What's your spice?

If I had to choose a spice that defines me, it would have to be Cinnamon. Of course, that makes it my favourite as well. Sweet; spicy- with an intense, distinctive, and unmistakable exotic woody fragrance, Cinnamon has always delighted my senses. Apart from being the only spice that is used often in baking in almost every part of the world, Cinnamon is also used in savory dishes. I particularly love how its used in Biryani. It would never taste the same without the use of Cinnamon. It's also used quite commonly in Middle Eastern cooking. 

Authentic Cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka (Ceylon), so I learned very recently. But apparently it was valued and used in ancient times as well. It was known to have “an aroma of divine worship and of sensual luxury”. In fact, the Romans used to consider Cinnamon as a sacred spice. Nero, the fifth Roman emperor, is said to have burned a whole years supply of Cinnamon at his wife's funeral. (Who was murdered by him in the first place anyway!) In the 15th century it was so highly sought after and highly-prized, that there were wars fought over it.  A spice that was once associated with the Gods and royalty, is now being grown in several tropical countries all over the world and is not difficult to find and affordable to lesser mortals like me, thankfully!

Cinnabon was my favourite place for pastries before I knew anything about baking. I could smell their treats stores away! And there's nothing like the aroma of baked Cinnamon pastries. It transforms me into a different mood all together! Which is what happened when I baked these little indulgent muffins the other day. The entire house smelled like heaven! And the weather was perfect for it- a hot cup of chai or coffee and a hot Cinnamon doughnut muffin, on a cloudy nostalgic day.

They took very little time to bake and are quite light as well. And I have to admit- these have replaced Blueberry muffins to become my new favourite muffins! (Sorry blueberry muffins, but I still love you very much too!)

'Say, you're like that cake I had the other day!'

On a normal day, that would not sound flattering to me at all! Of course, that's not the case for the Gâteau Reine de Saba! (Queen of Sheeba cake) Apparently the legend of the Queen of Sheeba is found both in the Old Testament and the Holy Qur'an. She was said to be so beautiful that King Solomon of Israel was in awe of her; as was she, of his wisdom. Not that he named the cake after her! But never the less, today the cake refers to her beauty and is named after her-- dark, rich, sophisticated and sensual.

Right. So once I discovered the explanation behind the name, I bravely attempted this gâteau today- straight off Julia Child's original recipe from her book- "Mastering the art of French Cuisine". The reason I use 'bravely' is because according to Julia Child, this is supposed to be the 'best chocolate cake you ever put in your mouth'. I don't think my armature skills have brought me anywhere close to being able to make such heavy promises! So I am not going to. But I can tell you that the perfect combination of almond and chocolate in this recipe makes it way better than any regular chocolate cake.

This french cake (Gâteau, if you may!) has a slightly undercooked batter towards its center- giving it a brownie like texture. And it's definitely one of those cakes that you can only indulge and enjoy one slice at a time because of its creamy and rich texture. For the icing I used a cocoa butter icing rather than the dark chocolate and coffee one because I ran out of chocolate. But the icing still seemed to complement the cake because of the bitterness in the cocoa.

So all in all, I thought it was a good day for baking! It certainly de-stressed me, and of course- there's nothing more fulfilling to a crab than feeding the people around her and watching them enjoy her creation that was made with 100% TLC :)

What's your flavour?

Taking my dear friend/house-mate Sheetal's suggestion, I thought why not share some of my recent amateur cake creations with everyone and get some feedback on it as well.
I've probably not mentioned it earlier but this is my new love :) Baking. Well, patisserie more specifically and cuisine in general. And I'm actually seriously considering it as a career. Hopefully within 5 years I' would have established my own little bakery/pastry-shop in some wonderful part of the world, making people happy with my home baked pastries , known not only for its unparalleled taste but also it's creativity and uniqueness!
But I still have a whole lot to learn and so much to experiment. So to start with, I'm using my blog to be benchmark my creativity!
This is just a start. But at least it's a start :)

Fairy cakes
These were an assortment of chocolate, vanilla and marble cup cakes with strawberry/ chocolate/ butter cream icing that I baked for Sheetal's birthday.
Took hours to complete, but only minutes to disappear!

Vanilla Sandwich cake with blueberry whipped cream topping
This was a simple yet classic cake that I baked for Shelly's Birthday. The best thing about vanilla cake is that any flavour, fruit or otherwise, goes so well was it as the topping. So you can boldly experiment away!


 
Mahogany sandwich cake with Vanilla icing
This was baked for Bijeta's birthday and was by far one of my worst ever! The cake was a complete disaster and looked like someone had sat on it! But the icing, and decoration made the cake slightly presentable. However, on whole the cake actually tasted really good!

Strawberry cheesecake
Our new year treat :)
This one didn't turn out as good as I expected it to. I thought it looked quite nice though!



Apple pie!
I'd wanted to try baking one 'em for ages! It doesn't look very tempting because I realised it needs to prepared in something smaller for it to look like a proper apple pie. But I served it with some brandy cream and it was a huge hit! And oh, I made the pastry myself too, so I learned something new! :)


'Find something you're passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.'- Julia Child.

Bring it on, 2010!

As I do every year, I sit here at the start of a new year, wondering how it is that a year goes by so fast that it literally leaves you with a confused after taste! Judging the discontinuity and irregularity of my posts, it could seem I might have had a fairly uneventful year! But that's just me being comfortable in my lazy zone really! But seriously, 2009 was a quick year. I can't account for where all that time was spent! (besides my laziness!) I have to admit, it has been the fastest year of my life. And a year that has been a complete roller coaster ride, so to say.

To me, the past year has definitely been a mile stone. A year of realisations and a year of transformations. A year where a down turned economy and poor prospects helped me discover my true career interest. A year for new friends and a year of old bonds strengthened . A year of love lost; a year for finding new love. A year of awareness and a year of discovery.
Then again, every year may take you through the same thing. But the difference lies in how it may have changed you and people around you when you stop to take a look at what you've just experienced- for better or for worse.

There's nothing new that can be said that hasn't been said before about what a year could mean in terms of personal experiences. It really is subjective and could never mean the same to any two people. But I think if you've made it through what ever it is you went through the past 365 days, then that's just given you an edge in your life. So whether you need to give thanks to or swear at the year gone by- then do it! But don't forget to stop; look back; take a deep breath and smile- 'cause here comes another one to take on!

Happy 2010!

Cheesy is good!

I have a rather strange addiction with cheese. It's not something that developed recently. I remember when my mum used to bake pizzas when I was a child, I'd always sneak up now and then and steal some of the freshly grated mozzarella cheese conveniently, believing she was absolutely unaware of it! And my pizza was not good enough if it wasn't loaded with cheese! Of course, little did I know then that there was so much more to cheese than just 'pizza cheese' or 'sandwich cheese' that always came as ready made slices wrapped in little plastic covers.

How is it possible to NOT like cheese?! Unless you're lactose intolerant of course! (as a friend of mine promptly pointed out recently) When I go to Subway and I see people consciously not wanting cheese in their subs, it almost hurts me! Without cheese, your sub is incomplete! Even if you're on a super-model diet!
I think cheese is existent in almost every cuisine and culture, and each one adapts it so brilliantly to complement it's local tastes. I can't think of any cheese I don't like- except blue cheese, which, let me warn you, is definitely not pleasant at all! I've tasted different kinds of cheese and needless to say I find that cheese that are produced authentically in countries known for their dairy are obviously the best! The first time I tasted foreign cheese was when I was 17, in Wisconsin- America's dairyland. It included Pepperjack, Colby, Montery Jack, and Brick cheese, amongst others. There started my quest to taste different cheeses! Another time was when a good friend brought some Swiss Gruyère from Switzerland and I instantly fell absolutely in love with it! Ofcourse, any good cheese tastes best with some good red wine. It's an experience by itself.
And how can I not mention Paneer- our very own Indian cheese! Also having lived in the Middle East, I love cheese that's used in Arabic food, like Jibneh cheese and Sorke with Zatar.

All in all, I thought I had to write about my love, passion and constant craving for cheese! Apparently there are more than a thousand known cheeses. I hope to have tasted most of it one day! And believe it or not there's a term for people like me. That's right, I'm a turophile! And no, my fancy for cheese has not driven me to invent strange sounding terminology!!

Losing my religion.

There are certain subjects/topics I prefer not to touch with anyone besides myself- solely because I think they're sensitive, and however argued, everyone is entitled to think and believe whatever they want to.
Religion is one such area. Honestly, as much as I enjoy learning more about religion (mine and others), I don't like discussing it with anyone. Even as part of a friendly conversation. Everyone has different views about it and I don't think it should stand as a basis of judging an individual on any level- which is what it inevitably does once you express your views about it.
Then why am I talking about it now? Well certain people I know indirectly ran it across me recently how the religion they follow was certainly the one that makes most sense, and all other religions are rather full of nonsense. I was far from being offended by their remarks and beliefs given that I'm not religious at all. Infact I felt sorry for their smallness and insecurity.
I believe, surely, and follow the very basics of my religion maybe- but I'm not religious at the least. Yet I find it infuriating when people talk about their religion and compare it to others, not with the intention of pointing out a difference or praising a similarity, but to ridicule the others just to prove that because they belong to a particular following, they're morally and generally far superior than everyone around them.
These are the people who also think that just because they believe in certain concepts and follow certain restrictions, they are free of sin. So forgetting basic human principles and courtesy, showing common disrespect, hypocrisy and dissing other people's beliefs is definitely going to win them their ticket to heaven?!
Sometimes I think the whole concept of religion has been evolved by us to involve less of the Gods, and more of human narrow mindedness and fanaticism. How does ignoring things like honesty, compassion, empathy, and assuming someone is inferior based of their race, sex or religion make you a good human being, just as long as you pray ten times a day? We have conveniently conceptualised the degree of sin that will qualify as a sin or otherwise and assume that that's what the Gods think too. And just because you think its a sin, and someone else doesn't, or vice versa- you're definitely going to hell!
I don't care if I'm being judged for not being religious or for believing or not believing in a particular way of life. If you can't be humane and answer to basic human ethics, your beliefs mean zilch because at the end of the day, you are your religion.

Twitter this!

I think 'social life' has a whole new context today. A person has two social lives in this day and age- one virtual and one real. And you would think the former is actually pretty trivial, but not in the least.

It's quite amazing how social media has grown to be an important part of lives of millions of average people around the globe. Being able to socially connect on so many different levels has made us social networking junkies. You could use LinkedIn and connect with people on a professional level at work; take a coffee break and comment on you best friend's profile picture uploaded 5 minutes ago on Facebook; and just as you're two hours away from getting off work, you twitter it up and announce to all your friends/co-workers/acquaintances how you just can't wait to finish up and head towards the local pub to kick start your weekend! So technically, you're living two lives- a virtual one and a real one. Besides that, you also have an incessant need to know what's going on in people's lives on an hour to hour basis. And even if you don't, well let's say you don't really have a choice!
Being a victim myself, I sometimes think I live an overfacebooked life! I feel the appearance of my Facebook profile or how engaging my Twitter feed is has started defining my existence and general well being to everybody. So much so, that in the process people become insensitive and impersonal- when all along they thought social networking was supposed to get them closer to others. When people are able to keep track of someone's life by the hour in spite of them residing on the opposite side of the planet, I find that they forget the pleasure of using more personalised forms of communication like a telephone call, text message or even an e-mail.
Lately a friend of mine was quite insulted when he received an invitation to his high school mate's wedding via Facebook. A wedding invitation via Facebook?! Really?! Am I attending? Sure, you can count on my virtual presence!!

I consider myself as a blessed person. From day one of my life I've been provided with everything I've wanted and needed. I have incredible parents who never thought twice to make it a point that I had what made me happy; simultaneously knowing where to draw the line to prevent a spoiled and pampered child.
For most of my life I've lived away from my motherland. Away from tradition and custom; away from relatives; away from the general Indian thinking. I've been given the freedom that most Tamil parents don't give their daughters- in terms of education, career, or even lifestyle. I've been allowed to become what I've wanted and believe in whatever I've wanted to, as long as I wasn't pushing it to an extreme. And to be honest, they're extremely liberal, understanding and broad-minded for Tamil parents! Yet they're quite traditional. Amidst a very modern upbringing I was taught to speak Tamil at home; to admire traditional clothes; to observe festivals and auspicious days; and to appreciate my heritage and roots.
Being people who've lived half their lives abroad, I didn't think my parents were typically traditional people when it came to certain things. Marriage- to be more specific.
In spite of numerous attempts to understand the concept of an arranged marriage, I just can not get myself to see that it makes any sense. If I'm not mistaken, the person you're marrying is supposed to be your soul mate - the one you see yourself growing old with. All I'm saying is that how can you be asked to accept someone you don't really know as your soul mate? You may not even click with the person on so many levels. Then what? It's not like dating where you can call it quits because you feel you're not of like minds. So do you just accept your fate and live with someone who probably does not see life the way you do? (or vice versa)
All marriages that take place in my family are arranged. Even cousins who have been well educated and exposed to a fairly modern life have happily and willfully consented to arranged marriages. I on the other hand, do not see how I'd ever be able to accept it. Call it westernisation or a generation gap, it is beyond me how two people who don't know one another are decided by everyone else that they're 'made for each other'.
I know the clock is ticking and soon I'd be put in a spot where I'm going to have to battle it out with tradition and my personal beliefs. I don't want to give in, yet I don't want the very people who've given me so much liberty to regret how they've brought me up. I could mentally gear myself and somehow programme myself to accept that I will eventually have an arranged marriage. But I know for the rest of my life I'm going to be reminded that I was forced to do something I was against; something that I opposed and never believed in. And that would somewhat mean going against my own conscience.

Inner circle.

A lot of times we are defined by people we associate ourselves with.

This post might sound cliched in a lot of ways. But its amazing sometimes how we always throw aside the cliched things in life thinking just because we've heard it often, we've realised what they really mean.

Have you ever stopped to think what your friends really mean to you? Yes, they're nice, they're undersanding, they're supportive and all that jazz! You wouldn't be friends with them if they weren't all that!

Every person I'm friends with or consider as a friend is someone whom I've learned something from. Someone whom I think has helped me look at things differently or has changed my perception about something (for the better ofcourse), or simply made me realise something I never did in the past.
A couple of years ago, a friend of mine explained to me that he believed that no two people turned out to be friends 'just like that'. And that it was only because they are able to exchange something, that they're friends. He obviously wasn't implying something materialistic... neither did his remark have a sexual reference to it!
Anyway, I have to agree with what he said because I definitely do think that I learn so much from the people I consider as friends. (Although I don't think they learn much from me :p) And you'd be surprised how people whom you thought were ordinary and simple, probably have some of the most unusual ways of thinking.
I can be a bit vain sometimes and tend to judge people without knowing them; even though I try not to. Over the past couple of months I've made some friends whom I don't hang out with or have long conversations with to catch up on one another's lives over a cup of coffee. Yet I consider them my friends because over just a few months they've helped me look at certain things differently. They've brought some sort of meaning to something. It's nothing dramatic, it's nothing intense. And although these people don't have much significance in my personal life, I look forward to seeing them every week.
In an entire lifetime, there are a whole lot of people who walk in and out of your life. And it sucks to have people whom you thought you'd always be in touch with disappear from your radar. And I miss them quite a bit sometimes...but life goes on anyway. You meet new people, you learn new things, and before you know it, life changes and you've both moved on. And a new circle is formed. What matters I suppose is what you've learned from it all.

...Just a random realisation from some of the patterns in my life.

A summer love.

Exhilarating.
Blissful.
Pulsating.
Dreamy.
Addictive.

And it's over.
Soon.
Too soon.

Short and sweet.
If only it could be lived forever...

Because the world revolves around me...

Of late I've been hearing the word "future" a lot. Whether it's from my parents who are incessantly planning for good of the family, or from some news channel that discusses what lies for its nation in the year/years ahead.
That sort of got me thinking about myself and what my 'future' would be like. Is there a predecided future that awaits to unfold for me? If so, I can't help but think that that means I have no free will over my life. So technically, I don't decide my future- contradictory to what we've heard all our lives of how we are the architects of our lives.

Let's say I'm meant to die in 2059- due to the turn of a million events that take place from today. So everything in the next 50 years have to take place exactly the way they've been decided to happen, without any variation whatsoever, just so that today- 50 years from now- I'm dead! For this to occur everyone else in the world also has to do exactly what they have to do. If someone so much so sneezes at the wrong time - that would prove my creator's plan wrong. (which by the way would mean that the world does revolve around me!)

So if life has to go on for the next 50 years exactly the way it has been decided by the Divine force, then do any of us really have free will? Is the so called future being dictated and are we all going to do only those specific things and nothing more or less? Or do we have free will?-like we've always believed we did. Are there really random events that defy what's already been decided?

If I have free will, then I'd do something that's not been predicted yet- which would mean I won't die in exactly 50 years. I could die before or after- no one knows. But if I don't have free will, and I just think I do, then every event in the universe is a mathematical progression of every previous event. Which means there's actually only one fixed way of everything turning out. So for those who can "see the future", they'd know what my next 50 years are going to be like- because I must die after that- otherwise it would be proving the Divine force wrong.

So it's either free will or "the future". Because if there was any degree of free will, then a different set of events would take place than the ones that should for me to actually die in 2059. Which would mean that no psychic would be able to ever predict when I actually die. Is the future static then? Because for the people who claim to have the genuine ability to predict the future, the future has to be something that's static. Something that's already there and therefore they have the ability to see it.

I'd think its a conflicting possibility altogether. You can choose to agree with whatever works best for you. However, next time someone tells you to stop being so full of yourself because the world does not revolve around you, tell them to think again- because it most probably does!

Thought of my thoughts.

After nearly half a decade of procrastinating the start of my blog, here I am doing the needful at the start of a new year. If this act could decide the fate of my year ahead as a promising one, I'd be thrilled. Because I know that the fact that I'm up at 4:20AM, munching on the last bits of vanilla fudge from some Christmas give away and watching random episodes of Scrubs, might not exactly be the ideal way to kick start the new year. Nonetheless, I choose to hope otherwise.
I don't know why I finally decided to give my blog a chance. And I certainly don't think I'm going to be one of those dedicated bloggers who post regularly- knowing my mastered skills of laziness and procrastination. But at least I have one less thing to do before I die now!
Apparently your brain is only as good as your thoughts in it. If that holds true, I've got to admit, I must have a pretty darn good brain! And judging by the number of thoughts running through my brain at any given point, my brain should be pretty tired by now too! I've had a number of people (including an astrologer I was forcefully taken to!) tell me that I think too much and that I have way too many random thoughts running through my mind all the time. Well I won't deny this simple truth about me. Especially the random part of it. Believe me, it's as random as it gets in here!
So, I thought why not put these random thoughts to some use by sharing them with some lovey random people. And in the bargain improve my writing skills; lest I should want to pursue one of my many childhood ambitions of becoming a revolutionary writer!
So here's my blog. The start of hopefully something that will be relatively insightful (or at least entertaining) to someone. And I think I'd like to incorporate in my New year's resolution that I'd try to be regular with my posts- that is, the randomness of my thoughts.

Happy New Year.