Italy holds a special place in the world of wine, not only because of its varied and enviable portfolio of styles but also because of the coveted status wine is accorded in the country’s rich cultural and gastronomic heritage. Be it the local cuisine and its intrinsic relationship to wine or the traditional practices of wine-growing still prevalent across its vast wine landscape, Italy today is the undisputed torchbearer of the ‘Old World’ genre in every sense and wine is undoubtedly its cultural and gastronomic raison d’être. No wonder, a part of it was called ‘Oenotria’ (Land of Vines) for ...

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Maharashtra’s culinary map holds out fresh surprises at every stop in the sweep over hills, plains and coast. But all these offerings converge on one signature quality: khamang. The word, many will say, is hard to translate, the experience however, graciously yields itself to the discerning culinary bounty hunter.

A while back, I believe I had successfully picked out a signature taste that appeared in some of my favourite Maharashtrian savoury foods. Could it be the spice mix, goda masala, which animates many a Marathi curry? But I have yet to establish whether it is this magic mix ...

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Vijayawada (also known as ‘Bezwada’), the third largest city in the state of Andhra Pradesh, is a verdant and ecofriendly city located on the banks of the River Krishna surrounded by low-lying hills. The Krishna (named after Goddess Krishnaveni), is India’s fourth largest river after the Ganga, Narmada and Godavari. It lies 1,300 kilometres (810 miles) across the Deccan Peninsula, quite like a Kuchipudi dancer’s long braid.

There are many tales behind the origin of the name of the city of Vijayawada. Legends have it that Arjuna was blessed with the ‘Pasupathastra’ by Shiva, on ...

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There’s a lot of whipping, beating, chopping going on.

Steaming, braising, oh-so-delicate sautéing, searing and roasting too.

Aromas drift around the kitchen like wandering minstrels while sauces are poured and tasted, delicate slivers of fruits, vegetables and meats glazed and basted, flavours checked and consistencies tested.

The chefs at ITC Gardenia are preparing for another evening at West View.

Meanwhile, Chef Madhu manages to steal away for a few delightful moments of ingredient-picking at a farm on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

It’s a ...

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My husband and I had a wonderful stay here. We got extra special treatment because of our 30 th wedding anniversary celebration. We got roses, a cake and - very unexpectedly - a rose pedal bath!!!. Amazing! It was really home away from home! Our experience couldn't have been any better. Thank you Ila and to Trevor. We'll always remember that special treatment. The food was outstanding! A lot of new things for us to try. We felt really welcome!We'll definitely recommend this hortel to our friends. ...

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