I am Sushama Dandekar, a scientist with a foodie heart, with a passion for preparing food that is at once tasty, nutritious and interesting. I learned from my mother that while food must always be made with love, it is skill and imagination that can take it to new heights of excellence. As I add in my penchant for science, and intense curiosity about global food traditions, the food world begins to truly delight in unfathomable ways. The cook in me wants to strive for excellence in the food I prepare, the scientist in me wants to know why and how everything works, and the researcher in me wants to create something new.
boundless human creativity
Obviously, my proclivity is not unique: human creativity often shines through in the humblest of ways. Bread, chapatis, parathas, crepes, pita, tortillas, croissants, pancakes, waffles, Lavaash, Naan.. How many different ways have we humans learned to use and love the humble and ubiquitous grain we call wheat? As cultures get increasingly intertwined in our modern world, is it really surprising, then, that we continue to explore even more “new” ways to use this much-loved grain? New ways to use it either by itself, or by combining it with other grains, creating seemingly endless varieties. We call some of these new creations the “multigrain” bread, chapati, pancakes and more – but are they truly completely new ideas? Or, more likely, a new twist on an old, half-forgotten, idea that has been around for a while.
tribute to Mom
It is the joy we inevitably find in trying something new and interesting, and if it so happens that this combination is also tasty and nutritious, well then, that joy simply explodes! When we create platforms for sharing and exchanging our unique ideas, we all grow even more interconnected – the world of food certainly succeeds in bringing people together. It is with these thoughts that I dedicate this blog to honor my mother (see picture below), who nurtured my passion for preparing food with love, skill and imagination…. and heart!
logo – original artwork
I created the artwork for the rainbow heart depicted in the logo with a personal vision of what a culinary heart means. To me it symbolizes the many aspects of “food”: the wide range of substances we consider food – spices, legumes, fruits, vegetables, herbs; their respective colors, shapes, textures, tastes, flavors, etc., and how all of this cumulatively impacts human health and well-being. I look forward to sharing my thoughts and ideas as a scientist and a foodie, with a culinary heart lovingly nurtured by my Mom.
