Mango mania in India

Here is an idea to spice up a dull summer morning: find two Indians, put them together in a room and ask for their opinion on the best mango in India. Leave them a while, then bring in two more. Sit back and watch the fun.

Indians may agree on other things, on rare occasions, even on politics. But when it comes to the mango, there is no consensus. Regional loyalties, specific preferences for taste and texture, seasonal specialties; the argumentative Indian is at his fiercest while discussing mangoes (and cricket, of course).

India takes the mango very seriously; come summer and newspapers discuss their arrival in the market with more animation than even the skyrocketing price of onions (a perennially favourite theme), neighbours inquire about mango purchase plans for the season and the streets are filled with the sight and smell of this luscious fruit, which is now coming into season.

Naturally, the colour of summer in India is yellow. Not the scorching breezeless yellow of the afternoon heat that saps all energy, but the mild, golden yellow of mango, one of the (few) things that makes summer in India bearable. The highlight of summer evenings in many homes is the aamras (mango puree), eaten with hot roti (wheat flatbread), a uniquely Indian food foible from the north that is popular right across the country.

Rajesh Gowda has been a fruit seller at the Gandhi Market in Bangalore for 40 years. Over the decades, he has seen mango prices soar, even as newer varieties enter the market each year. For Gowda, the four months that constitute mango season are usually the most profitable of the year.

“A kilo of mangoes that used to sell for 20 rupees 10 years ago now sells for 200 rupees [HK$35], but people have not stopped buying,” he says, happily adding, “I have customers who buy 20kg every week.”

Pinky Padmaraj, communications manager at the Oberoi Hotel in Bangalore, recalls how a guest from Denmark responded on tasting his first fresh mango juice: “So this is what the nectar of life tastes like.” Unsurprisingly, the visitor became a mango lover and ended up sampling every mango dish on the menu.

Indian mangophiles will agree, however, that the enjoyment of mangoes involves complete abandon and close attention, so it is best to leave your spoons and knives behind along with your inhibitions; the messier the eating, the merrier the experience. The best fruit are golden yellow skinned, some speckles of red acceptable, but no trace of green, please. The green indicates rawness; tart and crunchy, it is ideal for pickles, to be stored and savoured through the year. The green mangoes are also squeezed into a juice with caramelised sugar and a dash of cumin powder, called aam panna, which is believed to have cooling properties.

The maharaja of Indian mangoes is undoubtedly Kalimullah Khan, a farmer from Malihabad near Lucknow in northern India, who at one stroke paid tribute to two national obsessions by naming his new breed of mango Maestro Sachin (after cricketer Sachin Tendulkar). He has been cultivating mangoes since 1957 and has been awarded one of the highest civilian honours in India, the Padma Shri, for his successful experimental tree that can bear more than 300 varieties of mango
(through clever and careful grafting).

Different parts of India host mango festivals through the season, the most famous of them being the three-day festival in New Delhi every summer – this year held in the first week of July. Mango cultivators from across the country are invited to offer their produce for visitors to sample and buy. The other attractions are fun events such as mango-eating competitions, quizzes and, finally, the presence of chefs from five-star hotels demonstrating novel mango recipes

The Ranga Shankara Theatre in Bangalore, apart from regular plays and theatre festivals, hosts an informal mango party in June. Ruhi Jhunjhunwala, from the theatre, says the party is a nod to the belief that the enjoyment of mangoes in India is as much a social event as a personal experience: “We wanted it to be the way it is at home, where families and friends sit together and enjoy mangoes during season.” The only condition for attendance – that guests bring a kilogram of mangoes of their choice, add it to the common pool and then dig into as many as they want for as long as they choose.

The Indian love for mango has had a significant place in Indian history and mythology; the fruit is believed to have been mentioned in Hindu scriptures as early as 4000BC. Its shape has been a popular motif (paisley) in traditional apparel and has made a smooth transition into contemporary fashion. In this case it is the sinuous curve – teardrop with a curved end – and not the colour that is the highlight. Mango leaves are considered auspicious and strung outside doors during festivals and occasions. In everyday cooking, a powder of dried mango (called aamchur) is used in place of tamarind as a flavouring agent.

Amir Khusrau, a 13th-century Sufi poet, paid tribute to the mango in his own way:
The choicest fruit of Hindustan, For garden’s pride the mango is sought; Ere ripe, other fruits to cut we ban, But mango serves us ripe or not.

A few juicy facts worth knowing

When: The peak season for mangoes is from mid-April to the end of June, although mangoes are available throughout the year at some premium supermarkets in fresh, frozen or canned form. A month before the appearance of yellow mangoes in the market is the pickle season, when the green varieties are widely available.

Where: Famous mango markets include Ratnagiri, (also a beautiful coastal town), Hyderabad (of the exquisite Charminar tower and glass bangles) and Lucknow. The freshest and juiciest mangoes anywhere are found with the street vendors or in wholesale markets such as Crawford Market in Mumbai or the City Market in Bangalore.

What: Alphonso (Hapoos), Neelam, Banganapalli, Totapuri, Mallika, Malgova, Himsagar, Kesar and Langra are some of the most popular varieties. Champions of the Alphonso variety may be surprised to learn that this “king of mangoes”, as they call it, is not indigenous to India but was brought in by Portuguese nobleman Afonso de Albuquerque on one of his trips to Goa.

How: Mangoes are consumed in as many ways as possible in India – the common choices are ice creams, juices, milk shakes, lassi (mango beaten with yoghurt), fresh fruit, aamras and aam panna, while the more glamorous offerings include mousse, tarts, cheesecakes, martinis and margaritas.

***
Originally published in the South China Morning Post, April 2011

Melbourne must-dos

About a decade or so earlier, Melbourne woke up and decided that it had had enough of playing second fiddle to Sydney. In the constant Melbourne-Sydney rivalry, somewhat like that between Mumbai and Delhi, Melbourne kept coming up a poor second. This city did not have anything attention-grabbing, not an Opera House and spectacular harbour, nor was it blessed with proximity to the Great Barrier Reef.

So, like the famous Avis ad of the 1960s, which said (in relation to Hertz): “We are only No. 2, so we try harder”, Melbourne tried harder. And last year, it was voted the most livable city in the world in the Economist Intelligence Unit survey (with stiff competition from Vienna and Vancouver). While it may not have any iconic landmarks, it does have oodles of charm that makes you slowly fall in love with the city.

Head to Melbourne to make the most of early winter weather. As a local friend remarked, “Melbourne does winter very well.”

So, my list of Melbourne must-dos here -

1. Pay homage at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

If you are Indian, then this is the first thing you should do. Or probably will want to do. The venue of several legendary matches has guided tours for visitors when you can go and pay your respects on these hallowed grounds (say a salaam to the Rod Laver arena next door while you are at it). The tour takes you inside the areas normally closed to the public, including glimpses into the dressing rooms of the cricketers. It is only when you walk through the MCG that you realize that cricket is only one of the many games this ground has supported and nurtured over the years; information about sporting legends and their achievements are strewn all over the place. End the tour at the MCG museum, a superb collection of sporting trivia and memorabilia.

2. Take a walking tour

Melbourne is a city made for walking in, especially the central part which has a very European feel about it. Cobbled lanes, narrow arcades, cozy boutiques, outdoor cafes – the works. The Hidden Secrets Tour is highly recommended for not just the route they take you through but also the fact that the tour offers a lot of information about the history of this city. Their guides are knowledgeable and witty and the three hours pass in a jiffy. In particular, their Lanes and Arcades Tour shows a normally hidden side of the inner city, its small shops and cafes that tourists may not ever find on their own, including a shop selling magic and witchcraft items! (Tour cost: 115 AUD), with lunch.

Or devise your own coffee and chocolate tour – yes, Melbourne is proud of its coffee, chocolate and cupcakes. There are little Belgian chocolate shops dotted all over the central district, their window displays winking at you even if you determinedly try ignoring them. If you would rather do this in a more organized manner (remember this is chocolate we are talking about, so give it the respect it deserves), go on a Chocolate Tour – you can choose from a variety of them, indulging and perhaps shopping as you go along.

3. Go Harley Davidsoning

John Karmouche, the man who runs the Harley Davidson Tours in Melbourne says a rather dubious thing on his website: “I have come to understand the term ‘Pleasure Experience’. That is what we are committed to doing – giving pleasure.” You know that HD owners take their bikes very seriously and have a somewhat deep relationship with it, so take that statement at face value. John means that he cannot think of anything more pleasurable than riding around his city on an HD. It is a unique way of seeing the city, the wind on your cheeks and constant commentary from the front.

Their most popular (and deservedly so) tour is the Great Ocean Drive tour, which takes you down the, well, Great Ocean Road to see the Twelve Apostles, the large limestone rocks jutting out of the sea. Or head to a winery in the Yarra Valley and spend an afternoon tasting different wines and listening to stories about them. Even if you are HD-inclined, do not leave Melbourne without going on the Great Ocean Drive – hire a car or take a bus tour but make sure you take in one of the most stunning drives in the world.

4. See the skyline on Eureka Skydeck 88

See the city skyline stretching out in front of and below you from the Skydeck on the 88th floor of the Eureka building. Early morning and late evening are the best times to visit, though there is a different experience to be had at any time of the day. You can walk around the Skydeck for views of the sea on one side and the city on the other. If you are feeling very brave, then buy an additional ticket for The Edge, a glass cube that projects 3 metres out from the building, so that you are suspended in mid air, 300 metres above the ground.

5. Spend a day at the Mornington Peninsula

The Mornington Peninsula is the stuff that tourism authorities’ dreams are made of: it has something for everyone. Adventure, nature, thermal spa, winery, beach activities – you name it, you got it. This is a great place for a day tour for the entire family. Children have a lot of activities to keep them happy. Take them strawberry picking – you buy a container and pick and eat as much as you can fill in that. Or go into a lavender farm (try the lavender honey and jams available in the gift shop), which also doubles up as an offbeat venue for weddings once in a while. When the weather is fine, go dolphin-watching into the ocean or horse-riding on the back lanes of the area.

Back in Melbourne, go bar-hopping in the evenings, take a river cruise on the Yarra or simply sit at Federation Square across the road from Flinders Street Station and watch the world pass by. And come away feeling charmed by this city, as I did.

***
Originally published here

Where I want to be right now

Sidin Vadukut has a lovely piece on Much Wenlock in today’s Mint Lounge.

Much Wenlock is quite possibly the most becoming little town in all of Great Britain. In fact, I don’t think I’ve been to a more charming place in the whole world. It is the kind of instantly likeable little place—like Amsterdam, Aix-en-Provence, St Andrews or Braemar up in the Scottish Highlands—where, by the end of your first walk about town, you’re already wondering, whimsically, how much a two-bedroom, semi-detached by the canal or the river or the ruined abbey is going to cost.

I know exactly what he means – ten minutes into Bruges, I was dreaming of a home there and by the end of the hour, the husband and I had decided exactly which house we were going to buy (right by the canal, a three minute walk from the Church of Our Lady, if you are interested. That way I figured I could drop by the church daily to look at the beautiful Michelangelo Madonna and Child statue. And oh, five minutes to the chocolate shops). And then we looked at each other and burst out laughing. A house in Europe, yes, right. Well, it was fun while it lasted.

Anyway. Bruges is what I have been thinking of these last few days when I have been somewhat down and out. That is where I’d rather be right now…

City of small things

My ode to Mumbai was published in the April issue of Silverkris, the inflight magazine of Singapore Airlines – read it online here (all the fabulous photographs in the article are by Poras Chaudhary). Or read it right here on this blog (all photographs mine)…
***
As soon as I moved into my new home in a Mumbai suburb a decade ago, the doorbell started ringing. Neighbourhood vendors came in a steady stream offering to home-deliver anything and everything I might ever require, from newspapers to freshly baked bread and medicine. In Mumbai, the most populous city in India and the capital of the state of Maharashtra, it seems like they know what you need before you do.

Even now, as I walk in the city I call home, I am grateful to be on the receiving end of its gracious hospitality.

The finest example of such delightful customer service is in sight as soon as you step out of the grand and imposing Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, which is better known as CST. It is from this UNESCO-listed heritage building that most long distance and local trains – the latter, known also as locals, ply routes within Mumbai – start and culminate.

Travelling on the crowded locals, with its own code of conduct, is an art form in itself and not for the faint-hearted. But for the thousands who make their long journeys from one end of this city to the other every day, it is just a part of life.

I stand at Aram Milk Bar (126 Dr D N Road, Tel: 91 22 2207 3947) opposite CST, munching on a vada pav – a potato patty stuffed in a bun, spiced with red chutney made of chilli and garlic – that can give any hamburger a run for its money. From here, I can see the dabbawallas on the road – over 4,000 of them in Mumbai – calmly going about their business. The dabbawallas collect lunch boxes from homes in the morning and deliver them to the correct recipients at offices throughout the city, day after day. Using their own code to mark the boxes, they have been doing this accurately – to the impressive Six Sigma-certified rate of only one error for every six million deliveries – for over a century now. Britain’s Prince Charles, when he visited Mumbai in 2003, met these dabbawallas and was impressed enough to send some of them an invitation to his wedding to Camilla Parker Bowles two years later.

Later, I walk down to Marine Drive, passing roads lined with vendors selling everything from fake electronic items to fine clothing. This long stretch of beach bustles at all times of the day (and night too) with walkers, joggers, strolling lovers and families out for a breath of fresh air. I have a quick meal – try the smoked bell pepper risotto or the roast lamb – at Pizza by the Bay. This is followed by some delicious butter apple tea, made with tea liquor, apple juice, dollops of butter and a hint of lemon, at The Tea Centre (78 Veer Nariman Road, Tel: 91 22 2281 9142) in the Resham Bhavan building just down the road that leads to Churchgate train station.

For those who find walking and jogging – one of the most popular activities along Marine Drive – too tiring, Mumbai has an interesting alternative: laughter yoga. A form of yoga conceptualised in the mid-1990s by an Indian doctor, it involves hearty laughing along with deep breathing techniques – all meant to promote wellness and reduce stress. Some mornings, I head down the road, along the curve known as the Queen’s Necklace, towards Malabar Hills where Mumbai’s rich and famous live. A laughter club is usually in progress – there are over 70 in Mumbai alone – at the Hanging Gardens. Over 50 men and women of all ages can be seen laughing aloud to the instructions of a leader, forgetting their worries as they laugh and stretch.

Or you could spend a relaxing morning at Shivaji Park, the large open ground in the central suburb of Dadar. Shivaji Park has seen it all through the 20th century – it was the venue for rallies during the independence movement, and also provided space for some of India’s cricketing legends to emerge.

A Peep Into the Past

South Mumbai holds many secrets for those interested in the rich heritage of the city; I begin with Crawford Market, located north of the CST. Built in 1869 and named after Arthur Crawford, the first municipal commissioner of Mumbai, today’s market attracts both casual visitors and shoppers who throng the various shops selling a variety of goods. If you are looking for an old film poster or an antique gramophone, then head to Chor Bazaar (Thieves Market), near Mohammad Ali Road.

Mani Bhavan Gandhi Sangrahalaya is another space in Mumbai that helps define the city’s past. It is the house where renowned peace advocate Mahatma Gandhi stayed between 1917 and 1934 whenever he visited the city. It is now a museum, and also has a photo gallery and a library.

Just a stone’s throw from the Sewri train station stands the dilapidated remains of Sewri Fort, built by the British in the 17th century. The area sees an influx of visitors for a few months between December and March each year when the flamingos come visiting – and the mudflats turn into a carpet of pink. Go flamingo-watching with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) to get the most out of this experience.

Resident Gods of Wealth

Making my way northwards, I stop at Dhobi Ghat, the vast open air laundry where groups of men are at work washing clothes from hotels, hospitals and homes across the city. The area is known as Mahalaxmi, so named after the goddess of wealth and purity, Mahalakshmi, who resides in a temple close by. It is believed that Mahalakshmi smiles over the city, ensuring that nobody who comes here goes hungry.

Well, whether or not you’re a believer, I’m quite certain the gods of wealth reside in High Street Phoenix shopping mall in the area. This sprawling complex houses top end brands and designer labels as well as London’s popular Comedy Store, which has excellent entertainment and quick eats. If you would rather linger over a meal, then Veda (Tel: 91 22 4332 6666), which serves authentic Indian and Moghul cuisine, is your best bet. Try its crispy okra and signature rich buttery Daal Veda (black lentil stew).

If designer labels are not your thing, then head to Linking Road in Bandra for some of the best street shopping in the country. While there, polish your bargaining skills and pick up some of the most fashionable clothes, bags and shoes at great prices. The other place in Mumbai to pick up handbags and purses at cheap rates is Dharavi, an area made famous by the movie Slumdog Millionaire. It is a little known fact that Dharavi has a large and thriving leather industry, though I would advise that you take a local with you when you go there, to help you bargain and negotiate the narrow lanes.

Eat, drink and be merry

You cannot leave Mumbai without having a Gujarati thali (platter) – try the one at the famous Golden Star restaurant near Charni Road train station. The Gujaratis are one of the largest communities in Mumbai and their food is a delightful combination of various flavours. Popular dishes include dhokla (a spongy cake made of gram flour and spices) and kadhi (a thin soup). When in season, aamras or fresh mango pulp is served as an accompaniment, making meal-time an absolute treat.

For the young and restless, Mumbai is India’s original pub city, so say local partygoers – although Bangalore, in south India, vies hard for that position. Spend an evening crawling through the best of them, from the quirkily named Malt & Pepper (16 Marzban Road, Tel: 91 22 2203 7357) near Sterling Cinema to Firangi Paani, an English-style pub. If you want views with your booze, then head to Dome, located on the rooftop of InterContinental hotel at 135 Marine Drive or Aer lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel in Worli, whose rooftop location on the 34th floor offers stunning views of the city that refuses to sleep.

So, when in Mumbai, don’t sweat the small stuff – just embrace them and you’ll be in for a delightfully good time.

Street art in Melbourne

Melbourne is a lovely, lovely city – very European in feel with all those cozy outdoor cafes and little lanes and shops to explore all day. I took a walking tour in the center of the city and one of the most interesting things there was the graffiti all over the place. My guide explained that this was all state approved – Melbourne once actually had a problem with vandals painting on the walls. And then the government decided to do the best thing to stop that – make it legal and therefore, take the fun out of it (for the vandals, not the good citizens!). And now Melbourne is considered one of the best cities in the world for street art. This BBC story says, “The city has emerged as an unlikely leader in urban art, being compared with Berlin, New York and Sao Paolo, and attracting urban art A-listers like Blek le Rat (the Parisian “godfather of the stencil”) and Banksy.” And there is even a specialized graffiti-spotting Melbourne Street Tour.

There are forms to fill and processes to follow before your street art can be allowed to stay – or even be called art. And the state of Victoria takes its street graffiti very seriously – so there is a graffiti management plan, a graffiti mentoring program in schools and strict and heavy fines for unauthorized graffiti, including name tagging (just spraying your name on the walls). But this means that the back lanes and alleys of Melbourne are now clean and interesting to walk through.

[Notice the art on the garbage cans?]

Mumbai’s poster boys

It was Haji Abu’s grandfather, and then his father, who passed on their love for Hindi cinema to him. Mr. Abu turned his hobby into his profession, opening the Poster Shop some time in the early 1990s. Twenty or so years later, his tiny shop at Chor Bazaar (91-98704-40970) is crammed with thousands of old film posters, lobby cards and assorted film memorabilia, Mr. Abu explained as he showed off carefully preserved ticket stubs for blockbuster movies from the 1960s and ’70s.

Chor Bazaar, meaning ‘thieves market’ was once the place where stolen goods found their way. Now, it is where locals go to pick up anything that can be remotely called antique – old remodeled furniture, unusual silver and brassware, clocks and lamps, faded statues and paintings. It spans the length of Mutton Street and a couple of parallel lanes in the heart of South Mumbai’s bustling Mohammad Ali Road.

Classics like Mother India and Sholay loom large on the makeshift walls of the Poster Shop. “In those days, the posters were larger-than-life, just as the movies themselves,” says Abu. The best part about shopping at Abu’s is his thorough knowledge about the posters and the movies they promote. He is happy to share trivia on any movie, however obscure. The Poster Shop has both originals and copies – the former, painstakingly and lovingly painted by hand for hours and even days, a rarity in this age of instant computer graphics.

Haji Abu (91-98704-40970) counts among his regular customers collectors from all over the world – USA, Canada, UK, and of course all over India. As we talk, he proudly shows an article about him in a local newspaper and then a glossy booklet from a film exhibition in Canada where his posters were used. He rolls and packs these posters carefully in hardboard tubes so they can be carried anywhere.

Although Abu’s shop does not stock much material from English movies, A-1 Corner and Bollywood Bazaar further down the road have these on offer, all the way from The Tramp to Godfather, via James Bond. The best time to visit Chor Bazaar is on a weekday afternoon (avoid Fridays), when the streets are quieter and the vendors have more time to chat. Even though most shopkeepers speak basic English, it is best take a long a local who can bargain in true Mumbai style.

***
This was published originally in the travel blog of the New York Times a few months ago. Read Hindi Cinema, in Poster Form, at a Mumbai Shop in the NY Times.

Also read: A walk in Chor Bazaar

India’s best tea cafes

Here is something I wrote for Conde Nast Traveller a few months ago – seeing how tea is making a sudden reappearance on this blog, have posted it here…

India seems to have rediscovered its love for tea. After a spate of coffee shops in the last ten years, it is now time for tea cafés—also called tea lounges or tea bars. These cafés manage to keep the focus on tea while still pulling in coffee lovers with their food; from short eats like sandwiches and brownies to meals of salad and pasta. And unlike coffee shops which are typically patronised by the young and the restless, tea cafés attract people of all ages who seek the peace and comfort on offer. Here’s Condé Nast Traveller’s pick of the five best tea lounges across India:

Tea Centre, Mumbai

The first among equals here must be Mumbai’s Tea Centre. Everything here from the muted décor to the little bells on the table for summoning waiters spells only one thing—old world charm. As you enter through the glass door, you leave behind the heat and noise of Mumbai; inside the Tea Centre, all is cool and quiet. Go there for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or just an any-time cuppa with French fries on the side, for the food here is as enticing as the tea. And be ready to be adventurous with your choice of tea: our recommendations are the apple butter tea (hot) and the orange tea (iced).

Tea Centre, Resham Bhavan, Veer Nariman Road, near Churchgate, Mumbai (+91 22 2281 9142)

Infinitea

Bengaluru with its strong coffee culture is also home to many tea cafés, Infinitea being one of the best. Located on busy Cunningham Road, this café offers over 50 varieties of tea since 2003. There are all the usual suspects like iced tea and masala chai as well as unusual ones like white tea, once the drink of the Chinese nobility or the Stupa, a tightly closed bud that blooms, infusing its flavour inside the cup of hot water. The interiors of the restaurant too reflect a passion for tea, with cheerful photographs and posters on the walls depicting different moods and ideas associated with the drink.

Infinitea, Cunningham Road, Bengaluru (+91 80 4114 8428; www.infinitea.in)

Teapot Café

Further down South is the Teapot Café in Fort Kochi, themed entirely around the beverage. Here, even the clocks tell tea time (all numerals are replaced with the letter T). The highlight of the main room is the large centre table with a tea bush six feet in diameter as the base. Most tables are made of tea chests and proudly proclaim ‘Produce of India’ while the quirky sketches on yellow walls complement the larger motif. There are also over a hundred different types of tea pots and kettles on display. Teapot Café is popular with both domestic travellers and foreigners who, along with their tea, like to tuck into some delicious Kerala aapam with stew.

Teapot Café, Peter Celli Street, Fort Kochi, Kochi (+ 91 484 221 8035)

Dolly’s Tea Shop

In the tea friendly East, Dolly’s Tea Shop in Kolkata is the place to head to, for the finest Darjeeling varieties. This place is also great for people-watching, located as it is in the middle of a popular market. This tea café is the brainchild of Dolly Roy, India’s first woman tea taster and an acknowledged connoisseur of the beverage. Dolly’s is a small place but with the relaxed atmosphere of any venerable Kolkata adda (hang-out).

Dolly’s Tea Shop, Dakshinapan Shopping Center, Gariahat Road, Kolkata (+91 33 2422 0772)

Cha Bar

Then there is Cha Bar, inside—and part of—the Oxford Book Store in various cities across India. Sip on your favourite tea—you can choose from 86 types of Indian and international teas—as you take a break from browsing through books. This café, started in 2003, is owned by the Apeejay Group, one of the world’s largest producers of tea.

Oxford Book Store is in Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi and Chennai (www.oxfordbookstore.com)

Breakfast in Bangalore – 4

Remember my Breakfast in Bangalore series? 1, 2, 3. So this time, another Bangalore institution – Koshy’s (and not least because it has its own Wikipedia entry).

Bangalore Burrp gives it four stars, various assorted websites call it the ‘pride of Bangalore’, youtube videos sing its praises and Wikipedia claims that dignitaries like Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Nikita Khrushchev and Queen Elizabeth II have dined there. (Well, it also claims that Koshy’s won MTV’s award for the Most Stylish Place in Bangalore. Um, really?). However, Wikipedia does get this bit right – Koshy’s is a very popular restaurant and hangout on St Mark’s Road, Bangalore, which is a meeting point for journalists, artists, theatre persons, students and foreigners. Founded in 1940, it retains an old-world charm with huge pillars and large fans.

Inside Koshy’s, there is a non-smoking, ‘family’ area and the smoking (friends?) area. It is where visitors are taken when they want to be shown the real Bangalore, it is also where locals head when they want to catch up over a cuppa and appams with stew. Koshy’s has all that is typical of these Bangalore hangouts: old building in the heart of the city, rude waiters who will spot you only when they are ready and willing, mostly average food, lots of eager and cheerful crowds – but then you don’t go there for the food. You go there to discuss or overhear discussions about the state of the city, the world, politics, arts, literature and most other things under the sun. For, Koshy’s is in equal parts cafe, soapbox, theatre and adda.

So head there one Saturday evening or Sunday morning with loads of time on your hands to experience this slice of Bangalore life.

[Cellphone images all - better ones may follow but don't hold your breath on that one].

Also check out this fantastic sketch by Jai Iyer.

Happy Easter from the bunnies!

Now read: Belgian chocolate and say goodbye to that diet as you reach out for that chocolate…

A taste of Twinings

My first taste of Twinings was when I moved to London (oh, a lifetime ago) to study – and I was introduced to Earl Grey. It was love at first sip. All my life I had drunk only milky chai – oh, I have nothing against it, I love it – and tea bags were still in the realm of fancy-but-why. The only redeeming thing about them was the catch ditty – dip, dip, dip… add some sugar… and milk… and you’re ready to sip. Do you want it stronger? Dip a little longer… And if you remember this and hummed as you read it, then welcome to the old people’s club. Anyway, so. Maybe I was just used to strong, brewed tea or that tea bag and milk don’t go together, but for whatever reason, they were not my thing till the Earl Grey experience. And now of course, I have a colourful collection of familiar and exotic teas from mint to orange blossom via apple and peppermint – something for all moods and occasions.

So when I got invited for the Twinings event in Bangalore, I was quite happy to go – I could think of nothing better to do on s Friday afternoon than taste teas accompanied by the right munchies. Oh yes, it is possible to pair teas with food, much like wine! Twinings has targeted India as one of its growth market in the next five years and Stephen Twining from the tenth generation of the family spoke with much passion about tea. Guided by their tea taster Georgina Durnford (who has spent years training her nose and palate to analyze and grade tea), we went through Earl Grey, English Breakfast and if I remember right, Peppermint (one of my all time favourites). And quite an elaborate ceremony it was – inhale the aroma, sip and swirl – all the drama of wine tasting.

[photographs by my super-talented photographer friend Madhu Reddy]

It’s interesting times ahead – I believe that India is inherently a chai country, the ever-expanding Cafe Coffee Days and the imminent entry of Starbucks notwithstanding. There are a lot of tea cafes that have opened across the country, and now with a brand like Twinings set to push their brand and various new flavours in the market, will coffee drinking Indians move back to tea? Or will the chai drinkers develop a taste for tea?

Also read: ‘Tis time for tea…