Chai and Homemade Chocolate Chunk Shortbread

Location: Maple Tourist Home, Ernakulam, Kochi, India

Date: 18 January 2009

Details: Chai and Homemade Chocolate Chunk Shortbread

Notes: Chai bought as a 'take-out' from the Aryaas Restaurant next door to the Maple hostel. The bowl/saucer is placed over the little metal cup to keep it warm and prevent spills.

The shortbread was made in England before going to India and it's a particularly special piece because The Lion had managed not to scoff it, despite looking at it every day for two weeks.

Chai and Plain Dosa

Location: Kovalam, Kerala, India

Date: 13 January 2009

Details: Chai and Plain Dosa

Notes: Not strictly a cuppa and cake, this is elevenses Kerala-style. The 'dosa' is the pancake, it's a 'plain dosa' because it doesn't contain a lump of potato curry like a 'masala dosa' would. The three little dishes contain: tomato sambar, a vegetable curry and a coconut chutney. Delicious!

Cost: 15Rs (approx 22p)

Coffee and Apple Crumble

Location: The German Bakery, Kovalam, Kerala, India

Date: 12 January 2009

Details: Coffee and apple crumble

Notes:

The Lion was desperate to enjoy the apple crumble he fondly remembered last time he visited the German Bakery in this seaside town many years ago. The Bakery itself had gone upmarket and lost its original simple charm. The crumble itself was OK - The Lion pretty much inhaled it before I could get chance to take this photo (see hand in the photo, mid-scoff) - but it was overpriced like everything else in this café.

Chai and Indian Almond Croissant

Location: Taxi stand, Kovalam, Kerala, India

Date: 12 January 2009

Details: Chai with an Indian pastry

Notes:

This chai wallah served a fantastic shot of chai for the grand sum of 5Rs - less than 10p. His stall was close to the taxi stand in Kovalam so he was busy all day from 8am until early evening. Watching the chai being prepared is great street-theatre. The milk is heated with spices (cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, star anise, peppercorns, cloves) and then the hot tea is strained into it. Then the wallah pours it from above his head into the tiny glasses. Aerating it like this supposedly brings out the flavours, and it certainly makes it more aromatic.

The pastry was a kind of Indian almond croissant. Again, only 5Rs. The wallah told us it was called a "baps" or something... Imagine a Peshwari naan morphed into a croissant. Delicious. Nick would scoff four in a row if I wasn't watching him.