Farm Lore: Art of Storytelling through Culinary Alchemy.
A journey into the world of Molecular Gastronomy, in layman’s terms Food Alchemy. Gastronomy is the study of precise food science with meticulous attention to detail in relation to culture, primarily focused on gourmet cuisine. The term comprises cooking techniques, combinations of taste, smell and aesthetic presentation regarding consumption. All in all, it is an art form being the fusion of everything to do with food, right from cultural significance, cooking methods, presentation styles to cutlery and plating.
Farm Lore’s description in their own words — “on a journey of discovering and rediscovering ‘Locavore’ traditions, cultures and its connection to Mother Earth”. Their aim is “to re-enact stories through culinary creations, encapsulating forgotten traditions through futuristic adaptations in a one of a kind, specially curated, food theatrical experience”.
Our journey to Farm lore was full of anticipation and excitement having heard great things about the team and the magical experiences created through food and lore. This is a shared memoir of our personal experience at Farm Lore.
Situated on a quaint 37-acre property in North Bangalore, the journey to this tucked-away gem was a fair distance. Driving into the compound of this hidden farm after being through some of Bangalore’s busy traffic was a treat by itself. Turning into a lush green property, with plenty of trees, fireflies flying around in gentle twinkles with only the soft sounds of crickets and birds to be heard. From then on the chaos of Bangalore traffic was a distant memory as we began our anticipatory walk to the restaurant.
We had already taken in so much of the place after the brief walk on the well-lit concrete block path. My mind raced with thoughts inspired by the simple charming appeal of the property.
As we let ourselves in through the large wooden doors, we were greeted with a warm smile and welcome by Sonali, our friendly Hostess for the evening. As Sonali ushered us to our seats of choice (we chose the chefs prep table) I couldn’t help but notice the large colourful Mural in the background. The Mural itself, a collage of many different influences of Karnataka and southern India. The vivid colours, monumental buildings, colourful fruits, spices and other ingredients boldly displaying the cultural significance behind farm lore and South India.
As we took our seats we were greeted by the incredibly talented team, Patron chef Johnson, Head chef Mythrayie and Sous chef Avinnash who have acquired quality experience from top restaurants around the world. We were then given a brief introduction of the place, the journey from its inception to the foundation and the passionate thought and effort that went into curating the culinary journey that we were about to embark on.
In brief, we were to expect a ten-course farm to fork gastronomy experience with a majority of the ingredients being organically grown within Farm Lore.
The menu includes seasonality and flavours with locavore traditions, the courses to start small working cohesively and gradually building upon the graph of flavour pairings. The combinations of the flavour matrix along with presentation are key to the multi-sensorial experience.
Our first experience for the evening was a delicious refreshing Plum and Lemon Kombucha infused with hibiscus flower. A light starter drink as we waited for the rest of the evening to unfold. The suspense and mystery built up as Farmlore pride themselves on creating an entirely new menu week on week. Except for the chefs no one can ever be certain what’s going to be on the menu on that particular day’s experience.
For the next starter courses, we began with dishes named Gulkund and Moss. At the chefs’ table, we could visualise the culinary artistry unravel in front of us. The chefs were busy using unique methods weaving together various ingredients and textures while we gazed on with curiosity. The fascinating choice of serving plates of course had their lore behind them. As we were being served we were briefed on the composition of our very first starter dishes.
Gulkund: Beet tarts with Gulkund sphere and macadamia, a spherical Mandya buttercream with notes of roses.
These were small little mouthfuls of mildly sweetened flavours I can’t precisely explain, needless to say, my palate was delighted at the tastes and texture as I felt my pleasure reward chemicals release ( Yah I mean Dopamine!).
Moss: Encased smoked eggplants with crispy flaky pastry & Moringa dust.
The dish resembled moss, mimicking the monsoon season served on beautiful stone tiles. This was a savoury earthy follow up that delighted the senses once again. With each warm nibble, the nostalgic smell of wet earth captured my imagination as I was transported to a cozy rainy evening.
Parcel: Avocados & charred corn in an encased dough, flash cooked on the wood-fired oven. Sauce is 85% dark chocolate coupled with Cauliflower Miso.
A crispy outside filled with soft avocado and charred corn on the inside paired well with the sauce. This unusual pairing was delicious but my mind was still fixated on the previous dishes, filled with inspiration from experiencing these culinary artists at work one bite at a time.
Charred greens: Farmlore charred greens with garlic miso butter served alongside crab filled eggs with a dollop of caviar.
I scooped through this eggshell filled with cooked eggs and crab meat topped with caviar — delectable. There was a vegetarian option, but I didn’t take notes, fully engrossed in my multi-sensory journey. The preparation technique left me in awe, as it would have been quite a task to fill out a delicate eggshell.
Earthy: Morel mushroom & Shimeji broth with Quail bone powder.
The course arrived in a charming bowl with an alluring presentation. Keeping in mind that we never knew what to expect with each dish, the consumption process is described best in these stages: curiosity, aroma, taste, after taste and relish. This dish to me was soup for the soul with chunky bites of delicious herbs and mushrooms. It was hard to believe that we still had five more courses to go.
Art: Seared Lobster and tomato leather served with four sauces of Marigold, Charcoal, Gongura & Gassi.
This next dish got me curious as it was a first witnessing a paintbrush placed beside cutlery. I watched on in bemusement as the tray of coloured sauces was placed on the table. The chef declared the next course called ‘art’ and broke the suspense. Yet we gazed on mystified and perplexed in wonder what to expect next. Before anything else arrived we were given a plate and asked to paint on it using the four different sauces. My feeble attempt at art was playful and fun.
As part of the dish, the alluring tomato leather placed beside us sparked intrigue. On further inquiry, the chefs explained to us the process of its creation. A two-day-long affair where a unique mix of tomato puree is dried in sheets and decorated, the result is tomato leather pictured below.
At this stage, we were still unaware of the dish about to be served. After we each finished with our masterpieces, the lobster was brought out and plated. On further instructions, I then placed the delicate tomato leather on top of the lobster. It was a fascinating part of the meal, as the aesthetic was a co-created effort between culinary artists and myself, the diner. My imperfections made me further appreciate the detail these culinary artists achieved. Everything tasted delicious, being a playful meal experience.
“Art is not about beauty, art is an expression.”
― Vikram Roy, The Alchemist A Mystery in Three Acts
Bannur: Bannur lamb, horse gram, charcoal drumstick sauce.
It is lamb slow-cooked on a woodfire smoke over two whole days. The meat is deliciously tender. It was a favourite in a list of favourites, the flavour being distinctive, smoky, succulent goodness. The lamb, horse gram and roasted potatoes perfectly paired with the moringa sauce.
Fun fact: Bannur Mutton comes from the ‘Bannur’ sheep that originate on the banks of the Cauvery river in a village called Bandur of Mandya district, 30 kilometres east of Mysore. In conclusion, Bannur Lamb genetically has a higher than average muscle to fat ratio, rendering the meat very tender.
Comfort : Nu Puttu, pomelo sambol & pork with Joni Bella.
This dish as its name suggested, was the comforting touch marking the end to the main courses. Pork cooked with liquid jaggery and mixed in with pomelo sambal under some nu puttu (string hopper). It was a very homely dish that had a strong influence from Coorg, although different versions of this dish appear across South India and South East Asia.
Fresh: Tender coconut sorbet with Pineapple jelly & dill speed gel.
This visually enticing dessert arrived in a beautiful glass crystal bowl with a Fibonacci pattern design. With every spoonful, the cold coconut sorbet and pineapple jelly and dill swirled around in my palate. It was the perfect follow up with this edible pina colada in my mouth, refreshing my palate and bringing on a whole new set of flavours. Thinking of the desert still makes my mouth water. Kudos to the chefs!
Umami: Fermented Sesame ice cream with Orange coulis and chocolate crumble.
I didn’t think it would be possible to outdo the last, but this desert shattered this short-lived preconception. An entirely new influx of flavours danced in my mouth with each spoonful of this ice cream, chocolate crumble and coulis combination. The fermented sesame ice cream was a taste I had never experienced before. The pairing with a most delicious Orange coulis and chocolate crumble topped with rich cocoa dust was an uplifting experience where afflatus had peaked for me.
Fun fact: Umami is a Japanese word that translates to “pleasant savoury taste” and it is one of the five basic tastes along with sweet, salty, sour & bitter.
Petit: Gin gummies, Choux, Fruit, 74% dark chocolate & Mouth freshener
Our meal had finally come to its final stages with the miniature bites offered. The choux were soft fluffy cream-filled pastry buns accompanied by zesty gin gummy bears.
The fruit slices placed in ice helped with cleansing our palates and resetting our taste buds. The in-house 74% dark milk chocolate and the potato paper-wrapped fennel, cashew and macadamia nuts were a nice touch to end the meal session.
The variety of colours, presentation styles and mastery over flavour pairing gave me a deep sense of appreciation towards the lengthy effort put into curating these dishes. The Lore behind every serving dish, cooking utensil, cutlery, glassware and food, harmoniously preparing a magnificent cohesive feast.
The mystery behind each course was ample in effect, creating a sense of anticipation while keeping us enthralled in a state of wonder. Every bite being unceasingly stimulating, this was genuinely a multi-sensorial experience. The thoroughly ingenious meal prepared by these culinary magicians was beyond just taste, touch, sight and smell.
My thoughts travelling through the ages revisiting eras where syncretic wisdom created the world we live in today. An experiential journey that breached the limits of my imagination and left me in a state of deep reverence for all creation.
I was humbled and grateful to be living in a time like this, where we get to experience the amalgamation of thousands of years of culture and knowledge spanning all corners of the globe in a single meal sitting.
“Experiences are the chemicals of life with which the philosopher experiments.”
— Manly P. Hall
Farm lore is vegetarian/vegan friendly and can cater to specific dietary requirements. They ask you about any dietary restrictions, allergies and preferences well in advance of the meal session. Booking a meal slot requires a little planning ahead as their serving capacity is strictly limited to eighteen people a meal session and weekends can be booked out well in advance.
A big thank you to the passionate team behind the magic!
