“There is no creation without tradition; the ‘new’ is an inflection on a preceding form; novelty is always a variation on the past.”
Carlos Fuentes
It’s no secret that I love amassing kitchen collectibles, the incorrigible prop collector as it may be! It’s a passion I have stoked for years, even before the blog began, and I don’t see the passion diminishing. Glassware, ceramic, stoneware, metal ware all call my name, be it from India or overseas. It’s an obsession I try to tear myself away from, each piece has a story!
The house now resembles a museum of sorts, with old kitchen collectibles dotting nearly every visible space, yet I march on greedily at times! Nothing seems to stop me, the better half still as accommodating and indulgent as ever. My favourite medium remains metal ware. So I was elated when the good folk from Coppre asked if they could send me something from their collection. Yes please I said, I would be honoured!
Coppre … inspired by creating beautiful things. Objects that are crafted by hand embody a unique identity. And convey a special sense of purpose. We look at objects from yesteryears and marvel at the craftsmanship. It never ceases to amaze us how every utilitarian object had an element of ornamentation. And vice versa.So many handcrafting traditions have ceased to be. There were game changers. The colonisers, the industries. And today, the dynamics of a market driven economy.
… the plan. To reinvigorate. And make old artisan traditions come alive. That’s what we love to do. To make beautiful things, that matter. Things that are owned, treasured, loved and then passed on. Things that make you feel good and do good. Because it gives us joy. And purpose.
My love for Indian metal ware dates back to my first little copper tumbler I bought from Vishwanath ki gali in Benaras, now Varanasi. It’s been decades since I’ve visited but the Coppre jug brought a flood of memories back.
Make a morning ritual of drinking copper-charged water with the Terracopper Jug. With a combination of handbeaten etches and plain surface, the jug reveals the innate sheen of copper. The silhouette is inspired by the simplicity of earthern water jugs.
I used to religiously keep the little copper glass full of water every night and glug it down the copper-charged water first thing next morning. It was a ritual and held a deep connect with Benaras, where we spent most of our childhood summers. My daughter was there on a college trip last year; her sketches of Varanasi below captured some of my favourite memories….…and that resonates with what Coppre has done. It’s brought alive an age old tradition, breathed new life into a dying art, and they’ve done it with class. It’s the craftsmanship they have resurrected, hammered metal now so popular in the West, is available here. The possibilities are immense. Copper is a beautiful metal, artistic, long lasting and has great medicinal properties.To reconstitute and revive is the Coppre promise. To breathe new life into our heritage. What a beautiful journey they’ve undertaken. It’s no small task but look at how brilliant the beginning is. Because this is what they do best – design | craft | propagate. This will bring the spotlight back on our artisans, our craft, and our heritage. Do stop by and look at their range – everyday use, corporate gifting, wedding souveniers. It’s uplifting, it’s inspiring and it celebrates the revival of an almost lost art…
… and they do it in style. Beautiful craftsmanship, stunning finish, great packaging, thoughtful bag of polish, cloth bags to protect, useful instructions, international shipping. What more can one want ask for ….
Saffron Pistachio Indian Bread Pudding {eggless} …. this is a post about bread pudding, the festival season, travel, cookware, memories, possessions, obsessions, food props & styling, connects and so much more. To begin with, a bit about the dessert. Fascinatingly, almost every culture across the world has it’s own version of bread pudding. In many cases, eggs are an intrinsic part as they help to firm up the custard to offer a rich pudding. That version is often baked. We grew up with a no bake eggless version, quintessential in this part of the world. Locally referred to as Shahi Tukda, its translation quite literally ‘the royal bit{e}’! Inherent ingredients … bread of course {day old if possible}, clarified butter, sugar, full cream milk, often khoya {milk solids also known as mawa}, dry fruit. Saffron if you want to add to the flavours and give it that special touch. I love using saffron. A nice generous teaspoon and you have seductive, lilting flavours in your dessert.
Pistachio slivers, rose petals, beaten silver foil, more saffron … anything to make it even more festive. I thought it fitted right in with my newly acquired {read received as a gift} Mauviel1830 rectangular roasting pan. And there begins another connect … a food prop connect!
I am fascinated by food props. Metal, stone, wood, ceramic, stoneware. However, metal is my first love. Copper to get even more precise. Most folk who know me know well of my love for food props, vintage mostly. A trip to the Kashmir valley in March this year left me virtually breathless. The people, the places, the architecture, scenic beauty, an old world charm … Also old markets, spices and of course copper-ware. Loads of it. Old Srinagar market is filled with the most beautiful intricately engraved copper. The natives use it in everyday cooking; it’s a part of their life. There was only so much I could carry back. I had been warned about excess baggage!!
And then last week came something that I had never imagined. More copper. A gift all the way from Normandy, France. Not vintage, but something that left my heart going THUD THUD THUD!! A set of the most beautifully crafted, stellar quality copper and steel cookware form the iconic French brand Mauviel 1830! Take a look.
Srinagar means a lot to me. A childhood connect, copper-ware, shikaras, houseboats, snow, saffron, rogan josh, goshtaba, bakeries, fruit, beautiful people … For the recipe, I wanted to use saffron. I’ve done a really nice Caramel Saffron Panna Cotta earlier, so this time opted for a simple eggless Indian Shahi Tukda or bread pudding.
This Mauviel1830 rectangular pan offered me a perfect choice even though it’s a roasting pan. You can bake an egg custard bread pudding in the pan for a variation. Here is what I did. I tried to use as many of the beautiful creations from Mauviel1830 in this simple recipe. The adorable little pan was used to melt the clarified butter in. The copper bowl for whisking the milk, cream, and condensed milk, the heavy bottom saucepan for reducing the milk concoction…and of course the rectangular pan for final plating.
It’s a really nice set, and using Mauviel made my experience totally memorable. I felt royal. You got to experience it to believe it. Each piece screams quality, feels great to hold, is crafted with care, and beautiful to look at of course…… as a friend rightfully commented on FB, Mauviel1830 is an investment.
Do head off to Sharon @ The Keybunch to find my simple, rich and indulgent yet rich Indian Shahi Tukda or Saffron Pistachio Indian Bread Pudding {eggless} recipe. It’s a quintessential Indian dessert, kept light by toasting the bread. Feel free to play around with spices and or/ingredients. The recipe is pretty basic. Use cardamom or star anise, maybe nutmeg for a change in flavour. Skip the condensed milk and use ricotta, mawa/khoya and sugar instead.
