IC615 - Food Review (Air India Breakfast)

Finally the company decided to buy tickets for the plane to Hyderabad on Saturday for Nasscom Animation and Gaming Expo. The flight was IC 615 which take off time was 6:15 (what coincidence!)

I am never a fan of airline food and was skeptical on what would I get, so the flight steward asked veg or non veg without blinking i said Non veg and a tray was passed over to me. *photo will be up soon

Things in plate were, mushroom stuffed omelette, fruit salad, bread, tea, jam, butter, salt n pepper.

I attacked the Omlette first which had a mushroom filling and was quite warm perfect to my taste and the omellete was also fluffy and tasty.

The fruit salad was nice and fresh (as said by the caterers no preservatives) apple, pumpkin, watermelon.

The bread which was shaped like a croissant was soft but dont know whether it was fresh.

Tea was the best I have tasted while flying.

Rating: 7/10
I hope Kingfisher Red also has the similar kinda food while going back to Mumbai  

How to Taste Wine

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Learning how to taste wines is a straightforward adventure that will deepen your appreciation for both wines and winemakers. Look, smell, taste - starting with your basic senses and expanding from there you will learn how to taste wines like the pros in no time! Keep in mind that you can smell thousands of unique scents, but your taste perception is limited to salty, sweet, sour and bitter. It is the combination of smell and taste that allows you to discern flavor.

Here's How:

Look: Check out the Color and Clarity.

Pour a glass of wine into a suitable wine glass. Then take a good look at the wine. Tilt the glass away from you and check out the color of the wine from the rim edges to the middle of the glass (it's helpful to have a white background - either paper, napkin or a white tablecloth).

What color is it? Look beyond red, white or blush. If it's a red wine is the color maroon, purple, ruby, garnet, red, brick or even brownish? If it's a white wine is it clear, pale yellow, straw-like, light green, golden, amber or brown in appearance?

Still Looking: Move on to the wine's opacity. Is the wine watery or dark, translucent or opaque, dull or brilliant, cloudy or clear? Can you see sediment? Tilt your glass a bit, give it a little swirl - look again, is there sediment, bits of cork or any other floaters? An older red wine will be more translucent than younger red wines.

Smell: Our sense of smell is critical in properly analyzing a glass of wine. To get a good impression of your wine's aroma, gently swirl your glass (this helps vaporize some of the wine's alcohol and release more of its natural aromas) and then take a quick whiff to gain a first impression.

Still Smelling: Now stick your nose down into the glass and take a deep inhale through your nose. What are your second impressions? Do you smell oak, berry, flowers, vanilla or citrus? A wine's aroma is an excellent indicator of its quality and unique characteristics. Gently swirl the wine and let the aromas mix and mingle, and sniff again.

Taste: Finally, take a taste. Start with a small sip and let it roll around your tongue. There are three stages of taste: the Attack phase, the Evolution phase and the Finish.

The Attack Phase is the initial impression that the wine makes on your palate. The Attack is comprised of four pieces of the wine puzzle: alcohol content, tannin levels, acidity and residual sugar. These four puzzle pieces display initial sensations on the palate. Ideally these components will be well-balanced one piece will not be more prominent than the others. These four pieces do not display a specific flavor per se, they meld together to offer impressions in intensity and complexity, soft or firm, light or heavy, crisp or creamy, sweet or dry, but not necessarily true flavors like fruit or spice.

The Evolution Phase is next, also called the mid-palate or middle range phase, this is the wine's actual taste on the palate. In this phase you are looking to discern the flavor profile of the wine. If it's a red wine you may start noting fruit - berry, plum, prune or fig; perhaps some spice - pepper, clove, cinnamon, or maybe a woody flavor like oak, cedar, or a detectable smokiness. If you are in the Evolution Phase of a white wine you may taste apple, pear, tropical or citrus fruits, or the taste may be more floral in nature or consist of honey, butter, herbs or a bit of earthiness.

The Finish is appropriately labeled as the final phase. The wine's finish is how long the flavor impression lasts after it is swallowed. This is where the wine culminates, where the aftertaste comes into play. Did it last several seconds? Was it light-bodied (like water) or full-bodied (like the consistency of milk)? Can you taste the remnant of the wine on the back of your mouth and throat? Do you want another sip or was the wine too bitter at the end? What was your last flavor impression - fruit, butter, oak? Does the taste persist or is it short-lived?

After you have taken the time to taste your wine, you might record some of your impressions. Did you like the wine overall? Was it sweet, sour or bitter? How was the wine's acidity? Was it well balanced? Does it taste better with cheese, bread or a heavy meal? Will you buy it again? If so, jot the wine's name, producer and vintage year down for future reference.

*taken from http://www.mumbaiwinefest.in/basics%20_wine_tasting.htm

10 Barbecuing Commandments

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BE ORGANIZED:


Have everything you need for grilling -- the food, marinade, basting sauce, seasonings, and equipment -- on hand and at grill side before you start grilling.


GAUGE YOUR FUEL:

There's nothing worse than running out of charcoal or gas in the middle of grilling. When using charcoal, light enough to form a bed of glowing coals 3 inches larger on all sides than the surface area of the food you're planning to cook. (A 22 1/2-inch grill needs one chimney's worth of coals.) When cooking on a gas grill, make sure the tank is at least one-third full.


PREHEAT THE GRILL TO THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE:

Remember: Grilling is a high-heat cooking method. In order to achieve the seared crust, charcoal flavor, and handsome grill marks associated with masterpiece grillmanship, you must cook over a high heat. How high? At least 500°F. Although I detail this elsewhere, it is worth repeating: When using charcoal, let it burn until it is covered with a thin coat of gray ash. Hold your hand about 6 inches above the grate. After 3 seconds, the force of the heat should force you to snatch your hand away. When using a gas grill, preheat to high (at least 500°F); this takes 10 to 15 minutes. When indirect grilling, preheat the grill to 350°F.


KEEP IT CLEAN:

There's nothing less appetizing than grilling on dirty old burnt bits of food stuck to the grate. Besides, the food will stick to a dirty grate. Clean the grate twice: once after you've preheated the grill and again when you've finished cooking. The first cleaning will remove any bits of food you may have missed after your last grilling session. Use the edge of a metal spatula to scrape off large bits of food, a stiff wire brush to finish scrubbing the grate.


KEEP IT LUBRICATED:

Oil the grate just before placing the food on top, if necessary (some foods don't require that the grates be oiled). Spray it with oil (away from the flames), use a folded paper towel soaked in oil, or rub it with a piece of fatty bacon, beef fat, or chicken skin.


TURN, DON'T STAB:

The proper way to turn meat on a grill is with tongs or a spatula. Never stab the meat with a carving fork -- unless you want to drain the flavor-rich juices onto the coals.


KNOW WHEN TO BASTE:

Oil-and-vinegar-, citrus-, and yogurt-based bastes and marinades can be brushed on the meat throughout the cooking time. (If you baste with a marinade that you used for raw meat or seafood, do not apply it during the last 3 minutes of cooking.) When using a sugar-based barbecue sauce, apply it toward the end of the cooking time. The sugar in these sauces burns easily and should not be exposed to prolonged heat.

KEEP IT COVERED:

When cooking larger cuts of meat and poultry, such as a whole chicken, leg of lamb, or prime rib, use the indirect method of grilling or barbecuing. Keep the grill tightly covered and resist the temptation to peek. Every time you lift the lid, you add 5 to 10 minutes to the cooking time.

GIVE IT A REST:

Beef, steak, chicken -- almost anything you grill-will taste better if you let it stand on the cutting board for a few minutes before serving. This allows the meat juices, which have been driven to the center of a roast or steak by the searing heat, to return to the surface. The result is a juicier, tastier piece of meat.


NEVER DESERT YOUR POST:

Grilling is an easy cooking method, but it demands constant attention. Once you put something on the grill (especially when using the direct method), stay with it until it's cooked. This is not the time to answer the phone, make the salad dressing, or mix up a batch of your famous mojitos. Above all, have fun. Remember that grilling isn't brain surgery. And that's the gospel!


Excerpted from 'The Barbecue Bible'

KongPoush - Food on a Shikara

The only place in proper Mumbai to serve authentic Kashmiri food with Shikaras (real wooden boats in which you sit and dine) as the USP with the well known Kashmiri hospitality to match.

This is what they claim and it is true to a point, finally after deciding so many times me and my sister ended up going to KongPoush as no one was home to serve us food as we enter. I used to pass this place often but in the morning so always used to miss it and in the evening you can never miss this place all tress nearby are lighted and so is the entry.

The restaurant is on the first floor and the place was super well done. They have created Shikara (a Kashmiri boat ) and big photos everywhere displaying Kashmiri Beauty.

Time for food now, we were thinking of going for a'la Carte but the steward suggested to go for Kokur Thaal and Gaad Batta which we did and we were surprised.

Kokur Thaal, this dish started with Chicken Tikka with a different flavor and 3 different chicken curries and 1 veg curry (Lotus Stem with Spinach). The food was delicious and tasted totally different from the actual fares what you get in other hotel.

Same thing with Gaad Batta, which was a fish plate again Lotus Stem and 3 fish curries.

The good part is unlimited roti and unlimited rice with the plate and firni to top it off.

Kokur Thaal: Rs. 349.00
Gaad Batta: Rs. 379.00

A bit steep but good for having once in a while.

Cake Shop - Mumbai

I am writing down 3 of my fav places to by pastries and cakes from not cheap tho but still worth it.

HANG OUT CAKES:

They make the most kickass cakes and some super mixes which does tingle your taste buds. The best part is they do also do Home Delivery till 11 pm and does not charge extra when you are near them.

Address Shop No. 3, Keshav Shruti, Opp. Pride Privilege, Malad (W), Mumbai
Landmark: Opposite Pride Privilege
Phone: 28714477, 28714488, 64228045

Gaylord Restaurant:

The name sounds a bit sidey but this place is here for ages and serves some awesome pastries and pies the uncle who i see behind the counter is being there for ages. Fresh stuff coming out of the oven on regular intervals. There are some good bread stuff like open chicken pizza and other things.


Address: Mayfair Building, Ground Floor, Veer Nariman Road, Churchgate, Mumbai
Phone: 22821259, 22044693


Theobroma:

So whenever i go to eat somewhere in Colaba i do land up in Theo which we all lovingly call it. They have some super wicked pastries and i always get confused on what to Eat and end up eating 2 or 3 pastries. They do also serve you coffee which is generally ok but i have always seen this place full.


Address: Shop 24, Cusrow Baug, Colaba Causeway, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Colaba, Mumbai
Landmark: Opposite Central Bank of India
Phone: 22873778, 22886464, 22830101, 65295629


Note: I am not going to suggest you anything...just go and enjoy