Hennessy X.O Appreciation Grows Gastronomy 2011
with Chef Cheong Liew
It was one of those evenings that we just knew would blow us away.
It all started with a short flight over to the island of Penang. The generous folks at Mot Hennessy Diageo Malaysia had arranged our flights, accommodation and transfers to and from the venue so we didnt have to worry about a thing. Talk about being spoilt!
A quick bus ride over to G Hotel, Penangs Most Stylish Address, a smooth check in followed by a tasty lunch. Shower, make up, change. As we gathered in the lobby just after 5.15pm, it was a pleasant surprise that, unintentionally, the theme for the evenings attire turned out to be royal blue, black and a touch of golden brown.
Nigel (Just Heavenly), Fatboybakes, Queen LL (AwhiffofLemongrass), Boolicious (Masak-masak), AlilfatMonkey, Lil Chef and I stared at each other in amazement. We cleaned up good!
Another short bus ride back across town and we were there. Suffolk House.
Suffolk House Penangs first Great House, a stunning example of an Anglo-Indian garden house and one of its most important colonial heritage landmarks.
We stepped off the bus into calm, tranquil surroundings. It was still bright out and birds were chirping a happy song, saying goodbye to the last of the daylight as dusk settled in. I honestly cant say much about the house itself, as most of i! t was co vered in dramatic black cloth and draped with images of Hennessy X.O and Chef Cheong Liew.
After many years of cooking with Cheong Liew in Australia, Lil Chef was ecstatic to get the chance to sit down and eat his food again.
The student becomes the taster
We were ushered in to the tasting session with Regional Brand Ambassador, Arnaud Mirey who talked us through the history and qualities of Hennessy X.O.
Hennessy X.O is blended from more than 100 eaux-de-vie specially selected from the four first growing areas. Rich, full-bodied and complex, Hennessy X.O combines the spicy aromas of oak and leather with the sweeter essences of flowers and ripe fruit.
We moved on to the bar area, to indulge in pre-dinner drinks. Straight up or on the rocks, it was your decision to make. A short press conference with Mr. Frederic Noyere, Managing Director of Mot Hennessy Diageo Malaysia, and Cheong Liew followed, before our host Will Quah invited us into the luxuriously decorated main dining room.
The main dining room was breathtaking.
Every little detail had been seen too, and it wasnt long before our first course arrived.
OCEAN VIVACITY
A lively Oceanic delicacy of oyster with unique ginger vinegar dressing served with crisp, saline ocean trout fravalax finger
I slurped up the plump, salty oyster teamed with a vinegary, soy sauce dressing, thin sliced ginger.
I licked my lips and moved on to the fresh, cured slices of ocean trout, laid delicately on a bed on thinly sliced potato and finely crafted pastry.
A single sliver of strawberry sat atop this creation, with pearls of ocean trout roe rolling off the slippery surface. The textures were wonderful, with the velvety cool fish complementing the slightly crisp yet saturated pastry, finishing off with a burst of the sea from the popping of the roe.
PICEOUS PEARLS
Distinctive fusion salad delight of green lipped abalone and black sausage with fresh tomato dressing and ginger crisps
Green lipped abalone is a more tender and flavourful variety of the species, and it certainly had bite.
The black sausage was made from scallop mousse, chopped scallop meat, coloured black with squid ink and steamed to a perfect sausage consistency.
I loved it. I could eat this everyday! The tomato based dressing was light and fresh, while the ginger crisps added crunch. Garnished with purple Shiso leaves and watercress, the array of colours made for a really stunning dish.
NEPTUNES DESIRE
Tantalizing saffron blue swimmer crab consomm with succulent salmon roe cream in unique crisp pastry
The consomm was superb! At first glance, it looked like just a soup, but when I dug my spoon in I discovered a layer of custard, made from adding egg.
Mild at first taste, it felt like the crab flavour was slowly being released as the hot broth coated every inch of my mouth. The consistency kept evolving as I discovered an assortment of hidden seafood chunks within the custard. It was almost like the Japanese Chawan Mushi! And the icing on the custard was the deep fried Cannoli pastry, stuffed with crme fraiche and ocean trout roe. Savoury and crunchy with a touched of sweetness from a dusting of icing sugar. The combination of the two elements was delicious!
ESSENCE OF THE SEA
A luscious dish of pan-roasted sea scallops in rich sea essence sauce topped with roasted shrimp garlic and white asparagus
Strong flavours of the sea dominated in this dish! I loved the roasted shrimp garlic, which tasted like a refined version of prawn chilli sambal. The crispy surfboard pastry cracked and crumbled beautifully, the perfect contrast to the smooth seared scallops.
WAGYU EXQUISITE
A rich palate of tastes await in this spectacular specialty of tender wagyu rump wrapped in cardamom pepper crust, flavoured with soy sauce and extra virgin olive oil
Exquisite indeed! A sophisticated plate of tender, melt-in-your mouth wagyu seared to perfection. The smell of charred spices in the crust mingled with the scent of meaty juices was divine! Imagine buttery, fatty meat coupled with the simple, scorched white asparagus, fresh chervil and garlic crisps.
Oooh and the glutinous rice ball! Dont even get me started on that! It was dense, slightly sticky, dark and flavourful.
It reminded me of a milder, Western take on the Chinese Dim Sum dish Loh Mai Kai. Exquisite!
OR
LAKSA ARDOR
An enticing flavour that grows with every tasting comes with this unique dish of chicken fillet in alluring laksa sauce, served with almond slices and bacala
I was quite content gobbling down my beef until I had a taste of Lil Chefs main. I never knew chicken could be so sophisticated, yet comforting at the same time! I found out that this was a particularly tedious dish made up of many different elements. The chicken is rolled and cooked, but underneath it youll find a buttery, potato puree, followed by shredded Sengkuang (sweet turnip) thats slow cooked with prawn heads. A slice of bacala (salted cod) smothered in a creamy sauce sitting proudly on top this masterpiece. Cheongs secret laksa sauce is drizzled around the chicken, and finally, on the outer ring you have roasted almond slices, diced pineapple and zucchini cooked in a chilli, nut butter. Complex flavours that will blow your tastebuds away, as you discover new flavours with every bite. A work of art! BITTERSWEET RHAPSODY Black rice palm sugar pudding, cool coconut sorbet and roasted pineapple cubes form a perfect blend of bittersweet delight in this exceptionally adventurous dessert Dessert was also shockingly good, an Asian take on a crme caramel that was created by his wife Mary that Cheong delivers it with such finesse. It was silky smooth, not too sweet, with an unexpected richness from the gluey, black glutinous rice. I loved the sourness from the caramelized pineapple cooked with rum, and the tropical flavour of the cool coconut sorbet. So clever, so elaborate, and so pleasing both in appearance and ta! ste. Of course, the evening wouldnt have been complete without the star of the show. Hennessy X.O. And bottles and bottles of it! Exuding splendour with every taste, we were spoilt rotten with refills of the dark, toffee like liquid. As in the previous years event, the Hennessy XO Mathusalem, a limited-edition six-litre bottle & decanter was paraded around the room. None of us missed the opportunity to get your own X.O. out of the bottle! Even the illustrious Will Quah couldnt resist Oh yes, no two sips tasted the same With age comes quality and complexity in taste. It was truly a flamboyant evening that we shall never forget, even after such a high level of intoxication! We were spoilt with pleasure from the flavours and the aromas of this fine cognac that matched so well with the tastes and beauty of Cheong Liews iconic cuisine. A truly magnificent evening!
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