A charity anthology in aid of The Brain Tumour Charity
It’s Pub Day!
Candy Capers officially releases today. A charity anthology by Raven & Drake Publishing, UK, the initiative was conceived by the publisher whose 27-year old cousin has been diagnosed with grade IV brain cancer (Glioblastomas).
In an endearing foreword by Natalie Paul herself, the food science graduate tells us about her passion for baking and cakes, and the irony of having to steer clear of sugar in her current condition. Determined to not be beaten, she sought to develop sugar-free alternatives to explore the sweetness in life. As a sweet treat offering, writers, poets and illustrators from around the world come together to support people battling life-threatening conditions in a COVID world. In a 450-page tome, contributors take readers on sweet-filled journeys, all in aid of The Brain Tumour Charity.
“Who can take a sunrise,
Sprinkle it with dew,
Cover it in chocolate and a miracle or two?”
– Sammy Davis Jr.
Get ready to delve into candy-filled worlds full of lollipop trees and chocolate rivers. Marshmallow marshlands and jellybean paved roads. Bubblegum trees and gingerbread houses. Prepare to battle peppermint witches, cotton candy monsters, and sugar-fuelled squirrels. A collection of enticing titles, stories, poems and illustrations.
These sugary sweet candy adventures feature my poetry and artwork. It has been an honor to have my work selected for this cause, along with some wonderful artists and authors. The stories are family friendly and can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. Candy Capers is available as paperback and e-book, and can be ordered on Amazon from anywhere in the world. All proceeds of book sales will be directed to the Brain Tumor Charity.
“Food inspired by books” is an ongoing initiative of trying out dishes and experimenting with cuisine referenced in literature. The recipes might be shared by the authors themselves, it might be food that occupies a prominent role in the narrative, or an item mentioned offhandedly in relation to a specific character. There’s an unparalleled joy in experiencing books beyond reading. It’s fun exploring places and meeting people through books, and food is such a powerful part of culture.
The book in focus this week was “Stierhunger” by Linda Stift – originally a German book, with an English translation from Peirene Press available as “The Empress and the Cake“. The crux of the story is about a young woman invited by an elderly lady to share a piece of cake , as the Gugelhupf is too large to consume by oneself. Accepting a simple gesture unravels a nightmare for the protagonist, who is battling her own demons as well as the ones presented by her newfound “friend”.
Fresh from the oven
Having heard of Gugelhupf for the first time through the story, I looked it up and decided to give it a try. Native to Austria, the cake is known by various names in different parts of the world – Kugelhupf in Germany, Kuglof in Hungarian, Guguluf in Romanian, Kouglof in France, Babovka in Czech, and Babka in Polish; closely related to the Pandoro in Italy and the American Bundt cake. The yeast-raisin cake is traditionally baked in a circular Bundt mold. Claims of the origin of the cake date back to Roman times, and even the Three Wise Men. It was popularized by Emperor Franz Josef in Austria and Marie Antoinette in France. Gugelhupf comes from the words “gugel” (a long, pointed hood or bonnet) and “hupf” (to hop or jump). The Grimm Brothers described the hupf as a “jumping of the dough” caused by the yeast.
While the cake is primarily a yeast dough, additional ingredients vary depending on where it is made. I used raisins, almonds and orange rind peels, but it can also contain brandy or poppy seeds, or have nothing at all and just be a plain marble cake with its characteristic angled, ridged pattern.
Inverted from the mold onto a plate
The recipe, for anyone interested to give it a go:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons warm water
1 cup whole milk
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups golden raisins
1 teaspoon grated orange zest (Lemon rind can be used as well)
20 whole blanched almonds
1 tablespoon confectioners sugar
Preparation:
~Stir the yeast and water and let them stand together for ten minutes, till the mixture gets foamy.
~Heat milk with sugar and 6 tablespoons of the butter on low heat, till the butter melts and the sugar dissolves.
~Sift the flour and salt, add in the yeast mixture and warm milk mixture, followed by the eggs, raisins and zest, all the while beating continuously till the dough turns smooth and elastic. The consistency will be very sticky.
~Line a bundt mold with the remaining 1 tabespoon of butter. Put in almonds at the bottom in any decorative pattern, and place the dough over it, pressed into an even shape. Cover the mold with an oiled plastic wrap and a cloth napkin, and leave in a warm place for two hours for the dough to rise.
~After pre-heating the oven, remove the towel and peel off the plastic layer. Bake for fifteen minutes. Loosely cover the mold with foil (so that the cake doesn’t rise uncontrollably), and continue to bake for another twenty minutes. A needle poked in the center should come out clean and the surface should be golden. After cooling, invert the cake onto a rack or plate. Let it cool and then dust with confectioner’s sugar. (It’s important that it cools completely, or the dusted sugar will just melt on the surface.)
Ready to be dug into
A fun recipe to try out in the Christmas season – there’s nothing like the warm aromas of freshly baked bread. The Gugelhupf can be enjoyed over breakfast, brunch, or a tea-time snack like I did, depending on how it is made. My version wasn’t very sweet, as the sweetness of the raisins was balanced by the tanginess of the orange.
It’s always a delight when the reading experience goes beyond finishing a book. I had the pleasure of hearing the story behind the story by Peace Adzo Medie, talking about her book, ‘His Only Wife‘. The name of the author and the vibrant cover caught my attention when I first came across this novel. On checking the synopsis, I was led into a world of arranged marriages, which made for an interesting read in the cultural context – the story being set in Ghana, with a seamstress protagonist.
Medie’s unassuming but illuminating writing was one of the few goosebump-inducing books I’ve read in a while. The language is simple – like someone telling you a story instead of a literary read. The premise is as vibrant as the cover – fashion and food of Ghana for a complete cultural experience. Such brilliance in the descriptions of clothes and cuisine, you can almost picture yourself wearing a stunning bead and lace creation of Afi’s, or relishing traditional stews. A peculiar theme that could have swung the narrative from either quirky and breezy to seriously heavy reading, but Medie finds that right spot of perfection in absolutely everything for a novel – cover, characters, themes, reader resonance, language.
The fact that the writer has a PhD and is a university professor of gender rights and international politics, wrote the novel on weekends while managing academia work, and can still narrate socially relevant issues with simplicity and subtle humor, leaves you in awe of having the pleasure to not only read this book, but interact and discuss it with the author herself. It was interesting to hear about Medie’s decision to write this novel – her debut work of fiction; she is already a published writer of non-fiction and academia. Her descriptions of choosing a setting, creating everyday characters in a cultural context, highlighting food and fashion as a cultural accompaniment to reading, her take on patriarchy and feminism and how they flow into the narrative, her distinctive style of blending humor with serious topics, the books she is currently reading as well as the books she would recommend readers to pick up, made this an insightful extension of reading the story.
The pandemic has led us to inure in ways we might not have considered earlier. It was mum’s birthday on Monday. With the lockdown easing out around the world, people are still maintaining caution – venturing out only if absolutely required. Using the limited resources at our disposal, here’s what I made for her. A mishmash of available ingredients to create a Black Currant and Honey Sponge Cake, sprinkled with dark chocolate.
I used a cup of whole wheat flour, two eggs, a quarter cup of olive oil (we’re out of butter), a quarter cup of honey (in place of sugar), 2 tablespoons of chopped black currants, baking soda, and a little milk to get the right consistency for the batter. The baking tray was “lined” with oil. Once done, honey was poured over the upturned cake, immediately grating a slab of dark chocolate over it (so that the chocolate melts and sticks to the surface before the honey soaks into the cake).
“From wind, she learned movement. From mountains, patience. From rivers, persistence. From outstretched branches and deep roots, she understood hunger.”
“Bad arguments were about ego and delusion, good arguments brought epiphany. All argument was combat.”
“I thought we were equals, bilateral symmetry of leaves. He thought we were halves – He above, Me below.”
Aranyaka literally translates to “of the forest”. It begins with the history of all living beings which started from the forest, and how domestication and civilization take us away from nature. The story is a warp and weft of 3 primary women – the Large, the Weaver and the Fig, (The three rishikas – Katyayani, Gargi and Maitreyi) who help us unravel humankind. Aranyaka is not only the forest around us, but also addresses the wilderness within us. Is food solely to satiate hunger, or is it a temporary replacement for a greater hunger/thirst in life? When we cook for or help or take care of others, is it in thought of the opposite person, or emphasizing our own importance in their lives?
A difficult book to review because it encapsulates a multitude of subjects and themes. Aranyaka alludes to a set of 3000-year old Vedic scriptures, and the foundational role forests play in Vedic lore.Writer Devdutt Pattanaik and illustrator Amruta Patil have imaginatively transformed a myriad of ideas into a novel – the crux of which is, observing elements and the natural world transforms the way humans think. Forests can be as violent as they are beautiful. In this sense, scriptures do not belong to a bygone era, but are right here with us.
The two artists have collaborated long distance – with Patil living in France, and Pattanaik in India. The tremendous research dedicated to the text reflects Pattanaik’s strength in his genre of mythology. There are numerous references suggested for further reading. Patil’s artwork is just beautiful – closely following the storyline, with a vibrant assortment of shades and tones. Some pages don’t need dialogue – the striking paintings take you through the multi-layered narrative.
A delightful book, worth having in ones collection – more for the artwork than the story.
Season’s greetings to my bibliophile family! Five days to go for Christmas. Woohoo!! Here are my ongoing reads for the festive season. From thrillers and mysteries, to humor and drama, in the form of novels, anthologies or novellas, literature sure has some variety to offer through Christmas. Has anyone read any of these? Feedback is always appreciated.
The weekend ensured a pawsome prelude to Christmas Day, playing Santa to our furry friends. A canine Christmas party organized by the Welfare of Stray Dogs (WSD), comprised various sessions with behavioral therapists and grooming experts. Pawfect – The Pet Salon and Spa, conducted the session on grooming tips, engaging kids in the talk as well, to teach them how to look after a pet. Spoilt Brat Barkery taught us to make and decorate cupcakes and treats for the doggies. All (human) attendees got a baked pug that could be decorated, or served to the dogs just like that. There were dog-related puzzles and games for the kids, and a quiz for the adults featuring dogs in movies, literature, cartoons, across history and science. WSD dogs Akshay, Sakshi, Donald and Marshall ably supported the volunteer team, with Marshall literally patrolling the area outside the venue. The doggo volunteer squad was absolutely thrilled to play with the kids, and seek head pats from the adults around. The wooftastic campaign had humans playing Santa to these canine companions by bringing biscuits and treats, collars, leashes, towels, brushes, medicated shampoos – anything to help the homeless dogs. There were WSD products available at the venue as well, which one could pick up to support the cause.
Donald moderating the Q & A session
Akshay finds the best spot in the room – in the middle of a circle of kids.
Lokashi Agarwal from Pawfect conducts the session on grooming, with Donald ably keeping track of the proceedings.
The poser!
The baked pug for all attendees. Spoilt Brat Barkery specializes in doggie treats.
A hand painted tote from WSD
WSD note pads and bookmarks made from recycled paper.
Some members from my book club got together for a mid-week dinner, to discuss possible activities the club could take up for its readers in the upcoming weeks to end the year, and also initiatives to usher in the new year. We met at a restobar called True Tramm Trunk ( a homonym for Too Damn Drunk), described as “the best place to go for a mid-week party” (which I found out just now). Since we happened to show up on a Wednesday night, the music was just too loud – shifting from English classics of the eighties, to electronica, and Bollywood music. The musical mishmash made speaking over the noise a strain. The place is too chaotic, lighting is low, outdoor seating is claustrophobic rather than relaxing, and the indoor section is even noisier. Service, however, is prompt and the multi cuisine dishes were a treat to the taste buds. I started off with a Sweet Orange mocktail (which I don’t have a picture of) – made up of star anise, orange, passion fruit and lime. Here’s a glimpse of what we ate:
The Mezze Platter – Comprising falafel, hummus, labneh, tahini and baba ghanoush, with homemade pita and lavash.
All in all, the food was a delight, even though the ambience was not. I would recommend this place for a night of dance and drinks; not really to catch up with friends or enjoy a peaceful meal.
Curious Cat 