"Sometimes the dreams that come true, are the dreams you never even knew you had."

While I was busy with my responsibilities as a daughter, wife and mother and trying to squeeze out as much time as possible for my passion for food and blogging I never thought what plans God had for me. It started with a mail, not a regular one but a mail where someone asked me if I was interested to cook with Michelline starred Chef Vikas Khanna for an upcoming show. Initially I was sceptical. Is someone joking with me? was my response but after a few phone calls later I was sure it was genuine...then after some more discussions, exchange of ideas, some changes of plans one evening I got a call from the team. Can we shoot tomorrow, is all they asked. I was clearly not prepared but the humble Chef himself talked to me and assured of his guidance to help me out.

The day was very cloudy and inbetween incessant rain I set out for the proposed venue. The location was on a boat on River Hoogly with Kolkata's most iconic bridge in the background. The most picturesque venue one could think of in whole of Kolkata. and there I cooked, not alone but with my most favourite chef, my Food Hero Vikas Khanna. 

It was a dream come true moment for me to meet this uber talented yet so very down to Earth person. He has such infectious energy and passion for food. With that warm smile he makes you believe in yourself, makes you do things that you could never imagine you could. spending just a few hours with him and listening to his stories that he believes tells something about life made me change my outlook towards World.  

The show Twist of Taste with Vikas Khanna is being aired every Monday and Tuesday at 9.30 PM. I am so very proud to be a small part of this show, their Kolkata episode. but more than that am grateful for this opportunity to meet this unique person with a heart of gold.

do watch me and the show and accept y gratitude for reading my posts, for trying my recipes, for writing to me, for loving me and Thanks for being there. 

Thank you my readers. I owe you big times.

Enough has been said about minimising your carbon footprint, eating local, cooking seasonal and going for fresh ingredients. if you haven't understood the fact yet after all these years...here's the bottom line for you. Eating and cooking fresh local and seasonal produce is the best that you can gift your body, not only it's nurturing in all it's true senses but its very very comforting.

Our ancestors dint have access to ingredients grown beyond their vicinity yet the food they plated up day after day, meals after meals were the best. They valued what they had and used till the last grain. unlike today when we buy exotic ingredients, cook a meal out of it and then forget all about it. A plum shrivelling into the size of a date or expensive breads getting stale in some forgotten corner of the fridge is a reality in many houses. I myself have learnt the hard way and now have my own rules to stop food wastage.

Here is one more Crochet Cap that I knitted for the Sonny boy.

Sometimes the things you do on a whim turns out to be the best. for this very special reason I value my whim a lot. Its not everyday that it nudges my senses and makes me do something but when it does I know am in for a surprise.

If you look closely you will see a close association between whim and being inspired. You see, feel, remember or experience some form of beauty that inspires your inner self to act, to perform to create something that brings in joy. Its a special kind of itch that makes you restless. Something that does not let you be in peace unless and untill you get your lazy bum off the couch and act.

Personally I get inspired a lot by my friends and am lucky to have really talented kind hearted people around me. Its good to be surrounded by them and get a source of inspiration. They create, they donate, they send gifts and makes my little heart content with joy. 

and now that the temperature has dropped quite a few degrees the promise of a cooler weather makes me happy. So happy that I crochetted this little neck warmer for a loving sister of mine. I made the same thing last year for another very pretty girl who is a new mom right now. My sis liked it so much that she wanted the same color. So I made it and with the leftover wools I have plans to make little booties for my daughter. She needs some pretty things for her aunt's wedding this month.

I have a thing for colour. despite of how much I drool at magazine pictures of pristine white houses with pastel highlights, does not matter how many times I promise to myself that I will deck my place just like that next time. but when its time to decorate I cant help but deviate towards colour. I mean some seriously bold colours, not the muted tones but brighters always work better for me.

We hardly go out to eat Bengali food. provided a chance I would say I hate eating the same old same old food that we eat everyday at home. for me eating out is a break from monotony...a respite from routine and I need a good spread at a great place that will present itself with much promise. a promise to ignite my senses and provide something new in terms of flavour and taste.