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Home and Baking... two wonderful words.


It's been a while since I entered stuff in here... that's cause I went home recently and you know how exciting that can be, then after returning back I found that the painters and electricians had completely stripped my room and removed all the wires in sight. Anyway, things are back to normal now.... for another few months at least.

I was home for quite a while and it was a relief... Manoj had come down too and needless to say when he's around, I laugh till the tears fall. During the day it was just the two of us, (Linda would go off to college and Nam would go to work) we got hooked to watching Two and a Half Men, I had no idea this show was so hilarious! He likes to cook too, so we both cooked up a few dishes... and I baked a lot, in fact I got obsessed with baking. It was like something would take control of me and untill I baked a dish I could not think of anything else. But it was wonderful... the scents that waft through the house, taking that first hot bite and then watching all the food disappear and the very satisfied faces afterwards. Here are a few pictures...

Quiches, trying them out the first time and I liked them... filled them with a nice potato and egg creamy mixture and they came out good.

Puffs, these are a favourite back home... I remember mom baking this when were were kids, we loved them then and we love them even more now.

Caramel pudding...

Trying out a pizza for the first time, here it is all ready to be baked... I kept my fingers crossed the entire time.
And it came out perfect, loved it... now waiting for lent to pass so that I can experiment with some ham or bacon topping next time.

A pineapple pie, this is the madness I was talking about.... something got hold of me and it was telling me to make a lattice pie. Since there was a pineapple at home I tried a pineapple pie and it came out great, dad helped me with the lattice work.

Pasta in a white creamy sauce...

An ordinary chocolate cake... I wanted to try the marble effect, so removed a little batter before adding the cocoa.
The cake with chocolate icing...

Is there anything better than warm buttery garlic bread...

Potato fritters baked in olive oil and topped with cheese...

Cheesy bites, loved these too... the cheesy interior was delicious. Will fill them with bacon and cheese next time...

A braided puff, looks like a fish I know.... I have to try it again some time, to get the proper shape.
An apple pie, the picture doesn't look good, but the pie was great... you can't really go wrong with apples, sugar and cinnamon.

Besides baking I dropped in at the farm from time to time...


The massive well there...




Apparently there is a snake that resides at this tree, and the caretaker, a wizened old man and his family place milk at the base of the tree for the snake, hindus consider it sacred. I haven't seen one so far... not that I would like to see one ever.

Plucked a few Sapodillas (chikoo or sapota)...


Dodged a few ant nests...

Drank some pristinely satisfying tender coconut...

This fellow was lazily strolling by...


Went for a walk in the colony and saw this delicate yellow flowering plant covering the entire compound wall... it looked so pretty.


Another pretty flowering tree...

Saw this creature perched on a tree...

Visited the fish market with my dad, my dad likes this place... he likes to stroll around and check out all the seafood on display. The fish mongers are funny too, see that half gutted big fish... the lady selling it was saying, "It's so fresh that if you release it in the water it will run away" ...that cracked me up.

Pictures taken from the train... the first one while entering my place and the next one while leaving it.

Comments

Anju said…
Awesome stuff!
Your blog is terrible to visit when I'm hungry! Start a home kitchen! I'll buy from you everyday!
Karen Xavier said…
I know what you mean anju, I was terribly hungry by the time I was done posting it :o)
Carol said…
when are you shifting to Nagercoil?? You didn't mention the look on my face when i tasted the Pizza i made. Wasn't that the best compliment you've got so far? The donkey looks a lot like Kalyani, NI college's donnkey.
Karen Xavier said…
Nam, you should have mentioned it...
Jude said…
For once I can't seem to muster up sarcasm in my comment. The food looks amazing, you should start a restaurant.
Karen Xavier said…
JB, that's real nice... thanks.
mahesh said…
Cakes look good!
Are you moving over to Nagercoil?
When is your Chennai house getting completely built?

Cheers,
Mahesh
Icychips said…
i think the biryani place next door had aninklin of ur abilities & was threatened by it - which is y they moved - u shud come up wit a bakery there!!
Karen Xavier said…
Mahesh, I still you a Christmas plum cake, the only problem is how to give it to you. No, I am not moving to Nagercoil, my sister wants me to move so that I can cook all this stuff for her. The Chennai house will take another couple of months to be completed.

Shil, that's funny... I was just thinking in case I did own a bakery, what should I name it; arutha's cafe, cronin's bakery, doyles pasteries?
Carol said…
Karen's cafe :)

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