Chopsticks Company Ltd. - News http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/ en Fri, 09 Aug 2019 15:38:35 +0300 Chopsticks Company Ltd. 大呷麵本家各區零售點 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/83 大呷麵本家 --- 各區零售點:     香港區     City'super 香港中環國際金融中心商場一樓1041-1049舖 2234 7128 Organic plus 有機站 香港中環堅道79號地下 2530 1128 Green Common 香港中環德輔道中173號Nan Fung Place 1樓1號舖 2110 1711 Green Common 香港中環遮打道18號置地歷山B/F, B2舖 3582 4463 Organic Plus 有機站 香港太古城燕宮閣平台P403店  2833 6298 Organic plus 有機站 香港北角英皇道255號國都廣場地下10B舖 2887 6787 Organic plus 有機站 香港西營盤皇后大道西233號地下 2548 2382 摯誠市集 香港西營盤第三街88號 The Nova 星鑽 G/F 9269 1239 Organic plus 有機站 香港西灣河鯉景灣太安街25號GD06舖 2833 6238 Organic plus 有機站 香港跑馬地奕蔭街18號A舖 2755 1880 Meat Master 香港跑馬地景光街7-9 號景祥大廈地下 2574 6958 City'super 香港銅鑼灣時代廣場B1地庫 2506 2888 天然坊 香港灣仔皇后大道中258號灣仔街市S8鋪 6255 5848 Green Common 香港灣仔皇后大道東202號QRE Plaza 2樓 1&2 號舖 3586 1968 喜居生活 香港灣仔軒尼詩道302-308號集成中心 UG/F, Shop UG 6 6730 0643 囝仔蔬果雜貨店 香港鰂魚涌道38號鰂魚涌市政大廈2樓108號至109號舖 5226 5660 九龍區     City'super 九龍尖沙咀海港城港威商場三階3001號舖 2375 8222 Green Common 九龍尖沙咀廣東道17號海港城海運大廈地下OT G61號舖 3102 1220 Green Common 九龍旺角奶路臣街17號The Forest 1樓110號舖 2110 0194 Organic We 綠色生活百貨 九龍旺角西洋菜南街5-19號好望角大廈1601室 3791 2666 新界區     天然坊 新界大埔鄉事會街8號大埔綜合大樓大埔墟街市1樓W22舖 6255 5848 綠匯學苑 新界大埔運頭角里11號 2996 2800 Farmfresh330大圍店 新界大圍馬鐵站大堂20-21號舖 2698 9555 Organic plus 有機站 新界元朗朗日路8號形點II A253A號舖 2443 0020 生活書社 新界元朗鳳攸北街5-7號順豐大廈39號地鋪 6937 1318 沙田第一城有機店 新界沙田第一城銀城街 2 號置富第一城樂薈地下94 號店  2683 1333 City'super 新界沙田新城市廣場一期二樓204-214舖 2603 3488 馬寶寶社區農場農墟 新界粉嶺馬屎埔村 9761 6123 如庫豐生 新界荃灣德士古道62-70號寶業工業大廈B座501室 3618 4532 Organic plus 有機站 新界將軍澳重華路8號東港城256號舖 2887 6808 Green Common 新界將軍澳唐德街9號將軍澳中心G05號舖 2110 0158 Market Place 於部份Market Place門市有售   網上商店     Ztore 士多 https://www.ztore.com/tc/  

 

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Fri, 09 Aug 2019 15:38:35 +0300 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/83
樸實工作室 給全家人的安心零食 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/78

 

樸實工作室
給全家人的安心零食

 

產品介紹及訂購

 

- 用百年古法麥芽取代水貽

- 以葛鬱金取代精製澱粉

- 選用無毒欉熟成蔬果

- 不使用人工合成添加物

- 使用環保或再生材質包裝


從原料到製程的每一個環節都努力提升品質,也才能真正更進一步幫助農民與土地。

 

百年古法麥芽

傳統的麥芽糖,在中醫上認為性溫味甘,可用作養顏、補脾益氣、潤肺止咳、緩急止痛、滋潤內臟、開胃除煩、通便秘等。古早的製作方法,小麥須先發芽7天後榨汁,然後將小麥汁與蒸熟的糯米混合加熱4小時,最後濾除糯米渣並加熱濃縮,即可得到古早麥芽糖。這種方法主要是利用小麥發芽的過程中會產生澱粉分解酵素,將大分子的澱粉分解成分子較小的雙醣,同時也使甜度降低至蔗糖的約40%。

麥芽糖補脾胃及潤肺。

樸實所採用的麥芽是來自新莊老街翁裕美商行百年麥芽廠的頂級產品,也是枇杷膏及部分中藥糖漿的原料之一。他們以德國小麥苗依循古法所製作的麥芽糖, 已經成為新莊地區重要的文化產業。

 


手工葛鬱金粉

棗泥糕中添加澱粉,主要的目的是要幫助成形。一般糕餅業為了節省成本,使用的是精製太白粉,裡面混合了多種精製澱粉 。


樸實採用的是小農栽種並以手工製作的葛鬱金粉(竹芋粉)。 葛鬱金含有豐富營養素,是古早的保健食品,會拿來泡煮給感冒、聲音沙啞、拉肚子的人吃。尤其它的澱粉較易消化,也用做幼兒及病患補充營養的食品。早年葛鬱金被拿來當作澱粉的原料,經過打漿、水洗、沉澱、曝曬等程序而製成,製程繁瑣、天然珍貴。

 

 

純棗泥

一般糕餅業所使用的棗泥,會摻有豆沙及蔗糖,甚至還會添加人工香料以降低成本。樸實堅持採用以優質黑棗所製成的純棗泥,不添加其他成分,一點酸、一點甜、一點棗的香氣,還原棗的原味。

 

 

產品介紹及訂購

 

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Thu, 25 Aug 2016 11:04:29 +0300 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/78
戶外護理,防蚊防蠓! 戶外活動必備! http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/76

按此訂購

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Wed, 20 Jul 2016 18:25:02 +0300 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/76
香港製造 無味精 無化學添加 土麵生機麵 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/77  

香港製造 無味精 無化學添加
生機麵

 

 

土麵生機素麵 (8個裝)
成份:有機白麵粉,水

 


土麵生機麥麵 (8個裝)
成份:有機白麵粉,有機全麥麵粉,水

 

土麵全蛋生機麵 (8個裝)
成分: 有機白麵粉,蛋,鹼水,水

 

土麵蝦籽生機麵(8個裝)
成份:有機白麵粉,蛋,蝦籽,糖,鹽,鹼水,水

 

 

此產品含有麩質的穀類

使用SHIPTON MILL 有機麵粉

 

 

 

 

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Thu, 14 Jul 2016 17:45:57 +0300 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/77
友善大地 綠色保育菱鄉米 - 首度來港,口感香滑,粒粒有咬勁! http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/70

超越有機驗證  對土地友善  對人類友善   對動物也友善

各區零售點

綠色保育菱鄉米

 

 

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Fri, 19 Feb 2016 12:47:29 +0200 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/70
饗有機公平貿易茉莉香米/糙米-各區零售點 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/67 柬埔寨茉莉香米連續三年 (2012, 2013及2014) 榮獲
世界大米貿易組織活動的「世界最好大米獎」

 

饗有機公平貿易茉莉香米
米味香濃,晶瑩剔透,飯香濃郁,口感柔軟有彈性,極品香米

各區零售點:

香港區    
Green Common 香港灣仔皇后大道東222Garden East 2 號舖 2263 3153
Organic Plus 有機站 香港中環堅道79號地下 2530 1128
Organic Plus 有機站 香港太古城燕宮閣平台P403 2833 6298
Organic Plus 有機站 香港北角英皇道255號國都廣場地下10B 2887 6787 
Organic Plus 有機站 香港西營盤皇后大道西233號地下 2548 2392
Organic Plus 有機站 香港西灣河鯉景灣太安街25GD06 2833 6238 
有機生活 香港北角和富道74-82號仁寶閣地下3號鋪  2570 0068
金飯碗 香港北角渣華道 99 號渣華道街市地下 6 號舖 9846 9323
饗璫璫雜貨店 香港鵝頸街市(北座)一樓NM131-132號舖  6701 1063
九龍區    
Greenfield Organic 綠悠悠有機便利店 九龍紅磡黃埔花園第9期G18A號舖 2818 9883
kubrick 九龍觀塘道 418創紀之城五期APM 6樓 L6-1A舖 3148 1289
Sense 九龍樂富街市427號地下 2338 9636
有機兒 九龍土瓜灣新山道3B號安順大廈地下A室舖B單位 2806 8210
有機堂 九龍觀塘麗港城商場B1樓B4舖 2717 2771
金飯碗 九龍觀塘巧明街105號好運工業大廈8B1 9846 7588
康糧優質食品公司 九龍土瓜靠背壟道121號C2 9255 9298
喜居生活 九龍石硤尾白田街30號1樓L1-02室 - 賽馬會創意藝術中心(JCCAC) 5542 3204
營康薈 九龍油塘高超道38號大本型大本型Shop 228 2717 2727
新界區    
Organic Life 有機生活   新界元朗教育路54 - 56路地下 2339 0081
Organic Plus 有機站 新界將軍澳重華路8號東港城256號舖 2887 6808
Organic Plus 有機站 新界大埔大元邨大元街市地下403號舖 2667 3998
Sense 新界將軍澳調景嶺彩明街1號彩明商場214號 2207 4200
Sense 新界將軍澳新都城中心三期L1-180室 2206 4118
中亨有機平台 新界西貢萬年街112號地下 2792 3386
天然坊 新界大埔鄉事會街8號大埔綜合大樓大埔墟街市1樓W22舖 9183 2498
天賜糧源 新界將軍澳培成路8號南豐廣場B162號舖 2177 3991
平實雜貨 新界粉嶺聯和墟街市1樓SD112號鋪 9344 9702
金飯碗 新界荃灣眾安街街市1 9846 7588
馬寶寶社區農場農墟 新界粉嶺馬屎埔村 9724 3519
善食緣 ZEN FOODS 新界將軍澳貿業路8號新都城中心第三期Shop 103 2110 9327
新生農社 新界馬鐵大圍站大堂內20-21號(入閘後) 2698 9555
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Fri, 19 Feb 2016 12:46:24 +0200 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/67
NUI《特純有機》初搾冷壓椰子油 - 氣味芬芳, 潤而不膩, 具有保濕、抗菌作用 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/71
各區零售點

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Fri, 19 Feb 2016 12:45:53 +0200 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/71
NUI《特純有機》初搾冷壓椰子油 - 各區零售點 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/72 NUI《特純有機》初搾冷壓椰子油
氣味芬芳, 潤而不膩, 具有保濕、抗菌作用

 

用途:高煙點,煎炒煮炸、烘焙皆可
可用作嬰兒油、潤膚油、髮尾油、護髮焗油、按摩油、卸妝(防水化妝品如睫毛膏及眼線等都可以卸掉), 能舒緩曬傷後皮膚、傷患、濕疹等。

 

更多產品, 請按此


各區零售點:

香港區    
和平優鮮店 香港北角春秧街91號地下 2571 8077
金飯碗 香港北角渣華道 99 號渣華道街市地下 6 號舖 9846 9323
饗璫璫雜貨店 香港鵝頸街市(北座)一樓NM131-132號舖  6701 1063
九龍區    
kubrick 九龍觀塘道 418創紀之城五期APM 6 L6-1A 3148 1289
有機田園 九龍大角咀福利街8號港灣商場G33 5110 9186
有機堂 九龍觀塘麗港城商場B1B4 2717 2771
志蓮淨苑 九龍鑽石山志蓮道五號 2354 1883
社區二手店 九龍長沙灣元州街267  昌發工業大廈1字樓B 2729 0373
金飯碗 九龍觀塘巧明街105號好運工業大廈8B1 6448 6416
喜居生活 九龍石硤尾白田街301L1-02
賽馬會創意藝術中心
(JCCAC)
5542 3204
新界區    
天然坊 新界大埔鄉事會街8號大埔綜合大樓
大埔墟街市
1W22
9183 2498
金飯碗 新界荃灣眾安街街市1 9846 7588
馬寶寶社區農場農墟 新界粉嶺馬屎埔村 9724 3519
新生農社 新界馬鐵大圍站大堂內20-21(入閘後) 2698 9555

 

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Fri, 19 Feb 2016 12:45:34 +0200 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/72
06 Aug 2008 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/14
The Olympic Games is almost upon us. The preparations are all in place and the world is focusing in on Beijing - and Hong Kong as well, as we host the equestrian events.
While the world is watching, the best of the world's athletes are gathering and getting ready to perform their feats to the very best of their abilities.

We are not all Olympic athletes. Only a very few select individuals will ever reach that point. However we should all aim to do something that they all have in common. Exercise.

The Hong Kong government is currently promoting sport and exercise among the community. They are doing this by waiving the fee for booking many sports facilities for the next three months. Its all part of the activities related to the coming Beijing Olympic Games.

It’s a nice gesture. I do hope that everyone really will go out and get some exercise. It doesn't have to be playing a sport. Hiking has always been free although it might be a bit too hot for that - or too wet given the recent weather. Or there is simple walking. Get off the bus a stop or two early and walk, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Finding the time to exercise can be difficult, but there are so many little things we can do.

I want to emphasize here the importance of exercise. I've spoken before a little bit about healthy eating, but exercise is a very important part of a healthy lifestyle. It doesn't need to be a hard intensive game or workout, even a brisk walk counts. The key to what counts as exercise is what it does to your body. If it makes you sweat, heart rate increased, breath quickened, then yes, you are exercising. If you can do it for 20 or 30 minutes a day that is great.

I hope we already know what the benefits of exercise are. Do I really need to talk about that here?

It is good for you!

If you can't do 20 minutes a day how about 15? Or how about 20 minutes every other day? It's not as good but it is certainly better than nothing. And anyway besides being good for you exercise is also fun.

As a company we've been out a couple of times to play squash and table tennis. We had a good time together and even back in the office it gives us a better spirit and sense of friendship. Yes, we had dinner afterwards. I know some will frown upon that. Food is absorbed more fully after exercise. Is that true? I'm not sure. Well anyway, we weren't exercising primarily for weight loss so does it really matter? We had given our hearts and muscles a good workout. I doubt if dinner will spoil all of that.

There are so many benefits to getting plenty of regular exercise that the drawback of having my dinner absorbed is not such a bad thing. And let’s not forget the benefits of having a good time together. Socializing is an important thing and being happy and having fun is vital if we are to live happy and fun lives!

Simeon

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Fri, 19 Feb 2016 12:43:44 +0200 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/14
07 Nov 2008 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/19 I  found two life changing things on the web recently. Two things that have changed the way I do two simple things : shopping and using the toilet.

Let me tell you about them.

The first was from a Time magazine article. The subject was Heroes of the Environment and this particular heroine is Annie Leonard and her Story of Stuff. I want you to go to the Story of Stuff website and watch her short film. I want you to send it to all your relatives, friends and colleagues. I want that video to change the lives of everyone who watches it. Just as it has done to me.
Chopsticks is changing too. We are moving office soon. As we don't have any furniture we will have to buy almost all the furniture. We will need a whole bunch of chairs, desks, cabinets and other stuff. It is our aim to get as much as possible from second-hand sources. I went to one of the stores in Kwun Tong recently. The volume of stuff there is shocking. I can imagine that without companies like ours willing to buy a second-hand chair that chair and a hundred like it might just end up in a landfill. No wonder Hong Kong landfills are almost full.

The other life changing item was a news article about a study conducted in the UK on the hands of travellers on the public transport network. Basically they tested hands for the presence of fecal bacteria. A disgusting thing but the results were enough to make sure I use soap and water to wash my hands everytime I use the toilet. I think you should too.

http://www.storyofstuff.com
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081014204440.htm


 

 

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Fri, 19 Feb 2016 12:42:51 +0200 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/19
“Rainforest Coffee”: Coffee that protects rain forests http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/69 亞洲第一款曼特寧日曬咖啡

雨林咖啡與印尼亞齊咖啡產區經過兩年半的研發,推出亞洲第一款曼特寧日曬咖啡。以最傳統的方式手工日曬品質最佳的阿拉比卡咖啡豆,豆子在天然的陽光下自然發酵、自然乾燥,將果香與醣分轉化濃縮在咖啡豆中。

手工製程繁瑣,失敗率又高,所以每一顆豆子都是農人的心血。誠摯邀請您品嚐這份吸飽陽光香氣的曼特寧日曬咖啡。


日曬咖啡 Dry Process,也稱為unwashed(未洗)或natural(天然)咖啡,是最傳統的曬豆方式,最早源自於非洲。 採收下來的新鮮咖啡果豆在稍微清理後就鋪曬在曬豆場,讓陽光自然乾燥。 因為果豆容易受氣候影響, 溼度不對豆子就會滋生黴菌而失敗,所以在約10至14天的曝曬時間裡, 要完全透過人工不斷的翻整、過篩雜質、留下狀況最好的豆子。


經過悉心的照顧,果豆吸飽陽光香氣,自然發酵、自然乾燥,將果肉的香甜氣濃縮在豆子裡,口感帶著溫順的甜酸味。

品種 阿拉比卡
產地 印尼蘇門達臘亞齊省Gayo山區
等級 曼特寧 Grade-1
產品名稱 雨林咖啡一級曼特寧
濾泡式掛耳包
(經典曼特寧)
雨林咖啡一級曼特寧
濾泡式掛耳包
(日曬)
處理 半水洗 自然發酵
手工日曬
烘焙 中重度烘培
口感 香氣十足
口感帶點微酸甜味
濃醇果香
口感滑順帶點舒服的微酸
  訂購


用咖啡守護雨林 - 雨林咖啡

 

為甚麼咖啡有這麽多種?因為不好喝的咖啡實在太多了﹗


比較好喝的咖啡不多。比較好喝的咖啡雖然比不好喝的咖啡好喝,然而味道卻大同小異,這是比較好喝的咖啡的宿命。


比較好喝的咖啡是如何練成的?因為大家都專注在烘焙、磨豆、沖調的技巧。把可以控制的問題都控制下來,把可以提升的都提升起來,所以,這些比較好喝的咖啡注定是祇能夠比較好喝。像今天大部分的專業人士,他們,好、齊整、專業。 其實,有點悶。


噢噢﹗有沒有人知道包著咖啡豆仁那團紅色的果肉跟咖啡的味道有甚麼關係?一般人會說沒有關係,因為咖啡豆的第一道加工,通常就是把果肉去掉。然後,等命運安排,這顆被去肉的咖啡豆將會成為不好喝的咖啡還是比較好喝的咖啡。


有沒有人知道,原本這顆被去肉的咖啡豆,不單是生長在一棵咖啡小灌木上,其實牠是生長在一個熱帶雨林之內,在小灌林的頭頂,還有一片參天的老樹在庇蔭牠?


有沒有人知道,這片參天老樹,又是在一片高山的雲霧裏展開枝條,三百年來都在吸風飲露?


三百年前,荷蘭人把咖啡豆帶到印尼,殖民者開始吞剝這片土地的天然資源。


2007年台灣有一個叫吳子鈺的人,他原本對咖啡一無所知,因為到印尼協助被南亞海嘯摧毀的社區重建,他開始想到,這個殖民者之豆,或者可以變成獨立自主的載體。


2011年他開始推廣印尼的曼特靈雨林咖啡,這種咖啡比一般的公平貿易咖啡更公平,比比較好喝的咖啡更好喝。因為他的咖啡豆連著果肉一起日曬和發酵。他在咖啡行業裏並不專業,反而做就了他的咖啡蘊含著熱帶雨林充沛的正能量。

 

什麼是樹蔭咖啡(Shade Grow Coffee)


一種傳統種植方式,也是古老阿拉比卡品種最佳的栽種方式。農人不需要大舉砍伐雨林而是沿著咖啡種植果樹或其他次要作物,咖啡就在這些樹蔭林的遮蔽下生長,不破壞林地生態和候鳥棲息地。樹蔭林的花朵和果實吸引許多雜食動物,提供食物及庇護以躲避天敵,生意盎然宛然一個小生物圈,是一種對環境最友善與互利的種植方式。

 

日曬咖啡為何稀少?

除了要有足夠的日曬環境之外,人工費用高、製程又久,所以一般人不會採用。加上品質控制不易,結果不是大好就是大壞,所以需要仰賴非常專業又有經驗的專家,才能生產出一定品質的日曬咖啡豆。目前高品質的日曬豆不多,大多在衣索比亞、肯亞、坦尚尼亞、烏干達、蒲隆地與辛巴威等非洲地區。


- 通過SGS與瑠公基金會檢驗合格,安全無虞

- 自然樹蔭栽培,氣味濃醇

- 利潤回饋當地雨林研究

訂購

 


 

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Mon, 31 Aug 2015 16:44:57 +0300 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/69
Shipton Mill - Organic flours from England http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/65 The royal organic flours are in Hong Kong now !

http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/category/path/44

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Wed, 12 Aug 2015 17:39:38 +0300 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/65
Oneness. In oneness, sustain, rebuild Nepal Charity show and fai http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/68
The earthquake in Nepal in last April, at a magnitude of 8.1, destroyed nearly 90% of the buildings in Kathmandu, the epicenter, and killed close to 10 thousand people.

Outside Kathmandu, the earthquake almost destroyed the entire villages of Patlekhet and Gundu. Houses collapsed or were seriously destroyed. The two organisations we are racing to help are Hasera Farm, located inside Patlekhet, which promotes Permaculture education in Nepal, and Dharti Mata Sustainable Workshop, in Gundu, where villagers work with organic shop Kheti Bazaar in forest restoration and promoting sustainable farming. At the moment, villagers have nothing safe to live in except temporary shelters.

Although the Nepal government directly oversee international aid funds and donations, it is still unclear whether the needed money would reach specific victims.

Dharti Mata Sustainable Workshop and Kheti Bazaar wish all the funds raised can go directly into victims' hands. They have worked out what to rebuild, looked at their actual needs, while, at the same time pay specific respect to the value of harmony with nature and sustainable development. They plan to rebuild the 2 villages in 2 years, beginning with safe and comfortable temporary houses which villagers can live in for 1 to 2 years, while subsequently rebuilding permanent houses. For the temporary houses, they have identified a cost-effective method using bamboo. After the permanent homes are built, existing temporary homes would be used for food storage or animal shelters. After the permanent homes are built, existing temporary homes would be used for food storage or animal shelters.

Oneness and Dharti Mata Sustainable Workshop and Kheti Bazaar together have the same belief. We all believe in sustainability and independence. While helping the others, we are also protecting our home and land. Only through sustainable rebuilding can our lives be sustainable. Close or apart, we are one.

We are not deducting any cost. All the income will be donated. Please come and support.

To ensure transparency, Dharti Mata Sustainable Workshop would update their news and funding use on their Facebook page every 2 weeks. Nepal earthquake rebuilding Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1445922629057972/

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Date: Jun 26, 2015 (Fri) Venue: Hang Out, 2 Holy Cross Path, Sai Wan Ho, HK

Charity sales: 12:00-5:00pm Fair ticket (onsite purchase): $50 (The ticket can redeem to cash coupon for any purchase on site. People who have show ticket is free to enter the fair.)

Charity music show: 5:30pm - 11:00pm Music show ticket fee: $250 per head

All the income will be donated without deducting any cost.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Charity music show ticket purchase method

1. Purchase at door:

2. Pre-order ticket:

* Register online at http://goo.gl/forms/lj59wLhkdh * Please transfer the amount only when you received confirmation email from us. (Hang Sang Bank account:260 0 032789). Email the receipt to 2015oneness@gmail.com . * We'll send you the confirmation email with ticket number. Please show your email or tell us the ticket number and your name when coming for the show.

3. Purchase at the following locations: (available from Jun 13 onwards)

- Lively Life Opening Hour: 12:00 - 20:00 (MON to SUN) Address: ShopL1-02, Level1, JCCAC, 30 Pak Tin Street, Shek Kip Mei Phone: 5542 3204

- Mapopo Community Farm Opening hour: 14:00 - 18:00 (WED) / 11:00 - 18:00 (SUN) Address: Ma Shi Po Village, Fanling Direction: http://mapopo.wordpress.com/where/ Phone: 9724 3519 (Zoey)

- Connoisseur Groceries Opening Hour: 10:00 – 19:00 (MON to SAT) Address: NM131, 1/F, Bowrington Road Market (North Block), Wan Chai Phone: 6701 1063

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
*********************************************
Sustainable Mini Charity Sales Market
*********************************************
(All sales from the fair will donate entirely without deducting any cost)

All organisations listed in no particular order:

Dream Walker: Handmade gemstone accessories and white sage.

Hebe Law: Handcrafted artisanal leather goods.

Africa Penguin: Specialized in making the whiskey of coffee by cold brew process, which extract the essence from coffee. You should try the ‘Iced Whiskey of Coffee’ in this hot summer!

Moss Terrarium: Each terrarium is designed for the indoor greening. These trendy glass terrariums represent the sustaining life.

Zoe Tam: Local handmade skin care

Tracy, Idy@ Flower forest: Fresh flowers are used to produce unique and elegant jewelries, which captures the most beautiful moment of flowers.

Fanny Tang: A Hong Kong artist born in the Republic of Nauru. She and her students donated their ceramic works for charity. Come and take their artworks to home in an affordable price!

Atelier Couleurs: Staring from a thread, each unique fabric is weaved with care. Apart from that, there will be looms for you to experience the joy in weaving.

Mapopo Community Farm Food Stall: Hand-made delicious organic food made with care by local farmers.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
********
Bands
********
Shotgun Politics
Psyc Lover
NI.NE.MO
Qiu Hong
Nepalese band Now and Awakened (aka The InnerCore)
Jatbunsing
Arthur Urquiola
per se
Stranded Whale
Prune Deer


//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
LEE KAI HO mini photo exhibition (https://vimeo.com/leekaiho)

Lee Kai Ho went to Nepal in March for business, and, while there, took a series of photographs. Through the lens, he gained profound experiences from the people and happenings. One month afterwards, news of the Earthquake hit him with mixed emotions. Thereafter, he decided to share captured images of Nepal, and, through the charity sales of the photos, also give a helping hand to his Nepalese friends.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Groups we are donating the money to:

1. Dharti Mata Sustainable Workshop
https://www.facebook.com/Loveladypads/info?tab=page_info]
2. Kheti Bazaar
http://www.khetibazaar.com/about-us/


//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Venue & Sound production Sponsor/ 場地及音響製作贊助:
Youth Outreach & AS production


支持/合作團體:

Stand News 立場新聞
Bunny Warren

特別嗚謝:

Hong Kong Fringe Club 藝穗會
Kubrick
So Soap! 區區肥皂
喜居生活 Lively Life
土丘
鄉土學社 SoIL
長春社
I'mperfect
Kattie Chan
鄭家驅
Eno


所有樂隊、慈善義賣的參與者、團體,曾經幫忙的朋友以及全體工作人員。
All bands, booths participants, groups or individual who help to make this happen.


//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Oneness 團隊:

CoDesign / CoLAB、馬寶寶社區農場、喜筷 Chopsticks, 麥精, 林女, 鄭子楓, Tracy Wan, 細孖康, Boey Wu, Steve Lee, Wincy Chung , Ricemove ]]>
Thu, 18 Jun 2015 18:27:07 +0300 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/68
《雨林咖啡 》分享會 2015.3.29(日)9:30-11:30 cafe+kubrick / 4:00-6:00 喜居生活 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/66 72 1024x768

日期:2015.3.29(日)

9:30 - 11:30 Kubrick 「雨林咖啡 」愛心。行動。分享會
http://www.kubrick.com.hk/index.php/zh_hk/event/-5499.html


4:00-6:00 喜居生活 雨林咖啡》分享會
https://www.facebook.com/events/537912179681971/

《雨林咖啡 》分享會

時間:2015.3.29(日)下午400 - 6:00

地點:L4-03A, JCCAC

費用:$60 (包括雨林咖啡試飲及有機麵包)

講者:吳子鈺 , 用咖啡守護雨林的《雨林咖啡》創辦人

 

一杯咖啡,改變世界的種子

比較好喝的咖啡不多。比較好喝的咖啡雖然比不好喝的咖啡好喝,然而味道卻大同小異,這是比較好喝的咖啡的宿命。

比較好喝的咖啡是如何練成的?因為大家都專注在烘焙、磨豆、沖調的技巧。把可以控制的問題都控制下來,把可以提升的都提升起來,所以,這些比較好喝的咖啡注定是祇能夠比較好喝。像今天大部分的專業人士,他們,好、齊整、專業。 其實,有點悶。

噢噢﹗有沒有人知道包著咖啡豆仁那團紅色的果肉跟咖啡的味道有甚麼關係?一般人會說沒有關係,因為咖啡豆的第一道加工,通常就是把果肉去掉。然後,等命運安排,這顆被去肉的咖啡豆將會成為不好喝的咖啡還是比較好喝的咖啡。

有沒有人知道,原本這顆被去肉的咖啡豆,不單是生長在一棵咖啡小灌木上,其實牠是生長在一個熱帶雨林之內,在小灌林的頭頂,還有一片參天的老樹在庇蔭牠?

有沒有人知道,這片參天老樹,又是在一片高山的雲霧裏展開枝條,三百年來都在吸風飲露?

三百年前,荷蘭人把咖啡豆帶到印尼,殖民者開始吞剝這片土地的天然資源。

2007年台灣有一個叫吳子鈺的人,他原本對咖啡一無所知,因為到印尼協助被南亞海嘯摧毀的社區重建,他開始想到,這個殖民者之豆,或者可以變成獨立自主的載體。

2011年他開始推廣印尼的曼特靈雨林咖啡,這種咖啡比一般的公平貿易咖啡更公平,比比較好喝的咖啡更好喝。因為他的咖啡豆連著果肉一起日曬和發酵。他在咖啡行業裏並不專業,反而做就了他的咖啡蘊含著熱帶雨林充沛的正能量。

]]>
Fri, 20 Mar 2015 00:56:48 +0200 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/66
Chopsticks is in Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival 2013 - Booth5209 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/64 Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival 2013 (Booth#5209) Date: Oct 31-Nov 3 Venue: Party Zone, The New Central Harbourfront (Near Piers 9 & 10) Booth: 5209 ]]> Fri, 25 Oct 2013 11:19:11 +0300 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/64 Bios Dynamis Organic Rice first time in HK http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/63 Bios Dynamis生物動力農法有機米首度來港

Bios Dynamis生物動力農法有機米首度來港


優質而公平的有機健康米-有機黑米、紅米及糙米

喜筷為全港首家引入生物動力農法有機米的進口商

 

簡介
Bios Dynamis 隸屬Don Bosco永續發展基金創立的品牌,位於菲律賓最南部的省市北哥打巴托 (North Cotabato), 該省甚少有颱風,雨量非常平均,有糧米之鄉的美稱。

Bios Dynamis 採用生物動力平衡農耕法又譯作自然活力有機農法,除了要求不污染環境,更積極採取回歸自然、恢復土壤活力,配合四季變化與日月星辰的有機農法,比一般有機農法更全面,屬全球最高層次的有機農法之一。

 

品牌背後
在亞洲,很多米農都活在農藥污染、農地被地產商圈佔、出售價格被操控的環境。菲律賓的米農也不例外。不少消費者以為,祇要我們購買米農的大米,他們的生活就會改善。可是,在資訊不流通的情況下,消費者又怎能分辨那些大米是農民的心血結晶,那些是大財團所操控的工業化生產大米?

在菲律賓南部棉蘭老島上,有一個非政府組織致力於農村婦女權益、小童教育、農村經濟建設、生態農業推廣的組織,它的名字叫做 Don Bosco。經過二十多年的努力,Don Bosco透過推廣農民使用生物動力農法(Bio Dynamic Farming,比一般有機耕種更有系統的生態農業方法)協助農民重建社區經濟,將農地交回農民,復育生態系統。目前,Don Bosco一個更大的挑戰,就是把農民的優質Bio Dynamic 有機米介紹到國際市場,透過公平貿易的平台,讓更多農民改善生活環境。

 

為何選擇Bios Dynamis?
立足香港的喜筷有限公司一方面追求產品的質素,同時對利用公平貿易以協助生產者重建生活有執著。如果我們的購買行為祇追求低價格產品,可以致農民及生產者於絕路,同時也會使我們更難遇到真正優質的產品。大家的購買態度,足以影響一戶農民、一條農村、一個社區的未來。因此,我們每引介一個農產品,都會親身探訪生產伙伴,了解農產品的質素,以及我們的公平貿易是否真正惠及善良的生產者。

去年,經過多次與Don Bosco的接觸,以及直接到菲律賓與農民實地交流,我們見到Don Bosco對重建農村的堅持,見到米農追求質素的熱情。因此,喜筷誠意向大家推薦這個由菲律賓南部棉蘭老島農民生產的Bio Dynamic有機米。因為在你面前的產品,是當地農民,順應一方水土、糅合日月星晨光照而種植出來的非凡產品。

 

Bios Dynamis生物動力農法有機黑米、紅米及糙米
米種為菲律賓當地獨有品種,米身不長不短,飯味香濃,口感軟綿。不需浸米,也可煮至軟綿效果。

產地: 菲律賓
認證: OCCP, CERES 有機認證
重量:1 公斤 / 2公斤


Bios Dynamis生物動力農法

有機黑米

Bios Dynamis生物動力農法

有機紅米

Bios Dynamis生物動力農法

有機糙米

 - 為當地獨有品種
 - 米身不長不短
 - 米飯香濃
 - 口感軟綿

 - 為當地獨有品種
 - 米身不長不短
 - 口感軟綿
 - 含豐富維他命及礦物質
 - 有助瘦身

 - 為當地獨有品種
 - 身不長不短
 - 口感軟綿
 - 高抗氧化
 - 可提高免疫力

 

黑米的功效:
黑米有“世界米中之王”之美譽,是米中珍品。黑米在古時是“貢米”,在古代一般老百姓是吃不到它的。

據研究顯示,黑米屬高抗氧化食物,10匙的黑米飯所含的抗氧化物“花青素”相於1匙的藍莓,比藍莓有更多的纖維及維他命E,是價廉的營養品。花青素可有效對抗心血管病、癌症等_。花青素可提升免疫力,減少氧化壓力造成組織受損,使膠原蛋白組織、神經系統趨於穩定,並減少血管硬化發生機率。根據研究,花青素在體內的抗氧化及清除自由基的能力為維他命E的50倍、維他命C的 20倍。

古農醫書記載:黑米“滋陰補腎, 健身暖胃,明目活血”,“清肝潤腸”,“滑濕益精,補肺緩筋”等功效;可入藥入膳,對頭昏目眩、貧血白髮、腰膝酸軟、夜盲耳鳴症、療效尤佳。長期食用可延年益壽。因此,人們俗稱黑米為“長壽米”。歷代帝王也把它作為宮廷養生珍品,稱為“貢米”。

 

零售點:

港島: 新界:
健康良方
香港柴灣祥利街29-31號國貿中心2711室
5146 1786
天然坊
新界大埔鄉事會街8號大埔綜合大樓大埔墟街市1樓W22舖
9183 2498
金飯碗
香港北角渣華道 99 號渣華道街市地下 6 號舖
9846 9323
隨喜
大埔寶湖街市 V10舖
2638 8278
和平優鮮店
香港北角春秧街91號地下
2571 8077
和泰行
元朗大橋街市281號鋪
2477 2810
生機緣
北角電器道229號電器道街市1字樓MN60-61號鋪
3689 0238
天然食品
新界荃灣街市街街市地下133號
2423 2027
Greens
香港天后留仙街3號雅景樓地下A1
2571 1669
天賜糧源
新界將軍澳培成路8號南豐廣場B162號舖
2177 3991
饗璫璫雜貨店 (鵝頸橋店)
香港鵝頸街市(北座)一樓NM131-132
6701 1063
Sense Fine & Organic
新界將軍澳廣場1-003號舖
2207 4200
天然坊
灣仔皇后大道中258號灣仔街市S8鋪
3484 8813
中亨有機平台
西貢萬年街112號地下
2792 3386

有機菜檔
西區石塘咀街市1MN
9800 4648

一田: 沙田
香港新界沙田正街2–8號新城市廣場第三期二樓及三樓(部份)
2694 1111
city'super - International Finance Centre Mall Store
香港中環國際金融中心商場一樓1041-1049舖
2234 7128
一田: 大埔
香港新界大埔安邦路8及10號大埔超級城B區1-2樓
3761 1388
city'super - Times Square Store
香港銅鑼灣時代廣場B1地庫
2506 2888
一田: 荃灣
香港新界荃灣大壩街4-30號荃灣廣場2至4樓
2803 9188
LOCOFAMA
香港西環西營盤福壽里13號地下
2547 7668
一田: 屯門
屯門鄉事會路83號V City 地下
2451 3888
天作之物
香港半山區堅道 60 號美蘭閣 G/F 3B
2517 2135
city'super - New Town Plaza Store
新界沙田新城市廣場一期二樓204-214舖
2603 3488
綠創意健康店
香港銅鑼灣渣甸街54-58號富盛商業大廈2樓
2882 4848
馬寶寶社區農場農墟
新界粉嶺馬屎埔村
9761 6123
 

平實雜貨
新界粉嶺聯和墟街市1樓SD112號鋪

九龍:
陳輝記:
九龍油麻地街市1-2號檔
2385 7385
Simply Organic 有機園
九龍長沙灣汝洲西街777-779號永康工廠大廈A座5字樓632室
2488 0138
city'super - Harbour City Store
九龍尖沙咀海港城三樓
2375 8222
一田: 新蒲崗Mikiki
香港九龍新蒲崗太子道東638號Mikiki LG
2350 8888
綠色生活教育基金
九龍旺角亞皆老街80-86號昌明大廈7樓F室
2619 0000

 

 

 

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Tue, 13 Aug 2013 20:21:05 +0300 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/63
Vegetarian Cooking, 18 May http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/41 Vegetarian Cooking

 

Location:

Teresa New Life Coffee Shop

 

Date:

18 May, 2010

 

 

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Thu, 11 Jul 2013 15:47:08 +0300 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/41
Citysuper Taiwan Fair http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/42 Citysuper Taiwan Fair-Organic Chishang Rice Cooking Demo

 

Part 1: 

Citysuper Times Square, 03 July

Part 2: 

Citysuper Harbour City, 10 July 

 

Cooking Demo:

Organic Chishang Rice Cake

 

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Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:21:49 +0200 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/42
Citysuper Culture club, 8 Aug http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/39 Chopsticks @ Citysuper Culture club

New Vegetarian Cuisine 

 

Location:

Citysuper, Times Square Store

 

 

Date:

8, Aug, 2010

 

 

Cooking Demo:

Jews Ear Salad (Pomelo Sauce)

Stuffed Tofu Pouch (Mushroom in Black Bean Soy Sauce)

Chishang Organic Rice Cabbage Roll (Tomato herb sauce)  

 

 

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Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:19:21 +0200 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/39
Citysuper Culture club,15 Oct http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/40 Chopsticks @ Citysuper Culture club

The Pasta Adventure!

 

 

Location:

Citysuper, Times Square Store

 

 

Date:

15, Oct, 2010

 

 

Cooking Demo:

Organic Linguine Omelet with Pine Nuts

Organic vegetable Fusilli mixed with Garlic Mushroom Salad

Organic Vegetable Penne Rigate Stuffed with vegetarian Bolognese Sauce

 

                                                  

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Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:09:25 +0200 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/40
China’s Tainted Milk Scandal http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/16 We at Chopsticks Food Company would like to inform all of our customers of the following:

None of our products contain milk or milk by-products from China.

At the time of this posting only milk or milk by-products have been affected. If this changes, and other foods are affected, we will inform you immediately any problems arise.
Rest assured that we are watching closely as more and more products are affected and we are working hard to ensure that we only provide you with organic food of the highest quality.


Simeon Pang
Director of Operations
Chopsticks Food Company

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Tue, 16 Nov 2010 23:49:37 +0200 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/16
Organic Fusilli Salad http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/48 Organic vegetable Fusilli Salad

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Wed, 10 Nov 2010 18:15:54 +0200 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/48
Organic Vegetable Penne Rigate http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/47 Organic Vegetable Penne Rigate

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Wed, 10 Nov 2010 18:05:54 +0200 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/47
Organic Linguine Omelet http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/46 Organic Linguine Omelet with Pine Nuts

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Wed, 10 Nov 2010 17:57:00 +0200 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/46
Chihshang Organic Rice Roll http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/45 Chihshang Organic Rice Cabbage Roll

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Wed, 10 Nov 2010 17:48:43 +0200 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/45
Organic Jew's Ear Salad http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/43 Organic Jew's Ear Salad

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Wed, 10 Nov 2010 17:33:51 +0200 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/43
Tofu Poach steam egg http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/44 Tofu Poach steam egg

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Wed, 10 Nov 2010 17:32:55 +0200 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/44
Fair Trade http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/33 What is Fair Trade?
Fair Trade offers a model for trade which values the interests of poor people and the environment.


Fair Trade means that producers:

    * receive a fair price for their product or labour
    * work in healthy and safe conditions
    * develop direct and long-term relationships with their buyers
    * have access to credit and technical assistance
    * use sustainable and environmentally-friendly techniques
    * work within cooperatives and associations


Fair Trade definition (adopted by FINE*, Dec 2001)

Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalised producers and workers - especially in the South. Fair Trade organisations (backed by consumers) are engaged actively in supporting producers, awareness raising and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practice of international trade.


*FINE is a international fari trade networks forms by 4 organization. Fairtrade Labelling Organisations, International, International Fair Trade Association, Network of European Worldshops, European Fair Trade Association.


What is the difference between fair trade and free trade?

So what is the difference between "free trade" and "fair trade"? Free trade is so named because the prices of goods and services are market-driven, all producers get the same conditions (in theory) and there are no import limits. However, in reality, certain industries get government financial help so that they can sell their goods at unfairly low "dumping" price levels. Furthermore, the large corporations that control most of the world's coffee trade strive to undercut each other on price, which they commonly achieve by cutting wages and benefits to labourers. When these workers earn about $0.80 per pound of coffee - while consumers pay double that, and more, for a single cup - "free trade" is clearly unfair.


The Fair Trade movement, sometimes called the trade justice movement, promotes standards for the production and trade of different goods and services. Fair trade strives not only for economic development, but also for social justice, environmental protection, and maintaining stronger trade connections.


Labels used in United States ("Fair Trade Certified"), United Kingdom ("Fairtrade") and Europe ("Max Havelaar") are a guarantee that the producers of the goods you buy meet Fair Trade standards. Today, 19 countries have their own labelling initiatives which operate under the guidelines of Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO), and more than 500 partner organisations have already been certified in accordance with international fair trade standards. They require a guarantee of fair process, no child or slave labour, anti-dumping practices, and high quality standards. In addition, they must employ environmentally-friendly growing methods. Thus organic farming is often linked with Fair Trade movement, because of the common emphasis on environmental and social balance. All these standards also follow the conventions of the International Labour Organization.


As consumers, we don't need to donate large sums of money to make a difference. When we choose Fair Trade products - such as coffee, bananas, tea, chocolate, honey, sugar, orange juice or flowers - we support the movement. We help third world producers keep their farms, and improve the living and working conditions of farmers, workers, and families in regions that need us the most.


Who benefits from Fair Trade and how?

Small-scale farmers and workers

Fair Trade has helped build economic independence and empowerment for certified farmer cooperatives and their workers, bringing them economic stability and a higher standard of living. Beyond being paid a fair price for their products, a social premium helps build necessary social infrastructure of which the following are several examples:

    * Improved access to low- or no-interest loans
    * Technical assistance for building infrastructure to increase production
    * Communications systems, and collectively-owned transport and processing equipment
    * Technical training and skills diversification for members and their families


Consumers

Fair Trade benefits consumers in the following ways:
    * Gives them the option of purchasing according to their principles and values
    * Empowers them to be a player in the solution to the integrity of global trade
    * Provides them with fine quality products
    * Assures them of the ethical source of their foods and non-food purchases


Environment

Environmentally sustainable farming and production practices.
    * Organic farming methods which avoids pollutants, pesticides and herbicides
    * Crop diversification


Source from
http://www.maketradefair.org.hk/more details of fair trade information can check out from there

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Mon, 15 Feb 2010 01:58:57 +0200 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/33
Preparing Pasta http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/25 Pasta is a great versatile yet simple food. Cooking pasta is easy although some might find it tricky. Here are a few tips.

Assume around 4oz / 100g of uncooked pasta per person. Use less if serving as a starter or sidedish.

Bring a big pot of water to the boil. Use plenty of water, enough to ensure pasta is well covered. When the water is rapidly boiling add a big pinch of salt and then add your pasta. Cook for 7-12 minutes. Cook until Al Dente - that is until the pasta is tender but not over soft with some 'bite'.


Drain and prepare for serving.

Look on the package which will normally give a guide on how long to cook.

You can serve your pasta with a sauce.  If you want to cook a quick one, you cmix it with our ready to eat sauce.  There are quite a few varieties. 

 

You can also make a refreshing salad.  Throw in some of the beans you cooked from my other posting, some chopped fresh vegetables like cucumber, peppers and sweetcorn. Perfect for a side dish at a summer bbq!

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Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:51:02 +0300 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/25
Preparing Beans and Peas http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/26 We have a range of dried pulses. Here is some info on how to prepare them.

Presoaking
Most dried pulses need to be presoaked in water before cooking. Cover them with water and leave them for 24hours in the fridge.
If you are in a hurry you can cover them with water, boil them for 5 minutes then leave them to cool and put them in the fridge for a 2-5 hours.

Not all beans need to be soaked. ‘Small’ beans such as red beans, mung/green beans and lentils can be cooked immediately and need not be soaked.

Cooking
After soaking, drain and rinse the beans and then re-cover the beans with fresh water. Cook the beans in unsalted water until tender. Depending on the type of bean they will need between 1-2 hours to become tender.

Do you find that eating beans gives you gas? This is common. Be sure to drain and rinse away the soaking water. This will help prevent gas.

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Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:39:27 +0300 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/26
As clear as I can see it http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/22  

 

Like A Daydream
Thursday, 30 July 2009
crucial factor


My home is exceptionally hot. While friends are telling me about the breeze they got only through opening windows, we have to have the air conditioner on most of the time. I admit I’m also not very tolerant to heat, but it’s a physical matter, can’t be fixed. Friends who have been to my home may notice I have a big water barrel to collect the water runoff from the air conditioner. About once every few days, I would need to drain the big barrel of water. Most likely I am pouring out tens of litres of clean water on each disposal.

 

I must say these days I feel awful every time I do that. For me and many of my friends, we wouldn’t go near this water because it does not feel hygienic. It’s condensed by a machine part, and drained through a pipe we don’t regularly clean. However, I know, when I pour away the water, that it’s really as clean as you can get even comparing to water from our mains. In fact, condensed water is pretty much pure water, may be more pure than mineral water.

 

Yet here it is again, some numbers:

 

1. In 2006, waterborne diseases were estimated to cause 1.8 million deaths each year while about 1.1 billion people lacked proper drinking water.

2. According to the United Nations’ World Health Organization (WHO) more than one billion people in low and middle-income countries lack access to safe water for drinking, personal hygiene and domestic use. These numbers represent more than 20 percent of the world’s people.

3. In Africa, with more than 700 million people, only forty-six percent of people have safe drinking water.

4. The more populous Asia Pacific region with over three billion people, eighty percent of whom with access to drinking water, still leaves over 600 million people without access to safe drinking water.

 

These are numbers I grabbed from wikipedia, not necessarily the most reliable, but the truth is, it’s not going to be very far from the truth. And by the way, some people manipulate some numbers for their gain. I don’t know who would gain from manipulating these numbers.

 

And what is the insight from this?

 

People are actually dying.

 

I am always amazed at how we measure what’s really really urgent. I hear people talking about “Global Warming” a lot these days. And yet there is no real tally on the death on “Global Warming” because it’s a projection of what might happen. But nobody seems to preach the clean water issue even though every year around 1 million people died from it, or 1 billion people are facing toughest about it. And yet Governments around the world focus on something else that is not proven, spend fortunes on it. It’s not as if once “Global Warming” is solved at the same time the 1 million people would not die.

 

The reason is simple. Clean Water remains a poor people’s problem. “Global Warming” is definitely a rich people/middle class issue. You and I are going to have unlimited amount of water to drink and bath in (think about the plants you have to water, the jacuzzi you would bath in, or the swimming pool you would soak yourself in, think of the car you have to wash but you didn’t wash often enough).

 

1 million people could die each year, but since we don’t see them, that’s fine. However, if sea level rises and we have to move (or, God forbid, our property value drops, no way, you can’t allow that!), well, our Government must do something! The great North Vietnam General Vo Nguyen Giap once said, “Every day in the world a hundred thousand people die. A human life means nothing.” I suppose that really justify our viewpoint towards the Clean Water issue.

 

And until now, I still have not a clue how to transfer the water I pour away every few days to those people in need. Quite frankly, I think I am responsible for a lot of water lost: the office I work in, the transport I ride in, etc. And if every person on this planet could pass that quantity of clean water, in the state it was in that barrel, to another person in need, we’d be able to solve this problem so easily, right? Like a daydream.

 

Oh, and by the way, stop buying bottled water.


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Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:12:29 +0300 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/22
Olive Oil http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/5 Of all the varieties of edible oils, olive oil stands out with its superior health benefits and taste superiority. Olives are a fruit, so olive oil can be considered as the juice of the olive. Unlike most other vegetable oils it can be obtained by purely physical means by simply pressing the olive or spinning in a centrifuge. Due to the lack of processing the quality of the olive oil is highly dependent on the original fruit. Ideally olives should be used almost immediately after being picked and if the picking is done by hand it can minimize damage to the fruit. The olives should be picked at peak ripeness to produce an oil of high quality and taste.

 

Health Benefits of Olive Oil

Olive oil has a high content of monounsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fats have been linked to the reduction of heart disease. Olive oil also contains high levels of the vitamins E and K, and antioxidants as well as flavenoids. The antioxidants contained in olive oil are numerous. They include the flavenoid polyphenol which have a host of health benefits including anti-aging, lowering 'bad' LDL cholesterol, reducing blood presure and the risk of heart disease. There is also evidence that olive oil's unique composition can also aid in cancer inhibition, protecting skin from damage and also inhibit the growth of bacteria. These studies also find that extra virgin olive oil contains more antioxidants than other lesser grades. This is due to the unrefined and undegraded nature of the extra virgin grade.


It is still unclear which particular component of olive oil is responsible for the health benefits nor how the body is affected in all cases however, it is clear that olive oil as a whole exhibits remarkable benefits.


The antioxidants contained in extra virgin olive oil are also beneficial to the skin. They exhibit anti-aging properties and can help relieve damage caused by over exposure to the sun. It can be used on the skin for general use on dry areas.


Olive oil is a major component and factor in the so called "Mediterranean diet" which is associated which a remarkable range of health benefits. The mediterranean diet is characterized by smaller, tasteful portions and slower and more enjoyable eating. Besides olive oil, there is a focus on whole foods, vegetables, fruit and fish as well as the occasional glass or two of wine with a meal.


Increased olive oil consumption can also be indirectly beneficial to a weight loss regime. Olive oil contains just as many calories as other oils - it is 100% fat, however its fat content is good monounsaturated fat rather than saturated fat. By using olive oil, with its superior taste, it can encourage more consumption of healthy foods such as vegetables and other whole foods such as pasta. Because of the superior taste olive oil can be used to replace other calorie heavy options such as sauces and creams which do not contain the additional health benefits of a quality Olive oil.

 

 

Regulation

The trade and marketing of olive oil is regulated by the International Olive Oil Council (IOOC).


There are a number of different grades of olive oil defined by the IOOC, they differ in the way the oil is produced and the chemical composition. Different grades of olive oil will also have different uses, taste and properties and their cost can vary widely.

 

Virgin Olive Oil refers to the oils obtained by solely mechanical or physical means under conditions, particularly heat conditions, that do not lead to alterations in the oil. Virgin Olive Oil is only allowed to be treated by washing, decanting, centrifuging and filtering. Virgin Olive Oil may also be labelled as "cold pressed"

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is virgin olive oil which has an acidity of 0.8% or less. It also has a superior taste.

Virgin Olive Oil is virgin olive oil which has an acidity of 2.0% or less.

Ordinary Virgin Olive Oil is virgin olive oil which has an acidity of 3.3% or less.

Lampante Virgin Olive Oil has an acidity of more than 3.3% and is not fit for consumption. It is used for industrial use or as lamp (lampante) fuel.

 

Refined Olive Oil is the olive oil obtained by refining methods. It is often blended with a grade of virgin olive oil and is sold as Olive Oil or Pure Olive Oil. Its acidity is also regulated by the IOOC. Refined olive oil is sometimes called "pure".

 

The grades and names mentioned here do not apply to US producers or the US market which is not a member of the IOOC. For this reason extra care should be taken when purchasing US Olive oils. The California Olive Oil Council (COOC) also regulates in the Olive Oil market and uses the same guidelines as the IOOC.


Olive oil may also be found under descriptions such as "cold pressed" or "first press" or "light". These descriptions are unregulated and should be read with consideration to this. Because types of olive oil are generally more expensive than other types of vegetable oil care should be taken to ensure the product is legitimate and not a mis-representation. Often what claims to Extra Virgin Olive Oil or some other grade is actually a cheaper substitute which may have been blended or refined, but there can be no substitute for the genuine product.


The quality of an olive oil is often measured chemically. This is because the acidity of olive oil is important as it is a measure of the oil's chemical degradation. As the oil degrades it becomes more acidic and rancid.

 


Cooking With Olive Oil

All grades of olive oil that are fit for consumption are suitable for cooking. There is an opinion that extra virgin olive oil should not be used for cooking. This is incorrect unless cost is the underlying reason. Extra virgin olive oil is usually significantly more expensive than other grades. It is also very tasteful and has a strong aroma so it can be considered wasteful to use it for cooking.


Olive oil has a high smoke point and doesn't degrade as quickly as other vegetable oils. It also does not lose any of its superior health benefits during cooking. Taste will be affected during cooking so it is best to use a low flavored oil.

 


Organic Olive Oil

Organic olive oil has all the benefits of non-organic oils with the added benefits of the oil being produced to the additional standards of organic foods. The olive tree is naturally a hardy tree which requires little additional fertilizer to promote growth, but the trees are still vulnerable to pest damage. By choosing a certified organic oil the oil is guaranteed to be untreated by potentially harmful chemicals which may affect the olives and also introduce harmful compounds into the Olive Oil.

 

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Thu, 30 Oct 2008 22:58:21 +0200 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/5
Microwave Oven http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/18 The microwave oven is a popular tool for cooking and re-heating foods. Microwaving brings efficiencies in energy use and time and is increasingly popular as we become busier and have less time to cook our meals. The microwave is a very versatile tool, being able to defrost, cook, steam, and reheat a wide range of food products. This heating is brought about by the use of microwaves. These microwaves – a form of radiation - enter the food and cause the molecules to vibrate. This vibration causes friction and thus heat.

My colleague asked me to write an article about the microwave oven, an article that discusses the safety aspects of using a microwave oven.
It seems that there are some fears and stories about radiation, cancer causing chemicals and nutrient killing microwaves. But there are also a large number of voices that assure us that the microwave oven is very safe, causes no harm to us or our food and is an excellent, efficient tool in our kitchen.
So who is correct? The difference in opinion is so great that there seems no way for both sides to be right. So, should we embrace the microwave oven, with all the ease and convenience it brings or throw it out as a killer in our homes?
Honestly, I don't know.

Personally I tend to think that the microwave oven is safe; although it should be used with caution - I'll get to that later. Having said that, do I have a microwave oven at home? No, I don't but that's more of a personal usage issue as I don't really need one at home and I'm happy to use a microwave oven to reheat my meals at the office.

What it Does and How.
A microwave oven uses microwaves - a form of radiofrequency electromagnetic energy to heat food. This energy is in the form of waves and radiation. However it is not the kind of radiation that we have all heard of and understand to be dangerous. Radiation comes in many forms and not all are harmful. Even heat coming from an electric heater is a form of radiation, and similar waves are around us all the time as they send signals to and from our mobile phones, television sets and radios.
The microwaves produced in the microwave oven, are of a particular frequency that has extremely useful characteristics. Microwaves pass cleanly through many materials such as glass, plastics, ceramics and paper, but are reflected by metal. Due to the long wavelength of the microwave the waves cannot pass through the glass door of the microwave oven because of the metal mesh which reflects the waves back into the cooking cavity. This allows us to look inside while the microwaves are kept inside.
Oh, and microwaves have one more interesting property - they can heat things up. Microwaves cause the individual molecules to rotate or move which causes friction and so heat. It does this best on water molecules but also other liquids. It is because the heat is created within the food itself that microwave cooking is so energy efficient. There is no heating of the container or the area around the container. The heat you feel on the plate after heating has been transferred there from the food itself. Also, because the microwaves are acting ‘within’ the food the action is very quick and items can be heated in a short period of time.

Is it bad for the food?
The heating process of the microwave is at the basic molecular level. Some people say the heating process affects, damages or even destroys those molecules. The affects claimed vary from a loss of nutrients, to a molecular change into cancer causing compounds. The claim is that the vibration of molecules by the microwaves, is so strong that the bonds between the molecules are broken down in such a way that the changes are harmful.
Personally I have my doubts about this. The texts I have read when preparing this discussion make little or no differentiation between foods. Surely some foods will be affected differently? Even heating water is supposedly not safe, which I find doubtful.

However, I do know that cooking affects foods chemically. Cooking is itself a chemical reaction brought about by heat. We know that cooking can cause otherwise safe foods to become cancerous or changed nutritionally. Carbon deposits on burnt charred foods are known to be harmful and it is well known that some cooking methods can affect the quantity and quality of nutrients in the food. However there is no single answer on the best and safest way to cook. For example, while some vitamins are known to be water soluble and lost during boiling, other nutrients are only made available to the body after the cooking process helps breakdown food making the nutrients contained available for absorption into our bodies. Of course, let’s not forget that cooking is vital when preparing some foods to destroy otherwise harmful organisms and many foods would be very unpalatable if we had to eat them raw.

One advantage of microwave cooking is the speed and reduction of water used. Similar to steaming, microwave cooking requires a limited amount of nutrient sapping water and the extra speed of the microwave oven means cooking times are kept to a minimum.

So, the simplest and quickest answer to the question of microwave safety is this - there is no simple and quick answer!

Basically it depends. It depends on what you are doing with the food. Cooking or defrosting? What are you cooking? What power and for how long are you cooking? These questions will determine the answer.

Safe Use of a Microwave Oven
As with all cooking methods, there a number of things we should be aware of when using a microwave oven to ensure we are using it safely.


•  Materials. Be aware of what you are putting in the microwave. NO metal dishes. Be aware that some dishes have metal content in their decoration. If you are unsure, put the dish in (with some water) and start the microwave. If you see sparks shut it off straightaway.

•  Plastic containers and cling film wrap should be used with care. Some are not designed to withstand high temperatures and can leach chemicals into food when subjected to high temperatures. To be sure, use only containers labeled as ‘microwave safe’

•  Don’t operate the microwave oven empty. Consider keeping a cup of water inside in case of accidental operation.

•  Obviously foods heated in the microwave will be hot. Even if the outside feels cool be careful, as the inside can be very hot. Mix the food thoroughly or let it stand for a few minutes to distribute the heat evenly. Use a heat protecting glove or similar to remove dishes from the microwave oven. Be especially careful if heating baby food/milk to make sure there are no areas that are excessively hot.

•  When cooking or re-heating foods make sure the food is evenly heated to avoid areas that are undercooked or still cool that may still contain active microorganisms.

•  The microwave oven is made with a number of built-in safety features. Do not try to overcome these. Don’t try to operate the microwave oven with the door open. The glass door has a metal mesh that is designed to prevent microwaves from escaping the oven cavity. Do not remove or damage this mesh. If the door locking mechanism or door mesh is damaged do not use the microwave oven. Have it serviced by authorized personnel or replace it.

•  Keep the microwave oven clean. Especially make sure there is no food debris or other dirt around the door seals that may affect the closed seal.
Despite the microwave blocking case of the oven, microwaves are able to escape from the front glass, although only a very short distance and in limited amounts. To be very safe, do not stand and wait within arms length of an operating oven.

•  Superheating. Superheating occurs when something reaches boiling temperature but doesn't actually boil and bubble. This can happen with liquids in the oven. If you heat a cup of water or your favourite drink, there is a chance an area of the liquid becomes superheated, but is not allowed to boil by the cold liquid surrounding it. Once the liquid moves or is stirred, then the superheated part suddenly and violently boils. If you put a spoon into a cup of superheated coffee the coffee will boil up and possibly give you a nasty burn.
To avoid this, don’t heat liquids for too long. Standing a non-metal utensil like a chopstick in the cup will help the liquid mix and heat evenly. A microwave oven with a rotating turntable will help. When first moving a heated cup, put a spoon or something in first and do so at arms length.


Make sure that whoever is using the microwave is aware of these dangers and teach them well. Especially look out for the young and elderly users.

If you really are concerned about the nutrient sapping, molecule changing aspects of the microwave oven it makes sense to look at the problem logically. One extreme would be to never to use the oven. However a compromise might be to only use it for defrosting or re-heating cooked food.  As with so many things in life, there is no right or wrong answer.

Microwave ovens are undeniably very useful. They can be a real help for us in our daily routine. But they can also be misused and can be potentially very dangerous.

My personal opinion? Use a microwave oven, but use it sensibly and safely.


Sources
http://www.foodscience.csiro.au/micwave1.htm
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/phys_agents/microwave_ovens.html
http://www.gallawa.com/microtech/Ch3.html
http://www.thedietchannel.com/Microwave-Cooking-And-Food-Vitamins.htm



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Sun, 26 Oct 2008 00:38:51 +0300 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/18
29 Sep 2008 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/17 Typhoon Hagupit came to Hongkong last week. Fortunately the number 8 Typhoon signal was lowered early in the morning so the Wednesday could go ahead more or less normally. However this news was overshadowed by the expanding contaminated milk scandal. Everything from milk powder to white rabbit sweets are affected and have been recalled. Even those little Teddy Bear biscuits are affected.

It is so sad that the ones most affected by this are the most innocent ones. How sad that there are tens of thousands of children suffering because of this scandal. Melamine, a chemical used to make plastics, added to milk to make it appear richer in protein. It is an unimaginable thing but so very real.

The basic reason for adding the chemical is reasonably obvious – greed. I’m guessing that there is a requirement to meet a certain protein level for sale, or perhaps higher protein levels can fetch a higher price. But it comes down to basic greed. I guess we all have an element of greed in us. It just depends how strong that is. It is basic human nature to want the best for ourselves and our loved ones. That’s normal and good. The difference is the extent we will go to to achieve that. Would we be willing to risk harming others to benefit ourselves?

This is essentially why we have governmental and NGO oversights. To make sure the needs and welfare of the public are not harmed. Without that oversight there is a chance that the greed of others will overcome the need to look after the welfare of our fellow man. 

Governmental oversight and regulation is essential in ensuring we can have a food supply system that is safe and reliable. Unfortunately it is painfully obvious that the regulatory system in China is inadequate for the job.

As a company we have made the decision not to carry any goods from China. We made this decision a long time ago.

We carry organic food products. That is, food products that are required to meet, not only the quality standards of conventional food but also additional organic certification standards. For us, we are pleased to say that organic food must comply with this additional layer of inspection and we believe it provides you and us extra protection against contaminated food and other similar cases. We strongly support the idea of organic food and believe it can bring real benefits to consumers, producers and the Earth itself.

For the record, none of our products contain milk or milk by-products from China.

Be safe. Eat safe.

Simeon.

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Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:16:31 +0300 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/17
The Benefits of Certification http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/9 When searching for organic and other quality food products we always find out about the products certificates. For us, this is like asking about exam certificate at a job interview. Claims are easily made but official certified credentials are not so easily obtained. We trust this system to ensure we are bringing quality food to our customers.

There are many certification authorities that look at a variety of different things. Mostly we are looking for certificates of organic status although there are also a number of non-organic credentials that can be a valuable guide to quality.

Some certification authorities are government run or national organizations while others have international operations. Many countries have a government department that wil authorise an organization(s) to handle certification. The food we import carries a wide variety of different certificates depending on the country of origin. To make things even more confusing some manufacturers obtain certificates of other countries eg an Australian company may apply for US certification for marketing or trade purposes. This is important as most countries restrict the use of the term ‘organic’ and similar terms. Not any product can be labeled as organic!

Organic Certificates
In general, organic certification authorities have similar standards. However there are some differences. While these differences are sometimes minor, the overall result is some certificates are considered to be stronger and more focused on consumer and environmental benefit rather than the sometimes conflicting views of manufacturers. It is an unfortunate fact of life that at times the concerns of the producer are not the same as the concerns of the consumer. This is why a strong certification authority is so important.

What does it take to be organic?
As we know there are many different certifiers. And of course they differ in their requirements. In general terms they require:

  • Avoiding the use of synthetic chemical inputs. These include chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, antibiotics, hormones and others.
  • Natural treatments and procedures are encouraged. When these are not sufficient a limited use of approved substances may be used to treat a specific problem.
  • Sewage sludge (biosolids) is not permitted
  • Irradiation treatment is not permitted.
  • Genetically modified organisms are not permitted.
  • Non-organic sources of compost or manure are not permitted.
  • Crop/animal rotation and diversity are encouraged.
  • Land must be ‘chemical-free’ for a number of years before certification.
  • Animal feed should be natural or organic.
  • Organic and non-organic products must be produced, stored and sold separately.


The Organic Certifiers
http://organic.com.au/certify/ This site has links to many of the certifying organizations around the world.
http://organic.com.au/standards/ has links to the standards required to achieve certification.

Here are some links to a few of the certifying organizations that our products are certified by. More detailed information can be found on their websites.

  BCS
BCS, is a European based certifier with it’s head office in Germany. They are edited around the world and perform certification services in many countries
Click here for more information

 


CCPB
CCPB is one of a number of Italian certifiers. They provide certification services for a number of countries.
Click here for more information



Ecocert
Ecocert is one of several large international certification bodies. They provide organic food certification as well as others such as Fair Trade, ISO standard, and other food quality and safety standards. They perform organic certification for many countries globally.
Click here for more information




ICS
International Certification Services Inc is a US based organisation. They provide the Farm Verified Organic (FVO) certificate as well as others. They also provide certification for a number of countries around the world.
Click here for more information




IFOAM
International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) is a large umbrella organization that unites a large number of organizations across many countries. They offer certification in many countries as well accreditation services to certifying bodies.
Click here for more information




JAS
A Japanese organic certifier under the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)
Click here for more information




MOA
The Mokichi Okada Association (MOA) is a Japanese based organization that provides certification in Taiwan. They have a holistic view and their services are broad to include a wide-range of health and well-being issues.
Click here for more information

Click here for more information (Japanese only site)




OCIA
Organic Crop Improvement Association is based in the US and provides certification services to over 20 countries around the globe. They are accredited in US, Japan, Canada, with IFOAM and others.
Click here for more information




OCPP
Pro-Cert Canada is Canada’s foremost certifier. They are accredited with the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) as well as the USDA
Click here for more information




OMRI
The Organic Materials Review Institute based in the US and opertating under the USDA National Organic Program (NOP)
Click here for more information




QAI
Quality Assurance International is based in the US but serves clients worldwide and are accredited certifiers for a number of countries including US, EU, Japan, Canada and the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM)
Click here for more information




The Soil Association
One of major certifiers in the UK, they offer a range of services such a technical advice and education for both consumers and business.
Click here for more information




  USDA
The US Department of Agriculture runs the National Organic Program (NOP) which oversees all the US certifiers
Click here for more information





Other Quality Certificates
Other than strong organic certification, there are some other food quality certificates which we like to see. These are not so common but nevertheless they are valuable guide of quality.

HACCP
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a risk management system that controls hazards related to food safety.
Click here for more information


QMI
QMI offer a wide range of standards and procedural systems. The ISO is one of their standards. ISO 22000 is a food safety management system. ISO9001 is a general standard for managing quality. QMI also offer organic certification and is accredited with the USDA.
Click here for more information




Sources
http://www.usda.gov
http://www.soilassociation.org/web/sa/saweb.nsf/home/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_certification
http://organic.com.au
http://www.qmi.com/registration/foodsafety/

 

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Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:38:07 +0300 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/9
22nd May 2008 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/10
Let me tell you what I had for breakfast the other morning.

Toast and butter.
Real butter, the kind that comes from cows. ‘Cow oil’ as the Cantonese literally calls it. I had slices of butter as it was too cold to get on my knife to spread. Toast with slices of butter. It was lovely! Real butter really does taste good.
But I guess you might not approve of real butter, certainly many health professionals would shake their heads. Think of the saturated fat content! Consider the affect on your heart! "Why not use margarine?" they and you may ask?

For me butter has a distinct advantage over margarine. It is food. Real food. Food that is made in a kitchen not a laboratory. Have you looked at the ingredients of a tub of margarine? You need to have a degree in chemistry to know what it contains!
I want to eat food that I could make at home. Give me some milk or cream (and lots of time) and I could make butter. Add a little salt and it will be the same as I get from my local Wellcome or Park n Shop. What would I need to recreate margarine at home? I'd better go to the HKU labs instead.

For me that is an important general principle when I choose what I eat. When I'm in the store with my wife, we look at the ingredients label - yes we actually look at that tiny label. If it gives us a puzzled look of 'huh?' then we will try to find another choice. After all, if we are going to eat it, I'd like to know what it is.

Of course there are compromises we make. Sometimes we choose not by the ingredients label but the taste of what we have tried and enjoyed. Or the look of a product, and yes, sometimes the price. But the ingredients label plays an important part it our selection process.
Shouldn't it play a role for you as well?

Simeon

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Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:09:13 +0300 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/10
17th May 2008 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/8 Welcome to my first blog entry. This really is my first entry – I’ve never done anything like this before.

Being my first entry I wish I called write about something happy and exciting but my thoughts are not happy and excited. My thoughts are not here in Hong Kong but in Sichuan and with the many, many people there who are suffering. I cannot begin to imagine what the people there are going through. To have their world literally collapsed around them. Everything they have known has gone and likely gone forever. Things will never be the same for the survivors.

Just as I can’t fully understand what they are going through I am at a loss to know what I can do. I’ve done what I can. I’ve donated money to help. We as a company have donated and I as an individual have also donated. I hope you will do so as well.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the terrible earthquake in Sichuan. The army is mobilized and helping. The Chinese government is helping. Governments abroad are helping. NGO’s are active and helping. The Chinese citizens are helping. All those that are able – help. The help is needed. Help as you can.

I have other things I want to talk about. Things like the food labeling legislation, our products and things we as a company have been doing. But right now, with the suffering and anguish happening in Sichuan – well I don’t have the heart to write about those things today. I’ll save that for another day.

With a heavy heart,
Simeon
17th May 2008

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Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:09:01 +0300 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/8
Honey http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/7 Honey is made by honeybees, it is a superbly natural product which the bees make as a food source for themselves. It is one of the few foods which we buy in its truly natural form. It is brought to us in a way that is unadulterated or processed. It requires no additives to make it 'better'. There are no flavorings to make it tastier, no emulsifiers to maintain its consistency no preservatives to make it keep longer. Just as the bees produce it - we use it.
Produced in abundance it is stored in the hive where the beekeeper is able to harvest it. It can be sold as is or more commonly filtered and sometimes heated to ease filtration.

The honey itself is made by the bees from the nectar of flowers. The worker bees collect the nectar, swallow and partially digest it before it is stored in the hive in specially made compartments of the hive. There the bees fan and ventilate the compartments where the moisture content is reduced giving the honey its remarkable keep-ability. The taste, quality and other characteristics of the honey are highly dependent on the source of the nectar the bees collect. By locating the hive in an area of a single flower type the beekeeper can control the type of flowers used by the bees to make the honey and so a particular type of honey can be produced which can be sold according to its particular taste or additional properties such as Manuka Honey.
However regardless of the type of flower used to produce the honey all types of honey have remarkable properties which are worth knowing.

Honey as energy
As an energy source honey is excellent. It is comprised of mostly sugars in the form of fructose (38%) and glucose (31%) and other complex carbohydrates. These can be rapidly absorbed by the body and its high calorie value quickly utilized by the body. Scientific, anecdotal and historical evidence suggests that athletes perform better after consuming quantities of honey before and during a competition with higher levels of energy. In ancient times Greek and Roman soldiers were given honey to prepare for battle.

Honey for Health
Honey has been commonly used as a natural remedy for thousands of years. There are many references to its health benefits in many historical texts and many cultures around the world make use of honey. Honey has antiseptic properties and can used to treat exterior wounds and burns. Its extremely low moisture content allows it to absorb moisture from a wound as well as inhibit bacterial growth.

Honey can also be used to treat and soothe sore throats, coughs and mouth ulcers. For digestive problems, honey can be used to treat constipation and also diarrhoea as well as peptic ulcers and other ailments.

Honey contains small amounts of antioxidants which are important to maintain good health and are known to have cancer preventing properties.

Honey safety and storage
Due to its high sugar and low moisture content honey can be stored for a very long time without refrigeration although it should be stored in a well sealed non-metal container in a place away from sunlight or a dark container.

Honey may naturally contain botulinum endospores. These spores while harmless to older children and adults may cause botulism in infants younger than one year of age due to their under-developed digestive systems. Therefore, as a precaution honey should not be given to babies.

When used for remedial purposes to treat a sore throat or a digestive ailment honey should not be heated as this may reduce or remove its special properties. Do not add it to hot drinks or cook honey used for this purpose. However as a general sweetener or for taste honey can be heated and it will retain its superior energy and taste content.

Honey for taste
Honey has a lower sugar content than regular sugar but it actually tastes sweeter sugar so it gives more sweetness per gram. This means that a smaller amount can be used to give the same taste as regular sugar. Honey can have a wide range of different tastes according to the type or mix of flowers that the nectar was collected from. It can be a tasty addition to hot drinks such as tea, coffee or hot chocolate. Honey can also be used in cooking and baking where it can give a distinctive taste of sweetens and luxury.

Honey instead of sugar
Per gram, honey is sweeter than sugar. It is a much better choice than white sugar or brown sugar. White sugar is highly refined and has gone through numerous processes to achieve its pure white colour and stable crystal nature. All goodness and mineral content has been removed leaving the sugar granules as so-called 'empty calories' that have no nutritional value beyond the calories provided. Brown sugar is slightly better but if compared to honey it is a truly poor substitute.

Organic honey
Organic honey is a very special product which has very strict production and collection guidelines. First off the hives must be placed in an area of either exclusively organic use or non-agricultural use. This ensures the bees only collect nectar from organically grown flowers. The hives themselves are built and painted without insecticides and the bees are not treated with antibiotics or other treatments.
During winter when the bees have no nectar to harvest the bees will usually consume the stored honey. To prevent this, the beekeeper will provide the bees with an alternative food source. In organic honey this food source has to be itself organic. Often it is organic honey. There are conditions to be met to achieve organic status but this is a price worth paying when the finished result can bear the coveted organic certification with its guarantee of a truly chemical-free product.

Honeydew
Honeydew is also a bee product but the source is not nectar from flowers. Rather the bees collect the sap from trees. Not directly from the tree but indirectly from ants, aphids and other insects that secrete droplets of the sap. These droplets look like morning dew hence the name - honeydew. Honeydew is a very special product that has many benefits over and above those of floral honeys.

Due to its unique source honeydew has significant properties which differ from most regular floral honeys. Honeydew is very rich in minerals that are beneficial to us. Besides minerals, honeydew contains complex sugars, oligosaccharides, which help maintain and promote the growth of friendly bacteria in the gut. Honeydew also has higher levels of antioxidants than most other regular honeys as well as higher antibacterial activity.
Generally honeydew has a darker colour and a stronger, richer, woodier taste than regular honey.

Information Sources:
http://www.honey-health.com/
http://www.bees-online.com/HealthBenefitsOfHoney.htm
http://www.airborne.co.nz/hnydew.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey

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Sat, 26 Apr 2008 00:42:46 +0300 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/7
The Problem with Pesticides http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/6 Pesticides are chemicals used to kill or control pests. Pests may be animals such as rats, birds, insects, or microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi or viruses. Any organisms that harm or damage the human interest can be considered a pest. In the agricultural context they attack crops and other produce and can cause great damage, even completely destroying a crop. Obviously this can bring anything from a minor irritation to devastation to the farmer. Hence the increasing use of pesticides to protect the valuable crop.

The vast majority of worldwide use of pesticides is in the agriculture business while other uses include application in industrial areas such as factories and site protection; civic use in cities and urban areas and domestic use to protect homes and gardens against pests.

By design pesticides are toxic compounds. In most cases the more toxic they are the better, however this toxicity must be considered in conjunction with the affect to the users, the environment and the consumers. Most governments regulate the use of pesticides to ensure the interests of the consumers and other concerned parties are considered and looked after. Before a pesticide is approved for use it must undergo testing to establish its safety and efficacy and its approval is often also subject to restrictions of safe use. This approval process is supposed to ensure the rights, benefits and safety of the public are maintained, but unfortunately the process is flawed and decisions are sometimes made which are not in the best interests of the public.

The testing process, which if successful leads to approval, is flawed in several ways. Firstly the tests do not always require actual exposure, nor do they sufficiently reflect exposure to the pesticide or toxin in the real world. These tests are also unable to accurately show the affects of long-term exposure. Given that the human life-span is now seventy or eighty-plus years this question of long-term exposure is an important one. To what extent can a laboratory experiment accurately replicate a long human life? Another critical factor that is not tested for is the accumulation of different kinds of toxins in the body. While one pesticide may be 'harmless' to the human body, how will it change or react with other toxins that may be present in the body. Given that different pesticides can have chemically similar structures the possibility of compounds combining or reacting with each other is a concern. However it is not an area sufficiently explored. Another point of concern is the longevity of these compounds and whether or not they pass though the human body or are absorbed. As these toxins accumulate over many decades and combine with other chemicals can the consumer really be sure they are harmless?

The widespread use of pesticides in agriculture is a major concern that is becoming common among consumers around the world. When used in agriculture the pesticides used are often hidden and invisible to the consumer unlike in other applications which are more overt and have a much greater element of choice.

It is this concern about pesticides that is a frequent driver towards the benefits of organic foods. Organic food is produced in a way that precludes the use of artificial and chemical pesticides. Natural methods of pest control used in organic farming include crop diversification, to minimize loss if a crop is attacked; crop rotation, which minimizes the mass attacks associated with population explosions. Other methods employed by the organic food industry are growing Trap Crops which attract a pest leaving the true crop unscathed; and biological pest control using natural predators.


The consumer is then faced with a number of choices. They may trust the government, the strength of the regulatory process and the pesticide manufacturers and believe that the food treated with pesticides is indeed safe. Or they may be skeptical and undertake means to minimize the pesticides in and on the foods. Washing, soaking and boiling can all act to reduce some but certainly not all pesticide contamination. While it may seem safe to eat parts of fruits and vegetables that are not directly in contact with pesticides such as by peeling a fruit or eating roots like carrots or potatoes this is not realistic as many of the pesticides used can be absorbed into the plant through the leaves or root structure. This means that the common practice of not applying pesticides within a certain period before harvesting is of little value. It is clear that once applied to the plant there is little one can do to remove all traces of the chemicals used.

There is only really one way to ensure a pesticide free diet and that is to ensure the crops and products eaten are not treated or contaminated with pesticides. In reality this is not easily achievable unless through self-sustained living methods i.e. growing your own vegetables and rearing your own animals. Unless we are all to become farmers or have farmer friends we are sure to have some element of pesticides in our lives. Be they deliberately, and liberally, applied to our food crops or consumed inadvertently by polluted water sources or runoff we are sure to have some pesticides nearby.

This does not mean that we should give up and resign ourselves to this sorry situation. Rather we should try to limit the exposure we submit ourselves to. Some exposure is more or less unavoidable if we are to live meaningfully in modern society however there are choices we can make to limit exposure to toxins in the guise of pesticides in our foods. By choosing organic food, foods that have been produced under strictly monitored conditions and foods that meet high standards of quality we can have a positive effect on the amount of chemicals we consume. Organic foods are those that meet certain standards. To achieve organic certification, foods must be produced in a way that conforms to the standards of the certifying authority. The certificate obtained is our guarantee that we are only eating the best and most natural food available.

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Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:32:37 +0300 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/6
Organic Farming http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/3 An Overview of Organic Farming

Organic farming is a philosophy rather than just a method of working the land. The method emphasizes working in partnership with nature rather than trying to battle against it. The focus is on working with nature in a way that is beneficial to the earth, the produce, the producers and the consumers. No party is exclusively benefited at the expense of another.

 

By using organic methods the producer can use his land in a way that is sustainable over many years. Non-organic farmers may use methods that are very intensive. They can produce a strong crop but in a way that cannot be sustained by the land. This results in the breakdown of the production ability of the land in just a few seasons. The land can then only be re-vitalized by resting it or adding larger and larger quantities of artificial and sometimes harmful chemicals. Organic farmers use methods such as crop rotation to ensure the land is not used to exhaustion. They make use of natural fertilisers such as manure and compost to enrich the land and natural pest management techniques to protect their crops.


This is one of the key differences between sustainable and non-sustainable farming methods.

 

The land benefits from the employment of these non-intensive ‘gentle' farming methods. The land beyond the farm and the water courses that flow from and underneath the land are not polluted, the ecosystem is not harmed and natural habitats are maintained.

 

Organic farming methods are undoubtedly good for the land and the environment, but what about the producers? How are they affected by these methods?


For producers adopting organic methods there is a compromise to be made. On one hand organic methods are more labour intensive requiring more time and effort to be spent working the land. Without the dubious benefits of numerous chemicals, the land needs to worked manually and often and time must be spent to utilise the land in an intelligent manner.

 

However this harder work is outweighed by the fact that organic produce often commands a higher price on the market and under some circumstances can result in a yield that is higher than that of conventional farming methods. Due to the higher labour needs organic farming is beneficial to the local economy by providing jobs to local area. Organic farming methods favour smaller farms, often self-owned. This is of great advantage to the farmer when gigantic multi-national companies seem to be taking over all the available agricultural land. Yet another advantage for the organic farmer is the method is less capital intensive. Without having to purchase heavy soil turning equipment or chemicals to fertilise the soil or pesticides to protect the crops investment costs can be reduced. Farm-workers also benefit from not having to handle the large quantities of chemicals required for conventional farming.

 

We have shown that the earth and the producer benefits from organic farming methods. The benefits are also applied to the produce. Without the affects of the chemical onslaught the produce grown is naturally stronger and resistant to pests. They are grown in a manner that increases natural taste and colour and the resultant crop has been shown to be nutritionally superior to conventionally grown produce.

 

As for the consumer, they often have to pay a higher price for their food, but this is offset by the knowledge that the produce is better for them, better for the produce, better for the producer and better for the earth. Isn't that a price worth paying?

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Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:41:53 +0200 http://hk.chopsticks-co.com/en/article/article_id/3