Why The Potatoes Were Enough [Food Memories #14]

Ah, food memories. The best memories ever. And one involving potatoes!

I was so hungry today, and all I could think about was I need to put something in my belly before I lost my mind. I mean, I had skipped breakfast and had very little time to eat lunch ( well, professional meetings beckoned). I looked at the vegetable tray, and picked up a few potatoes. I fried them lightly with some salt and pepper, and started gobbling them straight off the plate once I laid a tissue paper to absorb all the oil from the pan.

Now that I think of it, there was nothing else to satiate my palate. Just a few humble potatoes. Nothing else on the plate could have passed for a complete meal. Just potatoes I had fried. A few of the pieces were crisp at the edges and a few were soft enough to break apart. I had not even seasoned them properly. Some of the fries felt saltier and the others felt more peppery.

Yet, I felt so happy after I had eaten. I noticed everything as I chew... the warmth, the texture and most importantly, how each mouthful surfeited my hunger. There was no variety in this simple lunch, but it didn’t feel lacking.

The potatoes were enough.

Enjoying Easy-Glazed Summer Strawberries [Food Memories #13]

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 needed to leave the house. I sighed, shut my laptop down, put on a pair of jeans that looked good with my night shirt, and left the house to buy some fruits.

Local vendors had already brought out their fresh produce in the market, two blocks away from my home. I was lucky that I was one of the early customers because fruits were always in high demand here. And justly so. Sunlight glinted off the orchard yield, and the air smelt of the sweet, earthy scent of spring. Among all the multiple colors and textures, one thing immediately caught my eye: strawberries.

There they were…looking like plump, glistening rubies. I knew I wanted them, and I would not settle for any other fruit that morning. They would be so good with cold milk!

The strawberries that helped me find my voice as a writer

I picked up around 30 of the juiciest and fattest strawberries, and as the sun felt warm on my face, I suddenly felt so happy. Despite my struggles this morning, I reminded myself that moments like these were the reason why I had started writing in the first place.

To Observe.

To Slow down.

To embrace delight in my life as a writer.

To eat strawberries mindfully.

So all you budding writers, take a moment. Let the little joys, like strawberries and sunshine, remind you that you are not behind. You are still noticing things, saving them in your memory, and they will come back to you at the right moment.

The combination of fruit, fresh air, and sunlight sparked a flow of creativity in me. I rushed back home, and sat down to write. I poured myself some milk as an accompaniment with the strawberries.

Within an hour, I had a rough draft of my article. It’s surprising how small changes in environment and habits can help break mental blocks.

So what should you do when you feel stuck?

• Take a short walk outside.

• Eat something fresh and energizing.

• Let your mind wander before forcing ideas.

I found these little actions surprisingly useful to get back to writing. I hope these help you too. See you next time in a new blog on Life as a Food Writer.

Why I adore No-Bake Chocolate [Food Memories #12]

For readers who adore foodie romcoms, my novel Oops My Heart Did a Somersault lives quietly nearby at https://www.authoravirupabasu.com/

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. That's why these no-bake jars are perfect for storing homemade treats--they're small enough that you won't have an excuse not to be able to eat them all at once but large enough. Hence, there's plenty left over if anyone else wants some later down the line (hint: they will).

Cook the sugar, water, and oil over medium heat until it reaches a boil.

To make caramel, add sugar, water, and oil. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Continue to stir continuously until it comes to a boil. When boiling, remove from heat immediately and add vanilla extract if desired (don't worry—it will be added back into your finished product later).

Add the chocolate chips and stir until melted.

If you have a double boiler, use it to melt the chocolate. If you don't have one, use a microwave (50% power). Or heat up some water in a pot on the stovetop until it's boiling. When your chocolate is melted, remove your bowl from heat and add butter; stir well to combine ingredients.

Stir in the extracts.

Now stir in the extracts. This is an excellent time to ensure you have everything on hand so that if something goes wrong (and it will), you don't have to run out of your favorite chocolate-covered candies with no way of getting more.

A few drops each: vanilla extract and almond extract are excellent choices for this recipe because they're both sweet and creamy; orange extract would work too! Cocoa powder adds another layer of flavor and texture and an extra kick of caffeine—but feel free to use more than just one tablespoon if desired!

Pour into jars; cover with lids and refrigerate for 1 hour to cool.

Pour the cooled melted chocolate into your jars; leave at least 1 inch of space at the top.

Put lids on and refrigerate for 1 hour to cool completely before removing from fridge.

Make these tasty treats in less than an hour!

● Step 1: Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add in the butter and cut into small pieces with a pastry cutter until it resembles pea-sized crumbs (or use two knives to break up the butter).

● Step 2: In another bowl, whisk together egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold them into the flour mixture, vanilla extract, and sugar until combined. Refrain from overmixing! The dough should still be lumpy but smooth enough to roll out on cookie sheets or other surfaces without sticking.

● You can also use nonstick cooking spray instead of oil (we used olive oil).

So what are you waiting for? It’s time to get started! Let me know how it went! Happy Chocolating :)