Cranberry and White Chocolate Cookies

I am massively late with this post, and a thousand apologies for that. Life has been hectic these past few weeks, but in a generally good way - work is taking off, the kids are on school holidays, we've had a couple of weddings to attend and Roast, Simmer & Bake has an exciting new project on the horizon... stay tuned for more news on that very, very soon!

No matter how mad one's schedule gets though, it is always nice to pause for minute, to take a breath,  enjoy the sunshine on your face, look out at the garden, have a cup of hot tea or coffee... and if you do, then you need these cookies to go with.

Murgh Musallam (Whole Braised Baby Chicken)

“If ever a culture was reflected in food, look no further than the Mughals. There is a definite link between their approach to cooking, their approach to textile, their approach to architecture, their very lifestyle. The majesty of their buildings, their dazzling costumes, the richness of their culture… all can be found in their amazingly august, bejewelled, rich food.”

– Anirudh Arora and Hardeep Singh Kohli, ‘Food of the Grand Trunk Road’

What an introduction! Not many dishes could live up to that kind of hype, but this amazing one does it justice. It is definitely a special occasion dish, only to be attempted with plenty of time on my hands.

Tropical Mess

I have had a deep and committed love affair with meringue for as long as I can remember – meringue and I, we go way back. From the time I was a little girl, any dessert with meringue was the epitome of sophistication in my unsophisticated eyes. Two desserts stand out in my memory – Chocolate Meringue Gateau, a towering confection of chocolate cream and meringue layers, which was the dessert of choice in Colombo households in the 90s. The other was a delicate creation of my grandmother's – mini meringue nests in which dollops of lemon curd and cream nestled, cushioning slices of mango, peach or other fruit.