Yesterday in the middle of the carpet installation, a sweet, rather new-ish friend whisked me away for a late birthday lunch to a favorite restaurant of hers. It's a small Indian place where she eats often and she wanted to share the whole Indian food thing with me. I've eaten Indian food only two or three times in my life, and I've made Indian-like curries a couple of times, but it certainly hasn't been a fixture in my life as in hers. Not knowing quite what I was in for but being game to try, I joined my friend at the India Oven. I was delighted to find that there was a buffet, which gave me a chance to sample a dozen or so different dishes, just a few bites of each, and then go back for some more of my favorites. As it turned out, about eleven of the twelve dishes WERE my favorites! My second plate of food was as full and nearly as varied as my first and I ate until it hurt...savoring every bite. And now I can say I have discovered a new food love--northern Indian cuisine! I'll be combing the internet for dishes that can be made without having to comb the city for exotic ingredients, though I'm not above even that if it strikes my fancy...

And if you're way ahead of me on this and have any great recipes to share, fire away!

(And thank you, Penny!)

Labels: Food, Friendship