Diwali fervour is just gone past and even though, amidst all this merriment, the citizens of the capital are only secretly wishing for cleaner air once the sparkly bits are over, it does little to put a spanner in the festivity works. Between the gorging and indulging and a fitness regime, the key to sustenance is balance.
First, the travels. The pandemic, among other things, made me marvel at the vastness of our nation. There is so much to see within our borders that even one lifetime wouldn’t suffice. I have recently returned from Jaisalmer and Bikaner where I was privy to some of the finest versions of hospitality as doled out by the teams of Suryagarh and Narendra Bhawan respectively. They understand hospitality and luxury like the bigger more established five-star chains struggle to fathom. They orchestrate experiences that will stay with you like a fond memory and set service standards which will pale what we have otherwise happily settled for. The level and sincerity of care and concern across the properties was of the kind that one can only expect from immediate family. Sure this sounds like hyperbole, which is why you shouldn’t believe me; instead, cancel that trip to Europe (has the visa even come yet?) and head to this wonderful land of palaces, dunes and starlit memories.
Next, the gorging. There was a lot of that so whatever am sharing here is a distilled down set for your Diwali stash, for self-indulging or gifting. Decadent truffles from Truffle & Co were a happy mouthful (and all made eggless, something I am sure will matter to many). Also excellent were the chocolate butterscotch barks from the Bombay Sweet Shop, they made me feel like I wasn’t overindulging a craving.
Then I made a visit to Kiko-Ba, a modern Asian eatery doing some traditional fare served up a la contemporary. Awesome food, among the best dimsums this side of the McMahon Line and a cocktail programme to impress. They claim to not serve food that is merely ‘instagrammable’ and I think that’s a brave decision in times today. The pay off is that most of the clientele is repeat and many there seemed to be there to mark celebratory milestones. Definitely a food first kinda’ space.
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Finally, on to the drinking. No Label mead is a new entrant in a space that is far from crowded. I am still unsure about how people are taking to this fermented honey drink but if the burgeoning brand syndrome (and my personal like for the product) are anything to go by, then I think we can safely say the fermented drink category is growing beyond just beer and wine and, if I may quickly add, in an equally healthy way. No Label, already available in a few states, works with multi-floral and litchee honeys, packs in 7% alcohol and, although I would have liked some more flavoury punch, was still quite decent. So go ahead and try something new this season.
While on yum, Effingut—the microbrewery brand which is already big in Pune, Kolkata and Mumbai—recently opened its first outlet in Delhi. And it’s a first not only for them, it’s the first that Delhiites will taste of a proper indigenous micro-brew. The existing outlets in Gurgaon (barring the odd anomaly of a decent brew now and then) were horrible and nothing like good clean beer should taste, ever! Well, for now, Gurgaon has BrewDog and we in Delhi have Effingut (which, by the way, is way bigger and also had some cracker snacks). So, let the brew battles (finally) begin!
Finally, if, like me, you look for a break from too much eating out, I suggest staying in and trying your hand at basic cooking. I recently acquired a cast-iron kadhai from an Indian brand, Vinod, and have done some considerable data gathering on the benefits of cooking in such a utensil. Now, first thing off the table, it won’t replenish your iron deficiency. No, you will still need supplements for that. However, it will definitely protect against burning your oil and can also be used for an even broil. Another advantage of cast-ironware includes longer heat retention and I have (also) used mine to create a jugaad-Dutch over while baking and it did the job fine. They are brittle but if handled right, and seasoned right, can last a lifetime. Vinod makes cast-ironware in this kadhai shape, something one may not find with imported brands. So, this was a good acquisition for me. The more “western” peeps out there may even use it as a hotpot.
Finally, the recently concluded Prowine event in Mumbai was a super success and I feel the coming months will see many new brands sign up with local importers and make their way to Indian shelves. Only trouble, Delhi will have to wait because their current policies are darker than a new moon night and holds even lesser promise for the time being. My big bets on the coming grapes and regions for the seasons— Argentinean Malbec, Chilean Carmenere, Californian reds and Australian whites and bubblies. That said, I also tried some truly fabulous Indian wines but more on that next time. Till then, remember to keep the balance.
The writer is a sommelier
