainable palm oil).
In 2015, both General Mills and Kellogg’s announced commitments to completely eliminate artificial colours and flavours from their cereals and bars by the end of 2017. Vividly coloured cereals were changed to contain natural ingredients with bright hues like paprika, caramel, turmeric, chlorophyll and carmine. Fruit and vegetable juices were also used to contrive the electrifying colours found in Kellogg’s Froot Loops and General Mills’ Trix instead of Yellow #5 and Red #40. Unfortunately, according to The Wall Street Journal, this hasn’t been a complete success. Trix in particular was met with a backlash for its purple carrot-, radish- and turmeric-spiked shades, so General Mills has reverted to also selling the original artificiallyenhanced version as of late 2017.
I RANKINGS The Sustainability Leaders Survey, generated by research organisations SustainAbility and GlobeScan for the past two decades, tracks and ranks the top organisations on their ability to integrate sustainability values, lead innovation and provide transparency within their enterprises. The 2017 survey ranked Unilever as the global leader for the seventh year, followed by Patagonia, Interface and IKEA, while Marks & Spencer, Natura and Tesla all tied at number five. The World Wildlife Fund and Greenpeace were named the top NGOs for leading the way on sustainable development integration. afoodieworld.com 17
fun food THE RISE OF
COLOURFUL CUISINE
Kala Toast
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Mrs. B’s Cakery
Unicorns seem to be somewhat responsible for the ongoing trend towards the violent tinting of many a food item of late. Lattes dusted pink and adorned with rainbow sprinkles, unicorn-shaped cookies that poop confetti, and even the usual monochromatic rice in sushi or noodles of fresh spring rolls have been seen taking on a technicolour hue in some outfits. As it has filtered down the trend-chain, the unicorn aspect seems to be magically disappearing but the vibrant stain on our chow remains. On a progressive note, in many respects, these vivid hues now come from natural flavourings. Photo Credit: Kala Toast
Kala Toast
Photo Credit: Kala Toast
FUN FOOD
We take a whimsical look at some of Hong Kong’s showiest vittles that are a psychedelic hit to the eyes while managing to still prevail as a tasty treat for the tongue. afoodieworld.com 19
Drunken Pot
Rainbow Toast Ordinarily, when one pictures the glory of a grilled cheese sandwich, the said cheese would have an oozy orange complexion emitting from between two toasted slices of bread. But not at Kala Toast. The Peak’s Grilled Cheese Toast & Sandwich Shop colours emmental, gruyere, cheddar and mozzarella with lavender, basil and tomato to produce its famed Rainbow Toast with its glorious marbled effect. If that’s not your cup of tea, don’t fret, they also do a Durian Cheese Toast and a Matcha Cheese Toast that might also float your exotic toastie boat.
Lollipop Cake Whether you want a cake that’s painted with every shocking 20 afoodieworld.com
shade known to man on the outside or an elegant display of sophisticated grace on the exterior with the hectic hues hidden within, Mrs. B has got you covered. The dappled rainbow cake, sugary kaleidoscopic bon bons, and motley marzipan of Mrs. B’s Cakery are the stock and trade of this chimerical cake shop that will light you up on the inside as much as they dazzle on the out.
Call of the Disco Ball The new progressive dining experience within the Ovolo Southside, Komune, is making waves for more than just its delicious cuisine. Employing a “Cocktail Professor” approach to their drink list, they’ve turned the F&B into B&F. The Call of the Disco Ball is sweet-toothed
pleasure along with the When it Rains Look For Rainbows while the Chinese Ink uses lychee, tangerine and lemongrass to bring out the best of its whisky base.
Nemo Bagels You might ask why, but we don’t. For some reason a Nemoswirled, cream cheese smeared bagel to us suggests the perfect breakfast food. Schragels are the geniuses responsible for this fishy fruition and from what we’ve seen, there ain’t nothing they can’t do with a doughy circle – and they profess to be up to any challenge. We bet they could do a fine emoji array, or perhaps we’ll task them with a series of bagel-styled life preservers for our next junk trip…
FUN FOOD
7-Colour Squid Balls Oh how we love when the weather get cold and the pots get hot! There is nowhere we love better to get a hip bit of hot pot than with the cool kids running the show at Drunken Pot. Their handmade cuttlefish balls are coloured with the natural tinct from the sweet potato, carrot, corn, black truffle, green soya bean, strawberry and chestnut ingredients. They also do a sixcolour two-tone soup dumpling set deftly mutated with the likes of squid ink and spinach if there wasn’t enough paint in your pot already.
Cuppa Chroma The thoughtful folk at Caffè Habitu have embraced their coffee-alternative-seeking customers with gusto and unveiled their Wellness Latte range. Not only are they picture-pretty but they also have some goodness within and are all without the caffeine that can be malefic to some. There is a beetroot latte, or a matcha version, or a turmeric variety that could prove the cup of choice if you’ve had too many javas and need a bit of colour in your cheeks, and mug.
Mum’s Not Home
Photo Credit: Mum’s Not Home
Komune
Butterfly Pea Tea Caffe Habitu
Another caffeine-free warming sip can be found within the capricious depths of a butterfly pea teacup. The deep blue colour of the petals of this South East Asian flower transform into this enigmatic beverage with its rich cerulean tones that bewitchingly metamorphasise when a change in pH occurs. Add a squeeze of lemon to your infusion and a vivid periwinkle purple arrives before your very eyes. The comforting quarters of Mum’s Not Home in Yau Ma Tei can provide you with a cup of this breathtaking brew. Take that unicorn cappuccino, we found real magic at the bottom of our tea leaves.
Schragels
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LIKE
Chalk Cheese
AND
You may group all cheeses together as just cheese, but of the 1,200 different European varieties, there are actually many families, and of course flavours within those families. Choose one from each for the ultimate cheese platter with a spectrum of colours, flavours and textures.
more than meets the rind There are five flavours that are generally recognised: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami. But for cheese, aroma is also absolutely essential when describing the flavour.
A few of the families... Authentic cheese signifies cheeses that are synonymous with heritage, authenticity and quality. Some of the cheeses include Brie, Munster, Cantal, Comté, Saint-Nectaire, and are celebrated by gourmets and connoisseurs for the expertise needed to produce them. Blue cheese appreciation is slowly built over time as they feature a distinctive bite with a general philosophy that the more pungent the better. Blue cheeses are ripened for a long time and Bresse bleu, Bleu de Termignon, Bleu des Causses, Fourme d’Ambert are all classic examples and an excellent adventurous addition to every cheese platter. Traditional cheeses are eaten on daily sandwiches in France and readily found in fridges. Cheeses like Camembert, sliced Emmental, Reblochon, Basque ewe’s milk cheese are functional, simple and classic. They are also regional icons and symbols of French identity.
Adjectives range with incredible diversity for characterising cheeses from floral and grassy to nutty and yeasty to buttery and butterscotch to citrusy and funky, the smell of a certain cheese has a huge effect on the overall flavour.
Fresh and processed cheeses are very commonplace nowadays. White spreadable cheeses such as fromage frais and herb-flavoured blended cheeses such as Boursin, are typically mild in flavour. They work well in salads and sauces and although not ordinarily present on a cheese platter, their creamy texture works well with bread and crackers.
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These families have been designated according to modern consumption methods from fromages-france.com.
RECI PES
The famed Singaporean burger brand Three Buns has taken over the menu at Potato Head in Hong Kong. Chef Adam Penney shares the secrets to one of his classic burgers for your next BBQ at home: Ingredients for the burger: • • • • • • • • • •
150g beef patty (80:20 fat blend) Good quality ketchup 1 slice of mature cheddar 1 Roma tomato Hamburger buns, brioche or wholemeal Pickle gherkin Baby romaine leaves Burger sauce mayonnaise Kosher salt 2 tbsp water
3.
4.
5. Method: 1.
2.
Heat the griddle or frying pan until hot, but not smoking. Wash the lettuce and tomato, pick the leaves, and pat dry. Slice the tomato, set aside with the lettuce. Season the patty on one side with the salt; place the seasoned side on the grill, press down gently with the spatula, to insure the
meat is flat on the grill, season the top with salt, leave for 90 seconds, carefully flip the patty over, leave for another 90 seconds, remove the patty from the grill, rest the meat on a plate, turn down the heat on the grill. Cut the bun in half, toast the bun on the grill, and let the bun soak up the fat from the beef. Toast until golden; you can keep turning the bun to toast both sides. Keep the bun in a warm place. Wipe the grill clean and turn the heat up again. Once hot, place the patty back on and turn after 30 seconds. Top with the cheese slice, cover with the bowl, and add a splash of water just before the bowl goes down. After 30 seconds, remove the bowl and take the cheeseburger off the grill. The cheese should have melted, blanketing the patty. To build the burger, spread ketchup on the bottom bun. Top with sliced pickle, beef patty, sliced tomato, lettuce, a spoon of mayonnaise, and crown with the top bun.
Visit www.afoodieworld.com for the recipe on how to make an addictive mayonnaise sauce for this burger!
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little hong kong kitchen Recipe blogger and home-cook extraordinaire Laura Williams from My Little Hong Kong Kitchen gives us her secrets for some seriously delicious dishes www.mylittlehongkongkitchen.com
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PANEER BUTTER MASALA Serves: 4 | Prep time: 5 mins | Cooking time: 20 mins Ingredients: 2. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
400g paneer 1 ½ tbsp plain flour 2 tsp tandoori masala powder 2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp groundnut or canola oil 2 tsp fresh grated ginger 2 large garlic cloves 1 bird’s eye chilli 1 onion ½ tsp ground turmeric 1 ½ tsp garam masala 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander ½ tsp paprika 400g crushed tomatoes 120ml cooking cream or heavy cream Coriander and fresh limes to garnish
3.
4.
Method: 5. 1.
Cut the paneer into 1 inch cubes. Place the flour and tandoori powder into a bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper and combine. Place the paneer into the flour
mixture and stir to coat. Set aside. Place 1 tablespoon oil and butter into a deep pan and allow to heat through. Add in the garlic, chill and ginger and cook on medium heat. Slice the onions finely and add to the pan. Continue to cook on a medium heat until the onions soften and become translucent but not brown. Now add in the ground spices. Stir through and cook for a minute before adding in the tomatoes. Fill the empty tomato can with water and add into the curry. Allow to simmer on a gentle heat for 10 minutes. Once the curry has reduced slightly, use a blender to make the sauce smooth. Add in the cream and a pinch of seasoning. Allow the curry to simmer for five minutes. While the curry simmers, cook the paneer. Place a frying pan on a medium heat and add the remaining oil. Fry the paneer cubes for a minute on each side until golden and crisp. To finish, serve the curry over rice and top with the crisp paneer and chopped coriander. Add some flatbreads or naan to mop up all the sauce.
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RECI PES
STEAK TACOS Serves: 4 | Prep time: 40 mins | Cooking time: 10 mins Ingredients:
Method:
Filling • 1 large sirloin or flank steak • 1 lime • 4 tbsp olive oil • 1 tsp smoked paprika • ½ tsp cumin • ½ tsp chilli flakes • Salt and pepper
1.
Salsa • 150g baby tomatoes • ½ jalapeño, finely chopped • 1 ½ tsp white wine vinegar • 1 tsp olive oil • 1 lime, zested • ½ pomegranate, seeded • 1 tbsp chopped coriander Tacos • 4 taco shells or soft tortilla wraps • 1 avocado • Fresh crisp lettuce • Natural yoghurt
2.
3.
4.
Place the olive oil, zest and juice of one lime, paprika, cumin, chilli flakes and a pinch of salt and pepper into a large ziplock bag. Add in the steak and massage the marinade into the meat. Allow to marinate for no longer than 30 minutes. Make the salsa by chopping the tomatoes into small pieces and placing into a bowl along with chopped jalapeño, pomegranate seeds, coriander, lime zest, vinegar and olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to season. Place a frying or griddle pan on a medium high heat and allow to warm through. Once hot, add the steak straight into the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until you get a golden, caramelised crust. Place onto a plate, cover with foil and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice thinly and on an angle to maximise the steak slices and allow it to stretch further. Toast the tortillas for 5-10 seconds over a gas flame and set aside. To assemble the tacos, place a little lettuce onto the warmed tortilla and top with a good spoonful of the salsa and a few slices of the cooked steak. Finish off with sliced avocado, a drizzle of natural yoghurt and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
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meatless monthly Cindy Lam of Olive Oly Kitchen cooks delicious vegetarian recipes that support local farms and promote good old home cooking. This month, she shares her easy vegan chocolate mousse www.oliveolykitchen.com
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Ginger AND LEMON VEGAN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE Serves: 8 Prep time: 15 mins Cooking time: 10 mins Ingredients: • • • • • • • • • •
100g dark chocolate bar 350g silken tofu 1 lemon zest 1 tsp grated ginger 1 tbsp rum 1 tsp vanilla extract 60g agave syrup 1 small pinch of salt 1 chocolate biscuit, crumbled 1 handful roasted walnuts, crumbled
Method: 1. 2.
3.
4.
To prepare the tofu, use a towel to squeeze out the excess water of the tofu. Melt the dark chocolate in a large mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is completely melted. Place the silken tofu, grated ginger, lemon zest, rum, vanilla extract, agave syrup, and a pinch of salt into a blender and mix until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and blend until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the chocolate mousse to small cups and garnish with some crumbled biscuits, nuts, and lemon zest. Serve immediately or refrigerate.
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ETHICAL
MEATS Rhoda’s Founder, Chef Nate Green, dispels meat myths and advises on making mindful meaty decisions
Let’s start with the what eating meat ethically actually means: ethical meat eating is about making sure that the animal, any animal, has had a happy, healthy life with a diverse diet and plenty of land in which to display its natural behaviour. We should never take the life of an animal lightly, and when we do take its life, it should be as fast and stress-free as possible. If you eat meat, you should be willing to eat lots of different cuts of the animal ensuring we appreciate every part and waste nothing. For this month, we are going to delve into the topic of confusing terminology and what it means when it comes to meat. I’m always a little cautious of using terminology as a way to win guests’ trust, because many labels and stamps of approval mean very little. Each country governs its own farming standards and usually there are a lot of loopholes in the legislation. Sometimes we read a label and then automatically stop questioning, and say ‘oh phew, it’s organic’; once upon a time everything really was organic. Here are some terms you’ll see all the time:
ORGANIC The definition of organic as per Wikipedia is: Organic food is food produced by methods that comply with the standards of organic farming. Standards vary worldwide, but organic farming in general features practices that strive to cycle resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Organizations regulating organic products may restrict the use of certain pesticides and fertilizers in farming. In general, organic foods are also usually not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents or synthetic food additives. For me, organic means it should be grown naturally with no chemicals or pesticides at all. For example, in the US you can lock a cow in a shed, feed it organic grain and then sell the milk as organic. Yet when most people think organic, they think of free roaming, happy animals. Organic is now a brand in itself. The only way to get to the truth of either of these terms in the foods that you purchase is by truly knowing where the things you eat come from. This means initial research, and then staying loyal to brands you trust.
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ETHI CAL MEATS
VS GRASS-FED VS GRAIN-FED For me, it’s grass-fed all the way. The problem we face is the previous generations who have been raised on grain-fed meat; nothing annoys me more than guests who complain their meat has a chew to it because it is supposed to have texture, that’s why we have teeth and a jaw in the first place. Grain-feeding is the equivalent of being locked up and fed McDonald’s all day. You are going to end up as big as a house, very unhealthy and probably very unhappy, but you will melt in the mouth as your muscles have never done any work and are full of fat. Grass-fed, on the other hand, is the equivalent of you going to the gym; your muscle fibres are going to be stronger and firmer, your meat will have a lot of flavour from the diversity in your diet. The trick with grass-fed meat is it should always be dry-aged as this is an important part of helping to tenderize the meat to make it more palatable.
FREE-RANGE This literally means a free ranging animal. This to me means it should be outside running around on grass. In reality, some bodies stipulate that the animal only needs to have access to pasture, which could mean a tiny door that they can’t fit through as nothing in the legislation states that the door must be open, only that there must be access. So it doesn’t always mean a happy animal.
The Hong Kong market is currently obsessed with Wagyu and Iberico, because someone once generically said that it is the best, but as with all things, there are good and bad points to everything:
WAGYU While it is great in context, when I look at meat, I always look at the cooking of the country of origin, as this generally will show you the best way to use a certain breed. Being from Japan, Wagyu is great when served thin; it works well for grilling and things like shabushabu, but I would never want to eat a steak of it. There are also actually some very good grass-fed Wagyus from New Zealand and Australia as well.
IBERICO All this means is it’s from Iberia, so Spain and Portugal. Most people think it means they are eating Pata Negra, which is a breed of black pig that eats acorns. Most Iberico now is actually Pata Negra crossed with Duroc, as the crossbreeding produces bigger litters of pigs as the demand for Iberico grows.
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Hannah Chung is on a zero waste challenge. She seeks eco alternatives and green solutions for everyday living and aims to achieve a zero waste life. Follow her journey on Instagram @thezerowastechallenge. Feeling overwhelmed and helpless to the waste problem in Hong Kong, I started my journey into zero waste and naively gave myself a year to ‘try out’ the lifestyle. Sixteen months on and I’m still avoiding single-use plastics, bringing my own bags to my grocery shop and finding new and convenient solutions. The movement has really caught on since I started and there are many inspirational people providing new solutions to combat waste, here are a few:
Bea Johnson of Zero Waste Home The ultimate zero waste lifestyle expert, Bea is an outspoken French woman living in the US who started her journey with her husband and two teenage sons in 2008. She now travels the world giving talks and inspiring people (myself included) to adopt her simple life hacks. She shares her triumphs and fails in her book Zero Waste Home with a simple guideline of the 5R’s: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rot (and only in that order). www.zerowastehome.com
For more zero waste tips and green solutions to try at home, visit www.afoodieworld.com/users/hannah
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Photo Credit: NOW! No Waste / Facebook
the zero waste diaries
THE ZERO WASTE D I ARI ES
Fanny Moritz of NOW! No Waste A great starter for people hoping to kickstart a zero waste lifestyle, Fanny sells reusable and compostable products on her online store. From bamboo toothbrushes, menstrual cups and solid deodorant to reusable cleansing makeup wipes, you can find many creative solutions to replace single-use products. www.now-nowaste.com
Tamsin Thornburrow of Live Zero
Kevin Cheung, Upcycling Designer Giving upcycling a chic image, Kevin aims to change our views on waste by creating beautiful pieces from materials that would have otherwise been sent to landfills. Phone covers made from old denim, light fixtures made from broken bicycle wheels and even a ‘boombottle’ - portable speaker system made from used plastic containers; every piece has been creatively transformed into useful objects. Visit his studio at the Blue House in Wanchai for the full experience and be inspired by his creative mind. www.kevin-cheung.com
Photo Credit: Kevin Cheung
Photo Credit: Kevin Cheung
Photo Credit: Live Zero / Abeego
Tamsin will be opening the first zero waste grocery store in Hong Kong in late Jan this year. Selling all kinds of things from flours, pasta, rice, beans and grains, to oils, nuts and seeds, herbs, spices, teas and coffee. There’ll also be a lifestyle section of household goods in bulk such as cleaning liquid, laundry detergent, shampoos, and soaps. Exciting stuff for Hong Kongers! 24 High Street, Sai Ying Pun. www.livezero.hk
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