Chicago Foodways: Palm Sugar - SUNDAY April 15th

Chicago Foodways Roundtable

UN-CANED MELODY

In Southeast Asia, Palm Sap Is Transformed Into a Sugar That Hits Sweet, Smoky, and Bitter Notes

Presented by
Join Robyn Eckhardt and David Hagerman

Sunday, April 15th, 2007
10 AM
Kendall College
900 North Branch Street, Chicago
(West of Halsted Street, North of Chicago Avenue)
Free Parking

Cost: $3 per person, free to Kendall students and faculty with ID.

Palm sugar, a key ingredient in most Southeast Asian cuisines, is little known outside the region. Few fans of the dishes that benefit from palm sugar's low-key sweetness are aware of the laborious process that turns palm sap into gold; fewer still know that this sweetener's flavor profile can vary widely as a result of sap origin, production process, and attention to detail on the part of the producer.

Join Robyn Eckhardt and David Hagerman as they take us from a town in southern Malaysia, where a retired imam cooks up golden gula Melaka (Malaysian palm sugar) delicious enough to be enjoyed on its own, to a village in Northern Sumatra where a second-generation maker produces dark and smoky gula aren (sugar from the aren palm). Along the way we'll find out where this truly artisinal product comes from, how it's made, and how it's used in the region's cuisines. We'll also learn how economic realities in some parts of the southeast Asia may result in the eventual demise of asli ('pure' – that is, undiluted with cane sugar) palm sugar. We'll taste some sweet and savory dishes that highlight the sugar and – border control willing – indulge in a 'tasting' of palm sugars that Robyn and David have collected on their travels.

Robyn Eckhardt, a freelance food writer, and David Hagerman, a photographer, have been living and eating in Asia (China, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia) for over eleven years. Based in Kuala Lumpur , they publish the website EatingAsia (http://eatingasia.typepad.com). Their work (words and photos) appears monthly in Malaysian magazine KLue, for which Robyn writes a column on Malaysian culinary culture, and has been featured in Olive magazine (UK) and the Chicago Tribune's 'Good Eating' Section. They are currently working on, among other projects, a book on Southeast Asian markets.

This program is hosted by the Chicago Foodways Roundtable. To reserve, please PM Cathy2, then leave your name, telephone number and the number of people in your party or e-mail to: chicago.foodways.roundtable@gmail.com

Count me in! I've been thinking about making simple syrup with palm sugar and experimenting with some cocktails...

I will be attending as well and most likely bringing my foodie friends with.

The palm sugar tasting should be great. I hope though that they are recent crops - as the taste does deteriorate. I tend to store mine in the freezer. In Bengal in Winter, the first crop from the palm trees yields an incomparable palm sugar that is used mostly to sweeten (dairy-based) confection. This first crop or 'new' crop is called notun gur (notun, pronounced no-toon = new; gur, pronounced goor(d) = jaggery). This is, to my knowledge, unavailable outside the region even in India. Note that in India jaggery is of both palm and cane varieties.
Incidentally, palm syrup is available in the Chicago area. This is boiled down to 'make' palm sugar (just as maple syrup would yield maple cream).



(crrush, I wouldn't recommend the palm syrup pictured above for cocktails - it has a bit of a metallic aftertaste)

It is also very interesting to taste (multiple) palm (from Thai grocer as well) and cane sugars (piloncillo, jaggery) side by side. Some S. American ones are pretty nice (and sold as 'candy').



Wish I could be there.

I'll be there too.

HI,

Wanna and her husband, who own Spoon Thai and Silver Spoon, will be presenting briefly at this program.

If you intend to come, then please let me know. There will be some portioned items, which need a rough count.

Regards,

HI,

The palm sugar samples did pass through the border without any hitches. This is a rare opportunity to try palm sugars straight from the producers. There will be a powerpoint presentation of the various processes documented by our presenters.

Yes, I know it is Sunday morning. I expect the program's content will make it a worthwhile effort to get up and out early.

Regards,

Looking forward to the event.

FYI - Robyn Eckhardt has posted on Chowhound as well as a few times on the board using often the screen name FoodFirst. She corresponded with the Chicago community on her experiences living in Thailand, Vietnam and presently Kuala Lumpur.

While she was living in Thailand some years ago was when the first Thai-language menu was identified by RST at Spoon Thai. Gary a few days later obtained a photocopy, Zim scanned it to forward to FoodFirst who translated it with her Thai language teacher.



There are more pages here

While these are not as elegant as Erik M's translated menus, it opened the door to Thai cuisine.

We are very fortunate in this community to have people like FoodFirst and Erik M as valued resources. It is quite impressive Erik M teaching himself Thai specifically to access these Thai menus, which otherwise be unattainable.

Hope you will take advantage to meet Robyn on Sunday who has a role in the history of this community.

Regards,

C2, I'm hoping spontaneity will be honored, and that I can just show up without advance notice (Kendall usually provides a big room, so I'm guessing there will be seats). Just not sure how my Sunday is going to play out...

Hi,

Spontaneous decisions are honored. Hope you or anyone else can make it.

Regards,