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Boots have stormed the fashion scene like never before. Trimmings of fur,
studded with zircons, fancy buckles, animal prints... just take your pick
“Knee-length boots are definitely in, considering that it is both winter and the party season,” says city-based designer Micky Chhabra. “Team it up with a short dress or a short balloon skirt and you are ready for the show.” But a word of caution from Micky, “You have to have the confidence to carry this look.” But, if you are not tall enough or lack that rock-solid confidence level to carry a pair, there are other options available too like a calf-length pair to go with a long skirt or an ankle-length one to go with a pair of rolled-up jeans. Micky Chhabra-10 boasts of a jazzy range — knee-length leather ones with wedge or pencil heel adorned with zircon strings or buckles, embroidery or even fur trimmings. The range starts from Rs 2,225 and goes up to Rs 2,575. Those ankle-length ones are available for Rs 1,995 onwards. Bright colours is the USP of the collection here — black, brown, beige, red, silver, golden and white with metallic finish. At Whistles-17 both ankle-length and calf-length boots are available in polyurethane and suede. Adding zing are fur and woolen trimmings, zircon-studded buckles and buttons. Available in black, white, brown and beige, the price tag reads somewhere between Rs 1,095 and Rs 1,199. Shoe Tree-17 offers a wide range in colour and design. “Bright colour and wedge heeled ones are really in,” says Anil of Shoe Tree. Here one can find combinations of black and maroon and the ones in polyurethane come with crocodile or snake leather finish. Apart from the usual black, brown and beige ones, there are pairs in available in copper, golden and white in metallic finish. The price range starts from Rs 1,780 and goes up to Rs 2,500. Mochi-17 offers variety in terms of material. It has leather ones in spiral design from Red Tape available for Rs 1,795, calf-length velvet boots for Rs 1,690 and lycra and leather mixed pairs for Rs 1,690. Available here is also Lee Cooper’s knee-length boots in crushed leather for Rs 1,785.The colour options are golden, copper, silver and metallic brown. Chief-17 and Sant-17 too offer a good selection of knee-length and ankle-length boots in leather and suede. The price range starts from Rs 1,500 onwards. At Bata-17, one finds pure leather ankle and calf-length boots for Rs 1,500. However, the colour available here is only black and the designs are not too elaborate. So go and pick a pair that complements you and be the reason of envy in your party circuit!
parbina@tribunemail.com
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Coffee & more...
YOU have to go for a date and are bemused. Dating in parks is archaic and oh-so-down market. Watching a movie together at FR will leave you poorer, dining out at local eateries comes with the chances of bumping into a known face from neighbourhood... So, where do you go? Well, the nearby coffee shop. With bright interiors, aroma of coffee beans, comfortable couches, tasteful music and most importantly, no count on the hours you spend here, coffee shops make ideal dating places. We take the verdict of the owners and young visitors of these shops to gauge what makes these places happening.
“Meeting over a cup of coffee adds to your style quotient,” echo our couples. Why? Simple, it’s the ‘in’ thing, you see, all this talk on coffee and conversation. Well, well, we’ve all heard that. “Coffee culture is big now and one can enjoy a cuppa anytime,” say Mandeep and Nagina, owners Bakes & Beans-10. Flexible coffee timing sure is the USP. “It’s the place for an informal outing,” says Garima, a regular at the coffee shop at MountView-10. So, is dating at coffee shops easy on the pocket? Well, if one was to look at the price list, not really. But considering that you can sit over a cuppa for hours, it does sound like an economical date. At Mocha-26, besides coffee, it’s the hookah that lets one lounge for as long as one pleases, 45 minutes being the minimum to enjoy it. Also suggest some youngsters, “These places offer a lot of scope for birdwatching, especially for regulars who can find themselves a date here.” And, their mission is made simpler by the message boards placed here that allow you leave sweet little notes. “It’s the easiest and safest way to approach a girl,” smiles Vikram, a regular at CCD-11. Says another CCD lover Smriti, “Guys who play the guitar here catch my attention.” Now, considering that these cafes are emerging as heaven for lovers, do people pay heed to the exchange of sweet nothings here? Not really. Say the youth, “The concept of dating has changed somewhat. It’s no longer a quiet date for twosome, rather a time when one can unwind and de-stress in a group. Chips in Rahul, “We simply relax here. Over a game of dumb charades and coffee.” Sitting comfortably on the sofa at Mr. Beans-10, he adds, “It feels like home.” And what about the music, does that play a role too, we wonder. “We play the World Space, “ says Rekha of Java Dave’s-10. And, they do change the music as per the crowd’s preference. At Barista-11, says manager Lalit Sharma, “It’s jazz and rock that rule.” Hmm...Now that’s what we call, my kind of place. Well, so next time when you want to enjoy stolen moments or chill out in a group, you know where to head.
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Fusion Dressing
TIRED of getting wrapped in layers of woollens? Looking for something that’ll keep you warm as well as notch up your stylometer? Well, how about flaunting a kurti? Yes, the good ol’ kurti is ruling the winter wardrobe too. Thicker fabric, vibrant hues, richer work, finer details and smarter cuts, run through this style check on the wintry kurtis.
Summer fabrics like cotton and chikan have given way to cotton silk, tussar, twill, pashmina silk, cotton jute and much more. At Suvasa-8 are kurtis in cotton silk mix, twill, chanderi and cotton jute. Feminine cuts, kurtis in bright pinks and greens with embroidery on the sleeves and slits, is a perfect winter buy. Also on the shelves are trendy pieces in brocade. A must buy is a black brocade kurti with traditional motifs in golden. Short woolen kurtis, predominately in shades of brown are priced at Rs 600. Woolen capes can be picked for Rs 850. Talk of patterns and it’s either floral, polka dots or block prints. At Missprints-8, there are floral-inspired pieces in twill, spun, tussar and more. Kurtis in paper silk with sequin work on the neckline are priced at Rs 1,050. Ribbon work and block prints on cotton khadi (Rs 700 onwards) and cotton jute (Rs 800) are mostly in hues of black, brown and green. Cotton silk kurtis with kantha work or paisley jaal can be picked for Rs 900 onwards. For those who wish to design their very own kurtis, they can take a pick from fabrics here. Fabrics like Pashmina silk and Bhagalpur silk is priced at Rs 2,400 onwards. Slightly less priced at Rs 1,700 onwards is material in tussar silk and raw tussar. Another chain from Jaipur is the one-week-old store Anokhi-7. Silk kurtis with pintex work, printed tussar and wrinkled silk are on their shelves. Magenta, olive, green and of course black are the ruling colours here. Angrakha-style kurtis with inners are priced at Rs 1,450 onwards. Single layer sequin adorned collar neck kurtis come for Rs 550 onwards. Interestingly, you can team these up with jeans or harem salwars also. Wrinkled silk, sleeveless kurtis can be worn with double-layered jackets, priced at Rs 4,800. At Suvasa, there are quilted cotton coats for Rs 2,200. Fabindia-9 has wool-felt coats starting from Rs 1,700 onwards. These can be worn with silk kurtis in basic colours or woolen kurtis. The latter in double shades of yellow-green, rust-beige and more are priced at Rs 1,835. Printed pieces in khadi are also on offer here. You can throw in a wool-knit scarf or a stole to make a fusion statement. So, what are you waiting for? Take your pick from the palette and sport them with salwaars or churidaars for the Indian look or with a pair of trousers or denims for the fusion look. purva@tribunemail.com |
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Calendar of adventure
IF you want to adopt adventure sports as a lifestyle or even if you can only manage to squeeze in an activity or two at intervals, you will get the most out of your time, energy and money if you plan well in advance. So here’s a ready reckoner on what happens when and where in India, and the best season to learn if you are a novice. I am listing only the most popular adventure activities – because the infrastructure is already in place and you have more options when it comes to choosing locales, instructors and accommodation. Be adventurous and have a great year! Skiing & Snowboarding
Best season to learn: January-February Snorkelling & Diving
Best season to learn: November-March Rafting & Kayaking
Best season to learn: May-June Mountain Biking
Best season to learn: March-May (This column appears fortnightly) |
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Health Peg
Bad news for people with diabetes who are fond of sugarfree chewing gums. A report in the British Medical Journal Friday highlighted the cases of some patients who lost up to a fifth of their bodyweight after chewing sugar-free chewing gums.
The study described the sweetener used in sugar-free chewing gums as the culprit that, according to researchers, triggers several health disorder including weight loss, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. The sweetener Sorbitol, also known as E 420, is used in some toothpastes and thousands of other products too. Herbert Lochs and Juergen Bauditz from the University of Berlin studied two patients with chronic diarrhoea, abdominal pain and substantial weight loss. They underwent extensive investigation before a detailed analysis of their eating was undertaken. It was found that both had been consuming large amounts of sugarfree gum and sweets, the online edition of the Daily Mail reported. The first patient, a 21-year-old woman, chewed around 15 sticks of gum a day, while the second, a 46-year-old man, chewed 20 sticks of gum and ate up to 200 grams of sweets every day. Both lost their weight substantially, the study says. After they started a Sorbitol-free diet, their diarrhoea stopped and they gained weight. Lochs said the cases were unusual because the consumption of sorbitol was not enormously high yet the effects had been serious. He said people, particularly diabetics, who buy low-sugar or sugar-free foods should be aware of the fact that too much Sorbitol might be ‘dangerous’ for them. —
IANS |
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Pamela Anderson has denied reports that she is pregnant, despite recent news to the contrary. Rumours of the former Baywatch babe’s pregnancy was sparked when TMZ.com reported that her hubby Rick Salomon had been telling friends that Anderson had been ‘acting crazy’ because of her pregnancy hormones and is still hopeful of reconciliation. But on Jan 10, the former Playboy playmate posted the denial on her blog. When talking about her on-off marriage with her husband of three months, Salomon, she said: “I wish him the best. It’s a can of worms,” she said. “Big, fat juicy worms, but worms,” she added. — ANI
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Exhi Watch
THEY came, they saw and they learnt how strategically important the city is for giving a boost to the Indian handloom industry. So, with a renewed vigour, Hyderabad-based Revathi Creative Communications has brought back Weaves, the Cotton and Silk Spectrum at the same venue as last year — Kisan Bhavan-35. Within the spectrum fall 42 stalls from various states with their specialties in silk and cotton.
One gets enticed, but also a little confused at the choice available here —textured Bhagalpuri silk, Karnataka silk that is termed as the ‘queen of silk’, Chanderi, Maheshwari and tussar from Madhya Pradesh, Bomkai, Sambalpuri sarees from Orissa, Baluchari sarees from West Bengal and so on. So it comes as quite a relief when Revathi’s managing director Sarveshwar Reddy gives us a guided tour. “We have brought quite a few new stalls this time,” says Reddy, pointing at the Aabaran Boutique from New Delhi and a stall of Lucknow chikan from Lucknow. Designer Indrani Gupta of Aabaran show the huge collection of tussar, Ghicha silk, Bagcha silk and pure silk sarees. Plus, it’s exclusive range of their wedding collection, all in Balu Chari and Bankai silk that ranges around Rs 4,500 to Rs 5,000. Kahkashan of Lucknow has designed suits and sarees in traditional chikan and shadow work. What’s new is kasap, embroidery derived from chikan art but with metallic wires. But, is it wise to bring such a wide collection of sarees to an area known for preferences for salwaar suits ? “After last year’s success we felt compelled to give a free hand to our weavers. They had learnt people’s preference here by personal interaction and looking at the response we are not disappointed,” says Madhavi Naidu, co-ordinator of the exhibition. Looking at the striking colours and weaves that have lit up the venue, we are not disappointed too. For, each piece is a work of art, like the bridal sarees in Karnataka silk and pure gold zari work may cost one Rs 60,000, but the intricacy of the work is mind-boggling. So is the work on Galwal sarees with golden border from Mahabub Nagar district, from where comes the attire of Lord Venkateshwar of Tirupati. “Balaji wears sarees only made in this small place,” informs Reddy. An exhibition worth a visit, if not to enrich your wardrobe, then to enrich yourself about our rich and diverse textile tradition. On till January 16 |
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As part of its Sahayak programme, Fortis Hospital-Mohali, organised a yoga session for dialysis patients at the hospital auditorium. Yogi Buddhadeva (Dr Deepesh) conducted the session for patients suffering from acute renal failure as well as chronic renal failure. Over 100 patients participated in the session. Yogi Buddhadeva taught the patients how to keep the urogenital system healthy and explained how yoga can help in maintaining the water equilibrium in body. Various asanas like Margari (Cat), Usstra (Camel), Trikon (Triangular), Udrakarshan and Vajrasan were demonstrated to the patients. Says Dr Ashok V. Chordiya, medical director, Fortis, “At Fortis, we believe along with medicine, a holistic approach is also necessary. Yoga is helpful in such cases and that is why we organise this session to benefit all dialysis patients.” Fortis also celebrated Lohri with the patients. — TNS
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Lone string, multiple hues
ANYONE who has ever passed by Old Delhi, has surely been awestruck by the colours that dot the sky there. Kite flying or patang baazi, as they call, is the hobby of the people here. On Friday, one such kite flying passionate and specialist, struck the right chord with city’s enthusiasts. Syed Jamaluddin, who claims to be the only person in the country who can fly more than 1,100 kites on a single string, set the mood of Lohri at Sukhna . The event organised by a jeweller saw many try their hand at kite flying.
Thirty-one-year-old Jamaluddin started accompanying his father at kite flying events from the age of 12. “I would get fascinated with the sizes and shapes of the kites of international participants,” he says. And, soon he picked up the skill of both making and flying kites from his father, Bhai Mian, as he’s called in the kite-flying fraternity. In 1993, he created a 12 x 6 sq.ft fish-shaped kite. Later, to commemorate the 50 years of Independence he crafted a 20X20 sq.ft Tricolour kite and flew it at an event in Delhi. His amazing flight on a single string took shape during a Dubai shopping festival in 1996. “I flied 1,187 kites on a single string then. It was the huge area that encouraged me to give it a shot,” he recalls. So, what are the things one should keep in mind when attempting such a feat? “The kites have to be of the same size, approximately the same weight and placed at an equal distance from each other,” he says. “And to maintain the right amount of pressure, he uses one bamboo string and the rest is steel wire. Jamaluddin runs a jewellery shop in Delhi and this is his hobby. Next on his wish list is to fly 2,100 kites on a single string, for which he has already approached the team of a TV show. We wish him luck. |
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beauty studio
OUR bodies exfoliate all the time – there could not be better examples than dandruff and dry skin. Exfoliation removes dead skin cells to show a new and better skin surface to the world. While manual exfoliation using scrubs and masks is great for the skin, it fails to address problems such as wrinkles, fine lines, age spots, blemishes, large pores, photo ageing and sun damage, deep lines or wrinkles, hyper-pigmentation, acne marks and scars. The magic word for problem skins is chemical peels — exfoliation using chemical peels works wonders on such skins.
Peels are the only secret with today’s celebrities for keeping their skin looking younger and fresher. Skin peeling is now so common that it is no longer considered a celebrity secret. It is now part of skin care routines all over the world, whether done at the spa or at home with peel kits. Millions have been won-over by chemical peels for delivering a no-hype method for renewing aged or damaged skin. While the world is going crazy with Botox or Restylane, peels offer more natural and less invasive treatments. They unplug pores, preventing white and black heads. They also regulate the release of natural oils, keeping the skin moist and free of lines. Regular peeling decreases pore size and minimises many types of superficial scars. All of this makes the skin look tighter, healthier, more beautiful and more youthful. By removing damaged outer layers of skin, chemical peels help reduce the appearance of facial folds, and crow’s feet as well. Chemical peels are proven skin rejuvenating products and your choice of treatments is endless. Peels have been around since 1937 and been used by thousands. In India, chemical peel products are slowly creeping into the world of skin care. Whatever products you consider, make safety an issue. Go by the MSDS (manufactures safety data sheet). An intense form of exfoliation will smoothen and repair the skin’s surface but one wrong step could damage your skin forever. This treatment is best handled by a professional. However, if you plan to go ahead with one of the home kits knowing your skin type is extremely important here, wrong choice could leave you with damaging results for life time. (This column appears fortnightly)
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Eggcellent
If it is the simple classic form that you want to bite into, then, just walk to your local market and spot a vendor selling boiled eggs. Served with chutney, made out of hari mirch and dhaniya, two eggs cost a mere Rs 5 here. Tells Ram Kumar, the vendor in Sector-15, “ I sell around 200 eggs a day.” Kumar also adds salt, pepper and chopped onions as garnishing to the boiled delight. A perfect meal for this chilly weather are these vendors’ special egg pakodas . At Rs 15 a plate, the egg is dipped in besan, fried and served with tomato ketchup or dhaniya chutney. From Indian to Spanish to Africa, 16 varieties of omelettes are served at Mocha-26. Must try here includes the Sri Lankan omelette made with red onions, chillies and curry leaves. For cheese lovers there is the Spanish variation. A mix of spicy lamb and eggs is the yummy African omelette. And, for all those calorie conscious there is Waist Watchers, made out of white egg only and served with a plain toast. If you like to keep it simple then bite into the cheese fluffy omelette at Indian Coffee House. Other options here include a tomato omelette for Rs 17. You can even try the egg dosa and egg uttapam here; just for Rs 23. Scrambled and French toast is what rules here each morning.All bhurji lovers can head to the parantha walas in the city and gorge on a bhurji of two eggs for Rs 10 a plate. If you wish you can combine it with an egg parantha and a dollop of butter. Over 20 kg of flour is used just for making egg parantha each single day tell the parantha walas, Sector-11. So, go ahead and relish your kind of egg delight!
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BON APPETIT
Lonavala style peanut chikki 1 cup roasted peanuts 1 cup grated jaggery (gur) 1 tbsp ghee 1 tbsp fennel (saunf) Method Skin and crush the peanuts roughly. Keep a lightly greased baking sheet or a shallow tray ready. Heat ghee in a heavy pan and add jaggery. Roast it till it changes colour to a rich brown. Turn off the heat, tip the peanuts and the fennel into the bubbling jaggery and stir to evenly coat the nuts. Now, you need to work really quickly, for the mixture threatens to solidify within seconds. Scrape it out on to the waiting sheet and flatten down with an oiled rolling pin. Allow it to cool before breaking up into pieces. You may substitute the peanuts with puffed rice (murmure) and slivers of dry coconut for an interesting variation. Almond chikki 3 cups sugar ¾ cup water 1 ½ cup chopped almonds, roasted Ghee for greasing Method Keep a greased sheet/ tray ready as in the previous recipe. Combine sugar and water in a heavy pan and allow it to simmer over medium heat till the sugar dissolves. Turn up the flame and boil the syrup steadily till it thickens and attains a darker colour. This could take 10-12 minutes though the colour of the sugar is the best cue for doneness. So aim for a golden honey shade. Remove from heat, stir in the almonds and immediately pour on to the baking sheet. Flatten the thinnest best you can with the greased underside of a ladle or a rolling pin. Instead of almond, the chief guest here can also be cashewnut or pistachio. Sesame Brittle 1 cup sugar 1 tbsp ghee ¼ tsp baking soda 2 cups sesame seeds ¼ cup roasted peanuts Method Combine the sugar and ghee in a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar melts. Cook further on high heat till it acquires a golden colour. Do not leave unattended as the molten liquid can scorch very swiftly indeed! Add soda and then the sesame seeds and the crushed peanuts. Pour onto a sheet and proceed to level out as before. If the mixture has congealed before you’ve attained a satisfactory smoothness, pop the sheet into a hot oven for a few seconds. Remove when slightly warm and attack again with the rolling pin.
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Ginger Spice
Remember the brown gingerbread man? Well, his delectable preparations can now be picked from city bakers. For, ginger bread is now a much sought-after health food and is supposed to clean your stomach too. Ready to be relished is also a huge variety of ginger-flavoured breads, cakes and cookies. Next, there is the ginger ale. Served at city coffee shops, it’s a hit with youth at Café Coffee Day. The trendy drink, a concoction of ginger and lime concentrate with soda, has a soothing effect too. Fruit juices made with ginger concentrate are also now creeping in. These concentrates can be preserved and mixed with fruit pulp to make a refreshing drink. A must have for the non-vegetarians is the ginger fish. A gift by the Bengali community to us, it is prepared by marinating the fish with ground ginger, pepper and salt, and then fried. Chinese cuisine also offers the same dish, but sans pepper and oil. You can enjoy it steamed or boiled. Hong Kong -11 serves the ginger fish of your choice. Now, how can we leave our Punjabi ginger paranthas behind? Perfect for this season, all you need for the stuffing is ginger paste, turmeric, red chilly powder and coriander leaves. These paranthas have even made it to the menu cards of some restaurants, Baithak-Manimajra is one such place. If you’re a rice lover, then relish ginger rice with vegetables. Or how about steamed rice with ginger curry? South Indian food lovers must taste pulinji or sour ginger curry. This Tamilian dish is prepared with tamarind, chillies, mustard and of course a large quantity of ginger. Then there is ginger candy (another Tamil creation), ginger pickle (a Kerala endeavour) and ginger halwa (from Rajasthan). Well, so go ahead and taste these spicy variations.
—TNS lifestyletribune@gmail.com |
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WITH the winter chill forcing one to wear layers and layers of clothes, the fashion scene has gone for a toss. If your imagination has stopped functioning beyond matching up a pair of jeans with heavy coats and sweaters, then it’s time to take a round of city shoe stores. A pair of boots may just be the solution to take care of all your fashion woes. After all, those knee-length boots do not just transform you to a fashion icon, but protect you from the cold too.
THESE are winter sports and the best months are January-March though some years there is adequate snow till mid-April. The season then begins again in November-December. The best places to learn are Solang (Himachal) and Auli (Uttarakhand). Solang has a great atmosphere and you get to know many of India’s top skiers. But there is only one slope and the ski lift is not as efficient as the one in Auli. Once you have learned, Gulmarg (J&K) is the best place to practise with its many slopes of varying difficulty. To upgrade ability, you need new slopes because after running a slope three times you can anticipate its dips and bumps and the surprise element is lost.
THESE activities can be done from January-April and again from October-December. The interruption in the middle is due to the monsoon when the sea is rough. You can learn to snorkel and dive in Goa, Lakshadweep and Andamans. You can also go to Pondicherry, where the best times are October and March. Other months are not recommended due to poor visibility and undercurrents. Goa is a sensible choice for learning because it costs less to travel there and there is always the chance that you might find the activity not to your liking. However, visibility is not as good as in Lakshadweep and Andamans. After learning, do visit Lakshadweep considered among the world’s top ten diving destinations.
WHITEWATER sports are done from January-June and September-December on the Ganga, Bhagirathi and Alaknanda. On the Beas, the best months are May-June and September-October. When the monsoon swells these rivers, the action shifts to dry Ladakh’s Indus and Zanskar during July-August. Rafting is a team activity while kayaking is solo. So see where your inclination lies. The adventure tour operators who run commercial trips also organise kayaking courses on the Ganga and you can join one. However, few people want to sign up for rafting courses so they are not held regularly. Usually, tour operators teach only those people who join them as river guides. But they are happy to organise a course for anyone wanting to learn rafting as a hobby. Sports institutes hold courses in flat water kayaking on reservoirs and lakes but these courses will be of no use to you if you want to learn whitewater kayaking, so beware.
THERE are no formal courses for this activity. If you didn’t learn to ride a bicycle as a child, then you will first have to go through the tumbles and scraped knees before you can enjoy riding a many-geared bike that lets you climb and descend grassy hillsides, muddy paths and boulder-strewn terrain in a jiffy. There are short as well as long itineraries with trails of varying grades in Himachal, Uttarakhand and Ladakh offered by adventure tour operators in Manali, Shimla, Rishikesh and Leh. You can also choose to stay in tents or in hotels. Do the trails around Rishikesh during January-March, the Himachal trails during April-June and the Ladakh ones during the monsoon months. During September-December, the Uttarakhand and Himachal trails can be done until the snow arrives.
For a very very long time now we have sung the jingle, Sunday ho ya Monday roz khao ande. Fried, scrambled, boiled, poached, pakodas, omelette, paranthas, dosas, biryani, the good ol’ egg has come a long way. One of the nature’s perfect form of protein, it’s ideal for breakfast, a quick snack or dinner. We track down the city eateries that serve eggcellent dishes.
All about eggs...
LONAVALA, a charming little hill station near Mumbai, is the source of all good chikki (apart from exporting extras to the Bollywood!) Here, more than 125 years ago, a gentleman called Shri Maganlal sold a crumbly mixture called “gur-daana” (gur and peanuts) from a huge sack. The combination being rich in iron and protein, was consumed for instant energy by labourers laying the Khandala-Pune railway line. Gur-daana gradually graduated to chikki, which has remained the bread and butter of Maganlal’s family for several generations ever since. Outside of India, a similar candy goes by the name “Brittle” due to its crunchy character. The cooking process requires some tough stirring, but go on, try doing a batch at home!
YOUR throat aches and your grandmother gives you some pungent stuff to chew, a cough and you get the same remedy, you have a tummy ache and again the same thing is fed to you. And, soon you realise that the stuff is actually working wonders. Guessing what’s this wonder-pill? It’s our very own ginger. From being a quick home remedy to being enjoyed as a drink, curry, halwa, cookies or pickle, ginger has indeed come a long way. We help you get started on relishing the spice that comes with a promise to soothe, please and cure.