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A Climate Change?

How attitudes are evolving, and the effect on wine production in Asia.

Only a few years ago there were two general sorts of wines; Classic (Old World) and New World. As the name suggests, classic wines were those from old and traditional vineyards in Europe and the Mediterranean regions, whereas Australia, the Americas and South Africa were the new kids on the block. ‘Old’ and ‘new’ doesn’t refer to a particular ‘style’, but rather the differences in winemaking philosophies and attitudes.

LAZING BY THE POOL

We’re half way through the year – a look at what’s happening on Samui!

In many ways this is the laziest time of all. We’ve had all the colour and ceremony of Chinese New Year. And we’ve survived being drowned again in the Thai New Year. Easter has come and gone. And, here on Samui, we’re left lazing by the pool and wondering what there is to do or see.

Actually, there are lots of sights to see, from the magical ‘Buddha’s Secret Garden’ up the mountain, to the curious Mummified Monk, complete with his trendy Ray Bans. Although the hottest time of the year has supposed to have passed, very often June and July can catch you out with a week of temperatures in the low 30s that leave you gasping and reaching for the aircon dial.

TOP SPOT

Great views and even better cuisine at Dr Frogs.

Just a couple of kilometres south of Chaweng, Dr Frogs is strategically placed high on a cliff next to one of Samui’s most picturesque viewpoints. Take a seat at the restaurant and you can gaze out on the sea far below and let yourself be bewitched. Dr Frogs, despite its odd name, radiates a mix of eye-catching beauty, cosiness and extraordinarily good cooking. It has the sweetness that a place acquires when many people declare it a favourite spot and linger there; the appeal of just being able to leave your worries at its doors and then – always, always – the food, memorable in the ways that count. Dr Frogs focusses on both Italian and Thai fare. It gets them both right and even manages to bring them together in some very remarkable fusion dishes.

Bountiful Nature

A look at some of the locally grown fruits on Samui.

Samui. Vacationers see it as a series of beautiful beaches with an unknown interior, all its towns dotted around its shores. Farmers see it in a completely different way: orchards, plantations, jungles and fields, all of it barely inhabited, except, of course for the loud, noisy perimeter.

Nora! Nora! Nora!

Nora Beach Resort is still one of the best around! Here’s why.

Nora Beach Resort & Spa is a large and comfortable traditionally-styled resort, laid-out in descending terraces as befits the geography of North Chaweng. This means that the usual way to get down to the beach is via one of the little golf carts that regularly make their way back and forth – simply head for reception and ask for a buggy to the restaurant. Rounding the last twist in the path you’ll see their signature restaurant, Prasuthon, just below you, against the lovely backdrop of the deep blue sea and islands in the background.

Going Native

Joining the locals at Hainanese Chicken Rice .

Down in Ban Hua Thanon, there’s an amazing shrine, with an enormous 16 metre high statue, one of the largest of its kind in the world. It depicts the warlike Guan Yu, famed for his virtue. It was commissioned by the descendants of the Hainan Chinese who settled on the island over a hundred years ago. They brought with them entire houses that they’d carefully de-constructed so that they could build them here in a new land. They also brought with them all their culture, and that of course included their culinary skills and recipes. The person responsible for the shrine, Khun Virach Pongchababnapa, also one of the original descendants, provided the recipe for the dish that you can eat at today’s restaurant. Both the restaurant and the dish are simply called Hainanese Chicken Rice.

Feed Me More Junk

What is it that makes junk food so hard to resist?

What a simple question this is! And yet there’s layer upon layer of reasons why it’s so hard to refuse a doughnut, a crème caramel or that second helping of chocolate pudding. And then it’s a lot to do with the way we live and our society, too. Not to mention that different nations have totally different habits and ways of thinking. But, basically, we can’t help ourselves – and it’s a reason that goes back millions of years.

Spoon Feeding

Just why is it that you never see a knife on a Thai dinner table?

How many times have you visited Thailand? Even if you’ve come over here quite a lot, you still might not be familiar with the way the Thai people eat their food. Of course, if you have Thai friends and have been invited to their house for a meal, that’s a different matter. But, unless you’re acquainted with Thai customs, then eating-in with a tableful of Thais might come as quite a jolt.

Sabienglae Story

How one of Samui’s longest-running traditional Thai restaurants came to be in a prime spot at Fisherman’s Village!

Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time there was a Thai family. They had always been on the island of Samui, down in the south-east part of the island, and they made their living by fishing. Then, one day, one of the men in the family had a new idea. Khun Amnart decided to try his hand at a restaurant on the beach. He toured around and collected the seafood every morning, and his wife worked on it in the kitchen. But she also made her own special sauces and dips, and the locals loved them. It was a success, and the restaurant grew in size and popularity.

Papaya Pok Pok

If you want some really authentic Thai food, get yourself around a bowl of som tam!

It’s a fair guess, but many of you reading this haven’t heard of ‘som tam’. For a start it’s very much a local kind of a dish – even though its origins are far from Samui. And, second, when and if it does appear on the menu of upmarket restaurants, it rarely goes by that name . . . it’s generally titled ‘green papaya salad’. But, then, take a visit to any little Thai restaurant (usually the sort that has plastic garden furniture inside!) and it’ll be on every menu!

Buri Rasa’s Beach BBQ Spectacular

Another little gem – this time at Chaweng’s Buri Rasa family beach club.

Buri Rasa Village Samui has always been one of our favourites. Certainly there are a lot of other boutique resorts around. Some are showy and try hard to seem hip. Others are just plain ordinary, clinging to the word ‘boutique’ in the hope it’ll transform them, somehow. But this resort has a uniquely effortless charm.

Thai Recipe

Beef coconut curry.

Coconuts are used as a tempting sweetener – and for Thai curries they’re not just ideal but an integral part. Today’s recipe is a very easy to make, whether you’re here in Thailand or half a world away. The coconut used will bring depth and taste to a curry that otherwise would still be delectable, though on the dry side. For this version, you’ll be making one that’s slathered in juicy coconut milk with a finish that’s on the soupy side. It owes something to the ‘rendang’ curries of Malaysia. The coconut flavour is counterbalanced by plenty of aromatics such as onion and ginger. Use coconut sugar too, although you can easily get away with brown sugar (don’t opt for white; it’s not the same at all). Fish sauce brings out some saltiness, and then you can add chilli flakes for a touch of fire.

All Day, Family Style Sunday Lunch

Things are definitely different at RockPool.

Fancy a sophisticated but fun Sunday lunch with family or friends in an exquisite location, overlooking the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Siam, with no time limit and no set price? Then venture no further than RockPool, at Kanda Residences in Choeng Mon.

Remarkable Rice

The food that powers Thailand.

Chances are that if you are anywhere at all in South-East Asia, then rice will be on the menu. As a foodstuff, it’s ubiquitous. Thailand is often called the rice bowl of Asia, and with good reason. That’s because the country grows such an inordinate amount that it can safely export thousands of tons per annum. And that’s after feeding the country’s population of 60 million inhabitants.