KAFER @ MUNICH

We love food stores of any variety, be it a Mom & Pop on 2nd Avenue in NYC, Harrod's in London, Peck in Milan, right down to local venues in Wanchai, at CitiSuper, Park & Shop etc. I am bored by shopping in general but I am never bored by food shopping, for anything, anywhere.  Food is arguably the best way to understand any culture, that is, to find out the why, the what and the how about food.  It was pouring in Munich that morning but equipped with raincoats and brollies we were on our quest for Kafer.

This up-market store is located in a quiet part of town, taking up 3 floors of a Germanic looking building. One can smell not only history, but $, as soon as one enters. It is like a mini Harrod's but with a maze of staircases and delightful hideaways supplying, in perfect Germanic order, just about anything you may ask for. Kafer is a much more impressive version of Peck in Milan, principally because of a wide array of international products, all the way to Origami party ideas!

Along the staircase I was intrigued by wonderful collages of old photographs on the Kafer family. They recorded life in the 20s & 30s in Munich, and the obvious question was ... were they Jewish, and if so, did they survive the Nazi regime?

If you are a foodie Kafer is a must-see, any concierge can direct you.  There is a small bistro on the ground floor ... just follow your nose, aroma of freshly brewed coffee, fragrance that can only come from well made patisserie ... satisfaction is guaranteed, I dare say.  

             

RESIDENZ MUSEUM

The cultural high point of our visit to Munich was, without question, the 5-hours we spent at the Residenz Museum. For four centuries, up until 1918, the "Munich Residenz" was the seat of government and primary home of the Wittelsbach Dynasty.

It is amazing how curators are able to retain, or rather reinvent, its past glory. As in other European national historical sites, the key attractions (pardon me for using theme park language) like the Antiquarium, the Nibelungen Halls, the Throne Room and of course the Cuvillies Theatre are spotlessly preserved. Thankfully loud, flag waving tour guides jockeying for vantage positions are now replaced by individual voice tour gadgets, with which one can pace one self in serenity. The Residenz  gives one a taste of the height of Bavarian society under the influence of Electors. Regrettably many monuments were destroyed in the Second World War. While many have been reinstated since, it is still sad to see from old photographs how they came to an unceremonious end when the Allies regained control and started to target bomb Germany.          

HANS HASS' TASTING MENU

Tantris is expensive $$$$!  There is no ifs and no buts, plain expensive and it is always difficult to factor in the value-for-money equation.

Opened in 1971 (over 40 years I think) it received its first Michelin star 2 years later in 1973 and the rest is history.  Accolades include; 2 Michelin Stars, 18 Points in Gault Millau, 10th Best Restaurant in Germany, plus a hosts of other nationwide recognition.

We had the 5-course menu suggested by the Executive Chef Hans Hass.

*  Roasted Lobster with white asparagus & curry mousse
* Sea Bass with artichokes & gazpacho puree
*  Entrecote with chanterelles & spinach dumpling
* St Moure with walnuts & glazed chicory
* Curd Cheese Dumpling with banana-sour cream ice cream

This menu would cost E150 and if one wants to match it with 5 wines there is an additional E80.  There was another menu at E175 with 3 additional courses which was over-indulgence, we passed.  With 2 glasses of red and the obligatory profit margin ... bottled sparkling water .... the damage was E420 for two, including a 10% tips which we were told is de rigueur these days.  At the end of the day it is one's choice, isn't it? One either shows up, dines, enjoys, pays, files under memory, no questions and no regrets, or one simply does not patronize these places.  Like many, I am that in-between diner ... I am no Michelin Chaser, nor am I a Michelin Detractor.

TANTRIS

On the recommendation of a foodie
friend who is in-the-know, our first salvo was the up-market 2-star Michelin Tantris. A 20-minute taxi ride from the Munich Hauptbahnhof it is located in a quiet section of town, with hardly any traffic. Look at the entrance, you cannot possibly miss it.

The interior design is modern, creative, classy and extremely warm under a deep orange and black color scheme. The most eye catching, however, are the vivid full size photographs of diners and settings that artfully created 3-dimensional spaces to add intrigue to the restaurant.  Without question the interior meets its 2-star standards. It registers immediate comfort, it is conducive to dining, and I bet tables are positioned to satisfy diners' desire to people-watch.        

TANTRIS : ... www.tantris.de  .... Johann-Fichte Strasse 7 - 80805 Munich (49) 89 361 9590

FRISCHE SPARGEL

Speaking of heaven on earth, we landed right in the middle of the German White Asparagus season and I indulged myself liberally. Always health conscious, Dora was hesitant as they are perfect conduits for uric acid attacks. I took the contra-view that by consuming large quantities one would be able to conclude, definitively, if one is gout proof or not. My theory was sound, and my scientific study was a smashing success.  I ordered asparagus at every meal, loved it, and came out unscathed. Fatalistic, perhaps, but do you have a better way?

Almost every eatery put on a special Spargel Menu, in all kinds of gyrations but one does not have to go that far. From our 4 days in Munich and 6 asparagus packed meals, there are only 3 ways to enjoy this delicate veggie, to my palate.  (1) poached, with a white sauce (2) in chunks, in an asparagus based thick creamy soup and lastly (3) grilled, lightly sprinkled with salt, and served on the side with fish or meat. Simplicity is key, the accent is on freshness and on natural taste, which are second to none. It is almost worth a special trip to Germany when Frische Spargel is in season, if you ask me.  To make you even more envious, these babies were sold in the open market for E10 a kilo ... a kilo for HK$100, imagine what they would fetch here?    

BIERGARTEN - MUNCHEN

When we landed in Munich it was the last day of sunshine before this huge rainstorm that brought major flood damages to Europe generally, and Germany in particular.  We took advantage of it and had lunch immediately at the #1 Biergarten in town.  We had Augustina larger and shared a large plate of mixed sausages, with all the trimmings, our first among many. Somehow one does not get bored with sausages here because the variety is huge, so are the tastes. What we do not understand is 'CurryWurst' which is a sausage drowned in curry paste, or better put, a thick paste with a hint of curry flavor, but by no means curry, by any definition.  Served with chips, it has become quite a staple, at least in the cities. This 'wurst-extravaganza' we picked was a classic though, a testimony that 'we have arrived'. It was a tad on the salty side. Dora was in her usual unconvinced mode but it was right up my alley as I love salt, and would always pick savories over sweets. Why do we bother with a sausage that is not salty anyway, not to mention marketing synergy. Why do you think beer is consumed in such phenomenal quantities in Germany?        

WOW!

I caught this incredible shot on the horizon, en-route from Boston to Munich on Lufthansa. It was dawn, I think, as I lost count after a few days.  I only know we were mid way over the North Atlantic.

Check out the hue, just mesmerizing.

DURGIN PARK

This wonderful picture takes up a whole wall at the Durgin Park Logan Airport Branch, with the caption ' ... your Grand Father, and probably your Great Grand Father, dined with us ...'  This is yet another Boston tradition in the Faneuil Hall area where generations of Bostonians, college kids, and visitors (local & foreign) have dined.  I still remember every detail of this century old tradition which is captured by; breathtakingly tight communal seating at long tables, checkered table cloths, aged log floors that squeaks, matronly waitresses more like your stern aunts who insist on checking IDs before drinks, mouth watering piping hot corn bread that comes before the menu, and to us poor students, the ultimate pleasure of their house special ... Poor Man's Roast Beef @ US$2.95 back in 1968 ... heaven on earth!  

THE FINALE

We were invited by Sinan, son of a best friend and classmate of Terri's at Tufts, to Sunday brunch at one of the shrines of East Coast sailors, the  prestigious Eastern Yacht Club in Marblehead Massachusetts, which is as Boston Brahman as they come.

Dora had a Lobster Salad and I ordered the classic American hamburger with 'everything you ever wanted on it'.  Say all you want about the conformist eating habits in America, the Holy Grail is, after all, the Holy Grail.  Nothing beats a hefty burger cooked medium rare, with bacon, mushrooms, raw red onion, pickles and of course the strongest blue cheese.  Dora raved about the Lobster Salad because them babies were probably caught on the Maine coast just the day before. They did not travel 48-hours to Hong Kong, and be casually billed as 'fresh', that is probably why.  For libation, Samuel Adams beers, the pride of Boston.

With a perfectly blue sky, white clouds, warm sun and a steady breeze, it was a grand finale to the Bubs Reunion Weekend and our Boston sojourn.      

CATALUNYA

I am not sure if El Bulli should take credit but Spanish tapas bars and restaurants are sprouting like wild fire in town.  I read an article titled 'Not Spanish Again?' which aptly describes the latest craze. Why?  I think the local palate can comfortably identify with the saltiness, oiliness, crispiness, sweetness ... not to mention rice as a staple, in Spanish cuisine. Then there is the coup de grace and that is, trendiness.  You mean you do not know the top 5 tapas bars?  You are lame, Maman!

We had a family dinner at Catalunya and it did not disappoint.  The Tapas were classics, we had; Cataluna Tartar of tomato which is their signature, beautifully marinated Cod Esqueixada, the finest Tortilla de Trampo of egg & potatoes, paper thin fillets of Cantabrian Anchovies bathed in top grade olive oil, and the ritual Calamares which must be the least impressive.

For Mains; like everyone else on their virgin tour, we ordered the Suckling Pig, a tad morbid as shown, the Lamb Shoulder, and the Red Mediterranean Prawns.  While the meats were top quality and perfectly cooked, the star went to the 4 prawns at an unabashedly $500 + 10%.  They were worth it though, prawns around our waters simply do not taste like the sea the way these red babies did.  The most pleasant surprises actually came from the Sides; grilled whole baby pineapple with a cinnamon stick at the core, roasted aubergine brushed with a tapanade of herb olives and, lastly, grilled cabbage top with a hint of Japanese yuzu juice ... all wonderful complements to our meal. Then Desserts; which definitely were not their strong suit. I passed, as I never developed a sweet tooth anyway.

Together with cocktails, a bottle of Agusti Sparkling White and a Les Crestes Red the damage was roughly $1000 per head. Not cheap, but I cannot say it is expensive either in the right context.

The 'Waterloo Award' of the evening must go to the understaffed Service Team.  They were well meaning, they tried very hard, but we could not detect any warmth. There were no smiles, and no engagement whatsoever.  There was this sullen waitress in-charge of cutting the suckling pigs at the table, with the edge of a bread plate!  Imagine the dialogue opportunities she sat on, with all the oohs & aahs ... sadly they went right over her head. Too bad, the evening could be even better if they loved us more, especially when we loved the food so much already.

CATALUNYA : GF Guardian House, Morrison Hill, 32 Oi Kwan Road (852) 2866 7901          

ME - CIRCA 1970

As promised, here is a snapshot of my sweet youth.

*  taken in 1970 when I was a Junior at Tufts
*  I was about to turn 21
*  I had hair, plenty of it, weighed 55 kilos
*  smoking a pack of Marlboro a day
*  squash was my game
*  madly in love, a blonde with ocean blue eyes
* I was cooking then, with a hot plate in the dormitory

43 years, just like that, gone like summer lightning ... c'est la vie!

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

I have sinned, forgive me!  How could I forget the most famous item on the Union Oyster House menu - Clam Chowder?

Like Coke, this is the real, real thing ... even though Legal Seafood, which started off as a hole-in-the-wall fish & chips joint on Kendall Square when I came to Boston in 1968, claims they do a better job. This  recipe, in my view, meets the stringent requirements from all fronts; characteristic clam flavor, starchiness from the potatoes, smoothness in texture from scalded milk, and to top it all, fragrance of the sea as soon as a piping hot bowl - as shown and those who order a cup are whims - is served.

The 'Mother Recipe' I work with, however, is from the Boston Cooking School Cook Book by Fannie Merritt Farmer, first published in 1896.  My copy was a gift from my daughter and son-in-law who found it at an antique book store in Tokyo. It is in almost perfect condition, without a single trace of kitchen warfare because it has been kept, in fact immaculately kept, in a public library in Southern Japan.

1 quart clams
4 cups of potatoes cut in 3/4 inch cubes
1.5 inch cube fat salted pork
1 sliced onion  
1 teaspoon salt & 1 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoon butter
4 cups scalded milk

Try the recipe, I did, it is now on TKT's Tasting Menu and it works like a dream.

UNION OYSTER HOUSE

Opened in 1826 the Union Oyster House is infinitely more than a tourist spot near Faneuil Hall. It is a historical landmark and a mecca for representative New England fare. Dora 'baptism' here was 30 years ago in 1983 as my new bride, and our tradition since is to pay respects at our first lunch on arrival, always.  Our menu has pretty much remained the same over time; starting with a mix plate of bivalves notably Cherrystones, Littlenecks & Oysters for Dora - her record was 2 dozens at the Oyster Bar downstairs, much to the astonishment of fellow diners - and for me, Boston Steamers which are like mini Geoducts, with sea salted drawn butter. Our  mains rarely depart from the shortlist of Boston Scrod, a local white fish that resembles sea bass, seared scallops (huge ones like their Hokkaido cousins but only taste half as sweet) and Lazyman's Lobster when we feel like big-spenders ie a huge pile of tails and claws only, in a Newburg Cream Sauce with fluffy Uncle Ben rice on the side.

Boston is a town of strong traditions, frankly things and people have hardly changed since I left in 1972.  The Union Oyster House is a prime example, she survived 187 years, on almost the same menu. What is even more amazing is from recollection prices never did sky-rocket as they did in New York City eateries over the same period.

Do not miss this pilgrimage next time you are on the Pilgrim Trail!

BEELZEBUBS @ TUFTS

The main reason for Boston is to attend the 50th Anniversary of the Beelzebubs aka BUBS, an all-male A Cappella group founded in 1963. I was auditioned as a Sophomore way back in 1969.  A little history was made as I was the 1st Asian inducted, a 1st Tenor in a group of 14.  I became Business Manager in 1971 and elected President in 1972, the year I graduated from Tufts.

We were just a bunch of college kids then who loved to sing, to ham it up but ultimately, to impress girls who were mesmerized by our musical genius, not to mention our looks.  Believe it or not, I was rather a handsome chap back then ?!?  I will show you on another blog.  Fast forward 50 years the BUBS is the hottest thing in the American A Cappella scene. Starting with the 1st Runner-Up title in the Nationwide Sing Off, the BUBS went on to become the voices behind the top rated TV series GLEE ... is that big enough for you?  It is for me.

I will not bore you with details suffice to say that almost 300 BUBS alumni showed up at Tufts over Memorial Weekend for a 4-day celebration with lots of fond memories and non-stop singing. In the picture I was with BUBS from my years. We all aged, but when we hit those notes in perfect harmony we were young men again, as our eyes turned misty.  The very first song every BUB learns is 'Brothers-in-Song'. Yes, we were then and we are now, 'Brothers' to each other, as the BUBS spirit moves into the next 50 years.

Learn more about the BEELZEBUBS @ http:www.bubs.com

WWW.HOMEFOOD.IT

Whilst on the topic of Italian cooking we spent a fun-filled day at the kitchen of a wonderful home cook in Bologna back in April, to get an up-close first hand exposure to home cooking at its best.  She belongs to a group of 500+ professional chefs and amateur cooks who are committed to the noble mission 'to uphold the best traditions and practices of Italian cuisine.'  Located in most key cities the organization runs a tight ship, making themselves available to aspiring young chefs, to wannabe home cooks, and even to tourists who merely want to see what the fuss is about.

We were taught the rudiments of making the 'Mother Dough' and from it ... Tagliatelle, Tortelloni, Tortellini and for good measures the Tererina Chocolate Cake was thrown in to round up the day.  It was most gratifying as we find out how little we know about the art of pasta. Dora, must be her dainty but dexterous hands, was way ahead of me in her delivery which put me right where I should be, at the bottom of the humility chart.

Want to know more : check out www.homefood.it  or info@homecook.it  ... you will see us in action!  

FUSION RISOTTO

In the show mentioned earlier the two Partners-in-Food visited a new wave fusion restaurant in a small Italian town. The young lady chef prepared a vegetarian risotto with (get this) miso stock, lemon grass rings, pak choy, shitake, coriander, cashew nuts ... and Laurel & Hardy turned visibly white. What started as a humor attempt, calling it 'Misotto' and 'Fusotto' ended up as a solid lecture on why mainstream Italian traditions must not be compromised, must be preserved, and they will defend them at all costs.

'Young chefs, especially the talented ones, are unwilling to spend time to truly appreciate the depth of our culinary heritage, and to fully understand the Italian palate which is the only basis for development or improvisation'.  'You are a wonderful chef' ... they told the young professional ... 'but what you served is just a warm rice salad with Eastern spices, it is different, even pleasurable to taste but please, do not call it or compare it to a risotto because it is not risotto, period'.  Right on the $!

I am no fan of fusion anything, I simply do not go to fusion restaurants, and I rest my case.

2 HUNGRY ITALIANS

I love this series and watch it routinely on AFC aka the Asian Food Channel... old school, old values, old ways of doing things ... my kind of sentiments on life and things in general.  These two characters, whose names I forgot, are well known 'retired' chefs who happen to be good friends for a long time. The show is based on their sojourn to different parts of Italy, with food & cooking as backdrop, but spiced by their interpretation of Italian culture, subculture and of course their sense of humor.  It is like the foodie version of a Laurel & Hardy show, with some slapstick, but it makes you warm from the heart as these two elderly gentlemen (sorry they just might be my age) are sensible, knowledgeable, open, sentimental and totally adorable ... a combination that makes the show a success. This was on the LH in-flight life style TV program which kept me up en-route.  I even took notes from a few recipes which inspired me to create new dishes when I get home.        

MY LUNCH @ LH LOUNGE

Our best-rate fare gives us the privilege of a 9-hour layover in Frankfurt, on our way to Boston.  To be precise we are talking about a saving of $7,000 each (!) which I would rather spend on F&B and in Dora's case, on retail therapy. Between a long and relaxing hot shower, a nice spacious Business Class lounge with comfortable sofas to nap in, efficient wi-fi connection to curb our withdrawal symptoms and, lastly, classic Frankfurter hot dogs with all the trimmings, German style, who is complaining?    

MILE HIGH BOWL

We were able to get a very favorable C-class fare on Lufthansa (LH) for my reunion in Boston, and subsequently to visit Munich & Berlin on the way home.  The routing was Hong Kong - Frankfurt - Boston - Munich - Berlin - Munich - Hong Kong.  LH just recently reconstituted and refurbished an old Boeing 747 for the Hong Kong - Frankfurt sector.  Seats become 180-degree flat beds, verses their time honored signature slanted seats. We were on that evening flight to Frankfurt and it was wonderful, including a toilet with a mile high view.

All in all LH has impressed us immensely this time.  Not only did it live up to its classic Germanic timeliness, the meals were very presentable and very edible.  Above all the service attitude of the cabin crew was most commendable, exceeding all our expectations. The notion that Asian airlines understand service better was thrown out of the window, without question.  LH, in my view, has taken a page from the Asian manual of in-flight hospitality and redefined it the German way which obviously works. That 'other airline' I no longer fly with has a lot to look up to. Alternatives have opened my eyes since I unshackled myself from years of belonging to a misnamed 'loyalty program' which, at bottom, is really a one-way street that offers loyal customers precious little.  Talking about learning new things as one gets older, here is a prime example.            

I AM BACK, AGAIN!

I am way behind in my blogging efforts, again, due in part to laziness and now, stupidity.  I kept convincing  myself that instead of hauling a laptop I will take copious notes on my travels, my cooking schooling and then crank out these posts in the calm of my study when I am home. That never happened as my retirement schedules take over ie nothing much gets done in the course of a day, and it is bed time already.  As the famous saying goes ... how did I find time to go to work, day in and day out, back in those dark days?

We just returned from Boston, Munich & Berlin for 2.5 weeks.  The former to attend the 50th anniversary of my singing group at Tufts, the Beelzebubs, the voices behind Sing-Off and Glee ... two hugely successful TV programs in America (more on this later) and the latter was leisure.  

I know I have unfinished posts still sitting in note form on my Istanbul cooking sojourn, my Burma exploration with the girls, and of course our Abercrombie experience in Italy but to resuscitate my blogging I need to start with this latest journey.  I must work fast before dementia catches up with me, that much I know and I ask for your forgiveness.