My Shaken and Stirred Journey

DK has mastered the art of creating visually appealing and highly informative books. After the incredible experience of working on Young Chefs, I planned a drinks book with them. The vision was to put together a set of drinks that uplift the spirits but are accessible to all.

Over the next few months, I started the journey of creating new, refreshing, and healthy drink recipes. Although I used many recipes from Junoon's drinks menu, the biggest challenge for me was to create a shortlist of recipes from their vast repertoire. We wanted not only to create exciting drinks but also to present the book in an original way. After lots of brainstorming with the DK team, a very basic version of the book was born.

What I find supremely amazing about working with the DK team is how organized and committed they are to their projects. They suggested dividing the recipes into different categories, and added ingredients' spread to each of them, highlighting their benefits and tastes. We also changed the title of the book from “Thirst” to “Shaken and Stirred”, which we thought was more exciting and appealing and suited the look and feel of the book.

Holding the first copy of a book is always very emotional for me. Even though this is my twentieth book, it feels like the first. Every moment of it is just like holding a newborn child – fragile, delicate, and unsure of its fate. I would like to thank each and every person associated with creating this book, including the team of editors, designers, promoters, photographers, and stylists.

I also want to thank the small-time street vendors selling Jal jeera and nimboo pani for making me rethink these classics and create new flavours for this book.

Shaken and Stirred is perfectly timed to celebrate the Indian summer. It brings along a new season of taste, new ways to serve the family and friends while leaving room to showcase individual creativity.

I hope and wish that Shaken and Stirred shall create magic in your kitchens and on your palate.