Cosmopolitan – Ina Fridays

  Incredibly sexy! That’s how I see the Cosmo as. Does that image have anything to do with this drink being featured in episodes of “sex and the city”? May be! I am not confessing to watching the said show. Nope! I am not. What I AM confessing today is how much I love a well made Cosmo. As far as drinks go, there couldn’t be a simpler cocktail to mix. Cranberry juice, Cointreau, vodka and lime juice. Even I can do that. It’s gorgeous to look at and tastes familiar, so it is a crowd pleaser too. As with …

Kashmiri Lassi

  Afternoon meals, throughout my childhood at home in Kashmir, were never complete without a tall glass of buttermilk. Each morning, my Grandpa would go to the local Dairy seller and bring home fresh milk & yogurt. It was an everyday job because one always ran out of milk and yogurt by the end of the day and because one always bought only as much was needed for that day as the refrigerators were not yet commonplace. The afternoon ritual in summer would be to gather some cool fresh water from the pond ( yes an actual mineral water pond …

Watermelon Mojito – Ina Garten Friday

“Write drunk; edit sober.” ― said Ernest Hemingway, the man associated with the creation of Mojito. According to Hemingway & Bailey’s Bartending Guide, the mojito was invented at La Bodeguita del Medio in Havana, Cuba. At the La Floridita, one of the watering holes he used to frequent in Cuba , hangs Hemingway’s signed quote:  “My mojito in the Bodeguita del Medio and my daiquiri in the Floridita” So I took his advice and made this watermelon Mojito by Ina Garten. Drank it and then wrote the blog post. I have no idea where that blog post is. I know I …

Banana Walnut Figs Smoothie

We have been in an almond milk making spree. Home made almond milk really tastes good. Since we do not like to use it in the chai we make, we tend to eat it with cereals, in a chocolate milk shake or in smoothies. On any given day, smoothies are my preferred breakfast because they hardly take any time to make, are delicious and nutritious and so easy to just take along for a mid morning boost of energy at work. This Banana walnut fig smoothie is my absolute favorite smoothie. I have been making this for about 16 years …

Mango Lassi

This recipe is dedicated to my friend Jen, who insanely loves Indian food.  It always used to make me happy to cook a meal for her, because she savors every bite and takes her time to enjoy the ingredients. When I explained the process making a mango lassi to Jen, she could not believe it was this simple. You can make it as thick as you want or leave it slightly creamy or make it thin.  A well made mango lassi is great drink for a hot summer day or to serve with spicy appetizers. It is also a great …