Cajun Festive Flavours to End the Year

It is always very exciting to cook with exotic spices that are uncommon in our country. As a part of our year-end celebrations, I decided to experiment with two flavourful seasonings, Cajun and Italian Style Seasonings, both lovely Christmas gifts from a dear family member.

The Cajun Seasoning from Louisiana, a delightful blend of paprika and garlic, adds a mild yet zesty heat that instantly livens up any dish. The Italian Style Seasoning, with its fragrant mix of dried herbs, brings a robust and aromatic touch.

Yesterday, I prepared Cajun Roasted Vegetables, a colourful mix of baby corn, carrots, zucchini, cauliflower, bell peppers, and more, all lightly roasted and tossed in Cajun seasoning. The flavours burst through beautifully, giving the vegetables a smoky, spicy charm.

Today’s special was Cajun Potato Wedges, crisp on the outside and soft within, perfectly coated with the same aromatic spice.

Everyone relished both dishes; their appreciation and satisfaction made me truly happy. These new flavours have added a memorable twist to our festive table, making this season’s cooking even more enjoyable and fulfilling.

(Photos: The seasonings that inspired it all, Cajun Roasted Vegetables, and Cajun Potato Wedges.)

Birthday!

Merry Christmas from all of us!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas filled with happiness, love, and sparkle! 🎄✨

- Merry Christmas from all of us! 🎅🎁✨

A Joyous Farewell and a Loving “See You Soon” to Bablu and Family

 

Bablu, my nephew, left this morning for his home abroad, after a delightful and eventful three-week vacation with us, following a two-year absence. We bid farewell to him and his family with our love and blessings.

It was wonderful having Bablu, Hina, Vihaan, and Nikith with us for the birthdays of Sudhir, Lalitha, Avyaansh, and Atharv, as well as for our early Christmas celebration, cheerful gatherings at home and restaurants, and visits to temples, relatives, and friends. It truly was a joyous and memorable time together.

We will miss them dearly and hope they can revisit us at the earliest possible.

The attached photographs are from the farewell party we hosted for him last night.

I Miss You – Message from Diamond Farm Stay

 

Ladies, gentlemen, and children dear,

Thank you for choosing to gather here,

For Sudhir’s birthday, bright and gay,

You filled my heart these two full days.

For forty-four hours, your family of thirty-two,

Rejoiced in sunshine, laughter, and dew;

Your games, your chatter, your cheerful delight,

Made my walls glow through the day and night.

Your love, your warmth, your gentle grace,

Lit every corner of this place;

The songs, the smiles, the tears of joy,

Each moment pure, without alloy.

And now you have gone, my halls are still,

Yet echoes linger, soft and shrill;

I know you have left with hearts made bright,

With memories wrapped in golden light.

May your love forever stay,

As strong as it was, these happy days;

God bless you all, wherever you stray.

With fondness,

- Diamond Farm Stay.

Timeless Legacy: My Father’s Favre-Leuba Automatic of the 1960s

 

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Among the few possessions that truly transcend time, my late father’s Favre-Leuba Duomatic/Automatic wristwatch holds a special place in my heart. Crafted in the 1960s, this elegant Swiss timepiece represents more than just precision engineering; it embodies a lifetime of memories, resilience, and love.

The watch, with its classic stainless-steel case and bracelet, still gleams with understated sophistication. Its silver-white dial, geometric hour markers, and clear day-date display give it a distinctive mid-century charm that has gracefully resisted the passage of decades. Every scratch on the case perhaps tells a story of days filled with work, laughter, and care.

What amazes me most is that this Favre-Leuba still runs perfectly today. Its automatic movement, powered purely by motion, continues to tick steadily, as if echoing my father’s heartbeat and his disciplined rhythm of life. In a world dominated by digital devices and smartwatches, this mechanical marvel stands as a tribute to craftsmanship and endurance.

Favre-Leuba, one of the oldest Swiss watchmaking houses, was known for creating timepieces that were both functional and robust, often built to last generations. True to that spirit, my father’s Duomatic remains a living heirloom, keeping time with the same reliability it offered him more than half a century ago.

Every time I gently feel its weight on my wrist, I am reminded of him, his quiet strength, his timeless sense of style, and the values he lived by. This watch isn’t merely an object; it’s a bridge between the past and the present, ticking with the legacy of love and continuity.

Diwali