Cultural Hybridity

I'm feeling guilty again, dear readers. Sometimes I tell myself, really, life is too short to let yourself be plagued by guilt every so often, but then that is like fighting the tide of life for me. I'm a Pakistani-Middle Eastern-Canadian-American mutt, who has made many a decision in life based on guilt! It comes with the heritage I think. There are times when I feel guilty for not feeling enough guilt for certain situations. Now I sound like a Woody Allen movie. Gotta focus!

See, I'm not Hyderabadi enough for my mother's liking. Or even my liking at times. Oh yeah, didn't I tell you, that's part of my heritage too. A big part of it. From both my maternal and paternal sides of the family. Ah yes, the princely state of Hyderabad, India, where perfect etiquette, royal manners, and exquisite hospitality are the foundations of every household. And the food. As rich and divine as they come with biryanis and paaye, but also humble, with daal n rice. The more khatta (sour) the better!

I can make a decent biryani sure, and a few things patently Hyderabadi here n there, but when it comes to the famous staples like mirchon ka saalan (green chillies in gravy) or baghare baingan (spicy eggplant), I might as well be from the North Pole. They just don't get my mojo going, and hence, I can never get myself to make them. Disappointing really - these are heirloom recipes that I should know. *sigh* Mid-year resolution then, must learn to cook more of my mom's Hyderabadi recipes.

Till then, I will drown my guilt by whipping up another batch of this classic from the Dominican Republic - Chivo Guisado. Or as I call it, Another Type Of Goat Korma! Just goes to show, I can run from my heritage all I want, but it always manages to creep back in.

Chivo Guisado or Dominican Goat Curry (adapted from Manu's Menu)
Serves 4-6

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients for marinade:
2 lbs goat meat with bones
Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 1/2 a lime
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp garlic paste
1 large white onion
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch green onions
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp fresh oregano or 1 tbsp dried oregano

Ingredients for the braise:
4 tbsp oil
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 tbsp tomato paste

Method:
1. Chop the onions and cilantro, then mix with all other marinade ingredients and the goat meat. Marinate overnight.

2. Next day, heat up the oil and brown the sugar slightly. Add in the chilli powder, then the meat along with all the marinade.

3. Mix together, then add in the tomato paste. Stir again. Add just enough water to cover the meat, and bring to a boil. Then cover the pan, lower the heat, and let it simmer away for about an hour and a half, till the meat is falling off the bone and the sauce has thickened. (You can further thicken the sauce by removing the lid and turning up the heat till it reduces to your liking. Check for seasoning - it may need a half tsp or so of more salt.)

Zoom in on that, fellow lovers of all things goat-y!

Verdict: What emerges from the pot is this unctuous, fragrant concoction of tender meat and a complex gravy, ready to be sopped up with bread (my definite preference) or rice. The meat is pillowy soft, and that gravy - OH that gravy! - is sweet and spicy and tart and sticky. My Baby B recently learned how to say "awesome" and "amazing". I think I could get him to say those words for this dish. 

What I cook and how I cook teaches me a lot about myself. I guess I'm learning that I'm not one to adhere to rigid boundaries in my cooking, and maybe that stems from the traveling I've done as a kid and young adult, and the beautiful, multi-cultural friends I've made along the way. It's hard to label me or my cooking!

The Day Tony & Eric Came For Tea

If Anthony "Tony" Bourdain and Eric "The Ripper" Ripert came to tea at my house, I would serve them this sweet, homey little treat.

Isn't she a dear? Just the thing you'd expect our gentle friend Tony would savor over some proper English tea. And pray tell, what is this delicate, pretty concoction called?

Kumquat Flaugnarde.

Why of course.

A dessert that sounds like something I'd call my snotty little brother when we were kids. Or possibly the name of a famous European porn star. You decide.

And that's precisely the reason - plus it's actually French in origin, and simply heavenly - why I'd serve this to my boys, Tony and Eric. Those two spend way too much time eating divine 5-star cuisine and uber-yummy regional foods from all over the globe, that I'm pretty sure they've never had a kumquat flaugnarde before.

I'm right, aren't I, Tony? Now now, mind your language young man ...

... You're making Eric blush!

See, that's my living room, and the three of us were sitting around having this intense, food-gasmic conversation, filled with laughs and giggles, as only old friends are able to do.

What? You don't believe me?! Dammit. It was worth a shot I suppose. So it's not my living room. It's the stage at DeVos Hall in Grand Rapids where these two gentlemen appeared recently to chat about their lives, loves, and food with me and a few hundred other manic fans. I'm not ashamed to say - they rock my world.

Why do I think kumquats are the perfect fruit to describe the dynamic duo of Tony and Eric?

Because they are sweet and sour at the same time, but totally surprising (the rind is sweet and the flesh is sour)!

Cardamom-Kumquat Flaugnarde (adapted from Daydreamer Desserts, whose images are so much more mouthwatering!)

Serves 6

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp

Approx 1/4 cup sugar for dusting ramekins

1 1/2 cups kumquats, deseeded and sliced

2 eggs

1/2 cup AP flour

3 oz unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cardamom

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease your ramekins with the softened butter and dust with sugar.

2. Sprinkle the sliced kumquats evenly in all ramekins and place on a baking sheet.

3. Whisk eggs lightly. Sift flour into eggs and whisk again. Stir in cooled, melted butter and milk. Gradually whisk in 1/3 cup sugar. Add vanilla extract and the cardamom, then whisk till everything is incorporated.

4. Pour batter equally over kumquats and bake for 10 mins. Decrease temperature to 350 F and bake for an additional 20 mins, till puffed and golden.

5. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.

Verdict: I didn't know that oranges and cardamom were an eHarmony match! Now I do, and I'll always try to keep them together. The smell alone of these baking is enough to transport you to some exotic French-Arab-Mediterranean shore, and dream of being an exotic princess. Preferably one who didn't have to worry about watching her expanding hips and waist, and could order her hot personal chef to whip this up for her at a moment's whim!

Look, Tony's smacking his lips after having a bite of my flaugnarde! (having naughty thoughts)

While Eric is gushing, simply gushing, in that adorable French accent about how much he loved it!

Happy Memories To Keep Me Warm

I miss going to the local farmers' markets in summer. To me, they are the epitome of community living, where even jaded city folk can feel like they are part of a small-town foodie family. It's good for you and good for the vendors, which in turn makes it great for the entire community.

I don't miss pushing Baby B around in his stroller in the farmers markets though, because he always hated it, and was not shy about articulating his displeasure. My solution was to keep popping blueberries into this mouth to keep him distracted. Ah yes, the mommy art of distraction, a noble skill.

Today I am reminiscing only about the good times. Of me and Baby B soaking up the summer sunshine as we meandered through stalls of gorgeous produce. Speaking of blueberries, let me share some these memories with you ...

When I'm wandering around a farmers' market, I feel like a geek. I feel giggly. I feel accepted and an outcast all at the same time. Accepted because, look! I'm one with my neighbors, my community! And yet, an outcast, because I don't go as often as the rest of these people walking around and chatting it up with the vendors. Instead of simply buying those insanely gorgeous gourds, I'm taking discreet pictures of them from every angle. Like I said, geek.

But I do get adventurous sometimes with my market purchases. Like these peculiar zucchini that were too pretty to pass up ...

... And these red-green zebra-striped tomatoes, which were also an endless source of fascination for Baby B.

The zucchini and tomatoes met their oh-so-delicious demise in my Zucchini & Tomato Tart. But then, because one tart is never enough in my house (and isn't it more satisfying to use the entire package of puff pastry than just half??), I broke my healthy-ish streak and dove into the bacon.

Ok, so it was turkey bacon, which I think makes it healthier, but I wouldn't bet on it. Could anything healthy taste so rich and cheesy and buttery and flaky. Go on, send me hate-mail, but I think not. All I ask, is that you give this tart a chance. In the dead of winter, it's food like this that warms you to your toes.

French Onion Tart

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:

1 puff pastry sheet

2 onions, thinly sliced

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

6 oz turkey bacon, cut into strips

2 oz gruyere cheese, grated

Salt n pepper to taste

Method:

1. Crisp up the turkey bacon, drain then set aside. In the same pan, saute the onions till soft and just starting to turn golden. Set aside.

2. In a bowl, whisk the eggs and milk, then add in the salt n pepper.

3. Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease a tart pan and fit the puff pastry into it.

4. Add the onions and bacon to the tart, then sprinkle the gruyere all over. Pour in the egg-milk concoction.

5. Bake for 25-30 mins till puffed and golden. Let it sit for 10 mins before you take it out of the tart pan and serve.

Verdict: Oh mama, it tastes so gooooooood, you sassy tart you! Sweet from the onions, but savory from everything else, this is simple food that delivers a punch of satisfying flavor. I can have it any time of day, but then I have problems and I need to get on an elliptical. Tomorrow. Tonight, it's tart time. Come hither.

The little man is serious about tomatoes. I guess he's a geek like his mom. Awww!

Festering Questions

It's freezing outside, and you want nothing more than to snuggle up with a steaming bowl of this soup, crusty bread to soak it all up, and your favorite TV show. Instead you are stuck reading through my blog to get to the damn recipe! Sheesh. Sorry dear readers, but bear with me. Girl's got something to say first.

I just watched a Tony Bourdain special re-run, called 'At The Table', where some interesting questions were being addressed. But I have to admit, not all of them were answered. Probably because everyone kept getting distracted by the gorgeous food (and wine, definitely blame the wine) Chef Wylie Dufresne was constantly plying them with. So I thought I'd be a virtual guest of Tony's and take on some of those questions.

About fast food joints, my take is that YES, they do have a place in our culinary world. Fast food is essentially food of convenience, and that is it. What's happened over the years is that the concept of 'convenience' has changed for many families. Busy moms and dads feel they don't have much choice other than stopping over for a family-size bucket of fried chicken on their way home from work. I get it, if I put myself in their shoes. To think of what to make for their family, something different everyday, that is interesting and nutritious, and can be made in a relatively short amount of time ... every single day ... that's hard! These days I'm a stay-at-home mom, and there are days when even my cooking mojo shuts down completely and I reach for the frozen pizza. But that's not the norm. And I believe that's how we should start viewing fast food - emergency food, last resort, back-up to my back-up. I'm of the opinion that fast food chains shouldn't be inside any city or town. The only place we should see them is along lonely stretches of highway, because those are the only circumstances when I enjoy eating a Big Mac or Whopper, and noisily sucking on a fake strawberry milkshake. Instead, there should be more places like Panera Bread in our cities, which is a much better option for busy parents and their hungry brood.

And just a bit of planning can resolve any issues concerning the "what the heck do I cook tonight?!" scenarios. There are lots of shows on TV that teach you how to cook for the entire week in one day. Personally that's not my current ideal, but I know it works for a lot of people. I also think people should try cooking different types of food, especially the kind that can last more than a day or two. I love Pakistani/Indian food for that very reason. I make two saalan (curries), one meat and one veg, and can easily have it two days in a row - with roti one day, rice the next. The third day you can either cook up something fresh or polish off the leftovers by making sandwiches out of them, or make a fantastic omelette out of them! That's also a great way of saving on food costs. The variety of food is amazing in my cuisine. I'm not bound by beef steaks and chicken breasts. I cook with goat, lamb and veal and every part of the chicken. 1 pound of ground beef can last for three separate meals for myself and the hubbs. And we're big eaters (by "we" I mean DH). I can make at least 10 different types of rice dishes, which are complete meals in themselves. I continuously incorporate hearty green veggies like spinach and broccoli and green beans and okra into my weekly menu. Some variety of daal (lentils) gets consumed at least once a week. And I keep it exciting by mixing up the spices and techniques I use. And guess what, you don't have to stick to one cuisine! You're only doing your palette a disservice. Mix it up by cooking pasta or risotto once a week. Learn one amazing dish from each major cuisine (Latino, French, Greek, Asian, American etc.) then add that to your weekly menu. Finally, bring in your friends. Get together with friends over a pot-luck dinner once in a while if you can.

Eat out! For goodness sakes, if you can afford, I highly recommend eating out once a week - just because it is a social activity, as much as a culinary necessity! Do it for the right reasons, and you'll enjoy it a lot more. Eating out should be a pleasurable, exciting activity. Try new places. Try new foods on the menu. Drive just a wee bit further to get to a restaurant once in a while. Stay a wee bit longer if you can. Talk about the food you're eating. Laugh. Make it memorable. Make it an activity, not a chore.

The next time your kids are whining in the back seat about being hungry, don't stop at the drive-thru. Imagine the beautiful memories they'll have of growing up in a home where mom or dad would quickly whip together basil pesto (store bought works!)-tomato-mozarella grilled paninis for lunch?!

*phew* There. I think I managed to get that successfully off my chest. End of rant.

Back to regular raving. About food of course. Look, look what I have for you today!

French Lentil & Orzo Soup (courtesy of the charming Chef Suvir Saran, from his book American Masala)

Serves 6-8

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:

12 cups water

6 tbsp oil

2 tsp cumin seeds

3 dried red chillies

1/4 tsp ground peppercorns

1 large red onion, sliced

Salt to taste

2 cups French lentils

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 cup orzo pasta

Chopped fresh cilantro

Thick Greek yogurt

Lemon wedges

Toasted bread slices

Method:

1. Heat up your oil in a large pot, and brown the cumin seeds till they are dark, 2-3 mins.

2. Add the dried chillies and ground peppercorns and cook for 20 secs.

3. Add the onion and the salt, and cook till deeply caramelized, stirring often. Splash with a bit of water to keep the onions from sticking to the bottom of the pot. The more color you give your onions, the better the soup will taste and look.

4. Stir in the turmeric and the lentils. Pour in 2 cups of water and cook for 5 mins.

5. Add 10 more cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 20 mins.

6. Stir in the orzo and bring soup back up to a boil. Cook uncovered for another 10 mins till orzo is ready, then turn off the heat. Let the soup stand for 30 mins - 2 hours so that it thickens. Taste for seasoning! Warm it up again before serving with fresh cilantro, a dollop of yogurt or sour cream, and lemon wedges. And DON'T forget the crusty bread!

Verdict: You have no idea how much I want this right now. Toast some well-buttered bread on your griddle. This soup deserves that. The mix of those tastes and textures is so comforting! The add-ons, like the cilantro, yogurt, and lemon, brighten up the flavors and make them sing. Just warms the cockles of your heart (which are where exactly?!). Like many soups, this one tastes better the next day, and the day after that.

See what I mean about making food that's really kind to your wallet and lasts a good long time? 'Nuff said. Dig in.

Iron Chef-ing in Cleveland

I was in Cleveland over the weekend, so jumped on the chance to dine at Iron Chef Michael Symon's bistro Lola, and now I might try to stalk that man. Or at least his pastry chef.

Let me elaborate.

First of all, I tagged along with DH to Cleveland, because he had an exam to give, and needed my moral support. Not sure if I really provided that, because the night before his exam, all I remember is him pacing around the room, not being able to sleep, while Baby B and I were blissfully in la-la land as soon as we snuggled into those soft hotel beds.

Anyhow, I digress. To distract DH from the feeling of impending doom, we treated ourselves to a night out on East 4th Street in Cleveland, with Baby B in tow. We had dinner at Lola, and every course was a star. My mom may never forgive me, but that beef tongue appetizer was the best I've ever had! I already suggested to the restaurant that they need to make it an entree. The beef hanger steak was perfect, but it was the rosemary-salt-flecked fries that I was swooning over! And nothing makes me happier than a wonderful dessert to complete a great meal - and Lola delivered. Their pastry chef did something magical to a roasted peach half, I tell ya, and I need to know what! It had a delicate layer of bruleed sugar on top, which shattered like crystal when I gently nudged it with my fork, then the whole thing melted in my mouth, the juices slithering all over my tongue. I nearly speared DH's hand with my fork when he tried to go in for seconds and thirds. Nothing else mattered in that moment, not even my whiny baby; it was just me and that peach.

I apologize, dear readers, but I don't have pics because the lighting is never good enough in places like these, especially at night. Plus, I had enough to do, trying to keep Baby B calm in the hated high-chair (yet utterly failing).

In conclusion, I now see why Michael Symon is an Iron Chef. And just as he kicks ass on his show and in the kitchen, so did DH kick some serious ass in his exam. It takes a solid iron temperament to face any kind of exam and come out victorious. So this dessert goes out to DH and all those on the precipice of some exam/test/quiz.

White Chocolate & Raspberry Clafoutis (thank you, Gourmet Worrier)

Serves 8

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh/frozen raspberries

1/3 cup unsalted butter

1 cup self-raising flour

2/3 cup blanched ground almonds

3 eggs

1 cup cream

100g white chocolate chunks or chips

2/3 cup sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F, and grease and sugar-dust a baking dish (or 8 ramekins in my case)

Can somebody please make me an outfit in these exact colors?!

2. Place flour, almonds, sugar and butter in food processor and whir it 10-15 secs until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add eggs and cream and process till well combined.

White chocolate nubbins. Give 'em some love, and they'll love you back.

3. Pour this into your baking vessel(s), then stud it with raspberries and white chocolate. Pop in the oven for 30 mins. Serve warm with more heavy cream or ice-cream.

Verdict: I have no rhythm. Yet I was dancing with glee after taking just one bite. I already had a slight idea that this would be a good combination, but Lord Almighty, it was incredible! And you know my affinity for warm desserts that I can enjoy with cold cream. I now have a special place in my nearly-clogged arteries just for this clafoutis. I'm going to suggest that you either use berries that are in season, or go for the frozen ones. Out-of-season raspberries can be worse than sour lemons. Sorry, I'm turning into a food snob, aren't I? Go on then, use any kind of of raspberries you can get your hands on, just make this dessert!

You waaaaaaaaaaaaaaant this. So. So. Bad.

Preserving My Sanity With Pineapple Jam

I am one sick puppy. I know that some of you reading this are fasting - as am I - and yet I throw this image in your face? This crispy, crunchy, ooey, gooey, melty, cheesy, sweet n salty bite of utopian pleasure?! Yup, there's a special corner of hell reserved for me. I guess I can't help myself when it comes to mind-control. Silly thing just keeps wandering back to the contents of my refrigerator, and coming up with crazy ideas about how to use, and eat, everything in it. *Sigh* Dear God, please be patient with your incorrigible servant - I just need to get through writing this blog, and then I won't even think about food till sundown! Pinkie promise.

All right, now that I've worked out my deal with The Big Guy, let's get down to the business at hand. While many of you may already have made and stored your gorgeous jams and preserves for the upcoming winter months, here is one tropical fruit that you should try squeezing in.

Meet the prickly pineapple. Her personality is akin to the sexy librarian. All prim n proper, with that tough, don't-touch-me persona on the outside. But come night-time, some dance music, maybe some alcohol, or maybe just the right kind of company, and her pointy armor comes flying off to reveal the exotic party-animal inside!

Now let me tell you, I didn't choose this pineapple. It chose me. I got it as a house-warming gift. Clearly I haven't been in the mid-west long enough, because I was told this is the tradition here. Surprising, and a little puzzling, but clearly delicious. For the longest time this pineapple sat on my kitchen counter, and waited for its fate to be revealed. I finally discovered it when I came across this recipe for Pineapple Tarts by Shirley over at Kokken 69.

I didn't make tarts out of it, and I've tweaked the recipe to give it more oomph, but I've already used this jam in a variety of ways. all of which have made me tres tres happy. So go on, take your own prickly pineapple out on a date, and you'll soon see how much fun she really is!

Pineapple Lime Jam

Makes one jar

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:

1 pineapple, peeled, cored and chopped into chunks

1 lime, zest and juice

1 cup sugar (or more if your fruit isn't sweet enough)

1 small cinnamon stick

2 cloves

Method: Mix all ingredients in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Then turn down the heat and let it simmer for about an hour. Mash up the fruit and remove the cinnamon stick. Let it all cool, then pour into a jar with an airtight. Refrigerates really well for a number of months.

Verdict: One teaspoon of this tropical sunshine was wonderful with a dollop of cream cheese, all wrapped up in a puff pastry bundle. Or you could also schmear it on some freshly baked biscuits. Of course, it worked perfectly simply spread on toast in the morning.

But my favorite application by far, was sandwiching it in with some sharp cheddar and slices of turkey, then grilling it till all the flavors melded together to form one heckuva glorious anytime-sandwich.

One a side note, my heart swelled up with joy to see such a huge portion of the food blogging community rise up to support a fellow blogger, Jennie, as she is going through an unimaginably tough time. I didn't make pie, but I did buy one, and shared it with some wonderful friends. Sharing food is a universal expression of love, and I *heart* all my fellow foodies.

Summer Adventures and Strawberry Shortcake

A very happy, blessed Ramadan to my fellow patient and persevering Muslims! (especially the ones in the US and Canada, where we have especially long fasts this year) If it seems weird that I should be blogging about food at a time when I am craving it but can't have any, you are right. I guess I'm a wee bit masochistic after all. So join me, would you?!

Between all my travelling this busy summer, I managed to squeeze in what I think is an uber-essential Michigan summer activity. Berry picking. And because I was crunched for time, I went strawberry picking, cherry picking and raspberry picking, all in one day. And what a hot, sweltering day it was. Know how you can spot the newbie pickers from the rest? They're the ones wearing their "nice" clothes and pretty sandals. Personally, I didn't think my jeans were nice or anything - they were just my regular errand jeans - but apparently wearing jeans of any kind on a day when it was 95 degrees outside is a rookie mistake. The thing with jeans is that in winter they're as useless as toilet paper against the cold, and in the heat of summer they weigh you down like you're wearing a sack of potatoes on each leg. Or maybe those are just my legs, and I'm blaming the jeans for nothing. Ugh. Horrible thought. Must. Move. On.

Strawberries! Fresh, juicy, sweet, summer strawberries! Even being hot and sweaty didn't stop me from enjoying every moment of searching for and picking those ruby-red berries. It was just Baby B and me that day, us two city kids, living the country life for a few fun hours in an endless field of strawberries. The air was ripe with their aroma - just divine! Baby B and I were equally fascinated with the process of hunting for the best berries. Of course, B was much less fussy than I was. At first he let me do all the picking, but soon enough he was diving right in, plucking any red berry he could find and devouring them as quick as you please. I've got to admit, it was pretty adorable watching him happily digging around for his precious "bejjies" then smiling every time he ate one. If some dirt and a bug or two went in along the way, I don't really want to know.

Cherries were easier to pick - being that they hang down in bunches from trees - but a whole lot messier. Picture Baby B with cherry juices running down his face, and me with cherry smears all over mine. It's impossible to look grown-up and sophisticated in such a situation. Well ok, so maybe there was more eating than picking going on. And am I giving away my lack of fitness by admitting that it's easier to reach up than bend down? Probably.

Baby B was a total trooper though. He was ready to call it a day after the cherries, but I bribed him with the promise of more bejjies, and off we went to pick some raspberries! As much as I love them, little did I know that they grow on some rather prickly bushes. So I ended up keeping B out of them with one hand, picking the berries with the other, and juggling the basket in another. Wait, what? That doesn't sound right. But that's how I remember it, so go figure. Thank goodness for sun block. By the end of the day, both mama and baby were an alarming shade of red to match all the berries we picked. I loved it! It was a day I'll never forget. I want to do it again!

My head was overflowing with ideas of what to do with all the berries, and the strawberries were the first to be experimented on. I decided on a dessert that lets you enjoy the fruit in its whole, ripe sweetness, without mucking around with it too much. Meet the runner-up to Ms. Americana Dessert Of All Time - Strawberry Shortcake!

Hungry little me went straight to my staple biscuit recipe, courtesy of Monsieur Tyler Florence, his Ultimate Buttermilk Biscuits. But I made them better (Better Buttery Buttermilk Biscuits ... mmm, boyoboy), because I added some chopped fresh rosemary and thyme. That's me, living on the culinary edge! (not)

So let's throw this all together, shall we?

Summery Sweet Strawberry Shortcakes

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:

Freshly baked sweet biscuits, like these (with chopped fresh thyme and rosemary added to the batter if you like)

Strawberries

Sugar

Heavy cream

Chopped fresh basil (optional)

Method:

1. Sprinkle the washed, hulled berries with a tbsp of sugar plus some chopped basil and let it sit for about 15 mins.

2. Whip the cream with some sugar till it reaches soft peaks.

3. Pull apart the fresh biscuits. Pile on some strawberries on the bottom half of a biscuit. Plop a dollop of whipped cream on top. Then put the biscuit lid on the whole concoction and dig in. If you must, assemble the remaining shortcakes for the rest of your starving, free-loading friends.

Verdict: This is a fun dessert to experiment with. You can change up the flavor of the biscuits, for instance. Add some dark cocoa powder (ooo naughty). You can marinate the berries in sweet balsamic vinegar (ooo exotic). Go crazy. Just remember that the better the fruit, the better this dessert will be. And the quicker you can get this dessert from its inception to your mouth, the happier you will be.

I still had a lot of strawberries left over. So I paired them with some slowly melting vanilla ice-cream and settled in to enjoy summer's bounty. Nothing beats that.

Well, except seeing this face peeking out at you when you're blogging. Little monkey.

Resurrection

The next time I hear someone ask me about why I'm not blogging anymore, I'm just going to point. First at the bags under my eyes. Then at my precocious toddler, who most likely will be hanging from some part of me at any given time of day. But in all honesty, I don't begrudge the question, because it's one that I've asked myself a zillion times. I mean, it's not like I'm NOT cooking or NOT taking photographs at all. Granted, I no longer have the luxury of setting up the perfect shot - I literally have a few rushed seconds before my little saboteur makes his appearance!

But it's the writing, I think, where I've stumbled. It's that element of my blogging that I can't do in pieces. I've had many instances where I wished I had a dictaphone on me, because lines pop into my head at all times of day that are funny, or insightful, or provocative, or all of the above (or so I like to think). But it's like trying to catch a cloud - poof! Come and gone. Just like that. And as much as I love cooking and food, it's impossible for me to turn my blog into one that simply spits out recipes - I've got to add some masala, after all!

So there are several reasons for my hiatus - I can't blame my little one entirely - but they are what they are, and I'm one for moving on. Onwards and upwards!

Now, I've been wanting to attend cooking classes for a long time, but my cheap, er, thrifty South Asian side was always loathe to spend that kind of money for a proper course. Along comes Williams-Sonoma to grant me my wish! With no need to schedule weeks and months in advance, these people offer really fun, themed cooking demonstrations in their store, a few times a month. And guess what? You can afford it! Yes, you, you, and even you! I've enjoyed every single one I've attended, because I get to relax around a beautiful table of like-minded foodies (my fabulous, fierce ladies!) for a couple of hours on a weeknight - chatting and eating, no, feasting! I hope you are able to check out what your neighborhood Williams-Sonoma has to offer - it's a real treat for amateur food geeks like me.

Moroccan Night at Williams-Sonoma was my favorite - it gave me this bejeweled Apricot and Almond Couscous, which was so easy to throw together ... makes me wonder why I haven't really explored the wonderful world of couscous more. It's carbolicious, and therefore, my solemn duty is to incorporate it into my diet.

White tablecloths make me feel like such a lady!

Couscous with Almonds and Apricots (courtesy Williams-Sonoma, The World Kitchen)

Serves 4-6

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cups couscous

1/3 cup dried apricots, finely slivered

2 2/3 cups chicken stock

1/2 tsp turmeric

Salt and pepper

2/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1/4 cup dried currants (I used dried blueberries, because that's what I picked up at the grocery store by mistake - but they worked out great)

1 tsp finely grated orange zest

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup minced fresh mint

Plump and chewy little nuggets of sunshine.

THIS is magical fairy dust. It's commonly known as orange zest, but it makes everything better.

Method:

1. In a large bowl, drizzle the oil over the couscous and toss to coat. Scatter the apricots over this.

2. Bring the stock to a boil, stir in the turmeric and salt, then pour the stock over the couscous. Cover the bowl tightly with aluminum foil and let stand until the couscous has absorbed all the liquid - about 5 mins.

3. Remove the foil and fluff the grains with a fork. Stir in the almonds, currants, orange zest, lemon juice and mint. Check seasonings. Serve at once!

Verdict: Allison (our instructor at Williams-Sonoma, and all-around superwoman) surprised me with how much flavor she infused into this dish. Hers turned out better than mine, but despite that, mine was good enough to impress DH. No mean feat that. Still, this is a lovely, summery side-dish that satisfies and refreshes the tastebuds. Try it with grilled or roasted meats. If I were anyone but me, I'd tell you that this was a wonderful and healthy substitute to mashed potatoes with your steak or chicken. But this is still my blog, last time I checked, and I say have it ALL! Muneeba's Rule # 67: There are no substitutes for mashed potatoes.