KAOHSIUNG

I in fact have a bit of history with this southern Taiwanese city, way back when, in the late 50s to early 60s. My late Uncle Tang Tai-Meng left China with Chiang Kai Shek in 1948 as a young naval officer, a graduate of the Tsingtao Naval Academy. Promoted through the ranks, including training in Annapolis with the U.S. Naval Academy, he became a flag officer based in the naval base in Zuoying which is now a station on the KMRT line. We are a KMT family (who lost everything in 1949 and fled the Bamboo Curtain) so many summers I was sent to Zuoying to be with my cousins to be brainwashed and to learn Mandarin .... no Putonghua then.

I have not been here for a while and I am pleasantly surprised by how orderly, clean and well run she is. With just a little over 1.5 million occupying 153.6 sq km it is a small city that also offers the quaint aspects of a natural harbor village. She was colonized by Japan between 1895 - 1945 and one can still see the influence in the older parts of town, in old municipal buildings, old train stations, and old homes etc which carry this 'Southern Fukien cum Colonial Japan' architectural style, quite unique.

The Mayor of Kaohsiung, the bedrock of the Green Camp, is a Tiger Lady. A strong willed and effiicient politician who does not take fools easy, if at all. From casual conversations I struck up with people the past few day she is a respected leader in the first instance, hence the following. I see a well managed, environmentally friendly city, I see happy faces, I see helmeted and fashionably geared families on a bicycle ride in the evenings, I see a talented er-hu soloist performing modern classics along the Love River ie Kaohsiung's answer to the Seine, complete with the East & West banks vs Right & Left in Paris, I see a young jazz singer with her rendition of Sinatra's Fly Me to the Moon in Mandarin, I see dog parks that we in Hong Kong tries to rid, I see one book store after another on main street, mobed by avid readers of all ages who spread themselves on the floor without fear of harrassment, I see clean buses and mass transit that run on time, for an oderly crowd like in Japan. I see, I see, and I see .... it is such a refreshing change to see how a city can quietly and effectively work, without the fanfare our NATO (No Action Talk Only) government prefers.

Kaohsiung is worth a visit, if you can trust this wandering retiree. More blogs to follow, I have to check out now, regrettably.

'TSE SEE YIN'

The 3 characters in Chinese are literally translated as 'thank - teacher - banquet' .... or losely, a party to show appreciation to your teacher for his or her efforts. It used to be a big deal in the calendar when we were in secondary school, when an Organizing Committee was formed to oversee proceedings. When my Mentor made the decision to move on, I gathered enough courage to invite him to dinner at home, with the promise to show case, as much as I can, what I learned, or rather what he taught. I also invited several others who brought him to HK 6 years ago, to help celebrate his successful tenure. To do so I prepared a 9-course tasting menu, including a couple of my own entree ideas, like the 'Mini Breakfast' in the picture. It was more scary than finals at LCB. I know I must be at the top of my game ever, as a home cook. My mise-en-place was military precision, and I practiced each recipe at least twice before curtain time last Friday.

DONOVAN COOKE 'TSE SEE YIN' MENU

* Fresh Crabmeat in Aspic
* Mini Breakfast
* Cold Borscht
* Seafood Cocotte
* Asparagus & Mushroom Risotto with 3 Cheeses
* Baked Sea Bass in Dill Butter
* Roast Game Hen with Braised Endives & Glazed Carrots
* Poached Pears in Red Wine with Chantilly Cream
* Galliano Souffle

My adrenalin went wild in the kitchen. I cannot get over the challenge of serving the chef who patiently taught me how, step by step, it was a natural high for me. We had a memorable evening, due to the friendship, the sharing, the fine wines and at the end of the list, my food .... but man, it is good enough for me. Donovan told me I passed, which kept me up all night.

'MINI BREAKFAST TOWER'

Wheat Toast / Butter / Vegemite / Chunk Marmalade / Mushroom / Crispy Bacon / Tomato / Melted Smoked Cheddar / Quail Egg

DONOVAN COOKE IS LEAVING US!

Hailed from the North of England, Hull in Yorkshire to be exact, my Mentor and Friend was cooking at home when he was barely 9. At 15 he was working part-time at the canteen of one of BP's industrial operations nearby. At 18, after taking the highest scores at his catering college, his Dad sent him to London. Equipped with youth, raw ambition to take on the culinary world, determination to succeed and not much else he was employed by the Savoy, and the rest is history. Speaking of history, if you walk into the Savoy and ask for the 'Savoy Sandwich' you will taste his first ever creation ie cold veal, gruyere cheese, lettuce and tomato on a toasted baguette. It is still a popular item on the Bar Menu, today, in 2010.

From the Savoy his next stop was the Waterside Inn, where he spent 3.5 years with his first Mentor Michel Roux. Donovan was promoted to Chef de Partie, no small feat at the time because Waterside was at the head of the leagues table. Then came his second Mentor, none other than the legendary - or notorious to some - Marco Pierre White in the early 90's. He joined Harvey's and within 2-weeks was promoted to Head Chef. Assisting Marco to open Marco Pierre White (now how did someone come up with such an unassuming and original name for a restaurant, you might ask) this 3-star Michelin experience in the heart of London gave new meaning to his career aspirations. He called this period 'Finishing School' and he finished with honors alright.

Then came time for self-development, what follows may shed light on what he is about. Firstly, he attended the Academie Culinaire de France in London where he scored 97 out of 100 in an open cooking competition. Apparently 3 points were deducted as penalty for refusing to wear his torque, his neckerchief and for dirty kitchen footwear. It was classic behavior of a talented but rebellious 25 year old Wannabe! Putting that behind him , South of France was next as he wanted a taste of the real thing, in French. He joined La Cote St Jacques as Chef for a year before the next chapter.

With confidence and zest Donovan arrived at the shores of Melbourne in the mid 90s and almost immediately opened Miatta, which lasted like a rainbow, due to his inexperience. He turned to a butcher's factory instead to learn about meat before opening Est Est Est which won 3-Hats (the equivalent of Michelin Stars Down Under) within 24 months. Luxe, a wine bar cum cellar cum restaurant was next, followed by Ondine in 2002, his first fine dining venture. He was a smashing success, per the Age Food Guide in Melbourne and made Chef of the Year in 2003.

Donovan came to Hong Kong in 2004 to head the Derby at the HKJC where he redefined not only the dining culture of its conservative membership, but fine dining in our village generally.

A known entity in the tight culinary fraternity, in part due to his seniority in what I label the 'MM' or 'Marco Mafia' including Gordon Ramsey @ Maze, Hester Blumenthal @ Fat Duck, Shannon Bennett @ Vue de Monde etc his network is strong. You need a table at anywhere 'big', call Donovan, chances are he can fix it for you.

What is your cooking philosophy, Donovan? 'What I do is a modern take on classical recipes, with emphasis on flavors and quality of ingredients. I do not want to complicate my food, but Ido want to incorporate new approaches such as slow cooking, olive oil confit etc I also agree with Marco that rather than creativity, we had lots of refinements in cooking over the years. The wheel is always round and as chefs we just keep putting new tyres on'. Having spent almost 6 years in Asia he does not practice Fusion Cooking per se, nor is he a covert to Molecular Gastronomy. God bless him, I am just so relieved.

Donovan is happily married to the beautiful Tani from the Philippines. They are drowned in parenting bliss, notably by Alfred, their 6-month old son.

My dear wife thinks I am so serious with this blog. Yes, guilty as charged, as it reads like a candidate letter from my previous life ... old headhunter habits die hard. But why not, I want to share this and this is the best way I know how.

Good on you Mate, and good luck in your new venture back home in Melbourne, Donovan!

FATHER'S DAY 2010

I want to do something different this year, I want to spend Father's Day, alone. Father's Day is a brilliant invention by Hallmark, next to Mother's Day of course and whatever else their marketing team comes up with. I am cynical as I get older, I think every day can be Father's Day as long as a child is prepared to make it happen. Why today then? I know it is a strange move but after years of feasting rituals on Dad's Day with the family, all of a sudden I feel the urge to reflect. What kind of a father am I? What have I done as the father? Did I make any impact on my daughters? If so, what are they and if not, why? I pose these questions as I see my role of 'father' becoming less relevant, let alone significant, as in yester years. I will never forget those wonderful Kodak moments - light years ago - when I had to quietly enter our home in the evening to avoid the stampede of 3 cheering girls, and 2 barking dogs. Could those be the most glorious days of fatherhood for me? I am a Pisces, a hopeless romantic who tends to let sentiments and emotions run wild. I am told I should be a lot more confident in this space but I am what I am, suspicious and worried.

I was offered a good package by Swire Travels to visit Kaohsiung so I took it. I want the opportunity to reflect, to let my thoughts wander, and to put them into words if I can. I found out from my Cordon Bleu sojourn that being alone makes one prolific, as one can stay focused, without being plagued by the mundane day-to-day activities. To me it is the best form of therapy at this stage of my life.

So here I am .... 49 floors high, at the The Splendor, in downtown Kaohsiung. Watch this space!

QUOTABLE QUOTE

A hilarious and original exchange from 'Sex in the City 2' .......

Mr Big : Let us eat at home, what is for dinner Honey?
Mrs Preston aka Corrie Bradshaw or Sara Jessica Parker : You know when you married me I am more Coco Chanel than Coq Au Vin!

SHE IS BACK!

After almost 18 months at the Kingston Garage in Chai Wan with Ah Kin my 4th daughter is finally home! It was a very long wait but well worth it as she is like new, 1980 new, that is. The interior is especially impressive, because Ah Kin has such high standards. He has been serving her since 25 years ago and we ie him, me and this baby grew old together over quarter of a century. I still have the metal plate on the engine bloc, signed by a Porsche factory inspector, before she left Stuttgart in 1979. She was a limited Jubilee model edition with the unique champagne color, and a 2994 cc engine that purrs at 3000 rpm 'where life begins' in the Porsche dictionary. She was also the last 911 SC sold in Hong Kong. Despite all the sexy gadgets and software, the new models have less character, not to mention they make drivers lazy.

Did you see the license plate? A different story altogether. For fun, I successfully bid for a personalized plate before I left for LCB that says 'I COOK' which the girls thought was tacky and stupid. It was not meant to be as she was out of commission for so long, the deadline was passed. They urged me to bid again, on something closer to my life style. 'RETIRED' was the unanimous vote. Surprisingly two others like the idea so much they were engaged in our mini bidding war at the auction. I persisted and won, since the $ goes to charity. At the Transport Department the officer wondered aloud why I chose such an unusual plate. 'You do not look retired', she said and my reply, ' ... but the lady is'!

'MOSES'

Moses passed away suddenly but quietly yesterday, after a long and happy 12 years as a solid member of the Tang family. A baby chinchilla in a beautiful milky white coat with light mosaic patches (hence Moses, or Mosie or simply Moe) Jess and I took him home about a year before she left for Deerfield. Moses was a happy pet. He loved being with people, especially when he was wrapped with a soft blankie and held .... a classic pose with his favorite human, Jess. He was a brave soul, contesting his canine cousins over the years including Sage, Egas & Kaya at home, and of course Katz, Papagano & Jello when they visit. You should see his defiant pose, standing up in his full glory .... in his cage ..... it must be so scary for the doggies. A connoisseur, Moses would only snack on unsalted, imported almonds from Australia, and fruity mousse from Germany. Spolied? Why not, family traditions, what else is new? His all time favorite was having his neck and under belly massaged, and who would'nt? Moses may be gone but he is not far away. His final resting place is at the grounds of our home in Carolina, under a few palm trees, next to two cousins - Morgwei & Petri - Andrea's guinea pigs.

Our family is blessed by 12 wonderful years of having Moses among us. We will all miss him so very much. Moses is now at a happy place where there is eternal peace, where he can play with Leroy, Gus, Egas, Sage and all his cousins. Say a prayer for him, will you?

THE SISTERS

This fine portrait was taken yesterday at a family reunion lunch to welcome our #7 Auntie, my mother's youngest sister, who is visiting from Oregon with her daughter and grandchildren. My friends, you are looking at a cumulative age of 336 years, even more momentous is their 336 years of life experience on this planet. From the left; Auntie #3 at 85, #7 at 82, Mom at 89 & #4 at 80! Talking about 'After 80' - a recent catch phrase to capture the mood of youngsters born after 1980 in Hong Kong- this group of grannies is the real thing, and it is just marvelous.

When I retired I was introduced to a wonderful book, 'Claiming Your Place at the Fire' by Leider & Shapiro. The title depicts the time honored principle of one generation passing knowledge and experience to the next. The 'fire' refers to the meeting point, in anthropology terms, where natives gather in the evenings. The elders have the best seats ie the innermost ring around the fire, the next generation forms the middle ring, and the most junior at the outermost ring. This is the time when history is defined, leadership instated, relationships affirmed, communal values shared, but most importantly it is when wisdom is passed on. Not much has changed since that inaugural meeting around a camp fire, has it? One only has to take a peep at any Board Meeting of an organized business, voila!

Our daughters have a famous expression when they are bored with our sermons, or when they are about to lose an argument with us .... Mom & Dad, this is my life! Granted it is a fact, they do not realize how much they have missed by passing up invaluable opportunities to learn from the older generations. Girls, spend time with 'The Sisters', and discover what they can offer.

BARE ESSENTIALS

Feeling hungry on a Saturday morning? Feeling the stomach's call for re-alignment? Feeling the need for comfort food? "Sung Kee Congee" in Central is your answer. In my quest for the perfect bowl of street corner congee (since retirement) which replaces my quest for the perfect blue blazer that does not crease on long flights (before retirement) .... this eatery, per my humble palate, has a firm grip of the Oscar!

Definition of the Bare Essentials at this Shrine of Cantonese Congee :
* a congee combo, be creative, mix the ingredients, notably fish belly & bones
* a fritter aka fried dough, ideally piping hot & crispy - do ignore the oiliness
* a bowl of special dipping sauce with fine julienne of ginger, scallion, red & green chilis
* a splash of fine white pepper, the local version which carries a distinct flavor

I am sorry I cannot give you the address in Chinese, just look for Hillier Street, at the intersection of Bonham Strand. The 'liao dien' is in fact on a tiny side lane off Hillier but it has since expanded to 3-4 locations on Hillier, with identical large signs in red lettering you cannot miss. Sung Kee now offers the full range of 'cha charn teng' fares, beef brisket noodles in consomme, and even hot pots in the winter but regardless, one can always order from the congee list at all their outlets. The original shop, however, has the added value of nostalgia, the 'so this was how it all started' feel, which is well worth the wait - outside on the curb, that is. Lastly, avoid the rush hours!

THE CHAIRMAN

One of my retirement past-time is to help Dora and our girls at DMLC - DOORS Method Learning Centre - on the management of the business. For this 'exceptional sacrifice' I am addressed as Chairman, even though most of the time it is in jest. To the girls and our son-in-law, the Chairman's pre-birthday dinner should take place at none other than 'The Chairman'. This new establishment at Kau U Fong in Central is so popular we are talking about 4+ weeks for dinner reservations. It is billed as 'the best new Cantonese restaurant in town', a claim that I can fully appreciate after a sumptuous treat by our children last night. I learned the following formula from top chefs at Le Cordon Bleu ie .... the most fresh ingredients, simply prepared with attention, plainly but appetizingly presented with love = the best dishes any decent cook can produce. Well, I guess this is precisely what The Chairman is targetting.

To name a few of their House Specials :

* minced pork & preserved/salted fish cakes
* pork kaffir lime cakes
* deep fried 'Lion Fish'
* 10-beans broth
* braised bean curd skin rolls in morel sauce
* satay prawns
* ribs in plum sauce
* steamed crabs in wine sauce with 'Chen Tsuen Noodles'
* braised pork belly in 'Mui Choi' soaked in red date juice
* 18-taste chicken
* plain congee with ginko nuts
* home made 'Ge Tze' or 'Ginger' flavored ice cream

One real delight is their service, which is excellent! The staff is friendly and engaging, they smile and they think ahead as they serve. I always like to quote Jimmy Lai aka Fei Lo Lai, Chairman of the Next Group who redefines 'service' when he launced Giordano. His famous words '.... service is not a technical skill, it is one's attitude on life .... '

The Chairman is definitely on our 'revisit' list which, of late, has become horrifyingly long. Whether it is the low standards of my threshold due to greed, or the high standards of these new eateries I can never be sure, suffice to say that if you have not been to The Chairman,you ought to. One last comment, goodness comes with a price tag.

Thank you Terri, Andrea, Jess & Fergus for introducing us to such a perfect meal!