Last time, we started our exploration of monochrome food with a close look at three out of seven dishes from the monochrome menu of Ottimo. This week, we will examine the remaining four dishes. As in every meal, not every course is perfect, and this menu too had its ups and downs. We will work…
Category: Food Trends
The Mystique of Monochrome (Part 1)
As a concept, monochrome food seems counterintuitive: isn’t food meant to be colourful and eye-catching? From the green coriander on an orange butter chicken to the white sesame seeds on a brownish prawn stir-fry, contrast in food is eye-catching, and something which we have associated with being appetizing. Monochrome dishes look duller, since everything on…
Red, White and Pink
The first plate of pasta I ever had was a 120-rupee plate of penne in red sauce from an obscure little restaurant in Shyambazar, North Kolkata, around 10 years ago. It had these tubes of pasta mixed up with all sorts of exotic veggies in a red sauce, sprinkled with a generous helping of dried…
Up in Flames, Down to Ashes
I’ve never been to culinary school, but I’m pretty sure one of the first things taught there is not to burn your food. The idea seems intuitive, obvious, almost stupid to mention out loud. What is the best way to show that a particular TV or movie character can’t cook? An oven with smoke coming…
The Dalgona Craze
Jung Il-Woo, an actor from South Korea was visiting Macao, where he was served a strange beverage which reminded him of a confection from his childhood; an airy, melt-in-the-mouth candy. Similar to honeycomb in the West, the Koreans call it ppopgi or dalgona. It is a streetside treat popularised in the 1970s and 80s made…
A la carte and beyond
Ask the average person what a la carte is, and he or she might fumble. “Umm, I’ve seen the word used in menus in posh restaurants. It’s basically a fancy word for a menu, right?” This is understandable. Until a few decades ago, a la carte was the predominant menu style in restaurants, and is…
The Case for Molecular Gastronomy (Part 2)
Spheres, Foams and Gels Farzi café in Gurgaon has some wacky stuff on its menu. The first dish they serve is an amuse bouche which they called Mishti doi shots. It comprised a small bowl with a light brown orb, some strawberry compote and a sprinkling of panchphoron. We downed it like a shot, and…
The Case for Molecular Gastronomy (Part 1)
Better Taste and Better Texture Molecular gastronomy is one of those incredibly polarizing elements in modern cuisine. Some people are incredibly put off by the idea of introducing liquid nitrogen, centrifuges and unpronounceable chemicals into the kitchen. Such things, they believe, should remain in the laboratory. In this series, let us examine some tricks and…
Foods, Trends and the 2010s (Part 2)
Last week, we talked about some of the quirky foods of the 2010s, from avocado toast to unicorn drinks. If you haven’t checked it out already, read part 1 here. The story doesn’t end there, there are many other things that the millennials have made trendy. Veganism has created things like soy milk and pulled…
Foods, Trends and the 2010s (Part 1)
In a few days, we will be stepping into a new decade, ripe with opportunities. But before we do, it is worthwhile to stop and look back at the decade which saw the Gangnam style and Ice buckets, memes and instalikes, two royal weddings, Modi and Trump and so much more. From a shy kid…
The Gourmet Glutton 