Culinary rainbow
I If youre one of those people who have no vacation plans,might I recommend teleportation?
I If youre one of those people who have no vacation plans,might I recommend teleportation?
I If youre one of those people who have no vacation plans,might I recommend teleportation? Not of the self,but of the palate there is no reason that just because your physical self cant travel,your stomach shouldnt either. During my years as a student at The Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development,I was intrigued by one particular concept the degustation menu. To explain simply,a degustation menu is a sampler menu that invites the diner to experience varied flavours in one sitting and in portion sizes that are balanced as carefully as the flavours and cooking methods. In my own limited experience at the time,this haute cuisine concept reminded me of our thaali and the popular surf and turf platter from my table waiting days in America. However,the finesse that is employed in designing a degustation menu was particularly challenging to someone i.e. me who had just learnt the classical French menu. I spent many days designing one of my own,thinking of the flavour balance,textures,palate cleanser. It was an exercise for the gourmand and it engaged me completely. Nothing came of my labour and like many of my ideas,this too was received with an indulgent good thinking and why dont you learn to fold an omelette first!
So when I went to Ziya at The Oberoi Mumbai,I was absolutely delighted to be presented with the gourmand menu. I often dine on my own a habit I picked up as a young manager. It gives me time to chat with the staff,peruse all the menus at length and do such embarrassing things like checking the provenance of the flatware. The gourmand menu is a set menu that has been crafted keeping in mind the culinary traditions of India and providing a gastronomic experience that intends to surprise and yet comfort. I am skipping the course structure,but when Chef Renji presents a cloche that reveals a chicken preparation swimming in a white sauce,he asks me to guess. I start to name a dish it resembles. But he insists,Taste it first. And surprise,surprise,its chicken tikka makhani in white sauce! I am not feeling very clever,but certainly comfortably tipsy because each course is paired with a wine. Starting with the Bollinger and finishing with a delightful Muscatel-Gewurztraminer for the dessert course. The big win for me was the Louis Jardot Chablis 2009 with its clean finish and mild acidity,it is the perfect accompaniment for Indian food with a global sensibility and I would have been happy with it right through. It was,however,impeccably paired with the tandoori wasabi lobster creating a moment of culinary heaven.
Advaita Kala is an author and has worked in restaurants and kitchens in India and abroad
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