Exactly ten years ago today, my grandfather passed away. I was working on an important banking deal at the time and was on a business trip in Europe when my father rang to say I may want to consider coming back. He said that there was no immediate need to rush back so I booked…
Is homework harmful to children?
It can be, but not entirely for the reasons you might suspect. After hearing about how my friend’s six year old child studies for 6 to 8 hours after school everyday and knowing she is not in the minority, I was interested in how this work load is going to affect my children’s generation. Child…
Skiing in Courmayeur
I went skiing in Courmayeur, Valle d’Aosta, one of my favourite places to ski for many reasons but mainly because I love the food, the village (see below for recommended places to visit), the people, the variety of ski runs, and the breathtaking views of Mont Blanc. The village is very Italian in that most…
Top 10 misconceptions about wine
1. Wine is expensive. Actually most wine is inexpensive. When I was in university in Italy, beer was more expensive than mineral water. Mineral water was more expensive than wine. So wine was cheap. You can guess what calculation most people on a student budget made. Wine is similar to clothing, in that most clothes…
Show me a proud farmer
When I finished my undergraduate degree in economics with honours my father beamed with pride. When I announced a few months later I wanted to cook in a restaurant and go to cooking school, to say he was crestfallen would be an understatement. While Asian parents can sympathise with him, Westerners do not automatically understand…
Have any grasshopper sauce in your cupboard?
I often have an internal disagreement between my head, which tells me it makes most sense to buy local products which are fresh and support my local community, and my stomach, which wants to eat a different cuisine for every meal. This week, I may have met someone who can help me achieve the twin…
AsiO Gusto – the first international Slow Food festival in Asia
AsiO Gusto I had the good fortune to attend AsiO Gusto, Asia’s first Slow Food conference, in Korea. Being the first conference, I had relatively low expectations but wanted to see how food professionals in the 40 participating countries in Asia and Oceania viewed their role in relation to the Slow Food movement. What…
Why is Champagne expensive?
I thought I loved Champagne before I was properly introduced to it. Now knowing the complexity of its production, I have a deeper respect and value it even more. I managed to secure an invitation to a Champagne blending master class hosted by the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne and taught by Mr. Stanislas Thienot…
A Gastronomic Tour of Tuscany and Umbria
Our little corner of Tuscany near Lucignano had many perfectly distanced options for morning jaunts with small children, ensuring sightseeing and meandering lunches at authentic local trattorias for the adults and gelato and short car journeys guaranteeing a timely return for nap time for the children. Having congratulated ourselves on a nice morning out, we…
Best Wine in the World? A Visit to Ornellaia
Ornellaia Cellar Visit Driving along the cypress tree-lined road towards Ornellaia, we passed winery after winery. With each one a gleeful sound would arise from my husband seated next to me in the car. We are in Bolgheri, a relatively new wine area in Tuscany previously known for potatoes, and a virtual Disneyland of favourite…
