Tag: foodanddrink

This 136-year-old London coffee store doesn’t need to move with the times

London (CNN) — There’s a certain nostalgia that clings to London’s Soho; “it’s not what it once was” is an almost constant refrain. Carnaby Street, famous for its nonconformist fashion in the Swinging Sixties, is now filled with chain stores. Many of the area’s most insalubrious haunts are long gone, and in their place mostly restaurants, which come and go. The pace of change is rapid and not all change is bad.

The spirit of bohemia hasn’t totally left Soho, however. There are still a few stalwarts going strong, even as they weather the aftershocks of the pandemic and high inflation in the UK. The situation has tested the mightiest of Soho institutions. After over 90 years of trading, beloved deli I Camisa only just escaped closure in January.

Facing the deli on Old Compton Street is an establishment that’s older still. Algerian Coffee Stores opened in 1887 under the ownership of an Algerian national now remembered only as Mr. Hassan. It was subsequently sold to a Belgian in the 1920s, then to an Englishman in the 1940s. His daughter married an Italian, Paul Crocetta, whose daughters Marisa and Daniela manage the shop today. Despite the many nationalities stewarding the store, it has always retained its name.

Algerian Coffee Stores in the 1930s. The shop was founded in 1887 and is run as a family business today.

James Stacey/CNN

“I’ve been working here probably my entire life, since I could walk,” says Marisa Crocetta. “Me and my sister (were) here on our Saturdays doing very important jobs — or so we were led to believe. We’ve been here full-time for between us, probably about 30 years. This is like our home.”

Behind the shop’s tastefully cluttered window, filled with cafetieres and teapots, Marisa, sister Daniela and their father Paul sell over 80 types of coffee beans and 120 teas from around the world — including from places not renowned for growing coffee, such Australia and Malawi. Some are “sure-fire wins,” Crocetta says, “we’ll never get rid of them.” Others are sourced through food shows and their network of contacts. They’re strictly products you wouldn’t find at a large supermarket — as Crocetta concedes, this small business could not compete.

Algerian Coffee Stores’ petite dimensions conceal an outsized influence. Though it can’t claim to be the oldest coffee house in the capital (that title likely belongs to The Jamaica Wine House, the most recent name for a location in the City of London that’s been serving coffee since 1652), the shop has gained a reputation among caffeine connoisseurs, who regularly fill the scant floorspace.

“You can often see if someone’s new to the shop, because they come in, they just look around and sometimes they say, ‘wow,’” says Crocetta. “They’re a bit dumbstruck.”

Though only one or two stores may pre-date Algerian Coffee Stores in Soho (patisserie Maison Bertaux, founded in 1871, is one), the co-owner is reluctant for the shop to be labelled an institution.

“We don’t necessarily see ourselves as an international institution or anything like that,” she says. “In all honesty, me and my sister and my dad, we just see ourselves as a shop.”

Nevertheless, they’re all too aware that they’re an outlier. “Soho itself has completely changed in the last, I’d say, even 10 years,” says Crocetta. Algerian Coffee Stores has no plans to alter a winning formula and fall in line with many of its newer neighbors, however.

“No one wants (us) to glam it up … people want it to stay as it is,” says Crocetta. “I think it’s important to keep old London and some of the history alive, because if everything’s new and modern, it all starts to look the same.”

The shop does brisk business via its website — the modern extension of its old mail order business.

James Stacey/CNN

Despite its status as a Soho icon, it’s not just Londoners getting their fix on Old Compton Street. “We send coffee all over the world,” says Crocetta. “It’s not a new thing,” she adds, singling out an old sign advertising worldwide mail order. “It’s obviously something that’s been going from probably near the beginning of the store.” Today orders are more likely to come in from their website than by signed letter, and in straitened economic times, Crocetta says the international orders help sustain the business.

In the vast and varied online marketplace, why do customers still turn to a 136-year-old independent retailer?

“It could be they want to support the actual shop. They know us, they’ve met us, they like us. They like some of the coffees — we’ve got a few house blends that you can’t find anywhere else,” Crocetta muses, before trailing off.

“We are kind of blown away by the support we get from our customers from all over the UK and all over the world. I can only think it’s part the roasting, part us, part the coffee that we offer. It’s lovely.”

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January 30, 2023
The morning after: What people around the world eat and drink to beat a hangover

(CNN) — It’s the time of year for merriment and all that it might entail. But indulgences of alcohol often lead to less-than-pleasant mornings after.

Since there’s no magic hangover pill (not yet, anyway), what can you do when you overdo it?

The answer, for many, lies in carbohydrates. A hangover is essentially severe dehydration and a drop in blood sugar, which leaves the overindulged feeling a range of symptoms: nausea, fatigue, irritability and aches.

In spite of this sobering reality, we still sometimes find ourselves feeling hungover on occasion, desperate for a “cure.” Tackling dehydration and elevating low blood sugar levels is key, and drinking plenty of water and fueling the body with carbs, healthy fats and protein can help.

Of course, the best way to avoid a hangover is to abstain from drinking. If that’s unappealing, you’ll have to find a way to power through.

A book by Lauren Shockey, “Hangover Helper,” is filled with recipes from around the world for the DIY crew among us. Most of the following food and drink items are readily available for purchase.

From currywurst to pickle juice and avocado toast, here’s a look at how people all over the world turn to food and drink to mitigate a hangover:

Paris

You can get a Bloody Mary pretty much everywhere these days, but you can thank Paris for inventing it in 1921.

MEHDI FEDOUACH/AFP/Getty Images

Although experts advise to avoid alcohol the next day, many people swear by a little “hair of the dog.” Nothing beats the Bloody Mary if this is the direction you so choose.

While you can find it all over the world, the drink has special significance in Paris, where it was invented in 1921 at Harry’s New York Bar.

Many bars around the world have put their own spin on the Bloody Mary (horseradish is now more common than not), but at Harry’s, it’s still made the classic way: vodka, tomato juice, Tabasco, salt, pepper, lemon and Worcester sauce.

London

Hot, melted cheese is a critical part of pizza’s allure when hungover, but pizza isn’t the only way to get your cheese fix. In London, simple cheese on toast is a thing of beauty and also a breeze to make at home, no matter how much you’re struggling.

Slide bread under the broiler — or grill, as they say in the UK — to lightly toast both sides, then slather on butter and spicy mustard and pile grated cheddar on top. Slide back under the broiler until the cheese is melted. Voila! You’re now that much closer to getting through the day.

Berlin

Currywurst is a great accompaniment to French fries.

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Although Berliners will enjoy a currywurst at any time of day, this classic German snack is perhaps best the day after a big night out in Berlin.

For the uninitiated, a currywurst consists of fried pork sausage sliced into bite-size chunks, then doused in a spiced curried ketchup before being dusted with curry powder.

The rich sauce, meaty sausage and subtle heat from the spicing wakes up the dulled senses and provides a revitalizing boost. It’s even better when paired with fries.

Copenhagen

Flæskestegssandwich (pork roast sandwich) is like gold to the irritable and hungry. Danish cuisine, often associated with beautifully presented, minimalist plates of foraged ingredients, is actually more diverse.

The country’s signature sandwich is all about messy, delicious indulgence. Think thick slices of roasted and grilled pork neck nestled in a soft bun with crispy crackling, pickled cucumbers, red cabbage and a spicy mayonnaise.

Have it to help ward off a hangover (Kødbyens Høker, an outdoor kiosk in the city’s meatpacking district is popular for a reason), or make it your first stop when you wake up with a massive headache and hunger.

Manila

Anyone who’s spent a night out drinking with the locals in Manila can attest to the city’s ability to have a good time.

Chef Jordy Navarra opened up Toyo Eatery in 2016; it’s famed for its refined reinterpretations of Filipino classics.

“As for eating after heavy drinking … many Filipinos usually go for tapsilog,” Navarra said. “It’s basically like cured, semi-dried or marinated beef with garlic rice and a fried egg. I really like how it’s simple, filling and super-convenient, with places that sell it all over metro Manila.”

The name of the game in Manila is trying to get ahead of the hangover by going all in on a big, greasy meal at the end of a boozy night.

Sydney

Smashed avocado and poached eggs with cherry tomatoes is an Australian original — a popular option when hungover too.

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Sydney’s café culture is famous for its healthy brunch dishes. Smashed avocado on toast, now a ubiquitous item on trendy brunch menus around the world, is an Australian invention.

It’s a delicious, healthy dish following eight hours of sober sleep, but it’s also a go-to option for when you’re hungover.

Tokyo

Tokyo overflows with Michelin-starred restaurants, but a multicourse tasting menu is probably not what you want if you’re feeling rough around the edges.

Hisato Hamada, co-founder of Wagyumafia, a fast-casual chain famous for its luxurious Kobe beef sandwiches, says his go-to hangover remedy is to eat before bed after a night out.

Hamada likes eki-soba, which are soba noodles found in train stations.

“Since eki-soba is located on the [train] station platform, you can get it on your way home, and it’s usually prepared super quick, meaning you can have a bowl within 30 seconds of ordering (very helpful when you’re drunk),” says Hamada.

“My favorite kind comes with tempura and a raw egg, extra shredded negi (Chinese leek) and a Tokyo-style thick soy sauce that is warm and nourishing. Overall it’s a very comforting and filling quick meal to get you back in working order.”

Bangkok

Thailand has one of the world’s richest food cultures — along with a renowned nightlife scene — so it’s no surprise that there’s a plethora of nourishing, soul-restoring foods from which to choose after a long night out.

Perm Paitayawat, on Instagram as @theskinnybib, is a food writer, researcher and an authority in Thai and Asian food cultures.

“The first and foremost hangover-battling food choice for Bangkokians is ‘Khao Tom Kui’: a Thai-Chinese rendition of piping hot starchy rice porridge with sides that range from braised meat to spicy salad,” explains Perm, who also swears by eating before going to bed.

Montreal

Poutine is a popular dish in Montreal and the combination of salt, fat and carbs is a good choice for comforting a hangover.

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Chips, gravy and curd cheese: If that isn’t music to a pounding head, then nothing is. In Canada, it’s the unofficial national dish of poutine that locals reach for the day after the night before.

While the classic version is a dependable hangover helper, there are dozens of ways to execute poutine, a Montreal favorite.

With additions such as bacon, pulled pork and duck carnitas, it’s sort of a “go big or go home” situation.

Edinburgh

Irn Bru, Scotland’s “national drink,” is what you’ll drink in Edinburgh to wash down your morning roll with square sausage.

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“Lorne sausage — also known as square sausage — is regarded as a national institution and a hangover miracle by most Scots I know,” says Simon Attridge, executive chef of Gleneagles, a luxury hotel set in the Scottish Highlands.

These square-shaped thick slabs of rich, fatty and flavorful beef sausage fit on a roll like a glove. The roll of choice is important to discerning hungover gourmands. Most opt for a special light and airy roll, called a morning roll, sold by the half dozen in every local store across Edinburgh and beyond.

“Its legendary status is, of course, not attributed to any nutritional value,” explains Attridge, “but to its utter deliciousness and restorative qualities. Washed down with a can of Irn Bru [a Scottish carbonated drink], this national delicacy is the stuff of hangover dreams!”

Dublin

Dublin has an infamous pub culture, so it’s no surprise Ireland has devised a day-after breakfast remedy.

“Dublin hangovers can be brutal,” confesses Dublin native and award-winning oyster chef Simon Lamont. He is fond of one of his home country’s favorite cures: the breakfast blaa.

A bread conceived in the city of Waterford but embraced in the capital in recent years, the greasy meat and carb option involves a generously buttered, soft floury bread roll — or blaa — filled with bacon, sausage and black pudding.

“Brown sauce [traditional British condiment similar to ketchup] is the condiment of choice. And wash it down with a rock shandy [lemonade, sparkling water and bitters] or a pint of stout,” advises Lamont, who adds that “if that doesn’t work, a tray of freshly shucked oysters, obviously!”

New York City

The bodega bacon, egg and cheese is a solid NYC breakfast any day of the week but is especially delicious the morning after a big night out.

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A bacon, egg and cheese (BEC) is never a bad idea, but you know when it’s a brilliant idea? When you’re struggling with a brutal hangover but don’t have the option of staying in bed with Hulu and sleeping it off. Maybe you have matinee theater tickets or an important meeting.

Whatever it is, rest assured, there’s a nearby corner bodega ready to fry up an egg or two, top it with cheese (American, obviously) and greasy bacon before putting the whole thing on a fresh white roll or English muffin. Butter is essential. Salt and pepper are part of the territory, and ketchup is optional.

Oh, and no matter what time it is — 8 a.m.? noon? — it’s perfectly acceptable to ditch your usual regular coffee for an ice-cold can of real Coke.

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January 9, 2023
How KFC became a Christmas tradition in Japan

Editor’s Note — This story was originally published on December 24, 2019 and has since been updated.

(CNN) — Almost every year since she was a child, Hokkaido resident Naomi has looked forward to her family’s traditional Christmas meal: a KFC “party barrel” brimming with salad, cake and lots of fried chicken.

“In Japan, it is customary to eat chicken at Christmas,” says the 30-something Japanese woman.

“Every year, I order the party barrel and enjoy it with my family. I like the delicious chicken and the cute picture plate that comes with it as a bonus.”

Naomi, who asked only to be identified by her first name, and her family are far from the only Japanese residents who enjoy KFC for Christmas dinner.

Every year since the mid-1980s, life-size Colonel Sanders statues — dressed as Santa during the holiday — have welcomed droves of locals and tourists alike across the country.

According to figures released by the American fast-food chain, KFC Japan pulled in 6.9 billion yen (roughly US$63 million) from December 20 to 25 in 2018, with lines out the door starting on December 23.

KFC Japan’s busiest day is usually December 24, on which they usually sell about five to 10 times more than typical days.

“As Christmas approaches, KFC commercials play on TV — they look very delicious. We order early then go to the store at the designated time to pick up our bucket,” says Naomi.

“Those who don’t reserve a bucket see themselves in long queues for hours.”

‘KFC was everywhere’

To better understand how and why fried chicken became synonymous with Christmas in Japan, we have to rewind a few decades.

Following a period of austerity following World War II in the 1940s and ’50s, Japan’s economy started taking off.

“Japan’s economic power was going through the roof … and people had the cash to indulge in consumer culture for the first time,” says Ted Bestor, a professor of Social Anthropology at Harvard University who has studied Japanese food and culture for the past 50 years.

“Since the US was a cultural powerhouse at the time, there was huge interest in Western fashion, foods, trips overseas — Japan was really opening up.”

While living in the center of Tokyo in the early 1970s, Bestor recalls seeing many foreign franchises popping up, such as Baskin-Robbins, Mister Donut and The Original Pancake House.

During this period of rapid globalization, Japan’s fast-food industry expanded 600% between 1970 and 1980, according to “Colonel Comes to Japan,” a 1981 documentary directed by John Nathan.

KFC — then known as Kentucky Fried Chicken — was part of the pack, opening its first Japan outlet in Nagoya in 1970.

In 2012, Japan Airlines teamed up with KFC to offer “AIR Kentucky Fried Chicken” — a limited-time collaboration that took flight just in time for the holidays.

KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images

By 1981, the chain had opened 324 stores — over 30 a year — and made roughly US$200 million per year, according to the documentary.

“It seemed like, suddenly, Kentucky Fried Chicken was everywhere,” recalls Bestor.

Kentucky for Christmas

Christmas was, and still is, a secular holiday in Japan — a country where less than 1% of the population identifies as Christian — and in the 1970s many people didn’t have established family Christmas traditions.

That’s where KFC came in. The company launched its “Kentucky for Christmas” marketing campaign in 1974 and the first iteration of the party buckets soon followed.

A statue of Colonel Sanders in a Santa outfit on December 23, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan.

Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images

Some reports say that Takeshi Okawara, who managed the country’s first KFC and later became CEO of KFC Japan, falsely marketed fried chicken as a traditional American Christmas food to drum up sales.

But according to KFC Japan, Okawara went to a Christmas party dressed as Santa. When the kids loved it, he saw a business opportunity.

In 2020, the global KFC website published its own explainer, noting that the original idea for the campaign came when a foreign customer who visited KFC in Tokyo on Christmas day said, “I can’t get turkey in Japan, so I have no choice but to celebrate Christmas with Kentucky Fried Chicken”. The report says a team member on the brand’s Japan sales team overheard the remark and used it as inspiration to launch the first Christmas campaign.

Meanwhile, in 2017 the host of “The Rising Sun Show” — a 30-minute TV show produced by the U.S. Army Garrison Japan Public Affairs — interviewed a KFC meister, who said the concept caught on after a foreign customer asked KFC to deliver fried chicken in a Santa Claus costume on Christmas.

Conflicting origin stories aside, KFC managed to capture the imagination of Japanese diners and create a national phenomenon.

Catchy Christmas marketing

People queue in front of a KFC restaurant on December 23, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan.

Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images

Of course, “Kentucky for Christmas” didn’t catch on without a substantial advertising investment.

A typical KFC Christmas ad from the 1970s or ’80s likely would have showcased a family enjoying a luscious feast of golden, fried chicken as the song “My Old Kentucky Home” played in the background.

“For anybody who grew up in America, you immediately knew that ‘My Old Kentucky Home’ is not a Christmas carol,” says Bestor.

“But [these were] really beautifully done campaigns that linked fried chicken with Christmas as well as Christmas with the idea of consuming luxurious foods. Obviously, the idea took hold.”

Such ads positioned KFC as an elegant, authentic way to celebrate in true American style, even if that wasn’t quite true to reality.

“The festive commercials are what initially made me want to try to eat KFC for Christmas,” Shuho Inazumi, a librarian who lives in Iwakuni on Honshu island, tells CNN Travel. “I’m from the countryside and there weren’t too many KFCs around, so KFC was considered cool.”

Familiar flavors

But to chalk up such lasting success solely to smart advertising wouldn’t be totally fair — it can also be attributed to KFC’s compatibility with existing cultural norms.

For instance, Bestor says KFC is similar to a popular traditional Japanese dish called karaage, which comprises small pieces of panko-breaded, deep-fried meats like chicken or fish.

“In terms of flavor profiles, Kentucky Fried Chicken is not a stretch — it’s not a new taste or something that people have to get accustomed to,” he says.

Likewise, the tradition of sharing a big “party barrel” of fried chicken, coleslaw and cake fits neatly into Japanese dining culture.

“Being able to share food is an important social practice in Japan. So a bucket of fried chicken both tastes familiar and fulfills this desire to eat together,” he adds.

A Japanese man, photographed in 2015, poses after buying KFC for his family on Christmas Eve in Tokyo.

Taro Karibe/Getty Images

But while the company’s Christmas packs and party barrels remain wildly popular, some Japanese people have formed new traditions over the years.

“When I used to buy KFC Christmas, there weren’t a lot of holiday food options,” says Inazumi.

“Now I can find recipes for roast beef, ham, and roasted chicken online, go to a potluck with friends, or visit a Christmas buffet at a hotel.”

For Naomi, it’s not a tradition she plans to give up anytime soon.

“I have no children now,” she says. “But this is a tradition [my family] hopes to continue in the future.”

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December 21, 2022
Satay and sambal: 12 foods every Indonesia visitor needs to try

Editor’s Note — This CNN Travel series is, or was, sponsored by the country it highlights. CNN retains full editorial control over subject matter, reporting and frequency of the articles and videos within the sponsorship, in compliance with our policy.

(CNN) — As the world’s largest archipelagic nation, Indonesia is filled with different cultures and influences spread out over 1,904,569 square kilometers (735,358 square miles).

This makes it a huge challenge to try to summarize the flavors of the country in just a few paragraphs.

“Indonesian food culture is based on regional cooking among 17,500 islands, 38 provinces and 700 dialects,” says Indonesian cookbook author William Wongso.

“Flavors of Indonesia are very diverse. From Aceh (the westernmost province of Indonesia) to West Sumatra (also a western province), it’s only about a 1.5-hour flight, yet their food and taste profiles are totally different.”

The 75-year-old author of “Flavors of Indonesia: William Wongso’s Culinary Wonders.” says that even though he’s been traveling and eating around Indonesia for decades, he still hasn’t tasted every local dish.

For instance, chefs in the Moluccas in the eastern side of Indonesia, once nicknamed the “Spice Islands,” prefer using fresh spices like cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. Aceh, on the other hand, frequently incorporates dried spices thanks to the influence of India, Arabia and China.

Padang (or Minangkabau) cuisine in West Sumatra uses lots of coconut cream, chiles, shallots and some curry spices, as well as ginger and galangal with aromatic herbs such as turmeric leaves, kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass.

Javanese are experts in using the three colored spice pastes — red (made of chiles, shallots and garlic), white (candle nuts, shallots and garlic) and yellow (candlenuts, shallots, garlic and turmeric).

“The taste profile of Central Java is sweeter than Eastern Java,” Wongso adds.

Ready to enjoy the overwhelming diversity of Indonesian cuisine? Here are a few dishes that offer a sample of the many delicious flavors on offer.

Beef rendang

Beef rendang is unbelievably tender. The beef is coated with dry curry that has been stewed for hours.

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It isn’t an exaggeration to say that beef rendang is one of the world’s most flavorful foods.

A dry curry dish linked to the Minangkabau ethnic group, which is indigenous to West Sumatra, rendang is a great way to preserve meat — essential for the Minangkabau people during their travels.

There is no one recipe for rendang. “In West Sumatra, there are about 900 districts and each has their own style of rendang,” says Wongso.

But one of the most common meats to appear in rendang is beef. It’s stewed in coconut milks and spices including lemongrass, galangal, garlic, turmeric, ginger and chiles for hours until the meat is unbelievably tender and the curry mixture is reduced to a relatively dry coating around the meat.

Tempeh

A rising star in plant-based diets around the world, tempeh has in fact been a constant in Javanese culture for more than four centuries.

The low-fat, high-protein meat substitute is made of soybeans fermented in banana leaves — and sometimes, other leaves — for two to three days before it turns into a white moldy and chunky block.

Its flavor is often described as nutty and mushroom-y with a slight sweet soy scent.

It can be cooked the same way as any meat — baked, fried, grilled or boiled into different dishes. In Indonesia, it’s often deep-fried and served as a tasty snack.

Satay

A staple at Southeast Asian restaurants around the world, satay — or sate in the local tongue — is said to have originated in Java.

Preparation of these skewers varies from region to region, often featuring different meats or vegetables, spices, sauces and marinades.

One of the most loved versions in Indonesia is satay chicken served with a sweet peanut sauce that has just a hint of spice.

Nasi goreng

Nasi goreng: So much more than just fried rice.

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If there’s one staple that represents Indonesia’s multi-faceted culture, it’s nasi goreng — literally translated as fried rice.

Each household has a different recipe made with various ingredients and sides, but the use of terasi (shrimp paste) and kecap manis (a sweet and thick Indonesian soy sauce) unite most — if not all — versions.

These condiments create Indonesian fried rice’s unique taste.

Topped with a perfect sunny-side-up egg and a side of crunchy shrimp crackers (or kerupuk), nasi goreng is a versatile meal consumed throughout the day.

A dish influenced by Chinese cooking, nasi goreng is as popular in Singapore and Malaysia as it is in Indonesia.

Kerupuk

While prawn crackers are commonly found in several countries’ diets — especially in Indonesia and Malaysia — it was thanks to Indonesia that the snack was introduced to the Dutch and then brought to Europe.

Arguably the best sidekick to any dish, a piece of kerupuk can also serve as an edible spoon to scope up extra sauce or sambal.

Indonesian kerupuk is also used as a topping for soto — a type of Indonesian soup. (See below)

Soto Ayam

Similar to many other dishes in Indonesia, soto, or soup, tastes different depending on which part of the archipelago you are in.

One of the most commonly featured soto on Indonesian menus is the comforting soto ayam (chicken soup) — but that too, comes in countless variations.

Among all the chicken sotos, the ones from East Java — such as soto ayam Madura or Ambengan — are some of the most popular. They have a clear broth and include a generous amount of garlic, shallots, turmeric and chunks of chicken meat.

Koya powder, a unique mix of grounded prawn crackers and fried garlic, is sometimes added to give the already-rich soup — such as soto ayam Lamongan — an extra umami boost.

Gado gado

A classic gado gado is served with chopped vegetables, an egg and sometimes, slices of tofu or tempeh. It is often dressed with roasted peanut sauce.

galitskaya/Adobe Stock

Chop up blanched vegetables, hard-boiled eggs and add a ladle of peanut sauce and you have the humble but tasty Indonesian national salad — gado gado.

A classic Indonesian peanut sauce for gado gado is made with ground roasted peanuts, chiles, shrimp paste, tamarind pulp or juice and some sugar and salt.

Translated as mix mix, this ubiquitous salad dish sometimes includes slices of fried tofu or tempeh as well as deep fried fish cakes.

Sambal

Sambal may not be one of Indonesia’s five official national dishes — alongside nasi goreng, rendang, soto, sate and gado gado — but no meal is complete without it for many Indonesians.

It’s a relish made by mixing chile peppers with a host of different ingredients such as shrimp paste, sugar, salt and lime juice.

Today, you can find it in many renowned Indonesian dishes — from nasi goreng to gado gado.

Legend has it that Portuguese and Spanish sailors brought a variant of chile peppers to Indonesia — but it was in Java that they were first pounded into sambals.

It’s believed there are more than 100 styles of sambal served across Indonesia. One of the most common is sambal terasi, which is made with chile peppers, garlic, tomatoes, shrimp paste, limes, salt and sugar.

Indomie

Not technically a dish but it might just be the country’s most famous food brand.

Wowing the market since 1972, Indomie’s flavorful and convenient packaged noodles have amassed a huge following worldwide.

If you’re an Indomie newbie, start with a packet of Indomie mi goreng (barbecue chicken) and you’ll likely be converted as well.

Jamu

Jamu is a concentrated herbal drink made with ginger and turmeric.

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When Indonesian President Joko Widodo was asked about the secret to his good health during the Covid-19 pandemic, he cited jamu.

A traditional Indonesian herbal drink made from various combinations of plants and spices — ginger and turmeric are two common ingredients — jamu is believed to boost one’s immune system.

There are many ways to make jamu.

The plants and spices are blended into a concentrated juice and it’s often served warm.

The president also said that he has been drinking it daily for the last two decades and boosted his daily jamu consumption to three times per day during the pandemic.

In recent years, jamu-inspired juice brands have been popping up around the world.

Babi guling

There are a few things that make us dream of Bali — the pristine beaches, the endless rice fields and, for some, babi guling, the vacation island’s famed roasted suckling pig.

The animal is rubbed with turmeric and stuffed with a spice paste made up of coriander seeds, lemongrass, Asian lime and salam leaves, chilies, black pepper, garlic, red shallots, ginger and kencur. Then, it’s roasted on a spit.

Every part of the pig — meat for satay, juicy pork slices, crispy crackling as well as the richly flavored intestines — will be enjoyed.

It’s mostly served with rice, spicy soup and a series of condiments.

The dish is rarely seen in the rest of Indonesia, where a majority of the population is Muslim and considers pork consumption haram, or forbidden. On Bali, most people identify as Hindu.

Rijsttafel

And lastly, one can’t forget about rijsttafel, or rice table, in Dutch.

It’s an elaborate spread of small Indonesian plates featuring different tastes and levels of spiciness in one meal.

Rijsttafel is technically not part of traditional Indonesian food culture. It was first introduced during Dutch colonial rule in Indonesia, when the Europeans would serve small plates of sumptuous Indonesian dishes — from sweet to spicy — to their visitors.

It’s still a common offering at Indonesia restaurants in the Netherlands as well as in its country of origin.

According to Wongso, rijsttafel culture is one of the reasons many traditional Indonesian dishes grew popular outside of Asia.

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November 27, 2022
The roasted pigeon dish that may have changed the course of modern Chinese history

Hong Kong (CNN) — A massive blue and red neon sign hovers above a narrow alley off busy Nathan Road in Hong Kong’s Yau Ma Tei area.

Its five bold Chinese characters read “Tai Ping Koon Restaurant” — the famous name of the very first Chinese-owned “Western” restaurant in China. Today, it’s one of the longest operating family-run restaurants in Hong Kong.

Opened in 1860 in Guangzhou, Tai Ping Koon had two branches in the Chinese city before moving to Hong Kong during the Second Sino-Japanese war in 1938. (The family relocated due to conflicts and political instabilities and now have four remaining locations around Hong Kong.)

The Yau Ma Tei branch, opened in 1964, is almost always filled with nearby office workers and tai tais during weekday lunch hours. The wood-paneled walls, lace voile-covered windows and leather booth seating exude an old-world elegance.

Most diners come for one dish in particular — the TPK Style Roasted Pigeon. It’s brought to the table by a bowtie-wearing server along with an unlikely accessory — plastic gloves. Because there’s is no better way to devour the crispy and juicy poultry than with your hands.

But as popular as the dish is, few of the pigeon-munching diners know that this palm-sized piece of poultry allegedly changed the course of modern Chinese history.

The birth of soy sauce Western cuisine

Andrew Chui is the fifth generation owner of the Tai Ping Koon restaurant chain, one of the oldest operating family-run restaurants in Hong Kong.

Maggie Hiufu Wong/CNN

Andrew Chui, fifth generation owner of the Tai Ping Koon Restaurant chain, spent seven years visiting libraries around the world to learn more about his family’s background.

“Tai Ping Koon’s history is significant not just because it has been here for 160 years now; it’s also a part of the country’s history and has influenced Cantonese food culture,” says Chui, who has written two books about his family business.

Tai Ping Koon’s story traces back to the years following the First Opium War (1839-1842), when treaty ports were opened in Canton — now Guangzhou — for Westerners to engage in trade. Foreign businesses were allowed to operate in these ports, including restaurants.

Always helmed by a foreign chef and catering to foreign sailing tradesmen, these eateries hired local cooks to help out in the kitchens.

“My great-great-great grandfather Chui Lo-ko was hired as a cook at the restaurant inside an American trading company. So he became one of the very first Chinese chefs trained in Western cooking,” says Chui.

Chui spent seven years visiting libraries around the world to find stories and information about his family business.

Tai Ping Koon

But the job didn’t last. After a disagreement with the trading company’s agent, Chui Lo-ko quit.

Penniless, he had to figure out how to make a living using the only skill he had: cooking Western food.

“Which was a problem,” adds Chui.

“Chinese people then didn’t like Western food — most of them didn’t even know what Western food was.”

Chui Lo Ko came up with an idea to cook beef steak with soy sauce and hawk his food on the street.

By presenting an unfamiliar ingredient with a familiar flavor, his fusion dish became an instant hit among local Chinese.

Once he saved up enough money, Chui Lo Ko opened the first Tai Ping Koon (meaning ‘house of peace and stability’) restaurant in 1860, named after its location on Canton’s Tai Ping Sa Street.

This would mark the beginning of what’s now referred to as soy sauce Western cuisine, a style of cooking that has influenced more than a century of Cantonese food culture.

The roasted pigeon power play

Tai Ping Koon’s famous roasted pigeon.

Maggie Hiufu Wong/CNN

With its unique offerings, Tai Ping Koon soon became a fashionable hangout among the affluent and powerful in China, with guests including Sun Yat-sen — the revolutionary leader and national hero of modern China — as well as the influential Soong sisters reportedly dining in its original Guangzhou restaurants.

It was said that the eldest Soong sister, Soong Ai-ling, and her husband Kung Hsiang-hsi, one of the richest men in China and a leader of the Kuomintang party, adored Tai Ping Koon’s roasted pigeon so much that they hosted a special banquet for fellow party leader Chiang Kai-shek and his then-wife Chen Jieru.

But what Chiang and Chen didn’t know was that there was allegedly a hidden agenda attached to the fete.

Seated next to Chiang, strategically, was Soong’s own younger sister, the charismatic Soong Mei-ling.

Squabs weren’t a common ingredient in China then. So when roasted pigeon, a relatively new European-inspired dish, was served, Soong Mei-ling was tasked with teaching the guests how to savor the dish by hand.

Legend has it that Chiang fell in love with the youngest Soong sister after the banquet. In 1927, he divorced his three wives and asked Soong for her hand in marriage.

Chiang’s ex-wife Chen later retold the episode in her memoir, claiming the pigeon dinner was actually a “husband-snatching” scheme.

Mysterious (non-)weddings

The Yau Ma Tei branch is one of four remaining Tai Ping Koon restaurants.

Maggie Hiufu Wong/CNN

The pigeon dinner was one of several interesting moments Chui discovered during his Tai Ping Koon research.

“These stories were passed down through generations without many details. I heard that Chiang and Soong came back to Tai Ping Koon for the roasted pigeon in the 1930s as they were connected by the dish. But was it true?

“It was like police work. I have to be careful I am not making up stories. I want to prove the story is really about Tai Ping Koon,” says Chui.

Chui visited all the public and university libraries around Hong Kong. And when those didn’t yield enough results, he flew to various US libraries, from Stanford to Chicago, to dig through their massive Asia-focused collections.

“I read every book. I mean every book. You need to either have a lot of passion or are crazy to do that for seven years. I am a crazy guy with passion,” says Chui.

Finally, he found piles of news reports and anecdotes in books that allowed him to connect the dots.

There were a few unsolved mysteries, too, like the alleged wedding of former Vietnamese prime minister Ho Chi Minh and Tang Tuyet Minh, a Chinese midwife. It was said to take place at one of the Tai Ping Koon restaurants in Guangzhou in 1926. However, the Vietnamese leader was never married officially.

“But if I had to pick a historical moment (related to the restaurant), I want to travel back in time when Zhou En-lai, first premier of the People’s Republic of China, was said to marry Deng Ying-chao at Tai Ping Koon,” says Chui.

Now closed, the centrally located Wing Hon Road Tai Ping Koon in Guangzhou was frequented by many politicians in the past.

Tai Ping Koon

In 1925, local media widely covered the news that Zhou and Deng hosted their wedding at Tai Ping Koon. As it was considered a high-end restaurant, throwing a ceremony there would have been considered inappropriate for the Communist Party’s leader.

The rumor was so widespread that Zhou and Deng reportedly tried to clarify a few times in later years that they didn’t host any ceremony at Tai Ping Koon. It was a simple dinner treated by a well-meaning friend, knowing the cash-strapped couple didn’t have any proper celebration for their relationship.

“Still, nobody knows the truth today. There were people who believe either side of the story,” says Chui, as he brings out a few two-inch-thick binders that are filled with news clippings.

‘Part of the history and food culture of Hong Kong’

A photo of Andrew Chui’s grandfather, Chui Hon Chor, taken at the Yau Ma Tei branch.

Tai Ping Koon

Growing up with a family restaurant that is so interwoven with history, Chui says it’s a huge honor but also very stressful, especially as Covid-19 has put a strain on business for the last two years.

“When people do business, they keep going if they are making money. If they can’t make money, they can shut it down. For me, closing is not an option,” says Chui.

“It’s part of the history and the food culture of Hong Kong. If we can sustain the business one more day, the legend would be extended for one more day.”

Tai Ping Koon continues to respect its traditions in many ways, providing free accommodations and meals for their staff right next to their restaurants in prime locations, where rents are notoriously high. Free accommodations were a standard staff benefit before the 1970s, when transportation was inconvenient. Tai Ping Koon is believed to be the only restaurant left in Hong Kong still keeping the tradition alive.

The recipes have also been preserved.

“The pigeon is still made the original way: fresh pigeon seasoned in house-made soy sauce and deep fried when ordered. The only difference was that a long time ago, we had our own pigeon coop in the backyard,” says Chui.

When he was young, he says his parents would make him learn how to make the famous roasted pigeon in Tai Ping Koon’s kitchen.

Nowadays, he brings his 13-year-old son to the kitchen regularly to learn how to make the humongous souffle — another iconic dish — by hand, hoping he’d one day continue the family legacy.

“I hope it’ll instill a sense of pride in him. I’m passing down the generational tales about Tai Ping Koon to my children — only the fun ones so far to keep them interested. Maybe I’ll tell them about the hardships later,” laughs Chui.

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November 3, 2022