Hi! Thanks for stopping by. I’m Madhavi, a mom of two adult daughters, a professor of education, a small business owner, and a savvy cook by necessity.
Roots
I grew up in the western city of Pune, India, and after spending some time in Europe, settled in the US to raise my daughters. While I didn’t inherently enjoy cooking, I did it often to ensure my children always had fresh, nutritious meals to eat. My early kitchen endeavors were supported by my mother and mother-in-law, two of the most skillful and loving home cooks I’ve known.
Finally, in 2005, our family (my husband and daughters) made our permanent home in Denver, Colorado.
Although the travel bug outpaced me, the food I make at home remains a reflection of my travel history. I continue to draw inspiration from the many people I’ve met, and the places, techniques, and ingredients that I have come to love.
A couple of kitchen principles that I’ve imbibed over the years are showcasing the beauty of simple flavors, using fresh ingredients to elevate the ordinary, and maintaining a no-waste policy!
Branching Out
I grew up in a somewhat traditional Marathi family in Pune. I say somewhat, because it was a clash between orthodox, religious beliefs on one side and progressive, atheist views on the other. Although perspectives and rituals were different on my maternal and paternal sides, they all agreed on one thing: FOOD! I once challenged my family to refrain from talking about food for at least 12 hours and they barely lasted 20 minutes.
I married into a Khatri family from the state of Uttar Pradesh. My parents-in-law hailed from the royal and fertile lands of Lucknow and Kanpur, which have been influenced by Mughal cuisine and culture for centuries. Although they too were vegetarian and used the same ingredients as my mother, the pairings and masalas were very different.
Passions & Professions
I inhabit the two very different worlds of academia and entrepreneurship. By day, I teach at a local university in a teacher education program.
And in the evenings and weekends, I run a small business called Maia Foods (pronounced Ma-ya). Our range of products include ghee, meal kits, masalas and biscottis.
More than money, this journey has brought me immense learning and allowed me to connect with a community of small business owners, women entrepreneurs and chefs.
I spend many hours every week practicing yoga and meditation. I really enjoy daily walks as well, as it gives me time to think and plan or listen to a podcast or two.
This Blog
I created this blog to pass on our food heritage and food history to my daughters.
They seek the comforts of vegetarian home-cooked food from time to time as they recreate dishes they enjoyed in their childhood or in their grandmothers’ kitchens in India.
They often text or call to ask for a recipe or a cooking tip–I found myself doing this so often that the idea for a blog took root and only grew since then.
The recipes on this blog have been made and photographed by me and tried and tested for years in my kitchen and now in the kitchens of my daughters.
