Pets> What are Birds

Text by: Tanya Munshi

We see them everywhere we go, but have we thought of what are birds actually? Not really, so here goes. When you think of a bird, the first thing that comes to your mind is – it has feathers, a beak, two legs and they usually fly and live on trees or bushes. Scientifically speaking, birds belong to the Aves class, and have the following characteristics:

They are bipedal – a form of motion, where birds walk with the help of their hind limbs, as they use their forelimbs i.e. wings to fly.

Birds are warm blooded – like most mammals, birds are warm blooded, where they can control their body temperature by keeping it on a constant level and the ability to change their temperature depending on how hot or cold the climate is.

Birds are known as tetrapod vertebrates – The word Tetrapods is derived from the Greek word tetrapoda and the Latin word quadruped – meaning four-legged. Vertebrate animals are those who have four feet/ legs/ leg-like appendages.

Birds reproduce by laying eggs and can vary in size from as small as the Humming Bird which is as small as 5 cms to the largest bird – Ostrich which is about 2.7 metres.

Food & Travel> Waffles, Frites and Belgium

Image: Melt-in-the-mouth waffles

Image by: Belgian Chocolate

Text by: Tanya Munshi


History has played a significant role in influencing the food habits in Belgium. German, French and Latin cultures have a dominant presence in their food habits. Over the years, the natives came across a wide range of people from all across Europe. Through several experiments they evolved their own food habits and style. With just five percent of agricultural population, Belgium produces over 165 different kinds’ food products, including cheeses. Follow the Eurail map and land up in Belgium to feast on the delicious cuisines!

While visiting Belgium try out the Frites (French fries) and Flemish beef stew. Sea food, especially mussels is a favorite, along with beer, waffles and chocolates. Don’t miss the carbonnades flamandes which is the traditional Belgium beef stew with beer.

Characterized by the medieval cooking style, Belgium cuisine incorporates a lot of dry fruits, almonds, herbs, spices, mustard and vinegar. The endive herb dishes such as gratin or in soup, are a must try.

More popularly known as the white gold, endive was first introduced in Paris in 1872. Today this herb is cultivated in Belgium, in a variety of patches, be it in the fields or in kitchen gardens.
During your trip to Belgium, try the Waterzooi which is a fish or a chicken stew, flavored with butter, cream and egg yolk and lots of veggies that makes this a wholesome meal.

Roasted chestnuts, waffles and frites are popular road side food! During a window shopping spree, pick up paper cones full of frites garnished with mayonnaise or a flavored sauce. Did we miss the waffles? The waffles taste divine, especially when they melt in your mouth. Take a lazy stroll while the aroma of roasted chestnuts adds to the ambience of gorgeous Belgium.

Note: Rail Pass and Rail Europe both have online booking for cheap point to point and select eurail passes.

Indian Spice & Herb Dictionary - B

Text by: Tanya Munshi
B
Bay Leaf – Hindi – Tej Patta. Bay leaf is extensively used for seasoning dishes like pulao, chicken, fish, mutton curries and kheer. When the oil is hot, just add one leaf before starting to cook. Bay leaf can be easily stored after it’s dried up. Bay leaf is known to have medicinal properties such as anti-fungal, anti-microbial and fights low blood sugar levels and ulcers.

Basil – Hindi – Tulsi. Known in India more as a religious plant, Basil has several therapeutic properties as well. Basil leaves are very effective for cold, cough, cuts and burns and are also used in curries.

Bishop’s Weed – Hindi – Ajwain. This is a pungent spice that can be eaten just like that. Whenever acidity or indigestion attacks your tummy, chew ¼ teaspoon of ajwain and allow the juices to flow down your throat. This will cure your tummy in no time. Bishop’s Weed can be added to bread, pizzas, chicken curries etc. for flavouring.

Home & Kitchen> Indian Spice & Herb Dictionary - A

Text by: Tanya Munshi
Just like any other cuisine in the world, Indian cuisine has distinctive spices, condiments and herbs. Most of us know the local names of the spices and are lost when we hear the English names for it.

So here we are, with a spice dictionary, in order to avoid mishaps of buying the wrong ingredient when the cookbook actually asked for another. It is also important to know why certain spices and condiments are used in Indian cooking. And would you believe it that every spice used in Indian cuisine has certain medicinal properties as well.

A
Asafoetida — Hindi - Hing. It’s a light powder with quite an offensive odour, but is used for tempering dal, curries and pickles. Asafoetida is known for its digestive properties which is rich in sulphur and acts as a detoxing agent. The best part about Asafoetida is that you only need a pinch of it to season your curries.

Aniseed – Hindi – Saunf. Most often in India, aniseed is used as an after meal mouth freshener. Aniseed is known to have cooling properties. Soak a teaspoon of aniseed over night in a glass of drinking water. Next morning, on an empty stomach, drink the water by straining the seeds. Aniseed can also be used to flavour dishes like curries and pickles. Aniseed is known to have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and expectorant properties.

Travel & Culture> A Souvenir Guide for Europe

Image: Beer stein shopping in Germany
Image by: Sherrifmitchell

Text by: Tanya Munshi

If you plan on buying souvenirs from Europe, you need to either have enough space in your bag, or maybe take an empty foldable bag along, which you can use to bring back goodies. Wherever you touch base, you would most certainly like to pick up something to remember the place by. Now a souvenir need not be anything fancy or expensive, as long as it represents the place you have visited. As far as possible, stick to the most basic items like hand crafted, home made type of products. It should have the essence of the place of its origin. Of course, refrigerator magnets top the charts of souvenirs, but there’s no harm in looking beyond.

Here is a list of goodies that you can pick up, whatever catches your fancy and fits your pocket!

Note: If you wish to buy any jewelry ask for the authentication certificate. Check for terms and conditions for bringing spices/ food products back to your home country. Usually a government run souvenir store will help you in selecting items, in conformity with the travel regulations. Museum gift shops are also one of the best and the safest places to pick up souvenirs to bring back home.

Austria: Buy wine, traditional costume belts, beautifully embroidered scarves and linen. Porcelain, enamel jewelry and wool.

Czech Republic: Porcelains, crystals, reproductions of Art Nouvea Alfons Mucha and contemporary art work, hand crafted, detailed marionettes and puppets. Don’t miss the Dr. Stuart’s Botanicus chain of bath and beauty products.

England: You can pick up ceramics, the Royal Family memorabilia, splurge a little and pick up some Body Shop products if you like.

France: A visit to the Baccarat Museum should give you an idea how to choose and buy crystals. Keeping Lalique, Saint-Louis crystals as options, why not have a look at the scarves, ties, lingerie, wine, Krug champagne and perfumes.

Germany: There’s a wide variety to choose from wooden gift articles like cuckoo birds, soldiers, German Smokers, Nutcrackers, Christmas Pyramids, Black Forest Cuckoo Clocks. Don’t forget the beer steins.

Greece: Silver jewelry, leather bags, small pans and pots from kitchenware stores and flokati rugs. If you think pens and pencils can be souvenirs, then buy Bics from their local stationary stores. Try and get yourself some really nice lip balms if possible.

Ireland: Pick up Waterford crystals, Irish Figurines such as Leprechauns, Pixies, Gnomes and Fairies, silver jewelry, watches and rings. You can also add lace, linen, Belleek Pottery, Hummels, Donegal tweeds and woolens. If it fancies you, pick up a few CDs of traditional Irish music.

Italy: From miniature monuments like Bridge of Sighs, Bridge of Rialto, religious figurines are also popular choices like angels with flute. You can also pick up coffee pots, lampshades, art and ceramic ware. Leather from Florence and glasses and lace from Venice are also great for souvenir shopping.

Netherlands: Apart from the famous wooden shoes, you can also pick up reprints of Van Gogh’s work. Delftware ceramics, crystals from Leerdam and Maastricht, antiques to cheese and chocolates.

Scotland: Amongst the whisky, silver jewelry, woolens and tweeds, the Scottish thistle is just one of those things that catch your eye.

Spain: You can pick up sherry hailing from Jerez, south of Spain, ceramics, tiles, porcelain figures, art work and designer clothes.

Switzerland: A wide variety of Swiss cheese and chocolates to choose from, you can also pick up watches, clocks, bells, wood work, jackets and the Swiss Alps cap.

Note: Rail Pass and Rail Europe both have online booking for cheap point to point and select eurail passes.

Culture & Food> What's Cooking in Austria

Image: The chocolate glazed Sacher Torte
Image by: Subpop77

Text by: Tanya Munshi

Austrian cuisine is varied and as you move along it's different corners, depending on its proximity to its neighbors, the cuisines will vary. With a Eurail pass, see a part of the world, that you only read in text books. Better still, get a flavour of a country as rich as Austria.

A mixture of cultures, through permutations and combinations from France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Spain, to Slovakia and Serbia - its an endless list that goes on and on. Austrian cuisine is influenced by the agriculture and cuisines of Bundeslander. Since Burgenland lies close to Hungary, the cuisine includes chicken, geese and farm produced fruits. The popular ones are bakes like Buergenlandisches Erdbeerkoch, which is a strawberry baked desert or the Buergenlandische Gaenseleber that is goose liver with onions.

Ham is a popular and a staple diet, topped with lots of herbs, spices and veggies. The Austrian cured ham, chicken stuffed with roasted herb or baked bread with saffron gravy are some of the dishes worth trying out.

Owing to the European history, Austrian cuisine is a mix of both ethnic and international flavors. It includes breaded veal cutlet known as the Wiener Schnitzel, paprika beef stew called the Fiaker Goulash and the chocolate glazed cake the Sacher Torte.

And what do you know; a typical Austrian meal consists of a two to a seven course meal. Starting from an appetizer, soup, main course, with a raw/ cooked side dish, that ends with a dessert which would either be a baked dish or warm/ cold after meal sweet.

Note: Rail Pass and Rail Europe both have online booking for cheap point to point and select eurail passes.

Pets> Nutrition for your Pet Bird

Text by: Tanya Munshi

You have to maintain a healthy diet for your bird as an imbalanced diet can cause diseases or even premature deaths. Hence it is very important to start with a healthy diet right from your pet bird's infancy.

Food tips:

• Regularly change your bird’s diet. Apart from seeds, include sprouted seeds, veggies and fruits in his diet.
• You can get food pellets for birds from a pet store. Food pellets are rich in proteins.
• The size of your bird and the amount of food fed should be proportional. Larger the bird, more food he will consume than a smaller bird.
• Never offer your bird fried, salted or sweet food items. Fruits and veggies are ideal for them.
• Give your bird a slice of guava and let him play with it and eat it as and when he wants during the day.
• Don’t let any fruit/ food item stay in the cage for more than a day.
• Fruits and veggies are healthier for birds. It will help in clearing their systems and you will notice an increase in bird droppings, but it is a natural phenomenon.
• Check with your vet and plan a diet chart for your bird, so that you are well prepared.