a fine mix of European and Asian flavours at Dirty Apron and a Jazz club in the city

If you are looking for places with live music, especially Jazz in Delhi the chances are you will end up stepping up on that Piano keyboard floor. The Pianoman Jazz Club has a nice and warm ambiance, a mezzanine level seating that is quite intimate and functional. Very intelligent use of space, dimly lit brick walls and vibrant energy that I could feel even in the day time when a band called Bolly Jazz was practicing.

We were there for lunch at Dirty Apron which is more open with bright natural light and greenery laced windows. Promise of good food, some peppy fusion of European and Asian flavours and some good chitchat with a few blogger friends is what took us there on a weekend. It is always good to be with more people when you go for food tasting so you can take your bites from everyone's plate to see what you like.

I started with a piña colada that was very good. The beverage menu is quite interesting with quirky names and the drinks look gorgeous. 

I had ordered a Vietnamese Chicken Pho Soup that comes with a grilled strip of tofu. It was just okay taste wise with few chunks of chicken and noodles. I tasted the Hungarian Mushroom soup from my friend's bowl and loved it absolutely. Very flavourful and rich tasting, this soup is a must try if you like mushrooms. The Seafood Chowder served in a crusty bun was superbly flavourful.

Among the appetizers I loved the taste of Stuffed Mushrooms Nonya Sauce. A few bites from the Korean Nacho also felt good. I liked the use of homemade Kimchi and peanuts in the Nacho salad. 

For main course Masamman Grilled Snapper was my choice, I found the fish nice but loved the slices of sweet potatoes and wilted spinach with sesame it comes with. Red Curry Marinated Lamb Chops were quite good, the bed of miso mashed potatoes was even better. 

Herb crusted Sea Bass with sweet chilly Sambal comes on a bed of Wasabi mash and it quite delectable. I loved the way mashed potato is made so playful, the end result is delicious.

The flavours of Chicken Laksa Risotto and Keemaroni (keema with Mac n Cheese) are addictive to say the least. These two dishes that we tried were the most cheesy, the flavours doing a tango, I could see everyone loving these two dishes. 

My favourite was the vegetarian Coconut rice with Sambal and Okra topped with Crispy Onions and Lime. This was my kind of coconut rice with the sweetness of onions, umami of sambal and creaminess of the coconut rice.

The Pork Chops with Apricot Brandy (not in the collage above) sounded exciting but failed to impress. The rib chops were really baby size so may be that was the reason, flavours were nice though. Thai Curry and Pumpkin Gorgonzola Ravioli was unimpressive. Too mushy even though I like pumpkin a lot.

On the other hand I loved the Ratatouille which is a dish with mushy vegetables where a measured precision of mushiness was bang on. Flavours were balanced too and I took second helpings, I never need brad with Ratatouille but the Focaccia that came with it was really nice.

The citrus Creme brulee was nice, presented beautifully.

My good friend Ruchira Hoon has done the menu at Dirty Apron and I knew it will be delicious food all over, but I believe some credit must go to the kitchen team to be able to follow the blueprint and keep cooking the food consistently good. I found quite a number of dishes that I would order again when I go.

The best thing about the menu is that everyone would be able to find according to taste and diet preference, I found a lot of healthy meal choices that are so delicious you wont ever regret not choosing something sinful, the coconut rice with okra and grille fish dishes fit the bill absolutely. There are a lot of indulgent foods and a lot of salad meal choices are there too. Something that works for me absolutely. 

A filling 3-4 course meal will cost about 2000 INR for 2 and it is value for money too. 

The menu at the Jazz club is different, more of small nibbles served like finger food so the food doesn't come into the way of music. Long time I attended a live concert so I am planning we will keep a track of their calendar now. I heard they are not repeating bands for six weeks and they are playing live Jazz everyday. That is quite an achievement indeed.

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Mediterranean flavours for Sunday brunch at NYC, Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi | one of the most healthy cuisine to be relished closer home

Mediterranean food is considered the healthiest. Though I don't agree with the healthiest tag because every traditional cuisine that has survived innumerable generations is healthy by default, there are a few festive indulgences that are not meant to be eaten everyday. Same is the case with Mediterranean cuisine and I think Indian cuisine also falls in the same category. So does every cuisine whose history can be traced to the same land.

So when you are choosing your favourites from a fully loaded Mezze counter you have your choices. You get your marinated Beets, fried Aubergines, Chickpea salad, Hummus, Baba Ghanouj, Muhammara, Tahini etc along with Tabbouleh, Warak Anab (rice stuffed grape leaves) and Tahini Turp Salatasi (radish and tahini salad) to choose from.  Several types of Pita and Lavash breads too.

We were at NYC restaurant of Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi last Sunday and they are featuring Mediterranean cuisine for all Sunday brunches through March. The Mezze spread was amazing and I loved the tart and flavourful Warak Anab, very nice and nutty Tahini Turp Salatasi and their Eggplant Feta dip. The Chicken Shawarma was also good. We loved the Tabbouleh a lot, this could be a meal in itself but we had to taste more.

I took second helpings of Marinated Beets and Marinated Mushrooms, both were very flavourful, almost pickled.

Whenever you are at NYC, do not miss their individual serving salads. You will find a new favourite among those salads every time you go. This time I tried Seared Fig with Blue Cheese and Walnut and loved it. Green curry marinated Fish with Pomelo was also good.

Among the Mediterranean main course I loved the Cauliflower and feta baked with dill and onions which is called Firinda Karanabahar Mucveri. It was rich in flavours and yet light to eat. The Paella Valenciana was okay, the prawns in the paella were really good. I found the Shrimp Saganaki a bit under-seasoned.

The Tunisian Couscous with dates, apricots and herbs was really nice but the Turkish Lamb Palau was a thing of art. The Turkish palau was so comparable to a perfectly done Biryani and yet had it's distinct identity. We both loved it.

The other favourite was Pork loin with Navy beans. This stew was smooth, flavourful and delicate, very comforting. There was Moroccan Harissa spiced fish that I found okay. The Chicken pot pie was also good, a few more things on the menu that I didn't bother to taste. The elaborate antipasti counter was ignored in favour of more flavours from the land.

It is worth if I find a few favourites to remember, here I found the Turkish Palau that makes me crave for it. Pork loin stew with navy beans comes second.

My friend and Arvind saved space for desserts and we really found some good ones too. Umm ali was good, my friend loved the Zeppole (custard stuffed doughnut), Arvind loved the Muhallabiah, Samali was not impressive but the Baklava was loved by all.

Nice and nutty, not too sweet just the way we like it. Just the right serving size too.

The Indian buffet also goes on at NYC and one can choose the Hyderabadi Biryani or a paneer tikka if required, desserts also had many more options. I always fill my plate with some pineapple and kiwi here as they help digest the food better. 

They have three more Sundays till this Mediterranean flavours lasts at the Sunday Brunch at NYC. Go enjoy if you love this cuisine as much as we do. You might not like some of the things but the ones you like will make a lasting impression.

Enjoying the flavours and yet not overloading your system even if you eat a bit more is possible with Mediterranean buffet. Also, Mediterranean cuisine is one of those that you would like even if you are experiencing it for the first time. The similarity of ingredients will make you comfortable and the freshness of flavours will keep you interested into each bite.

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Rait the Spa at Suryagarh Jaisalmer | a completely rejuvenating wellness destination

I believe in making myself exhausted by the end of the day so the body prepares to sedate itself naturally. Working out and getting the muscles work is the best way to switch on the natural healing process of the body. When muscles are worked out and get exhausted the endocrine system releases Endorphins to relax the muscles and to put the mind to sleep and that is one of the most fascinating ways the body works to heal itself, relax and rejuvenate. The same happens when we walk long distances, trek or hike. We get tired and fall asleep easily.

In fact I could manage to kick away my own insomnia using this same quality of our own system. I believe our body can heal itself only if given a chance. Sometimes years of abuse or stress makes our body to resort to stress metabolism that eventually affects sleep patterns, body weight and even leads to depression if the cause of stress prolongs. Thankfully I could manage my health after a prolonged stressful time and that is why I believe our body gives us ample chance to fix our health issues if we listen to it. Incidentally the stress hormones also give tell tale signs and Endorphins the healing hormones also make their presence felt in more ways than one.

By the way we can ‘awaken’ the Endorphins and Serotonins by moving our body, working out the muscles. The joyous feeling after a nice workout or a nice long walk isn’t just a feeling of achievement; it is the effect of the Endorphins and Serotonins that release after a good workout. The same happens when the body gets a good massage too. A good masseur massages and kneads the muscles and deep connective tissues in such a way that it relaxes the muscles at multiple ways. A good massage for an hour or so helps release Endorphins too and makes the one feel completely at ease, more energetic.

I shall tell you how my last spa experience was. We visited Suryagarh Jaisalmer last month and while the beautiful property is a delight to stay the spa treatments really make you feel rejuvenated. The spa is named as Rait, keeping with the theme of the Thar Desert. Rait the spa is like a jewel in the huge fortress that this property is.

Incidentally I wrote a long account of our stay at Suryagargh 2 weeks ago but some accidental happening deleted the article that had many beautiful pictures of the property too. I was really upset with the loss of a heartfelt blogpost for a while but I am writing it again. You will get to see how beautiful this place is and how they indulge you every moment of your stay there. 

Let me recount the spa experience first. The spa facility is located conveniently to one side of the central courtyard and Mr. Mahesh, the Spa Manager greets you with a gentle smile before analyzing your constitution and allergies, any inflamed spots etc.

I had a splitting headache that day because we were on the Thar Desert the whole day and it was a scorching hot sunny day. We enjoyed the Thar trail organized and conducted really well by Nakul Hada, got to see and experience this unique topography and landscape, hear the stories of the past. I will share about the Thar trail too.

For the spa treatment I was skeptical because of my headache and was thinking of cancelling my appointment, but then Mr Mahesh advised me to get a massage with oil infused with Frankincense and Myrhh along with the thermal salt treatment. I trusted him and went ahead to have a luxurious experience that left me energized and fresh.

The therapists at Rait the Spa cleanse the aura by Reiki after using IMRS device for cellular re-balancing, something I have known very little about but it worked on me apparently. There was no trace of headache after the first 10 minutes of massage and I actually went into sleep. 

Warm poultice made of salt and dipped with infused oil was used to massage the deeper tissues.

After a nice and deep tissue massage I was made to lie down on a salt bed, more salt was sprinkled generously all over the body and multiple layers of warm towels were wrapped above that. This made me feel comfortably coccooned in warming salt layers. It was really very soothing and I fell asleep once again, surrounded with soft light of the salt crystal lamps around me.

Some 30 minutes into this thermal salt bed and a sauna and warm bath later I felt spring in my steps when I came out  to sip on my green tea. Endorphins awakened, blood circulation enhanced and all my senses relaxed with the essential oil treatment. I never knew Frankincense and Myrhh could do this magic though I use it in my vaporizer sometimes.

Of course the hot salt poultice dipped in the infused oil and being worked along my spinal ganglia did a wonderful trick. The deft hands of the masseur finds the 'knots' as they call the painful spots and ease them out. Easing our my 'knots' was so therapeutic at the thermal salt spa that I am already craving for it again.

The salt for this treatment comes from the Looni river that flows through the Desert. This salt is considered therapeutic and I could feel that really well. Mr Mahesh told me they keep adding new treatments every year and keep redoing their massage rooms too. I just hope they retain this thermal salt treatment forever so whenever I go next I can have it once again. I know for sure that Rait the Spa will be one of the reasons whenever I go back to Suryagargh. 

If you plan your holidays just for spa treatments, this is the place for you trust me. Far from city life this beautiful fortress provides the ultimate relaxation for mind, body and soul. And you get great food to enjoy as well.

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food at Pluck, the modern day eatery bringing nature on the plate at Pullman New Delhi Aerocity

I like it when high end eateries combine ethics with avant-garde ideas. Posh luxury hotels and restaurants bringing in the concept of local seasonal foods and farm to fork meals is a great trend we are witnessing now. It is a pleasure to see a bed of cabbages and lettuce, mustard and spinach, assorted herbs and flowers in the middle of a sprawling five star hotel that caters to the globetrotter populace and gives them a taste of nature served on elegant plates.

When I got to know Pullman Aerocity has an in house farm I was immensely curious to see how they work. How much they grow on this farm and what is their philosophy on food as I see many hotels having farms in the outskirts of the city but a farm within the hotel is a novelty. Much welcome, much appreciated I must add.

Chef Ajay Anand, Director of Culinary at Pullman Novotel Aerocity New Delhi, told that they have a contract with an organic farmer in Himachal Pradesh and get all the seasonal produce that they cannot grow at their in house farm. Serving seasonal produce is their focus and they serve it in style.

The decor is modern chic, elements of nature can be seen in patterns of flower petals, extensive woodwork and vibrant colours.

Each piece of crockery is unique just like elements of nature, some in the shape of flower petals or leaves, some of them are shaped like rock beds. The thoughtfully served food adds beauty to it.

The amuse bouche came in the form of sweet sun dried tomato soaked up quickly in herbed water that was very refreshing in one shot.

The butter was served coated with green and black olive dust, very beautifully presented along with fresh crusty bread and soft bread rolls. Then came Mulligutawny soup poured over roasted black rice, a tadka dust (made with flavored coconut oil) and flower petals. I loved the use of black wild rice and the soup was wonderfully flavored and smooth.

Main course was roasted Cod served over Puy lentils and mashed potato, topped with tender pea shoots. Wonderfully tender fish dotted with candied orange peel was a great flavor combination. Mashed potato quite smooth and creamy, puy lentils perfectly done. My friend had chosen lamb served over beans and mushrooms and that was very nice too.

The dessert was a piece of art on a white plate. Matcha green tea custard served with Lychee puree and Jasmine sorbet was served beautifully dotted with flower petals and dark chocolate bark.

The flavors were nice, presentation took the cake. Literally.

Bringing the real freshness of nature on the plate is something that needs to brought into trend. If such star hotels take the initiative it is a great start as the food industry always needs new trends to keep innovating so why not natural real food be the new trend. There wouldn't be any dearth of ideas once nature takes it's course.

Thanks to Chef Ajay Anand for a wonderful experience and for creating a menu inspired from nature and seasons.

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Mister Chai, the new Tea room at Shangri-La's-Eros Hotel New Delhi

The city needs a few more tea rooms with some Indian snacks menu. I say Indian snacks as the sandwiches and pastries or cake pops served at coffee houses or cafes are so pathetic that one feels cheated. Desi food is a good way to stay away from junk.

Almost all Indian snacks are prepared fresh on the spot and do not come assembled from a central kitchen in all street food joints and if it is a star hotel you can be assured of the quality. Although I have always been apprehensive of how Indian street food looses steam once prepared in five star hotel kitchens. Of course I had to be proven wrong.

Mister Chai is the new Tea Room that holds promise. It is a buzzing place but still gives you some room to stay in privacy if you want to work on a table or hold a meeting with someone. The Cafeterias and Tea rooms are great places to hold informal meetings and I always feel there should be more of these. But these places need to have good real food options too.

The tea and coffee and the snacks variety at Mister Chai is impressive and enough choice for everyone. The Bombay sandwich, the Vada Pao and Indian style Fish and chips sandwich at Mister Chai was so good and authentic in taste that it can be a place for a foodie date too.

Note that these Indian style sandwiches don't use any synthetic mayonnaise or margarine. Real freshly made food is the best bet when eating out. It is okay if you keep away from the Indian sweets and desserts or find some really good ones like Mishti doi or Sondesh.

Chef Neeraj Tyagi has done a great job with replicating the flavors and making the food so well presented. The detailing and finesse in unmistakable.

The masala chai was nice but I liked the Kashmiri Kehva more.

The Namkeen ka dabba that pairs so aptly with masala chai is a reminder of good old times, rains and chitchat with friends while munching on Indian savories. The Jhal mudi comes in a miniature bucket and hits the spot beautifully.

The innovation in the ubiquitous Samosa is the stuffing of butter chicken and that is selling like hot cakes I hear. I liked it but my favorite will remain the normal alu samosa though in small doses, the crisp outer shell of the samosa at Mister Chai was a surprise I will be honest.

Eat samosa when in doubt and you need to choose between a burger or a sandwich and samosa. You will be saved of crappy mayonnaise and margarine, samosa is lesser devil even if you mind your fats and fried foods.

Oh and Mister Chai serves Bikini sandwiches for the diet conscious. Portion controlled and dainty, flavorful so one gets the satiety as Chef Neeraj informed.

We tasted some of the soft drinks and liked them too.

It was a tasting menu that we experienced and could eat small bites from all these options, else one of these dishes is enough for two people meeting for tea or masala chai.

I think I have found a place to hold informal meetings and meet friends in the evening over chai and that occasional samosa. Or may be just that light jhalmuri that is made with roasted rice flakes and is such a flavor bomb.

They have some quiches, some macaroons too but I wont care about them. I will check the chocolates next time as I saw some really good ones with fruity center or peppermint flavor too, all made of good quality chocolate.

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Vintage 31 for home style Italian food

Eating out in Delhi can be a tough decision sometimes if you want to have a quite comforting meal in a cozy place. I mean there are so many fine dining and casual places where you get great food and and ambiance but a quite leisurely dinner is a luxury.

And then you find a place that looks too small to be comfortable from outside but once you open the doors you are taken in to a comforting cheerful ambiance. We found Vintage 31 (Cafe and Bistro) in Meherchand market a couple of months ago and have been there a few times since then. We love Meherchand market for being so old world and yet so chic.

In the times when the city roads are chaotic and most restaurants located in busy areas are crowded and loud, Vintage 31 comes as a whiff of fresh air. Calm, quite and cozy, comforting home style food, mostly Italian. A great fit for us even though it is a bit of a drive from home, but anything to find some solace other than home.

I went there with a friend once and we tried a lot of things apart from the decor and the detailing in every nook and corner. The terrace seating is perfect for winter days and has been done very minimally yet tastefully.

We loved the Garlic soup which felt silken smooth and very flavourful and creamy without being heavy. The Almond Coriander soup was earthy, strong and felt little over seasoned, but that day I had a bad throat and it felt really comforting. For starters the stuffed mushroom is very nice.

My friend tried the Meatloaf that is served along with mashed potatoes and stir fried vegetables. The meatloaf was nicely meaty and chunky, the accompanying sauce doing justice to the meat loaf slices. Mashed potato could have been better but their garlic bread is nice and crusty.

I tried the hot pepper prawns which I think should have been a little more balanced in flavours. It was nice and hot but some balance of flavours would have been really nice. I loved the idea of serving it with sweet potato slices baked with cheese, that balances the hot prawns a bit.

The most irresistible main course dish will be the Vintage special stuffed chicken I feel. Creamy cheese stuffed chicken cooked really well may become a comfort meal just like mac and cheese or something as rich and addictive. I am sure this would be hot favourite amongst the youngsters. By the way I see Vintage 31 has become quite popular with youngsters and rightly so.

Another time I went with Arvind and we ordered the garlic soup once again as I had loved it the first time. This time the garlic soup was not as creamy and less garlicky. The server took away my soup when I said it is not like the last time and came back with fresh soup which was better. I appreciate such a gesture, personalised attention is a great service one can get at a cafe.

We both loved the Mushroom (cappuccino style) soup this time. I found it really homely as I make it myself at home.

Homely taste in restaurant food means no nonsense additives, no artificial colours and no fillers to bulk up food. So homely taste is a great test of good food in my humble opinion. 

Arvind was adamant to order fish fingers with tartar sauce and we had that but it was not my kind of food, even Arvind didn't like it much. There is a reason why husbands should listen to their wives, especially when the wife cooks.

We ordered just one main course this time and it was the Pork ribs with honey glaze. The portion sizes are good and after soups and starters one main course is enough for two to share. The honey glazed pork rib was done really well, the sauce quite nice and the meat juicy and nicely fatty. Though I would have preferred a little heat (paprika or chilly) in the sauce, but I was pleased with the overall taste.

Sharing desserts is a great idea and you would love the Tiramisu here if you like your Tiramisu a little boozy.

Dig deeper, go beyond the creamy (Mascarpone) layer and find the treasure of taste.

The food is beautifully presented, home style and delicious. Portion size is good and service excellent. Vintage 31 will be a place we will be definitely going back whenever we need a quite meal outside our home.

No wonder we loved it so much, it is a cafe conceptualized and run by a husband and wife team where the husband loves cooking and the wife looks after the decor and business.

The whole menu is done by K. D. Singh himself whose dream project it is and his wife Vimi Singh has created the beautiful space. Vimi runs Navya, the decor shop next to the cafe which is a treasure trove of all things beautiful for home and gardens. One more reason for me to go there.

Navya is a bit too pricey for me though you will gte something or the other you would love. I did find a few beautiful things that I bought for gifting and for myself too.

Thankfully Vintage 31 is not too pricey, a meal would cost about 2,000 for two.

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organic ways of living | experiencing farm to table meals at Tijara Organic Farm

Organic farming is the future. Many of us are now realizing organic ways of living is not an isolated effort to eat clean or just go find healthy foods and ingredients at the super market. Healthy living and well being is the culmination of what all we do everyday, what we eat and from where we bring our food.

It may seem to be an insignificant part of our lives till we keep scurrying for food only when we are hungry and eat whatever we find when hungry. The picture become more clear once we start looking deeper into food and how it comes to our table.

Once we understand how the food on our tables has changed in the last 50 years we will get the answers to all the abnormal health problems our generation is facing. The way food has become a market commodity, the way food needs to be shelf stable, good looking and the exact way food has to feel and smell when the packet opens, is a testimony to what we have done to our food habits and how far we have placed our tables from the real farms.

We often don't realise that we have corrupted our taste buds to recognize fake food as tasty and satisfying, the chemical flavoring agents of packaged food being directly responsible for it. Our insulin response gets confused because of abnormal sugars being bombarded into the system frequently and the entire scenario starts disturbing the hormone cascade.

Body function is holistic, one action leads to another and starts making a chain of events which is disruptive if our lifestyle is inflammatory, it all starts with food for the body, and that leads to the changes we are causing to the planet. We don't realise we are suffocating the planet too because of our food choices, not only our own health.

I often wonder how our own health is directly related to the health of the planet and yet we keep ignoring so many things we could do right.

Time to wake up.

Getting back to the organic ways of living is not as difficult as we think. We need not give up our petrol fueled vehicles and electricity powered homes, we just have to be careful about the wastage of these limited resources and be careful about not to overburden the Earth so much that it suffocates.
One of the most important things we need to be aware of is the usage of unnecessary chemicals in the form of pesticides and fertilizers. 

I feel fortunate when I come across people who are trying to make a difference at a larger scale, those who are growing organic food and making it possible for people like you and me to have access to organically grown food on our tables.

When I got to know about Sneh and Tara's organic farm at Tijara (Alwar, Rajasthan) I wanted to visit the farm to learn more about the working of a farm that has adopted Biodynamic principles. I have visited the Farm a few times since then and I truly admire the work Tara and Sneh have put in.

The places where I can harvest, can cook and eat with like minded people are the best places in my experience. Sneh and Tara's farm is one such place where I wouldn't mind going back again and again.

They bought the land 6-7 years ago and started working on it to develop it into a productive Biodynamic farm. They installed solar panels, built biogas plant and built underground water channels and storage wells to equip the farm to be energy and water efficient. Rajasthan climate and soil is mostly arid and the water channels have proved their worth and more in the good and bad weather.

Sneh tells me about the time when an unusually high overnight rainfall flooded the neighboring fields for a week and destroyed their crops, while the underground water channels and wells at her farm channeled and stored all the water efficiently and prevented any loss of crop. She informs the water requirement of her farm has reduced a lot in the past years as the water channels are enriching the soil strata from within. We spotted about a dozen Kingfishers who have made nests in the walls of these wells.

They have built green houses too and grow a lot of leafy greens, herbs and exotic salad greens in it. Sneh has built a solar dehydration unit to dehydrate herbs and chillies etc. The farm has a few cows, an adorable dog named Bijli and a number of birds. Many small birds keep hiding inside the carrot beds and Bougainvillea shrubs but the Hoopoe and Kingfishers have become used to humans working on the farm.

Why I connected more with the work Sneh and Tara are doing because this is one place where one can stay for a few days, learn about how food is grown, how it is harvested and how simple yet delicious meals are prepared using fresh produce without using any packaged ingredients. Trust me it will be a good initiation into 'healthy' eating, the way one is supposed to eat naturally.

The good thing is that the couple believes in farm to table meals and promoting local Rajasthani cuisine along with some healthy contemporary options. Tara is a passionate cook who loves to make traditional Indian meals with the help of the cook. This Rajasthani style saag cooked with some sour buttermilk was made by Tara and I kept asking for leftovers later, it was so good.

On the other hand Sneh loves to experiment and makes a variety of pesto, dips and even cheeses and kefir. They make fresh juices for breakfast, fresh fruits have started appearing from the nascent fruit trees and you get something or the other freshly plucked on the breakfast table. Oh and sometimes they bring fresh pakodas from the nearby Jain temple.

They have employed a sweet lady Anita who cooks hot millet rotis on wood fired chulhas and serves them hot with butter. She is the one who milks the cows and feeds them too. There is so much variety of food you never realise it is all vegetarian food, most of the food is traditional but it will feel like a new discovery because Rajasthani food was never known beyond laal maas, kair sangri and gatte ki subzi.

At the farm stay one is always treated with something fresh and unique. The uniqueness comes with the fresh harvest that is never the same, one combines the ingredients in new ways always. Even I made a salad with whatever was available and everyone polished off even the shreds.

The salad was made with freshly harvested carrots, fresh tender knol khol, radishes, green coriander leaves and a small half ripe papaya. I made the dressing with honey, tahini, calamondin juice, garlic, bird chillies and salt n pepper.

I also cooked my favourite wilted spinach with toasted sesame for lunch one day.

The first time I went there for a photo shoot of their property, I got to know it was Tara's birthday. I baked this Ragi cake with minimal jaggery in it and the cake was baked in a ceramic pot over gas flame. These are the things you do impromptu on a farm stay.

You walk around the farms, pluck something if you like, cook by yourself or ask the cook to make something that he suggests, make some tea and relax by the green lawns. Thee guest rooms are a delight to stay in, equipped with modern facilities and pleasant interiors you get to rest well after a tiring day if you decide to volunteer at the farm.

Such places help one connect not only with nature but with oneself too. In the most unpredictable ways trust me, but the realization that simpler food habits are a key to better health. Simple food doesn't mean lesser variety of food but fresh food that is minimally processed and cooked in the most healthy ways.

Once you get the taste of such fresh food you would start thinking more about the origin of food ingredients and how it is cooked in your kitchens. Sneh and Tara's farm achieves this motive for anyone who goes there to have an experience.

Sneh brings her seasonal fresh produce, sun dried herbs and some of her pesto and cheeses to Delhi Organic Farmers Market every Sunday (at Malcha Marg community center). You can connect with her to pre-order fresh produce and herbs etc or just drop in at the farmers market and get your stuff. Go early else her stuff flies off the shelf really fast. She does CSA boxes for select customers in Gurgaon too, I like the way she uses canvas bags to send out stuff for her customers.

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recipe of coffee orange body scrub and getting rejuvenated at R The Spa, Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi

Few weeks ago I went for a spa treatment at R The Spa, the huge spa facility at Radisson Blu Plaza and got myself pampered with one of their winter package. They have new comforting winter packages suited for everyone and their Hammam bed with Vichy shower is a superb way to ease out the sore muscles and relax the body.

I got myself a rich chocolate massage and scrub on the hammam bed, soothing sounds of water bodies feel very comforting while your body is being slathered and massaged with smooth and gentle chocolate scrub. The Vichy shower is a device where multiple warm showers are directed towards the spinal column and limbs to ease out the stressed muscles and joints. The masseur chooses the pressure and temperature suited for you and you come out completely rejuvenated. However cliche it sounds.

Coffee and chocolate are two pick me ups that work instantly when you are bored, tired or just want a break from stressful work. I like my hot chocolate with cinnamon and sometimes nutmeg or even a hint of hot chilly in it but otherwise chocolate remains just another thing for me. Chocolate is known for being a mood enhancer thanks to serotonin and serotonin precursors found in it, good quality chocolate is a great skin food too and when applied directly on skin. The flavonoids and cocoa butter nourish the skin and make it supple.

I could actually feel my skin getting supple and all tiredness gone after this treatment called Cosy Cashmere at R The Spa. The treatment involves a warm shower or a sauna first to make the blood circulation more receptive for the massage and scrub, sauna is known to lower blood pressure. That is followed by a chosen body scrub on the hammam bed, the Vichy shower follows and then an hour long massage leaves you with a spring in your steps. Literally.

Coffee is one comforting drink that we associate with waking up, getting refreshed and alert. A freshly brewed cup of coffee is a delight when enjoyed with friends and the same cuppa becomes a savior when one needs to concentrate on work. There is a reason why a coffee machine is a must have fixture in offices.

Aroma of the freshly brewed coffee is quite an inviting prospect and one feels comforted almost immediately. It is another matter that coffee must not become a habit to fuel everyday work and a double espresso not a way to wake up. While caffeine is the most widely use psychoactive drug, it also works as a vaso-constrictive agent, a property quite useful when coffee is applied topically.

Yes, coffee makes a great body scrub and make skin smoother and supple. The coffee grounds used in a scrub polish the skin lightly while the caffeine tightens the skin temporarily. When used as a scrub, coffee smoothens the cellulite and reduces any puffiness. When applied as an eye mask it also smoothens puffy eyes.

I make this scrub with coffee and orange rind which is really good even if used at home. I add Epsom salt to it so it relaxes sore muscles too, even without a Vichy shower facility at home.

Recipe of coffee orange Epsom salt scrub

Ingredients
(one application for the whole body, to be made fresh)

60 gm coffee powder (not instant coffee)
fresh peel of one large orange
50 gm Epsom salt
30-40 ml coconut oil or olive oil
60-80 ml orange juice (from one orange)

procedure 

Grind the orange peel along with Epsom salt and coconut oil to make a smooth paste.
Transfer to a jar, add coffee powder and orange juice to make a paste that can be applied on skin.
Use fresh or refrigerate for a couple of days.

To use, apply all over wet skin and massage lightly all over using circular movements.
Let the scrub be on the skin for at least 30 minutes to ease out muscle fatigue.
Massage over cellulite areas well to smoothen the skin.

Wash off with warm shower. Do not use bath soap after this, wipe dry with towel.

The good thing is that this coffee orange Epsom salt scrub will now be available at R The Spa as well. You can choose to get this scrub along with any of the winter packages available at the spa.

Isn't it great to get a personalised treatment at a spa with such great facilities. I am planning to have this coffee orange Epsom salt scrub along with Vichy shower when I go there next.

The chocolate indulgence was great, next is coffee.

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brunch at Tamra, Shangri La : a deluge of delicious options

The season for Sunday brunches is back in the city. Normally we spend our Sundays either in the garden with pots of tea and some peanuts to munch on while we read newspapers and do some gardening, sometimes we even finish our pending work sitting with the plants.

And when there are a few great options for Sunday brunch closer home we feel like going for the experience sometimes.

So a couple of weekends back we headed for a Sunday brunch at Tamra, the expansive first floor restaurant at Shangri La Hotel that serves fantastic Oriental, Mediterranean, European and several types of Indian foods. Our plan was to do a quick lunch and be back to finish a few more chores that we had scheduled for the day. It turned out to be an affair that lasted for three hours, and not for a fraction of second we felt we are eating something too heavy. Though this became the only meal of the day for us as we ended up skipping dinner, but I am glad one can choose a big healthy meal out of a brunch buffet.

We love seafood and Tamra has a great seafood counter where you get one of the best sushi and miso soup and we never miss that whenever we are dining there. For the ongoing brunch at Tamra the sea food display is impressive and they now have a make your own sushi counter too.

It is an absolute luxury to choose from the seafood you like and dress it up with your choice of dressing or get it flambeed or stewed the way you like it.

Fresh lobsters, oysters, calamari rings and baby octopuses made our starters with Miso soup that is my favorite.

The cheese and salad counters are another indulgence that you feel like exploring slowly. And that is what we did. I avoided cheeses because I did not want to stuff myself with them, the display called for a picture of course.

The salads looked more promising by the way they were arranged in individual servings as well as platters of tossed salads. I tried almost each salad and loved all of them. My favourites were the pearl barley asparagus salad served in shot glasses and the coloured bell pepper crudites served with a blue cheese dip.

The pesto smeared bocconcini, the three beans salad and water chestnuts in oriental dressing were all really good. Six different types of mustard dressings and several other dressing oils and vinegars lined up to choose from is worth mentioning.

And a cold tomato soup in miniature bottles was a lovely idea for such an expansive brunch where we want to taste everything but avoid getting stuffed with just one type of food.

Chef Gagandeep Singh advised us to taste the Thai grilled chicken with som tam salad, the special of the day at the Thai counter. I tried it thinking why I have to eat chicken when there are so many great options available, but I was wrong in my perception. The chicken was grilled with basil sauce and was pleasantly charred and succulent, som tam was nice.

The other recommendation of Chef Gagandeep was the makki ki roti and sarson ka saag. Again my perception is that five star hotels don't do good regional food. I thought of giving it a try although I was planning to avoid any main course dishes.

Honestly, I was planning to have just one or two bites of this makki ki roti dipped in sarson ka saag but ended up finishing the whole damn thing. It was done really well, perfect sarson ka saag with melting white butter and makki ki roti done in tandoor. The Indian section started sounding really promising and I made a note to visit the India section in my next visit.

There should always be a reason to go back to a place like Tamra. A weekend indulgence that I can't refuse and I always find the kind of food I need from the elaborate spread. One can eat healthy and light if one chooses so and can indulge and go bonkers too. Every Sunday they have a new menu and I can imagine how they charm the diners totally. Although I am not too sure about the desserts as I rarely try them but the ice lollies made of fruit pulp I tried were really good.

The new brunch is much more fun. They have a few special things for kids too including an exclusive play zone for them.

Tamra is getting better and better I think.

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