Food For Thought-Love eating at a buffet ? What happens right after?

Say you go to a lovely buffet lunch or a dinner.Where the table is groaning with a delightful spread.And you love the look of it all. But even more, you love the taste of it all.. So you do, what most of us would naturally do in such circumstances. Eat just a a little bit or possibly, a lot more than you would normally. Which is fine, because it really is an exception. But have you ever thought of what happens to all that lovely looking and tasting food after that?

Well this is what I learnt recently and it really made me wake up to a new reality, one that I wasn't aware of earlier. For instance, in Oman,there is strict food and hygiene regulation since food standards of freshness, cleanliness etc are very carefully monitored by the concerned authorities.So it follows that all the food after an event, ( particularly all non veg items) are just put into big black garbage bags.Then just thrown away!

Makes me really wonder, is that too much of a good thing? Or then, how many hungry people all over the world, could fill their stomachs and get a peaceful night's sleep? Questions, questions, questions... With few, if any answers.....

Revisiting a Chocolate Fondue Demonstration and High Tea at the Al Bustan Ritz Carlton, Muscat

Just yesterday I came across this great little post on a site called 'Thought Catalogue'. It was aptly titled '15 things we should stop making a big deal about'. Something about it struck a deep chord and made me re-read it to understand the real essence of what was being said. I'm quoting two of the most meaningful lines here "Ordering dessert when you really want dessert. Or that you want to finish all of your dessert, or that you cleared your plate because you were hungry..Life should be a balance between things that are good for you, and things that you genuinely enjoy, and you shouldn’t feel the need to excuse yourself or make a light joke about being “bad.” Then this morning I went into the Al Bustan Ritz Carlton Hotel in Muscat for a Chocolate Fondue demonstration followed by High tea and these lines seemed perfect! Life really has to be a balance and I know I will always keep it that way.There will have to be a time to write, a time to click photographs, go out, spend quality time with family and do that little bit for people who need it. The Al Bustan Ritz Carlton, Muscat For all the ladies present, the highlight of the morning was the Chocolate Fondue demonstration set up by Executive Chef Jergen Sodemann and his two young assistants Kevin and Julia who took us through the short and sweet steps involved in making three kinds of chocolate fondue. Executive Chef Jergen Sodemann shows us the superb Ritz Carlton Chocolate cake which we then got to eat- It was in a word, superb! Kevin then started the demonstration by showing us these bags of fabulous chocolate ( of course, we all got to eat the chocolate). The three types of chocolate fondue that we were privileged to watch were the Manjari, Tanariva and the Dulcey chocolate fondues. Bags of the best quality chocolate used to make the chocolate fondue For those of you who are interested in trying it out, here is the highly acclaimed original Ritz Carlton recipe for the Manjari ( Dark) Chocolate Fondue Boil cream and glucose together. Pour over the dark chocolate . Start using a spatula to create an emulsion. Keep aside Vacuum into a bag and preserve in chiller for a week Ready to serve with these mouthwatering options The taste of the pudding is really in the eating! The fabulous High tea that followed Did that make us feel really happy? I'd say Yes. So would the fifty other ladies who joined us for the event.And before closing, I will share my favourite quote on chocolate by Dave Barry."My therapist told me the way to achieve inner happiness was to finish what I start. So today I have finished two bags of M and Ms and chocolate cake. I feel better already!" NB- Revisiting an older post and loved reliving the experience

Weekend Delights - A day at Shatti Beach, Muscat

Shatti Beach, Muscat

          It was an absolutely beautiful day today and we decided to head out to the Shatti Beach in Muscat.
        
          Blue skies and an even more blue sea.

People relaxing and making the most of the weather. 

We did exactly the same.

Topped by the most delightful breakfast at the Crepe Cafe.  

Mixed Berry Pancakes and coffee

A great start that really did make our day!

Indian Theme Nights inaugurated at the Best Western Premier, Muscat

Its always good to know about a new eating place in Muscat and   it was interesting to learn about the Indian Theme Nights at the Best Western Hotel. So there we were on Day 1, the Sneak Preview and this is our story. 

As a melting pot of Middle-Eastern, Asian and Western cultures, Oman offers a rich array of cuisine from different corners of the world. The Best Western Premier in Al Khuwair, Muscat is celebrating one of the most popular cuisines in the country , Indian, with special Indian theme nights every Thursday. So if you’re a fan of desi delicacies, head straight to the Atrium, the Best Western’s all-day restaurant, on Thursday evenings between 6.30 pm and 10.30 pm. An expert team of chefs headed by Executive Chef Shafiq Ahmed will whip up various exotic flavours of India which range from tangy and savoury pani puri, to slow-cooked mutton rogan josh and the best ras malai. 

Spoilt For Choice

The first Indian theme night was inaugurated on September 18th  and subsequent theme nights will be held every Thursday. No effort has been spared by the hotel to create a complete and authentic dining experience that will transport diners from 'Muscat to Mumbai'  from the moment they walk into the restaurant. The buffet menu includes salads and appetizers, two snack stations for pani puri and pav bhaji , a range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian main courses, and finally, Indian sweet dishes to round things off. 

Executive Chef Shafiq Ahmed tells us how the spicy Pani Puri is made

Salads, chickpeas chaat and a delicious Mango lassi

We chose to have our Pav Bhaji without the butter 

Rounding off the evening with a delicious array of Indian sweets

Reflections on the use of Bad language and how music is Food for the Soul

Is it just me or are there more of you out there?
People who believe that our day to day spoken language is something which is meant to convey what we feel, think and believe in- but without the liberal use of four letter words.

In fact, a few days back I found myself so concerned about this increasingly visible trend, be it in cinema, theatre or in some passing conversations that I decided to check with a few younger people in the age group of about 20-25 and wasn't really surprised when their feelings mirrored mine to a very great extent!

Image courtesy- Google

So my next thought was how does one deal with the very real fact that this sort of language is increasingly being incorporated in theatre and cinema? My brain told me this would really leave me with one of two options - ‘like it’ or then, just ‘lump it’. But my heart tells me that there has to be a solution to this.

Can we as a community try and do something to reverse, or at least minimise the trend? Or then, (what really saddens me even to think of) will we now have to learn how to numb ourselves to what is happening all around us and just go with the flow? Would love to have your feedback on this one, so please do let me know.

On a completely different and happier ‘note’, 'If Music be the food of love, play on' said some famous poet, many moons ago. To that I'd like to add, music really is food for the soul, nourishing it like very few other things really do. Just the sound of a Spanish guitar, or if you would, an electric guitar, the violin, the harp, or then a combination of all these and many more in the form of an orchestra, are enough to bring a smile to the face of a person who is sad, or another one who is just weary from the walk of his/her life.

It goes without saying of course that meaningful cinema inevitably makes use of a background score to express emotions of various genres, and our good old Hindi movies have music combined it with the song and dance routine. Many a time, the more the merrier.But times are changing and today discerning Hindi film goers are conservative in their approach to nonsense that was sometimes served up in the garb of music, and refuse to swallow more than they absolutely must. We are certainly all getting luckier as music is becoming more eclectic and therefore more appealing.

So I go back to where I began recalling one of my all time favourite numbers from an interesting movie called 'The Great Gambler'. The scene was that of three people in a gondola – Big B, Zeenat Aman and the gondolier – as he took the couple on a gondola ride through the canals of Venice. 

Image courtesy - Google

All I hear as I write this, are the heart stopping, soul stirring words, 'Amore Mio'…

(Note- This piece was originally written for my column, My Take in the Muscat Daily, July 2011)

A memorable Iftar evening at at the Musandam Cafe, Intercontinental Muscat Oman

I've often wondered what exactly it takes to to set up a memorable Iftar and the kind of preparation and planning that is entailed as a part of that process. To find an answer to my questions and a lot more, I contacted Baida Al Sikaiti, the Public Relations and Communications Manager at the the Intercontinental Muscat Hotel, who in turn arranged for me to get into the heart of the kitchens and satisfy my curiosity once and for all. 

 Iftar is the meal served at sunset during Ramadan, as Muslims break the daily fast. Muslims traditionally first break the fast with dates and either water, yogurt drink, ( laban or lassi)or kahwa.

Breaking the fast with  dates, kahwa and juice

The Maghrib prayer is followed by a full-course meal, consisting of soup, salad, appetizers and main dishes. Traditional foods vary by country and Iftar meals have a delightful range of varied delicacies. From rich curries to lovely desserts and cooling sherbets, it is interesting to see how every country cooks up something exclusively wonderful. e.g Muslims in Afghanistan relish traditional soups and onion based meat curries, kebabs and pulao people in Pakistan and Bangladesh have jalebis, haleem, sweetened drinks, parathas, rice preparations, meat curries, fruit salads, shami kebabs, piyajoo, beguni and many other mouthwatering dishes. And of course, I'm going to detail an International cum Omani Iftar menu  later in this piece.

Iftar is a social event, involving family and community members. It is common for people to host others for dinner, or gather as a community for a potluck. It is equally common for people to invite and share food with those less fortunate. The spiritual reward for charitable giving is considered to be especially significant during Ramadan.

                                             The exciting range of salads

Now back to the Intercontinental Muscat.

Having recently become a member of 'Chaîne des Rôtisseurs', an International association of gastronomy,   established in over 80 countries, with over 25,000 members sharing the same values of quality, fine dining, the encouragement of the culinary arts and the pleasures of the table; the Inter Continental Muscat has moved up  many notches higher and the quality of cuisine as well as the service are beautifully tailored to reflect that.

Executive Chef Pascal Etienne

In an exclusive chat, Executive Chef Pascal Etienne at the Intercontinental Muscat, informed me that their Iftar Buffet would be be served daily at the Musandam Cafe and in keeping with the high standards of service, they would have a different menu on every day of the week. To top that, he shared the menu for Day 1 and I must admit, it was an absolute delight!  

All set up for the evening 

Featuring juices, oriental mezza, appetizers,salads, soups, a bread station, live cooking, mains and desserts, it looks something like this-

Juices

• Kamareddin, Jallab, Laban,Assorted Juices,Karkadey (apple, mango)

 Oriental mezza & appetizer

• Khoudra display,Hummus,Moutabel,Fattoush,Watercress salad,Tabouleh,Chicken feta,Mohamara,Loubieh bil zait,Moujadara
• Olives & pine nut salad, Samkeh harra,Hindabh,Rocca,Mixed pickles

Omani salads

• Kachumbar salad (tomatoes & onion)

International salads

• Four fruit flavored yoghurts,fresh yoghurt,four kinds of lettuce leaves,potato & salmon salad,artichoke and grilled halloumi cheese salad with cherry tomato,pasta and sun dried tomato salad,whole grilled mushrooms with garlic and parsley.
• 
  
•  Hot mezza

• Kibbeh,Sausage roll,Fatayer

Soups

• Lentil soup (lemon wedges and croutons) and Chicken and mushroom cream soup

Live bread station

The Bread station-(Pic courtesy Intercontinental Muscat)

• Bee Nest bread (cheese & dates)

Cheese corner

Oriental Main Course

Smells even better than it looks

• Ouzi with oriental rice togas sauce (carving)
• Rice Turkish Kofta & Tomato sauce
• Shish barak
• Rust chicken whole (carving)

Omani main courses

• Kousa with  vine leave
• Dajaj salona
• Seafood Makbous
• 
  

Live cooking – Grill

Set up outside and preparations in full swing

The Shawarma station

• Skewered chicken,skewered beef & vegetable,skewered fish,lamb steak,beef steak,fish steak,chicken wings,chicken shawarma on skewers

The International main courses comprise Spinach beef lasagna,hammour filet with sauce vierge, fresh garden vegetables and crispy rice noodles with beef.

Dessert   

Pastry Chef Mohammed Redha with his delightful creations 

    Spoilt for choice

• Six kinds of cake,mudlalloukh,Halw bil jeaben, Katayef Kachta, Mufrokh,Crème brulee,Arabic sweets and Halwet bil jeben,
• Owaymate,Namourah,Ousmalieh,Mouhalabieh, Chocolate pudding
• Umm ali and kunafa.
• 
  

• 

  Pastry Chef Mohamed Redha with Kunafa, a delightful Arabic sweet
  

  
  

• Fresh fruits display
• Sliced fruit
• Fruit salad & fruit salad

Dry Fruits display

·         Assorted mixed dry fruit & nuts

·         Dates -3 kinds

Behind the Scenes

Now that you have seen the splendid display, let me take you  right into the heart of the kitchens where a dedicated team of 54 people start work on preparing this Iftar from 2 pm. 

Escorted in by Executive Sous Chef Qureshi, who has recently joined this team and walking from one station to another and looking at the seamless teamwork,  two things struck me almost immediately.

All of it  smelt incredibly delicious and the majority of the chefs and staff preparing this delicious feast were Muslims..

and fasting....

At that moment, like never before, I understood the true meaning of the Ramadan fast.

To be able to stand and prepare all of this while one is  fasting (without even  a drop of water)- that really is the true test of a devout Muslim. This is something I admire beyond what I can put into words  that and have made up my mind..

 I will try and fast at least one day a week from now on- at least during Ramadan.. 

Chef Mohammed Reha in the Pastry kitchen

Just one of the desserts he has prepared

Another Chef prepares the Arabic delicacies

Baked deliciousness- Chef Badar preparing the Ramadan Special bread with honey and cheese

Now its ready..

Neatly sliced and in the freezer -Temp controlled to 4 deg C

Ramadan Kareem- the beautifully decorated lobby

I walked out into a beautiful evening and this was the scene that greeted me... 

The beach is just a stone's throwaway from here and on impulse, I headed straight or it. If I had thought, my evening couldn't get  any better after all that I had seen and learnt, I was wrong.

For this was the icing on my cake!

A beautiful sunset

Wishing all of you Ramadan Kareem and a very pleasant  month ahead.

The Chocolate Room Muscat-Revisited

Any good restaurant is definitely about more than the food. It has to have a total package, of which the front house service, the customer care and the efficiency of response to feedback rate very high on my list.In that context, some of you may recall my blog post on my first visit to The Chocolate Room Muscat a couple of months ago. While I had loved almost everything about the place, this is what I had to say about the coffee on that day.  

"The presentation looked great and must add, the tart tasted good too. However, call me fussy, but the coffee was another story. It wasn't anything like the Latte I'd been expecting. Of course, this wasn't my regular brand but to me the coffee tasted overly  sweet( in my book, sugar is never mixed in the cup before bringing to the customer). It also tasted nothing like coffee.

So when Vic came around to ask me if everything was OK, I promptly pointed that out. That was when I learnt that it was actually a Belgian chocolate concoction and that all their coffees have an element of that flavour. Must admit, I wish I'd known that earlier......."

Shortly after the blog post came up , I was pleasantly surprised to receive an e mail from  Jergen Enriquez, The Operations Manager at the Chocolate Room. 

"Thanks for visiting our cafe & trying out our menu! It was a pleasure to serve you and we look forward to do so again in the near future! :)

We are also thankful that you spared some time to give us your honest feedback which is very valuable for us.

It is great to know that you loved our ambience, food & service - we assure you that the standards will be maintained  at all times.

We noted your comments on your blog. We will assure that our staff will educate our guest when it comes to our products in our menu before taking the final order. 

I would like to know if it is possible to meet you or contact you so I can discuss our whole products and our specialty coffees available in our cafe

Chocolaty Regards

I thought that it was an extremely positive response to my comment and I found myself looking forward to my next visit to The Chocolate Room. As it happened that took quite a  while but let me say it was well worth the wait!

Last evening I found myself back there with a group of friends to  cclebrate the birthdays of three of the ladies and this time Jergen  was there to take us through the story of coffee in general as well as the Chocolate Room coffees in particular.

Jergen talks to us about Coffee

If I  told you all that we learnt about coffee from Jergen, I think I would need a couple of pages, so I will come straight to the point and show  you what we ordered. 

Cappuccinos and  latte -good old fashioned coffee which tasted even better than it looked

It was just past 6 pm and we decided to order a range of  coffees, crepes and open sandwiches followed by a chocolate  dessert and at the end of it were delighted with our choice. With the smiling Jojo to serve us and obligingly click photographs we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly for a couple of hours at the Chocolate Room. 

Would we go back there again? The answer - a unanimous Yes! 

You see we haven't even gone through a thirtieth of the wide ranging Chocolate Room Menu...

All of us- Clicked by Jojo

Open sandwiches- Great anytime treats

A triple chocolate dessert- Fabulous!

'Anar'- A Lovely Little Cafe opens up at The Wave, Muscat

Word of mouth is one of the most powerful testimonials and I'm firmly convinced that it works beautifully in the food business. Which is exactly why I found myself driving all the way to The Wave, Muscat this morning  because a lady I know had told me about this "great little place" that had just opened up there and since I love to check out new places, this had to be a 'must do' on my list.She was right- it was and I loved it! 

Located just ahead of Costa Coffee  and Shang Thai, it looks cool and pleasant and is done up in the shabby chic style.  The fabrics are primarily in  cottons and linens, with linen being particularly popular. Pure whites, as well as ecrus and worn or bleached pastel colours have been used.The overall appearance 'looks' as well as 'feels' right for a perfect morning out. There are tables as well as sofas and looking around at the customers already seated there, I could see that it's already well on the way to becoming a hot spot for all those who live on that side of town. Currently open from 0900 -1800 hours, the plan is to be able to stay open for longer once all the staff and other misc requirements are in place.

I was lucky to have an opportunity to meet and interact with the cheerful team there and learnt a lot by a little chit chat. Aberrahim Zouda ( centre in pic below) is the Operations in charge, Thomas Mocock is the Head Stand in Chef, while Roland is Pastry chef.

All Smiles- Some of the team members at Anar

My first question was- why 'Anar'? The answer was clear and simple- Anar meaning pomegranate has been chosen as the name of this cafe after a great deal of deliberation.In almost every religion the pomegranate has been used as a symbol of humanity's most fundamental beliefs and desires, life and death, birth and eternal life, fertility and marriage, abundance and prosperity. To the Jews, the pomegranate represents righteousness, to the Christians, it means life and hope of eternal life and to the Chinese, wealth and many sons.

Taking on from that Anar in the context of the restaurant means an abundance-of everything. They encourage all customers to give them feedback, their suggestions for items on the menu with Abderrahim going so far as to tell me that any recipes given by the customers  and approved after a taste test by the team would be put up on their menu with great pride. That's a real opportunity for all aspiring chefs if there ever was one!

A Super Display

On the menu at present is a range of hot and cold beverages, freshly baked breads, tarts, pastries, cookies. They have recently introduced sandwiches and will continue to add items to the menu on a regular basis. 

Just some of the freshly baked goodies

My 'Danish' with a Cappuccino- I loved both!

I hope to make another visit in the near future and have an opportunity to see the chefs at work in the kitchen, so do watch this space for more ..

Cheers!

In the meantime, do yourself and your friends a favour- head to The Wave and check out Anar for yourselves...