Traditional Chinese Medicine

Fall rewards us with the harvests of the year. What one has seeded in spring, shows its result now. I strongly believe in this philosophy applied to life in general. My Journey has brought me to this part of the world for many wonderful and wondering reasons. October is a month I preferred as a child, but growing older it has in my own odd way shown to be the most challenging times of a year. And so, it is not different this season.
Moving all my belongings to Singapore is still in the make. The contracted overseas transportation company called Omega Shipping in Florida is playing a cruel game with my new employer. First they quoted me US$ 4000 for a twenty foot container and now, after picking up my possessions, they’re charging us US$ 9000. I recommend you stay away from them! I talked with the owner Mark, the day I had arranged my entire home to be transported to South East Asia and he warned me about the unworthy competition; how someone like me could easily be taken advantage off…
Project Q, my new culinary challenge is coming along. Although we are still in the process of recruiting staff and hence postponing staff training, the excitement is running high. Opening day has now been set for December 10^th. Chef Andrew Jacka www.horwathspa.com my mentor in creating this start up menu has shown great patience.  In the mean while I am submitting myself to self-schooling and midnight hours on the computer, writing formulas and studying like in my teens. My respect for traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has grown. These are the challenging ingredients of my new venture into the world of culinary exposés. I am inhaling books of antique knowledge, fascinating repertoires of powerful natural healing agents, easily churned on by my fascination for history. Within am involved with the creation of recipes that include unusual elements and sometimes even strange ingredients. Often I find myself in a situation comparably with Monks of the past, experimenting in closed-away laboratories, discovering concoctions and amalgamations of which most taste awkward and unpleasant. After six weeks, the results are fascinating and securely my new kitchen-staff can adapt these new formulas.
But my real challenge is a contemporary devil, a familiar fear inflicted by the knowledge of modernity; or is it not the lack of knowledge that is the cause of all subliminal angst’s in today’s society? I finalized a menu selection and struggle to comprehend the many inputs about what “healthy food” represents. The more I am hearing about calorie charts and fat calculations the further I want to run away! The people that seriously need to mathematically summon their nutrition intake in a restaurant are few. Even if I follow dubious diagrams for every percentage of fat and calories on a menu item; such result would be based upon an estimated chart created by a Federal Food Administration sponsoring Government laboratories or even worth, some health guru with little scientific background. Such charts never embrace the reality that a carrot or a potato grown in the salty soil of Singapore impossibly could compare to a root or knob cultivated in the heart of France or the mineral rich lava grounds of middle America. A chicken grown in an enclosed cage certainly has not the same nutritious value as a hen raised on a farm in Italy. Most tropical fruits are picked “green” to ripen in gas infused containers on their transport to the stores that sell them in their “natural colors” and never given a chance to fully develop nutrition or flavor-bouquet. Today’s consumer believes to gain “health” by consuming such fictionous constructed foods. Have you ever seen any label on a pineapple or that pretty looking pear that tells you the process of genetic manipulations that make it appear to be bright yellow? Instead we read labels on diet coke, coaxed to ignore that the artificial sugar added is much worse than the diet it falsely promotes. You never wondered what the wax does to your system after consuming the “keep the doctor away” apples every day? This should be the consumer’s urgent concern. In actuality, the majority of patrons (even those with a weight issue) do not want to eat in an environment that medically lists the technical ingredients of their devoured meal. Health consciousness has become fashionable nonsense to endorse consumer activity and wellbeing has little to do with it. “Healthy eating” is bribed by the very value of time, wasted on chewing and enjoying food in good company as if we finally need to be convinced to inject all nutrition directly into our systems and spare our teeth from grinding vegetables and our bosses from missing us on the office desk.
Our restaurant shall be a tranquil rest-stop whilst hectic chasing after fame and fortune. A instant rescue, peace; for the mind and the body. Meditative.
In our restaurant, www.redwhitepure.com (active October 16/06) the world is ordinary again. The food is basic, clear and honest with an introduction of TCM as to show that we live in union with the power of nature. One might even find a moment to inform about the wise old knowledge that advocates; all problems on earth are equally presented with a fair solution. So lets not confront guests with calories, glycosides and polysaturated estimates…
I stern believe loyal guests come to us trusting that we serve promised quality, guarantee ambience and an inside-out healthy atmosphere and foremost use products and produce that have been spared from generic manipulations.
I have created all menus to be prepared with sensitivity to today’s nutritional needs, cutting out ingredients that are known to be sluggish in the digestive system and reduced the sugar and salt intake by more than 200% compared to a classical French restaurant. Within I still uphold the luscious pleasure of the Gourmet tongue and gum and let the many flavors dance its prelude to the mind. As the study of TCM has endured human trials of 1600 years, I too rely on the experience of past great chefs and their clients. To achieve succulent results I’ve applied my secret little twists and tricks to entice a culinary delight. I refuse to forfeit chocolate and cream to a only hale and hearty menu experience; we eat for the soul as well. The old Chinese herbalist well knew about the magic of mind that first off leads a body to cure its worldly pains. Even today you will find in TCM stores the sweet choices to cure broken hearts and they knew 1000 years back that the sweet liquorish root distracts a kid from the scratch on his knee. Besides that chocolate boosts the immune system, calms fever, prevents the flue and simply puts a smile on many faces, it even soothes the one giving it as a present.
Over many generations we have adjusted to too much sugar, artificial flavors and fat. Now, natural ingredients don’t taste “customary”. My challenge is to re-introduce pure products without diminishing the “soul factor” and guarantee joyous eating. I still use all the familiar mouth-watering flavors but in moderation. My adaptations of healthy substitutes are so secondary it will fool a sophisticated eater.
This is the right moment to extend a Thank You to my bosses for supporting my choices in organic farmers, and letting me pick only outstanding quality of ingredients available. Within I am working for a truly unique company supporting the sensible understanding that we are the result of what we put in our body. I have chosen for you from the purest of what is available!
Back to work, I need to find a few more chefs to join the new brigade.