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Travelogue: Lonavala and Khandala, the enchanting hilly retreats

The twin hill stations located just 5 kilo metres apart are an ideal getaway during monsoons. You’ll get to see all the refreshing shades of green, cool breezes and beautiful waterfalls. Get drenched in the rain and savour a roasted corn, there is no dearth of things to do!

Reaching Lonavala or Khandala from anywhere in Mumbai is fairly easy. A number of trains bound to Pune run every day. One tip, do not choose to take up a reservation in AC class. You will miss out on all the beautiful scenery sitting inside the compartments with tinted windows. Be a sport and hop on to the general class and adore the sights that you pass by. It is a fairly short journey. I travelled along with two of my friends and we did enjoy the long tunnels and the view of the beautiful hills on the sides. The feel of the little drops of rain on my palm is something I still remember. If you have your own conveyance, the Mumbai-Pune expressway is a total delight. The scenic beauty that you’ll witness around is totally admirable. Buses too ply to and fro.

On the way to Lonavala

Once you reach the station, finding a hotel is not a tough job. There ample number of hotels and resorts in all price ranges. But mind you, once monsoon arrives the rates get doubled and tripled. This is the season when maximum number of tourists flock the area. In a radius of approximately 5 kilometres various other hotels and resorts can be found.
We unpacked, freshened up and booked a cab. He made us shell out a thousand rupees for taking us around the various points and destinations, the first being the Lions Point. Approximately 10 kilometres from the railway station, the twisty and curvy roads up to the point make for an adventurous ride. What a beauty it was! Standing and witnessing those beautiful peaks while a cool breeze brushes your face, total bliss! There were small vendors selling roasted corn as well as sweet corn nearby. Vendors selling water bottles can also be seen. The bhutta (corn) with sprinkled lemon juice and rock salt is a must have!

Lions Point

Our next stop was the Bhushi dam. Sadly we could not see the waterfall because the monsoon had not yet arrived. There were a lot of small shops selling vada pav and nimbu pani. There were some local tattoo artists too! Next we went to the Ryewood Park which is situated in the neighbourhoods of Lonavala. This is an ideal picnic spot for families and children. It has spacious green surroundings allowing for a relaxing day in the realms of nature. The park also has swings which attract the attention of the children. There is a Shiva temple situated inside the park as well. The garden is surely stunning.

Bhushi Dam

The day was coming to an end. We headed towards the very famous Rajmachi point and the sunset point. The two are situated in close proximity to each other. The Rajmachi point boasts of the view of the famous fort of Shivaji. There was a monkey point as well and boy, were there a lot of monkeys! A lot, but none of them would really harm you. Outside, we feasted on the yummy bhelpoori and the refreshing burf-ka-gola.

totally worth savoring!

Mumbai-Pune Expressway as visible from the Rajmachi point

The sight-seeing for the day came to an end. We got down near our hotel and walked towards the famous Kumar Resort in the neighbourhood hoping to see a snow park but unfortunately it was under construction. We then moved towards a small mall which had a very few shops and eating outlets, but enough to satisfy our day long hunger. We hogged in Yoko Sizzlers and everyone’s favourite McDonalds. I spotted a small market and indulged myself into buying a few clothes at throwaway prices. Lonavala is not really a shopper’s delight, with really very few shopping outlets. We finally retreated back into the comfort of our hotel rooms and slept like babies. It had been a tiring day.
The next we booked an auto in four hundred rupees. We went to visit the famous Karla Caves and the Karla temple. One has to climb up 350 stairs in order to reach the point. Our auto driver however took some short cut and made us start climb only 150 stairs. There were numerous stalls and shops selling Prasad, mithaai, malas, flowers etc. for the offerings at the temple. We went around and explored the temple and hall which has a Buddhist stupa. The Buddhist monks built the cave shrines around 3rd to 2nd century BC. It indeed is an architectural marvel. The temple though has been built very recently. The entry in the main caves is restricted. The number of people who stood in line to enter the temple amazed me. It would require an hour and a half to stand in line and wait!

Karla Caves and Karla Devi Temple

The rock-cut architectural styled hall at Karla Caves

After getting stuck in a jam for around an hour, we headed towards the MTDC resort. This resort is an ideal stay. It has private, spacious cottages. It has a water park and boating facilities. We went there specially for boating in the lake. Paddle and motor boats, both are available.

MTDC Boating

We did not visit any of the lakes because they were all dried up. When you go in the monsoons, do visit the Tungarli Lake, Pawan Lake and the Valvan dam.
There is no scarcity of eating joints around Lonavala. There are a number of good hotels and restaurants near the station itself. From Chinese to South Indian, you can find it all. As better options, resorts like Kumar Resort, Fariyas Resort and Dukes Retreat etc are available and within them are various restaurants and coffee shops.
Our last stop after having our tummies full was the one out of many famous Maganlal’s Chikki shop. I swear I saw at least a hundred Maganlal’s outlets! Lonavala is known for chikki which is prepared with ground nuts in jaggery. Variations include adding crushed coconut, cashews, almonds, etc. in the jaggery. Other famous shops for chikki are A-1 chikki and Purohit Chikki.

Maganlal’s Chikki – Assorted pack

The trip came to an end but the scenic beauty of these hilly retreats remain imprinted in our memories for times to come.

July 3, 2014
The crowning glory of the Ruby red- Saffron

Call it ‘Saffron’, ‘Zafran’, ‘Kesar’ or ‘Zafferano’, this spice definitely is a prized possession for professional chefs and home cooks alike. The most expensive spice on your kitchen shelf and in the world is also titled as the ‘King of Spices’ or ‘The Golden Spice’. Not everyone knows that Saffron is the stigma along with the style of the flower of Crocus Sativus, commonly known as the rose of saffron. The plant grows up to 30 cm in height and bears about three to four flowers each with three different crimson stigmas. These crowning glories of the rose of saffron are dried and then used as what we know as the strands of Saffron.

The crop is native to Southwest Asia and Greece, where it was first cultivated. It was then propagated and cloned in Eurasia and was later brought to parts of North and South America. Iran now accounts for 90 percent of the total world saffron production. Today, this spice is globally used and is an undisputed rock star for all taste buds, irrespective of ethnicity, cultures or regions.

Evidences claim that saffron is not just of culinary significance. It holds a cultural and economic importance for many civilizations while it is socially significant for many of them too. Most of the modern-day cultivation of saffron is done in India, Iran, Spain and Greece. The balmy Mediterranean and the mountainous Kashmir are responsibly the breeding baskets of the best quality Zafran. Other parts of the planet except Antarctica are minority producers. The cultivation of saffron needs a lot of patience and effort as manually plucking the minute stigmas from each flower is a tedious job. Also, since an overwhelmingly high number of flowers is required to produce a marketable amount of saffron, the costs by weight automatically go up. Besides, the relatively low production and the importance of this spice, make trading it a primary source of wealth for many areas like the hinterlands of Birjand, Ghayen, Ferdows in South Khorasan Province, along with areas abutting Gonabad and Torbat-e Heydarieh in Razavi Khorasan Province, which are the key cropping areas.

Some civilizations hold this spice in such high regard that they have literature paintings and legends attached to it. Ancient Greek legends hold accounts of brazen sailors who would embark on tiring long voyages to the land of Cilicia to procure the most valuable crocus crop according to them. The most famous of these legend is that of Crocus and Similax, where in the handsome young Crocus was in pursuit of the beautiful Similax, expressing his idyllic love to Similax who soon outgrew his affection. While he continued his pursuit, she bewitched him and transforms him into Saffron Crocus whose blazing crimson stigmas were symbolic of his undying and unrequited love. Saffron was also honored as a sweet smelling spice three millennia ago in the Hebrew Tanakh (Song of Solomon). Asian legends including those of Kashmir, China and Afghanistan have relics, fables, legends and tokens of tribute dedicated to the Crocus Sativus.

The uses of saffron in the modern day societies extend from culinary flavoring to medicinal properties and even cosmetics and fabric dyes. Ancient Buddhist legends account the use of saffron soaked in water to yield a gorgeous golden-yellow hue that was appreciated so much so to be made the official colour of the robe and mantle for Buddhist Monks. It has been found that Persian saffron threads have been woven into ancient carpets and funeral shrouds. The brilliant yellow uniform colour that it produces makes it an apt substitute for chemically synthesized dyes. Besides this, it has an interesting sweet grassy aroma that has been used to aromatize wine, food and is even used as an air freshner. It is said that courtesans would use saffron to attract and lure nobles towards themselves. Saffron also has proven medicinal properties that work wonders on a multitude of issues- blood disorders, stomach upsets, eye problems, heart diseases and paralysis to name some of them. The ancient Persians and Egyptians used saffron an aphrodisiac, a general-use antidote against poisoning, a digestive stimulant, and a tonic for dysentery and measles. Medieval Europeans also used this spice as a cure for various respiratory diseases and cold and flu. It was used for its carminative (suppressing cramps and flatulence) and emmenagogic (enhancing pelvic blood flow) properties.

The cosmetic applications of saffron dates back to the time when the Egyptian queen, Cleopatra used saffron infused in milk or water in her daily bath. This expensive spice contains some volatile but vital essential oils that have therapeutic and beautifying properties for the skin. Rich in carotenoids (anti-oxidants), saffron makes an excellent recipe for good health and brilliant skin. Those who long for a brighter complexion, fairer skin or those suffering from skin problems like acne, can depend on it to find amazing results.

As we all know, saffron has an impeccable exotic flavor to offer to whatever cuisine it is added to. It finds a significant place in European, North-African and Asian cooking. Be it the Kashmiri dum-biriyani or the Swedish lussekatt (a rich yeast dough bun that is enhanced with saffron, along with cinnamon or nutmeg and currants), Saffron has a delectable delicate flavor that you would not want to miss. Indian desserts are one place this spice finds a significant spot despite its high cost. One such dessert is the favourite-of-all Rasmalai. With discs of cottage-cheese, cooked in sugar syrup that melt in the mouth, the saffron coloured milk sauce is what stands out. Here is a simple recipe of this toothsome sweet-dish.

RASMALAI

For the paneer discs:

Ingredients-

1.) Homemade paneer (cottage-cheese) – 110 grams (make paneer from 1 liter of milk)

2.) Semolina/rava (any rava) – 1 tsp

3.) Cardamom – 1/4 tsp

4.) Sugar (for the discs) – 2 tsp

5.) Water – 2 1/2 cup

6.) Sugar (for the syrup) -1 cup

Procedure-

a.) Knead paneer/ homemade cottage cheese, with rava (semolina), cardamom powder and sugar, into a soft dough and make small equal-sized balls out of the dough.

b.) Flatten them gently and place them on a maida (flour)-dusted plate.

c.) Meanwhile, cook the sugar and water on low flame to make a thick syrup.

d.) When the solution comes to a rolling boil, lower the temperature and gently drop the discs into the syrup. The discs shall swell up and almost double up in size.

For the saffron-milk sauce:

Ingredients-

1.)    Milk – 2 1/2 cups or 1/2 liter

2.)    Sugar – 1/3 cup

3.)    Cardamom powder -1/4 tsp

4.)    Saffron -7-8 strands

5.)    Pistachios -chopped – 2-3 tbsp

6.)    Almonds (blanched and thinly sliced/slivered) -3-4 tbsp

Procedure-

a.) Boil the milk over low flame till it reduces to half. Keep stirring to prevent it from burning.

b.) Soak the strands of saffron in about 2 tablespoons of milk and keep it aside.

c.) Add all the ingredients except the nuts and the saffron and cook the milk mixture till the sugar dissolves.

d.) Next, add the almonds and pistachios, saving some for the garnish and mix well. Add the saffron solution and stir till the colour spreads uniformly.

e.) Take it off the flame and let it cool down. Drop the discs into this milk sauce while it is still warm and let it chill in the refrigerator.

f.) Garnish with almonds and pistachios before serving chilled.

Hope you like the recipe and enjoy the flavor of the delectable spice that is the hero of this dessert.

Make sure you store your saffron strands in a dry and cool place. It can be preserved longer this way and can be used for 4-5 years without losing its colour, aroma or flavor.

July 1, 2014
Wants to gain some extra kilos..??

In this Neoteric world, mostly people seem to lose their weight or lose some kilos, but there are people who want to put on some weight and gain some extra kilos. These are the people who are thin as a stick and for gaining extra kilos they tends to move towards unhealthy food or junk food. They believe that extra intake of this unhealthy food would help them to gain some amount of fat, but in reality it is not so. These foods help them to add weight, but at the same time they add bad fat to our body and make it unhealthy. So it is suggested to have such food in our meal which tends to increase the amount of nutrients in our body and increases our energy level.

People may be skinny and underweight due to a variety of reasons other than the hierarchy problem. It may be inadequate habit of feeding, long amount of gap between their meal time, bad selection of dishes, large workouts, etc. Sometimes diseases may also be the cause of underweight like cancer, tuberculosis, eating disorders and hormonal imbalances. So apart from sticking to the fact that you are underweight you must change your eating habits, selection of food and get back to a normal health. Eat butter, cheese, paneer in your meal is the very common advice you can get from everyone. But the question is: Are these three things sufficient for gaining weight?? Actually, extra intake of these items can have a bad effect on the heart

Salmon is the food which is rich in protein, so daily intake of two servings would help you to increase your protein level and helps in gaining weight. It consists of omega-3 fatty acid in it which helps it earn a title of health-supportive food.

You can take peanut butter too. It is a paste made from roasted peanuts. It is being a good source of saturated fats and vitamins helps to increase the energy and make you more fit and fine. It is preferred and generally served with bread so that with just one serving 192 calories is added to our diet. This is the healthiest way and the best choice for the people who are trying to gain weight. While taking this, make sure it contains a less amount of sugar in it. This is the main source of Vitamin B3 and folate.

You can take eggs with your meals and this is the only food which suits to everyone’s pocket. It provides proteins, Vitamin A, D and E and add a good amount of cholesterol to our body and helps in gaining extra kilos.

Start your morning with Granola. It is the most nutritious diet one can have in his/her breakfast. It consists of nuts and oats, which are sufficient for providing a good amount of calories in our body. Natural Granola is a cereal which has no added sugar in it. We can also add some dry fruits to it and enjoy this with thick yogurt to have a delicious experience.

For glowing and shiny skin you know nothing could have been better than the fruit juice, but do you people known it plays a significant role in gaining extra kilos too. With the intake of fruit juices, whether it may be of watermelon, apple, strawberry, etc. increases our energy and nutrient level. And also due to the presence of sugar it helps in gaining weight. According to food experts’ mango, banana and pineapple are the best choice you can make and if it is not possible to eat all of them one by one then you can blend them together. This serving would be full of sugar and can provide you energy.

You can take dry fruits and oats at least one time in a day and if possible morning is the best time. It is very fast and quick method to add calories along with the nutrients to the body rather than fresh ones. Oats contain fibre together with various nutrients so intake of these seems to be good for skinny people.

Bananas are the most easily available and in budget fruit in the market. Intake of two bananas in a day can prove to be fruitful. Generally people used to take these bananas with the milk in the morning so that along with the calorie proteins also add to our diet. People who used to workout, take these bananas on a daily basis as it is a good source of carbohydrates and nutrients.

Indulge yourself in a habit of exercising every day. It will regularly tune your body and maintain the level of intake of nutrients. It maintains the flexibility of our body and helps to make our muscles stronger. It indirectly helps in gaining our weight.

These are some of the ways to shut the mouth of those people who usually comment you as skinny and thin. Try these and gain some extra kilos to look more perfect.

July 1, 2014
All That You Are Seeking Is Seeking You!

Spirituality is all about finding your true self, isn’t it? It’s that search for ultimate happiness after which you attain that absolute state of peace. Talking of spirituality, reminds me of a song from the movie ‘Rockstar’, where the protagonist is searching for his real self!

Jab kahin pe kuch nahi
bhi nahi tha
Wahi tha wahi tha
Wahi tha Wahi tha

Who jo mujhme hai samaya
who jo tujh mein samaya
Maula wahi wahi maya

All our lives we’ve been searching for that one thing in life which will sweep us off out feet, that one thing after which everything will better, that one thing which will change your life from the very next moment after it happens. So today, I will tell you story which apparently happens to be my own. It so happened that I thought “only if I managed to crack that ‘All India National Talent Search Examination’, will my life take the path which it had never travelled upon, and it so happened that I did crack that up!

But wait! Nothing really happened. Some people who got to know about it, came forward to shake hands and say a ‘congratulations’ which their eyes didn’t reciprocate. And then after a couple years, I wished “only if I could get a CGPA 9’.

I envisaged life changing for me from the very second I could manage to make that feat. I remember my heart pounding so hard the second I was sitting on my computer waiting for the CBSE site to open up after their ‘lines jammed’ message, I remembered the first row that appeared after I wrote in my eight digit roll number which is still on my tongue, and it happened that I got what I wanted. I imagined myself to be enthralled but did I really feel happy and for how long? It lasted for a day when cousins and aunties I had never met or spoken to gave me a ring asking me how’d I do, I remember saying to myself that “am I really a number?”. A couple of years passed again and this time ‘the big one’ class twelfth boards (as over rated as your aunties and uncles make it sound when they say “oh, iss saal toh boards hai beta”), I so remember my mother asking all her cousins in Kerala to pray for me as I wrote my first exam which was English Core. The exams got over soon and there I found myself in the same place again as I were two years ago, sitting in front of the computer, the CBSE site saying ‘lines jammed’ again (and they will always say that) and waiting for that ninety percent that will change your life, as my mother said, as my teachers said and surprisingly it happened again, again it didn’t last beyond a day or two, then came the cut-offs I had made it to the interviews to St. Stephens College, could St. Stephens change my life…Maybe Yes! Maybe no. I would find out soon probably.

You must realize that nothing outside of you can change your life. Now you may argue that maybe a job at Google or Goldman might, but that’s not the way it works. As Rumi once said “the angel is free because of his knowledge, the devil because of his ignorance, between the two remains the son of man to struggle”. All your life you look for that philosophers’ stone which would turn every metal to gold. My grandmother told me the story of king Midas, the king who had the wish that everything he touches turn into gold, granted to him by the Gods. He woke up and he touched his bed, which immediately turned to gold, and then he ran around his palace eagerly touching everything until he got exhausted and stopped to smell a rose in his garden, he touched the rose and it became gold. I would have to absorb the fragrance without touching the rose he thought to himself. He picked up a slice of bread and it also turned into gold. Suddenly he started to sense fear and his daughter came running to him and hugged him and there she turned into a beautiful golden statue. Despaired and fearful he raised his arms and prayed to God to take back his wish. The story of king Midas is a myth about the agony which follows when we look for happiness outside of our being. True happiness lies within us all, we just have to close our eyes and look within. Stop waiting for that one thing to sweep you off your feet and instead be the change and surprise yourself. You have been looking for the spectacles all over your house, not raise your hand and find it on your head. I would end with another quote by Rumi where he says, “You seek knowledge from books, ridiculous! You seek pleasure from sweets, ridiculous! You are the sea of knowledge hidden in a dewdrop; you are the universe hidden in a body three yards long”

July 1, 2014
Nuts about them!!

They have been around quite a long time and have become so common, people hardly notice their presence. They occur as plain salted, sprinkled with spices and coated with a tinge of lemon or as small pieces in odd shapes, deftly concealed under layers of yummy, crunchy chocolate, their taste easily identifiable. According to records, peanuts have been a very tasty part in mankind and have evolved along with them, although not in terms of appearance, but on the basis of usage. They can be used plain salted as an excellent snack, spiced for use as a good substitute for popcorn, or roasted to perfect conditions to make a masterpiece among chocolates. Peanuts have not changed through history, but their ways of eating have transformed a lot.

History of peanuts

Peanuts have been believed to have first grown in the Brazilian forests. Finds have proved the existence of these nuts in the form of pottery-paintings. Even during those days, the appearance of these nuts hasn’t changed much and even today, they grow under the ground as tubular plants. They have been found to be rich in fats and proteins, which were both essential for general body metabolism and development. Their conditions for cultivating and their simplicity to cook them made them immensely popular and a huge success throughout the world. The wildest types of peanuts are still exported in large numbers even today from the countries of Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil and hence, these places have been thought to be the birthplace of peanuts. Their history can be traced back to the Peruvian civilizations, where they were an important offering to the gods during ceremonies, rituals and sacrifices. Even the Egyptians were found to give importance to this nut, by burying them along with their dead. They thought that these foods often helped the dead in their afterlife. From the civilization of Peru, it slowly spread to Spain, and to other parts of Central America. However, the mass migration of peanuts worldwide was because of the European civilization, which contributed greatly to the popularity of these nuts. The Europeans first discovered peanuts in Brazil. The Portugal brought it to their homeland and later passed it on to the Philippines and West Africa. Thus, peanuts slowly found their way into every nook and cranny of almost everyone in the world. However, it was not after the 1930’s that people switched the use of peanuts from cattle feed to human food. During the voyages of the African slaves to America, peanuts served as a staple food.

India produces about 6.23 million metric tonne of peanuts every year and is one of the largest producer and exporter.

Groundnut superiority!

They are also known as groundnuts .One of the best advantages of peanuts which make them so easy to grow is their nature to grow best by the use of the “crop-rotation” technique. In this technique, after the cultivation and harvest of particular plants are done and the soil, almost exhausted off its nutrients, another plant is grown, which, in addition to making use of the remaining nutrients, also replenishes the soil of the lost nitrates. Groundnuts, belonging to the tubular-type plants that grow underground, act as a good source of nitrate replenishing agent. Also, their rough, outer shells prevents them from most attacks by moisture and bacteria and hence were found to be the best sources of food for the armies and during long travels. As time passed, the combination of peanut and butter in a semi-solid or gel type proved to be a tasty idea and immediately struck a chord with the people. Thus, was born, one of the most famous foods ever made by man- the peanut butter jelly.

In the 19^th century, it was discovered that peanuts could protect decaying teeth and a physician in St.louis, made a paste of peanut, with a tinge of butter and fed to the people with bad teeth. Soon, this idea spread to all parts of the world like a wildfire and serial and confectionary companies realized this to be their window to the larger market. They adopted the basic idea and made changes of their own to it. While some added more butter to make it taste delicious, others churned it to give it a smoother, richer texture and feel, while the rest, roasted it to the perfect temperature to give the jam, a crunchy taste. One of the most common uses of peanuts is in the manufacture of peanut oil. This is found to have a relatively higher smoke point and a milder flavor. Also, it is healthier than saturated fats as it is monosaturated. Their shelf life is longer and they are resistant to rancidity. Peanut oil is very common in the Indian sub-continent, as Indian foods have been found to use oil more than any other country in the world.

In addition to using peanuts as oil, they are ground to a fine powdery state to give, peanut flour. It has been found to have high protein content and is used as a flavor enhancer in many dishes. Also, peanut flour is gluten-free and low in fat content and hence, a perfect choice of flour for the diet consciousness. Dry roasted peanuts are very famous in the American sub-continent where they are produced in large numbers and packed in hermetically sealed pouches and sold in thousands daily. These make the perfect snack while watching a movie or a game with friends and family. Peanuts are otherwise steamed or boiled in pressure cookers making them an ideal snack during cold or rainy seasons. This type of dish is very common especially in the southern parts of India.

In countries like Israel, peanuts are mixed with sesame oil, lecithin, and are roasted to perfection. They are then coated with a layer of salt or sugar and sold in the markets as snacks.

Nuts about them!!!

The market and trade of peanuts throughout the world have become easier and faster. As a result of this, it has reached people in almost all niches of life more than any other food has. Naturally, there are many ways that one can eat it. It has been found that there are over 300 ways or 300 recipes that one can make using peanuts.

Although it is a very popular and easily affordable snack, there are some who are highly allergic to it. This symptom is most commonly found in the American continent. One of the reasons for his allergy is because of the lack of sufficient digestive juices to break down and digest the nut. They have been found to take a longer time to digest and the taste lingers long after consumption. One of the most important benefits of groundnuts, though, is their ability to act as natural anti-oxidants, keeping the heart healthy. Truly, peanuts indeed occupy the top positions when it comes to snacks. Now that is what’s called, groundnut superiority.

July 1, 2014
Famous Cheese Recipes for Cheese Lovers

Think about Cheese and the image which comes to our mind is melted cheese on pizzas, vegetables covered with melted cheese, cheese sandwich etc. The list is endless. Cheese is popular all over the world and is one of the ingredients loved by each and every heart. A person who loves cheese is entitled as turophile. In ancient times, there had been a special kitchen in Rome, which is especially maintained for the preparation of cheese. Every cuisine in this world is incomplete without cheese. In 16^th century, it is known to be the currency in Denmark.

Cheese is a food obtained from the milk of buffalos, cows, goats or sheep. It is formed by the coagulation of milk and milk must be acidified. Finally solids are separated out and given a final form. United States, being the largest producer produces 2000 varieties of cheese. It is a large source of protein, calcium and phosphorus.

You must be thinking now cheese is ready and this is all about cheese, but actually now the picture starts. All the cuisines all over the world use cheese as special ingredients. Every dish is incomplete without cheese whether it is margarita pizza, cheesecakes, Savory Corn tarts, Gratin of potatoes, pasta, fondue, macaroni, etc. The list is not completed here, rather it is endless. The preparation of these dishes requires cheese as the main ingredient, but they also require some other ingredients to complete its preparation and now we will discuss some of them.

Oreo Cookie cheesecake is a much loved dessert by the children. It contains oreo cookies, melted chocolate and creamy cheese. Initially crushed down the cookies and mix it with butter. Then beat sugar, cornflour and cheese along with egg one by one. After this add vanilla essence and melted chocolate in it. Pour the solution over the crust and allow it to bake at 180 degrees C for 10 mins and then decrease the temperature to 100 degrees C for 2 hours. Allow it to cool down and then cut down the slice and it is ready. In every bite of these slices you will have a taste of creamy cheese on your tongue and after every bite the only thing you will speak is “yummy cheese”.

When you talk about cheese, slideshow of hot sizzling pizza flashes across your mind. Isn’t it? So here comes the best cheese based pizza’s recipe i.e. Margharita. Take the dough and place it on the tray for pre-heating. Cover it with a layer of mozzarella cheese and spread a layer of pasta and basil leaves. Put the prepared material into the oven for 10-12 minutes. Now, after this drizzle down some olive oil and pepper on it. The pizza is ready to be served and cut down the slices too.

Cheesy dip items are all we want now days. Then how could you forget about gratin of potatoes along with garlic cream. It is a yummy dish with very easy recipe. Cut the potatoes and grate down the cheese. Now add salt and pepper to the potatoes.Now layer the pieces of potatoes and add all the grated cheese along with the garlic cream to it. If the bowl is empty add another layer of potatoes with the garlic cream and cheese. Cover it with butter and allow it to bake at 180 degrees C for 25 minutes. After the potatoes are fully cooked and surface of potatoes covered with cheese becomes brown, then it is ready to be served.

If cheese and pasta lovers are together then four cheese pasta will be there in their menu definitely. This item is as cheesy as cheese. Initially boil the pasta in salted water and mix it with the olive oil. Boil milk with thyme, bay leaf, rosemary and onions and mix the butter with flour. Add both the mixture slowly along with the pepper and salt and stir it. Grate different varieties of cheese like Parmesan, Brie, Emmental and cheddar. Add this to the above sauce. In a pan, add garlic, chili flakes and tomatoes to it. Now mix it properly and serve.

Melted cheese is far more delicious and yummy than the melted chocolate. Here comes another melting cheese dish known as ‘Cheese Fondue’. Fondue is prepared with the help of melted cheese and is a popular Swiss dish known all over the world. Varieties of cheese such as Gruyere and Emmental are added to white wine. Now hot mixture is ready and next you have to add vegetables like baby corn, broccoli to it. Enjoy the cheesiness in every sip of this fondue.

These are some recipes famous all over the world. So if you haven’t tasted any of these dishes, then what are you waiting for. Go to the nearby cuisine and place the order. Spend some cheesy moments with the cheese. Go cheesy, think cheesy and eat cheesy…!!

July 1, 2014
Worried About Hair Falls! Try These Foods

Hair loss is a major concern these days. What we apply on our locks is not the only thing that leads to strong and healthy hairs. The perfect balanced diet also plays a significant role in this matter. Similar to each and every other bit of the body, the strong hairs can be determined by the nutritious diet. When our body is disadvantaged from the necessary nutrients then our body undergoes the hair fall. The hair follicle is strengthened by the take in of proper nutrients. There are other factors also that negatively affect the quality of hair like smoke, environmental conditions, not sufficient sleep and many more. But proper nutrients can surely compensate for all these issues. The best way to overcome this situation is to provide your hairs with the perfect nutritious diet. Below down there are few most desirable food products to prevent the hair fall.

Salmons:

Salmons are discovered to be very rich in proteins, vitamin D as well as omega-3 fatty acids. The body needs these nutrients to grow the hair. It has been found that the body is unable to produce the fatty acids which are needed in the growth of the hair and hence we should to take in food products which are rich in these fatty acids. If you don’t like eating salmons there are many others which contain these essential fatty acids like trout, avocado, walnut and many more. Make sure you take in sufficient amount of these fatty acids.

Walnuts:

The walnuts are very good in fighting against the hair fall. The walnuts are those kinds of nuts which are filled with great quantity of omega-3 fatty acids. Apart from this they also contain vitamin E as well as biotin which are responsible for protecting the cells from impairment. And other than this walnut also contains a mineral –copper which provides the hair with shiny and glossy color. The elasticity of the hairs is also improved by the oils present in the walnuts and henceforth leads to stronger hairs. Hence walnuts are proved to be very friendly to the hairs.

Eggs:

Eggs are soo hair friendly. They are vital in the growth of the healthy hair. Eggs are filled with many desirable nutrients. Some of them are proteins, iron, omega-6 fatty acids and many more. If our body is deprived of any of these essential nutrients then we certainly suffers the weak and feeble hairs. Apart from this eggs also contain biotin which is a major hair fall fighting source. Consequently it is advised to eat eggs to have beautiful, long and lustrous hairs.

Oats:

Oats are very much required to possess a healthy body as it is filled with fibers. But eating oats has other benefits too. They are found to be filled with fatty acids, zinc as well as iron too. These fatty acids are majorly responsible for the proper growth of the hair. And hence reduce the hair fall to a great extent. As we can see that we get so many essential nutrients from this particular food product therefore we should include a bowl of oats in our daily diet.

Carrots:

Vitamin A is delivered to the body in great amount by eating carrots. Vitamin A is not only beneficial for the eyes but also for the hairs. It delivers great nutrition to the scalp and makes it healthier. And subsequently the hair becomes stronger and shinier as a result of healthier scalp. Apart from carrots the perfect diet that includes green vegetables, fruits and proteins is found to be the promoter for well-conditioned hair. Hence carrots are very important to control and limit the thinning hair line.

Prunes:

There are several other hair related concerns apart from the hair fall like the hair undergoes dryness, firmness and lightening in the hair color. The major reason of all these conditions may be depletion in the amount of iron. And hence our body is need of iron rich food items. One of the major sources of iron is prunes and it majorly reduces the hair fall. Prune significantly enhances the hair quality and makes the hairs look more radiant. There are other sources of iron too which you can include in the diet as well like green vegetables, beetroots and many more.

Spinach:

Spinach proves to be of great help in maintaining the quality of the hair. Spinach contains some of the most essential nutrients like Vitamin C, iron and many more. And as a result taking in spinach makes the hair follicles healthier and eventually diminishes the hair fall. It also helps in the circulation of the oils in the scalp. There are many other options like broccoli as well as kale.

Apart from the healthy diet there are some other points that you must take into account to prevent the thinning of the hair line. Extreme strain should be avoided and stop switching from your shampoo and hair product frequently. Lower down the usage of hair sprays. Thus start taking in the balanced diet and enjoys the perfect and glossy hair with no hair fall.

July 1, 2014
5 Things you gotta know about Meditation
Whenever “MEDITATION” word crosses any where we tend to imagine Yogis or mental training. That doesn’t mean meditation don’t involve them in the picture, it’s just not the whole scenario. Yes! Meditation is needed. Why? It’ll be discussed further in the post, but let us first free ourselves from the preset definition of Meditation in our minds and start from the basic.

One of the defining features for living beings as we all know is Sensitivity. What’s sensitivity? It involves ability to adapt after we sense our environment. Humans gain sensitivity through Consciousness. Consciousness means forming a perception or being aware, of ourselves and our surroundings. In other words, through our consciousness we sense around the environment and respond respectively.Robots or machines if called simplistically are made by humans; still there is scope for collaborating conscious into their intelligence which is called Artificial Intelligence. Hence, being conscious is a unique feature of us, Humans!

Now, there are three states of consciousness: waking, dreaming and sleeping. When we are awake, we sense our surroundings and respond to the situations we encounter. But, if we just have a normal stimulus-response relationship with our environment, why do we encounter conditions like stress? Because, every day we wake up and try to do activities that pleases our senses. The fascinating thing about our senses is like any other system in our body its needs increases exponentially with time. So, we can never satisfy them and the exhaustion resulted from this pursuit results in most cases of stresses. In the world where competition weighs everything down, we aren’t in a situation to compromise with the best we can give. So, it all comes down to increasing your potential to be a better person than a second before.

What do we need for that?

Calm and composed mind gives clarity to the thoughts in our mind which facilitates decisiveness, Coherent while communicating and gaining Emotional stability, intuition are just some of the mention able benefits.

So, Why Meditation?
1. It calms the “Freak-ish” side of you.
At situations when you don’t know why you were screaming at that person or flipping out or just runaway from there,

reason behind them are some unsettled thoughts and emotions which had been buried or repressed for some reason. Point to be made is neither you nor others like this side of you. Meditation drifts mind from the chaotic state to more stable disposed one, in this state you are able to focus all your energy to relax your mind. The repressed thoughts and emotions are if not resolved then at least isn’t projected as anger or frustration. So, after you’re done with meditating for a while; the calm mind forgets about the happenings and is ready for a fresh start.
1. You become Smarter!
Yes, it’s true and sure is so much heard from our parents, elders or counselors.

Now, come on it’s not like you meditate once in a month or week and you expect to top your boards. Once you cultivate a regular habit of meditating, it increases an individual’s focusing power which improves attention. More you give attention to something, more you will be grasping that topic.
1. You’ll be upgraded!
Yeah, it has been found out that meditation increases an individual’s level of consciousness. The benefit of evolving your level of consciousness is that the amount of disorder or disturbances in the life seems to be negligible. This means that with regular assimilation of meditation trivial disappointments would last for like a moment for you, not occupying all of you, all day.
1. Apart from mind, it’s good for your body too!
Meditation has been found to stimulate parasympathetic nervous system that is responsible for fight or flight response for the body. It calms down the body from the provoked state. This reduces the anxiety level for the individual which in due course of time can even treat disorders like insomnia.

It slows down the respiration making an individual take only longer and deeper breaths. Why is it important? Every breath we take in gets oxygen and supplies it to the lungs which get transported to rest of the body from and we know oxygen is pretty important for every organ and system in the body. So, shallower and faster breaths cut down the time for this procedure, resulting in hasty transportation of oxygen and carbon di oxide.
1. Get rid of those blues.
Meditation balances the neuro-chemical system of the body which reduces not only anxiety but also depression and moreover increases your critical thinking power! How’s that?It also helps staying in the present moment and it affects all aspects of your life and relationships.

Meditation does or so more than that, it transforms one’s personality for good. Individuals get to know more about themselves and this brings about thirst for discovering more about enigma of life. The questions encountered after that like “What is life? And Why I go in a circle of happiness and sadness round and round?” will take you into a different yet exciting journey altogether. This will only enrich your consciousness more and more resulting in you perceiving the whole universe as part of oneself. However easy and insignificant it may sound, it’s important for a human to get the answers for the same in his or her lifetime.
July 1, 2014
All about Red wine

It is often said that bread and wine completes one’s supper. Though bread, a solid food, satisfies our hunger, our stomach is more like a churning machine, digesting food and supplying the body with the required nutrients and so, in addition to the digestive juices it secretes; it does need a little extra lubricant at times, to completely break the food down. Wine, when taken in measured quantities along with food, does the trick. There are various types of wines that man has discovered and created. However, the wines containing a larger proportion of alcohol content along with the other ingredients which makes a wine, perfect, affects our health. Red wine, however, boasts of various positive benefits and thus, stands out.

red wine

Manufacture- A brief description:

It all starts in a vine yard growing black grapes. The freshest and the best ones are carefully hand-picked and are then sent to a receiver. True to the fact that a perfect wine is certified by its taste, the raw grapes are carefully de-stemmed, washed and the leaves, removed. This is then processed, which includes crushing to completely squeeze the juice out. It is this juice which gives the wine its blood-red colour and its royal taste. The skins of these fruits are however retained and the pulp is stored in a large vessel and is allowed to ferment.

wine-fermentation

This is the most important process in wine-making. Suitable quantities of yeast and water are added for proper fermentation and the proportion is maintained throughout the process without any change. This is vital to maintain the richness of the wine. Then, tannin is also added to stabilize the red colour and also to prevent the wine from rotting by the process of oxidation. The addition of yeast naturally produces alcohol during fermentation. This is increased a little more by heating to a moderate temperature. However, the alcohol content in red wine is much lesser when compared to other types of wines, which makes it more like a health drink. Once the wine is finally made, it is packed and sent to shops which finally reach our shelves.

Benefits:

It is not just a myth that the best wines are the one’s which have lived for many years. The time of storage of wines is directly linked to its quality. In other words, the older the wine is, the richer and better it is. This is because of the chemical reactions which take place as the wine ages. Its taste improves and the colour becomes richer and the density of the wine, thicker.

Red wine is a natural source of anti-oxidants. These compounds make it possible to rinse out the toxins from the body. The anti-oxidants are present in the form of phenols commonly found in the grapes of dark colors. Accumulation of oxidants in our body leads to clogging of the arteries and may also lead to the growth of cancerous tumours. The practice of drinking wine with food dates back and can be found in almost every ancient culture .

It is still practiced today in many parts of the world. In the days of yore, it was a common belief that wine was the drink of the gods and drinking it would not only boost one’s health, but that it would also bring one, closer to god. Today, research has shown that red wine actually acts as an appetizer. It stimulates the glands in the stomach responsible for secretion of digestive juices and thus aids in the process of digestion. It was found that food was more easily broken down into the component proteins and energy and that these were more easily assimilated by the body. It was also found that red wine boosted the body’s immune system and thus kept illness at bay. Accumulation of oxidants in the body may also lead to a condition called macular degeneration, where the muscles in the eyes (the ciliary muscles) loosen, causing temporary or permanent vision impairment or formation of cataract. Red wine has the properties to decelerate macular degeneration. Also, it has proved to be an excellent supplement along with food for those wishing to diet and lose flab. Weight loss is found to occur when one consumes red wine along with one’s daily meal. This is explained by the fact that red wine retards the time for the stomach to get empty, thus making the person to eat less. The feeling of hunger that one normally experiences is by a particular gland in the brain that is stimulated. Consumption of red wine during meals slows down the time taken for the signals to reach the brain, thus resulting in the person to think that he/she is full. As the food intake decreases, weight is automatically managed. Red wine is also found to protect an individual from major heart diseases, by increasing the body’s “good” cholesterol level, which is vital to keep the heart healthy. It eases the flow of blood through the veins and thus prevents unnecessary clotting of blood or blockages in the arteries. Slight changes in the blood pressure are also observed. The “bad” cholesterol levels are found to decrease in quantity, thus preventing blockages of the main arteries by fats hardened. The risk of heart attacks is thus reduced when red wine is consumed in measured quantities.

The other side of it:-

However, it has been found that wine, red wine or alcoholic wine is highly addictive and may lead to adverse effects if taken too much. Even though red wine contains very little amount of alcohol in it, over consumption can lead to lack of judgment or difficulty in speech. Also, the natural phenols present in the black grapes, is found to increase the risk of cancer if taken continuously or in large amounts. The cancerous agents may also leads to formation of ulcers in the stomach as it disrupts the natural breakdown of food by the digestive enzymes. Over dose of red wine may also lead to mental breakdown in the form of loss in memory either temporarily or permanently ( a condition called dementia). The risk of Alzheimer’s is found to increase a notch higher when the concentration of alcohol in the body increases. Alcohol, which is a known natural pain suppressor, may also dull the senses when one consumes it often. So it ultimately makes a person lethargic and slows one’s response to stimuli. The ability to grasp things and to think creatively is greatly reduced by an increase in the alcohol level in the body.

July 1, 2014
Sway the Ballroom Way!

Dance is a way of life! People are rarely wrong when they say this, as dance expresses many lively aspects and emotions. Be it love, anger, disputes, chastity, entertainment, surprise, bliss, sadness; dance can represent every shade of human emotion. The movement to a rhythm is emotionally soothing and one confers a sense of accomplishment. Dance helps one to build confidence and express oneself; two things that every individual finds essential.

The more romantic sort of a dance, however, is a ballroom dance. Ballroom dances are partner dances enjoyed socially and competitively worldwide. Love is an expression that can be shown beautifully in almost any ballroom dance form. Be it aggressively, possessively, intimately, softly, or delicately, a ballroom dance can show it all. It is considered an art form.

It is bodily movement synchronized with a rhythm provided by some form of musical instrument. While the music is itself an art form, in dancing one takes advantage of the rhythm. Through tradition certain rhythms that are synchronized with selected patterns of body and foot movement are adopted. These patterns are then given names such as Mambo, Waltz, Cha Cha or Tango.

Jive:

Jive is a dance style that originated in the United States from African-Americans in the early 1930’s. It was originally presented to the public as ‘Jive’ in 1934 by Cab Calloway. Jive is one of the five International Latin dances. In competition it is danced at a speed of 176 beats per minute, although in some cases this is reduced to between 128 and 160 beats per minute. It is a lively form of Swing dance, and a variation of the Jitterbug. While there are many complicated versions of jive, some of which involve flipping the female dance partner, the basic dance is well controlled, with a six count foot pattern.

Paso Doble

Paso Doble in Spanish, literally means double step. It is a traditional dance in Spain and is danced to the kind of music played when the bullfighter enters the bullfighting ring (Paseo) or during the passes(Faena) before the final kill, during a bullfight. Paso Doble is a lively style of dance to the duple meter march-like Paso Doble music. It is modeled after the sound, drama, and movement of the Spanish and Portuguese bullfight. Famous bullfighters have been honoured with Paso Doble tunes named after them.

Cha Cha

The Cha Cha is danced to; a little obvious, Cha Cha music, introduced by Cuban composer and violinist Enrique Jorrín in 1953. Styles of the Cha Cha dance may differ in the rhythmical structure. The original Cuban and the ballroom Cha Cha count is “two, three, chachacha” or “four-and-one, two, three”. The dance does not start on the first beat of a bar, though it can start with a transfer of weight to the lead’s right. Partners work together to synchronize each movement in perfect alignment.

Mambo

The Mambo is one of the most sensual and emotional Latin American ballroom dances. Swaying hip movements, facial expressions, arm movements and holds all add to the sensuality of the dance. Mambo music was invented during the 1930’s by Arsenio Rodríguez, developed in Havana by Cachao and made popular by Dámaso Pérez Prado and Benny Moré. In the late 1940’s, Perez Prado came up with the dance for the mambo music and became the first person to market his music as “mambo”. Prado moved his music to Mexico, where his music and the dance was adopted. The original mambo dance was characterized by freedom and complicated foot-steps. Some Mexican entertainers became well known dancers like Tongolele, Adalberto Martínez, Rosa Carmina, Tin Tan and Lilia Prado.

Rumba

The Rumba is considered by many to be the most romantic of all Latin ballroom dances. It is often referred to as the “Grandfather of the Latin dances.” It is one of the ballroom dances which occurs in social dance and in international competitions. Among the five international Latin dances, Rumba is the slowest. It was derived from a Cuban rhythm and dance called the bolero-son; a genre of slow-tempo Latin music and its associated dance.

Tango

Tango, in Latin, means touch. This sensual ballroom dance originated in South America in the early twentieth century. It is one of the ballroom dances which is most fascinating to watch. The Tango consists of a variety of styles that developed in different regions and eras of the world. The dance developed in response to many cultural elements, such as the crowding of the venue and even the fashions in clothing. The styles are mostly danced in either open embrace, where the dancers have space between their bodies, or close embrace, where the dancers connect either chest-to-chest (Argentine tango) or in the upper thigh, hip area (American and International tango).

Waltz

The Waltz is one of the oldest of ballroom dances, dating from the mid-Eighteenth Century. The German “Lander”, which is a folk dance, is supposed to be its predecessor. The name; “Waltz” is a developed form of “Waltzer”, which was derived from the Latin “Volvere”, which means rotation. When The Waltz was first introduced to the world in the early Nineteenth Century, it was treated with resentment because it was the first dance where the couple was in close contact. The man’s hand was to be wound around the lady’s waist and they were to dance so close that their faces almost touched. This is called a Closed Position in dance terminology. Waltz dancers appear to glide around the floor with almost no effort, showing its grace and elegance.

Samba

Samba is a Brazilian dance, which originated in Bahia, Brazil. Around the world, it is known as the symbol for Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival. It has also become the symbol of Brazilian national identity and is considered to be one of the most popular Brazilian cultural expressions. Traditionally, the samba is played by strings and various percussion instruments such as tambourine. Influenced by American orchestras in vogue and the cultural impact of US music post-World War II, Samba began to use trombones, trumpets, flutes, and clarinets.

July 1, 2014