Modern Spice: Inspired Indian Flavors for the Contemporary Kitchen provides a personal look at modern Indian cooking, showcasing new versions of her native cuisine that pay homage to tradition but also acknowledge the everyday lifestyle of India today.

While Bhide’s recipes use authentic spices and techniques, she departs from the stereotype of complicated meals that take hours to prepare. Her recipes focus on spices and flavor, spanning the gamut of Indian cuisine. She also includes recipes for meat, rice, breads and desserts. Highlights include coriander-and-fennel crusted lamb chops, curried scallops, and onion bread stir-fry.

Scattered throughout are personal stories on a variety of subjects, including a visit to Vaishno Devi Maa’s Temple and recollections of a meal prepared by grand master Indian chef Imtiaz Qureshi. Bhide also provides a detailed spice pantry section and an insider’s guide to time- and labor-saving ingredients. The author offers a refreshing look at the diverse and changing cuisine of India, with a new perspective that will be embraced by Indian food lovers everywhere.

Jamie Oliver’s third cookbook doesn’t disappoint! Fans of his previous two cookbooks will be pleased with his latest offering which showcases Jamie’s signature fare:  fresh, snappy, elegant dishes that are actually very doable in your own kitchen. Chapters cover salads, soups, pasta, fish, meats, breads, desserts, as well as some welcome sections highlighting roasted veggies, some fun options for cooking for and with kids, beverages (soft and hard), “Quick Fixes” which covers fast ways to prepare your favorite basic entrees, and “Comfort Grub” – an international jaunt through a selection of hearty, homey comfort foods.

Aside from the great recipes and sharp photography, Jamie’s charm, zest for life, and pure appreciation of food shine through on every page. Although I have known folks who cringe at Jamie’s cavalier “handful of this, heap of that ” style of measuring, I found that he has grown a little less ambiguous as time goes on and the recipes in this book reflect that growth and precision.

Another small thing I found very helpful (as the wife of a vegan): the index of the book kindly flags vegetarian dishes, making it easy to sort quickly through options for restricted diets. Whether you’re an old fan of Jamie’s shows or a new convert, this is a great addition to any kitchen library.

From $25.51 on Amazon.com

I was doing the, now almost daily, grocery shopping at Scotts supermarket in Sliema (the better alternative to Tower supermarket) and found something I really liked: Jones sugar cane soda. 

I just came back from a business trip in Paris where I was at the digital marketing conference Ad:tech, full of new ideas and inspiration I was so impressed of seeing this bottle’s back saying:  ”Ya gotta make a living somehow; we chose the beverage world. Good old soda made with pure cane sugar. No hidden meanings, no billion dollar ad campaigns, and no hidden fructose corn syrup. At Jones, we want you to buy a lot of soda an recycle the bottles. The label is kind like our minds – always changing. Run with the little guys… create some change.”

Does that strategy really work? Well, Ijust  bought 4 bottles and shared it with the world on my blog. Unless I don’t fit the normal consumer segment, I think it does work, and very well.