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November 2007, Volume 3, Issue 11 |
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utumn is finally here, and what better way to begin to welcome the fall AND the ensuing holiday season than with everyone's favorite treat? This month, New Asian Cuisine is all about chocolate, and we've got renowned chocolatier Kee Ling Tong sitting AT THE TABLE to share her secrets about her perfect mouthwatering morsels. |
Equally delicious are the tastes of Thanksgiving, though standard turkey-time fare gets kicked up a notch, thanks to recipes for an Asian-style Thanksgiving dinner, borrowed from some of our favorite chefs. From Survivor's Becky Lee who is our AMUSE BOUCHE to Top Chef's Lee Anne Wong, your favorite reality show contestants (and foodies!) weigh in on what makes their palates tick, and with recipes galore, this month's issue of New Asian Cuisine is sure to keep your kitchen busy, your mind as sharp as your knives, and your taste buds hungry for more. And did we mention all of the chocolate?
As always, we love to hear from you, our favorite foodies! E-mail info@newasiancuisine.com with questions, comments, and other tasty tidbits.
Wendy Chan & Grace Niwa
Producers & Co-Authors
New Asian Cuisine
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NEW ASIAN CUISINE POLL |
Sponsored By  |
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AMUSE-BOUCHE WITH BECKY LEE |
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Becky Lee gained national attention as the third-place winner on "Survivor; Cook Islands", and now she's working to focus that attention on advocacy for battered women. An attorney and advocate living Washington D.C., Lee was raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by South Korean parents. Surviving the Cook Islands was easy for the tenacious Lee, whose positive attitude and ambition carried her through the ultimate test in endurance and are now carrying her on to bigger and more important things, such as her year-old non-profit organization Becky's Fund, which is dedicated to domestic violence awareness, advocacy, and activism, especially for immigrant women. New Asian Cuisine talked to Lee about her strong beginnings, strong "Survivor" presence, and strong future as an advocate for women from all over the globe.
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Becky's Favorite Restaurants & Grocery Stores |
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Favorite Restaurants |
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| Grocery Stores |
Eastern Market for fresh produce and fruit
7th Street & North Carolina Avenue, SE Washington, D.C.
www.easternmarketdc.com
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Han Ah Reum for great Korean food and groceries
www.hmart.com |
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AT THE TABLE WITH KEE LING TONG |
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In the heart of New York's stylishly bohemian neighborhood of SoHo, a chocolate shop sets the scene for a whirlwind of activity. Amidst the freshly handmade truffles, bonbons, and vibrant macaroons, owner and chef Kee Ling Tong rolls and fills the sweets that have put Kee's Chocolates on the map. Tong opened the shop in 2002, after graduating from the French Culinary Institute. Originally a chocolate and flower shop, the decadent delicacies in flavors such as Black Sesame, Honey Saffron, Smoked Salt and Thai Chili quickly eclipsed the flowers, and Tong decided to just focus on her chocolates. How lucky for customers! With over 40 types of confections that use fresh ingredients from around the world, Kee's Chocolates is a little slice of heaven amidst the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. We managed to catch chocolatier Tong during a rare, quiet moment; the eye of a whirling cocoa hurricane.
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ASIAN RESTAURANT NEWS CORNER |
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New Asian Cuisine has partnered with Asian Restaurant News to produce this monthly column. ARN is a nationally circulated trade magazine, and will help to keep us in the know about Asian restaurant industry’s news. You can reach ARN at 1-888-727-8881 or visit them at www.a-r-n.net . |
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Desserts for Holidays & Every Day By Dr. Jacqueline M Newman, Editor-in-Chief of Flavor & Fortune
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Desserts are decadent, delicious and designed to be enjoyed. They have been since man located the first sweet food. Those who do not know Chinese and other Asian food histories think their culture, whatever it may be, knew about desserts long before the Chinese did. How wrong they are. Sweets were known in Han dynasty times
(206 BCE to 220 CE), and before. They were even part of Neolithic cultures. How do we know? As sure as kids like to put their hands in the cookie jar, there was the first man who put his into a nest of honey. He used that find to mix with other foods to sweeten them; and he used honey to make wines, not the grape wines we know today, but the grain wines of yesteryear. Sweet wines are mentioned on oracle bones and in early books such as the I-Ching, also known as the Book of Changes. What else is known? Dessert, in the dictionary, means: Sweets usually served last at dinner or other meals. The word sweet or kan, is one of China’s (and the world’s) five basic tastes. The use of glutinous rice in dishes is of such prominence that this very food item is called ‘sweet rice.’ In addition, early Chinese wines were first used for sacrificial purposes,
and they were sweet.
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Asian Sweets By Dr. Jacqueline M Newman, Editor-in-Chief of Flavor & Fortune
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By the time of the Sung dynasty, cane sugar, called thang, was a dominant sweetener in the Chinese diet, as it was in the diets of those in other Asian countries. Sugar is mentioned in various Han dynasty poems and in other early written records. It is discussed as kanche or chuche, as a reed growing in south China. It is suggested as a valuable beverage to counter drunkenness. As early as the eighth century BCE, sugar canes are chewed; then they are called shihmi. Hard sugar cakes are chewed as well, but made from malted sugars, not sugar canes. Both of these sweeteners are to be had in what is now Hanoi, as well as in many areas of southern China. A publication titled Thang Suan Phu, written by Wang Cho, is about cane sugar use in earlier days. It was published circa 1154 CE, when cane sugar was not the only sweetener used. Malted cakes were another; they were called ‘stone sugar.’ Both were significant sweeteners in Chinese and Vietnamese diets. These ‘stone cakes’ were made by soaking grains of wheat or rice in water, allowing them to sprout, drying them in the sun, cooking them, and when dried again, cutting them into cakes. Both of these made their way to other countries in Asia and their use was so important that these confections became supplemental delicacies, were popularly traded and sent to the royal court as
tribute items
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Asian Sweets Recipes
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ASIAN KITCHEN FILES |
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Let's talk turkey. More specifically, let's talk turkey that isn't the same old Thanksgiving bird. New Asian Cuisine went to some of our favorite chefs to get recipes for a cutting edge, flavorful meal that won't leave you passed out in front of a football game. At least, not from boredom. We can't help the tryptophan.
New Asian Cuisine Thanksgiving Recipes
 Modern Spirits Pumpkin Pie Cocktail Recipes by Litty Mathew,
Founder of Modern Spirits
Roasted Apple and Kabocha Squash Galette by Rachel Yang, Co-owner and Executive Chef, Joule
Ginger Scented Pumpkin Bread Pudding by Philippe Chin, CuiZine
Tandoori Turkey by Heather Carlucci Rodriguez, LASSI
Ginger Chutney by Heather Carlucci Rodriguez, LASSI
Brussels Sprouts by Irene Wong, Independent Producer, IW Productions
Sticky Rice Stuffing by Irene Wong, Independent Producer, IW Productions
Michelob Slow-Braised Duck by Lawrence C. C. Chu
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Sticky Rice Stuffing by Irene Wong |
Brussels Sprouts by Irene Wong |
Chef Lawrence C. C. Chu |
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SWEET TALK WITH PICHET |
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WHAT’S IN SEASON |
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Lotus Seeds and Lotus Roots |
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The lotus plant is exceptionally versatile, and is of great importance to the foods of East Asia. The leaves, seeds, and roots can be prepared in a variety of ways, served sweet or savory. The seeds on their own are popular snacks, but are often paired with red beans, especially in soups and in Mid-Autumn festival Moon Cakes. Paste made from lotus seeds is used widely in Chinese and Japanese pastries and cakes. Lotus roots are quite healthy--low in fat while rich in Vitamin C and fiber--and are treated as a vegetable, used as an ingredient in stir-fries, soups, and curries, and even fried as chips. Sliced raw, lotus root looks like a flower and has a texture that's similar to a water chestnut. You can purchase lotus seeds and roots in several forms; fresh, dried, crystallized, powdered, as a paste. It's easy to substitute lotus root for other starchy vegetables, so swing by the market, pick up some lotus seeds or roots, and get cooking! |
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FLAVORS OF ASIA |
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Sesame Seeds and Sesame Oil |
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Derived from seeds of the same name, sesame oil is valued for its rich, nutty flavor. It is an especially popular additive to Chinese and Korean cuisine, though not as a cooking oil, as it is quite delicate. Instead, sesame oil is added in sauces and marinades, or drizzled on hot entrees right at the final stages of cooking. When sesame seeds are toasted (and you can do it yourself, in a dry saute pan over a burner), the seeds add a light crunch to your favorite dishes. The black and white varieties of sesame seeds combine well with both salty and sweet foods, and some chocolatiers even use them to coat truffles! Sesame seed paste is commonly used in Szechuan cooking, and all forms of the sesame seed are rich in protein and calcium. |
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HERE’S TO YOUR HEALTH |
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Dark Chocolate |
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Looking for a reason to indulge in dark chocolate on a regular basis? You're in luck--your favorite treat is chock-full of antioxidants and has been shown to work wonders when it comes to lowering high blood pressure. Dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids, plant pigments that have anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties. Studies have shown that eating a small amount of dark chocolate every day can help prevent heart disease, and that the antioxidant properties of dark chocolate are even greater than green tea or red wine, other foods that are touted for their delectable health benefits. While chowing down on handfuls of chocolate isn't a good idea (after all, there's still the calorie count to consider!) and studies have only proven dark chocolate (not milk or white chocolate), clearly this is good news for chocolate lovers everywhere. The next time you indulge in a rich, pungent bar of dark chocolate, savor it, without feeling guilty. After all, when you eat dark chocolate, you're eating healthy! |
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LET’S EAT OUT |
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Though global cuisines differ from country to country, there seems to be one flavor that unites the palates of the world. Chocolate, of course! Restaurants and cafes dedicated to the sweet stuff have cropped up all over, from Canada to Singapore to everywhere in between. Whether you're looking for a comprehensive buffet of anything and everything chocolate, or a sophisticated cocoa twist on savory fare, these places have you covered.
From east coast to west, the United States has an array of chocolate goodies to choose from. Bostonians treasure the chocolate buffet at The Langham Hotel, a |
wonderland of truffles, trifles, cakes, cookies, crepes, and a chocolate fountain. Down South, Decatur, Georgia residents (or hungry road-trippers) adore The Chocolate Bar and its sophisticated three-course small plate tasting menu, complete with wine pairings. Fine cheeses, charcuterie plates, and signature cocktails round off The Chocolate Bar's menu, making this a one-stop dining must for chocolate lovers with a touch of class.
The Peppercorn Duck Club at the Hyatt Regency in Kansas City, Missouri, doesn't sound like a destination for chocoholics. Don't be fooled! This beacon of chocolaty taste is renowned for The Ultra Chocolatta Dessert Bar, a buffet of chocolate desserts that's complimentary with dinner. FREE CHOCOLATE? It doesn't get
any better.
Ok, so most of us associate Canada with snow, bears and hockey, but chocolate? Forget its ice-cold reputation; Vancouver is a red-hot hot spot for chocolate lovers, specifically, The Sutton Place Hotel. Their sinful chocolate buffet, called The Chocoholic Bar, serves up a delectable spectrum of chocolate favorites, guaranteed to put a smile on your chocolate-coated face.
Moving across the pond, in the off-the-beaten-path (to American tourists, anyway) town of Kendal, England, The Chocolate Restaurant at The 1657 Chocolate House serves up over a dozen chocolate drinks and several handmade chocolate gateaux that might make Kendal the best-kept secret in the UK..
Finally, luscious chocolate bliss awaits you in Singapore, where the chocolate buffet at The Fullerton Hotel is best enjoyed with a glass of dessert wine and a passion for indulgence. Available Thursday through Saturday in the post-dinner hours, this experience will give a sweet evening out an even sweeter conclusion. |
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Chocolate Buffets Around the World
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THE BUZZ |
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Jehangir Mehta Opens Graffiti in NYC
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Jehangir Mehta recently opened Graffiti food and wine bar in NYC's East Village. A nationally celebrated pastry chef, Mehta's new digs feature his trademark desserts with bold flavors and spices, like chilis, sambhar, tumeric and star anise, and offers a comprehensive fabulous wine list. Graffiti can also provide catering to meet all of your needs for private or special events.
224 East 10th Street, NYC 10003
Tel: 212-677-0695
http://graffitinyc.com/index.html
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Jehangir Mehta, owner of Graffiti
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The informal table setting in Graffiti, which employs Chinese newspapers as place mats, and cute chopsticks.
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Ruby Tuesday Experiments with Fast/Casual Asian Concept
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Ruby Tuesday's pleases casual diners all over the world with its signature menu of classic American comfort foods. These days, the restaurant is eager to expand its repertoire and experiment with some new flavors, and they're got just the venue to do it. Ruby Tuesdays has just purchased Wok Hay Fresh Asian Diner--previously a locally-owned, self-service restaurant--in Knoxville, Tennessee. T he menu will remain the same, so Wok Hay will continue to serve traditional favorites such as General Tso's chicken, moo goo gai pan and Malaysian curry, as well as "Singapore Noodles"-- rice noodles with tomatoes, Napa cabbage, carrots, cilantro scallions and peanut sauce, topped with a choice of beef, chicken, vegetables, shrimp or scallops. While Ruby Tuesdays will keep their focus on running Wok Hay as a single establishment for now, plans for expansion have not been ruled out. |
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NEW ASIAN CUISINE FAVORITE ASIAN FOOD BLOGS |
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NEW ASIAN CUISINE MONTHLY CULINARY CALENDAR |
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Deluxe Birds Nest Herbal Dinner in San Gabriel, CA
November 9, 2007
Watch out for an exclusive US debut of a deluxe Birds Nest Herbal Dinner on November 9, 2007 co-hosted by leading global TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) company Eu Yan Sang and Wing Hop Fung of Monterey Park, CA.
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Place: San Gabriel Hilton Hotel
The six-course meal will feature ancient herbal secrets infused with modern day cooking techniques and will include highly prized ingredients such as Bird’s Nest and Abalone.
Admission for the Bird’s Nest Herbal Banquet is $368.00 per person and can be purchased by contacting Wing Hop Fung’s wholesale office at (323) 940-8888. Tickets can also be purchased at Wing Hop Fung’s Chinatown and Monterey Park store locations. |
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Top 100 Chinese Restaurant in USA Award 2007
November 11, 2007
The 4th annual Top 100 Chinese Restaurants in USA Awards ceremony will be held in New York City on Sunday, November 11, 2007 at 2:30 p.m. The event will be held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center during Culture Food New York, a two-day trade show showcasing Asian, Hispanic, and Kosher food and beverages all under one roof. For more information, please visit: www.top100chineserestaurants.com |
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Cultural Food Expo New York
November 11-12th, 2007
Jacob K. Javits Center
In direct response to the continued surge and opportunity for ethnic food and beverage, Cultural Food was launched as a new brand to highlight the next generation of ethnic food and beverage business events and online communities. For more information, go to http://www.culturalfoodexpo.com/east07/public/enter.aspx |
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Asian Cuisine and the American Culinary Landscape
November 13
Place: Asian/Pacific/American Institute, Cantor Film Center
Theater 101, 36 East 8th Street, NY 10003
Time: 6 - 8 PM
Sponsored by New York University's Asian/Pacific/American Institute, and hosted by acclaimed cookbook author Kathy Gunst, the resident chef on Public Radio International's ``Here and Now,'' this event is a rare opportunity to explore the Asian roots of American cuisine and taste authentic Asian cooking.Co-sponsored by The James Beard Foundation with support from the Food & Wine program at NYU's School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS).
About the presenters:
Grace Young is an International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) award winning cookbook author of The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen and co-author of The Breath of a Wok.
Amy Besa, owner of Cendrillon, a Filipino restaurant in New York, is the IACP award-winning co-author of Memories of Philippine Kitchens.
Maya Kaimal is the author of Curried Favors (IACP award winner) and Savoring the Spice Coast of India, and creator of Maya Kaimal Fine Indian Foods.
Kathy Gunst appears regularly on Public Radio International's ``Here and Now.'' She is the author of nine cookbooks including her most recent Stonewall Kitchen Favorites.
More information please visit:
http://www.nyu-apastudies.org/event.php?type=1_event&event_id=211 |
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Asia Circle Event With Top Chef's Padma Lakshmi
November 15
Tangy Tart Hot & Sweet: Cooking with Padma Lakshmi Place: Asia Society
25 Park Avenue at 70th Street
Time: 6:30 PM
Fee: $15 Asia Circle members, $25 Non-members
RSVP by November 13, by phone at (212) 517-ASIA or by fax at (212) 517-8315
Join Padma Lakshmi – award-winning cookbook author, internationally renowned actress and model, and host of Bravo’s smash hit Top Chef – for a discussion devoted to one of her passions in life, cooking. Padma is no stranger to food; her first cookbook, Easy Exotic, won the 1999 Versailles World Cookbook Fair Award for Best First Cookbook. In her latest book, Tangy Tart Hot & Sweet, Padma draws on her culinary experiences from around the world – including, of course, Asia – to create her own unique recipes for mouth-watering dishes. As Jeffrey Steingarten, acclaimed food critic of Vogue magazine and Iron Chef judge, engages Padma in conversation, hear first hand what inspires her and how she creates those unforgettable treats.The discussion will be followed by a book signing and reception with Padma. |
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Special Diwali Tasting Menu at Devi
Nov 16-25
Dévi
Address: 8 East 18th Street, between Fifth and Broadway, New York, NY 10003
Website: www.devinyc.com
Reservation Phone Number :212-691-1300
Dévi will be offering a special five-course "Diwali: Hindu Festival of Lights" Tasting Menu paired with wines in honor of the goddess of good fortune from November 16 to November 25. Price is $125 per person, exclusive of tax and gratuities.
(Note: There will be a 20% discount on all Dévi menus through November 21st. Dévi is closed on Thanksgiving.)
DIWALI TASTING MENU
Spinach Chaat
crispy spinach leaves, black chickpeas, spiced yogurt sauce, chickpea noodles
Shrimp, Calamari and Sweet Pepper Fritto Misto "Kachri"
curry leaf scented tomato sauce
Bombay-Style "Koliwada" Halibut
lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, scallions, naan croutons
Goat Cheese-Garam Masala Pesto-Stuffed Chicken
saffron-currant-spice scented rice pilaf
Emperor's Morsel "Shahi Tukra"
Indian bread pudding, cardamom cream, candied almonds |
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OUTSOURCE IT, TAILOR IT
Nov 22
Place:
Vermilion
10 West Hubbard
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 527 4060
http://www.thevermilionrestaurant.com/
No, it’s not back-end software! We’re talking about outsourcing Thanksgiving to us if you’re exhausted playing host and not animated about the role….. Bring family and join us for our “Herb & Spice” renegade interpretation of Thanksgiving (sold out last year & hailed for our "unabashed innovation" by Bon Appetit). Ideal semi-private spaces available + the most boisterous family gets a round of champagne on us!
If ho-hum turkey and dry stuffing sound unexciting, spice it with our feast which consists of an Indian mango cumin rub grilled turkey breast, served with a Colombian yucca flour cake bread; Indian sarson ka saag for greens; Brazilian herb tossed candied baby beets; a panch-puran ginger cranberry chutney. Dessert is a pumpkin tres leches served on a mint flavored seviyan – a meal to truly give thanks for ($50)!! Large groups are also offered a choice of from the three Vermilion custom rubs (mango-cumin, madras curry or tandoori), with advance reservations. Or for a partial-outsource and a hassle-free host at home solution, order the Vermilion Thanksgiving Feast To Go ($40 per head).
(11:30am- 10pm, Reservations at 312.527.4060. Take out available.) |
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Zabar's with Chef David Bank
November 24-25
Sponsored by Zojirushi
Chef David Bank, Land Thai Kitchen
Time:1 - 4 pm Saturday, November 24
Place: Zabar's Gourmet Market, 2245 Broadway, New York
Time:1- 4 pm Sunday, November 25
Place: JR Kitchen Appliances Store, 23 Park Row, New York
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newsletter@newasiancuisine.com
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