My very first post :)

Cheers to the blogging community, this is Vidya.

An ardent foodie at heart and a passionate cook, I have been following several food blogs for the longest time. The idea of starting my own was often put on the sideburner, thanks to my procrastination. It just dawned on me a few weeks ago that 2009 would be my 10th anniversary of starting cooking fulltime. Now this is one reason to celebrate!

I would occasionally make a dish or two as a teenager or while in college with my mother or grandmother around, giving me instant feedback, but managing a kitchen all on my own was something new for me. I grew up watching them cook and knew all the ingredients that went into each dish, but when I started cooking on my own the dish would often not taste as good as theirs. I have realized over the years that my mom and grandmothers didn't just pass over their recipes whether they were traditional or their own, it was also their individual styles and planning skills that they passed on to me, too.

After marriage, I loved hangingout with my MIL in her kitchen. She is an exceptional cook and a very loving mom. This blog is dedicated to all the mothers in my life. You are my biggest inspiration. Love you!!

Growing up in Kerala, my roots belong to Ramanathapuram, Anikkode & Kalpathi agraharams in Palakkad. My childhood days were spent both at Nilambur in Malappuram district and Tamil speaking Palakkad. However, I am a proud Malayali at heart. Malayalam and Tamil (the Palakkad Iyer version of it) are both my mother tongues.

So here I start my (predominantly kitchen) scratchpad.. Thanks for stopping by!