Who knew that the English can give the French a run for their money when it comes to a glass or sparkling?
UNDERRATED
ENGLISH WINE
Who knew the same seam of chalk found in the Champagne region of France pops up again in southern England? As a result, parts of Sussex and Kent have an almost identical topography and geology. The region also has a similar climate, so in theory, at least, it should be capable of producing "English champagne".
The owners of Ridgeview Estate, a vineyard at the foot of the rolling Sussex Downs, spent the last 25 years turning that dream into reality. In the process they produced the first wine outside of the Champagne region to win the coveted Best Sparkling trophy in the Decanter World Wine Awards.
They're not the only ones. Hush Heath Estate in Kent released its first vintage of Balfour Brut Rose in 2004. Four years later it won a gold medal at the International Wine Challenge.
Thanks to pioneers like these, English wine is enjoying a glorious renaissance. The country now has more than 500 wineries and produces everything from roses to reds to late harvest stickies. The majority are clustered in Sussex and Kent, creating the intriguing possibility of an English wine tour. See englishwineproducers.co.uk RM
BRUNCH
In the United States, weekend brunch is often a freewheeling, lose-track-of-time affair that involves copious amounts of food and cocktails. Sunday brunch at Memphis' the Beauty Shop (a midtown restaurant that was once Priscilla Presley's hair salon) might kick off with a bad boy bloody Mary with pickled okra. Add a beneduck (eggs Benedict with sugar-spiced duck and hot pepper jelly), a side of the New York Times and a sweet finish with pecan waffles, thankyaverymuch. See thebeautyshoprestaurant.com KL
MONTREAL FOOD SCENE
Well, of course Montreal has great food; what else would you expect from a former French colony? But the sheer diversity of Montreal's fabulous food experiences is remarkable. There are tempting fresh food markets such as Marche Jean-Talon, must-boo restaurants such as Toque! and Au Pied de Cochon, and endless chic little bistros. The city's signature foodie experiences, however, are quick bites: the wonderfully airy bagels and that ultimate comfort food, poutine: chips topped with cheese curds and gravy. See mtl.org/en UJ
GREEK WINE
Forget retsina: Greece's boutique wineries are now showcasing an astounding array of indigenous varietals that you have never heard of, from aromatic whites such as malagousia to velvety reds such as agiorgitiko. They are grown everywhere from Macedonia to the Peloponnese, not to mention many of the islands, but the easiest way to sample them is in one of Athens' friendly wine bars. Best of all are the prices, which are surprisingly low. UJ
HOTEL RESTAURANTS
It used to be that you'd only eat at the restaurant at your hotel out of desperation, when convenience trumps notions of authentic local cuisine or genuinely tasty food. However, things have changed. Many hotel restaurants these days are attractions in their own right – take The Bentley at Sydney's Radisson Blu, or Dinner by Heston at the Crown Melbourne, or a whole swag of overseas establishments that are upping the ante. BG
SWISS WINE
Who knew the Swiss even made wine? Less than 2 per cent of it actually leaves the country (and most of that goes straight to Germany). But in Switzerland you'll discover wine varieties rarely seen outside the country, grown in some of the world's oldest wine regions (like World-Heritage-listed Lavaux, just outside Geneva). What's more, it's often cheaper than beer. See swisswine.ch/en CT
SRI LANKAN CUISINE
It's no wonder Sri Lankan cuisine is underrated: even Sri Lankans themselves seem surprised that anyone would travel to their country just for the food. However, this island nation is home to a cuisine that is seriously, spectacularly good. From the crab curries and turmeric-infused dhosas of Jaffna, to the highly-spiced snack and street foods of Colombo, to the down-home rice-and-curry joints you find across the entire country, Sri Lankan food is uniformly fresh, spicy, affordable and delicious. BG
OVERRATED
HIGH TEAS
Like croquet, traditional English high tea is probably best left to the English. Five-star hotels across Australia have leapt onto the high tea bandwagon with unseemly haste – often with disastrous consequences. On one memorable occasion I was offered a party pie, followed by tea in an aluminium pot. Sacre bleu! But there was worse to come. Instead of fragrant loose-leaf tea, the waiter brought me a tea bag. As all tea-drinkers know, proper tea must be freshly brewed in a china teapot using premium leaves picked by expert hands in the high terraces of Sri Lanka or somewhere equally exotic. While certain modern innovations, such as champagne, are acceptable, most authorities concur that a high tea should consist of an assortment of elegant cakes and delicate sandwiches. And tea served in fine china. Although there are exceptions, the old Windsor Hotel in Melbourne and The Tea Room in Sydney both spring to mind, the typical Australian high tea is too often a dismal affair served buffet-style. After all, High Tea, which dates from the mid-1700s, is not a meal as such but a piece of theatre, as contrived, magical and nonsensical as the cream puffs and slices of gateaux winking at you from the cake stand. See thetearoom.com.au MC
CELLAR-DOOR VISITS
Good on you if your idea of fun is to stand in a shed and listen to a patronising wine expert drone on about leathery undertones and hints of raspberry as you sip a series of awful wines, all the while wondering how you'll get out of buying a bottle. Only a few cellar-door visits are informative and innovative. Best leg it into the vineyards with a picnic, and soak up the scenery. BJ
INSTAGRAMMING/PHOTOGRAPHING MEALS
Remember when you could step into a restaurant and the only photographs taken – if anyone thought to pull out a camera or phone at all – was a commemorative snap of your table companions? Instagram has been with us for only seven years but boy how times have changed. Today, restaurants are filled with diners who fancy their photography skills, shooting their food from every angle – after rearranging the cutlery, restyling the table, and asking their friends to hold back from eating because their meals must be documented as well.
Mostly, the results look as appetising as old shoe leather. Spurning filters that could improve the images, these food fanatics post a stream of photos featuring hideous lighting, half-empty plates and used utensils. The more I see these shots, the more I think that food photography is an art best left to professionals.
Some restaurants have had enough, too, encouraging people to snap their pictures more discreetly so they don't annoy other patrons. Sydney's Momofuku Seiobo asks diners to refrain from flash photography altogether while in South Australia's Barossa Valley, The Louise's fine-diner, Appellation, might ask flash-happy diners to make do with the restaurant lighting. See seiobo.momofuku.com and thelouise.com.au KL
THE "SIGNATURE" DISH
How many times have you tried a city or country's "signature dish" and been horribly underwhelmed? The guide book gushes about the merits of a New Orleans' po-boy, but what turns up is nothing more than a soggy meat sandwich. You arrive in Milan and can't wait to sample an authentic Milanese risotto. The verdict? The very definition of blandness. Swiss fondue? Peruvian guinea pig? Swedish pickled herring? The prosecution rests. RM
CRUISE SHIP BUFFETS
This cruiser has one strict rule at sea; never, ever dine at the buffet. The lines are long, the tables are full and diners are continually piling their plates from the troughs. Instead, take advantage of the free a la carte breakfast and lunch offerings at the main restaurant and pay that little extra to dine at the specialty venues in the evening. It's often a fraction of the price of the equivalent on land; the cuisine is superior, and the atmosphere more intimate. AB
DEGUSTATION MEALS
Let's go for the degustation menu. Why? Because it's got eight courses. We never eat eight courses at home. But we're on holiday. And let's get the matching wines. Really? Yes, let's splash out. But I don't like olives. They're only on three of the courses. And I'm allergic to prawns. You can still eat courses two and five. Four hours and $360 later. What did you think? Please don't make me do that again. RM
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