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Today I leave you with a few moving pictures as I pack my bags and head towards Ireland for the Plate to Page Workshop. This fantastic video brings back great memories of the Weimar Food Styling and Photography Workshop, which Sandy and I gave in March this year. It gives a small... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
Funny how one week can differ so drastically from another and the days are a constant roller coaster ride filled with barrel rolls, boomerangs and catapults. On the positive days it is often enthralling but on those dark and negative calibrated days this is emotionally draining. On these days all... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
“Don’t eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk” - Michael Pollan, Rule 36 I instantly cringe as I remember eating bowls of Fruit Loops and Lucky Charms as a growing child all those years ago. Although my mum was particular about our meals and paid attention to eating well and... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
Some things happen naturally and one more or less knows which road it will lead to eventually. There are other things however, that evolve on another level and then one day you hit your forehead and think “Why didn’t we think of this before?” This workshop falls in to the second category. I’ve... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
She was a proud buxom lady who commanded a very special aura of respect whenever she entered the oversized kitchen. It was the kind of respect you knew never to mess with because behind her kind smiles and her liberal patience there was her haughty dignity of being one of the best in her field.... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
What I love about living in a city like Weimar is the culturally rich secrets hidden away, tucked behind hills, around corners, behind the park or just across the street. Even after living here for 9 years I still find jewels that surprise me with their beauty and uniqueness. They are treasures... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
I am realizing the restrictions a person has when part of the body does not function as usual. Simple things that we take for granted have become frustrating obstacles. Have you ever actually thought about the simple act of climbing or coming down the stairs? Living in a 3 storey house this has... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
I’ve sung the song of my love for meatballs often and earlier this year took you on a world tour of meatballs. Here I am again with more meatballs for you. This time with a classic German recipe that has a long tradition and history. Before moving to Germany I was never the one to indulge in... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
London came and went. Even before I could digest it, reminisce in the warm memories and allow for the thoughts and the experience to settle in, I was packing again and heading for the slopes in southern Bavaria. What a difference a weekend makes! One weekend I was in an invigorating and... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
London is a tough and competitive market. When it comes to food blogging there are a multitude of blogs broadcasting from this inspiring and pulsating city that it’s hard to keep count. However, even though there are many bloggers and foodies in London I never looked into the city as a place to... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
I am back from London! Phew! What can I say - London energizes, enlivens and exhausts me. It’s a city so full of wonderful impressions and creativity that one needs to free the mind to empower it with all the impacts it is fed with. The weekend was sensational and so full of creative intensity... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
What’s in a hug? I am a huggy kind of person. When I like someone or feel affectionate towards them I am the type to smother them liberally with hugs. Having spent a great part of my life in the Middle East, a little hug and three to four kisses on the cheeks as a greeting was a normal thing. My... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
Breaking the pieces of the glossy, almost-black colored chunks into the copper saucepan evoked sheer pleasure. The reflection of the rich, dark, precious commodity against the metal even made the sun peek from behind the thick, heavy clouds. It was raining, as it so often does throughout January,... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
Back at school I used to envy all those talented and creative people in my Arts & Crafts class. They had something I did not … a special skill to create beautiful things with their hands. It took a long time till I found my own skill working with my hands. As my love for photography developed I... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
It’s been snowing outside for a few days now. Today it stopped, leaving the trees tops, the hills and the houses coated with an icing of powdery white. The air is clear and crisp although colored in shades of grey … and it’s cold. It’s the kind of cutting cold that goes straight to the bone... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
After I wrote my last post, I was hoping to slowly get back into the saddle and ease myself back into the work load. The two week break did me good and I was raring to go but I like savoring the begin of a new phase. I understand that many do not think this way, but the start of a new year does... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
2013 - it’s here! We’re well into the second week of the new year and I still need to get into the swing of things around here. Isn’t it funny how easy it is to fall out of a routine? Honestly though, after living decadently for the past two weeks I have to say I am happy to have my routine again.... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
Interrupting your regularly scheduled posting ... I am staring at the cursor blinking away on my screen as I am trying to piece my thoughts together. I had plans for this post … I wanted to wrap up my Christmas 2012 selection with a stunner of a soup. Then Friday happened and I am not sure how... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
“When every hope is gone, when helpers fail and comforts flee, I find that help arrives somehow, from I know not where. Supplication, worship, prayer are no superstition; they are acts more real than the acts of eating, drinking, sitting or walking. It is no exaggeration to say that they alone are... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
The Christmas verve is in full swing here in Weimar. To add to the spirit it has been snowing for the past 2 days covering Weimar in a blanket of soft, powder-white, pureness, making the city look postcard perfect. The annual Christmas market in the center of town has been spreading joys of spiced... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
How much kitsch is allowed at Christmas? As I walked past the stalls of the Christmas market this weekend, I felt a surge of happiness as I saw the plethora of flashy ornaments and gaudy adornments. It seems Christmas is the season where anything goes and everything is allowed. Tinsel,... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
I disliked it the first time, finding it tedious and struggled my way through it for most of my school years. I had to work hard at it. For someone who had a sharp perception in every other area, I was not used to this kind of struggle. Had I known I’d have to go through it a second time I would... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
An exchange of ideas, thoughts and emails, soon we were in the midst of comparing our calendars in search of free dates. The rest came so easy. As Sumayya Jamil from the famed niche blog Pukka Paki and I put our heads together great things began to flow and it was hard to stop them. I shared my... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
After my return from Dubai I was thinking of taking a few days out before jumping into the familiar high powered routine I usually have. We arrived just in time for a bank holiday in the middle of the week and there was nothing standing in the way of a few extra days of tranquility and lounging... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
“Militante!” shouted Giorgio punching the air with his fist and grinning at us as he turned around and walked back into the cool air-conditioned Ronda Locatelli leaving us feeling exhilarated, ready to take on the world. Giorgio Locatelli is a man of great passion and it is easy to become infected... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
It was just about a year ago that I was frantically packing my suitcases, mentally reciting a few lines from my presentation and packing my camera equipment, heading towards Florence. I always love traveling to Italy as it’s a country I feel attached to - its rich culture, the atmosphere, the... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
Strawberries, raspberries and cherries lie scattered on the countertop in the kitchen. The fresh asparagus glistening vibrant green in the sink waiting to be turned into a pesto. I consult my recipe and style sheet to make sure I have everything ready. The temperatures are mild outside, in my flip... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
Craving a curry for dinner perhaps? A hot chicken curry is probably just what you need to tickle those taste buds and nothing beats a plate of curry atop a bed of steaming rice on a cold Autumn night. While curry has become a mainstream dish, the Pan-Asian versions of the curry has very... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
What comes to mind when you think of American cuisine? Is there even such a thing as an American food culture? Be honest now, how many of you thought instantly of hamburgers, s’mores, doughnuts or corn dogs? Or did you laugh scornfully and think microwave dinners and fast food? I’ve always... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
The aromas of burning charcoal, a mélange of spices and the trail of sizzling meat hanging in the air are, for me, the telltale signs of seasons turning and summer is just around the corner. Each year, as Spring days begin to warm up, I impatiently await the piquant fragrance to fill the... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
Sometimes there are things that work so well that they just have to be repeated. Like Sally Prosser and me - we really harmonize and complement each other so well. After organizing and carrying through the Atlantis Food Photography and Styling Workshop in April this year, we just knew we had to do... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
How did this happen? And how come it happened so soon? And am I really ready? Do I have a choice? These were just a few of the many questions I silently turned in my head, thoughts whirling around causing a commotion. I knew however, that the time had come to let go of his hand a little... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
Currywurst is to Germany as pizza is to Italy, hot dogs are to America and fish and chips are to Great Britain. But only a few have their own museum. The glorious currywurst is Germany’s traditional modest snack of sliced pork sausages drenched in a tangy curry-tomato sauce and boasts of its own... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
That’s the way we roll in the summer. Enjoying long lazy days, taking in all that nature offers and spending a lot of time outdoors. It’s been a good summer and I’ve just returned from a most exhilarating, stunning and relaxing vacation. A road trip that took us to 3 destinations through 5... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
Stockholm has been one of those capitals I’ve always wanted to visit. I’m infatuated with the Nordic countries. Denmark’s capital charmed me, while the Norwegian capital Oslo stole my heart. So, when Tom started working on his project in Stockholm last year I was ecstatic, promptly buying books and... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
Could these possibly be the last of the strawberries for the year? It seems not too long ago that we were just getting excited about the start of the strawberry season. Spending quite a few days at our pick-your-own strawberry farm on the way home from work and school became customary. ... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
“Do you still get nervous?” Julia asked me a few minutes before we were to start with our presentations. I smiled and answered “Yes!” That never changes - it’s like stage fright and no matter how often I have given workshops for food photography and styling there’s always a slight sense of anxiety... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
Mum used to tell me that when someone leaves our world, their souls touch the sky and they become stars shining bright. At the same time when a shooting star fires across our skies, it carries a precious new soul ready to enter our world. Over the years I hung on to this tale and even today I put... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
. . . . What I did not realize is that I’ve been doing it for over six years! The traditional way to go about this would be to sit down and write a proposal, with the goal to write a book, which eventually would be published. Instead, I blogged—for six years non-stop, covering many stories,... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
Barbara Harris was a strong and very loved member of the food blogging community. She will be sorely missed and I cannot help but feel that there will be a gap in the community which cannot be filled. The few hours I spent in the poppy fields thinking about Barbara, I was wondering about how one... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
Earlier this week I learned that a very dear, cherished friend and food blogger, Barbara Harris passed away. Dearest Barbara, There is a new star in the sky. May you shine brighter than all of them! You were truly cherished & loved by many in our food blogging community. Filled... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
When it comes to food I’ve always believed that the word “diet” just does not belong in the same category. It sticks out like a sore thumb! I dislike seeing the word “diet”, “light” or “meal replacement” labeled on anything at the supermarket and take a big detour around these products. I... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
She was always very meticulous and precise in the kitchen, never a hint of chaos or hectic surrounding her. The perfect hostess at the several dinner parties held at the apartment overlooking the bay. Depending on the time of the day the sea shimmered all shades of blue and green. I would... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
Experts have told us over and over again that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and one should never skip it. The ancient proverb “Breakfast like a King, lunch like a Prince and dine like a pauper” has more than a grain of truth in it. I grew up in an Indian family traveling around... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
Does it ever become a routine when one does something often enough? In some cases it might, yes, becoming a chore, perhaps. There are some things, however that no matter how often you repeat them, they still preserve the initial charm of the first time. And From Plate to Page certainly falls in... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
“I feel old! Turning 44 is has not been good on me.” I looked at my dear friend and smiled. She did not look 44. Her face glowed and the skin was smooth without the blemishes years tend to gather. “Make sure you enjoy your 40th … after that it just does not go down well!” she warned me. I... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
I’m coming down after a fantastic time in the UK. The third edition of From Plate to Page Somerset happened and blew by so fast I still need time to gather my thoughts and go through the images I took over the weekend. Over on Twitter and Facebook we were fairly active sharing a lot of the weekend.... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
Time: here today, gone tomorrow. Trying to hold onto it is like trying to grasp sand in our fists, it creeps through our fingers leaving only traces of what was … once upon a time. But time creates memories allowing us to delve into moving emotions, sometimes bitter, sometimes sweet. While I... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
I complain of it sometimes but truth be told I am guilty of it too. Trying to be faster than the fast-paced life we are living in. A touch and go world in need of more information in 140 characters. Our lives are ruled by news tickers, coffee-on-the-go and internet shopping. Apps organize our day,... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
Under the motto “Design & Composition,” I am collaborating with two skilled professionals to host a fantastic workshop here in Weimar. Earlier this year I teamed up with photographer Julia Julia Cawley and designer and cookbook author Lisa Nieschlag to style Lisa’s new cookbook, which will be... [Read the rest of this post on my website]
