Category: Holiday Celebrations

Categories
Holiday Celebrations

The Best Espresso with an AeroPress

It is Christmas eve and I just made (in my humble opinion) the best espresso with an Aeropress.

If your in the mood for some espresso or a latte, try this recipe out. It’s great for cold winter days and for the holiday season. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Although this is not ‘true espresso’, this will get you is a very delicious cup of espresso-like result which you can have straight, or add water to dilute it to have something like an americano or make a milk drink like a cafe latte.

Overview

It is best to use freshly ground darker roast coffee for this recipe, preferably a coffee that is meant to be used for espresso. My personal favorite is Turbo Espresso from Propeller Coffee in Toronto.

  • dark roast coffee
  • ratio of 1:5 coffee to water (e.g. 10g coffee to 50g of water)
  • grind settings slightly courser than espresso (14 clicks on Comandante c40)
  • 93C filtered water
  • Aeropress in inverted position
  • 2 Aeropress filters rinsed

Recipe

  • add coffee to the Aeropress
  • add water 2 to 3 times the amount of coffee (20g to 30g in this case)
  • stir to soak all the coffee grounds
  • let it bloom for 30 seconds
  • quickly add remaining water (total of 50g)
  • stir 10 times
  • start timer
  • add cap
  • press excess air out
  • at 30 seconds flip it over a cup
  • gently swirl the aeropress
  • press hard and fast
  • Enjoy

You can now enjoy this as is, or dilute it with some water to get an americano or add milk to make something like a cafe latte.

Categories
Holiday Celebrations

Makar Sankranti 2014

Although there is much of this planet I have yet to explore, I doubt that there is any other place in the world where festivals are celebrated at such a grand scale. I have spent 8 out of the last 12 months in this strange, peculiar, impressively beautiful land of India. In these past 8 months I have celebrated Holi, Diwali and Makar Sankranti. Out of all celebrations I find Makar Sankranti – the festival of kites the most dear to my heart. I remember when I was a kid I together with my family would come visit India and travel of to places all over India, however when January 14 approaches no matter what part of India we are at, I would force my parents to come back to my home town in Gujarat just so that I could fly kites.

Here is a video compiled from the kite flying event of the year. I had very limited photo and video footage to work with. I tried what I could to combine some fun moments together for people to see. Song is Phir Se Ud Chala from the bollywood Movie Rockstar(2011) , sung by Mohit Chauhan, music by A.R Rahman and lyrics by Irshad Kamil.

Video and photos mostly taken by me on Makar Sanranti 2014 and the day before. Final video edited and compiled by me.

Categories
Holiday Celebrations

Kaali Chaudas

Suno gau vaalo!(Hear me, hear me)…We’ve been duped by our elders (who in all fairness probably didn’t even know! :P). For years children have been frightened into waking up before sun rise, bathe and get dressed and do pooja else face some very dark and evil happenings.  Kali Chaudas has always been portrayed as something bad.

In fact it is something to be celebrated. I say Since after Diwali comes a New Year. Kali Chaudas should be a day of setting New Year’s Resolutions!

Kaali-Chaudas

Kali means Dark (eternal) and Chaudas – Fourteenth. Thus, celebrated on the 14th day of the dark half of Kartik month, Kali Chaudas is the day allotted to the worship of Mahakali or Shakti and is believed that on this day Kali killed the most wicked Narakasura. Also referred to as Naraka-Chaturdashi, Kali Chaudas is day to abolish laziness and evil which create hell in our life and shine light on life. The strength to protect others is referred as Kali, and if its used for God’s work is called Maha-kali.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naraka_Chaturdashi

 

Categories
Holiday Celebrations

Happy Family Day

I would like to wish everyone a Very Happy Family Day!

You don't choose your family, just like you don't choose(most of the time) the gifts that you get. I fight, I quarrel and I argue with my family a lot, but I know when I need them the most they will always be there, because they have always been there for me.

This year Family Day will be celebrated in three Canadian Provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario on Monday February 20, 2012. Banks, schools, and provincial government offices are closed. To know more about what's open and what's not, here is a link for you http://gocanada.about.com/od/canadiancities1/a/what_is_open_family_day.htm.

 

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Holiday Celebrations

Happy Diwali

I want to wish all my friends, family and blog followers a very Happy Diwali…

For those of you who do not know, Diwali is a Hindu festival very commonly known around the world as “the festival of lights”.  It’s the celebration of good’s triumph over evil. It is believed that Diwali brings good fortune and wealth. In some parts of India and even around the world the very next day marks the beginning of a new year. Even businesses decide to start their new business cycle on this day.

Here I’m sharing a slightly different perspective on Diwali… I hope you enjoy it!

Happy Diwali and a prosperous  new year!!