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Chicken Soup for the Soul’ series to launch food line Posted: 25 Aug 2012 08:51 PM PDT Chicken Soup for the Soul food line. — Afp pic LOS ANGELES, Aug 26 — The creators of Chicken Soup for the Soul, the popular life improvement book series, is releasing a line of comfort foods in the US that will — of course — include the broken heart's penicillin: chicken soup.  Set to launch in 2013, the food range will debut with a line of seven soups, led by chicken soup with egg noodles and vegetables.  Other soups to follow will include creamy tomato, mushroom barley, squash, sweet corn, chipotle and black bean, all packaged in homey mason jars.  The segway into the food industry is pitched on the premise of the feel-good series that features a collection of short stories, anecdotes and motivational essays meant to serve as a tonic for the downtrodden and broken-hearted.  By 2014, the entire food range will include more than 100 comfort foods like pot pies, casseroles and stews, in addition to gravies and broths to help shorten meal times.  With more than 100 million copies in print in 54 languages and 100 countries, the book series is also widely recognised outside the US where it originated in 1993.  It's not the first time books and food have intersected. In advance of director Peter Jackson's movie The Hobbit, for example, writers have been jotting down hobbit recipes into cookbooks.  JRR Tolkien scholar Astrid Tuttle Winegar, for instance, is said to be releasing a book called A Hobbits's Cookbook: Eleventy-one Sweets, Snacks, And Savories Inspired by Middle-Earth, while California-based cookbook writer Georgeanne Brennan is also set to release The Unofficial Hobbit Cookbook in future.  Meanwhile, if you need a little pick-me-up, consider popping a few berries, chocolate or sipping on tea, which were recently found to have the same properties as anti-depressants. — Afp-Relaxnews

Britain’s top 10 restaurants revealed Posted: 25 Aug 2012 02:39 AM PDT Good Food Guide 2013. — AFP-Relaxnews pic LONDON, Aug 25 — The British version of the Michelin guide has crowned celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck the best restaurant in the UK for the fifth year in a row. In advance of The Good Food Guide's publication September 3, editors released the top 10 restaurants across the UK for 2013, giving Blumenthal's famous eatery in Bray, Berkshire and L'Enclume in Cumbria a rare score of 10. L'Enclume's "hallowed" rating – the only other restaurant to nab the highest score this year – makes it a formidable rival for The Fat Duck, noted the guide's editor-in-chief Elizabeth Carter in a statement. "L'Enclume is mind-blowing," she said. "It's a world-class destination in harmony with its local community, serving food that is hard-wired to the Cumbrian soil. [Chef Simon] Rogan creates miracles from nature; he cooks what the land can provide – nothing more, nothing less. Eating at L'Enclume is a unique, almost one-to-one experience." While a 9 denotes "cooking that has reached a pinnacle of achievement, making it a hugely memorable experience for the diner," a 10 is "extremely rare" and denotes consistent perfection, according to the guide. Usual suspects The results come just as the London Olympic Games wind down, and the city prepares for a second wave of tourists for the Paralymic Games August 29. The list is full of some of the usual suspects including Restaurant Sat Bains in Nottingham, which scored the third spot, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay at the No. 4 position, and other popular dining destinations like Pollen Street Social, Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons and Hibiscus. The Ledbury also broke into the top 10 list for the first time. Meanwhile, on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list, The Fat Duck ranks 13, while Blumenthal's second restaurant Dinner at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in London ranks 9th in the world. Inspectors for The Good Food Guide include ex-restaurateurs, chefs, writers and food critics. For the full list, visit http://www.thegoodfoodguide.co.uk. — AFP-Relaxnews

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Beauty products go green! Posted: 24 Aug 2012 10:13 PM PDT MJ Lee from Advanced Apotheke believes in family-run apothecary businesses. – Pictures by Choo Choy May KUALA LUMPUR, August 25 — The term "natural beauty" takes on a whole new meaning when you look at the number of beauty products that have gone the "natural" or "green" route. In Malaysia, this trend is evident with the arrival of brands like Melvita, L'erbolario and Neil's Yard Remedies. Fans of these brands have been singing praises about these must-buy eco-friendly products since forever, of course. L'erbolario offers a wide variety of products based on essential oils. Advanced Apotheke brought in Italian brand L'erbolario to our shores back in November 2010, opening their first outlet at Bangsar Shopping Centre. There are outlets now at KLCC and One Utama as well. The company also brought in Neal's Yard Remedies, Les Fleurs Bach and Penhaligon's. "With L'erbolario, we are focused on apothecary-based products which are different from the ones already in the market. Our vision and aim is to have something special, niche; something people do not have. "We have over 550 items in our shop, comprising of bath and body products, complete sun range and 45 different lines. All of our products are essential oil-based, so each range will have a unique sense and smell," said MJ Lee, founder of Advanced Apotheke. Lee believes in family-run businesses because of the quality of artisanal business. He himself is a firm believer in pampering and for him, the only time to relax the mind is when one take's a shower or a bath because the flow of the water and herbal products heightens the senses. Relaxing the body is when someone sleeps, he said. Some of the chemical-free fragrances by L'erbolario. L'erbolario already has many fans, of which 80 per cent are Malaysians. The positive feedback and sold-out products is what encouraged Advanced Apotheke to open in strategic locations. The next L'erbolario store will be in Penang, and you can find Neal's Yard Remedies, and Penhaligon's in Isetan. Les Fleurs Bach products can also be found in the L'erbolario store in Bangsar Shopping Centre. With a background in engineering, Lee decided to open Advanced Apotheke because he loves bath and body products and is interested in apothecary. Natural products is a growing market in Malaysia. The best-selling range in L'erbolario is the Argan oil range. Argan oil, also known as Moroccan oil, is produced from the kernels of the argan tree. It has higher Vitamin E content than other oils, and is said to heal scars, slow ageing and moisturise dry skin. Consumers who are loyal followers of L'occitane may have heard of their sister company, Melvita, which opened its first store in KLCC last October. It has since expanded, with a store in Midvalley Megamall and another one in One Utama. The French brand offers Ecocert products with prices similar to L'occitane's. The Frankincense range from Neal' Yard Remedies. Melvita's face range is very popular among Malaysians, according to a salesperson who joined Melvita when it first launched in Kuala Lumpur. There are a number of bestsellers in Melvita Malaysia and after trying out the face range, most of Melvita's customers are drawn to the beauty oils and floral water, two of the best-selling ranges at the store. Smelling absolutely heavenly with hydrating and refreshing properties, the floral water is to be used after shower, right before applying any body cream. It also can be used throughout the day, whenever your skin feels dehydrated or oily. Argan oil is one of the most precious oils in the world! Light and all-natural, you can just bring the floral water wherever you go and it is suitable for both the face and body. The Melvita Malaysia stores also carry the men's and baby range. Another interesting product that you will find at Melvita is the toothpaste that is made of ingredients such as mint, strawberries and star anise. Melvita's beauty oils are plant-based ranging from Argan Oil to Rose Hip Oil and some can even be applied on hair. From the website (www.melvita.com.my), you can find the products available in the country, together with descriptions and details. Also new on the organic beauty radar is Neal's Yard Remedies which opened its first outlet in Isetan, KLCC this year. With more than 30 years of apothecary experience, using internationally certified organic ingredients, the UK-based brand is gaining popularity among Malaysians. Currently, Neal's Yard Remedies carries the face, body, hair, men's, mother and baby and aromatherapy range locally. Made from essential oils, the products are in blue glass bottles and have a shorter shelf life than other chemical-based products. There is strawberry-flavoured toothpaste for kids at Melvita. The reason why it is so is because organic ingredients are natural and do not have preservatives -- using it after more than six or 12 months may not give you the desired results. Also, light can damage the properties in the organic ingredients, hence blue glass bottles are used. For the face range, there are about five to six essential oil types. These are selected based on our hot and humid climate -- if the product is too rich, it might cause blemishes. Priced roughly around RM100 to RM200 plus, Neal's Yard Remedies is affordably-priced if you compare it to other high-end chemical-based skincare. According to a salesperson at Neal's Yard Remedies, you will only see the results of the product after a certain time. Other products show visible results instantly because of the chemicals which may be harmful to our body in the long run. At Neal's Yard Remedies KLCC, the Rejuvenating Frankincense range, an anti-ageing line that purportedly regenerates the skin, hydrating and healing it in the process is the most popular.

Pig parasite may help treat autoimmune disorders Posted: 24 Aug 2012 04:52 PM PDT A treatment involving a common pig parasite could help autoimmune disease sufferers. — sxc.hu pic BOSTON, Aug 25 — If you had a chronic and potentially debilitating condition such as rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn's disease, and swallowing the eggs of a pig parasite could help, would you do it? The team at Coronado Biosciences Inc is betting you would. The Burlington, Massachusetts, company is developing what it hopes will be the first in a new class of treatments for autoimmune conditions. Each dose of the drug consists of thousands of microscopic parasite eggs, culled from pig faeces, suspended in a tablespoon of saline solution to be swallowed. In a pig, the eggs would grow into mature whipworms and reproduce, without harming their host. In humans, the same eggs barely survive two weeks. Yet in that short period they appear to modulate a patient's immune system and prevent it from attacking the body's own tissues and organs. " It has the potential not only to be a drug but to provide insight into the cause of these diseases," said Dr Joel Weinstock, chief of gastroenterology and hepatology at Tufts-New England Medical Centre in Boston and an adviser to Coronado. The company is preparing to enrol 220 patients with Crohn's disease in a midstage clinical trial. Participants will receive either a dose with 7,500 eggs from a pig whipworm or a placebo once every two weeks for 12 weeks. Coronado's partner, German drugmaker Dr. Falk Pharma GmbH, is conducting a midstage trial of the drug, known as trichuris suis ova (TSO), in Europe. The two companies plan to share data when filing for marketing approval in 2016 or 2017. Tiny Coronado, with a market value of nearly US$139 million, went public on the Nasdaq stock exchange last December. If the company, which also has an early-stage cancer drug in development, succeeds with TSO, it will compete against multibillion-dollar drugs from Amgen Inc and Abbott Laboratories. Sales of autoimmune disease drugs are expected to grow in the mid-single-digit percentages through 2016, from US$34 billion (RM105 billion) in 2010, according to market research firm BCC Research. As many as 700,000 Americans suffer from Crohn's disease, a bowel disorder. An estimated 50 million Americans have rheumatoid arthritis and as many as 7.5 million suffer from psoriasis. Hygiene hypothesis The technology behind Coronado's product was developed by Weinstock and researchers at the University of Iowa, where Weinstock was affiliated before Tufts. It is based on the "hygiene hypothesis," which holds that many developed countries have, in some ways, become too clean for their own good. Millions of organisms, including viruses, bacteria and worms, enter the body through contact with dirt. Researchers believe many of these organisms are needed to train the body's immune system to recognize and fight disease. "Microbes have adapted to us, and us to them, and we use them to stimulate our immune system," said Dennis Kasper, a professor of medicine, microbiology and immunobiology at Harvard Medical School, who is not involved with Coronado's product. Today in many parts of the world these organisms are kept at bay with an array of antibacterial soaps, detergents and sanitizing gels. Studies have shown that the incidence of autoimmune disease tends to be highest in the developed world, and is highest there among upper-income groups. Weinstock and others hypothesize that the elimination of certain intestinal parasites may have led to the loss in some individuals of a key mechanism for modulating the immune system. Standard treatments for autoimmune disorders include injectable drugs that block a protein known as tumor necrosis factor. They include Amgen's Enbrel and Abbott's Humira. These depress the immune system and send its army of infection-fighting cells back to their barracks. They also raise the risk of serious infection, including tuberculosis, and some types of cancer. Coronado's chief executive officer, Bobby Sandage Jr., says that is one reason why patients with serious conditions would choose the company's drug despite its provenance. "With the pig whipworm, there is no permanent infection, no real possible side effects," he said. Sandage said about a third of patients experience some gastrointestinal discomfort, such as diarrhoea or cramping, after the first or second dose, though the symptoms typically go away after a day or two. He said patients need to stay on the drug indefinitely to keep symptoms at bay. "It really does take a bit of getting used to. But once you talk to patients and they understand the theory, they accept it. We have had no trouble recruiting," said Dr. John Fleming, a professor of neurology at the University of Wisconsin who is testing the drug in patients with multiple sclerosis. Others are sceptical about the drug's chances of gaining broad acceptance. "This is not like taking a pill or even an injectable," said Steve Brozak, an analyst at WBB Securities who follows the biotechnology sector. "Here you are taking parasites that live in a pig's intestine, putting them into little vials and saying, 'Bottoms up!'" Comfortable coexistence Humans and their parasites have evolved in tandem for millennia. Most parasites have found ways to feed off humans without killing them, and some have become important for health. A parasite that lives comfortably in humans may not be able to survive in another species, and vice versa. For the purpose of creating a drug, that is a good thing. "What we know from the pig whipworm is that when you give it to people, it is destroyed in the gut," said Fleming. "It doesn't come out, so you have to keep giving it." Initial results from early trials of the drug in patients with multiple sclerosis are promising, he said, though much more study will be needed to prove efficacy. "I'm pretty convinced about the safety," he said. Coronado has rights to the drug for all autoimmune conditions in North America, South America and Japan. Dr. Falk holds the rights to market the drug for gastrointestinal disorders in Europe. By next summer, 250 people in the Phase 2 Falk study will have taken the drug for three months, and data is expected to be released around the same time. Results from Coronado's study should be released in the second half of next year. Approval from regulators could involve an unusual set of hurdles, as there is little precedent for such a product. Sandage said conversations with the US Food and Drug Administration and European regulators are going well. "They are very well aware of what the product is, and we have been through a lot of stuff with them and they seem very happy so far," he said. New systems have had to be introduced to clean the eggs. Traditional biologic drugs are purified using high heat or radiation, but Coronado can't do that: It needs the eggs to stay alive. So the company uses an acid wash, which the eggs can withstand because they have evolved to pass through the stomach acid of their host. "A lot of time was spent figuring out purification techniques," Sandage said. — Reuters

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Suri cruises to millions in ‘TomKat’ divorce, says report Posted: 25 Aug 2012 01:51 AM PDT Actor Tom Cruise carries his daughter Suri into the Chelsea Piers sports facility in New York, July 17, 2012. — Reuters pic LOS ANGELES, Aug 25 — Katie Holmes walked away without a payment or alimony in her divorce with Tom Cruise, but the couple's six-year-old daughter, Suri, stands to receive US$400,000 (RM1.2 million) annually in child support until she turns 18, celebrity website TMZ.com reported yesterday. Citing sources familiar with court documents filed by the former couple, whose divorce was finalized earlier this week, TMZ said the "TomKat" pre-nuptial agreement blocked Holmes from receiving any portion of the 50-year-old actor's US$250 million fortune. But Cruise will make child-support payments over the next 12 years that add up to US$4.8 million, or $33,333.33 a month. TMZ also reported that Cruise must pay Suri's medical, education and extracurricular expenses. Cruise's attorney declined to comment on the report, and a lawyer for Holmes did not respond to Reuters' request for confirmation. Holmes, 33, surprised Cruise in late June when she filed for divorce from the "Mission: Impossible" star after a nearly six-year marriage. Cruise was in Iceland shooting a movie at the time. The divorce, which took less than two weeks to settle, captivated the world and prompted questions about whether Suri will be raised in the Church of Scientology, with which her father has long been closely associated. — Reuters

Gus Van Sant’s upcoming film penned by Matt Damon to release just in time for 2013 Oscars Posted: 25 Aug 2012 01:35 AM PDT Gus Van Sant's upcoming film penned by Matt Damon to release just in time for 2013 Oscars LOS ANGELES, Aug 25 — With a launch date set for December 28, Gus Van Sant's Promised Land is in the race for the 2013 Academy Awards. The film's early launch in New York and Los Angeles will make it eligible for the 85th Academy Awards, scheduled for February 24, 2013. Scripted by Matt Damon (who also performs in it), the film will subsequently launch across the US in January 2013. It's the fourth time Gus Van Sant (picture) directs Matt Damon, after Good Will Hunting, Finding Forrester and Gerry. The director accepted to take on the actor's script, although Damon had originally planned to direct it himself. A busy schedule conflicting with the time constraints of pre-production pushed the actor to send the script to his friend. Promised Land is an anti-fracking movie about a salesman whose life takes a new turn when he moves to a small town. Matt Damon co-wrote the script with John Krasinski (The Office). — AFP-Relaxnews

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Gourmet popcorn: Flash in the pan? Posted: 04 Jan 2012 09:11 PM PST The CaramelCrisp flavour also comes in nut variants. — Pictures by Jack Ooi KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 — Imagine this: people lining up to pay on average RM16 for a packet of popcorn. Yes, popcorn. And this isn't at the cinema either where an average-sized caramel popcorn sets you back only RM6.90. Yes, Garrett Popcorn — a Chicago gourmet popcorn chain — opened its first outlet at KLCC here in November and the queues were incredible. People were talking about it on Twitter and Facebook even before it opened. (The fact that the machines broke down on its test day also made it to Twitter!) The lunch crowd at the KLCC branch... popcorn for dessert? While there are no longer long lines of people at the outlets (there is now another Garrett in 1 Utama in Petaling Jaya) — except for public holidays and weekends — Garrett is still talked about. The heavenly, sweet aroma hits you first and most people can't help but look or linger as they watch others queue up for this premium snack. Available in Plain, Buttery, CaramelCrisp, CheeseCorn, The Chicago Mix, Macadamia CaramelCrisp, Almond CaramelCrisp and Cashew CaramelCrisp, with prices ranging from RM9 to RM229, Garrett Popcorn is the latest food fad to hit town. Move over, bubble tea. So what is it about Garrett Popcorn that has Malaysians willing to fork out so much money for what has long been thought of as a movie snack? Those of us who frequently go across the border to Singapore would have heard of Garrett Popcorn before this. Clockwise from the top: CaramelCrisp, The Chicago Mix and Spicy CheeseCorn flavours. My group of friends, who frequent Singapore for work, used to take turns to bring back packets of cheesy or caramel goodness for each other. When the news broke that Garrett Popcorn was going to open in Malaysia, there were many enthusiastic tweets about it and many wondered if the pricing was going to be sky high. In Singapore, a packet would cost about S$9 (RM22) or so. "The shops themselves are very similar to the Singapore branches and the pricing is roughly about the same as the Singapore ones too, if you ask me. As for the taste they're about the same which is a good thing though I have to admit that the Singapore Garrett popcorns do look a bit bigger than the Malaysian ones," said Nazrin Zain, a Garrett fan. According to one staff member at the KLCC outlet, the most popular flavour is Macadamia CaramelCrisp. I've tried it and it is indeed yummy. At RM19 a pop, this is no cheap indulgence but there are loads of macadamia in it. In line with the Chinese New Year festive season, Garrett is introducing the Spicy CheeseCorn flavour and the Year of the Dragon tin, which are only available for a limited time. The Spicy CheeseCorn flavour is also available in other countries. "Some of my friends call me crazy for queuing up and paying big bucks for popcorn. 'It's only popcorn!' they would tell me but Garrett is not just any popcorn. The kernels are fully popped so you do not get them stuck in-between your teeth. Available for the festive season only, the Spicy CheeseCorn flavour is worth trying. "For the caramel flavour ones, each popcorn is coated fully in rich caramel compared to regular popcorn which is basically just sugar syrup almost. My personal favourite is the Macadamia CaramelCrisp... about 90 per cent of the popcorn has macadamia. Yes, it may be costly but I think the price is justifiable," said Sally Ng, a regular customer and obviously a fan. The Garrett Popcorn outlet in 1 Utama is located within Candylicious, a large candy shop with a wide selection of sweets and chocolates from all over the world. During weekends and public holidays, the queue gets very long. And guess what, the PJ folks are also fans of the Macadamia CaramelCrisp flavour. I casually asked the guy behind the counter if the Spicy CheeseCorn flavour had taken off yet since we Malaysians are fans of anything spicy but he said it was not a popular choice yet. Or it could be that people like to stick to favourites and are not adventurous enough to try out the Spicy CheeseCorn flavour just yet. Full content generated by Get Full RSS.

In New York, a Tanjung Malim man earns rave reviews for redefining Asian food Posted: 04 Jan 2012 12:59 AM PST The sign outside Wong's. NEW YORK, Jan 4 — In an era where restaurants avoid the fusion moniker, a Chinese Malaysian chef from Tanjung Malim, Perak, who has made a name for himself in the cut-throat world of gastronomy is earning renewed acclaim for what the New York Times this week referred to as "Asian Fusion, the Latest Chapter." In a review of Simpson Wong's latest restaurant — known simply as Wong — the newspaper highlighted specialities like his duck-fat ice cream in a dessert called duck a la plum. Simpson Wong: Not fusion; it's "Asian locavore". Referring to people who try the dessert, the review points to how "first they stop talking. Then they stop moving. Their eyes shut, and just when you're wondering how long this will last, they pop open again, bright with the pleasure of discovery." Wong does not use the term fusion to describe its fare. It is known as "Asian locavore." Some of the specialities at Wong include duck tongues rolled into small meatballs, as well as a Bolognese made with sea cucumbers, pork and shiitake mushrooms. The sauce is served with rice noodles. According to Simpson Wong's website he used to own two restaurants, Jefferson and Café Asean in Greenwich Village, New York City. But, when he suffered a heart attack at the age of 40, he was forced to close one of these establishments after learning that he has a hereditary problem with metabolising cholesterol. Because of the rich and fatty foods involved in his line work, he has to make drastic changes in his lifestyle through a routine of diet and exercise. He began changing the way he cooks by incorporating heart healthy ingredients and cooking techniques. At the latest, his cholesterol level plummeted to 150 from a high of 300. When he was a child, Simpson Wong was often intrigued by his parents' cooking skills. He still recalls his mother's braised duck with young ginger and black bean sauce and his father's delicious silky egg custard. The dining room at Wong. With such an early exposure to good food, it is not surprising that Wong ended up as a chief chef in one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world — New York. "I learnt a lot by watching my parents cook. Through the years of exposure, I developed an intuition and palate as to how a dish should come off. Nowadays, I constantly experiment with new methods of cooking," says Wong, who owns Café Asean and Jefferson (Currently Close) in New York. Wong, who hails from Tanjung Malim, Perak, started working as a bank teller after completing his Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia in 1981. Six years later, he decided to call it quits. He moved to New York in 1988. While he was discovering New York, he also tried living in London in 1990 and worked in a translation firm as well as a part-time waiter in a restaurant, but gave up after a year. "Although London is a great city, the weather is a major drawback. It rains far too often and is overcast and gloomy. It is also very costly and the mass transit is not very convenient. The tube stops running at 11pm. Most importantly, for a foreigner, it is harder to get a job in London than in New York," he says on his website. "I chose to settle in New York because America is a land of opportunity. Anyone who is willing to work hard for his dreams has a realistic chance of success. Moreover, the city is the most ethnically diverse and progressive in the United States and perhaps in the world," says Wong. Not forgetting the bar where your favourite cocktails are served. Wong's fame has spanned the better part of the last decade. Around 2004, his Jefferson restaurant's dining room was featured on Sex and the City. He closed the restaurant after his heart attack. According to the New York Times' review of Wong, he travelled back to Malaysia to be with his mother for inspiration before embarking on his latest venture. Together with his 80-year-old mother, Wong embarked on eating tours around Asia, the newspaper reported, and what they found served as inspiration for his latest restaurant. "At 48, Mr. Wong has closed a popular and acclaimed restaurant. He knows what a heart attack feels like. For future reference, if those things happen to you, there are worse ways to react than to invent duck tongue meatballs," the newspaper wrote of the Malaysian, who is a permanent resident in the United States. Inside Wong's kitchen where all the delicious food is cooked. Full content generated by Get Full RSS.

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Wales to host Costa Rica in Gary Speed memorial Posted: 04 Jan 2012 03:39 PM PST Tributes to Speed hang on a gate outside Cardiff City's stadium in Cardiff, November 28, 2011. — Reuters pic LONDON, Jan 5 — Wales will host Costa Rica next month in a memorial match for late national manager Gary Speed, who was found dead at his home on November 27 in an apparent suicide. Speed, 42, made his international debut for Wales against Costa Rica in May 1990 and won 85 caps in all. He became Wales manager in December 2010. "This will be an opportunity to celebrate the life and achievements of a great servant to Welsh football both as a player and as a manager," the Football Association of Wales said in a statement. The match will take place on February 29 at Cardiff City's stadium. — Reuters Full content generated by Get Full RSS.

Man United slump to second straight loss Posted: 04 Jan 2012 03:35 PM PST Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand reacts during their match against Newcastle United at St James Park, January 4, 2012. — Reuters pic LONDON, Jan 5 — Champions Manchester United suffered a second straight English Premier League defeat yesterday, losing 3-0 to Newcastle United to leave Manchester City three points clear at the top of the table. Demba Ba opened the scoring in the first half with his 15th league goal of the season before Yohan Cabaye made it 2-0 in the 47th from a free-kick. A Phil Jones own goal late on made sure Newcastle stayed seventh and a point behind Liverpool. United's third defeat in 20 matches so far meant they stayed second on 45 points, only three ahead of third-placed Tottenham Hotspur who have a game in hand. "It's not the time to panic. We've got the experience to cope with it," said United manager Alex Ferguson, whose team lost 3-2 to Blackburn on New Year's Eve. Bolton Wanderers shocked Everton 2-1 away from home after Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard had given his side the lead with a freak kick from his own area. Bolton, who moved move off the bottom to 18th place, equalised through David Ngog four minutes later with Chelsea transfer target and England defender Gary Cahill scoring the winner 12 minutes from time. Howard's booming wind-assisted clearance bounced over opposite number Adam Bogdan and was only the fourth goal scored by a goalkeeper since the Premier League was formed in 1992-93. Everton stayed 11th on 24 points with a game in hand on all teams bar Tottenham, while Bolton leapt above Blackburn Rovers and Wigan Athletic on 16 points, only one behind Queens Park Rangers and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Senegal striker Ba, a revelation for Newcastle this season who will be sorely missed during the January 21-February 12 African Nations Cup, wasted a great chance to put his side in the lead early in the first half but made amends with the brilliantly taken opener. After a long kick from goalkeeper Tim Krul that was flicked on by Shola Ameobi, Ba flicked the ball right-footed over Rio Ferdinand and United keeper Anders Lindegaard into the far corner of the net on 33 minutes. Better was to follow, when two minutes into the second half Cabaye unleashed an unstoppable free kick. Then, with United laying siege to Newcastle's goal, defender Danny Simpson stopped a Wayne Rooney shot on the line to keep the two-goal advantage. Former United player Simpson did exactly the same from a Javier Hernandez shot when the two sides met in the league in November to prevent a 2-1 home win. United's miserable night was capped with added time approaching when Jones took his eye off the ball following another huge kick by Krul and headed it onto his leg to wrong-foot Lindegaard. "We've had such a great season so far without actually turning over one of the top teams. Today we had our best team out and it showed," Newcastle manager Alan Pardew told Sky Sports. Ferguson conceded matter-of-factly that rivals City have the advantage in the Premier League title race. "They won theirs last night and we lost ours, advantage to them of course." — Reuters Full content generated by Get Full RSS.

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Malaysia gets the blue ribbon for cooking Posted: 03 Jan 2012 05:17 PM PST Ming Ho, general manager of Sunway Le Cordon Bleu... aiming to raise the bar in culinary arts studies. — Picture by Jack Ooi PETALING JAYA, Jan 4 — While we are known as a nation of food lovers, Malaysia is not the first country you think of when it comes to an education in the culinary arts. For that, the storied Le Cordon Bleu still holds a special place in a quite crowded field of Swiss and other European institutions. So when the partnership between Sunway University College and Le Cordon Bleu was announced last year, foodies (and those who want a career in the kitchen, of course) were buzzing with excitement. Le Cordon Bleu, which means "The Blue Ribbon" in French, is a name synonymous with fine food and education. It is the world's largest hospitality education institution with 35 schools in five continents and this month Malaysia joins that distinguished rank. Most of the graduates have become celebrity chefs, opened Michelin-star restaurants and are internationally recognised. Le Cordon Bleu Malaysia is the second Le Cordon Bleu institute established in South-East Asia after Thailand. It is a standalone institute, partnering with Sunway Education Group and Le Cordon Bleu Paris. I spoke to Ming Ho, general manager of Sunway Le Cordon Bleu, Institute of Culinary Arts on this important milestone in culinary arts education in Malaysia. So, why was Malaysia chosen by Le Cordon Bleu? Practical sessions in the kitchen are an integral part of the course. Ho says that Malaysia is the best hub in terms of getting students from all over South-East Asia because of the low cost of living. Another important factor to consider is also that it caters to a large Indonesian and local market as the institute does not feature any recipes with pork. Dr Andre Contreau, president and CEO of Le Cordon Bleu International saw the opportunity of the infrastructure in Malaysia and felt that this strategic location is suitable to get a good mix of students from South-East Asia.  What Le Cordon Bleu Malaysia offers is a nine-month programme with three months of internship for both local and international students. In the programme, there are three terms, each spanning three months. At the end of each term, a certificate is given progressively until the end of the course. There are two kinds of programmes offered, culinary arts in cuisine and culinary arts in pastry. Once the student graduates with the certification, he or she is internationally recognised in the culinary world and the certificate is the same as the one obtained in Le Cordon Bleu France as well as every Le Cordon Bleu institute in the world. "We hope to raise the bar of culinary arts studies because the programme is very intensive. It is short, just nine months but the hours put in to learn when the chef is demonstrating the recipes and hands-on practical sessions totals to 540 hours. Any culinary school will not give you that kind of practical hours. "We only have 16 stations maximum in the practice kitchen so they (the students) have their own stove, their own cutlery and so on. Chefs will come and guide them as they have observed from the demonstration classes," said Ho. She explains that the challenges Le Cordon Bleu may face here is the discipline of young, aspiring chefs. Punctuality and attendance is taken very seriously in Le Cordon Bleu and this can be seen even in the institute in Bangkok. The prestigious Le Cordon Bleu certificate. If the student is late for 15 minutes six times in a row he is considered three days' absent. This can result in expulsion. The student can still continue the rest of the term but at the end of the term, he will not get a certificate. Ho goes on to say that a lot of young people nowadays want a shortcut. When they graduate, they want to have a high position but they do not know that going through the programme is hard work.  "If you want to be a chef you have to succumb to the discipline and you have to be serious in your career path. If you want to be a good chef you will take heat from all the other professionals who have already been long in the industry and must really know the game to teach you the right way," she added. Le Cordon Bleu is from France, so people presume that the school only teaches French cuisine and nothing else. But according to Ho, it is delivering French techniques through French recipes in a way that students can create and innovate every recipe to their liking, style and culture. She gave an example of when a Le Cordon Bleu chef was teaching how to make fish mousse. The chef taught the French recipe but in the delivery of the programme, he told the students to put in their style and culture such as spices like curry powder to make it taste local.   Officially classes for the year-long programme start this month but the structure and syllabus are streamlined with the rest of the Le Cordon Bleu institutes internationally.  For more details, e-mail Sunway Le Cordon Bleu Institute of Culinary Arts at lecordonbleu@sunway.edu.my. Full content generated by Get Full RSS.

Jamie Oliver joins Paula Deen and Guy Fieri for ‘unhealthiest cookbooks’ of 2011 Posted: 03 Jan 2012 03:21 AM PST Jamie Oliver joins Paula Deen and Guy Fieri for 'unhealthiest cookbooks' of 2011 Jamie Oliver's 'Meals in Minutes' has been called one of the unhealthiest cookbooks of 2011. — AFP pic NEW YORK, Jan 3 — Healthy eating crusader Jamie Oliver has been lambasted by a US physicians' group for writing what they called one of the worst cookbooks of 2011. Jamie Oliver's Meals in Minutes, released last fall, was criticised namely for its Meatball Sandwich recipe, which contains more fat than a Big Mac and more than double the calories, cholesterol, sodium and saturated fat, said the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. The recipe calls for ground beef, pancetta, Jarlsberg cheese and ciabatta loaves. It's a harsh blow for the British chef and TV personality, who has been at the forefront of several aggressive campaigns and public policy movements pushing families to eat healthier meals, including series like Jamie's School Dinners in the UK and Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution in the US. Oliver's offending meatball sandwich recipe has landed him in the company of known butter and fat-bomb recipe writers like Southern food matriarch Paula Deen, who makes no apologies for deep frying cheesecake, and meat-loving chef Guy Fieri. A serving of Hot Buffalo Wings (three wings) from Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible contains 910 calories and 85gm of fat, while Guy Fieri Food's Jambalaya Sandwich with bacon, Andouille and smoked sausages could help raise the risk of colon cancer, the group says. Other nutritional offenders include The Neelys' Celebration Cookbook for their saturated fat-laden Bourbon Bread Pudding and The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook for focusing on meat-based recipes. — AFP-Relaxnews Full content generated by Get Full RSS.

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Real storm back to take charge in Cup Posted: 03 Jan 2012 03:33 PM PST MADRID, Jan 4 — Holders Real Madrid scored three times in 10 minutes at the Bernabeu yesterday in a dramatic comeback to beat Malaga 3-2 in their King's Cup last 16 first leg. Real coach Jose Mourinho threw caution to the wind with a triple substitution at halftime when his side were trailing 2-0. Sami Khedira, Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema responded by netting between the 68th and 78th minutes. Up to that point, the underdogs had held sway in the Cup with three surprise results earlier in the evening. Third tier Mirandes, who knocked out Villarreal in the previous round, took a 2-0 lead over Racing Santander and another Segunda B side, Albacete, vanquishers of Atletico Madrid, drew 0-0 with Athletic Bilbao. Second division Alcorcon, who eliminated Real Zaragoza, grabbed a 2-1 win at home to high-flying Levante, who lie fourth in La Liga. Qatari-owned Malaga had been thrashed 4-0 and 7-0 in their last two meetings with Real, but took the lead through Sergio Sanchez and Martin Demichelis, both scoring with headers from Santi Cazorla corners. Mourinho threw on Khedira, Benzema and Mesut Ozil for the second half to try and shake his side out of their lethargy and the former barged his way through to start the fightback. Higuain pounced on a wayward backpass to level two minutes later and Benzema slotted the third after a wonderful backheel from Higuain as Malaga desperately tried to keep the floodgates closed. Pablo Infante was the hero for Mirandes, scoring after 32 minutes and laying on the second for Mikel Martins just after the restart, leaving La Liga's lowest scoring team Racing with a tough task in the second leg. Alcorcon, who famously dumped city neighbours Real out of the Cup while in the Segunda B two years ago, surprised Levante with Borja Perez and Nagore twice giving them the lead. Last season's losing finalists Barcelona are at home to Osasuna today. The second legs will be played next week. — Reuters  Full content generated by Get Full RSS.

City move three points clear with Liverpool victory Posted: 03 Jan 2012 03:13 PM PST Manchester City's Yaya Toure celebrates his goal as Liverpool's Dirk Kuyt (left) looks on during their English Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, northern England January 3, 2012. — Reuters pic LONDON, Jan 4 —  Premier League leaders Manchester City put their recent run of poor form behind them to beat Liverpool 3-0 yesterday, while Tottenham Hotspur maintained their title push with a 1-0 win at home to West Bromwich Albion. Despite having Gareth Barry sent off in the 73rd minute, first-half goals from Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure and a second-half penalty from James Milner helped City, who had lost to Sunderland only two days ago, to a comprehensive victory. They move to 48 points from 20 games, three clear of rivals Manchester United who have played one match fewer and six clear of Tottenham who had Jermain Defoe's clinical finish to thank for their victory at White Hart Lane. City, who had gone two games without a win, were gifted the lead after only 11 minutes when Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina let a snap shot from Aguero dip under his body and Toure added a second with a header before the break. Liverpool, who have struggled for goals this season, were without striker Luis Suarez as he was beginning his eight-game suspension for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra during a Premier League match in October. The visitors were once again guilty of squandering opportunities with Stewart Downing failing to convert a one-on-one with City keeper Joe Hart and Dirk Kuyt unable to volley past City defender Vincent Kompany who made a good block to deny the Dutchman. Chances were hard to come by in the second half, but Liverpool looked to have been given a route back into the match when City midfielder Barry picked up a second booking for a foul on the visitors' defender Daniel Agger. FANTASTIC TEAM Within two minutes, however, City had put the game beyond doubt when Toure powered into the Liverpool area and was brought down by Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel. Milner stepped up to hit the resultant penalty into the top corner. "It was a difficult game and Liverpool are a fantastic team," City manager Roberto Mancini told Sky Sports. "Liverpool played four days ago and we played two days ago. This is terrible for us. I think the first half we played well but maybe in the second half for 20 minutes we are tired." Tottenham scored the only goal of the game with a typical finish from Defoe who was marked by three players when he received a cross from Gareth Bale, but managed to turn and place the ball past West Brom keeper Ben Foster. Spurs came into the game without the injured Scott Parker and Aaron Lennon and were soon struggling with injuries again. Midfielder Sandro went off in first half, stand-in skipper William Gallas limped off in 68th minute and substitute Jake Livermore was then forced off with a cut mouth and replaced by Niko Kranjcar. Sunderland maintained their good form since the arrival of new manager Martin O'Neill with a 4-1 win over struggling Wigan Athletic. O'Neill's side moved into the top half of the Premier League with goals from Craig Gardner, James McClean, Stephane Sessegnon and David Vaughan. Hugo Rodallega scored for Wigan. — Reuters    Full content generated by Get Full RSS.

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