The mud pit was empty, the rice straw hadn’t arrived, and the cows were nowhere to be found. When we arrived, we found our workers taking a prolonged smoke break, burning daylight with their tobacco with nothing to show for the hours they were supposed to have already worked.
I am very happy to report that Panigram Resort is now #1 on a Google search for “resorts in Bangladesh”, #1 for “eco resorts in Bangladesh”, #2 for “Bangladesh resorts”, and #2 for “spa resorts in Bangladesh”!
I think we moved up in rankings because we optimized some of our web pages and have been getting a lot more press lately (which in turn links back to our site). Thanks to my intern Brian for delivering the great news!
Today Janine created two new fusion dishes inspired by the Bangladeshi food that she has been learning to cook over the past couple of weeks. As the culinary intern, Janine’s responsibility this summer is to infuse Bangladeshi flavors into a new menu at Panigram that is not only delicious, but reflects the resort’s core values of fresh, sustainable, and inspirational. Her first two recipes - Pumpkin Spice Shobji and Banana Cake - definitely meet both requirements.
Delicious Pumpkin Spiced Shobji
As a rule, culinary artists rarely achieve perfection with recipes on the first attempt. Today, however, Janine hit the bull’s eye with her Pumpkin Spice Shobji. The simple taste of the pumpkin and the savory flavors of the shallots and garlic complemented the spicy harmony of cinnamon and clove.
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Chi Chi
Yesterday, Chi Chi, Jonathon, and I visited the Panigram Resort site to take measurements for a pavilion. We plan to use this building to house an investor meeting at the end of the month. Chi Chi is responsible for the design the pavilion and needed to be on site to brainstorm how best to showcase Panigram’s core vales of ”Fresh, Sustainable, Inspirational” through the building. Chi Chi plans to utilize traditional building materials such as bamboo, jute, and mud into the pavilion. Chi Chi also intends to highlight the element of water into the design to reflect the element’s importance in Bangladeshi culture.
Speaking of water … while the three of us were measuring the site, we were caught in a heavy monsoon downpour. Taking shelter underneath a banana tree, we made friends with three local farm boys: Rippon, Shamin, and Jittu, who, only moments earlier, had been staring at us in that uniquely Bangladeshi manner. (All foreigners are treated like rock stars in Bangladesh.)
Rippon, Jittu, and Shamin
Panigram Summer Interns in the Sundarbans
This summer I have invited four exceptional students from my alma mater, Cornell University, to Bangladesh to assist me with various aspects of designing and developing the resort. I hope that this will be a summer of exploration, cultural exchange, and professional development for them.
After a long flight from halfway around the world, they arrived in Dhaka tired, but eager to begin. The first week was primarily an orientation to Bangladesh. I gave them a crash course in Bangla, showed them how to hail a rickshaw, and introduced them to Bangladeshi cuisine. We visited the site, went to the local market, visited some archaeological sites, and took a trip to the Sundarban Forest. The rest of the summer they will spend working on projects which will enhance the Panigram experience.
I will let them introduce themselves in their own words…
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Kristin Boekhoff
Owner, Panigram Resort
kboekhoff@panigram.com
Mikey Leung
Designer and Web Guru, Panigram.com
mikey@panigram.com
