For the love of food and travel

I’ve been living in Bangalore for what feels like forever, and although Mysore is only about 150 kilometers away, my last visit to this heritage city was back in my high school days. Travelling between Bangalore and Mysore is incredibly convenient. Buses run round the clock connecting the two cities, and there’s a reliable train service between Bangalore City Junction and Mysore Junction. A good number of cabs also operate on this route, making the journey hassle-free. And if you prefer driving, the trip usually takes just four to five hours. Mysore is the third largest and second most populated city of Karnataka. Situated right at the foot of Chamundi Hills, Mysore was once the capital of the Kingdom of Mysore. The rich cultural environment of Mysore has earned it the title as the Cultural Capital of Karnataka. Mysore, locally known as Mysuru, was the prominent city of Karnataka prior to Bangalore. This mystical and mythological city derives its name from the buffalo headed demo...

Some things are just wonderful, like friendship & chocolate cake!!! Chocolate cake has always been my ultimate indulgence. It’s the recipe I turn to for every celebration—birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, promotions, you name it. No matter the occasion, it never fails to bring joy. And honestly, I don’t even need a reason; sometimes I bake it simply because I crave that rich, comforting slice. Until 1830's-1840's, chocolate was consumed primarily as a beverage. Early chocolate cakes were much lighter because they used significantly smaller amounts of sugar and cocoa. They also used more flour than what we are accustomed to making them fluffier and more like what we would today call a breakfast bread. It wasn't until 1940 that chocolate cake recipes became richer and decadent, calling for larger quantities of cocoa and sugar than previously. Did you know that there is a difference between a chocolate cake and brownie?? They are both chocolaty and absolutely ...

It was during a TV reality show, MasterChef Australia , that I first came across a dessert called panna cotta. The name intrigued me, but it was the elegance of its presentation that truly caught my eye. Later, at an Italian restaurant in Bangalore, I finally had the chance to taste it. Smooth, delicate, and beautifully simple, it was love at first spoonful. From that moment on, panna cotta has remained my all-time favorite dessert—an epitome of understated beauty and heavenly flavour. A spoonful of panna cotta is remarkably creamy, melting in the mouth without a trace of grittiness or lumps.  Panna cotta is a very basic pudding that is made of dairy thickened with gelatin. It originated in Italy and its name literally means "cooked cream". You can eat it straight out of a cup, but it's often unmolded onto a plate and drizzled with sweet sauce and garnished with fruit.  It is not known exactly how or when this dessert came to be, but some theories suggest that crea...

Got a bunch of overripe bananas sitting in your kitchen, pantry, or fruit basket? Thinking of tossing them out? Stop right there! Those soft, spotty bananas may not look appetizing to peel and eat, but if they’re not completely gone, they’re pure gold for baking. With just a little effort, you can transform them into a delicious—and yes, surprisingly healthy—classic treat: banana bread.   Banana bread is a quick bread whose main ingredient is mashed bananas. Ripe or overly ripe bananas are ideal to use in banana bread because the riper a banana becomes, the sweeter it gets.  Bananas were first found in Malaysia and migrated, with the help of travelers and traders, to India. Alexander the Great is said to have introduced the banana to the Western civilization.  The origin of the first banana bread recipe is unknown, though some speculate it was originated in the 18th century by housewives experimenting with pearlash. The term "pearlash," refers to potassium...

Kentucky Fried Chicken, better known as KFC, was my absolute favorite treat when I was growing up. Almost every weekend, my dad would take my younger brother and me to the restaurant, and without fail, we’d order the bucket meal—crispy fried chicken, soft buns, golden French fries, and that refreshing coleslaw. It became our go-to tradition, the same order every single time. For me, the joy wasn’t just in the crunchy, juicy chicken, but also in the cool, creamy coleslaw that perfectly completed the meal. Coleslaw (also known as cole slaw or simply slaw) is a salad consisting primarily of finely shredded raw cabbage and dressed most commonly with a vinaigrette salad dressing. Prepared in this manner, coleslaw can be pickled for up to four weeks if it is stored in an airtight container. Mayonnaise is also commonly used. The term coleslaw came from the Dutch term koolsla , meaning cabbage salad. The kool part is the Dutch word for cabbage and the sla part is a Dutch abbreviation ...

Celebrating life with friends and family is always a joy. In our circle, every month seems to bring a reason to gather—whether it’s a birthday or a festival like Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or Easter. The occasions may change, but the spirit remains the same: there’s always a party waiting just around the corner. The excitement of planning these gatherings never fades, and at the heart of it all lies the food. We make sure the meal is something everyone can enjoy—young and old alike. And of course, no celebration is complete without dessert. For us, chocolate always steals the show, a sweet finale to every fabulous feast. One of my favourites is the chocolate ganache tart. It is a crispy, buttery tart shell filled with a velvety-smooth dark chocolate ganache. It's very easy to prepare and tastes awesome....and can be made by anyone new to cooking or baking. Ganache is said to have been invented sometime in the 1850s when a chocolatier’s apprentice accidentally poured boiling ...

Have you ever felt that overwhelming thirst where nothing—neither lemonade nor cola—can truly satisfy? Only water, pure and simple, quenches it completely. In that instant, you realize water isn’t just a drink; it’s the ultimate refreshment. That’s exactly how it feels with cake. You may have indulged in pastries, marble swirls, fruity delights, jellies, or even ice cream cakes. Yet nothing compares to the timeless charm of a classic buttery vanilla cake—simple, elegant, and absolutely unforgettable. This cake has a wonderful velvety texture with loads of butter and a lovely vanilla flavour.  It is fluffy, moist and a super easy-to-prepare cake.  The term "cake" has a long history.  The word itself is of Viking origin, from the Old Norse word "kaka". The ancient Greeks called cake πλακοῦς (plakous), which was derived from the word for "flat", πλακόεις (plakoeis). It was baked using flour mixed with eggs, milk, nuts and honey.  In ancient Rome, basic br...