"WINTER BREATHING"
5 x 7"

by Rena Williams
Watercolor artist
Auburn, Alabama

Rena Williams's Blog

Rattling Gourd Gallery website

Visit Sarojni's website
Email Sarojni

SOME GREAT FOOD BLOGS

I love searching the internet for food blogs and have found quite a few that are not only informative, but also inspirational, offering kitchen anecdotes, recipes and reasons why we do the things we do. For example, Harold McGee--contributor to The New York Times--writes on the chemistry of food, one of my favorite topics. If you've ever wanted to know why milk, butter and beer need to be stored in the dark, check out Harold's blog posting on January 23rd. You'll find the answer to this burning question, along with other insights into the mysteries of the culinary world, by exploring The Curious Cook.

Are you a vegetarian and need a nudge with dinner menus? Then go to Nava Atlas's site, In a Vegetarian Kitchen. She's got ideas galore to get you going. They're just a click away.

Interested in hearing from an ex-pat in France who shares her love of food with the world through blogging? Visit Betty C. and learn how to make the "perfect" omelette. Her site will make you feel like hopping on the next plane to Nice.

And Amy, from San Francisco, serves up restaurant reviews, recipes and riveting accounts of her travels abroad.

Here we go...

The Curious Cook
In a Vegetarian Kitchen
Cuisine Quotidienne (Aveyron, France)
Cooking with Amy

WARMING CHAI FOR A WINTER'S DAY
photos by ©Scott Burdick

Chai is a hot tea beverage popular throughout India and now enjoyed by many in the U.S. This aromatic drink is made with milk and spices, and sweetened with sugar, perfect for a cold winter's day.

Chai is very simple to make and is especially flavorful when prepared with "masalas," such as whole cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and fresh ginger. However, there are many companies on the market that have created "chai tea" blends--great for those who don't have a plethora of spices on hand. Please see the links below for more info on a few of these companies.

The photos above, taken in India, capture the art of serving and drinking chai. Thank you to Scott Burdick and Susan Lyon for their work!

CHAI
Serves 2

1 cup water
1 cup whole, organic milk
4 whole cloves
4 cardamom pods, gently bruised
1 1/2 inch piece cinnamon stick
1 slice fresh ginger (about the size of a quarter), peeled, then cut into pieces
2 teaspoons organic sugar
2 1/2 rounded teaspoons organic black tea ( I like Earl Grey for its bergamot flavor)

Put all ingredients in saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 4-5 minutes. Strain and serve.
Note: For an even warmer "kick," add 3 whole peppercorns.

Sattwa Organic Teas (Oregon)
Samovar Organic Masala Chai
The Fragrant Leaf Organic Masala Chai

Scott Burdick's website
Sarojni's website