Asia 2012 - (Page 4)

CARLA HUNT From street vendor fare to ﬁne dining, the New Asia is an Old World of great tastes. And the chances to explore the delights of Asia are now far richer, more accessible, and yes tastier than ever—particularly for those who love to cook. For true foodies, hands-on cooking lessons are the hands-down travel perk that changes a “mere” culinary trip into a delicious, out-of-the-ordinary experience. Consider just a few offerings: INDIA India’s cuisines vary greatly by region and are some of the most delicious and popular in the world. Here, guests will be lured by everything from the aromatic cuisines of the North—where curries usually have thick, moderately spicy and creamy gravies, and where the use of dried fruits and nuts is fairly common—to the spicy dishes of the deep South, where meals are centered around rice. Interestingly, most of the spices used in Indian cooking were originally chosen thousands of years ago for their medicinal qualities and not for ﬂavor. Many of them such as turmeric, cloves and cardamoms are very antiseptic, others like ginger are carminative and good for the digestion. On the Go Tours (866-377-6147; onthegotours.com) takes food A4 february 2012 lovers all the way south to Goa on an 8-day India on the Menu program, designed for the enthusiastic home cook who will learn to make fragrant pilau, chicken tikka and Malabar prawns, just for starters. Cooking courses—held at a custom-built kitchen on the banks of the Mandovi River—include an introduction to basic Indian culinary skills, a class on South Indian and Goan food (which has strong Portuguese inﬂuences), and a ﬁnal class during which the chef shows how to prepare special request dishes. Additionally, there is plenty of free time to spend at the beach, go see Goa and dine around at local restaurants. Priced from $1,599 dbl, the cost includes seven nights at the three-star Casa de Goa (upgrades available), three hands-on cooking lessons; all breakfasts and lunches after each class; a guided visit to the local food market; a half-day excursion to a local spice garden and plantation; airport transfers and cooking school; and cooking tools such as a spice guide, recipe book and apron. THAILAND One distinctive aspect of Thai food is the use of fresh herbs and spices as well as the inclusion of fermented ﬁsh sauce in nearly every dish. Thai cuisine, in fact, is complex and piquant—a balance of sweet, recommend.com ANDARA SPA ASIA DEVOURING http://www.onthegotours.com http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Asia 2012

Culinary Asia
Hong Kong & Macau
Spas of Thailand
Luxury India
Traditional Japan
River Cruising
Singapore

Asia 2012