Food Bits - A Dosa Love

As an Arkansan, my childhood exposure to ethic food was limited to the worst kind of steam table “Chinese” and faire from a Yankee-run establishment on the highway. Not much haute cuisine.

Likewise, my initial foray with Indian food came as a low-renter in England scarffing down the late night volcanic curry that seemed to be required weekend eating. English sure. Indian? Not so much.

It was not until my days in the Internet Boom that I was exposed to the flavors and thrills of South Indian cuisine (big thanks to Hitesh and the Blueshift crew).

This is where the Masala Dosa came into my life!

The ultimate comfort food, A Masala Dosa is a thin, crispy crepe served with a stuffing of potatoes, onions and spices. A little crunch, a little spicy tuck at the back of your tongue, and maybe a mango lassi to help wash it all down. Paradise.

Where to get one in Atlanta? There is great South Indian all over the city. Roll with the gourmets at Madras Saravana Bhavan or hit the lunchtime Dosa bar at my old Norcross haunt The Palace.

Me for, it all about what is now called Chopaati in Decatur. Although the new proprietors have dispensed with the Styrofoam so loved by their predecessors, it is still snack bar seating with excellent food at cheap-eat prices. I have a twelve year history with this place and consider it an oasis. Now with Bollywood movies playing at the back of the dining room!

Want to try some Indian food from your own kitchen? See what the ladies at Show Me the Curry can teach you.

The Brian Lamb Experience

For as long as I can remember Sunday nights have been about CSPAN Founder Brain Lamb's interviews. If you are looking for unique insights into Americans and American History just tune to CSPAN at 8:00 PM EST any Sunday.

From 1989 until 2004 Brian recorded over 800, one hour interviews for his unique Booknotes series. These interviews, encapsulated in four micro-chapter books, offer incredible insights from the great writers and historians of the 20th century and many up and comers with interest in overlooked or under appreciated facets of American History. Look for repeats on Book TV or watch some wide-lapel videos on the Booknotes website or on iTunes.

Brian's new interview show, Q&A, includes an incredible array of guests from all walks of life. While the interviews still have a heavy leading towards politics, you never know who will be on the simple, two chair set for an intimate one-hour exchange.

What makes both of these programs so interesting is Brian's ego-free, no holds bar interview style. This is a man who has never uttered his own name aloud on the air in 30 years on TV.

So join for me the best show on TV or, as I often do now, catch the programs a week or so after release as free podcasts.

Need more than an hour's entertainment on a Sunday night? Check out Prime Minster's Questions after Q&A every week Parliament is in session.

China’s Stimulus Plan

A crisis is an opportunity riding the dangerous wind (危机是乘坐危险风的机会). This Chinese proverb has penetrated American business parlance to the point of abuse, but seems very appropriate in considering the efforts underway by the PRC government to make the most of the world financial crisis.

As highlighted in an excellent article in yesterday’s New York Times, the tone of the recently concluded National People's Congress hints that government efforts initiated last November will continue to focus on infrastructure development, technical training for unskilled labors, and increased R&D investments. All of these efforts offer the parallel benefit of internal investment and placating, if even to a small degree, populations that failed to benefit from China's surge to the position as the world's third largest economy.

What about the collapse of the Chinese manufacturing-for-export sector? There are a few silver lining here too. Indigenous, professional business managers, a rare commodity over the years, are now more plentiful as best-in-class leaders from closed factories reenter the work force. Transportation costs are way down, wage inflation of the past two years has all but disappeared, and external M&A activity will reported face fewer regulatory issues than in the past.

Conventional wisdom has for years dictated that China must slow down its growth and create engines for domestic consumption to develop a real, sustainable economy. China seems well positioned to ride a forced slowdown via the global economic challenges to a new era of strength.

But you know I am a China bull! If you are with me pop over to my friends at Matthews Funds and put your money where your mouth is. If you are short on cash visit anyway to get the most consistent and comprehensive insights into Greater Asia investing available in the US.