Cookies! Really?

I swear these are REAL cookies. Yes I know it will take you a while to believe me. Please take your time.

 Yarn! Embroidery! Now this is some serious talent.

And this one. I mean just look at them. If I ever decide/CAN make cookies like these, trust me everyone will go back hungry. I wouldn't let ANYONE touch these.

Image : here

For mum.

So we celebrated mum's birthday (yesterday) with some homemade rose petal cupcakes.

With a hint of rosewater in the cupcake batter and gallons of it in the icing they were perfect for a hot evening. Do give these a try.

Deep pink rose petals adorning these babies and some sugar making those petals glitter :)

Yes, that's a cupcake stand there.Extremely simple to put together. An inverted egg holder and a small saucer! Yes, that's all, really! Does this make it a DIY post then? :)

Sinful. Oh! by the way do you remember my "Because this makes me happy" list. I made tons and tons of cupcakes this year. The impatient me didn't take enough snaps though. That means, another cross on my list. Yay! 7 done, 2 to start and 2 wip :)

Happy birthday Mom. Love you lots. To many many more glorious and beautiful years.


Images : Personal album

Easy peasy art and more

I came across these insanely cute and super easy ideas. And I am so stealing both of them.

One for her and One for us. Love.

Tracing your little one's hand every first day of the school year, anyone? I am so doing this for Sara. (In the original post its a different idea though. To read that, click here. Really sweet. The idea above was on pinterest).

This is where we come from. One for S and one for me. Two little people and two places where they come from (Polite reminder : Please don't use this artwork for commercial purposes as the idea belongs to them. Strictly meant for the insides of your home, ONLY). 

On an entirely different note, ever since I talked about my cooking adventure I've got a lot of emails/messages asking me to start a food blog. Now, for one there are tons of these immensely talented people already doing that so I will leave it to them to make us reach and literally lick our screens. Two, I really don't think I have the patience and the expertise to click gorgeous snaps. And three, a new blog would mean I need many many more extra days in the  month, only if God could grant that wish? :)

So I was thinking how about a regular column on food on this very blog itself. After all, purplehomes is all about homes. And the heart of the home is the kitchen, right?

We don't do the regular recipe/picture bit. We just talk food. 

Share cookbooks/food memoirs we've read, look at plating ideas, plan festival/special menus with a good dose of decor thrown in, talk about kitchen gadgets and accessories that have us salivating and share anything and everything else that excites us. What do you think? I'd love to know your views.

And call it Passion & Palate.

Yay or Nay?

Images : here & here

"Holi"day!

Holi is over. And with that the lovely festival season that started last year with Dussehra. The countdown to Holi had so many beautiful festivals...Dussehra, Diwali, Eid, Christmas, Lohri...I am going to miss them all.

I always think there is a reason why in India we get to celebrate them one after another in winters and say our byes to them come summers. Winter is definitely the more likeable season here and it gives us an opportunity to gorge on yummy goodies  without worrying about the flab (since we have our winterwear to hide behind), plus all those calorie laden dishes are just so easy to digest in the cold weather :)

Come summers, its time to eat healthy & fit in our summer wardrobe so it makes sense for the festivals to bid us bye bye and we get a chance to get ready for the next festival season in these next few months. Makes sense, doesn't it?

So thats my little logic:)

We had a quiet Holi celebration at home with parents. 

A little tikka but with lots of home cooked food.

Whats Holi without some almond sherbet served in pale cream ceramic kulhads? The weather was perfect so we planted ourselves in the balcony and enjoyed the last bit of cool breeze before the bad hot summers arrive:)

Since Holi is a fun festival, the menu had to be FUN too. Chaat party, anyone?

Golgappa shots!

I didn't want to do the usual Bhel puri & Paapdi Chaat (Both very popular & much loved in India). So I made Bhakadwadi chaat, palak chaat & tandoori murgh chaat for the meat lovers in the family. 

Since we had to work so hard to eat so much...some fresh orangey-lemonade with strawberries & mint was the need of the hour.We ended our eating marathon with coconut -rose kulfis served in coconut bowls :)

Holi hai!!  Holi hai!!

I am linking to Patty's weekend wrap up.

All Images : Personal Album

Food for your eyes!

I have said this in the past and I am saying it again.When it comes to food, looks are as important to me as the taste. 

It feels really nice if the table is looking all pretty, the candles all lighted & twinkling and flowers adorning it all. I don't like saving my best china & the scented tealight candles for those special occasions. I like making everyday a special moment, every meal a special meal and love the way how the simplest of meals looks divine when presented well. Not to forget the smiles it brings on my loved ones faces.

Yes, scrumptious food presented beautifully does get me all giddy with excitement. This was a column I have always wanted to have on purplehomes. 
Adding that extra to our regular meals. Dressing them up. 
And when I talk about styling a dish we aren't talking long hours & hardwork. Just a little touch of this here and a little touch of that there. And we are done.

Food for your eyes.

In the first post of the series, I'd like to introduce you to someone I recently came across. A superbly talented woman, a doting mother and an awesome photographer.   Did I mention she is a great cook & has this wonderful blog called the Indian Simmer.

Meet Prerna. Cooking for her is a stress buster. "Three things made me this awesome cook (sarcasm!) that I am today.. circumstances, no help and hunger!!"

An awesome cook & an awesome food stylist.

Trust me she can even make your regular allu gobhi ( Potatoes & Cauliflower) look like five star material.Don't believe me? Hop over to indian simmer now. 

Warning : You may be tempted to lick your screens :)

And today she is visiting purplehomes to give all of you lovely readers some great tips to dress up those tons & tons of mithai (indian desserts) that you & I will be cooking & gorging on this Holi. Gajar ka halwa, kheer, gulab jamun anyone?

Over to Prerna.


"A few weeks back while sipping on my morning chai, I get a chance to sit for a minute and check my emails. I see an email which after reading just a few lines I realized was from someone bubbly and very passionate about his/her work. After visiting her blog the thought was only confirmed and the posts just made me smile. It was Prachi who contacted me and asked if I would be able to share some quick food styling tips with her readers (yes, with you lovely people!). Well, after seeing what lovely work she’s been putting forward I had no doubt in my mind that I would love to share her lovely space. So here I am sending warm hug from the US to you on Holi!

Living thousands of miles away from home and family these Indian festivals are the occasions when we can put on our best traditional attire, dress up the whole house and feel like we are actually not that far from “our” people. On occasions like Holi or Diwali I try to cook the food that my mom or grandma would make in their kitchen. What’s better than some mouthwatering Gajar Halwa, some creamy and rich Kheer or some Gulab Jamuns? . And in any celebration food is the part that everyone looks forward to the most so why not dress it up a little too?! So today I am here to share with you how I dress up my traditional Indian desserts and give it a perfect balance of modern looks and traditional feel, just like today’s modern India is.

Kheer (Rice Pudding) is something that has to be in the menu during any celebration at our household. The two important men in my family (the husband and my father-in-law) can’t finish a holi meal without it. So I keep trying new things to make it look pretty at the same time not lose its essence. Like making a rice pudding and mango parfait and serving it in some beautiful and not so traditional wine glasses. Parfait is nothing but layers of two three things so I start by pouring a little kheer into a wine glass, then a layer of thinly sliced ripe mangoes and then kheer again. A few slices of mango on top, to make it look pretty and pop. You can also sneak some mango slices on the side of the glass, running all around the kheer. If you don’t like mango use any other fruit like ripe peaches or even poached pears or apple. Candied dry fruits or nuts work very well too.

Now Gajar ka halwa is again something that is not taken very lightly in the house because ‘yours truly’ loves it! Before serving them I use molds to make them look pretty. Being a food photographer and stylist I love collecting bowls of different shapes and sizes but you can also use a normal circular or rectangular bowl in your kitchen cabinet. Throw in some chopped nuts in the bowl then fill it with Gajar Halwa, press it nicely into the bowl with a spoon or spatula. Now run a knife around the edges and flip it into the plate. You’ll get a lovely shape like I did in the photo above. Add a few more dry fruits if you want and serve.

Well, I don’t play with my Gulab Jamun a lot. It has a dignified place in each of our lives and it just doesn’t need any kind of tweaking! Won’t you agree? I feel that Gulab Jamun or ras malai are the dishes which in itself have a grand look so serving them in something rustic like an old silver bowl or a wooden bowl gives it a character. Like in this photo I served it in a wooden bowl that I love and just toped my gulab jamuns with some thinly sliced almonds to enhance the look.

So there you go! With just a couple tweaking here and there you can give your mom’s years old traditional dish a five star look this holi. Hope I was able to help a little!"

Wow! Now that was some post! Prerna, I am sure my readers would love to try these very doable tricks at home. Thanks for agreeing to be a part of this series and taking out the time to put it altogether.

So did you enjoy going through this? I sure did! Will you be trying something like in your kitchens this Holi? If you are getting all inspired and excited and do create your little masterpiece don't forget to share them with all of us. Just drop me an email at purplehomes.blogspot@gmail.com.

Happy Holi!

Images : Indian simmer

Foodface!

Am I the only one who wants this more for herself than getting one for a certain Ms. Sara who thinks eating is a complete waste of time & energy?

I am totally in love with these ceramic food face platters. Mashed potatoes with beans & peas anyone?

Image : here via here

Maggie's masterpieces

So what do you think I just showed you? These are desserts!! Did I hear a "Whaaaat are you saying?"  Exactly what I found myself screaming...in complete disbelief. I came across Maggie's work sometime back here and  have been often found salivating in front of the screen ever since! You know my love for desserts, pretty desserts, finger licking desserts, lip smacking desserts....SO I had to post these :)

But what didn't surprise me at all was that Maggie was following her career as a classic ballet dancer when she found herself in the world of cookies, petite cakes, pastries et al. Her creations are so charming & elegant....have to be the work of a graceful ballet dancer. Read more about her here & see her portfolio here. And she is SO pretty.While I go back & revisit each dessert...one at a time:) 

Images : here

And now we are a happy family!

No,there isn't any issue with your eyes. Yes,that teacup is holding ice-cream instead of tea. Come on,what can you expect from someone who is getting roasted at 44 degrees everyday. And no sign of rain.

Yes,you guessed it right. We are completely dependent on ice-cream. But what good is that ice-cream which is not served pretty.

Aww...drool drool. Love the ceramic cup and that sweet touch of a strawberry & a cookie to go with.

What wouldn't I do to lay my hands on this potent chocolate & strawberry ice-cream dessert. The rafia makes its so special. And don't miss that divine peachy pistachio scoops & ahh..cubes. The lovely blue cups, the wooden spoons all tied up look so cute with the white & pale green of the icecream. Art!

Show me a child who doesn't love ice cream. My one year old can finish off this pink-licious ice-cream sandwich in minutes.  "Poon-poon" she tells me when we take out a tub of ice-cream (yes we don't talk below tubs in our home). Not to be left out she gets her own "poon" to dig in. I love topping it up with chocolate chips & silver balls and she licks it all clean!

Do I need to add that all this ice-cream makes us a very very happy family!

Images : teacup,chocolate & strawberries, peach & pistachio, icecream sandwich,spoons & happy family

Teacupcakes!

What is this? A cake or a cupcake or a cupcake in a teacup? (Say that fast, will you?) Teacupcakes!!! Yes this is what it is! Aren't they so adorable? I just couldn't resist posting these here. I know many of you lovely readers are crazy tea-lovers too! Enjoy!

Image: here

In my mother's kitchen

Last weekend I picked up this book called “In My Mother's Kitchen" and i finished it in one go. I just loved it. It’s a collection of essays, poems and recipes from loads of food writers and chefs. It’s a book where they talk about Family, Love and Cooking...need I say more...of course I had to love it!!!

It’s beautiful the way the writers explore their relationship with their mothers (in some cases with their grandmothers, aunts and children), kitchen being the common theme.

It reminded me so much of the beautiful moments I spent with my mom, in her kitchen...troubling her time and again with “Is dinner ready?”…chopping up stuff for her while she cooked absolutely divine stuff for us...waiting eagerly for weekends when she would make special brunches for all of us...spending hours looking at her cake books with dreamy eyes…but the memory that stands out the most, is of me waiting for her to put the cake batter in the oven and she handing me over the pan in which she had whisked the batter...I would lick it clean with my fingers ;) Till today I do this...yes with my fingers…there...I have admitted it here in front of everyone!!

I think spending time with her in the kitchen and seeing her make all those yummy goodies...that’s where began my love affair with food...I remember those days just after passing out of the B-School, I had just started living alone in Bangalore and I would often call up mom to ask her for instructions for making even rice and dal ;) Now years later I still depend on her for so many things and what feels wonderful is that at times she calls me asking me for my recipes ;) Today, we cook very differently but still love each others creations and even till this date whenever she cooks any of my favorite things she makes it a point to send me the same before she leaves for work...one of the pleasures of having mom living very close by ;)

I am really really hoping that someday my little daughter and I share the same wonderful relation...and together we bake lots of cakes and cookies, simmer lots of stews and make lots of casseroles...

p.s. Just look at the cutie pie on the cover...;) Must read for people who can't think beyond feeding their loved ones...

Celebrations = Decor + Food + Family ;)

Yes,celebrations for me are simply three things, Doing up my home, Cooking everything from scratch for the people i love and Spending lots of lovely moments with them. Diwali was just that. And this time around it was just oh-so-special as it was our daughter's first diwali ;)

I had loads of fun lighting up each little nook and corner of my home, putting numerous fairy lights all around and getting the entire stock of the flower-wala inside our home! Of course,the preparations started much before that, with me deciding to make the entire tableware with the help of my two little paws and my potter's wheel ! Yes, yes i know you think i am mad, my sister thinks the same...but well i am a little crazy when it comes to doing stuff for my home...

Since Diwali came a little too early this year and its still so very hot at Delhi...i decided not to use any orange, pink or gold...i felt just too hot looking at these bright colors...the theme had to be cream and white...that would go perfectly with the deep brown and cream handcrafted studio pottery i had made especially for the big day...Have put together some snaps for all of you...i hope you enjoy looking at them as much i enjoyed putting it all together!!

Tealight holders: Cylinders made on the wheel and later cut by hand & brushed with tenmoku.Tilted bowl wheel thrown, outside tenmoku and inside a crystalline glaze.

Deep brown bottle-flower vase : Wheel thrown and later flattened. And Another handcrafted tall tealight holder...The tall cream mug like thing that you see is actually a 1.5 litre huge beer mug my husband picked from Germany...i thought it went with the cream and brown theme...he ofcourse was very disturbed seeing flowers in it instead of beer ;)

Rectangular plates made by using a hump mould and glazed crystalline. The bowl in the background was wheel thrown and glazed using Bryanston. And thats a little coaster that you can see behind the glasses...these were made by the slab method.

Finally the entire tablescape : Dinner plates again wheel thrown.Can you see the platter i showed you earlier here ? ;) Everything was wood fired at 1280 degrees.

How can i miss the food...huh!!!

I hope each one of you had a lovely Diwali...lots and lots of good wishes for the rest of the year !! More pics later ;)

Images : All from our album

I have been baking !!

I have been busy-busy baking cakes...which just means the yummy second half of the year which for me is NOT July to December BUT October to March, has just started ;) loads of festivals, lots of birthdays and anniversaries, new years' of course... Enjoy !!!

Chocolate creme caramel cake

Blueberry cheesecake & Strawberry cheesecake

Images : My own

Mommy !!! I want this for lunch

I want to know if this isn't art then what is?

These super super super cute sandwiches have been created by the team of FunkyLunch.

“Funky Lunch was born out of the desire to turn an ordinary lunchtime sandwich into something a bit different to encourage children to try and eat a varied and healthy lunch.” And they are also going to be coming out with a book carrying tons and tons of creative ideas to show us how to create these little treasures.

I am not sure if I would be able to eat this piece of art, I would want to open my lunchbox again and again to take a peek !! Imagine a tea party with these, who said these are only for kids, huh!!

All images from their website

Seven must watch films for any food lover

Anyone who knows me well, will tell you that I love to cook and FEED my family and friends. Cooking for me is a form of art and I like to pour all my love and creativity into it for people who mean the world to me. Lots of my lovely memories are to do with food and I am addicted to celebrating all our special moments with food.

I was at Bangalore last week and bought this magazine called Food Lovers and read an awesome article by Kaveri Ponnapa called “Feasting and Fasting on Film”. I just had to put this up here. "The seven movies mentioned below are a must watch", she says. I have seen some and have intentions of catching the rest very very soon. Enjoy!