MATCHLESS SMOKES

Like champagne perfectionists who insist that the best bubbly can come only from the Champagne province of France, cigar  purists insist that cigars can, and do come only from Cuba.  The best cigar that the country has to offer  - what connoisseurs lovingly call the puro - is made entirely  by  hand and completely of tobaccos grown in  the warm earth of the Vuelta Abajo, a portion of western Cuba's Pifiar del Rio province.  There the climate and soil are perfect for growing cigar tobaccos.  The temperature ranges between 85 degree F and 90 degree F during the day; nights are cool; and humidity hovers consistently around 80%.  The soil is sandy and light, which makes it capable of retaining moisture from the dew and from the frequent but not drenching rains.

But is the Cuban cigar still king?  Is it worth the price, which can run as high as $15 per cigar at Dunhill's in London?   Has international politics severely limited the cigar lover's access to the best?  The answer to all three questions is yes.

People with palates only for puros often name the Cuban Montecristo No. 1 as the world's finest cigar.  It is pungently aromatic, boldly flavored, beautifully constructed and classic corona size  - about 6 1/2 inches long and a 42-ring gauge, meaning that the cigar is 42/64 of an inch thick - or roughly the diameter of a dime.

Most connoisseurs favour coronas - stogies ranging from 40 to 44 in ring gauge and from five inches to 7 1/2 inches in length.  Such cigars combine full flavor with a moderate burning pace and temperature.   Thinner cigars delivers less taste, hence viewed with a measure of disdain by serious smokers.  They also burn faster and hotter than coronas do.  Cigar thicker than coronas often called double coronas or Churchills, are as flavorful as coronas but burn slower and cooler.

Among the double coronas, the best may be the seven-inch-long, 47-ring-gauge Davidoff Dom Perignon.  This stupefying expensive stogie is a specially made house brand produced in Havana to the specifications of Swiss tobacconist Zino Davidoff, the man known among cigar connoisseurs as the high priest of the puro.

Many cigar aficionados, however, insist that the puro's excellence is no longer something you can rely on.  Quality control in Cuban factories, they argue, has suffered since the revolution. Some experts further say the puro is losing its competitive edge altogether. Cuban tobacco growers appear not to have benefited as much as farmers elsewhere from agricultural advances.   More important, many of the first families of the pre-Castro Cuban cigar industry fled the island at the start of the revolution, taking with them tobacco seeds and irreplaceable manufacturing wisdom.   These craftsmen set up plantations and factories in Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Dominican Republic, Jamaica and the Canary Islands, where climate and soil conditions are much the same as in Cuba.  Now, having had more than two decades to work the soil & develop a skilled labor force, they produce top quality, handmade cigars for U.S. companies and market them under the classic old Cuban brand names - Partagas, Hoyo de  Monterry, H. Upmann, Punch and Montecristo.

The Partagas line, produced in the Dominican Republic for the General Cigar Co., is widely regarded as the most consistently excellent. The most popular size is the 6 3/4 inch-long, 43-ring-gauge Partagas No.1. Pleasingly aromatic, it is filled with roughly equal amounts of Mexican, Dominican and Jamaican tobaccos and is wrapped in a leaf from Cameroon. This blend produces  a  cigar  that is prized because it  hits  a  desirable midpoint  in flavour between boldness and mildness. Like Cuban cigars, it is firmly packed, making it occasionally somewhat hard-drawing.

People who prefer a milder, easier-drawing stogie  couldn't  go wrong with any of Dunhill's superb Montecruz cigars.  Made in the Dominican  Republic  from Central and South American  filler  and Cameroon  wrapper,  the Montecruz line offers a  wider  range  of sizes  than  does Partagas.  The 6 1/2  inch-long,  42-ring-gauge No.210  is  the classic.  The Montecruz has a  delicate  wrapper, which has a tendency to crack and peel.

Other  excellent  cigars on the mild side include  the  extremely light-tasting  Don Diegos; the smooth-drawing Royal Jamaicas  and the  exquisitely  constructed  Macanudos, made  in  Jamaica  from Jamaican  and South American filler and Connecticut  shade  grown wrapper.   Macanudos' fiercely loyal followers often  prefer  the  6 1/2-inch-long, 42-ring-gauge Baron de Rothschild corona.

so-� Z e u ��O �� This stupefying expensive stogie is a specially made house brand produced in Havana to the specifications of Swiss tobacconist Zino Davidoff, the man known among cigar connoisseurs as the high priest of the puro.

Many cigar aficionados, however, insist that the puro's excellence is no longer something you can rely on.  Quality control in Cuban factories, they argue, has suffered since the revolution. Some experts further say the puro is losing its competitive edge altogether. Cuban tobacco growers appear not to have benefited as much as farmers elsewhere from agricultural advances.   More important, many of the first families of the pre-Castro Cuban cigar industry fled the island at the start of the revolution, taking with them tobacco seeds and irreplaceable manufacturing wisdom.   These craftsmen set up plantations and factories in Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Dominican Republic, Jamaica and the Canary Islands, where climate and soil conditions are much the same as in Cuba.  Now, having had more than two decades to work the soil & develop a skilled labor force, they produce top quality, handmade cigars for U.S. companies and market them under the classic old Cuban brand names - Partagas, Hoyo de  Monterry, H. Upmann, Punch and Montecristo.

Wine Families.

A lot has said about Wine over the years, the more you read the more complex it gets, The complexity of wine makes it difficult to understand the the exact characteristic of  Wine.

Here are some of the main families of Wines - easier to understand according to their color and personality.

For each category, the main grape varieties and the most common appellations are listed, together with advice on food matches. A grape variety may appear in several families as it will be given different expression in different wines, depending on the terroir in which it was grown.

1 - LIGHT  DRV  WHITE  WINE:

Characteristics- easy to drink, light, refreshing palate thanks to a good acidic structure;

                         simple, fairly uncomplex aromas, a fresh finish.

Grape varieties - Aligote, Chasselas, Chardonnay, Gros-Plant, Jacquere, Melon de Bourgogne, Pinot Blanc, Romorantin, Sauvignon, Sylvaner, Tressallier.

Food matches - simple, straightforward food without too many complex flavours, seafood including oysters, raw or cooked vegetables, snails, frogs legs, grilled fish, fish terrine, fried fish, charcuterie, goat's cheeses.

How to serve?  - drink very young, serve very chilled, around 8°C (46°F).

2 - SUPPLE,  FRUITY  DRY  WHITE  WINE:

Characteristics -  full, fresh, fruity palate; expressive fruit and/or floral aromas; a fragrant, thirst-quenching finish.

Grape varieties - Altesse, Chardonnay, Chenin, Clairette, Gros-Manseng, Mauzac, Rolle, Sauvignon, Semillon, Ugni Blanc, Vermentino.

Food matches - food of varying styles, from the most simple to the most elaborate, but without too many complex aromas; raw or cooked shellfish, seafood pasta, simply cooked or grilled fish, fish mousseline, charcuterie, medium-textured and hard goat's cheeses.

How to serve? - drink within 3 years of bottling, serve chilled, between 8° and 10°C (46-50°F).

3- FULL-BODIED,  DISTINCTIVE  DRY  WHITE  WINE:

Characteristics - a meaty white with a rich, distinctive, perfectly balanced palate; complex, elegant aromas; long, persistent finish.

Grape varieties - Chardonnay, Chenin, Marsanne, Riesling, Roussanne, Sauvignon, Semillon.

Food matches - fairly sophisticated, flavoursome food; mushrooms, scallops, fried fois

gras, cooked lobster, fish in a cream sauce, white meat in a cream sauce, creamy cheeses such as Saint-Felicien, Saint-Marcellin, mature goat's cheeses such as Picodon.

How to serve? -  should be aged for 3 to 5 years in the bottle before drinking, serve not too chilled, between 10° and 12°C (50-54°F).

4 - VERY  AROMATIC,  DRY  WHITE  WINE:

Characteristics  -  rich, lively palate with distinctive flavours; exuberant fruity aromas,often spicy, sometimes fresh nut or wheat aromas; persistent finish with plenty of character.

Grape varieties  -  Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Palomino, Riesling, Savagnin, Tokay-Pinot Gris, Viognier.

Food matches - very aromatic food cooked with spices and herbs; meat curry, chicken with a cream and mushroom sauce, lobster a I'amiricaine, salmon with fennel, cooked pressed cheeses (Beaufort, Comte, etc) or strong-flavoured cheeses (Munster, etc.

How to serve?  - Muscat and Viognier are to be drunk young and served chilled, between 8° and 10°C (46-50°F); the others should be drunk after 3 to 5 years in the bottle and served not too chilled, between 10° and 12°C (50-54T).

5 - MEDIUM  SWEET  AND  SWEET  WHINE  WINES:

Characteristics - rich texture from the varying amounts of residual sugars present with a sweet,

fatty body balanced by good levels of acidity; significant fruity, honeyed aromas; persistent,aromatic finish.

Grape varieties - Chenin, Gros- and Petit-Manseng, Muscadelle, Riesling, Sauvignon, Semillon, Tokay-Pinot Gris Food matches - rich, fatty food, either classic or more with spicy or sweet and sour flavours, foie gras, chicken in a spicy cream sauce, cream based desserts. How to Serve - drink after minimum of 3-5 years in the bottle, served chilled between 8 and 10°C. STAY TUNED FOR MORE........................

CONTROVERSIES ABOUT COFFEE

The first controversy, as recent as 1972, was about the  possible link  between  caffeine  and heart disease.   The  issue  remains undecided  till  today.  But the general view  is  that  caffeine can't  do  much harm to the heart except in very  high  doses  to sufferers of irregular heartbeat.  Here again filtered coffee  is considered much less of a risk than boiled coffee.  Studies as to any  link between caffeine and cancer - cancer of  the  pancreas, bladder,  kidney or urinary tract - are also  inconclusive.   The complicating  factor  in such studies is that many  heavy  coffee drinkers are also smokers.

Again  no  link  between caffeine and breast  cancer  is  proved. However  pregnant  and nursing women are  advised  against  heavy coffee  use  -  drinking  more than six  or  seven  cups  a  day.  Caffeine  passes easily through the placenta to the unborn  child and  through the mother's milk to the breast-fed  baby.   Studies are still on whether caffeine could produce low birth weight  for any birth defects.

In  fact how caffeine actually works in the human system has  yet to  be  completely  understood.  The prevailing  theory  is  that caffeine  stops the depressant effects of adenosine, one  of  the chemicals  the body makes to control neural  activity.   Caffeine blocks the adenosine receptor sites in cells.  The theory is  not perfect,  for  various  reasons one of which is  that  there  are different types of adenosine receptors, but is widely accepted.To  the advocates of coffee, this property of caffeine  gives  it the  ability to increase alertness and enhance performance,  more so when one is tired or bored.  But caffeine can at best increase mental  activity,  not  upgrade its quality -  despite  what  the generations of writers have assumed-that coffee makes them  think more  clearly.   A  part  of  the  coffee  effect  may  well   be psychological.

Yet  the  effects of caffeine are not  imaginary.   Many  studies confirm what most people know - coffee keeps you awake.  It  also increases the number of times you wake up at night, depending  on how much you drink and on how sensitive you are.  Variation among people  is  great.  Caffeine does interfere with some  phases  of sleep,  though  it is not  known to  decrease  rapid-eye-movement (REM)  sleep  the  way alcohol interferes  with  it.   The  sleep disturbance  caused by coffee is said to be more severe in  older people.

Incidentally,  coffee, black or with milk, doesn't sober  you  up from the effects of alcohol.  Caffeine however is of some help in recovering from the effects of tranquillizers like Valium.  Again caffeine is a diuretic and thus dehydrating.  So don't think that drinking coffee will slake your thirst.  Coffee, both regular and decaffeinated, has a laxative effect.

 Does  coffee cause stomach ulcers ?  There is no definite  answer to  this,  though coffee is known to make ulcers  worse.   Coffee does  simulate the secretion of gastric acids but how much of  it is  due  to caffeine and how much is due to other  substances  in coffee is not clear.

How  much caffeine is contained in a five-ounce cup of  coffee  ?  It  could  be between 80 to 100 milligrams for a  preparation  of average  strength.   In  comparison, a similar  cup  of  tea  may contain 20 to 50 milligrams of caffeine, with the tea brewed  for 5  minutes.   A  twelve-ounce bottle of  Coca  Cola  contains  45 milligrams  of  caffeine and Pepsi Cola 38.  Ordinarily  an  oral dose  of 85 milligrams is needed to produce some caffeine  effect but this too depends on individual sensitivity.

Is caffeine addictive ?  Those accustomed to, but deprived of it, report  irritability,  inability to work  well,  nervousness  and restlessness.  But the worst, and most common, complaint  is  the headache that comes with giving up caffeine.  The headache can be dull  or  severe, a short-lived one or even lasting over  a  day.  And  such headaches gets cured with caffeine.  No wonder so  many over-the-counter headache remedies include caffeine.

If  caffeine is so painful to give up, can caffeine tolerance  be compared to addiction to other drugs ?  The answer, whatever  the apologists  of  coffee may say, is yes.  Caffeine  use  does  fit several standards of drug addiction : compulsion to continue use, tolerance for the drug, and the withdrawal syndrome. If caffeine is addictive or harmful, coffee drinkers still have a route open to them, and that is of the decaffeinated coffee.  Now more  than  20  per  cent  of  the  coffee  consumed  in  USA  is decaffeinated.   It is another matter, most of the  decaffeinated coffee  is  so  terrible.  First of  all,  the  inferior  Robusta coffees are decaffeinated, not only because they are cheaper  but also because they yield more caffeine, which can be sold to  soft drink  and medicine companies.  Again these coffees  having  more "body"  can  stand decaffeination better. 

It is  only  now  that Arabica   beans,   which  are  of  higher  quality,   are   being decaffeinated.

 Decaffeination is done by two methods : the water-process and the chemical-process.   The  problem with  the  water-process,  where beans  are  first steamed and then soaked in water,  is  that  it  strips  out most of the body and the flavouring compounds,  along with  caffeine.  A few improvements have been made of  late,  yet the  coffee  decaffeinated  by this process is a  shadow  of  its former self.

In  the chemical method, the most efficient chemical employed  is methylene chloride.  To an extent methylene chloride is toxic but the  quantity left in decaffeinated coffee is too  negligible  to pose  any  risk.  Coffee decaffeinated  with  methylene  chloride certainly tastes better.

 A new process using supercritical carbon dioxide is showing  much promise.   It  claims  to retain all the taste  of  coffee  while removing 97 per cent of caffeine from it.

Yet   there   is  an  unmistakable  trend   away   from   coffee, decaffeinated or otherwise.  In its place the consumption of soft drinks  is  increasing.  It can't be only the fear  of  caffeine, because many soft drinks contain caffeine too.  In fact Pepsi  is test-marketing  a special cola with extra caffeine the young  can drink to wake themselves up instead of the usual morning coffee.

Coffee  companies  are worried.  Coffee, like tea  may  lose  its image  with  young people.  They are fighting  back  by  bringing better  quality blends on the market, even using brand  names  to refer to coffee like soft drinks.  They are trying to give coffee a youthful image in advertisements, rather than relying on a logo to sell the product.  Some feel that the answer lies in promoting iced coffee and sweetened coffee drinks, to compete directly with soda.   Coffee  mixed  with bits of nuts  and  dried  fruits  and stirred with flavouring extracts has evoked good response.

Yet  these are essentially gimmicks.  The major appeal of  coffee still lies in drinking straight coffee because it tastes good and peps you up, whatever be the trouble with caffeine.

WINE AND FOOD HARMONY

·         Originally wine styles evolved to compliment local cuisines of a region.

(e.g.) Italy – for its local cuisine made of tomato gravies, olive oil based dishes, pastas etc.

·         The first aim is to match the weight of the food with wine.  Rich heavy foods like game and red meat casseroles need full-bodied red wines.

·         Lighter food like plain white meat or fish is complemented with delicate light bodied white or red.

·         Dry wines can seem tart and over acidic when drunk with any food with a degree of sweetness, so sweet food is best matched with greater degree of sweetness.

·         Sweet wines with good level of acidity matches well with oily food as pate, with puddings or dessert, with wine being sweeter. (e.g.) Sauternes with Foie gras.

·         Wines with crisp acidity match with tart food. (e.g.) any Italian dish.

·         Rich creamy sauce will need wine of sufficient weight and acidity. (e.g.) Chicken in cream sauce will be enhanced by a Riesling or Chardonnay.

·         Tannin in wine (organic compound found only in red wines) reacts with proteins.  High protein food especially red meat will be softened by tannin on the palate. (e.g.) tanic red grapes like Cabernet-sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot go well with roast meat/stew.

·         Grapes of floral characteristics go well with fruits. (e.g.) Muscat, Moscatel or any late harvest wines.

·         Sweetness can also balance saltiness in blue cheeses. (e.g.) Port with Stilton is a gastranomic cliché.

·         Smoked food with oaked wines, spicy food with Gewürztraminer based wines.

Cooking with Wine.

Wine is a very rare used  ingredient in Indian cooking, though with wine trends catching up in India most chefs and culinary enthusiasts are experimenting the use of wine, It helps in enhancing the taste of the dish, sometimes acts as a tenderizer in meat products, builds flavor, color and consistency of the dish.

Before experimenting with wine it is necessary to know the effects of wine on certain ingredients, and use them correctly to get best results.

Wines that are very dry offer a fresh light herbal tilt that will enhance a dish.

Gewurztraminer, Riesling, and Viognier all have dynamic fruity flavors and exotic floral aromas that counterbalance heavily spiced dishes.

Port, Sherry, Madeira, and Marsala - Are among the best wines good cooks can have on hand. They pack the most intense flavors and―because they're fortified with a little more alcohol than table wine―have the longest life on the pantry shelf.

Port has a rich sweetness and depth that’s good in meat based dishes.

Sherry's complex roasted nutty flavors can enhance just about any soup, stew, or sautéed dish.

Never cook with a wine you wouldn't drink.

A poor quality wine with sour or bitter flavors will only contribute those flavors to the dish. 

Kerala Chicken with Red Wine.

Chicken pieces - 3 nos
(skinless, boneless lean chicken pieces) 
Tomato - 2 nos
(cut into small pieces)
Mushrooms - 15 - 20 nos(small ones)
((cut into small pieces)
Onions - 2 nos
(chopped)
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt - As reqd
Cardamom- 4 nos
Red wine - 1/2 cup
(The one you get in US and not the one made in kerala which is very sweet)

Preparation:

1-    Cut Chicken into small pieces.

2-    Mix it with chilly powder, coriander powder, pepper powder, garam masala and salt.

3-    Grill both mushrooms and chicken, till chicken is cooked in oven.(20 mins)

4-    Saute onions with all the powders.

5-    Add cardamoms.

6-    When the chicken is done and onions are sauted, mix them together.

7-    Pour aroung half of red wine and sauté the chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes and onions well.

8-    After 5 – 10 mins when the dish becomes juicy, remove.

9-    Serve with Chappathi or Rice.

Medical Tourism

In today’s fast moving world of technology, we live our lives without knowing the consequences and health hazards we may imbibe in the course of accomplishing goals and meeting deadlines.

Most people are less active than they should be. The diet one follows knowingly or unknowingly lead to various lifestyle diseases at a younger age. As a consequence there is a greater risk of heart disease and other serious illnesses, as well as weight problems and even obesity but the good news is we can do something about it.

Taking care of ones self at home is easy but gets difficult on the move specially in today’s world where most professions require extensive travel and living at a Home away from Home. Do hotels today take utmost care of guest? The hotel staff will go to any extent while providing best services to guest, as guest satisfaction is their motto, which is followed in all brands of Hotels, All national and International chain of hotels provide the best of services to guest from amenities to food, but do they really take care of hotels guest and identify the dietary needs, provide health drinks and treatments to guest and give them a rejuvenating experience so as to make them genuinely feel taken care off and giving them health and value added experience .

The world looks at India as the epicenter of health tourism. Kerala  is known for healthy living and health treatments offered through ages. The life expectancy here is higher than other parts of India and the health care system receives regular International appraise. Traditional medicine namely Ayurvedic medicine has been widely practiced here. A number of ayurvedic resorts cater to tourist with in depth treatment plans drawn from ancient ayurveda are followed.

Western health spas are also wide spread in India. Many upscale hotels operate their own Spa facilities, steam treatments, Massage and aromatherapy are commonly provided in regular Spas. Both medical and mainstream tourist pause for an opportunity to experience and pamper themselves while in India at the Wildflower Hall Spa in Shimla, Ananda in the Himalayas Spa at Rishikesh, and many more.

Basic Etiquette Tips & Table Manners

1.      Serve guests of honor, woman first, then male, then counterclockwise around the table.  Serve  host/hostess last.

2.      Wait to eat until host/hostess begins.  At a large party host/hostess urges everyone to begin as they are served.

3.      Place knife and fork on plate after using, knife with sharp edge facing in and fork with tines up (American) or down (Continental) and placed so they will not fall off the plate.

4.      Never place used silverware on the table or leave it in a cup or small bowl.

5.      A used soup spoon is left in a large soup plate or on the plate under the soup bowl.

6.      A used coffee spoon is placed on the saucer beneath the handle of the cup.

7.      When you are finished, place the fork and knife parallel to each other, so they lie either horizontally across the center of the plate or are on the diagonal, with the handles pointing to                                                    the right. 

8.      Dessert silverware – Place so the spoon can be picked up with the right hand and the fork so it can be picked up with the left hand.

9.      The napkin – as soon as you are seated, remove the napkin from your place setting, unfold it, and place it in your lap.

10.  If your napkin falls on the floor during a formal meal, do not retrieve it.  You should be able to signal a waiter that you need a fresh one.

11.  When you leave the table at the end of a meal, place your napkin loosely next to your plate.  It should not be crumpled or twisted, it may be casually folded.  You may place it in the napkin ring if one is present. 

12.  When you leave the table at the end of a meal, place your napkin loosely next to your plate.  It should not be crumpled or twisted, it may be casually folded.  You may place it in the napkin ring if one is present. 

13.  Do not place your napkin in your empty plate.

14.  When eating soup or dessert that has liquid, it is acceptable to tip the bowl when necessary, but tip it away from you.

15.  Test liquids before eating by testing a small amount with a spoon to see if it is too hot.  Never blow on food to cool it.

16.  Do not automatically add salt or pepper before tasting.  If you need to add to suit your taste, do it unobtrusively.

17.  When asked to pass the salt or pepper, pick up both the salt and pepper and place them on the table within reach of the person next to you who will do the same, and so on, until they reach the person who asked for them.  They are not passed hand-to-hand.

18.  When passing food, pass to the right.  When passing items such as a creamer or gravy boat, pass it with the handle pointing toward the person to who you are passing it.

19.  Remember what your parents told you.  Don’t talk with your mouth full, finish chewing, swallow the food and then talk.

20. Cut food into small pieces for eating.  If you try to eat large pieces, you may have difficulty chewing and might choke.

21.  People from different countries and cultures have table manners that may be different from yours.  Respect and accept people with other customs.

The Goodness of Mangoes.

Come May and all Indians are thinking about vacations, holidaying, hot summers, Beer and of course Mangoes.

Mangoes is a native fruit of India though its popular for its flavor all over the world.

Green Mangoes said to be having heat resistant properties makes a yummy summer drink popularly known as Green Mango Panna.

Green Mango Panna                                   

 .

1 kg Green, unripe mangoes                                                    

700 gm Sugar

20gms black salt/rock salt

1 tsp cumin seeds dry roasted

1 tsp ground black pepper

50 gms mint leaves

1.	Wash mangoes and cut off the tops, stalk ends of each mango, removing a small portion of skin (about 1 cm. circle) along with the stalk. This removes the sticky sap that may sometimes cause irritation of the skin.
2.	Place mangoes and 1 cup water in a pan, bring to boil and simmer until soft. You can cook mangoes in a pressure cooker, 1 whistle or 3-4 minutes, under full pressure is enough. Allow the pressure cooker to cool.
3.	Take the cooled mangoes out of water and peel the skins off.
4.	Squeeze one mango at a time in your palm and collect the pulp and juice in a bowl. Discard the skins and stones.
5.	Place this pulp, with all other ingredients, in a blender and puree.
6.	Fill in sterilised bottles and Store. You can also store portions in a freezer.
7.	To serve, dilute with cold water, add salt and pour on crushed ice placed in tall glasses. You can garnish with fresh mint leaves