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.