Thank God for Eggs....!

I'm madly in love with eggs. They are, according to me, the most complete and versatile food that nature can provide. Complete because of their nutrient factor and versatile because... Well, begin to make a list of what can be made with eggs in it and the list would be long. Really long.

There's something beautiful about the runny jelly white and the golden silkiness of the yolk that beckons you to them. I can't think of a kitchen without eggs. From runny yolks that drool out of a white curtain of albumen when poached to stiff snowy peaks that make a cake batter as light as clouds. I could go on and on... But  the reason I speak so highly of eggs is due to an entire pan of chiffon cake that is filling my entire home with the aroma of vanilla while rising to a dreamy fluffy texture that, when eaten, lasts for a mere second in your mouth. Folding in all that frothy egg white was the most therapeutic work I've ever done. The custard-y mix of batter was transformed into the most smooth and silky batter. Dotted with tiny dots of vanilla bean, it looked so pristine.

An entire pan of it sits cooling off in my kitchen begging me to douse them in pineapple syrup and load them with light whipped cream, to help me culminate a long hoarded dream. That of a decadent, melt-in-the-mouth pineapple pastry. Wish me luck!

It's all about food now...

I find that the best way to spend time is by cooking. Having all this time is a huge advantage when you wanna try something new. And I honestly do not have anything else to write about presently other than what I have managed to make in the kitchen of late. So, it's just what i'm blogging about.

The star of all the latest kitchen successes is a simple and easy thing. But, had a pretty devastating, good-devastating, effect when we ate them. Presenting  a mound of pillowy-fluffy-dreamy marshmallows.

Apart from having home-made super delicious marshmallows, it's being able to add flavors and colors that's so appealing. Nothing like what's home made. And oh so simple! If you wanna try these, you can get the recipe here. Alton Brown's a godsend just for this.

Another advantage of having all this time is to come up with spur of the moment ideas like making Sondesh and Ras Malai. Which is precisely what happened on a boring Tuesday. I'm so proud of these. Who knew it was so damn simple to make!

Amongst the recipes that a good cook should always having with her/him is one for a drool-guaranteed chocolate cake recipe. I went through 3 total disasters before i found one which was titled 'Best chocolate cake ever'. And aptly so. It's a mean cake... Dense, moist and melts in the mouth. This one's for keeps. And here's what it looks like. Before the ganache and after the ganache. Heaven!

 
For the record, my mom's the most exceptional cook i've ever seen. I think I get this food obsession from her. She has made innumerable dishes over the years. Some of which I wish she has a patent for. One of them is her recipe for a Christmas Plum cake, something we have turned into a tradition. It's made each year, either during christmas or new year's. It brings together things I love. Baking, cake, spices, liquor, and an intoxicating aroma that baking fills the home with. I could put this cake on a pedestal and look at it for hours. It's the ultimate gastronomic experience. Nothing comes close to this cake. Absolutely nothing. And I think I am ready to take on the challenge of perfecting this one. Soon... :)

Cooking's great fun. Even better when you have someone to share it with. It has almost reached a point of obsession for me. I HAVE to make something new, ever so often. And according to me, the best time of the year to cook is during winter. I have no idea how cold it's gonna get here, but as long as it's cold, I always crave a lot of food. It's good food times ahead! :)