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Global cuisines invade Indian kitchens Style in your clutches PACESETTER: Chitra Anand
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Global cuisines
invade Indian kitchens Rustling up exotic dishes gets easier as ‘foreign’ ingredients
flood
Food is fast acquiring a common
global culture. Beyond borders and across regions, it speaks a common
language. The ever-shrinking world has given rise to a taste for international
cuisines and the easy availability of these exotic ingredients in your local
supermarkets makes it possible to follow the trend in your home kitchens. It
is an experience that involves all your senses and the allure of exposing
oneself to fresh new sensations through different cuisines is overwhelming. No
more do we have to wait for a trip abroad or to a restaurant at a local
five-star hotel, everything that we need to rustle up an international meal is
available locally. Move over Nigella and Gordon, Mrs Negi and Gurdeep are
cooking up a storm! Farm fresh The most widely available international ingredients are undoubtedly exotic fruits, vegetables and herbs. These were earlier available either tinned, canned or pickled, or were imported or available only at a few stores in the metros. Heeding to the dictates of eating different foods, Makarand and Anjali Churi put their heart and soul into getting the basics of growing something as perishable as asparagus right. One of the few persons first to get a year-round supply of the coveted vegetable, they amazed even the most ardent nay sayers. Makarand says, "Being from a farming background, my wife was very keen on going into agriculture but I was from an engineering background and had no land for cultivation. We purchased a small tract of land in Bordi, near Dhanu in Thane district and succeeded in growing asparagus there. This practice went against what the locals had always grown, chiku, but we persisted and supplied asparagus to Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai. Since then, we have grown to ably serve a growing market, not just domestic but also for export. We grow more than 60 fruits, vegetables and herbs at many different regions across India, including Sikkim, Ooty and Mysore, and supply to five star hotels and exclusive supermarkets, round-the-year." The next time you dine out at a posh restaurant and are served some extra-ordinary food, rest assured that only the recipe is international and everything else is from a farm near you. World at your doorstep For most people, it does seem convenient to buy from the vendor who sells vegetables from door to door. If only exotic food stuff could also be delivered home, it would be more feasible to cook a different cuisine every day. Marc Cremer planned to turn the exotic into the ordinary and for that he chose the perfect method, home delivering zucchinis, bell peppers, broccoli, rhubarb, bok choy, lettuce, dressings, sauces and many more exotic food items. Started in 2006, his venture Green Tokri is an online enterprise. He says, "I did my formal agricultural education from Germany and started this venture knowing that people are now well travelled, well informed and have acquired a taste for the exotic. Adjusting the environment enables most foods to be grown locally. In recent years the choice has grown tremendously. By word of mouth, our model of distribution has really caught on and the response is heartening." Evolving tastes
Bhelpuri
and bhujiyas have given way to nachos, tacos and pasta. A meal
consisting of routine dal and rice evokes angry grunts at meal time,
especially from your kids. As availability of foreign ingredients becomes
easier, such mothers are the happiest. Naina Singh, mother to a college-going
girl from Ludhiana, says, "I am happy that the supermarket in my locality
has started stocking bell peppers and olives. My daughter would order a pizza
every other day just because I did not use these vegetables when I cooked at
home. Now, it is a win-win situation for both of us. She downloads continental
and Middle-Eastern recipes Almost ready to eat A visit to the neighbourhood grocery store will reveal the ample choices on offer. And any food blog of repute will give you authentic recipes from around the globe, enabling you to cook international dishes like a pro. Life, a supermarket in Panchkula, stocks everything from olives, gherkins, salad dressings, spreads, sauces, pastes, Thai noodles to pasta in varying shapes and semi-cooked meals. These only await their turn on your menu. A steady stream of customers lining up for these items is proof enough of their acceptability. Many international brands have tied up with Indian companies and are manufacturing food stuff locally. One such pioneer in Mexican foods is AVT Group from India that has tied up with Gavia from Sweden. Sanjiv Mathew, GM (sales), says, "Due to similarities in Indian and Mexican cuisines and ingredients, we thought that it would work well in India. It is living up to the expectations with Salsalito present in most of the top, modern trade formats and A-class stores in the tier-1 cities of India. We manufacture taco shells, tortilla wraps, salsa, nachos and even dinner kits are of global quality at our facility in India.' Cooking from scratch
Rajiv Sanghavi of India Eats Pasta says, "Indians are really enjoying good international food now, especially pasta. On one of my trips to Italy, I got pasta-making machines for my friends and myself in 2000. The trend of cooking and serving fresh pasta at formal occasions and at every day meals prompted me to import pasta-making machines for domestic use of the finest quality from Marcato. It is a small machine just like a mixer or oven and given the fact that you can control the quality of the ingredients, you can turn this supposed junk food into health food at home and make different kinds of pasta with different flavours, shapes and ingredients. Say cheese No continental cooking is complete without different varieties of cheese. In India, we had cottage cheese and a chalky-processed cheese for ages before imported cheese made its way to the supermarkets. Now, there are a few people who are making international cheese varieties in India itself. From feta to Camembert, Acres Wild Farms in Coonoor manufacture it all as the climate is just perfect for cheese making. A labour of love for Mansoor H Khan, the farm churns out mozzarella, Gouda, feta, ricotta, Halloumi and Camembert, among other globally popular cheeses. They also offer a two-day course to teach the guests at their home-stay the art of cheese making at home. For a gourmet who loves to cook and prides his cooking, this lesson could be very valuable indeed.
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Style in your clutches From being a mere accessory to making a fashion statement, clutch bags have come a long way. These have become a much-favoured choice of style divas
Clutch bags have evolved as the quintessential accessory that lends a finishing touch to the outfit. While a clutch is usually a stylish addition and has a strong element of fashion attached to it, one cannot ignore its functional use. Despite the compact size, it can be used to carry those bare minimum essentials when one sets out for a day or night out. Depending on the nature of the event or occasion, there is a mind-boggling variety to choose from. From a range of plush fabrics, textures and materials to the silhouettes and adornments, clutches can indeed stretch any enterprising designer’s imagination really far. Little history Clutches date back to 1800 when women sported reticules, the forerunner of handbags and the ancient version of the clutches we see today. These compact versions were used to keep a handkerchief, smelling salts and a pack of rice papers to mute a shiny spot on the face. Then came a period in the early part of the 19th century when the clutch purses lost their touch and were not in vogue. During World War II, they saw mass popularity once again and have been in demand ever since; the embellished ones for evening wear and the casual for running small errands when one does not require to carry much stuff along. Pricey tales
Premium handbags and accessories are among the fastest-growing segment in the overall market of luxury items. The flourishing handbags market has an ever-growing number of dynamic players and expanding customer base with the increasing demand from upcoming markets and noteworthy performances from the international luxury brands. Asian markets like China and India have been experiencing a surge of new consumers thanks to the e-commerce channel that has gained wide acceptance from the net-savvy people here. High-end luxury bags market sees a lot of competition with big names like Prada, Hermes, Gucci, Burberry, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and others vying for attention of the elite-looking for exclusive creations. According to a recent survey by Euromonitor International, the personal accessories market in India is gearing up to witness double digit growth rates in the years that come. For serious shoppers looking for the ultimate status symbol, price can never really be a hindrance. In the international scene, a Luxury Goods Worldwide market study estimated a growth between $ 314 billion and $ 327 billion in 2015 from $ 251 billion in 2011. Without doubt, the world has been witnessing fashion inflation with the high-end labels increasing their prices at a sharp pace. Each one of the exorbitantly priced clutches tries to justify the price tag it carries. One of the Judith Leiber clutch purses is priced at $3,695 because it exhibits hand-glued Australian crystals. Yet, no other piece can defy the price of Mouawad’s 1001 Diamond Purse which is priced at a whopping $3.8m. Exemplary effort went into its creation with 10 skilled artisans working on it for a total of 8,000 hours to create this impressive heart-shaped clutch bag. Officially certified by the Guinness World Records as the most expensive handbag in the world, it uses 18K gold and 4,517 diamonds. Sold for $1.9m in an auction, Hermes Birkin is a distant second and features diamonds and platinum. The next most expensive bag, the Chanel ‘Diamond Forever’ bag has only 13 pieces available worldwide with five of those available in the US. Size matters From small and compact box styles to supersized envelope clutches, there is a mind-boggling variety for everyone. With a minimalist and clean design, the box kind is small enough to fit a cellphone, a lipstick and a handkerchief while the chic and suave envelope flaunts a flatter look. Available in amazing colours and prints, it is great for casual wear during the day or for a nightout in the town. Pouch clutches are medium-sized and the heavily embellished ones in brocade and silk team up beautifully with bridal outfits and lehengas. Cross body clutches are available in different sizes and what’s best about them is that they double as cross-body bag as well as a clutch. Online frenzy There is a clutch style for everyone. From animal prints and hand-painted ethnic ones to those studded with tourmalines, pearls, beads or diamonds, the buyer is spoilt for choice. The leather, fabric or silk-screened ones carry exclusive appeal while the box clutches are usually built sturdy from metal. Several e-stores sell premium luxury brands to the budget-friendly ones catering to all those varieties. There has been an upswing in online buying owing to the ease of access to international designs, great bargains and a wide range available for purchase. Eccentric appeal In these times of doing things extraordinary, designers love to bring out their eccentric side in their clutch creations. They are bold, quirky, off-beat and destined to catch the eye of the onlooker — you can find skeletal designs, animal figures and all other kinds of weird and wacky designs that challenge creativity to the extreme limit. Infusing eccentricity and emotion into their creations, some Asian designers are acclaimed globally. Designer Bea Valdes hails from a family of jewellers in the Philippines. An artist and a writer herself, each of her clutches have a story to tell. Each of her bags has a heroic feminine character. Tina Ocampo’s label Celestina exhibits a keen eye for fashion. She uses materials native to her country the Philippines, besides also using a lot of crocodile leather in her clutches. Fiona Kotur started out with designing some lovely clutches and has now also diversified her line to home collection. She is known to have revived the minaudière, a bejewelled evening clutch bag, which has found its way into the social circuit and the red carpet. Acclaimed for her couture clutches crafted from vintage obi and kimonos, Michelle Lai continues to experiment with fabrics, textures and the fashion savvy mindset of her feminine clientele for designing her handbags that she sells under the label Mischa. Celeb following Clutches have been a favoured choice among the glitterati walking on the red carpet in India and abroad. Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, has a penchant for miniature clutches and has often been on the fashion radar owing to her impeccable style. She been seen flaunting some of the prized ones as she finds them more delicate and feminine. Bollywood fashionistas like Malaika Arora Khan and Sonam Kapoor have been often been spotted toting compact and elegant clutches in matching or contrasting hues.
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PACESETTER: Chitra Anand A woman of letters, Chitra Anand is a sensitive writer despite a scientific temperament. Her book
Beyond School is based on real-life characters
Chitra began her career as a teacher in physics in the K.J. Somaiya College of Science and Commerce, Mumbai. Destiny took her to Muscat when her husband took up a job there. She works from home, coaching students preparing for their entrance tests for various professional courses after Class XII. But this woman of letters is not content with these roles, she is a writer too. Writing has a place of its own in her heart and life. She recalls, "I must have written my first poem at eight or nine. My father preserved that piece of writing for a very long time." She enjoys composing poems whenever she experiences intense emotional or thought-provoking moments. She says, "The writer was always living within me, earnestly interested in the affairs of the world, fascinated by language and words and the imagery they could generate." But she never considered writing as a vocation and hence followed her other passion — fundamental physics. She believes that the writer in her brought the joy of learning, perception and expression to the fore, immaterial of the activity that she engaged herself in. She recounts, "Living and life was not easy, everyday was a platter of challenges and stories of human joys and intense pathos were building in me. The writer in me could not wait anymore and six years back I decided to seriously take up writing." Chitra has been working closely with more than 200 young adults every year, helping them meet their goals in academics. This gives her a chance to look at their lives closely and to get acquainted with the stories and issues that are unique to each student. Besides this, she interacts with parents of students frequently and gets an opportunity to understand their anxieties, aspirations and worries pertaining to their children. The characters of her book Beyond School, took shape from her direct association and interaction with some similar real-life characters. Through the story of Shail, the main protagonist of her first book, Chitra wanted to reveal the dark and funny side of the schooling system that is considered pertinent for education. The process of writing turned out to be an enriching learning experience for her. It did not take her long to realise that there is much more to writing a book than the story itself. However, she persevered through the hurdles that she encountered on the path to get her writing published. Though Chitra pared away many passages from the original draft, which dealt with system of schooling and limitations therein. She feels that the education system has an inherent apathy towards weaklings and does not prove effective in reaching them to better achievements and opportunities while the bright and the provisioned do well for themselves. She hopes to explore these issues in a non-fiction book in future and write more on issues dealing with learning and teaching. She wants to write aboutpeople who make an enormous difference to the world. As she puts it, "Simplicity is a gift of mastery, and mastery can only come from relentless effort. From my first book, as lessons, I take forward patience, keenness to improve and the zeal for writing. I wish to emulate J.M. Coetzee’s prose, sparse and profound."
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Bling it on
VOILA, IT'S A RARE VIOLA!
HOLY SNAKES, WHAT A DECANTER!
AN UNDERWATER SAFARI
DRESSING UP COLA
DRIVING IN STYLE
RAISING A TOAST
SINK IN WOODEN BOX
JEWELS & the phone
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Food
is fast acquiring a common global culture. Beyond borders and across regions,
it speaks a common language. The ever-shrinking world has given rise to a
taste for international cuisines and the easy availability of these exotic
ingredients in your local supermarkets makes it possible to follow the trend
in your home kitchens. It is an experience that involves all your senses and
the allure of exposing oneself to fresh new sensations through different
cuisines is overwhelming.
for
me and I enjoy the freshness it brings to the routine cooking."
Not
everyone finds pre-cooked or semi-cooked meals inviting; for them preparing
everything from the scratch is very important. There are pots and pans and
speciality cooking equipment for different cuisines and the best part is that
it is all easily available at a store near you. If you have a taste for French
cuisine, a pasta-making machine could come in handy, as would a bamboo steamer
for dim-sums, a wok for stir fries and a grill pan for grilled sandwiches. The
good news is that these are very accessible now.
Anaya,
an upcoming fashion designer, worked hard to carve a name for herself in the
glamour world. She was very enthusiastic when she landed a high-profile
assignment of doing up the bridal attire of a regional celebrity’s daughter.
Talented and creative, she wanted to give it her best shot and handpicked the
fabrics and embellishments. To add that extra bling to the overall look, she
conceptualised a hand-painted clutch purse with kalamkari work using
the hues on the outfit and voila, she got rave reviews for her stunning
creation! Tastefully designed, it was destined to become the focal point of
the bride’s ensemble.
Introduced by Italian designers Vittorio and Laura Moltedo, the Bottega Veneta brand features a luxurious collection of handbags. Perfect for evening wear, this Bottega Veneta clutch bag is a petite creation with a cage style design with intricate knotting. It features a clasp closure highlighted by a rope knot to add to the sophistication.
Price: Rs 1.8 lakh ($3,000)
With its handcrafted appeal, the silk fabric clutch bag boasts tones of green and gold creating a batik print effect. The floral crystal brooch in the centre sits pretty and gives it a rich and luxurious feel. With a removable gold chain, it can be slung on the shoulders or clutched in the hand. 
This celeb favourite Bottega Veneta clutch is undoubtedly a classic, bringing together two very different textures - degradã© crocodile-leather with intrecciato-woven gold matt metal. The molded clutch has the signature knot. It gives a strong, sleek and elegant look to balance your high-on-bling party looks.
Price: Rs 1.8 lakh – Rs 2.6 lakh ($3,000 - $4433)
Handbag designer Judith Leiber from Hungary created this compact Precious Rose Clutch using 42.56 carats of jewels — 1,016 diamonds, 1,169 sapphires and 800 tourmalines. Shaped like a perfect flower, there is only one original of this rose clutch bag in the world.
Price: Rs 55.2 lakh ($92,000)
Italian designer Charlotte Olympia has a creative and glamorous side to her which she showcases beautifully in her creations. The translucent perfume bottle shaped clutch made from Perspex and rayon shows off a pink crochet puff with tassel at the magnetic closure.
This beautiful box clutch is a part of the Spring 2014 collection of eminent designer Alexander McQueen. The hard shell is covered in black silk and the top features two perching butterflies, amber coloured glass stones and multi-colour Swarovski crystals.
Featuring 334 diamonds with 3.56 carat weight on 18K white gold, this exquisite Chanel Diamond Forever can be used as a clutch or a shoulder bag. The shoulder strap is also crafted from white gold. Hollywood celebs Keira Knightley, Vanessa Paradis and Nicole Kidman have known to be ardent admirers of the Chanel brand.
Price: Rs 1.56 crore ($261,000)
Conceptualised and designed by Posh Spice Victoria Beckham, this hard metal clutch is elegant and shows a minimalist cigarette box design. Being on the pricier side, it features 100 per cent brass, black suede lining, magnetic closure and single slot pocket.
The floral embroidery is extravagant on this sleek gold/green box clutch purse. It is made in Italy and features a crystal push lock with an intricate detailing of green beads and metallic thread embroidery.
Price: Rs 1.79 lakh ($2,995)
The Prada box clutch with peach satin finish became immensely popular when Kate Middleton flaunted it. This Italian made clutch from the house of Prada has a simple and structured design. In tones of peach and gold, it carries with equal poise at any time of the day or night.
Fashion designer Lana Marks owns this eponymously named brand exhibiting more than 150 exclusive clutch designs. Celebs and socialites like Charlize Theron, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Winslet, Elizabeth Taylor, Helen Mirren and Paris Hilton have often been seen patronizing her creations.
Designed by The Row and made in Italy, this clutch bag suits business meetings and casual outings with equal ease. It has a trendy design and is perfect for those looking to make a supersized style statement. The camel colour wrap clutch is made from high quality calf skin and showcases glossy hardware in rich hues of gold.
Price: Rs 1.59 lakh ($2,650)
This Hermes clutch bag, conceptualised by Japanese designer Ginza Tanaka, is crafted from platinum and boasts more than 2,000 diamonds. Versatile enough for use as a clutch or a bag, the other highlight of the Hermes Birkin is that the removable diamond strap can be worn as a necklace or bracelet if desired.
The soft tones of the light pink colour are pleasing to the eye and the clutch purse carries the trademark elegance of Valentino. The ultra-feminine creation features a detailing of gold studs and makes a lovely fashion statement. It carries well with heels, pumps and dressy outfits.
Price: Rs 2.15 lakh ($3,596)
Mouawad 1001 Nights clutch is the most expensive clutch purse made till date featuring 4,517 colourless, yellow and pink diamonds. Shaped like a heart, it carries a total diamond weight of 381.92 carats. This Mouawad creation is a display of exceptional craftsmanship.
Chitra
Anand has many degrees to her credit — a postgraduate in physics, a bachelor’s
degree in education, a diploma in journalism and mass communication and a
certificate course in microprocessor-based development systems. She has been
adorned with the title of Rashtra Bhasha Ratna by Vardha Samiti, the
organisation which administers exams in Hindi at various levels.
It is called the big brother of the violin and has its own passionate fan following. The 18th-century Italian Antonio Stradivari was one of the greatest viola craftsmen and some of the violas he created still exist and are highly sought after by collectors. That explains the buzz in musical circles when it was recently announced that a rare Stradivarius viola will be auctioned by Sotheby's in June. It is one of just ten made by Stradivari that are still in existence, and the first to be offered under the hammer in the last 50 years. Though the auction will attract aficionados from around the globe, the prized viola is likely to go to a musician who is also a multi-billionaire many times over.
Price: Starting price around Rs 270 crore ($45 million)
A wine enthusiast's love for the bubbly goes beyond the bottle. The true flavour of wine will froth over only if it is served in style. Helping you become a real connoisseur is the Austrian crystal company Riedel with its Boa Wine Decanter. As the name suggests the hand-blown decanter features a stylishly coiled snake- inspired design. Shaped for maximum wine enhancement, it creates air pockets when wine is poured into it allowing it to speedily aerate the wine---a process that would take hours if left in the bottle. Perfectly balanced, the stunning decanter is guaranteed to become not just a centrepiece of your home bar but also a conversation starter at your next cocktail party.
Price: Rs 51,000 ($850)
Okay, you love adventure and have done snorkelling, ballooning or even bungee jumping. But this one beats them all and chances are no one else in your immediate circle has done it. That's because an underwater safari is not your everyday kind of adventure! Trending on top of many high rollers' Bucket List is submarine tourism. Canadian company Atlantis Submarines offers undersea tours in as diverse places as Barbados, Aruba, St. Martin, Curacao, Grand Cayman, Guam, Cozumel, Kona, Maui and Waikiki. Seeing its success, a number of other companies too have come aboard (pun intended) and are attracting thrill-seekers by the hordes. So, if you too like to plumb the depths go ahead and take the plunge.
Price: Around Rs 4,200 per trip
For over a century it has remained one of the world's highest selling soft drinks. In fact, as far as taste goes nothing has changed ever since Coca Cola made its first appearance in 1886 in America. However, over the years, it has spawned special limited-edition bottle designs by creative minds. The latest is French lingerie designer Chantal Thomass who plays her strengths of seductive corsets, stockings and garters on the curves of Coca Cola's bottle. She joins the likes Karl Lagerfeld, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Marc Jacobs to have collaborated with the Coca-Cola for their special editions. The bottle is helmed with laces and bobbin on silver background making it an instant collector's item.
Price: Rs 1,200 ($20)
If you own a fancy car do you need special shoes to drive it? Yes, says Prada. The Italian luxury house has launched its special Driving Shoes Collection which has clicked amazingly among well-heeled people. Each pair of the driving shoes is crafted with meticulous attention and hand-stitched using the most intricate artisan shoemaking techniques. Prada also uses fine ostrich and crocodile skins which add to the sophistication and exclusive nature of the shoes. It is debatable whether these shoes make driving more comfortable than other footwear, they are guaranteed to up your style quotient immensely.
Price: Ranging between Rs 48,000 & Rs 2.04 lakh and ($800 and $3,400)
Though World War II was one of the worst periods of the twentieth century, yet it left behind many objects which have become iconic today. One of them is the Jerry Can. Originally created by the Germans, it was used to transport petrol and diesel-and sometimes water and other liquids — without the need for a funnel. Though the Jerry Can is not in use today but a Copenhagen company called Danish Fuel has repurposed it and transformed it into a military-inspired drinks cabinet, featuring its original colours and unique designs. The cabinet has a door that folds down at the front of the jerry can, revealing a shelf system sized to hold a few bottles of liquor, along with accompanying glassware giving your bar a true vintage appeal.
Price: Rs 24,000 ($400)
What do you pack in a bag when going on a trip? Clothes, shoes, cosmetics and a washbasin? Washbasin? Yes, celebrated Italian designer Giulio Gianturco has crafted a wash basin that comes in a wooden travelling box. Appropriately called “Hidden,” it includes a sink, stainless steel taps, a mirror with a light, a plug, and an extra secret compartment below for stashing soaps creams and gels. To be released later this year, the clutter-free wash basin needs to be opened only when it is being used. When closed, it becomes a fascinating wooden centrepiece in your bathroom.