Finally Spring has arrived and the has sun started wearing its best clothes, relieving our lives with light and warmth. We will soon get thirsty ! In some situation there’s nothing better than a classic lemon tea, an asian one is even better because Aisa is where the glorious history of tea comes from.

iTQi has selected one for you. It’s called KJ Honey Citron Tea. “It is the first citron product in the world developed by Kookje Food to commercialize the Korean traditional citron tea as an international drink. It added honey into the citron of Goheung Mt. and Geojae Island. It is free from artificial flavoring, color and preservatives.”
“It is currently sold as a P/B product in E-Mart, the largest wholesale store in Korea. So its sanitation is strictly managed by E-Mart.”

This very good tasting tea made a really good impression to our sommeliers last year and the product has been awarded by iTQi with two stars.

Link

http://kl.gfair.or.kr/exhibition/exhibitorView.jsp?exhibitor_id=0007

Bernard Vaussion - Chef of the Elysee Palace

Allons enfants de la Patrieeee. Bernard Vaussion est arrivé! So, the Elysee Palace goes to iTQi, the temple of taste. Hired as a clerk a few months before the death of George Pompidou, 1974, the current Chef of the Elysee in almost 40 years of service fed the cream of the world : kings, queens, prime ministers and Nobel Prizes.

But this is not all. This year France will contribute to the iTQi mission with a monumental representation. Institutions will be represented also by Chef Jean Sabine (Quai d’Orsay) and it would not be really France without its most famous symbol the Tour Eiffel and the Chef of its restaurant, Alain Rex.

These are just three of the sixty Chefs that joined the iTQi’s jury this year. Twelve associations, representing nine european countries. The real stars of the cooking art were present, and some from the TV too, like the BBC Chef Alan Coxon and Alessandro Circiello best Solidus Chef in 2010 and currently working for the Rai Television.

Links

http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/politique/les-cuisines-de-l-elysee-calmes-plats_551741.html

http://www.alainreix.com/

http://www.alancoxon.com/

http://www.alessandrocirciello.com/

What do you really know about your water tap filter ? This common and little object is costantly present in most of our lives and it filters water, the most important element for human body. Are you sure that yours works properly ?

Take a look at this post on ca-medicalnews.com and find out what is or is not suppossed to be in water.

The truth is that there are many mineral water benefits that you can enjoy. Water is supposed to have minerals in it – it is just not supposed to contain dangerous chemicals. There are a variety of minerals that should be in your water so you can get the most health benefits from that water. The danger today is that people often choose filters for their tap water that takes out everything, even the helpful minerals in the water. However, with the water purification systems with minerals that are available, you can eliminate the contaminants in water without stripping it of important minerals. What exactly are the mineral water benefits for your health? There are actually many. Here are just a few to consider.

[read more]

Mr. Pierre Vicini (Gilde des someliers de Belgique| Belgische sommeliersgilde) tasting one of the 500 drinks tested during the first drink session of the Superior Taste Award 2012

The first exciting session of tests has gone. Each of us has learn something, for those that weren’t there, no panic !

From the website scotchwhisky.com here you go with a very interesting and useful post about how to taste whisky.

Cheers everybody and drink responsibly.

Tasting whisky – 1.Introduction to Tasting, The Senses.

The Nose
Whisky tasting is done principally with the nose – a far more acute organ than the tongue, although the two interrelate as the sample is swallowed.

While there are only four primary tastes, there are 32 primary smells. These are aromatic volatiles, which are detected by a small fleshy bulb called the Olfactory Epithelium, located at the back of our noses and having a direct link to the brain…[read more]

New Belgian packagings for the three Maaslander awarded cheeses from the Westland Kaasspecialiteiten BV Company of The Netherlands .  Good show !

Old Amsterdam cheese, produced by Westland Kaasspecialiteiten BV (The Netherlands), won for the third year in a row the Superior Taste Award.   This means the quality of this cheese is of  constant outstanding  level despite the tasting of different palates each year.   This means also they they deserved a Crystal Award, which crowns only products having received 3 Golden Stars (the highest score) during 3 consecutive years.

Just before Christmas, most of the Belgian newspapers announced chaos and problems to come because of a general strike.  But if you look well at the right of the front pages, you could see a very good suggestion to forget your worries and to see the good side of life, with a Tongerlo Prior. It gives you an even better feeling when you know that it won 3 golden Stars Superior Taste Awards in 2010 and 2011.

Every cloud has a silver lining, and in Belgium it is called beer!

Highest distinction received with the Crystal Award 2011

It’s sensational! The Crystal Award is being given to those who have received the Superior Taste Award three times in consecutive years. The Zoller-Hof team under the leadership of brewer Peter Hamberger achieved three years in a row the highest distinction with the Zoller-Hof Hefe-Weizen (Wheat beer) and hence received this outstanding and coveted award. Worldwide the Crystal Award was only given to three breweries so far and Zoller-Hof is the only brewery who received this award for their Hefe Weizen.

The leadership team is very proud of this achievement and will continue to produce with 100% regionally sourced raw materials, gentle brewing methods, high quality standards and ecologically energy.

The Crystal Award is being given by the Brussels based International Taste and Quality Institute (iTQi) and the jury consists of independent European chefs and sommeliers who test and honor the tastiest food and drinks articles submitted by manufacturers.

A very representative product of Matsuzawa Group, “Ringo Otome”, has been awarded with a three stars Superior Taste Award for the third time in three years. Which means, Crystal Taste Award ! See below their proud promotional.

マツザワグループ代表商品である 『りんご乙女』 が、
2011年度iTQi国際優秀味覚コンテストで最高位の 「三ツ星」 を受賞いたしました。

2009/2010年度の最高位 「三ツ星」 受賞に引き続き、
３年連続での 「三ツ星」 受賞となり
３年連続三ツ星受賞製品のみに与えられる『クリスタル味覚賞』を
受賞することとなりました。