Food for thought... 💭

Connections, some come easy, like a well-practiced recipe you know by heart. Others are trial and error—too much trust, too little effort, a miscalculation of expectations.

_{mini chicken bread}

Some rise beautifully, turning into something strong and lasting. Some just... fall flat. I'm talking about connections with people obviously, animals and plants: they are foolproof most of the time. So I was saying: People are like ingredients. Some bring warmth, like vanilla in a batter, subtle yet irreplaceable... Some are sharp, like a sudden hit of spice, unexpected but necessary. Some are like salt; you don’t always notice their presence, but without them, everything feels bland. And then there are those who promise sweetness but leave a bitter aftertaste. Ugh! Too much sweet???

I was baking and thinking... Friendships, relationships, even the fleeting connections we make, they all have their own flavors. No? Some blend effortlessly, creating something that just works. Others require adjustments, patience, time, lots of time... You keep adding, tweaking, hoping you’ll get it right. And yet, sometimes, things just don’t fall into place. There are some people you simply can’t connect with, no matter how hard you try.

Sometimes, people spend their whole lives sustaining a relationship, believing that one day, things will finally fall into harmony—that mutual understanding will replace the gaps. But then, they realize that their hearts were never truly aligned. It was never connection, just habit.

And no matter how deeply ingrained habits are, they eventually fade away.

_{Lentil fritters bhallay: the baked version}

And then a person wonders—isn't this the same thing?

What do they call it… disappointments.

Like the cakes that don’t rise, the dough that refuses to come together, the friendships that slip away despite your best efforts. It stings—like burnt caramel, sharp and unforgiving...

_{Apple caramel walnut pie before adding the top layer and baking}

And I feel like… Not every recipe is worth repeating. Not every connection is meant to last. But we keep going, keep mixing, keep hoping that now, this time, we’ll get it right. And sometimes—when we least expect it—we do.

Funny how a conversation about food went this far. But you know me, I can’t help it. Finding analogies, drawing connections, seeing relevance where none was intended… It’s not just a habit, it’s my nature. Hehe.

And why not? Food is such an essential part of our lives. Right now, most of my time is spent in the kitchen anyway. The weather’s nice, the mood is light, so I’m diving into a mix of tried-and-tested recipes and a few new experiments. Let’s see what turns out right next time.

_{The pie turned out soooo good}

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And if I say that my casserole-style, huge, loaded fries and bread rolls turned out absolutely amazing today, would you believe me? ;)))

These are the leftovers in the dish that the kids will be munching on while studying for their exams tomorrow, all the way till Sehri:

So the thing is, cooking and enduring go hand in hand. ;)))