Category Archives: Malayalam

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The wines of Kerala – Part 2

Category : Canada , Kerala , Malayalam , Niagara

English: Nutmegs (Myristica fragrans) on a tre...

മലയാളം: ജാതിക്ക (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Read the full series.

The aroma of the Niagara wines reminded me of the nutmeg shells. Probably nutmeg shells are deeply imprinted in my memory database. I should tell my Mom to try making nutmeg wine!

Wines of Kerala

Wines of Kerala

Mallu winemakers traditionally use Bharani (ഭരണി ), the locally available porcelain container with a lid as French or American oak is beyond their reach. Porcelain obviously cannot bestow the fruity flavour to the wine. So we may have to find an innovative container for wine making. കറുവാപട്ട  (Cinnamon) may be a good replacement for oak, though I am not sure whether the flavour will be too much. Anyways, I am sure my Mom adds cinnamon to the wine that she makes.

Grapes

Grapes

Apparently, the oak barrels are air tight with no residual air at the top. Air changes the flavour of the wine. Wine should be allowed to breath only when the bottle is opened, just like the infant takes the first birth after birth. Bharani’s are not airtight. So this may be an important limitation for wines of Kerala.

Do you have any tips to improve the taste of our wines?


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Pound foolish Vishu

Pounds Sterling
Pounds Sterling (Photo credit: 917press)
Today is Vishu, the malayalam new year. People wear new clothes and elders gift money to children called ‘vishukaineettam’. The latest TV advertisement of Kerala State Lottery shows this gifting ceremony. But there is a twist in the tale. What the person is gifting is not Indian rupee! It is a 2 pound sterling coin!! Time for introspection to all idolatrous Manglish speaking Mallus including me.
india kerala boat people
india kerala boat people (Photo credit: FriskoDude)
There are few hilarious TV ads in malayalam as well where Mohanlal buys, sells and does everything possible with gold. One hair oil ad rambles: “Why look at the face, everything is in the hair!!”  All the “kuri” ads try to be funny by emulating the comical Thrissur accent. Is it because all ‘kuri-companies’ are from Thrissur or is it because they (we) are the most gullible?

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