Sweet Hearts

This weekend my daughter and I took a trip to Boston to meet one of my cousins, an aunt and an uncle after a span of almost 15 years. I was a bit anxious and apprehensive about the meet but the occasion was extra special to warrant the cross country trip. We were about to meet my 4 week old niece for the first time on her first month's birthday!  No ordinary treat would suffice for this occasion but the long trip did not allow for an elaborate cake.  Thus, I had to settle on some home made sugar cookies dressed pretty in fondant decor.  Shaped like hearts and stars to signify the new sweet heart in our lives and the fact that a star has been born, the treats were simple and elegant and I think a perfect touch for the occasion besides other tangible baby gifts.

Little did I know that my entire weekend's experience would bring forth a flood of warm memories, loads of yummy delights and the reiteration in my mind that after all said and done, family time is so important in life.  Every single member of the family made a conscious effort to make us feel right at home from the time we arrived till the time we left.  There were stories of past years shared, warm hugs, a few tears and some good laughs.  In a mere 48 hours time I had re-lived my entire childhood and revisited the entire journey of my own motherhood.  What was most amazing was how despite not having met any one before my daughter merged right in and by the end of it all she had earned a place in everyone's heart.  She has now nurtured a bond with family members whom she had never known to exist.  

I call this a necessary step in growing up; getting to know your roots and keeping in touch with distant family members.  In this day and age of technology, isolation seems to have become a norm.  We are lonelier than ever before despite the best efforts of creating virtual reality and a sense of community through online media and devices.  What we all need and perhaps crave for is that personal touch, that meaningful hug and the warmth and assurance that comes straight from the heart.

Stars, Moons and Magic Dust

Celebrating a terrific two-some birthday with the most magical character of the planet? It can only be done with sugar cookies, mickey ears and a sprinkle of stars, moons and sugary dust...Many happy returns to a boy with a magical smile!

A Special 5th...

Valentine's day and a special fifth anniversary at the same time-frame calls for a celebration in chocolate and strawberries...Sugar filigree hearts with sugar pearls to add an elegant touch to the celebration. Congratulations to a special couple.

Da Love Log

Red velvet roll cake filled with cream cheese mousse and covered with dark chocolate ganache...Happy Valentine's Day everyone.

A Splash of One-derful Fun

A wonderful birthday is wished for a special little boy turning one! May his years be full of good health and cheer. The cake had a layer of red velvet and pineapple flavored cakes on each stack with cream cheese pudding in between. Rohan, hope you having a 'splashing' year ahead; go ahead and make waves...

Going on Twelve...

Eleven years of walking side by side, laughing together, sharing tears and watching each other 'grow' in many ways ... As we continue on this journey of life together I know not what the future holds for us. I can only hope and pray that the next year holds as much promise, love, trust and happiness as those gone by...

Dark Comfort

Today, I am another year older and another step closer to the dreaded 'over the hill' mark, as they call it.  The years are moving along and this time I am inclined to feel a little wiser.  That is, if wiser can be equated with being more informed from life's lessons.  

I have learnt a lot this past year.  

1. I have learnt that I have been blessed with an amazing family of loved ones, well wishers and friends.
2. I have learnt that fretting over anything only makes it ten times worse.
3.  I have learnt that doing the right thing does matter.  
4. I have learnt that patience and humility are immense virtues when it comes to raising children.
5. I have learnt that results are more amazing when the work comes from the heart and soul and not just the head.
6. I have learnt that you can never tell someone you love that you love them enough number of times. 
7. I have learnt that compromise and trust are the foundation blocks to a marriage. 
8. I have learnt that talking to and spending time with aging parents is the best gift you can give them.
9. I have learnt that the best way to teach your children something is to let them make a mistake first (only when it's not life threatening of course). 
10. And, above all I have  learnt that holding a grudge in life is more detrimental to health than this six layer chocolate truffle cake that I call 'dark comfort'.  

So for this coming year I am going to try really hard not to focus on the 'sour grapes' but to indulge in the juicy red ones (sometimes a glass of the fermented variety also ;) ).  I think I will do wonders for my heart and soul that way and you know what?  When I am happier the people around me are happier too; and that means the world to me!

Terrific Two with Elmo

A stacked cake frosted in buttercream and dressed in fondant decorations.  Each stack consisted of a layer of red velvet and a layer of pineapple cake with a cream cheese mousse filling in between.  Happy Terrific Two!

The Kilimanjaro Treat

Upside down mini red velvet cupcakes dressed with white frosting and sugar pearls to mimic the South African volcanic mountain that exhibits a snow capped peak.

Mini Delights, Big Hearts

Here's wishing everyone a very delectably delicious and an absolutely sweet new year 2012.

Every year brings with it new hopes, new desires and holds the promise of a fresh start.  Why is that so important? It's because as human beings, we are programmed to seek perfection in all we do.  We want to get it right and be right and failing that to some extent every year we find ourselves eagerly looking forward to the start of each new year.  What we perhaps need to understand is that a little bit of imperfection is just fine or the fact that every next moment can be a new start.  Nature in all its glory is asymmetrical and imperfect and yet holds captivating beauty and potential. 

People tend to make resolutions around health, fitness, money, travel, home and relationships.  I have long stopped making such resolutions. I try to wish for new beginnings and new adventures on a daily basis now.  A whole year is too long for me to envision.   To me, a new year is a milestone to explore new horizons, new ideas and be bolder than I have ever been in the past.  And if I must make a resolution this year, it will be to have a big heart in all I do and to strive and find inner peace (*I have a lot of water bubbles and fire balls to catch in my palms I guess...).

The above mini treats were made for my daughter and son's classmates to wish them a very happy new 2012 and may their big smiles and big hearts teach me to live life anew.

*Ref: Kung Fu Panda 2

Soul Mates...

The ways of the human heart are very strange.  We look for riches amidst scarcity, we yearn for fame at the most in-opportune time frames and we strive to prove we are invincible during our most vulnerable moments in life.  And the most amazing aspect about the human heart is that despite all odds it can thrive on a thing called love- the type that is eternal and soul satisfying and not merely related to physical attractiveness or monetary gains.  A love that is pure and holds true for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health and for better or worse...These words are repeated during every marriage vow to spell out to new couples the secret recipe for success, and if they are able to follow them, they may, in time perhaps realize that they have indeed found their true soul mates.  For, there is not a gift more special at a wedding than finding a soul mate to carry one through this journey called life.

Here's wishing all my family members, friends and supporters a very merry Christmas and a lucky new year ahead.  This was a white bridal shower cake depicting the first set of gifts exchanged by the young couple in fondant artwork (an iPhone and a tool kit).  May they find themselves to be blessed for the rest of their lives.

Bugga Bugga Baby

A mellow lemon cake layered with apricot-pineapple preserve and topped with butter-cream frosting/fondant decor. 

Warm Monkey Delight

I am a wee bit late this year, but typically December is the month I bake my 'appreciation' for my family, friends and colleagues.  This year's spread starts with this delightful monkey bread.  It's an American favorite cinnamon-bread that's sweet, sticky, gooey  and pulls apart in small bite sized pieces.  I created my own version by layering the bread with nuts and raisins soaked in Jamaican rum.  I haven't the faintest clue why this delightful treat is called monkey bread and honestly I don't care. All I know is that even if you called this a hippo bread it would make you salivate and go for that cup of hot coffee on a cold and frosty morning.  

This one I baked for my colleagues.  Thanks for your help and support all year long and for making it fun going into work even though it often seemed like the sky was falling...Cheers to the team!

WINning Cookies

I would like to mention a few words about a group of women I know and a particularly wonderful person amongst them... Her name is Georgina.  Come to think of it, I actually know very little about her.  But what amazes me is that despite our short acquaintance as colleagues,  I find her to be an amazing woman!  I am in awe of her positive attitude, willingness to jump in and help everyone and her larger-than-life heart.  Her smile can light up your day and make you feel like you have an instant friend.  Her generosity is only paralleled by her incredible party-hosting ability.  Thanks to her altruism and spirit, a group of women from work spent an incredible lunch hour sharing some fun stories, decorating some holiday cookies and then taking them home to enjoy with their families. All the women in question, including myself, are board members of a voluntary organization that strives towards the professional and personal development of women at the workplace.  It goes without saying that I am incredibly proud to be part of such a noble cause.

But for me, the charm of the event didn't end there.  It lay in the fact that it wasn't just these self-decorated cookies  I brought back home with me.  Having spent a good hour with such incredible women this afternoon I carried back with me a sense of community, a sense of accomplishment, a feeling of doing good unto others and a feeling of gratitude towards many things in life. These cookies are more than just sweet cheer- they are the portrayal of a winning combination of confidence, camaraderie and the will to do good. Let's WIN and have fun!

Banana Nut Crunch

The holiday season is knocking on our doors again and it's that time of the year when many of us become nostalgic about the year gone by or start making plans for the new year ahead.  It can be a stressful time too if you are entertaining guests or taking a trip somewhere.  Whatever be your disposition this year, it is important to put everything in perspective.  The goal is to have a good time and enjoy ourselves.  To put aside differences and act in a good spirit; to find time for family and friends and relax a little before another year takes a start. 

If there are gripes about the year gone by, feel free to vent to family and friends.  But do keep in mind that many things happen that are outside our control.  While the folks who love us always have the best intentions at heart, the outcome of their gestures sometimes may not have yielded the desired results.  That doesn't necessarily lessen the value of the kind act and we need to still appreciate such acts of love and kindness as difficult as it may seem...

To those on the receiving end of the venting and endless complaining, just remember that the person venting is not looking for advice or direction, but just a pair of ears who will listen to their woes and thus lighten their hearts. So hold off the judgement and advices.  Often times silent compassion speaks more than words.  A warm hug can mean more than the best gifts under a tree.
If we could somehow learn to share each others sorrows and multiply our joys then the world could become warm enough to melt away all the frigidity... So, let's strive to ring in the holidays this year with warmth in our hearts, compassion in our acts and forgiveness in our souls.  Just like the soul satisfying comfort and warmth provided by these cereal crusted delectable banana/walnut muffins. 

Lil' Pumpkin

Dark chocolate fudge cupcake for a baby shower to honor a special couple's very own first little pumpkin...Decorations in butter-cream frosting and sugar.

Happy Notes

I read somewhere that life does not consist of the number of breaths you take but of the number of moments that take your breath away.  A range of emotions from cries of joy to painful sighs fill our days and years and in the end if we have been able to bank the laughter more than the tears we feel life has been worth it.  The hard work is to figure out a way to bank the giggles so that we may use them at times that call for tears. 

Worry, anxiety, stress, ego or depression appear to have become a daily agenda item.  It's no small wonder that we now struggle to feel relaxed and enjoy the fun things life has to offer.  My significant other often says that "it's not a big deal if you don't want it to be"...there's so much wisdom in that train of thought.  Is it really a big deal if my son spills his yogurt on his clothes at the breakfast table just before school or is the fact that he is self feeding and self reliant a bigger deal?  Clearly the latter, yet I tend to focus on the former and spend the next couple of minutes in a high decibel exchange of words that leaves both me and my child feeling so much more worse.   Is it really a big deal that my daughter can't get one task right for the 100th time but does 500 other tasks flawlessly?  I don't know about you but if life is a song, I have been focusing on the wrong notes all along and that would explain why  humming the right tune is so elusive...

"play on rajnish" was a mellow lemon cake with lemon custard filling and frosted with butter-cream icing.  The edible rose/petal decor was done using fondant and sugar pearls were used to mimic drops of rain to shower good health, fortune and happy notes to the birthday boy.

Building Blocks of Fun (LEGO)

Eggless cupcakes with butter-cream frosting, sprinkles and fondant shaped all edible LEGO pieces.

For the Love of Cricket

A mild pineapple cake filled with two layers of apricot & pineapple spread; covered in an all fondant decor was created to showcase a child's love of the British sport on his seventh birthday.

Dreaming of a Donut

What are dreams and why do we have them when we sleep?  Leading dream researchers have embarked on a variety of neurological and psychological experiments to investigate the world of sleep and dreams. Delving deep into the thoughts and brains of a variety of people, scientists are asking important questions about the purpose of this mysterious realm we escape to at night. But a definitive answer still eludes their study.  

I like to think of dreams as portrayals of our deepest desires, fantasies and creative feats that the heart and mind yearns for but the soul has yet to achieve.  They take us to a happy time, allow us to fly and escape into a world of superfluous being where there are no bars to what one can achieve. Nightmares on the other hand are the ones which bring to forefront our fears and apprehensions.  Then there are those "dreams" which show us glimpses of the future and make us wonder how this paranormal phenomenon occurs.  Let's leave the scientific studies over the debate about dreams and paranormal activity to the neurologists and experts.  Let's focus on the enjoyable factor of a dream.

While our concept of a 'sweet' dream may not literally look like that as envisioned by a certain Simpson family member, you have to admit that the sugar-glazed donut with sprinkles along with a few beer cans symbolize guilty pleasures.  Anything good in life is either illegal, immoral or fattening and causes cancer in lab mice.  So why not enjoy the various treats of life that our happy dreams have to offer.  It's the best way to indulge without the after-effects mentioned.  So if you are dreaming of a vacation, a slice of pie, to meet that someone special or winning a medal, I say dream BIG.  For, dreams are what gives us the feeling of being on cloud nine and inspires us to reach out and achieve our goals.

A mild pineapple egg-less cake (top stack in the shape of a donut) with banana and vanilla custard filling was the "sweet-dream" choice of the birthday celebration.

A Festive Rangoli

"Rang" means color.  Rangoli refers to a dance of colors symbolizing joy and happiness, and a blend of cultures and traditions in celebrating various Hindu festivals.  These intricate folk art decorations are typically hand drawn with colored rice powder at the doorstep or in the courtyard of homes.  They are considered sacred and auspicious in bringing good fortune to our lives.  With the various festivals like Navratri, Durga Puja, Dusshera and Diwali knocking on our doors this month, I chose this as means of bringing good wishes to the birthday girl.
An eggless mild pineapple flavored cake with banana and vanilla custard filling was the calling of the day.

It is a fact that the sense of smell can trigger human memory.  What I did not know was that certain words or phrases can do the same as well.  Just recently I came across a mention of "shiuli phool"(parijaat flower) in an online post.  It immediately brought back a flood of memories from my childhood.  Wet autumn mornings, my grandmother's home, a courtyard showered with tiny white and orange flowers and myself in the middle of it, stooping down with delight to pick up as many as I could to fill my tiny bowl.  Then there was that occasional prickly caterpillar that would sometimes cause a nuisance...Ohhh...how I wish life could be that simple and sweet again...Why is it that I could find heavenly bliss in a simple act as that and have to conscientiously strive to be happy now?  What do we lose when we grow up?  What is it that takes up the place of simple delights, small pleasures and mundane happiness to make us so stressed in our lives today? 

Our genes don't change and since cognitive studies claim that happiness is halfway genetic in nature it means that we have a 50-50 chance of taking glee in the fun things of life again, like: walking barefeet on the grass, picking flowers from our garden, throwing a ball in a field and wanting to savor the festivals as they come without worrying about the tasks left un-done.  So, if you feel the way I do, I say, let's join hands to welcome celebrations be it now or at another time, be it Diwali or Christmas...let's just pick up where we left glee behind and grin away.  Always.

A Chocolate Delight

A chocolate lover's delight:  Devil's food cake with dark chocolate ganache and dressed in chocolate curls with cherries on top. 

Say Cheese with the Packers 2011

One of the things I love to do on my cakes is to address the occasion with subtle humor or some hidden innuendos.  I feel it makes my art a little different than what commercial stores sell and also puts a touch of customization to it.  When I received this cake order I was told that the gentleman was an avid Packers' fan and also loved cheese.  As such I couldn't resist putting down "say cheese joyjit" instead of the usual 'happy birthday'.  If you also think about it, Green Bay Packers hail from Wisconsin...is it just a mere coincidence that the place is also famous for its cheese??? Talking of coincidences...what do you say when you further learn that this year his birthday kicks off with NFL 2011!

This was a red velvet cake with two layers of dark chocolate fudge and topped with butter-cream frosting and an edible American football.  May you enjoy this NFL season to the fullest as you enjoy another year of life.

The Candyland Prince

Mellow lemon and plain white vanilla flavored cakes were stacked up to make this candy themed cake.  The white cake was tinted blue to add a layer of color inside.  Filling of choice was raspberry mousse and the frosting was butter-cream.  Chocolate coated raisins, m&m's, fondant lollipops and gumballs and an all edible crown was created to wish the little boy a very happy birthday.

Basket of Joy

There's a funny thing about chores around the house.  They 'multiply' very quickly with the 'addition' of new members in the household- be it guests or babies.  This type of math is something I haven't quite figured out yet.  It's a good thing no one ever highlights this fact to the parents of a single child.  Those of us with more than one child knows how it works.  There's double of everything in need except for laundry...somehow that explodes into quadruples or more loads.  Pray tell me how does the youngest member of the household get the say in the amount of clothes that need to be laundered?  

Parents have this notion that they are in control.  I say: "bull", there's no one in more control of a household than the youngest and most helpless member of the human family.  A tiny cry and we wake up, a smile and we swoon with delight, a whimper and we wait with baited breath for the cry to follow, a howl and we drop everything to get food ready, a small cut or bruise and we are ready to visit the ER...now this is what I call 'being in control'!  The power to twist fingers to do whatever I demand without moving a limb of my own.  Amazing.  Sarcasm aside babies are the most dear thing to all of us.  No matter how many loads of laundry they bring with them, they are all definitely baskets of joy.

A mellow lemon cake filled with raspberry mousse was the choice for this baby shower cake to enjoy the tastes of the last few days of summer.  The color of the decorations were matched to the lemon and raspberry for the berry sweet little baby girl on the way.

A Dino-mite Birthday

My baby lion turned four years old a couple days back.  Not a huge milestone in general but if you ask a mom why each year of growth appears extra special than the one before here's what you will find.  A year is not just made up of hours, days or months.  It's made of up more laughter, more hugs, new words, new gestures and new adventures amidst some new turmoils too.  Given how time flies and kids fly their nest, each year at home with a child is truly a gift of companionship.


I asked my boy what he wanted for a cake.  I truly expected him to say "don't know" like the year before.  It was a pleasant surprise when he came back with "dinosaurs, please"!  He now knows what he wants in life!  He is capable of making decisions and is showing an inkling of preference of one thing over another.  He is developing his own individuality and personality.  That in itself is incredible.  Soon the time will come when he will no longer need me to help him along and he will be his own human being: hopefully a strong and confident one at that.


As I was saying, time is a funny thing.  It never differentiates between rich or poor, young or old, black or white.  Yet it feels that time takes longer to traverse when we are sad and time travels in a flash during our happy moments.  Since we cannot do away with either in life, we need to cherish the good times and know that the bad times will soon be over.  Life is short and we have so much to do and so far to go.  Let's not waste any time pondering any more and go out and have the DINO-mite time of our lives by celebrating our family, friends, occasions and everything worth rejoicing about.


Red velvet three tiered cake with whipped cream filling and butter-cream frosting.  Fondant dinosaurs and dinosaur eggs.

My Baby Lion

The caption says it all!  This one was for my son, his very own personalized cake for his birthday.  Red velvet with butter-cream frosting and a fondant baby lion to sum up his personality: Warm, sweet and bold all in one.

Musical Notes

Music is a combination of sound waves that create a soothing and/or exhilarating sensation in our brains.  Scientifically proven to calm even the wildest animal, melodious notes set our hearts to a happy rhythm.  It is a language in itself that takes on various forms.  What is interesting to note is that regardless of the different beats and tunes music is omnipresent in all our emotions.  And when we can't find the music in our lives we lose hope and happiness.  Let's strive to maintain a balance of high and low notes in our day to day existence such that we create a wonderful and magical sound to ears all around...

A red velvet cake layered with cream cheese frosting was the calling for a piano enthusiast of 8 years.  Happy Birthday Elena! 

Dresses for Baby

A chocolate half sheet cake layered with strawberry mousse and topped with butter-cream frosting was in order for a first time mom's special baby (girl) shower celebration.  The theme, I was told was baby clothes.  

Those of us with children can attest to the learning curve we experience while trying to dress a new baby in fancy clothes in general.  For those of us moms who, I think (in hindsight), are seriously mentally challenged strive to achieve this feat around nap time, thinking it will be easier to coax the little one into one of the frilly-fairy colorful affairs.  Little do we ever prepare for the first time shock of what can only be described as war!  The only saving grace is typically the cuteness and attractiveness of the items themselves that keep moms (and sometimes dads) motivated enough to fight the battle over and over again.  Sometimes it gets to the point that we hesitate to try out any new outfit just to avoid this conflict with an otherwise helpless being.  I, for one, never got through each and every dress that was either bought or gifted to my first born for this very reason.  I never kept count on who won more number of times (baby or me) but judging by the left over brand-new-never-worn dresses I have on hand five years later the results speak loud and clear.  

Experience has made me wiser now.  When baby-events roll around, especially those for little girls, I now look for gifts that are easier to wear and comfortable gear vs. tempting attires that cause high pitched wails all around.  After all, I tell myself life comes a full circle always and the day isn't far when this same little girl will spend hours on clothes for show  than those for comfort...that's when we can take our turn to smile and know we won. For now, let's enjoy the winner of a baby who will soon become a teenager.

A Burst of Pink

A burst of pink with daisies on a half sheet cake for a girlie baby shower.

100% Princess

As I start to write this 100th blog post I am amazed at how fast and wonderful the journey has been. A journey that started just a little over a year ago is now close to it's culmination point. With the increasing demands of work, family and cakes my cup is brimming over. So, I've decided to convert some of the write-ups into a book and focus more on the social media on the internet for a while instead.  This web logging (blogging) of my thoughts about life and its several mysteries through cakes and treats has been very sweet and satisfactory. I couldn't have done it without the support from my family and friends. They say success is 99 percent perspiration and only 1 percent inspiration. In this case I think the reverse is true. I have gathered inspiration to create and write from everything and everyone around me and put in only 1% of my own hard work for the final outcomes on each cake-board.  So, a word of deep gratitude I must pen to all of you.

I've always written from my heart and the fact that some of my own thoughts reverberate with some of yours is quite amazing given that we all have different genes.  This tells me that all in all we are not much unlike each other and the basis of our genetic composition is to do good in general.   This in in turn gives me hope that it's not just a mere fantasy world where I see no war, no ill feelings and no pride or prejudice amongst people under the same sky.

Dressed in hot pink and white this was a pineapple supreme cake covered with fondant on the top layer and butter-cream on the bottom layer.  The cakes were filled with apricot/pineapple spread and banana/vanilla custard respectively.  The tiara on top was hand molded from sugar-paste and adorned with sugar pearls to wish a very happy 1st birthday to an absolutely cute princess, Lasya.  Just like a princess, may she be surrounded by wishes and dreams that come true everyday.

Red Velvet, Black Tie

The earliest memory I have of my father is that of his lullabies which consisted of the same two songs every night, one of which was his national anthem!  The next memory as I grew a little older is that of standing by the window sill waiting for him to come home from work and hand me his leftover roasted peanuts in a paper cup (which he would typically buy from the roadside vendor on his walk back from the bus stop).  From that to the day when he visited me during my graduate school days and cooked me a meal with his own hands...the memories have multiplied and changed to varying degrees over the years but there is one aspect that has not altered one bit: my love for him.

There is a special bond that daughters share with their fathers.  It's a relationship that is both the envy and pride of mothers. As little girls we look up to our father as our hero, our very own 'tall, dark and handsome' warrior.  As we grow a bit older  our vision changes and we see our fathers with admiration, love and respect.  He becomes a source of motivation and inspiration.  And finally as we step into the role of parenthood, it becomes increasingly clear how important that shoulder to sit on and the back to hang from is.  Any man can be a father but it takes a certain special touch to be a 'dad'.  Here's laying out the red carpet and a special black tie for the very best: the dads of this world.  And a special thank you and I love you to mine...


Red velvet cupcakes were dressed in dark Ghirardelli cappuccino chocolate ganache frosting with white fondant specs to celebrate this special event.  Happy Dad's Day!

The Present

I once came across a quote that read "The clock is running. Make the most of today. Time waits for no one. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it is called the present."  

The words made perfect sense...and yet here I am who worries everyday about what the future will hold.  Will I be able to control it or carve it to my needs and desires?  Will I like what it has in store for me? How will I react to the misfortunes that come my way? The questions seem endless...and in pursuit of the answers I rarely enjoy the passing moment, the present.  Perhaps it is for this reason that we carry gifts or 'presents' for people on their birthdays.  It's a symbolic notion to show them that more often than not what's inside the box (our future life), yet to be unveiled, is a beautiful surprise.  The excitement with which we open our presents should reflect the anticipation and excitement in our lives to greet the future.  At times the 'box' holds things that we either do not like or did not want but eventually we get around to using the items somewhere, somehow...we should learn to do the same in life.  When we come across the not-so-desirable events in life we need to make the best out of it.  We need to find a purposeful use for it and then move on.  


I salute the people who always have a smile on their faces and a song in their hearts and know how to live in the present moment...for there is no comparison to enjoying a gift that is in hand versus one that we may never get to open and look inside.  


Saying cheers to a birthday with an edible 'present' was a mellow lemon cake with lemon custard, strawberries and  butter-cream frosting.

Birthday in the Park

 

A request for a special 'Minnie mouse and her friends' first year birthday cake for a little girl turned into some thoughtful insights on my part.  I will write about the cake in a moment, but before I do I would like to ask you to define the word "happiness".  The theme park where Minnie and her friends reside is termed as the 'happiest place on earth' or so says the marketing. 

What is 'happiness'?  The dictionary defines it as a state of well being and contentment.  'Contentment' is the key word here.  When we are content we are at peace with ourselves and find very little reason for unrest or anxiety.  However, human nature is very strange and this feeling of contentment rarely lasts a long time for most ordinary mortals.  We are always looking for 'more' in everything and this in turn makes our state of happiness a moving target.  The feeling vaporizes within a short few moments of its birth and we struggle to find it all over again.  The constant pursuit of this feeling of satisfaction thus becomes a convoluted and turbulent facet of our lives and ends up robbing us of achieving a lasting happiness.  Sometimes, we don't even know what would make us happy!


Is the degree of happiness measurable in money? I honestly don't know. Money can surely buy the kind of misery we seem to enjoy and provide us with security in life,  but it cannot predict the future or ensure that things will certainly go the way I plan it to be.  So then, how do we make happiness an inherent part of our lives?  If you've ever visited the commercial 'happy place' which started this topic you will recall that there is indeed something magical about that land that makes a heart smile and dance.  It's the feeling of love, warmth, good cheer and wellness being wished all around.  The laughter of our children and the hugs all around  leave us very content and satisfied.  And it is this feeling of satisfaction that we must learn to nurture in our everyday way of life if we are to stay happy most of the time.


The cake in question was my first half sheet cake in a plain vanilla flavor.  Filled with banana and vanilla pudding it was topped with butter-cream frosting and hand-molded sugar paste Disney characters.  Here's wishing the smiling lil' Minnie (Siyona) a very happy one-derful birthday.

Minnie Ears

Sugar cookies with sugar pearls for a very sweet girl's first birthday treat.

First Communion

I have to tread with caution on my thoughts on this blog since no one topic is more controversial than religion.  In many ways, I feel religion is as ambiguous as politics. Yet most of us are deeply rooted in one.   A First Communion is a Catholic Church ceremony that "confirms" a child to the religion so that he/she can learn the culture and its values. There are different forms of the same process amongst Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism,  Islam and the various other religions of the world.  

Religion can be viewed as a way of life, a call of faith or a medium to enforce to us that there is a Supreme Being who controls the universe.  To do good unto others, to lead a pious life and to have compassion for those less fortunate seem to be the basic teachings of all religions.  It also teaches us that victory of good over evil often comes after much pain and suffering.  Religions believe in the concept of peace and harmony for all living beings.   Yet it is this very facet of life that can draw people into war and make us act in the most heinous fashion; all in the hope of achieving 'nirvana' or freedom for our soul.  We not only practice religion in everything we do but also try to preserve it through generations.   We may preach tolerance and secularism but in our hearts we find comfort in the 'way of life' that our mothers and grandmothers have taught us.  We may go to religious  schools for education but the influence of religion in our home far surpasses those of the outside world.  And when this passion for religion takes an ugly path, it becomes what is called fanaticism. 

I now know that it is important for my children to know the religious beliefs I hold, solely not because I want them to follow the same path but more so to ensure that I stay within my comfort zone of life.  For there is no other more difficult aspect of life than embracing a religious belief that is different from the one you were engrained with.

A simple white vanilla cake with cream cheese frosting topped with a sugarpaste replica of the young boy offering his prayers symbolic of the 'last supper' rites was created to wish the family a blessed event.

Busy Bees & Happy Hearts

 Many many years ago I was taught that teachers are to be respected, revered, thanked and occasionally given a place higher than the Almighty.  The last bit confused me slightly.  How could someone hold more importance than God?  What the quotation meant was that for the fortunate few of us who get an education, teachers play a very important role in shaping our destinies.  The value of any type of education is worth its weight in gold.  But the value of an education that teaches us to balance the brain with the feelings in our hearts is priceless.  Let me elaborate what I mean here.  

Contrary to the belief, it is actually not so hard to learn the mathematics, the sciences, the arts, the social sciences, literature and other topics from books, electronic media and through practice.  What is difficult are their applications in real life towards doing our best in our professions.  What is even more difficult is being smart about how we apply it all to the work we do...and perhaps what is the most difficult task is to decide whether we act with our mind or heart when doing the work we do.  I guess that is what makes the school my daughter goes to more special to me than others.  The principal and teachers of the school actually have a way of encouraging hard work and comradery amongst students starting from a very young age.  They are awarded with what's called a Busy Bee or a Happy Heart certificate.  Busy Bee amplifies hard work and sincerity in making academic progress while a Happy Heart symbolizes acts of kindness, compassion and a cheerful demeanor.  What a concept!  To teach kids to learn the value of sometimes playing fair and at other times being a tough competitor.  I believe it takes a great combination of these two attributes for succeeding in the real world.  Even amongst the best and most witty politicians and professionals, the ones with charm and charitable intentions are celebrated long after they depart the earth, making this life-lesson a worthwhile one for each one of us to adopt.

I raise my cup-cakes to salute the teachers of yesterday, today and tomorrow with a special thanks to those who will be a significant part of our life through our children's education.  These were chocolate cupcakes filled with a dollop of chocolate ganache on the inside and covered with all fondant decorations in keeping with the theme of the Teacher's Appreciation Day this year.  For only a busy bee with wings of heart can take flight and enjoy the honey of life.  Each cupcake was individualized with the initial of the last name of each teacher to make them feel extra special.