Suvir Saran

And what would you suggest I use Fat Guy?

Sad but true for most Indian restaurants. Soups are generally not the winning item on Indian menus in the west. Chefs and owners have not planned for the necessary mis en place and requirements for soup service. Most often you get soups that have been made using whatever is in the refrigerator and would give as close to authentic flavoring as is required to render a soup. It is shame but after speaking with many chefs, I have realized it is pretty much the norm.

Would you mind explaining what you did not like about the Nan at Mughal? I hope I am not troubling you with this question. I am impressed that you paid such careful attention to your meal. And further impressed by your wonderful and generous post about it. Sincere thanks!

Good to know. I was getting a little worried that you were endorsing Nestle.

I was there a while back. The food was not very good. And it came out cold for the most part. The chef sent desserts made by a dessert chef that worked for the restaurant owner. We got a tasting of stuff they did not have on the menu, it was most amazing. But what good would it do for the restaurant? I am glad that your experience was better than mine. I will make a trip there one of these weekends in the fall.

I guess I can still use the recipe and just not use Nestle chips.

I try not to give my personal business to Nestle. Are there any other recipes or tips??

Our posts crossed paths. Nevermind. Thanks!

That simple, eh? You use Tollhouse cookie stuff? Really? Is it like "Duncan Hines"? Amazing stuff I learn daily at eGullet.

What should one from another culture (like me) know about Blondies? As a kid, I grew up eating desserts from many different countries. I was familiar with several westedn desserts long before moving to the US. Blondies never made it to my world in India. I am ready to learn all there is to know about them. What should I know? Is there a near perfect recipe for them? WHen does one eat them? Any Blondie lore?

Thanks for clarifying that. I was not sure if I was to read that as being tad too salty. I will try out that recipe. I have the book and have never used it yet. Perfect opportunity.

I read the thread thinking I would add something, but my experiences would pale and find no sense of place here. Thanks for sharing that great story. Now only if our TV Networks would find the courag to showcase such worthy incidents. But no.. they would rather spend millions promoting garbage for the most part. eGullet is precious for we are able to hear such wonderful real incidents. Thanks for taking time to share your daughter and your experience.

That was a great tip Heyjude! I read it and thought to myself how we would all have to agree it is a perfect tip.. and yet few cookbooks and even chefs have mentioned it before. Thanks! eGullet never stops amazing me.

Was that salty part really meant to be a compliment or are we to read between the lines??

and me too!

I ate Potato Salad for dinner Sunday night and ate no less than 2 pounds of it for lunch yesterday (Monday) with some heirloom tomatoes and cornbread. Heaven!

I've always known this as Mujaddarah. Where (geographically) does 'Im Jaddara' come from? I believe it is the same thing.. slight variation. It is from Lebanon. How do you prepare the one you know?

Innovation, this is a thread under General and is discussing almost the same stuff.

To me a good craftsman is an artist and a good artist must be a good craftsman. Either name is fine. A good one of either is certainly the other. It is that little extra that would separate them from the rest in their art or craft. There is nothing wrong with achieving excellence. IN fact that is the only way one should live or want to live. And being consistent and excellent is certainly a triumph. I would celebrate that even before I would celebrate mere hollow innovation. I think we agree more than we may know or think. I am with you and your thoughts. We are saying the same thing. But in our unique voices.

And yet.. I am now a criminal for I am using Jiffy Mix and making corn bread that avowed and respected foodies are being fooled by and charmed by. One called this morning to ask for the recipe. And I am embarassed... not sure what to say.... I have changed quite a few things with Grandma Hayes corn bread... but still.. the base is Jiffy Mix. I guess I am still a slave of pre-packaged stuff in some ways...

I am not sure I have his cookbook.. I think I do. I think I even remember the cover... I hope I did not gift it away... If I cannot find it, I will go buy a copy. I love pots de creme. I make one that I will share in my own cookbook. I made it first as a young teen. Always had a soft spot for pots de creme.

Do contact me when coming to NYC... We can plan something so that you can break bread with me.

Suvir - please don't take offense at this. It is about all those "in power" whether in the kitchen or not. "Power especially proves itself to itself by the singular abuse of itself which consists in crowning some absurdity with the laurels of success...... " Balzac. Power over ones actions is most important. Power over the actions of others is not. One without power or control over what they do, may never be able to share much meaningful stuff with anyone. For they are most often a mess. And yet I am amazed at the beautiful Balzac quote you share. It is beautiful and POWERFUL and will remain with me for a long time. Thanks for sharing it. And yes, we have to many stories of success in this world that have little merit but were brought to that mantle by their association with power or some sort.

I was a singer and I performed on stage, on the radio and television in India as a young teen. I also competed in inter-school and inter-state music and recitation competitions. I also gave my Visharad exam (Classical Indian Music equivalent of a Bachelors degree in Music) and began my Alankar (masters), and through all of this I realized that I had to first learn music and understand it for myself. If I could not do that basic, I would never be able to make any worthy impact as a singer in my own right. When I sang in public settings, when I competed or when I was graded, I always sang as best as I could, to make my own sensibilities proud and also to feel I had done my art proud. I would sing imagining that maybe the singers that I admired would be listening to me and I always thought of what they would think of how I respected this art we each practiced. I sang from my soul, I sang to please my soul and I sang for I wanted to excel in the art I loved as much as I loved my live and my involvement in all things artistic and wonderful. I was lucky to win many accolades, I was lucky to have been found and at times given my few minutes of fame. But above all, I slept happily and sang happily for I did it with complete devotion to my art. If I was only interested in giving the audience what they wanted to hear, the examiners what they wanted to judge my talent by and myself a temporary high, I would not have given my art several hours daily and a dozen very young years. Whist my peer went to dance parties, discos and night-clubs, I would be in my room reading books on the history of music, chatting with my grandmother (a great singer herself) about the experiences she had had... and practicing my art for the sake of making myself better. It was not done for an audience. The audience just happened to be there. Of course, when I was being paid to perform a certain piece, I would deliver what was expected. But it was also up to me to make it even better than what the party paying expected. It could not be different, it could not be a mere joke in the name of innovation, it had to be an evolutionary step in the direction that would least affect people in the wrong way, but could haunt them as a slight change that ultimately was pleasing. My examiner for the Visharad exam gave me a 94% score. It made most of my fellow students hate me instantly. What made it worse was that I was least interested in the score. He told my mother who was waiting (she was somewhat nervous for all other students, including my sister who was giving the same exam had already come out) to pick me up that he had never met a young singer who was so carefree and without any fear. He told my mother that with my eyes closed and in love with my art, I gave the three examiners every answer they expected of a student and without ever having to ask me for them. Since the exam is planned without a time limit, in my first piece, I sang for an hour and 20 minutes, over an hour more than all other students. And h said in that one piece, I gave them a sampling of all the techniques they were looking for. The next few pieces they asked for me to sing he said were for their selfish pleasure. I feel I was lucky that I was examined and graded by a threesome that was very generous. Also I was lucky that they were not looking at a clock. I was wrong to have sung that long.. But with my eyes closed.. and lost in time and art, I had forgotten everything else. I had forgotten that the show was theirs to control and yet I gave them a show that impressed them for it was deeper than a mere exam. I have dined in restaurants where chefs that want to share with me their new dalliances will add course after course to what I have ordered simply to share with me their proud new innovations. But in doing so, they gave me what I came looking for and then added so much more to my experience. If they had only given me what they thought I eat, and if it did not meet my liking, I would have much greater trouble in forgiving them. But a clever chef will do what I describe and make converts out of his diners. A much smarter thing to do. My point is that it is not egotistical to spend time by oneself in the furthering of ones art. And it only becomes so much more poignant when that art is one that others indulge in and find happiness in. We owe it to ourselves and those that rely on us for inspiration to spend time with our art, our thoughts and our talent to first make them find a home in our minds, then a design that works in the structure of our own home (mind and taste in this case) and finally share them with those that can partake in our offerings.

I was not even suggesting that the artist has to please themselves or their patron. I was referring to an artist knowing themselves and the power vested in their art and their ability to influence themselves and others by it.