It is only apt that I leave my Midwest home a thank you note. Hence, the post.
I am going to take away with me the silver-lining – the art and craft I worked on in the food and photography world, and of all the learning I garnered along the way.
When I walk into the creative corners of my Midwest home where I had countless rendezvous with art, a feeling of exhilaration runs down my spine reminiscent of all my kitchen and camera shenanigans.
Looking back, I see a trail of metaphorical breadcrumbs that I have left behind with all the baking and cooking, and I faintly smell the aroma of success –
- Of baking that perfect golden crust meatless shepherd’s pie from last fall!
- Of perfecting the marinade for and grilling lamb chops to melt-in-the-mouth tenderness!
- Of experimenting with a gorgeous creamy and tomato-ey mushroom sauce to go with cheesy chicken roulade!
- Of beating the sweltering summer heat and foraging for ingredients and improvising on a modest black forest cake (Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte)!
- Of recreating memories from childhood and home, by (almost) perfecting mum’s mustard fish!
- Of boldly experimenting with food like dad does, and filling my kitchen with a loud aroma of my version of Mutton keema (minced meat)!
- Of mastering the frosting for Chocolate Guinness Cake, and Chocolate Kahlua Bundt Cake, and confidently baking them at friendly gatherings!
- Of stumbling upon this brilliant Anglo version of “khichdi” called Kedgeree, and popularizing it among near and dear ones!
- Of satiating my dessert craving on Christmas by baking myself a treat – Sticky Toffee Pudding, and I am specifically proud of the bed of toffee sauce on which my pudding rested!
Okay, I shall refrain from gloating, and list down some things I am going to try out in the comfort of my (our) new southern home (It is no longer a “new” home, but I hope I am going to be physically there more number of days in the week than before, and will continue to experiment on the husband) –
- Making my own bread.
- Roasting and further baking experiments.
- Writing more about food I cook, eat, or read about. Writing. In general. A book, perhaps?
- More (food) research. More (food and general) reading.
- Change profession? (Big time!).
