For the love of food and travel

To quote in the words of Dalai Lama - "Once a year, go someplace you've never been before".  School had finally closed for the summer, and it felt like forever since we’d gone anywhere. I’ve always thought vacations lose their charm if you keep them waiting too long, and with the heat pressing down on us day after day, we were desperate for a change of scene. Being the kind of people who love spur-of-the-moment adventures, we just decided—why not? Let’s drive to Ooty! It’s one of the prettiest hill stations in India, and no wonder everyone calls it the “Queen of Hill Stations.” From north to south, India is blessed with nature's most beautiful creations that turn the country into a heavenly abode for travellers.  One such pristine resort nestled at a height on Nilgiri Hills in South India is Ooty (Ootacamund).  This hill station has splendid green downs and lofty hills of extraordinary scenic beauty and is endowed with a salubrious climate. Located in th...

Stir-fry is a beloved classic in Chinese cuisine, celebrated for its vibrant mix of flavors and textures. Packed with wholesome ingredients like tender chicken, noodles, crisp bell peppers, fresh broccoli, earthy mushrooms, and an array of colorful vegetables, it’s as nourishing as it is delicious. Personally, I find stir-fries to be the simplest and most flavorful way to make the most of whatever produce you have on hand. Pair it with a juicy grilled chicken breast or a perfectly pan-seared salmon, and you’ve got yourself a hearty, well-balanced meal that’s both satisfying and nutritious. Enoki Mushrooms Mushrooms are a common form of fungus. They grow all over the world in woods or grassy areas where there is plenty of moisture. They vary in colour and shape. The most commonly grown type, the button mushroom- t hese are sometimes considered the true mushrooms. A mushroom is neither a fruit nor a vegetable; technically mushrooms aren’t even plants. They are a special type of ...

One of the sweetest sights in our home was watching our little ones march into the kitchen, noses lifted high to catch the aroma of freshly baked, warm chocolate chip cookies. They would wait patiently for them to cool, eager for that first bite. And oh, the joy of seeing them savor those cookies, with melted chocolate smudged across their mouths—it was simply adorable. Of all the treats in the world, those cookies were always their favorite—and even now, though they’ve grown up, chocolate chip cookies remain at the top of their list.  Ruth Graves Wakefield invented the Toll House brand of chocolate chip cookies. She worked as a dietitian and lectured on food until 1930 when she and her husband bought a tourist lodge in Whitman, Massachusetts. The tourist lodge was named the Toll House Inn. Ruth cooked and served all the food for the meals served to the guests at the Inn and became popular for her desserts. One day while making cookies, she realized she was out of a...