Culinary adventure at Malindi festival

By Pocyline Karani

The humid soaring temperatures did not stop guests from sipping wines and sampling the great foods artistically presented. Instead, the guests of Casino Malindi suffered the dilemma of knowing which meal to start or finish with owing to the array of sumptuous dishes laid out before them.

Mouth-watering whiffs emanated from grilled turkey, roasted pork and charcoal roasted chicken, all familiar delicacies. Food industries jostled to outdo each other at specialties even as the wineries showcased local wines that kept the throats of the participants well irrigated.

The ultra-prestigious Malindi Wine and Food Festival, organised and hosted by Casino Malindi, made its grand return and transformed its bar lounge and La Grilia restaurant into a haven of the region’s tastiest foods and drinks.

Casino Malindi did not disappoint. Instead, it surprised many with its buzz, lifestyle, multi-culturalism and pulsating excitement through the rockin’ melodies and unforgettable sensory experiences that ranged from robust and exotic Italian flavours to dishes from Japan and East Africa. There were also world-class performances.

What started in 2005 as a wine tasting event has morphed to a full-day culinary summit that is held under the breathtaking scenery of the ocean and sandy beaches. The one-day festival featured rare high-quality and sophisticated foods meticulously prepared. They were also very pricey.

Octopus meat

At one booth was an artsy display of food. It turned out to be an octopus prepared in coconut and tomato paste served with vegetables. It still squirmed although it was cooked. Fortunately, its powerful tentacles with high suction bubs did not stick in the mouth. Instead, it secreted uniquely tasting juices.

The garnishing went miles to disguise the not-so-pleasant looking octopus meat while the chef’s carefully prepared homemade mango pickle added to the uniqueness.

A plate of caramali (squid) sat on cubes of eel in a more rococo mode. Besides it lay fresh yet bitter chilli hot seaweed that tasted more like rubber rather than meat. Mouse moussel al cafe, a creamy half frozen Italian espresso specially prepared with a machine, was ideal for cooling the mouth after the hot squid.

It was fun tasting the different foods and pairing them with wine. Inexperienced wine adventurers enjoyed tastes of different flavoured wines thanks to willing volunteers who freely educated guests. There were more than 150 wines on display. Interestingly, Giorgio Parodi, a resident of Malindi, brews most of the local wines.

Wine flavour profile

At one stand labelled ‘Wines of Our Days’, an expert wine maker highlighted the regional influence of a single grape variety and explained how different winemaking methods affect the characteristics of the final product.

A word of advice though; when pairing wine with food, it is recommended that you consider each component of a dish and complement it while keeping in mind the wine’s acidity and alcohol content.

Similarly, when wining, it is imperative to consider the weight of the food along with its accompanying flavour profile. If you like a heavy dish like roasted meat, then a heavy-style wine is best.

Delights at shogun bar

At the Shogun bar, the main feature was raw tuna and salmon fish with local rice. This was where lovers of Japanese food congregated to enjoy the culinary delicacies of Peter ‘Sushi’ Rodgers, an overly passionate chef.

Seafood and oriental cuisine were a favourite at this bar. Also popular with guests was sushi made with a blend of mango, shrimp with rice, tuna, red snap per, wahoo, eel and pink salmon.

Cooking is an art and this was very evident at the food festival. At Shogun, food was handed out not by hand, but on miniature boats that did the rounds on counter tops. The chef meticulously prepared fresh fish while you watched.

Being new to the art of eating with chopsticks, I took a few lessons and learnt it was similar to holding a pen when writing. At first, the exercise was frustrating but the more I tried, the more fun it grew.

I also learnt that sake wine, a Japanese wine made from rice and served in a green wooden tumbler, is the best to wash down and enhance the much-defined taste of sushi. My favourite meal was sushi coated in sesame seeds and coloured fish eggs, which I did not dare touch because I could not envision the slimy stuff going down my throat.

One of the most anticipated events was a rare opportunity to enjoy an intimate dinner with the casino’s star chef.

There were over 23 types of cheese at the food festival. This time, Tim Munyi and Mbeyu Kijuu were on hand to explain the different flavours and uses of the cheeses. Satisfied with that, I went round and discovered ice cream, which I enjoyed tremendously.

The day ended perfectly at the intensely air conditioned gambling hall where we tried our luck at the slot machines, state-of-art machines, roulette and other games on the gambling tables.

 

 

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