Mist,Mountain,Tea and Petrichor

It was a sleepy morning in the mountains
We started our adventure through the rugged terrains
The mist was hanging down by the cliffs like clouds
“It ‘s going to be rain” someone said aloud. 
But mountains has a changing mood we all know 
Here’s a drizzle and there’s a sun will give you a blow

We were visiting the picturesque state of Sikkim
My longing to be there was finally blooming.
We watched the Buddhist monasteries, so calm and cool
I thought how splendid it would feel to visit here when the moon is full.
Somebody suggested to pay a visit to a tea garden, lush green beauty 
” We should go ” said my sister , it’s our mountainous duty.

So we reached there,” Temi Tea Garden ” as they called it by name
It was like any other tea garden and I visited earlier a couple of them
I descended several steps to reach the garden, among the trees
Shade trees stood tall, long and straight, birds and buzzing bees.
The sky grew black and suddenly it started to rain
Droplets of water, coming downwards, causing much pain. 

Then it happened, like a magic, mystical and mythical 
A fragrance filled the the garden, mesmerizing and ethereal
The rain-soaked tea trees emitted a smell , fresh and sweet 
Along with the petrichor it lifted up my spirit.
That an aroma could make one so joyful and lively 
I never felt like that , smelling the air merrily .

Tea could be refreshing , yes , we all know 
But have you ever experienced that wild aroma of fresh -soaked leaves ?
Mingled with the scent of dry earth, thrived with moisture
It was a godly experience, I still wonder. 
The mist, the tea-trees, the petrichor and clouds
The aroma had a mysterious formula, enveloped in shrouds .

Godrej aer creates fragrances, inspired by nature 
Natural aromatic experiences, that’s their main feature.
I wish them to invent a smell as sweet as my experience 
Most exotic and divine, the olfactory lobe could sense.

This post is an entry for the #InspireAFragrance contest in association with Indiblogger and http://www.godrejaer.com/ .

Layers

Mom,Biriyani ,Borosil

The smell of the Basmati rice was hovering around the dining hall . I sniffed  hard to get the taste inside through my nostrils . Taste  has a lot to do with smell and as I sniffed again  a whiff of cardamom, cinnamon and other exotic spices tingled my taste-buds to inform me that it was not just the rice ….. something else , something more delighting was there .

It was Sunday and my mom herself was in the kitchen , accompanied by her helping hand , Madhu . We , me and my sister , were expecting  and waiting for a gourmet’s delight and as usual mom didn’t reveal what was she cooking . It was always a pleasant surprise for us …on a weekly basis.

The tension was increasing and the smell was becoming breathtakingly savoury . Nita , my sister , mused with half-closed eyes , ” chunks of chicken , with a variety of spice marinades , so well cooked that they melt in the mouth like hard dollops of butter ..ummmm “

I winked , ” do you think it’s that special  dish of mom ?
“Sure  , I can bet for it ..I can tell it from miles away by its flavor ”

So we sat there , licking our lips…drooling literally .
And then it arrived , served in Bloom – Fidenza melamine Borosil serving bowl . The simplicity and elegance of the servingware enhanced the aroma and the  beauty of the content.

It was our most coveted dish… Mughlai style Chicken Biriyani by mom ! You won’t be able to feel the heavenly taste unless you give it a try. The captivating aroma along with those  soft  chicken  chunks , smitten in spices , those small pieces of almonds and the royal smell of saffron … it was a gastronomical  grandeur .

We were discovering the delight…layer by layer , rice and chicken and then fried onions and almonds …and there came chicken again along with rice !!   Cooked carefully under ‘dum’  which helped to retain the exact flavor of the spices in a slow but sure process. What more could a person want to feel blissful ? Okay okay… It was a pure bliss for stomach but as they say that the road to heart goes via stomach .

As we were savoring that heavenly Biriyani , along came another delight , in a smaller Borosil serving bowl. As I opened the lid , it was my favorite pineapple raita , the  vision of pineapple chunks in the creamy yogurt , garnished with chopped coriander leaves ….food frenzy ..yes ,that was what I felt .

We ate as if apocalypse was approaching and we won’t get a second chance .  Mom was more than happy seeing our delightful faces and happy stomachs.

She smiled and said , ” Good food makes a happy and healthy family and you should also learn the right way to garnish and serve food. As a person’s appearance depends much on the way he/ she dresses , similarly , the appeal of a well-cooked dish depends on the way it is served ” ..she smiled and looked admiringly at the Borosil melamine dinner set .

They were blooming too , a perfect combination .

I Know nothing about my mom’s secret recipes but
To know more about Borosil and it’s beautiful products , visit myborosil.com

This post is written as an entry for  My Beautiful Food contest in association with myborosil.com/  and Indiblogger.in