It’s Christmas day, and time for the final part of our series on the roast dinner, and the final article of the year. 2021 has been a difficult year, especially in the early months, and I haven’t been able to post regularly. Well, here’s to ending the year right, and hoping for a brighter one…
Category: Around the World
The Roast Dinner Equation (Part 2)
In Part 1 of our exploration of the Christmas roast dinner, we talked about the bird, the buying, and the brining. Now, it’s finally time to get cooking…… Utsav: Alright, flavours. What are some of the traditional flavours used when making a roast chicken? Nodee: The baseline has to be a fat with some aromats….
The Roast Dinner Equation (Part 1)
I’ve always posted something special during the Christmas season. In 2019, I went down memory lane and posted my first draft of Food and the Senses, one of my first proper attempts at food writing. And in 2020, it was all about exploring the one thing all Calcuttans associate with Christmas: the Christmas cake. This…
The Breath of the Wok
The wok is perhaps the most important kitchen equipment in Chinese cuisine. It is incredibly versatile and can be used for a myriad of applications, the most common of which has to the stir-fry. Stir-frying is almost alchemic; using high temperatures and precise techniques, the expert Chinese cook can whip up dishes in literally seconds….
La Dolce Vita
Italian Food 101 (Part 7) We’ve reached the final part of our Italian odyssey, where we end on a sweet note, talking about treats like gelatos and panna cotta, and finally wrap things up by talking about the importance of traditionalism in this fact-paced world of rapid change, innovation and fusion. Click on the link…
From Savoury to Sweet
Italian Food 101 (Part 6) We’re almost near the end of our journey, at that momentous point where we shift from the savoury domain to the realm of dessert. This week, we discuss Italian mains beyond heavy meat dishes, from veggies to seafood to even chicken. From there, we move on to dessert, with heavy…
Beyond Pastas and Pizzas
Italian Food 101 (Part 5) Italian food has a lot more to offer than just pastas and pizzas, and it’s time to look at some of the other classics of this amazing cuisine. We begin with the risotto, a particular favourite of our guest, before moving on to some other Italian meat dishes. Click on…
Pizza Italiano
Italian Food 101 (Part 4) Pizza is probably Italy’s most popular culinary export, and over time it has morphed into countless forms, from the classic Neapolitan pizza to Chicago’s deep dish, with toppings as varied as chicken tikka and pineapple. A pizza series will have to wait its turn. This time, we will stick strictly…
Pasta, Pesto, and Pomodoro
Italian Food 101 (Part 3) We’ve had a detailed articles on pasta already, focusing on ten Italian classics and one on the Indo-Italian style of pasta. Well, now that we are done with the antipasti, it is time to take a look at pastas again, but from a different perspective. Chef Apar Chatterjee talks about…
The Glorious Italian Antipasti
Italian Food 101 (Part 2) The Gourmet Glutton podcast is on its way. Last time, we kick-started our discussion of Italian food with Chef Apar Chatterjee with a look at the Italian antipasti. We looked at some of the integral components of any self-respecting antipasti platter, including the cold cuts and the breads. This time,…
The Gourmet Glutton 