Bali and Your Belly - The Shores of Romance

How is it possible to go to Bali without being swept up in the inherent romance of the island? It has positioned itself as the sensual and mystical, the virginal and passionate, it creates the slight offset beat that heightens our allure.


Funny, isn't it? If you were to assume the male and female between these drinks, you would think the tall fruity thing is mine, wouldn't you? I prefer less sweet, more sour. The hurricane glass is Enrique's. It's a pineapple rum frozen and frothy concoction. Mine is a lime and lemongrass gin. Bali isn't known for the heavy drinkers; liquor here is at a premium, but it doesn't mean their bartenders pay little attention to taste. As odd as this is, I wasn't really interested in drinking much on this vacation, but a cocktail goes well with dinner.








Enrique opted for the four course dinner. The ice cream in that black dish? Wasabi. The salad? it's lobster sashimi. Also on the menu was a deconstructed ravioli, seared scallops and ribs (ah yes, my husband and his ribs...)





I must say he enjoyed the ribs more than anything. He is, in the end, a man's man, and while flavours and unique presentation are all well and good, great tasting hearty food will beat out every time. Yes, yes, I know I said he drinks fruity drinks, but a man in vacation is entitled to the little umbrellas. But a man tends towards comfort foods more than women, so if you offer him ribs, and top it of, with rice, of all things (he is Filipino, after all), can I blame him? To him, this is what he enjoys. Even if the best ribs in the world are half a world away, this is what made him happy tonight.














For me, I chose a freshly caught snapper. Ever try to recreate a great food moment? Mine is a Snapper at a restaurant (El Pescadore) in Mexico. It was the best snapper I had ever tasted. Unfortunately, this snapper fell short. In fact, this snapper was undercooked, and before I could spit out the offending mouthful (into a napkin, I did not intend to ruin the evening, lol), some must have made my way into my stomach because I had to go back to the room after dinner while Enrique enjoyed the night on the beach. I joined him, but of course, it put a great pause in the evening. But then again, that's part of love, right? Right?



Romance isn't always about dressed up food. Some of the best food we've eaten have been in what would be termed, unromantic settings. But it is the passion that makes the romance irregardless of the setting. And though it was wonderful to have a candle lit dinner on the beach in Bali, by no means was it necessary for our love and our passion.


Oh come on, a candle lit dinner on the beach in Bali can't hurt your chances either.

Bali and Your Belly - The Market

In Denpasar you will find the central market of Bali. This is the largest market on the island, where food, household goods, and clothing are sold. The non-food items can be found inside the long building (seen in the above photo), and the food can be found in the older building (see below) and during the day, stands fill the walkways and are tented as the only protection from the sun. While En and I did check out a local Jumbaran market (which is open daily from 4-8am) which ran half a street long, this market was far more overwhelming.



I noticed the fruits and vegetables are mostly, but not always fresh, yet there is an abundance that surprised me. Cartons upon cartons of eggs that were replenished by incoming shipments on the backs of pickups and bushels of greens were continuously being delivered on the tops of the deliverer's head. Who was buying all this food in the middle of the day?




I assume, like some other countries in the general area, that food preparation at home is likely limited. There is an abundance of street vendors and tucked away local restaurants that seem focused on a take away clientele with limited seating. Balinese do not seem very interested in the sit down dining that we westerners are used to. And it's true - most dine-in restaurants I observed always have English accompanying the signage.



Take this poultry vendor, for example. Somebody is buying and preparing all that meat today. There is no refrigeration to preserve these buckets. But who am I to complain? All the local food we've had has been outstanding! Even within this market (unfortunately I didn't get a picture) were many women who made and sold treats, and while the contents weren't always identifiable, what little we tried was really good.



One thing I must say about traveling; the local markets tell much more about the people in a short time than probably any other experience you can encounter. Oh, and the passion fruit? Ah.... I could definitely live in Bali!

Bali and Your Belly - $50 Cup of Coffee

We traveled up through the mountains for many reasons, one of which was to see a cat. Or rather, it's droppings. The last excrement that was this valuable was from the pharaoh and used as fertilizer for the temple crops. I'm not even kidding you.


You've heard of Monkey poop coffee, I'm sure. There is also civet cat poop coffee. My mother can't stop laughing at me. None of my family can, but when faced with a once in a lifetime opportunity that has a mortality rate of 0%, do you seize the moment, or do you wimp out? I guess the grossness factor comes into play, and to each his own on that one.



It was surreal. Sitting there with some warm hearted traveling companions, we trek through the forest until we come upon a seemingly empty cage. But on a little ledge inside a boxed shelter is the cat. It looks more like a weasel. But a cat is a cat, and it's not the cat we came to, er, taste.



It was surreal. With some warm hearted traveling companions, we trek through the forest until we come upon a seemingly empty cage. But on a little ledge inside a boxed shelter is the cat. It looks more like a weasel. But a cat is a cat, and it's not the cat we came to, er, taste.

They show us through the bamboo shelters where we see two men roasting the coffee beans in a shallow pan. I don't believe that was the civet cat coffee - they seem to harvest and sell many items, including coffee beans that haven't been processed by any mammalian intestinal tract.

We are shown seats that look out on that gorgeous mountainside. Protected by the shelter, we hear the first loud drops announcing the torrential tropical shower that arrives with deafening force that curtains our view, yet we remain dry. We are taken by the coffee that arrives. First, we are given five little cups (En and I shared a serving) of wonderful flavours all freshly brewed (see insert above right, from front clockwise: honey, ginseng, coffee, hot cocoa, ginger). We sipped the flavours, discussed our favourits and how wonderful it was that we were here. It becomes one of those memories that touches all the senses to ensure you will never forget this moment. Soon, the star of the show arrives.

They serve the civet cat coffee in what surely amounts to their finest china. Again, En and I share a cup. It is cost effective, since all we really want is a taste. Of course, we take it black. If I wanted milk and sugar, I would get a $4 cup of coffee, heck, even a $15 dollar cup of coffee, but this was for the experience. There was silence as we all tasted. I was sure everyone had the same thoughts as I did - is this what all the fuss is about? Maybe my palate is not coffee-sophisticated, but to me, it tasted like a regular brew. A good brew, nonetheless, but yet, nothing to make the angels sing on high, which was kind of our expectation now that the rain and stopped and they sky began to clear. The coffee had a slight sweet note with a notable slick on the surface, surely rich in oils. It had lighter notes, and not quite so heavy bodied. But yet, I was sure it was not unfamiliar, like something I could get at Second Cup. I wonder what they think? It turns out everyone feels exactly as I do! Phew! I was wondering if my taste buds had betrayed me, but no, even En didn't understand the fuss.
But who cares? I was there in the most beautiful setting for a new experience that I will never again in my life be able to recapture. And I wouldn't trade it in. Not even if I could have got the same coffee in town for four bucks.

Bali and Your Belly - Resort to Breakfast

When on vacation, there are two ways to approach food. One extreme is demonstrated by the all-inclusive, all-you-can-eat buffet. Think quantity. Think generic. Here you will find the domesticated North American who misses their french fries and hamburgers. The other extreme is, to me, not extreme at all. It's going native; eating as the locals eat, seeking where they eat, and observing how they eat.

Where you stay doesn't always have to determine what you eat. We've stayed with many resorts which offer many food options, and just because the food is free does not mean you are chained to the resort . Yes, they may have great food, but at some point during the day, when I'm away exploring, I can find delicious delicacies that I will never again in my life have the opportunity to enjoy. So I don't need to backpack in hostels to get to the local fare. Find a balance. There is something said for adventure as much as the the resort's relaxation (that being said, few resorts are exempt from the mad-dash of 'hurry-we-need-to-get-a-table!' syndrome). After all, I am on vacation.

Our resort was only partially inclusive. Breakfast included, and being an exclusive resort, the small plates of small portions discouraged overindulging. Everything was replenished often, yet the sight of dinner-plate sized platters of various cheeses, sliced for your convenience, made one mindful of their selection. This, coupled with the low occupancy and high tranquility of the open air breakfast room, created a serenity in which you could fully enjoy the luxurious unhurried flavour of morning.


A quick bite or a lengthy lunch - it makes no difference to the staff. That being said, it it still 'resort' food. It caters to the international palate of the traveler. Some may be picky, some adventurous. Let's face it - the majority of tourists will come from North America, Europe, and in Bali's case, Australia. What do you serve that will accommodate all tastes? They may offer something resembling Balinese food (ie - Panang, which is similar to a fried rice), but the majority of what would please the tourist is a sampling of cheeses, smoked salmon, prosciutto, other meats, various breads with condiments, fruits (some tropical, some common), and eggs any way you like'em. Tastes veer to the sweeter side for your first meal of the day? A tray of pastries. Want both? Take both. No one judges. Well, at least not out loud, they don't.


And while I can say I enjoyed breakfast every single day, I can say that it did nothing to give me a sense of what Bali offered. It's what a great hotel would offer, but if I wanted to eat as the Balinese ate, I would have to venture outside the gated property. And after a leisurely breakfast beside the lotus pool, my husband and I were invariably ready to do just that.

Bali and Your Belly - A Religious Experience

We arrived at Tanah Lot. En and I walked barefoot over the slippery ocean rocks to get to the temple where I prayed and we were blessed by the priest. The priests are inside the temple under the rock.

This was one of the most spiritual experiences I've had. The spring of water is said to come from God when the staff struck the rock. I understand this is not how things likely went down, but it is considered a holy Hindu temple, and you could feel it and I was happy to receive the blessings. All our travel companions were happy to do so as well.

Where God told the man to strike the ground with his staff; Tanah Lot, Bali

After the temple experience we walked the grounds and went to the restaurant (the only restaurant) that has very limited seating. I'm sure this was all arranged by the agency. We were able to select from a limited set of seafood and fish (as I said, limited seating, limited selection) and En and I were lucky to select the last two crab. They were sized nicely and very active. Once cooked, they were seasoned with chili oil and we ate all fresco at the side of the rock cliff. Life doesn't get much better than this.

2 sea crabs, alive just moments before we ate them.

How is a band related to the temple...?

Dal Toro Ristorante @ Palazzo in Vegas

Dal Toro Ristorante
3355 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV, 89109
(in the Palazzo)



There are a few restaurants I would have loved to check out, but being locations I would enjoy with my husband or close friends, I didn't have high hopes. I was more interested in enjoying time with my coworkers at a venue that was more affordable. Jen and Henning have been to Dal Toro before and suggested it, which was a wonderful idea. It was an interesting setting and not too pricey.

This image of the lobby was shot through a glass panel with translucent gray linear patterns. The decor set it apart from the regular seating, not to say that there wasn't enough kitsch to go around for both areas.


I ordered the seafood linguini. Surprisingly it was delicious. It's easy to be disappointed by seafood pasta dishes, but everything was tender and the flavour was not wanting. It wasn't spectacular, but it was well done food. I had a gin and tonic, Henning also had a drink (scotch, I believe) and Dany, a glass of red.

Jen and Henning told me to go check out the sink in the washroom. I didn't think it would have surprised me - restaurants that try to be upscale tend to glam up their washrooms and I had seen a few. But this was really funky! I mean, you've got this disk spouting water and your hand's go right there! I know it doesn't seem this way from the picture, but it really was interesting. Too bad it didn't drain well.





We did manage to take a group shot to commemorate the moment.Who knows when we would all dine together? Left to right: Dany, Henning, Jennifer, Me, Modupe, Nicola.



There is a showroom displaying some beautiful cars - I took a ton a photos, but here is one of the restaurant's namesake - the Lamborghini.

Sweet to Hot - Pepper Jellies

I was watching Anna Olson's show >"Fresh" on The Food Network the other day and saw a recipe for Red Pepper Jelly. Jellies have always seemsed so complicated; to concentrate the flavours and the excessive amounts of sugar was all so inconceivable to me. Worst of all, what if I didn't get the colour right? I mean, with jellies it's naked to flaws of hue. If it's not spot on, it looks unapetizing at best. And then I saw the trick. She used (gasp) food colouring.

It's hard to think about food colouring as good for anything other than frosting, but it does have it's uses. And if Anna Olsen uses it to give a visual pop to her jellies, then dammit, it's good enough for me.

With the possible 'wow' for a dinner party, I figured I could take down the recipe and try it. Why not? I felt this way only because I saw the options for a savoury jelly, and figured it would be so interesting to try this to serve with a meat. Or even if I substituted the peppers for mint (which my parents have growing like a weed), or any other sort of herb. This could get interesting in application.

I'm capturing the recipe here, although it can be found on the Food Network website, I'm keeping it for my notes.

PepperJelly (courtesy of Anna Olsen)

In a pot on med-high heat, add...

• 1 2/4c white wine vinegar
• 1 1/4 c water
• 2 sprigs rosemary

When liquid comes up to heat, add...

• 2 c sweet red pepper
• 1 c hot pepper (Seeded)

Bring to boil
Reduce to simmer (covered) 15 min
Strain to remove solids (liquid is yellow-orange)
Strain with cheesecloth (2 cups)
Return to pot

• 5 c sugar

Stir on med heat. Add...

• red food colouring
• 1 pk liquid pectin

And maintain bare simmer (until there is a bit of thickening pull)
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PostScript:
Since this post, I have tried to use galatine to thicken a chipotle concoction that would somehwat mimic a taco hot sauce. I used chopped chipotle, 1 part lime juice, and 4 parts water. Bring to a boil and add gelatin. I think I added too much gelatin. What is '1 package'? I need to better understand the ratio of gelatin to liquid so I don't once again create chipotle jello. Should I have used a pectin instead? If I could 'find' pectin around here, then maybe I could start experimenting.