Place: Angkor Wat. Siem Reap, Cambodia.
It offers a crisp smell on the nose, and hints of malts and small hops
on the palate. The finish is clean and unobtrusive, and is thus, at
least to me, the perfect companion on a hot Cambodian day.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Angkor beer
Cambodia amok
Place: A local joint. Siem Reap, Cambodia.
This is my first taste of Khmer cuisine: a plate of Cambodia amok,
which is a fish stew with green leaves and coconut milk, and spiced
with turmeric, paprika, fresh ginger and lime leaves, and cane sugar.
The green leaves provide texture to the silky coconut soup. The fresh
ginger and limes provide bite, while the cane sugar rounds up the dish
with a candied finish.
Bread and butter
Place: Hanoi, Vietnam.
While Vietnam has been independent ever since Chairman Ho came to
power many decades ago, hints of the colonial past are still apparent,
with bakeries and French-style pastry shops lining the streets of
Hanoi.
Hanoi cha ca grilled fish
Place: Cha Ca La Vong. Hanoi, Vietnam.
Cha Ca La Vong cooks local catfish at the table with an enormous
portion of fresh dill. The fish and dill are then mixed with
Vietnamese rice noodles and dried shrimp-infused nuoc cham, or fish
sauce with lime juice and cane sugar. The combination is a work of
modest beauty, with humble ingredients working diligently together to
facilitate a pleasing whole -- exactly the kind of social
collaboration Chairman Ho had in mind.
Monday, February 2, 2009
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