Summer is full on here in Weimar. We’ve got temperatures hitting close to 40 degrees C and the weather is like on a tropical island. It feels good – almost like an extended vacation overseas. Ever since our return from India 3 weeks ago we are taking things easy. Soeren still is out from school and that alone slows down our routine immensely, with no time pressure for homework, sport runs, meal plans or bed time. It’s summer time and the living is really easy!
„Stay till Diwali!“ Last week my dad wished a few times. I wished we could …
A list of tasks to complete, must dos, deadlines to meet and unfinished projects to complete ran down like a matrix in my brain. Now as I sit here back in Weimar listening to the wind howl outside as the rain batters against the windows, I am thinking I wish I did.
Weimar – Brussels – Normandy Coast – Paris – Weimar
Weimar – Valdobbiadene – Rome - Amalfi Coast – Venice - Weimar
We are thinking of getting away. Satisfy the itch on our feet, packing up and heading to different shores. Not the travel we have been doing for work, workshops or photo shoots but the travel for us. The kind of travel where time is not an important commodity, instead it is the adventure and the experience that makes a trip memorable.
Summer vacations spent in India at my grandparents’ home in Delhi are forever etched in my memories. Their imposing house, at the end of the street, was nestled next to big open fields and further beyond those fields, small woodlands, that my brother, cousins and I called the “jungle.” Often, as we played out on the fields we would hear the howls of monkeys and the high pitched mewing of peacocks and other animals vibrating through the trees, drifting over the fields, sending us darting back to the house out of breath and petrified.
My word for 2014 came to me this summer when I was vacationing in Thailand. Up until then I had a few words sailing around in my head: listen; pause; awaken - but most of these were induced by the situation I was in at the time. What I wanted to do the most, what really makes up my character and defines my personality was the word - connect. And last year I cocooned myself from a lot of people shielding myself from disappointments, trouble, pain and worry
Close your eyes. Imagine the one place you would love to be in at this moment.
Where are you?
Me … I am in Norway – winding up around the narrow roads of the magnificent mountains, floating on the stunning clear fjords or lying on a lush green grassy hill under cherry trees. Roma … sitting in a lively coffee bar in Trastevere. Terracotta, maize and wine colored buildings cast a glow almost like a daylong sunset. In Gozo, watching the big fiery sun dip into the turquoise sea just behind the Azure Window. In a vibrant, psychedelic market in Istanbul.
Funny how one week can differ so drastically from another and the days are a constant roller coaster ride filled with barrel rolls, boomerangs and catapults. On the positive days it is often enthralling but on those dark and negative calibrated days this is emotionally draining. On these days all you really want is come home, run a hot bath to drown out the emotional and mental noise and look forward to a comforting meal, maybe even at having a good bitch with the partner!
Here we are - on the other side and well into the second week of a brand new year. January - is a month that gives me very mixed feelings. It’s a month that fills me up with contradictory thoughts and emotions. A month I very much look forward to in December but once here I cannot wait till it moves on.
Staring at the ceiling of our bedroom, I was feeling restless, my mind going through the chores and tasks of the new day ahead. Sleep did not fancy coming back to me no matter how I tossed and turned. Not wanting to disturb the household I tiptoed into the kitchen to fix myself a strong cup of coffee.
You have not celebrated a festivity if you have not celebrated the Indian way! I shall be so bold and state the fact. Indians love grandeur and splendor, especially us Punjabis, and being a big hearted folk we splash out on celebrations and festivities whenever the occasion allows us to. However, Indian weddings are the most extravagant and lavish festivity one can ever experience.
The air in the house is cool and refreshing. I let out a slight sigh. The weather outside is hot, sticky and sunny and thankfully the house remains cool throughout the few heat waves Germany experiences during the year. And while they are so few, I enjoy them to the fullest.
When things are up and down and the road does not quite take you where you had initially planned to go taking, time out to reassess your plan is usually a good idea. The weekend brought a lot of emotions and a bit of hectic. I feel like doing the ostrich and burying my head in the sand. Instead of unpacking, and re-organizing things, I spent my weekend baking, cooking and gardening. We had pretty much cleared away a lot of the plants, flowers etc. in our garden and it was looking bare. So instead of doing what was really necessary I did the unnecessary.
Always in search of new ways to enjoy good and healthy meals in a fun an innovative way, I decided to bring back a much forgotten vegetable into my kitchen - kale. In Germany kale is eaten quite often as a side to hearty meat dishes, however, my eating experience of kale here was mostly a squishy slop of green tasteless mush. It was not until a few years ago that I decided to bring this superfood into my kitchen and experiment with it.
It is believed that a culture cannot have a great cuisine unless it is spiced with many outside influences. Should this be true then South African cuisine has got be among the greatest in the world.
I was introduced to this cuisine several years ago when a South African friend cooked a delicious bobotie for me. The several layers of flavor in this one dish were incredible and it prompted me to look a little more deeply into the food from South Africa.
This is not any ordinary rice and beans dish. It looks like it at first sight, but there is a whole lot of excellent flavor hidden below each dish.
Although my family and I eat meat, if you looked at our meal plan for an entire week, I would say it is 75 - 80% vegetarian. Yes, I do believe that eating vegetarian is healthier and keeps you fitter. I do not need a study to tell me I am right or wrong because I see the effects it has on my family.
The last 12 months I have been consciously cooking more vegetarian food, at times even dabbling into vegan meals and I see the results. My husband says he feels better – more energy and simply “lighter”. I see exuberance in Soeren’s face and his high spirits are all signs that show me, the slight change in our diets is working for the positive. Personally, I have lost a bit of weight, despite all the desserts I make and hardly visiting the gym (don’t ask!). I feel my skin glow and energized throughout the day.
So why have we not decided to turn 100% vegetarian? Well simply because we enjoy seafood and poultry. I also believe within limits, the “right” kind of meats adds to a healthy diet. We occasionally each beef and hardly any pork, because there is nothing like a good thick steak from time to time.
Cooking a vegetarian meal is not challenging at all. I have been enjoying experimenting with nutrition, flavors and ingredients to make sure that the vegetarian meals I serve are fun, healthy and delectable.
All three of us really love chili con carne. A spicy stew Tex-Mex stew made of ground beef, tomatoes and spices. So, I took on a challenge to experiment with a vegetarian version of the chili. I did try vegetarian “crumbles” made of soya protein. They tasted good but it was an easy trade – crumbles instead of beef. I wanted to work on the recipe more. I consulted a few other recipes in books, on the web and discussed it with a few old chefs of the trade.
The final outcome is so fantastic that I would not even say it is based on the original chili. I used dried black beans for this chili. Black beans originate from Mexico and taste light and a tad bit sweeter than other beans. Great for a chili. It’s a perfect dish in itself. Paired with saffron rice and a papaya salsa, it’s like the threesome was just meant to be. Like I said – a lot more than Beans & Rice!
Interesting Reads:
Ingredients
Printable version of recipe here.
For the Black Bean Chili
200g black beans, soaked overnight
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
450ml canned cocktail tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon paprika powder
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes
1 tablespoon lime juice
Salt and Pepper
For the Saffron Rice
250g Basmati rice, washed
1 teaspoon saffron strands
1/2 lime, zest and juice
2 tablespoons Ghee or clarified butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Papaya Guacamole
For the Black Bean Chili
Either using a pressure cooker or a pot with water, cook the beans until soft.
In a separate saucepan heat the oil and sauté the onions and garlic until transparent. Add the spices - cumin, paprika, bay leaf, and chili flakes, and continue to sauté for a another minute or so.
Pour in the cocktail tomatoes with juice, salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to simmer for approx. 10 minutes until reduced, then add the beans. Simmer for a further 15 minutes. Finally drizzle with lime juice.
For the Saffron Rice
In a large saucepan bring approx. 600 ml water with salt, saffron strands and lime juice and zest to a rolling boil. Allow to steep for 5 to 10 minutes.
In a heavy pan heat the ghee and add the rice. Cook for a good minute, then pour in the saffron water and bring to a boil. Covered, simmer for 10 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
For the Papaya Guacamole
Using the back of a fork gently mash the papaya cubes. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve in small individual bowls.
Verdict
There are a lot of flavors coming together here, but they all harmonize so perfectly with each other. The entire meal leans very heavily on the Mexican cuisine with a hint of Indian aromas. We loved the slight sharp chili with the fruity papaya guacamole. It's a fantastic alternative to the regular chili for sure.
More Mexican fiestas on WFLH:
 | Tuna Tacos |
 | Chiles Rellenos |
 | Cheese Quesadillas with Two Salsas |
I'd like to send this one over to Culinary Bazaar who is celebrating the Mexican cuisine. Hope you like this one DK!
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2008 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
If all goes well you'll be reading this when I'll be at work and this post has published itself. See I am trying out the new feature scheduled posts from Blogger in draft.
Yes, my new job - I had my first day yesterday and it was pretty good. What I love the most is that I have real live colleagues with whom I can discuss issues, chat with and brainstorm in person. I really missed that working from home. The new job promises to be exciting and offers a nice diversity in tasks, which I personally like in a job. The best thing is that I was able to buy myself a new wardrobe and get to wear chic clothes instead of the comfy jeans and sweatshirt I used to wear when I was working from home. LOL!
Last year when I entered my sauce hollandaise for Barbara's wonderful event LiveSTRONG, I had mentioned in my post that I knew no one who was effected with cancer. That changed shortly after. My neighbor, a dear and wonderful lady, told me that she is a cancer survivor. She said she had beaten it, it took away one of her breasts, but she overcame it.
I wish the story ended there, like an happily ever after, but it goes on. A little while later she was informed that things were not looking good in her blood tests. Apparently after five years of it being dormant, the cancer came back, more aggressively than before. Somehow it had managed to find a way to her bones and eaten away on them. How this was not detected earlier still leaves me flabbergasted.
In the process of all this, she lost her job, her husband of over 13 years told her he was leaving her for someone else and finally when she decided to leave Weimar to go back to her hometown, where her parents were, her kids decided to stay on here with the father. It often seems when one is knee high in shit, one only finds a toothpick to dig themselves out of it. I felt so helpless - all I was able to do was be there to talk to her and try to raise her spirits.
Today, she is fighting the cancer with chemotherapy, she has been told that she will eventually die from it but the chemo will help her to prolong her life. She is a tough cookie. She has found love in the form of a new partner and when she came to visit me a little while back, I have to say she looked great. She still has that positive spirit and even after all that has happened to her in the short span of one year, she is looking into the future. No matter what she is determined to make it the best part of her life.
Go MP - you show em! This one's for you.
Ingredients
Printable version of recipe here.
500g Hokkaido pumpkin, cut into small cubes
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
400g Aroborio rice
1/8 l dry white wine
1 1/8 l vegetable stock
Fresh rosemary, chopped
200g shrimps, peeled
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Method
In a small pan, dry roast the coriander seeds until they are fragrant. Using a mortar and pestle grind into a powder.
In a heavy pot, heat 1 tablespoon of butter and oil each. Add the onions, garlic, coriander powder, pumpkin seeds and pumpkin. Sauté for a few minutes, then stir in the rice. Sauté for another few minutes, until the rice turns transparent.
Pour in the wine and allow to soak into the rice. One the liquid has evaporated start adding the stock in ladles, each time waiting till the liquid has been soaked in. Stir frequently during this process to "massage" the starch out of the rice. The rice should be ready in about 15-20 minutes. It should be soft but still have a good bite to it. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
In a non-stick pan, heat the remaining olive oil. Sauté the shrimps till they turn to their bright orange color and sprinkle with rosemary. Drizzle with lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste.
Incorporate the remaining butter into the risotto. Serve in pre-warmed deep dishes with the shrimps.
Helpful risotto reads:
About risotto
Basic risotto
Many of you know my affinity towards risotto. I love the creamy texture and the full bodied taste a risotto offers. This one is particularly special because it makes use of one common ingredient and one sophisticated ingredient - the pumpkin and shrimps - making this risotto a pure indulgence. It offers wonderful flavors of the sweet pumpkin and the firm shrimp infused with the delicate hint of coriander. The added plus are the crunchy pumpkin seeds.
This is for my support towards LiveSTRONG A Taste of Yellow.
Other risotto creations you might enjoy:
Risotto with creamy mushrooms
Risotto with creamy red bell pepper
Risotto with rucola and bresaola
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2008 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
I was lying at the doctor's, staring at the ceiling, with several needles stuck all over my body. The ones in my ear pinched the most. But it was all bearable - I just felt like a helpless porcupine lying on its back. Funny what people will do to "feel good". I do this on my own will - once every two years or so - simply to rejuvenate myself. Acupuncture is something I like to put myself through to relieve pain or to simply lift my spirits. My doctor introduced me to it a few years ago and ever since then I have become a believer.
I often have trouble with my neck, shoulder area. It's not excruciating pain, just simply the feeling of having the weight of the world lying on my shoulders. Do you know what I mean? I can't describe it any better than that. It's uncomfortable, hurts and gives me slight headaches every now and then.
In December I decided to start a new treatment. My last one was back in 2006 and last year was not the easiest for me. Especially after loosing my grandmother, things were in a bit of a turmoil. It took toll on the weakest part of my body - my neck and shoulder area. I consulted with my doctor and she also recommended to treat the blues I was having. In a treatment of 10 sessions over a period of 10 weeks, you get needles stuck to all types of points and meridians. Each point stimulates a different part of the body.
I had my last session today and although I knew the effect of what acupuncture had on physical pain, it was the first time I experienced how it helps with other issues, deeper in the mind, heart and soul. I was not in deep depression, I was just feeling uneasy, not eating or sleeping well, feeling drab and simply reflecting the time of year we were in - gray and dull. Most of my Europeans friends go to the solarium - some doctors and trainers recommend it as it has the same effect on us as sunlight does.
I am not the solarium type of person though. I take on a weird color and do not like the feeling of being trapped under all those tubes and volts. So, instead I prefer to have needles stuck into me and feel like a helpless porcupine. For 45 minutes I close my eyes and allow my thoughts to run free.
The consequences of these free, wild thoughts are often new food creations. I play with flavors and aromas in my head. Pairing ingredients and experimenting with different products. When I get home I write my thoughts down, then I take the theory into the the kitchen and put it into practice. One of the dishes that came to be was this lovely risotto.
Most of you know my affinity for risotto. I love the texture and the creaminess of the rice, tasting totally different each time depending on the ingredients it is paired with. What I wanted to do was try my hand at a sweet risotto. Pair it with spices and complement it with a fruity side. I used coconut milk to cook the rice in and spiced it with flavors of cinnamon, vanilla and star anise. The cherry compote also has the aromas of cinnamon and star anise - the secret ingredient in this dish.
Star Anise
Star anise is a spice native to China and Vietnam. Today it is almost exclusively grown in southern China, Indo-China and Japan. As the name suggests, the star anise is star shaped, with about 5 to 10 segments and a deep brown rusty color. It is an unusual fruit of the Illicium verum, a small native evergreen tree of southwest China. The fruit is harvested between March and May and picked before it can ripen, it is then dried and sold either whole or as a powder.
Star Anise has a very distinct flavor very much like licorice. It is powerful, pungent and stronger then anise. Both get their distinctive licorice taste from a chemical compound called anethol, but both spices are not related with each other.
Purchasing, Storing & Preparation
When purchasing star anise, look for whole pieces that aren’t broken or wrinkled. Stored whole in airtight containers in a cool dark place, it keeps for well over a year. Discard once the flavor fades.
Whole stars can be added directly to the cooking dish. Pieces of star anise are referred to as segments, points or sections. These are discarded once the dish is ready. Whole stars can be grounded into a powder and used as required. Use small amounts, as the powdered form of the spice is powerful.
Ingredients
Printable version of recipe here.
For the risotto
200 - 250 g Arborio rice
600ml coconut milk - unsweetened
30-50g sugar - depending on the sweetness you like
1 vanilla bean - seeds scraped and reserved
1/2 cinnamon stick
2 whole star anise
50g butter
For the cherry compote
1 kg sour cherries - I used some of the cherries I had frozen from last summer
150 ml Port wine
300 ml red wine
6 tablespoons sugar
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
2-3 teaspoons cornstarch
1 lemon - juice and zest
Method
For the risotto
Melt butter in a large pot. Add the rice and stir while it cooks and takes on a glassy color - approx. 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the vanilla pod and seeds, the cinnamon and the star anise. Pour in a ladle full of the coconut milk and stir until the milk has incorporated into the rice. Add some of the sugar and stir until dissolved
Once the rice starts to get dry add more of the milk and sugar. Repeat this procedure and keep stirring at regular intervals. This "massages" the rice to release the creamy starch for a perfect consistency. This process should take about 15-20 minutes. The rice grains should be soft but still have a slight crunch to them.
For the cherry compote
Bring cherries, Port, wine, sugar, cinnamon stick, star anise and lemon zest to a boil in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat.
Stir together cornstarch and lemon juice until smooth, then stir into boiling liquid. Boil for 1 minute the remove from heat and cover. Allow to rest for approx. 15 minutes. Serve warm.
Tip: You can make the compote 2 days ahead. Allow to cool completely then cover and chill in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Verdict
Tom who is not a huge fan of the regular "rice pudding", simply adored this. He found the flavors of the sweet, spiced rice perfect with the fruity, slightly tart note of the cherry compote. Soeren - well he is the biggest fan of such warm milk and rice dishes and the cherries always add a great color and touch to the dish. I love the subtle coconut flavor that one tasted in the distant. The licorice aroma of the star anise is certainly present but also perfectly subtle on the tongue. All in all this was a great sugar and spice dish and I certainly will experiment with different flavors - acupuncture or not!
You might enjoy theses creamy desserts too:
| Coconut Mousse with Mango Coulis | |
| Panna Cotta with Blackberries | |
| Strawberry Mascarpone Millie Feuille | |
| Tropicana Cream with Summer Berries |
This creamy, sweet and spiced risotto is off to Sunita of Sunita's World, who hosts the lovely event Think Spice. This month the star spice is non other than the star anise.
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2008 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
After all the lavish parties have been visited and gourmet meals and rich feasts tasted, savored and enjoyed there comes a time when every foodie turns to the simple, no-nonsense and undressed-up charms of comfort food. It's like stepping out of those expensive designer high-heels and into the undemanding consolation of flip-flops.
While Wikipedia describes comfort food as:
"typically inexpensive, uncomplicated, and easy to prepare. Many people turn to comfort food for familiarity, emotional security, or special reward,"
By the way, comfort foods should not be mistaken with favorite foods. Favorite foods are normally fancier and more opulent. These kind of foods are often associated with gorgeous locations or finer restaurants - like that Lobster Thermidor on the beach bar on St. Barth. To enjoy favorite foods people dress up, go to a party or visit their favorite restaurant.
In comparison, comfort food is enjoyed with no frills. It's not fussy, expensive or difficult to eat. I enjoy my comfort foods most in a simple inexpensive bowl, me wearing my "feel-good" pants and often sitting on the sofa. For me, comfort food rarely draws an exclamation, only an appreciative and eloquent silence of pure soothing comfort.
More often then not, my comfort food includes rice. I love the velvety caress of the warm, sticky, snowy-white mould of risotto, steaming in my favorite bowl. Even preparing this creamy dish comforts me, getting me into a state of meditation while stirring and pouring. Making the perfect risotto is not as difficult as people say it is. It takes 15-20 minutes to make a basic risotto - just 15-20 minutes to enter your comfort zone. This risotto is actually my favorite. I use fresh and crispy rucola leaves sprinkled with bresaola to give a perfect texture and taste.
Call it roquette, rocket, arugula or arugula, one thing I have to recommend is to give these petite greens a try. Rucola is an aromatic, peppery salad green and is very popular in Italian cuisine. It grows wild in Asia and all over the entire Mediterranean.
Rucola leaves are best gathered when they are young and they can be tossed into salads or soups, pastas or poultry, I love making a pesto out of them. Rucola is a rich source of iron as well as vitamins A and C, with a 1/2 cup serving having only two calories.
Storing and SelectingUse rucola as soon as possible, as the flavor and texture will fade very fast. If you need to keep it a day or two, do not wash it or remove the roots. Sprinkle with a little water, wrap in paper towels or a clean cloth towel, put in a plastic bag, and refrigerate. Remove the roots and wash only when you are ready to use it. Rucola tends to be very sandy, so washing it well is very important
Substitutions
Rucola can be substituted with water cress for a similar peppery flavor. You can also use fresh baby spinach, however the flavor will not be the same. Dandelion greens also have a tart flavor but they are a bit more bitter.
A few of you mentioned they were having trouble sending me their Eat Fresh entries as the mails were bouncing back. Folks ... my mistake! Seemed like I misspelled my own email address. Sorry! Please send your emails to blogmeeta@gmail.com. Your deadline is March 31st.
For details to this event please refer to the Eat Fresh page.
To check out all the lovely entries check out our Eat Fresh Winter list.
Ingredients
Printable version of recipe here.
Basic risotto - Risotto Bianco
1 l vegetable stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion - finely chopped
2 garlic cloves - finely chopped
400g Risotto rice - the best and my preference here would be the Arboria type
2 wine glasses full of dry white wine - if cooking for kids substitute this with more stock
Salt and fresh cracked pepper
70 g butter
120g parmesan - grated
Additional
125 g Rucola leaves - roughly chopped
100 g Bresaola - roughly chopped
1/2 bunch of Thyme - roughly chopped
1 Bay leaf
Method
Bring the stock to a boil. In another pot heat the butter and olive oil together and add the chopped onion and garlic. On a low heat sauté very gently for 15 minutes until the flavors have combined and caramelized. Be careful not to allow them to take on color.
In the Italian kitchen this is called soffritto. Add the rice and raise the temperature.
Keep stirring the rice while in cooks and takes on a glassy color - approx. 1 minute. At this point add the wine (or stock) and allow the rice to take on the wonderful aroma.
Once this has evaporated and the rice begins to get dry, add thyme and bay leaves. Pour a ladle full of the stock. Stir well and add a touch of salt. Reduce the temperature so that the mixture bubbles slightly. Now, keep adding ladle full of stock, allow the rice to soak this up and stirring every now and then. When the rice has soaked the liquid add another ladle full. By "massaging" the rice this way you release the creamy starch from the rice giving the dish a fantastic consistency. This whole process takes approx. 15-20 minutes. The rice grains should be soft but still have a slight crunch to them. Now add a bit of salt and pepper, but be careful as the stock is normally salty enough - so please taste before!
Take the pot off the heat and add the butter, bresaola, rucola and parmesan cheese. Mix well and cover. Allow the rice to take on all the flavors - 2 minutes. This is the moment of truth - as giving the risotto this time allows it to unfold it's perfect creamy-moist consistency.
Vegetarian Tip: leave the bresaola out. Optionally you can add a few dried porchini mushrooms for wonderful aroma.
Verdict
A spoonful of this risotto makes me sigh out loud. Pure comfort right down to it's last creamy rice grain. Soeren and Tom cannot get enough of this lovely flavored risotto. By adding the rucola leaves right at the end, the wonderful peppery flavor is preserved, as is the crunch.
If you want more comfort foods, check back here over the weekend when I roundup the 80+ comfort food entries!
More comfort foods on WFLH:
Bulgur with Mushrooms
Gnocchi in Sage Garlic Butter
Risotto with Mushrooms
Risotto with Creamy Red Bell Pepper
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2008 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
Don't forget to send me your favorite liquid creations for this month's Monthly Mingle. I am looking forward to parting with you and your cocktails, milkshakes, lassis, drinks on the rocks, hot or cold drinks. Liquid Dreams is all about mixing up some of the most delicious drinks and bringing it to this months mingle.
