Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Drink with Tulleeho - With Ananth, author of Play With Me, India's first erotic novel


“Pink Lips Pink Lips” trills Yo Yo Sunny Leone, and because we live in India, she doesn’t go on to mention which pair she’s referring to. I’d suggested that Ananth and I meet at Cocktails and Dreams Speakeasy in Gurgaon’s Sector 15A market, one of the few places in the greater NCR region, where you can get great cocktails. Dot at 6 pm, Ananth walked in, in his hand, a copy of his book “Play With Me”, recently published by Penguin Books. Ananth orders a Dirty Martini, and I a Clover Club. 

Ananth



Cocktails and Dreams


As we well know in India the sexual revolution although it’s alive and kicking, is largely behind closed doors, with popular culture of TV, Bollywood and Indian fiction, completely passing it by. There have been a couple of volumes of short erotic fiction I point out to Ananth, With short stories, “you’re only saddling the horse, you’re not taking it to water”, is Ananth’s quick riposte, clearly eager to remain secure in his position of the author of India’s first erotic novel. And erotic it is, I can confirm.

Play with Me checks in at a slim 246 pages, and is every man’s sodden dream. Sid is a talented partner in Alpha, a boutique photo shop cum creative agency and into this sea of testosterone, swims Cara, a drop dead gorgeous intern, fresh of the boat from New York, attracted to Alpha by Sid’s work (btw, Ananth is no mean amateur photographer himself and one wonders if there’s any self actualisation happening here). No surprises, Sid and Cara began to get it on, in every way possible, and then some, with the sex flying off the pages.

Our cocktails speedily arrive. My Clover Club is lip smacking, a turn of the 19th century (into the 20th) drink, with a pleasing mix of Gin, lemon juice, raspberry puree and egg white. The egg white giving the drink it’s texture and frothiness. Ananth has ordered his Dirty Martini, with vodka and after a first sip, pronounces it as perfect. 

The Clover Club


He’s particular about his cocktails, and tells me about the bar at the Taj Vivanta in Gurgaon, which is a favourite of his, which gets the Espresso Martini just right. It can swing either way he tells me, depending on the kind of coffee, the sweetness levels, etc. Ananth is also particular about how his dark rum Mojitos are made. He also likes flavoured Martinis, Apple Cinnamon, Espresso & Green Apple.

Play With Me is populated with a set of sharply etched characters, from Sid to Cara, to Aanya, Natasha and Roy. More beans I shall not spill. A few days after having finished Play With Me, the character, which stands out the sharpest, however is Cara, and I’m intrigued to know from Ananth that if Bollywood did come calling, who’d be his pick from the current lot to play her.

“It’s important to get her right”, says Ananth in between cautious sips of his Martini, “because she’s so comfortable in her skin”, and yet “completely in control, she’s not apologetic, she’s not guilty, she’s completely aware of the men around her and the effect she has on them”. Nargis Fakhri is his verdict, for as it turns out on further reading of the book, more reasons than one. 

Nargis Fakhri


I point out to Ananth, an error I noticed in the e-book I purchased, which talked of Cara’s breasts fitting neatly into a Champagne flute, whereas I assume he meant a Champagne Saucer! He’s aware of the error, and indicates that it’s been changed, but maybe it hadn’t been done yet on the e-book. Says he, “it does look strange, we’re not in a fairy tale, that would be quite a breast, you can suck on it if not anything else, it will be a teat, not a tit”. Rumour has it that Marie Antoinette’s breasts (her left one if you’re curious) were used for the first mould of the champagne saucer, so Cara is clearly in interesting company.

Kate Moss – Got a Champagne Saucer made in the mold of her breast to celebrate 25 years in the fasion industry

Marie Antoinette


Sid’s favourite choice of spirit is rum, and no surprises, so it is for Ananth also. He had his first shot of Old Monk in 1993 at the start of his career which began with working for Landmark in Chennai. His dad and his brother were both whisky drinkers, but he never liked the taste of whisky, he just stuck to rum. Rum, ice and a bit of Coke, with the combination of ice and Coke flexible. “If it’s a long evening, I’ll start with more rum, if it’s a short evening, I’ll start with more Coke.”

Ananth prefers dark rum, “but if I’m going to have more than one, I prefer the white, and that’s because of my constitution. 2 pegs of dark rum play hell with my body when I get up in the morning v/s the white.” Old Monk and Old Cask are both favourite rums of his, and so are Bacardi and Captain Morgan. He also likes Gosling and Sailor Jerry, from the UK, and of course, Ron Zacapa.  I recommend to him a great rum bar in Notting Hill called Trailer Happiness, and Ananth promises to look out for it on his upcoming trip to London. 

Trailer Happiness


Ananth claims not to have any favourite bars, he’s more a restaurant guy, food and alcohol in that order, with Conversation completing the sandwich. He does have a preference, however for bars which are really high up, and comments favourably on a bar on the 32nd floor in Tokyo, from where you can see the whole city. The thing about a lot of bars in London and New York (and also in Cocktails & Dreams) is that the music doesn’t intrude, “you can’t even talk to each other, I’m not a fan of places which are loud for the sake of  being loud.”

How about making out in bars?, I ask him, maybe it can be a plot line for his next book. Says Ananth, with the off the cuff humour which has come to characterise our chat, “It can be wet and wild. Maybe we could call it the Extra Large Club”.

Play with me, also features an ad agency head honcho called Chandramukhi Chaurasia, who Ananth claims is entirely a figment of his imagination, she’s pictured as moving through a party, trailed by a flunky holding her glass (with a 12yo Macallan Single Malt Whisky). Says Ananth,  “when I thought about someone who works in an ad agency I thought about what he / she might drink, and I felt as the chairperson (fictional) of JWT, she couldn’t be seen asking for a dark rum. My brother likes the Macallan 12yo, so I chose that for her”.

I asked Ananth if he’d been inspired by someone he’d come across to write the above scene, and he commented he’d never seen anyone like her. Once at a party, however Ananth politely enquired from a mini celeb, if she’d like a refill for her drink, and she replied, “sure, but not in the same glass please”, a reply which left Ananth gobsmacked, considering he didn’t even know the lady in question. Says he, “you remember these things, and whether you write or not, you remember them.. when people say writing is a solitary sport, at least it’s not for me, it’s not like I went away and sat in a room, you do have to write alone, but the moment I decided to take on this assignment to write, I started becoming more and more aware in a lot of ways, of what people do, of what people say, of what they mean, because ultimately you’re writing about people, there is no greater plot, I’m not writing Star Wars, so I started noticing many things slowly.“

Play with Me’s first print run of 7000 copies has all been shipped out, and it’s success is no surprise, for it’s set in a very new India, brash, confident, brand conscious, sexually aware, and with very little inhibitions to get what they want. A milieu, which speaks to the thousands of twenty and thirty somethings around us, and makes me wish I were born 10 years earlier than I was. As Ananth says, “it’s a story about pleasure, what pleasure can do to love and what love can do to pleasure”. Although I know it’s hard to get past the sex, it’s made me look at the youth I see around me in a new light, as I see little reason as to why characters like Sid, Cara and Natasha are not just flights of fantasy, but probably Rahul, Smita and Noelie in your workplace.

If you think Ananth’s shot his bolt, you’re mistaken. Book # 2 of what promises to be India’s own 50 shades, is already being plotted. Called Think With Me, Ananth wants to raise the bar on sensuality, and that’s going to get me for one, clicking on Buy.
















Friday, October 10, 2014

Letter from Dubai: Tales from the Sand - by Ulric Nijs

Tales from the Sand…

So… Here I am; Ulric (Brand Ambassador for Tigre Blanc vodka, Jose Cuervo and a couple of other brands) in the United Arab Emirates and Asian sub-continent. I am blessed with working in one of the most rapidly growing metropolis of our age: Dubai. My line of work is pretty eclectic; as our nightlife universe is on a constant growth, it can sometimes be hard to keep up with the various prestigious establishments that are opening on a weekly basis, and, sometimes, closing even faster! What it means, however, is that I am constantly exposed to an influx of drink creativity and ‘wannabe-ism’ that is prevalent in an all-rapidly evolving megalopolis, I therefore have a certain amount of skepticism when exposed to a new drink menu, and my retorts can be as bitter as a shot of room temperature Cynar (a remarkably complex & wildly bitter, artichoke-based Italian aperitif!).

Ulric Nijs


However, after about 20 years traveling the world as a bartender and cocktail designer, I also think that I have the right to be! Not quite a given-right, but certainly starting to be a well earned one!
So, as I stroll around “my” city, I cannot help forming some sort of opinions about the various “wins & fails” of these outlets popping up in my work environment. I also feel –and it is perhaps slightly arrogant of me- that these opinions can be beneficial to my fellow epicurean, and thus lead to a better drinking experience in the long run; not because “I” know better, but simply, because my job has been a catalytic environment to these potential pitfalls that plagues the quests for good drinks!
What will follow on these pages is not “moan-fest”, but rather a primer of drinking etiquette in an ever-changing nightlife environment. I do have to be honest though; these words are very much aimed at people looking for a real drinking experience, rather than a quick alcohol-infused buzz… Always consider your environment!

The first word of the primer is “Creativity”. Creativity is the feeding ideal behind any ambitious chef and/or bartender (I do not dare using the oft-abused “mixologist” term), yet it is a certainly a double-edged sword! In the hands of a connoisseur, it will leads to many delights; in the hand of an amateur, it will be more likely be a disaster.  Let me expand and draw from my recent experience…
As I grow older, my palate has changed considerably; the “Negroni” which I once thought undrinkable, has become a staple daily drink. I love the way the botanicals and dryness of the gin marries with the vermouth and bitter-sweet Campari… It is not a difficult drink to realize; equal measures of gin, Campari and sweet vermouth; stirred harmoniously, and served as you desire. Furthermore, there are not too many variations possible on the drink: 1) The gin, 2) the vermouth 3) the drinking vessel (straight up, on the rocks or lengthened!).

Yet, this simple drink seems to stump many of the new establishments I visit on a regular basis! Worst of all, with the recent “classic cocktail” revival AND the gin explosion that we are witnessing, this drink has been well documented and supported by starred bartenders all over the world!  Yet, in spite of the above, this simple drink is often dismissed towards more exotic drinks. I understand it doesn’t have to appear on the menu, but it certainly should be common knowledge, yet it isn’t! The ingredients may be, but the rest is forgotten.

How does this tie up with my “drinking primer”? Simple… When you walk into a new establishment, and as you glance over the creative cocktail selection that may be highlighted on the menu… Don’t rush into them!
Wait…
Consider the environment. You wouldn’t expect a Vesper to be properly made in an Irish pub would you?

If the environment is conclusive, order a “classic” cocktail before any others… The Negroni is my acid test… For other, it is the Mai-Tai or the Mojito. Order your “go-to” cocktail, NOT the signature.
If –and ONLY if- your first drink is well prepared and up to YOUR standards, then move along to one of the signature drinks on offer and be prepared to be delighted!

Why should you be using this methodology? Simple… Would you trust a 10-years old child at the wheel of a super-car?

Certainly not!

The age-old saying “walk before you run” is definitely applicable in the drinking world; these classics not only teach the basic methodologies, but also prepare your host (I much prefer this term to that of “mixologist”) towards more colorful concoctions through the basic rule of substitution.

The basic message of these words are pretty simple really… the relationship between a bartender and his guests is akin to that of the provider and his dependents; i.e. there must be a foundation of trust between the two parties involved; and if this trust is established, then feel free to wander in a weird, wacky and wonderful world of mixology… If you bartender knows his/her classic, you are automatically in good hands! However, if you get a blank look upon ordering an old-fashioned; then one should not expect a positive drinking experience.

On this happy note, I would love to leave you with a great quote from Troy Patterson (free lance writer for Slate.com):

“There's nothing you can do to gin that's worse than what it can do to you.”

Cheers – sipping a Negroni!
Negroni

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Tuesday, September 09, 2014

Tulleeho Wine Experience with Noble Rot, a Delhi based group of wine lovers


A PLUNGE INTO THE WORLD OF FRENCH WINES - by Rakshit Khurana, Tulleeho
Setting the Stage...

If you have the palate for some of the best sweet wine in the world you might know that “Noble Rot” is the only naturally occurring grape disease that farmers are happy to have their vines affected with, as it helps them produce some of the most expensive wines in the world. As interesting as is this concept, so was the group of the Delhi based wine enthusiasts who call themselves “Noble Rot”.
I met Sandeep six months ago at a Tulleeho Wine Experience. He also expressed a desire to do a deep dive into the world of French Wines, along with his Noble Rot compatriots. Justifiably concerned about the quality of wine available in India, Sandeep visited France to get the wine for this French evening at his house. The evening was all set with French music and food from Rara Avis, one of the well known French restaurants in town. The idea was to give the members of Noble Rot a taste of France in the heart of Delhi.
As the guests started coming in, they were given a blind taste of a couple of white wines, one of which they had to guess if they wanted to win a bottle of wine. The wines served were a Riesling from Alsace and a Chablis. While most of them got one wine right the prize was given to a gentleman who nailed them both. The evening kicked off with a Louis Roederer, NV Brut which was relished with Camembert cheese. 
... and the Table
 Next up we were tasting an off dry 2011 Riesling from Alsace (a region caught in many cross fires between Germany and France in World War II) which was combined with Edam Cheese. Everyone of the 13 members were now warmed up and inquisitive about the next wine which was a 2011 Pouilly Fume. Much was expected of this crisp beauty with grassy aromas that complimented the Goat Cheese and Olive Tapenade crostini prepared by Laurent, the chef. As we moved on and appreciated the Chablis and Rose D’ Anjou, the noise level in the room had gone up a notch and now they needed something else to put their minds to.

 Just before we started off with the reds, we played an interesting game of guessing some wine aromas (needless to mention we had some very strange but funny answers). We started tasting the red wine with The Queen of Beaujolais, a “Fleurie”(stands for flowery) from the house of Georges Duboeuf. The crimson
coloured light and fruity wine was paired with chicken salami. After tasting the 2008 Pinot Noir from the house of Olivier Leflaive which was enjoyed with Gruyere cheese we got to the two wines I couldn’t wait to taste and see the development after decanting.
The first one was a 2006, Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf De Pape. This garnet beauty from Southern Rhone had berry and earthy aromas with a fennel finish on the palate. The participants enjoyed this wine with pepperoni salami and pate.  

While the Noble Rot members talked about and appreciated the sophistication of this wine we were served the next one which was a Chateau Laroque St. Emillion Grand Cru Classe, 2004. Even though it was 10 years old, Grand Cru Classe wines coming from this region in Bordeaux can go upto 30 years. This wine had spent just enough time in the decanter to get a full release of the red fruits, sweet spice and vanilla flavours. On the palate the wine had red fruit and compote flavours with well integrated tannins and a long finish which complimented the aged Gouda cheese it was paired with.
After an hour of wine appreciation the gentlemen of Noble Rot headed to the French buffet(but not without a glass of wine in their hand) to treat their bellies to some delicious and authentic French dishes created by Laurent. Even though everything about the evening was French it couldn’t have ended without a few toasts to the health and friendship of those present in a typical Delhi style.
Tulleeho!       



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Friday, April 18, 2014

Lift off: Russian Spirit and Kruto, 2 new vodka brands launch. Tulleeho's Sweta Mohanty was there, to taste and compete.



I was invited to this launch a couple of days back at this quiet little joint at Bandra by the name of Nom Nom. A new vodka launch had got me excited, so I was at the doors of Nom Nom bang on time.
 
I was greeted by Neha Kapadia, Director MIRSpirits and Mahesh Chauhan, Founder Member, Salt Brand Solutions
               
Neha Kapadia

                                
Mahesh Chauhan
                                                                   
We were all seated at a long table for the tasting, and to kick things off were given a beautifully designed handout.

               
Mahesh was at his wittiest best and started for off the conversation by saying “do you want me to take off my shirt??” While we looked on and were trying to figure out what he meant, he immediately explained – Isn’t that what you see in all Vodka promotions. Foreign ladies, skimpily clad girls ……… we do not want that for our vodka. We want it to stand out because of its taste”. Point taken Mahesh!
Neha and Mahesh were of the opinion that their vodka is all about taste. And they don’t need to have skimpily clad girls to promote it.
Mumbai is the 2nd city after Goa in India where they have launched. Russian Spirit as we were told uses golden wheat from the ecologically pure soil of Ukraine. It is 15 times distilled and undergoes a pure gold filtration to get the smooth finish. This is supposed to be drunk “Neat” as a sipping vodka. Here we did a comparative tasting with Grey Goose, Belvedere and Absolut. How it went, we leave it for you to taste and decide!!! Russian Spirit is competitively priced at INR 3200 in Mumbai.
Russian Spirit

Very interestingly the Russian Spirit tagline says “Introduce Yourself”, which to some might sound arrogant because it means the person drinking has to introduce himself/herself, as the vodka needs no introduction.
Nom Nom’s food was yummy…… My favorite out of the lot was Wasabi Prawns & Mushrooms and Crab Meat Sushi. A must visit to Nom Nom for everyone.
Kruto, the other vodka is priced at INR 1800/- in Mumbai and is 9 times distilled. The tag line for Kruto says “Chase Me”. This one is being promoted as a cocktails base. And they had some interesting cocktails like Guava Island (Kruto + Tabasco & Worcestershire + Lemon Juice + Green Chilli) and Bitter Sweet (Kruto + Orange Juice + Lime Juice + Lemonade + Angostura Bitters)

Kruto and Russian Spirits


When MIR Spirits had sent the invite, the first sentence said there would be a surprise element to the event. We had nearly come to the end of the evening and I was wondering where the surprise was and as if reading my mind, Neha announced an impromptu Cocktail competition, in which you had to make your own cocktail and name it too.
I volunteered to go first!! Something that I don’t do often….. Can you guess why I did it this time??
Swetalicious
Ingredients
·      Kruto – 60ml
·      Kiwi – Muddled 
·      Lime Juice – 10ml 
·      Sugar Syrup – 10ml 
·      Tabasco – 4 to 5 dashes

Method: Shake and Strain into a salt rimmed rocks glass filled with Ice. Garnish with a Kiwi Slice.
                                          



Have you still not guessed why I volunteered to go first? :p

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Tuesday, April 08, 2014

Tulleeho Wine Academy in conversation with Simon Cant, Wine making ambassador, Asia for Penfolds Wines

In the Australian outback, a dry day is not to be trifled with. Dry days however have a wholly different meaning in India, and unfortunately we’re on the verge of what turned out to be a historic elections to decide who would rule Delhi. And although we’re meeting in The Leela Gurgaon, the bar is still off limits, as we’re within striking distance of the Delhi border, and Delhi’s running scared of Gurgaon’s pernicious influence on its sobriety. Something which needs much explanation for Simon Cant, the Asia Pacific wine making ambassador for Penfolds wines. So the upshot is that the most we get to fuel our meeting is  water and hey wine is 85% water so its close!



Simon Cant
I start with a soft ball for Simon to lob out of the park.

Q. Penfolds is associated with the Americas Cup, via it’s sponsorship of Team Oracle, which mounted a historic turnaround (Team Oracle won the last 8 races to come from behind and win). Some comments on the same and your thoughts on beating the Kiwis.

A. Well I’d like to start by saying that we definitely didn’t do anything to inflate the bank balances of the Kiwi sailors!. As a sporting turnaround this was one of the most amazing comebacks I’ve seen though. As a brand association the Americas Cup is a great fit for Penfolds. Sailing is an old sport with a lot of innovation, and it’s the same with wine making, a centuries old art, in which there’s been constant innovation.

The audience for sailing, which is definitely a luxury sport and the Penfolds customer set also overlaps, so the association makes perfect sense. I might also point out that there were Kiwis on both teams!

Q. Penfolds has a massive portfolio. What’s the focus for India?

A. At the entry level, the Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet and  Chardonnay. Up the scale, the Bin 407 and the Bin 389. Down the road we would love to hear about serious wine drinkers in India with 6 bottles of The Grange (one of Australia’s most prestigious red wines and a National Trust -heritage listed wine) in their cellar. We’d also love to see some of our premium wines in an Enomatic (a device used to serve and dispense wine). We put the Grange in an Enomatic at the Grand Hyatt in Djakarta and sold 20 bottles in the first month.

Koonunga Hill Chardonnay
Bin 407
Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet



















Q. That brings me to the subject of the Penfolds re-corking clinic (The Penfolds Re-corking Clinics offer the owners of Penfolds red wines which are 15 years and older the opportunity to have their wines assessed by a winemaker, and if necessary, opened, tasted, topped up and re-capsuled on the spot.). How does that work?

A. We just held our first re-corking clinic in China. We’ve found that typically it takes between 8 to 12 years in a market before we do a re-corking clinic there. The first 1 or 2 are typically more events to make people more widely aware of the service we offer. Since we’ve started this service in 1990, we’ve re-certified more than 120,000 bottles globally. This is applicable for any Penfolds red wine, from the Koonunga Hill upwards. If required, we open the bottle and top it up with a little bit of the current vintage (2008). The amount we top it up with is around 15 ml, so there’s no major impact on the wine.
A re-corking in progress for a bottle of The Grange

Q. Does Penfolds have any wine investments outside Australia?

A. No we’re unashamedly 100% Australian and in fact Penfolds is a national heritage icon of South Australia.

Q. Penfolds has been with several owners over the years, how does it feel now to be part of a large wine conglomerate like Treasury Wine Estates, which is one of the largest wine companies in the world. And how does it work as regards competition with other sub-brands in the Treasury portfolio in local markets, like Lindemans, Stags Leap or Beringer.

A. First off, it’s good to be owned by a pure play wine company but still be able to operate independently. There are wonderful benefits to be a part of such a large organisation. Two major benefits, we have a global sales force and secondly, we are able to make rapid technological advancements in the winery. Also to a large extent, most of the wine labels have their own unique offerings and distinct positioning. We’d like to believe that some brands are more equal than others though, and that we’re one of them!

Q. Last Question, what’s your desert island wine?
A. Penfolds St Henri. wonderful as a young wine, wonderful as an old wine, and a counterpoint to Grange, which is a wonderful concentrated wine. A bottle? Not enough. Maybe a jeroboam or two.

St. Henri Shiraz, Simon's desert island wine

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Thursday, December 05, 2013

Penfolds Fine Australian Wine meets South Indian cuisine




Penfolds Wine Dinner @ Dakshin, ITC Maratha, with Tulleeho's Sweta Mohanty

I got an invite from Paras at Mohan Brothers, a leading wine and spirits import and distribution firm to join him for a Penfolds dinner at Dakshin at the ITC Maratha on 30th November. I was quite curious to know how they would go about the challenging job of matching some fine Australian wine, with a range of South Indian cuisine, and I got there well in time. As I entered Dakshin, Paras introduced me to Simon Cant, the Asia Pacific brand ambassador for Penfolds, and I had a chance for a brief tete a tete with him.







Excerpts from the Interview:

Sweta:  How do you consider India as a market?
Simon: Really interesting. Young Indians want to know more about wine and wine culture. In fact women are becoming more aware as it naturally appeals to them.

Sweta: Where is Penfolds available in India?
Simon: Its available at International Hotels and at Ellipsis in Mumbai. A good job by Mohan Brothers to have placed us at all the 5 stars. And yes we are open to more distribution in the future.

Sweta: Which are the strongest markets for Penfolds in India?
Simon: Mumbai and Delhi. 
Simon ends out chat on a lighter note with a comment on the excise, taxes and bureaucracy in India, which lead to logistical hiccups while importing the wines.

After this we move on to the more fun stuff, Wine tasting, and wine and food pairing. Simon, Paras (Sales Head - North & West) - Mohan Brothers Pvt Ltd, Yodissen Mootooswamy (Regional Business Manager - South Asia & Pacific) - Treasury Wine Estates and myself sit at one of the tables. The first wine that comes to us is a Chardonnay from their Koonunga Hill Range, which is a modern clean interpretation of the Australian Chardonnay. Its crisp, citrusy and has an elegant approach. This was paired with "Kodi Roast", a chicken preparation in South Indian style and Threesome of Rice Dumpling, Mini Sweet Banana pancake and Mini Uttapam with 3 different styles of chutney - coconut, coriander and "Malli Chutney"(mix of red chilli and coriander powder.







The second wine that came to our table was a classic Australian blend, a Shiraz Cabernet (60/40) from their Koonunga Hill Range again.  

Not to forget at Dakshin, they do not give you spoons and forks unless you ask for it. The idea is to eat by your hand as the South Indians do!!! So Simon was game to try it out....

To end the evening we tasted a Red from the Penfolds  Bin Range - Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon. As Simon pointed out its a style that could be enjoyed for immediate drinking or could develop well in the cellar too.

This being the last wine for the evening, the dinner was also served at the same time. And what did we have for dinner..........Here you go!!



Originally this dinner was supposed to be a sit down for all the guests together with Simon taking us through the course of wine and food pairing. However, it couldn't be worked out at Dakshin. Hence, Simon had to go to each table to answer guest’s queries.



All in all I enjoyed the wines, but I found the food to be ok. I personally feel the dinner would have worked better at Dum Pukht, ITC’s signature Indian restaurant, featuring the cuisine of Awadh India.

I bid Adieu to Simon and wished him a successful event at Delhi.




About Me
Works @ Tulleeho, Love Junk Food, Timepass Photographer, Travel freak, Mixing Drinks, Love my Bags and Shoes...In short love all da good things in life...

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