Update from the Garden 
Star fruit are smart fruit. When cut they may very well look like stars, but when they're bobbing away on the tree they look a lot like leaves. Last year my star fruit tree had thousands of delicate pink flowers, but no fruit; this year it's awash with dangling yellow fruit. I can't wait to harvest this crop.
South Australia, RM50 (HK$115), cork seal
Penfolds is perhaps Australia's most iconic winery and their bin range offers premium wines from a variety of different styles and vineyards. Bin 2 comes from a several South Australian regions including the Barossa, Clare, McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek. I guess this sees old rather than new oak, but the Penfolds website is strangely out of date on details; the last vintage listed is 2003. I purchased this bored while wandering the average surrounds of Kula Lumpier International Airport's Low Cost Carrier Terminal. 
I'm struggling to see the point in mentioning the colour of wine. Is it worth it? So, anyway, Penfolds 'Bin 2' Shiraz Mourvedre 2006 is a dark purple colour (and?). The nose isn't massive, actually it's pretty reserved with just a hint of chocolate and cassis. Medium bodied it tastes of red fruits and a sprinkling of dried herbs. There are some grainy tannins and a touch of fresh acidity, but despite all this it doesn't quite cut it. Short and simple, it seems underdone and uninspiring. Maybe it's just been over shadowed but the seductive Amavi Cellars Syrah 2003 we drunk before it, but this does nothing for me. Penfolds 'Bin 2' Shiraz Mourvedre 2006 just doesn't offer much excitement.
Visit winery website.
Walla Walla Valley, Washington State, cork
I'm scared of buying wines from the US. The fake, syrupy sweetness of the cheaper offerings and a perception of gross over-pricing amongst the better quality bottles means I normally steer clear. From what I can gather Amavi Cellars are a sister winery/second label of Pepperbridge Winery. I can't remember how much this cost, but I think it was about $200. Things got a little dangerous when I opened this; the glass on the lip splinted, the cork crumbled and it was a bit touch and go whether we were going to be drinking glass shards and cork crumbs.
Amavi Cellars Syrah 2003 is pretty dark in colour with a red-tinge - actually it's a similar shade to the hair of the blokes who drive minibuses between Yuen Long and Mong Kok. This smells absolutely spectacular; it's one lush hit of big flavours including plums, white pepper and coffee. This really is screaming out classic cool climate Syrah. On the palate there's a mash of red fruits with plenty of blueberries and plums, but what wins this for me is the smooth, smooth texture. Fine tannins, warm but controlled alcohol and a long palate all complete the seductive silkiness of this to make it a beautiful package. Amavi Cellars Syrah 2003 comes highly recommended; it's the best wine I've had from the US.
Visit winery website.
Bordeaux, ¥150, cork seal
Strange deals are to be had at the duty-free shop at the Zhuhai Ferry Terminal, this bottle of Bordeaux Superieur was one such purchase. The Chateau has been owned by the large
firm Dourthe since 1990. It's a blend of 82% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.
Chateau Pey La Tour 2005 is dark and intense with a red tinge. It smells of dusty dark fruits, bay leaf and chalk. The palate is all about intense forest fruit flavours with blackberries, blueberries and plums. This wine is beautifully textured; it's dusty and dry with big tannins. Full bodied and powerful this surprised me with its weight and intensity. Chateau Pey La Tour Bordeaux 2005 is a solid wine, it's not overly complex, but gets points for texture, richness and simple satisfaction.
Visit winery website.
100 Kin Yip St, Yuen Long
Visited 17th September 2009
This tiny Vietnamese joint has become a bit of a favourite for a meal after Thursday night tennis. Yuen Long has a fair selection of Japanese, Indian and Thai joints, but Vietnamese restaurants are harder to find; does anyone know of another in Yuen Long? Hanoi Vietnamese Restaurant is situated opposite Bill Kee Noodles on Kin Yip St. It's small and basic, with only seven or eight tables and walls adorned with faded prints of Hanoi's tourist sites.
A readable menu goes a long way and I'm happy to report that that at Hanoi Vietnamese Restaurant there's well translated English sitting proudly 
alongside the Chinese. Our group ordered a feast that included fresh rice paper rolls stuffed with prawn and chicken, cold vermicelli noodles with lemon grass pork, a beef brisket curry and two serves of the house 'special' pho. The homemade rice paper rolls were packed with fresh flavours and came with lovely homemade fish sauce. Laced with shredded carrot, lettuce, cucumber and coriander the tasty vermicelli noodles were again all about freshness. Served bubbling and sizzling from the oven, the curry was laden with tender beer and plenty of tendon that gave it a thick, fatty richness. It came with a stack of garlic bread. The serves of pho were massive and packed with different cuts of beef including fillet, tendon, tripe and beef balls, that came floating in a good beef based soup.
Though we ordered way too much I was really impressed with the food at Hanoi Vietnamese Restaurant. The quality was good and the obvious freshness of the dishes a noticeable contrast to typical Cantonese cuisine. Our bill was a reasonable $90 a head, but with big bowls of pho for only $48 you could get away with paying less. The friendly bloke running the show was welcoming and more than happy to make recommendations. They're not licensed to sell alcohol but let us BYO. Offering authentic Vietnamese food at good prices, Hanoi Vietnamese Restaurant is a great option for something different in Yuen Long.
Nizza Monferrato, Piedmont, Italy, $148, cork
A good mate spent a frustrating 4 hours trying to connect a new wireless router for me Saturday afternoon. He didn't throw it off the balcony or use the language I would of, but by the end of it he 
certainly needed a drink. He loves the sweet stuff and after barbecue, beer and bubbles out comes the Moscato. Purchased from a local Yuen long wine shop, the bottle is sporting the charms of a rather fetching label and a responsible 5.5% alcohol.
There was a fair bit of frizzante action when opened, but it all settled down rather quickly. The nose on this is big and seductive; I'm so caught up in smells of honey and flowers and almost drift off to the Greek Isles. However I'm soon slapped back to reality by the emergence of deliciously intense stone fruit aromas; I'm getting one intense whiff of peaches. Having a sip and the palate is also all about the peaches. I don't want to sell this wine short; it doesn't taste like a simple can of SPC peaches in syrup it's more of a kind-of homemade baked peach dessert with canalised sugar, toffee and a hint of lemon zest. It's an amazingly complex and lush wine, but more importantly it is simply delicious. It's a lot less sweet than I expected; the sugar is well in check making it refreshingly pleasant to drink. Big, bold and delicious Scrimaglio 'Grani di Sole' Moscato D'Asti 2007 comes highly recommended; it's the perfect juice for a frustrated IT expert.
Visit winery website.
148 Kam Sheung Rd, Kam Tin, Yuen Long
Visited 3rd September 2009
Hand up who's been to Kam Tin? Well Red Penny Thai isn't in Kam Tin, but kind of way out the back of Kam Tin somewhere and if you're riding your bike it feels like the middle of nowhere. Yet on entering this big, outside restaurant it’s a surprisingly classy setup. Lots of white, Thai style statues and big water feature give place more than a hint of being in Thailand rather than the back blocks of the New Territories. The location suggests that it’s probably a restaurant that’s more aimed at those thyat drive rather than rely on public transport or pedal power.
The menu has all the usual Thai favourites as well as a few Vietnamese dishes. We were with a big group, but strangely everyone ordered their own dishes and I ended up sharing with a friend. We ordered Chang Mai style ox-tail, water spinach with belacan, rice and garlic bread. I thought the ox-tail was pretty good - the meat was tender, though the sweetish sauce was perhaps a little too runny. The big serve of water spinach was disappointing; it was over-powered by the fishy shrimp paste and was way too salty. Oh yeah the 
garlic bread; what is it with garlic bread and Thai restaurants in Hong Kong? It's not a traditional Thai dish, yet seems to be the most popular dish on every Thai menu. Anyway are garlic bread was OK, though not quite crisp enough for my tastes. To drink it was a couple of bottles of Singha; served in a beautifully chilled glass.
Res Penny Thai has a lot going for it, especially the outdoor dinning area. I was generally impressed with the service; they managed to correctly deliver six different orders and the correct bills to the same table. My only complaint was that it was a little difficult to get a new beer. The food wasn’t overly cheap, but was fair value at $264 for the two of us; the oxtail was $98, the water spinach $58 and the beers $28 a pop. But to be honest I’m not the biggest fan of Red Penny Thai. The food is OK, but rather unexciting and I feel there are plenty of better Thai places around.
Yantai, Shandong, China, ¥75, synthetic cork
Day two of teaching and it's definitely time for a bottle of wine. Red wine from China no less; terrible retro packing, embossed bottle and stupid synthetic cork, but for me the most worrying thing 
is the vintage - 1998; surely a ¥75 wine isn't made to cellar for 11 years? The Yantai Weilong Grape Wine Co who makes this have a surprisingly good English website, though maybe they've changed their range as there was nothing to be found about this wine. My friend who helped me translate the label claims that it's apparently made from the 'snap dragon grape'?!?
Grand Dragon 1998 is light red in colour just fading to orange. Initially this just smells of typical over aged Chinese red wine - tar, burnt toffee and rubber, but underneath the stink there's a sniff of fruit or perhaps a sniff of hope. There're hints of red berries, vanilla, strawberry and cream; it actually smells a bit like the strawberry-cream flavoured Chupa Chup. Yes it does taste a lot like burnt treacle and tar, but there are still some good red fruit flavours beneath it. There's cherry, strawberry and raspberry, but most remarkable an obviously creamy texture. Medium bodied, it certainly should have been drunk years ago, yet the burnt acid flavours are balanced by memories of fresh fruit and the remarkably creaminess. A strange bottle of wine; obviously past its best, yet in a sadistic way it was almost enjoyable. I'm not recommending this to anyone, but I'd be curious to try a newer vintage and to be fair we did finish the bottle.
Visit winery website.
TVB Jade, 9.30pm, Sundays
Like so many pathetic Western expats living in Hong Kong I can't speak Cantonese. I'm ashamed and embarrassed, yet never get off my arse to do anything about it. Yet despite my lack of the local lingo, often these days I find myself dragged in front of the TV to sit through the dribble that gets palmed off as TV here. Without even being able to understand the dialogue it's obvious that the acting is terrible (95% of the time by a former Miss Hong Kong contestant) and the plots simplistic (though probably no different to Neighbours, Home and Away or the other Western equivalents). However the one show that I do enjoy on local TV is TVB Jade's Beautiful Girls' Kitchen.
The show takes three female Hong Kong celebrities - read models, singers and actors - and throws them into a live kitchen where they must prepare series of dishes which are then judged by a group of blokes. It's often staged, terribly sexiest and totally politically incorrect, yet offers a whole world of entertainment. My favourite bit would have to be when the girls are required to butcher, clean and cook live seafood with, as you can imagine, often disastrous consequences.
Many would argue that it's a derogatory comment on women and while the attitude of the judges is often disgustingly patronising, I however think it's a more of a reflexion of Hong Kong society where very few of my generation can cook for themselves and the cult of celebrity is rampaging out of control. Beautiful Girls' Kitchen is so so wrong, but so so funny.
Marlborough, $220, cork seal
I previously enjoyed the Summerhouse Chardonnay 2006 so thought I'd give their sparkling a go. Produced from Marlborough grown Chardonnay grapes and méthode traditionnelle made, it's non-vintage, but looking at the code on the label - 'L5005' - I'm thinking it perhaps be the 2005 addition. The wine is (or perhaps was) available through the Adelaide Cellar Door.
Summerhouse Blanc de Blancs is a bright lemon, yellow colour with plenty of fine bubbles. It smells good with fruity aromas and a touch of sweetness. It's all about red berries, think strawberries, raspberries and red currents, plus a touch of freshly baked brioche; yum yum. On the palate the red berries remain, plus lemon rind and a touch of saltiness on the finish. The hint of sweetness to this just helps to makes it more delicious. It's soft and fruity and has decent length, though perhaps it's missing a little splash of acidity. Summerhouse Blanc de Blancs is pretty and fun, I like it a lot.
Visit winery website.
Avoca, Victoria, ¥132, cork seal
I've got a bit of an emotional attachment to Blue Pyrenees. A mate of mine somehow came by a few cases of the excellent 1996 version of this Reserve Red when we were at uni, and going from drinking $4 McWilliams Inheritance Shiraz to this was a pretty big step up. The Pyrenees is a cool climate wine region in Victoria's west and with great producers like Dalwhinnie, Taltarni and Sally's Paddock it deserves to be better known in Hong Kong. The wine is made from estate grown fruit and is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Shiraz, 3% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. I bought this from one of the duty free shops on the Chinese side of the Lu Wo border crossing.
Blue Pyrenees Reserve Red 2002 smells good; there's a hint of mint, chalky fruit and lots of cassis. It's interesting, but to me it's easily distinguishable that this smells of cassis and not blackcurrant; the sweetness and syrupy intensity are obvious. It's a pretty tasty little drop - the palate has plenty of sweet black fruit; I get hints of blackcurrant, blackberry and their usual cohorts. It's perhaps a tad empty on the mid-palate and the finish is all about feel rather than flavour - it ends with texture not taste. It's matured well with lovely sweet fruit still obvious and nicely integrated tannins. Blue Pyrenees Reserve Red 2002 is a smooth and enjoyable prospect that's not too big or over the top. An aged Victorian red at a reasonable price; almost makes you consider a day shopping Shenzhen.
Visit winery website.
Borough High St, Borough, London
Visited 15th August 2009
For an Aussie teacher living in Hong Kong I tend to visit London a fair bit. While Borough Market isn't my reason for rocking into town I always try and find time for a trip to this great market. It's situated just past the southern end of Tower Bridge, under the train lines next to Southwark Cathedral. It has been running on its current site since 1796, though there has apparently been a market in the area since Roman times.
The key to Borough Market is not shopping, but browsing; though a better term would probably be grazing. Before the commitment of actually buying anything it's always worth a stroll to see what tasty tit 
bits and samples are up for offer (my other favourite place for a graze is Sapporo Airport). I wondered the stalls and gazed starry eyed at a cornucopia of fruit, vegetables, mushrooms, herbs, fish, meat, game, cheese, bread, cakes, chocolate, beer, wine and a thousand other exciting things. When there was something to try I did. I managed to sample a delicious range of cured meats, cheese, a tasty little bit of chocolate or two and even a couple of sips of wine.
Eventually however it was time for a solid lunch and we ended up at the barbecue out back of Brindisa. This supplier of Spanish produce fires up the barbecue and sells chewie rolls dossed with olive oil and then filled with roasted capsicum, rocket and a choice of one or two
spicy chorizo sausages; we of course went for the double. OK it was just a sandwich but it was a good sandwich and a sandwich which seemed to encapsulate Borough Market; tasty food, made with fresh local ingredients, but with a twist of international flavour. My only complaint was the element of danger eating these sandwiches; dripping chorizo fat, roasted capsicum juice and olive oil, is tasty, but does tend to stain your favourite t-shirt. For the sceptics Borough Market goes a long way to proving the quality of contemporary English food.
Visit market website.
Lake Skadar, Montenegro, €9.00, cork
Dinner in our Sveti Stefan apartment was very much a tribute to the Lekovic family. Pasta was prepared with a sauce that used tomatoes, chillies, onions and herbs from their roadside stall and to accompany it we cracked the bottle of their wine we'd purchased. There's very little about Montenegrin wine out there, but apparently the country has two main wine producing zones; the coastal region adjacent to the Adriatic and 'Podgorica' an area
around the capital that shares same name and includes Lake Skadar. This of course comes from Lake Skadar.
This is dark, dark stuff; it's purple and is actually a similar shade to the cherry brandy that Mrs Lekovic made me scull. The nose isn't over the top, but what I can smell is a rich and indulgent mix of aromas: rum n raisin, plum jam, spice, port and just a sprinkle of Christmas. This wine offers up one massive wallop of flavour; syrupy, sweet and intense it tastes of plum jam, preserved cherries and Ribena. To say this is full bodied is an understatement; creamy and thick this is rich, ripe and sweet. Probably too sweet and over the top to drink too much of this, this is very much a wine for those who love the style. Petar Lekovic's Vineyard Vranac 2006 is also interesting as it's very different from the other examples of Vranac I've tried. Richer, riper and intense it certainly deserves the title of the literal translation of Vranac - 'black stallion'.
Lake Skadar, Montenegro
After a few relaxing days on Montenegro's Bay of Kotor we moved to the beach resort of Sveti Stefan. While the crystal clear water and forest setting were lovely, the masses of leopard print clad Russian package tourists were a tad less appealing. Montenegro isn't a big country and when we decided to spent a day exploring inland we found ourselves in the surrounds of Lake Skadar. The massive lake is a delightful place packed with millions of tiny fish and a massive variety of waterfowl. Its inherent natural beauty is enhanced by a 
peacefulness and tranquillity of its setting; a setting that stands in stark contrast to the overt tackiness of the coast.
A drive around Lake Skadar isn't so much a drive around the lake, but a winding journey through the steep hills above. While the road is made, it's a single lane and the chances of bumping into a cow, goat or donkey are high. Passing through tiny, isolated farming hamlets we decided to stop for fresh produce and chanced upon the cellar door of the Petar Lekovic Vineyard. Cellar door in this case is a term that is both accurate and misleading. Misleading because their setup is nothing like the highly polished, professional operations one e
ncounters at Australian wineries and accurate because their small roadside stall is literally setup at the door of their home (and cellar) under a bounterful kiwi fruit vine.
Petar and his wife were both manning the stall, and as well as selling us a bottle proudly labelled 'fine wine of Montenegro' we also brought tomatoes, chillies, onions, parsley and apples. Their array of produce was fresh and fragrant, while the jars on display were a temptation for a man who loves preserving as much as I do. We also sampled a shot of delicious, but fiery home-made cherry brandy. I loved the down to earth honesty of the Lekovics and visiting their roadside cellar door was a highlight of my trip to the Balkans. Whether or not you can manage to find the Petar Lekovic Vineyard, a drive through the hills surrounding Lake Skadar is still a highly recommended adventure. 
Lake Skadar, Montenegro, €4.19, cork
I’m sitting drinking this perched on the side of Lake Kotor; Montenegro, a fishing rod trails in front of me and life is good. Vranac is a ancient grape that is found throughout the Balkans and is the main variety used in 
Montenegro; its name translates as black stallion which refers to its colour and intensity. Plantaže, one of the countries biggest wine producers, is famous for transferring the barren Ćemovsko Field into vineyards and one of Europe’s biggest gardens.
It’s dark so I can’t really see the wine, but I can certainly smell it. It’s got a bold nose with plenty of sweet red fruit and fragrant dried herbs. The palate has a seductive sweetness too it and tastes of red fruits, especially raspberry, fresh herbs again, honey and green olives. It’s a medium bodied wine that’s not overly complex, but has decent palate length and mild tannins. What is so good about Plantaže 'Pro Corde' Vranac 2007 is that it is such a drinkable wine; it's balanced and would be good with or without food. To borrow an Aussie expression, this would be a great “barbecue wine”; good stuff.
Visit winery website.
firm Dourthe since 1990. It's a blend of 82% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.
alongside the Chinese. Our group ordered a feast that included fresh rice paper rolls stuffed with prawn and chicken, cold vermicelli noodles with lemon grass pork, a beef brisket curry and two serves of the house 'special' pho. The homemade rice paper rolls were packed with fresh flavours and came with lovely homemade fish sauce. Laced with shredded carrot, lettuce, cucumber and coriander the tasty vermicelli noodles were again all about freshness. Served bubbling and sizzling from the oven, the curry was laden with tender beer and plenty of tendon that gave it a thick, fatty richness. It came with a stack of garlic bread. The serves of pho were massive and packed with different cuts of beef including fillet, tendon, tripe and beef balls, that came floating in a good beef based soup.
certainly needed a drink. He loves the sweet stuff and after barbecue, beer and bubbles out comes the Moscato. Purchased from a local Yuen long wine shop, the bottle is sporting the charms of a rather fetching label and a responsible 5.5% alcohol.
garlic bread; what is it with garlic bread and Thai restaurants in Hong Kong? It's not a traditional Thai dish, yet seems to be the most popular dish on every Thai menu. Anyway are garlic bread was OK, though not quite crisp enough for my tastes. To drink it was a couple of bottles of Singha; served in a beautifully chilled glass.
is the vintage - 1998; surely a ¥75 wine isn't made to cellar for 11 years? The Yantai Weilong Grape Wine Co who makes this have a surprisingly good English website, though maybe they've changed their range as there was nothing to be found about this wine. My friend who helped me translate the label claims that it's apparently made from the 'snap dragon grape'?!?
bits and samples are up for offer (my other favourite place for a graze is Sapporo Airport). I wondered the stalls and gazed starry eyed at a cornucopia of fruit, vegetables, mushrooms, herbs, fish, meat, game, cheese, bread, cakes, chocolate, beer, wine and a thousand other exciting things. When there was something to try I did. I managed to sample a delicious range of cured meats, cheese, a tasty little bit of chocolate or two and even a couple of sips of wine.
spicy chorizo sausages; we of course went for the double. OK it was just a sandwich but it was a good sandwich and a sandwich which seemed to encapsulate Borough Market; tasty food, made with fresh local ingredients, but with a twist of international flavour. My only complaint was the element of danger eating these sandwiches; dripping chorizo fat, roasted capsicum juice and olive oil, is tasty, but does tend to stain your favourite t-shirt. For the sceptics Borough Market goes a long way to proving the quality of contemporary English food.
The view from the hillside above the town of Kotor with the massive Bay of Kotor behind.
Climbing higher above the town are the impressive ramparts of an extensive ruined fortress.
Illuminated at night the fortress is brilliant; depending on your perspective it either resembles a lion or a heart.
Sveti Stefan's spectacular hotel. Built within the buildings of the original fishing in the 1950's the hotel was once the height of sophistication and luxury on the Adriatic. Today it is supposedly in the process of redevelopment from the decline it suffered when Yugoslavia broke up.
Some things just aren't meant for the beach and this certainly includes high heels and techno! Rows of sunbeds cater for the mobs of Russian package tourists who descend on the Montenegro coast sprouting leopard print bikinis and hairy chests draped in tattoos and bling.
The fresh seafood on offer at Pržno's water front restaurants.
The views weren't bad either.
An enjoyable morning was spent wandering the ruins of a medieval fortress near the town of Bar.
A sparkle of blue amongst the dry rugged hills.
The green shores of Lake Skadar.
A couple of locals out for a stroll
A swimmer soaks up the sunset.
around the capital that shares same name and includes Lake Skadar. This of course comes from Lake Skadar.
peacefulness and tranquillity of its setting; a setting that stands in stark contrast to the overt tackiness of the coast.
ncounters at Australian wineries and accurate because their small roadside stall is literally setup at the door of their home (and cellar) under a bounterful kiwi fruit vine.
Montenegro; its name translates as black stallion which refers to its colour and intensity. Plantaže, one of the countries biggest wine producers, is famous for transferring the barren Ćemovsko Field into vineyards and one of Europe’s biggest gardens.
A typical Dubrovnik 'snapshot'; jagged cliffs and a medieval building framed by the crystal clear waters of the Adriatic.
Dubrovnik historic role as a fortress is obvious from the sea. 
A trip to nearby Lokrum Island is well worth while. The island's shaded coast offers plenty of opportunities for a relaxing afternoon of swim and a bit of quiet time.
A walk around the ramparts offer a fascinating glimpse of the town.
Spectacular scenery is found in all directions.
Fields of terracotta roof tiles.
A lot of the food on offer in Dubrovnik was rubbish catering for the tourists that blow into town, though for something a bit different it's worth checking out Taj Mahal a cosy little Bosnian restaurant. Bosnian cuisine is different from Croatia's coastal fair; red meats and vegetables dominate and there were similarities to Austrian food with lots of paprika and sour cream.
Dubrovnik's history is long and it is acknowledged with status as an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Peace and tranquillity prevail on Placa-Stradun, the Old Town's main street; when the cruise ships arrive things quickly change making this an unpalatable mess of pushing, shoving and snapping cameras.
As the sun sets Dubrovnik is just as spectacular.
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