Kolkata (Part II) – May the forcefeeding be with you

Freelance writer, Babu Basu finds his stomach bullied into submission and practices the national sport of haggling.
 
Back in the mists of time, the people of Kolkata ate to live. In a country where sustenance was scarce, people ate enough, just enough.
 
Over indulgence was saved for weddings, birthdays and major religious occasions.
 
To show you cared, you fed. [...]

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Kolkata (part I) Creativity, chaos and a broken down taxi.

Forget space travel. If you’re looking to visit another world, why not give Kolkata a spin.
Freelance writer, Babu Basu, touches down in the heart of West Bengal and loses himself to an unrelenting, and inescapably vibrant city.

I ought to start by my declaring my allegiance to Kolkata. Well sort of.
The city is part [...]

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Instalment Two – Fat and stressed? Eat lunch and enjoy it!

With ballooning waistlines, increasing levels of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, are we a country engulfed by gluttony?      
Perhaps perversely, Babu Basu argues that the U.K. doesn’t think about food enough.
 
I love food.  
I love reading about it, shopping for it, preparing it and devouring it with my friends. 
Recently, I’ve started to acknowledge Cookie Monster from Sesame Street as [...]

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Instalment One – Pesce and the deep blue sea.

It’s September and your favourite freelance writer finds himself in Sicily.
I’m staying in Palermo with Carlita and Beppe, two of my best friends. You can find their stunning home in Carini, a suburb, on the outskirts of the city.  
The house is wrapped in beautiful ceramic tiles and solid wooden doors. Antique furniture sits [...]

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