Showing posts with label NEW YORK. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NEW YORK. Show all posts
Sunday, July 9, 2023
The Regenerative Switch (Sustainable Restaurants)
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Some Like it Hot…Me, Cold!
Sometimes all it takes is a comforting bowl of porridge to help kickstart one’s journey down memory lane
By Raul Dias
It was a particularly ferocious winter morning exactly 54 years ago, when the nuns of St. Angela Sophia boarding school, Jaipur had finally reached their wits end. The object of their collective exasperation—a preternaturally rebellious 12-year-old girl—was at it again. This time it was her vehement refusal to touch her morning breakfast bowl of salted oatmeal porridge that had landed her in trouble. Again.
Muttering under her breath that it smelled like old socks, the girl was ‘banished’ to the kindergarten section of the school. Her punishment; to hold the bowl of porridge high above her head with both hands while kneeling down in front of a phalanx of giggling toddlers. She was to continue doing so till she had made up her mind to give the porridge a go. She never did. And she hasn’t to this very day. That defiant little terror was my mother.
Goldilocks, anyone?
Despite the rather Dickensian tales of Mum’s boarding school days and more pertinently, her utter revulsion towards porridge of any kind, I simply love the gooey, unctuous stuff. And I have our dear old Mangalorean cook Mary to thank for that.
Having formerly been cooking for an expatriate British family for years before she came into our family’s employ, Mary had amassed an astounding cache of porridge recipes—both Indian and International—that were by now a firm fixture on our quotidien breakfast menu.
One of her greatest hits was the delicious-tasting Goan vonn that’s very similar to the divine Tamil sakkarai pongal. Also known as soji in South Goa, this rather complex porridge is made with a host of ingredients, chief of which is chana dal (split Bengal gram), bits of which are cleverly left whole in the preparation for texture. The porridge is further enhanced by the addition of thick coconut milk and palm jaggery. The latter lending to the dish an earthy, warm flavour that almost tastes like what petrichor would, perhaps.
Now, long before the story of fussy Goldilocks and her trio of porridge-loving bears became a favourite of ours, my older sister and I played out our own version almost daily. Some days we were particularly partial towards Mary’s iteration of a simple milk-enriched, warm rava porridge, where toothsome grains of semolina competed with slivers of toasted almonds.
On others, which were more often than not, we relished the gloopy consistency of her steel-cut oatmeal porridge sliding down our throats. One that she’d top up with cold milk and a splodge of treacle to sweeten the deal. It would be decades later, on a work trip to Belfast, when I would discover the Irish way of truly ‘enjoying’ a bowl of oatmeal porridge…with a splash of peaty Irish whiskey added to it for a smoky finish!
Savouring the Savoury
However, it is not just the sweetened varieties of porridge that have managed to rouse me out of bed every day over the years. I am equally fond of the savoury porridge. To be more specific, I love the wholesome goodness of porridges like ragi ambali. Though mostly consumed as a thick drink in Karnataka, I like to enjoy the light pink-hued concoction as a porridge. This is achieved by adding a little more than usual amount of sprouted ragi (finger millet) flour to the water-buttermilk slurry to which a bit of salt has been added. But it is the final tempering with curry leaves, mustard seeds and chilli that makes the scrumptious ragi ambali a must-have for me.
On the absolute opposite end of the spice spectrum of savoury porridges is another Goan porridge called pez. Simply put, pez is just another name for a bland gruel made with rice and water and one that is known multifariously as kanjee or kunji in regions south of the Vindhyas. We Goans like to have our pez either with a bit of dried, salted mackerel pickle called parra or served with a side of tora shiro mango water pickle.
The Travelling Bowl
Whenever I find myself travelling to East Asia, I am quite surprised when I’m offered a breakfast porridge of the Chinese iteration of good old kanjee that they call, funnily enough, congee. Only here, one is presented with a virtual smorgasbord of condiments and toppings like fried shallots and garlic, cubes of sweet lap cheong pork sausage, chopped spring onions, salted duck eggs and the ubiquitous soy sauce to enhance the flavour of the simple rice gruel.
It really is testament to the prowess of porridge that we now have several porridge-only cafés and restaurants scattered across the world from places as diverse as Edinburg and Copenhagen severing the breakfast dish in the most interesting and dare-I-say, often contrived combinations. A recent trip to New York City saw me tuck into a bowl of cold oat and almond meal porridge topped with rice milk and a sprinkling of raw Colombian cocoa nibs and bee pollen at the world’s first all-oatmeal café simply called OatMeals.
At London’s 26 Grains porridge café, I tried a warm quinoa porridge accentuated with a tart burst of the antioxidant-rich acai berry purée that I was told was foraged from the Brazilian Amazon forests. Every spoonful of the exotic bowl was like discovering the joys of porridge all over again.
Now, if I could only convince Mum to do so too!
SUNDAY RECIPE
Vonn
INGREDIENTS:
Chana dal ¼ cup
Water 3 cups
Salt ½ tsp
Rice flour ¼ cup
Palm jaggery (chopped into bits) ¾ cup
Coconut milk 1 ½ cup
Cardamom powder 1 tsp
Chopped cashew nuts ¼ cup
METHOD:
1. Pre-soak the chana dal in water for at least two hours before using.
2. Boil the pre-soaked chana dal with the 3 cups of water and salt for around 15 minutes on a medium-high flame till the dal is cooked, but not mushy.
3. Make a thick paste of the rice flour by adding a little water to it.
4. Add the chopped palm jaggery to the chana dal mixture and stir till fully melted and incorporated.
5. Add the coconut milk and bring to a slow boil, making sure that the milk does not split.
6. Lower the flame to its lowest level and add in the rice flour paste, stirring to ensure that no lumps are formed.
7. Once thickened, sprinkle in the cardamom powder and chopped bits of cashew nuts.
8. Serve either warm, room temperature or chilled!
(An edited version of this article first appeared in the 15th December 2019 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 12 https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/some-like-it-hot-some-like-it-with-bee-pollen/article30297570.ece)
By Raul Dias
It was a particularly ferocious winter morning exactly 54 years ago, when the nuns of St. Angela Sophia boarding school, Jaipur had finally reached their wits end. The object of their collective exasperation—a preternaturally rebellious 12-year-old girl—was at it again. This time it was her vehement refusal to touch her morning breakfast bowl of salted oatmeal porridge that had landed her in trouble. Again.
Muttering under her breath that it smelled like old socks, the girl was ‘banished’ to the kindergarten section of the school. Her punishment; to hold the bowl of porridge high above her head with both hands while kneeling down in front of a phalanx of giggling toddlers. She was to continue doing so till she had made up her mind to give the porridge a go. She never did. And she hasn’t to this very day. That defiant little terror was my mother.
Goldilocks, anyone?
Despite the rather Dickensian tales of Mum’s boarding school days and more pertinently, her utter revulsion towards porridge of any kind, I simply love the gooey, unctuous stuff. And I have our dear old Mangalorean cook Mary to thank for that.
Having formerly been cooking for an expatriate British family for years before she came into our family’s employ, Mary had amassed an astounding cache of porridge recipes—both Indian and International—that were by now a firm fixture on our quotidien breakfast menu.
One of her greatest hits was the delicious-tasting Goan vonn that’s very similar to the divine Tamil sakkarai pongal. Also known as soji in South Goa, this rather complex porridge is made with a host of ingredients, chief of which is chana dal (split Bengal gram), bits of which are cleverly left whole in the preparation for texture. The porridge is further enhanced by the addition of thick coconut milk and palm jaggery. The latter lending to the dish an earthy, warm flavour that almost tastes like what petrichor would, perhaps.
Now, long before the story of fussy Goldilocks and her trio of porridge-loving bears became a favourite of ours, my older sister and I played out our own version almost daily. Some days we were particularly partial towards Mary’s iteration of a simple milk-enriched, warm rava porridge, where toothsome grains of semolina competed with slivers of toasted almonds.
On others, which were more often than not, we relished the gloopy consistency of her steel-cut oatmeal porridge sliding down our throats. One that she’d top up with cold milk and a splodge of treacle to sweeten the deal. It would be decades later, on a work trip to Belfast, when I would discover the Irish way of truly ‘enjoying’ a bowl of oatmeal porridge…with a splash of peaty Irish whiskey added to it for a smoky finish!
Savouring the Savoury
However, it is not just the sweetened varieties of porridge that have managed to rouse me out of bed every day over the years. I am equally fond of the savoury porridge. To be more specific, I love the wholesome goodness of porridges like ragi ambali. Though mostly consumed as a thick drink in Karnataka, I like to enjoy the light pink-hued concoction as a porridge. This is achieved by adding a little more than usual amount of sprouted ragi (finger millet) flour to the water-buttermilk slurry to which a bit of salt has been added. But it is the final tempering with curry leaves, mustard seeds and chilli that makes the scrumptious ragi ambali a must-have for me.
On the absolute opposite end of the spice spectrum of savoury porridges is another Goan porridge called pez. Simply put, pez is just another name for a bland gruel made with rice and water and one that is known multifariously as kanjee or kunji in regions south of the Vindhyas. We Goans like to have our pez either with a bit of dried, salted mackerel pickle called parra or served with a side of tora shiro mango water pickle.
The Travelling Bowl
Whenever I find myself travelling to East Asia, I am quite surprised when I’m offered a breakfast porridge of the Chinese iteration of good old kanjee that they call, funnily enough, congee. Only here, one is presented with a virtual smorgasbord of condiments and toppings like fried shallots and garlic, cubes of sweet lap cheong pork sausage, chopped spring onions, salted duck eggs and the ubiquitous soy sauce to enhance the flavour of the simple rice gruel.
It really is testament to the prowess of porridge that we now have several porridge-only cafés and restaurants scattered across the world from places as diverse as Edinburg and Copenhagen severing the breakfast dish in the most interesting and dare-I-say, often contrived combinations. A recent trip to New York City saw me tuck into a bowl of cold oat and almond meal porridge topped with rice milk and a sprinkling of raw Colombian cocoa nibs and bee pollen at the world’s first all-oatmeal café simply called OatMeals.
At London’s 26 Grains porridge café, I tried a warm quinoa porridge accentuated with a tart burst of the antioxidant-rich acai berry purée that I was told was foraged from the Brazilian Amazon forests. Every spoonful of the exotic bowl was like discovering the joys of porridge all over again.
Now, if I could only convince Mum to do so too!
SUNDAY RECIPE
Vonn
INGREDIENTS:
Chana dal ¼ cup
Water 3 cups
Salt ½ tsp
Rice flour ¼ cup
Palm jaggery (chopped into bits) ¾ cup
Coconut milk 1 ½ cup
Cardamom powder 1 tsp
Chopped cashew nuts ¼ cup
METHOD:
1. Pre-soak the chana dal in water for at least two hours before using.
2. Boil the pre-soaked chana dal with the 3 cups of water and salt for around 15 minutes on a medium-high flame till the dal is cooked, but not mushy.
3. Make a thick paste of the rice flour by adding a little water to it.
4. Add the chopped palm jaggery to the chana dal mixture and stir till fully melted and incorporated.
5. Add the coconut milk and bring to a slow boil, making sure that the milk does not split.
6. Lower the flame to its lowest level and add in the rice flour paste, stirring to ensure that no lumps are formed.
7. Once thickened, sprinkle in the cardamom powder and chopped bits of cashew nuts.
8. Serve either warm, room temperature or chilled!
(An edited version of this article first appeared in the 15th December 2019 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 12 https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/some-like-it-hot-some-like-it-with-bee-pollen/article30297570.ece)
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Summer Travel—Your Way!
Summer travel is all about making the most of that much-needed vacation time. And so, we’ve put together a list of exciting getaways around the world for all sorts of travellers—be they couples on a romantic break or the solo adventurer on their own wanderlust-driven path.
By Raul Dias
For Full Family Fun
Toronto in Canada
Almost every year, this vibrant Canadian city makes it to the top of the list of the world’s most family-friendly destinations. And rightly so! Come summer and this usually frigid city blossoms into a family fun paradise with scores of attractions that have something for every member. The well-maintained Toronto Zoo is a paradise for animal lovers with everything from Canada’s native polar bears to baby rhinos and hundreds of other creatures there to see. Prefer the more aquatic kind of adventures? Then a deep-sea adventure awaits at Ripley’s Aquarium. The Bat Cave at the Royal Ontario Museum is a fun way for kids to discover the real stories behind these mysterious creatures. And for the sportier families, scale to the top of the CNN Tower and earn yourself a panoramic view of the city. But for a truly memorable vacation, head down to the Canadian side of the mighty Niagara Falls just over an hour by road from Toronto. Once there, take a ride aboard the Hornblower Niagara Cruise in the morning and head off on an aerial tour of the falls with National Helicopters in the afternoon.
Getting There: There are daily direct and connecting flights from both Mumbai and New Delhi and other Indian cities to Toronto on airlines like Air India, Jet Airways, Air Canada and Emirates.
For the Romantic Couple
Turtle Island in Fiji
Picture this. The two of you on a private beach somewhere in the South Pacific with the soft white sand squeaking under your feet, a calm breeze lulling you into sweet submission, while the azure waters provide the ambient soundtrack with their gentle lapping… Bliss, right? But what’s even better about this montage is that it can be your very own reality at the super-exclusive Turtle Island in Fiji’s Yasawa chain. As part of this all-inclusive island resort—that is home to only 14 couples at a time—you even get access to your very own private beach that is only one of the 14 others that the resort is famous for. From there, your eyes are met with stunning vistas of the renowned Blue Lagoon which is an icon of Fiji, having featured in the 1980’s movie of the same name. Besides a romantic private dinner and couples’ massages, the resort even tailor-makes all your aquatic adventure requirements, be it snorkelling or swimming with the dolphins. Ah, bliss!
Getting There: Connect from most cities in India to Nadi, Fiji via Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific in association with partner airline Fiji Airways. From Nadi, one can reach Turtle Island by taking a 30-minute seaplane flight.
For the Solo Traveller
Safaris and More in South Africa
There is very little doubt that for most travellers, the words ‘South Africa’ and ‘Safaris’ go hand-in-hand. Home to a wondrous selection of wildlife, including the coveted Big 5, the iconic national parks like Limpopo’s Kruger and Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in Upington are the best places to get your fill. And better still if you’re a solo traveller. Most safari resorts like the Hamiltons Tented Camp in Kurger offer up a variety of activities from daily group safari drives to nightly bonfire BBQs where you can meet and swap stories with fellow solo guests. And once you’ve got your fill of the country’s number one calling card, head down to the Garden Route in South Africa’s Western Cape region which is just the place to indulge your every adrenaline-laced fantasy. With everything from cave exploring at the magnificent Cango Caves in the Klein Karoo area to bungy jumping at the world’s highest bungy off the Bloukrans Bridge (that fords over the Bloukrans River valley at a height of 216 meters!), the Garden Route has it all and then some more for the solo adventure seeker.
Getting There: The best way to get to South Africa from India is via Dubai on Emirates that has daily flights to and from Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. Once in South Africa, you can hire a car and drive to most national parks and down to the Garden Route as well.
For a Memorable ‘Pet-a-cation’
New York in the USA
For most of us with pets, the idea of leaving them alone while we waltz off on a vacation is pretty traumatic. No longer. As one of the world’s greatest pet-friendly cities, New York has a plethora of hotels—from the iconic The Peninsula near Central Park to the Hilton Times Square—that are more than happy to welcome you and your pet. Among one of the best hotels in the city, The Conrad in fashionable Lower Manhattan is so pet-friendly that guests travelling with their pets also have access to dog beds, bandanas, food bowls and additional amenities through the hotel’s pet program. It even provides you with private GPS-tracked dog walking services, which include a map of the route travelled, arrival and departure times, and a recap and photos of your pooch’s adventure. And for those travelling sans pet, but craving some non-human company, the Roxy Hotel Tribeca, one of Manhattan’s most stylish boutique hotels will even offer its in-house posse of goldfish to guests—free of charge—for the duration of their stay!
Getting There: There are daily direct flights from both Mumbai and New Delhi to New York on airlines like Air India, Jet Airways, Delta and United Airlines.
(An edited version of this article first appeared in the April-May-June 2019 issue of HDFC Imperia magazine)
By Raul Dias
For Full Family Fun
Toronto in Canada
Almost every year, this vibrant Canadian city makes it to the top of the list of the world’s most family-friendly destinations. And rightly so! Come summer and this usually frigid city blossoms into a family fun paradise with scores of attractions that have something for every member. The well-maintained Toronto Zoo is a paradise for animal lovers with everything from Canada’s native polar bears to baby rhinos and hundreds of other creatures there to see. Prefer the more aquatic kind of adventures? Then a deep-sea adventure awaits at Ripley’s Aquarium. The Bat Cave at the Royal Ontario Museum is a fun way for kids to discover the real stories behind these mysterious creatures. And for the sportier families, scale to the top of the CNN Tower and earn yourself a panoramic view of the city. But for a truly memorable vacation, head down to the Canadian side of the mighty Niagara Falls just over an hour by road from Toronto. Once there, take a ride aboard the Hornblower Niagara Cruise in the morning and head off on an aerial tour of the falls with National Helicopters in the afternoon.
Getting There: There are daily direct and connecting flights from both Mumbai and New Delhi and other Indian cities to Toronto on airlines like Air India, Jet Airways, Air Canada and Emirates.
For the Romantic Couple
Turtle Island in Fiji
Picture this. The two of you on a private beach somewhere in the South Pacific with the soft white sand squeaking under your feet, a calm breeze lulling you into sweet submission, while the azure waters provide the ambient soundtrack with their gentle lapping… Bliss, right? But what’s even better about this montage is that it can be your very own reality at the super-exclusive Turtle Island in Fiji’s Yasawa chain. As part of this all-inclusive island resort—that is home to only 14 couples at a time—you even get access to your very own private beach that is only one of the 14 others that the resort is famous for. From there, your eyes are met with stunning vistas of the renowned Blue Lagoon which is an icon of Fiji, having featured in the 1980’s movie of the same name. Besides a romantic private dinner and couples’ massages, the resort even tailor-makes all your aquatic adventure requirements, be it snorkelling or swimming with the dolphins. Ah, bliss!
Getting There: Connect from most cities in India to Nadi, Fiji via Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific in association with partner airline Fiji Airways. From Nadi, one can reach Turtle Island by taking a 30-minute seaplane flight.
For the Solo Traveller
Safaris and More in South Africa
There is very little doubt that for most travellers, the words ‘South Africa’ and ‘Safaris’ go hand-in-hand. Home to a wondrous selection of wildlife, including the coveted Big 5, the iconic national parks like Limpopo’s Kruger and Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in Upington are the best places to get your fill. And better still if you’re a solo traveller. Most safari resorts like the Hamiltons Tented Camp in Kurger offer up a variety of activities from daily group safari drives to nightly bonfire BBQs where you can meet and swap stories with fellow solo guests. And once you’ve got your fill of the country’s number one calling card, head down to the Garden Route in South Africa’s Western Cape region which is just the place to indulge your every adrenaline-laced fantasy. With everything from cave exploring at the magnificent Cango Caves in the Klein Karoo area to bungy jumping at the world’s highest bungy off the Bloukrans Bridge (that fords over the Bloukrans River valley at a height of 216 meters!), the Garden Route has it all and then some more for the solo adventure seeker.
Getting There: The best way to get to South Africa from India is via Dubai on Emirates that has daily flights to and from Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. Once in South Africa, you can hire a car and drive to most national parks and down to the Garden Route as well.
For a Memorable ‘Pet-a-cation’
New York in the USA
For most of us with pets, the idea of leaving them alone while we waltz off on a vacation is pretty traumatic. No longer. As one of the world’s greatest pet-friendly cities, New York has a plethora of hotels—from the iconic The Peninsula near Central Park to the Hilton Times Square—that are more than happy to welcome you and your pet. Among one of the best hotels in the city, The Conrad in fashionable Lower Manhattan is so pet-friendly that guests travelling with their pets also have access to dog beds, bandanas, food bowls and additional amenities through the hotel’s pet program. It even provides you with private GPS-tracked dog walking services, which include a map of the route travelled, arrival and departure times, and a recap and photos of your pooch’s adventure. And for those travelling sans pet, but craving some non-human company, the Roxy Hotel Tribeca, one of Manhattan’s most stylish boutique hotels will even offer its in-house posse of goldfish to guests—free of charge—for the duration of their stay!
Getting There: There are daily direct flights from both Mumbai and New Delhi to New York on airlines like Air India, Jet Airways, Delta and United Airlines.
(An edited version of this article first appeared in the April-May-June 2019 issue of HDFC Imperia magazine)
Sunday, November 4, 2018
Around the World in Four Diwalis!
Ready for some hardcore Diwali celebrations—international
style? Raul Dias takes you to four
places around the world, where the Festival of Lights is celebrated by the
Indian diaspora with as much gusto as it is back home in India
By Raul Dias
New
York City
With perhaps one of the strongest Indian diaspora in all of North America, New York City puts on a spectacular show every year for Diwali. One of the most iconic of all these celebrations is the annual ‘Diwali at Times Square’. It is an eight-hour celebration that has everything from live performances and fashion shows to dance and music competitions, photography exhibition and other creative programs like rangoli making. It truly is a spectacular sight when the entire skyline of New York City dazzles with fireworks during Times Square Diwali. Another interesting take on Diwali celebrations in NYC is the Diwali Motorcade and Cultural Show, hosted by the Divya Jyoti Association of New York at Richmond Hill in New York City. The show comprises creative entertainment programs including a parade, a havan ceremony, worship of Goddess Lakshmi, with the event culminating in awarding prizes to the best decorated vehicles.
With perhaps one of the strongest Indian diaspora in all of North America, New York City puts on a spectacular show every year for Diwali. One of the most iconic of all these celebrations is the annual ‘Diwali at Times Square’. It is an eight-hour celebration that has everything from live performances and fashion shows to dance and music competitions, photography exhibition and other creative programs like rangoli making. It truly is a spectacular sight when the entire skyline of New York City dazzles with fireworks during Times Square Diwali. Another interesting take on Diwali celebrations in NYC is the Diwali Motorcade and Cultural Show, hosted by the Divya Jyoti Association of New York at Richmond Hill in New York City. The show comprises creative entertainment programs including a parade, a havan ceremony, worship of Goddess Lakshmi, with the event culminating in awarding prizes to the best decorated vehicles.
Guyana
While not many of us can claim to be familiar with Guyana, here Diwali is a very big deal! Located on the northeast coast of South America, Guyana (formerly known as British Guiana) may not be large geographically speaking, but it does have a sizeable population of about 7,70,000 Hindus who constitute around 33% of the country’s total population. Celebrated according to the Hindu solar calendar, the day of the festival is declared as a national holiday after it is believed to have been brought to Guyana in the year 1853 by the first indentured people from India. Similar to India, the celebration of Diwali includes distribution of sweets, illuminating the inside and outside of the house, exchange of greetings, cleaning of houses and wearing of new clothes along with making sweets like pera (peda), barfi, and kheer.
While not many of us can claim to be familiar with Guyana, here Diwali is a very big deal! Located on the northeast coast of South America, Guyana (formerly known as British Guiana) may not be large geographically speaking, but it does have a sizeable population of about 7,70,000 Hindus who constitute around 33% of the country’s total population. Celebrated according to the Hindu solar calendar, the day of the festival is declared as a national holiday after it is believed to have been brought to Guyana in the year 1853 by the first indentured people from India. Similar to India, the celebration of Diwali includes distribution of sweets, illuminating the inside and outside of the house, exchange of greetings, cleaning of houses and wearing of new clothes along with making sweets like pera (peda), barfi, and kheer.
Malaysia
Along with the indigenous Malay and Chinese people, Indians—mainly of South Indian ethnicity—make up a third of the population of Malaysia. Known as Hari Deepavali, the festival is celebrated almost all over the Malaysia except in Sarawak and the Federal Territory of Labuan. While it is a public holiday in Malaysia and celebrated here with plenty of lights, there is a ‘silent’ twist to the festivities as fire crackers are banned in Malaysia. One of the best places in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur to get a feel of the pomp and splendor of Diwali is the city’s very own Little India that can be found in the Brickfields District near Bangsar. Here, the neighbourhood’s main street of Jalan Tun Sambanthan is full of the sights, smells, sounds and tastes of a true-blue Indian Diwali. Shops selling aromatic spices sit next to those blasting the latest Bollywood ditties. Traditional clothes such as saris along with jewellery, flower sellers along with the South Indian’s favourite Banana Leaf restaurants can all be found here.
Along with the indigenous Malay and Chinese people, Indians—mainly of South Indian ethnicity—make up a third of the population of Malaysia. Known as Hari Deepavali, the festival is celebrated almost all over the Malaysia except in Sarawak and the Federal Territory of Labuan. While it is a public holiday in Malaysia and celebrated here with plenty of lights, there is a ‘silent’ twist to the festivities as fire crackers are banned in Malaysia. One of the best places in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur to get a feel of the pomp and splendor of Diwali is the city’s very own Little India that can be found in the Brickfields District near Bangsar. Here, the neighbourhood’s main street of Jalan Tun Sambanthan is full of the sights, smells, sounds and tastes of a true-blue Indian Diwali. Shops selling aromatic spices sit next to those blasting the latest Bollywood ditties. Traditional clothes such as saris along with jewellery, flower sellers along with the South Indian’s favourite Banana Leaf restaurants can all be found here.
London
If New York has its Times Square Diwali, London too has its wildly popular ‘Diwali on Trafalgar Square’ to boast of! Every year, The Diwali in London (DiL) committee, in partnership with the Mayor of London, brings Diwali On Trafalgar Square (DOTS) to London. This free for all celebration consists of music and dance performances, family-friendly craft activities, community stalls and delicious food from India and beyond, as part of a large programme of activities. Speaking of which, one of star attractions for this year at DOTS is the ‘Mass Ghoomar Dance’. A traditional folk dance of the Bhil tribe that is performed in worship of Goddess Sarasvati, the dance typically involves female performers twirling in and out of a wide circle. It is traditional for a newly married bride to dance the ghoomar on moving into her marital home.
(An edited version of this article first appeared in the 4th November 2018 issue of The Free Press Journal newspaper's Weekend section on page 3 http://epaper.freepressjournal.in/m5/1883169/Free-Press-Mumbai-Edition/04-Nov-2018?fbclid=IwAR0Olf47HKsgN29ZP7lM3P2kzz140mmw08xMrf8WthNBHV2by3o1nxLZjCE#page/19/1)
If New York has its Times Square Diwali, London too has its wildly popular ‘Diwali on Trafalgar Square’ to boast of! Every year, The Diwali in London (DiL) committee, in partnership with the Mayor of London, brings Diwali On Trafalgar Square (DOTS) to London. This free for all celebration consists of music and dance performances, family-friendly craft activities, community stalls and delicious food from India and beyond, as part of a large programme of activities. Speaking of which, one of star attractions for this year at DOTS is the ‘Mass Ghoomar Dance’. A traditional folk dance of the Bhil tribe that is performed in worship of Goddess Sarasvati, the dance typically involves female performers twirling in and out of a wide circle. It is traditional for a newly married bride to dance the ghoomar on moving into her marital home.
(An edited version of this article first appeared in the 4th November 2018 issue of The Free Press Journal newspaper's Weekend section on page 3 http://epaper.freepressjournal.in/m5/1883169/Free-Press-Mumbai-Edition/04-Nov-2018?fbclid=IwAR0Olf47HKsgN29ZP7lM3P2kzz140mmw08xMrf8WthNBHV2by3o1nxLZjCE#page/19/1)
Thursday, November 1, 2018
Around the World in Six Christmas Trees!
As the most beautiful harbinger of the Yuletide season, the Christmas tree is more than just a mere festive ornament and one that has come to be recognised as the de facto symbol of all things Christmas. We bring you a few iconic interpretations of the Christmas tree from around the world, each with its own story to tell…
By Raul Dias
The Galeries Lafayette Christmas Tree, Paris
It is safe to say that come early December one of the main reasons people visit Paris’s hallowed Galeries Lafayette department store—that sits pretty along the city’s chic Boulevard Haussmann—is not only for the rather expensive Christmas gifts one can pick up there. It is to get an eyeful of the legendary themed Christmas tree that rises 43 metres up the store’s Art Nouveau wrought iron and glass dome. One of the most memorable themes of this annual tree hosting tradition is the ‘Frozen’ one of 2016. That year, artist Lorenzo Papace came up with a tree that was made entirely of recycled paper with a tableau representation of bears and cubs that showed them abandoning their crib on the North Pole in search of a new ice pack that has not melted yet. But it was the 2017 tree last year themed ‘Spectacular, Spectacular’ that literally took the cake. What with it being created entirely from giant candy pieces and other edible goodies!
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, New York City
Images of people bundled up in woollies, ice skating under a giant Christmas tree, sipping hot chocolate and eating roasted chestnuts (though not all at the same time!) are montages that come to mind when one thinks of this iconic tree that has featured in countless movies over the years. Usually a Norway spruce tree ranging from 21 to 30 meters in height, this one has been a national tradition in the US for almost a century. Interestingly, the tree is older than the building it is housed in! It was way back in 1931, when a group of demolition workers working during the holidays put up their own Christmas tree on the construction site of the Rockefeller Center with a 20-foot tall balsam fir that saw tradition take shape. And ever since then, both locals and tourists alike have been staring up in gob-smacked wonder at one of the most beautiful Christmas trees of all time.
The Pope’s Christmas Tree, Vatican City
At advent every year a majestic spruce or fir Christmas tree is the chosen one to grace the very heart of St. Peter’s Square with themes that reflect important social messages ranging from migration to the refugee issue. Interestingly, this Christmas tree hosting tradition is a rather recent one. It was only in 1982 during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II that the tree as well as the life-size Nativity Scene was started. There is also one other tradition that is followed religiously (do pardon the pun!). Ever since the first tree in 1982 came from Italy, every year the Vatican accepts a tree donated by a different European country or region. Ironically the tree last year in 2017 was a 21-meter spruce tree donated by Masuria, Poland in honour of the Polish-born late Pope John Paul II. Considered one of the most beautiful Pope’s Christmas Tree ever, the 2016 one was illuminated by 18,000 LED lights and decorated with the ceramic ornaments, made by children in hospitals across Italy who were receiving treatment for cancer and other illnesses.
The Palace Square Christmas Tree, St. Petersburg
As one of the world’s most beautiful cities, stunning St Petersburg ups the ante with the wondrous spectacle that the Palace Square Christmas Tree affords all who visit it. Set against the backdrop of the baroque Winter Palace, the former official residence of Russian monarchs on the banks of the Neva River, this Christmas tree comprises green boughs attached to a wire frame. Decorated with traditional Russian Christmas ornaments including large replica Fabergé eggs, floral wreaths and other baubles, it truly mirrors the former imperial Russian grandeur at its finest. So magical and historical is this one that one can almost expect an Anna Karenina-esque character to come whirling by in a haze of powdery snow, riding a troika of silver white horses!
The Floating Christmas Tree, Rio de Janeiro
Though loathe to pick a favourite from a list such as this, we simply have got to give the crown to Rio’s Floating Christmas Tree, which interestingly is the newest of the lot having been started a little over two decades ago in 1996. Floating on a barge in the city’s Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon, this stunning, 279-foot high mammoth tree is bedecked with 3.3 million micro light bulbs, each reflecting brilliantly in the waters of the South American lagoon. In order to view it from close quarters families hire out small boats shaped like geese for a spin on the lagoon. As the world’s largest floating Christmas tree, as certified by The Guinness World Records, this one is a big draw in Brazil with the lighting ceremony nationally televised and packed with celebrities. It is so big that it ranks only behind New Year’s Eve and Carnival on the city’s list of most-watched events.
The Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree, London
Besides all its myriad year-round attractions, come winter and London plays host to one of the world’s most celebrated Christmas trees. Standing mighty next to the statue of the rather diminutive Lord Nelson in Trafalgar Square, the 20-meter tall spruce tree has been an annual gift from the Norwegian capital city of Oslo since 1947. All this as a gesture of the Norwegian people’s gratitude for Britain’s support during World War II. And as with most icons, the tree comes with its own set of traditions. Chief among them being the tree lighting ceremony that takes place on the first Thursday in December and is attended by thousands of people. Led by the Lord Mayor of Westminster, the ceremony includes a blessing of the crib ceremony, which features a torchlit procession and music from St Martin-in-the-Fields church followed by the switching on of the Christmas lights. And the rest? Pure, undiluted wonder!
By Raul Dias
The Galeries Lafayette Christmas Tree, Paris
It is safe to say that come early December one of the main reasons people visit Paris’s hallowed Galeries Lafayette department store—that sits pretty along the city’s chic Boulevard Haussmann—is not only for the rather expensive Christmas gifts one can pick up there. It is to get an eyeful of the legendary themed Christmas tree that rises 43 metres up the store’s Art Nouveau wrought iron and glass dome. One of the most memorable themes of this annual tree hosting tradition is the ‘Frozen’ one of 2016. That year, artist Lorenzo Papace came up with a tree that was made entirely of recycled paper with a tableau representation of bears and cubs that showed them abandoning their crib on the North Pole in search of a new ice pack that has not melted yet. But it was the 2017 tree last year themed ‘Spectacular, Spectacular’ that literally took the cake. What with it being created entirely from giant candy pieces and other edible goodies!
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, New York City
Images of people bundled up in woollies, ice skating under a giant Christmas tree, sipping hot chocolate and eating roasted chestnuts (though not all at the same time!) are montages that come to mind when one thinks of this iconic tree that has featured in countless movies over the years. Usually a Norway spruce tree ranging from 21 to 30 meters in height, this one has been a national tradition in the US for almost a century. Interestingly, the tree is older than the building it is housed in! It was way back in 1931, when a group of demolition workers working during the holidays put up their own Christmas tree on the construction site of the Rockefeller Center with a 20-foot tall balsam fir that saw tradition take shape. And ever since then, both locals and tourists alike have been staring up in gob-smacked wonder at one of the most beautiful Christmas trees of all time.
The Pope’s Christmas Tree, Vatican City
At advent every year a majestic spruce or fir Christmas tree is the chosen one to grace the very heart of St. Peter’s Square with themes that reflect important social messages ranging from migration to the refugee issue. Interestingly, this Christmas tree hosting tradition is a rather recent one. It was only in 1982 during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II that the tree as well as the life-size Nativity Scene was started. There is also one other tradition that is followed religiously (do pardon the pun!). Ever since the first tree in 1982 came from Italy, every year the Vatican accepts a tree donated by a different European country or region. Ironically the tree last year in 2017 was a 21-meter spruce tree donated by Masuria, Poland in honour of the Polish-born late Pope John Paul II. Considered one of the most beautiful Pope’s Christmas Tree ever, the 2016 one was illuminated by 18,000 LED lights and decorated with the ceramic ornaments, made by children in hospitals across Italy who were receiving treatment for cancer and other illnesses.
The Palace Square Christmas Tree, St. Petersburg
As one of the world’s most beautiful cities, stunning St Petersburg ups the ante with the wondrous spectacle that the Palace Square Christmas Tree affords all who visit it. Set against the backdrop of the baroque Winter Palace, the former official residence of Russian monarchs on the banks of the Neva River, this Christmas tree comprises green boughs attached to a wire frame. Decorated with traditional Russian Christmas ornaments including large replica Fabergé eggs, floral wreaths and other baubles, it truly mirrors the former imperial Russian grandeur at its finest. So magical and historical is this one that one can almost expect an Anna Karenina-esque character to come whirling by in a haze of powdery snow, riding a troika of silver white horses!
The Floating Christmas Tree, Rio de Janeiro
Though loathe to pick a favourite from a list such as this, we simply have got to give the crown to Rio’s Floating Christmas Tree, which interestingly is the newest of the lot having been started a little over two decades ago in 1996. Floating on a barge in the city’s Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon, this stunning, 279-foot high mammoth tree is bedecked with 3.3 million micro light bulbs, each reflecting brilliantly in the waters of the South American lagoon. In order to view it from close quarters families hire out small boats shaped like geese for a spin on the lagoon. As the world’s largest floating Christmas tree, as certified by The Guinness World Records, this one is a big draw in Brazil with the lighting ceremony nationally televised and packed with celebrities. It is so big that it ranks only behind New Year’s Eve and Carnival on the city’s list of most-watched events.
The Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree, London
Besides all its myriad year-round attractions, come winter and London plays host to one of the world’s most celebrated Christmas trees. Standing mighty next to the statue of the rather diminutive Lord Nelson in Trafalgar Square, the 20-meter tall spruce tree has been an annual gift from the Norwegian capital city of Oslo since 1947. All this as a gesture of the Norwegian people’s gratitude for Britain’s support during World War II. And as with most icons, the tree comes with its own set of traditions. Chief among them being the tree lighting ceremony that takes place on the first Thursday in December and is attended by thousands of people. Led by the Lord Mayor of Westminster, the ceremony includes a blessing of the crib ceremony, which features a torchlit procession and music from St Martin-in-the-Fields church followed by the switching on of the Christmas lights. And the rest? Pure, undiluted wonder!
(An edited version of this article first appeared in the October-November- December 2018 issue of HDFC Imperia magazine)
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Yummy Bite off the Big Apple!
With a menu peppered with tasty American diner-style comfort food, made and presented as close to authentic as possible, Bandra’s New York City Diner is a great, new addition to the city’s casual dining scene.
By Raul Dias
As one of Mumbai’s most well-respected and pioneering restaurateurs, Chef Meldan D’Cunha has always had firm grip on the pulse of the city’s dining habits. The same man who gave us the Mangalorean cuisine-centric Soul Fry (when regional cuisine eateries were still in their embryonic stage!) and then Casa Soul Fry, now brings to Mumbai’s shores an authentic taste of American diner-style comfort food with his latest offering—New York City Diner. Interestingly, this Bandra Reclamation eatery opened just a few days after he shut down his wildly popular restobar, The Local in Fort.
A smallish, cozy space paying homage to all things New York—from the kitschy pop culture posters on the walls to the apple red couch and metallic chairs—this diner exudes a chilled out, relaxed vibe that seems to be attracting the student brigade by the droves. We are told by the manager that the inspiration behind the diner came to Chef Meldan on a recent trip to the US when he went there for his daughter’s wedding and was bowled over by the food truck scene in New York and neighbouring New Jersey.
And so, we take a cue from that and call for an order of the disco fries (Rs 220) that are a New Jersey diner classic. Slathered in a yummy cheese sauce and sprinkled with bits of bacon, olives and BBQ chicken, the generous portion of potato fries makes for a great start. Though described as a single slice on the menu, the jalapeno and basil pizza slice (Rs 150) came to our table cut in three hefty wedges, each one an explosion of molten cheese and herbaceous basil with the piquant-sour hit of pickled jalapeno rounding it off perfectly.
Suitably straightforward, if a tad ho-hum and bland, our cranberry spritzer (Rs 40) was nothing much to talk about, but its buy-one-get-one-free accompanying coconut spritzer (Rs 40) had a unique, creamy coconut-y taste that made it seem more like a milkshake than a carbonated drink. Speaking of milkshakes, the blueberry and jim-jam Manhattan extreme shake (Rs 240) using the insanely delicious berry overload ice cream by Koldplay was worth every paisa…and calorie too!
Perfectly messy, the kind that requires a minimum of five paper napkins to clean up, the lamb sloppy joe (Rs 240) accompanied by a moat of crisp tapioca chips was all the things a great sandwich should be. Gooey, meaty and making for messy satisfaction! Disappointment reared its ugly head with the duo of dry, under-stuffed chicken cafreal buns (Rs 120) that we suspect was a sort of one off ode on the menu to the erstwhile The Local. Totally avoidable.
For mains, we settled for a few diner classics one of which took the form of a plate heaped with biscuits and chicken gravy (Rs 280). A chunky, minced chicken white sauce gravy jazzed up with pepper and nutmeg, slathered over six buttery, crumbly savoury biscuits and topped off with a shredded omelette was one of the best renditions of the southern American dish we’d ever eaten. Another south classic, the shrimps and grits with bacon (Rs 380) was the comforting sum of 7-8 juicy, plump crustaceans cooked with cheese and bacon, sat atop a bed of buttery grits, which is a savoury porridge made from coarsely ground cornmeal, butter and milk, and drizzled with chilli oil to cut through all that richness.
While we’d go back in a heartbeat just for that one single dish, there’s so much more we’d like to try the next time we find ourselves at New York City Diner. Buttermilk fried chicken (Rs 320), we have our eyes on you!
TIME: 11am to 11pm
AT: Shop no. 20, ONGC Colony, Opposite Lilavati Hospital, Reclamation, Bandra West.
CALL: 9820282522
(A shorter, edited version of this review appeared in the 16th October 2018 issue of the Mid-Day newspaper, India on page 19 https://m.mid-day.com/articles/mumbai-food-american-diner-style-eatery-in-bandra-is-a-crowd-pleaser/19895163)
By Raul Dias
As one of Mumbai’s most well-respected and pioneering restaurateurs, Chef Meldan D’Cunha has always had firm grip on the pulse of the city’s dining habits. The same man who gave us the Mangalorean cuisine-centric Soul Fry (when regional cuisine eateries were still in their embryonic stage!) and then Casa Soul Fry, now brings to Mumbai’s shores an authentic taste of American diner-style comfort food with his latest offering—New York City Diner. Interestingly, this Bandra Reclamation eatery opened just a few days after he shut down his wildly popular restobar, The Local in Fort.
A smallish, cozy space paying homage to all things New York—from the kitschy pop culture posters on the walls to the apple red couch and metallic chairs—this diner exudes a chilled out, relaxed vibe that seems to be attracting the student brigade by the droves. We are told by the manager that the inspiration behind the diner came to Chef Meldan on a recent trip to the US when he went there for his daughter’s wedding and was bowled over by the food truck scene in New York and neighbouring New Jersey.
And so, we take a cue from that and call for an order of the disco fries (Rs 220) that are a New Jersey diner classic. Slathered in a yummy cheese sauce and sprinkled with bits of bacon, olives and BBQ chicken, the generous portion of potato fries makes for a great start. Though described as a single slice on the menu, the jalapeno and basil pizza slice (Rs 150) came to our table cut in three hefty wedges, each one an explosion of molten cheese and herbaceous basil with the piquant-sour hit of pickled jalapeno rounding it off perfectly.
Suitably straightforward, if a tad ho-hum and bland, our cranberry spritzer (Rs 40) was nothing much to talk about, but its buy-one-get-one-free accompanying coconut spritzer (Rs 40) had a unique, creamy coconut-y taste that made it seem more like a milkshake than a carbonated drink. Speaking of milkshakes, the blueberry and jim-jam Manhattan extreme shake (Rs 240) using the insanely delicious berry overload ice cream by Koldplay was worth every paisa…and calorie too!
Perfectly messy, the kind that requires a minimum of five paper napkins to clean up, the lamb sloppy joe (Rs 240) accompanied by a moat of crisp tapioca chips was all the things a great sandwich should be. Gooey, meaty and making for messy satisfaction! Disappointment reared its ugly head with the duo of dry, under-stuffed chicken cafreal buns (Rs 120) that we suspect was a sort of one off ode on the menu to the erstwhile The Local. Totally avoidable.
For mains, we settled for a few diner classics one of which took the form of a plate heaped with biscuits and chicken gravy (Rs 280). A chunky, minced chicken white sauce gravy jazzed up with pepper and nutmeg, slathered over six buttery, crumbly savoury biscuits and topped off with a shredded omelette was one of the best renditions of the southern American dish we’d ever eaten. Another south classic, the shrimps and grits with bacon (Rs 380) was the comforting sum of 7-8 juicy, plump crustaceans cooked with cheese and bacon, sat atop a bed of buttery grits, which is a savoury porridge made from coarsely ground cornmeal, butter and milk, and drizzled with chilli oil to cut through all that richness.
While we’d go back in a heartbeat just for that one single dish, there’s so much more we’d like to try the next time we find ourselves at New York City Diner. Buttermilk fried chicken (Rs 320), we have our eyes on you!
TIME: 11am to 11pm
AT: Shop no. 20, ONGC Colony, Opposite Lilavati Hospital, Reclamation, Bandra West.
CALL: 9820282522
(A shorter, edited version of this review appeared in the 16th October 2018 issue of the Mid-Day newspaper, India on page 19 https://m.mid-day.com/articles/mumbai-food-american-diner-style-eatery-in-bandra-is-a-crowd-pleaser/19895163)
Sunday, October 7, 2018
A-N-A-T-O-M-I-Z-E: $1,000 Golden Opulence Sundae
By Raul Dias
There with three other friends to get my quarter share of the world’s most expensive $214 grilled cheese sandwich, little did I realise that I’d soon be a spectator to an extravaganza that would make our shared sandwich seem as cheap as chips! With an average of just one order of the $1,000 Golden Opulence Sundae placed every month, its rather public assemblage is pure theater.
Three scoops of rare Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream—that are further flecked with Madagascar vanilla drawn straight from the pod—are placed in a Baccarat Harcourt crystal goblet that’s lined with 23k gold leaf, or what we in India know as varq. Alternating each ice cream scoop is the ladling of a luscious sauce made from melted Amedei Porcelana, which is one of the world’s most expensive chocolate. The sundae is then given a shower of goodies like truffles of rare Chuao chocolate made from cocoa beans cultivated off the coast of Venezuela, golden almond dragées and glacé candied fruit from Fauchon in Paris.
Topping it all off is a dusting of actual American Golden caviar harvested from the whitefish which lives in the Northern Great Lakes. But here, a salt-free version of the caviar is used that’s macerated in fresh passion fruit and orange juices along with a splash of Armagnac. And if all that’s not enough for you, more gold leaf is added. And a final garnish of an edible, gold paint-dipped sugar orchid crowns it, as it is placed in front of you with a 18k solid gold sundae spoon.
And yes, you can keep the goblet. But it’s an emphatic “NO” to the golden spoon!
(This column first appeared in the 7th October 2018 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 8)
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Edible Icons!
The
Others…
·
Not content with laying claim to the
Waldorf Salad alone, The Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York is also the place
where Eggs Benedict was first invented in 1894 at the behest of a Wall Street
stockbroker named Lemuel Benedict, who instructed the chef to construct his
poached eggs dish just the way he wanted them—Hollandaise sauce et al!
·
An unknown hotel chef in Wellington, New
Zealand, is said to have created the cloud-like meringue and fruit dessert we
know today as the Pavlova for the famous Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who
visited there in 1926 on her world tour.
·
We have the American hotelier Bertha
Palmer of the Palmer House in Chicago to thank for the diet/stress/blues-busting
gooey Brownie,s who created it along with her chef at the hotel for the World’s
Columbian Exposition held in Chicago in 1893.
·
It was in 1892 when Dame Nellie Melba, the
famed Australian opera singer paid a visit to The Savoy in London, that the
equally legendary French pâtissier Auguste Escoffier created the Peach Melba in
the prima donna’s honour.
(An edited version of this article first appeared in the January 2018 issue of Jetwings Domestic in-flight magazine of Jet Airways https://www.jetairways.com/EN/DE/JetExperience/magazines.aspx)
Sunday, March 19, 2017
A-N-A-T-O-M-I-Z-E: Charcoal-Coffee Martini
By Raul Dias
Notorious for incubating trends of all kinds, never mind how over-the-top or outré they may seem, New York City always manages to shock me silent. But I couldn’t have been more surprised a few months ago, when on a short layover there, a friend insisted I try the jet-black hued perla negra (black pearl) cocktail at Slowly Shirley—a virtual ‘subterranean cocktail sanctuary’ in Manhattan’s hipster haven of the West Village.
Served up in a crystal skull receptacle, this aged rum, orange juice, ginger, sorrel and arrack-redolent libation has a dark little secret ingredient—activated charcoal powder. Little did I know then, that charcoal—an integral part of filtration systems the world over—would become one of early 2017’s hottest new bar essentials. Used for millennia in both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine as a detoxifying agent and as a superfood that boosts digestive health, activated charcoal powder is enjoying an outing like never before!
And yes, this cocktail micro trend has reached India as well, as I was to recently discover at Kolkata’s Bodega Cantina-Y-Bar. This hip, new restobar that sits languidly along busy Park Street serves up a charcoal-coffee martini that has been enticing the trend loving lot with its caliginous countenance. All this, while relying on a double coffee kick, thanks to a generous splash of Kahlua coffee liqueur, and a rather potent espresso shot to lend that extra zing to this vodka-based cocktail noir, blackened up with the powder of crushed activated charcoal pellets.
(This column first appeared in the 19th March 2017 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 8 http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/charcoal-coffee-martini/article17526868.ece)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)