south indian filter coffee

when it is good, it is so good. they have very very strong coffee, almost
like syrup, undrinkable black, to which they add very very hot milk and
sugar and you get a small cup, almost espresso size with bubbles over the
top. it is served very hot, and in some places you have a second cup and the
waiter pours it back and forth from one metal cup to the other. it is filled
to the very top, so there is often a saucer underneath. it is specifically
'south indian filter coffee' and has some chicory in it. It really is one of
those things that is made everywhere and you can go around town testing them
all out. one friend says we have to get to the place at 630 am because that
is the milk's first boil and it is even better then.

scroll down here to a good filter coffee photo and description:
http://kqedbayareabites.blogspot.com/2007/03/south-indian-rice-courses.jsp


so, completely different from what I drink in the US, but fantastic in its
own right. In the top ten things I will miss when we leave.

xmas

Life as usual in Bangalore, except Charles has the day off. We had lunch at Kamat - I had dosa and filter coffee and naan. I read the New Yorker my parents sent - thank you! I felt so up to date reading the Dec 25 2007 issue - I am reading it cover to cover. Just finished the Carver story. So nice to have time to actually read the New Yorker, even if it is much more expensive to get them.


Drinking elephant brand Ginger Beer which I really like - we had it in Sri Lanka and then saw it in the store here. I am thinking about checking out a new grocery store that I haven't been to - Spar. Will report back. With the ginger beer I am having cheese and crackers! havarti and cheddar. woo. while we wait for the Chimay beer to be delivered (I'll come in the morning, I'll be there in the afternoon, I'll be there by 7 pm, before 7:30 pm and woohooo he just arrived 8:14 pm)

And my friend Eric arrives tomorrow.

oh except we did hear LOTS of fireworks last night, probably around midnight.

Also coming up in January the Intl Film Festival in Bangalore. yay.

today

A day of small disappointments - went to russell market to get a few kitchen things, but the store was closed, but we did find a stone for
sharpening a knife that Charles wanted. And only about $2.

I wanted a heavy cotton duvet /comforter, went to one place that did not
have them. polyester only. called a bunch of others, they did not have them.
Went to Max Mueller to have a bratwurst lunch, but they are closed until
after NY. Went grocery shopping.

Came home and had Bacon Cheese tomato sandwiches, yum. then went to toy
store for travel scrabble, but they did not have it. tried two more places for heavy
cotton duvet,but no, anyway last place said we go pick fabric and
then go to some place near us (but of course nobody ever says exactly where,
you have to keep asking as you get closer and closer), so that is good in a
way, but won't happen so soon now, I am thinking. It is cold here in
Bangalore, well it has been, today was nice.

Charles bought cheetos that are horrible, some warped version. I
bought boursin spready cheese and fake ritz crackers and that is ok. Charles
is making cream of mushroom soup. oh and we had some nice gelato when
consoling ourselves that bratwurst was unavailable. so all was not lost.

Kerala

It was great staying in Fort Cochin - a very easy friendly walkable place. We stayed at Ann's Residency. Lots of tourists, but not as many as Goa. We also went on a houseboat - only for one night - I could've spent a week. A fine airport to fly into, only 90 min from Bangalore by air. Went to a Shiva festival, saw some fantastic murals, as lonely planet says, maybe the best in India! and saw a real life being used by jews synogogue! People were very friendly. If only it weren't so very hot there, but still worth it. nice laid back atmosphere. Plus we saw coir being spun into rope and loomed into doormats all manually.