Chitvish Recipes - Post your comments here (part 2)

Thanks, PS. The menu was completely Ruby's ideas!!
Any milaku kuzambu - P usili is a tasty combo! :tongue
So, all green delights?? Contrast is the pink juice for the day, perhaps! :biggrin2:
Love,
Chithra.

 

Thanks, Rama. Yes, I posted it as XL file so that you can save it & use it for combo ideas.
Love,
Chithra.

 

Dear Geetha,
Yes, in the melee of FBs, I replied yesterday, it is inevitable that I missed out a Fb or 2. You have no choice but to forgive me!
Now, (only) on your asking, all the details:

You will be amazed to know how our lives have changed over the years, with the younger generation becoming more & more techno savvy & putting it to the best use for such occasions.
As soon as the wedding was finalised, Ruby started preparing Excel sheets for every small detail. Can’t help saying, she is a GREAT planner.
Now thematic weddings are the "in-thing". Since Thanu's formal name is JayaMeenakshi, Ruby selected Meenakshi & KiLi (parrot aassociated with Goddess Meenakshi) as her main theme. We sent e-invite with an audio-video attachment to outstation friends & relatives.The audio-video attachment was Ruby’s idea & everybody loved it since it gives a personal touch.The printed invitation represents the theme very elegantly. I am attaching below.(Friends, I am not able to attach the audio-video attachment of the e-invite! :-()

10Th morning was Vratham followed by Nischayathambulam. 10th evening was Sangeet, completely organised by Manas for all her & Thanu's friends. She had printed her card separately & it wass only for invitees! There was a lot of dance & music - they had been practising for so many sundays.
That is a NI influence in our weddings, but the youngsters just let themselves go.
That night was a Chaat party.

Next morning was muhurtham. For that we had invited mainly relatives & few close friends only.
That evening we had invited a major crowd. All Sridhar’s company employees, Thanu’s & Manas’s colleagues besides a long list of friends! Sridhar is working for a MNC, International Flavours & Fragrances, based in the US. Since he is the Chief of the Asian countries, all his counterparts from all countries had come, as well as his “super-boss”..
From Jan, Ruby started shopping for gifts & purchases. She had to buy starting from servants upto Sridhar’s bosses who are coming. A wide range, but still fitting in the budget!
The entire wedding plans, every minute detail had been computerized so that nothing will be missed out. She had that pen drive with her when she moved around. She had charted out her daily P O A & stuck to that very faithfully. The mobiles being so advanced, she referred to that & with bluetooth, everything was in fingertips.
We were all given print-outs about what our portfolio was, what time we had to be present at the house or mandapam etc.
As per our community customs, “bakshanams” are done & but she & Ajit’s mother decided that they can be done away with.
Since Ruby wanted to give some token sweets when inviting people ( she & S went & invited about 100 houses in person!), she ordered for small boxes of saffron-almond chikkis from Pune & salted cashew packs from Delhi. She got special hand-made cane boxes made by self-employed women’s group ( she is deeply involved in social service) to pack & give them..
The caterers were asked to follow her special menus and not the routine.
The stage decorations, flowers … etc all fall under her theme.

Friends, can’t help sharing, my little girl has become so indepenedant & carried the entire responsibility on her shoulders with meticulous planning. I helped out with advice & suggestions if & only when asked. If I have brought her up rightly, I must have the confidence in her work and I also do not believe in poking my nose in every small thing.<!--INFOLINKS_STOP-->
I hardly went to her house which wass brimming with activity. Whenever I made goodies, snacks etc, I sent them across to feed the “hungry crowd”! Ruby said, it vanished in no time.
Friends, I know I have written more than you asked for! But its' a pity I am not able to attach the audio-video invite which was very novel!
Love,
Chithra.

 

Dear Chitra, I have obliged you - see my previous post!

Who has memory? (How did you manage to remember all the items). Only the computer has memory! :biggrin2:
Love,
Chithra.

 

Dear P, Khuskhus is "generally" a must for kurma!!
So long as the "substitutes" taste good, it is fine.
Do not steam capsicum for salads - drop in boiling water & swittch off. Remove after a few mtes & chop. Spinach on steaming will leave water & nomore be crisp.
Nomore seasonal veggies concept in Chennai. All vegs are available right threough the year, but the costs may be prohibitive!
Love,
Chithra.
I really wonder if I am sharing too much here??:-(