"The secret ingredient is always cheese"

Cheese is one of the best things to have happened to mankind! It’s such an ingenious ingredient, what with all its various textures and flavours. So, my mom on her way back from the UK got me enough varieties of cheese to build up my own fancy cheese platter. Well, being the avid cheese enthusiast that I am, I was in a state of elated bliss!

I do like my cheese soft, crumbly and fresh. I can probably snack on bocconcini like popcorn without an ounce of guilt. HI FIVE to you if you think the same, we can definitely be friends! However among the hard varieties, cheddar and parmesan are my most favourite. I can add parmesan to anything that I eat, ANYTHING!

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Mango......Mangoing......Mangone!

Yes my friends, sadly the much loved mango season is almost at an end. But I've managed to figure out a way to make them stay longer...errmm...in my freezer, by turning them into popsicles! 

And if you're reading this you should do the same too! Because who in their right mind would say no to mangoes in any form? And also, since the Bombay heat almost makes you want to dive into ice cold water pretty much always, these will keep you cool during those few seconds you spend eating them. Yes, you're welcome!

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Everyone’s been raving about nutella based desserts for quite a while. A few months ago I chanced upon BuzzFeedFood's  nutella brownie video and it looked so easy there was no excuse to not make them. I don’t really have a sweet tooth for desserts, except brownies. The brownies at Theobroma are my go-to favourite!  The good thing about a brownie is that it’s so uncomplicated and effortless (to bake as well as eat) and it lends itself beautifully to so many variations.

This no frills recipe is perfect if you’re running low on time as it’s a cinch to make. And anyway why would you resist anything that has nutella in it? Duh! Another great thing about this recipe is that it doesn’t require any fancy equipment; just a good old whisk or spatula will serve the purpose.

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Our admiration for the Italian bread is an endless love affair. Well, it began during our internship days when we first tasted a piece (read mouthful) of this heavenly bread. 

Robert Browning was right when he quoted,

“If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens”

Although focaccia is not crusty and baguette-like, it is soft and ....Oh! So Delicious! The edges of the bread gets toasty and when cut open, has the most wonderful and bubbly crumb. Every time I visit a restaurant that has focaccia in its bread basket, I'm a happy girl! Soft and warm focaccia is one of the most enjoyable gourmet affairs for me, and good focaccia with fresh butter is amazing! So, full marks to places like Smoke House Deli and Salt Water Cafe for getting that right.

Anyway now, let's get down to business! Our last kitchen class this term was a 'Make Your Own Sandwich' which included making the bread from scratch. No prizes for guessing the bread we chose to bake. We decided to make a Barbecue Chicken Sandwich on Focaccia along with Red Pepper and Chilli Jam. I must confess that I'm always doubtful and impatient when it comes to bread baking because there's the whole proving...resting business. But, we thought this was a good chance to try our hands on making our favorite bread. 

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