Gourmet products local specialties and wines Rajasthan

The talented chef, Tejasvi Chandela, has managed to open a real French patisserie in Jaipur. Trained at the famous Cordon Bleu school, she has created her own pastry café in the chic Civil Lines district. The atmosphere is perfect to enjoy an espresso or a cappuccino with a delicious cake. Everything is there for a gourmet break: comfort, elegant decor, subdued lighting and soothing colors. The menu is varied with teas, juices, cakes and pastries, but also savory snacks.

If it is impossible to come to India without tasting the deliciousness of lassi, it is definitely forbidden to come to Jaipur without trying the Lassiwala experience. This is the best - and oldest - lassi shop in town! Plain, salty, sweet, banana, pineapple or kesar special, they are simply delicious. Very fresh, all are served in traditional clay pots to eat in or take away. But beware, three stores located side by side have the same name. The real one is at n° 315 (red and yellow sign).

If you want to discover all the subtleties of chai, spiced or not, and the many variations of Indian tea, this is the place to come. Ideal for a break during the day, this tea room has all the assets. With its old wooden floor, its nice caned armchairs, its warm and soothing colors, you will see Jaipur in a different light. That of a modern and trendy city. A pleasant terrace is installed on the roof. Located just in front of Central Park, you will probably want to extend this moment of softness with a walk in the greenery.

One can easily get lost in this maze of narrow and picturesque streets. The stores in the bazaar offer everything that the western visitor can expect from a typical Rajasthani city: spices, colorful fabrics, incense, leather goods and also some stores for tourists. You will surely be approached by musicians of the Bhopa caste who will play sweet melodies with their rawanata, a typical Rajasthani hurdy-gurdy. Smiling, their women dressed in their colorful clothes, will try to sell you some trinkets.

Around the palace, merchants' stalls abound. You will be able to find your happiness there, whether it is silver jewelry, paintings, clothes, fabrics..., but be careful, you will have to negotiate firmly and the authenticity of certain articles is not always guaranteed. You will also find stalls full of cult objects, such as cups used to hold offerings or votive statuettes. Here the merchants are a little less aggressive than those who store on the street leading to the City Palace.

This market, located quite far from the tourist areas, starts after the Clock Tower. You have to get lost in the alleys, or walk down the main street that leads to the vegetable market. Prices are often a little lower than in the centre, but the choice is just as vast: silver and gold jewellery, multicoloured fabrics, miniatures, semi-precious stones... As anywhere else, take the time to look, weigh and negotiate the price. As this market is mainly for locals, not all traders speak English.

Abdul and Chintu's store is full of spices of all colors and scents. You will find here everything you need to season your dishes: cardamom, cinnamon, tandoori curry, masala... As well as different teas. You will find everything you need to make chai and Indian dishes when you return to France. Take the time to look and smell the spices. And if you are a novice, you will learn to distinguish the real from the fake saffron. Authentic Kashmir saffron costs about Rs 300 per gram.

MV SPICES is an online boutique specializing in gourmet products and wines. They also offer cooking classes and herbal hair products. You can order products online and pay after receiving them. MV SPICES offers a variety of categories, including Christmas gift packs, curries, ground spices, herbal hair tonics, saffron, tea and tea spices, and unground spices.