Diary
entry - December 07, 2003
Sunday
lunch in Bangalore!
The
Gloucestershire produce has still not arrived - but I have been
told that if we make contact with the 'right man' it should be with
me on Tuesday. Oh really!
 Wow
they came in droves for Sunday lunch. Creeping and crawling
from all the cracks and crevices of Bangalore in order to indulge
in the likes of classically cooked roast dinners and one or
two things prepared with a twist. |
Robert
Rees |
However,
the word is out in Bangalore - the English Chef is in town. Wow
they came in droves for Sunday lunch. Creeping and crawling from
all the cracks and crevices of Bangalore in order to indulge in
the likes of classically cooked roast dinners and one or two things
prepared with a twist.
It
was like the story of the Pied Piper - a constant stream of guests
that quite frankly I wasn’t prepared for. Thanks to the excellent
efforts of Yogi and Monoj (my two chefs) we got through it, kept
the punters entertained and presented food to be proud of.
The
two Chefs are a great laugh. Indian names have meanings so deep
and powerful that I feel quite inadequate with my boring Rob. King
of the heart and his friend, named after a distant province, are
worth their weight in gold leaf.
Record
takings
On
talking with the Food and Beverage staff it looks like today has
been a record taking for the hotel. I know that this was also the
case in Delhi on two days during my festival there. That must signal
to those involved in food production that here is a market for British
ingredients that needs exploiting.
If
it's not the Indians then certainly the amazingly high numbers of
expats are demanding a little taste of home. The expats here are
extremely affluent and often command positions of authority.
There
is no denying the fact that they will certainly pay a premium for
the produce we sell at Farmers Markets in Gloucestershire. Currently
we ship bottle loads of whiskey out here - I feel we should begin
to deliver more.
Indu
and Alakander from the High Commission are after Cider. The Indian
woman’s attitude to work and socializing is changing. They do not
want whiskey or kingfisher beer- they want to try ciders, presses
and other crisp drinks.
Despite
a stomach that is going through all kinds of acrobatics at the moment
I have continued to do the polite thing and taste many Indian items.
Some are great others foul.
Coconuts
Here
in Bangalore they have a lot of coconut water. Yes - water, not
milk. It is produced from the natural rainwater and tree sap that
surrounds the inside of the coconut as it starts to grow. The coconuts
are then picked early before they get their hard outer skin and
the water is drained off for drinking.
I
am told it cools the body on hot days and settles the stomach (hence
my indulgence). It has a subtle sweetness and delicate coconut flavor.
In the evenings it is mixed with a shot of gin or vodka.

Everyone I have speak to here now knows Gloucestershire. They
are all saying: "Gloucestershire - I know it. Isn’t that
where the terrorist suspect has just been found - it can't be
very safe." |
Robert
Rees |
Bangalore
has a more balanced year-round climate than Delhi and is therefore
excellent for fruit and vegetable production. However, when I walked
into the big refrigerator I didn’t realize there would be so much
I had never seen before. There were squashes of the weirdest shapes
and colors including a snake squash that was particularly interesting.
The
vegetables come in all shapes and sizes including some that you
wouldn’t wish to come across on a dark night. They have thorns,
spikes, pungent aromas and I am sure I even heard something growling
at me.
Despite
Bangalore being the Silicon Valley of India it is still proud of
its food heritage and style. They use far hotter spices with the
addition of coconut clearly differentiating it from the north with
its stark but equally exciting cuisine.
So
I think that is to be my busiest weekend over with. I estimate only
2000 or so meals to go in the next six days.
Media
spin
Everyone
I have speak to here now knows Gloucestershire. They are all saying:
"Gloucestershire - I know it. Isn’t that where the terrorist
suspect has just been found - it can't be very safe."
Strange
how the world media can put a spin on things!
I describe
the Five Valleys and our beautiful county to reassure them but the
world has gone crazy and we are so quick to judge and presume.
My
time here has taught me so much about myself and others that I hope
to return a better man.
by
Robert Rees
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