A bit of musings and a lot of ramblings. In a pot

A bit of food mood here. And a willingness to share.

1.' You cook because you want to cook, the kitchen is optional'. Can't agree more, Mr. Bittman

2. There is no better way to cook than looking at as many well written traditional cookbooks as possible. From as many places as possible. The pictures and the history and the story makes you want to create.

I currently have 6 hardbound ones on my Amazon shopping cart. A couple of names here, ' The Italian farmer;s table, My Tuscan Kitchen, The Arab tale, Olives and oranges'. Recently bought, "Around my French Table'. Dorrie Greenspan knows how to cook and tell a tale.

3. There is no alternative to imagination and a fabulous pair of knives. Chicken should slice as easy as butter. With lesser mess

4. Almond paste. Raspberry and blueberry extracts. Use these and you have a wholly different baking extravaganza. Yes, even with the simplest white cake. No. Not marzipan.

5. If you don't like garlic and chocolate and Ramen. Please refrain from food.

6. Berry Food. A new dessert favorite.

wait...this is turning out to be all about desserts..

7. Whole chicken tastes best when defrosted in the refrigerator for 3 days.

8. There is something wonderful about one pot cooking. The aroma and the simplicity. Almost any recipes can be made into one pot wonders. A quickie is smoked paprika, hot paprika, chicken, tons of onion and a bit of garlic, salt and pepper. Slow cooked. All goes in together, my loves.

9. Talking of Paprika. Is there anything remotely lovelier than this spice. Smoked, hot, sweet, Spanish pimmenton (Spanish smoked paprika), from cyprus, from sicily. Each smells of the earth on which it grew.And I have spent money galore on having these at my disposal. Cooking just became poetry.

10. There is a world of difference between organic and conventional.

11. Milk is a good substitute for hot water. So is broth. But hot water works just as well

12. Hard Cheese, olives. breads and some smoked sardine. Okay throw in some Spanish or Sicilian Olive oil. Summer summer...where art thou? Right here honey..under the olive tree by the river.

I don't like the Greek version much. Oh, loves these are extra virgin extra delicate ones. Use olive oil, when cooking. And extra virgins for the love of it :)

13. Saffron and Pistachio reminds me of ice creams that I don't like. I steer away from them.

14. Talking of ice creams. Strawberry and chocolate are the only ones I will ever have. Yesterday, once more?

15. Of cheese and wine: Okay..first the cheese. A recent love. Smoked Gouda, Havarti, Brie are my favorites. Dislike cheddar and parmigiana. Goat with some herbs, olive oil, garlic and pepper corns are a thing of beauty and a joy forever

16. What about it? Wine. Red and dry. I like the Sicilian ones, Chianti and any cabernet Sauvignion. Whites are for cooking. Okay not Riesling. They say Riesling is from the mountains. Sure smells like those.And sweets are for ....

17. Bread:All kinds. All. All..and alll...my loves. All of them

18. I have to say I have a thing against butter tikka masala. The name of the dish? Both. I forget. It was created by the British. Fie Fie.

19. Bengali food is loverly. Kerala is God like. But the best is from the mountains of the north east. The smoke, the charring and the noodles. Scallion, garlic oil over boiled noodles. Darjeeling tea..and food at its rustic best

21. Mark Bittman, Rachel Ray and myself. We love the kitchen and we love to gab. And we love simplicity.

20. There is no job better than a food writer. Who travels. In spirit.

Happy eating ad healthy living.