Myriad Musings

My thesis, validation and kids on vacation makes for a terrible combination.  My younger one is used to a modicum of attention from me, some art, a story here and there,  lots of conversations and trips to the store/beach/coffee place; My older one is used to having me whip up treats, some savoury, some sweet, some savoured, some not so much.  Now, I am continually shushing them while I try to write, to think out they next line/paragraph/chapter mentally.  I also have CMC asking to validate my two projects, WB government reading about our mannequin in TOI and asking to see a demo, TN government medical centre,  right around the corner from IITM, finding out about us from TOI and wanting demo and training... Nice problems to have, but very poor timing.  My deadline is Oct 28th and I have barely 2 of my 5 chapters written!  On the other hand chapters 3 and 4 are just papers and validation I have already done, so they may need no more than 3 days. ...

and a child unwilling to eat any :( I had always had this visual image of a pleasant kitchen with a small dining table; A pretty looking cookie jar on the table. I forgot to visualise my son grabbing the cookies; Now, I beg him to try 1 cookie, promising him a red juicy apple or a bunch of grapes in return! I have slightly better luck with my younger nephew; My older one is just as fussy. This time, when my in-laws returned home to Erode I deceided to bake 2 different batches of cookies, one aimed at tempting the older one and the other one a proven success with the younger one. My version of Amaretti (Italian Almond Cookies): 1 Cup Almonds 1/2 Cup Chiroli 3/4 Cup Melon Seeds 1/2 Cup Sugar 1/4 Spoon salt 8 - 10 peppercorn 2 tbsp Maida (All-Purpose flour) 1 tsp Vanilla Essence 4 egg whites beaten 1 yolk (optional - mine was a mistake but tasted fabulous) Roast items 1,2,3 in a 100 deg Celsius oven for 8 to 10 minutes; Take care not to burn. Pre-heat oven to ...