One of my many laments of living in Asia has been the lack of access to craft beers, otherwise known as microbrews - the other laments are silly things like missing multigrain breads, the price of wine, and truly high-speed internet, but I guess this is a relatively small price to pay for having such a rich life otherwise.

I was able to get the odd Belgian ale in a ocassional bar here and there (usually at prices that constituted highway robbery!), but I really missed kicking back after work and having that one perfect beer at home. Why one? Sometimes a beer is so rich, so full of flavour and so satisfying that one is all you need. It is like having a bite of a perfect dessert instead of some of that reduced fat nonsense that consistently disappoints. Don’t get me wrong, I love a light local pilsner or lager, but every now and again I desperately crave a masterful beer crafted by Belgian monks or by hippies from Oregon, USA. So when I found Cheers-In, I felt like a kid in a candy store. In fact I am not entirely sure I fully understood the true sentiment of that expression until I walked into a Cheers-in. So much to try, so much to taste, too many beers and not enough days…it felt like an embarrassment of riches.

All my favourite Belgian beers were at Cheers-In. The standards like Chimay and Duvel and Leffe were available, but then also some of the more obscure like Trappistes Rochefort 6. And then my favourite SE Asian beer, Beer Laos, caught my eye. And being from NY, of course the Brooklyn Lager stuck out as well. On top of these gems - I was able to try beers I had never seen like Rogue Dead Guy Ale from Oregon. Suddenly I was in beer heaven.

I had to find out more, so I spoke to the owners and visited the store. Actually you can buy in one of their locations or order from the website (they can even deliver cold!!!).  I was surprised to find a group of Frenchmen from various corporate backgrounds who left those worlds to start up this entrepreneurial endeavour. When I asked “Why beer, instead of wine? It seems all the French people I meet in Asia are involved in wine,” one of the owners, Greg, said “That’s exactly why. We wanted to do something different.” Touche.

I was also excited to learn that Cheers-In has about 200 different kinds of beer and if you have a special request that they don’t carry, they will make every effort to get it. “We are adding new countries every time someone requests a beer from their country. We just added Chile,” says Greg. Out of curiosity I ask, “What is your best-selling beer?” Greg tells me that Americans order a lot of Coors Light – I am vaguely embarrassed to be American at this juncture and am quick to point out how much I like Belgian ales, ha ha.

It is times like these that I want to kick myself…when someone has a simple entrepreneurial idea, brilliantly executed in Asia. I wonder, “Why didn’t I think of that?!?!?” But hey, I am just glad someone had the idea, because now my hunt for draft beers and microbrews in Shanghai is over.

There are 2 retail locations in Xuhui and a website:

- 25 Yongkang Lu (French Concession)
- 499Beijing Xi Lu (Jing An)

For many people, Bangkok is a shopping destination. There are so many expansive and extensive malls like Emporium, Siam Paragon, Gaysorn and CentralWorld selling everything from high street, mainstream brands to Prada, Gucci, LV and the usual suspects among luxury brands. People travel from all over the region to find brands not available in their country or better prices due VAT refunds or lower customs duties. But if you really want to find a bargain in Bangkok, you need to shop like the locals do at MBK mall. In addition to generally lower prices you will also find quirky, cool items from local designers, DVD copies of the latest movies, copies of high end branded clothing.

I am not sure what exactly they don’t have at MBK. Structured like an open air market brought indoors, each section of the mall had a theme. There is the furniture and home decor floor – I bought a copy of an Eileen Grey design side table here for about $75USD. There is the cell phone floor where I also once purchased an unlocked iPhone. There are fake bags galore as well as a whole floor of fake DVD’s containing movies, software and video games. And then there is a whole section of clothing with factory samples as copies of branded merchandise – if you want a Burberry polo shirt copy or a Singha beer tee-shirt, this is the place to go. Have a costume party? Go here for masks and funny sunglasses and all manner of wigs and hats. Local designers, known and unknown, have stores here where everything from men’s shoes and belts to party dresses are sold. Do you need a camera or a lens? – some of the most trustworthy vendors in town are here. Finally there is a whole section of Thai handicrafts and goods and local food stuffs that make for excellent gifts. And interspersed between all these various categories of products are fast food restaurants, foot massage spas and  coffee shops in case the shopping chaos becomes too much.

Honestly for me, I find MBK overwhelming. It is always full. Always. The amount and variety of choice is staggering. So be prepared for crowds and rafters of merchandise stacked to the ceiling. Go with a sense of adventure and a willingness to poke around and discover (and a good chunk of time to spare).  In order to make your mission easier, I am sharing my favourite stores and stalls.

- DVD’s - honestly the selection doesn’t vary so much from seller to seller, so I don’t have a recommended stall. But I will give you a few tips. Negotiate a price per DVD once you know about how many you want to buy, it’s easier to get a lower price the more you buy. Look for DVD 9 which is the highest quality of DVD to ensure the best picture. And get the seller’s business card and an assurance you can return if any of the DVD’s do not work.

- Denim Jeans - there are so many sellers of jeans at MBK. In some cases I am not sure if there are copies or real products that “fell off the truck.” I prefer to buy my jeans at  CAMP on the 1st floor, they have a great selection of Diesel jeans. I cannot tell the difference between my Bangkok “Diesels” and the ones I bought at the Diesel store in New York.

- Thai Cotton Textiles - the Green Cotton vendor carries sustainable “green” cotton goods ranging from cozy tshirts and hats to keep the sun off your face to cotton shopping bags, plush towels and comfy bathrobes. While it might not be cheap, cheap…I think the prices are very reasonable for the quality.

- Cameras – Fotofile is a trustworthy seller of cameras, lenses and other photo equipment. From point and shoots to pro cameras. They speak reasonable English, so you can ask lots of questions and negotiate fairly easily here.

- Men’s Clothing – for Thai fashion, look for Jaspal. It is trendy but with some classic features that add a bit of polish to the designs. For more t-shirts and shorts guys, check out any of the stores call “Export.” They have factory seconds of name brands like J. Crew, Tommy Hilfiger, etc. They have a few things for women from time to time – I once bought 2 long sleeve J. Crew tshirts for a grand total of $10USD.

 - Furniture & Home Stuffs - Go to Index Furniture Center for all kinds of modern styles of furniture and home accessories. I got several things here from my copy of an Eileen Grey design table to a modern, design-y dish drying rack in chrome.

Good luck and happy shopping. If all else fails and you get tired of haggling or the crowds, duck into one of the spas for a Thai foot massage.

Getting there: Take the Bangkok BTS (above ground train) to National Stadium. You can walk directly from the train platform into the mall without going down to street level.

Can one achieve professional results in a home kitchen these days?

I remember the first specialized kitchen tool I used. It was an apple core-er, and I was probably about 8 years old. My favorite thing to make was apple crisp and the biggest part of that dish is cutting up the apples – it takes ages. Eventually my repertoire expanded to melon baller, garlic press, Cuisinart, a whipped cream dispenser with cartridges, etc. Perhaps you have noticed there is a theme here. Everything mentioned is designed to make tedious tasks easier and things that carried over from high volume professional kitchens. But there is a whole wave of new kitchen equipment, nay machines, that have migrated from professional kitchens and into the hands of home cooks. Blame the foodie movement and the upswing of professional competitive cooking shows, but it’s official….home cooking has gone high tech and professional. Now it is possible to take  your cooking to the next (professional) level.

Do you know your sous vide from your pacojet or combi oven? If not, read on.

Immersion Blenders – I had one of these about 8 or 9 years ago…they were called hand blenders at that time. These are great for homemade salad dressings, pureeing soups in the pot, whipping up a quick smoothie and mixing up small batches of things without breaking out the full-on blender or mixer. Now they are called immersion blenders thanks to the general public taking on chef lingo courtesy of Top Chef, Kitchen Nightmares, et al.

Worth it? Definitely worth it and relatively inexpensive. Mostly likely device to become a “go to” tool in your kitchen.

Sous Vide – “sous vide” actually is French for “under vacum”, and literally sous vide is vacuum sealing foods and cooking them in a water bath. Why would one sous vide? It’s really about absolute precision of the temperature and time and a process that preserves all the liquid and flavours. Sous vide can be done for fish, meat, eggs, vegetables…most everything.  I read a story once of a guy in a NYC apartment without a proper kitchen and he prepared a dinner for 8 people using only sous vide! The only down side is that meats don’t get browned, so they might require a quick sear for that crispy brown outside. And while this is a machine that is associated with high end gourmet cooking, actually it can be a real tool of convenience for the home chef and gadget geeks. Cooking is foolproof and you can really just walk away and let the sous vide do its thing with no supervision. If you words alone aren’t enough, check out this video from the Voltaggio brothers from Top Chef.

Worth it? It’s not inexpensive, but if you are someone likes to cook, this might just stimulate a whole new approach and inspire new dishes. Plus the home units are much smaller and less industrial looking than the ones you have seen on TV. I for one am excited to make summer salads with perfectly poached eggs this summer.

Pacojet – this is a device that allows the cook to puree frozen foods into delicate mousses, fine sauces and creams. Imagine whipping up a bowl of ice cream or sorbet in seconds or a crafting a terrine or salmon mousse – even cocktails are possible. It’s actually not a large machine, probably about the size of a coffee maker. But this isn’t in your average kitchen store, most likely it would require special order from a kitchen supply store. And it’s not cheap at about $3,500 – 4,000 USD.

Worth it? Unless you are knee deep in making terrines and mousses and ice creams already, I am not sure it’s worth it, even for the most advanced home chef. For the same price you could fly to Paris and eat in Michelin-starred meals for a few days

Combi oven – as the name suggests there are a combination of cooking functions in a combi oven. Convection (with circulated dry heat), Steam (injects water to poach or steam) and Combination (dry heat with adjustable steam to maintain exact moisture levels).  Why would combination cooking be interesting? Because you can cook at very high heats without drying foods out. A combi oven enables you to make “dry fried” potato chips, perfect roast chickens, baker breads with a nice crust, or defrost frozen food super quickly and more. But, a combi oven requires a water and electric hook up, so professional installation is required. A restaurant combi oven would cost about $13,000 – $20,000 USD. Electrolux has introduced a mini version for smaller professional kitchens, but that could also be used at home – it costs about $2,000 USD

Worth it? While expensive, I would consider investing in a combi oven. See it as a replacement not a supplement to your oven, steamer and microwave. And then there’s the cool factor – this would be the culinary equivalent of having the first iPhone back in the day.

Centrifuge – this is a device that spins at high speeds and separates solid suspended in liquids by their density. So imaging clarifying juice to get the pulp out, or separating a sauce to remove the fat, or spinning a fruit sauce to concentrate it by removing the water. The faster the centrifuge spins, the more separation is possible. The challenge is centrifuges are expensive and in some cases can be dangerous with cases of flying rotor blades in cases where they are not changed regularly and have gotten dull. It is ill advised to “experiment” with a centrifuge considering the risk. I didn’t have a picture of a centrifuge on hand for this article, but if you want to see it in action, watch a video here.

Worth it? Well if you have a few thousand dollars lying around and you like an element of danger when separating your juice, then sure… why not?

Has cooking gone high tech? Yes, indeed. But I guess it’s no different than the first time you walked in someone’s home and saw a Viking stove or even the more humble Panini press. What is impressive today  is likely to become common tomorrow. Professional results are now yours….at a price.

Why Shanghai is one of the most exciting cities in the world right now!

I have been coming to Shanghai now for 4 years. For those who came in the 80’s and 90’s and saw a wholly different China this will no doubt seem very recent. My Shanghai experiences have always been rich and exciting, but it wasn’t until I relocated here that I came to know the city more intimately. There are many reasons why Shanghai might just be the coolest place in the world to be right now. I won’t bang on about the economy and such, because this is widely known…instead I will share my thoughts on why Shanghai has captured my heart and why it might just capture yours as well. 

1) Architecture – from modern skyscrapers to charming lane houses
Shanghai is big – 22 million people in one city, same as the entire population of Australia. Yet because the space of the city is so big, the Chinese were able to build out, not always up. This means that while there are some super duper skyscrapers, there are more low rise buildings, fascinating architecture and lovely little lanes with 100+ year old houses. The outcome of this varied landscape is a city that is at once full of cutting edge, modern engineering masterpieces and charming little areas full of old world personality and a time gone by. It’s the seamless way these blend in modern day Shanghai that’s absolutely inspiring vs. other parts of Asia where the “old world” has been ruthlessly replaced for the sake of progress.

2) The markets – from lighting to pearls to silks

Turns out if there is a category of products there is a market for it. As I am shopping for a variety of things I have discovered a market for house plants, a market just for pets, a market for lighting (where you can buy everything from tabletop lamps to iron street lamps) and even a market for pearls. The place I keep going again and again is the fabric market, I find myself here having everything from silk dresses to silk curtains made. My friend even had a Wonder Woman outfit made for a costume party. If you can dream it, they have it in Shanghai…at some market, some where.

3) Nightlife is hot!
After having lived in NYC and Bangkok and visited a great many other cities with pulsing night life scenes, I wasn’t sure what to expect in Shanghai. But it’s all here – from cool cocktail lounges to seedy dive bars to reggae bars to slick night clubs to hard-core dance clubs to gay bars / clubs to late night girls-dancing-on-the-tables kind of places. From private parties requiring “passwords” to new opening parties it seems about every week for some new place. There’s no excuse not to go out in Shanghai – the problem is deciding where!

4) Vibrant and progressive culinary scene
I hear this is really in the last 5 years, but you cannot cross the street without running into some cool new restaurant with a chef that’s trying new things. From Mr. & Mrs. Bund to Maison Pourcel to Stiller’s to El Willy there’s an explosion of high quality European culinary destinations. And then there’s all manner of local favourites, like Lynn or Di Shui Dong.  And this is barely scratching the surface. As an expat, I also have the feeling I am only seeing a small sliver of the culinary action as well. I plan to pick my new Chinese friends’ brains on the more local places, especially after a recent street-side and mind blowing jiaozi (that’s gyoza or friend dumpling) binge.

5) A truly blooming art culture
There seems to be an irrepressible need for the Chinese to express themselves…and now that they are allowed to (as long as it is government friendly), it is as if the flood gates have opened. While Beijing is still the cultural center, Shanghai is evolving from a city of commerce to also be a city of culture. Whether it’s the Suzhou Creek Art District or Taikang Lu (admittedly less artistic and more commercial these days versus the past) or any of the galleries holding exhibitions all over town, there’s no doubt the Chinese contemporary art scene is booming.

6) Post Olympics and Expo
The Beijing 2008 Olympics have come and gone as has the 2010 Expo in Shanghai. What does this mean? It means that the country has upgraded airports, transportation, road quality and public parks at a level of investment unmatched by any time in the past. I have been traveling to Shanghai for about 4 years and I am just flabbergasted by the transformation of the Bund. It’s exactly what it could have been many years ago, but just like it takes a house move for you to clean out your closet, it takes a big international event for a country to do its housecleaning and repairs. So now in Shanghai you can enjoy flowers planted on the side of the road, slightly reduced pollution and city parks and spaces that are at their aesthetic peak.

7) Access to a vast and varied country
There are more than 160 cities in China with populations of over 1 million people. China is #2 in the ranking of the world’s most billionaires and #3 in the ranking of the world’s most millionaires. And in fact the number of billionaires rose from 64 to 115 in only 1 year! Yet under this back drop of progress and prosperity, there are still extremely rural parts of China. One of the world’s oldest civilizations is also the world’s most dichotomous in terms of economic disparity and development. What this means for the traveler is that Shanghai is the perfect perch from which to explore this 3.7 million square mile country of 33 very individual provinces. There are 40 UNESCO World Heritage sites in China. From ancient capitals like Beijing and Xi’an to old towns like Wuhan to Qufu to the beaches on Hainan Island, one could spend their whole life exploring this vast and varied country.

Tell us, why do you love Shanghai?

An endless array of kitchen stuffs for the commercial and home chef alike

If you have even a passing interest in cooking as a home chef, you will want to make a special trip to Kappabashi Dori. You can buy everything here from plastic fake sushi for window displays to bulk ingredients and spices to glassware and ceramics to stock pots for home use (and some the size of small cars) to cash registers to kitchen sinks. Shopping here was an experience on so many levels. I learned a bit about Japanese food preparation, saw every conceivable tool for every conceivable kitchen task and learned in broken English about different styles of Japanese ceramic design.

To get to Kappabashi Dori is easy – just take the Tokyo Metro’s Ginza line to the Asakusa Station and you will see signs for Kappabashi Dori. It is one, long main street with stores lined up on either side. While most shopkeepers don’t have a massive command of English, they see enough foreigners to know enough to get by, so shopping is easy.

Example of typical ceramics store in Kappabashi Dori

Shopping and entertainment collide on Kappabashi Dori. I have never seen so many specific items – ever wonder where one purchases those fake plastic food displays commonly seen outside every Japanese restaurant in Tokyo? Well, it’s available at Kappabashi Dori.

Fake Beer and Sushi at Kappabashi Dori

What about those ubiquitous trays used to hand over cash (because exchanging money from hand to hand is not done)? Here also. Placemats and linen napkins – check! Large serving bowls and tiny ramekins for soy sauce in lovely Japanese ceramics – check! Beautiful and functional wooden spoons aplenty. Japanese square omelette pans – yes! Handheld blenders and small appliances, well of course. And so on and so on…I cannot begin to describe the vast array of kitchen / dining stuffs. I even saw a knight’s costume – presumably for the Japanese Medieval Times style restaurant?

They even have fake KFC buckets???

Japanese fake KFC bucket

Kappabashi Dori is a must do for foodies visiting or living in Japan. Run don’t walk and make sure you have plenty of time to browse the countless stores. Happy shopping

Tokyo Kappabashi Dougu Street
3-18-2, Matsugaya, Taito-ku
Tokyo 111-0036, Japan

Hong Kong is my favourite city for boutique fashion shopping in Asia

Shopping in Asia is legendary and nowhere more so than in Hong Kong, where Asians and expats alike make pilgrimages to the wonderous twice annual sale periods to stock up on designer fashion. Hong Kong is packed to the gills with epic shopping malls like IFC, Pacific Place, The Landmark and more… But what I enjoy most, and also what is hardest to find in other Asian cities, is the fashion boutiques in the areas of Soho and Central, Hong Kong. While a department store presents known brands in expected array of colours and sizes, boutique shopping is a bit more adventurous and idiosyncratic. This is because you have the owner’s perspective on what is cool and interesting to him / her and this could easily be a mix of known designer brands as well as quirky new local and foreign designers with fresh points of view. Coming from New York where boutique shopping in places like Intermix and Scoop is the norm, I have adjusted to the idea that in Asia, the shopping mall is ubiquitous and therefore king. But for me boutique shopping, especially when in Hong Kong, is always soooo much more interesting.

The Soho and Central areas of Hong Kong are known for their shopping, wine bars and art galleries. This is truly a walking city (wear flats though, it’s as hilly as San Francisco) in that you can spend a day meandering about and wandering in and out of coffee shops and stores. I thought I would share with you a few of my favourites where I tend to have a great deal of success with both Western friendly sizes as well as an excellent selection of cool international and up and coming brands.

Ocho
The lovely Chilean owner Mariela is super attentive and honest about what looks great and what doesn’t. Ocho carries sizes 4 – 12 US and has a well edited mix of American brands and other international brands. I scored a Valentino blazer, some Rock & Republic jeans, a sequined tank top and some really cool and classic cubic zirconia hoop earrings.

51 Staunton Street
Phone: +852 2801 5988

Ozzie Cozzie Co
An Aussie swimwear shop with suits for Women (sizes 8 – 18 AUS), Men and Kids. They carry well known Aussie brands like Seafolly, Miraclesuit, Baku, Chillies, Moontide, Sunseeker and more.

17-19 D’Aguilar Street
Phone: +852 2810 1356

One Design
This is the place to come for custom made cheongsam dresses and tops. My friend Anne had one made for S$350…not cheap, but a good value for a custom made dress in Chinese silk and lace. They have all manner of Chinese silks and handmade laces and the dresses are made with an exquisite level of detail using these fine materials.

g/f 15 Old Bailey Street
Phone: +852 3622 3222

Mint & Lemongrass
Another favourite boutique with a combination of edgy & feminine styles. There are lots of international brands not otherwise found in Hong Kong. They have a great collection of flirty dresses and quirky accessories.

32 Staunton Street
Phone: +852 2868 2380

Love It!
The Aussie owner Catherine typically takes “appointments-only” to visit her boutique tucked away in an unobtrusive apartment building. Sip champagne as Catherine helps understand your needs and style your outfits if you so desire. Western friendly, offering sizes from 2-16 US, you can also throw fashion parties here for your girlfriends. I have a pair of pants I practically live in that I bought on my last trip to Love It!… Catherine had advised me to go one size down because they stretch and you know what? She was right. They would not be my current favourite trousers without her expert counsel. I also emerged with a sequined top and a sexy day-to-evening dress.

3/f 10 Gage Street
Phone: +852 2545 2162

MTC – Miss T. Company
One of those places that is hit or miss, but in a good way, thanks to designer factory seconds. You never know what or what size you will find. I emerged with a cool Marc Jacobs dress

25 Staunton Street
Phone: +852 2525 2060

Indigo
Nothing but denim (all brands…shorts, shirts, skirts, and jeans) in lengths up to 34 inches. Need I say more?

32A Staunton Street
Phone: +852 2147 3000

Message
Loads of feminine and flirty skirts, dresses and tops. My friend Mariona bought the cutest pink tweed skirt and I got what is now a “go to” necklace for me, a chain with gold and silver discs that seems to make every outfit look better.

34B Staunton Street
Phone: not available

And when all is said and done, don’t forget to celebrate your shopping success with a glass of bubbly and some snacks. Surely, you must be exhausted.

Bacar
Bacar has a wonderful location by the escalator in Soho (right across from True Fitness), so it is as fantastic for people watching as it is for its tasty tapas and Prosecco. Sit and have a glass or two of bubbly, try the zucchini and halloumi fritters and Moroccan spiced tuna skeweres, and rest your tired feet while planning your evening out.

g/f 2 Shelley Street
Phone: +852 2521 8322

Hong Kong is an amazing city for many things and its place on my cities-I-would-like-to-live list moves up with every visit, certainly aided by the dynamic boutique, gallery, and such shopping scene. So next time you are in Hong Kong, consider skipping the typical mall circuit and explore Soho and Central shopping.

Don’t miss the Prada Outlet in the Aberdeen area of Hong Kong

I’ll keep this short and sweet. There is a SPACE outlet by the Prada company…gasp…in Hong Kong. Just a 20-30 min taxi ride outside of the Central area in Aberdeen sits an assortment of Prada and Miu Miu ripe for the picking. As Prada outlets go its actually pretty good (although nothing can compete with the Space outlet outside of Florence). Everything from men’s and women’s clothing, leather goods and shoes, it’s all here. Mariona got a flirty pink dress, I got a classic buttery leather tote for work and some strappy Miu Miu sandals. I will warn the non-petite gals…there is a limited assortment of shoes over size 38 and clothes over size 40. But that said, there’s still a plethora of bags and accessories to make any girl or guy happy.

SPACE Warehouse
2/F, South Horizons Plaza (East Wing)
Hong Kong Island-South Horizons
Telephone: +852 2814 9576
Opening hours: Mon Closed / Tue – Sat 10:00 – 18:00 / Sun and Public holiday 12:00 – 18:00

Knives are personal things for chefs. Not only do we (I’m just a few months into cooking school and saying we LOL) use them a lot (for me third only to the wooden spoon and little metal tasting spoon), but knives also kind of give us our personality in the kitchen. With so many things the same – the white coats, uniform pants, black shoes, etc… there’s hardly anywhere left to express a bit of indivuality or show some personality. When I saw the knives of New West KnifeWorks I had to try them because they’re certainly different from all the big-name German knives out there.

Most of you probably know I’m in full time cooking school at Shatec now. I had just started schooling, with these really basic knife sets every student received. Black plastic handle generic knives… supposedly of German origin with a blade about as sharp as the back side of a key. Actually that wasn’t such a bad thing as we all fumbled through our first paysanne, battonette, julienne, and the all too famous brunoise. Too sharp a knife too soon and we all might have ended our kitchen careers as quickly as we started.

I soon realized though that the knife wasn’t going to carry me through the time at school, and I began looking for a replacement. For full disclosure I was contacted around this time by the folks at new West KnifeWorks. I visited the website and saw the images and thought the knives looked really nice. Talked with them a bit about my preferences, types of cutting I regularly do, etc and their guys and I worked out two knives I should try to get a sampling of what they offer.

One thing I had learned from the school set was that in the production kitchen I favor a larger knife. I thought all the 10 or 12 inch knife talk was insecure chefs exercising a bit of compensation to put it bluntly But actually the larger size was nice for me as it’s easier to slide ingredients you’ve been cutting up on the blade and move to containers… also the weight of the blade means you actually push less when cutting… letting the blade and gravity do more work for you. So I went for the biggest I could find. The 9. It’s from their Phoenix line of knives. Nice and big with the divots usually found in a Santouko but in a more western friendly nice shape. Sort of a best of both worlds knife. I like the simple cocobolo handle as I was getting a Fusionwood for the other knife.

I took it to school and cooked with it for the last few months before commenting. After using it for a few months I can safely say it’s damn sharp, balanced, holds an edge for a while and has become an extension of myself as I’ve grown with it. I also have a Global and Wustoff and prefer this one to both for most of my cutting needs. I’ve chopped a lot of veggies, deboned chickens, and in a pinch used it to fillet a fish. It performed well in all situations. My classmates at school were jealous and all wanted to hold it and try it out. Some commented it was “crazy sharp” and that “it scared them” . It definitely was a huge leap forward from the knives provided by the school.

The other knife I ordered was from their more standout “Fusionwood” series. At school we  have to carry a small pairing knife in our jackets at all times… useful for cutting strings, opening supplies… threatening taxi drivers (JK). I liked the look of the handle and had to admit to wanting a bit of personality in the kitchen. Instead of a generic black handle sticking out, I have a brightly colored wooden handle. Also important is that if anyone picks it up to use it I know right away as it certainly stands out in the kitchen.

The blade is sharp. It actually slid though my chef jacket arm pocket when I put it in without the case! It’s well balanced, cuts like it needs to, and looks even better in person than in the photos. I’d like a full set of steak knives or others for the home. They look really nice and feel great in the hand. I’d try a larger sized chef’s knife from this series after using this one if only they offered larger. For home chefs though I think the 8-inchers should work great and look nice if you display your knife sets out in the open.

The only concern I have, and it’s small, is that I wish they had a 10 or slighly larger even than the 9. For me in the kitchen it’s still a little narrow a blade for picking up and sliding ingredients into dishes. Not as bad as the 8-inch Global, but still more narrow than what we were previously using. The learner size though does mean it’s easier to move around inside meat cuts and a quicker up and down… so like everything it’s a trade-off.

All in all I’m very happy with the knives. On days I know we’re not doing anything exotic in the kitchen I can simply bring my 9-inch and pairing knife and leave the knife roll at home. These two sizes do 90% of what I will ever need in the kitchen.

New West Knifeworks

Faux designer bags, jewelry, clothes and more

On West Nanjing Road, the side of Nanjing with the more local stores, lies 580 West Nanjing Road. An emporium for fake bag, jewelry, clothing and more. Here you will find everything from Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Marc Jacobs bags and wallets….to Tiffany sterling silver…to Paul Smith men’s clothing and accessories…Burberry trenches and scarves….to North Face parkas. The selection is constantly changing but one thing stays the same, this is the most comprehensive assortment of top quality faux designer goods in Shanghai.

And 580 Nanjing Road might be one of the only places in Shanghai where English is comfortably spoken owing to the throngs of foreign visitors that come through its doors. So shop comfortably and don’t forget to bargain hard….never accept the first price and only pay what you think is reasonable. When all else fails, be prepared to walk away and you may find that the shopkeeper will come after you with his best price.

Happy shopping

What to buy and where to buy it in Hanoi

I travel a lot and I am tempted by so many stunning Asian goods and textiles. When in a country which has a famous good, e.g. Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Tea, Chinese Silks, Thai teak, etc. it is a wonderful reminder of the trip to bring something home. However, having been in Asia for a while now I believe something must be very special in order to add kilos to my luggage and make it home into my personal collection. With that said I think there are some special shops and items in Hanoi worth checking out.

No doubt you will find the usual collection of Asian silks, fans, statues, fake designer goods, etc. I don’t need to tell you where to find these, vendors for these items are abundantly littered throughout Hanoi.

But what Hanoi uniquely offers, in my opinion, are some items that are hard to find elsewhere and still represent really good value. And a particularly good area to shop for all of these is the Nha Tho area or the Church area in the Hoan Kiem (Lake) District. Here are a few of our favorite things:

Lacquerware
This high gloss style of tableware is synonymous with Vietnam. It was introduced to the world in Paris in the 1930’s by a Vietnamese artist visiting an international trade fair. Since then, the world has fallen in love with the elegance and style of lacquerware. You can certainly find this in China and Thailand, but not with the same level of quality of variety. And personally, I think there is nothing more chic to serve champagne or tapas on that a glossy black and Chinese red lacquerware tray.

To be fair there are many stores for lacquerware in Hanoi. I tend to prefer the simple, traditional styles without a lot of flourish. No painted butterflies or infinity symbols for me….I prefer a wide of expanse of uninterrupted glossy color. And while there are several stores in the Hoan Kiem District, I like MARENA Hanoi, The Art of Lacquerware and Ceramic, located at 28 Nha Chung Street, +84 (0) 4 38285542. The selection there is well edited and impressive.

Propaganda Posters
There are so many pieces of art, culture and communication left over from the war.  And unlike many other countries who might jettison these materials with a blind future focus, Vietnam has held onto and reproduced many of the stunning examples of art and culture from this period. One of my personal favourite genres is the genre of graphic propaganda posters. These posters were a form of graphic art used to educate and inspire citizen action to align with the political and cultural agenda of the time. They were effective “weapons” to raise morale, change behaviour and direct the efforts of the citizens during the war. Most of the themes during the war center around the people’s battle and production activities.

I have always loved rifling through the posters and reading the sometimes concrete and sometimes abstract slogans such as “Save the country – save the youth” or “Breed more pigs for a Vietnam with full stomachs.” Inspired by some of the more agricultural ones, we bought a series of food posters with a view to hang them in the kitchen – one about pigs, another about vegetable farming and another about coffee production. Again like with the lacquerware there are many stores in Hanoi, but we like The Hanoi Gallery, they have several locations, and we prefer the 17 Nha Chung location, +84 (0) 4 37711956.

Cotton and Linen Hand-embroidery
Sure Vietnam is famous for its silks, but did you know they also have wonderful hand embroidered cotton and linen? Since the start of the 20^th century, embroidery has been passed on from generation to generation. In Vietnam this exquisite art of supremely detailed hand embroidery is top quality and surprisingly affordable. From elaborately detailed and baroque designs to simple, modern tone-on-tone linens, you can find it all here. And this work is applied on all manner of linen items from lingerie travel bags to duvet covers to dining room place-mats and napkins to pillow cases to shirts.

One of my favorite stores for this is May at 7 Nha Tho Street, +84 (0)4 38289650. I love the assortment of items…all of the best quality…and all beautifully displayed. I struggled to choose between linen napkins and must have pored over the pile for 30 minutes – they were all so beautiful. I was tempted by the duvet covers but Paul thought it would be impractical with our naughty cat who might view it as a new and attractive item to scratch. But I did also walk away with lots of lovely shoe and lingerie bags for travel that I have been giving as (much adored) presents back in Singapore.

While certainly not a complete list, this should get you started on what is special to buy and where to buy it when in Hanoi. Be sure to finish off your day with a walk around Hoan Kiem Lake and drink a Bia Hoi and you have just had a lovely day in Hanoi

J