The Malaysian Insider :: Food
The Malaysian Insider :: Food |
| Bolivia eyes Asia, Mideast as quinoa market booms Posted: 08 Dec 2012 03:46 PM PST  Known as the 'mother of all grains', quino was so revered by the Incas that the emperor would traditionally sow the first seeds of the season with special tools made out of gold. – AFP pic LA PAZ, Dec 9 – Bolivia has its eye on untapped Asian and Middle Eastern markets, hoping to cash in on what the United Nations is calling the International Year of Quinoa, another honour for the Andean "superfood". Bolivia is the world's top producer of the super-nutritious "grain" which technically is not a grain but the seeds of the goosefoot plant. Quinoa, which prospers in semi-arid conditions and high altitudes, is seen as a kind of nutritional superstar. It can be prepared and served like rice but is chock full of protein and essential amino acids. Originally scorned by Bolivia's Spanish colonisers, at one point quinoa's cultivation was banned due to its use in what Spaniards saw as "pagan" ceremonies. The indigenous Incas were forced to grow wheat instead. Known as chisaya mama or "mother of all grains," it was so revered by the Incas that the emperor would traditionally sow the first seeds of the season with special tools made out of gold. But in the past 10-15 years, quinoa (seeds of Chenopodium quinoa) has made major inroads in Western cuisine and is often used as a substitute in pastas, risottos, gratins and taboules. Always on the lookout for healthier options and new tastes, chefs and nutritionists have been wowed by the kitchen versatility of the ancient "grain," which has a light, fluffy texture and a mild, slightly nutty flavor. Experts say it has more protein and fiber than rice, corn, wheat or barley — and fewer carbohydrates than all of them. Bolivia leads global output – 70 per cent of which is exported—followed by Peru and Ecuador. Most of Bolivia's quinoa exports are to the United States and Europe. "The potential markets now are in Asian countries: China, Japan, Korea... Countries in the Middle East also are interested," said Ivan Cahuaya, who works with state export promoter Promueve Bolivia. "We have been selling a lot in mature markets like the United States and Europe, but now the decision is to go find new markets," said Cahuaya, noting that other countries are boosting their output and some, including Chile, Colombia and the United States, have even sought patents. With domestic prices having surged and then stabilised, Bolivia is hoping to keep its exports booming. "We are hoping the International Year of Quinoa, which is next year, will find us in new markets," smiled Jaime Belen, of the National Quinoa Growers' Association. Quinoa in its natural state has a coating of bitter-tasting saponins, making it unpalatable prior to processing. Most quinoa sold commercially in North America has been processed to remove this coating, which helps to naturally protect the plant from birds and other predators during the growing process. – AFP-Relaxnews |
| Is this the world’s most expensive Christmas dinner at £125,000? Posted: 08 Dec 2012 12:25 AM PST  Many people's Christmas dinner may look something like this one but four people may be sampling a Dodine of rare breed turkey in 50-carat gold leaf and a bottle of bubbly that predates World War I. — AFP-Relaxnews pic For £125,000 (RM612,500), London chef Ben Spalding, currently head chef at John Salt, will prepare a Christmas dinner for four made up of some of the rarest and most expensive ingredients in the world. For instance, before tucking into their gilded meal, diners will clink to the holidays with an aperitif of Piper-Heidsieck Champagne circa 1907 – valued at £37,000 – in diamond-studded flutes. The four-course meal opens with bird's nest and Almas caviar, prepared with a 150-year-old balsamic vinegar, and Pata Negra Ibérico jamón. Following that, diners will sample the world's most expensive melon from China, the Yubari King, served with whole white truffle and saffron. But the showpiece of the meal is the Dodine of rare breed turkey with Wagyu beef fillet and heart, wrapped in no less than 50-carat gold leaf and sprinkled with Akbari Pistachios – which alone cost £5,000. The world's most expensive coffee bean, the Kopi Luwak – coffee berries extracted from the feces of the Asian civet cat – make up the dessert course which is served with Densuke watermelon, a seedless fruit grown on the island of Hokkaido, Japan which produces only 10,000 melons a year, all of which is served off a gold, Ugandan vanilla plate. Meanwhile, Spalding will be donating 80 per cent of his fee to the Cancer Research UK and Hospitality Action. The event is organised by VeryRirstTo.com, a service which offers exclusive, luxury products and experiences to its members. If £125,000 is a little outside your price range, The Fat Duck – where Spalding completed a residency – is offering a £300 holiday meal that includes edible snow, snail porridge, dishes that will riff on frankincense and myrrh, and nitro-scrambled egg and bacon ice cream. A 10-course Christmas Eve dinner at Le Cinq restaurant inside the Four Seasons in Paris, meanwhile, is priced at €600, and includes the usual suspects one would expect from a gourmet French meal: foie gras, caviar and 'French-hunted' venison. — AFP-Relaxnews |
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