Monsoon in Mumbai

I promise I will place some good monsoon pics soon on my blog ! The problem is that the monsoon so far has been quite erratic, and the camera never seems to be available handy when the rains do strike !!

So far, the monsoon has played truant - couple of heavy showers over the past 4 weeks is all what Mumbai got. That’s not good news - monsoon determines India’s agricultural output, no less ! It also largely determines the water supply and power situation in Maharashtra State, India’s most industrialised and largest state, hosting its financial capital.

It rained heavily on 1st July morning, and that heavy downpour brought the city to a halt. Metro trains could not function, and I was shocked to witness the one-foot deep water on the Western Expressway, of all places. Below the expressway, where the low-lying areas abound, it was a total mess, giving lie to the Municipal Corporation’s boasts that they were ready for this year’s monsoon. People can only get scared thinking of what would have happened to Mumbai if the rains continued non-stop, as they normally do in July. Just recall what happened in 2005 and even in 2006. The city is hardly prepared even now, given all the learnings from the past experiences. And, we are talking about one single city of India - the financial, commercial and entertainment capital of India - which pays over 40% of India’s taxes.

But, to save the Municipal Corporation and the State Government from charges of negligence and apathy, the rain god decided to further delay the rains. It has showered on and off after 1st July, nothing that could hamper even the pedestrians ! That monsoon behaviour is no good either. If the pattern continues like this for the next couple of weeks, I guess Mumbai would have water supply problem, combined with partial power cuts. At the end of the day, this only proves one thing - good governance and efficient urban management is elusive even in the best of the countries around, but in India it is a scarce commodity. It is a precious skillset lacking absolutely all around India, which incidentally is in a state of political paralysis with the Communist Party threatening to withdraw support to the ruling UPA Government at the Centre.

But the beauty of Mumbai is that its people just do not bother - I was again amazed just looking at the people on the streets - sometime quite well dressed - moving about in heavy rains as though things are pretty normal. I could not even hear raised voices cursing anyone for the state of affairs. Mumbai folks are practical and have learnt to fend for themselves, they know for sure it is no use depending on the undependable and unreliable !

Life goes on, stock market is on the mend, people appear to be positive in their outlook, so it is business as usual in the business capital of the country !

Have a wonderful weekend, and don’t miss the Wimbledon !!

Cheers,

Vijay Srinivasan
4th July 2008
Mumbai

Some Wine Tasting with……

It was great to be able to do some blind-tasting of good red wines over the weekend.

I had three reds - the Reveilo Syrah 2006 from Vintage Wines of Nashik, a premium shiraz from Indus Vineyards as well as a Cabernet Sauvignon from Indus. All of these are great wines from India’s famed Nashik valley in Maharashtra state, not very far from Mumbai. Nevertheless, it is hard to find these excellent wines on store shelves.

I was familiar with the Indus Vineyards’ wines, but only their Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Shiraz. Their Chenin Blanc is a wonderfully refreshing wine, giving a run for the money to Sula Chenin Blanc. My wife and myself love both these whites.

However, this time something was different. All the three reds we chose to taste are fabulous products from Nashik. Let me describe each one in some detail :

The Reveilo Syrah 2006 is a complex wine with spicy characteristics, a medium heavy wine with a smoothness which goes easily with Indian food as well as pasta. It is easily drinkable, and is delightfully peppery. Easily one of the best price-to-value ratios in the Indian market, at an MRP of Rs 545 + the unnecessary taxes of Mumbai. This is a wine waiting to be discovered on restaurant tables soon. If this is so good, I wondered how would be the Syrah Reserve variety of 2005 vintage. Waiting for it !

The Indus wines did not disappoint either. The Shiraz was fantastic, with a velvety finish and a taste to savour for quite some time. I have always enjoyed the Australian Shiraz wines, and I should say this compares well with the mid-range of some of the great Australian Shiraz varieties. It has a lovely crimson colour and has a smokiness which I liked. Again, a great wine from an upcoming vineyard. This wine went well with very spicy chicken legs and tandoori dishes. The MRP ? slightly higher priced at Rs 700.

The Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 from Indus is also a good wine, with a deep red colour and a fruity taste. It has an excellent balance with a long finish, and is a bit of a heavy wine. Again, this wine goes well with tandoori dishes. The MRP is Rs 500 for this wine.

Lest you think I spend a lot of time drinking, please observe that I just stated “blind-tasting” at the beginning of this post. Tasting is what it means - not a lot, just trying to savour the different varieties each one at a time, with some good patience. Also, one has to pair the snacks and cheeses, so it does take some time on a weekend evening, if you are interested. Wine is not to be drunk like beer or even a hard liquor. It needs to be smelled, inhaled, tasted at the tip of the tongue, tasted inside the mouth for quite some time, et al - all this, after atleast 30 minutes of decanting to get the wine to breathe in the oxygen.

Well, now these three bottles go back carefully recorked into my wine cooler, to be opened when I am ready sometime again for a great evening drink. In the meanwhile, enjoy your respective evenings and weekends, and do learn something about viticulture and wine drinking, as this is going to emerge as the artful way of entertaining guests in the not too distant future.

Cheers,

Vijay Srinivasan
28th June 2008
Mumbai

It’s the Economy, Stupid

India’s inflation hit 11.05% as of Friday 20th June.

It is a massive jolt to the ruling UPA Coalition - seemingly uncontrollable march towards double digit inflation. The Bombay Sensex lost over 500 points on Friday (3.42%). Interest rates are bound to rise in the coming weeks, making home purchases, durables, and cars that much more expensive. Is the India story coming unstuck ?

When I mentioned to a friend about the potential drop in India’s consumption and GDP growth rates, he was not receptive - the hype still has a solid impact on professionals all around, especially those in the retail and banking/finance sectors. Many people still believe that India would move on, despite the credit squeeze and the inflation. While that may be (or is) true, the reality is staring starkly at our faces. Auto, banking, and realty stocks are down badly over the past week or so. Thousands of crores of market cap has disappeared in the past few days. Foreign funds have repatriated huge amounts back from the stock market. Petrol and diesel price rises of last week have contributed to a rise in inflation.

The government is caught between the fire and the frying pan. In fact, the petrol price increase was not as much as was expected, Subsidies still amount to a big part of the price. If only the government removes all subsidies and let the market dictate the price, the pump prices would rise by atleast another 25%, leading to an inflation of, may be 20% overall. There is no point in keeping money in fixed deposits which pay 9% interest when the inflation is crossing 11%. Stock market investment, while still the overall best, is currently not for the faint-hearted. The Senex is indeed marching towards 14,000 - a full 33% below the peak of 21,xxx attained earlier this year.

The fate of any government would hang in balance, and the current Central Government is no exception, despite the astute financial management expertise available between the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and the Finance Minister, Mr P Chidambaram. The elections are due next year, but there is another huge challenge in front of this government, a non-economic one at the outset.

And, that is the Nuclear Pact with the IAEA and the U.S. While a bad economy could unseat a government, bad politics could be worse. The UPA Coalition has the Communist Party as a member (though not in the government per se), and they are stopping the government from signing of the nuclear agreement. Now, this agreement is very critical for India. The dependency on imported oil is 70% for India, and that can only get worse. With oil prices pushing USD 150, and predicted to hit USD 200 over the next 6 to 24 months (according to a recent Goldman Sachs report), things could not get worse for India. Nuclear power is the only option open, though the gestation periods are longer as compared to fossil fuel power plants. India needs nuclear fuel, and that is available from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) only if India signs IAEA Safeguards Agreement. The U.S. is ready, for the past 6 months, but India is not ready. This could be puzzling for most external observers. Who would say no to the free-market supply of nuclear fuel which could unshackle India from the heavy dependence on oil and coal ?

But, that is the way it is in a fractious coalition, influenced strongly by Communists, though their votes are few in the parliament. They have threatened to vote against their own government if it proceeds with the signing of the nuclear pact. And, the Prime Minister wants to resign if the pact does not see the light of the day. He is not a true politician, so he is able to see the very long-term benefits to India of such a close cooperation agreement with the U.S. and the nuclear watchdog (the IAEA). But India is also full of skeptics, who like American consumer goods but not the heavy stuff like these agreements and pacts which they do not understand in toto.

Well, that is democracy. The commoner is not affected by all this politics. He wants to increase his consumption, and fulfil his desires in a growing, affluent economy. But if the economic growth drops significantly due to the credit impact and interest rates, et al, then he would not hesitate to seek a change in the government. Looks like the day is approaching. Can we blame the commoner and his use of democratic tools at his disposal ?

Have a wonderful weekend,

Cheers,

Vijay Srinivasan
21 June 2008
Mumbai

A New South African Taste

A friend of mine gave me an excellent bottle of a dry white wine from South Africa recently.

It was a unique blend of several grape varieties - Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, and Semillon, from Kumala Wines of South Africa.

It is a great dry white wine with aromas of peach and melon. I could detect the peach, not the melon though. It is a crisp wine with a freshness which induces one to sip the wine often ! The wine has just about the right level of acidity, delivering a good balance on the palate.

White chicken and baked vegetables with cream sauce were a good accompaniment to this crispy good white. Fish would have been better though !

I wonder why such good wines are not available in the country. I have seen Two Oceans from South Africa but nothing more on the shelves. More such wines at competitive prices would produce pressure on the indigenous wine makers to improve their quality. While Indian whites are surely a good buy, such as those from Sula, Indus, and Nine Hills, more variety and quality is to be expected as the consumers get more discerning. And, they are………one has to look around to see that more wines are bing ordered in restaurants. Some wine education and tasting sessions would go a long way !

Have a wonderful week ahead,

Cheers,

Vijay Srinivasan
15th June 2008
Mumbai

The Only Heaven on Earth !

Courtesy : PN, a Colleague

An American decided to write a book about famous churches around the World.

So he bought a plane ticket and took a trip to China .

On his first day he was inside a church taking photographs when he noticed a golden telephone mounted on the wall with a sign that read ‘$10,000 per call’.

The American, intrigued, asked a priest who was strolling by what the telephone was used for.

The priest replied that it was a direct line to heaven and that for $10,000 you could talk to God.

The American thanked the priest and went along his way.

Next stop was in Japan. There, at a very large cathedral, he saw the same golden telephone with the same sign under it. He wondered if this was the same kind of telephone he saw in China and asked a nun passing by what its purpose was.

She told him that it was a direct line to heaven and that for $10,000 he could talk to God.

‘O.K., thank you,’ said the American.

He then travelled to Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Russia, Germany and France .

In every church he saw the same golden telephone with the same ‘$10,000 Per call’ sign under it.

The American then decided to travel up to India to check out if Indians had the same phone in their churches.

He arrived in India , and again, in the first church he entered, there was the same golden telephone, but this time the sign under it read ‘One Rupee per call.’

The American was surprised so he asked the priest about the sign.

“Father, I’ve traveled all over world and I’ve seen this same golden Telephone in many churches. I’m told that it is a direct line to Heaven, but the price was $10,000 per call. Why is it so cheap here ?”

Readers, it is your turn…………..

Think …..before you scroll down…………..

Who knows, you may get this right after all……………

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The priest smiled and answered, “You’re in India now son, It’s a Local Call”.

“This is the only heaven on Earth”.

Courtesy : PN, a Colleague

Well, one may differ with this, but the presence of God is there to be seen and felt in all Indian roads. Especially during this time of the year.

Have a good weekend,

Cheers

Vijay Srinivasan
14th June 2008
Mumbai

Commentary on American Politics

It is hard not to take note of what is happening in American Politics.

While the Republican nomination for the next president went the conservative way, there was a two-fold revolution happening in the Democratic Nomination. First, it was the novelty of the possibility that there could be, after all, a woman president. America has taken too long, in fact, to reach this stage in its political evolution. Sen Hillary Clinton was expected to be the Democratic Nominee for the next president, and that indeed, is a revolution for the U.S. Not so, for several other nations, which have had woman presidents or prime ministers. India, Israel, Sri Lanka, and a host of other nations have had woman leaders. The current Chancellor of Germany is a great example of a powerful woman leader in the Western world itself. So, it is no great story outside the United States. But, in America, yes it is a big story. Given the situation that Sen Clinton was almost destined to win, it was turning out to be a big story.

The other facet of the Democratic Party elections was Sen Barack Obama, the first time a coloured person has achieved the status of even getting recognized as a lead contender in the race for the Democratic nomination. But, Sen Obama did it - he won the votes required for the nomination, and won over an experienced, well-established contender in Sen Clinton. It is indeed the “American” story of the underdog winning ultimately. Great stuff, and difficult to achieve in most countries around the world.

Well, the fight is still not finished. Sen Obama has a tough fight against the GOP nominee, Sen McCain. It could turn out any way - hard to forecast at this point in time.

However, looking from India’s perspective, a Democratic winner for President of the United States could be bad news. It could be bad news for the free market philosophy as well.

India has had great support from President Bush and the Republican Party over the last few years. The U.S. recognized India’s value and commitment to democracy right after 9/11. Finally, America realized that India is one of the few countries in the world worst hit by internal and external terror. It also needed a counter-balance to China in the emerging world order. Even after the Iraq war and the countless scandals involving Iraq and Afghanistan, America was fortunate to have been ranked as the most preferred country by Indians in general. And, this is in a country where American brands and soap operas do not dominate - yet. Overall, the U.S. has had a very positive image in India. I believe that this strong image helped the Indian Government in its move towards better relationship with the world’s most powerful democracy. Ofcourse, there are always other compulsions - geopolitical, military, power, etc., but India’s approach towards America improved dramatically to the extent that both the militaries have conducted a huge number of joint exercises in the past 8 years or so. Confidence has been built up on top of the good will gestures from both sides.

The U.S. has gone to the extent of offering India exemption from its very strong nuclear non-proliferation regulations. India will be the only such country in the entire world. It is India’s fate that we are not able to consummate the nuclear deal due to petty politics, but that again drives home the strength of the noisy Indian politics which cannot be taken hostage without an extensive public debate on the pros and cons. The U.S. is also offering its latest fighter jets in the USD 10B tender for 126 fighter jets by the Indian Air Force. So, finally after 60 years, India and the U.S. are really coming close on a shared platform of values and democratic ideals/credentials.

This would not have happened under a Democratic President, who would not take any risks when it comes to “adjusting” U.S. statutes to accommodate even an “emerging” power like India. On the other hand, Republican Presidents have been more aggressive (both for and against India in the past), and India always knew where it stood when it came to such presidents. With President Bill Clinton, it was never sure - atleast this is my reading.

While I have no personal interest in any party (domestic or American !), it becomes critical for each world citizen to understand the impact of a not-so-good-for-the-rest-of-the-world choice by the American people. An American President exerts enormous influence on the free world, and so it is not appropriate to ignore the elections in America as an internal affair. If not influencing it in any manner, one should atleast have due concern about the outcome.

While “American Dream” fulfilled in the case of Sen Obama sounds too good to be ignored, I think the Democratic Party / Government would become protectionist in nature, in the interest of safeguarding American jobs. It would also take a tough stand on the environment, non-proliferation, flow of dual-use technologies, and surely, the trade policy. There could be some damage to the outsourcing business in India. I do not believe it would take extra care to insure positive growth momentum for the world’s emerging economies - India, China, Brazil and Russia. While China might need less of America, India needs more and more of America. Hence, it may not turn out to be a great news for India if Sen Obama wins the American Presidency. If he does win, which is a distinct possibility, then India should lose no time in establishing quick bridges with the new President and build a strong rapport, earlier than other countries.

I may be completely wrong, but I have seen no positive references to India anywhere in his selected speeches that I have read. Whereas, Sen Hillary Clinton does nurture a positive image of India (may be also because of President Bill Clinton, who is involved in various aid initiatives in India). Ofcourse, I know nothing about Sen McCain, except to state that he would most likely continue the Bush Government’s policies. Some of which, have very positively impacted India, and helped both governments to come closer together.

These are views waiting to be disputed and argued against vigorously, I am sure !

Have a great weekend,

Best Regards

Vijay Srinivasan
7th June 2008
Mumbai

Subsidy Compulsions

Last week, the inflation reached 8.1% in India.

At this rate, your money in the bank earns a negative rate of interest after taxes. With oil prices spiralling beyond USD 130 and no end in sight for the food crisis, the situation has become very challenging for a government which has to balance a myriad of interests in the run up to the elections next year.

Oil products are highly subsidised in India for the consumer. It is going to be 2 years since the government last raised pump prices. It is a politically explosive issue, with the Communists pushing for maintenance of prices and more subsidies to the government oil marketing companies which are incurring huge losses. These losses work out to approximately Rs 2,800 crores (USD 700M or SGD 1B) per day. Yes, per day, given that oil constitutes the biggest import of India. The government and political parties are fully aware of the implications - they are well educated on the matter. However, when elections are looming, no one wants to take a risk. Inflation was a major factor for the Congress’ loss at the Karnataka polls recently, where the opposition BJP won the elections, almost a majority in what is known to be a strong Congress State.

Similarly, food could become a critical issue for the government. While there are no protests yet on the streets, the rice prices are rising along with vegetable and pulse prices. There is no clear indication of how a steep rise in prices would be managed by the government, when supplies could become a constraint. India has a food surplus, so things may not deteriorate that badly. However, one cannot discount the fact that shelf prices have already started to affect the urban population which constitutes an important, if not decisive component of any election in India.

There is the free market way of doing things - the very “Western” and “IMF” prescription of just go and match world market prices. But, as we saw in several cases around the world, especially in Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand, the IMF ways do not work on the ground. In populous countries like Indonesia, India, and China, apart from political compulsions, there is the matter of poverty and the ability to pay. One out of every 3 Indians subsists below or at the poverty level in India, which is roughly USD 1 to 2 per day. Food and Kerosene are very critical elements of their consumption, and if the government’s free-market approach determines the prices of these goods, the subsistence of over 300 million Indians would be at serious stake. Just think about it.

One can argue about the wastage in the Public Distribution System in India, the lack of efficiency in the Agricultural Infrastructure and Irrigation Systems, the poor condition of the transportation systems leading to high consumption of oil, etc., However, the fact remains that it would take several years with a concerted plan of action to improve all these things - quite a medium-term effect in the best of times, when a democracy has to grapple with coalition politics.

Poor people would need protection from rising prices faster, hence there is no better way than to subsidise oil and food prices. It is not that only India has to implement subsidies - in the U.S. who has not heard about “food bills” ? While like most “free-market” theorists, I am inclined to adopt market-friendly approaches to almost everything in life, it is difficult and impossible not to be able to forecast the deprivations of the poor people in the society. To do so, in a very “capitalistic” way, would distance oneself from the ground realities, and isolate the economics and make it irrelevant.

Well, this does not mean that the government of the day can’t do more to correct the price imbalances. There is a lot which can be done, and which are not being done in India. One is ofcourse, to reduce the dependence on oil by going the whole hog on Nuclear Power - I have written about this topic in the past. The share of nuclear power in India is miniscule, it should reach atleast 15 to 20% of total power generated in the next 10 to 15 years. And, that is possible only if the subject of power is delinked from petty politics. America has come with open arms to help India, having realised the challenges India faces in the matter of power. But, so far, India has not closed the deal and moved on into a new chapter - this is a matter of serious concern.

Government needs to also look at (a) increasing the pump prices of petrol/diesel, while keeping the kerosene price stable ; (b) impose a cess on automobile purchases ; (c) implement car pooling atleast in the metros ; (d) impose severe penalty on oil and food hoarders ; (e) drastically reduce the customs and excise duties on petroleum products ; (f) immediately investigate the leakages in the public distribution system ; and, (g) engage in a public communication exercise to advocate the criticality of reducing oil consumption.

Food has to be subsidised for the poor, there is no question about it, atleast for the next 6 months. All crises pass away eventually, so one could only hope that this crisis would also do so, and do so quickly. In the meantime, it is better to relook at socialist economics, for a change, after some 15 years !

Have a great weekend,

Cheers,

Vijay Srinivasan
31 May 2008
Mumabi

Handling Terrorism in India

This month saw the terror attacks in Jaipur, the much visited city of India, also known as the “Pink City”. It is the capital of Rajasthan State. The intent of the attack seems to be focused on scaring off the foreign tourists who throng this part of India. But now just after 10 days of the attack, things seemed to have returned to normal.

However, the normalcy is misleading. In the last decade or so, there have been close to around 50 terrorist attacks on Indian soil, and everytime, things appear to have been forgotten. Hundreds of people have died, but the impact is simply forgotten. This state of affairs is just deplorable.

How can a proud nation like India tolerate such indignities on its soil, hurting its very fabric of civil society ? And, how can it move on, without taking corrective actions which sting current and future terrorists and their plans ?

The argument that India is resilient, and moves on without much effect whatsoever, is just hogwash.

Further, it does give citizens a feeling of helplessness to counter any untoward attacks in future - they eventually give up on Government. This should not be the case. Citizens should demand action, and get the Government of the day to act decisively and vigourously.

That happened in the United States post 9/11. This is a case study of an assertive and determined Government (I would not like to comment on the party itself !), which went about in a methodical fashion to (a) formulate a decisive response plan for thwarting future terror attacks on American soil ; (b) communicate to its Citizens that there would be curbs on their personal liberties which they have cherished over the years, to defend the nation as a whole.

The Department of Homeland Security was established as a result.

The result is there for all to see - there has not been a single known attack on U.S. soil after 9/11. If that is not proof of the work done by the Government, what else is ? Governments need to protect their citizens. Period.

But the political wranglings and appeasement techniques used in India have only resulted in a series of terror attacks over the years. There is apparently no coordination between central and state intelligence agencies. There is no vigourous Governmental response to terror attacks. In a nutshell, the Indian response to such attacks can only be termed as “feeble”.

Coming from Singapore, where there is a very high degree of coordination amongst Government agencies, this is indeed shocking. One can dismiss Singapore as too small to be compared with a vast nation like India. What about the United States, which is roughly 2.5 times the size of India in terms of land area ?

I am also shocked with the apparent nonchalance of the educated people around. They do not seem to mind as long as they get to enjoy the day - I mean, TODAY ! Such an indifference, and short-sightedness, would not help the Government. Politics looms large in a democracy like India, wherein the immediate compulsions are to satisfy or forecast the desires of the electorate.

This is just unfortunate, and does not give confidence that a solid foundation is being laid on the ground to fight the terrorists. They will gain confidence instead to launch new attacks on a weak state. That would lead to more losses of innocent lives, which is despicable. Government cannot do anything about the loss of lives.

Look at United States, Israel, and Singapore. See how they manage and handle terrorism. I am sure that there are many attacks which are not consummated due to the planned responses of the intelligence agencies of such determined countries. That means lots of lives are getting saved on a continuous basis, even without the knowledge of the common man on the street ! Isn’t that the way to go forward in India as well ?

India should formulate a plan very quickly, and set up the equivalent of Homeland Security Dept with powers which are nationally applicable. No questions asked. The results only should matter. The sooner this is done, better it is for all Indian Citizens.

Let us hope the Honourable Dr Manmohan Singh’s Government sees the rationale (I am sure it does) in establishing a coordinated national response system to completely and totally thwart any kind of terrorist attacks on Indian soil. I am sure that India can do this quite well, and rather quickly, if the political compulsions are laid to rest. Forever. For the safety of Indians.

Have a wonderful and peaceful weekend,

Cheers,

Vijay Srinivasan
24h May 2008
Mumbai

Zinzi and Sanath Jayasuria

This is the second post over this weekend, something I have done not too frequently.

The IPL (Indian Premier League) Cricket Match is going on at the Rajiv Gandhi National Stadium at Hyderabad, and I was watching it live on the SET MAX Channel. My son and myself were really amazed at Jayasuria’s quick fours and sixes in the first four overs. Jayasuria is 38 years old, but still retains the fire in him to strike it rich when the ball is new ! Great player on the “Mumbai Indians” Team. See “The Indian Premier League T20 Matches”

I decided to open a bottle of white wine - this time it was “Zinzi” from the United Breweries Group (Vijay Mallya’s Group). I bought it last weekend at Spencers’ for Rs 276 (USD 6.70 or SGD 9.70), which was comparatively cheaper than the Sula or Grovers’ white wines, and cheaper than even the new Indus wines. I talked to the wine shopkeeper at Spencers’ and he said that there is no harm in trying - it can’t be bad at this price ! I was quite reluctant, instead focusing on the South African Two Oceans Sauvignon Blanc at Rs 970 (USD 23 or SGD 34). However, finally I picked up two bottles of white wine - one is Zinzi ofcourse, and the other, the Indus. I am familiar with Indus, and have written previously a blog post on the same.

The Zinzi, though, was a disappointment. I consoled myself that you can’t complain at its price, too cheap to even think of complaining ! It was not bad though, but it lacked character. The label claims that Zinzi is the result of handpicked French varieties of wine grapes of the Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc types - but, I seriously doubt the claim. This wine was neither sweet as claimed, nor had the distinctive taste of a Sauvignon Blanc, which discerning wine drinkers could easily establish. Last time ever for this wine ! UB missed it big time !!

Well, the match is going on. And, I am going back to the TV - the computer is NOT the same ! Have a wonderful evening of fast cricket, and welcome yet another exciting week ahead !!

Cheers,

Vijay Srinivasan
18 May 2008
Mumbai

Fettuccine with Coriander Pesto & Dinner Economics

I was searching for a topic to write about this weekend, really seriously. I went along with the family to the new Oberoi Mall at Goregaon East, and regretted the same midway in the mad traffic. Anyway, we went, got impressed with the amazing mall design, did not do any shopping, and returned after an hour of window-shopping. The crowd was massive (Saturday evening), and well-heeled to be shopping in such a highly branded mall - even more sophisticated than the Inorbit Mall at Malad. We promised to ourselves that we would return for some real serious shopping on a weekday evening (I don’t think I can make it though), combined with dinner when the Food Court eventually opens.

On the way back, we debated the wisdom of going to the famed Inorbit Mall Food Court or just go home. Two things weighed in favour of going home ! One is again the maddening crowd at the Food Court after 8 PM, and that too, on a Saturday evening. The other is the listlessness you get once you have been in traffic for nearly an hour - as the crow flies, the Oberoi Mall is just about 4 Kms from my home, but it took exactly 55 minutes at 6:10 PM to reach the Mall, we only reached after 7 PM ! Amazing, isn’t it ? That’s Mumbai, for most of you who are all back at home in Singapore, or elsewhere (even Delhi, or Chennai). It does take will power to stay on Mumbai roads and not discuss distances or the poor condition of the roads. I am now an expert in averting my eyes off the road (ofcourse I am not driving) !

Well, we got back home eventually, and my wife decided to make Pasta for dinner. It took only about 30 minutes, but we had some great pasta - Fettuccine with Green Coriander Pesto. No cheese this time, but it was absolutely delicious. She also made some red pasta - with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto + Fettuccine ! Again, delicious. However, I liked the Green Pesto sauce the most. This is not the first time, ofcourse, but everytime it is a great meal. And, just look at the economic dynamics. It costs just about Rs 590 to make pasta for 2 adults + 2 kids, with cheese it would come to about Rs 740 only. The same quality of pasta is difficult to get at places like Little Italy, or Inorbit Mall Food Court. And, even if one were to get the same quality for argument sake, the cost would be atleast twice !

So, it was a wonderful dinner, and with some good wine it was even better than what it used to be. Just an amazing and simple dinner. It was really fulfilling !

The economics in India for such stuff, while appealing, does not do well in comparison with developed countries. A bottle of Green Coriander Pesto of 190 Grams from Sacla Italia costs Rs 240 at store shelves in Mumbai, while similar stuff costs only SGD 6 in Singapore (appx Rs 170), the Indian price being 41% more than Singapore price ! The Fettuccine Pasta from Baronia of 500 Grams weight costs Rs 145 in Mumbai store shelves, while the cost in Singapore for similar stuff would be around Rs 114 or thereabouts - 27% more than Singapore price. Ofcourse, the prices at Walmart or Sam’s Club would be lower than the Singapore prices ! Cheese is very expensive in India, my estimate is that cheese costs atleast 60% more in Mumbai than it does in Singapore for comparable quality. Well, another interesting fact about shopping in India for imported stuff like these is the expiry dates of the products - please watch out carefully. Oftentimes, you would find that expiry dates are not more than 3 to 6 months from the “Imported Date”, the manufacturing date is not specified anywhere on the “extra” label that the importers affix on the packing.

Nothing much can be done about such things, except to make the pasta and enjoy it without undue worries. It’s the best you can get anywhere !

Have a wonderful weekend,

Cheers

Vijay Srinivasan
17th May 2008
Mumbai