Tea – a homely staple and not one just revered by the Brits. With almost 850,000 tons of the warm beverage being consumed by India’s population every year, it is the country’s most popular drink.

While Brits tend to focus on a traditional English breakfast tea, paired with milk, sugar and a scone, India focuses on its sweetened beverages, such as chai, ginger and cardamom. Traditional Masala chai tea is a mixture of black tea, with Indian spices and herbs. You can expect to find it served on the street at chai stalls and roadside shacks.

Look between the Okanagan Valley’s mountainous peaks, fruit orchards and breathtaking lake and you’re sure to find world-class wineries, known internationally for producing excellent fruit and hybrid wines.

Today, the Okanagan Valley is British Columbia’s foremost winemaking region, and is home to over 172 wineries and counting. Spanning over 2,400 hectares, this winemaking area is spilt into sub regions that each have their own distinctive climates and soil varieties, allowing a greater range of wines to be produced here.

The Okanagan Valley has been used for winemaking since the 19th century; the first winery opened here in the mid 1800s, producing only communion wine. However, the Prohibition of the early 20th century put a stop to any development of wine production in the area until the 1930s. By the 1970s, the Okanagan Valley’s winemakers had started production in earnest and today the region is home to over 60 grape varieties, from rich Merlot to aromatic Riesling.

Rich, fragrantly spiced and elaborately prepared, Rajasthani cuisine offers an edible history of the region. A central part of hospitality and a crucial way to impress important guests, the area’s rajas favored a no expense spared attitude to cooking in their palace kitchens. As a result, today Rajasthan is as famous for its food as it is for its spectacular forts and romantic lakes. Here, chef Sujit Mukerjee, Executive Chef at the renowned Sheesh Mahal, Leela Palace in Udaipur provides an expert insight into this fascinating and complex cuisine.