Wine Talk Exclusive Blogger Event at La Bodega Bangsar

Posted on July 29, 2014 by CelesteDeJesus

Wine appreciation still seems to be a mystery for a lot of people. But with Wine Talk and with its French Sommelier, David Stephan, wine discovery becomes easier and more fun.

Have you ever experienced going to an event where wines are served and you’re not really sure how to look like you’re confident with holding the wine glass? And even if you finally become confident with how you hold the wine glass, you are then faced with the challenge of drinking like a pro? Why do people swirl the glass and sniff the wine? What difference does it make? Is that a requirement or something?

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Comfortable seats at La Bodega Lounge in Bangsar – did you know they have Ladies Night every Thursday where ladies enjoy free drinks between 8-10pm?

Wine Talk held a wine tasting evening exclusively for bloggers in June at La Bodega in Jalan Telawi, Bangsar. Wine Talk’s French sommelier, David Stephan, started the evening by serving the first white wine then followed by 2 more white wines and 3 red wines. There was a total of 6 different wines from different regions and countries. All the wines we tried that night are exclusive to Wine Talk; you wouldn’t find these in supermarkets or other wine shops.

David Stephan with guests for that evening

More lovely guests that evening

More gorgeous guests having fun that night

Guests were served with delicious dishes from La Bodega that evening, like this really yummy platter of different cheeses!

Delicious Cheese Platter by La Bodega

DAVID’s TOP 8 TIPS to appreciate and taste wine like a PRO:

Hold the wine glass by the stem, not by its bowl. In my years of serving wines, I’ve probably seen hundreds of people holding a wine glass by the bowl. It’s not that bad but doing this exposes the wine to your fingers’ temperature. Best is to hold a wine glass by its stem. It reduces exposure of wine to heat and it also makes you look like a pro. Classy and elegant.
Swirl the wine in your glass, be careful not to spill. Swirling allows the wine to release aromas. Just give your glass a gentle swirl. After you’ve done this a few times, you’ll get the hang of wine glass swirling.
Sniff the wine. It’s totally fine to put your nose inside the glass. Learning to appreciate wine aromas is learning how to appreciate the character of the wine. Don’t panic if your friend smells something else than what you smell. Wine aromas can be completely subjective. Your friend might smell flowers while you smell fruits. It’s fine. The important thing is whether you like the aromas or not.
Look at the color of the wine. You can hold your glass higher to get some light. The color of the wine can tell you a lot of things about what you’re drinking or tasting. Some white wines might be lighter than others; it will roughly give you an idea about the taste. Some red wines are very dark while types like pinot noir might have lighter red color than merlot and shiraz.
Sip the wine. Take note: SIP not gulp. Sipping gives you more chance to appreciate the taste. If you are willing to expand your tasting skills, you can explore inhaling air through your mouth while the wine is inside. This can be tricky but perfecting this skill can give you significant difference in appreciating wines.
Take note of the aftertaste. This is where you’ll notice if a wine has strong or light tannins. Tannins are most commonly present in red wine. It is the textural element that makes wine taste dry. Observe your tongue when you taste red wines, it’s that ‘dry’ feeling or taste when you swallow wine. Some grapes have higher tannins while some have lower.
Swirl, sniff then sip again. This will allow you to rediscover the aromas and the taste for another time.
Be familiar with basic wine terms. Looking and sounding like a pro need a bit of research. Some people might talk to you about nose, legs, fermentation, vintage, corked wine, acidity and other terms. Take a few minutes to read about some wine terms before you attend a gathering where wine will be served. If you’re armed with some wine knowledge, you’ll relate to what people are talking about and maybe even add some comments that make you look and sound like a pro!

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If you really want to learn more about wines, it is best to keep trying more. Wine Talk has a special service where wine lovers or enthusiasts can discover more wines that will be personally handpicked by David. A person just needs to join the Wine Club, which is FREE from sign-up or membership fee, and receive 6 or 12 bottles of wines every month or 2. It’s a convenient way to enjoy wines. You don’t need to worry about what wines to buy because David, the sommelier, will choose them for you based on your preference. Isn’t this amazing? And another great thing from Wine Talk is their GUARANTEED PRICE and GUARANTEED SATISFACTION. If you’re not happy with the wine you received, they will change it for you. Cool!

Wine Club and Wine Talk’s wine delivery service are currently available across Peninsular Malaysia. For further information, log on to http://www.winetalk.com.my or call 1300 88 97 88.

Good news for my readers! Love wine? Need to send wine as a gift or need wines for an event, gathering or party? Use my special voucher code when you shop at Wine Talk to enjoy RM50 OFF on your order of RM300 worth of normal-priced wines! Simply key-in BLOG50CC upon checkout!

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About Wine Talk Malaysia

Wine Talk is an online wine delivery service where customers can easily order wines via www.winetalk.com.myor via call to 1300 88 9788. Customers can choose from over 400 labels of red wine, white wine, sparkling wine, champagne, rosé wine, even non-alcoholic wine, and have them delivered to their home, office, wedding venue or any location within Peninsular Malaysia.

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David Stephan, Wine Talk Sommelier

David Stephan who is Wine Talk’s sommelier, studied hospitality and sommelerie in a professional school from the age of 16 in France, with internships including stints in various hotels & renowned restaurants in Paris. In the late 90’s, he moved to the exclusive island of St Barts, working in a 5-star resort. The island is famous for stunning beaches and locations, but also high-end hotels and restaurants, frequented by the rich and famous including ‘L’Esprit Salines’, one of the island top restaurants at that time, where he managed a splendid premium wine list. In 2003 he moved to Shanghai, China, where he worked in relation with the wine industry for 8 years.

Wine Talk is known for successfully launching the Wine Club in 2012. “This is a club, and its members will get to be a part of its development to enjoy a wine journey that is meaningful and rewarding. We offer members an exclusive access to wines that are imported exclusively for Wine Talk while also enjoying privileges such as exclusive member prices, surprises, access to events and more.” said David Stephan, Wine Talk’s sommelier.

Wine Talk’s Wine Club is the first of its kind in Malaysia. The Wine Club is an exclusive service with no membership fee wherein members will receive wine cases on a monthly or bi-monthly basis, delivered straight to their home. Members will receive great value wines with a different selection every time, handpicked by David. The selection will feature popular labels and also fun discoveries, which a lot of people may not have thought to try. It comes with a personalized booklet that details the history of the winery, grape varietals, tasting notes, food pairing and more. At only RM428 for 6 bottles and RM788 for 12 bottles with FREE delivery included, personalized selections from David Stephan, Wine Club members will enjoy a wonderful wine experience. And due to insistent demand, Wine Talk recently launched the Premium Wine Club selection for those who want a different level of wines to be handpicked by David.

Anyone who is interested in discovering more about the Wine Club even have the option to arrange for personal wine tasting where a Wine Club ambassador explains more about it while serving wine and canapés to a customer.

Aside from the Wine Club, Wine Talk customers also enjoy wine advices for weddings, events, giftsand other requirements. David and his sommelier team take pleasure in serving the needs of customers via online, via call and via personal appointments.

Eat Healthy, Eat Organic with New Recipes from Alce Nero

Posted on July 20, 2014 by CelesteDeJesus

Are you concerned about your daily diet and the amount of sugar, fat, sodium and MSG that you are consuming? Worried about harmful chemicals, pesticides or even Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)?

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Is our daily food consumption healthy and nutritious?

Alce Nero, famed for its growing range of organic Italian food and Fairtrade products from around the world, is on a mission to help people cook and eat at home, preferably using organic ingredients. Alce Nero prides itself on its organic produce, which is free of genetically modified organisms and additives and is grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers on pollutant-free land in Italy.

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The brand has released four new recipes that offer delicious, healthy and nutritious options that combine Eastern and Western elements, and that are quick and easy to make, even for people with busy lifestyles.

The pasta recipes of Sardine Spaghettini, Macaroni & Cheese and Fried Spaghetti can be a complete meal in them with just a simple salad, while the Strawberry Jam Muffins will be a treat for children and adults.

Spaghettini Sardines

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Ingredients

150g Alce Nero Spaghettini
2 pieces Ayam Brand Sardines in Extra Virgin Virgin Olive Oil and Chilli
1 tablespoon Alce Nero Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cabbage, shredded
1 tablespoon lime juice

Seasoning:

2 tbsp seasoning sauce
Pepper
Sugar
Chillies (optional)

Garnishing:

1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 spring onion, chopped
1 teaspoon crispy garlic (optional)

Method:

Put sardines in microwave for 1 minute.
Bring water to a boil in a big pot; add in 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta; cook until al dente. Drain.
Heat olive oil in a pan.
Add in chopped garlic till golden brown.
Add in cabbage and cook till soft.
Add in strained spaghettini, slightly stir fry.
Season with seasoning sauce, pepper, sugar, and chilli.
Transfer spaghettini to a plate.
Arrange sardines on the spaghetti.
Top with crispy garlic, coriander leaves, and spring onion.

Macaroni & Cheese

Ingredients:

250g Alce Nero Organic Macaroni
3 tbsp Alce Nero organic Extra Viring Olive Oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 big chicken sausages, sliced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
350g Alce Nero Organic Tomato Sauce Vegetables
½ cup grated Mozzarella cheese
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons chopped parsley

Method:

Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to boil over medium heat.
Add in macaroni and cook about 10-12 minutes. Drain thoroughly. Meanwhile, heat extra virgin olive oil in a pan.
Add in sausages, cook over medium high heat about 2 – 3 minutes.
Add garlic and sauté until soft, about 2 minutes.
Ass in crushed red pepper, Alce Nero Organic Tomato Sauce Vegetables, then macaroni.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Put the macaroni in one large baking dish; sprinkle Parmesan and Mozzarella over.
Place in preheated oven until cheese melts and begins to brown, watching closely to prevent burning, about 1 ½ minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and olive oil and serve.

Fried Spaghetti

Ingredients:

320g Alce Nero Spaghetti
2 pepperoni (yellow & red)
2 asparagus
½ long green onion
1 tbsp chopped garlic
2 tsp soya sauce
1 tbsp Alce Nero Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp butter
Fresh Coriander
Salt & Pepper

Method:

Cut vegetables (pepperoni, asparagus, long green onion) into chunky slices.
Put olive oil, butter, and garlic in the saucepan and add chopped vegetables then fry them.
Bring the pasta to boil over high heat, then turn to low heat and simmer for 8 minutes.
Drain and reserve.
Put the cooked spaghetti and vegetables into the saucepan, add soya sauce and sesame oil, and fry.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with a fresh coriander and serve.

Strawberry Jam Muffins

Ingredients

100g cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 pinch of salt

(B)

2 eggs
55g caster sugar
60g melted butter oil
¼ cup strawberry yoghurt
60g Alce Nero Organic Strawberry Jam

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 ˚C degrees.
Sieve (A) in bowl.
In another mixing bowl, put in (B), mix well.
Then add in (A), mix with a balloon whisk.
Scoop the batter into a paper cup.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Give your family and yourself the gift of better nutrition through organic food from Alce Nero. For more healthy and nutritious recipes, click HERE.

In Malaysia, Alce Nero carries a fine range of organic pasta, extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, pasta sauces, jam and honey and can be found at major hypermarkets, supermarkets, and selected organic stores. For more information please visit http://www.alcenero.asia or Facebook AlceNeroMalaysia.

About Alce Nero

Alce Nero was established in the 1970’s, when two cooperatives of young Italian farmers decided to pioneer the organic revolution, producing wholesome food while respecting the environment. Alce Nero combines old farming methods with the most advanced research on health and the environment. The techniques have evolved, but our seal of quality is still based on the simple ingredients that Alce Nero was created from: love of food, respect for the environment, and banning of synthetic chemical substances.

Today, Alce Nero is the No 1 organic brand in Italy. Our producers are involved in all stages of manufacture, allowing us to enforce respect of our principles throughout the production process and accurately trace our food to its origins. Thus, we can guarantee high quality, 100% organic, authentically Italian products brought straight from our fields to your plate. Alce Nero is famed for its organic certifications by the most stringent certification bodies from European Union and Japan.

In Malaysia, Alce Nero carries a fine range of organic pasta, extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, pasta sauces, jam and honey. For more information please visit http://www.alcenero.asia or Facebook AlceNeroMalaysia

All Happy Families Campaign from Ayam Brand

Posted on March 26, 2014 by CelesteDeJesus

Ayam Brand™ Introduces ‘All Happy Families’ Campaign to Share Its 120-Year Heritage with A Global Audience

Ayam Brand, one of the oldest continuously produced consumer brands in Asia

Ayam Brand™, a purveyor of canned food, without preservatives or added MSG, is strengthening its global presence by emphasizing its strong Asian roots through its ‘All Happy Families’ Campaign that builds on a rich heritage of being a favorite of families for more than 120 years.

Established in 1892, Ayam Brand™ is easily recognized by its rooster or ‘Ayam’ logo. It is one of the oldest continuously produced consumer brands in Asia with offices in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia, China, France and Japan, and is available in more than 30 countries, worldwide. Ayam Brand™ is consistently ranked among the top 500 consumer brands in Asia.

Currently the brand produces over 60 million cans annually and counts more than 1,000 employees around the world. Ayam Brand™ is famed for canned fish such as sardines, mackerel and tuna, Asian ingredients such as coconut milk, sauces and pastes and fruit and vegetables such as baked beans, green peas, mushrooms, pineapples and more.

In line with its aspirations to strengthen its presence globally, Ayam Brand is promoting Asian and specifically Malaysian cuisine around the world, through the ‘All Happy Families Campaign’ that showcases it as a heritage brand that is trusted and loved through many generations across the region.

Ayam Brand launches All Happy Families Campaign

Ayam Brand™ goes around the world to get various real families to share how Ayam Brand™ is part of their family traditions. A series of video interviews of these families are available on the Ayam Brand™ website and Facebook fan-pages.

The campaign shows happy local families with their own history and culinary traditions, in front of iconic locations, like the Kuala Lumpur Skyline, the Sydney Opera House, The Hong Kong Peak and the Singapore Marina Barrage.

Internationally renowned, award-winning Malaysian photographer Stefen Chow, a winner of the World Press Award 2013, shot the campaign. He leads the creative direction of the three-year project, travelling around the world to seek, document and photograph families willing to share their story and culinary traditions.

The campaign will run from 2014 to 2016 in three series, one per year with on-the-ground activities as well as print and online exposure in regions where Ayam Brand™ is active. To take the story of Ayam Brand™ global, the campaign was extended in the form of advertisements on the inflight magazines of major world airlines like Qantas, Singapore Airlines, China Southern, SilkAir and Malaysia’s very own AirAsia

According to Ayam Brand Group Marketing Director, Mr Herve Simon, Ayam Brand’s uniqueness lies in its commitment to quality, staying true to its brand heritage and the adaptation of its products to local and regional needs, as well as introducing new variants and products in sync with changing lifestyles and tastes, while carefully extending its reach to a wider audience.

“In Asia, Ayam Brand™ is very much a part of the culinary repertoire of families. The families featured in this campaign are not paid talents but real-life Ayam Brand™ users. The experiences and recipes that they share are truly their own, in keeping with Ayam Brand’s commitment to not adding flavoring, added MSG or preservatives,” said Mr Simon.

Ayam Brand baked beans made with Ayam Brand canned Baked Beans.

The products featured in the Malaysian advertisement are Sardines in Tomato Sauce, Chili Tuna, Baked Beans and Coconut Milk, which are all traditional favorites.

The recipes shared by the families are also representative of the culinary habits of their countries, like En Muhamad Faiz Azizan’s family offering the Malaysian picnic and teatime classic, sardine sandwiches.

“While Ayam Brand™ products are available globally through Asian specialty stores there are still huge opportunities for growth that we are in the process of developing. We are expanding carefully to be true to our brand identity and values. For example our focus is on freshly canned produce, without preservatives or added MSG with the assurance of it being Halal for our Muslim consumers,” said Ms Marie-Magali Falcoz , Ayam Brand Marketing Manager Malaysia said.

“Our aim is to bring the great taste and proven quality of Ayam Brand™ to a wider global audience by showcasing how our brand is a part of the lives of the culinary traditions of the Asian region. The best way to do that is through real people, real families who can attest to the goodness of our product over generations,” Mr Simon said in closing.

For more information on Ayam Brand™ and the ‘All Happy Families’ Campaign, please visit www.ayambrand.com.my or

http://www.facebook.com/AyamBrand.Recipes

Sweet Deals on Champagne and Wine this Valentine’s Day!

Posted on February 10, 2014 by CelesteDeJesus

Valentine’s Day and Chap Goh Mei celebrations are here! But I guess a lot of us are looking forward to the celebration of love this Friday! Why not make it more classy and unique with some wines versus the usual?

Express your love with wines this Valentine’s Day!

Pamper your sweetheart with Wine Talk’s Sweet Celebrations champagne and wine this Valentine’s Day. With great offers on iconic champagnes like Moët &Chandon (now only RM190) and Dom Pérignon (now only RM528) as well as a specially arranged Valentine wine set for RM248 you can be sure to enjoy the celebration with a smile on your face rather than a hole in your pocket. The Valentine wine set consists of 3 most popular sweet wines to express your sweet love for your sweet one: a light and fizzy Moscato from Australia – Peter Lehmann Princess Moscato (500ml), a rich and luscious Muscat from Spain – Torres Floralis Oro (500ml), and a gentle but intense Semillon from Australia – Cranswick Estate Sarus Botrytis Semillon (375ml). This is a great gift of love for the season!

Yummm…My Sweet Valentine Set!

Celebrate the day with a bottle of Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial (750ml) priced at only RM190. Moët& Chandon’s unique style is distinguished by its bright fruitiness, its seductive palate and elegant maturity. Moët & Chandon Brut Imperial can be enjoyed throughout your meal from the entree to dessert and pairs perfectly with sushi, white fish oysters and even white fruits such as a white peach tart with chocolate cream.

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Champagnes ON SALE now!

Instead of the conventional bouquet of roses, romance her with a bottle of Moët& Chandon Rosé Impérial (750ml) at only RM240. The sparkling rosé is a symbol of spontaneous, radiant, romantic expression of the Moët & Chandon style. The Rosé Impérial pairs well with foods that have simple, intense and colourful flavours such as red meat with fresh, red-fleshed fruits, fresh goat cheese and mozzarella.

Feeling like spoiling yourselves this Valentine’s, Wine Talk is giving champagne lovers a reason to do so with a special price for its Dom Pérignon (750ml) at only RM528. Appear effortlessly sophisticated when you present her with a bottle of the most iconic Champagne in the world – intense, full-bodied, and hedonistic.

Wine Talk sommelier David Stephan said “In the age of technology, online shopping is fast becoming a trend and people are sometimes too busy to physically shop for wine. Let Wine Talk take out the guesswork for you with wine advices or with our mixed wine sets that are all ready for you to choose from.”

Transform your home into a classy wine and dine restaurant!

If you want to take things a step further, you can even transform your home into a classy restaurant in just one hour! Order his or her favourite dish from Room Service and enjoy Valentine’s Day dining in the comfort of your home. All orders before VDay will receive RM88 food vouchers from Room Service.

Need advice on which wines to serve? Easy, breezy. Let Wine Talk’s French sommelier do the choosing for you. You can call them at 1300 88 9788 or email us at info@winetalk.com.my for the best wine advices this Valentine’s Day season or maybe Chap Goh Mei! Visit www.winetalk.com.my for more details.

Wine Talk’s Sweet Celebration makes it easy for you to express your love this season!

A Beautiful Love Story Unfolds in Amethyst

Posted on February 8, 2014 by CelesteDeJesus

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Amethyst Restaurant opened its doors at Publika, Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur, 5 February 2014 – Amethyst restaurant officially opened its doors with much love in the air. One of Malaysia’s favourite celebrities, Hani Hatim (a.k.a Hunny Madu), shared this joyous moment with the celebration of marriage between Hani and her husband of over three years, Khairul Azhar Abdul Wahid.

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Khairul Azhar Abdul Wahid with wife Hani Hatim a.k.a. Hunny Madu

Founder of Amethyst, Arash Farahmandi, had this to say at the launch event, “We know Malaysia’s favourite pastime is to eat and most would go to the ends of the earth in search of great food. Celebrating our undying love for food, we also wanted to highlight this special moment with a beautiful love story – that is the celebration of commitment between a lovely couple that Malaysians have grown fond of”.

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(L-R) Khairul Azhar Abdul Wahid and daughter Eva; Hani Hatim (a.k.a Hunny Madu); Anita Eslami (wife to founder of Amethyst restaurant), and Founder and Head Chef of Amethyst Restaurant, Arash Farahmandi

Their love story was a beautiful setting for the launch event. The couple re-ignited their love for one another with Khairul presenting a beautiful Amethyst ring to his dear wife, Hunny Madu.

Khairul Azhar celebrating over 3 years of marriage to Hani Hatim with the presentation of the precious Amethyst ring

The Amethyst, a semi-precious gem stone is believed to bear great powers, which include healing, peace, love, protection, and happiness. With its rich purple tone colour, the Amethyst has also been long associated with royalty.

“I am ecstatic because after three years of marriage and with a baby girl in tow, we are still very much in love. The renewal of our love further affirms our feelings and promise. I am so glad to be here in Amethyst to celebrate this moment. Great food, great ambience and great moments worth cherishing for a lifetime,” said the very happy Hani Hatim.

Befitting the meaning of the stone, Amethyst is a mid-casual dining restaurant that harmoniously combines a touch of luxury and comfort in its deco of rich purple tones, private corners and warms lights. Its food also boasts generous portions of quality ingredients bursting with unique flavours, passion and love.

Amethyst Delectable Dishes

Amethyst Blueberry Cake

Amethyst Crispy Skin Salmon

Amethsyt can comfortably seat 60 people at any one time. Guests can take their pick from dining al-fresco all the way to simply cosying up at the VIP booth area. The open kitchen bar top concept also gives an inviting feel as if allowing you to step into its world as it whips up delectable fares for you.

Amethyst Restaurant VIP Dining Area

Amethyst Restaurant

Amethyst Restaurant’s Beautiful Dining Setting

The restaurant serves a mixture of western-Italian food. Amethyst’s signature dishes are rather unique. Such is the ratatouille steak with saffron rice. The well marinated beef is cooked to tender texture and served with saffron rice, home-made chutney, and ratatouille. The flavours are nothing short of a rich combination of sweet, sour and spicy, all in one plate.

Amethyst Restaurant’s Signature Ratatouille Dish

Other signature dishes include their Barbequed Chicken Wings, which is marinated in a secret sauce; a variety of vegetarian pastas; special Greece mix fillet sandwich; and more. The familiar dishes are also played up with a dash of home-made sauces and creative cooking methods to bring out unique flavours and textures. This can be said of their Crispy Skin Salmon, which is pan fried salmon on a bed of spinach with lemon caper sauce – the juicy and tender salmon with the spinach cooked in the special sauce makes for a truly divine combination. Even the Lamb Shank is cooked to tender perfection with a rather unique flavoured sauce.

“Amethyst will place great importance on service. In our restaurant, our customers’ point of views will be crucial and we appreciate any feedback. The kitchen will be our lab of innovation and creativity and we will strive to serve dishes in a different way to stand out from the rest” Arash commented.

Dishes at Amethyst start from RM16 to RM52.

Amethyst Restaurant is located at

A4-G2-06, Publika, No. 1, Jalan Dutamas 1, 50480 Kuala Lumpur

Opening hours:

Weekdays, Mondays to Fridays at 10am-11pm

Weekends and public holidays at 10am-1am

Stay connected with Amethyst via www.facebook.com/amethyst.restaurant

or call +603-6206 5797

Welcome the Chinese New Year with Great Deals from Wine Talk!

Posted on January 17, 2014 by CelesteDeJesus

With the Chinese New Year just 2 weeks around the corner, preparations are getting more and more hectic as the big celebration comes close. In my husband’s family, Chinese reunion dinners bear a big importance in keeping close ties and are the best times to catch up with cousins who are overseas. And as dinners are filled with sumptuous Chinese dishes, it is also the time for merriment together with some drinks: beer, whiskey or wine.

Celebrations with wine

Putting together a great re-union feast is no mean feat, something the current Y generation would be hard pressed to do. But fret not, as you can add to the joyous occasion by turning up with a good bottle of wine that goes well with the Nian Ye Fan menu. Wine Talk ushers in the year of the wooden horse with great deals that are perfect for this season.

Want to bring wines or send wines without adding load into your already-loaded car? This lunar New Year, Wine Talk is offering customers FREE DELIVERY for orders above RM300. Send wines to your home town or for your loved ones without the hassle of carrying the bottles! Wine Talk makes your celebration fun, easy and travel-friendly by delivering the wines for you. Simply place an order via www.winetalk.com.my and key-in NODELCNY on the voucher code box upon checkout. Place the orders on or before 24^thJanuary 2014 to get the wines delivered in time for Chinese New Year’s Eve.

FREE Decanter for orders above RM500 on red wines

The love for red wine around the world is also shared by a lot of Chinese for its health benefits and maybe because red wines are red! Wine lovers can take home the perfect gift for 2014 or add a piece of beautiful crystal ware to their homes. Upon purchase of RM500 on all normal priced red wines, Wine Talk customers will get a FREE Crystal decanter by Luigi Bormioli, made in Italy. Perfectly shaped for the perfect pour; Luigi Bormioli decanters add the right amount of sophistication to any table. This mouth-blown, hand-crafted glassware can hold up to 2.6L and also rivals other fine crystal in appearance and elegance. For more about Luigi Bormioli, visit www.luigibormioli.com

Wine Talk sommelier and self-professed “wine geek” David Stephan said, “This lunar New Year, savour our wine selection with your CNY feast. I’ve carefully paired some of the red wines in the Chinese New Year festive packs as they go well with the traditional Chinese New Year dishes like fish, chicken, yee-sang and dumplings (jiaozi).”

Moet and Chandon at special price

And what can be even more stylish and classier than adding a burst of bubbly to the occasion? Fans of the world’s most iconic champagne Moet & Chandon can enjoy a bottle for only RM180! “This is the best price in town!” said David. Champagne lovers can choose to order 3, 6 or 12 bottles in time for your Chinese New Year celebration so you can Gong Xi Gong Xi in style!” he added. Moet & Chandon’s style is distinguished by its bright fruitiness, seductive palate and elegant maturity. Limited stocks available.

Food vouchers from Room Service worth RM88

For any purchase from now until Chinese New Year, Wine Talk will be giving away RM88 worth of Room Service MyDeal food vouchers to 8 Lucky Winners every day from now till 30^th January! Simply make any order at www.winetalk.com.my to be part of the draw. Every order of any set of wines entitles a customer to an entry. Vouchers will be delivered together with your order of wines so you can order food to be delivered once you have your wines from Wine Talk!

If you want to receive your wines in time for CNY, please make your orders thru Wine Talk by 24^th January 2014. Wine Talk wishes everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Need advice on which wines to serve? Easy, breezy. Let Wine Talk’s French sommelier do the choosing for you. Give Wine Talk a call at 1300 88 9788 or email at info@winetalk.com.my for the best wine advices. Visit www.winetalk.com.my for more details.

You can also get connected to their FB page at
http://www.facebook.com/winetalkmalaysia

FREE items to redeem with your copy of Malaysian Women’s Weekly this month!

Posted on December 1, 2013 by CelesteDeJesus

It’s the 1^st day of December, everyone! The countdown to Christmas officially kicks in. And what better way to celebrate than start grabbing gifts and freebies!

In this month’s issue of Malaysian Women’s Weekly, you’ll find a lot of timely ideas and suggestions for the holiday season. It comes with booklets of wonderful information, a free body butter and more. With the season of gift-giving just 3 weeks away, the Malaysian Women’s Weekly also bring you irresistible deals from Crabtree & Evelyn!

A booklet aptly titled ‘Experience the Magic of Christmas’ is bundled together with this month’s magazine. First up, and better pay attention, ladies, is (drum roll) FREE Gifts for the first 500 readers of the Malaysian Women’s Weekly! What will you get? Read on!

Crabtree & Evelyn has several home gift ideas. In the section ‘Come Home to Chritsmas’, you’ll find the Noël Porcelain Diffuser 180ml at RM175, Noël Fragranced Botanical at RM155, Noël Home Fragrance Spray 100ml at RM60, Noël Home Fragrance Oil 10ml at RM40 and Noël Small Fragranced Candle at RM60.

‘A Little Something for Everyone’ has great ideas for our loved ones. For colleagues, there’s Deluxe Hand Therapy Sampler that contains 12 variants of hand creams, at RM178. This is a good idea for those hand cream addicts. For our sisters, there’s Rosewater Great Escape at RM88, which contains a Bath & Shower Gel, Body Lotion and Hand Therapy. For mothers, there’s Lily Ultimate Luxury at RM308, which contains a Bath & Shower Gel, Body Lotion, Hand Therapy and an EDT fragrance packed together in a golden vanity case. That’s something I would want for myself; hey, I’m a mummy! For your best friend, there’s Somerset Meadow Vanity Case at RM298, which contains a Bath & Shower Gel, Scented Body Lotion, Hand Therapy and and EDT fragrance packed in a oval golden vanity case.

And for you, there’s Tarocco Orange Perfect Pair at RM130, which contains a Bath & Shower Gel and a Body Lotion with Tarocco orange, eucalyptus and sage.

‘Eat and Be Merry’ features tempting delights for those with “sweet teeth”. There’s Festive Bauble at RM65 that contains 150g of creamy, indulgent fudge-flavoured chocolates. There’s Musical Tin with Jelly Babies at RM80 that contains 300g of naturally-coloured and –flavoured jelly candies. For biscuit lovers, there’s Assorted Biscuits at RM45 that come in three flavours: Spiced Ginger (165g), Triple Chocolate Chunk (190g) and Christmas Pudding (195g). And who can resist ginger bread? There’s the Gingerbread Men Tin at RM65 that contains 60g of lovely ginger bread in adorable shapes. For the sweet stuff addict, there’s the Collectable Design Tin at RM155 that contains Wild Blueberry Preserve, Lemon Preserve, White Chocolate Biscuits, Raspberry Biscuits, White Chocolate and English Breakfast Tea. That’s simply perfect for a beautiful and delicious breakfast for the holiday!

And the moment you’ve been waiting for, here are some exclusive deals for the Malaysian Women’s Weekly readers until 31^st December 2013!

BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE when you purchase any Assorted Biscuits at RM45 (coupon from the booklet required to present upon purchase)

BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE when you purchase any Great Escape Travel Pack at RM88 (coupon from the booklet required to present upon purchase)

FREE GIFT: a limited edition Hand Therapy 25g worth RM30 for the first 500 readers to flash this coupon at any Crabtree & Evelyn retail store!

Terms and conditions to take note:

Original coupon is required to enjoy the freebies
Coupons are valid for one-time redemption only
Coupons cannot be combined with any other promotion

So grab your copy of the Malaysian Women’s Weekly now and enjoy these exclusive offers!

For more information about Crabtree & Evelyn, visit www.crabtree-evelyn.com.my or be a fan of their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CrabtreeEvelyn.my

Spanish Food, Great Wines and a French Sommelier in Malaysia

Posted on November 28, 2013 by CelesteDeJesus

It’s a rare occasion to have the opportunity to dine and enjoy wine with a sommelier. So when this gem-of-a-chance came, I was thrilled to be part of something that I’ll truly treasure and enjoy.

One lovely Thursday evening, I found myself treading the classy pavement along Bangsar Shopping Centre where my desire for good Spanish food and good wines brought me to The Pressroom. I was about to indulge into a delightful wine experience.

In this country, it is not easy to find wine experts even in wine shops. So for wine lovers who need to shop for wines and even for those who just need wine for an event or occasion, picking wines off the shelf can be challenging or even frightening. Imagine yourself walking in to a shop full of walls and shelves of different types of wines, different countries, different regions, different winemakers, different vintages and, of course, price. Which one to pick? Most of the time, when you ask the staff around the wine shop, you also wouldn’t get much advice except for the price difference.

Let’s say you were brave enough to try something you haven’t tried before. If you don’t like the wine or if it’s corked, can you bring it back and change for a new one?

Great news to fellow wine lovers (or to those who are interested to discover more about wine)! Wine Talk, an online wine delivery service, makes wines easy. It provides easy access to different labels of wines from different countries, regions with different price ranges in just 1 wine shop online. What makes Wine Talk even better is that they have a French sommelier, David Stephan, who chooses the wines and who also provides wine advice to every wine lover, beginner or connoisseur.

For starters that evening, we were served with the first white wine of the night, Kiwi Walk Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. This classic NZ wine is a very fresh & easy-to-drink wine, packed with great tropical aromas. Kiwi Walk is an addictively crisp & fresh wine, sourced from premium vineyards in Marlborough.

The second one, which later on turned out to be the ‘favorite of the night’, was Louis Guntrum ‘Royal Blue’ Rieslingfrom Rheinhessen, Germany. The ‘Royal Blue’ is an off-dry wine, boasting some sugar and a very soft 9.5% alcohol level (this is a good clue to know if a Riesling is sweet or not; 12% & over: dry; 8-12%: off-dry; below 8%: sweet). It showcases an elegant and classical Riesling scent, paired with aromas of tropical fruits, with green apples and citrus, pineapple and melon. It has an excellent balance of sweetness and acidity. It can be enjoyed by itself as an aperitif, or with lightly spicy food, roasted duck or smoked meats. This is my personal pick for the night!

My mouth was watering when the dishes started coming.

The third wine, which is also the most interesting in terms of color, was the Gérard Bertrand ‘Art De Vivre’ Grenache Rosé from Languedoc, France, costs RM60 per bottle. This Rosé wine is a perfect introduction to the classics of the region. Made from 100% Grenache, it shows a delightfully light color, lots of fruit flavors and a fresh and aromatic palate. Great for a wide range of dishes, from seafood, fish to Barbecue meats. I seriously think that this is great for weddings mainly because of its color, which somehow appears romantic and sweet.

The fourth wine was La Closerie des Lys Pinot Noir from Languedoc, France, costs RM58 per bottle. This Pinot Noir has an expressive nose of black cherry and spices with a beautiful attack; this is ample and fruity with a fresh final and delicate oak hints. Beautiful wine, serve it slightly chilled with some roast duck, or grilled lamb chops. I’m not a fan of red wines yet but this is something I can enjoy.

The fifth wine was Logan ‘Apple Tree Flat’ Shiraz from Mudgee, New South Wales, Australia, costs RM65 per bottle. This Shiraz shows a deep, rich red color, and a softer palate than regular Aussie Shiraz, with flavors of mixed berries and sweet spices. So if you aren’t into big, bold, juicy Shiraz, this will be your friend. If you like the big wines, you can still enjoy this wine. It won’t hurt you! A great match with classic roasted lamb or cheese platters.

The last wine was Finca Sobreño ‘Crianza’from Toro, Spain, costs RM69.60 per bottle. It has a pretty bouquet of blueberry jam and raspberry that is well defined. The palate is well balanced, with a smooth, silky texture, crisp acidity and a citrus, fresh, primal finish. David recommends decanting for this wine before consumption.

It was truly a wonderful experience to dine and enjoy wine together with a wine expert or sommelier. David guided us through each wine and gave a lot of helpful tips about each type. You’ll feel more ‘clever’ and familiar about the wines you’re drinking. David Stephan is a French sommelier who has been in Asia for 10 years now so his palate has been familiar to Asian cuisine aside from European. He enjoys the variety of food in Malaysia and finds excitement in exploring new dishes while enjoying them with wine.

Wine Talk’s wines are personally selected and handpicked by David Stephan. With Wine Talk’s brand promise, GUARANTEED SATISFACTION, GUARANTEED PRICE, DELIVERED TO YOUR HOME, experiencing wines is now even more pleasurable. With GUARANTEED SATISFACTION, customers will get a new bottle if they don’t love the wine they received and notify us within 30 days of purchase. With GUARANTEED PRICE, customers will get refunded with the price difference if they find the wine cheaper in major super and hypermarkets in Peninsular Malaysia up to 14 days from the date of purchase.

Wine Talk makes wine fun, simple and easy.

Visit www.winetalk.com.my or call 1300 88 97 88 for more details and wine selections.

Melbourne Food and Wine Festival 2014 is coming!

Posted on November 6, 2013 by CelesteDeJesus

Melbourne is set to make waves with 200 events across Victoria with a glorious celebration of food and wine: All events on sale 3 December.

Celebration of food and wine

Melbourne Food and Wine Festival presented by Bank of Melbourne will reel in more than 200 events for a global celebration of the bounty of water, 28 February – 16 March 2014.

Over 17 days food and wine lovers are invited to celebrate the world’s ocean and river fare guided by the best seafood chefs, join exclusive behind-the-scenes tours both on and off the water, get amongst it at lively street parties, secure a spot at never-to-be-repeated dinners with Michelin-starred chefs, and much more. Launched as one single program, tickets to all Festival events go on sale 3 December 2013.

The Festival’s hub project and centrepiece of the 2014 program is a bold expression of the Festival theme exploring the cycle of water with a temporary bar, restaurant and raingarden, popping up in the city’s Queensbridge Square.

Following on from the Urban Coffee Farm & Brew Bar in 2013, this ambitious project designed for the second year by HASSELL, anchors three levels to the Yarra’s edge featuring a riverside bar, an open-kitchen restaurant on the concourse and a top-level verdant raingarden. Melbourne chefs including Florent Gerardin (Silo), Jesse Gerner (Anada & Bomba), Adam Liston (Borrowed Space) and Daniel Wilson (Huxtable & Huxtaburger) will bring their take on dishes inspired by the three states of water – liquid, solid and gas – to the restaurant, and by night, the country’s boundary-pushing bartenders will craft one-off cocktails and drinks that celebrate the cycle of water.

Bank of Melbourne World’s Longest Lunch

Festival favourite Bank of Melbourne World’s Longest Lunch (28 February) gathers 1,500 lunching revellers at one 500 metre-long table to kick off the first day of the Festival along the banks of the Yarra in Alexandra Park. The three-course menu will be designed by Jacques Reymond, Adam D’Sylva, and Stefano de Pieri and brought to life by Peter Rowland Catering. Celebrating the world’s waterways as the lifeblood of food and wine, each chef will draw on personal connections to the Amazon, Mekong, and Murray-Darling rivers respectively to create a menu made with Victorian produce.

New for 2014, the Flemington Grazing Trail & Cellar Door combines the best of Victoria’s wineries, craft breweries and artisan producers with Group 1 racing on Flemington’s Super Saturday race meeting. The event at the iconic racecourse offers trackside wine tasting and gourmet produce picnics just outside of the city.

Back in Melbourne, budding cooks can learn from Melbourne’s favourite chefs about our city’s diverse culinary heritage at Festival Foodies, an event for kids in Queensbridge Square. For those seeking to explore and debate the social and environmental issues connected with water, the Festival is collaborating with The Wheeler Centre for a one-off talkfest featuring a broad spectrum of speakers on 6 March.

At the hotly anticipated Langham Melbourne MasterClass, 8 – 9 March, learn from and taste the creations of the new wave of young gun chefs alongside global greats of the kitchen as they share their connection with the world’s most precious resource, water. Chilean food forager Rodolfo Guzman (Borago, Santiago), seafood crusader and Spain’s Best Chef Angel Leon (Aponiente, Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain), and Lummi Island locavore Blaine Wetzel (Willows Inn, USA), are among the star-studded line up.

Now at the core of the new dedicated wine weekend, 1 – 2 March, Acqua Panna Global Wine Experience returns with benchmark wine tasting guided by a panel of Australia’s most influential winemakers, writers and sommeliers including Rick Kinzbrunner (Giaconda, Beechworth) and Guill de Pury (Yeringberg, Yarra Valley).

Melbourne’s hottest restaurants will pull out all the stops to bring you dining experiences exclusive to the Festival. Brothers Matt and Andrew McConnell join forces for Blood is Thicker than Water, a street party between Casa Ciuccio and Cutler & Co with water and blood-inspired dishes; Darren Purchese (Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio) takes over the historic Johnston Collection for decadent desserts at Swan Lake’s Sweet Seduction; and chef Frank Camorra and food writer Richard Cornish will talk foodies through a gastronomic tour of southern Spain, from the secrets of Spanish seafood to tales of nuns making moreish doughnuts (A Gastro-Tour of Spain, MoVida Aqui).

Learn about and taste the state’s outstanding seafood at events on and off the water. Hook, Lunch & Sinker returns with a fishing trip and lunch at Stokehouse Upstairs lead by The Age Good Food Guide Young Chef of the Year Ollie Gould, or at Melbourne’s Fish Mongrels at Sanford Australia, Melbourne’s wholesale fish hub, take a tour and a first-hand look at wild-caught seafood.

Join other food and wine lovers in this celebration

Foodies are invited to tour through Victoria over Regional Weekend (14 – 16 March) with all Festival events taking place out in the regions. The weekend kicks off with 20 Regional World’s Longest Lunches at spectacular locations across the state including Queenscliff Harbour on the Bellarine Peninsula, among the vines at Elgee Park vineyard in the Mornington Peninsula and overlooking the ocean in Inverloch, Gippsland.

Also over Regional Weekend, join the ultimate ‘60s themed cocktail party at The Dispensary Enoteca (Bendigo), H2007 James Bond vs. Don Draper, as they pit the signature drinks of the two smooth operators against each other. Feast at regional events embracing Victoria’s waterways, from floating down the King River ‘river sledding’ on lilos followed by lunch at Dal Zotto Winery (High Country) for Lilos & Prosecco; to dinner with Ovens River produce in the Alpine Valley at Tani Eat & Drink’s Down by the River.

Union Dining’s Nicky Riemer will bring her provincial style cooking to Bress in the Goldfields for Raining Produce at Bress, and in the High Country, get back to the core of outstanding produce at Philip Lobely Wines’ Water, Wheat and Wine, learning about the role of sun, water and earth in creating wine and artisan bread.

This is just a small taste of Melbourne Food and Wine Festival 2014. The full program can be viewed from 26 November at melbournefoodandwine.com.au.

28 February – 16 March 2014 All Festival events on sale 3 December 2013

melbournefoodandwine.com.au