Time, the essence of taste and life - 时间的味道

In my journey to obtain a deeper understanding of food, something I didn't used to value kept ringing in my head - time.

Time is in everything.

In marination, fermentation, ageing, curing, brining, freezing, braising, proofing and everything else you can think of. Even thawing frozen meat/fish is best achieved slowly over a day or two in the lower warmer echelons of the fridge.

The meal is ruined if you don't wait for the ingredient to warm up to room temperature before cooking, and precious cuts of meat will be completely wasted if you don't give it time to rest after grilling/roasting.

Fruits develop the right flavour given time to ripen naturally, animals/fish too, if given the luxury to take their own time according to what nature designed for them.

A good meal, in other words, is often the taste of time. Patience is therefore, the true test of one's dedication to achieving the best.

Delicious, unforgettable beef bourguignon, courtesy of @carolparismikki.

Take this pot of beef bourguignon for example, it had been on the stove for 2 full days before I had my 10 minutes of enjoyment devouring it. If the cook or the guest did not have enough patience, the entire dinner experience would have been completely different.

Isn't life the same?

Isn't life the gentle simmer that can be more effectively-understood only after one has gathered experience and maturity through the accumulation of time?

Time is the essence of everything.

To build up a company from nothing to a reliable entity in the marketplace.

To foster a strong relationship with people.

To have sufficient practice to master a skill.

To nurture your little ones into responsible adults.

To win hearts and prove your credibility.

And of course, to cook delicious pot of beef bourguignon to make friends and family really really happy.

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在我找寻美食真谛的旅途里，通过视频，书籍，文章，跟厨师的交谈当中，有两个字一再被重复：时间。

时间有味道吗？尝得到吗？

时间彻底融入了食物的一切，从焖、炬、烤、腌制、发酵、冷冻, 都少不了对时间的掌控。连达到解冻最好的效果，都要通过在冰箱里低温长时间才能取得。耐心，也成为了烹饪最重要的品德。

A post shared by Eddie Yii (@strangerinbangkok) on Jul 16, 2018 at 8:39pm PDT

就拿这碗简简单单的台湾肉燥饭来说吧，如果不是在炉灶上足足两天，采用最好的有机猪肉 （也就是说猪只有自由活动的空间和适当的时间来自然成长），这碗饭也达不到我想要的滋味。

人生不也一样吗？难道人生不是通过长时间累积的经验跟智慧，才能好像红葡萄酒一样越老越香醇吗？

时间穿透了生命的一切、是万事欠缺的东风。

把一间公司从一无所有培养成在商场上可靠的品牌。

把孩子教育成对社会负责任的一份子。

把婚姻，朋友，家庭、各种人际关系经营好。

把一个求生技能掌握得得心应手。

让自己赢得漂亮的诚信与口碑。

这样样都急不得，不能缺少耐心与时间的酝酿。

时间有味道吗？

有。

那就要看你有没有用心去品尝了。

Stranger in Bangkok: Phase 2

Many people like to ask me, "What do you do in Bangkok?" followed by, "What company do you work for?"

I usually do not know what to say, because I know the answer will not be an interesting one. Even though I work in the agricultural industry, one that is relevant to more than half the population in Thailand, to most, it's still considered a low-profile "niche" market.

The conversation gets even more awkward when I reluctantly tell them my company name.

So there you go.

I moved permanently to Bangkok mid-2010. It took us 8 years, to start from zero, to finally move into our own premises. Consider this a major milestone in our journey, but this is one decision that came with a story of its own.

The owner of the group of companies I work for has never visited our branch in Thailand before. The only time I saw him in my first 6 years, was at my wedding, where he shook my hand and offered his blessings. Otherwise, no matter how I encouraged him to come, his reply would be, "You young people need to fight the fight."

As I go through all the paper in my office in preparation for the move, in my bid to save every piece of reusable paper or clip, I recalled all the things I did to build this up. I had to do every damn thing, cos there was just me. All the late nights. The lonely evenings I spoke with the neighborhood dog. The systems I set up to make sure I did everything necessary. The talking to passers by to help me unload thousands of boxes of goods, which had to be done regardless of weather or time. The betrayals. The helplessness. All precious precious memories, good or bad. I realized my survival instinct forced me to block out the process to focus on achieving acceptable results, resulting in me forgetting much of the journey. I wonder whether that's a good thing. Or maybe I am just getting old. #workinginthailand #strangerinbangkok

A post shared by Eddie Yii (@strangerinbangkok) on Jun 20, 2018 at 3:06am PDT

Fast forward to September 2016. A special training event organised by our principle brought me back to my head office in Bintulu, Sarawak. As usual, big boss shook my hand. This time, he spoke, "It's time to find our own place."

He had finally given me an instruction! My one and only royal edict. I sprung into action.

It took nearly 2 years, and here we are.

In our own place. Bigger, better, and more importantly, gives us a sense of belonging and a platform to propel us into greater heights. Whether that happens though, is an unknown.

What I know is, behind this sense of achievement, is the fact that we have never been tighter in cash, and never been more in debt.

Stranger in Bangkok: Phase 2, starts, now.