Celebrating Ambeachem Fest, an eco-friendly tour was organised to Nestor Rangel’s farm at St Estevam that proved to be the most exciting summer break for the 110 guests who were invited and offered fantastic Goan food cooked on firewood by the ladies of a local self-help group in front of the guests. Aam panna, pez, korom, raw mango slice, phanasabhaji (jackfruit vegetable), ghotache sasav, ukdo brown rice, three types of mango pickles, alsandyachi bhaji, chanya bhaji, dried banana salad and chicken xacuti - all farm fresh food items made a delicious lunch, served on the plates brought with them by the guests. The food was fresh, organic, partially processed, chemical residue free and unique for their quality. While aam panna served as a welcome drink, ice-cream and mango cake were deserts and lemon grass tea after that. Guests were ferried to and from Panaji in AC buses. This was a beginning of promotion of hinterland eco-tourism wherein the income goes back to the farmers in the villages.
