Bloody Mary is Bloody Good!

You hear a lot about mocktails and cocktails. Bloody Mary is popular in clubs and bars all over the world. Another reason why Bloody Mary is a popular cocktail is because its mixture lends itself to numerous variations. One of the most debated stories about how the name of Bloody Mary came about revolves around Queen Mary I of England......

Many years ago, I was introduced to Bloody Mary. I loved it then and love it now too. It’s my good old favourite cocktail whenever I get a chance. As the classic cocktail, Bloody Mary,turns 80 this October 2014. Eighty long years of this popular cocktail.

 

Bloody Mary is popular in clubs and bars all over the world. Another reason why Bloody Mary is a popular cocktail is because its mixture lends itself to numerous variations. One of the most debated stories about how the name of Bloody Mary came about revolves around Queen Mary I of England. According to one story, the drink was named after the daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. Mary who earned the name ‘Bloody Mary’ as she is  believed to be responsible for the execution of several Protestants during her reign.

In early October, New York’s The St Regis hotel celebrated the Bloody Mary turning 80, and also claims to have invented the classic cocktail. Despite the drinks debatable origin – Harry’s New York Bar in Paris and the 21 Club in New York apparently claimed to have invented it. They claim they were the ones who fine tuned the concoction to make it what it is today. A note on St Regis website says, ‘In 1934, Fernand Petiot, the bartender at the St Regis New York’s King Cole Bar, perfected the recipe for a vodka and tomato juice cocktail he dubbed as Bloody Mary.

 

Ingredients of a damn good Bloody Mary to please the  drinker’s palate contains – 45 ml chilled vodka, 180 ml tomato juice, 1 slice lemon, ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce, ½ tsp celery salt, 2 drops Tabasco sauce, ground black pepper, celery stick, ice cubes and a splash of lemon juice. The method of  combination is in the hands of a barman.

Once you taste this cocktail, you will always love Bloody Mary. The best Bloody Mary I have had, quite a few times at the Mumbai’s, Bombay Presidency Golf Club in Chembur, prepared by an old Goan bartender, James. He had magic in his hands. The members and guests would love his cocktail. But it is no longer the same after his demise, many years ago. He has taken the magic and secret along with him. Bloody Mary continues to be the popular cocktail.

Also read: Say cheers in Bengaluru

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Very few people are aware about this fact. 

The Bible was Sir Isaac Newton’s greatest passion – he wrote more about religion than about science and mathematics! Indeed, Newton calculated the date of crucifixion of Jesus Christ as April 3, AD 33 and the earliest date of Apocalypse as 2060 AD. Newton’s prediction that the Jews would return to Israel came true. Newton was obsessed with trying to find hidden meanings in the Bible. He learnt Hebrew, spent half his life, and devoted much more time to this pursuit than to science.

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Immaculate Conception Church, Panjim, Goa

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Brun Maska & Irani Chai!

Normally they occupied the corner shops of buildings, which is considered inauspicious by others; and turned them into friendly Irani cafes. The marble-topped tables, bent cane chairs with walnut polish finish giving a vintage look. Display of quirky instructions, sometimes funny, for patrons. The serious or smiling, well-built manager or the owner sitting behind the payment counter surrounded by glass biscuit jars and allied items for display. Many of the cafes doubled up as general stores too.

 

The present generation may not have heard about the Irani café experience in then Bombay. A nostalgia for old timers of Bombay, were part of the old charm. Snacks and tea or an omlette pav at a Irani café was most satisfying.

Mumbai, then known as Bombay were dotted with Irani Cafes and in the early seventies started to disappear and their place was taken by the Udupi hotels run by the enterprising Shetty’s from Mangalore. Earlier the Irani cafes were popular. The Irani hotels had an old-fashioned look and feel about it. A quiet atmosphere, tucked away from the noise of the city. Normally they occupied the corner shops of buildings, which is considered inauspicious by others; and turned them into friendly Irani cafes. 

The marble-topped tables, bent cane chairs with walnut polish finish giving a vintage look. Display of quirky instructions, sometimes funny, for patrons. The serious or smiling, well-built manager or the owner sitting behind the payment counter surrounded by glass biscuit jars and allied items for display. Many of the cafes doubled up as general stores too.

The menu generally had brun maska pav liberally spread with butter, sprinkled with sugar and the Irani chai, berry pulao, mava cakes, omlette pav with a smattering of Irani/Parsi dishes, Keema ghotala and Irani biscuits.

 

Iranis came to India in 1890s, after the great famine of Persia forced hundreds to flee their homes towards India; then known as Hindustan, as their Zorastrian ancestors had done between the eighth and tenth centuries to escape persecution by the Muslim rulers.

These newer lot of immigrants from Iran came with practically nothing except a sense of enterprise. They set up tea shops serving Irani tea and allied snacks. It slowly grew in size. The Irani cafes soon became community centres, where everyone could find cheaper and good snacks and non-vegetarian meals. 

According to a story, the old Irani café opposite Siddharth College of Commerce on D N road, which was destroyed in the early seventies when the old building collapsed, was visited by the young Shah of Iran, when on exile. Was famous for its brun maska and tea. Yours truly had tasted it many a times while attending college here on the opposite side of the road. It was the most satisfying breakfast then.

Till just a few decades ago, the Irani cafes gradually disappeared with the advent of the popular Udupi hotels which took its place by serving South Indian fare of popular snacks – idli, vada, dosa etc and thali  for lunch and dinner. These hotels run by the Shetty’s from the Bunts community, hailing from Mangalore succeeded in attracting patrons with a wide range of South Indian fare, attractive exterior and interior with a more inviting atmosphere. Now there are only a few Irani cafes in Mumbai, but they too have changed with times in look and menu, and are struggling to survive in the modern times. Soon they will be part of the city’s history.

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Hindu Gods (L-R) Godess Saraswati, Laxmi & Ganesh

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The book forays into the life of Bharata who stood tall in the midst of others in Ramayana. The story of Bharata every Indian has grown up with, but did not notice his role in the episode.

Bharata, My Brother
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Hong Kong Protest – Umberalla Revolution

China rules Hong Kong under a ‘one country, two systems’ formula that accords it some autonomy and freedom. As thousands of pro-democracy protesters and the government refused to back down, fears of a Tiananmen Square-like episode grew. Crowds swelled on the streets of Hong Kong as student leaders met with pro-democracy protesters to keep up the pressure. The situation is grim.

The protests are the worst in Hong Kong since China resumed its rule in 1997. They are the biggest challenge for Beijing since it violently crushed pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square. The protests in Hong Kong have been sparked by Beijing’s decision to vet candidates wishing to run for Hong Kong’s leadership in 2017. Hong Kongers will be able to vote for only two or three candidates vetted by a pro-Beijing committee. Protesters call this fake democracy and have two demands – that Hong Kong’s incumbent leader Leung Chun-ying step down, and Beijing rescind its insistence that his successor be vetted.

Even on National Day, Hong Kong remained defiant. The Umbrella revolution – Pro-democracy activists raise stakes in the stand off as government pleaded for calm. Hong Kong’s Umbrella Revolution has no singular leader, the protesters come from across society, and have a range of demands. Protesters outside the Hong Kong Government Complex sang and waved cell phones in the air, after a thunder storm passed over. Thousands continue to occupy streets.

Student leaders of pro-democracy protests warned that if the territory’s leader doesn’t resign, they will step up their actions, including occupying several important government buildings. It puts pressure on Chinese government, which has so far remained mostly silent and preferred to let Hong kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying deal with the crisis.

Peoples Republic of China was founded on October 1, 1949, with a ceremony at Tiananmen Square. The Central People’s government passed the resolution on the National Day of the PRC on December 2, 1949, and declared that October 1 is the National Day. The National Day marks the start of one of the two Golden Weeks in the PRC. The National Day is celebrated throughout mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau with a variety of government-organised festivities.

 

Hong Kong simmers with no end in sight. The world is watching and China is careful, not to repeat a Tiananmen Square like situation. Britain too is anxious about the happenings in Hong Kong. The protesters feel China is reneging on apromise that the chief executive will be chosen through universal suffrage. This is a movement of Hong Kongers and not led by any specific group.

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Udupi Restaurant At Tourist Club area in Abu Dhabi, UAE

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It’s Outrageous!

Sarita Devi's protest was unprecedented. She came to the podium but refused to accept the bronze medal. Was she right in doing so? Can she protest? Is the decision by the biased judges final and cannot be looked into? International sports administrators should look into it and not just shame or humiliate the victim. The sportspersons come to participate after lot of hard work and sacrifice; a biased decision could put an end to his or her career for no fault of theirs.

Indian boxer Sarita Devi was first cheated and then shamed in the current Asian Games boxing bout being held in Incheon, South Korea. The replay on the television shows that Sarita was in control and clearly leading the bout. She was denied a place in the final of 57-60 kg boxing event. Laishram Sarita Devi did the unthinkable. She stood on the podium but refused the bronze medal. She was protesting against the verdict of her semi-final bout against Park whom she dominated in all the four rounds. The Korean was declared the winner.

 

Instead of supporting the victim and taking action against the erring judges, Sarita Devi is being punished citing the rules and in the name of discipline. A similar incident happened with the Mongolian boxer who too fell victim to the biased judges, giving verdict in favour of the Korean boxer. This not acceptable when the sports administrators talk of sportsmanship and fair play. The countries should put their foot down and seek justice for their sportspersons.

The Oganising Committee said they were offended by the way Sarita protested, but did not say anything about the biased judges, which according to them is fair play and gospel truth!

At least an India woman boxer has stood her ground by openly protesting in the gaze of the world media, the biased decision and refusing to accept the bronze medal. It’s high time such incidents don’t happen again to any sportsperson and suppress their voice of protest in the name of discipline and that the judges decision cannot be challenged when the public and experts can openly see it at the venue and on television. It’s a rightful and correct claim.

India should stand firm behind Sarita Devi and see that justice is done to her, and not cowed down by world sports authorities and administrators who normally declare, the protest should be be made at the right forum and procedure followed. Nothing happens, as it is common knowledge that the victim is further put to shame and the administrators say you cannot change the judge’s decision. If sports is all about fairplay and sportsmanship, then suitable action should be taken against the judges. India should seriously pursue the matter and put an end to blatant biased umpiring or judges decision in favour of the host country in any international sports event.

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Bihu dancers from Assam in India

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