India Fashion Week: shopping

Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts

TRUMILK

Recently Kristen wrote about homemade ice cream and the loveliness that is eCreamery. The post and photos made my mouth water, so we decided to try out some ice cream.

We dug out the ice cream maker, Kushal found some rock salt and then I proceeded to burn the darn thing out. I may NEVER adapt to which sockets various appliances can be plugged into. The Husb surely thinks me a moron for having this horrible learning curve when it comes to voltage!

Soon after the recipe for Buttered Caramel, came a post from Kirsten about Cocoa Bean Chocolate and we had this comment dialogue ::

The point of this post though is not about the ice cream (although we DID eventually and successfully make Cinnamon Ice Cream by using the freezer vs the ice cream maker). We made the ice cream, but no one really wanted to eat it because it tastes like boxed milk.

The point of this post is more about milk and the fact that after two years here in India, we are finally all drinking it again!

So let's chat about milk.

In Delhi, the options for milk in the past have been Mother Dairy, Amul or Nestle.

Mother Dairy is a machine, and according to their website, markets approximately 2.8 million liters of milk daily in the markets of Delhi, Mumbai, Saurashtra and Hyderabad. They sell via 14,000 retail outlets and 845 exclusive outlets of Mother Dairy.

Nestle has seven manufacturing facilities and four branch offices across the country. They have over 6,000 products on the Indian market (crazy!), but I was unable to find information about how many liters of milk they sell per day. To learn more about their system and community service, read HERE.

Amul is a smaller company, with about 50 products on the Indian market, but they still churn out 11.2 million liters of milk per day.

As an aside :: India produces the largest number of liters of milk (and also at the lowest cost) followed by the United States, Germany and then Pakistan. (Source : Wikipedia)

"Urban India consumes over half of domestic milk production. Rising awareness about hygiene standards and preference against loose milk has prompted the urban consumer to switch to pasteurised packaged milk. This has created a demand of 140 million litres per day, which is expected to double in the next five years." (Source : India Today)

First came the fresh milk option ::

(Super cheap. Literally fresh (like still warm!) and scooped into your own container for about Rs. 15/liter. This milk must be boiled before consumption)

Then the bagged milk option ::

(About the same cost. This is your homogenized option and used just like the bags that are common in Canada. This milk does not need to be boiled, but most folks still do)

Then the boxed milk option (currently about Rs 52/box) ::

Down near the bottom, the box says UHT Treated. Toned Milk. Ultra-high temperature processing (UHT) provides a shelf life of 6-9 months (until opened) and causes a "browning" of sorts and a change of taste, due to the high heat.

(Now, just for perspective, all of the websites for UHT milk state that the shelf life is good "at room temperature" which in our kitchen (without air conditioning or a fan) holds between 30˚ and 35˚ depending on the day. Yuck)

UHT typically contains no preservatives. After being heated to approximately 275˚ for 1-2 seconds, the milk is then germ free. The milk is then typically packaged in a six-layer package (Nestle, Mother Dairy and Amul all claim this type of container) and there is no need to boil before consuming.

After two years with an option that I've never really been fond of since what I really wanted for my morning cereal was these,

I was beyond tickled pink to learn about TruMilk (currently about Rs 72 per jug, which is double the content of the Nestle box) ::

What sold me on trying TruMilk was (1) the jug with the screw top lid and (2) this piece of their marketing material :

We understand that you too are concerned about the quality of milk consumed by you and your family.

Like us, you probably worry about:

Unregulated hormone use
Unhygienic conditions in which cows are milked
Nasty diseases in cows or those people who milk them
Unrefrigerated milk lying in open buckets overnight awaiting collection (cows are milked twice daily, but milk only collected once daily...)
Flies and other things in the milk that just should not be anywhere near milk
Whether your milk came from cows that browse garbage dumps for food

Why yes, I do!

I'm starting to get long-winded here and am sounding like a member of the TruMilk marketing team!! (I'm not. They don't even know I'm writing this. I just want to spread the good word!)

To learn about their farms, click here. To learn about the safety of their production, click here. To learn about the cleanliness of their milk, click here. To learn about the freshness, click here.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not against the UHT milk because of the process, and I'm not a freak about preservatives, shelf life, etc. To me, it's all about the taste.

When I don't care for cold cereal and milk in the morning, and my ice cream doesn't taste good because the milk has previously been heat blasted, it makes me VERY excited about TruMilk!

We have since made a batch of TruMilk cinnamon ice cream and it is DA BOMB!!!

Want to try it out for yourself? STORE LOCATIONS HERE

NOTE :: this isn't your boxed milk that you're used to! It has a 4-5 day fridge shelf life and you will need to look carefully at the expiration date before purchasing, lest you end up back at home with milk that is only good for another day. FYI - Modern Bazaar gets their delivery from TruMilk on M, W and F.

INDOMANIA POTTERY TOUR ... part II

Part two of the Indomania Pottery Tour ...

Simple entertainment ...

Digging the bling!

This is a cute example of what happens when you start to take a photo of a group of kiddos. You start with a group of say, 4 kids. Then within seconds, you have a group of 20!

I wonder what she's thinking about?

Little one helping out.

I wonder if this little one wants to be like his papa one day ... a potter from Rajasthan. Hoping to fill his shoes ...

Ann was taking photos of these guys through the doorway. Precious.

Not quite finished yet ...

DILLI HAAT

Ask any foreigner where to go for souvenirs, take-home items and gifts, and you'll likely hear :: Dilli Haat.

(Haat means a traditional weekly village market)

As far as shopping goes, Dilli Haat creates a virtual shoppers paradise. Located in the center of Delhi, this bazaar offers a variety of shops selling all sorts of Indian handicraft items.

A joint collaboration between the New Delhi Municipal Corporation and the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Department, the basic idea of setting up this crafts bazaar was to promote the Indian handicrafts industry and Indian cuisine. Spread across 6 acres of land, Dilli Haat is situated on Sri Aurobindo Marg, opposite to the INA market.

There are as many as 62 stalls located within the complex. Craftsmen from different corners of India come over here to showcase their products. The products are reasonably priced. The shops and stalls are allotted to the sellers for 15 days and is then rotated so that other sellers get an opportunity to exhibit and sell their products.

The different kinds of items that are sold in the Dilli Haat in Delhi include footwear made from camel skin, brassware, sandalwood and rosewood carvings, handloom items, woolen and silk items, draperies, articles made from stone, ornaments and others. Every product is unique and is a fine example of the skills of the Indian craftsmen.

Apart from these, there are several stalls where you can get to savor Indian food. The Dilli Haat has a food plaza where you can get to taste the culinary delights from the different parts of India. Food festivals are often held over here also from time to time.

Dilli Haat at Delhi can be considered as an upgraded version of the traditional village market. Where on one hand it gives an exposure to the artisans of the country, on the other hand it gives a clear picture of Indian art and culture.

What I love about Dilli Haat is that it is clean, festive, provides a relatively safe and user-friendly experience (meaning strollers can get around, limited steps, etc.) and it's a one-stop-shop for one of the best representations of what's out there as far as handicrafts goes.

One of my favorite things about Dilli Haat is the ability (and almost expectation) to barter and negotiate the prices for the wares you are purchasing.

"How much?"

"1,200 rupees only, ma'am"

"Ah. Hmm. Ok. That is expensive!"

"No ma'am. You are first customer of day. I give you good price! You are first customer!"

"But Rs 1,200 is not a good price for THIS. I know. I live here."

"You live here? From which country do you come?"

"The United States, but I LIVE here now. I know that Rs. 1,200 is not a good price. What price will you give that is better?"

"For you, ma'am. Because I very much love the United States, I will give you BEST price of Rs 1,000."

(now ... dependant on my mood, how hot it is, and how badly I want this particular item, at this point I may give in and purchase. But, if not, then the following discussion ensues)

"I will give you Rs 600 for this. I know where I can get it for that price, but I want to buy from you."

"No ma'am. This is handicraft. I made it myself. It is worth Rs 1,500, but I will give you for Rs 1,000 only."

(I take out Rs. 600 to hand him. He shakes his head no.)

(at this point, I walk away and say "ok - thank you, not today")

then you hear ....

"OHHH-KAY Ma'am. Come."

Bargain price of Rs. 600 !! (this is just an example, and not representative of the price paid for any of the things shown in these photos)

Now, please know that I am fairly well-versed on what the "going rate" is for most of these handicrafts and I will not bargain to the point of ripping anyone off ... nor will I be taken as a sucker. So the balance is there, and the game is played.

(Note :: the Fading Ladies "I'm not a tourist" shirts work REALLY well at Dilli Haat! I'll sell you one if you want to try it out yourself!)

On this particular day, I went to Dilli Haat with Caitlin and I just had to share the photo of her trying on a pair of funky pants (that she didn't end up getting). She provided the giggle of the day for the vendors!

Dilli Haat is open from 10:30pm - 10:00pm. Their "early opening hours" are a huge draw, but note that not all shops will be ready for business until closer to 11:30.

Tuesdays are not the best days to go, as it is the "change over day" when new vendors come in to set up shop.

Entrance is a very reasonable Rs 15 (not even USD $0.40).

SURAJKUND MELA

Surajkund is an ancient reservoir of the 10th century. Surajkund (literal meaning is 'Lake of the Sun') is an artificial Kund (‘Kund’ means “lake” or reservoir) built in the backdrop of the Aravalli hills with an amphitheatre shaped embankment constructed in semicircular form. It is said to have been built by the Tomar king Suraj Pal of Tomar dynasty in the 10th century. Tomar was a sun worshipper and he had therefore built a Sun temple on its western bank.

In the backdrop of the lake, during the spring season, every year from February 1–15, a colorful traditional craft festival of India is held in the precincts of Surajkund. This fair was first started in 1987. Traditional craftsman (artists, painters, weavers and sculptors) from all parts of the country participate in this annual celebration named as the “Surajkund Crafts Mela” or "Surajkund Designer’s Village”. Designer items created by 50 best designers and craftsmen in wood, metal, bamboo, iron, glass, textiles and stone can be seen here. This Mela (fair) is visited by lovers of arts and crafts from all over the world. The fair is held with a different theme every year on Indian culture and crafts.

The theme, specific to a state of India, is depicted at the entrance to the Mela grounds and provides an ambience of that particular state with characteristic colors, materials, architecture, furniture and decorations. The crafts on display in the 400 stalls is of particular crafts of that state. The Mela also includes a food festival covering some of the popular cuisines from different parts of the country. Entertainment in the form of famous rhythms and dance of folk theatre are also held here during the festival.

(taken from Wikipedia)

(The below photos were taken on the way to the mela. Loved the bicycle parade AND can you see that woman slinging that hammer? Impressive work!)

I will never tire of shooting vegetable stands in India.

These women made their way towards us, in a S shaped weaving pattern. It was amazing to watch them, with their arms interlocked, smiling demurely at each other all the while.

A friend posted on Facebook in response to the above photo : This picture is gorgeous. Love the colors, bracelets, smoothness and femininity that it reveals. Beautiful!

My response : And to me, it also represents friendship ... it was really cool to watch these women ... snake along the sidewalk with uniformity, rhythm, sync, trust and ease. Just beautiful.

One of my favorite stalls. FABRIC!! Pam and I picked out fabric for costumes for an upcoming shindig. Fun stuff.

While none of the above photos needed any commentary, I now want to share with you the "celebrity phenomenon" that one can only describe via photos. I am not blonde. I am not fair skinned and I do not have blue eyes. Therefore, I have NO personal experience with the celebrity phenomenon that I've heard others talk about.

BUT, I did go to Surajkund with Britt ... who IS blonde, blue eyed and fair skinned. The below photos describe ...

Notice this guy didn't ask ... he's just taking pictures anyway.

And what's good for the guy in the black shirt ....

Is also good for the guy in the beige sweater.

Me shooting THEM ...

and Britt shooting the masses ... who had all snapped photos of her.

Wait ... isn't that the same guy in the beige sweater? Again?

Check out the lime shirt. Awesomeness.

Anyway ... Britt is a good sport (especially since all of these photos were taken in a span of about 10 minutes!).

I was taken with this little sweetheart. These two were selling Dhokra and I just love his little smile. He was also very intent to count all of the money we gave in exchange for our purchases, blessing each pile of rupees and then quietly saying "Namaste."