SM Savoring the Flavor

Eastweek Magazine vol. 412
By:Tsui Yong Yong
21/07/11
Translated by: Tamaya @ asianfanatics.net

Savoring the Flavor
Everybody has his or her own distinct attitude towards life, food and drink; some people love strong flavor; others, refreshing. Growing up, the people and situations encountered will have an influence on its course, and also on the maturation process of adulthood.

This time around, Steven Ma is launching his 6th new book, “Steven Ma’s Relax Attitude Towards Food and Drink.” 《馬浚偉自在飲食態度》 Steven really likes the title of this book as it contained within it situations and experiences he has encountered in his life journey. During my early acquaintance with Steven, I felt that he had no taste buds. He would eat anything, moreover, would eat only when hungry. Ordinarily if not hungry, drinking water would suffice.

His late mother admonished: "Child, no matter how busy you are, you must not let yourself go hungry, you have low blood sugar…. ”"

His mother's admonishment was what Steven retained in his mind. Eating was just to satisfy his hunger pangs. This was his attitude towards eating during his adolescence years.

In recent years, especially lately, because of TVB’s Apprentice Chef 1, Steven got to know many renowned chefs. In every shoot, he had the opportunity to taste delicious food; 13 master chefs, every one would cook three dishes for him, hence, in all, he had eaten thirty-nine specialty dishes. Gradually, Steven was able to distinguish the superior dishes from others. In a society or within a structure, people or situation he encounters daily can be deemed good or bad; likewise food. Every delicacy that fills the belly is permeated with each and every master chef’s personal experiences.

Like how Steven’s life changed from overcast to clear; from stepping out of the lingering haze after his mother’s death towards a better way of life through his passion for sports; from depression to sanguinity; from having no demands towards food to today’s ability to immediately distinguish the dragon from the phoenix at a bite, all these can be gleaned through the pages in his book.

Because his mother was sick for many years, Steven attaches great importance to curative food as home remedies. If in a meeting at his house, when Steven noticed the start of a cold in me, he would go into the kitchen, slice some scallions and boil “scallion water” for me to drink. The next day, the congestion and headache would sure to disappear.

Whenever the weather turns chilly, his “maw soup”「花膠湯」will appear, one after another nourishing delicious soup, nourishing both the soul and body. In my heart, he has already become Dr. Ma.

The origin of his knowledge came from late Mother Ma. She suffered from a chronic illness and so as to set the minds of her husband and children at ease, she continuously looked up Chinese curative soups to treat her illness. Influenced by his mother, Steven places great value on Chinese food therapy.

Today, adding his own research to his mother’s knowledge, Steven can easily cook up numerous nourishing dishes. Moreover, the curative dishes are commonly known home remedies. So long as there are food staples available at home as common as eggs, meat and vegetables, Steven will be able to whip up several plates of delectable dishes within a short period of time. Steven is not only at ease with food but even more so, nowadays, he is also at ease with his life. This is Heaven sending back to him the gift of wisdom and farsightedness. Today he is very blessed, and has learned to go with the flow and enjoy life.

This book, “Steven Ma’s relax attitude towards food” is a book of knowledge, at the same time, it is also a testimony to Steven’s 苦盡甘來 experiences in the first half of his life journey.

Savoring, has its own delight.

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苦盡甘來 = bitterness finishes, sweetness begins (idiom); the hard times are over, the good times just beginning


book cover
steven ma weibo