THE FOODIE WITHIN!

Onion fritters, hot off the wok and on to a plate!

(And tea instead of coffee.)

IN CUPCAKE HEAVEN

... Again.

The lurid rainbow is back again, as...well, lurid...as ever. And deelish (of course).

This one reminds me of the Cookie Monster. And I lurve the Cookie Monster. All it needs are the googly eyes. And maybe a cookie.

THERE'S A REASON I DISLIKE REALITY SHOWS. SEE?

While the title of this post may be generic, I guess I could amend it to say 'Why I Dislike Most Reality Shows'. Not sure how true that would be, though, seeing the sort of programming there is of the genre on Indian telly today. I'll tear apart discuss a cookery show here for example.

The show in question is the local version of an Australian cooking show, but that's where any similarity ends. I'm personally a huge fan of the Aussie version - stood in line to have cookbooks signed by the hosts at the risk of losing my iPad/ limbs/ life, that's how much I like/ revere them - but this one, um, NEVER. Here's why:

In the previous seasons, an actor was the host. While I have nothing against the said actor (some of his films have been entertaining), my grouse is against the concept of a non-chef (is that even a word? but you know what I mean...) hosting a food show. Food = Chef. Foodie is welcome, but does not sub for a chef. Acting chops do not sub for lamb chops. Capiche?

So that's been rectified this new season, for what it's worth. There are cooks now. You bringing out the bubbly, hoping I'm gonna wrap up this post? Nu-uh, not gonna happen, so plod on!

What's not changed is the melodrama. If it's a food show, shouldn't the focus be:

a. Food

b. Food

c. Food

d. On helping contestants (winners and non-winners alike) move ahead on their foodie dream path

e. On sounding and looking like a food show

What we have instead is a scary concoction of tears, sob stories and some more tears. And oh, by the way there's some food, off and on. Possibly for relief from all the crying, I dunno. 

The episode I shuddered my way through earlier this week had a contestant from rural India sobbing and gasping his way through a story about how he runs a roadside stall and has borrowed money till the cows come home to make it to the auditions. With a lot of cooing and murmuring from the judges, the man in question is awarded the coveted apron, which he almost collapses receiving. He then proceeds to touch each of the judges' feet. I mean c'mon, is this a family tear-jerker or what? Of course, there's suitable Hindi film music that's playing in the background.

Scenario 2: Ridiculously chirpy (read: sounded senile) lady from one of the metros, who giggled and twirled and chirped her way through her audition. Said something about how she's always on her toes, running behind her kids, spouse and in-laws. Twittered and simpered for additional (barf) effect. Do you think she didn't get the apron? Really? Hah!

Clearly, it's not about the food. It's all about the masala, the tears, the gut-wrenching stories, the poor underdog. WHERE IS THE FOOD??

I could go on... and on. Just that it's sorta sickening to. Besides, thinking about it only replays each ridiculous piece of nothing in my head, and that's unspeakable trauma I really can't bear.

My point is, stick to the  international format. If you can't for whatever (inane) reason(s), don't sully the original by attempting to pass off whatever it is you've come up with. I continue to remain a fan of the Aussie series, and the way that one goes, I don't see myself stopping anytime soon. I'd go back and buy the same books and stand in that same I'm-a-groupie-at-a-rock-concert queue just for that same scrawl across the pages. Rinse repeat.

So if you counter-argue that local flavour works, then fine. But DO NOT call it what you do. Call it the Remixed Version That Has Nothing To Do With The Original, thank you very much.

NO, THERE WAS NO WORM, THANK YOU

Given its giant-ness, though, it was a meal in itself.

LAMINGTONS

While in Australia, one of the things That Had To Be Tried were lamingtons, given that I'd seen them on Masterchef Australia and well, anything Masterchef-y, I'd wanna see/ try. It's just one of those things.

So here they are, just for you:

In their packaging, waiting for me to have a go with the scissors...

Opened, and waiting to be eaten...

And finally -

That yummy, jammy square of perfection.

Drool. Sigh.

Rinse, repeat.

EVIDENCE...

... that not just my tooth is sweet. Gulp.

More to follow...

PATRIOTISM/ CREATIVITY

The picture below is taken at a local crafts fair. While not entirely sure that crafts fair is the right word, it's the closest I can get to describing it. On display were scores of booths with (mainly) women hawking their wares, from spices (masalas) to hand-woven saris and bed linen to various savouries and sweets. These were people from the interiors/ rural Maharashtra, and the idea of this fair (it's an annual event) is to promote the artisans and their craftsmanship. While I (sadly) did not take any more pictures, here's one that struck my eye, as it was only a couple of days post Republic Day.

The Indian tri-colour you see? It's ingeniously made of papad, a wafer-thin, crisp lentil cake that is typically fried and eaten as an accompaniment to a meal. These are three variants - red chilly, plain with cumin and spinach.

Those tubs in front of the display? A smorgasbord of pickles! Yummy! 

COFFEE AND... CINNAMON

Not cinnamon per se this time. But cinnamon sprinkled on a coupla donuts.

HOOKED ON TO ENID BLYTON?

If you were, in your childhood (and much, much beyond, as in my case), you'd have loved this afternoon tea as much as I did.

Here you go, a pot of tea (not in picture), with the most scrumptious fresh, warm scones with copious quantities of whipped cream and jam. Staggered out of the cafe probably definitely (much) fatter, but oh-so-much happier. Sometimes, you shouldn't make calories count. Or count them yourself.

ALL-DAY 'BREAKFAST'?

Then why is it called 'breakfast'? Why isn't it just a meal? 

Sure, I get the point that maybe the items on the menu are those that are typically served at that morning meal, but still... It's not like you don't have say, soup and salad at lunch and/ or dinner. For that matter, miso soup is a staple at many? most? South East Asian breakfast tables. So why isn't it an all-day lunch?

Here's the yummiest all-day breakfast I've had recently, at a cheerful, bustling cafe in Melbourne:

IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

Romanesco broccoli, or Roman cauliflower, is a variant form of cauliflower.

To me, it's Just. Plain. Pretty.

And so of course, it went straight into my trolley at the food store. And then in to my salad bowl, but not before this (badly taken on the mobile phone) picture got taken.

Salad recipe -

Ingredients:

Pretty broccoli, cut into florets and boiled

Shallots, finely diced

Cherry tomatoes, diced into halves

Sprouts 

Salt, white pepper and a sprinkling of herbs to taste

What to do:

Toss in all the above ingredients into a big wooden salad bowl (or any other).

You could also add any other salad-y ingredients you like.

Add the seasoning.

Dish up! Eat! Enjoy!

SNOW CONE...

... in a cup.

Those lurid colours you see? Myriad flavours, ranging from cola to berry to vetiver to blue curaçao, topped with a dash of rock salt for that added flavour.

*Picture courtesy: The trigger happy husband

FUN PACKAGING = HAPPY ME

Milk is not my friend (unless disguised as ice cream, is an ingredient in chocolate... you get the drift). But when it pops up at your door in the morning in the cutest packaging, you can't help go awwww. Maybe Definitely go back to disliking it after a few seconds, but have an awwww moment in the interim, nonetheless.

See what I mean?

ORGANIC, YOU SAY?

As I trawled the aisles of the food store, tossing in super healthy (ha!) goodies (read instant noodles, microwave popcorn, chocolate and such; you get the drift), I stopped short in front of a shiny new display that screamed the words 'organic' in large white letters. Anything new and shiny and fun (and oh, the packaging was fun!) strikes my eye (of course!) and the trolley develops a mind of its own and automatically grinds to a halt. It's not me, please note, it's the trolley to blame, as stuff I may not have planned to purchase gets rung up at the till. But I digress. But yeah, happens to you as well, right? Right? *hopeful look*

So the organic stuff. When the excitement of 'new!' wore off for a few seconds, I looked closely at the displays. Gorgeous packaging for everything, with uber cool designs and in a couple of cases, kitschy names too. Impressive. And yes - the product range included the gamut of lentils, spices and fresh veggies too. But while 'regular' red onions cost Rs 16/- (about 25 cents) a kilo, the smooth, plump organic ones were four times the cost. As for the spices, loved the packaging - corrugated cardboard (gasp!) and papier mache boxes (ooooh!) - but again, not so much the pricing. With a loud, thumping heart, making sure to check that no one was looking, I surreptitiously compared prices on both. And wound up with the organic cumin and pepper in my shopping cart. Also the onions.

Getting home, almost reverently dicing the onions for soup, decided that they smelt and tasted the same as any others, and thought that maybe the soup would taste different, if nothing else, to accommodate for the organic goodness. And oh, ditto the pepper.

As the soup was getting done, quickly whipped out the Berry to google up info on organic products. As expected, sifting through pages of wisdom, found that organic foods are healthier (duh!), have lesser chemicals and pesticides infused through them, are not genetically modified, contain more minerals, vitamins and other goodness as compared to conventionally grown produce. Or so they said.

Recently, my wallet was relieved to come across more research that said otherwise. Turns out that overall, there was not much of a differnce between the nutritional content, although the organic food was 30% less likely to contain pesticides. There is also no concrete evidence yet that there is a discernible difference in the amount of bacteria from eating organically produced foods compared to conventionally produced foods.

And oh, my onion soup didn't taste different, either. I think I'll use up that saved dough to buy myself a new ebook reader.

HURRAH FOR WHITE BREAD!

Hurrah!

And the good news is, some recent research on white bread that was lurking around as news in the papers. Turns out that all brown bread isn't good, because a fair amount of it has sugar and colouring. And also - happily - turns out that ignoring white bread may not be the best thing either; it comes with its own set of benefits (read nutrients). Yeahhh!

Here's my list of bread benefits (oooh, a list after long):

• Tastes gooooood
• Smells even better, freshly baked
• Is compatible with all kinds of sandwich makings
• Makes you sooo happy in the head (Seriously, have you tried baking a loaf? Or bought one fresh off the baking tray? Oh the sheer goodness!)

This only makes me wonder about food fads once again. If something's trendy, or is the flavour of the month, we tend to dump everything else aside, and scour the food aisles for just that product. And all else gets deemed 'bad'. But one day, the Product Fairy stops by, and things change faster than an F1 car revving at the start of a race.

Short lived or otherwise, I'm thrilled white bread is here to stay. Or at least, for now.

SANGRIA...

... is the new Long Island Iced Tea. Or at least, in my books.

That pic above? From dinner last night - good friends, good food, good conversation... and some wonderful fun, laughter and memories.

YUMMY-NESS!

Vanilla cupcake with sunshine-y frosting. Ended the weekend on a sweet note... literally!

HOW ABOUT SOME PAELLA? A CHIMICHANGA? CHOCOLATE GANACHE?

Or maybe you'd prefer couscous?

Yup, the foodie in me rises again (if ever asleep in the first place).

This is what I give a two thumbs up to, what with the world getting smaller, a global village, glocal and other similar management jargon. I like that I can explore world cuisine, and not just in a cookbook.

Indian telly grew up too, with the advent of satellite television. While I'm not a fan of the soaps, I do love sitcoms and lately, food shows. Needless to say, I'm happily hooked on to one as I type, and can't wait to get my weekday fix of gorgeous food, beautifully plated (see, new word - courtesy said show!) and completely droolworthy.

Initially, when a ganache slipped into my life, as did everything from a lasagne to (gasp! chocolate) fondue to a beautiful cucumber gazpacho I was breathless. You know that proverb about kids and candy stores? Well. I did enlist some help - the good old Internet, to translate some of the exotic sounding names for me. And of course those ingredients. It got only better when slowly those only-on-telly foods sprouted on our local world food store shelves. It all seemed more real now.

Then restaurants moved beyond pizza, and tapas bars came in. When a fizzy lemon soda transformed into a smooth red wine sangria, teeny cubes of apple et al, and tostadas didn't sound like toaster pronounced with an odd accent. They also turned Michelin starred, hatted.... ooh!

On my next holiday, I'm gonna be sampling loads more local flavours than ever before.

I HEART YOU, JAVA BEAN!

HAPPINESS IN A FEW BITES!

One of my favourite chocolates. Ever.