ART OF RELAXATION

The week I spent in the South of France, among beautiful folks and in the beautiful surrounding of Capdenac & Salls-Courbaties has raised my awareness of what 'life style' is about. We thrive on efficiency, on luxury, on things only money can buy as the nouveau riche of Asia generally, and Hong Kong in particular. What is mssing in this equation is the word 'quality'. Are we truly relaxed when we are on vacation? How much time do we think of problems at work, and at home whilst on vacation? Are we at peace with ourselves? Do we get the quality relaxation we desperately seek? I know it is an apple & orange discussion now that I speak as a retiree. Nonetheless, I post this blog because I found 'quality relaxation' this time. It has nothing to do with efficiency, nothing to do with luxury, nothing to do with what money can buy. It is all about human interaction, loving family values, kindness among friends new and old, generosity of sharing, lasting relatonships that cut through generations, but above all, genuine happiness that can only come from the heart.

To Alban & Myriam Barbette, the newlyweds, thank you for inviting me. You simply do not know how your wedding party, your familes, and your friends have changed the inner soul of this poor city boy who, in his 60 years on earth, has yet to define the 'Art of Relaxation'. I think I have the platform now, and my search continues, thanks to you.

CASSOULET @ CHABBERTS

The recipe check list calls for ..... confit duck legs, duck fat, ham hocks, pork shoulders, pork skin, salted pork, pancetta, prosciutto, French garlic sausages, cannellini beans, mire poix of onions & carrot, garlic, crumbs from a baquette, bouquet garni, chicken broth, plus herbs galore. They call it 'Toulouse Style', takes hours to make but parts of the recipe can be prepared days ahead. My mouth waters as I write, as my taste buds recall the wonders of this extremely flavorful dish which I over indulged at the Chabberts', embarrassing myself, and possibly the other dinner guests. This has to be close to the epitome of classic French cooking, perfected by one Monique Chabbert. Every morsel, every bean, was worth it!

CHABBERTS

Andre & Monique are the parents of Frederic .... Executive Chef at Petrus in Hong Kong, and a long time friend of Alban. Fred, his lovely wife Vanessa, and Juls their 2 year old just spent August at Salles-Courbaties (a stone throw from the Calmettes in the same village) with the grannies. The Chabbert family owns a quiet corner of town over a few generations, running the equivalent of a 'neighborhood pub' where fellow villagers congregate. It is an idyllic setting that is rustic, quaint and welcoming. The Chabberts hosted the Hong Kong group to, firstly, a classic alfresco lunch and, secondly, a cassoulet dinner. Monique is quite a chef. To me she is the 'Julia Child of French Country Cuisine' ... Michelin quality, no less.

Come back to visit Hong Kong, Monique & Andre, let me cook for you. I am very grateful to your kindness, and your heart warming hospitality. Merci!

PS : do not forget to send the Chabbert family Cassoulet & Baked Cheesecake recipes now!

SOULAGES @ LA SAULOU

Colette & Bernard are parents of Myriam. The family has been running this huge farm, named La Saulou, for 4 generations. It is situated in the town of Capdenac which is divided into 3 parts ie Gare (station, lowlands) Port (dock, waterfront) & Haute (highlands) ..... from the farm on Gare we were taken to Haute and, as far as we can see, the land belongs to La Saulou. It is that large!

The Soulages belong to a class of their own, and one cannot find nicer people as genuine as they are. Both wonderful cooks, they hold a full range of hearty farm recipes which we had the chance to taste. Bernard built a stone oven, by hand. I watched in amazement while he breezed through the process of making perfect crusty breads that will beat any bakery, anywhere. They are that good. Though retired, they still keep the regimen of a full day starting and ending with milking the cows at 7am & 7pm, every day, year round. How does that sound to you?

I wish I could speak French as it was fascinating talking to him via mutual guess work & sign language. It would be so educational if we could chat over a common tongue. One thing we can all see, they are very loving parents and they are so proud of Myriam & Alban, rightfully so. I loved mingling with the family.

Thank you Colette & Bernard, for taking us as your extended family.

OUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME

The Hong Kong guests were put up in this beautiful weekend home of Bernard & Michele Calmettes who are the most hospitable hosts. Bernard single handedly rebuilt this house from essentially a shelf, adding to it bit by bit to make it a 5-bedroom house complete with grounds, swimming pool, a large work shed etc Their family obviously had good memories here while the children grew up. It is located on a knoll in the beautiful surrounding of Salles-Courbaties. The environment is pristine, and it is so quiet we can hear the symphony of breeze, insects & birds throughout the day.

Bernard is an Occupational Therapist, Michele a Social Worker and they both work for a center that caters to mildly retarded adults, about 1.5 hour away. Very dedicated, they have a small house near work and commute every weekend for the most of 20 years. This is the walking defintion of adjusting the fine balance of work vs play, or in our daughters lingo .... 'Getting a Life'!

Thank you Bernard & Michele!

WHAT A WEDDING PARTY

This is a beautiful 15th century, 600-year old Castle where we, literally, partied all night. When Alban sent the invitaion he said ' ... you have never been to a country style French wedding, it is something you will never ever forget'. His every word is true. To give a flavor let me recap :

* BBQ dinner hosted by bride's family in their huge farm the night before
* special breakfast of tripe & calvadoes for the wedding party
* country style lunch, very French, for other guests
* loud motorcade into Town Hall, to witness signing of the Registry
* then to the local Church for the nuptial service
* champagne reception at the farm with home made canapes
* motorcade to the Castle, horns blaring passing through townships
* aperitifs on arrival which was 9pm already
* 5-course gourmet banquet with matching wines, lasted 4-hours
* disco starts at 1am
* dancing continued literally all night, all ages were on the floor
* newlyweds made their retreat about 430am
* friends prepare 'Pot de Chambre' * for the newlyweds
* newlyweds rejoined the party after being waken at 6am
* more drinking/dancing until 'Potage de Formage' * was served at 7am
* all retired to large common rooms with bunk beds to catch a 'nap'
* up at 10am after 2-hour snooze to return to the farm
* a large cochon on rotisserie awaiting, plus the best cheesy mash potatoes
* red & white wines flowed until late afternoon

One has to 'train' for such a wedding, one cannot possibly just show up and expect to last. The most amazing observation is the stamina of the older folks, who did not miss a beat. They were all there dancing, drinking, challenging the younger ones and having the greatest time. Their collective spirit was infectious. I was exhausted by 3am, and was going to cheat by taking a break. I was urged to stay which I am glad I did lest I would miss the fun that followed. If I were to close my eyes for 5 minutes I would never wake up.

'Pot de Chambre' means a 'pot for the room' ie the newlyweds' nupitial bedroom. Their best friends would gather around a table to create this concoction to 'wake them up'. In this particular pot there was; fine XO brandy, whiskey, beer, champagne, banana, banana peel, apple juice, bread crumbs, nutella spread & to get the texture right, a few balls of tissue paper. I was honored to be the 'Taster' .... you know, it was quite good. I was not drunk either. When we woke them Alban had 4 & Myriam 3 gulps. Such good sports!

'Potage de Formage' is really a heavily cheesed up onion soup that is served with light beef stock. It did everyone a lot of good, some even had 2 large soup plates. Indeed, another French wedding tradition.

Merci Beaucoup ... Alban & Myriam for the enlightenment .... it was truly a memorable wedding!

THE NEWLYWEDS

Raising their swords to form an arch for a fellow military officer is an age old tradition. I have no idea how it started, perhaps it is an interesting item to Google. I have also seen skiiers with poles, rowers with paddles, even anglers with rods but Alban & Myriam have the most creative idea .... Wine Bottles! The newlyweds have plans to start a wine business based in the South of France, and this is a perfect setting to welcome them as man & wife. Look at those million Euro smiles.

PARIS IS ABOUT STYLE

Speaking of style, here is another .... sun tanning the Parisienne way, right in the middle of Jardin des Tuileries near Musee du Louvre. Without any doubt walking is the best way to explore the French capital, be it night or day. The evenings along River Seine are particularly romantic, there is this uniqueness that is unmatched in any other city. The days are now drowned by tourists, French seems to have lost its edge, as Arabic, Japanese, Eastern Europeans languages and of course, how can we forget Putonghua, the latest on the menu. If you think I am full of it, just drop by the Louis Vuitton flagship on Champ Elysee. You will be amazed how language versatile is the sales staff. No French? No problem lah!

ONLY IN PARIS .....

This is without question the high point of my trip to Paris! I can feel the excitement as I post this blog. I was walking along Rue Saint Peres this afternoon after lunching at Brasserie Lutetia, window shopping over a Hoyo Petit Robusto and enjoying the sun on my balding forehead. I was feeling the spirit of 'Gay Paris'. As I turned the corner into a side street I ran right into this incredibly fashionable man, in silver mane, and squid-ink shades. We nodded to each other .... "excusez moi" .... I thought that was what he said. It took me a few seconds to realize who he was, none other than Monsieur Karl Lagerfeld, the definitive "King of Fashion" !!!!!!!

Just imagine, me, likely to be the least fashionable person on that street, with my jeans tucked "too high around my waist" plus a boring Brooks Brothers' polo shirt .... exchanging a quick nod with Karl Lagerfeld? I made a U-turn and took 2 quick pictures. One as he walked away and another as he stopped to look. I was going to ask for a handshake but he stepped into the jewellery shop. I did not think it was PC to follow, I backed off, which I now regret.

As I reviewed my precious photos a street cleaner, yes, a street cleaner with a big bloom came over and said .... "Lagerfeld, oui?" Now, how can you beat this one? No one can beat me on this one. I will live to tell my grand children this brief close encounter of the 'North & South Poles of Fashion'.

It was a truly wonderful moment for me, it reminds me of another such moment years ago when I introduced myself to Sean Connery at the bookstore of the Vancouver Airport, except in that episode we had a chat. I even shook his hand.

Karl Lagerfeld, man, Karl Lagerfeld ... a fashion supremo even Raymond Tang recognizes!

JADIS & CHEF GIULLAUME DELAGE

Jadis is a wonderful Parisienne Bistro nicely tucked away on Rue de la Croix-Nivert. Chef Giullaume Delage is a friend, and ex-colleague of Alban at Gagnaire. He also worked with other French masters at Bras & Anton. Jadis is his first restaurant and he is definitely building a nice following. We had a booking for 8pm, stayed for 3.5 hours and watched his 40-cover being turned over 2-3 times, by patrons who obviously know him, know his food and like it. A table of 3 walked in at 1030pm, on a rainy Tuesday night, which says it all. We asked the Chef for a degustation menu and were delighted with the outcome.

* veloute of zucchini with tarragon infused creme fraiche
* thinly sliced poached chicken breast on a salsa of chopped beet roots & raspberry
* grilled octopus on ratatouille
* langustine on eggplant with barley cooked in crustacean bisque
* sirloin of beef in fine black pepper sauce & trellis potato chips
* vanilla flavored rice pudding with strawberry colis & Madeliene
* fresh fig dripped with honey & ice cream
* sandwich of cassis puree, creame patisserie & wild berries

It was just delighful, very Bistro-French, simple but memorable food presented in an extremely friendly venue. Le Chef is immaculate, runs a small kitchen of 3 plus 2 floor staff, but not a drop of sauce or sweat on him. Look at the picture .... now that is what a Chef should be like, and not a posseur like me. Merci beaucoup Chef!

CHANGE OF PACE

Ted Kennedy died, hopefully it is the end of a family curse, they say. We hear voices from different corners of the forum ie those who want to cannonize him for all his good and those who will not let the world forget his bad. I am not in any position to take sides, the only points I want to make are : firstly, he died so let history judge him and secondly, for reasons good or bad he has served his country for over half a century. That alone, to me, has put him on the right side of my balance sheet. Always philosophical, the Chinese describe individuals who dedicated their lives to an institution, be it public or private, 'as people who are at the very least laborious, even though they may not all be glorious, in their achievements'. I admire the way his family rallies behind his passing, as they 'prepare themselves to send him on to his next voyage'. How poetic! All of us in the mid 50s to mid 60s grew up with the Kennedy curse, especially when we were in college in America. I hope this spells the end of that curse. The Kennedy family - or for that matter any family that lived through such an overkill of tragedies - deserves the chance to stand up again. Ted Kennedy is now at a place where there is eternal peace, a place we all want to end up, one day. Pray for him.

OLD GLORY

The main staricase at the old Raffles Hotel in Singapore .... one of the few remaining 'old glory' in Asia. The others notable ones are ; the Peninsula in Hong Kong, the Manila Hotel in Manila, the Okura in Tokyo etc but regrettably they have been overtaken by the competitive Four Seasons & Grand Hyatts which razzle-dazzle with modern hospitailty comforts that guests do not really need, such as top end hand soaps & conditioners, at a price. I always admire this staircase because the Raffles was one of the first hotels I ever stayed when I started to travel on business almost 30 years ago. It is not just the beauty of her physical presence but what she represents ie old world charms, old world standards & old world values which are disappearing fast. I am so glad I had the chance to at least straddle the old & new during my short tenure on earth. I am blessed!

One more thing, the daily curry buffet at the Tiffin Room, to the left of these stairs is a MUST if you like curries. The spread is sumptuous, the taste original, and the decor ... especially the unusually high celings and the white-as-snow columns against the equally white table cloths is like a page from the old Raj! Yes, guilty as charged, I am a product of the colonies & the colonialists. I am not ashamed though. I hold my head high becasue that part of my past coined me into what I am today, which I am proud.

RECOGNIZE THIS?

If you give me a choice between a Michelin meal and this, in Singapore the Mecca of Hawker Food, I would choose this without any hesitation. This is Fish Ball Noodles a la 'Gan Lo' ie mixed dry in oil, spicy hot pepper paste, fresh chili, and if the hawker is honest, he would admit to the sprinkle of deep fried pieces of lard .... yes, lard, and why not. Do not overlook the small dish of Szechuen chili in soya sauce, plus the clear broth on the side decked with scallions, without them the set is not complete. At one of my first LCB Cuisine lessons we were taught that 'fat & salt' are the two key catalysts of flavor. This bowl has all that a discerning palate can ask for ; taste, texture, and of course flavor, flavor and more flavor. FYI this was consumed after our dinner at Muthu's at almost 1am in the morning, after a long walk back to our hotel on Orchard. Andrea, my vegetarian child, could hardly believe it. I have sinned, again, and I cannot even claim that it was against my will. In the name of Lipitor or Ezetrol, redeem me!

MUTHU'S FISH HEAD CURRY

We were in Singapore and had a wonderful evening with Andrea & Kalid in 'Little India'. One of my must-do on the eating front was Muthu's .... the ultimate name in Fish Head Curry. I have, over the past 25 years (at least, if not more) been a fan of this eatery, and this dish in particular. It is a family restaurant and I read from somewhere a touching story from the son ... which goes like this. 'I have been making the sauce for the curry for over 10+ years, under my father who taught me and critiqued me on the soul of the dish. He was always there, watching over me, quietly. One morning he said, I am not going in, you take care of it. I cried'. It was inspirational not only because it is food but it is what we all need if we believe in professionalism, and if we strive for perfection. This is what hard work, dedication and quality are made of.

Next time you are in Singapore try Muthu's ..... you only need to order 3 items ie fish head curry with saffron rice on a banana leaf, plus an ice cold salty lassi. Learn to eat with your hands, as it tastes so different. Trust me, Muthu's will change you!

CATERHAM 16-VALVE SUPER 7

Cool? I am talking about the machine, not the overweight aging body in the cockpit! This is Kai Wong's baby which I was privileged to put my hands on, literally, a couple of weeks ago. What an experience! Being so low on the road, and being so open, bring new meaning to 'convertibles'. The Caterham was launched in 1957 and celebrated its 50th in 2007. I am told all things considered it is not that expensive, even for a new one, because there are less modern day electronics which means it is more a challenge to drive, without the gadgets. It is all about skills here, right Kai?

Speaking of old ladies my 911 SC will soon return to Daddy's arms. My 30-year old baby has been in the garage for 18-months, with her engine rebuilt, total internal refurbishing and an external face lift. You have to give it to the Germans and Porsche for making 30-year old parts available, even it took a bit of time to locate them. I cannot wait, this is like a long lost child rejoining the family. More later!

SHANON

Kaya has a new friend, Shanon who also hails from Rutland Manor in Melbourne so he and Kaya are in effect cousins. Shanon is a few months younger but a slightly taller male, and he is a curly-fleece verses Kaya who is a wavy-fleece. The curly coat resembles a Poodle while the wavy coat is more like a Labrador Retriever. We almost (our girls will never forgive me on this one) adopted 2 Labradoodles at the same time ie a brother of Kaya in the same litter, if not for my moment of hesitation by which time another family made the offer. He is the same color as Shanon, dark chocolate brown. They are such lovely and beautiful animals, and perfect family pets. This is not quite the end of our story, as we are still on the waiting list for a large standard size male!

CORDON BLEU PRESENTATIONS

Now that I am back friends and family are all wondering 'when will you cook that Cordon Bleu meal for us'? The first thing I must clarify is what I have learned was all about the very basics of French cuisine & patisserie ... nothing more, nothing less. What I used to cook at home, before LCB, was nothing more than just 'playing around with food' in the comforts of my own kitchen. I have since learned not to garnish more than 5% of the plate, that all items on the plate must be edible, plates must be warmed but no more than 90F etc There are rules, rules & rules across all aspects of cooking, right down to every nitty-gritty. One is expected to observe these rules, to the letter, in the traditional LCB way. 'You can be as creative as you want down the road but you must learn to fully grasp the basics' we were told, and it makes so much sense. Yes, I will cook dinner but it is likely to be less fancy as I try to gain my footing on the basics, one step at a time, in this long culinary journey I set out. The picture is a Cold Borscht with cream garnish ... a delightful summer soup I prepared for the family recently.

DREADS!

This was a picture taken at a family dinner where one can marvel, almost at full length, the 5+ years of maintenance Andrea has dedicated to her dread-locks. It is simply amazing how she managed, as many thought this is not her own hair. Many passers-by have asked to touch it, thinking it is a wig. I wanted to document this just in case one day she decides to change her hair style. Next to her is Jessica who, with a hand on her face, was obviously unhappy with something she has either just drank, or ate!

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"There is a time for everything, and there is a season for every activity" .... sage words from the HKSAR's Chief Justice who just announced his retirement after serving 13 years on the bench. Andrew Li was a SPCC schoolmate, even though we were a few classes apart. Coming from a family whose own history mirrors that of our home town, as a British colony and then under Chinese sovereignty, Andrew is truly 'a Hong Kong product & one of her best'. In my humble opinion, Andrew represents the best of integrity & professionalism, two key pillars of Hong Kong's value system which seems to be under attack in recent times. To put into practice the CJ's words, I enclose a picture of me on the Champs Elysees, on the same day he made that remark. Late summer, or early Autumn, is indeed the right season for Paris!

WHERE HAS ALL THE TIME GONE?

It has been 3-weeks since my last post on August 16th. A lot has happened, including a week of eating & sunning in Singapore, and my blog is one of the consequent victims. I tried hard not to procrastinate but not atypical of a new retiree, somehow time manages to escape under my nose, without ceremony or warning. We always lose in any competition with time. A whole day just goes by without being noticed and before I knew it, bed time. Some blame on the vital fact that we are mostly 'useless' without our PAs which describes my scenery perfectly. Where are you Reginia? One does not know how much administratives chores - and accompanying hassles - are quietly removed from one's daily life until one goes without. The horrrible feeling of ' ... now what do I do ....' and all the logistics of when, where and how all of a sudden become daunting, if not scary.

I am now in Paris, waiting to travel South to Rodez for the wedding of Myriam & Alban Barbette. Alban just resigned from the HKJC as the Head Sommelier, to marry the lovely Myriam who was a banker with UBS in Hong Kong. The newlyweds will settle in the South of France where they will likely start a wine export business, perhaps even a restaurant. Their wedding, a la French country style, will be nothing short of spectacular ' .... so unique it will be a once in a life time experience .... ' we are told. Regardless it is high time to catch up, here is my first salvo to re-engage.

BTW I am not sure how well I will be connected once I leave Paris. If not I will not emerge again until next week, suffice to say that I will have loads to report. Stay tuned. Ciao!