Myriad Musings

 For Gau and Me desserts are a synonym for chocolate.  Gau insists I add chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bar to anything sweet I make.  But  I have already mashed up 2 of my favourite Masterchef season 4 recipes into 1 and made a single chocolate mousse tart, and I still have the dough for 1 tart shell sitting in my chiller.  I will go back and make the orange topping for another chocolate mousse tart, but not just yet.  Oranges are just beginning to come in, once the market is flooded with Kamala Orange, I will have my pick of sweet ones for the tart. I had decided to change directions all together and tackle a fruity dessert for a change - Kylie's camera friendly Apple and Strawberry Crumble Tart.  But, Gau, after stealing his dad's slice and licking the bottom plate of the tart pan clean insisted I had to do another chocolate based one. And as it happens, in yesterdays 9 pm Masterchef Australia episode, Audra made the chocolate frangipane ...

Most of the local produce chains and the roadside vendors are now displaying Simla Apples and Local Pears.  Change of seasons is finally creating room for the rather dowdy Simla apples amongst all the shiny, bright imported varieties - New Zealand Fuji, American Red Delicious, American Gala....   Whatever Simla Apple lacks in appearance, it makes up in virtue - no wax polish, lower carbon foot print and the pride in "be Indian buy Indian" Whether it is the US bemoaning shifting of manufacturing jobs or local governments striking over FDI, the solution is very simple and begins (perhaps even ends) with each Individual.  Wherever you are, whatever you consume, make it a point to support local businesses first. Start with the local mandi for vegetables, if you can get to one, the next is the small roadside shops, then the locally launched markets (the pazhamudhir cholais) and finally the fancier stores, from Nilgiris (local actually) to Mercado via Spencers. Both C...