Cup of Friendship

This cup is spun in pewter with a highly polished finish. It features a Celtic scroll design on its handles and has a Celtic braid design around its body. The centre of the bowl is usually decorated with a silver coin or an engraved disc or print, with coat-of-arms, initials, motto or familiar phrase such as 'drink up'. This Scottish drinking vessel, traditionally made of wood was used to carry whisky, brandy or ale to the Highlands and Islands. Over the years, it has been made in stone, horn, brass, pewter, silver and gold. It is said that water drunk from a silver quaich tastes crisp due to the clearing effect of silver.

Cup of Friendship - entry to Click event

We received this Scottish Cup of Friendship also known as quaiche or quaich as a wedding gift. The Quaich (pronounced "quake" from the Gaelic word "cauch") has a rich heritage in Scotland. It was a custom to offer a welcome or farewell drink, usually whisky, in a quaich to a guest. The guest reciprocates the gesture by drinking the whisky from the quaich and thus expressing his bond of friendship to the host. At parties and clan gatherings, large quaichs filled with whisky were passed around the company from person to person. The two-handed design of this drinking vessel incorporates trust, on the part of both giver and receiver. The quaich is used as a favour at many Scottish weddings, being presented to all at the top table, at christenings to celebrate the new life or gifted to friends as a symbol of friendship. The quaich's simple, yet beautiful, form has ensured its longevity as a vessel offering kinship and love, from the humble Highland crofter, through proud Clan Chiefs to the Kings of Scotland. The quaich's unique history is often shrouded in myth and mystery. It has a special place in the heart of all who know something of its history and is a prized possession of many people who have family links, or other associations with Scotland. Source here.


The second picture is my entry to Click - hosted by Jai and Bee at Jugalbandi.

Aloo Anardhana

What do you think of the painting and sculpture? Read more about it later in this post.

Aloo Anardhana

Recipe adapted from an old issue of Living in the Gulf

10 baby potatoes (I used regular ones in this picture)
1 tsp cumin
1 large onion chopped
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
2 tbsp anardhana/dry pomegranate seeds
butter/oil for frying
chopped coriander for garnish

Peel and wash the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a MW safe bowl, add a little water, salt and turmeric to it and microwave on high till parboiled. Remove and drain the water.

Blend pomegranate seeds with a little water. Heat oil/butter in a wok and add the cumin. When it splutters, add onions and fry till they turn golden-brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry. Then add the pomegranate seeds paste, red chilli powder and garam masala. Add the potatoes and fry on low flame till the potatoes are cooked and the flavours are absorbed. All the moisture will be absorbed by the potatoes. Garnish with coriander leaves, check seasoning and serve with naans.

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The legend of Wilhelm Tell

Wilhelm Tell, who lived in Altdorf, is regarded the national hero of Switzerland whose picture graces the 5-franc coin. Switzerland was once ruled by the Austrians. Bailiff Gessler, the Austrian representative would place his hat on a pole in Altdorf so that every passer-by would pay their respects by greeting the hat. Wilhelm Tell and his son passed by without revering the hat. This disobedience warranted their arrest and Gessler offered to free them if Wilhelm Tell shot an arrow through an apple placed on his son's head. Read more of the story here and here.

The painting and sculpture at the top of this post are made of chocolate, we saw how at Schuh. And so are these.

Don't you agree a holiday is a welcome break from the routine? Walking miles exploring the countryside and tucking into all the healthy C's like colas, chips, crackers, cookies, cheese, cakes, chocolates......... and all that sum up to the big C = calories, is perfectly my kind of holiday! ;) What's yours? :-)

An Alpine Folklore

An excerpt from our recent holiday....

We stepped off the train at Wengen to click some pictures of this scenic village. Out of nowhere, buttoning up his coat, a man in traditional costume made a dash through the crowds of curious tourists and vanished. As the train chugged off into the mountains, the people dispersed. The calm, charming village nestled in nature's lap, the breath-taking landscape and the sounds of lilting melody....was it all a dream? Some one was playing a pleasant instrument we couldn't identify.....where was this beautiful music coming from? We looked and looked and looked, till we saw them.......

An alphorn is a handcrafted, long, flaring spruce tube with a mouthpiece. It measures about 8 to 12 feet in length. It does not have any valves, holes or keys and hence gives pure, soft, clear and resonant music. It is used to call out to the cows.

There was more music now accompanying the alphorn...... cowbells! The sounds grew louder but there was not a cow in sight. Then they marched in.....

Was that a wedding procession? Were they going to church? Like all curious on-lookers, we followed them........as they walked clanging the bells by knocking their knees against them in perfect tandem.

This was a "Cheese Festival". According to a Swiss folklore, as one of them kindly explained to me, at the end of summer the cows return from the high pastures of the Alps bringing the cheese with them. This home coming is celebrated by playing the alphorn and cowbells. The procession ended at this tent where there was more music, fun and games, and food, ofcourse for all the village folk who had gathered there!

Would you like to try.......

Swiss Rosti

or Raclette

or bacon

or pastries, cakes and croissants





or pickles, preserves and jams, flower flavoured sugars



and herb and berry honeys and liqueurs

or say "cheese"?

Poha – As homely as it gets…

Amchi Mumbai on a sunny Saturday noon.

During my vacation in Mumbai, we decided to go to Flora Fountain to buy books off the street. Aah, that's the beauty of Mumbai streets, you'll find just about anything there! After a long bus ride to Churchgate, we walked to Flora Fountain where there were rows and rows of book sellers. The thrill of finding books at one-fifth the original price and still bargaining with the vendor is unimaginable here!

Flora Fountain :
Commissioned by the Agri-Horticultural Society of Western India in the 1860's, the fountain was built in honour of the then Governor of Bombay, Sir Bartle Frere. The design was prepared by R Norman Shaw, and the fountain was sculpted in imported Portland stone by James Forsythe. The fountain cost Rs 47,000, a princely sum in those days. The statue flanking the top of the fountain is of Flora, the Roman Goddess of Abundance; and hence the name. On the lower tier are four statues on the four corners, depicting ladies in four different attires. Water spouts at different levels along with miniature collection pools and lion-headed gargoyles complete the fountain. True to its name, the sculpture also depicts an abundance of floral motifs. For more read here.

Flora Fountain and BSE in the background.

BSE: Bombay Stock Exchange Limited, now synonymous with Dalal Street, is the oldest stock exchange in Asia. It is the first stock exchange in the country to obtain permanent recognition in 1956 from the Government of India under the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956.The Exchange's pivotal and pre-eminent role in the development of the Indian capital market is widely recognized and its index, SENSEX, is tracked worldwide. For more read here.

BSNL: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. formed in October, 2000, is World's 7th largest Telecommunications Company providing comprehensive range of telecom services in India. Within a span of five years it has become one of the largest public sector unit in India. For more read here.

MCMG: The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai was formed in the year 1873 as Mumbai's civic body. Through the multifarious civic and recreational services that it provides, the MCGM has always been committed to improve the quality of life in Mumbai.

VT/CST: Modeled on the lines of the St Pancras Station in London, Victoria Terminus is undoubtedly the Raj's piece de resistance, complete with carved stone friezes, stained glass windows and flying buttresses. It is Gothic architecture at its best, an awesome edifice that most citizens view with deep pride. At the top of the central dome stands the triumphant figure of Progress. The station was christened to commemorate Victoria Jubilee Day in 1887 when India's first steam engine puffed out to neighboring Thane, about 45 kms away. Today it has been rechristened Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus after the Maratha warrior. And the old steam engines have been replaced by electric ones. But to the 2.5 million commuters who push past its massive portals everyday, this is still VT, the pulse of a throbbing city.

One more look :

And after this long walk from Churchgate to CST, it was time for some ghane ka ras or sugarcane juice!!

Fond memories of Mumbai evoke thoughts of typical Mumbai food. So here's a recipe for poha, a simple yet versatile dish that one can whip up in minutes. It makes a quick and light breakfast on weekdays, healthy and wholesome with different combos of veggies and nuts thrown in. Each one has their own version of making this.

You need:
2 cups poha/beaten rice/avil
1 onion chopped
4-5 green chillies chopped (you may reduce the spice)
1 small potato boiled and chopped
a handful of boiled green peas
2 tbsp grated carrots
2 tbsp red/yellow bell pepper
a handful of peanuts and chana dalia
a sprig of curry leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder to taste
1 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
juice of 1 lime

Put the poha in a colander and wash under running water. This way, the poha remains moist and soft and does not become soggy. Heat a tbsp oil/ghee in a deep pan. Throw in the cumin seeds and let it splutter. You may use mustard seeds instead if you prefer. Throw in the peanuts and chana dalia and let it turn red. I sometimes add cashewnuts and raisins for variety. Now add the onions and curry leaves and fry till the onions are translucent. Add the potato/peas/bell peppers/carrots/ any other combo of veggies you prefer and fry lightly. You may add a tomato if you like a tangy taste. Add the poha/beaten rice, salt, chilli powder (optional) and turmeric and mix well. Take off the flame, add a spoon of ghee on it if you like. Squeeze some lime juice over it and garnish with coriander leaves.