Suvir Saran

Saunf= Fennel White Khus-Khus = White Poppy Seeds And Degustation, your recipe for Chai is what I would make. And I would use Assamese over Darjeeling for it has stronger flavor and works better with spices. But personally I love Darjeeling leaves the most.

Thanks Jason! What language are we talking here? I know very little about Greek food. Even though I have lived in a Greek household in Astoria for almost two months. Shame on me!

Thanks a caped chef! It is members like yourself and everyone above and around the site that one can enjoy cooking and posting around here. Now I have soooo many options and only a pound of berries. I will have to go buy more and try out several recipes through the weekend.

GordonCooks, Thanks for your response. Do you have recipes for the two above? They sound great. I may end up buying more berries so as to try all these recipes. The trifle was just a simple layering of pound cake (brushed with lemon curd), english custard, fresh blueberries ( the kicker was simmering the half the berries in water, sugar, Grand Marnier, a shot of fresh oj into a syrup) I would make a layer of custard and drizzle in the syrup and give a few circular strokes as to "marble" the mixture. These were done single serving in big martini glasses and topped with whipped cream. The Upside down cake was a direct and blatant verbatim rip-off of the Pineapple Polenta upside down cake in my Trotter Cookbook ( I think Kitchen sessions, but it could be the First one - I'm pretty sure it wasn't out of the "Dessert" book.) I thought by adding blueberries, I would appease my guilt- but low and behold, I can't even look at myself in the mirror anymore. Thanks for the references. Much appreciated!

Chefette, Could you share with this East Indian the recipe for the classic All American Blueberry Pie? I would love to learn. Thanks!

Thanks APPS!

Jaybee I was happy even though I have never tasted what you have... I sent APPS a PM saying so. What a wonderful thing to have happen... I was very touched. I would love this recipe you speak about... It too sounds wonderful. Maybe you can post it on a thread of its own maybe? You must be a soul mate of mine when it comes to desserts. You love Tarte Tatin as much as I .. and your sensibilities towards desserts seem familiar... and now we have APPS who seems magical in her timing. I feel lucky you both posted here. Thanks! APPS, when you have a chance can you tell me how long to bake the crumble for? And also what biscuit recipe should I use. Thanks!

APPS411, How do you cover the berries with the biscuit? How long do you bake it for? At what temperature? Sorry for all these questions. Suvir PS: Any good biscuit recipe??

That sounds amazing Jaybee. Will do some detective work. Will call a friend at Food and WIne and see if they know how one could get that recipe. Will share with you any success I have.

Thanks APPS411. Will make the crumble and report back to you. How much tapioca should I use with a pound of berries?

Lesley, Interesting that you suggest that. I made last week the following pie. It seems close to what you suggest. I was in the mood to try something I have never made before. BLUEBERRY-LEMON PIE Lemons are one of my favorite ingredients. I can never have enough of them. In this recipe, I use lemon curd to make a pie that is at once easy and delicious. While lemon curd is not as popular in the US, it is quite enjoyed in the UK and even India. Blueberries add a nice sweetness and color to the tart pie. Once I served it to a French friend that is very fastidious about what he eats, he was wanting to hate this pie served in a bowl, but after having finished his serving, he asked for more. It is this addictive quality of this tart that makes it a winner in my repertoire. CRUST 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into 8 pieces 2 cups of crushed Nila wafers FILLING 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 1 1/2 cups lemon curd (recipe page 000) TOPPING 3/4 cup fresh blueberries 1/4 cup sugar juice of one lemon Confectioners sugar for garnish 1. In the cuisinart blend the butter and wafer crumbs into a mixed mass. Press this firmly into a buttered 9-inch pie dish. Wrap with plastic and place in the freezer for 45 minutes. 2. In a large bowl whisk the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the lemon curd into the cream. Spoon this into the pie crust and chill overnight. 3. A couple of hours before serving, toss the fruit with the sugar and lemon and macerate in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. 4. When ready to serve, top the pie with the berries and dust with confectioners sugar if desired.

GordonCooks, Thanks for your response. Do you have recipes for the two above? They sound great. I may end up buying more berries so as to try all these recipes.

APPS411, Thanks for the recipe. It sounds wonderful. What kind of a baking pan do you use? I do not have tapioca at home? What I have are large pearls. And the berries are plump and big... suggestions?? Thanks again.

Would love to see that recipe Caped chef... thanks for posting it.

I wanted to make a dessert Any ideas? You will soon realize I live for desserts.... Any simple easy winning dessert recipe with blueberries?

And we are learning as you have fun. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks caped chef!

I made over 2 dozen blueberry muffins last night. Still have a pound or just a little more still left. What can I make with them? Something simple but special. Any ideas???

Sorry for troubling you for the recipe. I am sorry.. I hope your back recovers speedily and for the best. Thank you for taking time to share the recipe. My apologies for troubling you... I wish I had known. Many thanks again!

Wow! You enjoyed frog's legs as a 10 year old? Very impressive. Your parents must have exposed you to a lot of different things when you were young. How great! Thanks for sharing each of your favorite meals. They each sound amazing. What else did you eat as a 10 year old? Maybe that could be another thread.

Thanks caped chef and Jason. Wilfrid.. how is the soup different from the sauce? Or is it different? Maybe Jason or caped chef would know.

I just remembered a papa recipe I would make as a 9 or 10 year old. It was delicious. I learned it from a family friend. She passed away after a long battle with cancer at the age of 39 or 40. Her son and I were best friends. Our parents were very close and old friends as well. Sarla Aunty, as I would call her, was Anglo-Indian if I remember correctly. Her son was Golu, my great pal. They were neighbors of ours. In that they lived very close to our home. Our fathers had been in high-school together. Our mothers took singing lessons together. And Golu and I were in the same class. When Aunty was diagnosed with Cancer, I saw myself spending a lot of time in their home. They were vegetarian and marwaris and mewari by birth. This meant that they had great Rajasthani roots. Most of the food they cooked were redolent of that areas history and culture. There was always a very austere look to the dishes but everything was served in High style. While the food may have been simple for it was created by people with limited resources in terms of produce, it was served and eaten in great style and setting. Rajasthan is mostly a dessert state. While today one can find all kinds of things available easily, in the days of past, people had developed a rich cuisine using the locally available ingredients. It was amazing even though limited by options. Papad are most famous from a city called Bikaner in Rajasthan. At Sarla Aunties, I would get papad unlike I have ever eaten. They were sent fresh from Bikaner. Made in some relatives home. These were large 10 or 12 inch diameter papad. The chef would roast them on the flame and then cut them in half. Each half would be then topped with a very small amount of onion, tomato and lemon juice salad. The salad was spread evenly around each half. Then the chef would make a Tarka (tempered oil) of ghee with heeng (asafetida) and red chile powder. These became my favorite snack as I gave company to Golu who was young like me and grieving his mothers poor health. These papads made the evenings somewhat more fun even as we were keenly aware of seeing her go from being one of the most beautiful and energetic people into slowly getting consumed by what would finally take her away in that beautiful form into another that would be austere in some ways as the foods of the old Rajasthan. But she left all her family and friends with great memories. In fact the papads are only a very small memory I have of her. She had grander and more important things she has affected in my life. But yes, thinking of papad, it would be a shame if I did not remember that wonderful and simple yet very exciting snack she brought into my world. I feel blessed to have known her everytime I think of her and these papad. I also think of her many other times... May she be in peace. May each of you enjoy this simple recipe. Note: For the onion-tomato and Lemon juice salad, just chop the onions and tomatoes as finely as y ou can. Add some very finely chopped cilantro leaves and green chile to it. Toss with lemon juice and maybe even some freshly ground black peppercorn. Do not use any salt or it will make the salad watery. You can sprinkle some salt at the very end over the papad and salad that have been finished with the tempered oil.

I love samboussek and Al Bustan is a great place. And indeed they do use a lot of lemon. But it works for me since I ask for harissa and it cuts some of the salt and heat in that.

A caped chef, Do you mind sharing it with us here? Did you get this recipe from a friend? Did you come up with it yourself?

Research gal, On the thread on Mezze, you mention this sauce as being served with grape leaves. What is it? How do you make it? Or can one buy it bottled?