Food • Wine • Sake • Travel • Fly Fishing
Marie and I have just returned from a very enjoyable trip to Slovenia, including three days of excellent trout fishing. In this blog post, I’ll describe our fishing experiences and provide some practical information for those readers who might want to sample the delights of trout fishing in the Soča river basin of Slovenia.
Continue reading “Losing your Marbles — fly fishing the Soča basin in Slovenia”
Trying to dance partnerless with just one left foot is like appreciating good food without wine. To get the most out of the multifaceted delicious food we eat today, a marriage with wine is essential— think dance—be it the slinky, exhilarating tango; sexy, slithering samba or just plain ol’ twisting in a ’60’s dance hall, a partner is needed, paid or unpaid.
To the rest of world, sake is an alcoholic drink imbibed by many in the Far East, mostly in the company of good friends with food. It was discovered originally by the Chinese and introduced to Japan about 700 years later, where in the 3rd Century, Kuchikami Sake was first recorded. This mouth chewing sake consisted of rice, millet, chestnuts and acorns chewed by young maidens and spat into bowls and left to ferment. Sake certainly has evolved and refined immensely by the Japanese since.
Continue reading “The REAL Sake101 – Demystifying sake for beginners”
In September 2014, Marie Cheong Thong ran the intriguing workshop-masterclass on the history, culture, tradition, commercial sakes and the making of an artisan sake based on a original thousand year old Chinese Rice Wine recipe that has been passed down to her by her mother.
Continue reading “Abergavenny Food Festival 2014”
Laksa is one of Malaysia’s favourite signature (soupy) comfort foods. Comprises of yellow wheat noodles and sometimes a little “hand-pull” of rice sticks in a big soup bowl garnished accordingly. Very localised and the thirteen states of Malaysia and, Singapore, will champion to prove their version is best. I consider the base as a soup not gravy. One slurps the last drops.
One of my favourite topics – Maine Lobster, the highly prized, truly sweet and succulent, muscular tailed crustacean, without which the sleepy, freezing State of Maine would not be famous. It is probably the staple protein source and a highly profitable commodity supporting a large proportion of the coastal population.
Continue reading “Lobster, the whole Lobster and nothing but the Lobstah”
Just after Easter, Marie and I returned to fish Cayo Largo in Cuba after having had such an exciting time two years ago. We enjoyed another great angling trip, albeit somewhat different compared to two years ago, which just shows the immense variety of the fishing here. So I thought I’d post another blog article on Cayo Largo to inform readers who are considering fishng there.
Continue reading “Saltwater Flats Fishing in Cuba – Return to Cayo Largo”
Last week, Marie and I fished the Coyhaique area in the far Patagonian south of Chile – a veritable fly fishing paradise for those keen on wild brown and rainbow trout. We had a wonderful four days, fishing a wide range of waters and techniques, and catching a lot of fish on the fly in fantastic natural surroundings and scenery.
Continue reading “Coyhaique – Trout Fishing Paradise in the Chilean Patagonia”
The Ultimate Crab Cake Challenge … my travels began in Boston, driving up to as far as Brunswick and the surrounding islands of Maine. Then back down, through Rhode Island to New London, Connecticut, aboard the Cross Sound Ferry to North Point, Long Island, New York.
Valley of the “Californian Wine” Kings … Innovative and Creative Wineries
Part two of the wine journey brings me to the Disneyland of Napa Wineries where money is big and so are the wines. When in California, one expects to be surprised.
Continue reading “Napa Valley Summer 2012 – The Wines – part 2”