2020 (Every year) has taught me that 1. At the end of the year no one remembers who won which argument. All people remember is the dignity with which you walk away from a petty situation. 2. No matter what you achieve in life, there will always be some people who will say mean and…
What is summer without mangoes? Actually, the right question is: what is summer without Indian mangoes? We get mangoes here in the USA, but they pale in comparison to their Indian counterparts. They don’t have the smell, sweetness, or juiciness of the mangoes that I have grown up eating. So, I try to make as…
This is a Korean style 3 ingredients whipped coffee, which is super easy to make and absolutely delicious. My cousin has been making coffee this way since we were in middle school. I just didn’t know this had a name. The whipped coffee can also be used as a cookie or brownie dip, or a…
Dolly’s Tea Shop is a tiny tea room tucked away in one corner of Dakshinapan, Kolkata. Although, neither the prettiest nor the most impressive eatery in town, it still has a distinct charm of its own that got me hooked nearly two decades ago. Decorated with wooden tea chests, paper lanterns, and cane chairs, this place…
A few days ago I stumbled upon a recipe of “Brazilian lemonade”. Two things about the recipe made me very happy. First, “Brazilian”; second, “lemonade”. Two things about the recipe also made me very curious. The list of ingredients included whole limes (rind and everything included!), sugar, water, and condensed milk! First, all recipes that use lime…
On Friday June 26th, the Supreme Court of United States ruled same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry, a landmark decision that sweeps away state bans on gay unions in 13 states. Yesterday, marriage equality became a law of the American land, and with that the world became a little better place to live. To learn…
Reading the Future in Coffee Grounds Written by Eralda Lameborshi–best friend and colleague My infatuation with coffee started as a very young child in a small town at the foot of Tomorr mountain in Albania. Poliçan was a very small town, bitterly cold in winters, cool and bright in summers, with people from different areas…
Okay, this is the last (long) weekend before the Spring semester starts (or whatever other sordid business you are engaged in), so we all know that you totally need this. This triple berry vodka martini is a perfectly balanced drink. Not too sweet, not too strong, and with lots of citrusy flavors going on in the background…
How to make Masala Chai It is winter in my home town now. Or at least it is supposed to be. Thank you, global warming! These days the city wakes up to veils of fog and grass heavy with dew, and to the sounds of crackling and fluttering leaves that are dark brown from neglect. The…
“What are some popular Indian cocktails?”, my friend (Korean) asked as we were sipping our mojitos at the counter of a local sports bar on a game day, wearing maroon, trying hard to understand American college football (because our school was playing). I put down my mojito and stared at her for a few seconds too…