High Flying

I am quite a fidgety and curious flyer. Yes, I am one of those who panic at the slightest bump and take a window seat only to keep staring at the wings to see if they are going to burst into flames or we are going to lose a tire or two. I have no clue where this phobia came into being but it might have stemmed from the fact that I would squeal in pain from the pressure imbalance as a kid.

I also love to travel and my travel is usually calculated in a way that I need to incorporate food into the itinerary. So be it Goa or Malaysia I jump at opportunities which bring me closer to food and help me learn the origins better. So technically Goa would be easier to do since it’s a close 45 mins flight and all I need to do is sip on water and count my blessings (yes, eating is out of question, there is a reason a brown paper bag sits on the back of the seat in front of you), but what happens when it’s a longer flight?

I still get nightmares when I think about my ordeal when I flew to the US of A 8 years ago (I believe there was a momentary passing out stage, which the hostess’ mistook for deep slumber) but I have come to terms with how travelling with companions can be – well, distracting. I recently took off on a dream trip to an obscure (only because people feel its unapproachable due to language, food, people) place Japan with buddies who I have known for a while now. One of my favourite people, a super cool wine and spirit aficionado who is a walking talking bible of all things alcohol (and a cool cook too, when he wants to be!) Aneesh Bhasin and me flew with Singapore Airlines who fly that sector frequently…

The idea was to discover another country, particularly one which does not speak your language but does speak the language of food. So when Singapore Airlines (SQ) decided to Ferry Aneesh and me to a distant land of our choice, this was going to be one hell of a roller-coaster ride. Japan was definitely on the cards, especially since SQ flies regularly on that route with a stopover at Singapore, it was inevitable that I would insist on a day at Singapore and make a visit to S.A.T.S. their catering facility which was a hot bed of information I would get in a single place for in-flight catering. Of course, we come to that a little later but let me get back to my story of what flying means to me.

From the moment I signed on for this trip, it was a given that Singapore Airlines would pull out all stops, considering they have just launched their Airbus 380, the ultimate in luxury, I was sure they would leave no stone unturned when it came to sending us off on a discovery tour from their end. Business Class travel was a cool surprise with the other good part being that the flight in which we were flying was not aware we were guests, which gave us a the perfect insight into the workings of the airline.

So here is a little thing about Singapore Airlines Business Class which made me look at flying as one without inhibitions, it is undoubtedly the best in luxury, I have flown a few Business Class’ around the globe in the past (Emirates a close similarity followed by Cathy Pacific) but this experience was a first for me. Their Boeing 777-300ER which we flew to Singapore has the best-on-board Business Class seats, unlike the recliner models which are comfy, all because of the leg space, this one had a closed off section of their own with cosy nooks after reclining to tuck your feet in once you have comfortably ensconced them in soft cotton disposable socks, a state of the art entertainment facility, warm towels at a drop of a hat, lotions and colognes to freshen yourself as toiletries and of course, grub which you cannot complain since it comes set on your table with cutlery and porcelain et al (and from a carefully curated menu which we will learn about a little later).

The best part was their liquor list, which I was keen on discovering, since international travel allows you to indulge in some R&R on this 5 hour long flight. The welcome drink of juice, water or champagne was expected, and I was given a lesson on their wine list by Aneesh who chose a fabulous Riesling from Germany, the petroleum and green apple aroma redolent Reichsgraf Von Kesselstatt Riesling Kabinett Mosel, 2012 and followed by the 2010 full bodied and rich red fruit forward Chateau Loudenne Medoc Cru Bourgeois, Bordeaux, France for dinner. Not to forget their sprits and signature cocktails, which were enviable (after all how much can a person drink in 5 hours). For me, what would be challenging was to test out their prowess in creating a cocktail for me with my flavour profile.

When I was asked what I would like to start with before my meal, I casually asked for their “special” and since I was embarking on a journey to the land of Sake, a special cocktail made with this rice elixir was on the cards in my order to the hostess. What came was a super concoction which they probably fix up for discerning travelers like me.

Here is the simple recipe of the drink SQ. made for me on board and it can be easily replicated should you have access to a decent bottle of Sake (and since this doesn’t have a name I have decided to christen it the ‘KRISAKE’)

KrisSake

Ingredients

• 60 ml Sake
• 30 ml Cointreau
• 15 ml Lemon Juice
• Topped with 7-Up

Directions

• Add some ice cubes to a glass and start building first with the sake, followed by the Cointreau and the lemon juice.
• Give it a good stir and top with 7-up
• Serve chilled

Flying high was the way to embark on this trip and there was no better way to complete the journey than this cocktail which I had nearly 3 of; we shall get on to what I ate in the next post so stay tuned…

This trip was sponsored by Singapore Airlines and the Kyoto & Osaka Tourism Board and as much as I would have loved to experience this if I was to use the services incognito, it was a satisfying experience considering the on-board attendants were unaware of us being guests of the airlines. On a side note, the service industry is indeed questionable in most cases, with airlines there is no margin of error as you require patience and perseverance to deal with different flyers, SQ Hostess’ keep their professionalism intact when interacting and put you to ease.