ABOUT OUR CUISINE . . .

Ayurveda (pronounced "ah-yer-vey-duh") is a Sanskrit word that means "The Science of Life."  It originated in India some five thousand years ago and spread to nearby Sri Lanka and numerous other Asian countries over time. Wherever it is practiced it has profoundly affected life in general and the preparation of food in particular.

Ayurveda teaches that each person is a unique combination of constitutional components that are determined precisely at the moment of conception and that there are many factors that influence just who each of us is, the physical and mental state of each of our parents being paramount among them.

In Sanskrit these components are known as "doshas" and there are three of them: Vata (space & air), Pitta (fire & water) and Kapha (earth & water). Generally people have one or two of these doshas that dominate. Rarely are people tri-doshic; for example, having all three in balance.

Illness or disease occurs when one or two of the doshas are very much out of balance with the others. A trained Ayurveda chef, like Tamara, is able to recognize these imbalances and, through a deep understanding of which tastes are correct for which doshas. Balance and harmony are encouraged in order that good health is achieved and maintained.

Ayurveda offers a sophisticated and subtle understanding of taste. It tells us that the six tastes are: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent. They are used in various combinations to nourish the doshas and, like an artist combining colours, Tamara will work with these tastes to achieve results that are satisfying to both her and the person eating. At Café Ceylon, Tamara endeavours to include all six tastes in the dishes she prepares to ensure that each diner's doshic needs are met. This is why so many find her food so satisfying and delicious.

Tamara firmly believes that the cornerstone of Ayurveda is that through taking in food we embrace life, becoming inseparable from it. Digestion of food (and thoughts) depends on "Agni," the internal fire which transforms energy from the earth into the radiance of who we are. When cooking, she knows that the understanding of the tastes and other attributes of the food being prepared and their interplay with the constitution of the recipient allows her to establish doshic balance and harmony, thereby encouraging good health.

This very brief description of a complex and deep subject will serve to merely introduce it. There are some excellent publications available in book and health food stores that will not only expand one's understanding and appreciation of this ancient science but will, hopefully, lead one to the ability to prepare and eat food with care and reverence so that optimum self-health may be achieved.