To drink hot or cold sake? Hmmm, the age old question! In early years, sake was served hot, due to being stored in cedar tanks. The tanks resulted in sake that tasted woody, rougher, sweeter and fuller so serving it warm made the most sense. Sake is now stored in stainless steel, ceramic-lined tanks. Significant advances in brewing technology and the development of new rice and yeast strains have resulted in sake that is more delicate and fragile. Adding heat would only destroy the hard work the brew masters put in. As a general rule, less expensive sakes are served hot (i.e. sake bombers in restaurants ) while the premium sakes are served chilled. Just don’t drink too much –depending on the variety, sake contains between 10 to 20 percent alcohol.

Sake is made from a combination of short grain rice, water, lemon juice, kome-koji (also known as malt rice), and yeast. Approximately 65 varieties of rice are designated as “sake rice,” some more revered than others. Omachi rice, from Okayama, is one of the most popular. There are over 1400 established breweries of sake, called kura, in Japan so picking the best brands to try can be a daunting task. Popular ones include Hakkaisan, Juyondai, and Koro. Note that sake is commonly served filtered, though many prefer it unfiltered.

Interestingly, if you traveled to Japan and asked for sake, you would be requesting any number of alcoholic beverages. The proper term for sake in Japan is “nihonshu.” It is meant as a drink to represent family, friendship and reverence. Tradition dictates that a person should never pour his or her own sake. The Japanese began mass production of this beverage, though its origins can be traced back to 4000B.C. China.

One of the most elegant aspects to drinking sake is the presentation. Tiny cups for drinking and artful bottles for pouring, sake sets are usually beautifully decorated or engraved. Food friendly, it is best served with fish and light dishes.

Dallas is one of the country’s most interesting cities, and there are millions of visitors every year.  Some come to see friends and family, because it is perhaps one of the friendliest and most amiable places on earth.  Some come here to do business because of Dallas’ thriving industries, where the local charm is merged with a cosmopolitan disposition, making for a smart and lively place to conduct work.  Some come as tourists, looking to discover what Dallas might have to offer.  The results are always good, and there’s a lot to do here for visitors of any age.

Check out the link for lodgings and you’ll be on your way to learning about this interesting place.  There are plenty of things for children here, and lots of nighttime fun for adults, and some places where everyone is welcome and entertained.  One place for visitors of all ages is the Dr Pepper Museum in Waco.  If you’re looking for a museum that’s truly unique, and if you like your nostalgia served up with a bit of self-conscious irony, then this is a place for you.

It’s enormously fascinating, but also quite amusing, too.   The museum isn’t devoted to Dr Pepper on its own, but is about looking at the whole spectrum of soft drinks, and also to celebrate the free market system and teach the principles of this economic method to visitors.  You’ll discover that this drink is actually older than the others, and also that there really is no period in the name.  As for the origin of the name, there are many different stories and theories, but that information is lost to history.  There are plenty of other facts to learn however, and lots of ephemera that will appeal to history buffs and the tragically hip alike, and so many others in between.

Traveling to India is always a splendid thing.  There are many globetrotters who make it a regular stop, and there are those who make it a once in a lifetime thing, and it’s always a life-changing proposition.  It’s impossible to come here and not be touched in some significant way.  It’s almost as though some of the secrets of the human race are found here, and it is continually evolving, in an amusing, baffling, and wonderful way.  Mumbai is one of the major centers in India, as well as the world.  It attracts some of the country’s best artistic minds, drawn by the lures of Bollywood, the literary life, or the thriving alternative art communities that practice their craft here.  Mumbai could also very well have some of the world’s best restaurants.  Mumbai is a remarkable place.

There are many different cultures and languages that merge in the cityscape, with stunning results in the food that’s offered here.  Many regional types of cuisine are served in the restaurants, representing the best of India’s culinary history, and it has some of the tastiest food in the world.  Many people, when they think of Indian food, think of coconut and curry and extremely rich taste sensations.  That’s entirely true, of course, but there’s much much more.  Sample a few of the dishes at our excellent restaurants, and see for yourself what your new favorite food might be.  And if the literary life appeals to you, you might want to keep an eye out for Vikram Chandra.

He and his wife split their time between here and Oakland, California, in the U.S.  They both teach at UC Berkeley in the Creative Writing Department.  Chandra was born in New Delhi, and has degrees from Pomona, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Houston, and also had a short stint as a student at Columbia University, but left to write his first novel.  He’s written a few novels, and has also worked in screenwriting.  His latest work, Sacred Games, is 900 pages long, and has received critical acclaim from all over.  It is set in Mumbai in the recent past, and is a kind of guide to the underworld here, with a fantastic sense of the elusiveness of the city, and a flair for playing with the languages that are spoken here.

Not very long ago, Tompkins Square Park and the New York neighborhood of Alphabet City was home to many foreign refugees, many of them German.  It was also the ‘red light district’ of the city as recently as one hundred years ago.  By the 1950’s however the demographics of the neighborhood had changed, as the area became known as Loisaida.  This was a term of combined Spanish and English language, known as Spanglish, and it meant Lower East Side.  This was due to the large amounts of Puerto Ricans that began to move to this area of Manhattan.

During the 1960’s and the 1970’s this became an important site, culturally and socially not only for the Puerto Rican culture, but for the intellectual and artist cultures as well.  The Nuyorican Movement had begun, which was a number of poets, artists and intellectuals that were calling this neighborhood their home during this time.  Some of the well known and influential members of this group were Miguel Pinero and Miguel Algarin.  Some of the best restaurants, Manhattan coffee shops and neighborhood bars often were filled with the members of the group who would gather to discuss such topics.

By the 1980’s the Alphabet City was filled with many African American and Puerto Rican families as well as the young and mostly white struggling musicians and artists of New York.  The atmosphere was  creative and bohemian, the district was well known for the low rental rates.  The area was also filled with incidence of violent crimes and a lot of illegal activity surrounding drugs.  One of the many references to the neighborhood and to Tompkins Square is the popular musical “Rent“.

By the late 80’s the park had become the camping grounds for many of the cities homeless population and in the summer of 1988 a riot between the NYPD, the homeless and the activists broke out.  The neighborhood has undergone gentrification in the last twenty years.  This has resulted in the lowering of crime rates, the elevation of rental space.  The apartment buildings on Avenues A, B, C and D are now re-modeled and abandoned shops are now housing popular restaurants, retail businesses and nightclubs.  This is just one of the many interesting districts in the city of New York, rich with history, art and culture that has been influenced by all those who have Alphabet City their homes.

South African cheese quality is improving. So much so every year more and more Cheese festivals are popping up all around the country. South Africa Cheese Festivals remain a premier event with one of the widest cheese selections world round. Africa’s cheese’s are in serious competition with the USA and the UK. The South Africa Five Star Hotels will only proudly serve African cheeses due to there award winning tastes and consumers putting pressure on local cheese makers to supply greater amounts of their favorite and pressures to create newer exciting cheese.

South Africa is relatively a new comer to the cheese industry. However, as the popularity of South African cheese grow the more the African economy grows. It’s a strategy South Africa put into place. One being affordable cheese makers an opportunity to showcase their quality cheese products. Another is a forum to show cheese consumers new varieties which is organized Cheese Festivals. The main objective of the Cheese Festivals will be to promote cheese and increase consumption to benefit all the population of South African. Standard and new cheese consumers will be introduced to the ever expanding applications of cheese as a cooking ingredient to change and enhance all consumers to always choose cheese dishes. To change South Africans preference of a milder cheese to use a more flavorful artisan cheese, as the french do in their most famous recipes. Today, in South Africa, it is beginning to happen. Most markets only carried a few varieties, now Delis, farmers markets are beginning to carry bold brine-ripened cheese, savory blue-veined cheese and specialty goat’s and sheep milk cheeses.

South Africa, being a member of the World Trade Organization which has kicked up their quality of cheese and its production to satisfy an ever growing need in the world consumption for artisan cheeses. You’ll find in most historical South African dishes a lack of cheese as an ingredient. But today, South African cuisine is becoming more interesting and intriguing with the enhanced tastes of excellent cheese. A whole new industry has grown and providing more employment opportunities for the mostly poor and war torn population. In turn, the income of South Africa is growing and starting to keep up with the economical growth of other 3rd world countries.

The most popular and famous drink in Goa is called Feni. It is served in many of the bars, restaurants and four star hotels. Goa is known for its Feni production, sometimes referred to as Fenny. This is one drink that has a very high alcohol content, and those not familiar with the effects should be very careful as it is quite easy to become pretty intoxicated in a short amount of time. There are two different kinds of Feni , one is made from cashews and the other from coconut juice. Both are made by fermenting the fruits. Many cities in India produce Feni, but the Goan fenis are considered to be superior to those produced in other regions.

The distillation process is very tedious and requires a lot of time and effort. With the cashew Feni, the nuts are manually crushed and the juice is collected in a ceramic pot. This is buried far under ground to allow for the fermentation process. Just about four percent of the juice will become alcohol. This is then distilled in large copper basins. When the juice is boiled, the alcoholic steam that rises is collected and put into a condenser for the cooling process. This whole process is done three separate times, with different kinds of Feni being produced each time. The first drink, Urrack, is very low in alcohol content. The second, produces a drink called Cazulo, which is a bit stronger. The third, and the most popular is the true Feni. This is the intoxicating liquor that is most popular. Many drink Feni straight up, but some prefer to mix it with soda and lemons, or just regular cola. Just as with fine wine, Feni’s main attribute that distinguishes the various qualities, is the aroma. Just as many visit the wine countries of California, France and Italy, many connoisseurs travel to Goa for a bit of tasting and quite a lot of fun.

Being a tourist in New York City can be a fairly intimidating experience. Most American suburbanites aren’t used to walking or accumulating the amount of mileage that’s necessary to traverse the city. The up and down of subway stairs can also be daunting. But all that is considered minor when you’re faced with the dilemma of needing to find public rest room. Most restaurants and small stores are not required to have public restrooms. What makes matters worse is that they don’t usually feel obliged to let you use theirs even if you ask. So where does a visitor look? To begin with you can be confident that a large department store will always have a rest room. Bloomingdales at 58th and Lexington has a clean, well maintained rest room although it may be hard to find. You’ll definitely have to ask a salesperson for directions. On the other hand, Macy’s at 34th and Broadway has a large restroom that almost always has a long line. It seems that it’s the home away from home for many stragglers. It’s not the nicest, but in a pinch it will do. Nowadays most Starbucks can accommodate you but a token is necessary and you might get a dirty look if you don’t at least buy a cup of decaf.

My absolute favorite and one of the most reliable restrooms is in one of the top New York City hotels. The legendary Plaza Hotel at Central Park South and 59th St. has lovely rest rooms in the basement level. Visiting this ladies room can be one of the finer moments of your vacation. You enter the lounge which large room with many sofas where you’ll find a place to rest or simply get your packages in order. Near the door you are greeted by a smiling attendant in a starched uniform who will direct you to the next available stall. After you finish washing your hands a paper towel is politely handed to you. On the counter there’s a selection of hand lotions and other niceties for your use. It’s then you notice the discreet plate piled high with coins and cash. No reason to worry, tipping is optional. However, if you do feel inclined to express your gratitude for this bit of civility, one dollar will provide a sufficient thank you.

The first International Tea Fair will be held in Hong Kong on August 13-15, 2009. The event is part of a series of Food and Health events that includes the HKTDC Food Expo 2009 and the International Conference and Exhibition of the Modernization of Chinese Medicine & Health Products 2009. All events will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The International Tea Fair is being developed by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) in partnership with the Chinese Tea Culture International Exchange Association. I will focus on tea-producing and tea-trading regions such as China, Sri Lanka, India and Japan as well as other areas. The HKTDC points to the 200 million middle class Chinese who are interested in purchasing imported luxury and food items as a major market just waiting to be reached by tea producers. Tea production was 3.87 million tons in 2007 according to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.

The event hopes to bring together buyers and producers from around the world. Assistance packages are being offered to buyers to attract buyers from emerging markets such as the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Russia as well as the Chinese mainland. The best Hong Kong hotels and restaurants are also looking to improve business during the event.

The Fair will include a tea gallery, tea ceremony demonstrations and a tea competition. The goal is to attract buyers and media interest in hopes of “infusing a tea lifestyle.” The event will be open to the public on the final day.

The HKTDC Food Expo will run from August 13 – 17th as will the International Conference and Exhibition of the Modernization of Chinese Medicine & Health Products.

It seems like New York has always been famous for its food. From hot dogs and pizza sold at street stands to gourmet creations that originated in some of the city’s finest restaurants, New York is the birthplace of numerous recipes. The city also attracts the world’s best chefs who come to New York to open signature restaurants and prove themselves in the cutthroat food scene. With the advent of cable television at the end of the twentieth century, New York’s cemented its reputation as the food capital of the United States.

The convergance of New York’s incredible food culture with its prominence as a television city has led to a multitude of television programming originating in the Big Apple. Long the home of the three major broadcast networks, New York seems to have always produced cooking segments as part of network morning shows and various talk shows. As cable television expanded, many more networks created programs or segments that featured food, many of them shoot in New York.

In 1993, Scripps Networks Interactive launched the Food Network, a cable channel devoted entirely to cooking, restaurants, and food. The main Food Network kitchens are located in New York city and programs shot here, such as the popular “Iron Chef America” are seen in over ninety million homes. Other shows take to the streets of the city to highlight New York restaurants, chefs, and other culinary attractions.

Other networks such as the Travel Channel, TLC, and Home & Garden Television (HGTV), feature programming starring New York chefs, food history, and specific eateries. NBC ran two seasons of a reality show that followed New York chef Rocco DiSpirito as he opened a new restaurant in the city. Currently, the Bravo network’s popular competition show, “Top Chef” is airing an entire season filmed in and around New York.

Ibiza (locally known as Eivissa) is a Balearic Island in Spain that is (in)famous for its legendary nightlife. While the island has been working in recent years to overcome its “party island” atmosphere, one thing that remains a constant is the wonderful food available throughout the island. Whether you’re hanging out on popular beach or relaxing in the interior countryside, Ibiza restaurants offer incredible food and enjoyable dining experiences.

As with the rest of Spain, Ibiza loves good food. The island offers many opportunities to enjoy traditional Spanish dishes such as paella, chorizo sausage, and the cured pork loin known as Lomo. Ibiza is a great spot for fresh seafood such as crab, swordfish, and several varieties of lobster. Seafood stews and a variety of fish dishes represent the best of traditional and contemporary Ibiza cuisine.

The dining experience in Ibiza is almost as important as the food itself. From beachside barbeques to country taverns, from small cafes to fine dining restaurants, the island has a variety of settings to enjoy a meal. Tapas bars are a favorite in Spain and can be found everywhere on Ibiza.

Tapas is a selection of appetizers or small dishes that offer a tasting of Spanish flavors. Popular for lunch or to eat along with drinks in a bar, tapas can include a variety of dishes, including cheeses, mushrooms, prawns, squid, olives, cold meats, or omelette. You can order hot or cold tapas to enjoy with beer or wine.

In addition to Spanish dishes, visitors can find flavors from around the world throughout the island. Ibiza is home to some great restaurants offering Indian, Italian, British, French, and Chinese foods. You can even find Dutch, Thai, Japanese, and German foods on the island.