Monthly Mingle 2026 | Celebrating friendship and connection through food

The table is set and what a beautiful gathering it has been. When I put out the call for the Monthly Mingle Reloaded, I hoped to reconnect with old friends and welcome new ones. I did not expect to be so deeply moved by the response.

The Table is Set | Monthly Mingle - Reloaded 2026

"A Virtual Potluck" - back in April 2006, I embarked on a journey to host a monthly virtual potluck on my blog. We might have been spread out all over the world, but the few food bloggers we were found a wonderful way to come together and share the warmth of our friendships.

Jump to Recipe: Sweltering Peach Tomato Burrata Flatbreads

"Jump to recipe!" After my last post, I thought, why not offer something new to the blog to help those of us who are keen to get straight to the recipe without much fluff around a post.

Rising to Tradition: Homemade Raisin and Cardamom Bread

Family traditions are the threads that weave the fabric of our shared experiences, binding generations together with cherished memories. These are the rituals we do on a regular basis - whether it's the annual holiday gatherings filled with laughter and love, or the simple Sunday dinners where stories are exchanged over homemade meals, these traditions create a sense of continuity and belonging.

Homemade: Spiced Ginger Gin

Always looking for a good way to spread some homemade happiness over the festive season. Being Indian I love playing around with a mix of spices and Christmas time allows me to liberally dig into my spice bag and concont something each year.

Zesty Olive Medley: Marinated in Preserved Lemons, Infused with Cumin and Za'atar

The heartbeat of P@l3st!ne lies in the roots of the زيتون (zaytoun) tree. ⁠ As a resilient symbol of peace, heritage, and sustenance, the olive tree is more than an icon – it's the lifeblood of families. Tales that span centuries echo the strength of a people, rooted deep in the soil.

Cherry Coconut Clafoutis

It made a lasting impression and it deeply fulfilled my soul. Madame Maillard brought it out in a cast iron pan not much larger than a dessert plate. The sides were puffed up like a soufflé and browned on the edges, and the juices of the fruit left a blood-red trail within the ridges. Peeling off some waxed paper from a small ceramic bowl she pulled out of the fridge and to my delight, she formed the perfect quenelle of Crème Fraiche and carefully placed it on top of my very first cherry clafoutis.

Beer-Braised Pulled Pork Tacos and a Spicy Mango and Pineapple Salsa

What does a civil engineer, a teacher and an industrial mechanic have in common?

Besides sharing a friendship for over 30 years, it was a passion for beer that kindled the first sparks for three young men from Schmalkalden to establish a small brewery.

Elderflower Cordial Prosecco Spritz

It's July – already! My last post was end of May!

I had many plans through June for my blog – most importantly I wanted to celebrate my birthday with you. As a child of June, I am convinced it is the best month in the whole year. Don't think I wasn't working towards my plan though. I cooked, baked, styled and shot many delicious foods and dishes – job related yes - but also a selection for my readers here. But my plans to sit still and write a post often were interrupted by spontaneous photo shoots, travels and family fun in the sun!

Rhubarb Pistachio Frangipane Tart

Rhubarb, for many, is an acquired taste, often not acquired till adulthood. I did not acquire the taste until a few years after I moved to Germany. Rhubarb is the harbinger of springtime, and like Spring it is transient and delightful.

A Skywalk and a Lemon Scented Asparagus Egg Feldgieker Tart

On a Spring day in April, I packed my camera gear and props to make the roughly one-and-a-half-hour drive from Weimar to Eichsfeld. The weather was, as true to April's nature, fairly changeable. It was warm, my spirit was high and I was really looking forward to this trip. The district of Eichsfeld is a beautiful region in Thuringia, with its rolling hills and untouched nature, the landscape at times reminds me of something taken from the chapters of a Jane Austen book: a Nature of beauty and grace.

Quinoa Chickpea Avocado Bhel Salad

Walking along Bombay's Marine Drive or on the beaches of Bombay Chowpatty or Juhu, colorful market carts sell not only vibrant fruit and vegetables but many have been converted to sell the street food varieties India is famous for. And Bhelpuri is one of Bombay's quintessential street food, not to mention one of the most loved snacks in India.

Avocado Mango Yellow Lentils Lime & Chilli Verrines

Many relationships are forged and strengthen over meals or social events. Emotions evoked and lasting impressions are made when people come together at the table to share a meal. As a daughter of an hotelier our family moved often from country to country, always leaving behind friends and a community that had taken us in. It was never easy and yet I watched my parents form new friendships and build a social environment in each new city with ease.

Lingonberry Lebkuchen Festive Cake

It’s December! Again. I have dusted of some of the speckles of lint beginning to gather here. An unwanted break from the blog that extended into a bit of a Summer / Autumn interlude. And now here I am – it’s December and time for Christmas!

Middle Eastern Style Buddha Bowl: Giant Couscous, Baked Falafel, Hummus, Spiced Lentils, Pickled Vegetables and Kalettes

  

If I was to describe some of my favorite foods and dishes I would say whatever one can pile into a bowl and mix together to savor all the flavors. Not only of each individual ingredient, but also as each item intermingles with the other there are a range of flavor explosions! That is the real kick I get from a dish. 

Chamomile and Saffron Crème Caramel

 

As a child of the 80s, the crème caramel was the epitome of all desserts for me. As a daughter of an hotelier I spent a lot of the 80s giving into the gentle jiggling charm of this dessert. Somewhere into the 90s the dessert disappeared from its pedestal of fame. Apparently the crème caramel had occupied a huge amount of space on restaurant menus around the world for a large part of the 20^th century and probably had to make room for the liquid nitrogen dessert trends that took the 2000s over by storm. Or how about the fusion of any two ingredients possible – cronut or cruffin anyone? 

Cardamom And Orange Infused Quarkbällchen / Doughnuts

The last couple of weeks I’ve had my head down (mostly) and have been trying to get a lot of paperwork and organization done. The big “T” has been looming in our house and I have been procrastinating on this for as long as I possibly can. 

Ramen Bowl with Sesame Poppy Seed Venison and Ginger Chili Kale and Swede

Bavaria meets Asia!

One of the current projects I am working on for a new Travel, Food and Lifestyle magazine, will take me to Bavaria a couple of times this year. I am really looking forward to it as not only does the State of Bavaria have a uniquely varied landscape and wonderfully multi-faceted locals, but also the Bavarian cuisine, which is hearty and rustic traditionally, has been undergoing an impressive reform. That is where my project docks on and takes it a step further.

Punjabi Style Curried Lamb and Peas - Keema Matar

My life – most of it – has always revolved around food. My mother’s father was a hotel / restaurant inspector and my father is a hotelier. As a little girl I spent most of my time in the various kitchens of the hotels. I watched as the pastry chef made my sweet patisserie dreams come true, squealed in disgust as the butcher axed the chickens, was intrigued by the way the sous chef magically whipped up the smoothest sauce béarnaise or waited impatiently as the trucks came into the delivery loaded with tropical fruit and vegetables from all over the world.

German Style Smoked Gammon and Split Pea Stew

Imagine that stories were like a stew or a soup. People could weave their stories with ladles of wonderful rich, thick and flavorsome ingredients, adding their own culturally unique seasoning to their tales. Just like stews, all cultures and each tradition intertwines its own specific aromas and tastes – and so their stories could be spicy, sweet, bitter or pungent.