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The Malaysian Insider :: Food

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Food to combat conflicts at global fair in Italy Posted: 26 Oct 2012 07:43 PM PDT TURIN, Italy, Oct 27 — In a world dogged by conflicts and wars, the key to peace and reconciliation lies in food, say chefs, small-scale producers and Slow Food campaigners at the world's biggest food fair in Turin. Among the thousands of stalls which line the fair with spices, fruits, wines and delicacies from 100 countries in Europe, North America, Asia and Africa, springs a huge African food garden with pumpkins, berries, bananas and trees. Italian cheeses are displayed on a stand at the Slow Food's Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre on October 25, 2012 in Turin. — AFP-Relaxnews pic The plot represents the 25 countries involved in the "Thousand Gardens in Africa project," which aims to preserve traditional foods and unite communities in the continent where civil wars and conflict often aggravate food crises. "The Thousand Gardens is helping bring about conflict resolutions," says Noel Nanyunja, a young regional coordinator for the project from Uganda. "It brings communities together and changes attitudes, especially among the young. We have lots of initiatives to make people self-sufficient and help them fight off hunger - often one of the biggest sparks for bloodshed," she said. Rogers Sserunjogi, who cheerfully shows the garden off to visitors wearing a traditional Ugandan costume, said: "where slow food is concerned there is unity: people forget about politics, their religion and discrimination." The project was launched two years ago by Slow Food, a movement founded in the northwestern Italian region in 1986 in reaction to the rise of fast food. "There cannot be peace without a good agricultural model throughout the world," said Slow Food founder Carlo Petrini, adding that the 2012 fair brings together small-scale producers from vastly different or conflicting cultures. "This event is an event of peace: seeing Palestinian farmers alongside Israeli farmers, Syrian ones alongside Turkish ones, has a significance that goes beyond tensions, wars and conflicts between governments," he said. In an international tasting hall across from the garden, Sri Lanken chef Duminda Abeysiriwardena rustles up spicy chicken and chutney with a sumptuous vegetable side for visitors which include a gaggle of curious school children. After nearly three decades of a devastating war in Sri Lanka, he says the country's young are enthusiastic and ready to grasp new cultural ideas - but warns that rapid modernisation has led to a boom in fast, cheap and poor food. "When a country develops quickly people forget about qualities and traditional values and think about the money aspects," Abeysiriwardena said in the fair's bustling kitchen, cooking alongside chefs from Tunisia and Algeria. "After everything that's happened in Sri Lanka, we need to go back to basics, to nutritional food. That is the real value which bonds communities." Slow Food does not only inspire hopes of conflict resolution among its members, it also gives small-scale producers from countries shaking off the dust of dictatorship or state control the chance for international exposure. Jamilya Ekeyewna, 39, who works for a family-run company producing dried melon in Turkmenistan, smiles shyly as she hands out samples of the fruit to passing visitors, many of whom come back for a second helping. Turkmenistan suffered a period of political and economic isolation until 2006 but has since grasped the chance to develop trade links, she said. "We are a poor country, but our food is simple and good. Here we show what we offer." Slow Food can be revolutionary, Petrini says, if people at a local level use the movement's networks to share knowledge and build bridges with neighbours. "This edition of Slow Food is about foods which change the world," he said. It's no one-answer-fits-all approach, but "if every country has the strength to act," then food can be a key to bettering relationships on a wider scale. Or as Sserunjogi puts it: "everybody loves to think about food. They're excited, it brings them together. They become proud of local and regional foods and culture and want to protect them, so they begin collaborating for peace." — AFP-Relaxnews

Just Heavenly dishes up more than just desserts Posted: 26 Oct 2012 05:16 PM PDT The Soba Salad is light and full of flavors. – Pictures by Eu Hooi Khaw KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 — The mushrooms were almost bursting out of the Monster Mushroom Quiche at Just Heavenly Café in Bangsar Shopping Centre.  It was as if the "monstrous" filling of three types of mushrooms – shiitake, button and oyster – could hardly be contained in the egg, cream and milk mixture. The quiche with its thin shortcrust pastry which crumbled as it was cut was delightful.  Then there was the Quiche Lorraine baked with beef brisket, onions and cheese, that had a custardy texture and a rich cheesy aroma. The quiches come with a light salad with a balsamic vinegar dressing. Although these two quiches may sound rich, the owners of the newly-opened Just Heavenly Café – Nigel Skelchy and Allan Yap – have intentionally kept the food light. "This is so that everyone can enjoy desserts," said Allan. "We are known for our cakes after all." Salads may be on most café menus, but sometimes they turn out sadly unimpressive. But at this café, the Coconut Chicken Salad and the Soba Salad stood out. The chicken had been cooked in a laksa broth, so you had all these lovely nyonya flavours of bunga kantan, kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass clinging to it. The salad of chicken, lettuce, cucumber, onions, pineapple, fried tofu, peanuts, slivers of bunga kantan and lemon grass is all brought together with a hot, sweet and tart chilli jam. I couldn't stop eating this salad; it was so good. BLT Burger is totally yummy but not too heavy. The Soba Salad has the Japanese buckwheat noodles, ulam raja, bangkuang, watercress and carrots tossed in a very nice ginger and garlic dressing and showered with sesame seeds. It could be a light meal in itself. It has been a hit at the cafe right from the start. Nigel and Allan explained that they have deliberately kept their price point low by using local vegetables for salads instead of the more expensive arugula.  "We also make our own flatbreads, muesli, Greek yoghurt and ricotta," said Nigel. I had a bite of the BLT Burger – a deliciously juicy Australian beef patty topped with a chunky mushroom sauce, sitting on lettuce and tomato. I'm not usually fond of burgers, but this one got me.  It also came with crispy chunky fries that had been blanched first, fried and fried again. The blanching and double frying render these super crispy, without drying them out. It wasn't a heavy burger and will just leave you comfortably full. Monsieur Bullseye  is a perfectly poached egg sitting on a cheese toast with a few layers of turkey ham and drenched with béchamel sauce. It's what you would want for breakfast. Sphagettini Con Gamberi... perfectly al dente and delicious. The Spaghettini Con Gamberi is pasta with prawns in a tomato basil sauce. It's always a challenge to make sure the thin pasta stays al dente. On a previous lunch here, I had the Crab Aglio Olio, and could have sworn from the appearance the angel hair  pasta would be soft. It wasn't.  It was the same with the spaghettini. The sauce was fresh and light, with natural sweetness from the firm prawns. The Penne Carbonara is also a lighter version here, with beef bacon and mushrooms. The desserts looked promising: Key Lime Pie, Chocolate Durian, Lemon Meringue and Chocolate Eclairs. The Chocolate Durian was just heavenly. You break through the smooth chocolate casing into the creamy durian filling bursting with that unmistakable aroma and flavour. I liked the Key Lime Pie for the biscuity pastry, the buttery cake layer at the bottom, a generous mousse and cream topping gorgeously balanced with the tartness of lime. Key Lime Pie... not too tart, just nice. The Lemon Meringue was lovely too, for the sharp, lemon curd layer at the bottom, and the frothy and not too sweet meringue on the top. Children would love the Chocolate Eclairs that spurt out either cream or chocolate at the bite. Earlier, we had a taste of some refreshing drinks like the Mojo Jojo of fresh lime, mint, soda and orange syrup and Mint Magic that had iced tea, fresh mint and honey.  There was the Lemongrass Passion of lemongrass, pandan and soda and Charlie's Angels that had red dragonfruit, apple, lemon and soda. I liked the last, the best. Here's the place to have breakfast too as on weekends and public holidays it serves The Ridiculously Large Breakfast of two eggs, two sausages, ricotta hotcakes, garlic mushrooms, toast with citrus ginger marmalade, Greek yoghurt with honey, juice, coffee and tea, for RM32. The Coconut Salad is RM20, Spaghettini RM24, quiches RM15 to RM16, BLT Burger RM25. Desserts are from RM12 to RM14. Just Heavenly Café is located on Level 2, West Wing of Bangsar Shopping Centre, Tel: 03-2011 4866. Just Heavenly Cafe... always room for dessert at this cafe.

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