“Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” ~ James Beard (1903-1985)
As promised in my last post, here I am to spill the beans and to talk about my new home - New York City. The big move was quite unexpected and pleasantly surprising. Yes, it was always my dream to work in-the-city. Yes, I did imagine myself multiple times, walking through the beautiful alleys of NYC, gazing at the tall buildings. What I didn't expect is, how soon my wish came true. It has been four hectic weeks of still adjusting and trying to fit into this crazy yet exhilarating New York culture.
Also, one other thing I did not expect is that the first post after my move would be about a a Vegan/Vegetarian Meetup, something I signed up mere few days ago. Click for more and scroll down for a visual experience of my visit to Winter Village at Bryant Park last night!
Many of my friends ask: Why do you write about food? My answer to them is simple - I cook or I blog about food as eating has always been my most reliable way of understanding the world!. Reveling in a delightful morsel of rice or well made bread gives me immense happiness and it restores a sense of familiarity. And I truly love that feeling. Today's post is about my experience tasting a myriad of dishes made as a part of tasting event for Bengali Food Festival at Trident, Hyderabad. This is my first time experiencing the cuisine in such close quarters. Being a vegetarian, read on to know more on what I got to taste from a land popular for Maach (fish) and Bhaat (rice)!
What better way to celebrate the onset of monsoons than devouring on some good Parsi food? Only once before did I taste this cuisine even though I read and heard a lot about it through various blogs, magazines and from close friends. Most of the Parsi dishes are known for their unique balance of sweetness and acidity. It is this sensuous play of flavor elements that makes this cuisine truly irresistible. So, when I got an invite to be a part of a Parsi Food Festival currently happening at Firdaus (Taj Krishna), I jumped on the opportunity like a hungry cat. :-) Was the experience worth it? Read on to know more...
My earliest food memory is a time when I dreamt day and night of the luxurious food served in the expansive Hyderabadi Nizami kitchens in their good old days. I was just then finished reading a book on Hyderabad + its rich heritage & history and as a foodie by heart, I was most fascinated about their grand feasts, flair for food and intricately prepared dishes with such complex flavors. The cuisine by itself is meat-centric with various kinds of rustic haleems and kheemas with their khansamas (royal cooks) treated with high regard, often accompanying the Nizams themselves to far away places. Lest you think why so much talk about Nizami food today, let me tell you that today's post is about an exquisite event "The Jeelani Diaries" I attended at Vivanta by Taj, Begumpet and the end of the post has details on how you can experience the same while you are in the city.
When we entered the Sheraton Hotel for the first time, it was dramatically illuminated and for a second we was in awe of the beauty of the place. We were there to attend a Chaine de Rotisseur (Bangalore chapter) dinner, being the lucky two bloggers with access to experience some amazing culinary creations and meet extraordinary members that would otherwise considered to be too exclusive or insidery for most people to get into.
The event was happening at Bene, the signature Italian restaurant at Sheraton Hotel. There was wine, champagne and some mouth-watery little nibbles to munch on before the actual dinner started.
With some cool breeze, beautifully lit swimming pool, small fountains on the side and hanging lanterns through the trees, it was a perfect evening and best of all were the members of the Chaine de Rotisseur themselves who were wearing different colors of chains and ribbons around their neck, symbolizing various cadres within the organization.What attracts the most about them - is their cool professionalism and their zeal to promote the art of fine cuisine amongst both amateur and professional gastronomes.
What is The Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs?
"The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, an international gastronomic society, founded in Paris in 1950, traces its origins back to 1248. At that time, the French King Louis IX (later canonized as Saint Louis) wishing to thank the trades which had contributed to the construction of Sainte Chapelle, ordered the establishment of several professional guilds, one of which was the "Oyeurs" or goose roasters. The vocation of this guild was to improve the technical knowledge of its members: apprentices, tradesmen and masters. Over the decades, the Chaîne has dedicated itself to bringing together those who share a mutual interest in cuisine, wine, and fine dining in a spirit of camaraderie.
Before we even arrived, the chefs at Sheraton hotel were ready with their starters and each of them for me were little pieces of perfection - bite sized, easy to grab, intricately flavored and one bite: just WOW!
Melon balls stuffed with herb cream cheese: The sweetness from the melon balls contrast so beautifully with the saltiness from herb cheese. Just one look and you know the chef gave equal emphasis to presentation as well.
Melon balls stuffed with herbed Philadelphia cream cheese
Artichoke palmheart with sundried tomato trian on multigrain crisps: To be really honest, I was stumped and suprised to see artichoke in Bangalore. Personally speaking, these just hammer home the point. I must have had at least 8-10 of these and before I knew they were all gone!
Artichoke palmheart with sundried tomato trian on multigrain crisps
Champagne anyone?
The dinner was about to begin and we were all seated at our respective tables with name plates displayed at each of our seats. One look at the fabulous 5 course meal featuring all Italian favorites, I knew it was going to be a night to remember..
Executive Chef Gustavo Maurelli, addressing the audience
A basket of fresh bread was placed on each of our tables and the one that tasted best of all was - Focaccia. We were served with dips on the side - herb butter and olive oil with balsamic vinegar. My personal favorite is olive oil with balsamic vinegar. Try it with any bread you have at home. The sweet & salty balsamic vinegar will become your instant favorite, I am sure of it.
Focaccia bread
Then we moved on to the actual meal of the day. I like the fact that there were separate menus for vegetarians and non-vegetarians, unlike at many occasions where the vegetarians are always sidelined and given a step-motherly treatment.
The Menu
First Course: Eggplant souffle with roasted capsicum gelato
Wine: Prosecco Ti Amo
Not a big fan of the eggplant souffle as the skin was a little too chewy to bite into, but the roasted capsicum gelato was indeed a luscious, silken delight.
Eggplant souffle with roasted capsicum gelato
Second Course: Roasted pumpkin (soup) with poppy seed mousse.
Wine: Mannara, Pinot Grigo
Sometimes, simplicity belies a truth about one's cooking. This dish is a perfect example of using simple ingredients and delicate cooking for the flavors to shine through. I think its a splendid idea to pour warm soup onto a mousse as that creates a whimsical play of flavors and elevates the dish to a new level. We literally attained food-nirvana after this dish. :-)
Roasted pumpkin soup with poppy seed mousse
Third Course: Ravioli filled with grilled artichokes served in a light lemon cream infused with fresh marjoram
Wine: Nederburg, Sauvignon Blanc
I am not great fan of too much cheese in a pasta dish, but I don't despise it either. The first two bites of ravioli were silky but after that I found it was a little too intense for my taste. Nevertheless, a lovely dish whose flavors play footsie with the back of your tongue.
Ravioli filled with grilled artichokes served in a light lemon cream infused with fresh marjoram
I had to miss the rest of the courses as it was a weekday and was getting late in the night. Here is how the rest of the dished looked like.
Photo Credits for below 3 images: Sheraton Bangalore Hotel at Brigade Gateway
Fourth Course: Wild mushroom gratin served on white semolina Gnocchi
Wine: Three Peaks, Merlot
Wild mushroom gratin served on white semolina Gnocchi
Fifth Course: Smoked snow goat cheese garnished with candied fruits preserved in mustard oil
Smoked snow goat cheese garnished with candied fruits preserved in mustard oil
Dessert: Tiramisu
Tiramisu
My overall feeling about the dinner:
This is food to give pause, to be enjoyed slowly savoring each morsel. The menu was ambitious and fascinating, each dish excelling the next. My only complaint was the timing. A good 45 minute to 1 hour wait between each of the courses seemed a little too much to me. By the time it was 10:30 pm, we were still in the third course. So, we had to leave without tasting the last two courses and dessert. Too bad, as I was really looking forward for Tiramisu.
On a final note, Bene is a pretty, cosy restaurant - pin-lighted room with marvelous views of Escon temple right behind of Sheraton. I highly recommend to visit the place atleast once. I am not sure whats the regular day-to-day menu of the restaurant, but the food they served us today was just spell-bounding. No doubt about that.
P.S - On a different note, here is presenting to you all a new look of Cooking With Siri. I hope you like it as much as I did. :-)
It is my dream to go to Greece and then Italy one day. To enjoy their pristine blue beaches and also to spend a day or two on their olive oil plantations. I love olive oil and for me, garlic bread with olive oil could be a meal in itself. It is always intriguing to me how each of the olive oils taste and vary by the region in which they are cultivated and the extraction process as well. Some are spicy & pungent, Some fruity with bitter peppery tones and some very delicately fruity.
It was an initiative by Oliveitup, a three-year campaign in collaboration with Italy and for promoting European olive oil in India. It organises a series of training activities and information services to disseminate correct knowledge of this amazing product.
See the below pic. it is Mr.Michele Labarile, the tasting expert who shared a wealth of his knowledge about tasting different kinds of olive oil that were put forth in front of us. The procedure is as subtle and similar to wine-tasting. Here is a brief overview for you all -
1) Pour the oil in a small glass and gently swirl in order to release all the aromas. 2) ..smell the oil, first briefly then more deeply. 3) ..now sip a small quantity of oil and try to keep it in front of your mouth between your lower lip and your tightly shut teeth... 4) .. now breathe in through the clenched teeth, first delicately, then more vigorously, so as to vaporise the oil inside the mouth and the sides of the tongues, where the taste buds are... 5) ..then while trying to identify the aromas & flavours, exhale from the nose so that the vaporised oil particles can reach the nasal membrane giving even more precise sensation.. 6) ...once you can a clear taste profile (ranging from being fruity to bittery to peppery), expel the oil!
Phew!, see it is not that easy to taste olive oil and needs a lot of precision & practice. :-)
Mr. Michle Labarile, the tasting expert in action.
Did you know: a diet rich in olive oil (esp extra virgin variety) can strengthen your immune system, reduce cholestrol, prevent many cardiovascular diseases, lower blood pressure and can have a positive impact on the emergence of diabetes.
I, like many others out there was always under the impression that olive oil is good for no-cook recipes as I was under the impression that it should not be heated to a high temperature. I was so Wrong!!!!. Olive oil has a higher smoking point and for all our Indian cooking needs, it can be comfortably used. Nutritional Expert - Ishi Khosla confirmed that fact during this meet. From then on, I have started to use more of Olive oil and less of processed oils such as vegetable oil & canola oil.
The next big highlight of the whole event was to see the most exuberant celebrity chef on Indian TV - Vicky Ratnanilive, in action Yes, the Gourmet Guru himself.
Here are some shots from his cooking demo -
Chef VR mostly uses Olive Oil for his cooking..
Different colors of peppers, finely chopped & ready for use..
Chef VR's very famous "Hathoda", a.k.a Pepper Grinder
Guess what Chef VR made for us? The most unusual combination of flavors which came out so beautifully.
He made Root Vegetable Cutlets with Peach & Bell pepper chutney. Yumm-de-dum :D. Both of them were like match-made-in-heaven and super fantastic.
Root Vegetable Cutlets, ready to be shallow fried.
Of course there was media too in the event and here is Chef VR giving a brief interview - why he loves olive oil over others..
The final dish: this is how it looked. You can see the amazing plating skills of Chef VR in the below shot.
Image Credits: A special thanks to Mads for letting me share the pics above from the olive oil tasting event.
Now, coming to the recipe - Spaghetti Aglio Olio. It is totally Italian-o, as Chef VR says and it is his recipe of course from the show "Gourmet Central"!!!. :-). One bite and you are transported back to Italy. It is simple yet very tasty and if you are a pasta-lover like me, this could be a perfect snack at any time of the day. We were given couple of bottles of Italian olive oil at the conference, So I used them for making this dish.
I highly recommend everybody to use Olive oil or at least a blend of oils (such an 1:1 proportion of Olive oil & Rice Bran oil, a tip I got from Mads). Oil is a form of fat that goes into our bodies and it is imperative to make sure it is something which increases good cholesterol and decreases the bad.
