I love burgers. They are, to my mind, the culinary equivalent of commercial cinema: unpretentious, enjoyable, and either unabashedly good or appallingly bad. Despite what health fanatics would have me believe, I see a burger as a healthy meal containing all four food groups: carbohydrate (the bun), protein (the meat), fiber (lettuce, tomato), and fat (cheese).
It all started with my fetish for cast iron pots and pans. A friend mentioned in passing that cast iron cookware – usually elusive and expensive – was available cheap, and in abundance, at a place called Karaikudi in Tamil Nadu. Within a week, I was headed to Karaikudi with a single-minded mission: to buy a cast iron soup pot. Or two. Or maybe even three.
Mushrooms – you either love ‘em or hate ‘em! Those of us who fall into the former category have reason to smile as more varieties of edible mushrooms begin to find a place on restaurant menus and on shelves at Bangalore’s specialty gourmet stores.
The first time I visited Medici was a couple of years ago, when I was invited as a guest of the Bangalore Mirror review team. At that time, I thought it had a lot of promise, but for one reason or another (so many restaurants, so little time!), I never returned. I was recently invited, with a bunch of other people, to sample Medici’s new Franco-Italian menu, ostensibly so that they could receive feedback on it (in other words, I did not pay for this meal). Having attended the very low-key sit down dinner, I was intrigued (and impressed) enough to return, several times, on my own dime.
A few weeks ago, I was given a complimentary copy of Zomato’s Restaurant Guide for review. Having made it clear that my review may or may not turn out to be flattering, I diligently tried to use the book every time I felt like eating out.
Having done so, here’s my verdict: as a directory, it just about makes the grade; as a restaurant guide, I am not impressed.
The other day, I was driving down an obscure little lane near home, and saw a sign that said “Sidewalk Cafe”.
Having made a mental note to check it out, I was pleasantly surprised when a friend informed me that the scrumptious chocolate-frosted cake we were consuming had been obtained from there. It was rich, gooey with frosting, and sinful enough to warrant at least a dozen Hail Marys.
Our freezer, this morning
I lead a very full life. As previously mentioned, I live with two dogs, two teenage boys, a husband and a cat. I’m a corporate communications consultant and a food consultant. I blog about food. I swim. I paint. I sometimes do yoga. I love gardening. I’m a Facebook junkie. A Scrabble addict. A voracious reader. Someone who believes in investing time in friendship. And yes, I like to cook and eat. In order to pack all of this into my life, I need to use every tool at my disposal. In terms of cooking, that means making the most of my freezer. Keep reading…
