Sunday, August 30, 2015

7:52 PM

RETAINING WATER? DRINK MORE, BLOAT LESS



Ever wondered why you feel bloated and puffy, as though you have gained inches overnight? Do you find that your rings are suddenly too tight on your fingers? Or that just gently pressing your skin leaves dents? And even your shoes don't seem to fit? These could be symptoms of oedema or water retention.

Most of us retain water, but within normal parameters. Women are more prone to water retention because it is a symptom of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS).However, water retention could also be a symptom of kidney disease or heart, liver or thyroid malfunction. So, if you feel you have bloated too much, get yourself checked.

HOW TO DEAL WITH EXCESS WATER RETENTION

 DRINK MORE TO LOSE MORE. To significantly reduce the amount of water being retained by your body ­ drink more water. It's a bit of a contradiction. Here's what happens... the more water you drink, the more your body will flush out. This is one of the most effective ways to combat water retention. Ten or 12 glasses a day ought to do the trick.
EAT SMART. Diets low in sodium (avoid table salt, pickle, papad, cheese, butter or processed food), and high in potassium (bananas, peaches, plums, musk melons, raisins) help maintain correct electrolyte balance within the body, preventing puffiness. Diuretic fruits (cranberries, vitamin C-rich oranges, limes and other citrus fruits) along with diuretic vegetables (cucumber, lettuce, celery, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots and peppers) help maintain the correct osmolarity within your cells, preventing them from retain ing excess water. Some studies show that vita min B6 tablets (pyri doxine) and primrose oil capsules have the same benefits.
CUT BACK TO LOSE MORE. Additionally, avoiding alcohol and caf feinated beverages, anti-in flammatory drugs and oral contraceptives also help reduce water retention in the body.
MOVE MORE TO LOSE MORE. Get out, get moving. Exercise works wonders.Also, avoid standing for long periods, don't wear tight clothes and keep your legs raised as and when you can to avoid discomfort.



By at No comments:
7:35 PM

There are foods that can calm your brain and make you happy.

JOY DIET







There are foods that can calm your brain and make you happy. But for a meal to become a joyous experience, how you eat and who you have as company matters as much as what's placed on your plate
You know that feeling... when in anticipation of food, your mind goes into a tizzy. But did you know there's a science to it?
Your brain releases dopamine (a compound present in the body as a neurotransmitter) in anticipation of the food, which makes your mind race into that happy zone even before you've tasted the food, explains Dr Alex Corb, a postdoctoral researcher in neuroscience at UCLA. Now imagine, you get specific foods on your plate termed as `happy foods'. Isn't that a perfect recipe for happiness in our angst-ridden times?
Before we try it, let's understand what happy foods are all about and why everyone -from nutritionists to neuroscientists -is recommending it. Dietician Indrayani Pawar explains, “When it comes to foods that make you happy, it all comes down to the brain. Foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids play a major role in maintaining normal brain function and a healthy cognitive system. These foods increase your happiness quotient, lessen symptoms of depression and curb anxiety.“Don't think for a moment that happy foods are just health foods, and so, can't be tasty. A cube of cheese, two squares of dark chocolate, eggs, salmon, trout... all figure in the `happy food' list (see box).
A complete happy meal though isn't just about the food on your plate. If you've stopped finding joy in your everyday food, changing the emotions surrounding it would be the best recipe. Elsa Schiaparelli, the Italian fashion icon, had once said: “Eating is not merely a material pleasure. Eating well gives a spectacular joy to life and contributes immensely to goodwill and happy companionship. It is of great importance to the morale.“ Studies have suggested that for a meal to be a soulful experience, the ingredients go far beyond the bottled jars of masala at your kitchen shelves. Here are a few soul recipes you can add to your eating habits.

COMPANY YOU KEEP
When you know the food presented in front of you isn't good just because there's a huge price tag attached to it --as in restaurants -but has been specifically cooked for you, you automatically derive far more pleasure out of it. This explains why you will boast of a Michelin star restaurant but keep going back to your favourite aunt or grandma's house for that special kheer, gosht or pudding... A study conducted by American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says that people are significantly happier and less stressed when they have good company at the dinner table.
But eating at home doesn't mean you sit at the dinner table with your eyes fixated on your TV as your favourite soap plays on. In stead of a happy meal experience, your emotions will be aligned with whatever is happening to the character in your soap. You lose touch with food when this becomes a habit. Eventually, the food doesn't appeal to you ­ eating becomes a chore. According to lead researcher and psychologist Dr Eric Robinson from Liverpool University, eating while watching TV or working at a desk can impact your awareness, attention and memory, leading to mindless munching, which, in turn, leads to weight gain.
The primary rule of happy eating is to eat only what you really enjoy.Chef Naren Thimmaiah says, “If you don't savour each bite and your attention is divided between food and gadgets you'll overeat, because you won't realise at what point your stomach is full ­ so you are mindlessly swallowing food.“
Whether it's a cold sandwich or a Belgium dark chocolate pastry, eat only till you enjoy it and stop as soon as you start feeling uncomfortably full. Adds Thimmaiah, “To enjoy your food, chew slowly and let the flavours burst in your mouth.Pay attention to the sounds ­ listen to the crunch as you chew and the slosh as you swallow. Start noticing how you feel after eating ­ energised, bloated or queasy? Do this for three days, and you'll understand where you stand with regard to your relationship with food.“

PRAY, EAT, LOVE
According to Adrian Butash, author of Bless Your Food: Ancient and Contemporary Graces from Around the World, expressing gratitude before you eat is one of the most universal and ancient behaviours. In the days t before we pasteurised and refrigerat. ed food, blessings were a way of `pu rifying' the food. They were also ex pressions of gratitude to gods and a recognition that `the food is not ours, but loaned to us'. In our world of excess, we have forgotten to be gracious about the fact that we have a plate full of food in front of us. Dr Kurush F Dalal, assistant professor, archaeology, Mumbai University says, “You'll find a sense of calm overtaking you as soon as you pray or sprinkle water around your food before your meal. That time -even if it is for a split second -makes you appreciate the world, its won ders and the food on your table. It connects you with the Universe.“
The next time you post a picture hashtagged `foodgasm', make sure your soul has captured the joyous experience of eating, before your smartphone uploads the food's pic ture through your favourite filter.
By at No comments:

Friday, April 17, 2015

12:47 PM

Restaurant Reviews

WINE & DINE


Chicken Boneless Biryani @ Mad about Biryani Juicy chunks of boneless chicken, resting in the fragrance of fried onions, mint leaves, chosen spices and dum cooked with long grain rice serves an amazing Chicken Boneless Dum Biryani at `750 for a five-serving pack.
Regular Chicken Biryani at ` 650. For five-serving packs, order a dayshift in advance. Served in hygienically sealed, presentable disposable trays.
Also relish Chicken Cheese Tikkis and Shami Kebabs over the weekend.
Where: Delivered across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Thane Call: 022-2872 7272 Website: http:www.madaboutbiryani.com Dumpling Variety @ Dumpling King

Tantalise your taste buds with something that is unobtainable. After starting with a couple of our fresh dumplings, why not try our crispy dumplings with one of our many dishes? Steam `em, fry `em -you need to taste them.
Delicious Spinach & Corn, Assorted Mushroom, Hunan Chicken, 5 Spice Lamb and Wasabi Prawn Dumplings are all added to the menu. Enjoy fine dine quality at street food pricing. Need catering?
For Party Orders Call: +91 97695 47163 99300 03884 For Free Deliveries Call: + 91 99209 56884 99309 56884 (Carter Road), + 91 99200 23027 99200 23061 (Juhu)

Exotic Variety @ Spices & Sauces Restaurant
Thane's finest multicuisine restaurant `Spices & Sauces' now invites you to experience awesome ambience, exotic cuisines and live music over the weekends with your loved ones.Cuisines: Indian, Oriental and Continental.Where: Spices & Sauces Restaurant, Hotel United ­ 21, LBS Marg, Gokul Nagar, Near Castle Mill Circle, Thane (W) Call: 022 4157 9999 Timings: Lunch -12 pm to 3.30 pm; Dinner -7 pm to 11.30 pm
Rajasthani Food Festival @ Royale Masterchef
Indulge this weekend in a royal heritage of Rajasthani Food Festival at Royale Masterchef. The famous Dal Bati Churma, Gatte Ka Saag are to try for, and don't forget to taste the Ghevar which will complete your meal. They also have a good variety of non-vegetarian meals.Padharo Sa at Royale Masterchef this weekend for Rajasthani food.Where: Royale Masterchef, Gagangiri Complex, near Dahisar, new flyover, Kandarpada, New Link Road, Dahisar (W) Call: 022 6565 5506 022 6565 5507
Happy Hours are dead. Liquid Buffet is here @ Grillopolis

For those who enjoy casual parties and indulging without restraint, Grillopolis presents the country's first Indulge by the Hour offer, Liquid Buffet. Covering over 8 brands of regular beverages, you can drink to an open house choose a bucket of 5 pints to share. At only `800 hr, is fun unlimited! Where: Grillopolis, U-G 46, Phoenix Market City, Kurla (W) Call: 022 6500 0555 6500 0666 Timing: 12 pm to 1 am

Lucknowi Food Festival @ Bombay Barbeque
Get a taste of traditional Lucknowi culinary delights at the Lucknowi-eDaawat food festival at Bombay Barbeque. The Nawabi décor with a touch of royalty will add to your dining experience at this speciality grill restaurant. The menu offers Tunde Kebabs and Charminar Seekh along with vegetarian options like Royal Anjeer Kebabs. For desserts, try the Jalebis, Lucknowi Gujjiya and more. On public demand, the festival has been extended till May 3.Where: Bombay Barbeque, Om Palace Apts., Gr. Floor, Dr. Ambedkar Road Junction, Pali Hill, Khar (W) Call: 077100 64413 14 21 22
Celebrating the Baisakhi Festival @ The Park
The delicacies straight from the land of Punjab in a traditional ambience reflecting the culture and richness of the state. The vibrancy spreads across in this season.`Aqua' will give you an experience of the authentic taste of the speciality dishes from a Dhaba Menu along with the chatpata starters and delightful desserts.Where: The Park, No 1, Sector 10, CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai Call: +91 77100 98860 022 6758 9000 2758 9000 Ext 600 Cost for two: Meal with Beverages (mocktail, soft drink, beer and wine) `2,400 (AI)

Yummy Bengali Sweets @ Chandu Halwai
Explore the wide range of fresh and delicious Bengali sweets at Chandu Halwai. Traditional favourites include Rasgulla, Malai Sandwich and Rasmalai.And step up your entertainment with our signature dish -Kesari Angoori Rabdi Lacchedar. Why stop there? Exotic favourites include Mouchak, Malai Chamcham, Trupti Bhog, Kamal Bhog, Vishnu Bhog and the Cardamom and 22413729, Grant Road: 23821780, Saffron infused Colaba: 22840073, Dadar TT: 24143312, Raj Bhog! Worli Naka: 24932796, Sion Circle: Satisfy your 24072361, Thakurdwar (Girgaon): sweet tooth at 23825683, Teenbatti: 23694795, Chandu Ghatkopar(W): 25135081, Bandra(W): Halwai. Drop in 26426970, Santacruz (W): 26491605.or call your Western suburbs: 9833405407, nearest store 9820095834; Central suburbs: today. 9833405277, Eastern suburbs: Zaveri Bazar: 9769637997
Happy Hours till the last ball @ The Big Kahuna

The Big Kahuna, Phoenix Marketcity, Kurla, the tropical and tiki culture inspired restaurant is extending its happy hours from 4pm till the last ball during the t20 season.Exclusively offered at this outlet, the extended happy hours are valid even on weekends and are applicable on domestic liquor and The Big Kahuna's delicious Tiki Cocktails. Say kitchens around the world.aloha to The Big Kahuna's A heaven of happiness! signature cocktails such as Where: The Big Kahuna, the Hawaiian Sea Breeze, First Floor, Phoenix The Maui Dawn, The Marketcity, Kurla Tropical Hit, The Tiki Bowl, Call: 022-61801615 TBK Rum Kick and the Rum When: Monday to Sunday Giggle while indulging in Timing: 4 pm onwards the authentic cuisine from

Exciting Offers @ Chili's Grill & Bar
Chili's American Grill & Bar introduces a variety of offers for the guests to experience the best. Enjoy lunch starting at `400 AI and also chill during the Happy Hours between 4 pm to 8 pm everyday with a buy one get one free offer! Between Monday to Thursday, there's a Kid's Meal free with every Adult Meal. Chili's also has a three-course Dinner for 2 Combo during weekdays, which is for `1,200 AI for 2.Where: Chili's Grill & Bar, #13, Ventura Bldg., Central Avenue Road, Hiranandani Business Park, Powai Call: 022 2674 1900 3 4 Timing: 12 noon to 1.30 am Cost for two: `1,400++

Affordable Oriental Meal @ And Chillies
When hunger strikes and you crave for an exciting oriental meal, And Chillies is your answer.This cute restaurant serves delicious pocket-friendly oriental meals that everybody will love. The best part is that all the dishes are prepared without any MSG.Worli: 022 3015 1816, Mahim: 022 3015 1556





























By at No comments:
12:45 PM

Restaurant Review -  AQABA MEDITERRANEAN. MIDDLE EASTERN

Restaurant Review


AQABA MEDITERRANEAN. MIDDLE EASTERN
Named after a city in Jordan, Aqaba sits in an office building in Lower Parel. Having eaten its Mediterranean, Middle-Eastern food a few times, I went back with two well-travelled foodies who not only love Mediterranean food but know baba from its ghanoush. While the charming and stylish designer extraordinaire Kiran Uttam Ghosh was in Mumbai to show her fabulous new collection, Jag Dhanoa, who has an oil business in Dubai was here to tend to his hotel in Alibag. Both love Mediterranean food and I was equally riveted by their global experiences in that cuisine as about Kiran Uttam Ghosh's collection of global silhouettes juxtaposed with local handcrafted textiles.
“I would come all the way from Dubai for the The Garlic Sauce,“ says Dhanoa. Kiran enjoyed the food as did a golfing champ and gourmet who prefers to fly under the radar and didn't want to be mentioned.Our review follows.
DÉCOR
Ask for directions to this office building and once in it, make sure you whizz up the correct lift. Polished wood tables and plush furnishings in shades of sea-blue and green, dot
FOOD
Choose from their all-day menu with salads, sandwiches, pastas, pizzas, mezze and mains for dinner which include dishes from Greece, Turkey and Lebanon, and a smattering of dishes from Italy, Spain and Northern Africa.
Select your own mezze platter and your own kebab platter with a choice of Chicken Gyro, Lamb Gyro, Rawas Kebab, Moroccan Prawns, Lamb Seekh Kebab, Batata Harra, Lebanese Spicy Potatoes topped with cheese and grilled. While it was the garlic cream sauce that came up tops, the Lamb Kibbeh and Shish Taouk were well made too. Okay-ish, flavoursome tagine, well-made moussaka. Vegetarians can go for Labneh, Dolmas and Spanakopita. End with the creamy Rose Petal Ice Cream.
MINUS POINTS
Price points are certainly on the higher side and some of the dishes disappoint.The Samak Meshwi (fish) was a tad off and smelly, while the Shawarma overcooked and pizza soggy. Oversweet, sticky Baklava.
MY POINT
An interesting and ambitious menu in a pleasing light-filled environment. The arguments about authenticity can go on forever, however, Aqaba's food offers comforting flavours. With so much of competition from other standalone restaurants, it could do with toning down its prices. It is an ideal and stylish venue for parties, events and even boardroom meetings.
GLITTERINGLY NEW IN NYC I write from my beloved New York. Or should I say Newest York?
It obviously takes its name very seriously as it keeps popping up with the new, newer and newest by the minute. I've been dining at many a new surprise but this one, with its shimmering chandeliers and superluxuriousness, dazzles. Not even a few weeks old, Baccarat redefines French luxury as it opens its first flagship hotel here. We walk under sparkling ceilings, past priceless art and Baccarat crystal collections into the Grand Salon. Daintiest of Eclairs, freshest of Scallops delight as I lunch with the brilliant maestro Ashfer Biju who has taken time off from his very busy schedule of high-profile banqueting at the legendary Pierre to lunch with me and the dynamic and charming Rebecca Rand. I get to know about many more new eateries as I am on a blind date with a bunch of New Yorker food bloggers. I raise a toast (with a classic Baccarat Harcourt crystal glass of course) to my Newest York! P.S. Should you want any NYC info, please email rashmiudaysingh2015@gmail.com, Instagram, Twitter @rashmiudaysingh












By at No comments:

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

6:29 PM

Kolhapuri Mutton

This is a spicy, authentic mutton curry from Kolhapur, Maharashtra.

Ingredients:

  • 1 kg lamb
  • 1/2 cup dessicated coconut
  • 5/6 green chilies
  • 20 red chilies
  • 10/12 black peppers
  • 2 or 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 5 cloves
  • 2 inch piece of ginger
  • 1 pod of garlic.
  • 4 - 5 tsp raai
  • 1 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)
  • 1 tsp shaha jira
  • 1 tsp jira
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • salt to taste
  • 3 tbsp oil

Method:

  1. Grind ginger, garlic and green chilies.
  2. Roast dessicated coconut till brown; grind coarsely and keep aside.
  3. Fry the spices in 1 tsp oil and grind to a coarse paste.
  4. Clean mutton, and add spice paste and green chili paste to it; marinate for 2 hours.
  5. Heat oil; add mutton and let it cook on a slow flame.
  6. When thoroughly cooked, add coconut and lemon juice, salt. Serve hot.

Tip:

This recipe is very spicy, and that's the flavour of Kolhapuri lavangi mirch. If you don't like your food too spicy, you can reduce the quantity of chilies.
By at No comments:

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

2:34 PM

3D food printers will change the way we cook

3D food printers will change the way we cook




Printing with 3D technology has been used to create three-dimen sional objects like smartphone cases and artificial organs for the body , but researchers have pushed the envelope and revolutionised this technology by bringing it into the realm of food.Taking inspiration from the food replicator in Star Trek, researchers have developed 3D food printers. The first of their kind in the world, they were launched at an international electronics show in Las Vegas last month and will be available to the public by end of 2015. These unique gadgets are said to combine technology , food, art and design, and can be used to print anything from chocolates to pasta, in whatever shape or size you want. Sounds too good to be true? Well, proponents of the food printer claim that it will eventually find place in our kitchen, just like the microwave or blender. “This emerging concept of 3D food printers will be a great success story , if they are able to deliver the promise, i.e., being able to produce quality food and enhance its taste. 3D food printers are the way forward. I envisage them to be like a coffee maker, available in every home, and used by the household, for making regular meals as well as designing special dishes for occasions,“ says Sanjeev Shekhar, general manager of a Mumbai-based luxury hotel.

INDIA'S FIRST 3D CHOCOLATE PRINTER
Called Chocobot, this 3D food printer was designed by a group of engineering students in Manipal last year. WHAT IT DOES: It can create custom-designed chocolates, decorations and icing. It takes about 40 minutes to print a plate of chocolates.

INTRICATE DESIGNS:
One of the best traits about the food printer is that it allows one to create complex designs like detailed cake decorations, foods in unusual shapes and is useful for recipes that require precision and dexterity . Says pastry chef Vijay Mahajan, “When it comes to making delicate patterns on food or sugar works for desserts, the food printer will help to a great extent. In fact, services like doodle 3D are already allowing customers to design their own patterns and experiment with materials.“


PERSONALISED MEALS:
It helps one make tailored meals, as per their diet and nutritional requirement. For example, in addition to proteins, carbohydrates and fats, one can also add custom amounts of vitamins and minerals into the mix.


SAVE TIME:
Just like the washing machine has made life easier and saved time and energy , the food printer will save cooking time. To make a meal, one only has to load the ingredients, select the desired food, and click print. desired food, and click print.

PROMOTE HEALTHY EATING:
It will also encourage healthy eating because the gadget requires fresh ingredients before printing.








By at No comments:

Thursday, February 5, 2015

2:36 PM

Indian chicken recipes

How to make Spicy Chicken with onion

Ingredients:

1. Chicken (750 gms)
2. Diced Onion
3. Salt
4. Black Pepper Powder (1 Tsp)
5. Jeera Powder (1 Tsp)
6. Coriander Powder (1 tsp)
7. Garam masala (1 Tsp)
8. Aamchur Powder ( 1 & 1/2 Tsp)
9. Coriander Leaves
10. Slit Green Chillies
11. Dried Fenugreek Leaves
12. Ginger Garlic Paste ( 3 Tbsp)
13. Fresh Cream (2-3 tbsp)
14. Oil



indian chicken curry recipes recipe for indian chicken curry indian chicken recipes indian recipe for chicken indian curry chicken recipe garlic chicken recipe indian recipe of indian chicken curry easy chicken curry recipe indian chicken masala recipe indian indian recipe for chicken curry recipe for chicken curry indian vegetarian chicken recipe indian indian chicken food recipe chicken curry indian recipe chicken indian
By at No comments:

Saturday, January 17, 2015

6:32 PM

What goes into making a bridal outfit?

Draped in Dream Designs
What goes into making a bridal outfit? Time-intensive craftsmanship, sometimes gold, emeralds and rubies, and at times a weaver’s life-long work. India’s leading bridal-wear designers talk about their favourite bridal design

http://cdn.epaper.dnaindia.com/EpaperImages//mumbai//17012015//17012015-md-main-9-39892-2-small.jpg


Anita Dongre
This lehenga from my India Modern collection truly exemplifies ‘India Modern’. While the lehenga is red—a traditional colour, the treatment and style is modern, which resonates with the style philosophy of a modern-day bride. She is non-conformist, free-spirited and independent, yet she likes a hint of traditionalism in her bridal ensemble. This lehenga, which took about a month and a half to create, is made from raw silk, embellished with gota patti. The crop-top style choli paired with this lehenga, is a beautiful blend of the traditional and contemporary look.
http://cdn.epaper.dnaindia.com/EpaperImages//mumbai//17012015//17012015-md-main-9-39892-1-small.jpg

Tarun Tahiliani
A triumph of layering, a gorgeous silk trellis is created and fastened on to tulle, which acts as a base for floral thread work and gota flowers, which are interspersed with soldered Swarovski crystals in a multitude of subtle colours including new developments in topaz, silk and the current trend of opals creating a dull and watery glaze. The lehenga starts at the top in a beige gold and drips into an ombre of rust orange velvet border. On this is a panelled long odhna veil which trails the skirt, embroidered through which is a lehriya pattern that has a spine of three dimensional Swarovski crystal.

http://cdn.epaper.dnaindia.com/EpaperImages//mumbai//17012015//17012015-md-main-9-39892-3-small.jpg

Ritu Kumar
For Kareena Kapoor’s wedding outfit, the antique, traditional joda passed down to Sharmila Tagore was recreated by the craftsmen, whose family belonged to the era of Wajid Ali Shah, the exiled King of Oudh. We used gold Banarasi fabric, which was woven in the likeness of the fabrics used for the original ensemble. The traditional bridal attire consists of a kurta, farshi pajama and dupatta made of rust and gold tissue, which contrasts subtly with the soft-green satin gota at the hem. The odhni is original from the time of the last century and was recreated to form the final part of the ensemble.






By at No comments:
6:22 PM

Australia “invited the world to dinner

An Epic Epicurean odyssey
A nine-hour dinner that pampered all her senses, teased her intellect and blew her mind. Rashmi Uday Singh is seduced by the Australian gastronomic experience


Recently, Australia “invited the world to dinner” and declared that for this path-breaking occasion, three of its top chefs would be cooking together. I confess, initially, I was skeptical, but sure, I was flattered and thrilled to be invited as one of the 80 (only 80) “global food influencers” by Australia. I was going to be in fabulous company...superstar chefs like Heston Blumenthal, Alice Waters, Matt Preston, Maggie Beer, writers like AA Gill and many others. It was not a dinner, but an epic that is best explained
in chapters.

Chapter 1: A 15-MILE-LONG DINNER
We begin 'the' day on a sunny, windswept pier in Hobart, Tasmania, with the finest and fleshiest oysters pulled fresh from the ocean, complemented by House of Arras sparkling wines and a live orchestra. We are then ushered onto speedboats, zipping through bracing icy winds to a picturesque rocky island dotted by fire pits and pink flowers.

CHAPTER 2: ON AN ISLAND
We are now on the island, at Ben Shewry's restaurant, Attica, coddled in the warmth of soft blankets, as we devour the freshest of seafood being grilled by Australia’s greatest chefs—Neil Perry, Ben Shewry and Peter Gilmore.
Amidst fire pits and indigenous storytellers, the three head chefs of Restaurant Australia treat the guests to the first of many creative courses—King George whiting in paperbark and grilled baby corn with forest anise from Ben Shewry; Peter Gilmore’s charcoal-grilled West Australian marron with wasabi butter and roasted wallaby tail broth; wood-roast Tasmanian lobster with kombu butter and charcoal-grilled Tasmanian abalone with liver, sake and mirin dressing by Neil Perry. They were all complemented by outstanding Australian vintage sparkling bruts.

CHAPTER 3: DINING IN THE MUSEUM
We then sail across in a huge boat to the iconic Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) and fireworks light up the sky as we climb up the fortress. MONA, which sprawls across eight acres, is also home to a winery, brewery, restaurants, luxury accommodation and much more.
Here, the main courses are served on a gargantuan snake-shaped table. We are seduced by amazing flavours and textures of the freshest produce (be it beef, seafood or kangaroo). At MONA, the three chefs blurred the lines of cooking and art, each presenting a unique course
served with six matching Australian wines. Ben Shewry presented salted South Australian red kangaroo and bunya bunya; Peter Gilmore prepared a dish of smoked and confit pig jowl, black lipped abalone, koji, fermented grains, shitake and seaweed; Neil Perry served grilled sirloin, braised cheek, oxtail and tea- smoked oyster red curry.

CHAPTER 4: ROVING SWEET AND STICKY CELEBRATION
After non-stop eating, as we walk down to a lower floor of the museum for the dessert course, we see bird nests on mock trees, each with sweet white eggs. Here Ben Shewry sits behind his ice-cream cart and serves us dollops of seduction—his famous Blue Wren eggs. Peter Gilmore serves fresh lychee, vanilla, rose, coconut prune, salted caramel, jersey cream; while Neil Perry’s date tart mango, pandan and coconut thrills us. We also sample the first raw milk blue cheese to be produced in Australia, King Saul by South Australian cheese makers, Udder delights. The experience was rounded off with a decadent cheese board, which is produced by Bruny Island Cheese Company and Holy Goat.
A dinner that spanned nine hours, sure it was epic!






By at No comments:

Friday, November 21, 2014

9:27 PM

CHOCOLATE THAN NEVER

CHOCOLATE THAN NEVER


If the world is indeed running out of chocolate, it’s time to enjoy it till stocks last. Buy it, cook it, learn more about it

A report in The Washington Post went viral earlier this week when it revealed that there may soon be a severe shortage of chocolate in the world. The reasons for this shortage range from supply issues to unsuitable cultivating conditions and an appetite for chocolate that just keeps growing.
Considering time is limited (20 years feels only too soon in this regard), there’s no reason why we shouldn’t make the most of what we have while we still have it.
As we come to terms with the possibility of this unimaginable world without chocolate, we trace its the journey of its origin and discovery, help you cook with it and tell you where to eat and buy the good stuff in the city.
By at No comments: