The Candle.

Today I am having friends visit for a walk and a meal. I spent a large part of yesterday preparing the various dishes that I will serve to my friends. I really do enjoy cooking but at this stage always apprehensive. Have I got the flavourings correct or have I been heaving with the spices. Indian food as everybody knows comes in various depths of flavour and heat and getting it right for everybody is never easy.

Most cooking programs on the tv tell the chefs to keep tasting and trying. Now that is all very fine but I am a great lover of Indian food at the vindaloo end of the spectrum. It never comes to hot for me. The food others prefer tastes a bit bland for me, so when cooking for others I have to be very careful.

This reminds me of a lovely tale with a number of little messages within it. 

After some discussion Mula had with some of his friends He had a wager that he could survive a night on an icy mountain with nothing to warm him. 

Taking only a book and a candle for some light, he sat through the frigid night. When he came down to claim his winnings, his friends asked, "Did you take anything up there with you to keep warm?"

"No," said Mula, "just a small candle to read by."

"Aha!" they exclaimed, "Then you lose!"

A week later he invited these same friends to a feast. 

They waited and waited for food. "Dinner's not ready," said Mula, "Come and see why!"

In the kitchen they saw a huge pot of water under which a small candle was burning. 

Tula said, "Does this remind you of our bet? 

I've been trying to heat this pot of water over this candle since yesterday and it's not warm yet!"

Have a good day I am off to spend some more time in the kitchen and hoping the curry and other dishes are not too hot.