Matter of taste

Be it a formal sit down dinner, a lazy Sunday brunch or a high-tea party, one of the first things that people notice is how the food is being served. First appearances do count and indeed make the best impressions, because we first eat with our eyes, and only then, relish them with our taste buds.

The importance of good crockery and cutlery has long been stressed upon, but unfortunately, its value remains undermined. Sure, it does cost you quite a bit to pick up the latest designer range of hand-painted plates, but imagine your delight when guests ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ over its exquisite designs.

Let’s put it this way - If you put stained, dirty stuff in front of me I won’t feel like eating at all. Good crockery enhances the eating experience and takes it to new realms. Even something as simple as a dal or subzi looks appetising if it is presented well. The presentation of the food is as important as how it tastes.

But with one brand after the other flooding the market, even the most seasoned connoisseur can get a wee bit perplexed about what to choose. Well, when in doubt, it’s best to check the clarity of the china, much like a diamond. A good piece of bone china cup will make a clinking noise when something taps against it.

Back in the good old days when high teas were still the norm, elegant ladies would come dressed to the nines and engage in friendly banter over clinking cups of freshly brewed tea and bite sized sandwiches. While activities like those are a long forgotten tradition, there are still some who insist that good china is an investment worth making.

I recently met with entrepreneur Kauveri Krishna, and while in conversation, we happened to talk about crockery. It was then I realized that she had collected over 100 sets of fine china. I personally think that for many people, It’s some sort of a tradition really. Good elegant cutlery is a heirloom that should be passed on from generation to generation. China is not always la-di-dah and fancy. There are simpler and more sober designs that can be used on an everyday basis. Not only do they add to the aesthetic appeal, they also show the care that has been taken by the person in putting the meal together.

So if you haven’t purchased your first set of fancy mugs, I suggest you go out there and buy a couple. And it is not necessary that you spend a fortune -  after all, some of the best things in life are quite simply the simplest.

Wine Divine

With the increasing popularity of wine over the years, many people have become amateur collectors. But for most, the cost of building a wine cellar is just not feasible. What do you do in this case? Well, fret not as I shall give you some simple tips that I have learnt, on how to store wine and retain their original flavour.

For starters, storage primarily depends on the type of wine you wish to stock up on. For instance, sparkling wine is most susceptible to change when exposed to light and heat. If you are planning to serve the wine in a week or two, it is better to store it in the refrigerator.

This is also the case with white wine. Since the properties are similar, it really does make sense to store the white wine in a cabinet that is directly away from sunlight, or in the refrigerator. Since sparkling wines, white wines and most dessert wines are served chilled, one should be aware of the temperature it is being served at. Do not chill your wine too much because it has the capability to lose some of its flavour. The recommended temperature for serving white or sparkling wine is no less than 45° F (7.22°C).

In the case of storing wine on a wine rack, store the sparkling wines on the lowest shelf, whites above the sparkling and reds above the white. Red wines should not be stored in the refrigerator as they are robbed of their natural flavours and tannins when stored in a cold place.

If you choose to store wine in a closet, ensure sufficient amount of circulation to avoid molds. Any potential closet should be well cleaned, and not smell musty. It is also recommend that wine is stored on its side, rather than upright as this keeps the wine in contact with the cork, which prevents air from getting into the wine.

Finally, never store any food or perishables, such as cheese, fruit or vegetables along with the wine. Once these items start fermenting, their flavours can actually enter the wine through the cork, causing it to mold. Follow these simple, yet effective steps and you are sure to enjoy every sip of your finely aged and preserved wine. Cheers!

Southern Treasure

There is something magical about Southern Aromas. Maybe it is the beautiful, homestyle Chettinad setting, maybe it is the extremely friendly and courteous stewards, or maybe…it’s the mouth-watering food. Whatever be the reason, it is definitely one of the places to visit, if a south Indian meal is what you’re craving for. With a menu that spans pages, what immediately strikes you is the clarity and precision that have gone into planning the set of choices from the different regions — be it Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka or Andhra Pradesh.

For starters, try the brilliantly rendered fried fish, kothamalli kozhi or the mutton chukka. The meat is spicy, the flavours just right and the portions, generous. For vegetarians, the mushroom Chettinad hits the right spot. Since the place plays host to a numbers of expats as well, there are some signature dishes on the menu that holds permanent residence on the card. Popular choices include kozhi varutha curry, karuvepelai poondu kozhambu, Chettinad chicken, ulli theeyal and nandu masala. If you are still unable to decide, then do ask for the chef ’s recommendation or the special of the day.

It’s really quite difficult to single out one specific dish that stands out among others because everything on the menu is worth a try at least once. But if a choice has to be made, then go for the Ambur kheema rice, which consists of steamed rice mixed with spices, minced mutton and scrambled egg. Though the dessert choices are limited to the usual paruppu and elaneer payasam, after such an elaborate meal, I wouldn’t blame you entirely if you gave the sweet treats a miss!

Love, love me do!

Howdy all you fellow lovely bloggers/followers/lurkers? So I know I have been MIA for a couple of days (yeah, I have learnt ‘cool’ internet lingo over the past few days…MIA: Missing in Action), but I am back and haaaapy Valentine’s Day lovers! I’m not a big fan, but I must say – love genuinely is all around – heck, even my security guard wished me this morning!

So what big plans people? Today is the day when I’m sure restaurants must be making a killing with their special menus and fancy price tags, but I think there is nothing more special and thoughtful than cooking a meal for your loved one. I have decided to cook a fancy meal for my folks (yeah, I know…DON’T JUDGE ME!), but you can sure as hell make everything I’m about to list below for your special someone and trust me, he/she is sure to do a double flip and thank you in kind after dinner (yes, I mean exactly what you are thinking!)

These recipes can all be done within two hours flat (total time, not per dish) and are bloody delicious. Enjoy! The theme I’m going with is red...so yes, a bottle of red wine would be the perfect meal aperitif.

Roast Beetroot Soup

Ingredients

·         3 tablespoons olive oil

·         ½  onion, chopped

·         3 cloves garlic, chopped

·         4 medium beets, peeled and chopped

·         1 carrot, finely chopped

·         2 cups vegetable stock

·         salt and freshly ground pepper

·         3/4 cup coconut milk

·         A handful of pine nuts

Method: Toast pine nuts in the oven for 5 minutes or until gold, set aside. Set oven at 375F. Roast chopped beets for 40 minutes. Warm olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onions and garlic; cook until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in carrot and beets to cook for 1 minute. Stir in stock, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; cover, and simmer until the carrots and beets are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat, and allow to cool slightly. In batches, add soup to a food processor, and pulse until liquefied. Return soup to saucepan, and gently heat through. Add coconut milk. Ladle into bowls, and garnish with a swirl of coconut milk, pine nuts and fresh thyme.

Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce and Garlic Greens

Ingredients

500 gm pasta
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
10 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
800 ml of whole tomatoes, blended in a blender till smooth
400 ml tomato paste
2 1/2 cup of cream

For the greens:

1 kg spinach
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped

Method: In a medium pot on medium low, drizzle about a 1/4 cup of olive oil and add the onion and garlic.  Sprinkle with a good pinch of salt.  When the onion is soft, add the blended tomatoes and the paste.  Let simmer on low. Meanwhile, in a large pan on medium, drizzle some olive oil and add in the garlic and onions.  After a minute, toss in the greens and sprinkle with a big pinch of salt.  Toss until wilted. While you’re doing the greens, cook the pasta according to the directions. When the pasta is al dente, toss it with some sauce, plate and top with a pile of greens. Enjoy!

Red Rouge Cupcakes

Ingredients

·         1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

·         1 teaspoon baking powder

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         1/3 cup butter, softened

·         3/4 cup sugar

·         2 large eggs

·         4 ounces white chocolate, chopped

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·         1 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk

Method: Preheat oven to 325F. Line muffin pans with 18 cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt the chopped white chocolate by heating it in 30-second intervals in the microwave. Stir well with a fork between each interval and cook only until the chocolate is smooth when stirred. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by melted white chocolate and vanilla extract. Working in two or three additions, alternate adding in some of the milk and some of the flour mixture, ending with a final addition of flour. Mix until just incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin cups. Bake at 325F for 20-23 minutes until a tester comes out clean and the tops spring back when lightly pressed with a fingertip. Cool completely before frosting.

For White Chocolate Frosting

·         4 ounces cream cheese, softened

·         1/4 cup butter, softened

·         1 ounce white chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·         3 teaspoons heavy cream

·         3 – 4 cups powdered sugar

Method: Using a stand mixer, combine cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add white chocolate, vanilla extract and heavy cream and mix until combined. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until it reaches desired consistency. If you want to pipe it, make sure it’s stiff enough to stand up on it’s own.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

·         4 ounces cream cheese, softened

·         1/4 cup butter, softened

·         3/4 cup strawberries, mashed by hand or with food processor

·         1/4 teaspoon vanilla

·         3 – 4 cups powdered sugar

Method: Using a stand mixer, combine cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add mashed strawberries and vanilla and mix until combined. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until it reaches piping consistency.

PS: The recipe for Pasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce and Garlic Greens was sourced from http://www.lesliesarna.com/2010/10/pasta-with-creamy-tomato-sauce-and-garlic-greens.html

A bit of a bite!

To say that I love shopping would be stating the obvious. I don’t know too many women who don’t have a rush of oxytocin, every time they catch wind of the two ‘S’s – Shopping & Sales!  And my bunch of girls and I are no different. No sooner do our salaries get credited in the bank and the next minute we are off searching for the best bargains with our eyes on the grand prize like hawks (We would like to think of ourselves as the motley bunch from ‘Sex and the City,’ thank you very much!)

So to shoo away the mid-week blues, off we trotted with credit cards in hand and comfortable shoes to scale the expanse of a hugely crowded Express Avenue (even on a Wednesday evening? Really?). Four hours and three huge shopping bags later, our tired feet and even more  worn-out willpower was begging for some much need R n R, so off we headed towards a cute little joint called Café Pascucci.

Nestled in an innocuous little corner of the gargantuan mall, Café Pascucci looks like one of those American diners with bright neon signs and comfortable chairs. Hungry as ever, the three of us pounced on the menu, even as our bemused steward looked on and waited patiently as we placed our orders. The menu has a fair sprinkling of all things American and Italian, so we picked a Piadina Chicken Ham and Cheese, a Caesar’s salad and Gnocchi with Spinach and Cream Sauce.  |

While the salad was tasty enough, the dressing being top notch, what was really disappointing was the serving portion, or really the lack of it. The Gnocchi on the other hand was superbly seasoned, the right mix of creamy alfredo and green spinach with a touch of nutmeg, gloriously pulled together with the dense and flavourful gnocchi. The ham sandwich again was a letdown – less meat, more veggies and a tad dry too.  The desserts on display seemed extremely impressive, but since we were in a hurry to get ready and hit the town (Girls night out people!) we gave it a miss.

Café Pascucci actually has what it takes to become a landmark coffee shop in Chennai, considering the good ones are few and far between. However, it would serve them well if they relooked the pricing and portions. Worth a visit for sure though!

Raising a toast

I have never really liked champagne. I think it’s one of those snooty falooty drinks that people sip on when they want to look elite or cool. And really, how do you tell one apart from the other? They all taste sour, acidic and tart (no I’m not describing the properties of vinegar here!). But a recent event that I attended with a friend has changed my perception about that little glass of bubbly.

How and why? Well, I’d like to give cheers and much credit to a certain spirited gentleman by the name of Rajeev Singhal. What does he do? Eat your heart out people because what he does for a living is DRINK! To say that he is bubbling with enthusiasm and knowledge is stating the obvious, because Rajeev Singhal, Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC)’s, champagne ambassador in India is like an eager child waiting to spill all about the queen of spirits – champagne.

My brief tete-e tete with him comprised mainly of me asking basic (read stupid) questions about champagne and him patiently answering each and every one of them. He even let me pop open a bottle called ‘Ace of Spades’ which costs a whopping 1.3 lakhs!  He starts off on an effervescent note, telling us that we have been fooled all these years being served sparkling wine in the guise of champagne. “It’s not champagne unless it actually comes from the Champagne region of France,” he says with stress, driving the point home.

Talking about how he got into the art of champagne appreciation, Rajeev says, “I’m trying to do for champagne, what I did for wine a couple of years back. It’s very heartening to see how the country has become aware and knowledgeable about wines. I see that in Chennai as well, the response has been picking up over the years.”

Champagne connotes different things to different people. While some associate it with romance and love, for most, it marks a celebration or happy occasion. While Rajeev agrees, he says with a smirk, “I don’t understand why these racers pop the champagne and spray it all over each other. My heart breaks because it is such a precious liquid. Why not drink it all instead?”

We definitely can’t argue with that logic, especially after a crash course on how delicately and beautifully these wines are prepared. Transporting us to Champagne, Rajeev says that the bubbly drink has a history that dates back 2000 odd years. He also says that champagne is made from only three varieties of grapes – the chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. The colours vary from a pale straw gold to a much richer salmon or blush pink. So how are the variations in the colour achieved? “Well, did you know that even if you used red grapes and took off the skin, the resultant juice would be white in colour? It really depends on the mix in percentage between the three grape varieties used,” he says.

Considering Chennai is still thought of as a slightly more conservative market when it comes to alcohol, does he think that there is enough variety of wines and champagnes to learn from? “I was terribly surprised, but in a pleasant way. I think Chennai is almost on par with Mumbai and Delhi, which is a more open market when it comes to champagne appreciation. I have seen some stellar varieties in all the star hotels in Chennai.”

Finally, tell him that we have all experienced whisky, vodka and rum hangovers and ask him what the devilish after-effects of champagne are and he replies pat, “Madame Lilly Bollinger put it best when she said, ‘I only drink champagne when I’m happy, and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I am alone. When I have company, I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I am not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it - unless I’m thirsty.’”

Love Bites!

I have never been one of those moony-eyed people who sigh and swoon as Valentine’s Day arrives. In fact, mention those very words to me and I’m sure to throw a hissy fit, much to the dismay, and sometimes glee of the people who have been in my life.

While I may have a romanticised notion of life and I am a hopeless romantic at heart, the thought of expressing your love to that ‘special’ someone on a day assigned for it just makes me sick to the stomach.

Or well, at least it did. Now, because I am surrounded by a gaggle of couples who act so loopy la la on V Day, I have come to partially accept or stomach this concept. That being said, most of the time their sickly sweet behaviour is sure to give me a bout of diabetes! It was just the other day that a friend and I were discussing what her hubby and her could, should and would do on D-Day…oops, I mean V-Day. Ideas for a fancy, romantic beachside dinner came to mind, fancy gifts and expensive perfumes came to mind, but then I got thinking and Eureka! I had a light bulb moment.

You see, this friend (let’s call her ‘X’ for the sake of convenience) is not really much of a kitchen person. While she fancies the idea of being a modern day Nigella Lawson, her exploits are relegated to making the odd sausages and eggs. Between her hubby and her, they have a grand total of about five handwritten recipes, both given by their respective mums, in a hope that they will actually cook a full course meal someday and stop the takeout route!

Therefore, I was looking up recipes for her to cook him a meal and the star of the show seems to be this absolutely decadent and gorgeous looking RED VELVET CAKE, which also reflects the mood of the season. Here is the recipe…happy baking lovers!

RED VELVET CAKE

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 cups of sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 1/2 tbsp liquid red food coloring
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cider vinegar

METHOD: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and lightly flour 2 or 3 round 9" cake pans. Sift flour and salt together, set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar.  Mix until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time.  Mix well after each addition.  Add the flour mixture to the bowl alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Blend in vanilla. In a small bowl, mix the 1 1/2 tbsp red food coloring and 1 tbsp cocoa powder until a paste forms.  Add to the sugar and butter mixture.  Mix well.  In a small bowl or condiment cup, stir together the baking soda and cider vinegar.  This will foam and should be put into the batter immediately after well mixed.  After adding the foam mixture, blend on medium-high speed until batter is consistent. Spoon batter evenly into pans - batter will be very thick!  Level top of batter with a spatula.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cake springs back when pressed in the center.  Turn out on wire racks and cool completely.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
2 - 8oz packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla extract
4-5 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth.  With the mixer on low, gradually pour in the confectioners' sugar.  Increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy.  If mixture is too thick, add a little milk to loosen it.  If it is too thin, add additional powdered sugar or put in the refrigerator to firm up.

NOTE: If carving cake and coating with crumbs, be sure to put the crumbs on when the icing is fresh and still sticky.