14 February 

Happy Valentine's Day to all those who are celebrating!

I always remember Valentine's day not for the 'celebration of love' day but as one of my closest friend's birthday. She was my batchmate when I joined the corporate world. We were in the same induction class and both of us being a little awkward in social interactions we kind of started gelling together. She was very intelligent and a true geek in every sense. I was not that much of a geek but still I loved her company because the other kids in the batch seemed too different from me. They were outgoing, party loving, pulling night-outs and living the best time of their life with the new found independence of staying away form home. Me on the other hand felt homesick in Mumbai being so far away form home.  Partying was never my forte not was hanging out in a large group. So I felt pretty lonely in an unknown city. This friend of mine was a localite so she was staying at her home. The very first interaction point was the food she got from home. I used to love aunty's cooking and her dabba became one of our conversation topics. Food was always an ice breaker for me, even back in the days.

From classroom, when we moved on to real projects, we became bosom buddies. We discovered there was more to us beyond our asocial construct. We enjoyed office trips, we ran an inhouse magazine for 6 months, we did many such things which was quite enriching for us. I know you might be thinking these guys are such bores, at an age where they should have partied hard, she is talking about mental enrichments. But ya, for me mental enrichment was the most fun thing to do. It also pushed me to pursue many of my creative interests. 

The most fun part of being with her was her birthday. Now she was not at all a mushy kind of person. She was very practical and straightforward person. But her birthday fell on 14th of February. You see the irony here. We thought the person who is miles away form all these lovey dovey things gets born on a day of love. And just to irk her I would wish her 'Happy Valentine's Day' first thing on the morning of 14th February, instead of wishing her 'Happy Birthday'. The expression on her face after that was priceless - just like a deer caught in front of a headlight. This became a ritual for me even after she left the organization, I left the country, she got married and I moved back to Pune. I had visited her once while in Pune, when she was about to move away to another city with her husband. Somehow after that we lost connect, as there was a lot happening at my end and her end as well. But still I so fondly remember her on each Valentine's day. Its like I cannot start this day without wishing her in my mind. I also wish that we connect back soon again someday.

Now coming back to this day - the day of love. During the college days this day used to be perceived as something special. I used to see my room mate getting loads of Valentine's day gifts from her then boyfriend who used to stay in another state. I envied her, not because she had a boyfriend, but because of the cutesy gifts she would receive. I just wished that someone would also give me some nice, cute and pink gifts someday! The die-hard romantic soul in me would overpower the logical intellectual inside. 

Valentine's day back then would mean the city being painted in red balloons, the Archie's gallery in our neighborhood giving discounts on everything, restaurants playing romantic numbers and young couples bunking classes and heading off to some amusement parks or gardens. Our college was very much like a school, so I never saw anyone in my class buking college for going on a date, but we heard about it from the other girls in our hostel. Couple giving gifts (even teddy's), dressing up on the day and hanging out together seemed like a perfect definition of love. 

Now with all these years behind me, a special day for love seems futile. If there is one thing I have realized that is a person (guy or girl) who makes you special in even small things in day to day life - like complimenting on your cooking or helping you in household chores, hearing you out on your lowest days, supporting you in achieving your dreams, or just spending time with you even amidst their busy schedules is probably what love looks like. Love is not what you put on your Instagram photos or your Facebook wall, its the one that you cant specifically pin point but its always surrounding you and cushioning you against all the hard times. You cannot take a photo of it, you can just feel it. 

For me food is also an expression of love. When I cook for my loved ones, I feel happy from within. I wanted to make strawberry scones this weekend with the beautiful strawberries I had bought a few days back. The scones are possibly the easiest things you can bake. Scones got their start as a Scottish quick bread. Originally made with oats and griddle-baked, today’s version is more often made with flour and baked in the oven. As for the origin of the word “Skone”, some say it comes from the Dutch word ‘schoonbrot’, which means beautiful bread, while others argue it comes from Stone of Destiny, where the Kings of Scotland were crowned. According to Webster’s Dictionary, scones originated in Scotland in the early 1500s.

Scones became popular and an essential part of the fashionable ritual of taking tea in England when Anna, the Duchess of Bedford (1788 – 1861), one late afternoon, ordered the servants to bring tea and some sweet breads, which included scones. She was so delighted by this, that she ordered it every afternoon and what now has become an English tradition is the “Afternoon Tea Time” (precisely at 4:00 p.m.). They are still served daily with the traditional clotted cream topping in Britain.

So lets get started with these super easy strawberry scones. And don't forget to also make the delicious glaze mentioned in this recipe. It adds the right amount of zing to the taste.

Wet Ingredients:

• Half & Half  ( 1 part cream + 1 part milk) - 1/2 cup
• Vanilla Essence - 4-5 drops
• Egg - 2
• Milk (for brushing) - 2 tbsp

Ingredients for Glaze

• Icing Sugar - 1 cup
• Half & Half Milk - 2 tbsp
• Vanilla Essence- 3-4 drops

Equipment:

• Baking Tray
• Mixing Bowl
• Whisk
• Strainer
• Oven

Recipe Video:

Procedure: 

1. Line a baking tray with baking sheet. 

2. Add all the wet ingredients in a bowl ( Half & half, eggs, vanilla). Whisk them together and keep aside.

3. Now in a large mixing bowl sift the flour. Add the sugar, salt, baking powder and whisk them uniformly to incorporate the baking powder evenly.

4. Now add cold butter into the dry ingredients. 

Tip: I had cut the butter into small cubes and kept them in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before using them in the recipe. Super chilled butter will help the scones rise better and become fluffy. 

5. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your hands until it resembles coarse crumbs. You can also use a food processor for the same. 

6. Once the butter is fully incorporated, add the chopped strawberries and gently fold in. Use your hands without putting too much pressure, mix everything together.

7. Now add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until it starts forming a dough. The dough will be a little sticky, don't worry - just try to bring everything together.

8. Now transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface.  Form a ball first and then flatten it into a disc of about 1 inch height and 8 inch width. 

9. Using a sharp knife cut the disc into 6 or 8 equal slices. 

10. Now transfer these slices to the parchment-lined baking tray. Using a pastry brush, brush the top of each scone with milk. This will ensure it having a golden top.  Sprinkle some icing sugar on top for extra crunch - this is optional. 

11. Transfer the tray to freezer for 15-30 minutes. This will help the scones raise and become flaky.

12. While the scones are getting chilled preheat your oven to 375 degree F or 190 degree C.

13. Bake the scones for about 17-20 minutes until the top starts to brown. Keep an eye on them towards the last few minutes. If they begin to brown too quickly, place a piece of aluminum foil over top to slow the browning process.

14. Remove the scones form the oven and let them cool down completely.

15. While the scones are cooling down make the glaze. In a mixing bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, half & half and vanilla essence. Drizzle this glaze over the cooled scones.

22 October

As the calendar starts points towards October I feel a great amount of joy. It not only that time of the year when we Bengalis have our biggest festival - Durga Pooja or the entire country is into Navratri and Diwali celebrations but it also means my most cherished festival Christmas is not far behind. 

But before December October and November are the months which remind me of the beautiful fall time I had experience while living in Atlanta. We used to go on so many roadtrips in the Blueridge parkway region. I absolutely used to love those vibrant fall colors enveloping the rolling hills. 

But fall didn't only mean roadtrips or camping for us, it also meant Halloween, thanksgiving and baking some amazing stuffs with the seasonal pumpkins. The house would smell like a bakery - cinnamony, spicy , warm and bright. Those delicious pies and breads would make everyday of autumn so much more enticing. India doesnt really have a vibrant fall season. But still those experiences linger on in my mind and owing to lockdown situation last year I did have some time on hand to try a few autumnal recipes for the first time in India. 

• Do you leave the skin on when roasting pumpkin?
• It depends on the type of pumpkin and on your preference. I prefer leaving the skin on as it helps hold the shape.

• How do you ensure the roast pumpkin isn't soggy?
• To prevent sogginess, you need to roast the pumpkin at high heat. I baked it at 200 degree in my convection oven.

• What do you do with the seeds?
• When making roasted pumpkin do not discard the seeds. They can be later roasted with spices to make a delicious healthy snack!

30 September

The humidity from the long rain spells is finally lifting a bit and there’s a brisk chill in the air. September is a beautiful time. late summer produce like juicy plump tomatoes are still found in abundance in the local produce market while the weather feels like fall. So this year I am thinking of creating a fall series of dishes which will bring together the light and delicate flavors of summer with the comforting style of autumnal cooking.

What is the best you can do with beautiful ripened tomatoes? Of course make them into a hearty thick and warm tomato soup. 

I have never been a fan of tomato to start with. As a child I used to hate tomato because of its mushy texture. Then once I started train journeys, tomato soup became a constant companion as the pre dinner or the lunch refreshment served onboard. It was perfect to satiate the hunger pangs we would feel in between the meals.

Rail travels always evokes a sense of romanticism. I really miss those old days when me with my extended family of 10-15 members would travel in trains to hill stations during our summer breaks. Adults sharing stories and banter sitting across the berths and kids engrossed in a game of ludo was how our train travel would look like. Not to mention the homemade snacks that would keep doing the rounds as the stories would pick up pace. 

But even after these tiny hurdles we would always crave for this in-between meal soups. They would give us the perfect excuse to sip on the warm soup sitting beside the window and staring at the beautiful sceneries whooshing past. 

The long train journeys and family gateways might have become a thing of past in the post covid world but the unmistakable aroma of tomato, black pepper, and toasted bread still plays on my senses and makes me want to go back in time. 

I hope the recipe I am taking about today takes you also back to those days of amazing train travels. This roasted tomato soup is totally a summer-crossing-into-fall type of soup and ready in around 30 - 35 minutes

Checkout other soup recipes on my blog:

• Spicy Thai Pumpkin Soup 
• Mushroom Bok Choy Soup
• Chicken Clear Soup