By Nicole Solis  August 18th, 2009 10:35 am  |  Comments (0)

Is India ready for a craft-beer renaissance? On Global Post, Jason Overdorf examines the challenges facing TVB Craft Brewers as it reintroduces India Pale Ale and other craft beers to India:

India’s alcohol market is governed by arcane rules designed to encourage local production and discourage consumption, so distillers and brewers here never had to worry excessively about quality. A handful of brewers enjoyed a near monopoly, with the result that Indian beer is manufactured with inferior malt and malt-substitutes like rice flakes — as well as a syrupy preservative called glycerine. It’s not uncommon for two bottles of the same brand of Indian beer to taste completely different from one another.

[via Global Post]

By April Kilcrease  August 10th, 2009 2:33 pm  |  Comments (1)

In Mumbai, you’re never too old for mom to pack your lunch. Thanks to deliverymen known as dabbawallas (box-carriers) office workers can have mom’s home cooking delivered to their desk for about $10 a month (presumably, mom cooks for free). To learn more about the 120-year-old  system, check out this dabbawalla video from London’s Journeyman Pictures. Mom, if you’re reading this, where’s my chicken curry and rice?

Be your own dabbawalla with this stainless steel tiffin carrier from To-Go Ware, featured in our premier issue’s Feast department.

Dabbawalla photo by Steve Evans. CC 2.0.