Chocolate Bliss written by Susie Norris
Subtitled: Sensuous recipes, spa treatments, and other divine indulgences.
ISBN #978-1-58761-347-0 $16.99 Hardcover

I know, I know. What is a guy well-known for his disdain for desserts, especially chocolate desserts, doing reviewing a book on chocolate?  Well, ask yourself – who could be more objective, a chocolate lover, or me?  I’m open to new ideas and ways of thinking, and I’m always willing to research the other side of a position.  In this case, I’m glad I did.

Chocolate Bliss looks like a light book – almost fluffily frivolous – in its cute 7” square size and color photos. I was not prepared for the comprehensive, informative text or the engaging writing style of the author.  Chocolate Bliss is much more than it appears.

To quote the author, Susie Norris, in her introduction:  “I am a pastry chef, chocolatier, culinary school teacher, and snickers bar sneaker.”  Right away she establishes her credentials, interest and sense of humor. I was hooked!

The book is divided into four information packed segments; each dealing with a different aspect of chocolate, and each ending in a collection of recipes.
I – Good Taste – Exploring your favorite chocolates
. . . is an explanation of the different elements of chocolate’s taste, with definitions, websites, techniques for tastings, history and a list of great books of chocolate recipes. Then Susie Norris presents “sensuous recipes: from bonbons to fondue”
II – Health and Beauty – How chocolate helps you inside and out
. . . explains how chocolate is good for you – as a health food, as a vitamin, and for your blood, heart, skin, teeth and brain. The relevant scientific studies are discussed, their findings and supporters examined, and advice on how to control your cravings is given.  She finishes with “healthy recipes: from snacks to skin care.”
III – Good Works – How you can help chocolate
. . . is a vivid account of how chocolate grows, including the importance of preserving the environment it grows in, as well as saving the way of life of the 50 million people involved in its harvesting and distribution worldwide. Throughout this you’re given the fair-trade and organic chocolate argument with sound reasons to follow it.  She then includes “earthy recipes: from chili to cheesecake.”
IV – Share the Love – the gift of chocolate
. . . begins with the Aztec myths to explain how chocolate’s perception as a “gift of the gods” continues through the Holidays and celebrations of today. Halloween, Christmas, Hanukkah, Valentine’s Day, Easter – even Birthdays and Weddings – each has a chocolate tradition whose history is examined. The author then offers “gifting recipes: from cupcakes to white chocolate roses.”

Did You Know . . .
Ninety-eight percent of women have food cravings, as do 68 percent of men?

Chocolate generates an estimated $80 billion annual international income?

Chocolate is the third largest global commodity behind sugar and coffee?

Cocoa butter melts at around 91 degrees?

An ounce of very dark chocolate every day is healthy medicine?

Throughout the pages pithy and humorous quotes are included from literature, famous chefs, and cookbook authors. Facts and factoids from chemistry to history are also used to help reinforce the text. Chocolate Bliss is fun to read!

As for Chocolate Bliss as a cookbook, each of the attractively illustrated recipes is presented in a clear and logical manner. Methods, tips for success, and shortcuts are included in detail with the reasoning behind them. Whenever a specialized ingredient is given, it is defined, and shopping information and brand recommendations are given. It is clear that the author is a culinary instructor. She really knows how to make following the recipes easy.

I liked this book! In fact, I liked it so much I went to my local health food store and bought a bag of organic cocoa nibs* to add to the Chocolate Sugar Dough recipe (page 132) for the tart crust (page 59) for my Thanksgiving cheese cake. I told you I could keep an open mind!

*cocoa nibs are pure cocoa beans that have been fermented, hulled, roasted, and cracked, but not ground, to a paste. They have a nut-like crunch. (There are 8 references to cocoa nibs in the index.)

Chocolate Bliss by Susie Norris
Subtitled: Sensuous recipes, spa treatments, and other divine indulgences.
ISBN #978-1-58761-347-0 150 pages Hardcover $16.99
http://www.crownpublishing.com

Mom’s Chocolate Pie

A special friend of my daughter’s called to check on her after a recent surgery. An immediate connection was made and we were old friends from way back. We talked about my daughter’s recovery – she’s doing better, thank you for asking – and about the food I brought her house as she rested and mended.

“Comfort food, that’s what they needed,” I told her. I had prepared chicken and dumplings and a chocolate pie.

“’What’s chocolate pie,’” she asked. “’Is it like Derby Pie?’”

I was in shock. Could someone really not know about chocolate pie? Apparently, yes.

Chocolate Pie is a sacred rite of passage in our family. I’ve already given my granddaughter, Lauren, her first three lessons on the art of chocolate pie making. There are many more to come. The women in our family love chocolate pie. It started with my grandmother, Ann Burns Jackson. Ann trained her girls Zada, Sadie, Rose and Bonnie to prepare chocolate pie. Aunt Sadie and my mom, Rose, honed their chocolate pie skills over the years. They are both in their 80’s now. In fact my mom is still making chocolate pie and doing hair in a small shop in Alabama — but that is a whole other story.

We all use the same recipe, however I still haven’t mastered the pie crust. For our clan a perfect shopping day starts with a piece of chocolate pie and a Coca Cola TM. Every holiday is celebrated with a pie of some type, whether pumpkin, lemon or apple, but, no matter what, there is always a chocolate pie in the house.

There’s a reason that pie is always on the table or being taken to a sick one’s home. When life is kicking you in the rear end chocolate pie make life all right. Oh yes, it does.

Almost everyone here in Louisiana will agree, when you have chocolate pie it just makes everything right in the world. When something is wrong or life just isn’t right we head for the nearest restaurant or home that promises us a slice of chocolate heaven.

I recently went home to Alabama to visit my mom, Rose, and my Aunt Sadie. Of course, I savored a piece of what I believe is the best chocolate pie in the world. It brought back memories and the love I feel for these women. I was teary as I left for the airplane to go home. As I headed back to Louisiana I found myself on a plane that sat on the tarmac because of mechanical problems . The stewardess sat beside and we started chatting about Louisiana food. She asked the same question. “What is chocolate Pie”

Well, I’ve decided it’s a Southern delicacy and should get the Nobel Peace Prize. Because it does make everything all right with world — even if it’s just for a few bites. So, I’m leaving you with the recipe. Make it with love and then let me know what problems it solved.

Mom’s Chocolate Pie

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

3 tbsp. flour

3 tbsp. cocoa

3 eggs (beaten)

2 1/2 cups evaporated milk

1 tsp. vanilla

3 tbsp. butter

Whipped cream (small container heavy cream and a few tablespoons of sugar whipped until stiff.)

1 baked pie shell

Method:

Prebake the pie shell. Mix dry ingredients: sugar, flour and cocoa. Add beaten eggs and milk. Mix well, cook over medium heat and stir until thick. Remove from heat; add vanilla and butter. Pour into baked pie shell and cool before topping with whipped cream. Add coconut on top if you want.  Makes one 9 inch pie.

Reach Kaye at: Nann1151@aol.com.

Las Ventanas al Paraíso is an exclusive hotel on the Cabos “corridor,” part way between the luxury resort town of Cabo San Lucas to the south, and the quieter colonial city of San Jose del Cabo to the north. It is simply stunning in its landscaping and architectural beauty. With a little over 100 rooms and suites, Las Ventanas al Paraíso (which translates as Windows to Paradise) successfully combines a small luxury boutique feel with a fabulous spa experience. It is also a favorite of foodies, and offers cooking classes with Chef Fabrice Puisset at a station on the edge of his walled herb garden. Fresh heirloom tomato and beet salad, red snapper baked in a hoja santa leaf, and a delicious selection of desserts were all on the menu the evening I attended. Talk about clean, fresh food. The chef darted into the herb garden whenever he needed fresh ingredients. What a night!

The setting of the class itself was unusual. Inside a walled garden, the class quickly revealed itself as an herb garden with a three-sided counter , all inside a pergola. We classmates arranged ourselves on stools around the “bar” while the “bartender” – who was actually the chef – took his station in front of us. Slanted mirrors hung above him so we could see what he was doing. Two classical guitarists played behind us, and staff hovered to refill our champagne* glasses as necessary (often!). He also played sous chef when needed (rarely!) The setting was perfect.
First Chef Fabrice created a guacamole, taking care to avoid making it into a paste. It had chunky, whole-pieces-of-avocado-bursting-with-flavor, combined with other ingredients to create the freshest in-your face- guacamole I’ve ever tasted. We were served that with a fresh tomato salsa and saltless tortilla chips as “blotters” while we watched the chef at work. With the amount of champagne we were drinking, it was good to have the “blotters!”

Chef Fabrice was an unusual instructor in that he measured nothing , only eyeing ingredients he used. As he worked he explained the concept and the process involved to create each dish – but giving no amounts! That’s how he made the vinaigrette for our salad. He started with a big bowl, pouring in a “goodly” amount of local agava flower honey , made from the tequila cactus, and even more champagne vinegar, to which he added lime juice and olive oil. He poached some orange zest to remove the bitterness and then added the zest, some reduced orange juice, and a few orange chunks to the bowl. A quick whisk, a dash of salt and pepper, and it was done. Without exact amounts, the experienced cook can still easily recreate the recipe using a 3/1 oil to vinegar ratio, adding the other ingredients to taste. The fresh, citrusy flavors complimented the complex tastes of the heirloom tomatoes and beets beautifully.
This next dish seemed fussy to me. I mean, sautéing and then baking a tiny piece of red snapper seemed a bit of overkill. I can’t believe the fillet wouldn’t cook just baking in the oven for 15 minutes or so, but then it wouldn’t have that buttery edge. Anyway, it was fun to watch him put it all together. The red snapper was cooked in butter and olive oil, then it was set on a leaf of the hoja santa plant which is commonly used in Mexican cuisine for tamales, and fish or meat wraps. It imparts a hard-to-put-your-finger-on, almost sassafras, almost eucalyptus taste to the meal. Tiny fresh vegetables (carrots, zucchini, leeks, fennel) were arranged around the fish with fresh basil, then the hoja santa leaf folded over to make a little package. That is set on a sheet of newspaper, wrapped again, and popped into the oven to bake. While it baked Chef Fabrice created a simple lime infused aioli to drizzle on top of the finished dish. Piquant, fragrant, crunchy, elusive in the root of its flavor, the snapper was complex and tasty. I guess, with red snapper readily available and commonly served, involved recipes such as this increase the variety of tastes one can get out of mild white fish.

The desserts tray was crowded with individual little fresh coconut milk custards topped with a variety of fresh fruits and sauces. Tiny multi-layered chocolate cakes, and other sweet concoctions in quantities far exceeding the number of participants were also added. There was even a plate of churros with sweet dips! The selection and combination kept us busy mining the depths of flavors. It was an extravagance of sweetness; a fitting finale to an over-the-top cooking demonstration. Chef Fabrice is an adept and able teacher, engaging in his presentation and execution. The class was one of the best I’ve had,and it certainly was in the nicest setting.
The chef and I definitely connected during the evening. He said he was impressed because I was the only one who took notes throughout the whole three hour meal. (I was impressed because I could still write after three hours of affirmative answers to the constant question, “Would you like more champagne, sir?”) He really is a sweetheart of a guy. I left with his recipes and the Ventanas’ signature red glass heart. It’s hanging in my window at home. Each day when the morning sun fills the heart with light I think I’m back at the table in Las Ventanas al Paraíso again.

* In the interest of clarity, the “champagne” was actually a 2000 Gloria Ferrer Royal Cuvée Brut, a Sonoma California sparkling wine. With 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay grapes, it fits within the range of comfort for my palate. Not too much Chardonnay, with the dark grapes (I really prefer the Pinot Meunier grape, but Pinot Noir is very similar) giving it the body and staying power for an evening of imbibing. At $25, this is a very good everyday sparkling wine.

The “Freshest” Guacamole
4 large avocados
1 medium red onion
1 medium tomato
1 bunch cilantro
2 chili serrano
1 oz lime juice
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut each avocado in half and remove the seed. Holding one half cupped in your palm, use a rounded knife to crisscross the flesh of the fruit, not breaking the skin, to create ½ inch pieces.With a spoon, scoop it into a large bowl. Repeat for all halves. Finely chop the next four ingredients and stir in, adding the remaining ingredients as you do. The idea is that the avocado will mash a bit as you mix, but it will still have a texture when served.

For More information:
www.visitloscabos.travel
Tourism Los Cabos

Richard Frisbie can be reached at Richard@globalfoodie.com. He also does business at Hope Farm Press & Bookshop, 15 Jane Street Saugerties NY 12477 where, since 1959, he has specialized in New York State books. Questions? Call him at: 845-246-3522
History & Genealogy (NYGenWeb) www.hopefarm.com/geneatop.htm
Shopping-cart www.hopefarmbooks.com
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By Deston Nokes

Mt. Hood’s Timberline Lodge has long been known as Oregon’s second most-visited site after Multnomah Falls. Located on the face of Mt. Hood, just a stone’s throw from Portland, Timberline offers incredible year-round skiing, a rustic ambiance, and a top-notch culinary team.

Timberline Lodge is more than an iconic landmark. It’s a mountain cabin on a grand scale: decidedly rustic, warm and cozy beyond measure. Some may recall that its façade played a starring role as The Overlook Hotel in Stanley Kubrick’s motion picture, The Shining.

“When Timberline was built during the Great Depression, the concept was to create a place for all of the people,” said Jon Tullis, Timberline spokesman. “The idea was to create ‘Oregon’s Mountain Home,’ and that feeling hasn’t changed one bit.”

But when the economic termites began eating away at the state’s tourism industry in 2008, even Timberline was hard hit. By October, the business downturn was so profound; the lodge had to close its dining room for lunch.

“We had to change our business model and find a way to ride the rising popularity of culinary tourism,” explained Leif Benson, CEC, AAC, Timberline’s executive chef of 30 years. “In Oregon we have incredible wines, meats, fish and produce; and at Timberline, we have the perfect background to showcase it all.”

After talking with different purveyors, Benson started the daily Farmer’s Market Brunch Buffet, which is a selection of distinctive Northwest cuisine every day in Timberline’s main lobby from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The region’s growers, producers and food industry advocates consult on the buffet offerings, and have found that the historic Timberline Lodge is a perfect setting to showcase their foods to a steady stream of culinary tourists.

Each day the brunch offers:

 A Chef’s Action Statio’ (carved or presented items)

• Fresh Farmer’s Market salads

• Chef’s daily soup

• Artisan bread

• Local produce

• Vegetable presentations

• Mesclun salad

• Desserts and pastries

• Made-to-order waffle station

This isn’t your run-of-the-mill, strip-mall buffet fare. So far, the brunch has showcased on strawberries, cherries, golden watermelons, sushi, lamb, hazelnuts, pink shrimp, Dungeness crab, albacore tuna, potatoes, pears and local coffee roasters.

“The menu changes all the time to emphasize the season’s bounty,” Benson said. “One week we’ll feature our mushroom foraging industry with chanterelle’s. Another week we’ll showcase artisan cheeses, wild game, Oregon wines or Northwest beef.”

The day I enjoyed brunch, the state’s potato growers were holding court, unveiling purple potato candy and other edible delights. My personal favorite was the lamb chops served by SuDan Lamb.

In one month, Timberline’s concept attracted 10,000 diners. Because of its success, the Farmer’s Market Brunch Buffet is now a daily, year-round event.

“It’s been a great way to get people to visit us ,” Benson said. “At Timberline, you enjoy the food and take away a memory.”

Celebrating what makes Oregon taste so good

Much of Timberline’s success is derived by its partnership with Oregon’s food and wine producers. Each August through November, the Oregon Tourism Commission, also known as Travel Oregon, launches Oregon Bounty, which is a comprehensive campaign to tantalize taste buds in all seven regions of the state.

The Oregon Bounty campaign, which continues until Nov. 30, offers special events and menus urging locals (and lucky visitors) to try new wines, enjoy local produce, order distinctive dinners in fine eateries and attend harvest festivals around the state.

Photos by Deston Nokes.

The centerpiece of the campaign is a colorful, comprehensive Web site. At www.traveloregon.com, users can click on a region and surf specials in lodging, dining, festivals, wineries and breweries. It posts the fixed-price menus at participating restaurants. Also, there is an online recipe book using Oregon meats, fruits cheeses and nuts, all washed down with Oregon vintages.

Visit www.TravelOregon.com/Bounty for details.  Contact Deston at Deston@globalfoodie.com.

The dark exterior and 1940s neon sign belies what visitors find inside this Glenwood Springs, Colorado prize. Owner Colleen Stuart has remade what was formerly known as the Riviera Supper Club into her own vision. Now it’s just called the Riviera Restaurant and it’s both visually pleasing and the food is mouth watering.

The interior is surprisingly bright due to its 2005 facelift. Blond, natural hardwood tables and chairs, contemporary glass dishes and walls covered with vibrant paintings from local artists highlight the eatery. This has created a fun and inviting atmosphere conducive to hearty appetites.

My experience started with a pinktinis, a citrus flavored martini using x-rated fusion liqueur vodka. It was tart yet smooth. There are another 28 martinis and one is sure to fit your palate.

Next up was the Riviera signature salad ($6). This ample portion was creatively plated and chilled and simply comprised of Romaine lettuce blended with a smoky home-made bacon gorgonzola ranch dressing. The flavors matched each other perfectly and I can honestly say that this was one of my all time best salads. I would drive the 4 plus hours again just to have this salad.

The coconut tempura shrimp ($8) was my choice for an appetizer. This is a choice I’m always a little reluctant to make so far inland. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the freshness and flavor of these hand-battered, plump sea treasures. Accompanied by a sweet chili-ginger sauce, the sweetness of the sauce and crispy texture of the perfectly fried tempura worked well together.

For my main entrée I had the recommended Colorado rack of lamb with demi-glazed rosemary (seasonal), served with garlic mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables. Very few restaurants know how to prepare a good lamb. This one does and mine was tender, flavorful and succulent.

The evening was topped off with a traditional cold, rich, creamy and decadent chocolate mousse.

Dining at the Riviera has the feeling of a cozy art museum. There is even a huge painting of a martini fastened to the ceiling. Colleen Stuart goes to great lengths to ensure that her customers are well attended and that the food is always home-made and fresh. The Riviera is located at 702 Grand Ave. in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. They are open every night from 5 p.m.-10 p.m. and reservations are always a good idea at this popular local eatery.

Contact Ron at: Ron@globalfoodie.com.

Jay and Jackie became sweethearts in the 1960s, while in a New York high school. After visiting Fort Collins in 1972, Jay discovered what so many have; he liked the town so much, he never left. He became the chef at Nico’s Catacombs in the 1970’s. Ten years later he and Jackie opened Café Columbine on the corner of College Ave and Laurel Street.

Initially they only served breakfast and lunch, but, by 1988, had so many satisfied customers they opened for dinner. That decision brought more customers and the need for a bigger space. They found it across the street on South College Avenue. There they honed their culinary skills and increased their customer base.

After 10 years the Whitlen’s lost their lease and had to look for even bigger digs. In 2001 they bought 135 West Oak Street where continue to offer their distinctive combination of hospitality, music and, of course, fabulous food. “We made it into the style we like and expanded the music and menu,” Jay said proudly. Live jazz is offered four nights a week and their menu is described as “American eclectic.”

Jay, who has traveled extensively, is influenced by southwestern and Asian cultures and incorporates those tastes and flavors into his dishes. For example, the southwest crab cake appetizer is a favorite among the locals. Jay uses lump crab with a smoky tomato and corn salsa accompanied by a red pepper sauce. It is truly one of the best crab cakes — in or out of Fort Collins.

One of Jay and Jackie’s signature and most popular dishes is the filet mignon with a creamy gorgonzola port wine reduction. The Angus beef is tender, flavorful and when combined with the cheese, melts in your mouth.

“What sets us apart is that we have great flavors,” said Jackie, “We pride ourselves in punching up the sauces and making flavors pop.”

That is evident in other favorites, including the Ahi tuna with five-spice ginger and yakitori glaze. A Chilean sea bass with crusted pine nuts and fresh basil is also unforgettable. The wild game plate of wild boar and cranberry sausage, Colorado ostrich filet plated on raspberry port demi glace, and red deer medallion on blackberry pomegranate demi glace, is yet another popular and tempting meal.

In addition to the generous portions, Jay’s has an extensive wine selection and, since 1993, has won the prestigious Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. There are 35 wines that may be ordered by the glass and, according to Jay, the bistro was the first restaurant in Fort Collins to offer 16-ounce wine glasses. This is just one reason why Jay’s is perpetually busy. “We offer a great value in portion sizes as well as the amount of wine we serve,” said Jackie.

The atmosphere at Jay’s is warm and inviting with a soothing palate of earth tones, natural woods, black and white framed photos hung over the tables, wrought iron railings and colorful dried flower accents. Jackie has also incorporated her favorite artists in the bistro’s design, including Polish oil Art Deco painter, Tamara de Lempicka.

Contrary to what some may think, Jay’s is not just a special occasion restaurant, although they do get their share of celebrations. Rather, it is a bistro where you can just have appetizers, a Caesar salad and a glass of wine, all while enjoying live music and the decorative atmosphere.

The friendly and professional staff at Jay’s lives the philosophy of its owners—to treat every guest like they are coming into their own home. In fact many have told Jay that his bistro is the Cheers of Fort Collins. Quite a compliment Jay quips who coincidentally added, “even our manager’s name is Norm.”

Jay’s Penne Pasta with Gorgonzola

1 cup cream
2 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes
8 ounces mixed mushrooms
2 tablespoons garlic
1/4 cup gorgonzola cheese
Penne pasta
Candied pecans (These can be made by covering pecans with molasses and baking on a grease-covered pan for 10 minutes in a hot oven).
Olive oil
1. Saute the mushrooms, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil over medium to high heat until the mushrooms give off its liquid.
2. Add the cream and gorgonzola cheese. Cook over high heat, letting the mixture reduce by a quarter.
3. Toss with Cooked penne pasta.
4. Top with candied pecans

Makes two servings.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Location/Hours:
135 West Oak, Fort Collins, Colorado 80524
Call for reservations.
Telephone: 979.482.1876.
Lunch: Monday – Friday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Dinner: Monday – Thursday 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 5 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Sunday: 5 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Ron Stern is a Fort-Collins based writer and photographer who can be reached at Ron@globalfoodie.com.

By Susan McKee

Slurp, slosh, spit, repeat. I watched Abir Goyal sample his way through a hundred different lots of tea in the broker’s office in Guwahati, India. This was his second run through. The first was steeped with boiling water. This go-round added milk to the brewed tea, just as it would be drunk by the majority of tea drinkers in India.

He was tasting “dust” – the lowest quality of broken tea leaves that looks like powder. Goyal said that it’s very popular in the south of India because it brews many more cups per kilo than the pricier leaf tea. He said it’s also used in tea bags.

Just like wine tasters, Goyal doesn’t actually swallow what he’s tasting; he just swirls it in his mouth for a bit. Tasting notes are dictated to the clerk following him down the line of teas identified only by number. “Thin,” he’d say. Or “thick” or “smooth,” or other succinct adjectives.

The vocabulary, too, reminded me of wine tasting. Goyal assessed the weight and quality of the tea on his tongue, just like an experienced sommelier, checking for burnt, harsh or coarse overtones. “Malty” is sought after in Assamese teas, “metallic” is not. “Full-bodied” is the top designation, the target combination of strength and colour.

He also looked at the unbrewed tea next to the prepared cup, checking to see if it was well-picked and clean.

Goyal, who is a senior executive with Carritt Moran & Company, is charged with providing guidance for his company’s purchasing agents. Based on his tasting notes, they head to the tea auction in Guwahati and bid for the lots. Carritt Moran, founded in 1877, is the second-largest tea auctioneer firm in the world, handling about one-fourth of the teas sold through the Indian auction system.
I had spent the morning at the Gauhati Tea Auction Centre, watching both the live and the subsequent electronic auction. Assam – the province of which Guwahati (also called Gauhati) is the capital – grows most of the tea exported by India. Some 20 percent of Indian tea passes through this auction house. Watching the auction itself was mesmerising. I had no idea what made one lot of tea worth more than another, but men such as Goyal certainly did.

I was staying with friends, originally from Darjeeling, who’d moved to Assam several years ago. Like many in Guwahati, they invested in a tea plantation, which is called a tea garden here. But they hadn’t visited their property in months; the region had become too dangerous. The entire north-east section of India had been off-limits to foreigners for decades because of an ongoing guerrilla uprising against the central government. Although things had quieted down enough to lift the tourism prohibition, out in the distant reaches of the province things were still a little bit dicey.

My friends said they’d ransomed their manager twice now, that keeping good staff was a problem when kidnapping was a routine occurrence.

I didn’t see any trouble in the tea plantation I visited, however. The Brahmaputra River is bordered by more than a half a million acres of lush green tea gardens growing in the rich alluvial soil. The total production of tea in Assam approaches one million pounds per year.

The tea gardens themselves are beautiful. The emerald green of the waist-high camellia sinensis bushes seems to glow from within. The best tea is picked by hand, and whole villages of migrant workers are imported to do the specialised work. First comes withering, when the freshly picked green leaves are spread out to dry on enormous ventilated trays. The leaves are then processed and graded, with whole leaves at the top of the scale, and the powdery dust at the bottom.

Tea, while a darn good excuse, isn’t the only reason to journey to Assam. There are a couple of significant Hindu pilgrimage sites here and one of the top game preserves in the world.

The Kamakhya Devi temple, known for its animal sacrifices, occupies a prominent hilltop in the middle of town. The Umananda Temple, dedicated to Shiva, is the centrepiece of Peacock Island. Hindu priests and golden langur long-tailed monkeys are the only permanent residents of this small bluff in the Brahmaputra River. Ten rupees (US$.25) buys you a round-trip ferry ride from Kachari Ghat, about 20 minutes each way.

The Assam State Museum, located near the Standard Chartered Bank on the GNB Road, provides a good introduction to the history, culture and art of the region. Just looking around, one can see Burmese, Chinese and Indian influences on the people and the culture.

Although there are many stores selling the distinctive champagne-coloured Assamese silk, if you travel to Sualkuchi (about 32km from Guwahati on the north bank of the Brahmaputra River) you can see the weavers in action. Don’t miss a trip to Kaziranga National Park (www.kaziranganationalpark.com). India’s first wildlife sanctuary, it was established a century ago by the British viceroy to preserve the then-dwindling population of the one-horned Indian rhinoceros. There are now some 1,500 of the majestic beasts roaming free in the park, protected by 400 staff members and 120 anti-poaching camps.

Tigers, sometimes seen on excursions into the park, are considered an especially auspicious omen on one’s visit. It’s an astonishing experience for visitors who can climb aboard elephants for an early morning ride out into the bush in search of wildlife. That’s when I saw my “lucky tigers,” but also lots of swamp deer, hog deer, storks, herons, a group of wild buffalo and, of course, rhinos.

Kaziranga is about 217 dusty, bumpy kilometres by road from Guwahati, so arranging a package tour is the best way to get there.

There are no name-brand hotels in Assam, even in the capital, so don’t expect Western hotel standards. The rooms will be clean, if a bit threadbare, and the occasional insect should not be cause for alarm. There will be two sets of prices – one in rupees for Indian nationals and another in US dollars for foreign nationals.

The best hotel in the Assamese capital is the Dynasty (SS Road, Lakhtokia, Guwahati, tel 91 3612 5104 9699, www.hoteldynastyindia.com). In the heart of the Fancy Bazaar shopping district, it’s close to restaurants and many businesses. The doorman wears an impressive uniform, the lobby floors are marble and the atmosphere is definitely Indian. To get an actual bathtub in your bathroom, you need to request a junior suite. The 76 rooms have minibars, and there’s a fitness centre.

For a spectacular view, ask for a room overlooking the river at the 49-room Brahmaputra Ashok Hotel (tel 91 361 602 281, (www.theashokgroup.com/brahmaputra_hotels.htm) – as long as there’s no noisy party scheduled on the ground-floor patio. It’s on Mahatma Gandhi (“MG”) Road, opposite the High Court in Guwahati.

Contact Susan at Susan@globalfoodie.com. This prolific writer can also be found at:

Roadtrips.Foodie@gmail.com
http://Twitter.com/RoadtripsFoodie
http://RoadTripsforFoodies.com

I Met A Man Who Loved His Bread
By Richard Frisbie

M. Boizard is a lifelong baker who collected bread related items as he baked his way into semi-retirement. Now, M. Boizard tends his collection at the Musee du pain; but I think of it as the Bread Museum.

We met on a bridge near his home in Fismes, France. I’d stopped to photograph the blossoming crabapple trees that stood next to a picturesque little mill along the La Vesle River.  When he learned I was American he pointed said that our 28th Division took the bridge in 1918, after a weeklong firefight. “Hundreds of Americans were killed to liberate my village,” he said. Then he invited me to his home – or so I thought.

This occurred all over France. Two Thousand and eight was the 90th anniversary of World War I’s end. France had been commemorating the anniversaries of various battles for the previous four years until the culmination of ceremonies on November 11th. I was walking in French and American soldier’s footsteps. Everywhere I went the French people treated me as if I’d been in the Verdun trenches with them.

Forget what you might have heard about the French. They remember the World Wars better than we do. After all, the fighting happened in their back yards. They haven’t forgotten America’s help winning, either. I was received warmly wherever I went. And so, I accepted Mr. Boizard’s invitation.

With his little English and my nonexistent French it is no wonder I misunderstood. It wasn’t to his home we went, but down an alley next to the bridge, where I found myself in his bread museum. Outside he had a large German wood-burning oven on wheels, which is still towed and used at events. There were also two antique tractors, one French, circa 1957, and the other a 1955 English version. Both were once used to harvest wheat, and both still run.

It’s far more difficult to describe the inside of the museum. There was so much stuff packed into one large room that, at first, my eyes couldn’t focus on just one object. Gradually, though, I discerned a path, beginning with early bread making implements and eventually leading up to the present time.

Everything related to bread and bread-making art

was under this one roof. There were tools and machines for mixing, shaping, baking, twisting, rising, even for harvesting and reaping the wheat. I even watched an English video that showed how French bread was made. With floor to ceiling displays it was obvious that bread was truly his passion.

There were some models and images of local windmills where the grain was ground. He told me that in World War I the Germans machine-gunned the blades off the windmills because the French Resistance used them to as a landmark to locate enemy bunkers and stored munitions. That meant the French were often without flour for bread until the American liberation. That explained why he also had three flour sacks on display labeled “US FLOUR.” The soldiers who saved the village brought the ingredients for the French (and every other cultures’) staff of life. And, there’s nothing more important to a Frenchman or woman than bread. It’s no wonder the Americans were treated like heroes!

Over flutes of champagne he showed off his proudest memento. It was the newspaper account of his induction into La Commanderie de France des Talmeliers Bon Pain, the organization of French bread lovers. His homage to bread, his museum, earned him an honorary membership in this prestigious fraternity of bakers. It also earned him mention there as a man who followed his passion to create an incredible bread monument.

For more information:
Musee du pain:  03 26 48 00 13
Admission: 3.5 Euros

Official French Government Tourist Office: www.franceguide.com

Air France:  www.airfrance.us

Meuse Department of Tourism: www.tourisme-meuse.com

La Marne Tourism Office: www.tourisme-en-champagne.com

Tourist Office of Reims: www.reims-tourisme.com

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I Met A Man Who Loved His Willows … and Helped Save a Rose

By Richard Frisbie

France’s Champagne region is known for its baskets woven from willow branches. In fact, the French National School of Basket Weaving is located in Champagne. So, the next time you think of Champagne, think baskets, not bubbly, and you’ll win the admiration of Dominique Brochet-Lanvin.

Dominique Brochet-Lanvin, along with his wife, son, dog and a few rascally puppies, calls Botanique de la Presle their home. It is an arboretum, nursery and a labor of love in the French countryside outside of Epernay in Montagne de reims.

Dominique is a salixophile, or lover of willows.  “There are 500 to 600 varieties of salix” he told me. “No one knows for sure. I’m trying to collect them all here.”

When I told him that I only knew of the weeping willow, he said: “As we say in France, that is the one that hides the rest.” Then he told me a charming story so typical of the French.

“Before he died, Napoleon requested that a weeping willow be planted on his grave. It became the custom for everyone who visited his tomb to take a cutting home to plant. His weeping willow spread around the world. Now, what he couldn’t conquer in life he has dominion over through his millions of willows.”

The bread, the wine and now the willows are the reason I love the French.

Willows have many other uses. During World War I the French lined their trenches with woven willow panels to hold back the earthen ramparts. Near St. Mihiel I actually got into some of the trenches. The German trenches were original, with walls and bunkers made from huge blocks of stone. The French trenches were reconstructed with fresh willow walls, illustrating the impermanence of their battlements. What they built for temporary protection from the barrage of enemy shells often became semi-permanent as the trench warfare dragged on for years. And all those years their willows kept them company.

Back in the arboretum, as a light rain fell, Dominique walked me through his willow collection. It was perfect gardener’s weather for admiring the various black, yellow, green, and contorted stems, each with their different size and shape catkins, or flowers. Tall, short, multi- and single-trunk bushes and trees, all willows, competed for my attention. When I recognized the pussy willow I realized that where I used to know only two types of willows, now I knew two hundred! And still the collection went on.

We toured over 1000 feet of perennial beds bordered with short woven willow fences before finishing our walk in the old fashioned rose garden. Here Dominique showed me a prized specimen of the La Marne rose he and his wife rescued from extinction. Originally named in 1915 for the Battle of La Marne, this blood-red beauty was nearly lost until they discovered a “forgotten” specimen in a relative’s garden and propagated it. Today, the Botanique de la Presle proudly sells descendants of this noble antique. While the last French veteran of the Great War has been laid to rest, the La Marne rose lives on, a testament to the hardy French stock and the toils of two gardeners of Champagne.

For more information:

Botanique de la Presle: www.jardin-brochetlanvin.com
Official French Government Tourist Office: www.franceguide.com
Meuse Department of Tourism: www.tourisme-meuse.com
La Marne Tourism Office: www.tourisme-en-champagne.com
Tourist Office of Reims: www.reims-tourisme.com
Air France: www.airfrance.us

Richard Frisbie is a food wine and travel writer; a bookseller and publisher of New York centric books; and a newspaper columnist who resides in New York’s Hudson Valley. Online, his articles appear here, on Gather.com, GoNomad.com, travellady.com and the many websites of EDGE Publications. He also writes for regional New York magazines such as Adirondack Life, Life in the Finger Lakes, and Kaatskill Life. Richard can be reached at Richard@globalfoodie.com.

Hafod Eryri, Snowdon Summit Visitor’s Centre

By Keith Kellett

Someone once said that you can see six kingdoms from Snowdon’s summit: Wales, England, Scotland, Ireland, the Isle of Man and even the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever wrote that obviously went up on a clear day. Quite often, low clouds mean you see absolutely nothing but mist. If you walked up on one of many footpaths, you might still risk visual disappointment. You would certainly enjoy the trip if you rode up to the summit on Llanberis village’s delightful vintage rack railway. Once there, your reward — a meal at the recently rebuilt Hafod Eryri Complex, located just below the summit. If it’s a clear day you’ll get additional sustenance from the view.

By world standards, a restaurant a little over 3,500 feet above sea level isn’t all that remarkable. After all, there are whole countries that sit much higher. But, the Hafod Eryri Complex is in Britain, Snowdon, Wales, to be precise, only 60 feet below the country’s highest point. Officials are careful with facts and figures and say that it’s the highest restaurant in England and Wales. But, technically speaking, the Ptarmigan Restaurant in Cairngorm, Scotland tops it at 3,520 feet –but then again, that’s another kingdom away ….

The Hafod Eryri restaurant, originally designed to fit into the hilly landscape, was extensively renovated and refurbished and now offers an attractive and inviting building to those who make the journey, either by foot or by the little vintage rack railway that has been climbing the mountain since 1896.

Hafod Eryri’s predecessor was a squalid, grim concrete blockhouse, which I was surprised to learn was designed in the early 1930s by the noted and environmentally friendly architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis of Portmeirion fame. (Williams-Ellis designed Portmeirion, a resort village reminiscent of Portofino, which sits on the Snowdonian coastline.)

“But, it wasn’t Williams-Ellis’s original design,” Vince Hughes, the restaurant’s communication manager, said. “He called for large windows, which got completely destroyed after the first winter.”

It’s not surprising, really. Winds of up to 150 miles per hour have been recorded on the summit. So, those windows were replaced with narrow panes, more suited to a military bunker.

Modern technology has, however, allowed big, panoramic windows in the new building. They’re called “’whispering windows.” Stand close and you’ll hear an audio interpretation of what you see (or what you could see if the clouds weren’t there) or a poetry reading from the former National Poet of Wales, Gwyn Thomas.

The steel frame and granite are from Blaenau Ffestiniog and Portugal. Most were transported up on the train in 10-ton pre-fabricated pieces, and some of the work was finished on site. The design is and was intended to blend in with the contours of the mountain, rather than stand out against them.

The pleasing, attractive interior is lined with Welsh oak, a sharp contrast to the former structure, which made a vacuum flask and sandwiches carried up the mountain seem a much better proposition.

It would be tempting for the owners to offer dinner on “the roof of Wales” but they can’t. Everything, including the water, is brought up by train. And, since the electricity comes from the restaurant’s generators, they can’t really operate large ovens, deep-fat fryers, or even dishwashers,

“So, all our crockery has to be disposable,” Hughes said.

Visitors who come up by train, only have half an hour at the summit before returning on the same train, otherwise, a place on a later train isn’t guaranteed. And, it’s a long walk down! Although, of course, if you walked up you can stay as long as you wished. There are now three till points that cater to those walkers. There was once a self-service cafeteria and only one till point. Visitors could easily spend all summit waiting in line for food.

Hot food needs to be of the sort that can be cooked quickly – in a small oven or a microwave. It doesn’t, by any means, mean the choice is restricted, though. And, the prices are reasonable. For instance, a sausage, egg and bacon panini only costs £3.55 – and it’s Lincolnshire sausage, too! There’s also a tempting range of panini, hot savouries such as Cornish pastys (I am reliably informed that, in Cornwall pastys is the correct plural), baguettes and cakes.

It’s all fresh, too. Unable to sleep, I took a walk early in the morning, saw and photographed the food assortment delivered by a baker’s van. “Locally sourced” is a phrase you hear often about the food there. Workers load it on to the early morning train, which brings supplies and any staff needed to reinforce or replace those who have spent the night up there.

Top of the hot food range is the traditional Welsh “Oggie’,” which is almost the same as a Cornish pasty, but made in Wales; and it’s much bigger. Both have similar origins and were a handy means of providing a portable packaged meal for miners. The Welsh coal miners held it by the crimping in the crust, because of the coal dust on their fingers, the Cornish tinners held it so to keep from ingesting the antimony and arsenic, which were a lethal by-product of tin mining,

Both would leave the crusts for the spirits they believed haunted the mine, and, if you kept them fed, would give warning of impending disaster. The Welshman would throw his crust over his shoulder with a cry of “Oggie,” which is probably the origin of the Welsh rugby fans chant.

No, I didn’t try one. Only two hours earlier, I’d got on the outside of a gargantuan Welsh breakfast at the Dol Peris Hotel. Even if I hadn’t, I don’t think I’d manage it; it’s definitely an item for sharing!

(Yes, I know my mobile phone, which I placed by the Oggie to give an idea of the size, is so last century, But, I am planning to replace it soon!)

For more information visit:

www.snowdonrailway.co.uk/hafod_eryri.html

www.dolperis.com

Keith Kellett is globalfoodie’s UK correspondent and an expert on England’s food history and origin. He can be reached at: Keith@globalfoodie.com. You can see more of his work at: travelrat.wordpress.com.

I have it on pretty good authority that mice don’t really care about cheese one way or the other; apparently, peanut butter is far more efficacious bait for mousetraps. Were I a mouse who didn’t know this fact I’d have thought I’d died and gone to heaven after entering the Dairy Products Hall at this year’s Royal Bath and West Show.

Bath is in Somerset; so is the village of Cheddar, so, naturally, the great majority of dairy products on show were cheese. And, the greater proportion of that cheese was cheddar.

Now, cheese doesn’t have to be produced in Cheddar to be called cheddar. I’ve seen Irish cheddar, Australian cheddar and Canadian cheddar. Cheddar has become widely used internationally, and does not currently have a Protected Designator of Origin (PDO). However, the European Union does recognise West Country Farmhouse Cheddar as a PDO.

To be called West Country Farmhouse Cheddar – the real stuff – it must be made on a farm, and that farm is within the four counties of Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall. Those four make up the south-west of England.

Even in the old days, people said that only cheese produced within a thirty-mile radius of Wells Cathedral should be called cheddar.

A certain process must be used, too. After heating, the resulting curds are kneaded with salt. This is then cut into cubes to drain the whey. The cheese is then wrapped in cloth, and stored, and turned at intervals. The longer it’s matured, the better it is. It can be released for sale after three months; but mature cheddar usually starts at around 15 months. It can be stored for up to five years, after which time, I’d suppose you need to eat it quickly, before it eats your cracker!

Most of cheddar cheese country is in limestone country, which means there are plenty of natural caves to store the cheese. These are ideal, because, winter and summer, the temperature in a limestone cave remains constant. Even show-caves, such as those in the Cheddar Gorge and at Wookey Hole have side-caves for storing Cheddar.

While cheddar is usually made from cow’s milk, one stall offered me a goat’s milk cheddar. “Can you still call it cheddar?” I asked. I was told “yes; it’s made in Somerset, and the ‘cheddaring’ process is used.”

Cheesemakers throughout the country also brought their products. Double Gloucester, Stilton; Wensleydale (my favourite!) and Caerphilly, were among countless offerings. Some offered morsels of their cheese – even for those entered in the ‘Smelliest Cheese’ category.

Of these cheeses, I particularly liked ‘Stinking Bishop,” and I wondered, if, like some beers, they give unattractive names to the good stuff to discourage those who don’t know, and leave more for those of us who do?

For more information:
Royal Bath and West of England Society
Royal Bath and West Show
www.bathandwest.com

Cheddar Cheese:
www.farmhousecheesemakers