Anyone who has spent time in India will recall the craving for cheese you get after a time. Paneer is available, and if you don't think of it as cheese, it is very good grilled or in hot dishes. Processed cheese, pale and slightly greasy, appears in sandwiches and toasts to rubber. Cheddar it is not!
The search for interesting places to stay turns up some unexpected locations and activities, but this one really amazed me. A cheesemaking course in the mountains at Coonor. http://www.acres-wild.com/Farmstay.shtml
The Indo-Swiss Dairy Project at Top Station near Munnar is well-known, and a visit into the mountains will give you a glimpse of very shiny, healthy cows in pasture which could be in the alps, complete with Swiss Chalet, and it is interesting to see the idea spreading elsewhere in the Nilgiris. We shall be investigating on our next trip and I hope to report on this and add thefarm to our "places to go" for activity holidays.
The North of India has a rich history, in more ways than one! The wealth of the Moghul Emperors is everywhere in the form of palaces and temples and its warlike past by its huge forts which stretch for miles along the mountain ridges. Nowhere are the stark contrasts of wealth and poverty more apparent, and although the Maharajahs are no longer the impossibly rich rulers of the Northern states, some of them have converted their palaces into luxury hotels and opened their palaces to the public. Three of the best are outside Jaipur, the Samode Palace and Samode Bagh, and one in the city, the Samode Haveli.
Samode Palace
42 Km outside Jaipur, the Samode Palace is one of the best hotels in Northern India. The palace itself reflects the aspirations of the Maharajah at the beginning of the 19th Century when the improvements of the Singh dynasty developed the palace from a fortified stronghold. The painted Durbar Hall and the Hall of Mirrors in the gallery contain some of the best paintings of the time. On arrival the visitor begins a journey through three courtyards which rise into the mountainside. Rooms are on balconies surrounding the courtyards.
The palace is a maze of corridors and unexpected rooms and staff are always on hand to guide you to wherever you need to go, or to take you on a tour of the magnificent public rooms. Our room was huge and furnished with antiques and with a central, arched corridor containing small windows overlooking the courtyards, and which let in a welcome evening breeze. The four-poster bed was enormous and required steps to climb into.The bathroom was nearly as big with a large bath and shower. Most of the accomodation is arranged as suites, some rooms have balconies or terraces, and ours had its own temple leading from our seating area.
There are two pools, one on the roof which appears to empty into the mountains themselves, and one at ground level. Two restaurants, one for a-la-carte grills and one for buffet and a simpler menu provide some of the best food we have experienced in India without stretching the budget. Not only are the local dishes interesting and authentic, the Western menu shows a real understanding of the cuisine and contained some fresh salads, very welcome after over a week of unrelieved spice.
The staff were friendly and professional, and although the hotel was very quiet when we stayed there, there was no indication that the hotel was switching into relaxed mode. It takes just over an hour to drive to Jaipur, so a visit to the Pink City or Amber Fort is possible whilst enjoying the isolation of the palace and surrounding villages. Of many hotels we have stayed in in India, this palace is the most memorable.
After the depressing series of Channel 4 programmes in the "Indian Winter" season, it was refreshing to see a repeat of the BBC's Bombay Railway programmes this week. A well-researched, beautifully filmed and editied programme about the way in which people in Mumbai go about their daily lives, from the workers on hte railway to the hawkers who play cat-and-mouse with officials on the trains, it was a delight to watch after the patronising attitudes of the Channel 4 offering.
Kevin McCloud demionstrated a great deal of integrity on his visit to the slums to find something noble in the poverty, but Gordon Ramsay's macho postering, foul language and arrogance was embarassing. Most Indians hate swearing and don't welcome informal contact, especially physical. He did exhibit great enthusiasm for the knowledge, skills and sheer hard work of the chefs he worked with. Let's hope he learned some sensitivity and manners as part of the package!
We always ask for feedback from our clients, and are pleased when we learn something new. With fantastic food on offer everywhere in Kerala, cooking comes high on the list of things which visitors want to know how to do, and some hotels and homestays make a point of cookery demonstrations and lessons. Olive Brook in Munnar, Philip Kutty's Farm on the backwaters and the nightly demonstration at the Spice Village are just some.
This came as part of a feedback email.
...."it was truly excellent experience. It was a cookery demonstration and meal at the home of Paul and Nimmy in Cochin. I would highly recommend this as both entertaining and informative, as it gave an insight of Cochin from a couple born and bred there,
an appreciation of local cooking, and superb food prepared by Nimmy (even compared to notable restaurants in Mumbai). Assuming you trust my judgement, I would recommend that you experience this yourself on your next visit to the area, and offer it as an option to your clients."
We shall certainly try to fit a class in when we are next in Cochin, as although we cook pseudo-Keralan food regularly at home, it never quite has the rich taste and subtlety of the real thing!
Pottering about the backwaters is one of the most relaxing non-activities you could think of. The day starts with an early breakfast, and Rajeesh excelled himself here. Iddly, appam, toast, sambal, relishes, curd, the unavoidable omlettes and, best of all, banana pancakes with coconut. (Not all at once, but something special every day). An active morning spent watching the world go by is followed by a huge lunch, taken by a bank in the middle of nowhere. The world can be mesmerising, as in the banks and the palms floating by or the lake stretching out to the horizon, or exciting, as in a combine harvester travelling on canoes, exotic bird-life or hundreds of ducks being herded to market by men punting dugouts. In the afternoon a trip is usually planned to get visitors off the boat to allow the crew to clean. This might be to a temple or church, or a trip into town. Back ot the boat for tea and biscuits to begin the hard work of cruising until we moor in a quiet spot to watch the sunset and wait for dinner. As the sun goes down the wildlife of the night wake up, and some effort might be needed to avoid flying things. The crew know where to moor to avoid the mosquitoes, but there are other things which fly around. The small lizards which live behind the lights do a good job at keeing the smaller creatures down, but occasionally we suffer a huge cockroach, which hunts around the bamboo roof. We are assured that it can't get into the bedroom, which turns out to be true. Dinner is the usual challenge to the stomach, five curries, fish or chicken, delicious breads and rice. The cooks on the houseboats of Kerala is legendary, and with Rajeesh we seem to have found a cook who excells even in this company. None of the cooks are chefs by training, just local people who have learnt to cook the local food, which has great importance in the culture. With a peculiar range of allergies I was a particular challenge to Rajeesh, but he rose to it, and above it. The best hotels cannot match his chappattis or iddlies, and the banana pancackes will live on as one of my "exceptional dishes of the world" memories. By far the worst thing about a houseboat cruise is getting off it. Below are pictures of Captain Sudhakaran, Cook Rajeesh and Raveendran, crew.
Every tourist who
spends any time in Fort Kochi will know the Teapot café. Once it was about the
only place where you could find decent toast and coffee, and now, when coffee
shops and cafes are opening all along the streets near the waterside it stands
out as the most self-assured and interesting place to go for a snack or a full
meal.
In spite of a desire
to experience everything Indian, there comes a time when the stomach craves the
familiar, and somehow this is worse at breakfast. The teapot serves crisp
toast- not the soggy option available elsewhere- fruit, cereals and pancakes in
generous portions. There are, of course, many varieties of tea and real coffee.
When the craving for
bland has worn off, the meals are well cooked and very good value, chicken
curries being tender and rich and the fish as fresh as one would expect in the
location. There is an air of ad-hoc about the place, with packing-case tables,
assorted chairs and occasional rickettyness. Once when the electricity failed
and we were peering at our meal by the light of a single candle, we regretted
fish with bones, but it was such delicious fish and anyway, the electricity
does often go off at night!
On every visit, the
Teapot has spread to regions in the building which were hidden before,
something in the manner of a tardis, but this has not affected the charm of the
place or the quality of the food. Go there!
Most people who visit
Kerala come back raving about the food. It is rich, usually contains a lot of
ghee and coconut milk, and often coconut oil is used for frying. Most food is
cooked quickly, fried, stir-fried or grilled, as ovens are unusual in
traditional kitchens. It is almost always delicious, the fish and sea food
always fresh and what is available that day. Microwaves are unheard of. I have
difficulty saying what I like the best, but it must be the Keralan paratha.
This is a round of rich, light, flakey bread. Try not to think of the amount of
ghee which goes into its manufacture as you eat! In Hindu societies meat is
reserved for the warrior classes, most people being vegetarians. Restaurants
are divided into veg and non-veg, or both veg and non-veg. Muslims will not eat
pork, Hindus will not eat beef, Jains are strictly vegan. Kerala, having a good
mix of religions is practical about food. The Christians butcher the beef and
pork, so it is available everywhere, as is chicken, the most ubiquitous meat.
It is spicey, but
most hotels go easy on the spice when they are catering for Western tourists,
as Keralan food is fiery. You can usually ask for the cook to reduce the heat
if you order a la carte. We are often asked about food safety, and it is wise
to take precautions. In good hotels the fruit and vegetables are usually washed
well in purified water, and are perfectly safe. Sometimes there is a slight
tang of disinfectant, which is reassuring! Ice cream is fine if it is
mass-produced, but make sure you know its origin. Eating on the road is OK if
the food is cooked freshly, and some of the smaller food stalls produce
wonderful meals for a few pence. Don't accept ice in drinks unless you are sure
of the place which is serving it, and always wash fruit you buy before peeling
it- washing alone is not enough, nor is just peeling. Some hotel buffets sit
around for a while and are not heated adequately. If in doubt, eat a la carte-
it will not cost you much more. It is a given that people who go to India
suffer from upset tummies. Over the last two and a half years and many visits
we have suffered one 24-hour upset and one mild problem on arrival home. Very
few of our clients report that they have experienced problems caused by
anything other than unfamiliar food and the recklessness of curry three times a
day!
Of course, NEVER
drink or clean your teeth in anything other than purified water, which is
available everywhere and, and a certain amount provided free by hotels. Some
hotels will tell you that it is safe to drink their water, but don’t. It arrives
in tankers, and the assumption is that it comes from a water treatment plant.
It doesn’t. It comes from a waterfall in the mountains, and is probably reasonably
safe where it starts, other than the fact that animals have been paddling
around in it upstream, but there are so many bugs and parasites which thrive in
the heat that it is risky. When travelling stick to bottles and watch to see
that they are opened in front of you. Cleaning your teeth in beer is not an
option of choice, but it is a safe option.
Bombay Railway
After the depressing series of Channel 4 programmes in the "Indian Winter" season, it was refreshing to see a repeat of the BBC's Bombay Railway programmes this week. A well-researched, beautifully filmed and editied programme about the way in which people in Mumbai go about their daily lives, from the workers on hte railway to the hawkers who play cat-and-mouse with officials on the trains, it was a delight to watch after the patronising attitudes of the Channel 4 offering.
See it on
BBC i-Player
Kevin McCloud demionstrated a great deal of integrity on his visit to the slums to find something noble in the poverty, but Gordon Ramsay's macho postering, foul language and arrogance was embarassing. Most Indians hate swearing and don't welcome informal contact, especially physical. He did exhibit great enthusiasm for the knowledge, skills and sheer hard work of the chefs he worked with. Let's hope he learned some sensitivity and manners as part of the package!