A Life of Spice

Video review of Modern Spice, Behind the Burner.

The absolutely amazing and talend Divya Gugnani did a video review of Modern Spice and rated the book a 5!! Click here to watch her.

San Franscisco Chronicle reviews Modern Spice, June 2009

San Francisco Chronicle reviewed Modern Spice and features the Fig and Paneer Pizza from the book.

Excerpt - "For home chefs looking to broaden their culinary horizons without having to leave their comfort zone, "Modern Spice" is a good guide to Indian-inspired cuisine. "

iSpice - Parsley, June 2009

I talked to Mark Bittman about why he loves parsley and he shared his truly wonderful recipe for parsley pesto for this edition of iSpice.

 

Andrea Nguyen cooks up Modern Spice!

I am over the moon! One of my most favorite cookbook authors and teachers cooked from Modern Spice - Andrea Nguyen made the Kumquat and Mango chutney with Onion seeds and served it with Chile Pea Puffs. You have got to visit her site to read her post and learn about her experience. I am so honored!

(This was originally intended to be a part of the virtual dinner party (see below) but due to techinical difficulties on my part, i could not get the post up in time.. sorry!!)

What did she think of them? For the Chile Pea Puffs - "Heavenly"

And the chutney -- " I love Indian chutneys and Monica's kumquat and mango chutney offers a marvelous fruity sweet-tart-pungent note to foods. In making it, I discovered canned mango and now have not just a new chutney to enjoy but a new ingredient to explore. What more can you ask for in a cookbook?"

Washingtonian Best Bites Blog reviews Modern Spice, June 2009

Ann Mah shares her experience with Modern Spice. Read it here.

An excerpt -- "At the heart of Modern Spice are Bhide’s personal essays, moving, funny pieces that illustrate the way food has shaped her life and that link her memories with her recipes." 

Once in a lifetime trips, June 2009

I am so thrilled that I was interviewed for Chris Santella's gorgeous new book -- Once in  lifetime trips. It is a truly lovely book and each page makes me want to get on a plane and visit the places he talks about. He and I talked about Dubai and the Burj Al Arab for the book.

Welcome to the Modern Spice Potluck Dinner!!!

Bloggers and food lovers from around the world- UK, India, Brussels, Canada, US--  were invited to cook dishes from Modern Spice and share their experience here. I am so excited to say that the response was so favorable that I had to divide the dinner into 5 sections so I could feature all the photos and quotes! In addition, Gretchen Roberts provided great information on what to drink for the dinner.

Thanks so much to everyone who made this happen. This is your dinner party!!! THANK YOU

You can click here to go to a section or just scroll down to see all the yummy recipes and the wonderful folks who took the time to contribute --

1. Modern Spice Potluck Dinner part 1

2. Modern Spice Potluck Dinner part 2

3. Modern Spice Potluck Dinner part 3

4. Modern Spice Potluck Dinner part 4

5.Modern Spice Potluck Dinner part 5

6. Modern Spice Potluck Dinner - The Wine Selection 

Modern Spice Potluck Dinner, Part 1

Bloggers from around the world participated in the Modern Spice Potluck - they basically cooked the book! From drinks to appetizers to desserts, they cooked, photographed and blogged about their experience. You can read their brief quotes here and then click on their names to be transported to their amazing sites for more details about their experiences cooking and eating from Modern Spice.

 

Chile Pea Puffs -  "The filling for these tasty appetizers came together in no time flat, and I forgot how handy wanton wrappers can be for quick appetizers. It was so much fun to make my own paneer (though that isn't necessary), and it was also as easy as could be. I can't wait to bring these to a real-life pot luck to share with my friends. They are the perfect party snack. Tonight, though, I enjoyed them with my husband in front of the Sci-Fi channel with a couple of beers. They made a Saturday night in feel festive." Joy Manning

Mini-Savory Cheesecakes with Tomatillo Chutney – "Don't let the long list of ingredients fool you. The recipe for the savory mini-cheesecakes is easy to make and the end result is delicious. The sweet and tart chutney is a perfect complement for the cheesecake. A savory dessert." Paula Nino (photo credit, Rachael Lee Coleman),

Pan seared trout with Mint Chutney – “"It's hard to believe that this easy recipe could taste so special, but it does. The chutney is fresh, spicy and addictive--I'll use it a dozen different ways in my cooking!" Julie O’Hara ,

Oven roasted cauliflower with fennel chili rub --   "I'm glad my husband doesn't like cauliflower because I could eat the whole pan myself. Roasting brings out the best in this vegetable and the spices are warm enough to give depth without overpowering. I'll definitely be adding this recipe to my rotation." Charmian Christie,

 

Brown rice with vegetables and cumin –   “The pulao is distinctive because of the spices enlisted in the recipe, which create complexity from minimalism.” Tara Mataraza Desmond 

 

Saffron Cardamom Macaroons -- “Making these macaroons was an adventure for me.  While I’d used saffron in tagines and rice dishes, I’d never before added it to a dessert.  It was perfect with the coconut and so good with the cardamom.  It’s a combination I’ll be playing around with again soon.” Dorie Greenspan.

 

 

Modern Spice Potluck Dinner, Part 2

Bloggers from around the world participated in the Modern Spice Potluck - they basically cooked the book! From drinks to appetizers to desserts, they cooked, photographed and blogged about their experience. You can read their brief quotes here and then click on their names to be transported to their amazing sites for more details about their experiences cooking and eating from Modern Spice.

 

Tamarita – “I had no idea what taste to expect when Monica asked me to create the tamarita from her cookbook. What I got was a great margarita with a great combination of sour and spiciness, that also tasted highly refreshing. It's something I know we'll make again and again.” Lisa waterman gray

Indian Chicken wings –  “One of my favorite childhood snacks was chicken wings—baked, broiled or fried, it didn’t matter—and I was very fond of chewing on the wing tips! I jumped at the chance to try these spiced wings. Despite the long list of herbs and spices ranging from cumin to turmeric, all the flavors were in harmony and none too overpowering. Instead of broiling the wings, I grilled them, resulting in juicy chicken wings redolent of a spice bazaar.” Pat Tanumihardja

Beetroot Salad with Yogurt –   “This is a revelation. We Northern Europeans are familiar with beetroot pickled in mouth-puckering vinegar but Monica Bhide presents us with a dish that is both sweet and zesty, light and delicious. The tang of ginger makes a surprisingly good marriage with the yogurt and vegetables. Don’t be tempted to mix the dressing too thoroughly with the beets. A drizzle will give you a striking plate of crisp white, powder pink and rich red.” Chrissie Walker,

Brussell sprouts leeks and curry leaves –   “I knew I had to try this after I read Monica’s header about trying Brussels sprouts just to find out why people don’t like them. I grew up hating them and it’s only been in recent years, when I learned to roast rather than boil them, that I’ve become fond of them. (Much to my husband’s joy, since he loves them and hardly ever got them before I figured out the roasting secret.) Braised with leeks and seasonings sounded intriguing. It was an easy dish to make, smelled delightful while cooking, and the taste? Oh, my. I guess I now have two methods of cooking Brussels sprouts that I can fully endorse. My husband thanks you, Monica.” Amy Rea.

Monica’s Fish Curry – “This is Monica’s signature dish, and I can understand why. The fish curry is tomato based, which makes it light and refreshing. Turmeric adds a bright yellow hue but also gives a sharp and earthy flavor. The black mustard seeds add a delightful texture and pop when you bite into them. The fish curry is aromatic, with a subtle kick. I always associate curries with winter, and being heavy. Not in this case, the flavor combination that Monica creates is a burst of summer. Serve with your favorite white wine. We chose Sancerre.”  Ursula Ayrout  

Saffron Cardamom Macaroons –   “"Monica Bhide's Saffron-Cardamom macaroons have it all, they are chic enough for a dinner party, humble enough to serve at home, and absolutely delicious.  Unlike most garden variety macaroon flavors, such as almond or chocolate, these are made with an unexpected blend of spices which are perfect for tempering the sweetness from the coconut and condensed milk. The resulting flavor is unlike anything else I have ever tasted, all at once the macaroons are sweet and flaky from the coconut, with warm undertones of nutty cardamom and floral saffron. I'll admit, I did make one small addition to the ingredients list by adding a dash of cinnamon, it is my favorite spice." Kelsey Banfield

Modern Spice Potluck Dinner, Part 3

Bloggers from around the world participated in the Modern Spice Potluck - they basically cooked the book! From drinks to appetizers to desserts, they cooked, photographed and blogged about their experience. You can read their brief quotes here and then click on their names to be transported to their amazing sites for more details about their experiences cooking and eating from Modern Spice.

 

Pomegranate Delight –   “My reward for dinner well-made: Pomegranate Delight, with white rum. “ Elissa Altman, 

Indian Chicken Wings – “The recipe is a brilliant twist to the great American classic, where Monica uses a cream marinade, instead of a yogurt-based marinade which is conventionally used in Indian cooking. Be forewarned, the marinade is so good & irresistible on its own, that you can almost serve it as a tangy dip! Indian Chicken Wings is a keeper of a recipe,  so well worth stocking up spice jars for." Deeba Rajpal

Pan fried Zucchini with cumin – “I made the pan-fried zucchini and yellow squash with cumin, and it was easy, tasty and adaptable, not to mention healthy.  I think it would be lovely with fish or chicken or as part of a larger vegetarian meal.  Now that I've made it once according to the recipe, I'm looking forward to playing with it--trying it with mustard seeds, for example, or adding some onion and garlic.  It's lovely as is, though, and a great way to use summer vegetables (especially if you were overenthusiastic in your zucchini planting).” Sue Dickman

Mini Savory Cheesecakes with Tomatillo Chutney   -- Monica's recipes in her new cookbook, "Modern Spice", are imaginative and tasty. The delicious blend of spices used will expand your understanding of "Indian flavors." Sarah Leaf-Herrmann, Director, Martha's Vineyard Food & Wine Festival. 
 

         

Mussels Stew --   "Indian Curry Leaves & Belgian Mussels (Bombay & Brussels) – Apolina Fos,

Rice pudding and mango parfait – “ The first thing I would advise is to change the recipe! That sounds like the start of a review of a bad recipe... but read on. The change that I would advise is to double the quantity of this delicious confection. Monica suggests that this dish would be enough for 6 people but three of us sampled this rice pudding... and we sampled it again, and we all agreed that it’s a winner. All your guests will want a second helping of this fragrant and creamy dessert – a cool version of the more traditional pudding and, in my humble opinion, an improvement. The mango adds an interesting texture and freshness but if you are not a lover of mango then this dish would work equally well with soft fruits and berries or apple purée. Bananas turn this dessert into comfort-food heaven.” Chrissie Walker,