a day ago
Lounge Loves: ‘Madhobilota', an Italian spice mix and more
The thing with vines is they like to sprawl, some elegantly, others messily. Sometimes they need a helping hand, in the form of a rope, a ledge or a stick to give them a headstart. The Bengali word for a vine plant is lota: like madhobilota, or Rangoon creeper. Somehow, the name conjures up visions of a woman drying her long, flowing hair on a buttery-warm day. The flowers were apparently christened madhobi by RabindrananthTagore himself; there's also a poem by him which evokes the flower: Madhobi hothat kotha hote elo (Where did Madhobi come from suddenly)? He was perhaps referring to the sweet whiff of the flowers catching you by surprise. That is exactly how I felt the presence of this madhobilata. I had to cross over to the other side of the road to see it in all its glory, climbing up the house like the beanstalk in Jack and the Beanstalk. —Nipa Charagi
I had been a fan of MasterChef Australia until George Calombaris, Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan stepped down as judges in 2019. I resumed watching the reality cooking show only recently. The series is currently in its 17th season, with a theme that sees contestants from the previous seasons fighting for the coveted title. What I am enjoying the most is the spotlight on native Australian ingredients, and food traditions, and the recurring homage to the land. I recently came to know about Anzac biscuits, which were given to Australian and New Zealand Army Corps soldiers during World War I as part of their rations; it seems the ingredients did not spoil easily and had a long shelf life. I am all up for biscuits that come with a dash of history.
During a recent trip, I noticed three women rummaging through aisles at Milan airport's duty-free shop. 'It's not here,' shouted one across the room. Another shouted back, 'I found it!' Intrigued, I asked what they were searching for. An Italian spice that will 'change your life', one smiled, showing her haul of 15 tin boxes. It was a mix of garlic, parsley and hot pepper spice mix. I thought she was exaggerating. Still, I still bought three. Two months in, I add that spice to everything, from eggs to raita. Its subtle chilli-ness with a sharp garlic taste hasn't changed my life but has certainly added a different kind of spice to it. —Pooja Singh
