Thursday, 25 April 2013

Summer supper

Owing to the amount of corporate writing that I’ve been doing (see posts below), I haven’t had the chance to blog recently so I decided that today is the day to change that. Sunny weather makes me think of barbecues and picnics, which inspired this meal of whole sea bass, buttered spinach and potata bravas


The trick with potata bravas is to cook the sauce ahead of time and then allow it to cool, which will thicken it and intensify the flavours. Chop and fry a large onion, two garlic cloves and a red chilli in a frying pan. Add a can of chopped tomatoes and (if you like it spicy) Tobasco then season to taste. Once cooked through, turn off the heat and set aside.



Take a bag of new potatoes and cut each one in half. Place in a casserole dish, cover with a little oil and roast in the oven.

On this occasion, I’m using two whole sea bass which I’ve gutted (if you’ve never done this before, just Google for instructions – it’s a little messy but fairly straightforward). If you want to eat the skin, you will also need to de-scale it, but as I plan to flake the fish, I’m leaving it as it is. Place each fish on a sheet of foil, sprinkle over lemon juice and wrap it up.


Empty fresh spinach into a smaller casserole dish and add a knob of butter. Stack the wrapped fish and spinach in the oven. Remove the potatoes, cover with the chilled bravas sauce and return to the shelf. Cook everything for a further twenty minutes and serve immediately for a great tapas-style supper.



More Indian holiday packages

Thekkady is a popular hill station and an equally popular wildlife hub located in the Idukki district of Kerala. Tourists visit to bask in some idyllic time and enjoy the best of nature. Thekkady tour packages incorporate visits to its most famous wildlife sanctuary, Periyar Tiger Reserve and spend a few days in the wilderness. There are a few lakes in this area which provides great options of boating and a few water sports.

If you are a hard core naturalist and wildlife lover, then Kumarakom is the place for you. Kumarakom is a cluster of islands located around the Vembanad Lake are known for their unparallel scenic beauty. With a holiday package to Kumarakom you can explore the lakes, lagoons and fresh water rivers that serve as home to a vast variety of migratory birds.

Pushkar is a popular destination in Rajasthan and tourists planning to visit Pushkar should spend a minimum of 2 nights in this beautiful city. Must See India has a wide range of cheap packages Pushkar that include trips to the famous attractions of Pushkar Lake, Brahma’s Temple and the famous Pushkar Cattle fair. Adventures and activities such as camel safari and paragliding can also be enjoyed here.

BigBasket

Staple food is a major part of one’s diet and is a major source of required nutrient supply. Staple diet is rich in carbohydrates, fats and proteins, making it an extremely rich source of energy rich diet. Staples mainly formed of wheat and rice, fruits like breadfruit and plantains, plus various types of cooking oils, lentils, and vegetables.

Doctors, dieticians, gym-instructors and beauty experts all agree that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is a must for a healthy body. BigBasket has a wide range of fresh fruit and vegetables rice and daals, spices and seasonings to packaged bread, bakery and dairy products online.

BigBasket also offers the very best in baby care products. The most important products in baby care that no mother should overlook are baby oil and baby shampoo. You will find a wide range of these online that that are safe and gentle on your baby’s skin.

Toys online

Hoopos present to you an entire collection of dolls online from popular brands including Fisher Price, Barbie, Little Mommy, Disney Princess and the Early Learning centre, with ranges that include princess dolls, summer doll, Cinderella doll, electronic baby doll and doll dresses from the comfort of your home.

They also have a wide range of action and transformer toys that have been loved and cherished by every young boy for decades, including Batman, Spiderman, Bay blades and hot wheel cars. Action toys allow children to experiment - trying out all kind of skills, explore their imagination and creativity.  

Remote control toys are a fun and a safe plaything for your children. Browse a huge collection helicopter toys, remote controlled cars, dogs and robots that help children to  learn about the spirit of competition and sportsmanship, all while they have fun. The full range of action toys are all available to order online and delivered to your home.

Monday, 22 April 2013

The Lure of Rioja

(written for Dinner4Date )


Rioja is Spain’s most famous wine region, producing a wide variety of flagship reds, whites and roses. If you are planning a sensual evening with a romantic meal, flowers and soft music, then a well chosen Rioja will complement it perfectly.

There is something seductive about Spanish reds that reflect the passion and vibrant nature of a country with such a fabulous landscape and rich culture. The good news is that there are plenty of wonderful wine options that are reasonably priced so you can impress your date with a seductive bottle of red without worrying about breaking the bank.

If your experience of wine is limited and you are unsure what type of wine your date enjoys then an ideal Rioja to start with is the Campo Viejo Rioja Crianza - a soft, velvety medium bodied tempting Tempranillo wine with an ABV of 13.5%. It is widely available in liquor stores nationwide (or online) and a bottle will cost you around $7.49.

The Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva is slightly more expensive, at around $10.99 but is also an excellent choice to accompany an intimate meal for two. It’s a smooth, fuller bodied Tempranillo (also 13.5% ABV) and again very drinkable, making it a great choice for someone with a limited knowledge of red wines. If you want to splash out a little more then the Campo Viejo Rioja Gran Reserva will cost you around $20 and is a slightly richer and more fruity alternative.

Red Rioja wines suit rich meat dishes, such as lamb or game (or even a well prepared roast dinner!). Ideally, serve the wine just below room temperature and open the bottle about half an hour prior to bringing it to the table (there is no need to decant it). Why not continue the red colour theme and add some roses to the table? This will help create a romantic setting and show that you have put some thought into the presentation of your meal.

Once you have your bottle of wine in place then you are all set to go. Dim the lights a little and put on some romantic background music. Seat your date at the table, pour the wine and serve your meal. While sipping away on your glasses of Rioja, you can leave the rest of the world outside and concentrate on each other for the duration of your special night together.


Friday, 19 April 2013

Indian holiday packages

Rameswaram is well connected from various parts of India and can be easily reached from Chennai and Madurai by trains and buses. Find varieties of Rameshwaram tour packages from Mustseeindia.com at the best rates. They also assist the tourist with a local travel guide and information on a range of hotels and various transportation options in Rameswaram.

Gulmarg is full of beautiful meadow which is an ideal place to enjoy winter sports. A two day stop in Gulmarg is enough to explore the region and indulge in the various sports. Generally Gulmarg packages commence and end at Srinagar, including sightseeing as well. Tourists are advised to speak to their travel agent if they don’t want to visit Srinagar.

Explore a selection of Pushkar holiday packages that include visiting the famous attractions of Pushkar Lake, Brahma’s Temple and the famous Pushkar Cattle fair. Adventures and activities such as camel safari and paragliding can also be enjoyed here. Udaipur tour packages can be taken from Pushkar (Udaipur is very close to the town and regarded as a world famous heritage destination.)

Grocery shopping online

With over 10,000 products and 1000 brands in their grocery list you will find everything you are looking for at Big Basket, the first comprehensive website for online grocery shopping Bangalore in Bangalore, Mumbai & Hyderabad.  Right from fresh fruit and vegetables, rice and daals, spices and seasonings to packaged bread, bakery and dairy products – they have it all. So save time and money, shop at Bigbasket.com - the best fruits online plus a meat store, provisions store, overall an all encompassing online groceries store of Mumbai, Hyderabad & Bangalore.

Our body needs constant care in terms of hair shampoos, conditioners, creams, hair colours and lotionsto keep it healthy, attractive and hygienic. Availability of personal care products online has made taking care of our bodies an easy task for everyone.

One can also find baby care products to help parents take better care of their children’s personal needs. The extensive collection of good quality baby products including various recognized brands of baby care products in India all feature on their up to the minute online store.