did you say Korean for dinner tonight?

Yesterday being my turn to host P and R for dinner last night, I decided - since we are all almost acclimatising to R's pescetarainism - to cook (a variation of) Soondubu Chigae (Tofu Stew) and Dok Pokki (however you spell that- Korean rice cakes in sweet sauce). And since my ever M-I-A flatmate was at home yesterday, it made sense to cook bigger portions.

So 2nd attempt on the Tofu Stew turned out really well, but could do with more chili powder :D and as for the Korean rice cakes- the recipe i found online turned out to be simple and idiot-proof. We were all stuffed by the time we polished off everything and according to the flatmates, those little rice cakes kept 'growing' in his stomach. Not the most ideal dish when you are trying to go on a diet really!

Apologies for the crappy photos- my camera battery was running low, so everything had to be snappy :(

but then she's never looked at me that way before

Disney is truly wonderful. Yes. I think if there's anything that's better then baking, its disney- disneyland, disney movies, disney songs - the works. It is my happy place I guess.. it gives a hope and a chance to escape into this whole new world where maybe, true love can exist.

Dinner was with P and R tonight.. and P made the most amazing potato and mushroom pie (the photos I took didn't do it justice, so I shall have to wait for her to make another one) complete with couscous and salmon.

I've been overthinking things lately - and though I would like to attribute it to too much studying, I suspect its a combination of the weather, claustrophobia and the recent turn of events. Not a lethal combination, but still one enough to get me all mixed up inside.

It's difficult to know if you've found the one, or if you've let go of someone whom you thought was the one. People you thought you knew may suddenly pull a Jekyll-Hyde on you. Regret, in the decisions you've taken in life, may weigh and join the huge pile of emotional baggage everyone carries with them.

Deliberations, considerations, pacing between choices. Sometimes life gets tiring, but that's life innit?

But, seeing P and R (and listening to tons of Disney propaganda) tonight made me realise that love is out there and will find you somehow.

Yes, its the look in the eyes that gives everything away. Love.

Till then, I guess some re-ordering of life is in order. You never really know if you can or already have moved on, nostalgia can be pretty tricky sometimes - pulling a cover over most of the blue spots.

Maybe there's no space or time for regret. Decisions made must stay that way. So instead of longing for something long gone, or playing the blame game and being a plain ol' nasty bitch, I should just let things go. As they should be.

'And I'll take with me the memories
To be my sunshine after the rain' - Boyz II Men

Full circle

first cake i baked in London, 3 years ago.
i think listening to disney songs makes my mind wander. a lot.
focus hocus pocus!

petit dejeuner, dejeuner et diner

You know you're in Paris when you walk into any patisserie or boulangerie and buy yourself possibly the best anything you've ever tried. The boulangerie just outside the hostel the friends and I stayed at had the most amazing financier I've ever tried.

But of course, the only reason we were in Paris (apart from disneyland, of course) was to have Macarons- arguably a Parisian invention. Having already had the Laduree macarons when I came with S two years back, it was time I tried the Ispahan at Pierre Herme that EVERYONE had been raving about.

So, after getting wrong directions from a rather cute looking guy, and a walk down an endless row of shops, I found heaven! The Ispahan lived up to every expectation that had been building up within me through my endless ploughing of foodie websites. And that's not all, the little macarons that they had were amazingly delicate with intense (not overpowering) flavours that danced and intermingled to perfection.

Oh! and of course we had to return to get an Ispahan each for the trip back home.

How the Parisians have only 3 meals a day I cannot comprehend.
If I lived there, even 5 wouldn't suffice.

existential reminders.

In the world's most romantic place, the world's #1 destination for honeymoons and the reputably the best sunset in the world, I nearly died twice.

Yes, in the gorgeous Santorini in Greece, riding that All Terrain Vehicle featured in the picture, I lost control not once, but twice. The first time left me with bruises all over my left arm and hopefully nowhere else. The second one left me shaken. Because you see, if not for the shrub on the far left of the picture, I would have crashed downwards, with nothing to cushion the crash. Down the rocks and into the beautiful, expansive sea in the background.

And all I could think about is why the hell the damn brakes weren't working.

But I shall play the Pollyanna game and find things to be thankful about. To be thankful that the shrub managed to act as barrier. To be thankful that someone up there was looking out for me. To be thankful that my parents were just concerned about my safety rather than the hefty bill that came with the wreck.

And to be thankful for still being alive.

inspiration+turning22

Jia turned 22 a couple of days back and we surprised her with cake+roshni. She was terribly un-cooperative, refusing to come by my place (when all of us were already waiting). To make things worse, she already suspected something was going on. Seriously. This is not fun at all! I'm going to start designating people random birthdays so the surprise element will always be there. Thank goodness Rosh arranged to come down a little earlier- one surprise beats none.

Was trying out various cakes throughout the week- Cake #1 was an apple crumble cheesecake- but cheesecakes and my oven really don't go together so I had to scrap it; Cake #2 was a chocolate raspberry cake with milk chocolate frosting which was gone in 2 days. Cake #2 was going to be THE cake.

But, when it came down to baking the cake on the day itself, I felt that I just didn't feel like making such a dense and heavy cake. Plus, I wanted a happy-looking cake (coz turning 22 doesn't mean you have to be all contemplative and serious ), if you know what I mean. And of course with the tiny little heaven-in-two-pink-discs as my inspiration, I just had to make the raspberry and lychee cake for her.

So, this happened.




















Happy birthday (:

Princi

Ever since Zar and I wandered into the amazing Princi on Wardour Street, I find myself craving their extensive range of food every single day. And more often then not, I cave in and then I find myself in the amazing place having their delish latte, or their lemon chibouse, or their mille feuille, or their aubergine pasta, or sometimes, a mix of everything. Yes. this is the only reason why I'm still hanging on to my gym membership.

People around me think I'm obsessed- its always an 'Again' I hear after people ask where I had my last meal. Well I think its just so difficult to find a place that does everything right, and when you find that place, why bother searching again? So i've actually never been there with the same people - because they would think i'm mad, wouldn't they. But I haven't gotten down to bringing jia there yet. I don't think she'd rave about it as much I am right now because she thinks my new obsession is (psychologically) unhealthy. Unhealthy in sugar terms perhaps, but there's always the GYM.

Needless to say, I had my daily intake of caffeine there as well today (: So you'll know where to find me in London.

























































Princi
135 Wardour Street, London, W1F 0UT