My Homemade Kitchen : A Review

These are the expression of the grieving heart in a series of essays, spoken in warm, friendly, intelligent manner without the trace of self absorption (you'll feel like she's talking to you like a long time friend). Those light hearted lines deliver poignant, endearing, heart felt message on love, family, relationships and the stuff these things are made of. Interwoven with simple, easy quick, delicious, homemade recipes generously shared along with the memories. Unlike those "30 mins meal", "semi-homemade", recipes spinned, whisked and made popular by celebrity cooks that screamed convenience from the tv and the bookstore shelves, these concoctions and formulae have depths and meanings and souls besides being tried and true; crafted to perfection with simple honest ingredients. They definitely speak louder to me, than those of shallow fast solutions from cans and boxes which will meet you half way to deliver results in bullet train speed, but lacking in character and substance. They cannot take place of the fulfilling stories. Winzenberg strong style of delivery is a page turner.

The Story of the Champagne Empire and the Woman who ruled it.

The Widow Clicquot : A review.

A unique combination of a business biography and oenobiography. The winner of the Gourmand cookbook award. A captivating story of a visionary young woman with acute intelligence and great audacity against the backdrop of the 18th century France at the dawn of the industrial revolution and chaotic years of the Napoleanic War. A determine and daring entrepreneur at the brink of her financial ruin stood up and took control of her destiny . She was the woman who made the brand "Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin" the champagne, the drink of style, glamour and luxury it is today. Clicquot is like the Coco Chanel of the wines. And path the way for Champagne- the wine, to its celebrity status like Mazzeo puts it into becoming " another words for the mass cultural celebration". The book was extensively written and elegantly written but yet from the biographic perspective, I do wish to see more elaborative and deeper exploration of this complex character. it is too informative (on the wine) and emotionally dry; at times it did feel like reading an academic thesis (nevertheless, this is not a boring book). On the other hand, I respect the author integrity to share the story with accurate historical facts. Moreover, there's no access to an up close and personal look at the widow's life today since she didn't keep a diary.

As a cookbook it is accompanied by several recipes for wine paring and cooking: The information I found interesting was the historical process of making the champagne, the double fermentation that required the addition of sugar or brandy to catalyst the transformation of the malic acid to lactic acid hence, produced those famous bubbles (so in the past the drink was much sweeter). It was painstakingly temperamental process which subject to the right temperature etc. The history of how the process evolves through time is also interesting. And Barbe Nicole Clicquot Porsadin participation was not only in the operation management but also product and process innovations and improvements. My favorite quote from the book," The world is in perpetual motion, and we must invent the things of tomorrow. One must go before others, be determined and exacting, and let your intelligence direct your life. Act with audacity" ~ Barbe Nicole Clicquot to great grand daughter Anne.

A review on Carol's book.

Carol Selva Rajah is a native of Malaysia, now living in the Australia shares her passion for cooking through a spectrum of " taste memory" from her childhood that greatly shaped her culinary landscape. I found the book to be rather charming. Quite conscious if my recommendation would be appear to be some what bias, since her experiences seems to reflect many of my own, therefore close to my heart.


However, for those who enjoy Asian food or just to satisfy one gastronomic curiosity this book offers a tapestry of aromatic delights that seduces the senses; both olfactory and gustatory simultaneously. You could rest assured that it won't be a disappointment and your exploration won't be in vain.

Not only does it comes with the delectable recipes, she told delicious stories as well, of a kaleidoscope of  cultures that creates those interesting and glorious intermingled of flavors. It is never easy to describe or share olfactory experience, its intangible, delicate and almost ethereal, but her descriptions reflect her sensitivity cultivated through training and practice to recognize the rich and subtle loudness of nuances in the herbs and spices, (often times one limitation is due to scantily of words in this department but I really appreciate her ability to handle this challenge brilliantly),

When she said the pandanus leaves has the subtlety of the newly mown grass scent in the introduction, I heard the voice in my head said, " Yes, Carol, you're very close almost on the money". I could never quite describe this unique scent, since it has a certain peculiar high notes of sweetness also, almost but not quite vanilla like. (later on discovered in the spice/herbs profile section, she describe it as " Vanilla of the East" the fragrance of fresh grass with hint of mint and a back notes of coconut). 

From my "taste memory" database, this complexity complement well with the scent of rose water, when use as the base for "bunga rampai", a " Malay Potpourri" , melange of aromatic tropical leaves and flowers.  This peculiar high notes of sweetness lent bunga rampai its distinct characteristic and glorified the coconut milk custard on our rice cakes. Absolutely loves they she exquisitely separates all the scent notes of the ginger flower with such elegance and sharp observation. I couldn't have agreed more. Aroma often comes second after taste buds when honing for perfection, in cooking and eating, but it's actually an important part of food experience, in the evocative of memories and in the feeding of our souls. 


Eventhough I am not a purist, I do have a longing to see more tradisinol recipe being incorporated in to see more tradisional recipe being incorporated but understood it is written for the western audience and  fusion is in style. 


Favorite quote, " Asian herbs brazenly provoke the taste buds -speaking to you in louder terms than the tyme ans bergamot of the west". Only those who know lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime and curry leaves will fully understand the meaning of the "louder term" above.

Cezanne's apple and Gibran's poetry..

And when you crush the apple with you teeth say it in your heart,

Your seeds shall live in my body,

And the buds of your tomorrow shall blossoms in my heart.

And your fragrance shall be my breath,

And together we shall rejoice all through the seasons."

- Gibran

First Entry.

Hello,

This would be my very first attempt to try the blogging technology, I just spent about 2 hrs to set this up (most time spent trying the template LOL) ....WOW so much to learn yet, ummm.. may be I need Blogging for Dummies...book to begin, this should be fun... many days ahead, many more entries and many more dreams....

To the love of writing Cheers...