Pune Gourmet Club

FIVE YEARS AND COUNTING!

2011-09-30T16:19:00.004+05:30

A Bohra Feast

Ashvina Vakil

Five years ago a small group of food and wine lovers met in Shankar’s home for the first meet of the Pune Gourmet Club. From those tentative beginnings to now, five years later, the journey has been one of delightful culinary surprises and largely successful experiments with both food and wine.

Having traversed the gamut of cuisines, both international and Indian, we decided on a Bohra feast to celebrate the PGC’s fifth anniversary. The idea came from our two enthusiastic Bohra members – Mansoor Dalal and Husein Upletawala – and they took it upon themselves to decide on the menu and arrange for a well-known local caterer to serve up the feast on the traditional thaals.

Anniversary meets always attract large numbers and 70 plus members turned up at the Four Seasons clubhouse in Bhugaon (courtesy Abhay Wagle and Tara Maithreyan), ready to party. Buckets of chilling wine - Vinsura Brut, Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Syrah -greeted members and their guests, who were instructed to gather in groups of six around the tables.

There was something about the atmosphere that turned a normally pretty well behaved bunch of people into rowdy revellers, and Shankar looked visibly harassed as the afternoon wore on. Mansoor, who tried to throw light on the history of the Bohra community and its culinary traditions, gamely gave up after trying to be heard above all the din! He realised that trying to subdue a group of happy imbibers wasn’t worth the effort – he might as well join in the revelry!

Traditionally, a Bohra family eats together out of one thaal, a large round metal plate on which food is served course by course; the idea is to promote unity and equality. PGC members, already bonding over wine, reacted to the thaals with surprising enthusiasm, although a few hastily stifled queries about quarter plates were heard!

The meal started with Smoked Chicken Samosas, Chicken Cream Tikka (chicken pieces fried with an egg batter) and Tandoori Potato with Kokum Chutney, and the mere whiff of the samosas seemed to send members into a frenzy. Only the novelty of the thaals managed to settle them down, and there was a momentary lull in decibel levels as they contemplated the offerings in front of them.

The Bohra meal is served in alternate sweet and savoury courses, starting and ending with a grain of salt. Sodanoo, cooked rice sprinkled with granulated sugar and ghee, and

Thuli (wheat and jaggery sweet) were next on the list, after which guests were free to dig into the Chana-Batata, and Dabba Gosht with mini parathas. Just as we were getting used to the savoury tastes, along came the Kesar-Badam-Pista sancha ice cream.

Pineapple Halwa and Jungbari Chicken Drumsticks with paratha followed, and by now we were eagerly entering into the spirit of things. All our conventional ideas about the order of dessert in a meal tossed aside, we waited for the Tuvar-Pulao with Mutton Palidu. It was certainly the highlight of the meal. Husein advised us to mix it with the Baingan Bharta, Papad, and Achaar and relish the ensuing mish-mash without being squeamish about it, and we are glad we took his advice!

Bohra food is a gentle intermingling of Arabic and Gujarati influences and interestingly, doesn’t sit heavy on the stomach. One of the advantages of eating out of a thaal is a certain restraint – courtesy demands you leave enough food for the others sharing your meal, and besides, no one wants to seem greedy with so many others watching your every move!

Copious amounts of wine were quaffed, with Good Earth’s Bleu (Cabernet Shiraz) and Bella (rose) also making an appearance during the course of the meal. The sound of corks popping was intermittently heard, as members toasted the anniversary with Vinsura’s Brut. As Rohan Mankani’s banner (thank you Rohan for the thoughtful gesture) declared, the PGC is about good food, wines and people. And on that Sunday in September, all three came together in joyful tandem!

CAN’T GO WRONG WITH BONG!

2011-09-02T13:27:00.007+05:30

Ashvina Vakil

There’s something for everyone in Bengali cuisine, as our latest meet confirmed. A complete feast, starting with the ubiquitous serving of rice and ending with paan, the menu featured a balanced selection of vegetarian and non vegetarian options that seemed to please everyone present. Without exception, and that is something that you don’t see very often at PGC meets!

Designed by Abhijit De of Radhika Restaurant, and executed by his charming wife Nandini, the menu represented all the various influences on Bengali cuisine, which according to Abhijit, are considerable. A fount of interesting information, he regaled a rapt audience with the history of Bengali food, starting from a time when Bengal was an undivided land, and subject to influences ranging from Portuguese and English to Muslim and Armenian.

“The Portuguese introduced the concept of cheese to Bengal,” he revealed, “and that is how all our chenna-based sweets originated.” I think none of us is ever going to look at a rasagolla in the same way again! “Unlike most other Indian food, Bengali food is served in courses, starting with the bitter to get the gastric juices working,” he explained. It can be a challenge to serve food in courses in a buffet but Abhijit and Nandini were at hand to guide us through the food in the right order.

“Start with the rice, Bhaja Moong Dal, and Shukto,” they advised. The bitter component in the mixed vegetable Shukto was the karela, and once the gastric juices had started churning, we turned our attention to the Begun Bhaja, crisp batter fried brinjal slices, and the Posto Bora, poppy seed cakes. “The Armenians introduced the concept of dolma, stuffed vine leaves, and Potol Dolma is our version of that,” added Abhijit. Stuffed with paneer and cooked in a spicy gravy, the potol or parval, a Bengali favourite, was quite a surprise.

“Try not to mix the vegetarian with the fish,” suggested the Des, and we took them at their word. Course-wise eating, remember? The English influence was introduced through the Fish Chop, and the Rui Doi Machh (rohu fish in delicately flavoured yoghurt gravy) was an eye-opener for non-Bengalis who believe fish and milk don’t make good culinary companions. Daab Chingri (prawns in a gravy of tender coconut malai and mustard) was next, served in tender coconut shells.

“The mutton course is traditionally among the last in a Bengali meal,” informed Abhijit. “In fact mutton curry and rice is a popular Sunday meal.” Very apt for a Sunday afternoon, but we were more than happy to eat our way through the rest of the food too. “And a castrated goat is the most expensive,” he added helpfully for the trivia junkies, thankfully not clarifying what type of mutton he was serving us!

The piquant Aam Chatni, supposed to be a palate cleanser before the dessert, was polished off with an enthusiasm to rival that for the main course. And finally, dessert! Dudh Puli, a date jaggery flavoured ras malai, Kheer Kadam, melt-in-the-mouth Sandesh, and Fish (shaped) Sandesh, a must-have at Bengali weddings. No one needs ask if we needed the paan at the end of that meal!

It might seem as if wine took a backseat to all that gastronomic indulgence but there wasn’t a drop left of the Reveilo Chenin Blanc, Turning Point Chenin Blanc, and Sula Riesling! Those that had their wits about them had the opportunity to drink the Riesling in the special glasses provided by Riedel – the rest of us quaffed it down any way we could.

Thank you Mabel and Deepak Patwardhan for opening your home to us, and Abhijit and Nandini De for a much appreciated and truly royal Bengal experience!

CLICK HERE TO SEE SLIDESHOW

Going South

2011-07-30T10:36:00.011+05:30

Ashvina Vakil

Only a member of the Pune Gourmet Club would bother to carry an iPad to lunch at a restaurant. How else would he figure out that Grillo is a white wine grape variety widely used in Sicilian wine making! That established, the rest of the group settled down to glasses of Reveilo Grillo with its alleged ‘bouquet of citrus, lemon, orange and grapefruit’, and another meet was on its way.

Held at Nilima and Vivek Kalambi’s ‘Way Down South’ restaurant on Baner Road (a special thanks to them), PGC’s July meet featured an ambitious menu that proved perhaps to be too much of a challenge for Pravin, the chef roped in for the occasion. All the recipes chosen by Shankar were award-winning creations of Indian-born chefs living abroad, beginning with Upma Polenta, a concoction dreamed up by Chef Floyd Cardoz of the now closed Tabla restaurant, New York that recently won him an USD 100,000 prize on the Top Chef Masters show in the U.S.

What we were served wasn’t quite Cardoz’s ‘Wild Mushroom Upma Polenta with Kokum and Coconut Milk’ – not only because the right kind of mushrooms weren’t available but also because leaving out the chicken stock (yes, chicken stock in upma!) took the dish back to mundane everyday levels.

Fortunately you can’t go too wrong with salad and the Crispy Okra with Onions and Tomatoes (Suvir Saran of Devi restaurant, New York) went down well with bhindi fans.

Chicken Tikka Pies based on a recipe by Michelin Star winner Atul Kochhar of Benares restaurant in London followed and were judged ‘too biscuity’ by some, while others, probably not as discerning, gave it an enthusiastic thumbs up.

The Seared Lamb Medallions with Sesame Chutney (Chef Hari Nayak recipe) met with mixed reactions again, with the lamb termed succulent but the chutney being more or less deemed ‘too minty’. A South Indian touch was added with Rasam Wada and Mini Dosa Rolls with the compliments of Vivek and Nilima Kalambi.

Dessert was Apple Crumble with store bought Vanilla Ice Cream, and PGC members being the fussy lot they are, clamoured instead for Shankar’s home made vanilla bean ice cream!

Needless to say, a lot of wine was consumed as the lunch proceeded, and all the early nosiness about provenance and varietal was forgotten as bottles of Reveilo’s Sangiovese, a Tuscan style red, were downed with much appreciation. Vallonne’s Crimson Glory, a blend of Malbec and Merlot, didn’t find as many takers.

All in all, this wasn’t one of our finest efforts, but it didn’t dampen the spirits of new members, one of whom offered to host a Bohri feast in a couple of months. That’s PGC for you – always ready for new culinary adventures!

Fiesta Time

2011-05-11T08:27:00.011+05:30

Ashvina Vakil

Anyone assigned a cooking task for a PGC meet faces the meal with some trepidation, lest the Grand Master (aka Sangria Shankar, a little birdie tells us) disapproves of one’s culinary efforts. Of course, by the end of the meal, one has usually had enough wine to have forgotten all one’s initial fears and all is well till the inevitable post mortem! This time however, Shankar had a benign smile on his face throughout the Spanish feast, and the post mortem that followed was almost equally kind.

So, let’s raise a glass to that before we relive that wonderful meal. Salud!

Having said that, PGC members didn’t really have much to do this time, except for soup, salad, and some tapas. Shekhar & Ketaki Pimpalkhare’s ‘Bohemian’ restaurant, and his team led by Chef Dinesh, took on the major tasks, leaving PGC members to enjoy their meal in a pleasant wine-induced haze. Ravi Gurnani of York Winery and his team are to be thanked for that happy circumstance; they ensured that the wine kept flowing.

The Chenin and Sauvignon Blanc were already being quaffed by the time the tapas were brought to the table, and the attractive array momentarily stopped conversation. Team Bohemian’s Patatas Bravas (oven baked potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce) and Chorizo (sausage) Braised in Red Wine set a lively tempo that was offset by the Salt Baked Fish (Muriel Pinto, Rohan Thacker) and mildly flavoured Chickpeas and Spinach (Rohan Mankani, Mrunmayee Kulkarni, Sangita Jagtap, Parag Sane, and Sushama Kulkarni).

Salmorejo, a cold tomato and bread based soup from Cordoba followed (Ashvina Vakil, Rohit Arora, Pradnya Pradhan, and Ilena Ashish). Thanks to Rohit’s enterprise we were treated to a choice of garnishes, ranging from Serrano ham, to tuna, and hard boiled eggs, and they definitely added bite to the soup. The lazier ones among us had only bothered to slip in some capsicum and onion with our soup contribution!

The Orange and Red Onion Salad (Namrata Agarwal, Dipti Desai, Vikas Kumar, and Vinita Mohoni) with its scattering of nuts, sunflower seeds and raisins was a great way to freshen the palate before we got to the serious business of the Valencia Style Seafood Paella. Replete with mussels, jumbo prawns and calamari rings, and boasting a suitably burnt bottom, the paella filled up every crevice in already full stomachs, which was unfortunate because there was still more on the menu to get through! With a little help from the Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz Reserves, we managed to appreciate the fragrant Caldereta de Cordero (Moorish influenced lamb stew), albeit in mini doses.

Special mention must be made of the assorted country style breads and flavoured butters created by Team Bohemian, which had everyone nibbling away between sips and courses. The sangria was eminently forgettable – obviously our Grand Master had neglected to lend his magic touch, distracted as he was by all the wonderful food!

As always, the crowning glory of any PGC meal is dessert and Shankar’s French Vanilla Ice Cream, made from vanilla beans sourced all the way from Kochi, was the perfect companion to Bohemian’s Zurracapote, dried apricots and prunes simmered in sweetened, spiced red wine. Some of us managed to sneak in second helpings, obviously reluctant to end a delightful meal that had already stretched to over three hours!

As they say in Spain, Olé! to a great experience! And many thanks to all who made it happen.

To view all pictures of the meet, click here

Sunday Cookout - March 2011

2011-04-08T10:05:00.010+05:30

Sunday Cookout

After a long hiatus of 5 months, a PGC meet - the first in 2011- was organised on Sunday, March 6, 2011 on the tree shaded lawns of Anu and Kaspar Tideman’s bungalow.

This time I decided on an afternoon cookout since the weather was still pleasant in the shade. The theme was simple - BBQ and wine. Members and guests were told to bring whatever they wanted to barbecue plus one extra portion. Three barbecues were set up, the wines were chilled in tubs and everything was ready to go by 1:30pm. The tables sagged under the weight of a variety of breads, salads, all kinds of meat – chicken, fish and mutton – and vegetables.

It was great to see members steered clear of Indian marinations. There was no paneer or chicken tikka masala. Instead, we had delicacies like chicken breasts stuffed with goat’s cheese and olives (Shanth Mannige), yellow bell pepers stuffed with mushrooms (Parag Sane), hand made burgers on brioche using Gordon Ramsey’s recipe (Rohan Thacker), chicken breasts stuffed with cheese (Sandeep Chowdhuri & Rohan), mesquite lime chicken fillets (Shankar), Cajun potato wedges (Candy Dugal), fillet of fish (Ponappas) and sausages (Arjun Chowdhry). Ilena and Sangita both did mutton chops -0ne with Cajun spices other with Jamaican jerk seasoning. Rohit Arora was innovative with an apple sauce chicken. Sundar grilled humungous chicken breasts with fresh rosemary. The skin caught fire and some even reached out for a fire extinguisher!! As always members were generous to a fault with the portions. Everyone had brought tons of food and there was plenty to go around.

The wines - a mix of reds, rosés and whites - ranged from Chateau d’Ori’s newest Chardonnay to Grover’s Viognier and La Reserve.

This meet was attended by many new members and their enthusiasm was evident. They lent a hand in everything from shopping for wines to organising the barbecue and wrapping up after the event.

2011 augurs well for PGC. The next meet is planned for April.

2010-09-24T10:53:00.019+05:30

The 4th edition of India's premier wine festival
will be held on Sat. Dec. 11 and Sun. Dec. 12
at Rohi Villa Palace, Lane # 7, Koregaon Park, Pune 411004.

This weekend feast of the senses is designed to please your palate with great wine, tickle your taste buds with gourmet food including boutique cheeses from Indian cheese masters, educate you in the fine art of wine appreciation and entertain you with cookery shows by Cordon Bleu chefs. This festival brings together hundreds of wine enthusiasts, winemakers, chefs, gourmet food importers and industry professionals in the pursuit of fine wine and even better food.

For more information, visit our festival website
CLICK HERE

C’est la vie! PGC's 4th Anniversary Lunch

2010-09-10T15:03:00.012+05:30

Ashvina Vakil

The French believe in leisurely meals, spending many long hours at the table relishing their food and wine. PGC heartily approves of such an attitude, as the 4th anniversary celebrations at Bohemian confirmed. Our French feast lasted four hours and we did full justice to the both the food and wine!

French cuisine deserves to be eaten in style – that means, no jostling around at buffet tables! Instead, we artfully arranged ourselves at the tables, some proving to be more artful than the rest – they chose the table closest to the kitchen! As one seated at the table farthest from the kitchen I have taken due note of this strategy for future implementation!

Zampa wine was flowing generously, courtesy of Vallee de Vin, and though appropriate pairing with the food had been planned, members decided to just go with the flow instead! Quite likely only a few drank the right wine with the right food, but no one was complaining. Aptly however, we began with Zampa Soiree Brut, the sparkling wine providing a nice celebratory touch. The Vichyssoise, a potato and leek cold soup made by Shubha Nafrey, Harshal and Sushma, and served in little glasses had some of us quite confused till we realised it wasn’t buttermilk we were being offered! Delicately flavoured, it went down surprisingly well with the sparkling wine.

Most of the cooking tasks had been entrusted to PGC members, and they rose to the occasion with suitable élan, remaining unfazed by the unpronounceable names. Impromptu French lessons were being conducted at some tables, especially when the crudités came around. “But it’s all raw,” exclaimed a member chomping down on a broccoli floret. “Exactly,” was the smug response from one of his table companions. “Crudites are raw vegetables!” He remained unimpressed by this French absurdity, only perking up when the cooked hors d'oeuvres arrived.

And what an attractive offering that was: Pisaladiere, mini pastry bases with an anchovy topping; Red Pepper Gougeres, little cheese puffs with a red pepper stuffing; garlic and herb infused Tomatoes Provencale; and the hugely lauded Spinach Potato and Goat’s Cheese Tart made by Sonali, Muriel and Pradnya.

“Look out for the yellow zucchini in the Ratatouille,” instructed Meghna when it was time for the Main Course to be served. “That will be the Ratatouille I cooked!” With three other members also responsible for the Ratatouille (eggplant casserole with tomatoes, onions, peppers and zucchini), it was a little difficult to tell them apart, but Shanth, Shubha Gadkari and Vikas had all added their own special touches we hear! Shankar, Cyrus, Vidya and Sajjani made the Coq au Vin, each one cooking the quintessentially French chicken and mushroom dish in a different type of red wine! Though traditionally cooked in wine from Burgundy, the PGC version was enthusiastically mopped up with the bread, in true French style.

As always dessert was the piece de resistance, and Ram Singh, Bohemian’s pastry chef, did a superlative job of replicating the Caramel Parfait Glace with Salted Peanut Caramel and Milk Chocolate Mousse. “You will not find this in any restaurant in India,” assured Shankar, who sourced the recipe from Masterchef Australia’s Celebrity Chef Challenge. “This is the signature dish of Philippa Sibley, Executive Chef of Melbourne’s Il Fornaio.” The Apple Tarte Tatin was not quite as authentic as Shankar would have liked however. “They forgot to caramelise the apples,” he rued.

Zampa’s Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Syrah and Syrah proved to be fitting accompaniments to the meal; a lot of wine was imbibed during the unhurried course of the meal. Thank you Ravi Jain of Vallee de Vin for taking the time to come down from Mumbai to join our celebrations, and for your invitation to visit the vineyards in Nashik – that’s something our wine enthusiasts will be happy to take you up on! Especially KS Duggal, who a little bird tells us, knows you from way back in time when you partied together as bachelors!

Bohemian’s Chef Dinesh Pawar and his team filled in the gaps in the menu admirably, creating many of the hors d’oeuvres even though they had a huge party order to tackle for the same evening. Thank you Ketaki and Shekhar Pimpalkhare for the use of your lovely restaurant!

Meanwhile, PGC looks forward to making culinary waves in our fifth year too. What’s life without superb food and wine? Bon appetit!

Bohemian Lunch

2010-07-16T14:25:00.017+05:30

From the first time I met Ketaki and Shekhar Pimpalkhare, owners of Bohemian, the chemistry just clicked. Their enthusiasm for good food and great service is reflected in all three essential of a successful restaurant.

The setting - white textured walls contrasting the dark wooden rafters, works of art hanging on C channels, designer crockery on the tables, well spaced finely crafted rosewood coloured furniture, a nicely set bar and glass windows overlooking the pool. An unforgettable ambience. In another time the guest of honour at PGC's lunch meet at Bohemian on Sunday June 27, 2010 would have been Anais Nin. It would have been wonderful to make her acquaintance in a setting so perfectly suited to the indulgence of the senses.The service staff was headed by Puspendu Kayal- friendly and smiling, eager to please and assist. The kitchen - under the command of Chef Ketan rose to every challenge I posed them - from getting the Umm Ali right to the Zather grilled bread. The cleanliness of the kitchen and service was second to none - allowances being made for serving a sit down meal for 50!

The menu - Cuisine from the Mediterranean Coast - was a cooperative cooking venture with Bohemian's chef. PGC members made some of the items at home and brought 'em over and Chef Ketan prepared some dishes from his own recipes and others given by PGC. This system pioneered by PGC has yielded excellent results. Chefs get the opportunity to experiment and innovate and members revel in the joy of cooking.

Anoop and Raji Kumar, entrusted with the task of making Dolmades - a Greek delicacy - drove to a winery, collected fresh grape leaves (and tasted some wines in the process!), came back home, washed, blanched, cooked and stuffed 120 pcs of grape leaves with an extraordinary rice pilaf. Such is the dedication of PGC members to the cause of creating great food! Aditee Rele opted for mindnumbingly expensive Parma ham in creating the Italian Saltimbocca whereas I chose the less expensive option of using Sri Lankan ham. Result - Aditee's scored way above in taste and texture. Chef Ketan and his pastry chef Ramashray Singh did not bat an eyelid when I threw a few words like Zather, Lehmi, Umm Ali at them. They had never heard of these dishes but just said - send us the recipe and we'll make it. And make it they did, much to everyone's delight. Shekhar did not stint on the ingredients - pine nuts were not substituted with peanuts, Zather was bought at Rs. 1,000 a kg and Umm Ali was made with filo pastry repeatedly till it was perfect. I think PGC has met its partner in creating a gastronomic experience.

What is gourmet food without a wine to match? Good Earth Winery who sponsored the wines were out in full strength - from Nandita Khaire, their branding expert to master winemaker Dr. Rajesh Rasal, marketing honcho Navin Shankaranarayan and the willowy Sonal - doing their best to ensure everyone's glass was full. Navin offered Aarohi, their excellent Sauvignon Blanc with the starter course which consisted of two salads - Lebanese Tabbouleh made by Nilesh Kale and Catalonian Chickepeas Salad Picada created by Rohan Thacker - and an appetizer platter consisting of Moroccon Berber grilled chicken on skewers by Bohemian, Syrian Kibbeh by Naazneen Kothavala and Greek Dolmades with Tzatziki by Anoop and Raji Kumar. Bohemian presented appetizers from the coastal areas of Israel, Lebanon and Syria - spinach Fatayer, grilled flatbread with choice of two toppings - one with olive oil and zather and the other with minced lamb and pinenuts. For the vegetarians, chef Ketan served up an Italian Polenta sandwich and Bruschetta Caponata.

As the plates were cleared and the chefs began toiling over the main course, Navin introduced their new red wine - Antaraa - a Cabernet Shiraz. Bottle aged for just one month, the wine opened up nicely upon airing. It got smoother and more bouquetious (just dreamed up this word) by the passing minute. It paired beautifully with the piece de resistance of the day - Chef Ketan's Moroccon lamb tagine served on a bed of couscous accompanied by the Italian chicken saltimbocca and a sinful European style olive and chicken salami loaf by Sheela Narayan. The vegetarians had a vegetarian tagine and an excellent pan sauteed Zucchini stuffed with spinach and walnut and topped wth pomodoro sauce. The wine had everything going for it. Aroma, body, lightly tannic yet smooth on the palate with a nice finish. Wonderful with the main course. A wine to watch when it hits the stores in a month or two.

Dessert was an absolute delight. Umm Ali, an Egyptian speciality made of milk, cream, nuts and dried fruit with filo pastry is one dish that blends the moistness of a pudding with crisply baked filo sheets so adroitly that each spoonful will have crunchy flaky filo amidst milky and nutty mass of pudding. A perfect balance of flavours. It's a dessert not very easy to get right. Full marks to master baker Chef Ramashray Singh for such an excellent effort.

Bohemian owners Ketaki and Shekhar with their guests were at hand to enjoy the food and wine and mingle with PGC members.

Thanks to Umeed Kothavala for recording the event for posterity.

A big THANK YOU to Good Earth Winery for sponsoring the wines, Ketaki and Shekhar and the entire team at Bohemian headed by Chef Ketan, Chef Ramashray Singh and Puspendu Kayal for a wonderful time. Hope to dine more often at Bohemian.

Salad & White Wine April 2010

2010-05-10T10:19:00.014+05:30

After a 2 month hiatus, the PGC met again on a warm April evening (17th) to enjoy refreshing salads and chilled white wines.

The growth of the club’s membership poses a new challenge – of finding a large enough space to host the meets. This time our newest members Nanzeen and Umeed Kothavala came to the rescue by offering their lovely terrace complete with a small lawn, chairs, tables, counters, a wash up area and a humungous chilller in tony Koregaon Park.

The salutatory effect of the security deposit was evident as we had only 3 dropouts. Total turnout was 41 adults.

Green Tokri, Pune’s unique supplier of salad leaves, hosted the salads part at no cost to the club. Benedikte and Marc, along with their assistants, laid out a superb spread of

1. Rucola with mushrooms

2. Salade Nicoise

3. Korean bites

with lots of spare leaves and Green Garlic & Oriental dressings. Toppings included Tuna, roasted and salted almond slivers, olives etc.

From PGC, Vikas and Pooja Kumar were allotted the task of creating not just a Greek Salad complete with Feta Cheese and preparing two butters - garlic and dill but also had to shop for two types of breads – the traditional Brun and whole wheat Poi both from Persian Bakery. Cyrus Vaghaiwalla brought over a fresh orange and Cognac dressing. Sheel Rege brought Red Snapper cooked in a stock containing fresh parsely, onions etc. Olives brought by Rohan Mankani were put to good use. Harshal Dofe, attending his first meet ever with wife Jaya was given the least enviable task of collecting Rs. 400 from each attendee. Once is enough he said and agreed to be more regular and take cooking rather than accounting tasks!

Benedikte and her friends tossed the salads fresh as per guest request and served all as per their choice. A salad buffet if you please.

The wines for the evening were 3 Viogniers from Four Seasons, Sula and Grover and 1 Riesling from Sula. All were chilled to 10 Deg C and kept in an icebox for everyone to pour their own.

The salad with the Red Snapper went particularly well with the Riesling. Marc of Green Tokri favoured the Four Seasons Viognier.

For the first time we used a unique clip which allows a diner to attach a wine glass to the plate leaving a hand free to wield a fork or spoon! Ideal for buffets –no wonder it’s called a Buffet Maid.

The VIP guest of the evening was Mr. Rajeev Parikh who owns Grape to Glass; Mumbai based distributors of Riedel in India. Do visit www.grapetoglass.com Rajeev, based in US, is a chef, gourmet and wine collector. Rajeev was happy to answer questions on Riedel stemware and demonstrated its quality by offering tastings so everyone could check them out. Without exception, all were amazed at the noticeable difference in the aroma, flavour and color of the wines. Rajeev explained how important a role the glass plays in the enjoyment of wine and how Riedel is the stemware of choice in the top wine tasting competitions. At the end of the evening, before taking his leave, he graciously presented me with the set of 12 Riesling glasses so that I might put them to good use at club meetings.

Dessert was home made watermelon ice cream served in the scooped out shell.

A big THANK YOU to Marc, Beneditke of Green Tokri for sponsoring the salads, to Nazneen and Umeed for hosting the evening and Rajeev for the Riedel Glasses.

If Music Be the Food of Life…

2009-09-30T19:51:00.014+05:30

Ashvina Vakil

At the Pune Gourmet Club we certainly believe in playing on! Food inspires us to wax eloquent anyway and when there’s some good wine to go with it, we can get quite lyrical about the whole experience. The wine at our third anniversary meet on 27th September 2009 fit in very well with this theme – from the Good Earth winery, Aarohi, Brio and Basso are not only named for musical terms, they are also meant to evoke the highs of a fabulous musical experience.

Girish Mhatre of Good Earth obviously thought that members of the PGC were a good audience on whom to unleash his soon-to-be-launched wines, and the elaborate sit-down Indian meal dreamed up by the indefatigable Shankar was the ideal platform. Held at Trikaya, it was an afternoon of complete over-indulgence, and ‘gourmands’ would have been a more apt description of the participants than ‘gourmets’. But since it was a celebratory event, we were allowed the leeway to eat more than could have been good for any of us!

Chef Nilesh Limaye and his team had quite a challenge to produce a sit-down meal for more than 70 people and they faced with task with enthusiasm. The first platter was served with Aarohi, a crisp and refreshing Sauvignon Blanc that was a gentle prelude to what would soon rise to a crescendo as the afternoon wore on. The platter featured (hold your breath) Murgh Malai Tikka (with a hint of cheddar cheese); Shark Porial (Chettinad style); Jumbo Prawn (marinated in pomegranate juice and grilled); Kakori Kabab (Awadh’s signature dish; Lobster with Mustard Paste (Bengali style); Machher Chop (Bengali style fish dumplings); Bombay duck (rawa coated fried fillet); Pyaz ki Kachori; Bharwan Murgh; and Sunehari Murgh! Designed to please different tastes, what really stood out from this multifarious platter was the lobster – the mustard paste wasn’t overwhelming and it perked up the palate considerably.

By the time the Shiraz was uncorked we were beginning to hear music. Difficult to say if it was our senses singing or just piped music that got suddenly louder! Brio is what the wine is called and it proved to be as full of vigour as the name suggests. The food it complemented was a surprising mélange, including some dishes you would not associate with a red wine, proving that when it comes to wine and food, you can indeed make your own rules! The highlight for many was the black pepper flavoured Chettinad Chicken, but there were equally eager takers for Raan-e-Gulmarg (slivers of lamb served cold); Galouti Kabab (pan fried lamb mince); Kundan Kaliya (Awadhi specialty); Haleem (Hyderabadi delicacy); and Kabargah (fried ribs).

The less intrepid eaters fell out of the race at this stage – there is a limit even to greed! The Avadhi Mutton Biryani and Kale Moti Biryani, meant to be paired with the Cabernet Sauvignon had to be urged into protesting tummies, which was a shame since they were done to a turn. No one passed up the wine however and the mellow Basso helped settle systems done in by a surfeit of exotic food.

As always, dessert was our downfall. Even those who were just minutes before averring that they couldn’t eat another morsel welcomed the dessert platter with a gleam in their eyes. Lasuni Kheer was a surprise, the garlic flavour complementing the mild sweetness of the kheer with panache! Crisp and drenched in syrup, Lavang Latika offset the unusual Gulab Jamun and Roasted Almond Gelato specially created for the occasion by Jyoti Nafrey.

This is one celebration that is going to be a tough act to follow, but we have a whole year to gear up for the fourth anniversary. As always this past year has been a terrific culinary ride. Stay with us for more!

Cornucopia of Delights

2009-08-05T12:20:00.019+05:30

Ashvina Vakil

Watch the video 2 min 50 secs
If video is jerky hit pause button and allow it to load fully and then play

Meeting in corn fields is just par for the course for the intrepid members of the Pune Gourmet Club – we can find good food anywhere! We weren’t exactly in the corn field but close enough to procure some fresh corn cobs for the barbecue that Shankar had set up at a vantage point in the lawns of the Deccan Plateau winery on August 2. While wine and other goodies were on the agenda, the smoky roasted corn with a sprinkling of chilli powder served as a wonderful appetiser and set the tone for what was to be a really fun afternoon.

Thirty-four of us, including some guests, made our way to Deccan Plateau Vineyards Pvt. Ltd.’s winery that Sunday morning, and it looked like the weather would hold. Located at Burkegaon, about 28 kms from Kalyani Nagar off the Pune-Ahmednagar Highway, the winery is set amidst picturesque fields of corn, coriander, sugarcane, marigolds and vineyards. We were there at the invitation of Managing Director and Winemaker Nitin Shinde, and Assistant Winemaker Girish Kamble, both of whom looked rather bemused at the PGC invasion!

Deccan Plateau is launching a range of red wines later this month and Nitin and Girish decided it was a good idea to test them on PGC members. We all trooped into the winery to taste the Shiraz, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet Shiraz, Zinfandel, and the Trivalli – an unusual blend of Shiraz, Cabernet-Sauvignon and Merlot, that opened up rather well on decanting. An array of interesting cheese added bite to the tasting process and for a while the barbecue sizzling outside was forgotten as conversation veered around the colour and bouquet of the wines. Nitin and Girish watched with anxious expressions which lightened considerably as the tasting progressed to drinking!

A few took a tour of the winery while others went back to tend to the barbecue, and the huge selection of marinated meats and vegetables that waited to be grilled. Shankar chortled gleefully, “This time you can’t blame me if there is too much food – you were instructed to bring just enough food for yourself.” Everyone did that, and added ‘just a little extra’, resulting in a veritable mountain of food! Fortunately Ranjit arrived with his industrial strength barbecue (and restaurant-sized kitchen towel roll and garbage bags) and things moved a little faster once he had fired it up.

It was all hands on deck as meat (mostly chicken) was pierced onto bamboo skewers. “Wet the skewers first,” instructed Rita, looking askance at the dry skewers laden with a colourful selection of vegetables, and someone had to undo their handiwork and start over again! “Whose leg is this,” enquired Shabbir poking around the grill. “Make way for my veggies,” exclaimed Fateema. “Toss the onions onto the coal,” urged Shankar. “What fish is that,” asked Anselm, eying the tail end of a particularly large fish that Regina was trying to fit on the grill. “Someone try my salad,” piped in one voice, while another coaxed paneer into by-then unwilling hands!

The surfeit of chicken, in marinades ranging from Thai to mustard, resulted in an overdose that was greatly relieved by Rekha’s elegant bruschettas with toppings like hummus and caramalised onions. Rita had brought a selection of bread from the ‘The French Loaf’, which people hungry after the drive to the winery, fall upon as soon as they arrived. Shankar’s sun dried tomato spread vanished before you could say ‘dip’!

By the time Kumar arrived with his kakori kebab mix, people were almost too stuffed to move. And yet he managed to persuade most to taste at least a wee bit, manfully grilling the last batch in the hope that someone would be hungry enough after the ramble in the vineyards to polish them off! When Sheela brought out an absolutely scrumptious carrot cake it was like manna from heaven! You’d think after all that food even a whiff of the cake would have been enough, but it had many enthusiastic takers, much to her amusement.

It was a thoroughly replete lot that sleepily ambled away from the barbecue later that afternoon, armed with wine bottles and, what else, packets of corn processed at the Trimurti Foods factory next door. We had certainly experienced a cornucopia of grilled and other delights!

Indonesian: Very Goodo Goodo!

2009-03-28T09:36:00.012+05:30

Ashvina Vakil

The menu that arrived in the mail was largely unpronounceable but you can’t disqualify a meal just because you can’t quite get your tongue around the names of the dishes. It’s how the dishes actually affect your tongue and taste buds that matters after all. And Indonesian cuisine leaves a lasting and quite fiery impression!

Meeting after a long gap, PGC members drifted into Silk Route with no great regard to punctuality, which sort of set the mood for a long and leisurely lunch that went way into tea time. Rita Sawhney’s team at Silk Route had taken on the bulk of the cooking, leaving only a few new members with culinary tasks for the day. The rest had only to settle in at the tables and await a meal that surprisingly didn’t feature a single satay.

Most of us don’t know much about Indonesian food apart from the ubiquitous satay (which incidentally is not exclusively Indonesian) and the Gado Gado and Nasi Goreng that features on the menus of South East Asian eateries. Indonesian cuisine is a mélange of food native to the thousands of islands that form the country, and various foreign influences, ranging from Indian and Middle Eastern to Chinese and European.

Rice is a staple across Indonesia, eaten plain (nasi putih) with side dishes, or fried (nasi goreng). Coconut milk finds its way into most dishes including desserts; while peanut sauce is used across the cuisine, either as a dipping sauce or applied to meat or vegetables. Indonesia is a spice hub and not surprisingly its cuisine is redolent with spices ranging from coriander, pepper, turmeric to cassia, cardamom, and bay leaf. Additional flavour comes from ingredients like tamarind, galangal, lemon grass, dried anchovies, and prawns. Not surprisingly, the cuisine is very distinctively flavoured.

With that little tutorial out of the way let’s get on with the meal. For starters we had Ikan Goreng (fried fish in tamarind sauce with dried prawn sambal) and Pergedel Djawa (lamb mince balls with spicy sauce) accompanied by Sula’s Riesling 2008. The gentle wine was a soothing contrast to the burst of flavours that assailed the tongue from the very first bite. We awaited the Paria Isi with some trepidation – the thought of bitter gourd rings stuffed with chicken (or tofu for the vegetarians) didn’t exactly send the taste buds into a clamour – but Cyrus Vaghaiwalla and Vishal Pipraiya needn’t have looked so anxious. The rings were a revelation, the chicken and tofu complementing the not-so-bitter-anymore gourd, and the efforts of the duo were suitably lauded. Meghna Desai served up Mushrooms in a packet, a Madhur Jaffrey recipe adapted from the renowned Indonesian chef Sri Owen.

And then there it was – the familiar Gado Gado (vegetables with crunchy peanut sauce), along with Asinan Jakarta (hot, salty, sour and sweet fruit and vegetable salad). At 2.30 pm we were still lingering over the salads and Sula’s Viognier 2008, seemingly in no hurry to reach the main course. Meanwhile Preeti Devnani, whose family has Indonesian connections, was letting us into the secrets of making authentic Nasi Goreng.

“I learnt how to make it from an Indonesian maid,” she assured us, laying the ground for the fried rice with shrimp and chicken that was to follow. Mom Naina was quick to add that her daughter was solely responsible for the huge quantities of Nasi Goreng, a declaration that had Preeti looking a little worried! “I’ve never made it for so many people before!” She was needlessly anxious, since the spicy rice disappeared in a flash, even as Preeti instructed us on how to eat it with the right accompaniments – Ketcap Manis (a sweetish soy based spicy ketchup) drizzled over prawn wafers, and fried onions.

The succulent Balinese Lamb Chops in a mild coconut milk gravy were a welcome respite after the fiery rice. Steamed rice followed with Young Jackfruit Lodeh (Curry) adapted from a recipe of Gary Tyson, chef at the Amandari, Bali and Pindang Sarani or Fish in Turmeric Sauce, both bearing characteristically Oriental flavours. Anita Gosal’s Sala Lobak (cabbage stir fried with red pepper paste) provided some crunch at his stage.

Rohan Mankani was pouring out Reveilo’s Chardonnay 2008 by now and those of us still alert after this monumental meal made sure to get our glasses filled. There’s something to be said for chilled white wine on a hot afternoon, especially after experimenting with a variety of sizzling creations. Dessert was Pisang Goreng (ripe banana slices dipped in rice flour and coconut milk and deep fried) with Shankar’s Coconut Milk Saffron Ice Cream. A great way to cool down before staggering out into the hot afternoon indeed!

2nd PUNE WINE TASTING FESTIVAL 2008

2009-01-20T22:21:00.017+05:30

The 2nd Pune Wine Tasting Festival 2008 organised by the Pune Gourmet Club was held on Dec. 13 & 14, 2008 at Rohi Villa in Pune's exclusive suburb of Koregaon Park.India's only wine tasting festival modelled on international events held in California, Australia and Europe offered the visitor the opportunity to taste some of the best wines crafted in India including prize winning ones and reserves. Wine enthusiasts were also offered a tasting of Seagram's yet-to-be-launched Rose.

13 of

's finest wineries werewell represented with their entire range of wines. Century Wines of Baramati who won many fans with their delightful Zinfandel in the 2007 festival came with their new offerings.

Chateau d'Ori who won a sliver medal at the India Wine Challenge for their Cabernet Merlot 2007 debuted with their entire range but alas not their prize winner which had sold out. Chateau Indage poured out their Marquise du Pompadour by the fluteful while Diageo & Four Seasons filled stemware with their whites and reds. Nine Hills didn't stint with their exclusive Shiraz & Cabernet Sauvignon Reserves. Nira Valley brought their Celeste range & Sula's late harvest Chenin Blanc found many new fans. Tiger Hill left their pugmarks for the future and Vallee de Vin's Paul Bailey held forth at an exclusive wine tasting session. Vin & Vouloir delighted their fans with their award winning Rose. Vinsura gave generous tastings of their entire range from Chenin Blanc to Zinfandel including their sparkler. Vintage's Reveilo Reserves drew oohs and aahs and they sold out their entire stock. There were Merlots, Chardonnays, Reserves, Sauvignon Blancs and Zinfandels. A wine for every palate.

Each visitor was wristbanded, given a wine glass, a wine guide & a pen and let loose on the lawns of the majestic Rohi Villa to imbibe to their fullest. The ambience was relaxed, casual and festive. Parag Kanhere held court with his hugely popular 'Cooking with Indian Wine' shows while Clive Castellino and Sujata Patil walked visitors thru wine appreciation sessions. We even had wine festival souvenir tee shirts and aprons. Silk Route served Teppanyaki and the PGC stall sold kababs and even grilled lobsters! There was a Tapas Bar with a wide selection to suit every palate and preference from veggie to seafood.

The huge lawn of Rohi Villa was dotted with gazebos. Visitors could walk around and sample from each and every stall. Seating was under umbrellas and tall palms. Many wineries gave away freebies from wine glasses to buy one get one free. There were smiling faces all around. The festival attracted nearly 2,000 wine enthusiasts not just from Pune from as far as Mumbai and Aurangabad.

INTRODUCTION

2008-10-03T11:59:00.008+05:30

The Pune Gourmet Club, formed in September 2006, is India's most unique gathering of wine and food enthusiasts.

Since wine tasting in India has thus far been restricted to a select, ‘by-invitation only’ audience, the PGC decided to bring the gourmet concept out of rarified five star environments and make good food and wine more accessible to those eager to develop a palate for it.

Membership is based, not on deep pockets or high social standing, but on the degree of interest in good food and wine. We charge a nominal membership fee of Rs. 100 per annum and a refundable deposit of Rs. 1,000. All food and wine costs are shared equally by attendees.

If you think cooking is fun, have a passion for wines and are keen on sharpening your culinary & wine appreciation skills, the Pune Gourmet Club is for YOU.

Each meeting has a specific food theme paired with suitable wines. We’ve done Tapas, BBQ, Greek, Middle Eastern, European, Biryani, Cajun, Far & South East Asian, Kashmiri, Banarasi & South American. We’ve tasted nearly every wine made in India. We’ve even published a comprehensive Indian Wine Guide! We’ve had master winemakers such as M. P. Sharma of Vinsura and young winemakers such as Nitin Shinde and Girish Kamble attend our meetings and interact one to one with members.

Apart from professionally conducted wine tasting and food pairing sessions, the PGC is planning winery tours and gourmet banquets. In the past year membership has grown from an initial 12 to 200. The increasing number of membership requests indicates the growing awareness among people, more and more of whom are seeking to get familiar with the plethora of wines now available to them.

In Dec 2007, we organised India's first ever Wine Tasting Festival in Pune. An international style walk thru event with unlimited tastings of 50+ wines from top 10 Indian wineries, the festival attracted more than a thousand visitors, not just from Pune but from Mumbai, Thane and even New Delhi. For a detailed report, click here.

THE 2ND PUNE WINE FESTIVAL
DEC 13 -14, 2008 IN PUNE

2007 FESTIVAL VIDEO

PGC VIDEOS

2008-09-24T22:39:00.015+05:30

2ND ANN. MEET - SEPT. 2008

DECCAN PLATEAU WINERY
VISIT - MARCH 2008

PUNE WINE TASTING FESTIVAL
DECEMBER 2007

PUNE WINE TASTING FESTIVAL
COVERAGE ON TV NEWS CHANNELS

PGC 1ST ANNIVERSARY MEET
SEPT. 2007

PGC CAJUN MEET-AUGUST 2007

SLIDESHOWS

2008-09-24T21:57:00.020+05:30

2nd Anniversary Sept. 2008

Tapas Meet June 2008

BANARASI MEET APRIL 2008

¡Buen provecho

2008-09-24T11:31:00.023+05:30

Ashvina Vakil

That’s Spanish for ‘Bon appetit’ but the words were as unpronounceable to most of us at PGC’s second anniversary meet as the names of the Latin American feast that awaited us! Led by Chef Parag Kanhere, our members took on the challenging task of recreating the cuisine of countries like Cuba, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, Bolivia, and Argentina, and while the names took time to trip over our tongues, the gastronomic experience was memorable.

More than 70 members attended the celebrations at Silk Route, and we have to thank Rita and Nainpal Sawhney for their unfailingly gracious hospitality. They handed over their courtyard to us, and the use of their outdoor grill, and Chef Parag and his band of helpers soon had some interesting stuff cooking. Several first-timers had volunteered to take on cooking tasks and there were some eager apron-clad members bustling about the place as the starters began to be served.

Jatinder Singh popped the first bottle of Viinsura’s refreshing Brut and we were on our way! The Aranitas (Puerto Rico), grated green plantains seasoned with garlic and deep-fried, were a hit even with the non-vegetarians and Ashwini Wagh, Kurus and Priti Bharucha can take a bow for that. Pupusa de quesco (El Salvador) was Aditi Rele’s contribution and the toasted cornmeal tortilla stuffed with cheese and flavoured with green chillies made a great combination with the tart Curtido (cabbage salad) and Salsa Roja (smooth saucy salsa) made by Vishal Pipraiya and Sangita Jagtap respectively. The Bolivian Saltenas (don’t-you-dare-call-them-samosas) were hailed enthusiastically – Uday Pandit, Kumar Belle and Kalpana Sriram did a grand job with the baked pastry turnovers stuffed with choice of minced mutton, chicken and vegetarian fillings.

Vinsura, who have supported PGC since its inception in 2006, ensured that we had a steady supply of their Sauvignon Blanc, Rose and Shiraz, which complemented the food beautifully. The main course comprised Mofongo (Puerto Rico) painstakingly created by Shubha Gadkari and Gauri Nafrey. They fried, mashed and spiced green plantains and formed them into balls, which were stuffed with a jumbo shrimp or vegetarian filling. Meghna Gajul made copious amounts of the tangy Sofrito sauce (Cuba) that was used to drench the Mofongo. Chef Parag and his team charcoal grilled breasts of chicken, which were served with Chimichurri sauce (Argentina) made by Jyoti Nafrey and Candy Dugal; the vegetarian option was exotic vegetables marinated in balsamic vinegar, grilled and assembled into a vegetarian steak and served with Chimichurri sauce.

As always happens at our meets, dessert garnered the maximum attention. Replete as we were after that introduction to a variety of Latin flavours and textures, and mellowed by the wine, we all perked up considerably faced with the grilled banana served with Shankar’s homemade rum ice cream and topped with Chef Parag’s spicy chocolate sauce. There were many glazed expressions to be seen, and it wasn’t all the fault of the wine!

This was the first time we invited a professional to help us, and Chef Parag, who has years of experience on cruise liners and as executive chef in restaurants, was in his element as he rolled out the pastry and served course after

course with élan. The Silk Route team led by Richard ensured that food flowed smoothly to the tables.

Our gastronomic journey continues and we look forward to tapping new culinary frontiers as we enter our third year. Hola!

2ND ANNIVERSARY VIDEO

Time for Tapas

2008-07-03T16:46:00.014+05:30

Ashvina Vakil

Almost two years ago a small group of enthusiasts met in Shankar’s house for the first meet of the Pune Gourmet Club. The menu was tapas and wine. PGC has grown considerably since then, so when we replicated the idea recently at the Sommelier restaurant, not many realised it had been done before! Not yet fully open, Sommelier is a wine bar cum restaurant located at Baner, and PGC managed to send their staff into quite a tizzy. Quite honestly, we brought the roof down!

Tapa in Spanish is literally a cover. Tradition has it that in Spain, wine glasses were covered with either a slice of bread or a coaster to keep away flies. Soon enterprising bartenders were topping Tapas with small eats to showcase their chef’s skills. Soon Tapas became synonymous with small snacks or appetisers served in Spanish bars and restaurants as hors-d'oeuvres or cocktail snacks. They are not supposed to be starters, so usually if you begin an evening with tapas, you end with tapas. Which suited us fine, since we could include a wide variety on the menu without worrying about staying hungry at the end of the evening!

The wines chosen for the evening were all medal winners at the Indian Wine Exposition held in Delhi in Dec 2007.

Hunger wasn’t an issue after all. It was more a case of too much! We began with Cherry Tomatoes Stuffed with Spanish Olive Tapenade, painstakingly put together by Sunita andChetan. With the tomatoes we also polished off some homemade bread made by Vandana with Olive and Tomato Pate prepared by Ashvina. A Revielo Chenin Blanc was the first wine of the evening, crisp and refreshing with a delightful bouquet, and fine way to begin what promised to be an enjoyable experience.

Parag vanished into the kitchen to man the tandoor, presenting with his usual flair a range of delectable kebabs through the evening – Shikhampuri, Chicken Malai, and Gosht Elaichi Pasanda. Vin & Vouloir’s Rose complemented the lamb particularly well. Pyaaz ki Kachori was the vegetarian alternative, and the Indian touch to a predominantly Mediterranean menu was pretty interesting.

It would be fair to say that the forty-odd people present at the meet didn’t stop eating for more than a few minutes at a time! The Tapas kept coming, keeping Meghna and Vibha on their toes, as they helped the harried waiters with their task. There was Fried Squid with Aioli (Sachi), Paneer Stuffed Patties with Sun Dried Tomatoes (Meghna), Spinach Fatayer (Sheela), Felafel topped with Tahini and Sumak (Shankar), Herbed Tofu Stuffed Mushrooms with Smoked Paprika Aioli (Piyush), Herbed Goat Cheese Shrimp rolled in chicken salami and grilled (Rita), and Pimientos Rellenos –yellow peppers stuffed with rice and chicken/paneer filling (Vinita). It was a wonderful intermingling of flavours and textures. Unfortunately, there wasn’t really enough time between servings to really savour each carefully crafted creation.

Bottles of Nine Hills Cabernet Sauvignon and Sula Dindori Shiraz were opened as the evening progressed, and most members had to be coaxed into making notations on the rating sheets that were conveniently slipping off the table or getting hidden by the water jugs! Invariably the business end of things tends to be forgotten as members exclaim over the food and sit back and enjoy the wine. Or not, depending on the wine!

The highlight of the evening was most certainly Shankar’s Semifreddo, a delectable concoction of cream, pistachios, Amaretto and home made Amaretti biscuits. Not even the restaurant’s poorly functioning freezer could ruin that masterpiece!

Fit for the Gods

2008-07-03T16:17:00.008+05:30

Ashvina Vakil

Well, almost! Our satvik Banarasi repast had a touch of Avadhi cuisine, which the Gods may not have approved of! The melt-in-the-mouth Kakori Kebab, created by Shankar with enthusiastic assistance from Kurus and Priti, however had Gourmet Club members patiently queuing up for their share…and the Gods were probably pleased at this display of penance!

Satvik khana is fresh vegetarian food prepared without onion and garlic, and with very little spices. That’s what you eat if you’re seeking spiritual enlightenment. Pune Gourmet Club members are more interested in culinary enlightenment, and leapt at the chance to experience a meal that relied more on the freshness of the ingredients than on exotic spices and other additions.

A host of new members had the chance to get officially initiated into the Club through cooking tasks made easy by Shankar’s carefully sourced recipes. Shanth Mannige offered to make the Dahi ke Kebab on behalf of the older members, and accompanied by a piquant sauce, they quickly disappeared off the platters. While the Kakori Kebabs were being grilled, Arjun Chouwdhry got his Paan ki Khumb frying alongside. The batter-fried, mushroom stuffed paan triangles got a mixed response with several members grimacing as the initial bitterness of the paan hit their taste buds. By the time they bit into the more subtle mushroom the grimaces gave way to wonder at the unusual combination, much to Arjun’s relief!

Sajjani and Jeetendran Nair threw open their lovely garden at NDA and it was the perfect setting for a summer evening. The breeze however played truant most of the time and the chilled wines were very welcome. On offer were Sula’s Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel, and Ivy Viognier and Semillon/Chardonnay, and if anyone thought drinking wine with satvik khana was strange, they didn’t let on! Nectar of the Gods perhaps?

A few new members looked apprehensive when asked to rate the Ivy Viognier, squinting bravely into their glasses to decide whether it was more yellow than straw coloured. Others were more interested in catching up with friends and exclaiming at the long drive to NDA and in exasperation Shankar decided to completely abort the wine rating.

Spirits rose immediately and glasses were topped with gusto before the main course was served. Fateema Moonim had been entrusted the task of making Nimona, a combination of coarsely mashed green peas and potato. Rohit Panemanglor and his Priti made the Aloo Dum Banarasi with a stuffing of paneer and dry fruit. The Kele ke Kofte was Kumar Belle’s responsibility and he claimed his wife didn’t have a hand in crafting the kofte out of raw banana! Accompaniments included Warqui Paratha made by Anand Chordia; and Kathal ke Pulao, a delicately spiced jackfruit pulao made by Pradnya Pradhan. Sajjani provided vast quantities of steamed rice!

A refreshing Paan ice cream signaled the end of the meal, followed by flamboyantly decorated paan that had many looking for seconds. The predominantly vegetarian meal was a change from our usual fare, but a gourmet satvik meal is not to be scoffed at! Perhaps we did indeed please the Gods…how else do you explain the deer that skipped lightly across our path on the way home…had to be a sign of divine approval!

Winery Visit - Deccan Plateau Wines

2008-04-02T18:29:00.005+05:30

The grape harvesting season was upon us and the best laid plans to visit wineries in the Nashik area came to nought. A casual conversation with our winemaker friend Nitin Shinde revealed that he was planning the season’s last crush of 10 tonnes of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes on Thursday 27^th March at his winery.

Since it was a working day, only six members found the time and made the effort to drive about 35 kms to the winery. The drive upto Perne Phata 500M short of the toll booth on Pune – Ahmednagar Highway was a breeze. The 5 km drive on the local country road to the winery was very pleasant with green lush fields all around. The narrow road was asphalted and surprisingly good.

Set amidst lush fields of American corn, marigold and acres of vineyards, Deccan Plateau Wines is a 50,000 liter owner-operated boutique style winery. Both partners Girish Kamble and Nitin Shinde grew up in vineyard owning families. They decided to switch from table to wine grapes and took professional training in India and Australia as winemakers.

Nitin gave us a tour of the spanking new winery which is in its finishing stages. While we waited for the grape laden trucks to arrive, Sheel took the initiative to rinse out the stainless steel tubs we had brought all the way from Pune to do some crushing by ye olde method – using the feet!

The wine making process is seemed simple. The grapes are picked in the evening and reach the winery early next morning. The grapes sans leaves are unloaded on a long vibrating table. The bunches, spread evenly on the table and given the once over for any foreign matter fall into a conveyor which takes them up and dumps them into a fancy piece of equipment called the destemmer. As the bunches fall in, a perforated rotating drum removes the stems and spews them out thru a discharge chute. The grapes are mashed with skin et al and fall into a funnel connected to a screw conveyor which moves the thick liquid thru a translucent flexible pipe to the top of the designated stainless steel storage tank. These tanks are temperature controlled for proper fermentation. The grape juice is then allowed to ferment in the tank for about 15 days before being moved to the wine press where the skin is removed and the clear juice goes back into a tank for further fermentation. The winemaker’s skills then come into play to create the wine.

Nitin offered a taste of Shiraz from the sampling tap of the tank and PGC members were more than enthusiastic in tippling in the morning hours.

Nitin and Girish plan to have a nice restaurant and a winebar by the end of the year when their wines will be released. The area will be fully landscaped and by the time it’s done, it’ll be an ideal day’s outing for the family. The winery is small and with owner winemakers in attendance, visitors will have a rum (oops wine) time!

Feb 2008 Meet

2008-02-12T10:00:00.000+05:30

Wah Wazwan!

Ashvina Vakil

The Pune Gourmet Club convened after a long break, and we seemed to have lost faith in our ability to cook dishes with strange-sounding names! Despite Shankar’s initial apprehensions about handing over the task of creating a Kashmiri Wazwan to the Waza at the Northern Frontier restaurant, the meal was an almost unqualified success. (Like the gourmets we are in training to be, we give full marks only with some reluctance!)

The restaurant is quite modest in size and 46 of us were a tight squeeze, eliminating the opportunity to exclaim over the food and wine with anyone other than our table companions. The wines for the day were from Chateau d’Ori, the first offerings from their organic vineyard at Dindori. A Cabernet Merlot accompanied the first course of succulent Kabargah ta Tabaq Maz, and Kebab. The mutton ribs disappeared as fast as they arrived on the table, much to the amazement of the vegetarians who were still finding their way around their Paneer Tikka, and Nadru (lotus roots) chips.

The Cabernet Syrah was served with the Rishta, meatballs in gravy, which was the only dish that didn’t find immediate favour. The meatballs tasted a bit undone and rubbery, and needed to be washed down by copious quantities of the wine! The plum coloured wine meanwhile left us with a purple hue around the lips and on the tongue, and while we didn’t think too highly of this after effect, Avik Duke of Chateau d’Ori assured us that it was only created by really premium wines! We take his word for it.

The subtly flavoured Nadru Yakhni was a treat, even for those who had never tasted lotus roots before. While the vegetarians ate Rajma Goagji, an interesting kidney beans and turnip preparation, the Dhaniwali Chicken Korma caused waves of enthusiastic appreciation. Redolent with saffron and livened up with a hint of pepper, it mixed with the saffron rice to complete perfection. The Sauvignon Blanc provided just the right accompaniment to the Korma, though the more robust flavours of the other food didn’t really suit the mild wine.

Dessert was Phirni served in clay pots, and some dexterous sleight of hand ensured that some got more than one helping!

“You can always measure success by the mood and the flow of conversation. I did not see a single grouchy face and the mood at every table was upbeat,” says Shankar of this first ever restaurant meet. We had a large contingent of guests this time, and one of them remarked that PGC has raised the bar for other clubs, which is certainly fine praise. A standing ovation was accorded to Waleed, Northern Frontier's Waza, and indeed he did a wonderful job. Perhaps it was a good idea for us not to have cooked after all!

Wine Festival Blog

2007-12-17T20:49:00.001+05:30

High Spirits at Wine Tasting Festival

Ashvina Vakil

Balmy winter afternoons are an ideal backdrop for an event that requires participants to do nothing more strenuous than lift a glass to their lips. Several times! The Pune Gourmet Club’s Wine Tasting Festival held on December 15-16 at the Rohi Villa Palace saw almost a thousand enthusiasts swirl, sniff, sip and spit more than 40 wines from ten Indian wineries.

While some handled the tastings like pros, others were more tentative, sniffing cautiously into their glass before taking the first hesitant sip. Faces glowed with appreciation as the full-bodied flavours of a Shiraz hit the palate; eyes lit up at the crisp notes of a Sauvignon Blanc; and the bubbles from refreshing sparkling wine had others beaming. For many novices it was almost too much to handle and many just succumbed to the pleasures of sipping a few chosen wines out on the lawns.

For others it was a chance to get acquainted with wines from Century Wines, N.D. Wines, Chateau Indage, Vintage Wines Pvt. Ltd (Reveilo), Renaissance Winery, Sankalp Winery (Vinsura), India Food Co. Pvt. Ltd. (Vin & Vouloir), Nira Valley Grape Wines, Seagram (Nine Hills) and Sula Wines. Varietals ranged from Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc to Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, and Zinfandel and Rose to Sparkling Wine.

Each participant was handed a wine kit on entry, which included a glass, a wine guide, and a tasting pass that allowed entry to the tasting hall. Many notched up a surprising number of wines on their tasting pass even while others took their time over a few, asking curious questions about the wine and the wineries. Out on the lawns food stalls offered a variety of gourmet choices ranging from the quiet elegance of sushi to the flamboyance of Cajun Blackened Fish and Chicken to the more robust flavours of Kakori Kebabs.

Visitors who didn’t know what to expect were pleasantly surprised by the ambience and the fact that apart from being educative, the festival was a lot of fun as well. Chef Parag Kanhere from Hotel Emerald Park in Nashik demonstrated the art of cooking with wine, delighting onlookers with the flair with which he created gourmet dishes. Wine experts Joseph Pereira from Chateau Indage and Mari Juhasoo of Sula Wines provided tips on appreciating wine, while leading city cardiologist Dr. M. S. Hiremath talked on the health benefits of wine.

R.R. Oomerbhoy Pvt. Ltd. offered free samplings of Boursin cheese and displayed a range of products including olive oil, Barilla pasta, and rice. Raffles were held periodically and some lucky winners took home free bottles of wine, books from Landmark, and a barbecue from Enzo Charcoal Barbecues. Enthused by the wine tasting experience, several visitors stocked up on stemware and other accessories on sale.

“This was the Pune Gourmet Club’s maiden effort at organising such an event and we did it without any big sponsors,” says a visibly pleased Shankar, moderator of the PGC. “Our members volunteered to put it together and a core team worked on it for three months. It was the first time such an event was held and we are very happy at the response from visitors, some of whom drove down from Mumbai. Participating wineries were also very pleased with the turnout at the festival and we are grateful for their support.”

By sundown on Sunday a lot of wine had been tasted, and spirits were indeed quite high. As a visitor exclaimed on her way out, “What a great way to welcome the festive season!” Cheers and good health to you all!

1st Ann Meet Sept 30, 2007

2007-10-03T18:00:00.000+05:30

Expressly Orient!

Ashvina Vakil

Seven corks popped almost simultaneously and the first anniversary meet of the PGC was underway! As befits a gourmet club we have to admit to opening bottles of sparkling wine to celebrate the occasion, but while it wasn’t genuine champagne, the Vinsura Brut 2007 rose admirably to the task.

“Watch the bubbles rise,” advised Shankar and while we exclaimed over their perpendicular path, volunteers put together the first lot of starters. Unpronounceable names and uncommon ingredients are usually enough to lend a meal a gourmet touch, but that Sunday meal was certainly more than that. Weeks of behind the scenes activity had segued into what promised to be an unforgettable meet. Raw material came from as far as Singapore, and adding valuable support to the commendable efforts of our own members were the Sawhneys of Silk Route and their enthusiastic staff.

South East Asian was the theme and a record 70 people turned up to indulge in delicacies that ranged from Japanese and Korean to Thai, Balinese and Vietnamese. Rita Sawhney and Sangita Jagtap put together attractive platters of Miang Khum (betel leaves stuffed with dried shrimp, nuts and herbs). Regular paan eaters looked decidedly uncomfortable faced with the task of spreading shrimp paste on their paan, but most enjoyed the unusual concoction! Shubha Nafrey provided interesting little munchies as an aside, and dried squid and wasabi coated nuts added to the mélange of flavours already bursting on our tongues.

Each table had a designated wine bottle-in-charge, who was equipped with a corkscrew and the task of ensuring that everyone had the right wine at the right stage of the meal! Vinsura Chenin Blanc 2007 accompanied the first round of starters, which also included Shitake Nikozume (mushroom caps stuffed with ginger flavoured ground chicken) put together by Mrunmayee, Harshada and Rohan; and Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms (mushroom caps stuffed with ginger flavoured minced tofu) made by Sheel Rege. Parag Agarwal’s Kimchee (cabbage pickle) provided a pleasantly tart accompaniment to the mushrooms.

The piece de resistance of this part of the meal was undoubtedly the sushi. Created by the chefs at Silk Route, the platters were a visual delight and the salmon, prawn, and veggie sushi went down extremely well. There were some watering eyes and smoking ears from those who’d been too adventurous with the wasabi, but even they reached for seconds.

Platter number two, served with Vinsura Rose 2007, took us to Bali and Vietnam. Shalini Kagal was dispatched to the grill to watch over the Be Pasih Mepanggang (whole surmai marinated in Balinese style spices and charcoal grilled) and when the fish came to the table it rendered most of us speechless with its exquisite texture.

One bright spark likened it to a Balinese patra ni macchi but luckily there were no Parsis around to take offence. The Gai Cuon kept us all busy; stuffing the fresh cold rice paper rolls with crispy sliced roast duck or vegetables, was a delicate task. We’d left preparations for this to the experts and Silk Route did us proud. The duck was cooked to perfection and nestling in a bed of thinly grated cabbage and carrots and flavoured with Hoisin sauce, the Gai Cuon was another highlight of a meal that was growing more exotic with every course.

The Vinsura Zinfandel 2007, to be served with the main course, had been decanted in advance to allow it to breathe. Shubha Gadkari and Mabel Patwardhan had the task of marinating lamb slices in spices for the Korean Bulgogi; Shankar provided the vegetarian alternative of aubergines, both of which were destined for the grill. Accompanying the Bulgogi was Sigumchi Namul (seasoned spinach) made by Sandhya Potdar, Dipti Desai and Sharon Fernandes. Indonesian Chicken Curry (boneless chicken marinated in spices, coconut milk and slow cooked) accompanied by steamed rice came from Jaya Kibe’s kitchen, while Bok Choy a la Shanth (vegetarian offering) accompanied by steamed rice was Shanth Mannige’s contribution.

Single-mindedly eating our way through this amazing medley of flavours and textures, we arrived at the dessert stage, not sure whether we had the courage to eat one more bite! The novelty of Gauri Nafrey’s Kao Neow Dam (black and white rice pudding served with mango) had most of us succumbing to it however while Rita Sawhney’s Coconut Jelly provided the final delicate touch.

It was not all about eating and drinking and exclaiming appreciatively as every course was served. Each member also rated the wines according to appearance, taste and overall finish. We had guests from Vinsura, including the managing director Kishore Holkar, and master winemaker M.P. Sharma who fielded some questions on the winemaking process. Members made some impromptu speeches, applauding the club and the indefatigable Shankar, who looked the picture of satisfaction in his sommelier’s apron.

A truly memorable end to the past year’s incredible gastronomic journey, and one that will stir us to greater culinary exploits!

August 2007 Meet - Cuisine of New Orleans

2007-08-14T10:09:00.000+05:30

Cajun Feast

New Orleans jazz welcomed PGC members to the Cajun feast organized at Pune’s Soul restaurant on a not-so-rainy Sunday afternoon. The head count was 28 and almost every one attending had a cooking task that ranged from rustling up an unlikely okra salad to the piece de resistance – Mississippi Mud Pie - though no one showed any resistance to that even after a hearty meal!

This was the first ever sit-down meal organized by the PGC and tables were arranged in a horseshoe shape around what would undoubtedly be the focus of most attention – twin burners where the Blackened Fish and Chicken were seared in a dazzling display of light and sound! “Ah, a suitably flamboyant touch,” approved a guest, in a mellow mood after the wine and appetizers he’d tucked into with enthusiasm.

Miazma Chenin Blanc 2005 was the first to be uncorked, served with Anu’s Okra Salad, and for those of us who associate bhindi with lashings of masala and oil, this was an eye-opener! Shanth’s version of Shrimp Remoulade had immodestly large shrimps in a mustard infused sauce sitting on a bed of lettuce, and won instant approval from many who had turned up their noses at the okra! Rohan and Mrunmayee, and Vinita then produced their Maque Choux, creamy corn in colourful bowls of red and green pepper.

By the time the main course rolled around, members already had a sated expression but no one declined the Cajun Potatoes, painstakingly prepared by Shubha, Shalini and Jyoti. Miazma Sauvignon Blanc 2005 was the wine of choice and noticeably drier than the Chenin Blanc, was a crisp accompaniment to the more robust flavours coming up.

Spoiled for choice with three types of Jambalaya on offer (Sheela’s Shrimp & Sausage Jambalaya and Vegetarian Jambalaya and Ashvina’s Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya), several enthusiastic members tried all! Amazingly, groaning though our gourmets were by this time, the Blackened fillets – skinned & deboned to perfection by Rita - of Black Pomfret had them all perking up, not least for the drama surrounding its making! Master chef Shankar was ably assisted by Rita, Vibha, Shanth and Mrunmayee, and they dealt out the chicken and aubergine versions with considerable élan as well.

Vibha brought custom made laminated menu cards reflecting the Cajun theme and Deepak printed out the tasting note forms.

“At last, my dream of what a Gourmet Club meet should be like seems to have materialised,” beamed Shankar as he watched his flock enjoying the experience of sitting back and being served wine and a truly incredible Cajun meal in style.

Gauri added a bonus to her Mud Pie – sugar free, fat free Cappucino gelato – and if anyone needed to lighten up by then, it was those 28 who’d just made their own trip into the kitchens of Louisiana!

A big thanks to Sean Davidson of Soul for his generous hospitality, manger Girish and servers Naidu and Prabhakar for their wholehearted cooperation and assistance in making the afternoon a very memorable one.

April 2007 Cold food & Chardonnay

2007-08-08T14:15:00.000+05:30

April being the hottest month in Pune, members felt the need to beat the heat of the kitchen and indulge in chilled wines and light nibbles. The theme of the meet was cold food with chilled Chardonnay and sparkling wine. Since the menu included many type of cheese and breads, much of it was store bought. The spreads and some dishes like the cold gazpacho soup were home made. A live station was set up for hot bruschettas.

The moonlit dinner held in a garden was attended by 30 members and guests.

The Menu

Selection of breads

Bagels / Rye / Baguette / Farmer's / Greek Olive

Cold starters
Parma Ham wrapped melon / Prawn Cocktail / Smoked chicken

Soup
Chilled Gazpacho
Cold starters
Prawn Cocktail / Smoked chicken / Marinated mushrooms in olive oil, rosemary & garlic
Oven roasted red/yellow bell Peppers & zuccini
Hot Food
Olive oil toasted bruchettas topped with diced tomatoes, garlic & basil
Spreads & Fillings for breads
Black OliveTapenade / Butters - Dill & Parsley / Cream Cheese spread
Dijon Mustard / Pesto - Red /Spinach

Tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, Green onions, onions, iceberg,

lettuce, rocket, sliced olives, gherkin, jalapenos etc.
Cheese
Hard – Parmesan/Gruyere
Semi-hard – Gouda
Soft - Bonconcino & smoked mozarella
Semi soft – Brie
Dessert
Watermelon Ice cream

Wines

Reveilo Chardonnay,
Chantilli Chardonnay

Ivy Brut Sparkling wine

BBQ Dinner

2007-08-06T15:19:00.000+05:30

The theme of the second meeting of the Pune Gourmet Club, an online community on http://www.orkut.com/, was barbecue dinner with white wines – Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc.

The menu was designed by members with advice and inputs from Shagun Mehra, the well known food and wine consultant, to match wines selected for the evening. All the items were prepared by members and brought to the venue ready to be put on the grill. The wine bottles were wrapped in silver foil and tagged with numbers for blind tasting. All attendees were given slips of paper to rate the wines as Very Good (5 points), Good (3 points), So-so (2 points) and Bad (1) point.
The evening’s guests were Girish Kamble and Nitin Shinde, winemakers and consultants to wineries and wine bars. They brought a complimentary bottle of wine from Renaissance Winery and cheese. Vinsura Winery also gave us a bottle each of their Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc with their compliments. ND Wines and Vinsura also offered attractive discounts on their wines to members.
Twenty members attended this meet. A 40% increase over the first meeting. Members shared the workload – assisting in the barbecue, serving wines and keeping everyone’s glasses filled. Kamble & Shinde briefed members about the wines, how to differentiate between Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc and what to look for in a good wine.

The evening’s menu was
Starters:
Hummus with bread
Greek Salad
Minced chicken reshmi kabab
Herb infused Paneer
Bacon Wrapped Prawns
Chicken bites in an oriental sauce
Selection of cheese
Brun with dill butter
Main course:
Slices of Seer fish charcoal grilled on the barbecue and
served with roasted red pepper sauce & grilled Tomato Salsa
Eggplant Parmigiana fresh baked
Stuffed Green, Yellow and Red bell peppers chargrilled on the barbecue.
Dessert:
Ice cream cake

Mr. Nitin Rao of Vinsura sent an email on 10th Nov that their “Chenin Blanc has won silver medal at the recently concluded Wine for Asia at Singapore and the Zinfandel and the Rose won a commendation”. Members can take some satisfaction that the judges in Singapore concurred with their views.

Pune Gourmet Club would like to thank Girish Kamble and Nitin Shinde for spending time with us, Shagun Mehra for inputs on the menu and Vidya Joshi for hosting the evening. And all the members for making the evening a great success.

--------------Salut! Skol! Cheers ! Sante! -----------------------

Arabic Food & Wine Meet March 2007

2007-07-29T17:38:00.000+05:30

4th Pune Gourmet Club Meet
held on Saturday 17th March 2007

The wines selected for the evening were
Grover Shiraz Rose
Grover Sauvignon Blanc
Bahula Shiraz Cabernet

All the wines were served at 10 -12 Deg C as specified by the labels on the bottles.The Shiraz Rose and the Sauvignon Blanc were very good. The Bahula Shiraz Cabernet (80/20) a new entrant in the market was well appreciated. The unanimous opinion was that all three were worth patronizing in future at home and in restaurants.

Dinner featured an exclusively Middle Eastern menu with all items except the dessert and Pita bread made by the members.

The Mezze/starters
Tabbouli – a salad of fresh parsley, spring onions and tomatoes in an olive oil dressing.
Fattoush – a mixed vegetable salad with chickpeas and topped with toasted Lebanese bread. Kibbeh – a deep fried ball made of minced lamb with cracked wheat and stuffed with pine nuts.
Spinach Fatayer – a triangular shortcrust pie stuffed with sautéed spinach and pine nuts and baked.
Mahshi Bassal – Rolls of onion petals cooked soft and stuffed with a mix of spiced chicken mince and parsley.
Zather pies – Arabic bread topped with Zather spice mix and olive oil and baked. Dips
Hummus – chickpeas paste drizzled with olive oil
Moutabal – grilled aubergines with garlic and spices blended into a paste
Toom – Arabic style garlic sauce of Mayonnaise consistency
Pita Bread

Main course
Machbous – Arabic style Lamb with rice pilaf
Felafel & Tahini paste

Dessert - Baklava
Baklava was specially made to order by Mr. Kavi Motwani of Copper Chocs, Pune who took up the challenge. Since this was his first attempt, PGC members provided advice, samples from Dubai, opinions on trial runs and even video links on the internet to ensure the perfect Baklava. An excellent effort by Mr. Motwani.

Greek Evening Dec 2006

2007-07-29T16:27:00.000+05:30

PUNE GOURMET CLUB'S GREEK EVENING
Held on Saturday December 16, 2006

The Pune Gourmet Club's December meet with 26 persons (including members’ guests) attending featured a selection of 8 Indian brands of Cabernet Sauvignon followed by a gourmet Greek dinner served buffet style.

Guests of the evening Girish Kamble and Amrut Vare, budding entrepreneurs and wine consultants currently setting up the first winery (Deccan Plateau Wines) in Pune district, brought a 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon personally made by Girish at Renaissance winery. Vinsura’s Nitin Rao sent a complimentary bottle of Cabernet Syrah in lieu of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Girish & Amrut guided the members thru the tasting session with specific pointers on how to check for colour, aroma and flavour. Their website has a comprehensive note on wines and their markers – Colour, clarity, depth, intensity, aroma, complexity etc.
See http://www.deccanplateauwines.com/wines.html

All wines were blind tasted and members were asked to rate them by awarding points on a scale of 5 (Very Good), 3 (Good), 2 (Average) and 1 (Bad).

Well known brands Indage and Seagrams graced the bottom of the list. They seem to be riding the market more on their brand reputation than the quality of their wines. Renaissance won 1st place by a huge margin.

Renaissance and Vinsura seem to be consistent in their quality. These might be the wineries to watch out for as the years roll by.

The Greek dinner, created by eight members using authentic and traditional Greek recipes, was a sumptuous feast fit for a king. Special thanks to Mr. Nitin Rao and Vinsura who organized the picking and transportation of fresh vine leaves from the vineyard to Pune at a day’s notice. The vine leaves were used to make the famous Greek appetizer Dolmades.

The gourmet Greek menu featured the following:

Starters/Appetizers:

Salata me domata kai feta (Tomato and Feta Cheese Salad) by Shubha Gadkari

Eliopsomo (Greek olive bread) and Mediterranean bread stuffed with mozzarella cheese and sun dried tomatoes accompanied by parsley garlic butter by Vandana Inamdar

Tzatziki (Cucumber yoghurt dip with garlic and olive oil) by Deepak Bajaj

Dolmades Latheres (grape vines leaves stuffed with a pilaf of rice, black currants, pine nuts, dill and parsley) by Shankar

Main course:
Moussaka (meat mince and eggplant pie baked in a clay pot) by Sheela Narayan

Souvlaki (boneless meat cubes with baby onions, cherry tomatoes, bay leaves and dry herbs, skewered and grilled on a charcoal barbeque and then dipped in lime juice, coated with Tzatziki and served in warm pita bread wrap) by Anselm Thomas

Fassolakia Freska me Domata (Green Beans with Tomato) by Veena Vora

Dessert:
Amigdalota me mandarini (A dessert from Chania in Crete –almond meal balls with pureed tangerine peel and dusted with caster sugar) by Meghna Desai.

Savyasachi Nafrey, gourmet cum DJ, played Greek music, Shankar and Gogi dressed up in togas and Veena Vora looked regal dressed as a Greek empress. That completed the Greco Roman Puneri evening.

---------End of Report-------

Biryani & Wines meet July 2007

2007-07-26T11:48:00.001+05:30

The PGC's July lunch meet held at Soul Restaurant in ABC Farms, Koregaon Park, Pune on 1st July featured biryanis made by members and a selection of wines.

The biryanis included two vegetarian delights - Nawabi Tarkari Biryani - a favourite of the Hyderabad Nizams on their vegetarian days - by Shubha Nafrey and Kale Moti Biryani - made with kala chana cooked in milk and flavoured with saffron - by Sheela Narayan. Both the nonvegetarian ones - Zafrani Chicken (complete with a purdah) and Hyderabadi Mutton Dum - were presented by new member Chef Amey Marathe.

Dessert was Lauki Kheer - another Hyderabadi speciality - by Amey Marathe.

The wines selected were Bahula Shiraz Cabernet, Grover Shiraz Rose, Grover Sauvignon Blanc 2005 and Sula Blush Zinfandel. Attendees were given a form listing all the wines and sensory parameters. A separate note explained in a simple and easy to understand manner the descriptions of the parameters such as tannins, color, sweetness, acidity, body etc. A detailed chart of all characteristics was also provided to help the members along in deciding if for example the wine's color was straw, pale yellow, deep yellow, etc.