|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Where waters are falling When Harmeet Kaur, during one casual chit-chat session, asked us to have a look at her Tsukubai (pronounced as Sukubai), our instant reaction was “are you talking about your new maid?” Politely but firmly we were told that Tsukubai was the new water feature, which adorned her front garden. Curiosity got the better of us, and with a cameraman on tow; we reach her residence in Sector 8, to find out more about her source of pride and joy.
The Tsukubai turns out to be two bamboo poles tied up criss-crossed. Nothing much to look at but the water that flows through it makes all the difference to the surroundings. Placed in the shadow of a big jamun tree, her Tsukubai makes a gurgling sound like a small stream, with the water culminating in a huge terra cotta vase. “I read about it in a book on Japanese gardens and immediately fell for it,” Harmeet explains that flowing water imparts meditative power. An authority in gardening (she has done landscaping for CII and Spice, Mohali), Harmeet tells us Tsukubai is a Japanese water feature which is ‘used for ritual purification in the tea garden and it is synonymous with wealth’. One more thing, according to Harmeet, the water should flow towards the house. The Japanese theme is surely in. The next house we go to, confirms it. Usha Khanna, when she moved into her Sector 8 residence in the early eighties, she wanted to create a cozy corner in her garden. She brought landscapists all the way from Kolkata and the result is there for you all to see. The corner has practically all the elements a Japanese gardening shastra recommends – stones, a water wheel and dwarf plants. But why, we ask, this sudden craze for Japanese gardens? “In a city like Chandigarh, where space is the main constraint for having a well-laid garden, the Japanese style suits us the most. They are the only ones who can recreate a forest in a small tray,” says Usha, a housewife, known for her green fingers. “That’s why I wanted to have dwarf plants in my garden,” she says. However, not everything is dwarf here. Her garden is full of big trees too – mango to litchi to kinnoos, you name it, she has it all. Well, coming back to water features, we finally come across someone who is all for Punjabi touch. Walk into Gick Grewal’s front yard in her Sector 21 house and you are in for a pleasant surprise. The Punjabi rural structures one is used seeing only in plush eating joins these days (if you have ever been to Baithak at Kalagram or Choupati at Patiala, you will know what we are talking about), makes an appearance here too. The mud covered boundary walls with folk motifs in decorative glasses imparts the right aura. But what catches your attention is the well in the corner of the garden. The well is too coated with traditional motifs and a little help from modern science gives out the effect that water is overflowing from the well. However, there is no wastage of water. The motorized pump helps in keeping the water circulating. “I just wanted to have a traditional touch in my garden. It has nothing to do with vaastu or feng shui,” Gick confirms, as we ask her if she believed in flowing water bringing in luck. “I like flowing water for its cool effect,” she says. So be it for good luck or just for a cooling effect, water features are here to stay. But before you jump onto the bandwagon, there are few things you should know. There are fountains available in European designs, made of solid natural stone in complete harmony with the five elements of nature, says Supreet Dhiman of Besten & Co. These fountains are self-circulating, hence do not require any plumbing.
|
|
|
|
Cotton for winters
FOR your fashion cravings Cotton County is here to spice up your wardrobe with its Winter Collection 2006 range to match young tastes. Comprising pullovers, jackets, woollens, coats, chesters, tracksuits and lowers, full sleeve T-shirts, sweatshirts, shirts, denim and trousers the range has a wide range of styles, cuts, fabrics and detailing. The new jacket range, chic semi-formal and semi-casual Bush coats, designer and casual coats are ideal for the office as well as party and leisurewear. Trendy and sporty range of jackets is ideal for the fun loving hip-hop crowd. Prices range between Rs 899 to Rs 4999. Kalamkari wrap
Bringing you elegant wraps in aesthetic designs for the feminine grace, Ahujasons has come up with the most exquisite range of Kalamkari shawls and stoles. This pen-work is hand painting as well as block printing with vegetable dyes an art that evolved through trial and error over the last 3000 years. No wonder then that these start at Rs 40, 000. it is meant for the modern nawabs and rajas and aristocratic connoisseurs and collectors of arts and crafts. The colours are inspired by the jamawars of the bygone era with designs exploding in a riot of hues. Combined with the sensuous and warm texture of Pashmina, the finished product is surely a rare treat. Roshni by Surya
Surya has launched a new range of energy efficiency fluorescent tube lights carrying the prestigious 4 and 3 stars rating on Surya tube lights stand for the energy efficiency of the products, better quality, higher performance and comparatively long life to similar products. The ‘challenger’ and ‘super bright’ affordably priced at Rs 40 onwards are available at over 3,00,000 retail outlets across the country. Jeevanprash
Alkem Laboratories, one of India’s top ten pharmaceutical companies has launched Jeevanprash. Jeevanprash is a tasty, low-calorie and sugar-free ayurvedic health supplement. This is the 1st brand from Alkem Health Foods Division. Jeevanprash is totally safe for diabetics and a must for the calorie conscious as it contains FOS and Sucralose, a healthier replacement of sugar. With ingredients like FOS and Aloe Vera, Jeevanprash increases the ability to perform better and decreases the chances of falling ill. Giving strength and energy it also fights stress. Great in taste, Jeevanprash is beneficial for kids in improving concentration and learning abilities and is a tonic for expecting or lactating mothers. It is available in pack sizes of 1 Kg, 500 gms and 200 gms at the rates of Rs 200, Rs 110 and Rs 60 respectively. Fibre food
To add that the crucial fibre in your diet, Bagrrys India Limited introduces, Bagry’s Germinated Wheat Bran. Bagrry’s Wheat Bran is one of the richest sources of insoluble dietary fibre to help prevent and cure constipation, piles, certain cancers, heart problems, cholesterol and diabetes. Wheat Bran is excellent for controlling and reducing weight being a zero calorie food. Available, at Rs 36 for a 400gms box in all leading stores in your city, Bagrry’s Wheat Bran is made from germinated wheat. The process of germination ensures essential Vitamin-B complex and the enzymes moves from the center of the wheat grain to outer layer – the bran. This Wheat Bran is toasted using the latest drying technology to preserve the essential vitamins, minerals and aroma. Scratch and win
Tata Teleservices Limited introduces “Scratch and Win” offer exclusively at Tata Indicom True Value Shoppers and True Value hubs. Every customer purchasing a new Tata Indicom Mobile or Walky connection will be given a scratch card offering an assured gift such as Sakura Unisex watches, as well as calendars and greeting cards autographed by Tata Indicom brand ambassadors Ajay Devgan and Kajol. Scratch card also entitles customers to enter a lucky draw slogan contest with an opportunity to win exciting prizes worth Rs 40 lakhs, ranging from bikes to color televisions. The card also serves as an entry for a nation wide lucky draw, where in one customer also stands an opportunity to win a grand prize – Tata Indigo. Massage chairs
Panasonic Home Appliances India Co., Ltd., has tied up with Proline Fitness Planet, the pioneering company for complete sports solutions in India, to exclusively distribute Panasonic luxury massage chairs in the country. Priced between Rs 1, 49, 000 and Rs 3, 40,000, the chairs will be distributed by Proline Fitness Planet through their network of 38 retail stores all across India. Insure your child
Kotak Mahindra Old Mutual Life Insurance Limited one of the fastest growing insurance companies in India announces the launch of ‘Headstart’ Child Plans, cost effective dual benefit investment-cum-insurance plans aiming to give children the financial means to pursue their dreams. To make customer stay focused on savings and fully protected from uncertainties. The plan targets parents in the age group of 30-45 years, living in metros and mini metros. Fight acne
To cure teenage enemy, acne, Universal Impex, leading importers of beauty products, has now brought Ziiit, a new concept in relieving of acne, Europe’s leading skin care brand to India. Available in two packs, the 7 gms Ziiit Away costs Rs 250 and Rs 425 for 14gms and can be bought from exclusive tie up stores like CRS Stores and Dr Morepen besides leading pharmacists. It combines the best of natural extracts and very selective chemical substances for fast and pain free acne treatment.
|
|
For the love of Latin
You are the sun I’m the moon, you are the words If you have learnt a smattering of Latin in school you will know forty per cent of modern European languages including English, the same way children who learnt Sanskrit in school can understand forty percent of most Indian languages. Today we look at words, which have originated in other languages but are used in English frequently. Even though we call Latin and Sanskrit dead languages they live on in many expressions. English retains much of its legal, medical and scientific terminology from Latin. The following list includes words that every well-read person should be able use easily. 1. Ad hoc — for a particular or exclusive purpose e.g. an ad hoc appointment 2. Agenda — a list of things to do, to consider 3. Aurora borealis — northern occurrence of light 4. Bona fide — genuine, sincere 5. De facto — in fact, whether by right or not 6. De jure — rightfully, by right 7. Erratum — an error in writing or printing 8. Finis — the end of anything 9. Habeas corpus — writ in court wherein the detaining authority is asked to produce a person in bodily form; literally "Produce – the – body" 10. Ibid — in the same book or same place 11. Interi — the intervening time 12. Mea culpa — admitting ones fault or error 13. Modus operandi — particular way in which a person performs a task or action 14. Non sequitur — conclusion that does not flow logically 15. Per se — by itself, in itself 16. Quasi — seemingly or apparently 17. Quid pro quid — thing given as compensation return, made for a favour 18. Rigor mortis — stiffening of the body after death 19. Sanctum — holy place/sacred place 20. Status quo — existing state of affair Some more words of Latin origin:- angel, martyr, disciple, shrine Exercise for the readers, ten words starting with D (in English) to describe men:- Answers next week.
Source: The Concise Oxford Dictionary
|
THE Jewellery Design and Technology Institute, Noida, a premier institute of jewellery designing in India organised OPUS—showcasing 2006 recently for showcasing the jewellery designed by the VI graduating batch. The showcasing was followed by the convocation ceremony in the evening. The theme for the design project was ‘Art Deco’ and the students had designed jewellery based on the their inspiration which were as vivid as furniture, sculptures, architectural elements, machinery, fabric patterns to abstract. The jewellery on display were made of sterling silver, leather using cubic zirconia, beads and precious and semi-precious stones. The two year diploma programme comprises education modeules in jewellery designing and manufacturing and industrial training with leading jewellery houses in the country.
—TNS
|
|
Beat office blues WHEN was the last time you said some thing good about your work place or try recalling some thing good that you said about your colleague. Can’t remember? Okay, so you have problems at your work place? So what does one do? Yell at the colleagues, backbite about them or if nothing helps, seek solace in banging our own heads against the wall (Obviously this has to be the last resort!)? But rue no more as Carolyn Birchill, one of the most sought after trainers in the corporate world, is here to give you healthier solutions to complicated situations you can’t handle at your workplaces. And all these guaranteed ‘to-pull-you–out’ answers come with Carolyn’s assurance as they are tried and tested by her for she has experienced all of them at her so many work places. Belonging to Australia, Carolyn had always been on the move both for her work and pleasure. Having travelled over across 40 countries and lived at nine of them, she surely is an explorer. So what made this graduate from Couton Bleu School of London switch over to jobs ranging from a Chef at Four Seasons chain of hotels and Hyatt to working for a telecommunications firm as a manager and later as a general manager for a soft ware company? “I wanted some civilized work place rather than a kitchen filled up with French chefs throwing pans at each other”, laughs Carolyn. At a seminar organised by the Punjab chapter of NIPM (National Institute of Personnel Management) on “ Managing Emotions At Workplace” Carolyn literally made every one in the audience feel like school kids again including HR heads and business managers from leading corporate firms from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh, as they followed each and every instruction of hers devotedly. Throughout the entire session it seemed that all the business people present there for one forgot their respective designations and went on to do some very interesting exercises like facing the wall and squeezing each other’s shoulders, patting at the backs, exhaling and inhaling, deep breathing, stretching the arms, wriggling fingers and all this, with the sound system churning out soothing music beats. And at the end of it, all of them went back feeling happy about going back to their work places. And how long the honeymoon with their work places would last? Well that is some thing that their colleagues have to watch for!
|
|
MENTION the dusky Kolkata girl Bipasha Basu and the Omkara song Beedi Jalaile… begins to play in your mind. You prefer this to the ‘body bountiful’ images. Bipasha is not one to get defensive but… it is work, says the Bengal babe. She has a nice personality and tremendous screen presence. From winning the Ford Supermodels Contest at the age of 17 to her debut in Ajnabee in 2001 followed by 28 films, Bipasha’s performance in each film has been appreciated. The enigmatic Bipasha at the release of her keenly awaited film Dhoom: 2 takes time off to talk to Lifestyle. Tell us a little about your character in the film? To be a part of a film like Dhoom: 2, the timing was fantastic for me because I was becoming fit. So I guess producer Aditya Chopra chose me because of the physicality of the character. Shonali Bose is a cop, so she had to look like a cop. That was easier because I had become very fit and I am tall. She is the kind of person who hangs around with boys and so the toughness of the cop had to come through. You have a very different look in the film. Please tell us more about it and do you relate to it? Absolutely I relate to it. A cop cannot have many frills and fancies when she is at work. Dhoom: 2 is a film which talks about styling and good-looking people. Are you more at ease with action-adventure films like Dhoom: 2 as opposed to typical Hindi film naach gaana? I think I have reached that stage of life where I want to do everything. I have forced myself to be comfortable with Bollywood naach gaana because I earlier I could not identify myself it. But today, I do understand that the essence of Bollywood is naach gaana and yet with time, we are changing, we are trying to do different kinds of things. I am an adventurous person and very athletic, so definitely this kind of film is more fun, it is not like a job. What according to you is Dhoom: 2 about and what can the audience look forward to? It is a youthful action comedy, which reinvents the genre and propels it into the 21st century. The film has great stunts, great-looking people, good styling, great bodies, good music, beautiful locations like Rio and South Africa. I think Dhoom: 2 is a package entertainer. So much of attention has been lapped up by Aishwarya Rai, her look. Do you feel ignored? No, I think the attention is adequate. Aishwarya Rai has never experimented with her looks in this drastic manner. She is always seen on screen as an Indian girl. So for the first time you see her in short skirts and bikini tops with a tanned look. The look is different for me too in this film. This is the first time that you have worked with Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai. What was it like? Both are cooperative. Hrithik Roshan, when you look at him, seems a very serious person. Actually he is a comedian, a good co-star on the sets. Aishwarya is very approachable. What do you think of the Dhoom: 2 music composed by Pritam as compared to Dhoom? You have lent your voice for the first time for the song My name is Ali, what was it like? The original soundtrack was fantastic. It was a rage. Dhoom: 2 music is also good. I always feel that the audience has to identify with picturisation. I think the new track is fantastic. A good song on the track is Touch Me. This song is sexy and I love it. I have only said words for the song My Name is Ali. It’s not singing. I have too husky a voice. Do you think Dhoom: 2 can outdo the success of Dhoom? I do not ever like to judge a film before its release. You cannot. Dhoom: 2 is going to be a lot of fun to watch. I just hope that people like it. You cannot outdo your own branding. —D. P.
|
|
SHE picked up a pair of sparkling Punjabi juttis with gleaming crystals and intricate work from her hometown in Germany. But Teresa Miedl has walked into this part of the region not for indulging in some wild shopping spree. The young student, doing internship at Max Mueller Bhavan in Delhi, is here in Chandigarh for studying youngsters’ impressions about Germany. Right fellows, Teresa is all set to offer city youngsters an opportunity of shifting their notions about the country of mountains and cars from the canvas of their minds onto the sheets during a painting competition. The draw-your-imagination contest, scheduled to be held on Sunday morning in Sector 17, is a part of the Chandigarh Carnival inaugurated Saturday morning. As she gets ready to talk to you at the German Centre run by Indo-German Language and Cultural Society in Sector 34, silky golden-brown tresses gently tumbling down the shoulders and cheerful eyes complimenting a gleeful smile lend a sense of charm to her inspiring persona. The enthusiasm in her tone only increases the appeal as she says: I am so excited about the whole thing. It will give me a chance to learn what people in this part of the region imagine about Germany — whether they think the country is all about BMWs and football, or something more than that”. Rubbing her hands earnestly, she flashes a broad smile before saying: “I just cannot wait to see the competition results. Am sure it’s going to be fun…. If you ask me, I will draw placid water gently striking the lakeshores, nature resting in lofty mountains and a rosy picture of the night life in Germany ”. Her eyes harden just a little bit as you suggest painting Swastika — the design with arms bent back clockwise used in Nazi Germany and by other Nazi fascists as a party emblem and symbol of anti-Semitism. “It’s all about extremism. In Germany, it’s still considered bad”. Back to India, Teresa says the distance between the people, and even the vehicles, is less compared to Germany. “People here are friendlier. They meet you warmly and respond to your smile. But the traffic on the roads leaves you in a jam”. Shifting in her seat, she asserts: “When I arrived in Delhi from Germany on October 6, I found traveling disorganised and noisy. Everywhere around me were hooting and honking motorists driving away from the rules. In Munich, traffic density is fairly high during the office hours. But motorists do not change sides or jump lights”. This is not all. Teresa cannot understand why students get up while talking to their teachers in the classrooms. She only smiles when you say in India people have to stand up and shout to make themselves heard over the din of daily existence due to pollution explosion! — Saurabh Malik
|
|
Smith & the Rubik Cube
TALK show queen Oprah Winfrey was completely bedazzled when her celeb guest Will Smith solved a Rubik's Cube puzzle before her very eyes. Oprah challenged the MIB actor over the authenticity of his puzzle-solving skills in new movie The Pusuit Of Happiness. But instead of getting afraid, an eager Smith willingly offered to turn a muddled Rubik's Cube into one with six same-colour sides in just two minutes. As Winfrey cut to commercials, Smith had solved the colourful puzzle when the show returned after the break, leaving the host speechless, but impressed. All for friendship
While almost all the who's who of Hollywood were present at Tomkat's wedding that took place last weekend in Rome, actor John Travolta's absence was as prominent as all those attendees combined.
And the notable no-show of the Face Off actor has given rise to a number of rumours, the persistent one being - he snubbed the event as his (Travolta's) close pal, Oprah Winfrey wasn't invited to attend the ceremony. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' wedding was graced by Jennifer Lopez, Will Smith, Victoria Beckham, Brooke Shields and on and on. But Travolta - a longtime friend of Cruise, and a fellow super-Scientologist - skipped the trip to Italy. Spielberg’s peace mission
He's directed some of the bloodiest movies, but now Steven Spielberg has a new mission: Peace in the Middle East. The Hollywood director, who has been the man behind movies such as Saving Private Ryan, Munich and Holocaust, has begun a video diary programme to promote greater understanding across the divide between Palestine and Israel. After a meeting in Los Angeles recently where Speilberg met Tzipi Livni, the Israeli Foreign Minister, and Danny Gillerman, the Israeli Ambassador to the UN, the ambassador revealed that the director hoped the project will see more young people taking up the camera instead of guns and grenades.—ANI
|
|
Blow hot, blow cold ...with cocktails THE leaves are turning, the temperature is dropping, the sun seems to have got cooler and throats are starting to feel a little sore. Soon it’ll be that time of year when one just feels like wrapping a blanket around and curling up in front of a warm fire with a nice warm drink. Well, for those of you who are looking for a change from the usual, here are a few winter cocktails from around the world to keep you warm. I know that the word cocktail brings to mind the stereotypical image of sitting on a beach, wallowing in the summer sun and sucking on an enormous glass that has half a pineapple shoved in it, but the winter also brings to us a selection of drinks that can warm the soul. (Let me also assure everybody that I have carefully selected drinks for which ingredients are easily available in the city.) So here’s a few interesting recipes that have been concocted by some bored bartenders somewhere in the world, and have slowly found their way onto the Internet. There are a few hot drinks and a few cold ones, but one thing is for sure, once they’re inside you they will all dull your senses and raise your spirits… oh and warm you up! Something Cool… My prying on the net tells me that this concoction was first mixed in 1911 (another version says it was in 1923), in Harry’s New York Bar, in Paris. The sidecar was apparently devised for a somewhat eccentric customer, who would make his daily visits to the bar in the sidecar of a chauffer-driven motorcycle! Ingredients: 60ml Cognac (Brandy), 15ml Cointreau or Triple Sec (Any orange-based liqueur), 15ml lemon juice, 15ml cold water, ice, powdered sugar, lemon or orange slice to garnish Preparation: Fill a cocktail shaker about two-thirds with ice and add the Cognac, Cointreau/triple sec, lemon juice and water. Give it a good shake and strain the drink into a sugar rimmed martini glass* (without letting the ice fall into the glass). Now garnish the glass with the sliced lemon or orange and serve. (You can even add a cocktail cherry if you wish.) To sugar rim a martini glass all you need to do is to rub some lemon on the rim of the glass and then place the glass upside down on a plate filled with powdered sugar. Something Hot… Hmm… So a drink dedicated to the famous MGM cartoon duo? Sorry, this is one cocktail that is really old school. It is believed that a St. Louis-based bartender called Jerry Thomas first devised this drink back in 1850. Now, Jerry Thomas is reputed to have written one of the first-ever cocktail books and is also referred to as the Father of the Cocktail. The drink is extremely popular in the USA as a Christmas beverage and has been simplified over the years and re-christened Tom and Jerry (which is probably a distorted derivation from his name). Ingredients: 1 egg (you will need to separate the white from the yolk), caster sugar, light rum, brandy, grated nutmeg, boiling water. Preparation: Beat the egg white and yolk separately. Then add together and pour in sufficient castor sugar to ensure the mixture stiffens. Beat this till the mixture is nice and stiff. Then pour the mixture into a coffee cup and add rum followed by the brandy. Top it off with hot water and garnish with a few sprinkles of nutmeg and enjoy it while it’s hot. Illustrations: Angad B. Sodhi Harry’s New York Bar was the European headquarters for the cocktail boom. It is said to be the birthplace of famous cocktails such as the Bloody Mary, Sidecar and the White Lady. It is also said to be the place where the fist hot dog in France was served. The bar is still the international headquarters of the International Bar Flies, 'a secret fraternal organisation devoted to the uplift and downfall of serious drinkers’. Its insignia showed a fly on a cube of sugar. There was also a secret handshake for members. There are well over 125 Fly Traps (as they called the groups) in countries like Germany, Austria, Switzerland, England, and Italy. (Compiled from the net)
|
|
Mistress
of spices EVER
toured the magical world of spices? Enchanting, colourful spices will greet you if you visit Geeti Bakshi’s industrial unit. As one enters, silken smooth haldi powder rises like the pale yellow dust from a butterfly wing. Fenugreek kernels lie scattered on the floor, like lush moss after rain.
Golden ginger is being chopped and cut to pieces and it glows like the sun-bleached bland earth. Blister red and saag-green chilies are being sliced, carrying with them an enticing sting. Well, the imagery alone is mouth-watering enough. What’s spicier and a tad more succulent, however, is the final product that’s being worked on. Celebrating the magic of these and many more Indian spices is an army of 60 women. Chopping, cutting, slicing, sunning everything from the light summery limes and piquant mangoes to the fiery chillies, these women go on to sprinkle a heady mix of diverse spices. What begins from here is a thoroughly technical process—packaging, quality control, tasting, laboratory testing and storing counter samples of the final product—the Spicy Treat pickle. The final concoction that comes out of this industrial unit in Mohali is the Spicy Treat pickle. Started by Geeti Bakshi in 1990, the Spicy Treat brand of pickles is a name to reckon with today. Available in more than 24 distinct flavours, these pickles are today found adorning the shelves of department stores across North India, covering the entire Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, J and K, Delhi, Rajasthan and yes, even the USA and Australia. Like many great ventures, this one too had humble beginnings. A young, Punjabi woman, settled in Chandigarh, started it all as a hobby. “Around 1990, many requests started pouring in from friends and I started custom-making pickles for them. With the immense support extended by my husband and parents-in-law, it soon became a cottage industry. I operated from my home in Sector 8, Chandigarh. But business grew tremendously and I started my factory in 1995.” Since then there has been no looking back. Zesty pickles followed chutneys and orders from abroad started flooding her enterprise. And if you’re wondering what’s the lady’s USP, let me tell you that there’s none. For, there are so many plusses of her pickles that it seems difficult to pinpoint some thing. For one, the lady’s a great believer in empowering women, and so she runs a largely female ship. Explains Geeti, “Ninety per cent of my employees are women who are excellent in cooking but not very educated. I believe in generating employment for them by giving each of them four-month training.” Also Geeti remains very particular about hygiene. “I believe in a very strict quality control system. It is needed to maintain the right texture, taste and colour of pickles,” she reasons. Another unique point about her is the diverse flavours she experiments with. “While I’m very particular about not tampering with the basic, homemade taste and flavour of my pickles, I have different flavours to satisfy different palettes. Like my Gujarati pickle flavours are sweeter, while Rajasthani and Punjabi picle flavours are spicier. And then, there’s a whole range of medicinal pickles (amla, dela, ginger and garlic) and enticing chutneys (mango chutney, chunda, lime sweet and sour, lime chilli ginger and so on). There are pastes and jams in the offing too. “The food sector has unlimited opportunities for expansion and we will soon be venturing into pastes, sauces and health foods,” chirps enterprising Geeti. Geeti has already put in a delicious tang in our mouths. She can only create more magic with Indian spices that most of us toss into our cooking pots so unthinkingly.
|
|
Now a chocolate fountain! AS the rich, creamy, thick swirls come gently cascading down, you cannot help but be drawn to it all. Utterly fascinating and delightfully delicious, a chocolate fountain is something all and I mean all of us have dreamt of and guess what, all our childhood fantasies have come true, our city has one! Brush past a hundred people at Fun Republic (Mani Majra), break away from the irresistible draw of the Big Mac, walk up the stairs to the first floor, single minded in your pursuit towards the Big C and lo and behold ‘Choco Fun’ with its chocolate fountain will lure you, entice you, allure you and tempt you into its furls. The brainchild of former corporate employee M. K. Sharma, ‘Choco-Fun’ is all about d(r)ipping chocolate and more! Take a slice of cake and dunk it into freshly churning dark, dreamy chocolate or bite into a chocolate kulfi instead. If a fresh fruit kebab is more to your taste, bite into it fruit by chocolate bit or then you could nibble into a banana chocolate if ‘healthy’ calories is more your style! From jujubes (Rs 15) to marshmallows (Rs 20) to candy, nuts, clusters and even jelly everything finds place here in the neatly stacked counter ready to go right into a bowl filled with chocolate. Started less than two months ago, it was a trip that Sharma made to England that did it all. “I saw this fountain there and everything from fruit to candy to nuts to even fish and chicken being dipped into it.” That was in 2004 and Sharma came back the idea firmly set in his head and after importing the machine into India from England (he claims this is the first of its kind in Northern India), he finally began his chocolaty venture. Not just this, even hand-made chocolate finds its way here amidst the tumbling chocolate—orange, lemon, the hot favourite rum and raisin and honey—this along with chocolate roses, jumbo coins wrapped in gold paper, choco-men and even chocolate caps are there to enchant your senses. Don’t’ buy we say, take a peep but Sharma assures us, nothing is more tempting that flowing chocolate! CHOCOLATY FACTS Remember Roald Dahl’s ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ where a poor little boy who never had enough to even eat gets to visit a chocolate factory? The book was made into a movie and here is some chocolaty trivia from the film: Quite a lot of the chocolate things such as trees, flowers etc. featured in the movie were created by chocolate shop ‘Choccywoccydoodah’ in Brighton, UK. The shop displayed and sold some of the creations in the shop after he release of the film This is actor Johnny Depp's second chocolate-based movie (the first being Chocolat in 2000). Depp doesn't like the taste of good chocolate - he prefers the cheap, Easter-bunny type. A camera lens wasn't properly secured when trying to get a shot of a vat of chocolate. As a result, the lens fell into the vat, which destroyed it The lollipops on the trees, the giant pink sugar canes, and the giant humbugs were real candy.
|
Drinks, Dips and Dunkers
“PARTY-Time” is in the air and don’t we all love it! It’s a wonderful excuse to gather together friends and family, to catch up on news and enjoy food and drink. The scariest part is putting the menu together, cooking some innovative grub and keeping in mind that we don’t repeat our main ingredients. If you want to create the “gush-factor”, here is a teeny-weeny bit of advice ---- Allow peanuts and aloo-tikia to gently bow out from the snacks-scenario. The time has come for something more hi-fi than that. Dips are not always exactly healthy, but the fact that you serve them, surrounded by batons of raw veggies like carrots, radish, cucumber and broccoli more than makes up for the cream or cheese in the dips themselves. This column carries two dips and I shall inflict some mocktails on you in the column next Saturday! Aïoli
This recipe is a good example of a basic garlic sauce and can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Method Crush the garlic cloves and the salt in a pestle and mortar or by pounding them together with a rolling pin. I’d like to mention here, that rock-salt instead of the ordinary one would get the flavour ‘rocking’! Transfer to a food processor along with the egg yolks, lemon juice and the mustard. Whiz briefly until pale. With the motor running, add the oil in a steady stream until the dip is thick and glossy. You may wish to thin it slightly by whisking in a spoonful or two of boiling water. Pour into a pretty bowl, cling-film, and chill until required. Herbed walnut and yogurt dip
10 gm fresh basil (or 1 tsp of the dried variety) Method Place the herbs, garlic, walnuts, lemon rind and salad oil in a small food processor or blender and pulse to a fine paste. Gently beat the yogurt in a separate bowl till smooth. Transfer the mix from the blender jar into the yogurt and fold in. Season with salt and pepper and serve with raw vegetables, wafers, ‘kurkure’ or corn chip-sticks.
|
|
|
|
Health tip of the day
When selecting a chair for the home, one should ensure that the front edge of its seat is rounded and well padded to avoid thrombophlebitis as the result of impaired venous return during prolonged sitting. |
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
