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- Britain's most beautiful views -- no, not just the postcard shots
- Major culinary breakthrough! A dinner made entirely of desserts
- Would you choose an airline based on its menu?
- CNN Parts Unknown Challenge: Hong Kong
| Britain's most beautiful views -- no, not just the postcard shots Posted: 04 Sep 2013 12:00 AM PDT The UK's loveliest bits on display from top to bottom Britain may be a teeny country, but what it lacks in size it's long made up for in imperial ambitions and spectacular views, natural or otherwise. The imperial ambition has waned a little in recent decades, but the ample beauty remains. Yet most of the British population, stuck in cities, take the stunning vistas on offer throughout the country for granted. Tourists, too, often make do with standard fare. Yes, the views of Buckingham Palace from the Mall, or of Center Court from a seat at Wimbledon, are worth taking in. But dig around and you'll find rarer visual jewels. The only risk of gobbling down the jumble of British views in the gallery above? You might actually have to go and see more of them in the flesh. London EyeIt may be obvious that a list of British views needs a central London vantage point. But London's so big, so stuffed with historical monuments, you're spoiled for perspectives. The newly opened Shard (now Europe's tallest building), with its viewing platform, and the Gherkin (formally known as 30 St. Mary Axe), with its elite top-floor restaurant, have a certain obvious perpendicular appeal, but only the London Eye offers a double whammy. From it, you can view a Waterloo sunset over the higgledy-piggledy old city and a 360-degree view of London at the same time. More: 13 scary-but-awesome viewing platforms Mwnt, Wales
Stay long enough and you may spot dolphins or seals, but the view from the clifftop as you descend to the sands is reward enough after a country drive or cycle -- and certainly makes up for that tongue-twisting absence of vowels. More information at VisitCardigan.com. Stonehenge, WiltshireThis ancient monument may be on every tourist's "to-see" list, but, given the site's tricky positioning and crowded visitor facilities, many will only see it as they slow down on the A303 on their way to Bath or Salisbury. Do that and you're missing out. Stonehenge is such a mysterious artifact you want to get as close as possible to try to guess at how the stones got there and why. Normally, the closest you'll get is 10 meters, from behind a low barrier. But plan ahead and you can book a small-group Stone Circle Access visit at the magical hours of dawn or dusk. Margate's sunsets, KentThe British artist JMW Turner had a pretty good eye for skyscapes, so his assertion that the "skies over Thanet are the loveliest in all Europe" sounds like one worth testing Fortunately there's now an appropriately named gallery in Margate, a seaside town within Turner's recommended locale, from which you can enjoy this view. Looking west from Turner Contemporary as the sun falls into the sea you're likely to witness a scene every bit as stunning as the great painter's works. Holkham Bay, NorfolkEmerging from the wooded paths on your way to the sea at this lonely Norfolk spot, you're greeted with a breathtaking panorama, where sky, beach and sea seem to go on forever. Looking into the distance you see the sand being blown low across the beach, creating floating apparitions from the dog walkers and beachcombers. It's a predictably mystic apparition that makes you understand why poets have gone all mushy about Britain over the centuries. Hadrian's Wall, northern England
The view from the Cawfields section of the wall near the Northumberland town of Halfwhistle is one of the most spectacular -- but walk a whole length of the fortification and you'll find a selection of vantage points that show why the Romans wanted to prevent those rebellious northerners from getting their hands (back) on this green and pleasant land. OK, it probably wasn't very pleasant back then, but it must have looked lovely. More information at Visithadrianswall.co.uk. Isle of Skye, ScotlandScotland's highlands and islands contain some of Britain's most dramatic geography -- and with it comes remarkable scenery that may prove more memorable than the golf and whisky trail. The Isle of Skye has particularly good Northern Lights watching and remains one of Britain's least polluted and least cluttered places that's still easy enough to get to. More information at Skye.co.uk. Blackpool's piers, LancashireThe seaside pier is a great British institution, replete with the clank of penny arcades, the clanging of funfair rides and the Proustian scents of candy floss. Blackpool has long been a favorite of the British working classes, but it barely gets a look in from overseas visitors. That's a shame, especially given the sweeping, one-day-son-all-this-will-be-yours views of its Las Vegas-meets-Coney Island charms available from Britain's own Tour Eiffel, the Blackpool Tower. More information at Visitblackpool.com. Giant's Causeway, Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland's prime visitor attraction is such a striking geographical feature it'll virtually fill your camera's memory by itself. The basalt columns were formed by a giant who wanted to fight a neighboring ogre ... or simply by cooling lava. You decide. More information at Nationaltrust.org.uk. Cuckmere Haven, Sussex
The Cuckmere River snakes across the flood plain, where its meandering has formed oxbow lakes shaped like furled ribbons. Its natural beauty cropped up in "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" and features in the artwork of the local painter Eric Ravilious. More information at Nationaltrust.org.uk. View from the ThamesBeing up high in London gives you a superb view of the city and its sprawl, but that aspect is perfectly counter-pointed by the view from the Thames itself. Traveling up the Thames on a River Bus or one of the speedy rib cruises you get a unique view of the city and its historic roots. You won't find a finer view of Parliament. Ribblehead Viaduct, North YorkshireIndustrial beauty may be an acquired taste, but this graceful manmade structure certainly adds something to the rural landscape. The 19th-century bridge, built entirely from limestone bricks, also exemplifies the British engineering genius for which Britain was celebrated around the world -- when the country still made things. The wonder of the viaduct is that you can enjoy the view of it as well as the view from it, as the Settle-Carlisle train service runs across the structure. The train route itself offers some of the best views of Britain that you can enjoy on the go. More information at Visitcumbria.com. Edinburgh from the castleHefting yourself up to an elevated view can make a visual payoff all the stronger, and that certainly applies with the perspective of Edinburgh from the castle sitting above the city. There's plenty of local architecture to enjoy on the way up, before the "wow" as you see the city set out below you. More information at EdinburghCastle.gov.uk. Buttermere, Lake District
But ramblers -- "hikers" will do for non-Brits -- love it so much partly for its plethora of astounding views. Buttermere Lake is the finest of many walkers' visual rewards. The rain only makes the surrounding hillsides look more painterly and lush. More information at VisitCumbria.com. Chesil Beach, DorsetAnother one for the aspiring geologist or simply the lover of natural beauty. This endless, faintly curving, 20-kilometer stretch of shingle is like a scimitar slice along the Dorset coast. It used to be prized smugglers' territory -- they could tell where they were on the beach by the size of the shingles, apparently -- as well as the setting for "On Chesil Beach," Ian McEwan's novel of bad sex and doomed love. More information at ChesilBeach.org. Iain Aitch is the author of the Britain travel books "We're British, Innit" and "A Fête Worse Than Death."      |
| Major culinary breakthrough! A dinner made entirely of desserts Posted: 03 Sep 2013 10:50 PM PDT Your childhood dream just came true, thanks to Belgium's "godfather of molecular pastry" "No dessert until you finish your dinner." Weary at the thought of choking back the limp pile of broccoli pushed to the side on the plate, many a sugar-mad kid has sighed in defeat upon hearing mom utter those dreaded words, preempting any hopes of gaining early access to the cookie jar. As adults, we don't mind broccoli all that much. But for many, the love of sweets hasn't diminished. That's why chef Roger van Damme of Michelin-starred Het Gebaar in Antwerp, Belgium, is getting a lot of attention for his incredible dinner made entirely of desserts. More: Seoul hotels at war over dessert Often called the "godfather of molecular pastry," the chef showed off his beautifully crafted dishes during an innovative five-course "dessert for dinner" event as part of the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok's annual World Gourmet Festival.
He acknowledges that an entire meal made of dessert might be too sugary for some. And by the end of the Four Seasons dinner, there a few people in the crowd craving something salty. More: 10 best Sydney bakeries But the taste combinations and ingredients, including bergamot, five-spice, gingerbread, pistachio and clove, as well as fresh fruits, tonka and Belgian chocolate, made the meal of desserts less daunting than it sounds. "I try to seduce the diner with the beautiful appearance of the dessert, using different textures and interesting tastes," says Van Damme. "There's a large difference between the levels of sweetness in each dessert -- if they were all very sweet, it would indeed be too much." Check out the above gallery for photos of some of his beautiful dishes. The 14th Four Seasons World Gourmet Festival is taking place in Bangkok from now until Sunday. Highlights include: Chef Vito Mollica of Michelin-starred Il Palagio in Florence, Italy; Chef Paco Perez, Miramar Restaurant, Llançà, Spain; Chef Jérôme Bonnet, Restaurant Daniel, Paris, France; and Chef Hirohisa Koyama, Aoyagi, Tokyo, Japan. More information is available on the official WGF page.    |
| Would you choose an airline based on its menu? Posted: 03 Sep 2013 03:00 PM PDT Many airlines employ or consult top-rated chefs for their business class menus; but do passengers care?  Pan-seared scallops, artichoke sauce with white truffle, crisp polenta and sugar snap peas. If that sounds like the kind of meal you'd get at a Michelin-starred restaurant, you're not wrong. But instead of the soft tones of violins or pianos, the soundtrack to this meal comprises jet engine roars and requests to fasten your seatbelt. They're items from the menu Air France began serving to select business class passengers from February this year. Michel Roth is the latest Michelin-starred chef working with Air France to provide the highest paying passengers with quality cuisine. He follows in the footsteps of fellow Frenchmen Joel Robuchon and Guy Martin.
It's one of the ways airlines are now trying to woo and retain their most valuable passengers. KLM World Business Class has employed top international chef and culinary director at Michelin star Amber restaurant in Hong Kong, Richard Ekkebus. Last year before the London Olympics, British Airways launched an in-flight menu for first and business class created by Heston Blumenthal and Michelin-star chef Simon Hulstone. Customers expect more"Customers are becoming increasingly discerning when it comes to in-flight food, and expect the very best from airlines, particularly full-service carriers like us," says Mark Tazzioli, British Airways menu design manager. In spite of the challenges to designing and preparing elaborate menus for consumption at high altitude, the trend seems here to stay. "Everyone has a strong opinion about airline food," says Ekkebus. "But few people are aware that they encounter a loss of 20% of their five taste buds when eating a meal at over 10,000 feet. "This is the main reason people find food bland and tasteless on planes. These challenges are what makes it so interesting to get involved; to try to find a way to overcome them." He tries to overcomes the issue by working with concentrated flavors, herbs and spices. There are limitations. "All food needs to fit on small plates and needs to be prepared, then properly cooled down to ensure it can be kept until it can be reheated safely," Ekkebus says. It's important to ensure that what you want to achieve is realistic, he adds. "Dishes need to please a broad spectrum of passengers, with cultural, religious, dietary and taste differences." More: Skip the pasta! And other unsavory truths about airplane food
"We challenged Heston (Blumenthal) to come up with the ultimate in-flight dish, the taste of which wouldn't be compromised by cabin pressure, low humidity and high altitude's effects on taste buds," he says. One of Blumenthal's recommendations was to use ingredients high in umami, a savory flavor known as the "fifth taste," which occurs naturally in foods such as seaweed, tomatoes, mackerel and parmesan cheese. There's a chance those in economy class could benefit. "We will partner with chefs on a selective basis where we think this adds value for our customers. This could apply to any class of travel," says Tazzioli. Economy improves tooKLM and Air France are among the growing number of airlines that now provide more up-market options for their economy-class passengers. You can order from an a la carte menu prior to traveling -- at an additional cost of course. "This option has proven to be very popular," Mak says. "We offer a three-course meal including entrée, main and dessert on most intercontinental flights." Ekkebus is in favor of airlines providing more quality dining options in coach. "This could be done by other food professionals, not only by Michelin-starred chefs," he says. "I think every chef has the ability to bring a fresh perspective, to bring innovation to airline menus." Can food be enough to entice business travelers? David Hughes, a frequent corporate traveler, says he can't imagine a situation where he would pick an airline based on the food. "The main choice parameters for me are; safety, schedule, price, comfort and frequent flyer program -- being treated as 'special,'" he says. Hughes does concede that employing celebrity chefs can show the airline is "doing everything it can to treat you special, and we're investing in you by splashing out on chefs who know what they're talking about." Ekkebus says customer feedback indicates they're enjoying the fine dining experience. The response to British Airway's umami menus has also been extremely positive according to Tazzioli. Would you choose an airline based on its menu? Leave a comment.    |
| CNN Parts Unknown Challenge: Hong Kong Posted: 02 Sep 2013 12:51 AM PDT Be Bourdain for a day: Win a trip for two to Tokyo by going on foodie scavenger hunt  Where can you dine in an old prison cell? Where are the smallest wontons in Hong Kong? Anthony Bourdain returns to CNN with the Season 2 premiere of Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown on September 16. To mark the occasion, we've donned the apron with Little Adventures in Hong Kong to serve up a whirlwind scavenger hunt for foodies. The CNN Parts Unknown Challenge will get 12 teams of two racing through the streets of Hong Kong to complete a series of food-related challenges involving five secret ingredients.
Anthony Bourdain will judge one of the challenges remotely and announce the winner on his Twitter feed. The winners will also be announced on the CNN Travel Facebook Page. Conditions:
Watch Season 2 of Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown in Chinese Launching on September 16, Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown Season 2 airs Mondays at 9 a.m., Fridays at 10 p.m. and Sundays at 9 a.m. HKT on CNN International. This season, traditional Chinese subtitling will be available for Hong Kong viewers.    |
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