Dear Readers,

You may have noticed the new layout and name of this blog.  I hope you like the new design as much as I do– it’s cleaner, prettier and easier to read and navigate than the old one (thanks, WordPress and Automattic!).

As for the name– when I first started this blog a year ago, I had the goal of sharing my food memories in images and prose, hence the name Beautiful, Memorable Food.  That is still my goal, but the original name, besides being bland and forgettable,  did not convey adequately that my stories are not just about food.  My twin passions are food and travel, and I believe that the best way to get to know a culture is to sit down and break bread (or roti, or a bowl of rice or noodles) with the locals.  My stories are about some great meals, but also about the people I’ve shared them with and the places I’ve eaten them, all around the globe.   The second thing I do on a trip (after unpacking my belongings into my new temporary home) is to head to the local market to see what people are buying, eating, and gossiping about.  Aside from some animal parts and insects in general, I am almost always willing and interested in trying local flavors.  I’m kind of a nomad locavore in that way.  But I will also often pack an “emergency kit” of few simple spices– a sea salt grinder, a pepper grinder, and a well-sealed bag of Trinidadian curry powder.  My spice emergency kit ensures that no matter where I am, I can cook a meal that will satisfy our tastebuds and also introduce a part of my family’s culture to new friends.

That’s why I’ve renamed this site after the spicebox that is found in the kitchens of Indian homes, called a masala dabba.  A masala dabba consists of a large, flat-bottomed, round steel container in which nest several smaller steel bowls, all covered with a lid.  This traditional spicebox is visually appealing as well as being a convenient and portable way to keep herbs and spices fresh and at hand, wherever you are, when you’re in the mood to cook.

Thanks for coming by.  I hope you’ll enjoy hearing about more of my journeys.

-Linda

now on Twitter @spiceboxtravels

Image courtesy of Recipes Wiki.