The Yin and Yang with Pork

Recipes so enticing the centurion leaves his post

Your know what they say: no one makes pizza the way the Italians do. So it becomes a very pleasant surprise when you get served pizza extraordinaire in the very heart of Lucerne. The divinely appointed Hotel des Balances houses an equally divine restaurant that successfully offers in its delectable menu this time-honoured Italian dish.

The secret to its success is in its novel presentation of two beautifully contrasting flavours. The side shaped as yin  has a very subtle sweet "Hawaiian" enticement, while its yang digs deep into Italy's savoury roots.   As such, lunch in this quintessential hotel makes the vacation even more memorable.

I get that same feeling of ecstasy too when I have to make up my mind to how I'll dress or drench the serve of  pork. For unlike beef or lamb, the cuts from this organically farmed animal can be easily marinated in either the yin or yang fashion.

When my palate heavily leans towards the savoury, I'm normally tossed between a gravy rich red curry, generously stirred through with creamy sweet potato, or a Sichuan five-spicy dish that's refreshingly balanced with a cool yoghurt-laden cucumber salad. And as both are as wonderfully seductive to friends and family, I'd often resorted to tossing a coin. Yes, both are really that yummy!

But when I'm in the mood for a yin, my immediate instinct runs towards a cut of white meat glazed with marmalade, no less from Prince Charles' Duchy Originals. Be generous with the glaze and you can almost imagine hubby, with you, dining with royalty. But if you're in the mood for a cosy dinner for two,  then whip up a batch of garden-fresh apple sauce. And ensure that you make enough to daintily smother the juicy cutlets.        

And if you wish to embark on an experience that mirrors the pizza prepared in the Swiss hotel's style, there's always the trusted but inspirational sweet and sour pork chops. Do it well, and you have creatively aspired to salivate over it like most Chinese - oh, it's so delicious it's basically comfort food.