While writing Oops, My Heart Did a Somersault, I kept returning to how easily a stable life can be unsettled by one genuine connection. The characters don’t go looking for love. It finds them in the middle of routines they thought were enough

Before we begin, a quick note. If you enjoy foodie romcoms filled with love, longing & delicious chaos, you may like my novel Oops My Heart Did a Somersault here https://www.authoravirupabasu.com/ Writer’s block hit me hard this morning . I had to finish an article, but my head was blocked. The words didn't flow. My eyes hurt badly from the blue rays coming off my laptop, and I was hungry as I had skipped breakfast. Initially, I thought I would opt for eggs but I decided I

I love making homemade chocolates. They're easy to make, and they taste so good! I've been doing this for years, and adding different flavors to your basic chocolate recipe is a great way to keep things interesting. But sometimes, it's nice to have one type of chocolate chip cookie or candy bar on hand for when friends come over or when family get-togethers occur. Hence, there's plenty left over if anyone else wants some later down the line (hint: they will)

My boyfriend had demanded to eat risotto for dinner, and I was super frustrated. I have always been a quick cook, and I was pretty angry that risotto demanded such rapt attention. Add broth. Stir. Add broth again. Stir. My impatience ruined it. The rice was overcooked and greasy. And my boyfriend had to order in from Zomato, as I lay on the sofa wailing. That experience of a nightmare made me stubborn. I had to prove that I could whip up a perfect risotto by myself

I made a plan to cook apricot chicken for my pals as a surprise during the summer. But as dinnertime drew near, I realized I'd neglected to pick up apricot preserves. In a fit of panic, I decided to use a jar of apricot jam as a stand-in. I anxiously made the dish, unsure if it would turn out. To my astonishment, the impromptu apricot jam's sweet and sour flavors harmoniously matched the delicate chicken. The joy on my friends' faces was contagious, and the evening became a t

This week, I decided to turn to my maternal grandmother's recipe diary for inspiration. I have never liked fish, except when it was her maacher jhol, aka fish curry. In our family, this dish represented togetherness, tradition, and love. Everyone would congregate in the kitchen every Sunday for a family dinner as the enticing aroma of this fish curry filled the house. I think this is precisely why I love food. It brings us together. It brings us closer together. And it lea