Author: beingdesh

The Curious Case of Carter Road

Over the past year or so nothing as intrigued me more than the appearance, sudden rise, and equally sudden demise of certain eateries in Mumbai. Places like the western suburbs of Bandra and Andheri have seen a sudden surge in the number of places opening up, with one of the key growth segments being that of stores specializing in desserts and confectioneries. As Antonie Lewis points out in his brilliant piece Mumbai’s extreme restaurants which appeared in HT Brunch few days back,

The sweetest section of the city
It’s 400050 or Bandra West.Burrp.com lists 86 eateries that either specialise in desserts, confectioneries, cakes or devote a substantial part of their menu to sweet affairs. From mithai to muffins, cookies to cupcakes, Bandra’s got most places to take care of your sugar fix.

I am assuming atleast of these 86 would have appeared in the year or two. Among these the most prominent category which is attracting equal attention of entrepreneurs, consumers, an investors alike is that of Frozen Yoghurt. According to Burrp there 9 exclusive Frozen Yoghurt shops in Bandra (with others such as Ci Gusta, Quiznos Sub, and Cuppa Joe also serving Frozen Yoghurt)*.

To be honest, I am not a big fan of the category. This frozen dessert with a pleasantly sharper flavour than ice-cream is usually served in berry or fruity flavors. The tart in the dessert is complimented with toppings ranging from crunchy nuts to fresh and canned fruits. It is obviously a healthier option than ice-cream with its lower fat content, but I am still to acquire a taste for it.

Personally I have been a big fan of yoghurt since my childhood. While as a kid the thick Kesar-infused Shrikhand or the aamrakhand (Mango Pulp mixed with Hung Yoghurt) captured my taste buds, I discovered the slightly softer matho with a variety of flavors and toppings in Gujarat. I have had the best matho at Surat but as one of my friend insists, nothing beats Rajkot in matho. One of my favorite flavors of matho back in Gujarat is the American Dry Fruit- a unique mix of chocolate chips, nuts and jelly whisked with a hung yoghurt (I feel matho has a slightly thinner consistency than Shrikhand, which means it has a relatively higher water content).

And then there is Mishti Doi, malaidar curd which is at its best when sweetened using Date Jaggary, a product popular from those earthen kulhads in Durga Pujas to Mother Dairy plastic cups on the Delhi University campus.

To understand the difference between these two distinct usages of yoghurt (eastern and western) one needs to understand the differences in culinary cultures. We as Indians (and lot of parts of Asia including the middle east) have been consuming yoghurt for a long time. But for the western world, Yoghurt was an alien concept. People hardly appreciated its sour flavors and it was difficult to get it. It first gained popularity during the hippie movement as simpler food habits were being encouraged as part of their communes. Later on some genius added sugar and fruits to the sour yoghurt and started marketing what we call “Flavored Yoghurt”. They sold it on promise of health and taste. With the growing consciousness towards healthier foods and emergence of functional foods, brands like Yakult and Danone became household names, and LactoBacillus, a bacteria which makes yoghurt what it is, was embraced for its perceived health benefits by millions around the world.

You can watch a detailed documentary on the emergence of this category (presented from the perspective of UK markets) and others here:

Documentary on the emergence of Yoghurt

I haven’t got to read and watch much about Frozen Yoghurt’s origins, but the Wikipedia entry traces it to New England region in North East U.S.A.

Frozen yogurt was introduced in New England, north-east USA, in the 1970s as a soft serve dessert by H. P. Hood under the name Frogurt

So while the western world had to go through a series of manufacturing and marketing innovations to make yoghurt mainstream, we have always had it as part of our natural diet. And hence the opening of Frozen Yoghurt shops (and the stocking of Flavored Yoghurts pods in supermarkets) is slightly confusing.

Are companies trying to sell us a fancy concept, a new experience, a differentiated dessert or a functional food item?

I have been looking for answers myself. So when earlier this year I was at B-School in Mumbai helping a batch of students with their placement preparation, I thought of throwing the question to them. Here is a summary of the case study, with a structure to approach the problem, and few ideas from my end:

The Curious Case of Carter Road from Abhishek Deshpande

I don’t know if I have been able to solve the problem or make it simpler. All I know is that I will always prefer an American Dry Fruit Matho or a Kesar Shrikhand or a Mishti Doi over frozen yoghurt.

So FroYo makers, do you have anything better to offer?

*Specific input from Anuja Deora

April 28, 2013
A Butter Bath at Sardar
All of us imagine and keep designing some colourful imaginations once in a while. People imagine future scenarios, their possible adventures on travel, or a date with Katrina or John Abraham. But for some people like me, imaginations can be as simple and weird as taking a bath in my favourite dish. Be it drowning in the Sambhar at Chutneys (Hyderabad) or diving into the Vindaloo gravies at Goa, I have always thought about extremes with food.

I have also ventured into surreal territories of taking a hot rasam bath or a cold Rabdi snaan. Most of these thoughts were triggered by the nomenclature of Bangalore Idli Joints (those famous Darshinis and Sagars), which had dishes like Kesari Bath, Kara Bath and a Chinese sounding Chow Chow Bath (a mix of Kesari-Kara).

In a realistic scenario taking a bath in these delicacies doesn’t actually mean me jumping into them, but rather the overall experience of their flavours dominating me and all my senses.

Out of all these weird imaginary baths, none is as rich, as good for taste, and as bad for heart like the Butter Bath at Sardar.

Sardar Paved Bhaji located at Tardeo is not just another Pav Bhaji place. It is a temple, a shrine for all Amul butter pilgrims. If Butter was a religion, and Amul Butter its religious head, its janmbhumi would be at Anand, but its karmbhumi will surely be Sardar.

My visits to Sardar have almost always been with Prateek (fellow DAIICTian and SPite, and co-inventor of the now famous DK index). Almost all our visits to this place begin with questions like:
1. How much Amul Butter does Sardar use in one day? (Our guesstimates based on number of tables, rotations, and approximate number of parcels have led us to a figure of anywhere between 168-190 KG. Although we later realized that we grossly underestimated the parcel count)
2. Is this Amul’s frontline store which is being used to promote its brand, or is it just another Pav Bhaji place?
3. Do they have a tightly integrated supply chain with a Butter factory and a Dairy to replenish their Butter supplies?
4. Do Sallu Bhai and Sanju Baba actually get Pav bhaji specially parcelled for them?
5. One can eat one pav bhaji, but is there any possibility that he or she can get through another? (Believe it or not, Prateek has got through two)
I got to know a lot about the history of Sardar and Tardeo through some interesting conversations with the taxi drivers in and around Mumbai Central. The staff at Sardar seldom reveals much, but the Taxi Drivers narrate stories of the days when Tardeo was the go to place for movie lovers in Mumbai with a number theatres (few of them like Maratha Mandir playing DDLJ and Ganga Jamuna still survive). People used to watch a movie and come straight for a Pav Bhaji at Sardar. I met Taxi Drivers who have had it for Rs. 12, Rs. 25, and Rs. 30. A movie at Maratha Mandir for Rs. 15 followed by a Pav Bhaji for Rs. 15, those were the times!

Although the rates have now changed significantly (touching Rs. 100), what remains constant is the Butter Bath given to every Pav Bhaji. Every lot of Bhaji is meticulously prepared from scratch and serves around 70-100 plates of Bhaji.

Here is a short clip on the final Butterification of Bhaaji, whereas the other Tawa is busy being prepared for Masala Pav.

Butterification of Sardar Pav Bhaji

Here are a few pictures of the Pav Bhaji creation process.

The Making of Sardar’s Bhaji

Pav Swimming in Butter

When it comes to the actual dish the Bhaji lacks the tanginess of the Bhaji my Aunt makes, the simplicity of Canon Pav Bhaaji (opposite CST station subway exit), the tasty garam masala induced spicing of a Bhaji in Delhi, or the pleasure of eating Pav Bhaji past midnight near any local station in Mumbai (especially Andheri). But it is still so special and unique.

The Great Sardar Bhaji

When it comes to Masala Pav, what they offer is simply the best. Although I have been recommended DP (at Matunga near Ruia) for the same, but this one beats all other competition in Mumbai.

Masala Pav

Also do try the Mango Shake at Sardar, pretty good.

Mango Shake

In between the weird imaginations and stark reality, whenever I think of Sardar the image of Pavs floating in Butter will keep coming back to my mind.

Butter Bath at Sardar

Long live Amul Butter and the happiness it spreads in life of many like me.
April 20, 2013
Episode II: What to eat in Varanasi or Story of Italian Food in Varanasi

Continued from Episode I: What to eat in Varanasi? where I touched upon a range of desi delicacies. In this part I will cover a bit of what I learned about what Varanasi learnt, from its foreign visitors. And yes, the title does remind me of the Stanley Kubrick classic, but I can safely assume that a city like Varanasi and its food will surely survive a doomsday scenario too.

Varanasi houses a number of European eateries, not only as a direct response to the influx of foreign tourists, but also due to blending of foreign nationals with the local population. A blending which has been facilitated through common interests, strong friendships, and in many cases, marriage with a Varanasi Local.

Amongst all western cuisines, Italian seems to be the most popular one. One can find a number of joints offering wood-oven fired pizza, or Spaghetti Bolognese, or Home Made Pesto. I was quite intrigued by this Italian invasion of Varanasi and had a series of conversations with locals around this. I will share the one I found most convincing, narrated over a cup of Hot Chocolate and crumbly Apple Pie by Mr. Anil Singh, caretaker of the Vaatika Cafe (at Assi Ghat).

Vaatika sits neatly at one corner of the string of ghats, beneath a shade at the entry of Assi, with a green refreshing interior and peaceful surroundings. This place was started by Mr. Gopal Shukla, around 20 years back. Back then while Mr. Shukla was learning tabla, he met Gerrad, an Italian who was in Varanasi for learning Indian Classical Music. The two struck a friendship which continues strongly till date. Gerrad belonged to a family of Pizzamakers in Italy. The two thought that given the number of Italians (and Europeans) visiting Varanasi, a Pizza place could be a profitable proposition. And in 1992 Vaatika started serving its delicious pizzas, at Assi Ghaat.

Vaatika Cafe

Anil Singh Ji recalls the early days of the place, where the seating capacity was limited, but it didn’t deter Pizza fans to visit the place. Most of the customers were foreign tourists, dough was rolled in a limited quantity, toppings were few to choose from, and options were limited on the menu. Along with the secrets of Pizza Making, what Gerrard also shared were the procedures of producing Mozzarella from Buffalo milk, and the importance of growing fresh herbs and veggies. Slowly and steadily the menu evolved, and other favorites like Pasta and their famous Apple Pie were added to the menu. Also the place learned from the incoming tourists, and incorporated items, dishes like Raviolli were taught to the owners by an Italian visitor.

The place also started drawing interest of locals, who had never tasted Pizzas in the pre-Pizza Hut/Dominos era. Amit Singh Ji fondly recalls the days when Pizzas started becoming mainstream in in India when few of their Indian customers, who were so used to Vaatika’s crispy thin crusts and sumptuous toppings, that they totally rejected the thick chewy doughs at Dominos.

I got a chance to sample some Pesto infused Spaghetti, Apple Pie, and some good Coffee. I missed out on eating the Pizza as I was already quite stuffed. I also avoided the temptation of ordering a Huma Qureshi Pasta (Gangs of Wasseypur unit spent a considerable time at this cafe while shooting). But I could totally imagine the tastes of this place, oozing with taste and freshness, of ingredients, and of friendship.

Nice crumbly Apple Pie at Vaatika

Huma Qureshi Pasta at Vaatika

Other prominent cafes and bakeries include the Brown Bread Bakery (run by a German baker James, some amazing stuff), Bread of Life and Open Hand Cafe.

Open Hand Cafe* offers another inspiring story. It was established in 1999 by a traveler Christian, who after marrying a local Varanasi lady, started a non profit helping local artisans. He established Open Hand as a shop to sell their goods, and the cafe followed. They have branches across Leh, Delhi, Goa and Kochi now and their sales have benefited a large number of artisans. The place serves some great variety on the menu, and is surely a place filled with inspirational stories and some good coffee.

To end the post on Varanasi, I felt I have missed out on one critical piece of the Varanasi culinary journey, the Paan. Paan and its colorful outcomes are present throughout the city, and I ended up tasting about 6-7 different varieties. I think with so much of it around, there was nothing great to like about them, but I liked this one at Dashashwamedh, after a tiring walk across the ghaats on a hot afternoon.

Banarasi Paan

Drop me a line in case you are travelling to Varanasi sometime soon, will be happy to throw some interesting ideas especially those related to food.

*Open hand story was narrated to me not by the owners but by their staff, and other cafe owners, might not be factually correct in all aspects.

April 11, 2013
Am I at Sea?

I often come across as a slightly lost and confused kind of a person. Be it my extreme hyperactivity levels, or slightly irritating ability to connect random things, they tend to add to an aura of confusion around me. I try to be a WYSWYG (What You See is What You Get), with hardly a difference between what I show to the world, and what I am. But do I succeed?

Deep down I remain an extremely confused person. I am unsure about my life, career, settling down, choosing between poha and eggs for breakfast, or even about what my interests are.

Although beneath the multiple layers of confusion, both externally and internally, I always stay true to one thing- people around me. I learn things through them, see the world through their eyes, and interpret their tastes to venture into untested culinary territories. I believe my intelligence stems from the people I know, and it will keep growing as I keep connecting and sharing with more number of people.

But as the number of people I know keeps consolidating into smaller and smaller groups, I am totally at sea with respect to which ones to manage my relationships with. Manage lesser number of people and shrink this unique intelligence network of mine? Or, Keep growing it for an indefinite period and attain Moksha?

Confusion follows me everywhere, or rather I take it along with me. It is topmost on the list of things I carry, higher than my phone too. So when I was in Goa last weekend it chased me, and I guess it infected my friends too.

On a hot Saturday noon, we left our resort looking for something interesting to do in Goa. Goa always has options, but my mind was muddled trying to balance my quest for finding a new Goa and my friend’s zeal to discover the Goa I already knew.

We decided to venture out to this French Beachside place called La Plage (The Sea in French), at the Ashwem Beach. The ride was long and the sun was strong, but my Kokam Juice-powered body was turning the hot winds into a fearless cold sweat. The ghost of confusion was off my back, and I was calmly enjoying the ride. And then we arrived at La Plage.

Sitting neatly in one corner of the beautiful Ashwem Beach, La Plage is a French Cuisine hotspot run by a French lady. Once we entered the place, I could feel a difference in atmosphere. The decor was crisp, spacious, and well-organized. The tables were marked, and the owner took reservations. No wonder Haute Cuisine and its related culture had its origins in France, they can make even a Beach Side Shack run in an elegant manner.

I had a brief conversation with the owner. She was a charming lady, probably in her mid-50s. She had beautiful silver hair, a wrinkled yet shiny skin, and a demeanour which was friendly yet authoritative. I sensed perfection, something which had translated into this place, and into its food. She allotted us the table we wanted, having comfortable resting chairs, the kind of which my GrandPa used to have.

We ordered a Sula Zinfandel Rosé, served perfectly chilled tucked in an ice-bucket. A Rosé evokes fascinating memories of me drooling over Roohafza as a kid, but as the present sinks in, I am channelled back into a more alcoholic mode of refreshing luminescence.

Nothing freshens things up as a Rosé

I picked up the menu, and there was finesse sprayed all over it. The dishes were deliciously described, helping me imagine the culinary outcomes of my order. We ended up ordering Fried Sardines with a Red Pepper Sorbet and a Tomato Crumble.

I sat back and started sipping the wine back, the conversations were flowing, but I was a bit lost in myself. Probably it was the wine, or it was the heat. Or just me.

The dishes arrived, breaking my imaginary (order->culinary outcomes) equation with ease. The plates were just like everything else at the place, nothing short of perfection. The plating was so gorgeous that it would have been a sin even touching the dish, leave aside eating it. But then I took the fork, captured the dish, and poked in.

Sardines were a bit too Fishy and bland for my liking. For someone who prefers dipping in Goan Masala rather than the Sea, it was like eating a tasteless porridge. Probably that’s the way the French make it. But then I discovered the Red Pepper Sorbet.

Crispy Sardines with Red Pepper Sorbet

Served as a dip for the Sardines, Red Pepper Sorbet took me through a dreamy journey of the La Plage kitchen. I saw someone roasting the Red Peppers on open fire inducing a lovely burnt taste. I saw someone blending it, adding Sugar, dash of alcohol and some lime juice to the mix.I looked around for some Ginger in the kitchen. Probably that could have taken it to another level. Probably not.

The fish dipped in sorbet was another being now. It had a new life, and its renewed life had a new meaning.

Tomato Crumble looked as a something ready to breakdown, but still so firmly bound. A layer of juicy tomatoes and a crust induced with three secrets of French cuisine (Butter, Butter, and Butter) was mixed with crunchy walnuts and separated by a sheet of melted mozzarella. The side was a simplified Caesar Salad with a thickish, and quite evident vinaigrette.

Tomato Crumble with Caeser Salad

I cut through a sizeable cross-section of the dish to taste. What followed were the slightly sugary notes of tomatoes along with the crunch of walnuts. A thought that Mozzarella and Tomato would have been married to each other in their previous lives crossed my mind. The dish was totally different from the Sardines Sorbet combination, as the results were much more on expected lines. But both the dishes had minimal spicing, and relied on the purity of the ingredients involved.

We took a break from eating and walked towards the beach. The sun was at its peak but there was a something more pleasant about the atmosphere here. I took a dip and came back to our table. I took a few sips and then closed my eyes.

I re-entered the kitchen looking for the refrigeration unit. I opened it up and tried to look for the Red Pepper Sorbet but couldn’t find any. I opened my eyes. My friends were back. And we ordered some Sorbets and Vanilla Ice Cream.

The Pure flavours of Vanilla and Fruits

It was simply the best Vanilla Ice Cream I had ever consumed, as it relied more on the purity of the vanilla beans involved rather than anything else. It is a pity that the brilliance of Vanilla has been reduced to a default flavour by commercial ice cream makers. The term Plain Vanilla is both misleading and disrespectful to the delight Vanilla can be.

The sorbets were an experience, involving a series of tangy strawberry, floral litchi, elegant guava and regal flavours of mango.

Post the meal I sat with my eyes closed. The wind was blowing smoothly and my feet were tucked in finely powdered cold sand. I had found the new experience I am always on the lookout for in Goa. A sense of eerie calm had replaced the ghost of confusion which always rides on my back. This is what a great culinary experience can do to you.

I was still at sea, but more sure about my being than ever.

April 6, 2013
La Tagliatella | A Bloggers’ Table in Delhi

The moment I landed in Delhi last month, I messaged couple of my friends stating that I felt a certain disconnect with this city. Yes there are things that I love about Delhi, but then Mumbai is Mumbai. Of all the places I have stayed or experienced, Delhi is the place with the least number of exciting stories. Yes there have been adventures, but they are a bit down on the podium of my wonderland. Probably it is the feel of the place, or the people, or just me.

On this visit though, I got a chance to attend a food event in Delhi. I have been through lots of them in Mumbai with varying experiences, but one thing has been common, I have always loved the people I meet at such events. Food is secondary, it is always the people which make my evening.

Thanks to Anaggh, I received an invite for the event at La Tagliatella (at Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj). It is an European food chain specializing in Italian cuisine which has recently set shop at Delhi (soon to be followed by one in Bangalore).

I was accompanied by my sister who took these wonderful shots of the food we were served.

We were welcomed by Snehal Kulsheshtra from Amrest (the holding company for La Tag) and Simone (the warm, friendly restaurant manager). The place had two levels with the lower level representing an open-bistro format (not necessarily the best one to have in a Huge Delhi Mall). The décor was neat and Simone and Snehal were both extremely informed and friendly.

In some moments Anaggh appeared and so did few other Delhi bloggers. The chatter topics in the evening ranged from chuna-infused beer drinking tales to Delhi wedding catering, from filthy politics to Italian food.

It was great to meet a high-on-energy Dushyant with his family (my go to person for legal affairs now) and a dripped in Mumbai nostalgia TK (who shares his surname with the ever so weirdly named Ritika Mahalingam). Also met a few others from the Delhi food blogging scene (which I felt is still in a nascent stage as compared to the much more mature Mumbai one).

We started with a few glasses of Fratelli Red accompanied with some extremely yummy Focaccia. Focaccia was freshly baked and the ones with tomatoes (and a hint of basil) on it was worth multiple encounters. Tomatoes were really juicy and had a refreshingly unique taste. More on tomatoes later.

Caesar Salad was served next and although it looked great with hefty shaves on parmesan on top, I didn’t like the Mustard and anchovies vinaigrette dressing a lot. Nothing against this one but I prefer mine at Out of the Blue in Mumbai, fresh with cherry tomatoes and a cream cheese dressing.

Insalata Caesar Salad with Mustard and anchovies vinaigrette

After the salad (and a few more glasses of wine) we were ready for a round of pastas. Given the name of the place (Tagliatella means Pasta) we had high hopes, and yes, a high appetite.

The clear winner for me was Pappardelle Pepe Noro with Gamberi (Peppery Pasta with Prawns). The pasta was freshly prepared with mesmerizing tones of roughly ground pepper passing through it. Prawns were perfectly cooked and they blended really well with the peppery tones. I ended up cleaning half of the servings of this.

Pappardelle Pepe Noro with Gamberi

Another winning flavor from the evening was that of Cuore di Zucca (means Pumpkin’s Heart in Italian). The sweet pumpkin mash delightfully mingled with fresh pasta, the texture was creamy and just perfect for the flavours surrounding it. A must try for Vegetarians.

Cuore di Zucca

There were two other pastas served, Tagliatelle Carbonara (Creamy Pasta with Turkey) and Ravioli Verdi. The former was a bit too creamy and low on spice for my liking and second one didn’t leave behind any special memories too.

Tagliatelle Carbonara | Ravioli Verdi
Post this we were served the Pizzas, all of them freshly prepared with a lovely thin crust and an ensemble of multi-colored veggies, meats, and cheese on top. After spending sometime chasing artichokes on one of them, I tasted the Pizza Verdure Grilgliate (Delicious Tomatoes, Onions, Capsicum and Caramelized Apples). And the tomatoes again were simply brilliant.

Ensemble Pizza | Pizza Verdure Grilgliate
Tomatoes at this place were special, juicy, a bit sugary, and evoked the freshness of a misty winter morning, or a dew-laden green lawn. They reminded me more of a citrus fruit than the typical tomato we at home. Snehal then talked to us about the tomatoes, which were imported from Europe. I wondered, can’t they be grown here? Whatever I stuffed a few more of them into my mouth.

Then the desserts followed. the Lemon Sorbet was a bit too purist for Indian Palates (as in low on sugar), Fondue wasn’t memorable, Tiramisu was good, and the cheese cake was different. To my surprise, it was in a semi-solid state, the flavours were right, but I guess my mind expected something different.

Tiramisu and Cheese Cake

So apart from my conversations and few new friends from Twitter, I took back the peppery tones of pasta, the simple wonders of pumpkin, and the uniqueness of tomatoes.

And by the end of the evening was I able to spell out the name of the restaurant properly? I don’t think so.

And did my love for Delhi grow? I don’t think so.

You can check all the photos from event here. They were clicked by Shruti Deshpande.

Disclosure: Restaurant’s Public Relations agency covered all the expenses associated with the food tastings mentioned above. For more details refer my disclosure page.

April 6, 2013
Taste of Mumbai, Baklava Hunt, and Tea Centre

In terms of eating and exploring stories around food, this has been a relatively weak year. But the weekend which just went by, I think I did some justice to what I truly believe in, and enjoy doing.

It all started with the Taste of Mumbai festival, which was held at the Grant and Wilson Gymkhana Grounds from 22^nd to 24^th Mar, 2013. Taste festivals are organized globally across major cities with a promise to offer world-class cuisine, demos, interactions with leading Chefs and other events.

I attended the festival on a (really) hot Saturday afternoon. I was initially lost observing the details of the venue (minus the Taste festivities) as after my reading of Ramchandra Guha’s Corner of the Foreign Field, I have started looking at these Gymkhana grounds in a special way. Although the thoughts of the Palwankar Brothers and origins of Cricket in Mumbai quickly faded out soon as I set my sight on some amazing food.

My favorite set of dishes came from the Caperberry stall. Caperberry is a Bangalore based restaurant which is introducing the concepts of molecular gastronomy in India. It is just not a simple extension of the famous El Bulli school of cooking, but rather an experiment with Indian flavors contributing significantly to it.

At the festival they served Assorted Spherifications, Cauliflower Espuma, and Stuffed Morel.

(Clockwise starting from left) Assorted Spherification, Cauliflower Espuma, Stuffed Morel from Caperberry

I have been waiting for the spherifications to burst in my mouth ever since I read about El Bulli and the concepts of Molecular Gastronomy. These forms and textures just hit with you a pleasant surprise. I loved the Mango-Feta one with a hint of Ginger, although it seems the public opinion was vastly in favour of the Pani Puri one. When you are having something like this your taste-buds wait with a certain expectation, but the surprise hits you hard, in a delightful way. The Cauliflower Espuma had quite easily the best flavours of the afternoon for me. Cauliflower subjected to a series of Nitrogen induced experiments (or what is popularly called Cryo-Cooking) was a delight to consume.

With Chef Abhijeet from Caperberry

It was great to have a chat with Chef Abhijeet, the man behind these delightful creations. We had a chat on the different viewpoints about Molecular Gastronomy, with a significant lobby of Chef being not in favor of such techniques, as you play around with natural forms. Chef’s simple reply to the argument was, “ In order to be different and successful, you sometimes need to face a bit of criticism”. As the taste of the Mozzarella Sphere lingered in my mouth, I couldn’t agree more.

I got to taste a few more interesting dishes as the afternoon progressed (check the entire set here). Somehow I had a strong craving for Prawns and I loved the Garlic Prawns from Arola and the Aglio Olio from Westin Prego. Kofuku is one place is on my hit-list as I got a Wasabi-attack after a long time from a Sushi place. Will be visited soon for some Sushi.

(Clockwise starting from Top-Left corner) Porcini Carpaccio from Arola, Aglio Olio and Tiramisu from from Westin Prego,and Tempura and Sushi from Kofuku

There were cooking demos, book launches, and some drinking happening on the sides. I had some good cocktails at the Mai Tai lounge and some fennel flavored beer. In between everything I finally caught up with Sneh and Aditi and tasted some of their amazing breads from The Baker’s Dozen. Do try them out if you happen to visit Prabhadevi.

Breads from The Baker’s Dozen

On the sidelines of the event caught up with Shivani, Prachi, and Richa. It was also great to finally meet Pooja Dhingra from Le15 and Roxanne (The Tiny Taster).

It was a great event but the name is slightly misleading. As I was chatting with someone the other day, calling it the Taste of Mumbai with no Malwani Seafood, Gujarati Snacky food, or Matunga Idlis is not that correct. Nothing against the festival though, hope they keep doing it every year.

Orange Chocolate Fountain was a topic of much debate

By the end of it I was a bit tired with the heat, but a discussion on the Orange South American Chocolate Fountain tasting like Orange Cream Biscuits we had as kids, and the journey ahead kept me alive.

Disclosure: The organizers of Taste of Mumbai festival covered all the expenses associated with the food tastings mentioned above. For more details refer my disclosure page.

Post the festival I roamed around the Hindu Gymkhana looking at the Cricket match for sometime. Thoughts of Palwankar Brothers were again interrupted by a call my friend Harsh (my partner in Crime). He had been talking so much about this Baklava place at Bhindi Bazaar (which he had tried looking for a week back, rather unsuccessfully), that we felt like we should try once. Rushina had a written a detailed post on this two years back. Given that Harsh is generally so excited about sweets (read his recent post on Baklava and its sister concerns) our journey through the cramped roads of Bhindi Bazaar felt as if it was just a short walk.

I could see the tinkle in his eyes when we were about to reach the store. even my tiredness was all gone when I sensed his energy and quickly moved pass the heavily fragrant attar shops.

The Baklava Story at the Iranian Sweets Palace, Bhindi Bazar

We reached the Sweets Palace but unfortunately couldn’t catch-up with the owner, Hasan Bhai. The Baklava was very different from the ones I have had (very high proportion of the filling to pastry), and the Louse Pista was fascinating. Regret not buying the Louse.

After the long tiring day we celebrated the Baklava achievement with a peaceful evening at Tea Centre. I had been to the Tea Centre after almost two years, a long time to stay away from a place I have liked so much in the past.

Tea Centre

Looking forward to more such weekends. Hope I keep exploring Mumbai with the same rigour in the days to come.

March 25, 2013
क्या हिंदी जीवित रहेगी?

आखिरी सासें लेती,
थकी-हारी, चरमराई,
हिंदी की जो है हालत,
उसे बचा सके दवा न दुहाई।

अंग्रेजी का अत्यधिक उपयोग,
नहीं है इसका कारण,
ना ही इस बात पे रोने से,
टलेगा इसका मरण।

हिंदी के पुनर्जन्म का,
बस एक ही है रास्ता,
अपने स्तर पर उसका प्रचार,
और भाषा के प्रति सच्ची आस्था।

यूँ तो भाषा कभी मरती नहीं,
वो होती है अमर,
पर ऐसे जीवन का भी क्या ही फायदा,
जब अपने ही घर बैसाखी पर निर्भर।

– अभिषेक ‘देसी देशपांडे

March 16, 2013
Pak-e-Mysore

The story of Mysore Pak is close to my heart, one full of love and equal amounts of good cholesterol.

Mysore Pak is quite simply my favourite sweet. There is nothing which comes close to it. Well Jalebi sometimes does, but it still remains a distant second. Bengali sweets are further down the podium. And the western desserts? Well they don’t even clear the heats.

My story is one of discovery, friendship, taste, and limitless delight. I have limited knowledge about its origins and don’t wish to explore a lot. Also I don’t claim to know which form of it is the original, the melt-in-your-mouth Sri Krishna Sweets style or the porous, brittle, harder variety. All I can narrate is the story built of on true love for the sweet, or for the former version of it. The one which deliciously fades away in your mouth with the trueness of Ghee as a rich aftertaste.

My initial encounters with Mysore Pak were far from satisfactory. The sweet shop in my township served a dry, ribbed version, closer to the second variety I mentioned earlier. And then I remember this episode from Malgudi Days where the kid forces his miserly Grandpa to show him a movie, and buy him a Mysore Pak. Although there might have been instances of me tasting its greatness, but probably my taste buds were as immature as I was, still waiting to register its taste.

Things actually turned for the better once I reached Bangalore. Unlike many other things which I love, I can’t single out one instance when I was hit by this sweet lightening. It was a series of events, the boxes of Sri Krishna and Adayar Anand Bhavan (some of them brand it as MysorePa nowadays) arriving at my office with colleagues returning from their native places in Tamil Nadu; the 100 gms I will pick up for Rs. 23 post a idl-vada-dosa breakfast at AnnaKuteera, Banashankari (or any Darshini, or Sagar); the Rs. 50 pack picked up for the sugar-rush post a drinking session.

By the end of my first year in Bangalore, I had established this sweet as the best response for a sweet-craving amongst my friend circle(s). Any drinking session or get-together was meaningless without ending it with Mysore Pak. It made our evenings complete, in a way Curd Rice completes a South Indian meal. I remember an incident where I was walking the lanes of Kormangala with a friend in a drunk state, the drinking session halted by its absence. I also recall carrying a dabba through the city, to welcome a friend of mine who had arrived from Mumbai. I once had a box which was completely frozen in refrigerator so I melted it in a pan, extracted a bowl full of ghee from it, and used it to on khichdi. I enjoyed the moment when I had Milk Mysore Pak, or the brilliantly innovative Horlicks Mysore Pak. It was a fascination which kept growing on me, both the feeling, the stories and yes, the weight.

When I visited Bangalore after a long time, all my friends got together for a drinking session like the older times. There was Gobhi Manchurian, Biriyani, Boiled Eggs, and Medu Wadas. But the session was halted as one of my friends recalled, Pattu aaya hai, aur Mysore Pak nahi! Quite expectedly, my friends halted the session, rushed across the city to get the sweet, and raised a toast to our true love for it.

Even now friends coming from down South usually end up getting a box for me. I am lucky to have friends who appreciate and understand my crazy obsessions.

I love the feeling of Mysore Pak fading away in my mouth, a unique experience with hardly a comparable one to mention. The simplicity of the sweet is unquestionable. It is probably the easiest sweet to de-construct in mouth, equal proportions of Ghee, Sugar and Gram Flour breaking down to infuse such rich flavours I heard it was made for the Mysore Maharaja first, probably the creator took the simplest route to creating something so delightful, and pure.

Yes it is the purest form of love I have ever felt from food, and hence the term Pak-e-Mysore. It is interesting how Pak the Sugar Syrup in Hindi (or Kannada) changes to Pak the pure in Urdu.

We are always on the look out for love, pure and unconditional love, and I am lucky to have Mysore Pak in my life, for what will never change is my love for it.

Image courtesy: Bing Search

March 9, 2013
Who let the Black Dog out?

I had got this Black Dog bottle from United Spirits for review. I thought I will cook something special for a special guest on a special evening to go along with this special bottle. Probably some fried fish, with crispy potatoes on the side, or some peanut butter toast, or probably some eggs on toast with strawberry jam. I had even thought of steaming some –garlicy-prawn-filled momos or using Whiskey as a medium to make some barbecue sauce. It would have been so special. Although like most of my plans, even this one failed.

My early memories of Black Dog take me back to this Amrish Puri dialogue from some Meenakshi Sheshadri movie.

Amrish Puri on Black Dog

Talk of evil and black dogs running through your blood-stream! Hilarious, representative of 80s cinema, and talks a bit about the brand too. Naughty, bordering on evil, but not harmful in anyway. But it was a few years before I actually tasted alcohol of any kind, leave aside Black Dog.

I got an opportunity to taste Black Dog for the first time few years back in Bangalore. It was that typical someone-returned-from-US occasion, with couple of bottles of scotch. There was Chivas Regal, and then there was Black Dog. I chose to go the Amrish Puri way. Although the feel of the whiskey was much smoother on the palate than the others I had tasted, the mind wanted it to be rough, slightly naughty, edgy, and a bit dark on humor, as Amrish Puri. And I processed it along with some egg toasts as the evil drink.

I developed a taste for Scotch in a purely Delhi style later. It was done by sneaking bottles from my friend’s place, setting up a mini-bar in Cars, parking them at Karol Bagh, and eating fried fish and butter laden chicken along with scotch. And yes, we always had them in steel glasses.

Over the past couple of years I have moved away from Hard Liquors, and mostly stick with Wines and Beers. But then this bottle came along.

And so shifting to the present times. As I mentioned earlier I had been fiddling with multiple ideas related to this Bottle. But like most things, they didn’t work out.

I had thrown a party at my place inviting 20+ friends of mine. The menu was a bit playful, I had tossed a few salads and dressed up a few crackers as there was Sangria for company. A lot of Sangria. And there was Mojito. There were Gujju snacks sourced from Ghatkopar, and there was Pani Puri from my favourite roadside cart close to home. I usually organize such parties in afternoon, as it gives people some time to recover post the dozes of alcohol.

At the fag end of the party few people wanted to do some rounds of Vodka Pani Puri, so I opened up my alcohol cabinet for some Vodka. And I found the Black Dog bottle missing! Gone!

I rushed to the bedroom and found two of my friends sitting comfortably sipping Black Dog along with rounds of Ghatkopari Gujju snacks. In a moment all my plans went woosh and I snatched away the bottle, rather rudely. But then I felt bad so I left it there and went ahead serving my friends for the rest of the afternoon.

In the evening when were wrapping everything up we were left with 4-5 friends. And then the two of them came out with half the bottle of Black Dog. We were quite high already from the multiple dozes of alcohol, but we snatched some ice cubes, filled the glasses with it and started sipping it. It was relaxing after a tiring day, slightly refreshing, and was paired perfectly with a lot of friends.

Isn’t drinking all about that? About friends, about a good chat, and about some relaxing times.

And yes it is about a bit of naughtiness too. God, I miss Amrish Puri so much.

Disclosure: Public Relations agency engaged by this brand had sent their product to me for a review. I had mentioned that I don’t usually do product reviews on my blog in my communication with them. For more details refer my disclosure page.

March 9, 2013
मलहम-ए -खिचड़ी

आपको देख दिल पे चल जाती है अभी भी छुरिया,
पर आपने तो फेका था हमें जैसे सीली हुई भुजिया।

खा पी कर ले रही हो तुम डकार,
पर क्या कभी याद किया तुमने पुराना प्यार?

धराशायी मन, टूटे दिल की सिसकी,

सोचा शांत करू इसे मार मदिरा की चुस्की।

पर मदिरा की राह लेते है असफल और बेकार,

हमने अपनाया खिचड़ी, पापड़, और अचार।

-अभिषेक देशपांडे ‘देसी’

February 24, 2013