Crunchy himachal apples...

...have been flooding the markets and inspiring me to shoot some and to

...sink my teeth into some.

I have tried some interesting apple recipes like Apple Cobbler, Apple Cinnamon No-Fuss Cake, but strangely the husband and the daughter have some reservations about cooked apple.

So today I tried a very Indian recipe~ Apple Kheer

from our very own Sanjeev Kapoor's Khana Khaz

ana Channel.

The video is in Marathi, love that language:-) but they have English subtitles.

Now let me see how this fares here at home:-)

( I used Chironji instead of Almonds)

the humble roti...

...and the various Indian breads like paratha, puri, chappati styled so beautifully in this Elle Decor feature~ Feb-March, 2010 issue.
Bajra roti with a dollop of pure white butter served in a 'Kansa' thali...Love the use of traditional vessels. ( Here is a post about my love for traditional Indian containers;-)

So mundane, so everyday thing...but so special.

Eyeing...

...some interesting stuff from people tree.

Pinakin Patel

This country retreat designed by Pinakin Patel Associates looks so beautiful, serene and relaxing I want to spend a lovely weekend there...actually many weekends there:-)Pinakin Patel graduated in Chemistry but today heads one of India's leading design firms and owns a unique lifestyle store.
"The firm is known for their distinctive interpretation of the clients needs, producing contemporary design from a classic base, juxtaposing yoga and bhoga"

Do click on to read more...

(images from pinakin.in)

Shine on...

...Indian traditional vessels. I love traditional Indian vessels.
Everytime I visit my mother, I always admire her super shiny kitchen with open shelves lined with stainless steel containers, tumblers and bowls in various sizes. In my kitchen I love having a fusion of traditional Indian vessels as well as ceramic, glass & airtight containers for convenience of microwaving, refrigeration & storing. The aquaguard water ( purified) water is stored in a huge stainless steel 'matka'. The stainless steel plates with rims are ideal for runny gravies:-) I even carry my huge tiffin carrier for picnics... If you want to get a little creative why not use them as decorative pieces?
A lassi tumbler makes a lovely vase for a bunch of roses, float some flowers in a 'Paraat' or plate.
Remember the Diwali Decorating Ideas on Rang Decor about using 'Idli Plates' for decoration?
Some latest international trends in decorating include a lot of Indian traditional vessels....From Tine K HomeFrom Madam Stoltz catalogue
So bring it on...enjoy your simple but lovely stainless steel vessels:-))

Beulah Farm - A Sweet Memory.

We had heard about homemade fruit wines made in a place called 'Beulah Farm'...so one day while we were holidaying in Kurumba Village, we decided to explore the hills and drove down to Kotagiri.'We saw a narrow turquoise blue iron gate with Beulah Farm written on it. As we rang the bell, a lady came and welcomed us inside.

* An elderly gentleman was feeding beautiful white pigeons.
* Exotic looking flowers & plants lined the place.
* The windows & doors were painted in lovely turquoise blue colour.
* Yellow marigolds on planters near the windows. We introduced ourselves & he welcomed us inside his cute little cottage.* Then came a tray filled with bowls of homemade jams- Rhubarb, Pepino
* Yummy delicious jams & preserves.
* Homemade fruit wines or nectar as he calls them- dry rose, plum, pears, fig, strawberry, mulberry, peach and list goes on.
* A small tour of his lovely herb garden & small sprigs of the herbs were given to us while he explained the various species of herbs...fennel, lemongrass, basil, chives, oregano, lemon balm, rosemary, peppermint, spearmint (phew!)
* All the jams & wines are from his garden..he showed us his fig tree, pear, kiwi...
* Apart from that we entered a rose garden with amazing roses, black rose, green rose...
* Felt transported to a Neverland. Amazing.
Mr Eapen Jacob- an octogenarian, engineer turned agriculturist( says his card!)Fan-tailed pigeons.
Exotic Black Rose at Beulah Farm.
The delicious Strawberry Preserve we picked up at Beulah Farm.

All Saints Church, Bedford, Coonoor.

The minute I reached the old iron gate of All Saints Church, I felt the scene get transformed into sepia-tone and me being taken back a century.

* The sky was a beautiful shade of blue.

* Pine trees seem to frame the church into a memorable picture.

* Tombstones of many young martyrs who served the British army lay scattered around.

* A sense of peace & calm prevailed.

* A solitary bench at the entrance.

* A dog laying at the steps, looked up at us with disinterest and went back to sleep.

* The church caretaker opened the church door and welcomed us inside.

* I stepped in and a strange feeling of serenity & love for the almighty encompassed me.

* The caretaker's son & his friend were placing copies of the holy bible on the prayer benches for the evening.

* How beautiful. How touching. How memorable.

Erin Villa, Coonoor.

*Sigh*
I am completely at a loss for words.
Erin Villa is located in Upper Coonoor. Nestled in the lush green tea estates of the Nilgiris.We entered the place through an old wrought iron gate and were immediately transported to another world. Never in my life have I seen so many colours together in one place. *Sigh*
*Sigh*
*Sigh* *Sigh*

We were in ..'our dream'. A dream where...

* Pink bougainvilleas were drooping down to talk to their neighbour the white pansies.

* Lovely butterflies fluttered in the garden.

* Red, Orange & Peach hibiscus framed the doorway.

* Beautiful green benches lined the garden.

* At a distance the clouds were descending on green hills.

* My husband & me also became Mallika, and three kids wandered around the garden in excitement.

Needlecraft in Erin Villa is a place where the very nice lady Naaz sources & sells beautiful lace, embroidery & cross-stich bedspreads, doilies, tablecloths, towels, handkerchiefs and many gorgeous things from convents around the place.

To sum it all we came back with memories filled with colours, flowers & lace...:-))