The Shade Of Breakfast
Today Shaji and Dalila are away at a family celebration.
Our breakfast was a café affair.
Picture taken in the Sri Krishna Café, Fort Cochin
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Sunday Morning Variations
Before..
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After..
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The reckoning…
It is Sunday morning.
Shaji and Dalila are taking their day of rest: there is no one to prepare our breakfast.
Robin, Anu and I try out the puri masala breakfast in a new Fort Cochin restaurant.
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The Reckoning
Father and son settle their breakfast bill at Sri Krishna Cafe.
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Picture taken while waiting for breakfast this morning, in Fort Cochin.
Night And Day
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Initially, arriving back at our guest-house, we failed to notice there was no electric power.
But as the darkness grew ever denser, it became very apparent.
Not only were we unable to read, the temperature had begun to plummet.
There was little to do other than listen to our anxious host attempting to start his petrol-powered generator.
Once light was regained, he invited us to join his family in “the kitchen”: a large, gloriously warm room, heated by a wood-stove.
Suddenly, we were en famille with four generations of Ladakhis:
the owner’s grandmother with her beads and prayer-wheel, oblivious to our presence and perpetually focused on another world;
his mother supervising the cooking; his wife serving us hot and delicious food;
the host himself, along with his brother, joining us for supper;
the youngest generation, fluent in English and busy on the internet.
All of us, seated on mats and cushions.
The room warm and welcoming, but without even a single chair.
When the meal finished, a gas-stove was taken up to our bedroom.
The generator continued to give lighting for almost another hour – but there was only ice-cold water for washing.
We disconnected the stove’s gas cylinder, turned off the light switches, then buried ourselves under several layers of thick blankets..
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At seven o’clock the next morning we were awoken with a large pot of hot Tibetan tea: an infusion of tea-leaves, butter, sugar and salt.
Thirty minutes later, a single bucket of hot water arrived.
Though the bathroom was so desperately cold that we could only stand on its freezing floor if wearing shoes, it was finally our chance to wash!
After shamefully hasty ablutions, and having dressed as quickly as possible, the warm kitchen again awaited us,
along with an amazing breakfast of freshly cooked, hot pitta breads, butter, local apricot jam and steaming cups of coffee.
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Pictures taken in the Namra Guesthouse, Tingmosgang, Ladakh.
Home Cooking
For the last couple of years, while Shaji & Dalila take their well deserved day of rest, Anu my houseboy, Robin my good friend, and I have relied on Sri Krishna Café for our Sunday breakfast.
But Sri Krishna’s excellent chef is taking a couple of month’s leave, and its usually delicious fare has taken a distinct dive.
Step up young Anu!
This morning as dawn broke, having greeted me with my customary cup of chai masala,
Anu started preparing breakfast for the three of us.
Fresh onion oothapams and coconut chutney, alongside some fish and mango curry and dahl leftovers from yesterday’s supper.
It was truly delicious.
Fanny would have been proud of him!
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Or possibly not..
An Invitation To Breakfast
On Sundays, with Shaji & Dalila taking well-earned rest, we normally breakfast at Sri Krishna Café.
But Shaji & Dalila moved into their new home last week and yesterday they kindly invited us to a house-warming breakfast.
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Shaji’s mother was introduced.
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Gifts and congratulations were proffered.
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Appams and a delicious chilli fish curry was served with fresh chilled melon juice.
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Finally, a farewell family pose:
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A Full English In Fort Cochin
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In the happy company of my sister and brother-in-law, and with Shaji and Dalila taking their well-deserved day off,
Sunday’s “Full English Breakfast” was taken at Teapot.
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Fried eggs, tomatoes and baked beans
Bowls of fresh tropical fruits
Toast butter and blackcurrant jam
Freshly pressed pineapple juice
Pots of coffee
And for Anu: masala omelette.
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An interesting contrast to our regular Sunday mornings at the Sri Krishna Café.
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Neither Use Nor Ornament 