Chocolate With a Bite of Luxury

It wouldn’t be a proper Valentine’s Day withoutchocolate, as chocolatiers all over the world know. In Bandung, two cacaocrafters have been hard at work to create the sweetest, most creative offeringsfor lovers in search of the perfect treat this holiday.

Chocolatier Kiki Gumelar, who sells his Chocodot brand of sweets, came up witha package called TekananBatin Cinta (Love Under Mental Pressure), or TBC, for Valentine’sDay this year. The package includes five fun varieties: coklat gawat darurat (emergencychocolate), coklatanti galau (anti-mellow chocolate), coklat tolak miskin (poor-repellent chocolate), coklat badai tsunami (tsunami wavechocolate) and coklatsesuwatu banged (chocolate for something meaningful).

Australian chefs turning Bali into a global food-lovers' favourite

In The 2½ years since former Sydneysider KathTownsend took on the executive chef role at luxury Ubud resort Maya, she haswitnessed a momentum that shows no signs of slowing.

''This season has been insane … and my first one was a record for Bali, despitethe global financial crisis in Australia,'' Townsend says. ''The high seasonused to start at the end of June; now it starts at the beginning, even in Ubud,and we're supposed to be the village, boutique area.''

Townsend has worked in Vietnam, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and spent severalyears as Bill Granger's right-hand woman at Bills in Darlinghurst.

She says there has been an influx of Australian chefs in Bali. It can feel asif there are more award-winning foreign chefs and restaurateurs there now thanthere are surfers, at least in the busiest areas of Seminyak, Legian and Ubud.

Tourism Ministry Looks to Rendang, Shopping to Boost Tourist Numbers

Two of Indonesia’s most-loveddishes — rendang (meat curry) and nasi goreng (fried rice) — are being toutedas the key to boosting tourism in the country, along with shopping.

According to survey data from the Ministry of Tourism, 51 percent of local andforeign tourists in Indonesia have two main objectives: bargain-hunting andsampling the country’s distinctive cuisine.

“For foreign tourists, the biggest source of spending is in the restaurant,”Marie Elka Pangestu, the newly appointed minister of tourism, said onWednesday. “Meanwhile, for local tourists, the biggest source of spending isshopping. We will focus on and intensify shopping and culinary tourism.”

Asean Plus Culinary Festival at La Piazza

Bringan empty stomach and get ready to take notes, because Thailand’s Tom Yam Kung,the Philippines’ Tagalog steak, Japanese’s Takoyaki and sushi, Indonesian’s KerakTelor and Sate Ponorogo are among the delicious menus available at the ASEANPlus Culinary Festival at La Piazza shopping mall in Kelapa Gading, NorthJakarta.

The event not only features various foods from ASEAN countries, but also otherdelicacies from the bloc’s dialogue partners such as Japan, Pakistan and theEuropean Union.

Visitors can also meet a number of local and foreign chefs showcasing theirskills and sharing their knowledge to spice up the event.

Rendang tops best food list

TheSeptember best food of the world poll from CNNGO now puts Rendang at the topspot. In the July list, Rendang was at the 11th place.

CNNGO says: "And now, after more than 35,000 votes, it appears we gotit all wrong. The world’s most delicious food is not Massaman curry, as wesuggested, but a meaty, spicy, gingery dish from west Sumatra."

"Beef is slowly simmered with coconut milk and a mixture of lemongrass,galangal, garlic, turmeric, ginger and chilies, then left to stew for a fewhours to create this dish of tender, flavorful bovine goodness.
The Indonesian dish is often served at ceremonial occasions and to honoredguests. It's not only delicious but also comes with a simple recipe."

The revised list also has nasi goreng at the second place, and satay at number14

Food-Stall Favorites in Jakarta's Chinatown

Glodok,Jakarta’s Chinatown, is full of surprises. Centered on Jalan Gajah Mada, it isone of Central Jakarta’s busiest commercial districts, bustling with markets,food stalls, restaurants and shopping centers, where you can find anything fromlive insects to pirated DVDs, cheap electronics, herbal medicines and shots ofcobra blood.

Shoppers here know what they want, and they know where to get it in the area’s hotand crowded marketplaces. But even seasoned shoppers in the busy streets ofGlodok need to put their feet up sometime and enjoy a cool drink or a lightsnack to keep them going. 

Rendang Among Top 15 Best Foods in the World

CNNGopublished an article last week that ranks the 50 most delectable eats on theplanet, and one of Indonesia's most popular dishes, rendang, made it onto thelist at number 11.

Unfortunately, neither nasi goreng, sate ayam nor Indomie made the culinaryhall of fame, with rendang being the spice-rich country's only native cuisineto make the cut.

The article, titled “World’s 50 Most Delicious Foods,” did not specify whatsort of criteria it used to compile the list. It only says, “we’ve scoured theplanet for what we think are 50 of the most delicious foods ever created.” Andby delicious, it suggested, “foods worth traveling the world to gorge on.”

The entry on rendang first introduces how to make the dish and what goes intoit, before explaining to the readers what rendang can do to food buffs. 

West Java Highland Tea Tours

Tuckedin the highlands of West Java, away from the endless hustle engulfing Jakarta,tea estates harkening back to the Dutch colonial period have become Indonesia’sanswer to France’s famed vineyards or California’s Napa Valley.

Providing getaway seekers with a chance to savor a different world, these teaestates are drawing city dwellers and foreigners looking for a taste ofsomething out of the ordinary.

“Tea plantation tours offer something different,” said Jimmi Lapotulo, avisitor at the Goalpara Tea Estate in Sukabumi. “The natural beauty, thefragrance of tea leaves, the fresh air breeze — you can’t really find placeslike this anywhere else.”

Controversial Buddha Bar becomes Bistro Boulevard

Across from Cut Meutia Mosque in Menteng stands BistroBoulevard restaurant and lounge with its classic Batavia architecture. Oncecontroversial for going by the name of Buddha Bar, the owners redesigned thevenue and the restaurant concept.

“The previous concept was not successful, but instead of giving up, we decidedto try something new,” said Riyan Mudadalam, a restaurant spokesman.

The interior of the 97-year-old building was transformed from a red, dimly litspace to a bright, white-walled one. The Buddha statutes are gone. The foyer,which also functions as a waiting room and gallery, is filled with sculpturesand large paintings. These items are numbered and prices are available uponrequest.

Batik's Living Heritage on Display in New Show

Batikis more than a mere textile. Its meanings and significance transcend itscolors, motifs and fabrics.

In Java, people traditionally wear certain batik designs to show their socialstature and power, or to communicate their best wishes for the future onimportant occasions such as coronations and weddings. For many people, batik ismore than just an item of clothing — it is intertwined with every aspect oftheir lives.

Batik also fosters relationships among people from different countries andcultural backgrounds. The latest exhibition at the National Gallery,“Indonesian Batik: A Living Heritage,” is evidence of how batik has broughttogether people from many different walks of life and bound them as lifelongfriends.

The exhibition offers an insight into batik’s history, its current developmentsand future possibilities.

More than 80 vintage batik pieces belonging to German and Indonesian collectorsare now on display at the gallery in Central Jakarta.

“Batik is a trademark of Indonesia,” Norbert Baas, Germany’s ambassador toIndonesia, said at the exhibition opening on Wednesday.

“Batik, with its rich colors, motifs and meanings, has always charmed visitorsto Indonesia. I think it has a lot of potential. I see a great future inbatik.” 

American author traces Rimbaud's mysterious Java journey

In1876 French poet Arthur Rimbaud joined the Dutch colonial army, sailed to theIndonesian island of Java and then deserted and fled into the jungle. No oneknows what happened next.

More than 130 years later, an American author followed in the Frenchman'sfootsteps to try and solve the mystery.

"It's like a Sherlock Holmes story," said Jamie James, alluding tothe detective work needed to trace where the enigmatic Rimbaud, who was born in1854 and died just before turning 37, wandered to.

Nearly 200 letters by the tortured poet, who described his process of attainingvisionary insights as "a long, involved and logical derangement of all thesenses," map out all -- or nearly all -- of his travels in Africa and theMiddle East.

Sumbawa honey has become national icon

ForestryMinister Zulkifli Hasan said white honey from Sumbawa island`s forests hasbecome the icon of Indonesian honey because of its exclusive taste and quality.

"Because of its uniqueness, white honey from Sumbawa has become a nationalicon," the minister said when launching Nusantara Honey Week I hereTuesday.

Held for the very first time, the opening of Nusantara Honey Week lasting untilJuly 17 was among other things marked by a honey drinking party participated inby 10,000 people, most of them students.

The manager of the Museum of Indonesian Records MURI) Sri Widayati who alsotook part in the honey drinking party said the event would be listed as a newrecord because of the number of people who participated.

The record established by the honey drinking party surpassed that of a BeePollen eating event organized by beekeepers in Lumbang sub district,Probolinggo district, East Java, on November 29, 2008, in which 1,004 peopletook part.

Zulkifli said all parties must continue publicizing the uniqueness of Sumbawawhite honey that has become the icon of Indonesian honey, so that more and moretourists would visit Sumbawa.

Jakarta Biennale Exhibit Challenges Perceptions

Spectatorsstare at a red, circular statue standing on two stubby legs, with dozens ofhands reaching out from the surface of the sphere, each pointing a revolver. Nodirection is out of the statue’s aim, and as visitors pass by, the red orbseems to be drawing its weapon on them.

The artwork is titled “Total Survival,” a piece by Deni Rahman who said hewanted to criticize the culture of violence in Indonesia. Deni, a mixed mediaYogyakarta-based artist, is one of more than 30 participants in the “Game,Leisure and Gadget Victims” exhibition at Central Park mall in West Jakarta. 

Chinese-Indonesians celebrate once-forbidden roots

Atroupe of lion dancers jerk and sway down a busy Jakarta street to usher in theChinese New Year, moving to the beat of traditional instruments and handing outred envelopes inscribed with good wishes in Chinese characters.

Such a scene would be unthinkable just over a decade ago, when former dictatorSuharto ruled Indonesia with an iron hand and disallowed any expression of theChinese minority's own heritage.

"If you opened a shop with Chinese characters on it, it'd be closeddown," said Adrian Yap, 25.

In 1967, two years after a failed coup by the Indonesian Communist Party,Suharto cracked down on Chinese art, music, literature, language and othercultural expressions.

Miss Tjitjih Keeps Sundanese Theater Alive

Membersof the traditional Sundanese theater troupe Miss Tjitjih still take pride inbeing associated with the group, even if its glory days are in the past.

The troupe has been plagued with financial struggles the past couple of years,which has meant that the members can now only give the rare performance.

Formed in 1928 in Jakarta under the name Opera Valencia, the troupe’s heydaystretched over decades. It used to sell out theaters, with hundreds of peoplesitting rapt for hours as the troupe performed its trademark mix of comedy andhorror. Later the troupe changed its name to Miss Tjitjih, a moniker inspiredby the “prima donna” character of the group.

Saman Dance Officially Recognized by Unesco as World Heritage

UNESCOofficially recognized Aceh’s traditional Saman Dance as an intangible elementof world cultural heritage during a session in Bali on Thursday.

The decision was announced during the sixth session of UNESCO’sIntergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible CulturalHeritage, taking place in Bali from Nov. 22 to 29.

“The UNESCO secretariat, and then NGOs and experts, have checked the documents[on Saman Dance], and we proposed them to the session in Bali this morning,“ Tourismand Creative Economy Ministry spokesman I Gusti Ngurah Putra said in a pressstatement on Thursday.

“And thank God [Saman] was declared as having met the requirements. Saman hasbeen officially included in the list of intangible cultural heritage, whichneeds UNESCO’s urgent protection,” he added, as quoted by Antara.

Indonesia proposed the UNESCO listing of the Saman Dance in March 2010.

Indonesia hosting UNESCO meeting on cultural heritage

Indonesiais hosting the 6th session of the UNESCO Committee for the Safeguarding ofIntangible Cultural Heritage at Nusa Dua, Bali, on Nov 22-29.

Indonesia has been elected by acclamation as chief of the committee and host ofthe meeting by 24 would-be host countries at the committee`s fifth session inNairobi, Kenya, in November 2010, the deputy for cultural affairs to theeducation and culture minister, Wiendu Nuryanti, said in a press conferencehere on Tuesday.

"Indonesia sees intangible cultural heritage as a strategic issue andIndonesia itself has a wide range of cultural heritage," she said.

Indonesian Music Via Bali to the World

IndonesianMusic Expo 2011(IMEX) to be held on the Peninsula at Nusa Dua, Bali November7-14, 2011

(11/6/2011) The originator of the idea for the Indonesia Music Expo 2011(Imex), Franki Raden, told a press conference in Bali on Friday, November 4,2011, that Imex is intended to serve as an inspiration for traditionalmusicians to help them express themselves in the challenging internationalmusic market.

“At this point in time, Indonesian music, especially traditional ethnic music,is known internationally, but few from this sector have managed to penetratethe international market,” explained Raden. Raden is proud that his countryIndonesia has a rich variety of music and cultures, with each area of Indonesiapossesing a distinctive style of music.

“The richness of Indonesian music, from Sabang to Merauke, if counted for itsvarieties is equal to Africa, Latin America and Europe. For this reason, Imexwants to give the widest opportunity to our musical heroes to win the hearts ofthe international music buyers,” said Raden.

Franki Raden is a nationally known music critic. He is also planning to publisha guide to Indonesian music for international distribution.

Solo keroncong Festival 2011

Thousandsof spectators crowded the Solo Keroncong Festival 2011 in Ngarsopuro, right infront of the Triwindu Market in Solo.
They were mesmerized as Endah Laras, a traditional singer from Solo, presented“Gemes” (Carried away), a song in the langgam or Javanese-style of keroncong,which is long known as Portuguese-tinged Indonesian music.

The song, written by Anjar Any and popularized in the 1970s by keroncongmaestro Waldjinah, was jovially and temptingly sung by Endah that evening,testimony to the fact that keroncong is not always slow and soothing music.

Endah was not alone in adding color to keroncong during the festival. Earlier,the Zakaria Keroncong Orchestra offered a humorous piece entitled “Pakne Thole”(Boy’s dad). Presented in a duet, the old Javanese song triggered roars oflaughter after being modified into an intensely expressive and almosttheatrical composition for the stage, leading to calls to repeat theperformance.

On the first day of the festival, Congrock from Semarang appeared with a blendof keroncong and rock music to suit the taste of the youth in the audience,making the show more attractive and less monotonous, while stirring the crowdsto dancing and shouting. The notion that keroncong is for retirees was alsodispelled as “Rumah Kita” (Our house), a song from the rock band Godbless,spurred people to sing along in the keroncong style and wave like rock musicfans do at concerts.

“Through such music, we’re trying to offer and introduce keroncong to theyounger generation. Keroncong will survive unless it’s monotonous, so thereshould be [new] creations. We can’t force today’s youth to enjoy keroncong inthe style of olden times,” said Marco Manardi, Congrock’s leader.

Indonesia poised to become global home of batik

Batiklovers must not miss this upcoming event - a World Batik Summit to be held atthe Jakarta Convention Center, from September 28 to October 2, 2011.

To be organized by the Indonesian Batik Foundation (YBI) in cooperation withthe government, the Batik Summit will consist of two main events: the WorldBatik Exhibition (WBE) and the World Batik Conference (WBC).

The World Batik Summit (WBS) themed "Indonesia: Global Home of Batik"will be officially opened by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, according toOrganizing Committee Chairwoman of the World Batik Exhibition Murniati Widodoin Jakarta on Friday (Sept. 23).

The biennial World Batik Exhibition will have three themes, namely:"Multi-Partnership: Bringing Batik To The World", "Batik`sContribution to the Creative Economy", and "Batik as a CulturalHeritage: Conservation and Modernization".

"Up to now, 641 people from a number of countries have already registeredfor participation in the summit. It is double the figure last year,"Murniati said, adding that the number of participants might reach over 700.

The WBE is designed to become a promotion forum for batik producers,practitioners, craftsmen, and businessmen.

The organizing committee of the World Batik Summit (WBS) hopes to record Rp22billion worth of transactions during the five-day event.

"We hope to achieve an increase in the value of transactions compared totwo years ago when the figure was Rp18 billion,"