Category: Round The World

Is There Good Pizza in Asia?

8/6/2017

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The "Mare" Pizza at Bel Posto, Bangkok, Thailand

"When I'm traveling I always get a craving for pizza."
- Chef Ellard

WARNING: THIS VIDEO WILL CHANGE THE WAY YOU VIEW PIZZA

Chef Ellard in Osaka at Pizzeria L.F.C.

It is obvious to anybody who has visited Asia there is amazing food almost everywhere. Japanese, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Indian, Korean, Chinese, Thai, and many more, Asian food is spicy, colorful, healthy, diverse, and delicious. But when I am traveling I always seem to get a craving for pizza. So I wondered whether you could get good pizza in Asia. The answer is an unequivocal, yes! Keep reading.

When I use the term "good" pizza this does not mean pizza from Pizza Hut, Dominos, or other large pizza chains. If you do not know already I'm sorry to break it to you but this is NOT "good" pizza. And I personally do not believe in the saying, "Any pizza is good pizza." I'd rather not have pizza if it is going to taste like cardboard, processed, crap.

No, good pizza, usually has a tasty, crispy crust. The tomato sauce tastes real, fresh, and is well-seasoned. A "good" slice of pizza does not have too much cheese on it. This is a mistake I've seen many pizza places make. Italians always considered the crust and the tomato sauce to be the most important elements of pizza. I like cheese on pizza but it just doesn't need to dominate. Toppings should taste fresh and work well in combination. While I favor a thin crust Margarita Napolitano style pizza I'm also open to different styles like Sicilian, Chicago Deep Dish, White Pizza, etc. If it's done well I'll eat it and love it!

On our recent CETV Around the World Food Adventure we ended up finding great pizza in Osaka, Bangkok, Sri Lanka, and India. This video includes my two favorite pizza places in Asia. I also tell you the story of how destiny and my own passion for pizza have made me a so-called pizza "expert".

Here's a Great Book on Pizza History

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Eating Rabbit Adventure by Chef Ellard

4/27/2017

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One question I get asked regularly is 'what unusual foods did you eat on your recent culinary trip around the world.'

Well we ate raw fish liver, jellyfish, crocodile, seaweed, ostrich eggs, fried scorpion, and rabbit's blood. 'Did you say rabbit's blood?' Yes, and it tasted pretty good, actually.

When we were staying in DaNang, Vietnam the owner of our hotel invited us to go to an outdoor restaurant, set in a jungle, where you eat on raised bamboo platforms and feast on five courses of rabbit. Of course we were in.

I was interested in this unique food adventure for several reasons, but one main one is that raising and harvesting rabbits for food has numerous benefits in terms of environmental resource efficiency and the nutritional value of the meat. With the same resources (food, water, land) you can ethically produce six times more rabbit meat than beef. Rabbit is leaner, higher in protein than chicken or beef and contains no bad cholesterol. None.

Another important facet about this meal is that very little of the animal was wasted. Food waste is a huge issue in the U.S. We ate the limbs, the organs, skin, and yes the blood of the rabbit.

So while I will admit that bunnies sometimes do seem to cute to eat, and are considered a pet to some, they are in fact a food source that can solve a lot of our problems with hunger, food waste, and climate change. And yes, as the Italians have known for generations, they are delizioso. Even the blood believe it or not! Check out the episode above and see if you think you could eat it.

If you ever find yourself in DaNang, Vietnam get in touch with Michael from the DaNang Experience. He and his wife Lien Mai are amazing hosts and can show you around this vibrant area which pulsates with intriguing culture.

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Eating Jellyfish, Scorpions, and Seaweed, Oh My!

3/6/2017

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Sustainable food means getting out of comfort zones by Chef Ellard

One obvious thing we learned from our recent around the world trip is that people in different countries eat very different things. We encountered many unusual foods that would not be considered edible in our country but are actually very sustainable, healthy and delicious.

But we have to get out of our comfortable boxes in order to discover new foods that might be better for our overall health and the health of the environment. As the Japanese proverb goes "The Frog in the Well Does Not Know the Great Sea". Don't get stuck in well.

3 unusual things we ate that are sustainable, healthy, and delicious:

Jellyfish Salad (Vietnam)
In many Asian countries jellyfish is considered a delicacy. In the West, this ocean inhabitant is plentiful but considered an invasive nuisance. We ate jellyfish salad in Danang Vietnam and it was delicious. It was surprisingly crisp with a nice mouthfeel to and mild flavor. Try it! Check out this article and recipe on edible jellyfish.

Fried Scorpions (Thailand)
Many Asian countries eat scorpions and I have to admit I’m hooked. I ate one on a stick and it tasted like…wait for it…bacon! Although it is kind of a novelty in tourist areas scorpions can indeed make a great food staple which requires a lot less resources than raising that pig. Check out this article - How to Mindfully Eat Scorpions.

Fresh Seaweed (Japan)
I love seaweed! And so when we arrived to the island of Nakajima our hosts quickly got us set up harvesting wakame and hijiki seaweed. We then learned how the Japanese process it, prepare it, and best of all we ate it fresh. Seaweed is plentiful and high in many important nutrients. We should be eating more of it. Read more here: Edible Insect and Seaweed Are Perfect Sustainable Foods.

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Malaysia Street Food | Kuala Lumpur

12/9/2016

Next Stop on #CulinaryEdgeTV_RTW:: Malaysia for a quick 4-day too-little trek around the street eats of Kuala Lumpur. We were immediately entranced with the aromas of hawker centre Pusat Penjaja Selera Muda, serving up Malaysian food: Nasi Goreng, Roti Cani, Iced Coffee and more. Then a visit to the famous Petaling Street (Chinatown) for some BBQ and a questionable dip down an alley way. Malaysia we adore you and will certainly come back for a longer visit next time!

♫ Music in this Episode ♫
PONO » https://www.reverbnation.com/ponomusic
Kronos Quartet » http://www.kronosquartet.org/
Doug Maxwell » http://www.mediarightproductions.com/...
Chung-Vô-Diệm » http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Unk...

► EQUIPMENT USED
→ Moto G4
→ GoPro Hero4 Silver
→ Apple iPhone 4s
Edited: iMovie

Ellard's Tie-Dye BOARD SHORTS ELECTRIC BLUE 0:48 by Aquadelics Swimwear » https://aquadelics.com

Nakajima Island, Japan Pt.4 - Episode Finale

10/16/2016

In the final part of the Nakajima Island episode, our hosts take us to experience a fish farm. This one starts out with a bang:: we witness a technique, known as ike-jime, for killing and processing a fish ; not for the weary at heart. If this offends you there's an option to seek forward.

We have an whirlwind of adventure at, Marukura Suisan, the fish farm where we feed schools of mackerel, and eat a Japanese delicacy - raw horsefish liver.

Then we have a big surprise from the town when we say good-bye to board our ferry to the next destination. Hope you enjoy the episode!

Watch All Episodes from Japan:

A Maldives Tuna Fishing Tale by Chef Ellard

8/9/2016

Arrrrr. Let me spin you a tale of fishing in the Maldives for the great tuna. A heartbreaking tale from The Culinary Edge TV ..

Bailey and I booked a fishing charter on the isle of Huraa. Our host Shahid Rasheed is like the Maldivian version of Ricardo Montalban- 'Welcome to Fantasy Island'. We really didn't know what we were in for. We have been fishing on a boat 4 times so far in our around the world adventure and each one was full of surprises.

We set out onto the clear blue Maldivian waters in an 18ft speed boat. The fishing gear consisted of empty 3 gallon oil jugs with fishing line wrapped around and trolling lures on the end. Perfect! We were hand-lining tuna in the Indian Ocean.

The Captain drove the boat to some fishing grounds off the the island of Hulhumale. Bailey and I took our places in the stern and let the lines drift out into the rich colbalt blue sea. We held the lines waiting for a fish. Not too long into it Bailey got a hit, she started pulling in her line with this scary and determined look. I told her to make sure the line wasn't wrapped around her hands "I've seen fingers torn out at the knuckles."

"It looked like a nice yellowfin (ahi) tuna and I was salivating thinking of the Hawaiian style poke I would prepare from this tasty fish."

As she gained line on the fish, our Captain wound the line around the oil jug. The fish got closer and I asked the crew if they had a gaffe. It doesn't appear they use gaffes in the Maldives. Bailey persistently kept pulling the fish in with her hands and I filmed it with the GoPro. She brought the fish to the side of the boat. Looked like a nice yellowfin (ahi) tuna and I was salivating thinking of the Hawaiian style poke I would prepare from this tasty fish.

At the side of the boat the Captain went to go lift the fish and we watched as the yellowfin tuna seemed to look right at us. And with one flick of his beak it shook the hook out, flopping back into the water and shooting us a stare that read, "You'll be eating salad tonight. HaHaHA". And then he was gone!
We didn't hook another fish that day but we will always remember that stare the fish gave us as he escaped back into the Indian Ocean. Bailey has cuts on her hands from the line and will certainly remember the fight...the question is -- will that fish remember us?

This story first appeared on Facebook. Follow us!

<<Previous

NOtes from 'the edge'

Is There Good Pizza in Asia?

"When I'm traveling I always get a craving for pizza."
- Chef Ellard

WARNING: THIS VIDEO WILL CHANGE THE WAY YOU VIEW PIZZA

Eating Rabbit Adventure by Chef Ellard

Eating Jellyfish, Scorpions, and Seaweed, Oh My!

Sustainable food means getting out of comfort zones by Chef Ellard

3 unusual things we ate that are sustainable, healthy, and delicious:

Malaysia Street Food | Kuala Lumpur

Nakajima Island, Japan Pt.4 - Episode Finale

Watch All Episodes from Japan:

A Maldives Tuna Fishing Tale by Chef Ellard

About

Archives

Categories

NOtes from 'the edge'

Is There Good Pizza in Asia?

​"When I'm traveling I always get a craving for pizza." - Chef Ellard

WARNING: THIS VIDEO WILL CHANGE THE WAY YOU VIEW PIZZA

Eating Rabbit Adventure by Chef Ellard

Eating Jellyfish, Scorpions, and Seaweed, Oh My!

Sustainable food means getting out of comfort zones by Chef Ellard

3 unusual things we ate that are sustainable, healthy, and delicious:

Malaysia Street Food | Kuala Lumpur

Nakajima Island, Japan Pt.4 - Episode Finale

Watch All Episodes from Japan:

A Maldives Tuna Fishing Tale by Chef Ellard

About

Archives

Categories

"When I'm traveling I always get a craving for pizza."
- Chef Ellard