Yesterday's Midday carried an article on a Tea expert who organizes private tea-tasting sessions. Tea being the most favourite and the only item (?) I can make decently well [go watch the youtube video before reading any further], I was intrigued on what a 'tea tasting' session was all about.
Quoting from the Mid day, Teacup India is the brainchild of Radhika Batra in Bandra where she home delivers exotic organic tea that she's personally chosen from plantations in India, China and Africa. "Teas are like fine wines ; their qualities reflect their origin", says Batra. The article goes on to talk about her credentials, her gyaan on black tea, colours of chai and so on.
Bearable till now. But there was a 'box' in the article where Batra talks about 'Etiquettes of drinking tea' . Read these etiquettes: [comments in red.. he he - me!]
1. Take small bites of food so that you can converse politely.
Applicable only to Shobaaa Deeee, Queenie Dhody and other people from the other side of Peddar road
2. Never extend you "pinkie" (little finger) when holding your tea cup
If little finger is a 'pinkie' , what would you call the middle finger? 'Blackie'?
3. Never gesture with utensils and cutlery while speaking
One 'blackie' for Batra please
After reading crap like these, I think I have discovered this new career for myself. From now on...from this moment, I am the 'Thayir-saadam-etiquette-trainer-cum-tasting-expert' in Mumbai.
KNOW YOUR THAYIR SAADAM
Thayir saadam is definitely not for the size-minus-zero types of Peddar road and beyond. Girls and women who say "I have put on weight yaa" every two minutes looking at their 22" waist please don't read any further. This article is also not for people who eat carrot sticks, boiled beans and sprouts for lunch.
Thayir saadam owes its origin to Tamilnadu. Thayir saadam needs to be prepared for a minimum of three people which will eventually consumed by one person. Low-fat curd, brown rice are a strict no-no for Thayir saadam. And most importantly no calling Thayir saadam by other names - Yogurt rice, Thayir choru, Curd rice and so on.
ETIQUETTES OF EATING THAYIR SAADAM
1. Eating Thayir saadam with a spoon is bad manners.
2. Ensure that portions of it come out of the gaps between your fingers again and again as you mix generous portions of curd and rice .
3. Don't eat with the edges of your fingers. Always use your hand, take a mouthful and shove it in your mouth.
4. Never not talk while eating Thayir saadam. Have long conversations with Thayir saadam in your mouth.
5. It is important to vazhichify the plate with your hands and fingers and eat till the last bite as the thayir flows down your hand.
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Tell me, do I have a good future as 'Thayir-saadam-etiquette-trainer-cum-tasting-expert'?
19 Responses:
of course yes..;) I was a thayir saadam hater, only till I found the maavadu and vengaya sambhar which went so well with our beloved thayir saadam..
Ha ha. Definitely! Idhu dhaan the secret behind 'Vishwanathan velai vendum' a?
Mokkai...not very good..surely they would reject it
vinay
Was rolfing like hell.. I want a job like this too....
so,what do you think is an acceptable side for thayir saadham? Is it bad etiquette to eat it with left over punjabi sabjis
soooberu :D
know i like ur blog but i seriously do not understand, for this post specifically, why u found her etiquettes odd. we eat small portions os we dont choke or splutter food. poking out small finger is like trying to say u need to visit the loo. and gesturing with cutlery might hurt people (imagine getting jabbed with a fork). this is stuff everybody learns in finishing schools anyway...so ummm...well...in any case, ur posts are very interesting :)
alternate career brilliant!
you forgot urlakazhangu curry and/or vadumanga
5. It is important to vazhichify the plate with your hands and fingers and eat till the last bite as the thayir flows down your hand.
How about adding little further....
"Make sure slurpppppp slurpp sound comes out of your mouth"
Hahaha! Enjoyed this immensely!
We should have a Thayyir Saadam ceremony lke the Japs have Cha ceremonies - you should see one of these for sheer reidiculousness - to promote harmony within the household
Oh yes! You do.
There are versions of Thair Sadams that can put Tea leaves to shame. You can source them from kitchens of Udipi, Palakkad or Madurai or Chennai and have a Thair Sadam Hogging Festival in Matunga.
And what the best pickle that goes best with Thair Sadam? Your expert advice please.
Best pickle: Mavadu, Narthangai
Ultimate post! My mom read and was in splits too :D
Narthangai, Manga Tokku, Avakaya, Veppalaikatti, Mavadu etc has to accompany the said Thayir Saadam.
Super idea..go for it. Let the Mid-day known that Thayir Saadam is not just for Mid-day..it is for anytime of the day and anyday.
I second narendra :)
Ah the bliss called thayir sadham.. mmmmmm...
u go girl!!!!! righ righ!!!
why the hell didnt any one mention Moremolagai or thalichukottina thaiyr sadham ?
Loved the poem and other post .. but very disappointed that these were not mentioned ! :)
a first timer in your blog !
excellent post u r the thayir sadam conoissuer
Nicely written article.
Long live thayir saadam !!
Seriously, we want a sequel to this. Thayir Sadham with maavadu or naarthanga. The subtleties in taste between a Naarthanga bought at Thaayar diary in Mambalam Station Road and Sharada Stores is akin to the differences between Tea leaves from Darjeeling and Assam. You can definitely make a career out of it!!
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