Bonds and Waist-Lines that Grow with Travel

This year began with an annual trip with my mom that has become a tradition. I wonder how the concept of a mother-daughter trip came about? When did we take our first trip? Of course I have no memory of the very first trip with just the two of us, but having my mom at hand, she reminded me that it was when I was 18 months old. We went to the US, apparently to maintain our green card status. That was news to me, I had a green card - what? Of course my parents gave up on the concept of living in America and decided that India was a better place for them and me. I am glad they did or I would be an ABCD (abbreviation for American Born Confused Desi) with an American twang (not that there is anything wrong with that).

More recently, most of the trips we take are in Europe as that is easiest for both of us. We meet in the middle, she flies from Bombay and I from New York. We like to go when the hoards of tourists have left. Food is a big motivator for us, trying out different kinds of cuisine and seeking authentic places to eat - we go where the locals go. My mom is a big fan of the Michelin-starred restaurants, so with each trip comes a few grand multiple course experiences that are very memorable. What's great is that we both have the same interests and preferences in travel. She does all the organising and researching that is always spot on. This is great because usually when traveling with my husband or friends that is my role. I guess I know where I get it from, but it is always nice to just show up and know it is going to be great (thank you mom). What I bring to the table (or so I would like to think) is the execution of the holiday once we are there. I talk to the locals to figure out what is the best place to eat, drink and visit. I am quite proficient in maneuvering through a language dictionary, be it English-Spanish or English-Portuguese. We make a good team and I always look forward to my annual 'girl trips'. So far we have been to Spain, Portugal, Austria, Budapest, Hungary and Italy together who knows where we will go next year? Open to suggestions.
Below are few pictures that are focused on food in Spain which is where we were this year. I have also detailed the names of restaurants that were memorable and exceptional.

El Club Allard (Madrid): We had an amazing 7 course meal. The food and service was spectacular.
Mercado San Miguel (Madrid): A cute market that had many stalls with the most scrumptious tapas, we wandered from stall to stall taking many little bites.
Cava Baja (Madrid): This is a street in Madrid right off Plaza Mayor that is packed with tapas spots. Extremely lively with everyone spilling into the streets. Any place you walk into will be fantastic.
Bodega de Santa Cruz Las Columnas (Seville): A corner spot right near the cathedral that had a lot of local flair. The best Patatas Bravas were devoured here.
Hotel parador (Granada): This was the laziest meal we had. Located near the Alhambra, it is the perfect place to spend an afternoon post sight-seeing. The meal started with olives and red wine, Soup and Paella was the bridge to the end of the meal which was  an amazing medley of cakes and ice creams.    

WebRep

currentVote

noRating

noWeight

Just Do It ....

Every now and again I think of my blog that has not been touched since March. I have these grandiose ideas of what I will write about, what pictures I will post. These ideas stay in my head and I get too lazy to put pen to paper or more like finger to keyboard. Talking about pen and paper; I wonder if we will loose the term 'pen to paper ' in the future? I remember writing nonsensical letters on reams and reams of  paper when I was thousands of miles away from my loved ones. I had folders (the paper ones) for each person as I would receive as many letters as a I wrote. There was a certain satisfaction in writing on paper with a pen.... but I digress into the nostalgic world of the 'written' word when I should be focusing on my motivation (or lack there of) to post on this blog. 

Coming back to Just Doing It. "It" sometimes feels too big. Starting "It" as a result becomes too much of a daunting task to take on for the moment and 'It' gets shoved aside - to be tackled another day. Every task no matter how big or small has to start somewhere. So with that in mind on a Friday morning just before my weekly conference calls start I decided to 'Just Do It' and I write a little about just that. It is a start that will get me to choose a picture that goes along with this little blurb and if you are reading this then I guess I just did 'It'. I should make this a ritual before my Friday morning conference call every week.  I must put pen to paper and get more regular at posting on my blog and spying on my pictures and thoughts.

Nothing says "Just Do It" like a frozen peanut butter chocolate pie with a generous dollop of cream.
I know I shouldn't but what the hell.. every bite is like a piece of heaven :)

Bahamian Beach Bliss

If you are looking for a place where all you do is lie on the beach, read a good book, eat, sleep and drink - the Bahamas is your answer. This is the perfect mid winter break. The greens and blues of the sea and sky just takes your breath away. Nassau has some fun snorkeling and if you are interested in diving it is a great place to discover underwater beauty. We tried to stay away from the touristy places. Few delicious eating spots we discovered were: Cafe Matisse, Blu Bar & Dune. Also if you are looking for luxurious relaxation be sure to check out the One&Only Ocean Club on Paradise Island - it has the most pristine private beaches. For breakfast make a trip to Compass Point where you will experience Eggs Benedict & crepes that will tickle your taste buds. Our trip was all about hopping from one beach to another, while swimming with the fishes and eating tasty food. I came back relaxed and ready to take on the world. Below are some pictures, for more you can click on -> Bahamian Beach Bliss.  

Taco Night

The beauty of Taco's are that no matter what you do - you can NEVER go wrong, it always tastes yummy. Taco's are also lots of fun; specially if you are having people over because there will always be something for everyone. Who can say no to avocado, sour cream or hot salsa. I am sure there are a few but we'll focus on the ones who like to indulge. Below is a summary of how we made the various components. I am not going to give specific measurements because there were none - it was all about tasting & adding a little bit of this n' a little bit of that. One thing I discovered that was absolute magic were Chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce - this sauce has just the right amount of smokiness and spice. It is magical; I will definitely be experimenting with it more often.

Guacamole: 3 ripe avocado's + juice from 1 lime + 2 tomatoes + 3 jalapenos + cilantro + salt + 1 onion -> chop it all up and mix well; taste and add what you feel is missing

Slaw: This concoction was the brainchild of my darling husband. Chop purple cabbage, add to it a mixture of: light mayo + agave nectar + pepper + little soy sauce -> again taste and adjust; since everything else was spicy we made the slaw a little sweet to balance it out. Make sure you don't soak it in the mayo mix.

Fish: Marinate the fish (I used Tilapia) in a marinade of tomato from the Chipotle pepper sauce + salt + lemon juice + 1 tablespoon minced garlic for 30 minutes. Heat some oil on a saucepan and add the fish + all the sauce it has been marinating in. Finely chop 1 Chipotle pepper and add it to the pan. Reduce the heat and let it cook on a low flame for 10 - 15 mins. When almost done increase the heat for 1 minute to reduce the sauce;  flake the cooked fish it with a fork and it is ready to serve.

Other Stuff: lime, cut cilantro, sour cream and soft taco's

Now all you need to do is build the taco. On the soft taco add the fish + slaw + guacamole; sprinkle the cilantro, squeeze some lime and dollop on some sour cream, fold in half and take a big scrumptious bite!

A Gemini Who Is Trying To Stick With It !

I am a person who can rarely stick to one thing for a long period of time. I need a new project or shall we say a little focus (change) to my existing one. I LOVE to eat and cook, so I decided to Spy on some of my recipes while capturing and documenting my cooking. Lately I have been trying to be healthy, but my palate yearns for tasty food. Below is a recipe for stuffed peppers & tomatoes; I have kept the fat out and the flavor in. Hope you give it a try.

INGREDIENTS:

Vegetables: 1.5 Purple Onions, 3 large Tomatoes, 3 large Green Peppers, 1.5 Tablespoon Ginger Garlic paste, 3 stalks of chopped celery, 3 Green Chillies chopped 
Spices: 0.5 - 1 teaspoon each of Garam Masala powder, Cumin powder, Coriander powder, Turmeric powder, a pinch of Red Chilli powder, 1 Tspoon of panch poran (optional), 3 curry leaves, Sriracha to taste
Meat: 1 pound minced chicken   
Other: 0.5 cup uncooked brown rice, salt to taste, 1 tablespoon oil

METHOD:

1. Cook the brown rice - I do this first as brown rice usually takes a while to cook
2. Dice the onions and green chillies
3. In a large vessel heat the oil, add the panch poran & curry leaves till they start sputtering
4. Add the cut onions & green chillies to the above, stir till the onions turn light brown
5. While the onions are cooking cut the tops off two tomatoes remove the pulp and set aside
6. Add ginger garlic to the onions, stir for a minute, add all the powder spices and the pulp from the tomatoes - let it simmer for 5 minutes stirring occasionally
7. While the above is cooking cut the tops of the peppers and the tomato removing the seeds / pulp to make hollow casings; keep aside
8. Add the mince chicken to the tomato mixture; mix well and cover to let it cook; make sure the heat is on medium so that it does not burn
8. When the chicken is almost cooked add salt & sriracha (depending to level of heat you would like) to taste
9. Add the cooked brown rice & chopped celery to the chicken mixture. Let it simmer for 5 minutes or till the chicken is cooked
10. Turn the oven on to 355 F
11. Fill the tomato and peppers with the chicken - brown rice filling
12. Place on a flat surface and cover the peppers & tomato with foil
13. Bake covered in the middle rack of the oven for 20 -25 till the tomato & pepper softens a bit 
14. Garnish with coriander or sriracha or mint leaves (whatever is in the house !)

Variation: Whisk in a bowl -> 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon sriracha & a dash of soy sauce. When the pepper / tomatoes are almost cooked remove the cover, add one spoon of the mixture on top of each and put on the top rack of the oven at 375 F for 5 minutes or till egg mixture cooks.  

DOURO VALLEY

We were leaving the flat lands behind and driving up and into the valley. The scenery changed to curvy roads, mountains, meandering rivers and beautiful vistas. For this part of the trip we stayed in a farm house called Quinta de la Rosa that overlooked the Douro River. The pictures show how tranquil and serene this place is. Not sure whether it was the altitude we were at, the creaky wooden floors of the Quinta or the mosquito nets that hugged our beds at night – but something about the Douro valley just put us in a very relaxed state of mind

One of our day jaunts in the Douro was to a place called Quinta de Romaneira. This Quinta is tucked deep in the valley and we got thoroughly lost trying to find it. The gentleman who owns this luxury farmhouse is an avid collector of all things unique which include interesting artifacts from various Portuguese colonies, an insect collection from Brazil, a dining table made from a huge African tree truck and old carved chairs from Goa. One of my favorite things about this place was the infinity pool that overlooked the valley – I could laze there for hours. Click below to see some pictures from the Quinta:

CLICK TO VIEW SLIDE SHOW

Another memorable experience was the dinner at DOC – which is Rui Paula’s restaurant by the Duoro river. My mouth still waters when I think of the scrumptious 7 course meal. The food was fantastic but never before have I been intrigued with the lighting in a restaurant as I was here. Below are some shots I took not of the food but the unique light fixtures.
 
We tasted a lot of wine in the Douro Valley. Wine from Portugal is not as well known; but they can stand up to some of the best wines in the world. The Douro valley was relaxing and surprising; sprinkled with many treats along the way. The next stop was Porto where we would discover the lovely world of Port Wine.

Fairytale Land

I want to live in the place of angels, unicorns and elves 

Where the sun shines everyday and rainbows have a pot of gold at the end 

Where there is fairy dust and your dreams come true 

As you sleep the moon sings a lullaby to you. 

Portugal is such a place
  

Press Play and click on show info to read where these pictures were taken.

NO planes, NO Trains, just Automobile

We picked up the car in Lisbon; this was very exciting as the adventure of driving through Portugal was about to commence. I was the designated driver for the trip and enjoyed every bit of zipping through the countries magnificent highways. There was almost no traffic and the zipping was controlled by Ms. GPS who warned me every time I was going too fast. The two things that made this drive a breeze was the GPS, we almost never got lost and the automatic gears which saved us as the further North we went the more winding and narrow the roads got. After this trip I have come to the conclusion that THE best way to discover a country is to drive it. We could take detours as we pleased, stop to take in the scenery and leave whenever we wanted. No planes, no trains, just our automobile – we were master’s of our time.
Evora was the first destination we drove to. We stayed at the best Bed and Breakfast. It felt like I was at home; sitting on the comfy couch reading my kindle with a glass of red wine. The organic food they served was scrumptious. The B&B is run by a couple from LA (Nina & Peter) who spoke fluent Portuguese as a result of their Brazilian descent. It was the perfect home away from home. Evora is a cute little town – the one ‘must do’ is to find a restaurant called  Botequim da Mouraria it seats only 8 people so get there early if you don’t want to wait. A hole-in-the wall place that is run by an old man – Domingo; who charms the front of the house while his wife – Florabel; cooks with much agility and skill at the back of the house. You will taste authentic delicious Portuguese cuisine here. We visited the city of Monsaraz that is not too far from Evora. The white washed walls and cobble stone roads set against the beautiful vista of lakes and mountains were breathtaking. There was not a person in sight and almost felt like I was in a movie – beautiful and surreal. Herdade de Esparoa is one of the biggest privately owned wineries in Evora and a must visit. We got to crush the grapes, walk in the fields, drink the wine and eat one of the best meals of the trip. Below are pictures that I took along the way:

CLICK TO VIEW SLIDE SHOW

Lishboah

Lisbon – a city of seven hills with white winding roads that are so narrow you can barely tell they exist, as you wind up and down them discovering the city one hill at a time. Almost all the buildings have colorful tiles on the outside that make each one of them look majestic; specially when glistening in the sunlight. We spent most of our time roaming the city taking it all in; visiting castles, monasteries and monuments. Sampling Portuguese food was on top of our list. We ate our first exquisite (10 course) meal at 100 Maneiras. We were fed cod on a clothes line among other strange but delicious delicacies. Another hotspot I would recommend is  A Travessa – a restaurant that is situated inside an absolutely breathtaking old monastery. One thing we noticed about Portugal was the lack of people. No place was ever crowded and come afternoon the streets were deserted no matter where you were. We visited near by towns of Belém and Sintra the former has the best pastel de nata at Café Pastéis de Belém. Pastel de nata is a traditional creamy custard pie that is sinful ! Lisbon has many area’s (Bairro Alto, The Alfama, Chiado, The Baixa) that you can walk up and down endlessly. The city is full of white cobble stone roads, monuments, fado music and amazing food ! Stop one on our Portuguese journey was delightful.

Quin·quen·ni·um /kwinˈkwenēəm/: (Noun) A specified period of five years

My mother and I do "mommy - daughter" trip every five years. It is not something we planned on doing – it just happened. Ten years ago the destination was Italy, five years ago Eastern Europe and then this year we decided to take on Portugal. Of course much planning was done in advance (mainly by mom); and nothing could keep us away. Not Hurricane Irene in New York who hit the weekend I was leaving and not the Portuguese Embassy in India who could not issue a visa for my mom because their systems were down. After much drama she got a hand written visa the day before she was to leave! It was touch and go – we had Scotland as our back-up plan just in case the visa did not come through; but it would not have been the same. 

We spent fourteen days, driving one thousand eight hundred and ninety four kilometers from one end of Portugal to the other. I highly recommend driving through a country – it is the best way to see all of its nooks, crannies & idiosyncrasies. The highlight of our trip was the food. We (I mean .. mom) had done some serious research on restaurants and chefs. Our gastronomical experience spanned "hole in the wall" establishments to simply sinful tasting menu's at much acclaimed Michelin star restaurants. The hotels we stayed at were varied and added to the entire experience. In Lisbon and Porto we wanted to be in the center of it all and stayed at a typical city hotel; while in Condexia a Nova we chose an old traditional Portuguese house. We stayed at the best bed and breakfast I have ever been to in Evora; and in Pinhao it was a farm house (Quinta) that made amazing Port Wine. Finally, we ended our holiday in the Algarve at a Spa Resort right by the beach. Complete relaxation before getting back to reality. Driving, eating, drinking, taking it all in - It was quite a trip. Below is a glimpse of what is to come as I take you through my Portuguese journey in pictures and words.

Kachra

Kachra in Hindi means rubbish. I was introduced to this dish by my grandma’s cook. It is also known as Bhurji or Akuri and is yum specially on a rainy day. I think my cook called it Kachra because he would use the leftovers from the night before that would have gone into the dustbin. The secret to yummy Kachra is three fold use lots of chopped coriander, be lenient with the turmeric and make sure the consistency is wet. Below are pictures and the recipe; takes about ten minutes to make and serves 2.
Ingredients: 1/2 an onion finely chopped, 1/2 a tomato chopped, 1/2 a cup minced fresh coriander, 1 teaspoon ginger chopped,  2 teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 2 curry leaves, 2 chopped green chili's, 4 eggs, 1 tablespoon oil, pinch of red chili powder, salt to taste.
Method: Heat the oil, throw in the curry leaves, onions, ginger, chilies. Let the onions brown. Add the tomato, turmeric, pinch of red chili powder, salt, coriander (powder & leaves) - mix well for about 2 minutes. Lower the heat; add in the whisked eggs and stir so that it does not stick. Turn the heat off when cooked. Make sure that it is not overcooked and still moist. Serve with hot roties or bread. Enjoy !        
 

Mommy, Me & Molten Chocolate Cake

Last month I was chatting with my mother and I almost fell off my chair when she said, “I just got this amazing recipe for Molten Chocolate Cake.. and it is so easy to make”. Now you might ask, why did I fall off the chair? Well, let me explain; in most traditional Indian families the woman is not only the queen of the house but most certainly the ruler of the kitchen. However, my family is a little different. My non-traditional mother has never entered the kitchen, as a result I was utterly surprised when she mentioned molten chocolate cake, cooking and easy in the same sentence. I slowly discovered that the cooking bug had bitten her; not only was she cooking cakes but also lemon meringue pies, asparagus soufflé and lamb stew. I now look forward to mother & daughter bonding over recipes which, until now, were restricted to father - daughter conversations (Yes, my dad is a fantastic cook!). Below are the pictures and recipe for MCC – pretty easy and a lot of fun !

VIEW SLIDE SHOW

RECIPE:
455g best-quality cooking chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
50ml (less than quarter cup) hot espresso or good strong instant coffee
125g butter, plus extra for greasing
6 eggs, free-range or organic, separated
200g caster sugar
100g ground almonds
100g rice flour
1 small handful chopped hazelnuts, toasted
Melt 125g chocolate with the coffee, then pour into small ice-cube moulds and freeze until hard. Take 6 small 3 inch pastry rings, dariole moulds or cappuccino cups and grease well with some butter. Place in the fridge while you make your sponge mixture. Melt the remaining chocolate with the butter in a bowl over a pan of boiling water, then in a separate bowl whisk the egg whites with the sugar until firm. Fold the yolks into the cooled chocolate and butter mixture, then add the almonds and flour. Finish by carefully folding in the egg white mixture. Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5. Take your moulds out of the fridge and spoon a little mixture into each one, then push in a cube of the frozen coffee and chocolate mixture. Cover with the rest of the sponge mixture so each ice cube is completely enveloped. Bake in the preheated oven for about 18–20 minutes, then remove carefully from the moulds while hot. Serve immediately sprinkled with hazelnuts

Breakfast for a King or Queen

I am very passionate about eating and cooking food; but most of all I love to cook for people who enjoy food. After a late Friday night what was much needed was a scrumptious breakfast. I cooked a typical Parsi dish called “Wafer par Ida” – Eggs on Chips. It is yummy and really easy to make.

Ingredients: 1 bag of potato chips, 4 eggs, 1/2 a cup of minced coriander, 1/2 a cup of caramelized onions, 1 teaspoon of diced green chilies, a pinch of cayenne pepper powder, salt, a pinch of garam masala powder.

Heat a medium sized skillet.

Break open the bag of chips remove them one handful at a time – dip the chips in water for 30 seconds (you should have a big pot of room temperature water ready) as you remove the wet chips smoosh them together and start creating a layer on the skillet. Keep doing this one handful at a time creating a thin layer on the pan. Pat it down so that it is even. Let this layer simmer for 5 minutes.

Break the 4 eggs on this layer sprinkle the garam masala, salt, cayenne pepper, caramelized onions, green chilies and coriander. Cover the skillet till the eggs are cooked.

I paired this with a simple avocado, radish and tomato salad with olive oil, salt & pepper. It was the perfect breakfast!     

Eating my way through Goa

I have been visiting Goa ever since I was a child. When I think of Goa I see old white-washed churches, beaches that go on forever, restaurants that have unique fusions of food, the crazy trance scene, the hippies, tie and dye shirts, Tito’s, Fenny… I could go on free associating with Goa as I have had so many different experiences there. This visit to Goa was all about food. I literally ate my way through it in the 2 days I was there. Below are the restaurants I visited and highly recommend:

Amigo’s – located below the Nerul bridge near Candolim. It is a small place specializing in Goan food. The menu changes everyday as it depends on what fresh fish is available; so you know the food is going to be great. Call ahead if you want something special. I highly recommend the fish curry rice and crab with garlic butter sauce.

Thalassa Greek Taverna located above Vagator Beach – it is a spot from where the sunset looks absolutely gorgeous – reserve a table and get there before the sun sets (duh!) – the views are breathtaking.   

Lila Café is located in Baga; we went there each morning to get our fill of the amazing coffee, breads and pate’s. One can spend an entire morning being lazy - reading, relaxing and eating the fantastic food.

Savoi Plantation: I could write pages about this place. It is located about 25 km from Panjim (center of Goa). On the day you decide to go (for lunch preferably) make sure you do not eat – you will need your appetite to enjoy this gastronomical delight. The first course consisted of mussels, lobster, tiger prawns and crabs. We then took a break and walked around the plantation’s lush greenery to return to a 15 dish main course. Eating on banana leaves in a tree house only added to this truly unique experience. The food was phenomenal as was the kokum juice that we washed it down with. This is an experience you do not want to miss.
  
Some places that have a fusion theme to it are J&A’s, I 95, Poisson Rouge & Fiesta. Go to these spots if you are yearning for some Italian or French with a Goan flare to it. Below are a few pictures that I took along the way. 

VIEW SLIDE SHOW

Rainy Sundays

Some Sundays I love that it rains. It forces me to stay home and relax. I am not very good at down time unless I am forced to take some – which means, either I have to fall sick or go on a beach vacation. I wonder if this is true of all New Yorkers – the constant need to live life to its fullest. You don’t really have to try that hard since you live in a city that thrives on constant “doing”.

Today I decided to indulge in cooking breakfast fit for a King (and Queen). I whipped up 2 types of whole-wheat (healthy) pancakes. One with berries & nutmeg and the other with Mango & Pistachio’s. The pancakes were drizzled with Adirondack Pure Maple Syrup that had been sitting in my fridge forever! The egg cooked over-easy was the perfect accompaniment to balance out the sweetness of the pancakes. To wash it down we had some mimosas. Great rainy Sunday morning – now for some quality time with my book as Monday looms over my head.

New Orleans: A Little Nibble

I was in New Orleans this July for Tales of the Cocktails. It is always difficult to fit photography into a work-trip; but this was my first time in New Orleans and I wanted to at the very least explore the French Quarter. I got just a little flavor of the food, drink and the people. I can't help but want to go back for a real taste of this great city that has been through so much.  Below are some pictures that I captured. Click here for the full set.   

 

Peru Diaries 5 - Cuzco Chilling & Floating Fun

 After our hike and Machu Picchu we needed a day to just chill. We did this in Cuzco with no real agenda in mind. Meandering around town we discovered the local San Pedro market. This market had entire sections designated to just flowers or just meats or cheese or corn. I have never seen so many varieties of things in one place. After the market we moseyed on to an area called San Blas. This is a part of Cuzco that is very quaint with winding streets, art stores and lovely cafe's; we spent 2 hours at Jack's cafe where we had the most amazing coffee and food. I highly recomend you take a day to just relax in Cuzco you won't regret it !
The next stop on our trip was Puno. The town is very shabby but we were visiting the nearby Floating Islands which are a treat. We spent a day on the island of Uros and then visited Tequile Island. The Floating islands are man made; woven together with mud and reeds that grow in the shallow lakes. Walking on these islands feels like your walking on sponge. The local people are friendly and were very gracious. We ate a most scrumptious lunch of fresh trout, potato and rice. We had a spectacular view of blue skies and sea. The Floating islands were our last stop and it was time to head back to New York. One thing I am sure of - we are definitely going back to Peru; feels like we just scratched the surface of this beautiful country.

Peru Diaries 2 - Cusco & the Sacred Valley

Cusco is a beautiful city. It is small, quaint and has a lot of charm. The charm comes from the city and the people who live there. We arrived in the morning and made our way to Hotel Picoaga; which is an absolutely adorable spot. The first thing yu see when you get to Picoaga is the gorgeous stone courtyard and water fountain that just took our breath away. Our first day was spent pottering around the city and eating. We tried all kinds of things including Peru's delicacy Cuy. There are over 55 varieties of corn and 350 varieties of potatoes in Peru - both of which are included in almost every dish. In Cusco the highlight was the beautiful square and the narrow cobble stone streets that take you to all kinds of places. We loved the architecture of the monuments and spent the first day exploring the various churches and temples. On Day 2 we did a tour of the Sacred Valley. Pisac was our first stop. This is a small city where we saw our first Inca ruins. It was a  peek into things to come a few days later in Machu Pichu. Next stop was Ollantaytambo; residing in this town is an old Inca fort from where the views are spectacular. My favorite though was Chinchero. Here we explored a church that was built in 1607; the white washed structure against the lush green valley and brown stone walls looked magnificent. After Chinchero we headed back for a good nights rest. The next 2 days were going to be spent hiking in the Andes mountains. We had quite an adventure ahead of us.
Recommended Restaurants in Cusco: Paititi, Andes Grill and Jacks Cafe

Peru Diaries 1 – Lost Luggage and Lovely Lima

Saturday morning April 24th, we were all set to make our way into Lima with a short stop in Atlanta – bags:check, passport:check, airplane ticket: check. En-route to Atlanta we hear “this is your captain speaking, I am sorry folks, but due to thunder storms in Atlanta and low fuel levels we will have to re-route to Charlotte”. Great will we or wont we make our connection to Lima? Well, 2 hours later we were running through Atlanta’s Hartsfield airport and have made our connection with 5 minutes to spare. Neither R nor I have ever run so fast! Of-course we made the flight, but 6 hours later, after staring at the conveyor belt for 30 minutes we realized that our bags did not – oh well. It would have to be sans bags in Lima on Day 1 of our trip. We had Raphael (old man full of advice for tourists) take us to Hotel Antigua Miraflores; which was the sweetest little place I have seen – it had beautiful art on all the walls and the most amazing coffee I have ever tasted. It was like a large bed and breakfast. After a good nights rest we set out to explore. I won’t bore you with all the details but just give the highlights. First stop El Centro; this is where all the monuments are. There was a vibrant parade in the main square (Plaza de Armas). We strolled about took a lot of pictures. The highlight for me were the Catacombs in the San Francisco Cathedral. It was eerie to walk underground and see human bones piled up from the 17th Century. In the afternoon we headed to Barranco and ate some amazing food. I cannot write enough about the food in Peru – It is Fantastic. The fish, the meat, the corn, the potatoes -  all of it is fresh and cooked with so much flavor. Barranco is an area in Lima that over-looks the sea – we whiled away our time enjoying Ceviche, Lomo Saltado and many Piscos. In the evening we chilled out in Miraflores where we bought a beautiful painting for our home and chatted with the locals. I had to stop R from eating street food that he was salivating over. Did not want a sick husband at the beginning of my trip. We got our bags at 4 am in the morning – and were all set to travel to our next destination Cuzco and the Sacred Valley ! Below are some pictures from Lima that you can peruse through.

My Other Passions – Food & Cooking

I love food. I also love to cook. I think there is something very warm about cooking and its great when you can share your creations with friends and family. I made Kofta curry (minced meat ball curry) tonight and was lucky enough to share it with close friends. I decided to marry my two passions – cooking & photography and clicked a few shots – I hope you enjoy it !