The Ubud Organic Movement
Never before has the word “organic” been more powerful in Ubud. Now a raw, vegan, fresh food destination, Ubud is spearheading the global “green” phenomena with world-class establishments dishing up their own versions of all that is healthy, chemical-free and locally grown. Bali Buda has been serving vegetarian food for as long as I remember […]
Loving Mie!
I guess it’s because it’s lunchtime and I’m hungry that I’m dreaming of Mie. Not me as in me, but Mie as in noodles. Fat, soft, slurpy, deeply chicken-broth fragrant, Jakarta-style noodles. Now everyone has their favourite and feel free to overload my inbox with suggestions. When you love noodles, what to do! But I […]
Fish in Banana Leaves
Pepesan ikan Grilled fish in banana leaves Indonesians are masters at cooking fish. This photo was taken in Aceh where they are privy to an enormous variety of fish from teeny thread fish to all types of mackerel, mahi-mahi, shark and so on. Sardines, frigate tuna and Spanish mackerel are the main fish used for […]
Hunting Catfish in Jogjakarta
I am in a taxi driving through the back streets of Jogjakarta past candy-coloured houses, warungs fringed with sunsilk satchets flapping in the sun, free-range goats grazing on dirt, grandpas chatting on rickety bamboo chairs, head-scarfed school girls and rice-fields.
A Thirst for Balinese Coffee
It’s no secret that I love Balinese coffee and for nearly thirty years my day has began with a strong cup of it. A heaped teaspoon of ground coffee topped with boiling hot water, tubruk-style, is the way I like it. While the global thirst for coffee is brewing out of control, a cup of […]
Martabak Telor
Martabak Telor is a supremely delicious snack of Arab-Indian origins. Think paper-thin pastry meets omelette and there you have martabak telor.
An Adventure Begins
Back on board Katherina, Sea Treks’s elegant Phinisi boat, cruising the Komodo Islands for 6 days after the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival. Hard to believe!
Aceh-style Fish Curry
The cuisine of Aceh is influenced by Arab and Indian spices that were introduced by foreign traders, and these, when combined with local produce and especially seafood, created a fascinating fusion of flavours.
AMBON, THE CITY OF MUSIC
Welcome to Ambon. I’m sitting in Sari Gurih, a bright, busy restaurant in the middle of town, faced with an enormous terracotta pot of papeda, transparent, glossy, boiled sago teamed with a large bowl of ikan kuah kuning, golden, fish soup. A young woman sings jazzy numbers alongside a DJ on a small stage and […]
