September 17, 2006

FIVE THINGS TO EAT BEFORE I DIE! Tagged!!

I am tagged for "Five things to eat before I die!!" MEME by Shilpa!! Thank you!! :))

Hey Now!! Is it time for me to write on my tomb stone already! I am not THAT old??!! What do I want to eat before I die?! Is food that important? NAH!! Thinking about what I want to do & see before I die, now that is something!! I want to live to see both my kids do what they can do best. I want to see them grow up to be honest citizens of good old USA , in return for what this country gave us; dignity,respect,Champagne and Caviar instead of just bread and butter! I want to see Arvind grow old with me still thinking that I am a 17 yr.old girl( when we first met!)Sometimes he does and treats me like one too! Grr..:) Oh wait!! I want to see my grandchildren before I meet my maker and visit Manasa Sarovara ,Mount Kailash atleast once!! Is it too much to ask?? I hope not!!


Okay! Okay! I will shut up about it and write about food. Well! five things to eat before I die!! Hummmm...This would be hard for me to write because I am not really into idealising any food or anybody's food, believe it or not!! But I will to have come up with something. So here I go....

1. I will start with my fav.city in my beautiful beloved land of India, Belgaum. A city where I went to college and where I met Arvind. I have very pleasant memory of that place, where I could walk around without any fear of eveteasers, catcalls,whistles for the first time in my life! Where I spent four years of knowing Arvind, going to the movies, taking a walk and enjoying life carefree!! Ah food! yes!! There was a Shanbhag Bakery in the town center. Every time we pass it, you could smell the delicious aroma of snacks and sweets! I would like to eat their Sauteed Urad dal-fennel seeds stuffed big golden Kachoris again before I die and Bhel Puri,Masala puri,Pav bhaji from a cart which would appear at 6pm and disappear at 11pm around the same place!!

2. Bangalore!! Garden city of India!! Where I continued college with Law only to drop out to get married!!We used to go to this Garden Restaurant, I think MONSOON I am not sure, to eat this HUGE Bhatura With Chole brought to us balanced on waiter's hands over his head so not to collide with others, to be served in the garden outside!! Dear Bhatura (10" in diameter) with a little bowl of delectable chole, I would like to come back to you!!and Mutton cutlets in India Coffee House, Nilgiri's Russian Bread, MTR's Rava dosa-chutney and Paratha-Kurma in Commercial Street!!Mmmm...

3. OOTY !! My honeymoon city!! Udagamandalam in Tamilnadu!! We were married very young,just out of college and Medical school for Arvind,didn't have loads of money, just enough money parents provided but very much enjoyed Ooty. Beautiful scenary and even more delectable down home food!! WOW!! Tamilian food one day and Gujarati Thali the next, after all that boating on the lake! yummo!! Yes, I would like go there with my kids!!

4. We lived in England for 5 years for Arvind's Residency. Vacationed in 5 European countries in 5 yrs before we came to USA. SWITZERLAND !! One country I would like to remember not for food but for the memories. We visited the Matterhorn, Switzerland's tallest peak surrounded by Schilthorn Piz Gloria where a spectacular 360 degree view of 200 snow capped peaks surrounds you and the worlds first revolving restaurant at an altitude of nearly 3000 metres(where James Bond Movie with Roger Moore was filmed ). We had a cup of coffee and a dessert. I wouldn't mind another cuppa there!! and a coffee again at Bleu Lake, a breathtaking beauty of emerald colored lake where I saw GOD in all his glory!! :D :D

5. Back home to my land of the brave, US of A!! Since we came to US about 12 yrs ago, we have vacationed in about 22 states! Most memorable of all places is New Orleans, Louisiana!! Land of Jazz ( Arvind's heaven!) and our favorite Chicory blend coffee and sugared sweet Beignets! from where else but CAFE DU MONDE!! :) We went there twice driving thousands of miles,once before and second time after Katrina, on the way to San Antonio, TX. Heartbroken and sad , second time :( but still that city is unforgettable. Humid, rainy , Jambalaya,coffee and Bignets,old cobblestoned roads, music, Po' boy, Mufullettas ,River and Riverboats!! We will be there again before I die just for coffee and Beignets!! :D :D

Well!! That's about it and wasn't that hard at all!! I would be happy to die after I eat all these goodies again and again and again.....zzzzzz

Now I Tag: Menu Today, sra , Manasi, Deepa cooks, Prema,and Latha!! Write up if you like please, thanks!! Good luck, ladies!! :)

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thats a very touching list. BTW..the first bit of intro about me....I am really floating in air after reading it. I am taking it as a compliment :). Do not think I cook so many things daily, it is just that I update the post daily. the number of posts are the side effects of career break :D.

Hey...hope you know you have to send the list to Traveler's lunchbox. She updates the list. Read about it here

FH said...

Absolutely and positively a HUGE compliment to you from me!! I admire your energy and enthusiasm you put into your every post in detail !! :)

Career break??!! Good luck and congratulations!!

I will send it, I didn't know that, thanks!!

Latha said...

Hey Asha,

Nice to read your very interesting Meme! You seem so full of energy yourself! Nice to know a little about you from your post! And you're right, you do seem like my kinda girl :-)
And what a coincidence! I just posted a blog on Rava Dosa. Cannot guarantee it will taste as delicious as the MTR one but all the same, you are most welcome to my home to devour some crispy Rava Dosas!
Cheers
Latha

FH said...

Thanks Latha, I tag you if you are not already for this! Looove your rava dosa!! :)

Anonymous said...

phew.. u really have travelled. wonderful post.

FH said...

Thanks for making time to read it, Shaheen! Yes! life takes you afar and you just follow!! I am just humbled and thankful for the opportunities!! :)

Anonymous said...

hey asha..
all that memories of ur's took me away to my past...i am visiting ur blog for the first time and u got a wonderful blog out here...

Keshi said...

well tnxxx for that sweety now I know what's to be eaten b4 I die :):)

South Indian food is just YUMMY!

Keshi.

sra said...

thanks, asha. may i link to your site?

FH said...

Hi sra! Thanks for visiting and Yes! you may link my site! :)

Welcome to my blog, Maneka! Thanks and tell us abt your memories in your blog. It's always interesting to know abt others and visit me often!! :)


Hey Keshi! get your own list, girlie!! :D :D
Seriously, south Indian food really rocks! Thanks for visiting!!

Vaishali said...

You are a globe-trotter, aren't you, Asha?
Also, you were lucky to have had a honeymoon, although on a tight budget. We didn't have any. :( :( :(

Anonymous said...

Hello,
I tried your recipe for sago fritters and just wanted to let you know that they turned out great. I've made sabudana wada earlier with boiled aloo, but this one was real quick. Just a quick note, I had to soak it for 6hrs, maybe you used smaller variety of sago?
You have cool blog, next I'm going to try your masala baingan.

Thank You
Shelly

FH said...

I am sorry to hear abt no honeymoon, Vaishali :( But it's never too late, although not the same!! Get your son to stay with grandparents and off you go with loads of cash !! :) Hope you do!!

FH said...

Hey Shelly, I am so glad to hear that you have tried and trying some of my recipes. Always good to read the feedback!! Thank you and come again!!

Yes, I do have smaller sago which I bought from American grocery store..Hope I didn't delay your cooking by not mentioning it up there...

Anonymous said...

Asha,
thanks for clearing the doubt so quickly WOW!
I was planning to make it along with lunch, but I ended up making it in the evening, but it all turned out great because some friends dropped in and everyone enjoyed the snacks with a cuppa tea. As they say Everytning Happens for the Best! (maybe it is the discourse I attended yesterday speaking ;-) ) LOL

Will definitely keep you posted on other recipes I try.
Cheers
Shelly

Anonymous said...

Lucky lucky lucky you!! Thanks for sharing a little bit about yourself.

Deepa

Meena Kandlakuti said...

Asha,

your food meme is good and happy to know little more about you.Asha I have seen your mail too, regarding pumpkin (meetha's event).To be frank I did not make any thing using pumpkin till now..mat be i will enjoy watching different recipes about this in meetha's blog this time and may do some thing using it.Thanks and sorry for not participating.

FH said...

(I check my mail often!!) That discourse is very goooood for you , Shelly! :)
This little boy 'Eddie' up there in the comments, needs some!! :D :D

Thanks for reading it Deepa!! I do appreciate it!!

I know it's short notice, Meena! But do check the round up! I like round ups too! :)

Yo Eddie! you and I don't have anything in common to talk about buddy! Have a nice day! :)

Anonymous said...

Asha,
Very interesting MEME. I enjoyed very much reading it. So many different food from all around the world...Belgum to oooty to Switserland to New orleans......Great !
Thanks for the link for Mango and Apple dessert..I wish I can get some nice mangoes here, but have apples at home will try spicing it up......Thanks for the recipes Asha.

FH said...

Hi Madhu, looks like you had a busy weekend! Thanks, yeah!!I got to go around the world!!:)
Glad you got my dessert recipes, your kid might like it!!
I want to make your spinach sambar with mudde, could you post sambar pd recipe next time, not the how to of sambar but just the powder if you can? Thanks!!

Anonymous said...

Could you please post the recipe for badnekAi ENgAi, the way only lingAyats can make it? Been looking for it everywhere and have something close, but not there yet. Hope you don't mind.

-Sushma

Tree said...

I really enjoy your blog and have two recipes I will be trying soon. I so enjoyed reading this post! You've been to some interesting places!

Nabeela said...

I loved reading your meme Asha. It reminded me of my bachelor days in India

Prema Sundar said...

Hi Asha,
I have always enjoyed the way you write.. nice to know that u went to ooty for honeymoon. very beautiful place.Thanks for tagging me ..

Menu Today said...

Hi Asha,
Very Interesting Meme.
I will try to post mine in few days.Thanks

Unknown said...

Wow- you urself seem like a girl with so much energy. I love your enthusiasm and verve...Nice ride you took us on- from Belgaum to US-good fun..
I have to update so many blogs on my blog roll, been a bit lazy to get into the template mode...will surely include your fun blog in my next round of updating
Cheers

Anonymous said...

Wow,very interesting going thru' your Travelogue with a wide range of mouthwatering food ...Asha,for the whole duration ,I almost forgot that,it's a Meme post.Had a nice time reading..:)

FH said...

Thanks Lera! Glad you forgot where you were when reading it?? :))After we had kids we travel only inside US. It's hard to drag'em, they whine most of the time unless we are Universal Studios, Orlando:)

Nandita, Glad you enjoyed my MEME! I have you in my blogroll longtime ago, somehow blogspot not showing or loading any pictures!!I think they want us all to switch to Google or something!! Thanks:)

FH said...

Thanks Tree! Glad you enjoyed my adventures! It was fun while it lasted!! If you have any q's abt recipes,feel free to ask and I enjoy feedbacks too!!

Thanks MT! hope your blog got fixed by now, I know it's frustrating when you can't post or download something!!

Thanks Nabeela! Those were the days, weren't they??!! It's too late now Girl :)) But it's different and wiser life as we get older !! Just have to make the best of the rest now!! :D :D

FH said...

Prema! looks like you have been to Ooty too!! Or may be you are from there!! I love the Botanical Garden they have there. Some other honeymooners(not us!) were making videos of themselves dancing and acting lovey dovey just like the movies!! It was hilarious :D :D We even had to video them for a while bcos they asked us:)))

Sushma! Girl, did you send me telapathy or something!! I DO HAVE plantation(lingayat)Ennegayi in my draft right now and will post next week, if can hold on until then!! :))) Shilpa has Konkani Engayi, so I thought I will post my aunt's recipe from the coffee estates with akki rottis!! Check back! Post your's when you make it so we can enjoy your enngayi!! More the better ! Thanks!!

Anonymous said...

Hey Asha.... looks like I don't have anything to eat before I die--- I mean I don't crave for any food like that-he he--thats why I was quite like a cat--so I may not play dear--hope I didn't hurt you:(

FH said...

Absolutely no problems, Priya B!!
When I got tagged I had no clue myself!! :D and then it just poured out! One more food tag, I am not doing it either! It's optional, don't worry abt it! :)))