Orange Zest

With a Zing!

2012-01-28T21:51:00.000+05:30

I woke up at 4:50 AM with the worst bout of sneezing I had had so far this year and then, just as I managed to doze off an hour later, the crazy pigeon family outside my window began driving me berserk with their maniacal wing flapping and extremely-loud-for-that-hour chirping. This was one bird family taking the "early bird" idiom quite seriously! As I finally dragged myself out of bed for work

Padharo mharo des...

2012-01-08T00:18:00.000+05:30

And there I was, in a city that claims to be PINK but which is more on the lines of a PEACH gone wrong; in a city of Royalty and Rajputness, in a State that the world associates with leheriya and bandhini; in the very capital of the land of camels, deserts and dunes. Yes, there I was, in good ol' Jaipur, or as I enjoyed calling it all through the trip like an excited firangoo tourist ---

In search of my Gastronomic Awakening!

2011-12-18T14:24:00.000+05:30

For weeks now I have been in search of a gastronomic awakening, an epicurean epiphany, a taste-bud bungee jump. I have eaten out and indulged in multifarious culinary delights but something has always been amiss. Last night I was at Pandara road gorging on the uber rich Butter Chicken, while a week before we were at Gunpowder, an entire eleven of us, and the food, as usual, was mouthwateringly

Unhate!

2011-11-21T00:46:00.000+05:30

Courtesy: The Benetton Blog, www.blog.benetton.com After having seen the furore over the recent Benetton "Unhate" campaign, I must admit I was inspired. Why I personally like the campaign is because it is not expecting the Utopian of us by delivering the message of forgive and forget, or to begin to like that which we loathe. It doesn't prod us to love, for loving can be a whole new ball

Cut the Mustard!

2011-10-18T19:24:00.000+05:30

For an entire month I have been less of a gourmand and more of a glutton. Right from my gourmet affairs at Punjab Grill, Mamagoto and several others, to the mini food festival on the way to and at Patiala, to delicious (and free!) French wines, this month I have had it all. While in Patiala, I ate like there is no tomorrow, especially because the trip marked the end of the nine day abstinence

Ethiopian Yergacheffe

2011-09-15T21:59:00.003+05:30

So I was at the DLF Emporio this morning for a coffee date with myself. Well, not quite, as I was waiting for someone, but considering the predictable Delhi traffic scenario that disallows people from arriving on time, I decided to indulge in a cuppa. I made myself comfortable at Cafe E and carefully pored over the coffee menu (limited but interesting). That's when it caught my eye, that exotic

Mushroom Mania

2011-09-13T23:57:00.001+05:30

I have been hoping to cook and wishing to create for over two weeks now, but what with the new job (yes, people, I am finally employed :p) and a certain set of emotionally draining circumstances, the all-elusive and ever-transient inspiration constantly gave me the royal miss. However, I have learned now that when inspiration is at an all time low, all you can do is sit and wait, for if you

Dear Ex-New Maid - this is dedicated to you!

2011-08-21T03:20:00.002+05:30

The maid has left us and gone. Yes, we no longer have the luxury of a full time domestic help, thanks to the revival of NREGA in many states as well as the somewhat rapid rural development in our country. (Why she left makes for a whole new blog post, but let's avoid that territoy!). I am not denying I am happy for these sections of our society who benefit directly, but for people like me, who

Summer Cornucopia

2011-08-02T17:50:00.001+05:30

I enjoy walking and believe there is no better way to connect with a city or discover what guides its rhythm other than by simply traversing its streets, for one might chance upon wonders that are otherwise missed while speeding across in air-conditioned snooties, and such a chance meeting, more often than not, may turn out to be a transforming journey from hatred to love. There was a fury

Italian food = Comfort food

2011-07-23T06:41:00.002+05:30

What can one expect to have as consequence when an unemployed youth sits and watches food shows on NDTV Good Times all day, I mean other than the feeling that there's nothing Good about the current Times? Quite obviously it stirs a hunger so profound it's almost religious, and one that leads to kitchen experiments and yet another blog post. So, Vicky (Ratnani, of course) was making a delectable

A Glimpse of Heaven

2011-07-16T01:40:00.003+05:30

I have always loved my food, and believe a good meal possesses divine, curative powers that can heal the body, mind and spirit, precisely why there is chicken soup for the soul and also why one is always asked to feed the cold. I cannot accurately recall when was the first time I felt so passionately about food, but it was probably around the time I was packed off to boarding school. Eating