FASHION

FASHION
FASHION

BEAUTY

BEAUTY
BEAUTY

FOOD

FOOD
FOOD

TEQUILA SUNRISE : COCKTAIL PICK FOR SUMMER

Hello Summer! My favorite time of the year is here. Hope all of you had a great Memorial day weekend. We usually are known for our extensive travel, but this long weekend, we took it slow. Some quality time as a family was something we wanted to focus on, along with some great meetups with some great friends. When Summer meetups come to mind, I imagine some fun tropical inspired cocktails. If you switch up your make up when the weather change, should you also not switch up your cocktail choices. Well, I do.

Imagine the pool, some good friends, and a refreshing drink to sip on. We cant always travel to a fancy resort and order from the poolside bar, but we can whip up something fancy right in our backyard. Presenting to you - Tequila Sunrise. Not the Eagles' song, but the cocktail. Doesn't the drink just look Summer Perfect? I love those colors together. It always looks like a work of art, when Hubs whips up some. Tequila Sunrise is a cocktail which is made of Orange Juice, Tequila and Grenadine Syrup, unmixed. The color gradient resembles a sunrise and hence the drink gets its name. You can serve it with a garnish of Maraschino cherries.

I might have spoken earlier, on how much  Mixology is a hobby for me and Hubs. We love our cocktails and we love to re-create them at home as well. So over the years, we have curated our cocktail bar at home. Tequila Sunrise is quite a famous cocktail, and my husband has perfected how to make it at home. We have served it at a few dinners at home recently and our friends just loved it. Trust me, you can make it in a jiffy. Let's get mixing!


TEQUILA SUNRISE : 

Ingredients: 
Orange Juice: 3/4 cup
Tequila: 1 /12 oz
Grenadine Syrup: 3/4 oz
Maraschino Cherry : for garnish

Procedure: 

Pour the orange juice and Tequila in a glass of your choice.

Now slowly pour the Grandine syrup over the back of a spoon, in the glass. Allow it to settle at the bottom of the glass. Do this step slowly.

Garnish with a Maraschino Cherry.



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WHOLE FOODS KCMO GRAND OPENING

What if I told you that you could sip on wine with your husband, at your next grocery trip? Listen to some jazz and chill out at the bar! Or the kiddos get to take a pick from a never-ending line of Mac and Cheese?  Yes, all this and more at the brand new Whole Foods, which opened in Kansas City, Missouri on May 23rd. They got your date night with hubs taken care of, while both of you tackle groceries. Even a fractured foot could not hold me back from attending their pre-opening party, held earlier in the week.


Whole Foods Market only brings forth the best of the best, so their customers can get the best quality in anything that they pick up, be it beauty products, or grocery items or even a cup of Joe. The 48,000 square feet grocery store features 200+ plus Kansas and Missouri vendors, the Fountain Room, the Allegro Coffee Bar and a Seafood Bar to name a few. Let's start with the Fountain Room, which has 22 different craft beers on tap, wine by the glass and handcrafted cocktails, and a full lunch and dinner menu. For me, that takes care of my next date night with my man.Or even Happy Hour with my girls ! That is the perfect example of adulting done right if you ask me.

Do you like your food hot or do you like your food cold? There are oven fresh pizzas, or oysters or Sushi to take your pick from if you should decide not to eat the Fountain Room.

 Their Seafood Bar is a first for Whole Foods Kansas City stores, which will be featuring traditional and rotating seasonal flavors. Offering in-house ceviche, poke and smoke salmon options, shoppers can create their own custom blend as well.


Food on a stick is always a good idea, isn't it? And if macarons were not decadent enough, then they were dipped in chocolate sauce, then dipped in crushed dried raspberries or sprinkles and passed on to you on a stick. Whole foods know how to party, family style, I tell you!

One section of the store which caught my eye was definitely the Cheese section. My dreams have so often featured the huge discs of Parmigiano Reggiano, finding their way to my kitchen. Whole Foods had a wedge of a huge disc of aged gouda, under a salamander. And the oooey-gooey cheese was paired with crackers and prosciutto for the perfect bite. There's a Certified Cheese Professional(CCP) always available in store to help you, make your next Cheese Board.

A Seafood Boil which stretched on for a mile almost and a never-ending array of Mac and Cheese which kept both parents and kiddo happy.

If cold libations or spirits are not your jam, then there's Coffee galore! I am a coffee drinker and I am often joking that there's more coffee in my veins than any other liquid. The Allegro Coffee Bar is a one-stop shop for an afternoon pick me up, or a morning fix. I opted for my Cold Brew while Hubs settled for his Capuccinno to round off the evening, as we enjoyed some fabulous Live Jazz.


Whole Foods Market is located at Brookside 51 in Kansas City, MO. Hope you are headed there soon, to make your grocery run more fun. Thank you so much Whole Foods Kansas City !

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CHUKANDAR GOSHT: BRAISED GOAT WITH BEETROOT

Goat curry is a staple for the weekends for Bengali foodies. Whipping up a batch of fresh coat curry has this satisfaction which is quite unmatched, in terms of nostalgia. While everyone has their own version of a Sunday Goat Curry, I decided to switch things up a bit, this week. A few months back, a unique combination had caught my eye on my newsfeed. It was Sukanya Ghosh's Chukandar Gosht or goat curry with beetroot. It had been on my wishlist of recipes to try out.
I love my share of vegetables, but beetroot is not something which does not make it .way to my shopping cart, at the grocers. Winter childhood memories have their share of soups which my Mom used to make. When she used to add beetroots to the mix, the color took on jewel tones. Also enjoyed pickled eggs in beetroot juice at Phillipe's in Los Angeles. But, I personally didn't cook with it, ever since I started cooking. So thank you Sukanya for pushing me out of my comfort zone, with your unique Holi offering. I must add that my version of Chukandar Gosht is a bit different from her, both in terms of how we treated the ingredients and how he cooked it in general. Now I am inspired to try cooking goat with a combination of a few other root vegetables.

As I was researching this recipe, I came across the fact that it was originally made with Beef, and can be easily subbed with Lamb. My husband is a foodie himself and a great home chef. Almost a decade back, he perfected the idea of braising goat in the oven. Goat takes longer to cook, and the pressure cooker is an easier alternative. But for people like me and my husband, we do not like our goat cooked in pressure cooker. We slow cook it in the oven, after an initial step on the stovetop. My Le Creuset Dutch Oven(Linked at the foot of the post) is the perfect vessel of choice when it comes to cooking meat Indian style.
 
 
                                                                           
Be it Butter Chicken or Goat Curry, we have seen the difference it makes. And if you are cooking  goat curry for a party or for many people, try removing one of the racks of your oven and cook the goat curry in a large stockpot. Sudeshna of Cook Like a Bong had visited our home a few years back, and she has been telling me for years, that I should blog about these goat curry hacks with my readers.

Without much further ado, let's jump in the recipe.

CHUKANDAR GOSHT - BRAISED GOAT WITH BEETROOT :

Ingredients:
Goat Meat: 2 lb, cubed, skinless. Can be subbed with Beef/Lamb
Red Onion: 1/2: finely chopped
Ginger Paste:  1tbsp
Garlic Paste: 2 tbsp
Tomato: 1: finely chopped
Cumin Powder: 2 tsp
Coriander Powder: 2 tsp
Red Chili Powder: 1/2 to 1 tsp(according to heat preferences). Can be subbed with Paprika for reduced heat.
Cilantro: chopped, for garnish
Canola Oil
Birista/Fried Onion: 1/4 cup
Beet Root: 2, cubed.
Green Cardamom: 4 - 5
Cinnamon Stick: 1
Bay Leaves : 3
Cloves: 4 to 5
Mace: A few

Procedure:
Pre-heat the oven to 350F.
In a dutch oven, or a heavy bottomed vessel, heat oil, over medium heat. Add in the aromatics(whole garam masala and bay leaves), and a teaspoon of sugar. Once the aromatics get crackling and sugar is caramelized and not burnt, add the chopped fresh onions.

Give everything a stir and let the onion caramelize to light brown around the edges.

Add ginger and garlic paste, chopped tomatoes, blend of spices. Mix everything and let the masala fry up(without getting burnt). You can also cover and cook the mix for a couple of minutes for it to lose the rawness.


Next, come the mutton pieces and the beetroot cubes. Season well and mix everything.

Here comes my twist. I added in 1/4 cup of Birista, or fried onions at this phase. I used the store-bought version, as it was handy in the pantry. Feel free to make from scratch.
Cover and cook on the stove top for around 15 minutes.
Open the lid and add 2 cups of hot water, and put the lid back on. Put in the oven and slow cook for an hour, or till the goat is tender, but not mushy.

Reduce the gravy to being thick and dry. Season with freshly chopped cilantro.Serve with Naan or steamed Basmati rice.

Bon Appetit!

                                                                                SHOPPING :
                                                                            
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KCFW FW'18 FINALE - A RECAP

Saturday nights at Kansas City Fashion Week are always super special. The craftsmanship, the detailing, the sheer stroke of creativity on the runway, creates the perfect mood. Fashion reaches a crescendo. A great week of fashion come to a close. Its also the last opportunity of the season, to hang out with the familiar faces, who have almost become like family. When I was making my KCFW plans for this season, I knew Saturday had to feature in my plans. Ever so thankful to KCFW management for featuring me on their media list, for yet another fabulous season.

What do you wear to the finale? How about we chat about it in details in the next post?! Luckily it wasn't raining, as it was on Thursday evening. But it was FREEZING! The fact that I had left my jacket in the car and didn't become an icicle myself, is surely a wonder.

The gates opened and it was time to mingle and head to our seats on time. Saturday evening featured some popular KCFW veterans, so it was exciting to wait and watch, what they brought forth this season.

 The evening began with crowd favorite Nataliya Mayer's Lucia's Sarto. Her silhouettes are always so romantic and so feminine. The floral brushstrokes on the runway were a breath of fresh air. From greys and blush to greys and crimson, with just a touch of new age bridal gowns, what a start to finale night!


Being a Mom, I always look forward to a designer who specializes in kidswear. Tulle needn't just be in my tiny dancer's Tutu or in my wedding dress. Designer Megan Wheelock's line Ethel and Dean juxtaposed tulle with edgy accents to set the mood for Fall.



Next up was designer Jill Patton's My Heirloom Bridal Design. Loved the play of ebony and ivory throughout her collection. Victorian style met boss babe on the runway. Loved her black jumpsuit and can see myself wearing that for the New Year eve celebrations in town. I could go and on about every outfit in the collection, and how perfect it was. Clearly one of my favorites for the evening.


The favorite of the evening, and also an all-time favorite of mine - TR Brown. This lady outdoes herself every season that she presents. Who can forget her Chelsea Girls collection from last year? She carried forward the retro vibe but added in a heavy dose of spunk in her new collection, called GRL PWR. Girl Power it was on the runway, with her choice of colors and her attention to detail. Take a bow, Tiffany!


Oak Park Mall sent some of their current Spring-Summer favorites on the runway, which was a change from the Fall Winter collections, which usually roll out at this time of the year, at any Fashion Week.

Can you please tell WHY are FANNY PACKS back again ?(insert sad-faced emoji)

Sara Kahrs debuted her menswear line, along with her womenswear, on the KCWF runway. It was the perfect balance of sophisticated and edgy with her mix of textures. Loved the rust and the touch of dark teal, paired with wool and ombre. Kara Colosseum rocked this rust trench which also opened to become a cropped jacket!



The final designer of the evening was Georgina Herrera with her jewelry line MCK Brands. She surely gives the phrase "Statement Jewelry," a new meaning.  While every necklace and earring was stunning, what took the cake, was your jewelry as an outfit. How about a golden bustier and a silver metal dress to close KCFW for this season!


Thank you to all the sponsors for the amazing Media Swag bag!


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