 Book Reviews
with Robin Osborne
Fragrant Rice
By Janet De Neefe
HarperCollins $29.95
 Take a dollop of exotic culture, add a batch of Asian spices and throw in a fabulously romantic love story, then place between covers... a perfect recipe for an enjoyable book, and in this case made all the better for being true.
Subtitled 'My continuing love affair with Bali', this is the tale of how a Melbourne art teacher returned to Bali after a childhood family holiday, became captivated by the smells, tastes and visuals of the island, and then fell in love with a man named Ketut.
It all began at a hotel in Ubud, the artistic centre in the hills, where Janet and a girlfriend were at the bar when Ketut and a friend asked if they could come over.
'We chatted casually at the table,' she recalls. 'I watched him in return and observed his smooth glowing skin and beautiful hands, one of which was adorned with a heavy gold ring set with an unfamiliar creamy stone.
"Can I see that ring?" I asked cheekily.
"Of course," replied Ketut. "But beware", he added, and paused, "anyone who tries on this ring will fall in love with me."
A new life had begun for the then-25 year old. Five years later, she and Ketut would marry, not once, but three times, in a succession of ceremonies spanning cultures and a host of relatives and friends.
'We threw small offerings over our shoulders, walked through a piece of string tied between the branches of the sacred dadap tree to symbolise the crossing of a new threshold, and Ketut had to spear a small woven leaf mat with his mighty kris [ceremonial dagger]'.
Since then, the couple has had four children and developed a Balinese cooking school for tourists, a thriving hotel, the Honeymoon Guesthouse, and a homewares export business.
An important part of learning Balinese cuisine is getting the freshest ingredients, and to ensure this happens, Janet conducts marketplace tours to buy meats, seafood and vegetables, as well as essential spices and herbs such as ginger, chilli, galanga and lemongrass.
This highlights the other purpose of the book, which is to provide a selection of popular and achievable Balinese recipes for western cooks, a mission she has accomplished with style, including a selection of appetising colour photos.
For all lovers of Bali, which means anyone who has been there, this book is a cultural and gastronomic treat.
- Thanks to Book Warehouse, Keen Street, Lismore for supporting this column.
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