Week 52: South Africa

Week 52: The Lord's Headquarters.

It is only fitting to end our 52 week culinary safari in South Africa. We are going back to my roots. Back to the place that shaped my palate and stimulated my culinary curiosity.  We are travelling to the southern-most tip of Africa, where two oceans meet  (sometimes in fury) and the world's most famous piece of rock dominates the sky-line. My hometown. The Mother City. Cape Town. Home to the world's richest botanical kingdom of mountain heath and spring flowers. It is no wonder that the local Coloured population refers to the Cape as "The Lord's Headquarters".

The world map changed dramatically in the 15th century as Portuguese explorers sailed the unknown West Coast of Africa en route to the East. The Cape became prominent - initially known as Cabo Formentosa (Cape of Storms) and later, as it established itself as an important re-fueling station (in every possible sense of the word...) it changed to Cabo de Boa Esperanza ( Cape of Good Hope).

In 1652 the management of the Dutch trade and sea-faring company Die Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (called Die Here XVII) sent a group of Dutch officials, under the command of Jan van Riebeeck, to set up a post to refresh fleets under the watchful eye of Table Mountain. A passionate gardener, he immediately set about planting vegetables from imported seeds, and discovered native plants like geelsuring,  wild mustard leaves (cruciferae) and wild asparagus. Vine rootstocks from France, Italy, Portugal and Spain were shipped in, and by 1659 the first grapes were pressed for making wine. Free-settlers were given land to grow grain, and fish (Steenbras, Snoek and Kabeljou) were harvested from the oceans. The only produce that had the better of JvR was meat. Cattle died on the long sea-journey, and those that survived were either killed by predators or stolen by the local Khoi people. He decided to start a breeding program on Robben Island, and a bartering system with the Khoi. Meanwhile JvR sourced protein from other, more abundant sources: dassies, porcupines, tortoises and penguin eggs all featured proudly on the menus of The Castle in Table Bay.

When Simon van der Stel took over in 1679, the burgers were becoming more prosperous.  He wrote to the Here XVII: " The population wants for nothing." This allowed them to experiment and explore with the food they had available.They dried seasonal fruits, preserved the abundance of vegetables and cured meat. The population grew, with many immigrants influencing the cuisine of The Cape: The Dutch established the dairy industry and cheesemaking, they loved to cook with butter and nutmeg, and introduced pancakes and poffertjies. The Germans (mostly sailors and soldiers that sailed past and decided to stay, and later skilled tradesmen and teachers) are partially responsible for the development of Boerewors.  The French introduced rich sauces, cooking every part of the animal (offal....or pens en pootjies) , marinating meat and fish in wine , and the delicate seasoning with herbs. And then of course there was the introduction of Eastern flavours from Malaysia. Known as "The King of Slaves", the Cape Malay men were tailors, cabinet makers and musicians. The Malay women were sought-after cooks with a flair for combining spices like turmeric, ginger, garlic, saffron, mustard and chili, and making chutneys and atjars.  The local Khoi people gave us watercress and waterblommetjies (water flowers growing prolifically on the freshwater dams in the Boland, and found nowhere else in the world). The native African tribes had no influence on the development of Cape Cuisine as they were too far inland and only encountered in the middle of the 18th century.

I have always enjoyed cooking, and even entered a cooking competition with my very good friend Gera in grade 10. I struggle to pass a bookshop without buying (another) cookbook, and I have boxes and boxes filled with recipes torn from magazines. Even though we now live on the other side of the world, I can still smell my mum's Sunday leg of lamb roast wafting up to my bedroom, and taste the delicate sweetness of a crayfish tail grilled over an open fire on the beach, or the distinctive herbaceous qualities of a Karoo tjoppie (cutlet) on the braai. No matter which country you visit, it is usually the food that leaves the most lasting impression. 

Last night I cooked our final Friday-Night-Out meal for those who helped me get through this 52 week mission. I wanted to serve a bit of my childhood, a bit of my culture and my treasured heritage to my family and friends.The food that I associate with my place of origin. Lekker eet!

We started preparations two days before: meat had to marinate, syrup had to chill and flavours had to infuse. On arrival, I served oven-roasted pears (seasoned with fresh rosemary and pine nuts) with warm brie cheese on fresh bread. We also de-cased the meat from boerewors and turned it into little cocktail frikkadelletjies with a blatjang dipping sauce. And of course there were bowls of biltong and droee wors to make everyone nice and thirsty.....

The main meal theme? Lamb three ways: 1) Lamb mince baked in the oven with Malaysian spices, almonds and raisins topped with a curry-flavoured custard crust...Bobotie. 2) Cubes of leg of lamb (marinated for two days: first day in milk with onions and brown sugar, second day in a curry/bayleaf/vinegar/white wine and apricot jam marinade) skewered with dried apricots, pickling onions and bay leaves then grilled on the BBQ....Sosaties and 3) Waterblommetjie Bredie: lamb neck and shank braised for 4 hours in a three-legged cast iron pot outside on an open fire with onions, garlic and  celery, and then the last two hours with added potatoes and waterblommetjies.  This I served with steamed green beans and spek, sweet pumpkin, yellow rice with raisins, stewed fruit, bananas in yogurt and a tomato,thyme and walnut salad.

Dessert (for those who had the courage) was home-made koeksisters and...wait for it......a peppermint crisp tart! The wines that helped to elevate the enjoyment of the food: De Trafford Chenin Blanc,  Kanonkop Pinotage, Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak Pinot Noir and Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon.
But this is not where it ends.....Andrew and Louise will host a Chilean dinner, and Phil agreed ( in a moment of weakness) to present us with food from his native Wales. The journey continues, however this is where I leave you.

Thank you for travelling along.
And as always...Bon appetit!

Week 51: Argentina

Week 51: For the love of Beef.


The Pumas are in town. The Argentine rugby union team (named after their national animal) will clash with the Wallabies tonight. Were it to be a culinary match-up, it would be a barbeque versus an asado.  Both nations love meat, and the social event created around grilling beef steaks or lamb chops on a gas flame or an open fire matches the national identity of both countries.


Officially known as The Argentine Republic, it is the second largest country on the South American continent (after Brazil), and covers most of the Southern Cone (cono sur).  Whether you want to visit  the tango clubs in La Boca, take a trip to the Iguazu Falls or experience the amazing Perito Moreno Glacier, there is something of interest for everyone in this amazing country (the 8th largest in the world). Whatever your fancy, food will be omnipresent. Mostly beef. Argentines are epic meat eaters - consuming more than their body weight per year. They consider a thick slab of grass-fed sirloin dripping in its own juices to be a birth-right. One president in the 1990s quipped ‘Don’t come to my country if they’re vegetarian.’  The centrality of beef to the Argentine way of life is difficult to overstate. Novels and poems extol the art of cattle ranching and gauchos on the vast pampas. Cafes bulge with diners feasting on steaks washed down with glasses of red wine. At lunchtime, it is still possible to see construction workers cooking meat on makeshift grills.


To discover Argentina, we really had no choice but to eat meat the Argentine way. Our destination was London Porterhouse located on busy Vernon Terrace in the trendy riverfront suburb of Teneriffe 2,5 km north-east of the Brisbane CBD.  Historically Teneriffe gained economic importance for the State of Queensland when wool exports increased. The first of 13 wool stores was built in 1909, the last completed in the 1950's. During WWII  the Teneriffe wharf served as Australia's largest submarine base, with more than 60 subs from allied forces using the facilities. Despite the restaurant’s title (named for its location under the London Woolstore Apartments), the contemporary space boasts a range of dishes heavily influenced by Argentine flavours:


We started with a selection of very tasty Argentine-inspired tapas: Spanish ham, chorizo sausages, prawns, scallops, bread, olives and dips. Then the mains arrived....


Platters of meat, cooked on a parilla ( traditional Argentine grill), and served asado-style satisfied our carnivorous instincts last night: Beef steak, ribs, chicken wings, lamb chops and sausages - the ultimate mixed grill. Balance was provided by a delicious seafood paella served in a paellera (the traditional paella dish), and a mixed seafood platter. This was accompanied by steamed green beans and a mixed salad. The meal would not have been complete without a couple of bottles of Malbec - the de facto flagship grape of Argentina. Which brings us to our first fact:


Argentina has the highest vineyards in the world. With its piercing bright light and dry, thin air,  Malbec grapes have adapted to its conditions. The skins have become thicker as the sunlight became stronger, resulting in bolder tannins and wine with more oomph. More and more vineyards are creeping higher from the hot valley floors to the cooler hills. The result is powerful wines ideal for aging. If Malbec is the king of red wine, then Torrentes must be the queen of white wine in Argentina. It's a love-it-or-leave-it variety......with a taste profile somewhere between Viognier and Gewurtztraminer. But when in Argentina, you simply have to try it.


Yet again, the facts where vast and varied: Louise shared her experience of drinking the native herbal tea, Yerba Mate, which is sipped up through a metal (silver) straw called a bombilla. Martina told us the shocking story of an ex-Miss Argentina who died after plastic surgery on her butt (gluteoplasty or bum lift) in 2009. Finn, on his way to South-America at the end of the year, informed us that the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia, is in Argentina. Cornelia's fact was that the first animated movie was made in Argentina, and Walt Disney is said to have been inspired by Quirino Cristiani, an Argentine filmmaker. My mum told us that the first person to be found guilty by fingerprint evidence was an Argentinian woman who killed her two children in 1892. Argentina became the first country to use fingerprinting as the primary form of identification in criminal records. Football had to feature, and the fiercest football rivalry in Buenos Aires is contested between Boca Juniors and River Plate, whose clubs are a mere 200m apart. This famous local derby "Superclasico" is a passionate, colourful and exciting affair, that reduces grown men to tears, said Andrew. Phil's fact related to the Welsh community in Argentina. In 1865, a huge number of Welsh migrated to Argentina in order to preserve their language and culture away from the English language. Today 72,000 Welsh descendants live in the Chubut province of Patagonia. And Keith told us the capital Buenos Aires derives its name from an image of The Virgin Mary discovered in a trunk in Italy in 1370. This venerated image was named Bonaira, which translates into good air.


There are 11,985 residents who claim Argentine ancestry living in Australia, of whom 1,223 live in Queensland. I am sure they will all be supporting the Pumas in their quest to beat the Wallabies at the test match on The Gold Coast tonight.


Week 51 done....
Final destination? Join us in a couple of weeks for a South-African feast.

Week 50: Hungary

Week 50: A revolving door of flavours.


This week our culinary experience came to life at Eat Street, an Asian style food market on Hamilton Wharf. Musicians, artists, crafters and chefs display their skills under fairy lit allyways surrounded by shipping containers. If I really wanted to, I could easily have cut short our 52 week adventure, and simply have visited Eat Street one Friday evening and covered at least half of our destinations. From Poulet  to Poffertjie, Malaysia to Morocco and every possible Asian flavour in between, Eat Street offers cheap eats to the whole family in a vibrant, colourful and entertaining dining hub on the banks of the Brisbane River.


Our mission was to track down Hungary. We found them nestled between Vietnamese Bahn Mi and Belgium Waffles. Langos Hungarian Food and Snacks serves Hungarian street food easily eaten by hand - so don't expect Goulash, Gulyasleves or Palocleves. Rather indulge in Palacsinta (Transylvanian herb and cheese pancakes), Lepeny ( stuffed pastries) and Langos ( Hungarian fried flat bread with garlic, tomato, onions, sour cream and bacon). The stall was very busy, but the service swift and turnaround quick. This particular precinct of the market featured a performance stage with local musos playing retro-themed music, and a bar serving a variety of bevies, including wines from boutique wineries as far south as the Coonawarra. It was a beautiful evening with clear skies and not a breath of wind. This made outdoor dining even more pleasurable (together with the amazing cityscape views and free parking). The ten of us (all the Browns, Phil, my mum and sister plus three Grevilles) found a cosy corner behind the stage. With cable spools as stools and an astro-turf covered shipping pallet as a table, we shared our platters full of food and buckets full of facts:


Water polo featured prominently: Hungary is considered the world's top power in the history of the game, having won 15 Olympic medals (of which 10 were gold, thank you Nielen). While licking sour-cream from his fingers, Phil related the history of the "Blood in the Water" (Hungarian: melbourne-i vérfürdő, "Blood bath of Melbourne") water polo match at the Melbourne Olympics in 1956 between Hungary and The USSR, which left blood pouring from Erin Zador's eye after being punched by Russian player Valentin Prokopov.  Riots between the spectators erupted and chaos ensued. This fact provided the perfect segue for Doeks (tearing another piece of lepeny from the  the platter): Hungary has won Nobel Prizes in every category, except Peace! Sticking to the "water" theme, Louise ( trying to establish the difference between lepeny and palacsinta) had facts about the spa-culture in Hungary. Whether you simply want to relax, or are searching for a gentle cure, Hungary has over 1000 thermal springs, and enough spa accommodation for 300,000 visitors at the same time. The geological features of the Carpathian Basin below Hungary are such that the earth's crust is very thin, so waters rise easily to the surface, hence the abundance of bubbling hot springs. Finn (at this stage indulging in a Hungarian version of a jam filled doughnut) had facts on the 3-dimensional combination puzzle invented by Erno Rubik in 1974. In 1980 it won "Game of the Year" and today over 400 million Rubik Cubes have been sold worldwide - at least 20 of them in different sizes are lying in Boetie's room. Speaking of which...Boet of course analysed the flag and named the national animal: the mythical bird, Turul . Then my mum (now quite comfortable with her unusual surrounds!)  had facts about the Herend Porcelain Manufactory, which specialises in luxury hand painted and gilded fine porcelain. Andrew ( quenching his thirst with a local home brew)  informed us that Hungarian is one of the few European languages that is not part of the Indo-European family. It is an agglutinative language. The Hungarian name for the language is Magyar. The word "Magyar" is also occasionally used as an English word to refer to Hungarian people as an ethnic group, or to the language. ( He also cheekily interjected with some fake facts....did you know the famous Hungarian composer Franz Liszt invented Listerine....). And before I forget to mention Keith's fact (again...)...he informed us that goulash is actually a soup, not a stew.


And I had the opportunity to share my passion for one of the world's most famous sweet wines: Tokaji ....Elixir of the Tzars and Wine of Kings. It was Tokaji wine, laced with cyanide that was used in an attempt to assassinate Rasputin. The attempt failed miserably, and the assassins eventually had to resort to the gun.....


Traditional Hungarian cuisine is comfort food. To understand the cuisine, it is important to look into the past. The original nomadic lifestyle is apparent in the abundance of meat and the variety of dishes cooked over an open fire.  Today's Hungarian cuisine is a synthesis of ancient Asiatic components mixed with Germanic, Italian, and Slavic elements. The food of Hungary can be considered a melting pot of the continent, with its own original cuisine from the Magyar people.


There are 69,157 residents who claim Hungarian ancestry. Two waves of migration are responsible for people from Hungary settling in Australia: Post WWII and the Hungarian revolution of 1956 ( hence the drama at the Melbourne Olympics!).

Our penultimate destination is a toss-up between 3 possibilities...you'll have to wait and see where we end up!

Week 49: Singapore

Week 49: It's All About the Food.

"Have you eaten?" This is most likely the first greeting you will receive upon meeting someone in Singapore. It is a tiny country with a voracious appetite. On average, a Singaporean will consume five or six meals a day. Eating is a way of life and a national pastime (with shopping a close second). "So what is Singaporean Cuisine?" you might ask. I'll give you the short answer: Food you eat in Singapore.

This diamond shaped island with 5 million food-loving people lies on the southern tip of Malaysia. Modern Singapore was founded by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819, essentially as a trading post for the East India Company. It became a British sovereignty in 1824, was occupied by the Japanese during WWII, returned to British hands in 1945, gained Independence in 1963 to form Malaysia and finally became a Republic City-State and Island Country in 1965. Today Singapore is one of the freest, most competitive and innovative economies in the world.

The second question you are most likely to face when visiting Singapore is "where are you from?". The city is home to 7000 multinational corporations, with 44% of the (highly skilled) workforce non-Singaporean. They cleverly attract foreign investment through low tax-rates, and has established itself as the 4th biggest global financial center. The World Bank named Singapore the easiest place in the world to do business. In years gone by, international businessmen would check into the now iconic Raffles Hotel (est. 1887). There used to be a saying: "If you visit Raffles, you may as well see Singapore". After an exhilarating day of wheeling and dealing in tropical climes, they would saunter into The Long Bar, rub shoulders with the likes of Kipling, Chaplin, Hemingway and Hitchcock, and order a refreshing Singapore Sling. 

And that is exactly what we did last night (well, sort of... sans  Long Bar, businessmen in light linen suits and celebrities). The Singapore Sling was invented in 1915 by the Long Bar bartender at the time, Tong Boon.
Quick recipe:
2 measures gin / one measure cherry brandy / half a measure Benedictine / fresh pineapple and lime juice / a dash of bitters. It needs to be shaken vigorously with lots of ice to create a frothy foam ( the pineapple juice...specifically tropical sarawak pineapples will achieve this). Strain, and pour into a highball glass. Important: serve straight up (i.e. no ice). Voila.  

Nine of us explored the culinary diversity of Singapore at Little Singapore on Charlotte Street in the city last night. One could hear the festive Friday night chatter from across the street. The place was packed, noise levels high with waitresses buzzing up and down the two narrow aisles of this very popular dining spot amongst Asian expats.  Singaporean cuisine showcases a diversity and variety of  food and flavours shaped by the different ethnic components of its population: Chinese noodles, Malaysian laksas and Indian curries. The cuisine is defined by what it has borrowed from the many cultural influences, hybridising it into something unique. They manage to create big flavours from humble ingredients. Plain rice obtains a vibrancy once cooked in shrimp stock, and tofu from a plastic container turns into exotic bean curd. With an ethnic maelstrom of people, there appears to be no quibbling over cultural lines. They will eat everything.

We had two very special co-diners joining us last night for the first time. My mum and my sister from South-Africa. Their debilitating jet-lag was quickly taken care of by a couple of Singapore Sling cocktails, accompanied by springrolls, curry puffs and lobak (similar to a pork sausage roll), at the same time priming them for their enthusiastic contribution to the fact-sharing to follow. Then there were all the usual suspects: All the Browns, Phil and Martina, and Hendo made another welcome guest appearance. I ordered a delicious Pork Laksa (thin but with powerful flavour), Martina had the vegetarian version, my mum had Satay Chicken, Doeks enjoyed her traditional Hainanese Chicken with buttered rice and pickles, Hendo tried the Singaporean fried rice, Phil chose the Hokien Noodles, Boet opted for the Dried Fried Beef Ho Fun, sadly Nielen really did not enjoy his Chicken Kapitan (peanut flavoured deep fried chicken pieces with rice), and Keith had no idea what he ate, as he did not receive what he ordered....but it was good!

While subliminally dissecting the taste-combinations in front of us, the obligatory fact sharing dominated conversation. Boetie started with the national animal. Singapore ( Singapura) means Lion City, named after the "lion" that The Prince of Palembang saw and named the Island after. However, his feline knowledge appears to have been quite unreliable, as what he saw was most likely a tiger.  Hendo expanded on the importance of Singapore as trading hub during the Spice Route era and Nielen informed us that the national anthem is written in micro-text on the $1000 bank note. Phil pointed out that the trees next to the motorway that connects the airport to the city are all planted in their pots, so they could easily be removed should they require an emergency runway. And Martina explained that the Raffles Hotel used to be a waterfront hotel, but because of the city's ever expanding footprint due to landfill,  Beach Rd is now a block away from the ocean!  My mum brought her facts closer to home: the Singaporean word for "banana" is piesang, the same word we use in Afrikaans (as are many other words borrowed from the Malays who settled in South Africa). Doeks' fact can be linked to the high productivity of the nation:  Singaporeans are the fastest walkers on the planet, with an average walking speed of 6.15km /h....that's the flight speed of a bumble bee. They are indeed busy little bees! About 46,000 of them now add value to Australia's economy.

The third question you are most likely to be asked when in Singapore, is "where are you going?"....

.....week 50 will take us to Eastern Europe. Please join us in Hungary. Hopefully we will be asked: "How are you?"

Week 48: Taiwan (Republic of China / Chinese Taipei)

Week 48: Made in Taiwan
Who would have thought that China is causing such a political kerfuffle over an island they once referred to as "a ball of mud beyond the sea". Taiwan did not even appear on the imperial map of the Qing Dynasty (1683). The insults continued: "Island of Dogs", "...the size of a pellet, taking it is no gain, not taking it is no loss", and "...adding nothing to the breadth of China", they even advocated to move all the Chinese to mainland China, abandoning the island. Now they want it back.


The political situation is quite confusing: After a civil war between the Nationalist forces of the Republic of China and the Communist Party of China that commenced in 1927, two de facto states emerged: The People's Republic of China on the mainland (see blog week 12), and The Republic of China on the island Taiwan (and some surrounding islands).  No-one is really sure if the war ever actually ended (a peace-treaty has never been signed), but active battle ceased in 1949. Chiang-Kai-shek and 2 million Nationalists retreated to the Island of Taiwan. Mainland Communist China still views Taiwan as its territory, and threatens military invasion should Taiwan declare independence and change its name to The Republic of Taiwan. In the meantime, Taiwan has it's own nationalist government, president, military forces and flag.


My mother and I visited Taiwan in 1980.  About the same time when everything was Made in Taiwan.  All I can recall is that it was permanently cloudy, terribly hot and stiflingly humid, but it was beautiful. No wonder the Portuguese sailors named it Formosa (Beautiful Island). With lofty mountains, remote beaches, shrines and temples and bustling cities, it resembles a snapshot of the world on an island the size of Belgium....but with 23 million people (equivalent to the entire population of Australia)!  Taipei (the capital) is famous for its night  markets where food is the main attraction. Foodies from all over the world travel to Taipei for one purpose only: to experience authentic xiaochi (street food). This style of eating (similar to Spanish tapas or middle-eastern meze) forms an important part of Taiwanese cuisine.


The food in Taiwan is heavily influenced by the cuisine form the southern provinces of mainland China, its climate (an abundance of tropical fruits: papayas, melons, star fruit and citrus) and the fact that it is an island (surrounded by oceans filled with fish: tuna, groper, sardines, anchovies and squid). There is also a notable Japanese influence, a legacy of Japanese rule from 1895 to 1945. The Taiwanese show their creativity through their spice selection and seasoning techniques: soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil act as the glue that binds all the flavours together. Pork, seafood and chicken dominate menus. Beef is not common, apart from Beef Noodle Soup, which is one of the most popular dishes in Taiwan, so that is what I had to order.


Me, my two sons and Phil and Martina were transported to a different world last night. At the back of an industrial-looking building, in an under-lit side street, away from the hustle of China-Central in Sunnybank Market Square (see blog week 18), we discovered a little bit of Taiwan and the blossoming Taiwanese sub-culture in Brisbane. Take the door to the right of the Taiwanese grocer, climb two flights of stairs and turn left. A short passage will lead you into a food court like no other in Brisbane, with at least ten different vendors selling traditional Taiwanese meals. We felt (and appeared!) a bit lost as nothing is signed in English. We took a seat and scanned our surrounds. A young trendy couple was seated opposite us. We asked him what he ordered, as it looked delicious and unusual. In manageable English he explained that it was a typical Taiwanese meal and pointed in the direction of the vendor. A woman and a young boy were sitting next to us, struggling to understand our interest in her bowl of noodles. That was the Beef Noodle Soup I had to have. I asked her where she ordered it from. After consulting her son in Mandarin, the boy answered in English and directed me to the kitchen in question. Boetie, Nielen and Phil all had different chicken dishes and Martina had the Kung Pao Spicy Fish. Everything was served with rice and pickles on the side. My Beef Noodle Soup lived up to expectation: paper thin shavings of beef, shallots and kimchi gently simmered in a delicate broth with just the right amount of spice, perfectly balanced with a zingy acidity, and enough noodles to feed a small family. We all agreed that it was the best meal for $10 one could have anywhere in Brisbane.

The number of post-1949 Taiwanese migrants to Australia exceed 24,000.  Brisbane remains the top Taiwanese settling city with Sydney and Melbourne coming in close. The number of Taiwanese people in Brisbane vastly surpasses those from Japan, Vietnam, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China, Korea and Singapore. This was evident last night.


While enjoying our meal in the Little Taipei Food Court, we discussed many interesting facts about this island with its fragile political climate. Martina advised us that Taiwan has the lowest birth-rate in the world. The flag and the national animal (Blue Magpie or Long-tailed Mountain Lady) were discussed by Boetie. Phil quoted from Sherlock Holmes ( "what do you know, pray, of Tapanuli fever? What do you know of Black Formosa corruption?"). And Nielen's contribution was that one of his best friends is Taiwanese. That's it. That was his fact.

We could not leave without trying  Bubble Tea, invented in Taiwan during the 1980's. Also known as Pearl Tea or Boba Milk Tea, the name "bubble" is Anglicized slang for Boba,which refers to the chewy tapioca balls or pearls added to the ice-blended milky tea-shake. Will I have it again?....not so sure.


Time to jump continents. Next week you'll find us in Bolivia!

Week 47: Laos ( Lao People's Democratic Republic)

Week 47: Land of a Million Elephants.

Which is a bit of an exaggeration.  A Lao prince named Fa Ngum, founded the Lan Xang Kingdom in the 14th century. Lan Xang translates into " a million elephants" - a deliberate name for his kingdom to inspire fear amongst his enemies at a time when elephants were the principal engines of war.

Laos has a brutal and bloody past. Landlocked between Myanmar (Burma), Thailand (Siam), Cambodia, Vietnam and China, it was never going to have it easy. It fell to Burma and to Thailand, but the Lan Xang Kingdom recovered when Sourigna Vongsa ascended to the throne in 1637. Europeans first reached the capital Vientiane in the late1600's, and Dutch merchants returned with admiring descriptions of a prosperous kingdom: the most beautiful city in Southeast Asia - a place of palaces and temples, and awe-inspiring religious ceremonies. In 1893 it became a French protectorate. It gained brief independence after Japanese invasion in 1945, but returned to French rule until it again became a sovereign monarchy in 1953. Shortly after independence, a long civil war ended the monarchy when the Communist Pathet Lao Movement took power in 1975. Today Laos is a single party communist state which espouses Marxism. It is one of the poorest countries on the planet, with a third of the population living in poverty or extreme poverty. It ranks very low on the Human Development Index, and very high on the Global Hunger Index. And since we are ranking  things, I can now categorically state that Lao food ranks first on our list of most spicy food ....or that was our experience anyway.

There is a Southeast Asian wisdom which purports that eating really hot and spicy food actually helps to cool you down. As you sit there perspiring from every possible pore on your body, the evaporation of the sweat acts like a natural air-conditioning unit. Well, the science did not work last night. Nevertheless, it did not distract from the enjoyment of the fresh, healthy and anything-but-bland Lao food.

So what differentiates Lao cuisine from it's neighbours? Firstly, Laos is the home of sticky rice. They even refer to themselves as "luk khao niaow" , or children/descendants of sticky rice. Their eating utensil is their left hand. Sticky rice is much easier to roll into a ball and dip into a sauce than fluffy steamed rice. This is why food is eaten at room temperature. For the same reason, the curries are dry, unlike Thai curries (more soup-like) rich in coconut cream. With 60% of the population living on the banks of the Mekong river, steamed or grilled fish with fresh herbs form a staple. One of the most distinctive and unique Lao food is Padek , fish rubbed with salt and preserved for up to 3 years. Their traditional dish laap or larb consists of minced chicken or pork which is boiled and then served with sticky rice and raw vegetables (undressed).  Nothing is fried, rather grilled and steamed. Sticky rice is steamed and served in a bamboo basket (huad) with every meal. Laotians prefer their food savoury, and dishes are never sweet. They find the concept of sweet and sour completely bizarre. Another distinguishing factor is their preference for bitter food. They have a saying "van pen lom; khom pen ya" which basically means "sweet makes you dizzy; bitter makes you healthy".

A meal will typically include a soup, a grilled dish (like fish) and laap. These are not served in sequence, but all together and it is perfectly acceptable to sip at your soup throughout the meal.  To indicate that you have finished eating, you close the rice basket (haud). The flavours of Laos are aromatic and fresh: Lao basil, galangal, garlic, coriander, climbing wattle, bamboo shoots, lemongrass, lime, mint, tamarind and chili. They also love kaipen, which is dried Mekong algae (similar to Japanese nori).

There were six of us experimenting with the foreign flavours and techniques of Lao food last night. You can pre-determine the level of spiciness of your meal. Louise and Finn were happy with a mild introduction; Phil, Keith and I decided on a medium approach and Andrew G bravely embraced the full-blown cultural assault. At this stage, of course, we had no idea what the Lao interpretation of mild, medium and hot was....

Thai Wi Rat is located in the China Town Mall in Fortitude Valley, 1km from the CBD. It is one of only three restaurants in Brisbane that serves authentic Lao cuisine. Despite the immediate discomfort of the chili heat, I thoroughly enjoyed my Tom Sam (green papaya) salad and pork laap. Keith said his dish was unlike anything he has tasted before. Phil (stunned into silence) nodded in agreement. Louise and Finn (the sensible two) both enjoyed their food, and Andrew G is still endeavouring to defuse his tastebuds. All-in-all a most fascinating Friday Night Out.  To enhance our experience, what other than the sharing of facts?: We all contributed to the fact that Laos is the world's most bombed country in the world, with 2 billion tons of ordnance (262 million cluster bombs) dropped during the Vietnam war. This is a huge problem, as there are large quantities of UXO's (unexploded ordnance) littering potential farmland.  Keith expanded by mentioning that many bombs landed on The Plain of Jars - an archaeological landscape dating back to 500BC claimed to be associated with pre-historic burial practices. There are 90 jar sites, with the number of hand carved stone jars varying from 1 to 400 at each site. The evidence of bomb raids can be witnessed, with displaced jars and bomb craters.

Hmong girls climbing on one of the jars.

Andrew G informed us ( while wiping perspiration from his brow) that even though Laos has no coastline, it is home to the unique Irrawaddy Dolphin resident in the Mekong river.

Finn shared the tricks of rhino beetle wrestling - a betting game popular in Laos.

Louise again had a textile fact handy, explaining how woman are empowered through craft groups and garment-making, weaving beautiful fabrics from handpicked and -spun cotton.

 

Keith jumped in with another fact (very keen last night) that the national flower is the champa. The rest of us thought it looked just like an ordinary frangipani!

And then Phil read a couple of paragraphs from a book written by his uncle, who served as a diplomat in Laos during the Vietnam War, relating first hand impressions, not only about the place and the people, but also the resulting effect of partaking in an opium ritual.

Still a place of huge mystique, Vientiane with it's golden spires of Buddhist temples, decrepit French villas and art deco Russian buildings manages to maintain the fine balance between the Buddhist calm and the new ambitious growth experienced in the capital. A destination well worth exploring.

   
   


There are more Lao people living outside of Laos than within, most of them in Thailand, The United States and France. Australia is home to 22,303 Laotians, with 1,316 living in Brisbane.


Next week we stay in Asia....Taiwanese anyone?