Visit of the Year: Myanmar/Burma, Yangon

This year my trip takes me to an ancient city of Cambodia, as a guest of His Excellency Roland Eng for a week of Royal visit to his homeland followed by a detour visit to sleepy fishing village of Ngwe Saung by the Bay of Bengal in Myanmar.

Another week in Yangon (Rangoon), the cosmopolitan city and gateway to Myanmar.  Always green with lush tropical trees, shady parks and beautiful lakes, Yangon is known as the “Garden City of the East”.  Besides visiting the magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda here are a few of my own personal favorites.

A vendor at the bay

Asia Trip 2011-2012

Holiday Greetings!  Please follow me on Twitter & Facebook for the next three weeks for travel updates for my Asia trip this year.

In mean while, I have been busy this past month with holiday events at Saffron59 as well as being my own travel agent; planning (numerous) connecting flights, itineraries, meeting with acquaintances and booking my old friends for breakfast on Chao Praya or dinner along the Mekong riverside.

I have not been to Cambodia since 1998.   My main plan is to visit  the Angkor Hospital for Children to get a private tour from William, the Executive Director. I have been on their committee for over a decade. This hospital started as a small children’s hospital.  Today, they have treated over a million patients with a visitor’s center for those who travel from the far away villages. Last time I was in Siem Reap, there were only three hotels to open and some home inns.   Since then, there are now spas, French restaurants and trendy boutiques.

Angkor Hospital for Children Photo: Daniel C. Rothenberg, www.photoasia.org

And of course a stop in Burma to visit the orphanage in Yangon that I am involved in with my parents.

Farm Fresh in November

Fresh produce for dinner in November is always a treat this time of the year.

For my four days off during Thanksgiving, I paid a surprise visit to my friends Mike and Jan Kokas of Upstate Farms two hours away from NYC in Tivoli, NY in the Hudson Valley.  With such fertile rich soil; they have been one of our purveyors for many years. Upstate Farms supplies quality produce to fine restaurants such as Eleven Madison and Daniel NYC.

 

Picking Tokoyo Turnips

For part of our dinner, we had snappy rapini (or baby broccoli rabe); tokoyo turnips simply seared on a high flame for 3 minutes with shallots and garlic; and a heavenly assorted salad of red oak, baby romaine and wild arugula to end the dinner.

Tokoyo Turnip Stir-fry

 I’m glad I had a chance to visit before the cold sets in.  I am looking forward to visiting again in the summer where I will get to pick everything from the tastiest champagne grapes to delicate mesclun greens.

  

Greens in November!

Seasonal Eats-Saffron59 Vegetable “Ratatouille”

Saffron59 “Ratatouille” with Lemongrass Galangal Broth

This time of the year the chill is in the air and the need for comfort food never fails to satisfy our creaturely comforts.  This year’s harvest is abundant of cauliflower or Romesco broccoli.  With so many people increasingly aware of seasonal ingredients and quality produce, this is the perfect easy and flavorful recipe for vegetarian lovers and meat lovers alike.  Adjust portions to serve as a side or full entrée. 

Saffron59 “Ratatouille”

Click through for the recipe to this beautiful dish.

Harvest Time at Tokaj, Hungary

With the approach of fall and the expert guidance of Carolyn Banfalvi about where to visit, I couldn’t have timed my trip to Tokaj, Hungary better.  It was time to harvest the grapes in this historical wine region.  We visited a few wineries to sample the area that is as famous in wine production as it is rich in its varied history.

Amidst beautiful rolling hills dotted with grape vines at the center of the Tokaj wine region, we stayed at the beautiful Grof Degenfeld Castle Hotel.  Receiving royal treatment with a late night tour and wine tasting by  General Manager Gabor Banyal.  The property is famous for being the only castle that comes with its own vineyard. There, we tasted an outstanding Tokaj Aszu 1999 and others, followed by an incredible dinner with perfectly seared foi gras and poached apple with aged balsamic as a starter.

Degenfeld Vineyard

1999 Aszueszencia  VS 2007    Harslevelu (Linden)

One organic winery we visited was the Erzsebet Pince (Elizabeth Cellar) in Tokaj.  The history of the vineyard is as fascinating as the family itself.

A wedding is essentially a personal romantic affair and 632 on Hudson is just one of the great venues in the city for bride and groom who like to keep their celebration intimate. With their gorgeous vintage furnished rooms, creating warm and gracious atmosphere, it is a townhouse beauty. Thus certainly we were glad to be part of the memorable evening. 

 The acoustic violin players were nicely comforting the guests before and after the ceremony by the old style fire place. With the summer weather, the welcoming lemonade made by Paul, our bartender, was soothing the heat from outside. It was ideal to decorate the dinner table that went with the rustic classic ambiance of the space.

Photo by Abdi Aminlari

 

Tol Party at the Beach

This summer not only we have been catering wedding and BBQ outdoor functions, a couple from Vermont (Korean and Jewish) who also has a beach house in Long Island, New York. It was the first time our staff has nice experienced celebration of first birthday (Tol Party).

Beautiful sunny afternoon, we set up 3 large tubs chilled with beer, wine and juice and soft drinks for kids and teenagers. Afternoon activities were softball game and biking by the beach. One of our Chef Simon grilled Chicken marinate with lemongrass and herbs, with assorted vegetables from local market such as baby eggplant, summer squash, Portobello mushrooms..