My friend and food blogger Lakshmi Jagad came up with this brilliant idea of sharing her five memorable meals ever eaten: It could be anything that makes the meal memorable – the food, the place, the place you were in your life when you ate, the company, the weather, the ambience – heck, the guy […]
This holiday season consider giving the gift of learning. Books For Africa is a non profit with a mission to end the book famine in Africa. They want to create a culture of literacy and provide the tools of empowerment to the next generation of parents, teachers, and leaders in Africa. Since 1988, Books For Africa has […]
Often times people ask me, I want to go somewhere abroad but don’t know how to start organizing it. Planning a trip can be quite a challenge, especially when it’s an unfamiliar country with a different language and culture. Moreover, people are looking for the flexibility to go on their own, where and when they want to. Solo travel […]
I learned that citizens from 180 nationalities call Amsterdam home. That explains the variety of cuisines you can find here. On a single street there are restaurants from India, Thailand, Malaysia, Mexico, Argentina, Italy, Japan, Brazil, China and more! The culture here has always been freedom of expression and will, which explains why Amsterdam is a […]
Volunteers Initiative Nepal or VIN is a Nepal based not-for-profit organization that was founded in 2005 by Bhupendra Ghimire (Bhupi). Bhupi grew up in a remote village in Nepal where he had to walk three hours a day to school. He was one of the few students from his village to complete graduation and later on went […]
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when it came to Nepali cuisine. All I could infer is that Nepal’s neighbors India, Tibet and China would have some role to play in it. That truly turned out to be the case. Food in Nepal can be categorized into three main categories – Nepali, Tibetan and […]
I am totally in awe after meeting some volunteers here in Kathmandu. There are boys and girls in their 20’s who have come from Canada, USA, Switzerland, UK and Australia – all with common goals to give back to this world and experience life in a different culture. They have abandoned their comfortable lifestyles and families, […]
The Golden Temple in Amritsar is one of the most spiritual places in India. The temple is a Sikh temple (aka gurduwara). It was constructed in 1604. Made entirely of gold, the temple is simply spectacular in its architecture and beauty teaching lesson of egalitarianism and humility. Even though I grew up in north India, […]
The past week has been rather interesting and insightful. I have been in India, acting as a host and guide to my dear friend, Gina. This is her first time visiting India, even Asia. She is originally from US but currently living in Spain. The first day we took a drive in Delhi, Gina pointed […]
Over the years I have met many people who are apprehensive about taking a cruise, and yet other who wouldn’t travel any other way. To be honest, being a restless borderline ADD person, I was quite skeptical about cruise vacations myself. Being locked in one place for days at a time is surely not my […]
Here’s a crowd favorite dessert that I end up making during the holidays every year. Even people who don’t typically like pumpkin, love this recipe. What makes it extra special is the caramelized burnt sugar (or brûlée) that tops off the creamy cheesecake. If you don’t have a brûlée torch, it is well worth the small investment. For variations, […]
Growing up in India, Diwali was a huge affair. It is a festival celebrated by all of India (Hindu or not), sort of like New Year’s. Known as the festival of lights, the victory of good over evil, homecoming of Lord Rama and welcoming Goddess Lakshmi, Diwali is the biggest festival in India. The scene […]
This coming weekend, I will be presenting at the Travel Adventure Show in Atlanta. I will be cooking a dish from Cyprus for the Fiery Food Challenge. The dish is Halloumi with Red Peppers, Capers and Olives Dressing. It is hearty, spicy and delicious with layers of different flavors creating an explosion in your mouth! Halloumi […]
Located 20 minutes away from downtown Portland, in Crescent Beach is the Inn by the Sea. It is rated as one of the best hotels in the world by Travel & Leisure 2011. After spending two magical nights here, I can surely see why! A perfect romantic getaway, with your better half and man’s best […]
Last night I taught The Help (book and movie) themed cooking class at the Hal’s Kitchen cooking school in Atlanta. If you are familiar with the story, you would remember the character Minnie, who was known to be the best cook amongst the help available in the small town of Mississippi. She was also famous for […]
When I visited Morocco last Fall, I took cooking lessons from the locals, indulged in the native food and came home with some cookbooks for reference. Eating at home in Rabat was very different than eating at Moroccan restaurants. There were a variety of vegetables that were used in everyday cooking (and were delicious) which […]
In this recipe, Chef Zouhair Zariri, author of the book, Moorish Fusion Cuisine: Conquering the New World combines two of his favorite ingredients, fennel and artichoke to make a light, healthy soup that combines flavors of East and West. With the chill of fall creeping in, it is the perfect comfort food with a twist. Serves 6 […]
This was my first time taking a hot air balloon ride so you can tell I was excited. I woke up at 4:45am, took a quick shower and headed on to The Westin Kierland hotel lobby for an early morning pickup. Rainbow Ryders, Inc. were my trusted company for the adventure while flying over the […]
Don’t let the name fool you. Although Citizen Public House is an upscale version of a traditional public house serving contemporary cocktails, beer and wine, it is by no means limited to a drinking establishment. Located in Old Town Scottsdale, the European-fusion food that you will eat at Citizen Public House is probably the best Public House […]
Perhaps one of the most dazzling dinners was one that I recently ate at the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona. Inside the resort is this cool, hip Nuevo-Latino restaurant named Daseo (meaning desire), as you are left with a strong desire to take home a doggy bag after dinner, even though you […]
