What: McWings

Where: McCafe in Tai Po Centre, Hong Kong

When: Saturday 11 October, approximately 12:30pm

How: nibbling the entire fried layer off the wings before chomping into the wing meat itself

It has been a rocky week. The whole world is in turmoil. How are you? Here, people are in shock. I have spoken to share traders who are dumb founded. There were few people in the local shopping centre today. My friend in a furniture store tells of people browsing but saying they just cannot buy at the moment.

All change is hard, and this sure is a big change for a lot of people. Resilience is an under-rated attribute these days. We don't often talk about it. But it is what will carry you through tough times. We build it (or not) since childhood. There is an amazing program on TV at the moment that traces the lives of a number of Australian Children from birth through childhood into adulthood. It is a very intimate, longitudinal scientific study and it is fascinating. Last week they looked at resilience in 3 yr olds.

For those who have recently been through cyclones, hurricanes, earthquakes or droughts, the current economic meltdown is a double whammy (does this colloquialism translate?).  If you are experiencing tough times right now, for whatever reason, my heart goes out to you. Take care of yourself first, so you can take care of others. Stay well. Breathe deeply at least once a day. Focus on those who love you.

For tough times, and for the best of times, here is a wonderfully simple dip, spread, dressing or sauce, quick to make, healthy and delicious to eat while watching the share prices. It is a Lebanese dish, popular also in Syria, Jordan and other parts of the Middle East. Use as a spread on wonderful rye bread, as a dip with pita bread, as a dressing on green salads or a sauce on steamed or baked vegetables. Delish.

Tahina Tarator: Tahina Salad

Source : inspired by Vegetarian Dishes from the Middle East
Cuisine: Lebanese
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 0 mins
Serves: 4 - 6 people, depending how you use it

ingredients
150ml tahini paste
juice of 2 - 3 lemons
approx. 150 ml milk
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tspn salt
0.5 tspn chilli powder
1 tspn ground cumin
1 Tblspn chpped parsley

method
Pour the tahini into a large bowl and add the lemon juice. Stir well - the tahini will thicken up and become grainy. Slowly add the milk, stirring until it becomes beautifully creamy. Thin until you get the desired thickness (for a spread, dip, sauce or dressing).

Season with the garlic, salt, chilli powder and cumin powder. Add half the parsley and stir.

Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Servie sprinkled with the remaining parsley.

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More Cooking, Food and Recipes:

Un video viral interesante. Wendy's inventa el palabro meatatarian (el contrario de vegetarian), es decir carnetariano como alternativa al vegetariano y muestra una "lechuga loca" devorando, cual planta carnivora una "baconator" (seis tiras de bacon, doble carne cuadrada de 4 onzas y doble queso). El video, en Youtube, está aquí.

Aunque el tratamiento es interesante parece haber obtenido opiniones divididas: según un experto, los de la Generación Y, desconfían de los videos colocados por las empresas que claramente desean que sean difundidos. Prueba de que no es grande el éxito son las 83,000 visitas al sitio y el hecho de que no haya sido inmediatamente remedado. 

Sin embargo, como el éxito no puede relacionarse solo con el número de visitas sino también con el costo, como éste fue de solo $23,000 frente a los $300,000 que le cuesta un comercial promedio, se puede decir que la relación costo/beneficio fue positiva.

 Wendy's necesita desesperadamente mejorar los resultados pues el segundo trimestre sus utilidades netas cayeron 32% por ventas pobres y costos crecientes mientras que la categoría creció 0.1% en los establecimientos propios y 1.1% en las franquicias.

Un artículo de Ad. Age trata el tema.

Heading into the long weekend, I felt it would be appropriate to post a very brief report, in similar fashion to a previous entry. We at Foodosophy can certainly use a break from our busy schedule, so we hope you can understand our brevity today.

May I introduce, a contender for the title of Weakest Fast Food Tacos Ever Created.

- bland, flavorless meat that was stewed in a watery broth
- the meat and watered down sour cream transferred too much moisture to the tacos, rendering them a soggy mess
- uninteresting toppings that added little to the overall lack of taste
- each of the four tiny tacos in the set could literally be eaten in two bites, because most of it was dropping out of the runny shell

Quick and fast perhaps. But a satisfying meal, it is not.

I'm sick of egg ranchers saying they can't have cages big enough for the birds to turn around because eggs would be too expensive. Well, then, maybe we, as a nation, should buy fewer eggs. (Propostition 2 in California mandates that animals be able, int heir cages, tostand up, turn around or stretch. Egg producers are fighting the measure, saying they'll all leave the state to continue cruel farming in other states. Won't that make eggs more expensive because of shipping costs? Nope. I forgot that in this country gas is so cheap we can throw it away and not benefit financially from buying local.)

I'm tired of farmers saying they can't pay workers a fair wage because strawberries and lettuce would be too expensive if they paid human beings what its worth to do backbreaking labor. Well, my friends, I would pick strawberries for a living if it paid well enough (I do pick enough each week to feed my berry-centric family), and I am willing to pay more for my strawberries because I want workers paid a living wage. I'm willing to pay a lot more because I can't eat cheap strawberries without seeing the faces of families who can't eat after a long day in the field because they're not paid well enough.

I'm exasperated with fast food restaurants who say they can't possibly raise minimum wage by a dollar because it would add two cents to the cost of a burger. Two cents. Yup, that would make people stop eating a quarter-pound of cow flesh-plus-feces, all right. Two cents.

I'm irritated that big agribusiness insists it has to modify and spray and innoculate and irradiate and otherwise alter food to make it cheaper. What about making it healthful? What about making it good or natural? What about paying a little more and eating a little less (and a little mroe wisely)?

No, I don't want Americans to have to struggle to buy their food. But as it is, we're not paying the real cost of food. We all need to be growing tomatoes on our patios and spinach instead of grass in our yards. Because underpaying businesses for their products means they underpay workers and abuse animals and the planet in the process.

Find out more about Prop 2 here: For yes and for no.

And perspective on the precious resources animals offer here.

And the real cost of strawberries here.

Only in the United States would there be a Del Taco advertisement that takes up the whole side of an office building.  Del Taco is Nayusty!

Dinner THEN: salad with dressing, roll with butter, roasted chicken, baked potato and green beans; 618 calories, 21g fat.  Dinner NOW:  Hardee's Monster Thickburger; 1,410 calories, 107g fat.

Snack THEN: 16oz. soda and small plain popcorn: 423 calories; 11g fat.  Snack NOW: 44oz. soda, large popcorn with butter topping, 3 oz. Milk Duds; 1,989 calories, 87g fat.

In addition, so much of what's been designed for our high-tech age keeps us from moving around.  We sit for hours at the computer - working, shopping, reading, researching, playing games, even making friends.  Without ever leaving the couch we can answer the phone, change the channel, and send e-mails from our hand-held devices.  Studies have shown that some kids raised on these gadgets may expend almost no extra physical energy in the course of a day.  But here's how it used to be:  We got up to change the channel.  We walked to the corner mailbox to send a letter.  We ran around the backyard to play a game.  We got up to answer the phone.  We went to the library to do research.  We made new friends in the park or at the bowling alley.  Parents went for a walk after dinner.  Kids went outside and just played.  And those little expenditures of calories really added up.  Let's look at the difference:  THEN: wash and wax car by hand; 200 calories.  NOW:  drive through car wash; 9.5 calories.  THEN: walk two blocks to mail letter; 22 calories.  NOW: type e-mail and send; 9.5 calories.  THEN: Play tag for 45 minutes in backyard; 225 calories.  NOW: play video game on couch for 45 minutes; 85 calories.  THEN: drive to mall, walk to store, try on clothes, pay, walk back to car and drive home; 133 calories.  NOW: sit at computer, visit store's website, choose item, type in credit card info and get item from mailbox; 17 calories. THEN: walk to co-worker's office and hand him documents; 19 calories. NOW: stay at desk, attach documents to e-mail and hit send; 4 calories.  THEN: drive to photo developer, drop off film and return next day; 178 calories.  NOW: sit at computer and upload photos; 29 calories.

So, what to do?  Be intentional!  Eat and move with a purpose!  Good health habits won't happen by accident in today's world, but everyone can learn new and better habits.  Here are some ideas:  1.  Schedule family meal times, just like you do for soccer practice or dentist appointments.  Plan meals in advance, shop for groceries as a family.  I send "scouts" out in my family for grocery items and it speeds the time spent at the grocery store, plus gets our family members moving.  2. Make family meal time fun by turning off the TV and talking to one another.  My Mom used to ask each member of the family to share one thing they enjoyed about their day, or "news" they learned about, or their opinion of a current event.  We all gained great conversation skills, bonded as a family, and learned critical thinking.  I still use these skills today and have used this technique in my own family.  Make sure you respect each opinion and don't pass judgement!  3.  Go out and play in the backyard.  Shoot hoops, throw a ball around, bike through the neighborhood, play tag, play badminton, go for a walk, or anything else you enjoy.  Even 15 minutes of fun together burns calories, reduces stress and promotes family bonding.  4.  Limit passive computer and TV time by taking a break every 20 minutes.  Do some stretches, household chores, go out for a walk, etc.  It reboots your brain, clears your mind, and burns calories.

So, do one thing today!  And, do one thing tomorrow.  And, the next day.  Pretty soon you'll have some new and better habits.  And, it will feel good!

“Uisge Beatha”, Gaelic liquid joy…
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As economies change and your business world follows suit, you may find yourself still needing to wear a business suit for that right first impression but feel that you can only afford one really elegant ...

NELSON WADE recommends “Fast Food” by Gordon Ramsay!
NELSON WADE recommended book review "FAST FOOD"..... When I am entertaining my guests for a dinner or cocktail party, I like to cook food that is quick and easy, yet very tasteful and attractive to view. Besides, who ...

NELSON WADE Magazine cover topics about fine dining and wine, travel, vacations, book reviews, topics on lifestyles and mens fashion tips. Fabrics for custom clothing, the latest trends and styles and the how to’s in mens fashion.

LIVE WELL, DRESS WELL!

NELSON WADE

By Alexander Lawrie

A YOUNG mum turned up to a pre-booked party at her local McDonald’s with 13 kids in tow only to find it closed for refurbishment

The disappointed toddlers – one as young as four-months-old – were left in tears as they were stranded outside the restaurant.

Toni Cunningham, 19, from Hill of Beath, Fife, was left embarrassed and upset after finding the Dunfermline branch of the fast food restaurant closed.

The mum-of-two had booked the outlet to celebrate her daughter Kady-Ann’s second birthday and was looking forward to the lunch on September 20.

Toni said: “I had phoned McDonald’s to book the party two weeks before and thought everything was going to be all right.

“But when we turned up on the day I was left totally embarrassed and upset because the place was full of work men.

“It wasn’t their fault but they took the brunt of our anger.

After being turned away from the restaurant, the disappointed party decided to buy sandwiches and cakes from a nearby bakers.

The group of ten adults and thirteen kids then held an impromptu outdoor birthday party in the town’s Pittencrieff Park instead.

Toni said: “The kids were all so disappointed, it is a disgrace because we were left standing not knowing what to do.

“Luckily it was a nice day so we decided to get food from the bakery and head to the park.

“No thanks to McDonald’s we had a great time.”

The following day Toni’s angry mum, Pam Cunningham, telephoned the chain’s head office to demand an explanation.

But things went from bad to worse as the company failed to return her call.

The outraged gran said: “I am disgusted by the way we have been treated by McDonald’s.

“We had 13 disappointed children all dressed up and nowhere to go. Surely when this was booked they knew they were going to be closed for refurbishment.”

Adam Buchanan-Smith, McDonald’s franchisee said: “I am very sorry for this mistake and I have launched an investigation to find out how this miscommunication happened.

“It is always upsetting to be let down and I apologise that we took a party booking for the period when we were closed for refurbishment.

“It was a genuine mistake and we are very sorry.”

On the same note check out this vid...

McDonald's being the cheapest food you can find in the US is still no excuse for eating that abomination. And why people eat it en masse in other countries where it isn't even cheap at all is beyond me. I remember seeing a documentary on the whole subject and people at McDonald's actually explaining that they add chemicals to improve (or give cos there is none) color, flavor and smell to their meat. Ugh.

Meanwhile the Gospel Choir rang out in front, even louder than usual,

'' Good afternoon sir! Goodafternoon madam!'' as surprised passsersby nodded and moved on quickly (''we don't want to order!'' they screamed in their heads )

Mr Grey passed through the kitchen and made his way to the ovens, fridges and inner areas. Mr Manager-who-gets-to-wear-a-different-uniform in the front desperately tried to clean the dirt off the temperature thermometer in an attempt to prove that 'of course we have been monitoring the temperature in our freezers sir' )

Anyone for an Apple Pie?

Here is the pic...... you can just see Mr Grey at the back...

As vagas são para atendentes, aux. de cozinha, operador de caixa, chapeiro e gerente.

Requisitos: mín. 18 anos, ensino médio completo, exp. no ramo, curso de informática e disponibilidade de horário.

Currículos até dia 10/10 para vagassp@giraffas.com ou no endereço: Av. Paulista, 467 / 475, 14º andar, Edifício Kyoei Paulista, CEP: 01311-100, Bela Vista - São Paulo-SP

Pertama, Kebab Turki Baba Rafi yang ada di Depan Mini Market LC Jl. A. Yani Km 4,5 Banjarmasin. Masalah rasa dijamin OK, pengunjung rela antri untuk mendapatkan seporsi kebab. Bahkan kalo anda sedang "sial", anda akan mengantri selama 1/2 jam bahkan lebih untuk mendapatkan pesanan anda. Sebab, kebanyakan pengunjung membeli kebab untuk seluruh anggota keluarganya, jadi pesennya bisa 5 bahkan 10 kebab. Pelayanannya lumayan cepat dan higienis. Menu di sini selain kebab, ada syawarma, crispy chicken burger, beef dan chicken burger, winner kebab (kebab isi sosis) dan ada juga ROTI CANAI. Nha, yang 1 ini belum populer, tapi rasanya oke.

Kedua, My Kebab yang ada di depan Video Ezy Jl. Cemara. Rasanya juga oke banget. Kalo anda tinggal di daerah Kayu Tangi, tempat itu cukup mudah dijangkau. Biasanya yang beli mahasiswa yang tinggal di daerah itu, maklum deket kampus dan kos-kosan.

Selain 2 konter itu, rasanya waduh, ada yang tortilanya alot, dagingnya asin, pelayanannya lama, pokoknya dari pada anda kecewa, mending sesuai rekomendasi saya tadi deh....

Selamat berwisata kuliner ala timur tengah....

Let me say first and foremost that if you have never visited Hong Kong, pack up your bags and go go go. It's an absolutely amazing city, le top as the French would say. In many ways, it reminds me of Manhattan on steroids. It's as if the city planners looked at New York and said, "How can I make this more of itself?" and thus built the buildings taller, made the drivers faster, stuffed more cabs on the road, made the people power-walk everywhere they go, and shoved more restaurants per square mile than anywhere I have seen before. 

Hong Kong is completely jaw-dropping. And I mean that literally: either you're panting from the heat, or panting for all the delicious goodies everywhere. EVERYWHERE. I love the Hong Kongnese concept of food: fresh. Delicious. Hot. Now. There were cafés at every turn, snack bars next to snack bars next to bars with street food vendors in the front. Every place churned out food that was better than any of the wannabes in the States.

What I loved most was how fast food didn't mean crap between a bun. This was real food, fast. For a measly $50 HKD or so (which translates to roughly $8 USD), I was able to get a full meal of skirt steak cooked on a cast-iron skillet, grilled vegetables, milk tea, and an ice-cream sundae. Not the most gourmet food, I'm sure, but still, it was quality stuff. At the McDonald's I visited, the food was cooked fresher, to-order, the portions were bigger (a Big Mac was actually big, believe it or not), and it tasted fantastic. 

I agree with the Hong Kong people that food should always be made to order, should always be fresh, and above all, it should be good, whether you got it at a five-star restaurant or at the curry fish-ball vendor on the corner. Fast food done right, done well, done quickly, is not a foreign concept to the Hong Kong people. Considering the way Americans love food, I don't see why our fast food sucks by comparison.

If you missed it, KFC recently announced that if anyone mentioned world hunger during tonight's debate, they would donate $20,000 to world hunger relief effort. Which I suppose is intended to show how much they care about world hunger. Huh. It did just the opposite for me.

I smell a ploy. And it don't smell right.

Between 2001 - 2005, KFC spent between $213 and $238 million on advertising a year.

I feel dirty even mentioning it. And yet here I am. Waiting for it.

Update: Didn't hear it. Which I guess means KFC doesn't actually care about world hunger. Maybe they'll care next week.

I was looking at my stats today and noticed there were a ton of hits for a post I put up last week about $1 butter burgers at Culver's.  I should have looked at that post.  I thought it was tomorrow, but I got an e-mail from J who was excited about those $1 burgers.....and it was today!  I scrapped dinner plans and went to pick J up from work.  Last year, we waited in line for $1 burgers at Culver's in Morton, IL and it was totally worth it. 

In the restaurant business, you're always told it's location, location, location.  Culver's of Okemos couldn't have done a worse job with that.  I can't figure out why they would put a restaurant where they did.  It's down a dark road and there's nothing around it.  We had a helluva time finding it.  It wasn't in J's GPS.  She finally called 411 to get the address, but I had just seen a sign for it near Wal-Mart.  So we drive back by the Wal-Mart and I almost miss it.  There is no sign outside and the building isn't lit very well.  This store is in a really weird location and we had a tough time finding it.

When we finally did get inside, I was surprised that there wasn't a line out the door.  I don't know if it wasn't advertised really well or what, but it looked like a regular night at Culver's.  After a short wait, J went up to the counter to place our order.  When we lived in Morton, the Culver's was within walking distance from our apartment, so we ate there too much.  As far as fast food burgers go, Culver's is by far the best.  Since burgers were $1, there was a limit of five, so J ordered one with cheese for herself and four plain ones for me.  The dollar burgers were just plain butterburgers.  The cheese I think was a quarter extra.

On top of the burgers, she also ordered Dairyland Cheese Curds.  These little nuggets of cheese are battered, deep fried, and served with a side of ranch.  I didn't realize it at first, but they put both cheddar and mozzerella in every order.  We used to eat at a bar in Peoria, IL called Kouri's that specialized in deep fried cheese cubes.  We'd go there every so often just for the cheese.  These cheese curds are reminiscent of Kouri's, but nowhere near as good.  J was nice enough to share with me since the order was more than she wanted.

Unlike most fast food places, you take a seat while waiting for your order.  They give you one of those little plastic numbers to put on the table then your food is brought out to you.  It took about ten minutes for our order to come up and we both dove in.  It was much later than we're used to eating and we were both starving.  I ate three of the one dollar butter burgers and brought one home.  J had her cheeseburger and half the cheese curds.  Culver's burgers are the best in the business when it comes to fast food.  They're not greasy and the butter on the bun just adds a depth of flavor that no one else can touch.  In the overall scheme of things, Culver's burger would rate below the worst restaurant burger, but as far as fast food goes, there's no place else I would rather go for a quick meal.

On the way out, we had to get some frozen custard.  The custard was the reason we used to be frequent customer's of Culver's.  We were both pretty full so we got short Peanut Butter Cup Concrete Mixer's to go.  The Concrete Mixer is Culver's version of a DQ Blizzard.  The custard is just so much better than ice cream. 

The total for our meal and custard was about sixteen dollars, but we got five burgers, cheese curds, two concrete mixers, and a Diet Coke.  That's a lot of food for under $20.  Like I've said throughout this review, Culver's is not your average fast food.  It's too bad the only location in the Greater Lansing area is in such a out of the way place.

Why is this great news for consumers? Because consumers want to know what’s in their food, including calories. For years, health advocates concerned about our obesity epidemic, including the National Consumers League, have been wrestling with the food industry – including sit-down restaurants and fast food outlets – to get them to post calories in a prominent place: on menus customers receive when they sit down for a meal or on the board you read when you order a burger and fries. YUM!’s getting out in front on this issue will put pressure on others in the industry to do the same.

Even Michael Jacobsen, the take-no-prisoners director of the organization Center for Science in the Public Interest, known in many circles as the “food police,” had this comment: “I never thought I'd say this, but I salute Colonel Sanders!

Consumers shouldn’t have to fight to learn basic nutritional information about the food they are eating. Ever tried to find out what the calorie count is of a burger at a fast food outlet? It’s like going on a treasure hunt. The staff has to search around behind the counter for the information. If you’re lucky, they will locate a sheet that lists the calories. Often times they can’t find it. Several years ago I lived in Australia. Every fast food item has a wrapper that lists the calories and other nutritional information for whatever you’re eating. I wondered why we couldn’t do that here.

The National Consumers League agrees with Michael Jacobsen of CSPI: McDonald's, Starbucks, Applebee's, and other major chains should follow YUM!’s example. YUM! is also backing legislation that would require restaurants to list calories on menus and menu boards. Good for them!

YUM! is ahead of the pack in taking a voluntary approach to what’s becoming mandatory in some places around the country. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger just signed into law a bill that requires chains in California with 20 or more locations to post calorie information on menu items by Jan. 1, 2011. A stricter form of nutrition labeling went into effect in New York City last July.

So this is the trend, and it’s good for consumers. No, not every consumer cares about caloric information in the food they eating. But plenty do, and they should have easy access to that information. YUM! Brand’s announcement last week is good news for consumers and, we can only hope, a harbinger of things to come in the fast food industry.

Taste of Atlanta's 2-day outdoor food festival will take place on the streets of Atlantic Station this weekend Saturday, October 11th and Sunday, October 12th.

Over 70 Atlanta Area restaurants will be participating in this event.  Live cooking demonstrations, live entertainment, street performers, food samples(available for purchase with taste coupons) and a Kid's Avenue are available with a General Admission ticket.  And, The Wine Experience and a Bowling & Brews event will be available to those purchasing VIP tickets.

Participating Restaurants include:  255 Tapas Lounge, Artistry, Asam House, Atlantic Grill, Bhojanic, Boneheads, Cafe 458, Cafe Circa, Cafe Intermezzo, The Capital Grille, Chicago's Very Own, Copeland's Cheesecake Bistro, The Depot, Desta, Dolce, Einstein's, Fado, The Feed Store, Food101, Garrison's Broiler & Tap, Geisha House, The Grape, Highland Bakery, Hot Stix Stir-Fry Kitchen, Hudson Grille, Ibiza, Imperial Fez, Jim-N-Nick's BBQ, Johnny Rockets, Joli Kobe Baker & Cafe, Legal Seafood, Lobby at Twelve, Loca Luna, Maggiano's, Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament, Mediterranean Grill, The Melting Pot, Metrotainment Bakery, Neo, No Mas Cantina, The Oceanaire, OK Cafe, Prime Meridian at the Omni Hotel CNN, Rathbun's, Rise, Rob's Caribbean Cafe, Room at Twelve, Rosa Mexicano, Sal Grosso, Sambuca, Six Feet Under Pub and Fish House, Skeeters, Sogno Gelato, Straits Atlanta, Strip, The Sun Dial Restaurant Bar & View, Sweet Auburn Bread, Taco Mac, Taqueria del Sol, Taverna Plaka, The Tenth Thai Cuisine and Lounge, Thrive, Trader Vic's, Uptown Restaurant and Lounge, Vickery's Bar and Grill, Vine, West Egg Cafe, Wolfgang Puck Express, and Zaya

Two Ticket Types are Available:

General Admission Ticket: $25 Advance or $35 Day of Event
-- Includes 10 Taste Coupons

VIP Ticket: $75 Advance or $95 Day of Event
--Includes 20 Taste Coupons
--VIP access into both the Wine Experience at the TWELVE Hotel Ballroom and Bowling & Brews in Ten Pin Alley.

*The first 500 VIP patrons at the event each day will receive a Taste of Atlanta gift bag.

Children 12 and under are free when accompanied by a ticketed adult with a wristband.

Restaurants will be serving menu items for 1, 2 or 3 Taste Coupons. Additional 5 or 10 Taste Coupons may be purchased on-site in $5 and $10 increments, provided you have an event wristband.  Come enjoy the event activities and food from the participating restaurants. Tickets are limited, so buy yours early!

McDonald's Monopoly game is ready for an October 7 launch this year, and the chain is running a pre-promotion sweepstakes to create some early excitement. Players can register online by entering a free code for a chance to win $100,000.

From Promo Magazine:

Visitors can register by entering a free code (I6L6V4N4T2) through Oct. 6 for a chance to win $100,000. It’s the first time McDonald’s is offering an early promotion just days before the Monopoly game’s official launch on Oct. 7.

Similar to last year, McDonald’s has five ways for players to win in the Monopoly game: through the pre-promotion sweepstakes, collect and win, instant-win, guaranteed bonus and an online game.

Starting Oct. 7, customers can collect game pieces off medium and large fountain drinks and coffee, Hash Browns, Big Mac sandwiches and Angus Burger Sandwiches. Game stamps will either reveal an instant-win prize, such as free McDonald’s food, or cash prizes ranging from $50 to $100,000, or a Monopoly property. Players can collect game pieces and match “winning combinations” for a shot at cash prizes ranging from $50 to $100,000.

One grand-prize winner will receive $1 million for matching the Park Place and Boardwalk game stamps.

By

VIKRAM KARVE

When I was a small boy in the nineteen sixties Pune was a “Tea Town”. Everyone drank tea and all over the town there were chiefly two types of tea for the laidback discerning gourmet Punekar to relish – AMRUT TULYA CHAHA at the ubiquitous Amrut-tulya Tea Shops in every nook and corner of Pune, and the peerless IRANI CHAI served by the numerous Irani Restaurants all over Pune City and Camp like Café Naaz, Lucky, Good Luck, Volga etc.

Amrut means Nectar, and Tulya means Comparable, so “Amrut Tulya” means “Comparable to Nectar” and indeed, true to its name, Amrut-Tulya Tea is comparable to nectar –  sweet, ambrosial, like the elixir of life! Amrut Tulya Chaha is not brewed in the traditional Tea service style – the tea is “cooked” in front of you.

Come, my dear Tea Lover, let me tell you how to make Amrut Tulya Chaha - The Art of Tea – Pune Style.

Assemble the following Ingredients for Two cups of Amrut Tulya Tea “Special Chaha”

Assam CTC Tea or, if you live in Pune, get the famous CTC+OP “Family Mixture” Tea Powder from your favourite “Tea Depot” in the heart of Pune City.

[By the way, the acronyms are: CTC – Crush, Tear, Curl; OP – Orange Pekoe; BOP – Broken Orange Pekoe].

Full Cream Buffalo Milk [I like Chitale’s]

Fresh Water

Sugar

Fresh Ginger Crushed [Better still you can crush the juicy fresh ginger with the chimta directly in the water-milk concoction to let the ginger juices flow out and blend in smoothly]

Cardamom – peel, crush and powder the pods

[NB – Amrut Tulya Tea is not your traditional Masala Chai so please don’t add any Tea Masalas or spices like clove, cinnamon, black peppercorns or herbs like gavati chaha (lemon grass?), tulsi leaves etc. and neither is it the “khada chamach” or “cutting” Chai so please don’t boil away to glory – remember, you must achieve Amrut Tulya Chaha of just the right consistency!]

In a brass vessel [or stainless steel, if you can’t get a brass vessel] mix one cup of water and one cup of milk. Add four teaspoons of sugar. Put on the stove. Medium heat.

Squeeze in a bit of crushed ginger and add a pinch of cardamom powder and the peel.

Lightly stir, let it warm, and bring to a boil.

Smartly add two teaspoons of tea powder and keep stirring gently to ensure the boiling concoction does not spill over. Keep boiling till the tea attains beautiful bright golden-orange colour – the moment you see a reddish tinge, give the heavenly brew a loving last stir, twirl the vessel, and sieve the Amrut Tulya Tea Special Chaha directly into the cups.

Sip the delicious tea slowly and mindfully, roll it on your tongue, let it emulsify in your palate, close your eyes, absorb, discern the flavour, the rich taste, relish every sip lovingly.

Tell me, isn’t Amrut Tulya Chaha lip-smacking tasty and soul-refreshing? Blissful ambrosia, an experience of nectar, isn’t it?

Now you know why they call it Amrut Tulya – comparable to Nectar!

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2008

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

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