Planning on a holiday cocktail party? We’ve got Chris Johnson’s Asian Egg Nog and Simpson Wong’s Wild Salmon Tataki and Pichet Ong's Special Holiday Cookies to give you some ideas. This season is one of the busiest for our celebrity chefs. In this issue, they share their holiday pastimes with us.

This month, we introduce you to Chef Peng S. Looi who brings his cooking experience and expertise from Kentucky. Looi shares his most popular holiday recipe, Cocoa Rubbed Lamb.
We congratulate Dévi for being the only Indian-inspired restaurant to win the well-acclaimed Michelin star. We also give our best wishes to Chef Takashi Yagihashi on opening a Noodle joint in Chicago. And don’t forget to check our photo gallery for photos from our book signings and cooking demos in November!

It’s still not too late to purchase New Asian Cuisine for friends and family. For quick orders, call 1-800-431-1579 or go to www.newasiancuisine.com to order online.

Wendy Chan & Grace Niwa
Producers & Co-Authors
New Asian Cuisine

With his roots in civil engineering, Chef Peng S. Looi cleverly designs works of “Edible Art” for his clientele in Kentucky. In addition to running the famous August Moon Chinese Bistro and the upscale Asiatique, you will find Looi busy preparing his gourmet line of sauces and extending his hand for charities to help the community.

"My educational background and hobby in photography have indeed aided my thoughts when it comes to presentation. 3-D effects from engineering and color composition are key components when I start to design a dish.” - Looi

Click here for his full interview

What are the top 5 Malaysian ingredients to have in your pantry to make Malaysian food?
"Lemongrass, coconut milk, dried chili, galangal and of course belacan, the famous
shrimp paste." - Chef Peng S. Looi

Chris Johnson, Bao 111, New York, NY

"I will be in Argentina this year for my first ever non-cold winter and xmas! Traditionally, we have leg of lamb, mulled wine, apple cider, and champange punches on Christmas day. It is the season for parties so punches abound. I love a good warming cocktail in front of a fire as well."

David Myers, Sona, Los Angeles, CA

"For the holiday season, we will have a special menu at the restaurant indicative of the winter season. We will utilize ingredients that drive the holiday feeling. I serve whole roasted duck or goose, with chestnuts, apples, and onions with glazes. I will cook at home and eat foods like whole baked tarts, and drink hot toddies; essentially wholesome
country foods."

Ming Tsai, Blue Ginger, Wellesley, MA

"I am spending time with family and friends – and cooking and eating lots of food. I love a good prime rib or rack of lamb – a dish like that just seems so festive to me. It’s grand, it feeds a lot of people (always a good thing when you have a table of hungry friends & family in front of you), and it’s easy to make."

Peng S. Looi, Asiatique, Louisville, KY

"Holiday season is normally a busy season for those in the food service industry and I will be busy working. However, I will spend time with my wife and 14 month old daughter and make my favorite Prawn noodles for Christmas dinner."

Simpson Wong, Jefferson Grill, New York, NY

"For Christmas, I tend to serve non traditional food like roasted whole fish, lobster, pastas and a lot of sides, mostly vegetables. This year, I will be spending Christmas in Brazil."

Used as food and medicine by Asians as well as by many other cultures, garlic is considered to be one of the most important and effective medicinal herbs. It is believed to prevent many health conditions including atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, flu, colds, and gastrointestinal and cardiovascular problems. Studies say garlic can kill many types of bacteria, viruses and fungal infections. While buying, choose heads that are firm to touch. You can store unpeeled garlic in an open container in a cool, dry place away from other foods. Store peeled cloves in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

A part of the citrus family, Buddha’s hand gets its name from its resemblance to a hand with long fingers. These fingers are cut off, sliced, and then peeled for cooking. Buddha’s hand is either acidic or sweet and is used for marmalades, or as a replacement for lemon zest in salad dressings, fish and rice dishes. Its aromatic thick peel is used to flavor lemon liqueurs and specialty vodkas. The fruit is also candied as a dessert. Apart from its lemon- like taste, it is also esteemed for its aroma, and is especially used by the Chinese and Japanese as a natural air freshener. Many also present the fruit as a religious offering and use them at New Year's for good fortune. When ripe, the fruit keeps for around two weeks at normal room temperature.

Check our photo gallery from our New Asian Cuisine’s Book Signings and Cooking Demos.

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New Asian Cuisine Celebrity Chef Takashi Yagihashi is launching a noodle joint at Macy’s in Chicago. Yagihashi said, he wanted to bring Japanese street food to Chicago in the form of ramen noodles with braised pork and baby spinach in addition to spring rolls and potstickers. Yagihashi left Tribute restaurant in 2004 for Okada restaurant at the Wynn Las Vegas and is now returning to Chicago.

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Roy’s San Francisco celebrated its 6th anniversary at the ACA Annual Gala on Sunday, November 19th. The gala included a private sit-down dinner with a five-course meal prepared exclusively by Chefs Roy Yamaguchi and Ty Mahler, a food and wine tasting reception and live ethnic dance performances. Top chefs such as Larry Chu, Chris Yeo and Arnold Eric Wong featured signature dishes at the tasting reception.

Dévi has been awarded a Michelin star in the Michelin Guide New York City 2007. This is the second edition of the New York restaurant and hotel guide published by Michelin, which includes Dévi as the only Indian-inspired restaurant with a Michelin star rating.

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The Nibble picks New Asian Cuisine’s Mango Cheesecake recipe by Dévi as their favorite selection, and adds New Asian Cuisine to their favorite links

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Chef Taweewat Hurapan and his son Dejthana “Danny” Hurapan have opened Hurapan Kitchen, a new Thai-focused Asian restaurant in the West Village (29 Seventh Avenue South, bet. Bedford & Morton Sts.). Hurapan Kitchen offers the warmth and pricing of a neighborhood restaurant as well as the sleek styling of its posh peers.

Chef David Myers from Sona and Robert Gadsby from Noe will participate in the fourth season of the classic Food Network series “Iron Chef”. The series is set to air in February 2007. Myers and Gadsby will go head to head against Iron Chefs Mario Batali, Bobby Flay, Masaharu Morimoto and Cat Cora.