Everyone draws a line somewhere when it comes to food. I mean, there are things you love to eat, then there are things you think are so-so, others you hate, and then others you can’t even imagine eating. Somewhere between the third and the fourth, you draw the line. Anthony Bourdain draws no line. And at the other end, there are strict vegetarians - the religious ones and the vegans/PETA activists. If Tony and the vegans were at the right and left ends of the spectrum respectively, then I’ve always been seen as a far right guy. I've been called Weirdo, Savage, The-Guy-Who-Eats-Goat-Balls, Potential Cannibal and god knows what else owing to some things I choose to eat. This post is to show that what I eat is in no way weird, and maybe shift some of the readers a bit to the right.
But first let me tell you that I do in fact, draw a line. I don’t think I can eat insects, I would not eat endangered animals, or a lot of things Anthony Bourdain or Andrew Zimmern eat on their shows. But, this side of the line, there are a few things I regard as delicacies. Allow me to explain in ascending order of apparent weirdness.
Whole Fish
I don’t know why people find this weird but they do. Maybe a lot of my friends have not grown up eating fish at home like I have. So it’s understandable that they get weirded out seeing me pop the eyeball into my mouth and eat the flesh around it as well. They don’t like the idea of me eating the roe sacs either. These are however, some of the best tasting parts in most fish and letting them go would be a sin!
Country Fowl (Desi Murgi)
Most people of my age group don’t even know what this tastes like. That's coz they've grown up eating the commercially produced broiler chickens. And they don’t feel sufficiently disgusted till I tell them about the bunch of unhatched eggs that is sometimes found inside the slaughtered chicken. But believe me, these unhatched eggs of various sizes are a delicacy when cooked along with the chicken in a curry. Broilers can’t hold a candle to this stuff!
Pork and pork products
For most Indians, pork brings with it images of dirty pigs roaming around in filth on the roadside. But pork comes second only to fish in my list of favorite meats and the list of amazing meat products that the pig has blessed us with makes me wonder - why all the hate? Ham, Salami, Bacon, Sausages...there you go...the four greatest meat products...all from one animal!
Offal
Now this is what disgusts people the most. For those of you who don’t know, offal is the name used for the internal organs of a butchered animal, often a goat. No, I did not grow up eating this stuff. But I acquired a taste for it and the credit goes to a no-frills roadside place in my lane that served lip-smackin good offal in fried and gravied form. I've eaten offal at quite a few places by now, but none can match the taste at Sadabhai's. Brain (Bheja), Liver (Kaleji), Kidneys (Gurda), Intestines (Vajri) and Testicles (Kapura) were on offer and I've spent many evenings sitting on a stool on the footpath dipping Pao into his brilliant Bheja Masala. That fact that this place packed up two years ago is a big personal loss and I'm compelled to share with you, his unique recipe of Bheja Masala.
Ingredients:
1 Goat Brain
1 Small Onion - Finely Chopped
1 Tomato - Finely Chopped
Ginger and Garlic Paste, 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon
Red Chili Powder, 1 teaspoon
Gram Masala Powder, 1 Teaspoon
Salt to Taste
Coriander Leaves
Paya Soup, 1 small cup (This is the secret ingredient)
Refined Oil
Preparation:
Heat Oil on a large frying pan and spread it across the pan. Place the whole brain in one corner of the pan and cover it with a large cup or plate. Now, fry the chopped onion on the same pan. After a minute or so, add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for some more time. Add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and garam masala powder and sauté some more. Now add the chopped tomatoes. Divide the fried brain into medium-sized pieces with a spatula and mix it with the rest of the ingredients on the pan. Now add a few teaspoons of Paya Soup and cover with a cup or plate. Add a little more Paya Soup from the outside and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Now remove the cup and add the rest of the Paya Soup. Heat for a while and add the chopped coriander. Serve hot with bread (Pao) or Roomali Roti.
This recipe is just one example of how stuff you guys see as 'weird' can actually be a delicacy. Food of this kind is eaten and liked in every part of the world, whether it’s Europe, Asia or even the United States (sheep testicles are called 'Rocky Mountain Oysters' and relished in the Midwest). Watch any food-related show on TV and you'll find this to be true. So next time, do what scares you and try some of the food on this post. I'm sure it will change your opinion. And I'll end this post by quoting Andrew Zimmern from Bizarre Foods - "Remember, if it looks good, eat it!!”
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Whatever happened to Grandma's cooking
The mention of grandmothers certainly brings a lot of memories with it. Prayer lessons, hymns, lazy vacation afternoons, even scoldings and beatings. But while some of these things I still have, it's the food they cooked that I miss the most. And the magnitude of its loss is something I’m just beginning to realise.
The best part of whatever grandmoms cooked was its authenticity. They never used mixers or non-stick pans. No readymade spices or curry pastes either. It was all pestle and mortar, grindstone and fresh ingredients that came all the way from the native village. I think the use of a gas cylinder as opposed to a wood-fired stove was the only thing that kept the food from being one hundred percent authentic.
Then, there were the recipes. So many of them are now lost and those that are still made at home just don’t taste the same. I'll start with my paternal grandmom. An orthodox, stubborn, short-tempered woman from North Goa who liked to rule her house with an iron fist!! She was a great cook though and spent a lot of time in the kitchen. She was an expert at fish and went to the market every Sunday for fresh catch. And unlike how it’s done now, she shelled and de-veined the prawns and gutted and sliced the fish all at home. She used a lot of coconut in her food and all the grinding was done using an old grindstone that she got from her ancestral village home. She made a great variety of fish curries and all of them were lip-smackin good. Some of my favourites were dried shrimp and mackerel with grated coconut and chillies called 'Kismoor' in Konkani, her brilliant Solkadi (even the kokum pods for it came straight from Goa), and fried Pomfret stuffed with coconut chutney. When she made chicken on Sundays, she never used broiler, it was always the 'desi murgi'. And sometimes a bunch of unhatched eggs of different sizes came along with it, which went into the curry. Fuckin amazing is all I can say!! The desserts she made were the most unique ones I’ve ever had. Grated cucumber mixed with jaggery and steamed in a banana leaf, yellow bananas heated in sugar syrup and served with puris. I rest my case.
My other grandmom was a much mellower and likeable character, but she was an amazing cook as well, so much so that distant relatives from Mom's side of the family frequently dropped in to have lunch at her place. I spent many summer vacations there and every time I came back a few pounds heavier. She was great at cooking crabs and shellfish of all kinds. And even with her faded eyesight in old age, she was just as good. Sucking on the bone-marrow from her mutton curry is a favourite childhood memory. Come Diwali and she used to start her routine of preparing traditional sweet and savoury snacks. These were so popular, that demand for them came from all parts of the family, near and distant. Always eager to please, she would send out these goodies in packets to everyone who asked for them. The snacks we buy from shops for Diwali these days don’t even come close.
Then there are the memories. Going to the fish market on Sundays with my paternal grandmom was an experience in itself. All the fisherwoman turned their attention to their most regular and most demanding customer and she always managed to get the best catch and the best bargain at the same time. Mom and Dad have been trying to do that for years now, without much success. During summer vacations at maternal grandma's place, crabs used to be brought home and declawed alive. The terrified look on my cousin's face as she jumped up on the kitchen table is also a favourite vacation memory.
I could go on and on about the food my grandmoms cooked, the methods and ingredients they used and the stories surrounding their cooking. But the more I write, the more nostalgic I get. So I'll just end this post with a random but beautiful thought. How about a restaurant where only grandmoms cook all the food?
The best part of whatever grandmoms cooked was its authenticity. They never used mixers or non-stick pans. No readymade spices or curry pastes either. It was all pestle and mortar, grindstone and fresh ingredients that came all the way from the native village. I think the use of a gas cylinder as opposed to a wood-fired stove was the only thing that kept the food from being one hundred percent authentic.
Then, there were the recipes. So many of them are now lost and those that are still made at home just don’t taste the same. I'll start with my paternal grandmom. An orthodox, stubborn, short-tempered woman from North Goa who liked to rule her house with an iron fist!! She was a great cook though and spent a lot of time in the kitchen. She was an expert at fish and went to the market every Sunday for fresh catch. And unlike how it’s done now, she shelled and de-veined the prawns and gutted and sliced the fish all at home. She used a lot of coconut in her food and all the grinding was done using an old grindstone that she got from her ancestral village home. She made a great variety of fish curries and all of them were lip-smackin good. Some of my favourites were dried shrimp and mackerel with grated coconut and chillies called 'Kismoor' in Konkani, her brilliant Solkadi (even the kokum pods for it came straight from Goa), and fried Pomfret stuffed with coconut chutney. When she made chicken on Sundays, she never used broiler, it was always the 'desi murgi'. And sometimes a bunch of unhatched eggs of different sizes came along with it, which went into the curry. Fuckin amazing is all I can say!! The desserts she made were the most unique ones I’ve ever had. Grated cucumber mixed with jaggery and steamed in a banana leaf, yellow bananas heated in sugar syrup and served with puris. I rest my case.
My other grandmom was a much mellower and likeable character, but she was an amazing cook as well, so much so that distant relatives from Mom's side of the family frequently dropped in to have lunch at her place. I spent many summer vacations there and every time I came back a few pounds heavier. She was great at cooking crabs and shellfish of all kinds. And even with her faded eyesight in old age, she was just as good. Sucking on the bone-marrow from her mutton curry is a favourite childhood memory. Come Diwali and she used to start her routine of preparing traditional sweet and savoury snacks. These were so popular, that demand for them came from all parts of the family, near and distant. Always eager to please, she would send out these goodies in packets to everyone who asked for them. The snacks we buy from shops for Diwali these days don’t even come close.
Then there are the memories. Going to the fish market on Sundays with my paternal grandmom was an experience in itself. All the fisherwoman turned their attention to their most regular and most demanding customer and she always managed to get the best catch and the best bargain at the same time. Mom and Dad have been trying to do that for years now, without much success. During summer vacations at maternal grandma's place, crabs used to be brought home and declawed alive. The terrified look on my cousin's face as she jumped up on the kitchen table is also a favourite vacation memory.
I could go on and on about the food my grandmoms cooked, the methods and ingredients they used and the stories surrounding their cooking. But the more I write, the more nostalgic I get. So I'll just end this post with a random but beautiful thought. How about a restaurant where only grandmoms cook all the food?
Monday, May 12, 2008
Europe - Hits and Misses
They say that all good things have to come to an end and so have my foodie stories from Europe. But going to Europe has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life, both in terms of the amazingly varied food i've eaten and otherwise. So its only fair that I write one final post dedicated to my time in this awesome continent before I return to posts closer to home. There is also a lot that I could not do and eat in Europe and I think all of that should also receive a mention on this blog for the benefit of those of you who might be lucky enough to go to Europe in the near future. So lets take this one country at a time.
En France
This is where I was based during my time in Europe. This is the only country in Europe where I cooked my own food. And yet somehow, this is where I missed out the most. Since I was on a tight budget, expenses on food also had to be controlled, which meant that restaurant visits were restricted to trips outside my base in Toulouse. Within France, I only went to Marseilles, Nice and Paris. While I had a good French meal in Marseilles, I did miss out on Bouillabaise, a fish stew invented in the city. Even in Toulouse, where I stayed, I missed out on the local speciality, the Cassoulet - a very popular stew made of beans and pork. Other more well-known specialities of authentic French cuisine that I missed out on were Grenouille(frog legs) and Escargot(snails). Dijon in Burgundy was where I desperately wanted to go for gastronomic pursuits. Dijon is famous for its wine, and produces the best mustard and beef in the world. The Champagne region, wine from Bordeaux, mussels from Arcachone and Biarritz, the list just goes on. Well, lets hope I can revisit France soon enough and get a taste of the joie de vivre, atleast as far as food is concerned.
In Deutschland
Germany is not really known for its food and my disappointment with the food at Oktoberfest makes me feel that I did not miss out on much here. But I had the good fortune of being in Munich at the right time and gulp litres of the world's best beer(Paulaner). However, there was some good food in Munich, albeit in bits and parts. The sausages with mashed potatoes were undeniably good and so was the Apfelstrudel. I only had German food at the Oktoberfest and maybe there is lots more to it. I'd rather reserve my judgement.
In Italia
The trip to Italy was marked by a few highlights. Pesto in Liguria where it was created, Gelato in a historic quarter of Rome, and Pizza in Pizzeria Da Michele of Napoli - The temple of Pizza. But then there were disappointments too. The Italian cucina is as vast and varied as any other and a week-long trip meant that I couldnt even scratch the surface. What did I miss here? Canoli(pastry), Frittola(assorted meat fats) and Marsala wine from Sicily, cheese and ham(best in the world) from Parma, a plethora of meat-based dishes from Bologna(Lasagna is the best known), Rissotto and Polenta from the north, Sambuca from Lazio, Antipasti from Florence and more pasta and sauces than you can eat in a lifetime. Well, I can go to Italy 10 more times, maybe even live there and still have regrets about not trying some dish or the other. It's best to just let it go.
En España
While in Spain, I only went to Barcelona and did have some great Catalan food while I was there. Escalivada, roast pork and desert at the gelataria, it was all brilliant. But my greatest regret also came in Spain, when I could not go to Valencia. Paella Valenciana at a roadside cafe near the Americas Cup coastline - It would have been the highlight of the trip! Tapas were also left untouched as I could not go to either Madrid, Seville or San Sebastian. Gazpacho(tomato and bread soup), Sherry, Serrano ham and Chorizo sausages are just some of the Spanish delicacies I would have tried, had I been able to spend more time there. But I'm all set to go to Spain next year for the running of the bulls and its only a matter of time before I get my hands on that Paella!
Em Portugal
Portugal was where I went last in Europe and by that time I had saved some cash. Plus food was the cheapest here and so I made sure I did not miss out on the must-haves. Francesinha and Port wine in Porto and Bachalau(cod) and Pastel de Nata(custard tarts) in Lisbon, I had them covered. But if only Europe could be conquered that easily. Porto is a meat-lover's paradise. Grilled Octopus, fish-head stew and tripe cooked in typical Porto style are few of the many delicacies found in Porto's home-style restaurants. Lisbon, on the other hand has more ways of cooking the codfish than there are days in a year. Some of its restaurants also serve the delicious suckling pig. Pico wine and Ginjinha are some of the drinks I could not have. But there will definitely be a next time!
Europe has so much to do, see and eat that a lifetime is not enough. I tried my best to experience as much of it as I possibly could in one trip. But the most important thing is that Europe worked its magic on me and I'm sure i'll keep going back to it for more.
En France
This is where I was based during my time in Europe. This is the only country in Europe where I cooked my own food. And yet somehow, this is where I missed out the most. Since I was on a tight budget, expenses on food also had to be controlled, which meant that restaurant visits were restricted to trips outside my base in Toulouse. Within France, I only went to Marseilles, Nice and Paris. While I had a good French meal in Marseilles, I did miss out on Bouillabaise, a fish stew invented in the city. Even in Toulouse, where I stayed, I missed out on the local speciality, the Cassoulet - a very popular stew made of beans and pork. Other more well-known specialities of authentic French cuisine that I missed out on were Grenouille(frog legs) and Escargot(snails). Dijon in Burgundy was where I desperately wanted to go for gastronomic pursuits. Dijon is famous for its wine, and produces the best mustard and beef in the world. The Champagne region, wine from Bordeaux, mussels from Arcachone and Biarritz, the list just goes on. Well, lets hope I can revisit France soon enough and get a taste of the joie de vivre, atleast as far as food is concerned.
In Deutschland
Germany is not really known for its food and my disappointment with the food at Oktoberfest makes me feel that I did not miss out on much here. But I had the good fortune of being in Munich at the right time and gulp litres of the world's best beer(Paulaner). However, there was some good food in Munich, albeit in bits and parts. The sausages with mashed potatoes were undeniably good and so was the Apfelstrudel. I only had German food at the Oktoberfest and maybe there is lots more to it. I'd rather reserve my judgement.
In Italia
The trip to Italy was marked by a few highlights. Pesto in Liguria where it was created, Gelato in a historic quarter of Rome, and Pizza in Pizzeria Da Michele of Napoli - The temple of Pizza. But then there were disappointments too. The Italian cucina is as vast and varied as any other and a week-long trip meant that I couldnt even scratch the surface. What did I miss here? Canoli(pastry), Frittola(assorted meat fats) and Marsala wine from Sicily, cheese and ham(best in the world) from Parma, a plethora of meat-based dishes from Bologna(Lasagna is the best known), Rissotto and Polenta from the north, Sambuca from Lazio, Antipasti from Florence and more pasta and sauces than you can eat in a lifetime. Well, I can go to Italy 10 more times, maybe even live there and still have regrets about not trying some dish or the other. It's best to just let it go.
En España
While in Spain, I only went to Barcelona and did have some great Catalan food while I was there. Escalivada, roast pork and desert at the gelataria, it was all brilliant. But my greatest regret also came in Spain, when I could not go to Valencia. Paella Valenciana at a roadside cafe near the Americas Cup coastline - It would have been the highlight of the trip! Tapas were also left untouched as I could not go to either Madrid, Seville or San Sebastian. Gazpacho(tomato and bread soup), Sherry, Serrano ham and Chorizo sausages are just some of the Spanish delicacies I would have tried, had I been able to spend more time there. But I'm all set to go to Spain next year for the running of the bulls and its only a matter of time before I get my hands on that Paella!
Em Portugal
Portugal was where I went last in Europe and by that time I had saved some cash. Plus food was the cheapest here and so I made sure I did not miss out on the must-haves. Francesinha and Port wine in Porto and Bachalau(cod) and Pastel de Nata(custard tarts) in Lisbon, I had them covered. But if only Europe could be conquered that easily. Porto is a meat-lover's paradise. Grilled Octopus, fish-head stew and tripe cooked in typical Porto style are few of the many delicacies found in Porto's home-style restaurants. Lisbon, on the other hand has more ways of cooking the codfish than there are days in a year. Some of its restaurants also serve the delicious suckling pig. Pico wine and Ginjinha are some of the drinks I could not have. But there will definitely be a next time!
Europe has so much to do, see and eat that a lifetime is not enough. I tried my best to experience as much of it as I possibly could in one trip. But the most important thing is that Europe worked its magic on me and I'm sure i'll keep going back to it for more.
Friday, March 14, 2008
The Monk who sold his Secret
Porto or Lisbon - which is better? Opinion is generally divided on this one. Both the cities have a lot in common, yet they have their differences. Both have similar picturesque riverfronts and sloping cobblestoned streets. But Porto is like a small town, Lisbon like a big city. The former is foggy and overcast in winter while the latter is still sunny. Porto is known for its meat, Lisbon for its seafood. There is also a strong rivalry between the tripeiros (residents of Porto) and the Lisboetas. So after I struck the very Christmassy Porto off my list, it was time to head to its southern rival.
I got off my train to Lisbon at a station called Oriente - just to have a look at it from outside. Built for Expo 98 in a modern style, it's huge, brightly lit arches and elegant design has made it quite a tourist attraction. After admiring it for a few minutes, I went down to its metro station to take the subway to my hostel. Lisbon metro is like an underground art gallery and every station has graffiti with a certain theme painted on tiles. Oriente had an elaborate one too. So far, the going was good. My next stop was the Baixa district in the heart of downtown Lisbon. Baixa is a maze of pedestrian streets lined with small cafes and souvenir shops and just like the streets of Porto, it was brightly lit for Christmas. The spoiler however, was the huge police presence. Even on my way to the hostel, police cars and bikes constantly went past with sirens blaring. This was very unlike Lisbon which is known for its low crime rate. I only found out later that the Lisbon treaty was to be signed the next day.
I have written about almost all my trips in Europe, but this is the first time I’m gonna talk about the hostel I stayed in – the very popular Black & White. Run by a very cool brother-sister duo – Miguel and Ana – and painted entirely in black and white as the name suggests, this is the place to stay in Lisbon for a budget traveler. Miguel was a total dude and could be seen playing poker or sharing a beer with some of the guests in the lobby at night. His sister Ana is no less cool and told me about all the places to see and things to eat in Lisbon. Moreover, breakfast the next day was really awesome – a lot of fiambre ham, freshly brewed coffee – and set me up for the day.
When you are in Lisbon you have to take the tram no. 28. It was brought to Lisbon from San Francisco in the 20’s and takes you through Lisbon’s oldest and most fascinating district – Alfama. Alfama is a pre-medieval district and going through its narrow sloping streets on an old rickety tram takes you back in time. There is a lot to do and see in Alfama and I started at one of the many terraces that offer spectacular views of the old city. The one was called Portas do Sol which means gates of the sun in Portuguese. The name is fitting and it’s altitude along with Lisbon’s weather certainly makes you feel as if the sun has come out to shake hands with you! The view from Portas do Sol was awesome and I couldn’t help noticing that almost every house in Alfama had Orange trees (called Laranjeiras) in the courtyard. I was tempted to walk down from the terrace and pick some but decided against it. I guess I wasn’t prepared enough for an old Portuguese lady chasing me through Alfama’s labyrinth. There was a small café on the terrace and I ordered a ham sandwich, along with a glass of Sagres beer – Lisbon’s answer to Porto’s SuperBock. Ham, chilled beer and an awesome panoramic view of whitewashed housed with tiled roofs – it was the best way to start a day in Lisbon.
After seeing all there was to see in Alfama – The Se Cathedral, St. Anthony’s church and the Saint George’s castle – it was time for lunch and for Portugal’s national dish – the Bachalau. Bachalau is codfish and the Portuguese have so many recipes for it that some restaurants have a different version for every day of the year. I had my Bachalau at a small restaurant just outside Castelo do Sao Jorge. It was the whole codfish, fried and served with a garlic sauce, fried potatoes bread and pieces of Castelo Branco cheese. Have a look!
After Alfama, I headed to Belem – the district of Lisbon which is dedicated to the age of discoveries. The magnificent Jeronimos monastery, the Belem tower, the Monument of Discoveries are just some of Belem’s sights dedicated to Portugal’s medieval explorers. But more importantly, it is home to Lisbon’s signature desert – Pasteis de Belem. These are custard tarts with a crisp exterior and very sweet liquid custard inside. They are served with cinnamon and sugar and are a must have when you are in Lisbon. The best place to have them is a bakery aptly called Antiga Casa do Pasteis de Belem which claims to be in possession of the secret recipe for the tarts.
According to legend the tarts were invented in the nearby Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, a prayer house for departing sailors in medieval times. The recipe was a secret but with the fall of the Portuguese empire, the monastery fell on hard times and one of the monks sold the secret recipe to Antiga Casa. Since then, the small bakery in Belem has guarded the recipe fiercely, so much so that apparently it is kept locked in a vault and only four master bakers have access to it.
Antiga Casa is always crowded, but I managed to find my way to the counter and place an order. I bought four tarts and went straight to Jardim de Belem – magnificent gardens on the riverside. A little cinnamon, a little sugar and the tarts were ready to eat. They were piping hot and I burnt my tongue with the first bite! But they were so good that I finished all four in one go.
The next day was my last in Lisbon and I still had one thing to do – find Pico wine. This is a rare wine grown on Portugal’s Pico island in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. Grown in the crevices between volcanic rock, its vineyards have been given UNESCO World Heritage status. But finding this unique wine proved to be more difficult than I thought and after spending half a day searching for it, I finally had to give up. After a short trip to nearby seaside town of Cascais, it was time to leave Lisbon and Portugal. It was an awesome trip but just before leaving I realized that I completely forgot about a drink I could have found more easily in Lisbon and wanted to try for a long time – Ginjinha, a very sweet liqueur made by fermenting cherries in a mixture of brandy, water, sugar and cinnamon. ‘Never mind’, I said to myself – I have one more reason to come back to Lisbon.
I got off my train to Lisbon at a station called Oriente - just to have a look at it from outside. Built for Expo 98 in a modern style, it's huge, brightly lit arches and elegant design has made it quite a tourist attraction. After admiring it for a few minutes, I went down to its metro station to take the subway to my hostel. Lisbon metro is like an underground art gallery and every station has graffiti with a certain theme painted on tiles. Oriente had an elaborate one too. So far, the going was good. My next stop was the Baixa district in the heart of downtown Lisbon. Baixa is a maze of pedestrian streets lined with small cafes and souvenir shops and just like the streets of Porto, it was brightly lit for Christmas. The spoiler however, was the huge police presence. Even on my way to the hostel, police cars and bikes constantly went past with sirens blaring. This was very unlike Lisbon which is known for its low crime rate. I only found out later that the Lisbon treaty was to be signed the next day.
I have written about almost all my trips in Europe, but this is the first time I’m gonna talk about the hostel I stayed in – the very popular Black & White. Run by a very cool brother-sister duo – Miguel and Ana – and painted entirely in black and white as the name suggests, this is the place to stay in Lisbon for a budget traveler. Miguel was a total dude and could be seen playing poker or sharing a beer with some of the guests in the lobby at night. His sister Ana is no less cool and told me about all the places to see and things to eat in Lisbon. Moreover, breakfast the next day was really awesome – a lot of fiambre ham, freshly brewed coffee – and set me up for the day.
When you are in Lisbon you have to take the tram no. 28. It was brought to Lisbon from San Francisco in the 20’s and takes you through Lisbon’s oldest and most fascinating district – Alfama. Alfama is a pre-medieval district and going through its narrow sloping streets on an old rickety tram takes you back in time. There is a lot to do and see in Alfama and I started at one of the many terraces that offer spectacular views of the old city. The one was called Portas do Sol which means gates of the sun in Portuguese. The name is fitting and it’s altitude along with Lisbon’s weather certainly makes you feel as if the sun has come out to shake hands with you! The view from Portas do Sol was awesome and I couldn’t help noticing that almost every house in Alfama had Orange trees (called Laranjeiras) in the courtyard. I was tempted to walk down from the terrace and pick some but decided against it. I guess I wasn’t prepared enough for an old Portuguese lady chasing me through Alfama’s labyrinth. There was a small café on the terrace and I ordered a ham sandwich, along with a glass of Sagres beer – Lisbon’s answer to Porto’s SuperBock. Ham, chilled beer and an awesome panoramic view of whitewashed housed with tiled roofs – it was the best way to start a day in Lisbon.
After seeing all there was to see in Alfama – The Se Cathedral, St. Anthony’s church and the Saint George’s castle – it was time for lunch and for Portugal’s national dish – the Bachalau. Bachalau is codfish and the Portuguese have so many recipes for it that some restaurants have a different version for every day of the year. I had my Bachalau at a small restaurant just outside Castelo do Sao Jorge. It was the whole codfish, fried and served with a garlic sauce, fried potatoes bread and pieces of Castelo Branco cheese. Have a look!
After Alfama, I headed to Belem – the district of Lisbon which is dedicated to the age of discoveries. The magnificent Jeronimos monastery, the Belem tower, the Monument of Discoveries are just some of Belem’s sights dedicated to Portugal’s medieval explorers. But more importantly, it is home to Lisbon’s signature desert – Pasteis de Belem. These are custard tarts with a crisp exterior and very sweet liquid custard inside. They are served with cinnamon and sugar and are a must have when you are in Lisbon. The best place to have them is a bakery aptly called Antiga Casa do Pasteis de Belem which claims to be in possession of the secret recipe for the tarts.
According to legend the tarts were invented in the nearby Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, a prayer house for departing sailors in medieval times. The recipe was a secret but with the fall of the Portuguese empire, the monastery fell on hard times and one of the monks sold the secret recipe to Antiga Casa. Since then, the small bakery in Belem has guarded the recipe fiercely, so much so that apparently it is kept locked in a vault and only four master bakers have access to it.
Antiga Casa is always crowded, but I managed to find my way to the counter and place an order. I bought four tarts and went straight to Jardim de Belem – magnificent gardens on the riverside. A little cinnamon, a little sugar and the tarts were ready to eat. They were piping hot and I burnt my tongue with the first bite! But they were so good that I finished all four in one go.
The next day was my last in Lisbon and I still had one thing to do – find Pico wine. This is a rare wine grown on Portugal’s Pico island in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. Grown in the crevices between volcanic rock, its vineyards have been given UNESCO World Heritage status. But finding this unique wine proved to be more difficult than I thought and after spending half a day searching for it, I finally had to give up. After a short trip to nearby seaside town of Cascais, it was time to leave Lisbon and Portugal. It was an awesome trip but just before leaving I realized that I completely forgot about a drink I could have found more easily in Lisbon and wanted to try for a long time – Ginjinha, a very sweet liqueur made by fermenting cherries in a mixture of brandy, water, sugar and cinnamon. ‘Never mind’, I said to myself – I have one more reason to come back to Lisbon.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
When Christmas comes early
I have always been fascinated by my colonial connection. Being from Goa meant that while the rest of the country celebrated 15th August as its independence day, for us it was 19th December. It made us different and I got a huge kick out of it. My grandparents were probed constantly with endless queries about their life under Portuguese rule. Grandpa had Portuguese as a compulsory subject in school, a fact which he came to regret when I decided to learn the language from him. So it was natural that when I finally found myself in Europe, I couldn’t possibly leave without a visit to the 'motherland'.
Unfortunately, by the time a trip to Portugal became a reality, my friends had become homesick and headed back to India. So I would be making this trip alone. On the bright side, my flight to Porto was from the one city in Europe that I have the best memories of - Barcelona! I decided to get to Barca a day before my flight coz I was yet to visit the Camp Nou, home to one of my favorite football clubs - FC Barcelona. And since I was in Barcelona, I couldn’t resist going back to La Rambla - the one street in Europe so vibrant and buzzing with life, it makes the Champs Elysees look pale. Barcelona never fails to surprise you and while strolling in one of the Rambla's bylanes I came across a Gelataria. A lot was on offer and I picked one of the desserts rather than the regular ice-cream. Banana-stuffed waffles topped with Vanilla ice-cream, chocolate sauce and loaded with pralines - Brilliant! A work of art, just like everything else in Barcelona. After a visit to Estadio Camp Nou the next day, I headed for Girona from where I had a flight to Porto. After a Ryanair journey that took two hours instead of one and scared the shit out of all the passengers (they were actually clapping after landing), I was finally in Porto.
After a rather longish ride on the metro, I got off at Bolhao and saw a huge cloud of smoke at the exit. There was no need to worry though, it was winter and time for Castanhas Assadas - roasted chestnuts sold all over Portugal by street vendors. I bought a few and devoured them on my way to the hostel. After a quick check-in, I headed out for a stroll. What struck me immediately was how each and every street in Porto was lit up for Christmas. Moreover, every street had its own pattern of lighting. Buses went past with 'Feliz Natal (Merry Christmas in Portuguese)' written on them. When I asked a man on the street for a lighter, he too said "Feliz Natal" after my Obrigado. At Aliados square, there was a six-storey high Christmas tree with elaborate decorative lighting on it and an artificial ice-skating rink for kids. What's so surprising about all this you ask? Well, it was the 7th of December. Looks like Christmas comes early in this part of the world.
After a quick visit to the famed Ribeira district, it was time for dinner for which I had the perfect plan in mind. As always, a local specialty. A meat bonanza. The Francesinha! Porto is known for its meat and Ham and Sausage-making tradition and the Francesinha is what captures it best. Wet-cured ham (Fiambre), a spiced Portuguese sausage called linguiça, roast pork and beef steak stuffed between two slices of bread, covered with Saloio cheese, baked (so that the cheese melts) then drenched in tomato and beer sauce and loaded with French fries. Are you salivating already?
There is an Old Portuguese proverb which says 'Every wine would choose to be Port if it could'. I couldn’t agree more when I tasted some of the vintage stuff. I bought a bottle of Tawny (a bottle of vintage can be really expensive) on my way out.I don’t know how to explain it but Porto was the one place in Europe that I found the most welcoming, I felt at home here. I don’t know why, maybe because I knew the language, maybe because of the Christmas spirit. But I felt a certain joy here that I did not feel in the rest of Europe. I will return for sure.
Unfortunately, by the time a trip to Portugal became a reality, my friends had become homesick and headed back to India. So I would be making this trip alone. On the bright side, my flight to Porto was from the one city in Europe that I have the best memories of - Barcelona! I decided to get to Barca a day before my flight coz I was yet to visit the Camp Nou, home to one of my favorite football clubs - FC Barcelona. And since I was in Barcelona, I couldn’t resist going back to La Rambla - the one street in Europe so vibrant and buzzing with life, it makes the Champs Elysees look pale. Barcelona never fails to surprise you and while strolling in one of the Rambla's bylanes I came across a Gelataria. A lot was on offer and I picked one of the desserts rather than the regular ice-cream. Banana-stuffed waffles topped with Vanilla ice-cream, chocolate sauce and loaded with pralines - Brilliant! A work of art, just like everything else in Barcelona. After a visit to Estadio Camp Nou the next day, I headed for Girona from where I had a flight to Porto. After a Ryanair journey that took two hours instead of one and scared the shit out of all the passengers (they were actually clapping after landing), I was finally in Porto.
After a rather longish ride on the metro, I got off at Bolhao and saw a huge cloud of smoke at the exit. There was no need to worry though, it was winter and time for Castanhas Assadas - roasted chestnuts sold all over Portugal by street vendors. I bought a few and devoured them on my way to the hostel. After a quick check-in, I headed out for a stroll. What struck me immediately was how each and every street in Porto was lit up for Christmas. Moreover, every street had its own pattern of lighting. Buses went past with 'Feliz Natal (Merry Christmas in Portuguese)' written on them. When I asked a man on the street for a lighter, he too said "Feliz Natal" after my Obrigado. At Aliados square, there was a six-storey high Christmas tree with elaborate decorative lighting on it and an artificial ice-skating rink for kids. What's so surprising about all this you ask? Well, it was the 7th of December. Looks like Christmas comes early in this part of the world.
After a quick visit to the famed Ribeira district, it was time for dinner for which I had the perfect plan in mind. As always, a local specialty. A meat bonanza. The Francesinha! Porto is known for its meat and Ham and Sausage-making tradition and the Francesinha is what captures it best. Wet-cured ham (Fiambre), a spiced Portuguese sausage called linguiça, roast pork and beef steak stuffed between two slices of bread, covered with Saloio cheese, baked (so that the cheese melts) then drenched in tomato and beer sauce and loaded with French fries. Are you salivating already?
Restaurants serving Francesinha can be found all over Porto and I wasted no time in entering an affordable-looking one near Aliados. I ordered beer in anticipation of a heavy meal and was served Porto's very own brew - SuperBock. It was an excellent beer and the waiter even served assorted meat and fish cutlets - all complimentary! The Francesinha was brilliant too and once again, I was stuffed on my way back to the Hostel.
The next day started with a walk through Porto's famous market - the Bolhao, which was very close to the hostel. Fresh fish, big chunks of ham, a huge variety of sausages and vendors shouting at the top of their lungs - it was a heady mix. Porto has a lot of interesting sights and I managed to catch quite a few of them that morning - splendid Azulejos (tile paintings) at Sao Bento railway station, Sao Francisco church ( I have never seen so much gold in one place), and the Douro riverside. But the moment of the trip came when I was in another famous church - Igreja dos Clerigos - and a group of youngsters at the altar started singing Christmas Carols in Portuguese. I cannot describe the feeling - I am so happy to be here! I don’t care if I am alone, I don’t care if my friends are not with me, they are the ones who missed out. This trip is a Christmas gift! - that's how I felt.
After all of this, there was one last thing left to do in Porto - taste and buy Port Wine. After years of drinking the cheap Wedding Bells brand that came from Goa, it was time to try the real thing. Signs of the Port-making tradition can be seen everywhere in Porto, especially in the traditional boats called rebelos that were used to transport the wine down the Douro in medieval times and are still seen parked on the riverfront.
The Port Wine lodges are located in a town called Vila Nova de Gaia which is across the river from Porto and I got there by crossing the Dom Luis bridge - built by Gustav Eiffel in his characteristic style. There are several wine lodges in Vila Nova -Taylor, Croft, Sandeman, Calem etc. I went to Taylor's, the best known lodge only to be disappointed when the guard said "Segunda só (Mondays only)". So Croft it was. Thankfully this one was open to visits and it did not disappoint. It had a plethora of equipment traditionally used to make Port Wine and also, some of the oldest barrels used to store it.
There is an Old Portuguese proverb which says 'Every wine would choose to be Port if it could'. I couldn’t agree more when I tasted some of the vintage stuff. I bought a bottle of Tawny (a bottle of vintage can be really expensive) on my way out.I don’t know how to explain it but Porto was the one place in Europe that I found the most welcoming, I felt at home here. I don’t know why, maybe because I knew the language, maybe because of the Christmas spirit. But I felt a certain joy here that I did not feel in the rest of Europe. I will return for sure.
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