Wine and Spirits Asia 2014 and FoodHotelAsia 2104

Story and photos by Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling GourmetTM

The indomitable Travelling GourmetTM judges hundreds of wines for Wine & Spirits Asia 2014 Wine Challenge Wine Competition at…

MOD Hotel Capri which was the venue for the Wine Judging with 9 judges in all. On 19 and 20 March 2014, as one of the Wine Judges, I meticulously judged the wines and we selected the Double Gold, Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal winners. With only a lunch break, I judged from 8.30am to 6.30pm for two days! Wine Judging is hard work and needs a lot of stamina and concentration. After tasting, I spat out the wines. This is de riguer because a professional Wine Judge and Wine Connoisseur is NEVER intoxicated! This si so your judgment will not be adversely affected. I tasted and judged Still White Wines, Still Red Wines, Sparkling Wines, Dessert Wines and Fortified Wines too from around the world. The Medal Winners will be showcased during FoodHotelAsia 2014 from 8-11 April 2014. When I was a Wine Judge on many occasions in the Concorso Enologico Internazionale Vinitaly in Verona, Italy held in conjunction with Vinitaly, I tasted and judged even more wines! After tasting many red wines, your teeth turn dark red! It is true and quite shocking when you see them in the mirror. Vinitaly held in Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet, is the largest Wine Exhibition and Trade Show in the world.

FoodHotelAsia 2014

In ASEAN, there are over 615 million consumers with a combined expenditure estimated to exceed US$1.5 trillion in 2015! This rising wave of consumerism has huge potential for the Food and beverage sector. Held in gargantuan Singapore EXPO, FHA 201 4 and WSA 2014 will take up all 102,300 m2 of exhibition space across 10 Exhibition Halls and Max Atria. FHA 2014 is Asia’s largest and most comprehensive international food and hospitality trade event with admission only for Business and Trade Professionals only. This shall be the largest FHA since it started in 1978. Sixty four countries will exhibit their products at this cosmopolitan exhibition and trade show. There shall be 56 international pavillions from Argentina to Switzerland and the USA. Do not forget to see the 75 manufacturers at our own Singapore Pavillion.

Some exciting cutting-edge products include Chye Choon Foods Basmati Rice Spaghetti which boasts a low GI and is gluten-free and fat-free. They also have Macadamia Oil from Australia. At a special preview, pretty Almy Goh May San, the Marketing and Research Manager of Fong Yit Kaya (since 1945) kindly let me taste her Durian Kaya. It was velvety and scrumptious! Samsiah Suliman, the MD of Jumain Sataysfaction bade me sample her award winning Chicken Satay. Very chunky, moist, not overly sweet and tender…it has NO layer of fat like your more traditional satay. I think that is a real PLUS point. Therefore, it is not only good to eat but healthy too. A very important point in this today’s health conscious society. I was pleased to taste Oishi International’s Yubari Japanese Hammi Melon Ice Cream as well as Mixed Berries and Matcha Green Tea Ice Creams. The flavours were fresh and vibrant and I particularly liked the Passion Fruit Sorbet bursting with its natural-tasting tanginess.

On 11th April, I was the Celebrity Chef for Auric Pacific in Hall 6 F2-01 and cooked 3 of my original recipes using McCormick’s spices, Tabasco Sauces, Mak Nyonya Sauces and more. It was very well received and many liked my food! The 3 recipes I cooked were Spirali Pasta with Laksa Sauce and Pomodorini, Spicy Beef Rendang with Red, Green and Gold Capsicums and Red Wine and Cheeky Chicken with Apricots and Cashews.

You cannot live well, love well, work well and sleep well unless you eat and drink well!

Enjoy! Bon appetit and a votre sante! 🙂

About thetravellinggourmet

As a renowned Travel, Food & Wine Writer he has travelled the world in a keen & indomitable pursuit of exotic delicacies & fine wines. His articles have been published in over 20 prestigious publications, both local & international. Dr. Lim has toured and trained in Wine Evaluation & Oenology in most of the world's top wine producing areas from France to Australia. The Travelling Gourmet says, "Gastronomy has no frontier. These are the gastronomic voyages of The Travelling Gourmet. My unending mission. To explore strange new cuisines, to seek out new wines and new culinary experiences, to boldly go where no gourmet has gone before...." Have pen, will travel. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any other information storage & retrieval system, without permission from Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling Gourmet and/or MSN. Material may be works of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents may be true but may also be products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance whatsoever to actual person or persons, either dead or living, events, or locales may be entirely and purely coincidental and unintentional. No part of this website may be used to villify others or for criminal purposes. Interests: Travel, Food, Wines, Cooking, Wine Appreciation, Parachuting, Languages, Music, Reading, Swimming, Hunting, Ballet, Fencing, Archery, Anthropology and more... The Travelling Gourmet is a copyrighted trademark. All rights and photos reserved. No part may be reproduced without permission.

View all posts by thetravellinggourmet →

	thetravellinggourmet on Poem to Man’s best …
	Rosa Leeann Boyle on Poem to Man’s best …
	thetravellinggourmet on MARRIOTT’S Magnificent M…
	thetravellinggourmet on MARRIOTT’S Magnificent M…
	Durian Mooncakes: A… on MARRIOTT’S Magnificent M…