Hows this for controversial!

A friend just said to me the other day, "H is the fussy-est eater I've ever met!". And then (Maybe to proove her wrong) H has grilled chicken, mango-crusted-tilapia and shrimp cocktail- all on the same plate! The veggie burgers and grilled paneer tikkas were literally left on the sidelines!

*Sigh*

Switch scenes to our kitchen, its dinner time ...

H: "Can you put the broccoli in at the very end so the little green bits dont touch the rest of my fajitas"
Me: "OK!"

I'm just glad we have a microwave. I can cook my kale, broccoli and zucchini seperately and still enjoy them!

Chocolate Lovers Unite!

This is the ultimate chocolate pudding ... I cant say more, the recipie speaks for itself! Savor the chocolaty goodness. One ramekin of this potent stuff is *more than* enough for 2! (And coming from a chocoholic like me, thats saying something!)

10 ounces bittersweet chocolate (I actually use Valhrona, Schraffen Berger 95% or more! It makes a bitter rich chocolate pudding)
5 large egg yolks
5 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon vanilla (increase this a little if you're using the 95% chocolate)
1//2 teaspoon instant espresso powder mixed with 1 tablespoon water, or 1 tablespoon strong brewed coffee
Whipped cream and cocoa powder or chocolate shavings for garnish

1. Place chocolate in medium heat-proof bowl; set fine-mesh strainer over bowl and set aside.

2. Whisk yolks, sugar and salt in medium bowl until combined; whisk in heavy cream and half-and-half. Transfer mixture to a medium saucepan.

3. Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly and scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon, until thickened and silky and custard registers 175 to 180 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 8 to 12 minutes. Do not let custard overcook or simmer.

4. Immediately pour custard through strainer over chocolate. Let mixture stand to melt chocolate, about 5 minutes. Whisk gently until smooth, then whisk in vanilla and espresso. Divide mixture evenly among 8 (5-ounce) ramekins. Gently tap ramekins against counter to remove air bubbles.

5. Cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 72 hours.

6. Before serving, let stand at room temperature 20 to 30 minutes.

7. Serve topped with a dollop of whipped cream whipped to soft peaks with a little sugar and vanilla and garnish with a dusting of cocoa powder or chocolate shavings

Seeing the colored world through lenses!

I’ve often wondered about those people that see their lives through a camera lens. Granted these days the lenses are getting smaller or bigger depending on which path you choose to take along that commercial road of camera accessories. But why do they take the effort to do that? Like most quirks, does it all boil down to family?

Do we take pictures only to show family and friends what our lives have been like? Or is it more to capture those moments, to preserve the youth, the memories that engulf the person while they were taking the picture? And are those memories at all tarred by the sheer pressure of getting the scene exposed just right, checking and re-checking to see if the portrait has been captured as envisioned?

I was at a street fair this weekend and spent a lot of time admiring the fresh food, flowers and fruit. Everything looked just a little more appetizing and colorful. Even on a cloudy day! Ofcourse the photographers with their telescoping lenses weren’t far behind … literally!

I fell into a similar rut during my first trip to India (that I remember anyways!). I had my first camera with me at all times. Most of the pictures that were eventually developed happened to be not-so-still life- cows, goats and my own puppy- Tiger.

I’ve lost trace of all those pictures except for a few of Tiger. He’s not around anymore. Am I glad I took those pictures? Yes.