We have some new toes in our home!! Our daughter Sitara arrived a few weeks ago. It has been a crazy month and, with two babies under two, I anticipate crazier days ahead but I am trying to slow down and savor all the delicious babyness around me (which is easier said than done).
I thought I’d crawl my way back into blogging with a list of a few things that I have been enjoying lately (other than tiny fingers and toes, of course).
1. Cheeses : This year I have been absolutely loving Lamb Chopper cheese and the Italian Il Boschetto al Tartufo. Lamb Chopper is a sheep’s milk cheese, slightly creamy with a hint of sweetness. It fills the same spot in my heart stomach as a good gruyere or comte cheese (except that is made from pasteurized milk and vegetable rennet). It also happens to be my son’s favorite cheese. Il Boschetto al Tartufo is studded with white truffles and I always sigh after a bite. I love it straight up or in a grilled sandwich paired with red onion confit. [I think I just swooned a little].
2. Natural Perfume and Body Oils : Lately, I have been craving mostly natural perfume. Especially Mandy Aftel’s Wild Roses. Wild roses is a gorgeous, gorgeous rose. Intensely fragrant. Like the first rose that you ever smelled. Rolled in… I don’t know…all the right wood and spice notes. It serves as an oasis that I secretly dip into. And when I sniff my wrist, I sigh deeply, grateful for this luxury that has melted into skin. Did I mention I love it?! (Review coming soon).
I have also been craving scented body oils and and am dying to try Aftelier’s Ancient Resins Hair and Body oil. There is something so sensual and relaxing about the ritual of slathering a fragrant oil on skin. A few days before the delivery, I even tried blending some carrier and essential oils and ended up with (not-so) fragrant jumble that prompted a ‘You smell terrible’ from my husband. Ah well!
The other scented body oils I am lemming are this one, this, this and this.
3. Argan Oil : In the past I have used and loved Camellia (Oliefera) and Hazelnut oils on my face but recently I’ve been all over Argan oil (or rather it has been all over my face and hair). Turns out my skin loves this and quite literally drinks it up.
4. Persimmons : I had never tasted a persimmon until a couple of weeks ago. But from the moment I tasted a persimmon (the Fuyu variety) at a local farmer’s market, I just couldn’t seem to get enough. Quite frankly I don’t understand my addiction to it. It is far from being the tastiest fruit that I have eaten. But something about the tender coconut-like taste of the flesh and the date-like texture of its skin just gets me. I find the textural contrast between that orange colored soft pulp and the stiff orange skin quite irresistable.
I have also been working on a project that combines several of my interests and I can’t wait to share the details with you all in the coming months!
So, what have you been enjoying lately?
Purple paper planes 
Many congratulations on your new arrival Lavanya! What a beautiful name. It means “Star” doesn’t it? I applaud you for managing to do a blog post with all that must be going on!
Wild Roses and the Ancient Resins oil both sound fantastic.
Hey Tara- Thank you so much! Yes it means ‘morning star’.
Yes – I’m really enjoying Wild Roses- I’ll be curious to know what you think of it. Which reminds me, I should try Rozy. Your review made it sound fantastic and right up my alley.
Ah, Lavanya, she’s so beautiful! Congratulations, again. Reading Tara’s comment, I see now that her name probably means “star” (I had thought it had something to do with the sitar) 😀 …. it’s a very lovely name.
How is your son adjusting to having a sibling? Does he like to try and help out with her? (Yeah, I know that he’s young, but when I was little and my sister arrived, I tried feeding her my baby food, etc etc . Probably drove my mom crazy and made her a little nervous.)
Looking forward to hearing about your creative project that you mentioned. Hmm, it combines many interests?
Thanks Suzanne! I meant to email you about that earlier. The name means morning star- however, you are not off the mark at all. Long ago, I bookmarked this name because of its musical sound and the fact that it ‘contained’ the name of a musical instrument. My son’s name Sarang also is part of another Indian instrument (Sarangi). So I liked that the pair of names had that connection..:)
My son seemed very hurt in the beginning. Now he seems to be adjusting slowly. He is too young to completely understand (but he did try to feed her few times, even though we didn’t let him :D. And he hands us her blanket to wrap her and is always wanting to place her knitted hat on her head). He is alternately affectionate and aggressive towards her so someone is always on guard and this can get pretty exhausting.
Can’t wait to tell you about the project thing.
Comgratulations!
I love these toes! 🙂
Thanks so much, Birgit!!
Fab news, and I agree it is a pretty name. Will she grow up to be a musician I wonder, as it does sound a bit like sitar, whose music I love. Anyway – enjoy the crazy ride of juggling two babies and all the other demands of life. That rose scent sounds amazing by the way, you have got me thinking now about persimmons. It is the name of a well-known housebuilder over here but I am not sure I have tasted the fruit, unless it goes by another name as some fruits do.
Haha- I ended up googling ‘persimmon builders’ and found a lot of ‘persimmon homes’ and groves.. Not sure if it has another name though. Will google that later maybe..:P
Persimmon Homes is the one! 😉
Congratulations, dear Lavanya! Great news, wonderful toes. I wish health and happiness to the whole family!
I prefer Hachiya persimmons but my vSO enjoys both cultivars.
It’s good to see you here.
Thank you so much Undina!
I have never tried the Hachiya persimmons- will look for them
How delicious those toes must be. Congratulations to your family and god bless the new addition to the human family.
Thank you so much for the wishes, Mridula. Nice to see you here!