Feasting time! From ITC Hotels ‘Biryani & Pulao Collection to Honey & Dough’s Chocolate Christmas Houses

World over, December is a month of culinary feasting. In India, with the festive season wrapping up to embrace a new season and a new year, who can possibly resist the tempting lure of good food? No wonder, the hospitality segment is all set to roll out some delicious culinary offerings to tempt your taste buds!

With authenticity becoming a key offering in the culinary feasts that are on offer, a pertinent point has been conveyed on the same in Dr. Sukhmani Khorana’s book titled as ‘The Tastes and Politics of Inter-Cultural Food in Australia. In her view expressed in the aforementioned book, she points out that diverse food is now a mark of cosmopolitanism. A notable linkage the author makes is how the beginning has coincided with MasterChef Season in 2009, which became an instant hit with a global audience and continues to be a top favourite.

Coming to the many culinary offerings being rolled out in India, the focus on showcasing authenticity in cuisine is gaining ground as well.

The ITC Hotels’ is all set to showcase their Indian culinary offerings by announcing the launch of its much awaited ‘Biryani & Pulao Collection’. These culinary dishes permeate every region and hold universal appeal, even as it embodies the dining legacy from ITC Hotels. Describing this as a ‘strong reminder of our culture’, Anil Chadha, COO-ITC Hotels added that the ITC Hotels is known for making investments in cuisine research that brings together the richness of India’s four key regions – north, south, east and west.

Most importantly, ITC Hotels has rolled out these culinary offerings based on authentic recipes that will be served at select banquets. Further, the ‘Biryani & Pulao Collection’ presents ten gems from India’s most renowned heritage kitchens, known for their fine aromas, distinct taste, textures and simplicity. These are carefully prepared dishes and perfected over the years by renowned master chefs of ITC Hotels.

With the Christmas season in full swing, for many migrant and diasporic communities across the world, feasting is a never-ending search for memories of their cultural roots in a new place, brought to life by the scent, sight and taste of food. Notably. hotels and beach resorts in Goa such as Whispering Palms and Zuri White Sands Goa Resort are witnessing an uptick in bookings ahead of Christmas.

A notable example of how food can strengthen a sense of one’s authentic cultural traditions is how Farida Ayubi and her family opened a restaurant ‘Parwana’ in Adelaide, which celebrates her Afghan food traditions and expresses the memory and history of a region, which they candidly describe as ‘now long disrupted’. A glimpse of the Parwana Afghan kitchen and their culinary offerings on Instagram offers an authentic peek into the Afghan cultural identity and its linkage with the preparation of its own signature cuisine.

Another notable example is Imad’s Syrian kitchen, which created ripples in the London restaurant scene, as its menu brings to life some of Syria’s most celebrated dishes. The brand on Instagram celebrates authenticity with Imad’s detailed musings from Damascus such as when he would walk out to the fields to pick fresh strawberries and grapes and farmers would generously share their bread, potatoes and onions which they had grown with him. These musings touch upon bringing alive the cultural diversity that food brings to the table.

Closer to home, feasting is also about embracing the sweet desserts and plum cakes that are synonymous with the season of celebrating Christmas.

Highlighting red as the colour of the season, Honey & Dough is rolling out Red Velvet cupcakes and Christmas tree cupcakes which showcase a sparkling Christmas tree with a delicious frosting that melts when you taste it on top of the sponge. The showstopper, however, is the Chocolate Christmas Houses that make the festive season come alive as it is made with chocolate figurines as well as a chocolate house, which can be an instant showstopper on your Christmas dinner table if you are planning to indulge yourself and loved ones this season.

A simpler yet equally tempting offer is the Gingerbread man cookies which offer a perfect balance of sweetness with the flavours of warm spices.

Little boxes of Chocolate Truffles also make for tempting gifting options this season.