India is such a huge country, with such a diversity of cultures, races, ethnic origins, available ingredients, outside influences, historical events...basically such a diversity of everything, that the term "Indian Cuisine" shouldn't even be used, except in the broadest sense. To know that the British held sway in India for as long as they did, one can't really credit that cream was not adapted as a culinary ingredient. Even if it had been completely unknown prior to that era, which can hardly be the case in any culture where milk is utilized, it surely would have worked it's way into usage by now. Yogurt is much more common (which isn't surprising, considering the lack of refrigeration in a primarily warm country)of course, but I have seen quite a few recipes calling for cream. And, though considering the antiquity represented by the cuisines of India, I am but the merest novice (I've only been playing with it for about 10 years), I think I can trust myself to recognize recipes that have been re-written for the non-Indian cook. Potatoes are quite the popular ingredient, used by many of the Indian peoples, both in meat dishes, vegetable dishes, and alone. In fact, one of the things I love about the use of the potato in India, is that with the creative and judicious use of spices, herbs and other vegetables, the potato as cooked by an Indian housewife can be the nutritious, healthy food that it so often isn't in Western cooking, by the time we lace it with butter, cream, or cheese as is so often our wont. Jessica, Indian cooking can be very healthy indeed! (Leaving out the tendency toward deep fried snack foods!) While many recipes call for ghee (a form of toasty, clarified butter), you needn't add it with a lavish hand as the flavor is quite rich and distinctive. In many recipes, you can substitute olive oil quite easily, if you prefer. The use of so many spices and herbs, and the various methods in which they are used lends such flavor to meats, vegetables and grains that the addition of copious amounts of fats or yet salt, becomes unnecessary. Naturally, there are those curries that include fatty coconut milk, but then, if you eat the way a person in India eats, you won't be eating a big bowl of it, but a small portion along with vegetables, legumes and grains. My love affair with the cuisines of India began with Dal. The lowly lentil, which was to my knowledge just something one made a pot of soup with sometimes, has been transformed into a magical food ingredient by the hands of Indian cooks. I have read that it is a rare meal in India that does not include some version of legume. What we classify as lentils, peas and beans are all, "dal." Dal can be served in soups, porridge, breads, crackers, chips, snack nibbles, fritters, used as a base for thick sauces, toasted into crunchy bits to add texture, as a base for curries and stews...gosh, I'm sure I've left some uses out. And they are so good for us! High in fiber, satisfyingly filling, cheap sources of protein, minerals and vitamins. Okay, enough of my raptures...:D Earlier in the thread, someone mentioned wanting a Southern Indian cook book? I've a wonderful book that introduced me to the Vegetarian cuisine of Southern India, a style of eating quite different from much of what we Westerners think of when we think Indian foods. The recipes are mostly excellent but I must caution that the use of hot chilies is quite lavish. I have been accused of having an "asbestos mouth" by friends, but still I cut back quite a bit on the number of green, hot chilies and dried peppers the recipes call for. I figure, I can always add some hot sauce at table if needs be. Here is a link that might be useful: Dakshin-vegetarian cuisine from south India

Yes, the hood is a Zephyr Tamburo. 400 CFMs. A piece of sculpture! So yesterday I ran around looking at tile. I picked up 8 more of the bumps and kept looking. At one point I had a vision of medium gray glass tiles, medium gray grout, grass green walls. I picked up a quart of grass green, a couple of other paint samples, and came home. Taped a sq. ft to the wall. A resounding NO. They looked brown,which would be ok except that if the soapstone darkens (which it will, I suppose, eventually) the tiles will really not work. It just looked off. Bummer. Last night I was up till all hours doing a glass tile search to find something that was less than the $27-39/sq ft I had been seeing around here. Will report in at the next round. The handles and shelves went in today. The first thing I did was start to fill the bookshelves. that horrible Minidata notebook is full of recipe clippings I will never live long enough to try. Need to organize it and maybe do something with that ugly notebook cover. A shelf of art books and then we'll see. Second thing I did was put the tea tins back on the shelf over the sink where we are used to finding them. That shelf will be usable stuff, the ones above, display for my antique tins: a counterpoint to all the sleekness. I printed out labels for the 5 mailboxes: one each for DH & me, one for my mother - whose bills I take care of, one for outgoing mail, and one for random stuff. I will have to nag DH to sort the mail instead of leaving it in a pile on the island. Grrrrrr. New leaf. Two weekly papers came in today: the one I haven't read yet is in my box. Finally, I picked up the barstools I had ordered at Crate & Barrel. $89 each and they SPIN!! What fun! I can sit and read my cookbooks at the island while I contemplate what I am going to make for dinner, instead of standing at the counter and reading. DH can sit with his laptop or pay bills at the island instead of upstairs in the 2" of space on his cluttered desk. He will do this while I am on my teaching trips, no doubt. The kitchen table will be a while in coming, although we ordered it. Thanks for the input on the tiles; they work en principe - mais pas en réalité. On continue. Tomorrow, if we are lucky, the crown molding goes up and maybe the light rail. Off now to get a decent night's sleep - or what is left of the night.

Thanks ladies,wish you all lived closer then i could share all the books and magazines i'm getting rid of with you,but alas you don't so i'm waiting for a call back from the library.There are 5- 33 gal trash bags and one box sitting on my front porch right now waiting for AmVets to pick them up,plus a few miscellaneous pieces. Gillian i got those shelve years ago at the unfinished furniture store,and that's 8 separate units stacked on top of each other.Those other 2 units to the left of the tv used to be stacked with them also and the whole thing before was on that wall to the left of the tv,and where the tv is i used to have my Simplicity pattern cabinet and a 5 shelf bookcase.I moved the pattern cabinet to the garage and got rid of the bookcase.Oh and that hammer is no longer there.I was using it and every time i laid it down i couldn't find it,so i hung it there til i was done.LOL I didn't realize there was a magazine covering my cross stitch,so here is what was under the magazine!! Both of my desks came from the goodwill several years ago.I love them for their size and durability,and alllthe drawers they each have.Paid 35.00 each. Minnie,i can't stand empty walls,they make rooms look like no one lives there,IMHO.Besides if you're indulge in all these things then you should have them so you can enjoy them. Nina,yes it is very nice to look out into the gardens,and watch the birds,and see all the flowers etc.So when i'm not in this sewing room,i'm usually out in the gardens. There is only DH and i here now all our kids are grown and gone and have their own families.My oldest lives just 5 houses down the street with his family,so that's nice. Vicky ,you'll get your room someday as well.This one was a long time coming.I used to sew on the kitchen table when the kids where all young,but i never let that stop me. Again,thanks for the compliments. Kathi

At a very practical and mercenary level I would have liked to have written books that brought me shed-loads of money as has happened with J K Rowling or maybe the late Enid Blyton. I'm sure JKR puts quite an effort into her work, but Blyton could churn out a children's book (probably one of her 'Famous Five series) in an afternoon, sitting with her portable typewriter balanced on her knees. And talking of balance I think she had a very healthy bank-balance. I realise this is not a worthy suggestion and I could never write a deep and meaningful novel only to be appreciated by some obscure critics writing for the Guardian book reviews. So it would have to be something that just 'hit the spot' of the moment, a book that got away from mean-spirited politics, woke generation "I know what's best/don't disagree with me" Not a book with a forced joke on every page, but something that lightens the spirit and makes the days brighter.