A Life of Spice

"The New Superfruits," Prevention Magazine, May 2008

Check out my newest piece on the new superfruits in town (hint: no bananas or apples on this list) in the May issue of Prevention magazine, now on newsstands

Young, talented and spirited - Chefs to watch in DC, Feb. 2008

Recently there have been a slew of young chefs in DC really taking the culinary scene to new levels. Under 35 and working magic in their kitchens, I thought I would post about four of my favorite chefs (I need to change the name of this category from best 3 to best 5… clearly!) --

Johnny Monis of KOMI – He is still well-under 30 and easily serving some of the best Greek food in the city. The food critic of the Washington Post cannot stop gushing about this young man and his talent –“Months after I sampled them, the lovely vitello tonnato, the extraordinary wood-roasted pigeon and the pappardelle tossed with a sweet ragu of baby goat lingered in my food fantasies.” These days the only way to get a table most nights is to make a reservation. He loves to take reservations himself on the phone and is known to change the menu daily! The menu is Greek inspired but very unpretentious. My experience - We started our meal with an amuse from the chef – a warm date stuffed with melting hot mascarpone then speckled with sea salt crystals. Then, in a tiny little wooden box, the chef’s signature crackers ( sesame, paprika, and asiago with thyme) are served in lieu of bread. My appetizer was a sweet, salty, peppery yet delightful watermelon slab topped with feta cheese and mature arugula. A fritto misto, being served for the first time last night, showcased deep fried soft shell crabs, cod fritters and clam fritters. It was served along with a lemon aioli (for the cod) and a red dip (with almonds, breadcrumbs and orange) for the clam.

Anthony Chittum of Vermillion was noted by Forbes magazine as one of the best chefs in the country. Until recently 30 year-old Chittum was cooking up Italian delights at Notti Bianche. Born on Kent Island on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Tony Chittum spent his youth fishing on the Chesapeake Bay where he learned from local fishermen how to prepare the native crab and rockfish. His food makes me think of romance – here is a chef who is in love with his ingredients and not afraid to show it. Each dish is lovingly plated and satisfies the soul.

Tony Conte at Oval Room -- I associate 34 year-old Conte with roasted beets! His signature at Oval Room are Roasted Baby Beets with Passion Fruit Gelee, Horseradish & Icewine Mignonette appetizer at the Oval Room on Connecticut Avenue. It is a uniquely flavored dish (red, yellow and candy-Striped beets!!)  with a sharp taste of horseradish. The chef tells me it is the most popular dish on the menu. The flavors of the beets with the tanginess of the passion fruit gelee and the sharpness of the horseradish really give it a striking taste. It also makes one beautiful presentation on the place. Conte worked as the executive sous chef at four-star Jean Georges.   Chef Conte’s impressive resume also includes a stint as the chef de partie at JoJo, a contemporary French restaurant also owned by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and a turn as executive chef and co-owner of Pesce in Branford, Connecticut, where, during his tenure, the restaurant earned Connecticut Magazine’s “Best New Restaurant 2002” and Taste of Nation’s “Golden Fork Award” Best Food in Show 2001.

Barton Seaver  at Hook – I ate at Hook last week. Everyone at my table swore that it was probably one of the best seafood meals they had ever had. The chef, 28, in jeans looked so comfortable in his kitchen as he walked around and worked his way through the orders. I just wonder what he will do when he is 40. His sablefish with sweet almond milk is one of the best seafood dishes I have ever eaten – no two ways about it. He is definitely a chef to watch and I predict wonderful things in his future. Seaver has been a StarChefs.com Rising Star of 2006 and a Rising Star Chef nominee by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington.

After experiencing The Source in Washington DC, this is Wolfgang Puck's first signature restaurant in Washington DC, I had to update this list. Executive Chef Scott Drewno, deserves a place of honor on this list. His cooking makes you want to run out shouting -- Have you eaten here? Have you tasted what this young man is cooking up? If you have not, you are missing a lot. He does magic with his braised Kobe short ribs and the wok fried bass served tableside with a couple of different sauces makes you wonder if he really does have a magical food wand.

DC CIty Guide, Arrive magazine, March-April 2008

Deciding what to do in DC? There is so much going on these two months with the Cherry Blossom Festival coming up. Read all about it in my column "DC City Guide" for Arrive magazine, now online here,

A date with Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, March 2008

One of the biggest perks of my job is getting to interview authors whose work I so admire. Who says you cant have your cake and eat it too??

I have been enjoying Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's writing for years and I have to confess that I am always sad when I come to the end of her novels -- it makes me sad to be at the end of such amazing writing and to have to wait endlessly (or what seems like an endless wait) for her next work. I want her books to go on and on. Her writing can only be described in one word - pure. It is pure magic, pure wonder, pure delight and pure pleasure. She weaves her way in and out of mystical worlds taking the reader with her - I love going into her world's, they make me come alive and rejoice. Such is the power of her writing.

And now, this lovely lady, who is as gracious as she is talented, has done it again in Palace of Illusions. The story of the Mahabharat told from Draupadi's point of view. You have to buy/borrow/beg/steal/do whatever you need to to get a copy of this book. Trust me, you wont be sorry.

I managed to steal a few precious moment's of the author't time in which she shared some of her insights into writing --

MB- Why do you write?

CBD - I write because it's fun. because it's the most creative thing i'm capable of, something that puts me in touch with a deep & sacred part of my being. i write to share great stories (as in the Palace of Illusions) with people like you who love literature. i write to share my culture and my world--with readers who know it intimately already, and with readers for whom the books are a discovery process. i write to establish unlikely connections.

MB-  How did you decide to write Palace of Illusions? I would venture to say that this is your best yet. The main character has such spirit, such oomph. I can only imagine that such character development would have been a major challenge – creating someone who was not well-defined in history… how did you do it?

CBD- Thank you so much. I spent a long time on Panchaali's character, especially trying to get her voice right. I'm so glad it worked for you. I did a lot of research on the Mahabharat--as well as books written on the Mahabharat. and that gave me the basic outline of the character. but mostly i spent quiet time imagining her, visualizing her, thinking of her motives and her responses to the great tragedies of her life. those are the areas where i strove to create something new.

MB- What is the process you follow when you write? Do you outline? How do you keep track of so many plots? How do you get so much detail into your novels - do you research, interview....? Specifically for Palace of Illusions, how did you manage to keep the research manageable?

CBD- I outline parts at a time, then wait to discover more. I know in my mind about the major characters, but not necessarily how they'll change or grow. I read widely in the subject when I'm writing a novel. For example, I did a lot of ayurvedic research when writing Mistress of Spices. but then I have to be quiet and imagine the world of the novel clearly in my head. for Palace of Illusions, there was so much to research, it was rather overwhelming. I made a list of the books I absolutely had to study. I also had to research the lifestyle of ancient india--clothing, food, entertainment among the nobility, etc. I would write parts, then do more research when issues came up. I must say the internet has really helped my research--even to come up with a bibliography was a lot easier.

MB- Do you wait for inspiration to strike in order to write or do you just write everyday?

CBD - I try to write everyday. it's important for me to think of writing as a discipline, such as for classical indian singers who do reyaaz every day.

MB -What is your advice for aspiring novelists - your top three pieces of wisdom?

CBD-

1. Read a lot--especially different kinds of books. Push yourself by reading books that are challenging.

2. Read like a writer, with a pen and notebook. underline, write in margins, take notes of writing techniques.

3. Make time in your life for writing regularly

and a bonus:find a writing community, at least 1 or 2 writer/reader friends you can share your work with. All these helped me.

Thanks again Ms. Divakaruni and please know that while I was really sad when I finished your latest novel, I am eagerly anticipating, as I am sure are millions of other fans, the next one!!

How to Dine in Delhi, Bon Appetit Magazine BLOG, March 2008

When you travel to a place you're unfamiliar with, do you depend on friends, family, and others in the know for restaurant recommendations? Or are you the type of person who spends hours searching the web for those secret spots? Which method works better?

That is the question I wanted to answer on a recent trip to Delhi, India. I hadn't been in four years and I was really looking forward to eating with my family who still lives there. Before the trip, I shared with my father a few new places I found with a quick Google search and was anxious for him to try them with me. He immediately retorted "Google's got nothing on me. I can do a better job. Delhi has so much that you will never find online—the street vendors, tiny mom-pop restaurants."

So we began a contest.. who could design a better culinary tour of foods that define Delhi and here is what we came up with --

BLOG POST 1 - The rules of the contest on "How to Dine in Delhi"

BLOG POST 2-  Dad is up first with his dining picks. 

BLOG POST 3- Google and I take a turn. 

BLOG POST 4 - See who won the contest!

   

Make A Super Snack, SELF magazine, April 2008

Check out my piece in SELF magazine on super-fantastic and delicious snacks you can make with almonds, apples, bananas, and rice krispies!! The best part? I spiced them up with cumin and turmeric and ground white pepper. Check them out in this month's SELF, now on newstands.

HINT water, March 2008

I have been looking for water with just a touch of flavor but no added anything and I recently found it -- HINT water. It does not contain any calories, sugar, added carbs, artificial flavors or sodium and it has such a refreshing taste!

I really like the flavors they offer too - Pear, Pomegranate Tangerine and more. Check it out here.

Well, what do you know I am a water hero!

IACP Nomination, March 2008

I am so thrilled to post this news. One of my articles - A mother and son, minding their peas and cues,  was just nominated for the Bert Greene Award. It is an award offered by the prestigious food organization IACP.

Blooming Teas, Town & Country, April 2008

Bored with the same old teas? Try teas that bloom - when hot water is poured over these teas, they open to reveal gorgeous blooms inside. Read about Rariteas in my article in Town & Country's April 2008 issue.

Eco-friendly stationery - Town & Country Magazine, April 2008

Hate adding to the trash of the world when you throw away cards people send you? I do. I found these delightful cards that solved my problem. These lovely cards are plantable! Read them and then plant them and watch them bloom! Read more about them in my piece in Town & Country Magazine, April 2008 issue.