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- Whippet good ... at last, Yorkshire gets its just desserts
- Trading legroom for Wi-Fi: Are we crazy?
- 10 meals every visitor to Cambodia should try
| Whippet good ... at last, Yorkshire gets its just desserts Posted: 10 Sep 2013 06:00 AM PDT Yorkshire's triumph at this year's World Travel Awards could be a step toward global domination, says one of the English county's greatest fans  Picking the winner of the Leading Destination in Europe gong at this year's World Travel Awards, the judges appear to have mulled pretty much every world-historical European city and glitzy locale before lumping for ... Yorkshire. For this lifetime fan of the most beautiful English county, the judges' decision to rate Yorkshire above sophisticated but snooty Paris, overrated Rome and architecturally magnificent but, let's face it, bloody cold St. Petersburg, is controversial in one sense only. This part of northern England surely deserves to be considered not only Europe's leading destination, but possibly the greatest place on Earth. "Yorkshire people have known for years what the world is now discovering -- that we have the best landscapes, amazing coastline, the best fish and chips, the most beautiful historic pubs and possibly the best beers in the world," says Andrew Denton from the county's tourist board. Whippets and flat ale
Whippets, flat caps and ale are considered three accouterments no Yorkshireman (or Yorkshireperson, nowadays?) would ever be seen without. And perhaps that third part of the stock image is deserved, because many travelers to Yorkshire leave the county pining for that strange beverage -- real ale -- which elsewhere in Britain is frequently compared, unfavorably, to flat, slightly sweetened dishwater. If you fancy a sample, the award-garlanded ales from the micro-brewery at Marsden's Riverhead Brewery Tap (2 Peel St., Marsden, Huddersfield; +44 (0) 1484 841 270) are nigh on unbeatable. Each ale there, such as the Butterley Bitter, is named after one of the local reservoirs that dot the wild moors surrounding the village. All the tea in YorkshireThen there's another, milder beverage that Yorkshire virtually calls its own -- tea. Tea tastes even sweeter in Yorkshire thanks to the soft water rolling off the moors and dales. India might have its fans, China too, but Yorkshire also has a more than modest claim to making the best cuppa on the planet. Taylor's of Harrogate has been blending leaves since 1886, if you want to verify such bold claims.
As Denton says, Yorkshire food ain't half bad either. The county has the most Michelin-starred restaurants in the UK outside London. And, of course, Yorkshire has given us the ultimate Sunday roast accompaniment, Yorkshire pudding. You'd be hard put to beat the taste of this unglamorous-looking but delicious treat (which could serve as a metaphor for Yorkshire folk themselves) served with a roast at The Crown Inn in Roecliffe, North Yorkshire (+44 (0) 1423 322 300), a 16th-century coaching inn stacked with original fittings. Thanks to Yorkshire's amazing ethnic diversity, you can also gorge on Indian, Pakistani and Bengali curries every bit as good as those on the subcontinent. The Yorkshire city of Bradford provides one of the most full-on Asian eating experiences. Karachi (15 Neal St.; +44 (0) 1274 732 015), a no-frills joint in the center of town, is renowned for its meat ball curries, while Akbar's (1276 Leeds Road; +44 (0) 1274 664 005) took top honors at this year's English Curry Awards. Wild beaches, brooding moors
The ancient limestone landscape around Malham, in particular the hulking mass of Gordale Scar, with waterfalls hurtling down its 100-meter-high cliffs, is a recommended stop on any rural Yorkshire wander. Extensive cave networks underneath the dales suit more active types. Potholing into the depths of Gaping Gill, on the slopes of Ingleborough Hill, easily matches the adrenaline rush of a bungee jump or hike in the Grand Canyon. If you prefer to stay above the surface, Yorkshire's blustery beaches offer world-class surfing. With its roiling waves whipped up by North Sea winds, Cayton Bay, just south of the quintessential British seaside town of Scarborough, is one of the best places in the county -- no, the world -- to pull on a wetsuit. Playing for the White RoseYorkshire folk aren't afraid to brag of their sporting heritage, either. Leeds United might not be the trophy-slaughtering footballing force of the 1970s, but the county's cricket team continues to serve up Britain's finest players. England opener Joe Root cut his teeth playing for the White Rose -- as Yorkshire is traditionally known -- and batsman turned commentator (not to mention possibly the proudest Yorkshireman of all time) Geoffrey Boycott is arguably the greatest player England has produced. Headingley Cricket Ground, in Leeds, is a venerable venue for catching a match. If all this isn't enough to convince you that Yorkshire is a county of whippet-thin sporting fanatics, the opening stages of next year's Tour de France -- the Grand Départ -- will take place in Yorkshire. Fictional triumphs
And we're not just talking about the moors around Hawarth where the Brontë sisters sisters lived, wrote and set some of the greatest fiction of the 19th century. The Yorkshire Sculpture Park (West Bretton, Wakefield; +44 (0) 1924 832 631), like an outdoor zoo corralling all manner of weird and wonderful manmade objects, is one of the most groundbreaking outdoor art spaces in the world, according to critics. Nearby, the modern art in the recently opened Hepworth Wakefield (Gallery Walk, Wakefield; +44 (0)1924 247 360) is of a quality usually only seen in far bigger institutions. Model townThis enlightened side of Yorkshire is nothing new. Salt's Mill, Saltaire, now home to a David Hockney-dedicated gallery, forms the center of a Unesco World Heritage site.
Salt, and Yorkshire, helped bring workers' rights to the world! Yorkshire's charm lies in its sheer breadth, from its moving dales landscapes to its uncompromising curries and its people's pluck. The county's glory at this year's World Travel Awards should surely be seen as a step toward even greater domination. Visit Welcome to Yorkshire for more on what to see, do and eat, and where to stay, in the most amazing place on the planet ... apparently.      |
| Trading legroom for Wi-Fi: Are we crazy? Posted: 09 Sep 2013 07:44 PM PDT A new study says most air passengers would accept less comfort for more Wi-Fi. Someone's missing a connection 
There are times, however, when, perhaps like you, I find it necessary to disparage my fellow travelers, tourists, passengers, guests (or whatever we're calling ourselves these days) as sub-literate mushroom spores richly deserving of whatever poor treatment the world has in store for them. Such a time is this morning as I scan with alarm the results of a new study covering the services and amenities travelers have come to expect from airlines. According to the survey conducted among 3,000 adults in the U.S., UK and Singapore, "almost 90% of fliers would give up an amenity on their flight -- preferred seats, extra legroom and more -- to be guaranteed a faster and more consistent wireless connection." The majority of respondents said they use in-flight connectivity for personal rather than professional purposes. The study was released by Honeywell Aerospace, an American company whose line of satellite and connectivity products gives it a prominent interest in the no-duh conclusion that most of us want more playtime with our gadgets while flying. In a press release, Honeywell positions the message of the study as indicating a "major shift in the definition of passenger comfort when flying." Sounds pretty benign. A "shift in the definition" of comfort. Kind of the way "troll" and "spam" have fun new meanings. A more accurate, if slightly more perverse, summation of the report might go like this: They've finally broken us. We've gotten used to being treated like ball bearings in a box and we're OK with it, just as long as we continue being fed sufficient diversions. Leave me to my own devicesI'm not going to whip out the rusty old, "Pull your head away from your device for five seconds and interact with the world like a normal human being" argument. I text when I drive and sacrifice just as much of my humanity as you do with that damn phone. What unsettles me about the study results are a pair of assumptions it raises – one mine, the other from the authors of the survey. First, I like my legroom -- I appreciate it more than I appreciate some members of my immediate family -- and even the slightest suggestion that other passengers are willing to betray my need for personal space so that they can speed up the roll of their next electronic solitaire card depresses me. It's like the first ant in the kitchen; the first weird, late-night phone call your girlfriend takes in the other room; the first drop in barometric pressure. From little things big things grow. [Side note to all you people who lean back more than an inch in an airplane or bus seat: stop doing it, it's rude. Bummer your parents did such a lousy job with you, but there's still time to add a few social graces to your public persona. While you're at it, turn off the bleep-bloop-kaboom volume on your dumb game when you're sitting next to someone who's trying to read or ignore you.] The second issue I have with the study is the either/or relationship it implies exists between seat comfort and decent Wi-Fi. Why the airborne Sophie's choice? Who's the presumed industry savant behind this attempt to convince us that we can't have any pudding if we don't eat our meat? Start waving those passengers bill of rights around at airline counters and pretty soon you get a reputation as a troublemaker. But there are some indignities even amiable travelers shouldn't so compliantly allow themselves to be subjected to. Trading my legroom for your "We're almost there" emails is one of them. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Chuck Thompson.    |
| 10 meals every visitor to Cambodia should try Posted: 09 Sep 2013 02:54 PM PDT Khmer cuisine has long been overshadowed by its Thai and Vietnamese cousins. But times (and menus) change  Squished between culinary heavyweights Thailand and Vietnam, Cambodia is often overlooked when it comes to food. But once you've sampled Khmer cuisine, you won't turn back. Here are 10 dishes to start you off. Bai sach chrouk: Pork and rice
Thinly sliced pork is slow grilled over warm coals to bring out its natural sweetness. Sometimes the pork will be marinated in coconut milk or garlic -- no two bai sach chrouks are ever exactly the same. The grilled pork is served over a hearty portion of broken rice, with a helping of freshly pickled cucumbers and daikon radish with plenty of ginger. On the side, you'll often be given a bowl of chicken broth topped with scallions and fried onions. More on CNN: 12 stylish boutique hotels in Cambodia Fish amok
The addition of slok ngor, a local herb that imparts a subtly bitter flavor, separates the Cambodian version from the pack. Fish amok is a fish mousse with fresh coconut milk and kroeung, a type of Khmer curry paste made from lemongrass, turmeric root, garlic, shallots, galangal and fingerroot, or Chinese ginger. At upscale restaurants fish amok is steamed in a banana leaf, while more local places serve a boiled version that is more like a soupy fish curry than a mousse. Khmer red curry
The dish features beef, chicken or fish, eggplant, green beans, potatoes, fresh coconut milk, lemongrass and kroeung. This delicious dish is usually served at special occasions in Cambodia such as weddings, family gatherings and religious holidays like Pchum Ben, or Ancestor's Day, where Cambodians make the dish to share with monks in honor of the departed. Khmer red curry is usually served with bread -- a remnant of the French influence on Cambodia. Also on CNN: 10-step guide to Siem Reap Lap Khmer: Lime-marinated Khmer beef salad
Khmer beef salad features thinly sliced beef that is either quickly seared or "cooked" ceviche-style by marinating with lime juice. Dressed with lemongrass, shallots, garlic, fish sauce, Asian basil, mint, green beans and green pepper, the sweet and salty dish also packs a punch in the heul (spicy) department with copious amounts of fresh red chilis. A refreshing dish that is more beef than salad, lap Khmer is popular with Cambodian men, who prefer the beef to be nearly raw -- but at restaurants it's generally served grilled.
Nom banh chok: Khmer noodles
Nom banh chok is a typical breakfast food, and you'll find it sold in the mornings by women carrying it on baskets hanging from a pole balanced on their shoulders. The dish consists of noodles laboriously pounded out of rice, topped with a fish-based green curry gravy made from lemongrass, turmeric root and kaffir lime. Fresh mint leaves, bean sprouts, green beans, banana flower, cucumbers and other greens are heaped on top. There is also a red curry version that's usually reserved for ceremonial occasions and wedding festivities. More on CNN: 5 best Cambodian beaches Kdam chaa: fried crab
Aromatic Kampot pepper is famous among gourmands worldwide, and although it is available in its dried form internationally, you'll only be able to sample the distinctively flavored immature green peppercorns in Cambodia. It's worth a visit to Kep and Kampot for that alone, but Phnom Penh restaurants bring live crabs in from the coast to make their own version of this delicious dish, which includes both Kampot pepper and flavorful garlic chives. Red tree ants with beef and holy basil
You'll find all sorts of insects on the menu in Cambodia. Tarantulas included. But the dish most appealing to foreign palates is stir-fried red tree ants with beef and holy basil. Ants of various sizes, some barely visible and others almost an inch long are stir-fried with ginger, lemongrass, garlic, shallots and thinly sliced beef. Lots of chilies complete the aromatic dish, without overpowering the delicate sour flavor that the ants impart to the beef. This meal is served with rice, and if you're lucky you'll also get a portion of ant larvae in your bowl. Try it at: Romdeng, 74 St. 174, Phnom Penh; +855 92 219 565 Ang dtray-meuk: grilled squid
The squid are brushed with either lime juice or fish sauce and then barbecued on wooden skewers and served with a popular Cambodian sauce, originally from Kampot, made from garlic, fresh chilies, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. The summer flavor of the shore can be had even in Phnom Penh, where many restaurants bring seafood from the coast to make similar versions of this dish. More on CNN: Cambodia: No longer a one-temple pony Cha houy teuk -- jelly dessert
Some have sticky rice or sago drenched in coconut milk and topped with taro, red beans, pumpkin and jackfruit. One of the most refreshing is cha houy teuk, a sweet jelly dessert made with agar agar, a gelatin that is derived from seaweed. The jelly can be brightly colored in pinks and greens, making it especially popular with children. Combined with sago, bleached mung beans and coconut cream, cha houy teuk is usually served in a bowl with a scoop of shaved ice. Fried fish on the fire lake
Fried Fish on the Fire Lake is one such dish -- it's traditionally made for parties or eaten at restaurants in a special, fish-shaped dish. A whole fish is deep-fried and then finished on a hotplate at the table in a coconut curry made from yellow kroeung and chilies. Vegetables such as cauliflower and cabbage are cooked in the curry, and served with rice or rice noodles. The literal translation of this dish is trei bung kanh chhet, fish from the lake of kanh chhet, a green Cambodian water vegetable served with this dish. Tags:    |
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