Diwali evening

There were candles for Diwali on the stairs when I got home from work. Lighting the way into the house on a dark, now definitively post-summer late afternoon. My Mumbai cooks upstairs had poussins roasting in the oven, making the house smell like a feast.

The small birds are rubbed in corn meal, masala and chili, roasted and basted with butter until they're cooked through and golden. A few last minutes under the grill ensures perfect crispiness. And those nice guys had roasted one for me, too. Delicious. Thanks. With a glass of Alsace Riesling I'd picked up at Super Best on the way home from work. Dietrich, Riesling Bruderthal, Alsace Grand Cru 2003. Nice wine. Good match, a touch more sweetness would have made it a perfect one.

A happy and prosperous Diwali to all current and former Mumbai neighbors!