Expers' Viewpoints: Mastering Your Root Cuisine: The First Step toward A Successful Fusion of Flavors (2/2)

Regarding the Healthy side of Asian ingredients, soy sauce is made of soy bean; fish sauce is made of different seafood. They replace the salt and also bring the flavor to the dish. Soy bean oil is very reasonable priced and very nutrition. Tofu is made from Soy bean. Thoughts on the Fusion Movement I think to combine the Asian ingredients with European flavor; you have to start with your own roots. You have to master your own cuisine. Then use your roots as the basic and expand to other cuisines, ingredients and techniques. If you don’t master one cuisine then you will experience “fusion confusion.” California is the frontier of California cui-sine. It has been influenced by a lot of immigrants from all the Asian countries and South American. Californian weather is the best for fresh vegetables, greens, and herbs all year around. This tread is fresh, simple and wonderfully flavored. I definitely believe the Asian influence will be strong for the next ten years. Pairing Beverages with Asian Cuisine The tropical fruit drinks with or without spirit, such as fresh coconut drinks, Exotic herbs such lemongrass, kaffir lime flavor in the vodka, Green teas, Asian beers from different Asian countries are perfect to pair with various Asian foods. Chinese are starting to produce both decent white and red wine now. There are quite a few wineries in the Northern regions. * Rux Martin, Editor, Houghton Mifflin Publishing, Inc.