Tag Archives: martinriese

We All Want The Same Thing From Taste -Zero Calorie Drinks

One habit I’ve gained from my zero calorie drink habit is to find creative ways in finding satisfying tastes and flavors. Just because I have elected not to consume calories in my drinks does not mean I do not want to have fun and find excitement in my life. By contrast, it has challenged me to find new ways to fulfill that need. I love the fact that I can better control my calorie intake and my overall diet.

A few suggestions and tips if you would like to try something similar

I realized that we are all the same when it comes to what we want from our drink selections. Yet the result and the outcomes of our desires are vastly different and can be either good or bad for your health. I am trying to nudge you down the path of a more healthy diet in 2019.

We all look for a taste that excites our taste buds. Sadly in today’s world we are sometimes just ‘downing’ our food and drinks without paying attention to how they taste to us. I guess if it does taste not bad, it must be good.

What makes us taste differently?

For a sommelier this becomes the eternal question. Sure, it would be simpler if we all liked a few tastes – a few products on the market – done. But having this infinite diversity of tastes and cultures is what makes our job as sommelier so special, so unique. We try to guide you in finding your personal product which matches your taste. We all have a different amount of taste buds with different intensity and yes, the tasting map is still a myth.

Yet there is so much more to tasting, and being mindful about it will enhance the quality of our life. I am able now to find great taste in water thanks to the education of the Fine Water Academy. I am able to select different teas based on my mood or the time of the day to enhance that time of the day and to bring more energy to the day.

Short cuts

Sometimes we are keen to find short cuts. That is not only true for tastes but also for other areas in life. When we drink a soft drink we like the taste combined with the sugar rush that kicks in immediately after the first sip. We like the little buzz we get after the first cocktail or alcoholic drink together with the taste.

Imagine a world where you do not have that sugar kick or buzz but experience the world as it is. Drinks that do not put your system into insulin lock down or shut down your brain cells. Living a sober and on the extreme side, zero calorie drink life has done more for me than I could have ever imagined. Gone are the days of hangovers or bad stomach aches due to ‘something’ I drank the night before.

As I started to combine my drink diet with better nutrition, mindfulness and fitness, something magical happened. I started to dream bigger dreams, achieve higher goals and feel better about myself. I am able to reach for the stars and grab them with only the sky being the limit. I gave up something small but gained a much better and fulfilled life.

The taste of water

The taste of water continues to fascinate me. I am travelling around the globe with open eyes, experiencing the world more in a more mindful way and discovering things I could have not imagined before. I see globalization not as a threat but as an opportunity to grow and expand in my abilities every day. And I am achieving that with feeling good about myself. A major part is due to my perspective on life and my relationship to taste.

15067806 – dripping heart over the water

I continue to explore the relationship between water and food. Since my studies with the fine water academy and my eye opening visit to the water library, I am continuing to explore matching and contrasting pairs of water and food. My all time favorite is Vichy Catalan and dark chocolate. This is an amazing example of how two different components that taste great individually, can create a flavor symphony together. If you have access to this water and dark chocolate, try it. You will not be disappointed. Also, the podcast of Martin Riese has great episodes on food and water as well of course the amazing fine water facebook site.

Just yesterday I tried one of my favorite flavor experiments and I would highly recommend it to you. I brewed a cup of Earl Grey from a standard supermarket tea bag and a cup of high quality Earl Grey made from a high quality loose leaf tea.

Flat vs Flavorful

The different is staggering. The standard tea bag tea will taste flat, but if you are used to this taste you will not notice the difference. Its like flying business class for the first time. Once you experience that it is hard to go back to economy.

A high quality loose leaf tea will come in dimensions. You will have a great entrance of the tea. It will swirl around and leave your taste buds nourished and excited. Great teas will stay in your memory and will make a taste impression for a long time to come.

The same goes for water.  If you taste tap water it will be an OK experience, but once you compare it with a high quality fine water from an amazing source you do not want to go back. There are waters that will leave you longing for more which you will remember years after you first tasted them.

One such water for me is Cotorella from Italy. It is something about the stage between the mouth feel as it is swirling around and the finish. It leaves you wanting to take another sip.

So with that go out and explore the great waters and teas this world has to offer and hopefully they will bring a little bit of joy into your life.

Stay Thirsty!

Water Sommelier : The journey to a hydrated world

I have been a water sommelier for 4 weeks now and it is time to share by initial reflections with you.  My emotions have been stirred up this way (in a good sense) in seeing opportunities and challenges on the road ahead.

This new path has been a wonderful journey so far.


It is largely a path where you do not see a lot of foot prints but that will change in the future. You can for sure see the clear footprints of Martin Riese and Michael Masha on this path and they lead us to a brighter and more elegant experience for water.

You are what?

When I tell people that I am a water sommelier, I get two very different reactions. One is from my friends and colleagues, which is normally a blank stare and confusion of what to do with this piece of information. 65 percent of our body is made of water, yet we are not comfortable to deal or discuss the most essential liquid on this planet. Most people accept the fact that it is around them and as long it serves the purpose of saving our lifes on a daily basis the world is ok. It is when it is not present, the attention turns towards water and the priorities shift. I see this on a daily basis in Myanmar how difficult the struggle for clean and drinkable water is and how much harm polluted water can do to a person.

 

The better ones will start seeing me as a novelty act, some sort of circus attraction and wait for me to perform magic tricks. Once I explain more what a water sommelier is, the interest sparks and their eyes brighten and the understanding kicks in. This is the hardest part of being a sommelier: use the moment of confusion to turn it quickly into interest and fascination about this important subject.  

The other reaction is from people in the restaurant and water business and it reassures me that not all is lost and that we are heading towards a bright water experience. Here is a story which describes this the best.

The spark

I recently was invited to a business breakfast on behalf of my organization (WFP) to network with people. Just by coincidence a famous owner of a restaurant chain was sitting next to me, someone I highly admire for his innovation in Myanmar and the hope his creative food brings to the country. I introduced myself and we exchanged pleasantries about our line of work and why we are here. He had just recently given an inspiration talk at TEDxYangon, which was the highlight of this event. I showed my respect about his work and the talk and after a few minutes we went on to the next person in this networking event.

At the end of the event I took all my courage (I am a bit of an introvert) and joked on the way out about his main restaurant in Yangon being my life line for Aqua Panna and San Pellegrino in the city. When I told him that I am a water sommelier his mood changed and his eyes showed a spark. He introduced me to his brother (an icon by himself – the only certified chocolatier in Myanmar and the creator of the best ice cream in Yangon) and we started talking water. Water became our connector, it had this magic spell in igniting passions in us and brightened the conversation tenfold.  That is the essence of being a water sommelier, connecting people and transferring a piece of passion to them about fine water.

 

When you are passionate about something, life will bring you the most amazing opportunities. Keep an open mind and when you see an opportunity grab it and turn it into something magical.

The road less taken

I am still at the beginning of this journey, but I can see that it will be a road less taken. I can see a future where people pay attention to the quality of their water and enjoy the experience of learning and tasting fine waters around the world. While we are still challenged in hydrating properly to make the best of water for our wellness, water can be so much more. It can complement our restaurant experience and interact with tea and wine and different types of food. The opportunities are endless, we as water sommeliers can open the door for people to experience something wonderful, something that will enrich their life. Water creates an opportunity for affordable luxury, bringing both wellness and a tasting experience to the table.

Where to go from here?

My first couple weeks thought me that small improvements will lead to bigger changes in the future. I will not be discouraged that my passion for water and (tea) is not widely shared (yet) but if I can make people think about high quality water for 5 minutes of their day that will be a huge success. I will continue working with the restaurant industry and water brands here in Myanmar. What initially was a means for assignments for the Fine Water Academy continues to amaze me and there is so much potential for Myanmar and the world. My dream is to bring a fine Myanmar mineral water to the global market for everybody to enjoy and hopefully compete in water competitions around the world.

I will continue to educate my friends and family and organize intimate water tastings in combination with tea and food. I hope to organize a larger event here in Myanmar for more people to enjoy this experience.

I will share my experiences around the world on this blog, keeping my eyes and taste buds open and share with you interesting stories around water and tea from my travels.

Stay thirsty!