of travels and travails

recipe: Chocolate Mud Cake

2009-11-26T14:14:00.005+04:00

I wanted to make something special for the double celebration of my sister's anniversary and our brother-in-law's birthday. I found this recipe that I had saved in my Word files on my computer...for some reason I didn't write the source, and I just can't recall where I got it from. So, if you're the owner of this recipe, thank you so much.

** Edited to add: Ashwin dug up the source and here it is on Katja and Minna's blog Nestled In. **

I loved making it, it's really super simple, and it comes out really rich and dark, even though we don't get any chocolate labeled just "dark chocolate" as one does in the baking section in the US, just as one finds "semisweet" or "bittersweet" chocolates. Here, they are in cocoa percentages, so I selected a 72% dark chocolate for the cake and a 55% dark chocolate for the frosting. Next time, I think I will go for 60-65% for the cake.

Chocolate (mud) cake Recipe

Dough:
• 200 grams of butter
• 200 grams of dark chocolate
• 4 eggs
• 2 decilitres of sugar…200ml by volume
• 1.5 decilitres of wheat flour….150ml by volume
• 1 tea-spoon of baking powder
• 4 table-spoons of cacao powder (for baking)

Frosting:
• 150 grams of dark chocolate
• 1 decilitres of cream...100ml by volume
• 1 table-spoon of butter

1. Melt the butter in a pot and add chocolate. Mix until the chocolate has entirely melted.
2. Whip the eggs with sugar.
3. Mix the flour, the baking powder and the cacao powder.
4. Add the melted chocolate into the egg foam and mix carefully.
5. Strain the flour into the dough and mix (still, carefully).
6. Pour the dough into a cake tin (that is greased and dredged).
7. Bake about 45 minutes at 175° Celsius.

After the cake is ready, make the frosting.
1. Heat the cream in a pot (don’t let it boil!).
2. Add the butter and the dark chocolate.
3. Stir until the frosting is even.
4. Let the frosting cool for a while and then spread it on the cake.

And then dig in :-)

Pls don't call me

2009-11-25T18:27:00.000+04:00

Don't you just hate it when some calling list gets hold of your number and you start getting bombarded with calls? It drives me nuts, absolutely nuts. Since yesterday, I've been getting calls for everything from life insurance rates to time share sales to AC repair services, and I'm halfway to the point of just changing my number to stop it all. I know, I know, it shouldn't require such dire measures, I should just be able to ask them to take my number of the list etc etc, but it doesn't seem to work like that here. What list, there is no list, there is no way to be unlisted from their list and so on, and then there's the thing of talking to people who barely understand English and trying to decipher what they're actually saying...Oh well, I needed to rant a bit.....feeling better already!

At the Dubai World Championship

2009-11-23T16:34:00.001+04:00

We've had a busy weekend watching the Dubai World Championship golf tournament here in Dubai. We went to see them play two days...Day 1 and Day 3 (thursday and saturday) and it was a wonderful, wonderful event. We walked along with my home town golfer Jeev Milkha Singh on holes 17 and 18 and then followed Sergio Garcia and Robert Allenby on holes 14 and 15, before heading to Costa for a break and then heading back home. Other players we got to see up close were Lee Westwood, who eventually won the championship with a huge margin, Ernie Els, Ian Poulter, Henrick Stenson and many more.

Jeev Milkha Singh sizing up his 3rd shot on the 18th hole in Round 3...should have been his 2nd shot, but he duffed his tee shot to the rough on the left.

Spectators around the 13th green, a short par 4, as Sergio Garcia and Robert Allenby approached in Round 3.

Sergio Garcia getting ready to chip onto the green on the 13th green. Round 3

Spectators around the 13th green. This was on Day 1 of the tournament, so there were few crowds.

which dvd?

2009-11-22T16:45:00.004+04:00

Have you switched to bluray DVD's as yet? We haven't and quite frankly I'm quite sick of figuring out which the right direction to go is. I mean, one could invest in one of these players and later on realize that oh well, this technology is not going to be the one that is going to be around after all. The different brands are just making it too confusing for the average consumer, who is not all that interested in the technical details but just wants to watch a good movie at home. Simple as that!

and on it goes....

2009-11-17T17:40:00.000+04:00

As usual the debate continues on what the best way to lose weight is. The other day I was flipping channels and came across a discussion on the best weight loss supplements. Hmmm, information from first hand users I thought, let's see what they have to say! Well, it really wasn't that exciting or informative. Pretty much everyone seemed to have tried several different products and several had overlapped usage, so there really wasn't a definitive answer on what the best one was. Oh well, so that turned out to be a bit of a time-waster!

winter or spring? I'm confused!

2009-11-11T11:58:00.000+04:00

Sometimes it feels like we live in the Southern Hemisphere! As winter nears, it actually feels more like Spring. We have our windows open during the days, the curtains fluttering in the wind, the birds chirping happily outside. The light coming into the house has changed as well....here it is in this shot in the late afternoon...contrasting with the light of the lamp in the bedroom. I love the warmth of this rug...it's one of our few touches of winter in the midst of a spring like feel.

And we started our bbq season last weekend! Several of our neighbors dropped by the see what we were up to and many got ideas of doing some bbq-ing themselves! I didn't take any shots during the bbq...too busy cooking and eating actually! Maybe next time!

traveling to London?

2009-11-11T11:50:00.000+04:00

Traveling overseas can be stressful for a lot of people, especially if you're traveling on business and have a ton of things to take care of while you're away, work related and of course the never ending shopping list from home as well! Well, the one thing that can make your life simpler when you're traveling to London is using a car hire service, such as Harmony Cars that specializes in airport shuttles as well as chauffeur car hires.

As someone who has been using a similar service in Dubai for the past 2+ years, I know just how convenient it is. Most people don't bother to even consider the option of a car rental along with a driver, but if you're in a new city it can really make things a lot simpler. You certainly don't end up wasting time driving around looking for addresses, for sure.

From what I've seen of the reviews, Harmony Cars seems to be of the more professional companies that deal in car hire services. Of course, everyone has different experiences, but overall the average user has recommended this company. For one they seem to have a good range of cars available for all kinds of users, business and leisure, so even if you're traveling with kids, you will be able to find a suitable vehicle. Good luck for your travels, and oh by the way, this was a sponsored post!

list: what? November already!

2009-11-04T11:33:00.001+04:00

It's November,

*time to relish the cool breeze and warm sunshine.
*to enjoy sitting outdoors in the evening with chilled glasses of skanjvi.
*to dig out my barbeque recipes, clean the grill and go shopping for bbq feasts.
*to keep the windows open and let the fresh air in and see the curtains flying in the breeze.
*to finalize plans for the winter vacations.
*to enjoy long walks in the park by the creek and lazy strolls on the beach.
* and so much more

time to call the plumber :-(

2009-11-04T11:03:00.000+04:00

Oh dear, nothing as tiresome as plumbing problems is there? My landlord is not going to be happy but then it's his job to get these things fixed. Last week, water leaked from the upstairs bath out onto the lamp on the outer wall, right outside our bath and the maintainance chap just can't figure out what's going on. Since the new people upstairs have moved in, there have been a series of problems. I wonder what all changes they have made up there, like did then install a jacuzzi or walk in tubs or some such thing? I do hope that it gets sorted out and that our bath is left intact.

quote: time for everything yet nothing at all

2009-10-26T12:50:00.000+04:00

"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see."
-John Burroughs

keeping life interesting!

2009-10-26T11:57:00.000+04:00

Ever since we moved here and got our landline installed, we've been getting wrong numbers. And it's not just for any one person or company, we get them for 2-3 companies. One of them is a lawyer's office, something that deals with stuff like one of these Bronx medical malpractice lawyer firms I suppose.

How do I know all this, because the secretary is most willing to give out information of all sorts whenever she calls. As much as we keep telling them that it's not the right number and that we've had this number for over 2 years, they still call back. Interestingly, once I got a call from a gentlemen who said that our number was printed on a business card that was given to him a day before he called. He was most surprised to find that it was the wrong number and that the gentleman who gave it to him did not even know about it.

Giving a room a glow

2009-10-21T11:16:00.001+04:00

I always enjoy researching and looking up new and interesting ways of building houses and interior design, especially on our travels. We were in Washington DC in the summer of 2008 for a family gathering and a wedding and I noticed that a lot of the newer houses there had some something called Travertine tiles installed. Travertine is a natural stone that comes from southern European countries like Italy, Greece and Turkey. The stone has a smooth and creamy texture.

Travertine has been used to build several important buildings in history, with the Coliseum being the most famous one built with it. Apart from Travertine, Accent Glass Tiles can also add to the architectural detail and design. These are a good alternative to ceramic tiles, although the cost is slightly more. Glass Accent tiles are also great for small spaces since they give a "glow" to a room, as they add depth and make the area luminous. These tiles score high marks for durability so offer good value for money.

weekend funnies of a different kind

2009-10-21T11:09:00.000+04:00

The people here love to read advise columns of all kinds. The weekend papers and magazines have several of them, from legal advice to career planning, ayurvedic solutions with acne products, doctors diagnosis columns and so forth. I like to read the legal one, since it always has some question or the other about visa issues or landlord hassles, all stuff that one really needs to keep a tab on for one-selves, but the other ones are really quite complicated and convoluted. But it does make for funny reading!

oh for god's sake!

2009-10-21T11:02:00.000+04:00

Since I love to go out for walks and am slim built, I often get asked about my reason for walking. Some people outright ask me if it's part of some weight loss diet kind of plan. No, No, No. I just love to walk, can't it be as simple as that. Walking is a habit for me, right from the time I joined boarding school at the age of 8 and 1/2. We had to walk or march everywhere, up and down slopes to the dorms, to the class rooms, to the dining hall, to the playing fields and so on until it became part of me. It's as simple as that.

Sorry, to cut the post short, but I'm off to make a sign that says all this and carry it around when I walk...maybe that will work as weightlifting too :-)

on a morning walk

2009-10-19T17:11:00.002+04:00

Morning walks are something that I have really enjoyed in Dubai. Apart from June to mid September, one can really enjoy the early morning time here. I like to go really early, just after sunrise, so I can have a good 25-30 minutes of walking before the sun comes up over the buildings. It's also nice to go early to avoid the morning rush hour and the school buses, which ruin the tranquility with their impatient horns.

There are all villas in the area we live, all single or double storey homes, with high walls and elaborate gates, which makes it quite interesting to walk and admire or gasp in horror at the sights. There are also a large variety of bougainvillea bushes, oleander, jasmine, plumeria and other flowering shrubs for me to refresh my eyes and take photos.

Here are some shots of my walk a few days back. The strings of light decorations are the typical decor for weddings here.

the price of looking good?

2009-10-18T12:15:00.000+04:00

At the grocery store the other day and in my shopping cart, I found someone elses list! How interesting, I thought, I wonder what all she bought! And innocently hidden amongst the lettuce and suntan lotion was an entry for diet pills. Hmmm, I thought, I just can't seem to go anywhere without being bombarded left, right and center with these things.

Everyone knows about the Dubai Stone, the weight that all expats put on after moving here, but then it's also a very looks conscious city and people who look good do get better paid jobs, perks and all the stuff that comes with it, but the obsession with looks can wreck havoc on one's health...but then who's bothered about that...most of the people who come to work here are young and could not be bothered about it at all!

re-post: My beloved A2

2009-10-15T10:56:00.020+04:00

Old wine bottles in the kitchen windowsill of our Bombay apt.

We moved from Bangalore to Bombay in February 2005 and after loving everything about Bangalore, I had a hard time settling into life in Bombay. My blog was a place of lots of rants from that time, thankfully not many people came to my blog those days and some of the rants have since been removed :-)

I was working after several years and I simply hated the commute, till I started traveling on the A2, which is the ac bus that travels through Lokhandwala to south Bombay along Linking Road. As someone who'd never used buses before, I was excited to do the Bombay thing and use public transport. The A2 stop was quite close to our apt in Tarapore Gardens in Lokhandwala and my workplace in Khar was right next to the stop as well, so it was quite perfect.

Here's the post I wrote on 13th May, 2005 as I was adjusting to the city of Bombay.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Initially, one of the worst things about living and working in Bombay was the terrible commute. So much time wasted each day going and coming, that could be used more productively. I used to dread the commute so much that it overtook my life and my job as well. I just could not deal with the crowds, the smells, the heat and the endless traffic.

The AC bus has been my savior. Now, I look forward to this part of my day, as it has become my reading time. Since I started traveling on the A2, I have been able to finish a book every 2 weeks. Its incredible how this turnaround happened. I love my 40 minutes of private reading time that I get each way to and from work. It is what makes me realize that after all the initial struggle, I too am beginning to balance and juggle home and work in this chaotic city.

Reading is my passion and not being able to read on a daily basis makes me cranky and irritable. My other passion, Crosswords, have not fared as well, as the roads are too bumpy and traffic too chaotic to do them.

I just finished reading a very interesting book called Ragtime in Simla by Barbara Cleverly. Its in the vein of MM Kaye's Murder in Kenya. Set in the 1920's, the events slowly unfold to tell the story of a murder that takes place on the road to Simla at Devil's Elbow, just after Tara Devi, where one gets the first sight of Simla. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the landmarks and buildings of Simla as I am familiar with them and it brought back lots of memories. The people of Simla, the culture, the levels of society, the importance of gossip to this town have come through well. Overall, a recommended read.

and the searching continues

2009-10-12T11:01:00.000+04:00

As a researcher, I find the Internet as an invaluable resource. I know if I search right, I can find out everything from how to build a carburetor to the paperwork required to file for disability appeal. It makes it all very convenient for me not only to find information but also to connect with people. It doesn't matter where in the world I live, just as long as I am connected, I am able to work. The Internet has changed the way so many people work and live and earn their livings as well. Me included.

...and another Yay!

2009-10-06T14:01:00.002+04:00

In continuation of my Yay post in early September, Lonny magazine from the former editors of Domino magazine is finally here. See the mag online here....for me it just wouldn't load in Firefox, but opened right up in Internet Explorer. I love that one can browse through the mag just like a real mag, mouse over the pics and you'll see a link that you can click on to go to the source, even for the advertisements....take a look, you'll love it too!

My reading this year

2009-09-28T12:07:00.000+04:00

Besides loving to read books, I love to keep track of the books I have read as well. Here's a tally of the ones I have read so far in 2009. Currently, I am reading Ruskin Bond's Book of Nature, which is a wonderful book that takes me back to being in the hills and mountains of Himachal and Uttrakhand. He describes the simplest of things so beautifully and elegantly, without guile, without pretense. I especially love the way he describes his walks in the forests around Mussoorie and Landour, discovering a small brook once, spotting a Leapard in another, or just noticing the antics of a cat while sitting on the hill above his cottage.

February 2009
1) The Kindness of Strangers-edited by Don George
2) How Starbucks saved my life-Michael Gill
3) The Moonlit Cage-Linda Holeman

March 2009
1) The Virgin's Lover-Philippa Gregory

April 2009
1) Air Babylon
2) Death of a Red Heroine-Qiu Xialong
3) A Loyal Character Dancer-Qiu Xialong
4) Unrooted Childhoods

May 2009
1) The Palace of Illusions-Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
2) White Mughals-William Dalrymple

June 2009
1) Hill stations of British India-Graeme Westlake
2) A fine family-Gurcharan Das

July 2009
1) The Duchess-Amanda Foreman

August 2009
1) The Right Attitude to Rain-Alexander McCall Smith

September 2009
1) Dubai Creek-Stephen Wilkins

You'll notice that the book in the photo does not feature in my list. Well, that's because, I started to read it, but just lost interest. It was one of the few books that I could not finish, and I'd been looking forward to reading it for so long, well, since it won the Booker Prize. I just found it to wander around too much, without really getting anywhere.

Travel trends

2009-09-28T11:35:00.000+04:00

I've been reading several travel newsletters on how the recession has impacted the industry and also on how travelers are coming up with innovative solutions to still be able to vacation. One of the more popular ways has been to rent an RV, which co-relates with the high number of rv insurance policies that have been sold in the past few months. RV travel has a long history in the US and with people focusing on domestic travel, this trend has really caught on.

Another popular options has been to swap homes with other people, so you can save on hotel rooms. People also swap cars in some cases, so all you have to pay for is the gas and you get to see a new place while staying for free. There are many sites that facilitate these swaps, which makes it easier to organize everything for the first time home swapper.

Timeshares are also popular, and interestingly a lot of people who invest in timeshares do not actually get to use them, due to their endless restrictions, months of advance booking and charges upon charges. The slowdown has changed this, and more timeshare owners are actually using their vacations than before. Many resorts and time share plans are also offering substantial discounts to last minute travelers as a way to not let unsold rooms be wasted.

photo: green tea time

2009-09-22T12:21:00.003+04:00

I never was much of a tea drinker earlier, but have been converted for the past few years. I've even started to enjoy Green Tea and I look forward to a nice cup of green tea in the afternoons. Here's a shot I took several months back in the living room.

wishful travel plans

2009-09-22T12:17:00.000+04:00

I traveled a fair bit when I lived in the US, initially in college, then working, and then several years later when I returned to the country, but one state I never got to go to was South Carolina. I've always wanted to visit the Carolinas and the islands off their coast. I've visited Virginia several times, but never managed to make a trip to the Carolinas. Now it seems that there are lots of vacation deals in the area such as Myrtle beach hotels oceanfront where one can imagine some really nice relaxing times. I'm so very tempted and kick myself for not visiting the area when we lived on the East coast in Providence.

Happy hunting ground

2009-09-22T12:11:00.000+04:00

I'm constantly amazed at the number of people who turn to the internet to look for ways to lose weight and burn fat, often knowing that the results are not of the best quality. After all, we all know that if you have the right keywords and pay the right agent, you can be on the first page of Google's search, but in no way does that mean that the information on the first page is the best information. Often a high number of hits makes the listing a popular search result, often the numbers are fudged and often the result page has nothing to do with your search.

list: september promises

2009-09-16T12:42:00.003+04:00

September seemed to have come up on us so quickly this year. And I'm happy about that. September is when one can finally breathe a sigh a relief for the nearing of the end of the harsh summer, and the promise of better weather.

September promises:

to make me sit and wonder how the year flew by.
to dream of cold winter days when I have a mug of hot chocolate in my hand.
to be able to venture out for pleasure again.
to visit my favorite park in the city, Creek Park where I love to watch the water lap softly against the shore.
to be a time of planning for a winter vacation and annual family gettogethers.
a time of hope, a time of joy and a time for dreams.

The photo is of the wall behind our house in Dubai and was taken ages ago, while on a morning walk.