WhoKnew?

about me

I'm an American based in Bangalore, India. In my spare time, I love horseback riding, reading, trying new restaurants, and hitting the gym. I also (naturally) love to cook, and find it a fun challenge to try to prepare some of my US-favorites while I'm here. It's not always successful though; some convenience ingredients don't make it here yet! My husband, in-laws, and friends enjoy trying my new creations, especially desserts and anything spicy.

Favorite Foods:

I love to bake and am trying new recipes that play well to peoples' tastes here (Snickerdoodles have been a big hit, as well as Orange Cashew cookies) but I am famous for my spicy cashews, which I make for parties and often give away for Diwali.

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My rating system [compliments & thanks to kiwidutch...]

After seeing kiwidutch...'s rating system, I realized we actually rate about the same way. Therefore I am posting her rating system for the recipes I make. I wanted to define my ratings so that I could make the best use of "only" five stars. I'd like to assure everyone that I try to keep as faithfully to your list of ingredients and cooking instructions as I possibly can, but that despite the onward march of globalization, not every ingredient is available where I live, so I can only guarantee to do my best.

So, this is the way I rate the recipes I make, I hope no one takes it personally if their recipe doesn't make the full 5 stars...

5 Stars = these recipes have to have the Wow, Wow, Wow factor. I'm saving five stars for the kind of dish you wish that there were 10 stars for... the kind of dish that you'd happily eat every day for 6 days in a row, that wouldn't be out of place coming from the kitcken of an excellent professional chef...or a more humble meal that's so popular that I'd get lynched if I didn't make it once per month (or more often) or which people ask for as a gift for their Birthday.

4 Stars = an excellent dish, but without the mega Wow factor... these are culinary delights that you'd enjoy often, but maybe not every month.
These are recipes that you "like & love" but haven't quite reached the "adore" catagory. These are recipes that are earthly delights, but seperated from the heavenly delighful ones in the five star group. Nothing wrong with any recipe that gets my four star vote, I assure you.

3 Stars = recipes where some of my human guinea pigs were wildly divided in their ratings. Personal preference is a very tricky area, the distinct taste of various herbs, spices, vegetables, meats and their combinations is something that doesn't necessarily please everyone. If I award three stars then probably your favourite flavours just didn't match our favourite tastes or not enough of us liked it over all. Maybe this something that we all enjoyed, but comes into the catagory of " would love this just several times a year" Maybe I just couldn't replicate every single ingredient and this affected the result. If any of this is the case and the votes are split then I will aways give your recipe the benifit of the doubt and go for the higher star rating of the group.. and I'll let you know details in my review.

2 Stars = for whatever reason this recipe just didn't do it for us, flavours clashed, the flavour promised didn't deliver or something just plain went wrong. I'd hope you wouldn't throw your rolling pin at me for it

1 Star = give us food poisioning or put us in hospital with your recipe and it receives one star in a flash. (please know I am very careful when storing/preparing/cooking food) I take the health and wellbeing of my family and friends very seriously indeed.
We will try very very hard to never have a one star review, yes? that would make both you and me very very very happy.

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