| • Dear Food Lover |
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We're not surprised Bangkok's Aw Taw Kaw market is deemed Time magazine's Best Shopping Secret. "Bargain hungry tourists who throng Bangkok's sprawling and chaotic Chatuchak flea market every weekend aren't just missing the boat. They are missing the banquet…" says the ariticle. We couldn't agree more…
more about Aw Taw Kaw...
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 During our last visit, we stocked up on delicious look choop, the Thai equivalent of decorative marzipan. Artfully molded from sweetened mung bean paste and coconut cream into fruit and vegetable shapes, they are hand colored, then glazed under an agar agar jelly. |
Visit Thai markets and taste look choop, when we host a small tour group to Thailand in March '08. Globetrotting Gourmet® have confirmed VIP reservations at the Isan Food Festival masterclass, where presenters include cookbook author and London & Miami restaurateur Vatcharin Bhumichitr; Philip Cornwel-Smith author of Very Thai, a contemporary look at popular culture; and Bangkok Post food columnist Suthon Sukhphisit, among others. Learn the secrets of traditional Thai fruit liquors, plus marrying European grape wines with Thai entrees, and taste myriad varieties of curries in our special
gaeng workshop. |
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• DIET |
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| Is the water you drink too pure? If you have a water filter, or regularly ingest only bottled water, beware. You may be leaching minerals. And there is a correlation between consumption of purified water with cardiovascular disease. Why? Purified water is acidic. But untreated water is slightly alkaline. If your water filter is too efficient, it will also remove traces of natural, beneficial calcium and magnesium. Some experts now warn that drinking purified water should only be used in de-toxing diets. |
| We received several emails regarding last issue's caution against plastic containers. LINK Seems an equally culpable practice is microwaving in plastic wrap. Personally, we've gone back to Crown-Corning and wax paper, and source "ice box ware" from antique shops. |
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• CAMEMBERT |
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The difference between a genuine Normandy raw milk Camembert and a common supermarket pasteurized variety is like vintage wine vs mass-produced vin de table. Pasteurized milk rots,
while raw milk curds naturally. Not only that, cheese from raw milk tastes better. Yet inexplicably, two of France's biggest manufacturers of authentic appellation controlee Camembert stopped raw milk production this year. Some fear the companies will now use their commercial weight to get AOC regulators to allow heat-treated or microfiltered milk.
READ ON >>> |
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• AIRPORTS |
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| Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi airport doesn't pass the muster. Plagued by corruption allegations during construction, the airport earned poor ratings immediately for cracked runways and malfunctioning skybridges. While many of these fundamental safety issues are now rectified, airport difficulties continue. Despite impressive architecture, the quest to build the world's largest single terminal results in a facility far too large to navigate. Trolleys for hand-carry items are either in short supply, or inconveniently located, and immigration lines painfully slow. Security scanners are in short supply, resulting in inexcusably long lines to boarding gates. If this were an old airport, faults could be excused. But not for a modern $3 billion facility! The new airport is already overstretched, and old Don Muang re-opened in March for domestic flights, to resolve overcrowding. Quixotically, the old airport is now re-spelled Don Mueang - DMK. READ ON>>> |
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KOREA Passengers to Seoul's modern and efficient Incheon International Airport enjoy transit tours while awaiting flight connections for as little as $5. Five special priced tours are being offered to transit passengers to give them a taste of Korea. DETAILS >> |
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SINGAPORE Changi Airport opens its new Terminal 3 in early January '08. Although it will never win any awards for cutting edge architecture, Singapore knows how to provide efficiency and service, and we've long raved about Changi's efficiency. This is the world's exemplar to follow...
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• AIRLINE RAVES |
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| Frequent flyers know the importance of service over price. When flying a budget or cut-price airline, expect a decreased level of comfort. Perversely, North American carriers corrupt the rule: Full service US airlines, wallowing under years of debt and bankruptcy protection, fly old craft with cranky flight attendants, while discount carriers boast new fleets with young, chirpy crew. Luckily, our travels regularly take us to Asia, where the competition remains fierce between the world's best. And the situation hots up even more with cashed up Arab carriers making their mark in this year's Skytrax ratings: Full reviews on www.worldairlineawards.com |
| Airline of the year: |
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Singapore Airlines |
| Best First Class: |
Qatar Airways |
| Best Business Class: |
Singapore Airlines |
| Best Economy Class: |
Korean Air |
| Best Low Cost Carrier |
Jetstar |
| Best Cabin Staff: |
Malaysian Airlines |
| Best Inflight Entertainment: |
Emirates |
Nary an American carrier to be seen, although Air Canada was rated best for North America.
But is there any competition? |
| And for the all-important Best Catering results: |
| First Class (in order): |
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Gulf Air, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Korean Air |
| Business Class: |
Austrian, Continental Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Gulf Air, bmi British Midland |
| Economy Class: |
Ethiad Airways, Emirates, Malaysian, Singapore Airlines, Qantas |
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• FLYING WITH LIQUIDS |
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| Airline bans on liquids have a minor reprieve. The issue of duty-free items remains a huge annoyance for those connecting between two or more airports. We've seen many a frustrated passenger leaving airport-purchased cologne and alcohol behind at security counters. But help is at hand. A new European Union rule, effective this autumn, allows you to keep sealed liquid duty-free items on connecting EU flights. |
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• HOTEL RATES |
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| Bargain hunters should head to South Korea, where Seoul city hotels have dropped rack rates by 20% this year, and likewise removed the VAT from tourist accommodation until Jan '09. The discounts are all part of Korea's drive to induce 12 million tourists to visit the capital by 2010. |
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By contrast, travel wholesalers were mortified earlier this year, when Vietnam hotels arbitrarily raised their rates 50%, without concession to existing contracts. With over 92 percent occupancy year round in the country's limited 4 and 5-star properties, there was some justification for the move. But the penny pinchers are reeking revenge: Vietnam has lost its price advantage. The average wholesale 5-star hotel package is now around US$180 per night, which is 60% more expensive than a night in Thailand. We're reminded of Singapore, who likewise raised their average hotel charges in '06. In a country whose average stay is 2.5 nights, the cost of a quick stopover enroute home is now expensive. Nevertheless, Singapore still remains one of our favorite destinations -- second to Bangkok, of course. |
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| Singapore. We've stayed twice at the ultra-trendy New Majestic, and likewise chi chi The Scarlet, but fickle cognescetti now rave about Naumi, a boutique property catering to the business trade, opening in September. Located in the old Metropole Hotel near The Raffles, its location cannot be faulted. And as for only 40 rooms, we find it the perfect size… And for bargain rates, we still stay at 1929 in Chinatown. |
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• ROOMS WITH A VIEW |
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We're reluctant to divulge a favored retreat -- especially when the property has only 4 rooms -- and only one suitable for our purposes. Yet we can't rave enough about Bangkok's Arun Residence. This boutique property sits at the end of a small soi off Maharat Rd. |
| Inexplicably, the stairway hosts some of the best views of the Chao Phraya River facing Wat Arun. But at the top of level three sits our favorite room, with a huge balcony overlooking both river and temple. We basked here over four days, but haven't been able to find a vacancy ever since. www.arunresidence.com |
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| We finally had a chance to stay at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Novotel airport hotel. While there's still no direct walking passageway between the airport and terminal (at least, not until the rail line opens), who needs it, with punctual van service every 5-10 minutes. The hotel is surprisingly swish, boasts several good restaurants -- the Thai chef has |
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won international awards! -- and the beds ultra spacious. Can't figure out the kinky glass windows linking bedroom and bathroom, though. We originally thought the hotel best for early morning depatures, but had so much fun here, we'll arrive early and leave late next time. www.novotel.com |
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| In August we visited Vatcharin Bhumichitr's new Cinnamon hotel and restaurant on the idyllic island of Koh Samui. With some 20 rooms and bungalows facing the calm waters of the Gulf of Siam, this is a hot pick for foodies heading for sun and sand. Each room is decorated individually from Vatcharin's personal collection of arts and antiques. Vatch's fresh-shucked oysters with mangosteen nam prik was stellar. Special soft opening rates now until Christmas. www.cinnamonsamui.com We're delighted the chef is on the line up of guest presenters at next year's Isan Food Festival in Khon Kaen, where he'll be speaking on the origins of a humble pin-toh Isan lunch box -- plus some modern picnic reinterpretations of his own! |
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• MISCELLANY |
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| Flammable Batteries. How safe is your cell/mobile phone, let alone laptops, cameras and other portable electronic devices? Wrap or seal them to prevent on-board fires. MORE>>>> |
| & more about batteries… Tired of your laptop failing after an hour on board? Although airlines discourage the practice, there is a device that pulls power from the standard 1/8-inch headphone jack found in most commercial aircraft today. The InFlight Power USB works by trickle charging an adapter, then passing the built-up charge before repeating the three- to five-minute cycle. Numerous adaptors also included, for Blackberries, Ipods, etc. www.inflightpower.com |
| • SCHOLARSHIPS |
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| Robert & Morrison donated $50 each to 15 students at the Ban Nongkung School in rural Isan Thailand. As sustainable agriculture is a priority in our funding, we were thrilled to see local Buri Ram administrators practicing aquaculture, with fish and frog ponds providing daily lunch to the students. READ MORE >>> |
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We continue to collect redundant, but working, laptop computers to donate to schools in Southeast Asia. Please contact us directly for delivery, and we will hand carry the donations during our upcoming tours to Southeast Asia.
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| • PRESS |
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Robert's article & Morrison's photos on Phu Quoc, Vietnam's idyllic island ran in Traveller magazine, June '07, the in-house magazine for Accor hotels, with 200,000 circulation.
For the full article, click here... |
| Globetrotting Gourmet® is included in the line up for The New Foodie Frontiers in Toronto's Globe & Mail, by Cindy Chavich. |
| Globetrotting Gourmet® food tours are featured in Sheila Scarborough's article for Chow magazine: Pack Your Knives and Go Cooking vacations that steer clear of the tourist traps read on... www.chow.com |
| Elizabeth Merriment profiles our last Globetrotting Gourmet® tour in the national newspaper The Australian. www.theaustralian.news.com.au |
| Don Gilliland's Asian blog Bangkok Dazed also covers our latest visit to Thailand. Don is currently editing the Burma/Myanmar edition of To Asia with Love, a travel series featuring personalized favorites by expats and travelllers to the area. read on... |
| Daisy Melwani of the trade industry etravel blackboard highlights a Globetrotting Gourmet® promo evening in her daily webnews: read more... |
| • UPCOMING |
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Our Globetrotting Gourmet® 5 -day Burma Tastings March 17-22 '08 stops at colonial Rangoon, an exquisite architectural time warp little touched in over 50 years. We have, VIP reservations at The Strand, the city's best address, and a colonial gem. Fly to colorful Buddhist lunar festivities along Inle lake: Pindaya's cave festival, home to 8000 Buddha figurines; the colonial hill station Kalaw; and Kakku's colorful party in an ancient "orchard of stupas." |
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| further details on www.asianfoodtours.com |
Cheers,
Robert & Morrison |
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