Food Stories

You know you're doing something right when 2 foodies whose food-capades you absolutely love nominate you for a food writing prize. The first time I was nominated for the Food Stories Blog Award  - http://foodstoriesblog.com/food-stories-award/ - I allowed my initial amazement turn to lazy procrastination (not surprisingly, I missed the deadline). But here's a big shoutout to one of my favorite food writers Arva who happily lives inside a very large Frying Pan, and nominated me back then.

  

This time (yes sometimes even lazy bloggers get a 2nd chance) I promise not to be lazy and not let deadlines pass - not when the person who has nominated me is someone whose posts I diligently read with fascination. Thanks Radhina - hope you keep Plate and Globe trotting (and I continue to live vicariously through your posts)

The criteria for this award include sharing one bit of random trivia about myself ... let me make that a candid (and almost blasphemous) confession. For a foodie / food writer / food lover, I rarely experiment with the meat I eat. So while I can elucidate about the slightest variations in Butter chicken recipes, you'll never find me writing about snails or even sushi. To balance that, I am married to someone who can and will eat anything that moves ... read carefully to see how I sneak in his observations into my posts (gasp, have I given out too much?)

Anyway, time to set the ball rolling and announce my very own nominations.

Radhina the Plate Trotter - We all love to eat and we all love to travel ... but only a few of us can combine both passions so well on one blog.

http://platetrotter.weebly.com

Arva who Lives in a Frying Pan ... and has opened my eyes and tastebuds to so many hidden gems in Old Dubai. She's definitely your most definitive guide to all things food in Dubai

http://www.iliveinafryingpan.com/

The Purple Foodie was one of the first food blogs I'd ever read ... and am still captivated by her transition from a 9-5 desk-jobber to a Cordon Bleu chef

http://purplefoodie.com/

Ishita Unblogged for the unabashed way she lets her passion for food and travel reflect in her writing

http://ishitaunblogged.com/

And finally, Stovetop Dancing for not only managing to bake (and feed me) gourmet cakes with an infant in tow, but for writing this - 

http://stovetopdancing.blogspot.com/2011/06/angry-birds-for-fathers-day.html - a post that never fails to cheer me up. 

http://stovetopdancing.blogspot.com/ 
 

Things I learned in Spain

Yup, am back from a fantastic 10 days in the land of Flamenco, Sangria  and hot blooded Spaniards like Don Quixote and Don Juan. Now most Indian's already know a LOT about Spain thanks to a Bollywood blockbuster called Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara - well, you'd be surprised to know that they often use tomatoes in ways that do not include throwing rotten splotchy ones on a dancing Katrina Kaif at the Tomatina Festival.

So here, in a nutshell, are some of the things I learned in Spain.

1. Chorizos are sausages, yes. But they are not always served in the way you, me or other Indians know sausages. A big fat sausage is actually cut into thin slivers to look like something you, me and other Indians would often call Salami.

2. Churros are best eaten hot.
Unlike donuts which taste equally good at room temperature, the longer you wait between the frying pan and your dinner plate could make all the difference between a pleasant sweetish bread to a melt in your mouth bite of magic.

Seafood Paella in Seville 

PS - Churros are fried spirals of dough, often sprinkled with sugar. If you're a carbs or weight watcher, Churros are best not eaten at all (Miss at your own risk though)

3. Paella is a hit and miss affair.
It's a 'must have' on every Spanish tourist's list, but is not always great. I've eaten Paella ranging from exquisite (3 helpings of seafood paella for a non-fish eating person) to strictly average.
Paella is also not an exclusively seafood dish. Many restaurants serve meat, chicken and even vegetable varieties. In fact, the dish originated in Valencia, and Valencian Paella is actually made of vegetables and meat ... and even snails.

S for Sangria, S for Siesta,
maybe there's a connection

4. Sangria is always a hit and never a miss affair.
I had never warmed to Sangria before this. Many years back, a friend in Mumbai had described it as Red wine with chopped apples. Somehow, the description never appealed to me. Now I understand why - it's as good as saying Butter Chicken is chicken with butter and tomatoes - not entirely wrong, but certainly not correct.
In Spain, making Sangria is like a fine art ... differing from place to place. Everyone has their own recipe and wine-lemon soda ratio ... or even their own version of what to mix with the wine. My suggestion on finding yourself the best Sangria in town - drink it all :-)


5. There's Tapas and there's Pinchos / Pinxtos
Most of us have heard of Tapas ... the Spanish version of finger food to go with your Sangria. Ranging from various cuts of Iberian Ham to olives to sinfully deep fried croquettes, Tapas often can (and in our case did) be as filling as a main course.
Now, if you're on a Tapas crawl in Madrid or cities further North, don't be surprised to see a lot of restaurants advertising Pinchos. They are the same, only heartier, since they come pierced on to a piece of bread with a toothpick. (Pincho means thorn or spike ... just the kind of thought to work up an appetite)

Barcelona has fabulous seafood
restaurants at the harbour

6. The Spanish can make good Italian food.
Stop being such an obstinate purist - the best meal I had in Barcelona was a Ravioli (Italian) tossed with Gambas Ajillo (Prawns in Garlic / Spanish). It ranks as one of the most subtle yet perfect meals I've ever eaten, and just goes to show that sometimes, fusion is not such a bad thing.
Talking of fusion, Barcelona had some fantastic fusion food and dessert

7. Spain has it's own version of the typically Indian Kheer/ Payesh/ Payasam
It looked milky and interesting with flecks of cinnamon on top. When I tasted it, I was shocked - it was nothing but rice and milk cooked together. India and every Indian mother's favorite dessert at a buffet table in Spain ... what were the odds? So it's a dish called Arroz con Leche and is one of the most popular Spanish and Latin American desserts around. I personally didn't like it much ... too biased towards my Bengali version :)
(I wonder if generations of Spanish movies have had the equivalent of 'Beta, kheer kha lo' moments)

And last but not the least ...

7. If you do make it to this small town called Toledo, do yourself a favour and buy lots and lots of Marzipan.
Quite different from the extra sweet, coloured fruit versions that have more almond essence than actual almond, Toledo's marzipan or mazapan is subtle, nutty ... and almost as if the ancient cooks of Spain met some ancient Indian Khansama's to exchange notes about kaju barfi or badam barfi. Toledo takes it's Marzipan very seriously, monitoring everything from the almond-sugar ratio to be used to the types of marzipan sweets that can be labelled 'Mazapan de Toledo'

The one thing I did not learn in Spain is how they say 'Bon Appetit!' :)

Dial M for Marzipan

Come Easter and the Marzipan Monster inside me comes alive. She's ravenous, she's insatiable, and for the 4th year in a row she's been denied.
Year 1 - Got married and moved to Delhi. From Chandni Chowk to Chittaranjan Park, no one had heard of marzipan.
Year 2 - Moved to Dubai. From Deira to Discovery Gardens, those who had heard of it didn't know where to get it.
Year 3 - Ok, so I was finally working in a wonderfully multicultural environment, where people (i.e. my British, Australian, American colleagues) were bound to eat marzipan every Easter. 


But the following conversation undid all my hopes
Me (excited) - So, Easter's coming up. Where can I buy good marzipan eggs?
Brit Boss (rolling his eyes) - Marzipan. Does anyone really eat that any more?
Me (excitement turning to petulance) - But, isn't that Easter and Christmas tradition? 
Brit Boss (still rolling eyes) - In which part of the world? 


Ok, so that's the key to the mystery. I grew up in Bombay and was introduced to marzipan by the East Indian community  (read as Goan and Bandra / Amboli residents).
And so in my part of the world, every Easter, eggs came in 3 forms. 
1 - In dark chocolate. Decorating most 5 star bakery windows and costing a bomb. 
2 - In coloured sugar. The variety seen in smaller bakeries and cake shops like Monginis & Venus Cake Shop (This variety is usually very hard to bite and sticks in your teeth) 
3 - In Marzipan. Found mostly in Christian houses and bakeries

Marzipan fruits in the 3rd row
(almost mistook them for Indian 'pedas')

As is evident by now, my childhood fantasies revolved around option 3 and many happy years were spent eating this nutty-sugary paste called Marzipan. 


However, only after I moved to Dubai did I learn that what I'd been munching on so happily wasn't traditional marzipan, not in the strict sense of the word at least. As European countries debated, discussed and made laws about the percentage of almond to sugar, moisture content and almond oil ratios, I realised that the marzipan I was so gung-ho about wasn't even made of almond. 
In Mumbai and Goa, marzipan is almost always made of cashews (probably because of the abundance of cashew nuts in this part of the world). 


The first time I tasted marzipan made of almond meal, I didn't even like it much - such was the power the cashew version wielded over me. Like maraschino cherries, it was a taste I had to acquire (no such problems now. It's been 'acquired' and how)

Then came the next marzipan epiphany. A friend who knew of my marzipan mania got me back some chocolates from Vienna - a city apparently best known for Mozart, and ... yes ... marzipan. Combine the 2 and you get the exquisitely hand-crafted Mozartkugel (Mozart ball) - marzipan and chocolate balls - Apparently being made by the Furst family since 1890. 

Excited as I was by this history, my first bite of Mozartkugel didn't taste like any marzipan I'd ever eaten - and then I realised - this one was made of pistachios. 

A quick wiki search showed that in South America, marzipan is traditionally made with peanuts. 

Pastry shop in Taormina selling marzipan
 (that I didn't even taste. Hmmphh)

So, whatever purists may say (and on this topic a lot has been said), good marzipan, to me at least, is the perfect combination of powdered nuts (or meal) and sugar slow cooked to creamy perfection, often eaten with chocolate though I absolutely love it as it is. 

PS - When I was in Sicily, I was so taken in by the cannolis that I completely ignored the colourful confectioneries shaped like fruits and flowers. Turns out it was all marzipan :( ... (just gives me reason to go back to Sicily)

PPS - For lovers of the chocolate-marzipan combination, Anton Berg's 'Strawberry & Champagne' and 'Rum & Cherries' are to die for

PPPS - If any kind soul can point me to good marzipan here in Dubai, I'll be eternally indebted. (And by some miracle if you point me to cashew marzipan, I might pledge my first born child to you) 

Tasting Dubai ... and Eating it too

"Wow, this feels just like going to a pujo pandal"

Err, only that we were in Dubai. But these words by my sister did in fact set the tone for the rest of the evening.

For the uninitiated, the central point of every Bengali's life is the Durga Puja -  the annual celebration of the Mother Goddess, where the fine lines between religion and festival are not just blurred but enthusiastically celebrated. So, while mornings are for the devout, spent in prayer and 'anjalis', the evenings belong to gourmands, i.e 99% of the Bengalis I know.
No 'Pujo' was complete without hopping from pandal to pandal trying out food from different stalls. For us expat Bongs growing up in Bombay, it was the only time of the year when we got to eat Kolkata legends like Kobiraji and Mughlai Parantha.


But, I digress.  
The point of this post is that last night, in an open, grassy 'amphitheatre,' I had the Dubai version of the 'pandal-hopping-in-the-quest-for-good-food ' evenings of my childhood.
Except, this is Dubai - the stalls in question were a string of fancy gourmet restaurants, many of them with more Michelin stars than the number of items being sold.
Welcome to Taste of Dubai - a 3 day festival celebrating food, drink, music, celebrity chefs and signature dishes. (Also known as Priyanka's version of Around the World in 80 Plates)

Unfortunately we only landed up on the last evening of the fest, missing out on most of the chef demonstrations and cooking classes. But between little sister P and me, we sure made up for lost time. (All done with very solemn expressions while tasting each morsel, occasionally scrunching up our noses that could in turns express approval or distaste -  how very Bengali of us :-)

Anyway here's the quick round up of what we ate (a.k.a Priyanka gets to name drop)

Wasabi Prawns with Mango dressing

Wasabi Prawns with Mango dressing from Saffron - Strictly ok, the mayo-like dressing overpowered the wasabi (huh! that takes talent)

Pugliese Penne with courgette and fried spinach balls from Carluccio's - very fresh and bursting with flavour
(also a revelation in how good fried spinach can be)

Churrasco de Chorizo from Gaucho - Argentine beef chorizos (a little rare, though)

Stracciatella with artichokes from Armani Peck - eaten solely to get my first ever taste of artichokes.

Yukka fries from Toro Toro - Yukka or Cassava is a vegetable found in South America. Fried, they taste like a brilliant mix of potatoes meet cheese sticks. Utter revelation.

Armani Peck's Italian menu - Saffron Risotto, Lasagne & Cannoli

Butter chicken with saffron rice from Indego - Obviously this means I've been utterly brainwashed and coopted by the husband and his butter chicken obsession. Also, the promise of tasting Michelin starred butter chicken. Alas, it disappointed by being too sweet.

And talking of sweets, the evening was completed with Carluccio's Tiramisu (brilliant), Toro Toro's Tres Leche Berry Cake (didn't work for me) and Armani Peck's Sicilian Cannoli (Gold star)

It was with a happy heart and heavy stomach that I walked back home. (sheepish confession - Now that I've listed it all down, am a little appalled at how much we polished off in just under 2 hours.)

My only complaint - for something called Taste of Dubai, there wasn't much Dubai I tasted. My quest for good Emirati cuisine continues.

Of Volcanoes, Lava and Ice Cream

Overwhelmed by an absolutely free agenda-less Saturday after what seemed like months, I started my morning by googling "how to make ice cream without an ice cream maker?"
What followed was a rather Mrs Dalloway-esque stream of consciousness moment which ended with me in Sicily eating Granitas.
Lest the name conjure up images of ice cold stone, Granitas are actually the ice cold Italian version of golas / chuskis /crushed ice in syrup


Now I have always preferred ice cream and kulfi to golas. So in the country of Gelato, it took a lot of coaxing for me to taste Granita ... but trust me, if you ever make your way to Sicily (change that to, WHEN you go to Sicily - it should definitely be on your 'things to do before I die' list) you absolutely must try these. For one, flavours like Jasmine, Almond and Wild Strawberry beat Kala Khatta hollow. Secondly, no self respecting Sicilian will allow you to leave their city/village/town without trying this (anger a hot blooded Sicilian at your own risk)


But the most important reason is this - Granitas are probably the forefathers of modern day ice cream. No, really!

Underground: Inside one of Etna's lava tunnels

So last summer I visited a stunning town called Taormina. Flanked by the Ionian Sea on one side and a smouldering Mt. Etna on another, Taormina was my introduction to that often overlooked part of Italy - Sicily. Now, I have to admit, there's something thrilling about having an active volcano spewing out lava and ashes right outside your window (in a customary Sicilian welcome, Etna erupted the night we landed there). Even more thrilling is a tour inside the volcano's many crevices and tunnels.

Nigella meets Indiana Jones in Sicily

Now the locals there worship and love Etna like a deity.  Etna gives them soil for their fruits and vegetables, Etna flavours their wine, and Etna in her own way also gave them dessert. In ancient times, enterprising Sicilians carried snow from Etna's peaks during winter and stored it deep under the earth in her lava tunnels. Come summer - and villages around Etna had their stock of refreshing ice ready.


At some point in Sicilian history they were conquered by Arabs who brought with them sweetened syrup called 'Sherbet'. Arabia met Sicily in an inspired dessert comprising crushed ice flavoured with fruits and syrup and voila - the current day Granita was born.
(by the way, even sorbet is a sherbet-inspired dessert). At some point this concoction travelled to mainland Italy, eventually making it's way to France under Medici patronage. The rest ... is history.


Now this is the local legend I was told while trekking through Etna's craters ... and it's a legend I'm happy to believe in. Someone somewhere might know a different story of the ice cream's history - feel free to write in and tell me.

Who needs a menu card with wall art like this

For those of you who want to try the best Sicilian granitas in Taormina - head to Bam Bar - a cosy cafe where S and I polished off extremely tasty Almond and Kiwi Granitas (granitas come with an optional whipped cream topping - take it!)