another day.

Just another day here, mornings are beautiful- light blue cloudless skies at dawn with wisps of smoke that seemed painted on the skyline from remnant fires Evenings- cool and calm- an occasional honk of a car’s horn or a stray dog barking for mysterious reasons may be some of the sounds you may hear, but as the night sky darkens and the cool Indian breeze wraps around your neck.. I tell you are truly amazing. (Poetic aren’t I?) Afternoons however- HOT! For those who wish to prolong that orange glow with over priced tanning lotion which scent resembles nothing of a tropical fruit- made in the slums of Guatemala… India is the place for you!
Today was a pretty uneventful day- lounged around the house- did that facebook thing, haha- had to check on my crops on FV!! Nonetheless I’ am starting to miss the small things back home. Being able to “phone a friend” because the million dollar question was “What are you doing tonight?” actually was an option. I know this is only the preliminary stages of this voyage and there will be a lot of experiences that will give me stories to tell for years- but for the time being, this down time is beginning to get a little monotonous.

Above and to the left are a few pictures I took from today’s lunch FEAST! For all you foodies out there, it was (as always, delicious!) Roti, a few different vegetables, that crisp tomato salad I mentioned in an earlier entry, amongst other incredible traditional Gujarati dishes. When a meal and the venue it is consumed are as complete as the ones we have been having here, things just seem to fit. My aunts laughing in the background- my cousin and I poking fun at whatever we can- my father trying to stay indifferent at the all the ridicule only wanting to burst out in laughter.. all together create a symphony even Johann Sebastian Bach could not refute.

"...The perfect meal, or the best meals, occur in a context that frequently has very little to do with the food itself..." -Anthony Bourdain

get your culture on.

Today isn’t my first day in India this time around it’s actually my third. However, it is my first time in a home that is/will be accommodating for three families! Cooking in an Indian home is comparable to those families of Italian or even Greek ancestry; it is and always has been a family affair- not only do we like cooking great tasting dishes, but we LOVE eating them as well! Mornings normally consist of a light breakfast- savory breads, spiced tea (chai), and puffed biscuits to accompany the chai- the Indian equivalent of tea and crumpets perhaps? Occasional mornings, the kitchen is filled with the aromas of cumin seed bubbling in a oiled tawa (pan), along with turmeric, onion, ginger, garlic, tomato, and cilantro which primarily makes up the base of a savory egg dish paired with buttered toast and chai.

Lunches however….. are a completely different story- after breakfast and a blink of an eye, preparation begins for lunch. Vegetables are delivered by the closest vendor to guarantee fresh produce- our cook begins prepping for several different dishes required for an adequate lunch. Flour is bound with oil, water and salt to create dough used for creating roti (thin unleavened flat bread.) Assorted vegetable are cut, washed and paired with appropriate spices to create a plethora of different robust flavors that are complemented with each diverse bite.

Salads of fresh tomato, onion, cucumber, cayenne pepper, lime juice, and salt are almost always an complementing attendee of an Indian lunch- if you have not gotten the point yet…. Lunches here…. are simply remarkable! Furthermore, lunch is ALWAYS followed by an afternoon siesta (nap for those Spanish illiterate.) Dinners are simple- something light, typically savory… and after that you ask? Maybe a little socializing with guest who spontaneously arrive that evening; possibly a “harmless” card game with an aunt who raids you out of 1500 rupees, or perhaps reminiscing memories long forgotten with your parents and other family members- as for me however… its time for bed!



“Culture is the sum of all the forms of art, of love, and of thought, which, in the course of centuries, have enabled man to be less enslaved” -Andre Malraux

i told you. hard work. pays off.

This is only a preview- more to come later!
stairwell- you can only wish to see the 2nd floor.

1st floor looking up to the 2nd.

painting above the main dining room.

dining room. doors open to outdoor garden.

sitting room left of entry. glass ceiling.

exterior.

"Victory is sweetest, when yov've known defeat." -Malcolm Forbes

hard work. pays off.

Today, my cousin and I had the chance of visiting/ revisiting my father’s place of occupation here in India; for as long as I can remember I have always known it as “The Salt Works,” the place in India my father would travel to once, rarely twice a year for a couple of months to check up on, contrary to my childhood assumptions I learned today, the salt flats- where raw salt is harvested is officially known as “Gayathri Salt Suppliers” and the factory in which the salt is converted to consumer goods is known as “West India Sea Brine Pvt. Limited;” mind blowing wouldn’t you say!?

Sometime ago this whole salt thing started- now, decades later- I am more than reaping the benefits. My father spent the afternoon answering question after question. “So how does _____ work?”, “what is the profit margin in this industry?”, “where are all the laborers?” were only a fraction of the questions my cousin Kaushal and I asked. After spending a couple hours touring the landscape- I caught myself realizing that each “pan” or flat of salt was quite majestic, it seemed as though mounds of diamonds lay sparkling at the edge of each pan not sodium chloride- with the sky absent of any clouds and the sun swallowing the scenery, it truly was a sight to see.

After navigating ourselves through the traffic of India- similar to playing the 1981 arcade game frogger, we made our way to West India Sea Brine Pvt. Limited (the refinery,) Pops, Kaushal, and I made our way into the factory and were immediately subject to the worker curiosity and conversations. I snapped a couple pictures of the packing line and continued onwards with our (re)tour, being my second visit it was only a matter of minutes before I wandered off outside while dad spent more time explaining the mechanics of the factory’s equipment and the logistics of the factory itself. Snapping more pictures here and there… I finally…. snapped the one I wanted….........

A picture is worth a thousand words- cliche....? indeed i know.. but how else can you explain this?

(Whats inside this door to the right will be my nxt entry!)

“What we really want to do is what we are really meant to do. When we do what we are meant to do, money comes to us, doors open for us, we feel useful, and the work we do feels like play to us.” -Julia Cameron

intro. read. then proceed.

I promised myself I would begin this project a lot sooner than I actually did. I felt as though I didn’t have a topic interesting enough to stimulate, excite, or inspire my readers to the extent I originally had envisioned. I am starting this blog on my travels to India; I am not sure where this experience will take me, what adventures I will share, or exotic flavors I will encounter; whatever the case- you all now have a first class ticket to the unscripted, and unedited version of my life. Enjoy.

Many chef's from around the globe have had a significant impact throughout my culinary education/experiences. From Thomas Keller of The French Laundry in Napa Valley- Daniel Boulud of the Michelin star award winning Daniel Boulud Brasserie, Patricia Yeo who not only is a talent chef but also a knowledgeable author- to Heston Blumenthal of The Fat Duck in Berkshire- Anthony Bourdain, is my primary inspiration for creating a blog- so- for future references if you catch me narrating in the similar narcissistic manner he does- well.. blame it on THE Bourdain. As an author, television personality, chef, journo, whatever the case- he crosses all boundaries. “[He] satisfies your appetite for culture and culinary arts with the hit gastronomic adventure ‘No Reservations’.” All in all Bourdain is just a brilliant mind and man in the culinary world. (when I grow up.. I wanna be just like him! Hahaha.)

"I have exactly the same work ethic. I don`t see writing as anything more important than cooking. In fact, I`m a little queasier on the writing. There`s an element of shame, because it`s so easy. I can`t believe that people give me money for this sh**." -Anthony Bourdain