October 2008
"Local" Drinks across the World
This month from France ...
Pastis is an anise-flavored liqueur and apéritif from France, typically containing 40–45% alcohol by volume. When absinthe was banned in France in 1915, the major absinthe producers reformulated their drink without the banned wormwood, a hallucinogenic that is said to have driven many to insanity. The new drink called Pastis had a heavier focus on the aniseed flavor using more star anise, sugar and lower alcohol content.

Pastis is a concoction of alcohol, star anise, both black and white pepper corns, cardamom, sage, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, licorice and a little sugar. Each distillery has its own secret recipe and variation.


Pastis becomes milky white and cloudy as you mix it with water. There is a sharp, sweet smell of aniseed and it is called the milk of Provence, the region of France where it is hugely popular.

The legend surrounding the origin of Pastis is as intriguing as the drink itself. It is said that a hermit who lived in a hut in the forest on the slopes of Luberon in southern Cotes du Rhone collected herbs and stewed them in a giant pot. The juices left in the cauldron after boiling had remarkable properties, including quenching his thirst, and protecting him from an outbreak of plague that was threatening to decimate the population of Luberon. Since he was a generous philanthropist, he shared his mixture with sufferers, who immediately recovered. He then, in a quick decision to reverse his seclusion, moved to Marseille and opened a bar. This is the most unlikely story but also the most popular as such stories go!

Pastis must never be enjoyed in a hurry. It demands the correct ambience and must be sipped at slowly. It is a charming drink – the first glass invites the second and very often the second the third. But be careful, very careful, it is insidious before you know you may need help to walk unless you are a Provencale!
 
         
     In the News...
 
Wine queen

India Today - Smart, beautiful, with a strong head for business and a flair for language, Dharti Desai is a woman worth meeting....

October 16, 2008

Click here

 
 
 
 
   

Buzzing Nightlife

Toto's Garage Pub
30, Lourde's Haven
Near Pali Naka
Bandra (W),
Mumbai – 400 050

Tel: +91-22 2643 5494

Hours of Operation: 6pm to midnight

Good rock music, affordable liquor and interesting décor.

True to its name, Toto's interiors are based on a garage theme, accentuated by brick-lined interiors and a collection of automobile knickknacks. Hubcaps, grills, road signs and license plates from around the world grace the walls. And you can't have a garage pub without a car – so a car that appears to have crashed through the ceiling serves as the DJ booth! The bar, too, is actually half a vintage car.
   
 
The music at Toto's is one of the main reasons for its popularity. The DJ plays an excellent range of rock music (exclusively) spanning the ages, from CCR to Linkin Park. On an average evening, there will be an equal number of happy (hic!) slurred voices shouting out lyrics to retro as well as contemporary numbers.

Over the weekend the pub reaches maximum capacity very early and even standing space is hard to come by. Regulars usually park themselves with a beer right after sundown and stay on till closing time. Cheers!

 
     
 
Cocktail Recipes

RUM MOJITO
    50ml BACARDI Rum
    25ml fresh lime juice
    2 tsp unrefined castor sugar
    12 mint leaves
    75ml soda water
    Lime
    Ice

Tear the mint leaves into a tall glass and pour over the lime juice, sugar and BACARDI Rum. Stir until the sugar is almost dissolved.
Fill the glass with cubed ice and top up with soda water. Stir again and garnish with a wedge of fresh lime. Add more sugar to taste.

 
     
 


Dining Destinations

Souza Lobo
Calangute Beach,
Goa 403 516


Tel: 083227- 228 1234
        083227- 2276463

email: jude@souzalobo.com

Website: http://www.souzalobo.com/


If you are visiting Calangute beach in Goa then Souza Lobo is the place to eat. The restaurant has been around for many years and it is a popular eating destination - both with locals and tourists. It scores high on food and ambience.

Like all other beach restaurants, it has tables out in the sand... so you can bite into your delicious meal and soak in the sun at the same time. But if you choose to sit inside, Souza Lobo also offers you a cozy, patio-like seating arrangement. The restaurant is decorated in Portuguese style with distinct Goan influences. It is simple, warm and inviting. Coming to the food…the restaurant has a good mix of traditional Goan cuisine along with Chinese, Tandoori and Continental food. We recommend sticking to the Goan food (because when in Goa, do as the Goans do!).

The Goan-style fish and prawn dishes are hot favorites. The king fish and Goan masala fried prawns are simply delicious. The crabs and lobster dishes are succulent, fresh and well-spiced. The restaurant also has a seafood platter with fancy combinations of sea food, all of them absolutely delectable.

What you are assured of at this restaurant is high quality food, served in good portions and reasonably priced.

Souza Lobo's bar is well stocked - from homemade Feni to a classic wine selection. Also available are beers, spirits and cocktails that cater to everyone’s tastes...

The best thing about this place is that it also has a live band playing popular songs and a troupe of dancers performing traditional Goan and Portuguese dance.

All-in-all the restaurant offers a laid-back ambience, good food, good entertainment and a pleasant overall experience.
 
     
 
Drunken Humor

A gentleman who had too much alcohol at a party was heading home, and was pulled over by a policeman. Upon being tested, the fellow couldn't walk a straight line any more than he could drive one, so the cop wrote out a challan and had just given it to the driver before an accident in the opposite lane took his attention to more important matters.

The inebriated driver, figuring that the cop wasn't coming back to him, drove home and went to bed. He was awakened in the morning by a knock at the door, by two more policemen.

"Are you Mr. Johnson?" the policemen asked. He admitted that he was.

"Were you pulled over at M.G Road last night for driving under the influence of alcohol?" Again, the man admitted that he was.

"And what did you do then," the cops asked." The man replied that he drove his car home and went to bed.

"Where is your car now?" they enquired. The man answered that it was in the garage.

"May we see the car?" asked the cops. The man answered, "Sure," and opened the garage.

Inside the garage was the cops car.
     
 
Trivia

The pressure in a bottle of champagne is about 90 pounds per square inch. That's about three times the pressure in an automobile tyre.
 
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