Eating local and in season is a great way to work towards a more sustainable lifestyle. I had never heard of garlic scapes before a visit to the Roslindale Farmer’s Market in Boston. Consider me an immediate convert! Scapes are one of the first delights of the spring season. They appear from the garden for just a short period of time and that is part of their delicious appeal. You might think they look similar to chives on steroids, as they are the firm, round flowering stalk of hard neck garlic.
I have to be honest, the Kathakali dance performance we were scheduled to see in Kerala, seemed like it might be too much of a tourist event for me to enjoy. The elaborate make up procedure beforehand was a feeding frenzy for camera happy travelers like myself, and a bit of a turnoff. Our time in Ft. Cochin was so precious, I wondered why I hadn’t been more vigilant with the research for each and every item we decided to add to the agenda in this charming city. Suddenly, I heard someone motioning me into a small, humid room, off from all the activity. I was transfixed as I watched the precise and skilled hands of one of the dancers turn himself into an otherworldly creature. My thought process began to quickly change. That moment is where my disappointment ended, and I was taken under the mesmerizing spell of Kathakali dance.
Travel to Cuba is so new for Americans that many are unaware the island has some of the most beautiful beaches and waters in the Caribbean. Americans can not visit the country as tourists, so making plans to wander the beautiful coastline is not even on their radar screen. YET. Even though the door for travel has been opened, US citizens must still fit into one of the twelve designated categories laid out, and sunbathing snorkeler is not one of them. The biggest worry of environmentalists is what will happen when that changes. Can the impact be sustainable or will it destroy the culture and coral reefs of Cuba?
Sesame Noodle Tofu {serves 6}
Ingredients:
- Heat water for pasta and start to make the sauce when you add the pasta to water.
- Heat sesame seeds in a dry saucepan, and as they begin to brown, add vegetable and sesame oil.
- When seeds are brown and oil is hot, remove from heat and add coriander, soy sauce and chili oil. Make sure to remove from heat as everything starts to sizzle.
- Add peanut butter and wisk until smooth.
- Just before you drain the pasta, add the carrots and pea pods to pasta water and blanch for 1 minute.
- Drain pasta and vegetables-pour sauce and scallions over top and stir well.
- Garnish with chopped coriander
It took me a few minutes to recover after entering the Chowmahalla Palace in Hyderabad, India. I have a bit of a love affair with sparkly, glass objet d’art, and the fixtures inside this Heritage Site were enough to give anyone chandelier envy. Built by the Nizams, and completed by 1869, the Chowmahalla Palace was home to the Asaf Jahi dynasty and is a synthesis of many architectural styles and influences. Today, it houses one of the most over the top collections of Belgian crystal chandeliers I have ever laid eyes on!
Although the chandeliers are rarely turned on, the sunlight streaming through the expansive windows was more than enough to make them one of the most dramatic features of the palace.
Coupled with the white marble floors, the room presents a stunning picture of royalty and the culture during that time.
Fairy tale scenery from Cinderella comes to mind. The Nizams were legendary for their patronage to the arts and science. The elegant rooms contain hundreds of exhibits, costumes and photographs, rare manuscripts and priceless books-all shedding light on a time of extravagance of a bygone era. In one of the outbuildings, visitors can be served pre-arranged high tea. It’s a rather odd experience: elegant, sophisticated, and dusty all at the same time, but very Indian in nature, and not to be missed.
I got a bit dizzy taking this photo between the complex ceiling design and sparkle of the chandelier, it was hard to keep my balance looking up.
Be still my heart…I’ve saved the best for last, clearly my piece de resistance was this beauty!
Photo credits: Bottom-Chowmahalla Palace by Evstaquio Santimano, All other photos by Alison Abbott.
Visit the Palace 10am-5pm. Closed on Fridays. Cameras are allowed, fee must be paid.
