Isula http://www.isula.com.sg flavors of Corsica in Singapore Thu, 24 Nov 2016 09:37:38 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.9.9 What few men still do… http://www.isula.com.sg/dume-cesari/ http://www.isula.com.sg/dume-cesari/#respond Tue, 22 Nov 2016 06:27:25 +0000 http://www.isula.com.sg/?p=7569     Don’t even think of looking for his page on Facebook. Or anywhere else on the web. You just won’t find him there. Dumé Cesari is a man of nature and action. And to be honest, it’s not even sure the internet has reached the lone Corsican village where he manufactures his delicatessen yet. May this last forever, for we

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Don’t even think of looking for his page on Facebook. Or anywhere else on the web. You just won’t find him there. Dumé Cesari is a man of nature and action. And to be honest, it’s not even sure the internet has reached the lone Corsican village where he manufactures his delicatessen yet. May this last forever, for we have never tasted more subtle ham than the one he dedicates his long working days to.

 

Try this: go to the nearest supermarket and get your hands on a saucisson. On the label, you’ll that it was aged somewhere between 15 and 20 days. Basically half a month.

If you were to order Dumé a dry sausage, you wouldn’t be able to share it before a good 4 or 5 months, for the youngest. That’s the amount of time he puts into aging to for this type of piece. We are talking Coppa, Salamu, U Lonzu, Salcicetta or U figateddu.

corsican-dry-sausage

Same for the ham. While the dry ham you find in your average lunch sandwich has barely matured for a few month, if it’s matured at all, Dumé’s Corsican ham (U Prisuttu) hangs to the ceiling for 13 to 14 months for the youngest. The oldest and biggest won’t leave the room before two, or even three years!

But why does it matter after all?

Well similarly to cheese, aging deepens flavours and allows new ones to arise. In our case of Corsican cured meat, they’ll typically be nutty ones.

matured-ham

Of course, this is all about recipes and techniques too.

It goes without saying, Dumé uses only natural products, and does everything manually.

First, there is the drying with chestnut wood. Dumé lights a fire twice a week for 15 days to dry the meat naturally and bring it a smokey taste.

And then when they’ve lost 25% of their weight (all that water gone means more taste again), the various hams and sausages are taken down the cellar where they’ll be left alone to age quietly in the dark.

Now are time and recipes the only ingredients for such success? Course not. There is always more to it. We are talking picturesque village and enchanting surroundings. Dumé lives in Cozzano, on the high Taravo, together with fewer than 200 souls in the winter.

village

Naturally, there is family too. The making of charcuterie is a family tradition for the Cesari family, whose techniques are imbued with ancestral knowledge, being the same as those that his grandfather and father had used before him. And given the fact he’s got two kids, we wouldn’t be surprised if this story carried on for another few generations…

Corsican-pigs

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Corsican wines resurrected : back from heaven http://www.isula.com.sg/corsican-wines-resurrected-back-heaven/ http://www.isula.com.sg/corsican-wines-resurrected-back-heaven/#respond Tue, 11 Oct 2016 16:07:32 +0000 http://www.isula.com.sg/?p=7553   The grapes were here more than twenty centuries ago (think Greek Empire and ancient worlds). Yet 50 years ago, they were almost nowhere to be seen in Corsica. The reason is dire: the Great French Wine Blight followed by World War I were so damaging almost none survived.   End of the story? Hell no. It takes way more to make anything

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The grapes were here more than twenty centuries ago (think Greek Empire and ancient worlds). Yet 50 years ago, they were almost nowhere to be seen in Corsica.

The reason is dire: the Great French Wine Blight followed by World War I were so damaging almost none survived.

 

End of the story? Hell no.

It takes way more to make anything traditional disappear on the Island!

For the last decades, winemakers have sweated their stubborn way through harsh summers and surrounding pessimism to bring local original grapes back to life.

The result: amazing award winning wines. But beware, they are not so easy to get your hands on.

 
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Foodies best kept secret

Corsican cuisine has a thing for earthy, strong yet subtle tastes. Cheese, charcuterie, boar stews, chestnutty delicacies… Recognize them? They are the type of flavors that naturally call for great wines.

 

delicatessen-chestnut

 

Indeed, experts and amateurs alike agree on the high typicality of Corsican wine. Everyone seems to agree on this: they speak a language of their own.

But what does it sound like? Well first, a little like the vignerons themselves. Strong and determined souls. Insular spirits. Proud Mediterranean.

The soil and weather naturally play their part too. Diverse, both seaside-like and mountain-like, lively. With a climate warmer and drier than mainland France, the wines could be said to have a somewhat French and Italian accent showing through their Corsican boldness.

corsican-vineyard

But mostly, the voice of these wines is determined by the grapes.

 

Large families of native grapes brought back to life

Among the 40 grapes and more that have resurrected, there are 3 you are most likely to come across when relishing a glass of Corsican wine.

 

Niellucciu – the main variety in the North. A possible clone to the Sangiovese grape introduced during the Republic of Genoa.

It produces robust and tanic wines, with hints of berries, apricot, spices and violet.

 

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Sciaccarellu – the main variety in the South. Referred to by some as the “Corsican Pinot Noir”, it is unique to the Island. So enjoy it if you find it.

It makes a unique soft and spicy red or rosé wine, with complex aromas. You might encounter tobacco, coffee, pepper, almonds, spices, flowers or red berries…

 

corsican-grape-sciaccarello

 

Vermentinu – the principal white variety. Also named rolle in southern France, it tastes different from its mainland counterpart.

It yields fresh and lightly aromatic wines, with hints of apple, almond and hawthorn.

 

vermentino-grape

 

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How we found the best sommelier in Singapore http://www.isula.com.sg/found-best-sommelier-singapore/ http://www.isula.com.sg/found-best-sommelier-singapore/#respond Tue, 04 Oct 2016 17:56:42 +0000 http://www.isula.com.sg/?p=7547 Singapore has a thing for French wines.  And people here know their Bordeaux from their Bourgogne. It definitely takes a fine sommelier to please these knowledgeable tongues, so restaurants and bars have upped their game with masterly profiles. Each year, an exciting competition goes looking for the best French Wine sommelier in town. We told ourselves: why not follow those

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Singapore has a thing for French wines.  And people here know their Bordeaux from their Bourgogne. It definitely takes a fine sommelier to please these knowledgeable tongues, so restaurants and bars have upped their game with masterly profiles.

Each year, an exciting competition goes looking for the best French Wine sommelier in town. We told ourselves: why not follow those who know and trust their super select choice? We were lucky to be there at the Raffles Hotel and found out who the best is (for now)!

raffles
Hands and noses

You might ask yourselves. How do they decide which contestant is best?

Well they set up a series of workshops to challenge their tasting and serving skills. This year, the tasks included Champagne service, decantation of a bottle of red wine and blind tasting.

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Watching this, you wouldn’t expect to be on the edge of your sit but all the audience was. You could feel that huge pressure the candidates were facing. Impressive really.

 

Top slots

So who made it to the top? Yeo Xi Yang is this year’s champion and Vincent Tan made it to the second place.

If you feel like catching a glimpse of the stars, we found out they each worked in a restaurant in Singapore. Les Amis Restaurant for the first and Odette for his fellow winner.

 

Expertise on all fronts

But should we trust the judges? Because as we all know, it takes experts to tell apart the good from the best. We’ll let you decide for yourself, but for our part, we were definitely convinced. The judges included esteemed figures in the worldwide beverage landscape:

After exercice…

Comfort!

Such event can only make you thirsty and hungry.

Luckily for the participants and the audience, Sopexa had brought together local specialists and importers of high quality French delicacies and drinks, from La Petite Boutique, Epicure, Wine&Bubbles, Nicolas Feuillatte and more exciting passionnates.

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fromage-français

champagne

We were there too, happy to share more about Corsican endemic grapes: Niellucciu, Sciacarellu and Vermentinu.

We are not the gloating type, but we have to say our rosé wine Villa Angeli and our red wine Patrimonio Napoléon Brizi got pretty successful.

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biere-corse

Well they did indeed go very well with the artisanal Corsican delicatessen we’d brought!

charcuterie corse

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Best wine bars in Singapore: welcome to Grignoter http://www.isula.com.sg/best-wine-bars-in-singapore-grignoter/ http://www.isula.com.sg/best-wine-bars-in-singapore-grignoter/#respond Tue, 27 Sep 2016 13:10:27 +0000 http://www.isula.com.sg/?p=7513 When we decide to go out for a drink on the spur of the moment, we tend to favor casual. And what we love best is that sweet spot where casual doesn’t mean random or generic. Not so easy to find? Well next time you hesitate, just get a ride to Chinatown and let the wines and atmosphere take it

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When we decide to go out for a drink on the spur of the moment, we tend to favor casual. And what we love best is that sweet spot where casual doesn’t mean random or generic. Not so easy to find? Well next time you hesitate, just get a ride to Chinatown and let the wines and atmosphere take it from there.

As you’ve probably heard already, Grignoter is ran by Justin Quek. The famous chef has chosen to dedicate his bar to Bordeaux wines exclusively and pair them with nibbles. We were lucky enough be there on the inauguration night: here’s our review of an exceptional evening.

 

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France X Asia

When we got to talk with Justin Quek, to our greatest surprise he responded in French. And not a clumsy-vowel-approximate French. A stunning pitch-perfect one.

It was obvious he wasn’t making this effort to show off, he actually wasn’t making an effort at all. He clearly is a man who prefers to invest his energy on being sympathetic and to whom good things come naturally. While many a chef as famous as him would have felt inaccessible/overconfident he just got that relaxed and friendly atmosphere going on.

 

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Of course, we could only be partial to his love affair with France, where he goes regularly for culinary purposes, but also for the sake of getting a dip in the country itself.  For as you might have guessed by now, Justin Quek has fallen in love early with Bordeaux wine (through a 1982 Rauzan Segla, as rumors has it) and with France overall.

The celebration of the nation in his new bar was also obvious on the guest list. For our greatest pleasure, we were able to meet 3 Michelin stars chef Bruno Menard again, still as good to be around as when we met him in the past!

 

A splash of Bordeaux

Whether you like red, white or rosé, expect to taste some carefully chosen bottles.

The wine list has indeed been curated with the , partner to the place, with two things in mind: flavors and affordability.

Although the region is famous for its lush bottles, it does host innumerable fine quality vineyards which are equally deserving while more wallet-friendly.

 

bordeaux-wine-bar

 

So as you might guess, those looking for decorum and stiff waitressing will be disappointed. With a quiet wine-related decoration and unpretentious furnishing, the bar’s simple looks are a humble understatement compared to the precision of the wine selection.

 

wine-food-bar

 

That’s probably the reason why it feels so naturally nice to be there. The bar belongs to those rare places which allow you to disconnect from every day’s hustle, through the sheer force of a feel good atmosphere.

 

wine-bar-chinatown

 

Feeling hungry? Grignoter has got you covered

Drinking on an empty stomach is just not a pleasant thing. Nor is it as convivial to be honest. So you’ll be happy to get your teeth on French bites with an occasional Asian twist.  Think soft-boiled quail eggs with mushroom and foie gras, Parmentier casserole (imagine a sherperd’s pie cook by French people) or silky skewered chicken livers.

 

justin-quek-grignoter

 

And if you are a bit of a sweet tooth, we recommend the canelés. Whether you’ve tasted them before or not, you’ll like these, trust us.

 

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What the best Corsican artisans have in common http://www.isula.com.sg/best-corsican-artisans-common-2/ http://www.isula.com.sg/best-corsican-artisans-common-2/#respond Thu, 08 Sep 2016 05:02:46 +0000 http://www.isula.com.sg/?p=7508 Have you noticed how most activities seem to have turned all digital somehow? We ask our tablet to tell us how to stem those damned artichokes, we quiz our phone to tell us what the weather’s like behind that window… It’s no surprise that this summer, we all had someone telling us about their plan to go on a digital

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Have you noticed how most activities seem to have turned all digital somehow?

We ask our tablet to tell us how to stem those damned artichokes, we quiz our phone to tell us what the weather’s like behind that window…

It’s no surprise that this summer, we all had someone telling us about their plan to go on a digital detox for a few days.

We ourselves had this craving for wild fields, areas where you just have no signal, and remote mountainous hideaways.

Well lucky us, this is precisely the kind of place our producers live in. So we treated ourselves with a tour of our favorite artisans in Corsica… And discovered a secret they all shared.

 

Mavela’s spirits

Last time, Fanu and Lisandru have begun breaking everything down to rethink the whole place. Well it’s all finished now and it looks awesome. Among the changes, they are giving way more space for the aging of the barrels in the cellar. Meaning more spirits to come and more glorious talks about what makes the perfect Corsican spirit.

tonneaux-spiritueux

Pietra’s beer

You should see the new bottling chain, it’s just huge. They even had to widen the shed to host it.  Well we like that because their chestnut beer is still a flavorsome and is making its way to the connoisseurs’ tables. As friendly as ever, Dominique showed us around and got us access to the crutcher. We noticed a lot of staff members were wearing the brands t-shirt. Make no mistake, this isn’t compulsory; they are just so proud to work there!

embouteillage-biere-corse

Marana’s wines

When choosing what to grow on their historical patch of land, these Corsican winemakers decided to go for  Niellucci, a rather capricious variety that is particularly demanding to grow but that they really liked. With the heritage of their amazing ancient soil and the quality of their grapes, they make fine wines one can encounter on the best tables.
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Valentini’s honey

Imagine what it would smell like if you fell in a pool of honey. Where this is what it feels like the second you enter this Corsican honey house and Alain Valentini seems like he’ll never leave this sweet place behind. The lastest here is clementine honey, and it’s just divine. While we discussed honey making and bees, Alain let us in a little secret: the principality of Monaco just ordered more!
alain valentini et barique de miel

Fieschi’s fruit

It was just insanely busy here. Why on earth work so fast when all the surroundings call for slowness?  We got our answer quickly: the Fieschi family is famous for sending the fruit on the same day they are picked. That’s how they are always super fresh, no matter where they end up on the map. And they wouldn’t want it any other way.

fruits corses

Cesari’s delicatessen

What a pleasure to see Dumé again! And all these pigs he loves so much! Piglets were just born a month ago; they were scrambling around their mother. We have to say, they were much less scary than the pigs who rushed towards us as soon as Dumé got in the sty.  If you haven’t found a way to put your hand on some of Dumé’s delicatessen, just get on a plane and go right to his place, it’s worth the flight believe us! And if you go there, don’t forget to visit the village museum, dedicated to… pigs!

porcs corses

So what did we learn through our tour? That the best artisans in Corsica all shared one same exact thing. They absolutely love what they do. They are not just proud of what they do, they aim at the best because they know that’s what they like the most.

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5 must-eats ran by foreign chefs in Singapore http://www.isula.com.sg/5-best-foreign-chefs-singapore/ http://www.isula.com.sg/5-best-foreign-chefs-singapore/#respond Fri, 22 Jul 2016 05:43:34 +0000 http://www.isula.com.sg/?p=7476   Gastronomy is one of the things Singapore does best. So when it comes to attracting talented chefs from abroad to feed a discerning crowd, the city meets no difficulty.  Here are 5 foreign chefs who inspire our culinary scene and are definitely worth the try.   André – André Chiang Elegance, simplicity and emotions. Some styles are harder to

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Gastronomy is one of the things Singapore does best. So when it comes to attracting talented chefs from abroad to feed a discerning crowd, the city meets no difficulty.  Here are 5 foreign chefs who inspire our culinary scene and are definitely worth the try.

 

André – André Chiang

Elegance, simplicity and emotions. Some styles are harder to describe than others and Taiwan born chef André Chiang owns just one of these: too subtle for the academic vocabulary of the mouth. His restaurant, André, is among the most coveted in the city and, it comes as no surprise, the food there just makes you fly.

 

andre-singapore

 

 

Artemis –Fernando Arevalo

It’s hard once you’ve been toonce not to want to go back every Saturday. Maybe it’s the intense flavours and perfect combinations of its Mediterranean cuisine. Or maybe the gorgeous CBD venue. Or perhaps knowing that the emphasis here is not just on quality but also strongly on sustainability. Whatever it is, it’s a spell you’ll have trouble breaking, believe us.

 

artemis

 

 

Restaurant Joel Robuchon – Michael Michaelidis

When seasonal simple flavours meet perfect execution is where you get the most from fine dining. Michael Michaelidis stepped in Robuchon’s footsteps to deliver what France makes best: classic yet far from conventional tastes and ingredients played with masterfully. Piece of advice, try the magical 16 course-tasting menu. And take your time to pick your wine from a fantastically curated list.

 

robuchon-singapore

 

Tippling Club – Ryan Clift

English super tattooed Chef Ryan Clift moved to Singapore in 2008. Ever since, he’s been pushing the extremes and playing with flavours like few others dare. Forget wine if you are lucky enough to get a sit there: the mixologist pairs world-level cocktails with his cuisine in ways you wouldn’t dream of. Avant-garde has never been so avant-gardist…

chef-clift

 

 

Burnt Ends – David Pynt

If you think barbecue is always a matter of big cuts, ketchup and warm beer, think again. David Pynt has taken it to the level of art and we couldn’t be more grateful. You’ll feel the same once you’ve set foot in his open kitchen restaurant for an extremely creative yet terribly sincere meal.

 

burnt-end

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Will tomorrow’s chefs serve that reeking product? http://www.isula.com.sg/ottavi-chesse-culinary-institute-of-america/ http://www.isula.com.sg/ottavi-chesse-culinary-institute-of-america/#respond Wed, 13 Jul 2016 16:41:56 +0000 http://www.isula.com.sg/?p=7466 Becoming a beloved chef is a tricky business. Especially now that’s it has become such a sought after dream. Think of it: no matter where on the map, kids have gone from wanting to become the powerful fireman to coveting a very different Eldorado: one made of sparkling kitchens, fine gestures and food markets. So when it comes to making a

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Becoming a beloved chef is a tricky business.

Especially now that’s it has become such a sought after dream.

Think of it: no matter where on the map, kids have gone from wanting to become the powerful fireman to coveting a very different Eldorado: one made of sparkling kitchens, fine gestures and food markets. So when it comes to making a difference, the best culinary schools don’t just give some a proper head start, they shape the extraordinary.

The Culinary Institute of America is renowned for its regular delivery of both local and worldwide famous cooks. Heard of Yoni Levy, Brandon Rice, or Stephanie Jackson? They went there.

In Singapore, the Institute lives up to its reputation with knife-sharp programs and rigorous skill honing.

And among recipes, cooking techniques, foodservice management and other mouth-oriented classes stands global food exploration.

So when the head of CIA Singapore, Eve Felder, offered us to run a workshop on Corsican artisanal products, we didn’t think twice.

We grabbed flavorsome cheeses, tasty spreads, the best cured meat ever and a couple nice drinks and ran there.

The chestnut jam was a hit, that’s no wonder.

The delicatessen too, and its success warmed our heart given the absolute patience and love the producer, Dumè Cesari, puts in his work.

Of course we brought the very Corsican arbutus berries and myrtle as well and both were a discovery to our students.

But dare we say we were surprised when they compared the smell of our beloved Fium’Orbu goat cheese (Ottavi) to the famously revolting one of the durian? Maybe not. In any case, they liked it. They even loved it.

So will tomorrows chefs dare serve such a smelly product? Keep an eye open and let’s see!

 

We take this opportunity to thank Eve Felder and Gypsy Gifford for having us at the Culinary Institute of America Singapore as well as all the students.

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Tasting chestnut cream (Antona)

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Look no further for tomorrow’s chefs, they are all in one place!

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Beerfest Asia is definitely not what we expected http://www.isula.com.sg/beerfest/ http://www.isula.com.sg/beerfest/#respond Mon, 06 Jun 2016 06:43:59 +0000 http://www.isula.com.sg/?p=6445 Beerfest. The word conjures up sweaty images of the loud and unrefined watch-your-step kind. Well you clearly haven’t been to Beerfest Asia. Because it just won’t fuel the stereotype. It IS one massive party, but it goes way further. First there is the music You’d expect a beer-focused event to turn to the average local band spotted for its ability

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Beerfest. The word conjures up sweaty images of the loud and unrefined watch-your-step kind. Well you clearly haven’t been to Beerfest Asia. Because it just won’t fuel the stereotype. It IS one massive party, but it goes way further.

First there is the music

You’d expect a beer-focused event to turn to the average local band spotted for its ability to encourage beer drinking. But no. Beerfest Asia happens to be as much about music as it is about beer.

The evening began with Abbafab and it didn’t take more to conquer our thirsty hearts than the top notch fast-paced tribute to Abba. They just eased everyone into the friendly and good natured mood that characterised the whole event.

So thumbs up for the quality of the bands entertaining the crowd of festive yet tranquil ale nerds and casual amateurs. With Killer Queen, we simply couldn’t have gotten any closer to Freddie Mercury, Brian May and Roger Taylor.

All tributes you say? No, there were 30 different bands and a pretty amazing female only DJ line-up. Sweet.

And proper entertainments

For those not into music (though do they even exist?), the Beerfest probably meant the chilled out tables welcoming casual and sophisticated conversations, the XXL screen displaying the Eurovision, or a dart tournament with new buddies.

What about the beer?

Well we won’t surprise you if we tell that among the 500 different brews, we’ve been pretty authenticity-centric in our choices. Brews partial to small batches, local flavours and artisanal ways are just the match for us.

You want names don’t you? Here’s three. The Reddot Brewhouse, The 1925 Microbrewery & Restaurant and Cockies definitely made it to the top of our crush list.

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“May the froth be with you.”

Check out our Facebook page for more pictures

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