Sunday 1 December 2013

One bicycle, 18 countries, 9,000 km…. here comes Simon Schedlbauer

We had a rare guest at PepperTrails this time; Simon Schedlbauer and his friend Katharina. He is from Lower Bavaria, Germany and is on a rare mission. Every person above the ordinary has a certain mission that they are called to fulfil and Simon is one. Read his story in his own words: 
“My name is Simon Schedlbauer and I come from Bogen (near Straubing/Lower Bavaria, Germany). Having completed a 3½-year advanced training course while working, I would now like to take the opportunity to experience foreign countries and cultures and to reach out to people in need. A friend from Munich will join me on my trip. Starting in mid-March 2013, I am going on a charity bicycle tour which will take me all the way from Germany to North India in the course of about six months. On this trip, I hope to pass through 18 countries, covering a distance of around 9,000 km (roughly 5,600 miles). You will be able to follow me at any stage of the tour on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, and of course on my blog, where I am going to share my impressions and experiences along the way.

My goal is to raise at least €1.00 for every kilometre of the trip, which would make for a total of €9,000.00. The beneficiary of those donations will be Tibets Kinder imExile.V. (Exiled Children of Tibet, registered association), a not-for-profit organization providing aid for Tibetan children living in India, who have been on the run from oppression and persecution ever since China’s illegal occupation of Tibet in 1951. To this day, concerned parents send several hundred children every year on an extremely dangerous journey on foot across the Himalayas and on to the exile communities of India. They do so in hopes that at least their children will be able to live in freedom and safety; that they may preserve their language, their religion, and their culture; and that they will enjoy a good education and be given the chance to shape their own future unimpeded by compulsion or constraint. Based in Munich, Tibets Kinder im Exil e.V. lends a helping hand to the children who live in Tibetan SOS Children’s Villages by enlisting sponsors and collecting donations. The donated money goes directly toward supporting specific projects in these children’s villages, in full and without any deductions for administrative costs. Your donation will not be used to cover my travel expenses. Rest assured that I will literally pay my own way.” (Read more at; http://www.simon-schedlbauer.de/english)

Simon stopped at PepeprTrails for a meal and some relaxation, the duo was very keen to know about India and its traditional tastes. Excited about the live culinary demo; Simon noted on TripAdvisor: “Excellent cooking-class: They show you how to cook original Indian food and the taste is amazing. The complete meal is included in the price, so there is nothing to pay extra. It`s fantastic because you get the written instructions for the meals so you can cook it also yourself at home. Thank you very much for your great hospitality, we really enjoyed.”

Thank you Simon and Katharina and all the very bests for the rest of your journey!

Sunday 10 November 2013

Trip Advisor Reviews on Pepper Trails

We have some amazing reviews on Trip Advisor from guests who visited us in the recent past. We are happy to see those smiling faces, this further demands our focused attention to strive towards providing an ‘experience to carry home’ for our dear guests. Thank you all who visited us and spared their time to put down their appreciation in writing. The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness!!


Please see the Reviews on Trip Advisor at:

Monday 4 November 2013

Baerbel Schroeter and team from Germany visits PepperTrails

Baerbel Schroeter, a travel industry professional from Germany first visited Pepper Trails in May,2012. It was in conjunction with a German consortium on a familiarization trip to experience the unique offerings in the tourism landscape of Kerala. The exquisite culinary demo at Pepper Trails motivated her to pay a visit again on 2013, October and this time she brought in her close associates as well.

Apart from the cookery session, she was much appealed by the friendly dining with Pepper Trails family, courtesy the team has extended to her and the culture and taste of this traditional Kerala Kitchen. Mrs. Schroeter also joined for another FAM trip to Pittapillil estates, the home ground where we cultivate the ingredients for traditional Kerala dishes. Please read her review in her own language.


Appreciation is a source of civilized delight, they say. But when it comes in German, it makes us humble as it is more or less Greek to us. But Baerbel Schroeter expressed her heartfelt appreciation through words spoken while she visited us, written word s also cannot be different, we are sure!



A live demo at the Pepper Trail kitchen for Baerbel Schroeter and her team from Germany



Baerbel Schroeter attempts making an “Appam” at PepperTrail kitchen, amused Simi Kishore plays a culinary coach to the visiting guest.


Baerbel Schroeter and her visiting German team enjoys ‘Kerala Platter’ at the Pepper Trails home.




Wednesday 20 February 2013

A dinner with friends from Israel

Our guests from Israel were a truly sociable bunch and it was a joyous experience to cook for them and share recipes. The kids were undoubtedly an entertainment as always.

One of our new found friends, Gila Grossman from Tel Aviv, had this to say:
"We felt very welcomed by the family. We felt at home.The food was excellent,the cooking lesson was very interesting, we enjoyed the company of the hosts, great experience to meet Indian people at their house. We are very grateful for your open house and open hearts.Thank you very much!"

It was surely a pleasure for the Pepper Trails household too to sit down to a pleasant dinner with all of you. Hoping you will visit again. Shalom!

With everyone

One for the album

Learning to whip up some delicacies

And finally, at the dinner table...


The British PM and the Malayali "Meen" curry

British PM David Cameron addressing Unilever on his 2nd India visit


We pride ourselves on the fact that Pepper Trails is not just about eating good food but also about exploring the story behind its conception; how a dish is made, what its history is and how a guest can take the memory of that taste back to the part of the world he/ she calls home.

When the British PM David Cameron remarked about Kerala's famous "Meen" (fish) curry, I couldn't help sitting back and smiling smugly thinking back to plenty of occasions where our guests had satiated themselves on delicious bits of "Meen Pollichathu" and a lot more. Kerala cuisine in a British household! Who would have thought... 

Our famous motto of letting the experience and memory linger forever was also featured in their official blog by ResPublica Consulting at http://respublicaconsulting.wordpress.com/2013/02/19/david-cameron-and-the-great-kerala-fish-curry-2/
The tastes of Kerala have truly gone international!...

Friday 1 February 2013

A home cooked meal with Deborah and Diana

Had a great time hosting a meal for Deborah and Diana yesterday. Our guests from Malta had a taste of authentic Kerala cuisine over a traditional meal. 

Deborah Attard:
This was a very good introduction to Kerala. What a lovely welcome! The cooking lesson was simple and interesting and the family provided a warm atmosphere. Charles and Isaac provided all the entertainment! So cute. Will definitely email if we have any difficulties with cooking.Well done, keep it up, Thank you...

Diana Mifsud:
Warm and lovely welcome into the Pepper Trails home.The spicy coconut cocktail is a good ice- breaker. Cooking the recipes was informative and the lady of the house made everything seem easy. Food was excellent as was the company especially the two kids. Lovely culinary experience overall,keep it up!..

Hoping you will visit again someday. Thank you for the wonderful words Deborah and Diana!
In and around the garden with Isaac

Learning a recipe

With Charles and Isaac

Sitting down to a hearty meal

Monday 17 December 2012

Culture n' Cuisine at Pepper Trails!


We were wondering how to give inbound travelers a holistic taste of Kerala. Since cuisine is always a legacy of culture and reflects the same, we decided to unveil a complete Kerala experience. From panchavadyam to coconut tree climbing, we have a mini- festival all set to go!

More about this exotic experience was featured on ChefAtLarge.in, one of India's foremost sites dedicated to the love of good food. Here's showing off our little spot in the limelight:

http://chefatlarge.in/listings/exotic-kerala-experience-for-inbound-travelers-on-cruises-and-chartered-flights.html

Pepper Trails's innovative Kerala Platter for November guests was also featured here:

http://chefatlarge.in/listings/mumbai-listings/pepper-trails-to-lure-november-guests-with-traditional-kerala-platter-2.html

Bon appetit!