The Joy of Cooking...

Recently I have been ranting and raving about the current political nonsense in my country. What can I say, there is enough to bitch and moan about till the end of times.

But more importantly for me, I have also been cooking. Cooking things I did not before. And LOVING IT!!! :) (despite certain people who refuse to believe I was responsible for those dishes!!)

First, and definitely most importantly, I now know how to make AWESOME Caramel Custard!! And anytime! Made it thrice already and each time it was YUMMY!!! This is my favorite dessert!! And to be able to cook it when I want, is a joy beyond words!! The smell as it bakes in the over, the browning of the foam on top, and best of all, the caramel that flows all over it when I turn it over... its such a satisfying sight that I don't even need to eat it to enjoy it...

YA RIGHT!!! I gobble it down faster than you can think C-A- !!! :) YUMM SLURP!!! Wait... back soon...

O.K., back after eating the last one in the fridge... ahhhhh!!!

Next I baked a cake. Well, two actually. The first one one straight into thrash. But the second... well, wont say it was the greatest, but it was something, the start of great promise!! Damn it, very soon I will bake, have, and eat my own cake!! Beat that....! And then, AND THEN, one day, I will bake that perfect black forest and feed it to those Mumbai folks who say "oh please... Bombay has the black forest pastries yaaa". Damned fools!!

And finally, cream of asparagus soup... OOOH YAA!!! This weekend, I accompanied a friend to Crawford Market to help him buy fixtures for his home. And I really could not resist the sights and smells of the vegetable and fruit market there. Well, that and a shopping list from the Mrs. Anyways, I got home some luscious asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini, parsley, basil, cherry tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, and purple cabbage.... sigh... and they were beautiful, gorgeous I tell you... alluring even!!

From the moment I saw the asparagus, I wanted to make a soup out of them. The texture, richness, flavors, delicacy, tenderness, love, care, and attraction that a good asparagus soup is... hmm... oh wait, I have some left over... be right back!!!

Lick smack and I am back! Anyways, that soup was a tasty burpy success!! And what does all this mean for my friends? It means, I am very close to throwing a party for all of you in which I will prepare the 4-5 courses my self, from scratch with the freshest ingredients available!!! So be on the lookout for that invite soon... :)

Let me end this by saying, there is a certain satisfaction and thrill in cooking that I have not seen matched in anything else!! Well.. maybe sex... :) But if you love food, try cooking... remember, as Chef Gousteau of Ratatouille says, "Anyone can cook!!" Whether you are great at it or not, is a matter to be seen. That reminds me, next stop, ratatouille!!!