My Culinary Emotions

Okay! I am back here again exactly after two months and four days.  It’s awful, I know.  That feeling of emptiness was always there and I just couldn’t help it.  Or rather, I should put it the other way round; I never made an endeavor to help resolve my emptiness.  Everything that happens is the will of God.  So basically, I never thought that I would ever pen down a food post here on my blog which is called ‘Sentiments’.  Peeps, I started this blog to pen down the most touching moments of my life which are tender, nostalgic, romantic or full of emotion, feelings that I could share with you all.

One fine day while going through my newsfeed on my facebook account, I saw a very good friend of mine posting pictures of the dishes she had made to a group page.  I was curious to know since besides a foodie, I am an avid lover who is always ready to experiment with the little culinary skills that I possess. (Special shout out and big thanks to my mom for that).  The group is called “Chef at Large” better known as CAL.  

It is a wonderful group where people come together on this platform and share their innovative ways of cooking.  My friend pushed me to join and after a couple of days of going through her posts and reading beautiful comments and some awesome pictures of mouth watering delicacies, I decided to join as well.

Forewarning: CAL is contagious. (I am just hooked to the posts and keep reading, admiring, liking and commenting on the awesome posts of great Chefs out there) and am so full of spirit after joining it.   

The slow paced series of posts from my side to the CAL group began.  I was happy to share my posts with pictures and recipes to CAL.  Today incidentally is “Teacher’s Day” too and I prepared an “Eggless Black Forest Cake” on a special demand by my little munchkins.

Everything was homemade that I used and to my surprise, it came out just so wonderfully.  I always used to bake cake but never knew how to decorate it or do the icing on it.  This time I tried my hands on the decoration/icing part.  Before posting, I thought that there are many experts on CAL and I stand nowhere in comparison to them.  But as it is rightly said, “You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.”  Hence, I decided and moved on to get that icing done on my baked Black Forest Cake and guess what with a homemade whipped cream. Can you guys beat that?

And Voila! My first ever endeavor to decorate it was liked nah! loved by all.  The very evidence of it I got witnessing the million dollar smile on the faces of my little munchkins.  Within minutes of posting getting a call from my better half made me feel as if I am on cloud nine.

I am quiet joyous sharing about my culinary skills with everyone and as I said before, little things in life that makes me feel good, tender, nostalgic, romantic or full of emotions, I share it with you. And lastly, a special shout out to Nisha Ambar who pushed me to come and join the platform called CAL. Babe you know me well :)

Happy 5th

Yes! We are ‘Five’ Now.  The journey so far has been a roller coaster of events.  We have touched new benchmarks and envision soaring high.  The incessant and diligent endeavors of the team have made everything possible.  Our laundry lists of course increased and so the list of our clients too.

The confidence that our clients demonstrated towards us is itself a validation of our success.  Augustus’s momentum gained as we got ‘pat on our back’ consistently from our clients.  

We strive hard to give our best by providing groundbreaking and money-spinning ideas that are cost-efficient.  We work as ‘extended arms’ and not just as an agency.  Our association has been a bang-up with each one of our clients and hence, the taste of success.   

We did get accolades for our work and with each project comes learning.  With learning comes creativity and creativity is an outcome of thinking.  Thinking is knowledge and knowledge is having a right answer.  It speaks.  Therefore, in this journey of learning, we have acquired skills unmatched that has led us to the ladder of success.  

These 5 years flew at the blink of an eye.  We saw our goal, overcame the hindrances and embraced the challenge with open arms thereby, standing on the track accomplishing the objectives. 

Wow! It feels amazing and we know this is all because of you.  

Band - Baja - Baraat

It has been two long months that I have been away from writing.  Please excuse me for being away for so long.  Life is too busy to deal with so many things.  Anyways, I so wanted to pen down my experience of my brother’s wedding that happened last year in the month of October.  As you call it, ‘The Big Fat Indian Wedding’ was so much merriment and enfeeblement.  The shopping started way back in January.  As the months passed by, we started to realize that even 24 hours were less for us to prep up. I went to my mother’s place ten days in advance and believe you me, didn’t sit at home even for one day.  Every day was maddening, running from pillar to post.  The most tiring part of the wedding was the distribution of wedding invites which of course was handled by my parents.  Slowly and steadily everything was in place, from the caterer to the décor to the florist.  The day came near and the excitement was full.  

In the Indian style wedding, we have a number of rituals for the bride and the groom that has to be completed.  Various rites take place like the ring ceremony, where the groom and bride exchange rings with each other.   

The Mehndi ceremony which is usually held one night before the wedding where the bride or groom put mehndi (henna) in their hands which is very auspicious and with great music, dance and good food the ceremony goes on until the wee hours of the morning.  Nowadays, people have theme nights like bollywood etc.

The wedding day arrived, more than the excitement; we all became busy since morning.  The rites begin from the morning itself.  The first rite in case of a groom wedding where the groom was my brother, we (that includes close relatives) put turmeric on his face which is known as ‘Haldi Ceremony’.  It begins with a prayer ceremony where the priest does all the rites.  The priest has his own paraphernalia and worship the god and goddess and prayers to shower their choicest blessings on the groom who is now entering into 'the householder’s life'. 

He is now supposed to perform the duties of the master of a house and father of a family.

After an hour or so the haldi ceremony came to an end and the next rite began.  This is the ‘Ghadoli’ ceremony where the sister of the groom has to take a ‘Ghada’ meaning ‘pitcher’ on the head and has to get water from the nearby temple.  This water is then used for bathing the groom.  The water is said to be sanctities with this rite.   This ceremony is also attended by the close relatives.  

Then there is ‘Sehra’ ceremony before heading to the bride’s place.  In this ceremony, the groom wears the ‘Sehra’ ( a well decorated turban) on his head which indicates that he is the groom and is now ready to head to the bride’s place on the horse.

The ‘Sehra’ is given by the groom’s sister’ and the knife/sword in the groom’s hand (which he has to carry until the end of the wedding) is presented to him by his brother in law.  The significance of holding the knife/sword in the hand by the groom is to keep all evils away.  

It was now time to have some dance on the move while we all headed to the bride’s place.  All the ladies in particular decked up with loads of jewelry, fashionable and shining ethnic attires come together and put their feet together on the bhangra (typical Punjabi music) beats.  The men as well join in and the wedding bells begin to ring in the form of music, beats all around.

We all reached the bride’s place and there was my brother standing to cut the ribbon at the entrance.  The bride’s sisters allow the groom to enter only after he cuts the ribbon. 

The stage was set; the venue was filled with the aroma of fresh flowers.  I took my brother on the stage and there came the gorgeous looking bride, in the ethnic attire, looking absolutely fabulous.  

As they both put the flower garland in each other’s neck, signifying the mutual acceptance from both.  Relatives from both the sides then take over the stage with the groom and the bride and bless them.  The moments are of course captured in the camera.  Few others just hit the dinner table to rush back home.  

It was time for us to head for the dinner.  The groom and the bride along with both the families and relatives sat and had dinner.  We then proceeded to the next rite of the ‘Pheras’ (Seven Vows).

A time is fixed by the Hindu priest as to when the ‘Pheras’ (Seven Vows) will take place.  The ritual of seven vows is one of the most significant rituals of the Hindu wedding.  A pious fire is lit and the groom and the bride take seven circumambulations and this rite is performed under the guidance of the priest in sanskrit.  (an ancient language of India - the language of the Vedas and of Hinduism; an official language of India, now used only for religious purposes).

The ritual commenced by the bride’s parents welcoming the groom for the Ganesha puja.  This prayer particularly marks the beginning of all the festivities, special occasions to ward off any evil and the wedding is concluded without any hindrance.

Then there came the loving, the most gorgeous bride escorted by the relatives and friends.  ‘Kanyadaan’ ‘Gift of Girl’ is the most significant ritual of the wedding.  This ritual is performed by the father of the bride as the sacred verses are read by the priest.  

Then the seven vows ritual started.  The pious fire was lit and the groom and bride were tied together with a drape signifying their amalgamation.  Each vow sworn has different meaning and both the groom and the bride accept it.  

The Seven Vows:

1.       The couple prays to god for pure and plenty of nutritious food.  They ask god to let them walk together to get food.

2.       The couple prays to God for a healthy and well-heeled life.

3.       The couple prays to God for wealth.

4.       The couple prays to God for the gain in love and respect for each other and their families.

5.       The couple prays to God for healthy, obedient and noble children.

6.       The couple prays to God for the peaceful long life together.

7.       In the final vow, the couple prays to God for the loyalty, togetherness and understanding between each other.

My brother and sister in law exchanged these vows of love and respect as they circumambulated with each vow.

In the Hindu custom women adorn herself with the red powder (sindoor) in her hair in the middle parting which is an expression of the desire for their husband’s longevity.  My brother put Sindoor in her hair and tied the ‘mangalsutra’(a necklace of gold with black beads).  This signifies that the woman wearing it is married.

Since it was time for us to take our bride to her new house, we knew that the shoes of the groom were missing.  The bride’s sisters play this prank and in return of the shoes a heavy ransom is given to them.

The Doli (Palanquin) which now is usually car to ferry the bride is placed outside.  The bride met all her relatives and friends with tears in her eye and sat in the car.  We all rejoiced and took our new family member home.

We all were totally exuberated and exhausted of course.  The Big Fat Indian Wedding concluded with great joy and felicity. 

Happy 2014 !!!!

Here's wishing all the readers a very Happy 2014!!!!

Okay folks, so one year has passed and we all have welcomed the new year with open arms.  There have been lots of good things and bad things that happened in the past year with all of us I am sure.  But as it is rightly said, "There's  a new beginning to every end."  We always find light after darkness.  There is morning after every night.  There is hope after despair. 

"Hope
Smiles from the threshold of the year to come,
Whispering 'it will be happier'..."

                                                     T. S. Eliot

The new year brings the promise of new beginnings, it gives us all an opportunity to reflect, inspire  and reckon ourselves.  Learn, Live, Laugh, Love, make mistakes, make more mistakes or rather make new, incredible mistakes.  This way we learn new things, we try new things and embrace new things.  Learn to tolerate fools more heartily.  You know, you learn from fools.  "A fool is a fool, always remember, it's  better to pass money to a fool but never pass brains because a fool will never understand the value of your intelligence."

New Year not just brings another year for us, it brings us new face, new body, new ears, new eyes, new backbone, new feet and new nose.  

New Year's first day's chapter is blank.  We have an opportunity to pen down and commence the beginning with good.  Come let us all set about the new year with novel beginning.