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:

http://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g297633-d4943161-r184152598-Pepper_Trails_Food_Tours-Kochi_Cochin_Kerala.html#REVIEWS

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.

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!...

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

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!

Recipe for "Mezhukkupuratti"

Mezhukkupuratti literally means ‘coated with oil’, though the dish is not all that greasy as it sounds. Vegetables are steamed/ boiled with a little water and tossed with seasoned oil which acts as a dressing. A variety of vegetables can be cooked using this recipe and it is the most popular method of conjuring up a quick curry to go with any meal any day!

This simple dish is also a healthy option that does not invite too many calories. A typical Kerala style lunch or dinner is never complete without a mezhukkupuratti made of veggies available at hand, simple spices and a slight tempering to retain the sharp flavors.

Ingredients

• ½ kg raw banana
• 10 whole red chilies
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Curry leaves
• 10 garlic cloves
• 5 shallots
• 1 teaspoon pepper powder
• coconut oil
• salt to taste

Procedure

            Chop the raw bananas into small pieces and cook it with water, salt and turmeric powder.  Heat oil in a pan and sauté the crushed red chilies, garlic cloves, shallots, curry leaves and powdered pepper.  When it starts roasting and changes color, add the cooked raw bananas into the pan.  Keep it on a low flame till the water evaporates completely.  This is one of the best side dishes to accompany rice.