Of Updates and Olive Oil

Things have been a little quiet on the blog, but it’s quite the opposite in the Purple Foodie kitchen.

Last week, friends who run a Bombay-based lifestyle website coaxed me into selling my bakes. Just two days after that conversation, The Purple Foodie Catering was born. “It won’t be much,” they told me. Clearly, they underestimated their reach. Messages and emails from readers and well wishers poured in, as did orders for a whole bunch of things. My recipe list doubled up as a menu for requests, and that’s how it’s pretty much going to work until I get a few hours to finalise and design the menu. If you’re in Bombay, you’ve got to subscribe to Brown Paper Bag’s weekend guides. They find these cute hole-in-the-wall places and report about new and fun things to do in the city.

A catering mini-launch was just one thing. I also began writing for another popular city blog. I submitted a story that I’m really proud of – a Crawford Market Guide; a guide to the city’s best food market. I worked with Matt to put the the interiors of the market on paper – something that’s not been done before for this Victorian era market. I looked through almost every shop to put together all the information you’re going to need on your next visit to Crawford Market. Be sure to download the map.

All of this week, I’ve pretty much been elbow deep in flour, and absolutely loving every bit of it. So here I am running around getting some basic packaging in place, buying supplies and delivering the bakes! Regular food blogging should resume soonish.

Another thing I wanted to talk to you about is garlic oil. Loads of sliced up garlic, fresh thyme, red chilli flakes infused into fruity extra virgin olive oil over the slightest simmer (yes, simmer because the moisture from the garlic will make the oil bubble and appear as though the oil were simmering). In all of 15 minutes, you will have sweet garlic slices that you could eat without feeling the bite. I can imagine this being so perfect with plain boiled pasta.  And to top that you will be hit by a fragrance of sweet, spicy and herby all at the same time.

Garlic oil is excellent in salad dressings, as a finishing oil for pastas and risottos, or best of all, to make these garlicky baked fries (which incidentally, have got 171K views so far). I pretty much eyeballed the garlic oil, so measurements are approximates: 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, 7-9 cloves of garlic (sliced), a few sprigs of fresh thyme and 1 tsp red chilli flakes. This makes enough to last me about a week, so it should for you, too.

Tagged as: garlic, olive oil, thyme