Wishful thinking

For the past week the sky has been putting up a fabulous show of colors, especially during sunrise & sunset. I feel handicapped without my camera which has traveled all the way back to the States for some repairs...…

The monsoons are here, almost, so this transition period from summer to monsoon is when nature shows her versatility and grandeur. The sky is crystal blue interspersed with white fluffy clouds of all shapes imaginable that turn into grey in a heartbeat… The sun behind then benevolently shines through these gray clouds casting the proverbial silver lining… around sunset, the drab grey gives way to golden yellows, fuchsias, magentas, reds…. You name it, nature’s got it. I can only imagine the reflections it is casting on the sea, the mountains and paddy fields…. All I have around me are the concrete buildings, some thatched roofs, trees, muddy puddles from the rains…. Wish I was sitting atop a mountain watching this spectacular show….hmmmmmm

Travels

My travels took me to several places these past 6 months...... some were undertaken under pressure, some were mandatory, some I chose to preserve my sanity. All, though turned out interesting, beautiful and inspiring. Here is the list in no particular order:

Udupi, Karnataka
Innanje, Karnataka
Siddapur, Karnataka
Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
Bangalore, Karnataka
Karad, Maharashtra
Mumbai, Maharashtra
Nashik, Maharashtra
Vadodara, Gujrat
Muscat, Oman
Cancona, Goa
Margoa, Goa
Mantralaya, Andhra Pradesh
Haveri, Karnataka
Kallur, Karnataka

I could write travelogues about some of these, but sheer laziness maybe or the inability to pen down the unseemingly mad rush of thoughts that my mind churns out .... feel I should buy a recorder or a Dictaphone.... and see if I can speak out as fast as my mind thinks :-)
futile exercise it may be, but well.....

Kitchen comfort

For the past 2-3 months I've been in Mum's kitchen a lot, cooking quite a bit, and observing her cook more. You'll find me sitting at the table a lot, with my diary out, penning furiously the recipes that she is either making or talking about at break-neck speed. It doesn't help that Mum is one of those whose measuring device is her hand..... forget the measuring spoons/cups/weigh scales. It's all about 'just this much', 'about that much', 'about one fistful' or 'just a pinch'.

Now agreed I picked up the same skills in the kitchen from her, and my hand is my best measuring device, but writing recipes is a pain with no indications like '1 Cup' or '2 Tbsp'. Ahhhh well, I take solace in the fact that I will understand her measurements which I write down verbatim, 2 or 5 or 10 yrs down the lane.... If it does come down to the day when I might want to publish those recipes or create a food blog, I will just have to standardize the formulation and process.... more R&D in my personal kitchen.

Authentic Udupi rasams, curries, desserts, pickles, chutney powders, with a few blends of Udupi-Maharashtrian, Udupi-North Karnataka recipes might some day soon make it to my new food blog.... will have to just wait and see :-)

Conversations with Daddy

Dear Appa,

Ayi... its been almost a year (is has hasn't it) since you died, but just feels like yesterday that I laughed at Arun, thinking it was joke played on me, to get me to visit India ASAP. You know how berfit I felt when I came back to really find you gone without a trace... four long years since I'd seen you, hugged you, kissed you or laid in your lap.

I miss you. I don't think about you all the time anymore, but when you do sneak into my thoughts, you always manage to tear me apart a bit, inside. The past year has taught me yet again, that change is the only constant in life, that as humans we are very adaptable (I've never understood the concept of '5 things you can't live without' kind of questions... When it comes down to surviving we all can make do without a lot of things... I mean don't we go on living and move on without our loved ones around?), that time is irrelevant when you grieve for a loss. Time sure heals... not by taking away your grief or stemming your sense of loss, but by helping build the coping mechanism to face the loss, hurt and grief...

All around me, I hear stories of what a great professor, husband, father, brother etc you were.... All who knew you or knew of you, don't hesitate to put in their few cents...
All fail to acknowledge that you were a fantastic person by yourself.. you were human too with flaws like any of us..... I see those flaws Appa, and I accept them as a part of you, but I also realize that I don't want to incorporate them into my life... You might not have been the perfect man, but you were the perfect dad and I wouldn't have it any other way. I learnt a lot from you about life, about principles, about everyday things, about silence, about respect... and there is a lot more I need to learn. You are not around unfortunately to educate me anymore, but I find myself looking back into your life to glean some more lessons....

I am not yet at peace about your absence, nor am I willing to totally let you go yet. I do though hope you are happy, and at peace wherever you are at present. Continue to guide me and be my star Appa, because even in your absence I need you. I miss your silent support, when I think of the future I want, and know that from now on I'll be quite by myself. Not many are willing to cheer me on or understand my dreams. I miss your quite and steady stream of love and affection even more. I love you.

Time of the mad atom

This is the age
Of the half-read page.
And the quick hash
And the mad dash.
The bright night
With the nerves tight.
The plane hop
With the brief stop.
The lamp tan
In a short span.
The Big Shot
In a good spot.
And the brain strain
The heart pain.
And the cat naps
Till the spring snaps-
And the fun's done!

The Saturday Evening Post (1949)

Guess people were rushed then as they are now!

Khalil's work- an inspiration

It was a while ago, when I was first introduced to Khalil Gibran's works. No doubt my first impression was that of amazement and wonder at such inspiring and beautifully penned poetry & writing. but I realize that as I revisit his works over time, I take away different perspectives, new understanding of his wordplay along with the absolute sense of beauty his writings evoke in me.
This below excerpt is from his famous work 'The Prophet' (1923)

You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days.

Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.

But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

Love one another but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.

Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.

Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.

Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.

And stand together, yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,

And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

Universal attraction

Fascinated with the sand between his toes

Omanis enjoying an evening walk along the shore

Taking a respite from surfing

Basking in the mid-morning sun

Hunting for food

Fishing into the evening

What is the attraction living beings have for the Ocean? No matter where you are, what your nationality, what your intention, the ocean never fails to deliver what you seek.

I go into her lap to seek solitude, to feel one with nature, to let her power & strength seep into me, and to lift my spirits. I love walking her shores at dawn, absorbing the salty aroma and sense of peace she exudes; slowly watching the sun rise over the horizon, I am always rewarded with a brilliant show of colors both over the water and sky. The feelings are indescribable (wonder, gratitude, happiness.... all that and much more). You have to experience it to feel it.....

I almost forget to breathe, awe-struck

What is the point?

Ironic isn't it?

Starbucks- In the limelight & NOT loving it

photo credit: iapia

Starbucks is already working on moving towards rBGH-free dairy products. Agreed,
- there is no deadline at this point for Starbucks' dairy suppliers to go rBGH-free and
- the ban is for company-operated stores (~6000) only and doesn't apply to its licensed outlets (3168) in such locations as supermarkets, airports and hospitals.
But they have actually heeded the consumers wishes and many thanks to them for all the effort being put into making rBGH-free a huge reality.

The publicity hasn't ended there for Starbucks though and one good deed done isn't enough, as they've found out. Another kind of reality is biting their ass, threatening to paint it a hypocrite; this in spite of their "Coffee that cares" mantra... it's the reality of social justice and free trade.

Talks in Briton have begun on Ethiopia seeking fair price for its coffee... which includes screening of the documentary 'Black Gold' - shot by the British brothers Nick and Mark Francis. Marc said that the focus of the film was to emphasize the plight of the coffee farmers in Ethiopia and the need for these farmers to capture more of the value chain of their product. He also said that they weren't attacking any particular coffee giant. The documentary tells a riveting and jaw-dropping story of Ethiopia's coffee farmers like the epic tragedy that it is, showing malnourished coffee growers depending on handouts of food from the United States to stave off starvation.

Now Starbucks, whose annual turnover of $ 7.8 bn isn't much lower than Ethiopia's total GDP, is feeling the heat more than anyone. This despite the fact that Starbucks imports about 2 % of the coffee produced in Ethiopia- accounting for only $6-8 million of the total $ 400 million in exports.

Tadesse Meskela, who is the subject of the movie, runs the Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union in Ethiopia, representing about 105,000 coffee growers, and struggles to get the best price - nowhere near high enough to earn them a decent living.

He says the country's premium coffees - Yirgacheffe, Sidamo and Harar - can sell for fair trade export at about $1.60 a pound. After deducting costs, the growers get about $1.10. Roasters can sell the coffee on at $20-26 per pound. Coffee retailers make about 52 espressos from a pound of coffee, worth up to $160 a pound. Asking for $4 a pound minimum, Mr Meskela said that the people are living hand to mouth, without any clean water, or proper health care. Farmers are sometimes forced to sell their product for less than it costs to produce, so more of them are turning to the cultivation of a fast-growing, extremely lucrative narcotic plant in East Africa, called Chat. Given the picture, it doesn't take a genius to see less famine, more aerial bombing of agricultural fields in this country's future.

Mr Meskela already has the backing of Ed Balls, economic secretary to the Treasury. He said : "Delivering trade justice is not just morally right, it is an economic necessity for Tadesse and the farmers. We urgently need the WTO talks to start again so that we can make good our promise to deliver trade justice for Tadesse and millions of others in the world's poorest countries."

Defending itself, Starbucks said it is paying premium prices to farmers in poor countries, well above the average market price. It has gone on a charm offensive, telling its customers "you can feel good about drinking Starbucks coffee", taking its message to YouTube and sending its chief executive to Addis Ababa. Responding to this Mr. Meskela said "Starbucks may help bring clear water for one community but this does not solve the problem. In 2005, Starbucks' aid to the third world was $1.5m. We don't want this kind of support, we just want a better price. They make huge profits; giving us just one payment of money does not help," said Mr Meskela.

The Ethiopian government, keen to get a much better price for a commodity that makes up the bulk of its exports, has been trying to trademark its three prized coffee brands. While Green Mountain, (US's second biggest speciality coffee distributor after Starbucks), have been willing to engage with Addis Ababa to discuss a voluntary licensing scheme which recognises their ownership of the coffee brands, Starbucks has used its muscle within the National Coffee Association of America to block Addis Ababa's trademarking attempts.

Ron Layton, a Washington-based lawyer with Light Years IP who is advising the Ethiopians, says successful trademarking could add $88m a year to Ethiopia's export earnings. He says Europe, Japan and Canada have already registered the trademarks and the US trademark office could do so were it not for Starbucks' opposition.

Douglas Holt, a professor of marketing at Said Business School at Oxford University, says the company may be committing brand suicide by continuing to resist the Ethiopian move. The company built its brand on a commitment to economic justice for its poor coffee farmers, but now risks losing millions of customers if they perceive it as a hypocrite. He sums the whole issue effectively when he says "Starbucks must now walk the walk even if it means occasionally making economic sacrifices."

All you coffee drinkers out there, wake up and smell the numbers

$1.10: Amount per pound of coffee that growers receive after deducting costs
$160: Amount that retailers can make on a pound of coffee

It will soon be apparent, whether the outcome of the campaign in London will spell doom for this particular coffee giant, but till then I hope the executives at Starbucks develop a conscience & hatch out a plan to redistribute their wealth to help the very people who fatten their pockets. Social justice anyone?

Source: Guardian Unlimited ; Starbucks

Innovative, eco-friendly & sexy- bra that is!

NO! reji-bukuro bra

Triumph International, a 110 year old German lingerie manufacturer, has a flair for innovation.. they are also environmentally conscious.

Their Japanese counterpart Triumph International Japan unveiled a new type of brassiere that can be converted into a shopping bag in 2006. Called the “No! Shopping Bag Bra” (NO! reji-bukuro bra), the environmentally-friendly lingerie is designed to promote the reduction of plastic bag consumption, a key objective of the revised Containers and Packaging Recycling Law hammered out by Japanese lawmakers in June last year.

Each year, Japanese shoppers receive an estimated 30 billion plastic shopping bags, which, in terms of the oil resources needed to produce them, amounts to two giant tankers full of oil (est. millions of barrels). There is an urgency to reduce plastic bag usage, as around 30% of these bags are thrown away without being reused. The consumption of plastic shopping bags contributes to environmental problems such as increased energy usage, trash buildup, and global warming due to CO2 released in the garbage incineration process, so the focus isn't misplaced.

When the bra is being worn, the “shopping bag” portions are folded away inside the bra cups, where they serve as extra padding. The bra quickly converts to a shopping bag by removing the bag portions from the cups and connecting the hooks on the bra’s underwire. The lace cups serve as decoration along with the shoulder straps, which are disconnected and tied to the top of the bag as ribbons.

The bra, available in red, blue, green, yellow and pink is made from the Teijin Group’s ECOPET brand of polyester fiber, which has been recycled from plastic bottles through the company’s patented EcoCircle recycling system.

Contrary to some thoughts I've heard on blogs about this bra, I don't think the idea is to rip off your bra once you reach the grocery store (though it's your choice if you'd prefer shocking the prudes out there!!), but to alternate their usage as a bra and a bag.... or if you'd prefer, to use the garment as a bra till you are ready for a change of color or style, and then use it as a bag.. voila!!! I would definitely bring one home...... my days of collecting the souvenir cloth handbags from the trade shows (food) would be a thing of the past.

The bras are not on sale as yet. Irrespective of the concept viability, the innovative brains at Triumph need to be acknowledged. The company has a long history of developing eco-themed bras, such as the Recycle PET Bra (1997), Eco-globe Bra (2004) and Warm Biz Bra (2005) .

On the other end of the globe, anyone who has a Victoria's Secret (VS) undergarment in their drawer knows what I mean when I say their bras make you feel like a million dollars (not to mention ohh so sexy!) and those damn little things last for ages... While Limited Brands, VS's parent company is doing its bit towards sustainability through recycling (paper & plastic), reducing energy usage, waste management and proposing to save forests, I would love to see them work more with fabric recycling & finding recyclable materials for their clothing...

I'd also love to see this happen:
-VS setting up collection banks for used undergarments and maybe offer a discount at their stores to women who donate their unused or used undergarments in good shape --- Second hand underwear is in huge demand in African countries where people cannot afford to buy a bra or underwear in many cases. There is some controversy regarding the import of used undergarments with bans imposed by governments in Kenya and Tanzania, saying that the used garments were causing skin diseases. Maybe a corporate (like Limited), would be looked upon to maintain standards even in used clothing sales, proving to be a reliable supplier & in turn help clothe the poor....
Along with community service, VS could see increased sales in their stores due to the promotion...

Now if something similar can be done with the dredded grandma panties :-)

Source: Triumph International Japan,

Justice, fairplay - Where is it?

The Nithari killings story isn't new.... here is the update (case timeline is on right) if you need to read up on the case. The story has been unfolding, with hearings, CBI involvement, tests etc. these past few days and the accused are being tried at the Ghaziabad district court (Noida).
Yesterday, a mob consisting mainly of lawyers and public angered by the decision of the court to handle the hearing behind closed doors, attacked the accused Moninder Singh Pandher and his cook Surendra Koli, after the hearing.
Watching the video of the accused being attacked in court, I was appalled. Was I hearing this right & seeing reality? I for one do not have much compassion for rapists... the accused I hope pay for their crime. What bothers me is the callous way in which the government and the police are handling the case... I believe even the accused have a right to safe hearing, a right to live, a right to prove their innocence, irrespective of the crime. When the police took them under their custody, they also took the responsibility to safeguard their lives (apart from aiming to impart justice to the parents of the kids).
If mob lynching could solve all the crimes and provide justice, India would be a haven for all victims wouldn't it? I don't understand... what gives the general public (not related to the crime in any which way) and the lawyers the right to meet out punishment through verbal and physical abuse? If rendering the accused unconscious with blows would bring back the dead, bring back life to its normal ways before they were kidnapped, killed, raped, I'd understand.

Human rights are for all... murderers included. Even in a corrupt country like India, there is judicial system set up to deliver justice... harboring a false sense of vendetta against every killer, ever rapist, every criminal and acting out on your personal rage will not quench the anguish of the victims, or the guilt of the accused....

The Ghaziabad Bar Association blame the police for the fiasco.... I haven't heard though anyone ask for an account of personal responsibility from the lawyers or the general public who stooped down to violence.... for what cause I ask you?

Sip the new coffee

An interesting article in the Chicago Tribune a few days ago mentioned the rise of soft drink consumption based on the research from one of the watchdogs… now whether you’d like to call your beverage ‘pop’ or ‘coke’ or ‘soda’ (check this mosaic out) it doesn’t matter.

The article highlights recent research conducted byNPD Group (a NY based consumer research firm) that points to a near doubling of the number of people who consume a carbonated soft drink at breakfast from 1990 to 2006. Over the same period, the data shows roughly a 10% drop in coffee consumption at breakfast during that period, making a concession that the statistics do not include coffee that is consumed apart from that at meals - aka the Starbucks phenomenon. A primary driver for this growth is the youth market. According to Harry Balzer from NPD, the youth market is driving the growth, with the heaviest soft drink consumption at breakfast being in the 18 to 25 age group. Adults too were quoted in the article as tapping the carbonated concoctions - full-sugar or the diet version—first thing in the morning… my buddy Liz is one of them.

This must sound like sweet music to the ears of the carbonated beverage giants. Trying to ride the upswing in consumption, the Coca-Cola Company is releasing a fortified version of Diet Coke® in the near future. It might just be a gamble that pays off, as the domestic market is seeing growth on both fronts—general fortification and functional foods that address specific health condition… a trend that is projected to continue for the coming years. If that happens, then it won’t be long before Pepsi jumps the bandwagon to try to grab the market share with a ‘me too’ product… with a 'twist' of course!!!

If consumers are already drinking soft drinks for breakfast, marketing is going to seize the opportunity and I don’t doubt R&D will put out fortified versions…… it makes sense… the only challenge then would be to fortify without altering the established flavor profiles, as consumers can be finicky where their soda is concerned.

Consume Sambazon- Save the Amazon

A grove of Acai palms

Harvested berries @ Sambazon

Product Offering- Sambazon

If you are into power foods/health food and frequent the organic isle at the grocery store, you would have heard of Sambazon.
In Nov 2006, the Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE) was awarded to Sambazon for their efforts to promote sustainable development in the Brazilian Rain forest, while improving the conditions of indigenous people through creative marketing of the Açaí (pronounced as (ah-sigh-EE)) fruit. They were also recognized by the Ashoka Organization with the Global Social Entrepreneurship award for market driven strategies that benefit low income communities.

The company was started in 2000 by two Californian entrepreneurs Ryan Black and Ed Nicholas who loved the taste of the berries while in Brazil. Securing exclusive U.S. distribution with the main Açaí processing factories in Brazil in exchange for a percentage of profits dedicated to rain-forest protection, they have expanded the company over the past six years. They became the first company to import certified Organic Acai into the USA & are the only Acai importer that is certified Free Trade. In Oct 2006 they opened the world's largest proprietary Açaí manufacturing facility in Brazil to increase volume of imports.

This makes Sambazon a vertically integrated supplier of Açaí products, controlling every step of the manufacturing process to ensure sustainable and organic origin of the fruit as well as the quality, nutrition and taste. Said Ryan Black the firm’s founder & CEO “Our new factory is a key milestone on our mission to produce the highest quality raw material and consumer goods that promote sustainable management of the Brazilian Amazon- which is what our company stands for with the acronym SAMBAZON.”

In a country where deforestation is rampant, due to excessive logging in the Amazon and millions live below the poverty line, business opportunities based on sustainable agro-forestry are hard to come by. The Açaí palm tree, native and endemic to the Amazon bears a dark purple fruit the size of a blueberry. It naturally covers an area larger than 2.5 million acres & grows in the Amazon River Estuary abundantly. Local growers, better known as ribeirinhos (river people), depend on the Açaí both for subsistence and income generation. In a study of three traditional Caboclo populations in the Amazon region of Brazil, açaí palm was described as the populations' most important plant species because the fruit makes up such a major component of their diet (up to 42% of the total food intake by weight), and is additionally economically valuable in the region (Murrieta et al., 1999).

The fruit is rich in antioxidants ( twice that of blueberries), essential omega fats (Omega 3, 6 &9), anthocyanins (10 times more than in red wine), fiber (44.2g per 100gm of berry), protein (8.1gm per 100gm) & plant sterols and is in growing demand due to the fruit's unique health benefits , as well as a more adventurous consumer palate, which increasingly seeks new, ‘exotic' flavors and ingredients.

The increased demand has offered an opportunity to change the socioeconomic situation of the people that live along the riverbanks of the Estuary, and is an attractive alternative to unsustainable economic activities that dominate regional land use such as logging, cattle ranching and soya processing.

To mitigate potential environmental threats from over cultivation of the berry due to the demand, the Peabiru Institute in partnership with Sambazon Inc. designed the Sustainable Açaí Project which includes a team of leading research institutions, such as the Goeldi Museum, Amapa and Para State Federal Universities and other local contributing NGOs.

The project aims to prove that sustainable agro-forestry in the Amazon estuary can improve living conditions, enhance educational opportunities and promote forest conservation. The Project consists of three phases:

1) Creating specific Biosocial Indicators to evaluate impact of Açaí trade on the local region through standard metrics

2) Developing and implementing Sustainable Agro-Forestry Management out-reach programs to positively impact the threats and opportunities of Açaí cultivation; and

3) Building an Açaí Technical Center aimed to develop and disseminate economically feasible technologies to recycle Açaí by-products.

The whole project is centered on Institutional Building to create a consistent and replicable model. They hope to use it throughout the entire region to create positive socioeconomic change and promote rainforest conservation and biodiversity.

Though there is no one solution to protecting the Amazon rainforest, initiatives like these that offer sustainable development along with economic alternatives can help keep the forest green longer. Sambazon is one viable solution of how you, the locals and the Rainforest can reap the benefits of a truly magical fruit while protecting and enhancing the future for all, say the founders…. I can’t have said it better. I applaud their efforts... because their sustainable model is working... for now.

Food companies need to follow their example and work towards sustainable agriculture, especially the ones that are into commodities processing (Cargill, you listening?) along with a mission to become free trade certified…. What? Can’t I at least hope?

Murrieta, R. S. S., Dufour, D. L. and Siqueira, A. D. 1999. Food consumption and subsistence in three Caboclo populatons on Marajo Island, Amazonia, Brazil. Human ecology 27: 455-475.

The real enemy

I am stumped, lost.... I know I am painting a bleak picture....

What do you do when your enemy isn't poverty, physical handicap or financial dependence.... but the mindset of the society as a whole... the belief system that is unshakable in all whole hold it sacred..

The dictionary says ABUSE is:

to treat in a harmful, injurious, or offensive way.

to speak insultingly, harshly, and unjustly to or about; revile; malign.

to commit sexual assault upon.

bad or improper treatment; maltreatment.

a corrupt or improper practice or custom.

But what if abuse is not considered as abuse, but a necessary evil you have to live with.... the intensity and kinds you are subjected to determined by your gender mainly, but also by caste, social hierarchy, occupation & income? And what if this forms the core of the beliefs people imbibe at a young age.. never to be tampered with or changed.

In my interaction with a lot of people here, I have personally heard them accept it as normal: the physical abuse kids undergo, the domestic violence women face, the ohhhhh... so innocent fondling & touching children endure from family or from someone they know, the sexual abuse, molestation, eve teasing women face, the verbal abuse that strips them of any dignity or self-esteem they harbor
There is no end!!!

Your idealism, the sense of purpose all falter when the magnitude of the problem hits you.... when you realize that donating money or even time at your local NGO is not enough... the relief you provide to these people remains temporary.. without addressing or working towards changing the belief's the underprivileged hold, your help is just a passing fantasy.... you move on to the next project, next person with a sense of satisfaction, but you've left behind people in no better a condition than before....

If all that women want is a good life, within the confines of male domination, within the confines of domestic/sexual/verbal abuse; being codependent they look for a master who can be just a bit gentle; whether father or husband, what do you do?

Being accustomed to asserting my individuality & free will, I presumed all the women were burning to do the same... all those, who I know are suppressed, dominated, helpless...
I was quite wrong.. I did what I most abhor... I presumed and prejudged. Such is human frailty.
I feel deflated..... not having anticipated the unforeseen roadblock- beliefs imbibed from the society!

I'm no stranger to abuse.. I've experienced every form of it through childhood... I've struggled to be break the mould, be myself and be independent.... Now I am assimilating the fact that not everyone finds abuse outrageous, or considers it an invasion or unnecessary.
I haven't given up on helping those in need... I just have to change my approach.

Will let you know when I make some progress...

Frito disgusted with their innovation

Frito-Lay Angrily Introduces Line Of Healthy Snacks

PLANO, TX—"Look at what you've reduced us to," said CEO Al Carey, as he disgustedly held up a bag of Cranberry Spinach Explosion snack chips.

Absofuckinlutely hilarious..... those of my buddies who've worked at Frito or know of them will get a kick out of this..

Food Scientist .... Who????

So just for information sake, I'd like to make clear to all who wonder .... what/who in the name of hell is a Food Scientist/Food Technologist?

I mean what makes your face light up like a 100 W bulb the moment you hear me say "I'm a Food Technologist"?
No I'm not a chef (no offense to them)
No I'm not a restaurant manager, and
No I'm not a cook (in the most literal sense)

The bulb's dimmed by this point, the light replaced by a questioning frown... its' inevitable.... the presumption you made so quickly, based probably on the word 'food' remains just that, a presumption
I get down to the job of clearing this misconception, at times with a sigh of resignation....

You see .... to be a food scientist, you don't necessarily have to know how to cook or have a passion for cooking as such..... as maybe a chef would have...
In the industry, scientists churn out new recipes too.... but we treat cooking as science, more than art... create a fool-proof formula (read recipe) that will withstand variations in ingredients, processing, people who prepare the product...

You see:

Food technology, is the application of food science to the selection, developing, processing, preservation, packaging, distribution and use of ingredients to create safe, nutritious and wholesome food. (yes... it is quite debatable if all products we create are nutritious and wholesome)

Hence; Food scientists and food technologists study the physical, microbiological, and chemical properties of food. Depending on their area of specialization, Food Scientists develop ways to process, preserve, package, or/and store food, according to industry and government specifications and regulations.

Consumers (like you) seldom think of the vast array of foods and the research and development that is involved in creating each one of them, so as to deliver tasty, nutritious, safe, and convenient foods.

Though our lot mainly works to creating processed foods, we also collaborate with chefs to service the food service sector (think restaurant chains... why do you think the food at all Applebee's locations taste the same?) along with other functional groups as engineering, marketing, sales, production, sensory & consumer studies dept, Quality Assurance units etc.

Maybe next time you may stop to think of the effort put in to bring those Doritos/Soy pretzels/Gatorade/Protein bar etc on the shelf that you stare at in the grocery store :-)

Happy eating all!!!

Love Affair- When did it happen???

I am not sure when it happened or how.... but somewhere along in the 2 weeks I got to spend there, I fell hard.. for her charm, her spirit, her character, her beauty ( though shrouded in smog most of the time).... I'd heard of people being mesmerized by Mumbai, now I know what they mean

Its a city of contrasts in the extreme.... even more so than any other metropolis I think.... New York or LA or any other... The city vibrates with energy that is palpable, it throbs with hope, perseverance, grit, enthusiasm, optimism.... So do many other cities I agree... but what I find amazing is that it isn't just the rich & affluent , but the middle class and the poor alike generate this energy...you will see all walking with a spring in their step (figuratively speaking).... not because life is beautiful all the time (in a sense that we know of).. but because they refuse to be complacent or give up.

I don't know when exactly the city's essence seeped into my pores, but when it was time to leave, I knew that I was in love ....I realized that I could appreciate the city & its people, and feel at home, despite the poverty, pollution, population, the stench and the heat ... Isn't that what love is all about?.... unconditional acceptance , overlooking the worst and absorbing the best of the whole.

As Romola Butalia editor of India Travelogue, has expressed so succinctly :

Little boxes, people on people, concrete humanity. A city where it all works, a city within which people strive for excellence or they could not stand the pace of desperate living here.

A city of crime, where the crime is not visible. A city where you feel safe no matter who, where or when you are. A city that respects money...where to be a 'seth' (obscenely rich man) is not an insult, but a title that replaces any that the old aristocracy might have had on offer.

Bright lights, neon signs, fast cars, beautiful people, the city never sleeps. Mumbai, the commercial capital of India, the home of Bollywood that churns fantasies and dreams and unreality.

Local commuting trains that belch out people into the underbelly of the city. Sardines are packed less tightly. Street urchins so street smart they actually reach adulthood smiling. The dirt and the squalor...one giant slum of a city. And within it, each individual respects the personal space of another. There are no divisions, no differences, no advantages, no qualifications : only your ability to deliver.

Throbbing with the vitality of dreams and the will to realise them, of reaching for the stars, it is a city of instant changes, constant changes, a city of opportunities, a city of fortune. It is where tomorrow stands today. If you have the guts and the gall to live in Mumbai and survive, you have arrived. Welcome to the real world.

Mumbai is where the intrepid traveler sees yet another face of India...the Caterpillar during chrysalis...the strange transition from the nineteenth century to the twenty-first.

All glitter under cover

Shopping for a pair of shoes- took me 15 stores to find the right pair... No!!! this one wasn't it.


Saris on display in a store - Muttrah souk

If there was one thing I did while in Muscat, it was shop..... not for myself exactly, but for my friend's wedding prep ( I did shop for a pair of shoes... I shopped/window shopped at Ruwi (Colaba of Muscat), and in the malls, at the Souks and the expensive boutiques. One thing that was a constant was glitter... on clothes, on shoes, on jewellery, on decorations.... their fascination with all that shines, that is big and bold is interesting to note.....
Most of the goods are merchandised for women, who are under the abaya ( the long veil they wear over their clothes) when in public. So is it their need to add some glamour to the sombre outfits that attracts them to bold designs & glitter? I wanted to ask the few women that I passed by in the stores, but never mustered enough courage to do so.... Wish I had though... hindsight is always 20/20 isn't it???

Our pets: Are we feeding or pampering them?

Next time you are out grocery shopping check out the food in the pet food aisles or if you have a pet, then in your own pantry, and you will see that many of the trends in foods and beverages processed for human consumption—functional foods, indulgent treats, attractive colors, mouth-watering flavors—have crossed over into the pet food aisle.
According to the 2005/2006 National Pet Owners Survey by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA), 63% of households in the United States own a pet, that is 69.1 million homes. The number of dogs owned as pets is 73.9 million, and that of cats is 90.5 million. That’s a lot of pets to feed, and consumers and food companies are spending the money to do it. The APPMA survey indicates that in 2005, $14.7 billion was spent on pet food in the U.S. market, and it estimates that that number will increase to $15.2 billion in 2006. According to Packaged Facts, New York, N.Y., during the first six months of 2006, pet food manufacturers launched 175 new dog and cat food products, including product extensions, in the U.S.

Nutritionists, food technologists, and veterinarians all play a role in formulating many of these foods. Some of the formulations contain such ingredients as glucosamine, thought to help maintain cartilage for healthy joints; fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic acid for proper brain development and healthy skin and hair; and antioxidants to strengthen the immune system. Other products are vegetarian or are formulated for pets that suffer from intolerance to certain food ingredients. Still others are said to contain a balance of certain ingredients to help maintain a healthy urinary system or prevent hairballs in cats.

So what is my point you ask? As a Food Technologist, this trend I see is awesome.... Lots of jobs created, R&D efforts are paying off, Food Technologists are getting innovative and Pet food is going gourmet... Obviously the industry I work in is thriving on it.
For example:
Nestlé Purina's 'Fancy Feast® Elegant Medleys' Gourmet cat food, combines yellowfin tuna, white meat chicken, or wild salmon with sauces and broths, whipped egg soufflé, and garden greens. Their 'Alpo Chop House Originals' features flavors found in upscale steak houses such as ribeye, top sirloin, filet mignon, and pork tenderloin.
Mars’ Sheba® cat food is available in Alaskan king crab, bluefin tuna, gourmet salmon, seared ahi tuna, shrimp, Maine lobster, Pacific halibut, rainbow trout, grilled chicken, roasted turkey, rotisserie chicken, and filet mignon flavors.
Nutro Products offers Beef Ragoût, made with beef, peas, carrots, and potatoes; Hunter’s Stew contains real venison; Seafood And Tomato Bisque features salmon broth, whitefish, mackerel, and tomato paste; and Orleans Seafood Jambalaya contains fish broth, chicken, mackerel, salmon, ground rice, tomato paste, shrimp, and even red peppers. .. Holy cow!!

Iams® Savory Sauce in roasted turkey, pot roast, roasted beef, bacon, and country-style chicken flavors, comes in a squeezable bottle shaped much like ketchup bottles and can be used as a topping or a mix-in for dry or moist dog food. The Iams brand learned that many pet owners were mixing their dog’s dry food with things like gravy, broth, and table scraps,” says Amy Dicke, Technical Services Veterinarian for Iams. According to her “These homemade ‘mixers’ added unwanted calories and did not always provide optimal nutrition." (Nutrition!!!... I wasn't aware sauces were made to fulfil any nutritional need...) Thus, Iams Savory Sauce was introduced, which offers a healthy addition to the dog’s diet.” Made with real meat, poultry, and vegetables, the sauce is fortified with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and is available in formulas for puppies and adult and older dogs.

It's a feat that as a product developer I should be proud of..... to actually get dumb (as in those that cannot speak ) animals to be a part of the trained panels used in our consumer studies/sensory analysis in the lab, on the basis of which the products are rolled out into the market.. its no joke. To also get them to eat our products and stay loyal to our brand... I mean.... it's hard enough to accomplish that with human consumers. This then is definitely a triumph....
Hold on though ... Anyone else think this is absurd????
I mean, everything said and done, overindulgence is what stands out. I am not against pet care, or the pets themselves. Sure we need to fed them and treat them as a part of our household, but where do we draw the line? How many underprivileged people around the world can we feed, clothe, shelter and provide fair wages for with $ 15.2 billion? You do the math. If only the downtrodden/poor/hungry/disabled in every country enjoyed the status our pets do..... Imagine!

Based on the article published in Food Technology Nov 2006, Vol 60 No.11. 'Pampering your pet- Karen Banasaik'
Picture from http://us.iams.com
www.petfoodinstitute.org
www.ift.org