Comments for Sapna in Kerala

Comment on I wear an ankle bracelet on one foot by Dussyzers

Dussyzers — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 23:45:10 +0000

Phat article, amazing looking blog, added it to my favorites!

Comment on What’s “good” food? by supersaps

supersaps — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:11:04 +0000

This website reminded me of our conversation: http://thisiswhyyourefat.com/

Comment on Chief Minister: encourage organic farming in the State by Canada Guy

Canada Guy — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:03:16 +0000

Organic farming methods offer several benefits for the environment and human health as a whole, but unfortunately, there are many misconceptions and falsehoods being spread regarding organic food and farming methods, both by proponents and detractors. Here are the facts about what organic methods can do for us and what they can't. http://www.selfdestructivebastards.com/2009/11/organic-myths-and-realities.html

Comment on Indian restaurant reviews by Right on, Marin Nestle « Sapna in Kerala

Right on, Marin Nestle « Sapna in Kerala — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:48:03 +0000

[...] Despite reservations I have about the San Francisco Chronicle’s Sunday Food section (see here, for one example), and the limitations to Michael Pollan’s book, Omnivore’s Dilemma, I [...]

Comment on What’s “good” food? by Catherine

Catherine — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:51:55 +0000

I think maybe there are really three categories. Good food – healthy AND good for the cravings – is the jackpot, but it’s not always easy to come by. Well-made comfort food that isn’t necessarily healthy (I’ll go with the example of a bowl of mash with loads of butter) is still good food, even if it isn’t the wisest thing to have all the time, and gourmets are wrong to turn up their noses at it just because it’s simple and popular. Then there’s junk – it’s not accomplished OR healthy, so gourmets are right to dismiss it, but it IS popular. (Think KFC or takeaway pizza.) Most people crave it at some point, but the ones who really care about food do it with a vague kind of self-loathing. It sounds like the packaged korma sauces, at least according to the critics who reviewed them, fall into the “junk” category. They’ll hit the spot if you’re craving salt, so they’re popular, but they don’t count as good food. (I’m just working off the reviews, of course – I haven’t tasted the sauces.)

Comment on Language Study in India by supersaps

supersaps — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:23:34 +0000

Yes, they do cost money. There are scholarships available for the year-long and summer programs (mentioned above). I received a FLAS grant from the Department of Education for this past summer.

Comment on What’s “good” food? by Sapna

Sapna — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:06:46 +0000

Catherine: I don’t know about the low blood pressure. I do know a lot of foods have been historically preserved with salt in parts of India.

Your comment makes me wonder even more what is the definition of “gourmet food”? Because for my personal tastes, I like my food to be both “comfort” and “gourmet” –on a daily basis. Good quality food that satisfies my cravings.

Comment on What’s “good” food? by Catherine

Catherine — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:48:03 +0000

For me, there’s a divide between fine dining, of the kind gourmets love, and comfort food, which tends to be the popular stuff. Now that I actually come to think of it, I’m not sure WHY I have that mental divide. I mean, well-made mash or barbecued spare ribs are as much evidence of skill, or even art, as well-cooked partridge or lobster bisque. Maybe it’s that comfort food is indulgent (like all that salt in Keralan food), while “fine” food is more restrained? Because of that, as much as I like certain comfort foods, I know I shouldn’t be eating them all the time, and I don’t tend to feel as good physically after them as I do after “fine” foods that tend to be more balanced. So I’m in the strange position of both agreeing with reviewers who disdain those foods, and loving them myself.

Or maybe that divide is just snobbery on the part of gourmets (and on my part)? I know there are some food writers and restaurant reviewers who have a lot of respect for “popular”, indulgent foods, if they’re well-made and tasty, and other writers who seem to enjoy turning their noses up at the foods the masses like.

On the other hand, the fact that a food is popular, or a big seller, doesn’t necessarily mean that people love it. Packaged korma sauces could just be easy and inexpensive – but that doesn’t mean that the people eating them wouldn’t rather dine at the Ritz every night, if they could.

Yeesh – as usual, I seem to have argued all sides of the discussion without coming to any conclusion. Put it this way: I think that the popularity of gourmets means that many people have some objective standard of what makes “good” food, apart from what they actually crave (and I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing – what we crave is often neither accomplished nor healthy). But it’s also possible that people just fall in with what the “experts” say they should like or want.

(Side note: Is there a tendency towards low blood pressure among Keralites? Margaret’s got low blood pressure and is a salt fiend – it’s a form of self-medicating.)

Comment on Language Study in India by languagestudy

languagestudy — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:47:38 +0000

must be a expensive experience . .

Comment on Language Study in India by Kristy

Kristy — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:20:25 +0000

When I did study abroad in Pune we were based out of Deccan College where AIIS also was. Their classes looked very intensive with lots of one-on-one training.