The love of the written word has been a constant binding force for many: people living away from home, avid readers, diverse communities, and the like. Blend this love with food, and you have got yourself a rather delicious setting. The former is what brought together Rashmi Ruth Devadasan of Chennai-based Blaft Publications and Shalini Philip of The Farm, an urban dairy farm and restaurant in the city.

Read more |On Archana Pidathala’s latest book Why Cook and its many zero-waste recipes  

The duo recently launched Bookish Buffalo, an initiative that brings together books and food in a serene outdoor setting at The Farm. The second edition, titled The Making of a Cookbook, is all set to take place on August 1, and is themed on cookbook author Archana Pidathala’s works: Five Morsels of Love and Why Cook. “

“Archana and I met each other through a story in The Hindu, and became friends. We also stock her books at The Farm, and I was also featured in one of the chapters of Why Cook. She worked through every recipe meticulously, and this is something we hope to bring to the event,” says Shalini.

“We’ve been friends for over a decade, and we share a mutual love for books,” says Rashmi, adding how their initial dream was to start a bookstore together. “We had the name ready too, Bookish Buffalo; that is an ode to our dairy farm and our bovines,” chimes in Shalini. “But the unfortunate truth is that a brick-and-mortar bookstore is not entirely viable for us. It is something you do for the love of books. Which is why we veered in the direction of kickstarting events.”

Read more |Indian vegetables shine in Camellia Panjabi’s new cookbook

The first edition Sanikizhamai is for Sleuthing held last month had authors D Suresh and AN Balakrishnan who write under the noted pen name Subha. “They are known for their Tamil detective novels, and we had a wonderful session that delved into their writing collaboration that spans decades.” These sessions, she explains, are intended to be informal. “They are more about a one-on-one talk with the author about their book in an approachable setting, which is why they are held outdoors at The Farm. We like the intimacy that is missing in auditoriums or hotel meeting halls,” says Rashmi.

For Shalini, Bookish Buffalo was an organic extension to their friendship. “Blaft has worked with many interesting writers over the years, and their books are very niche. Rashmi has gifted me so many lovely titles over the years; curating these events at The Farm seemed the right fit,” she says, adding that launching the series with Subha was intentional as Tamil pulp fiction is Blaft’s most popular genre.

At the upcoming event, core points of conversation include the anatomy of a recipe, what it takes to preserve them in the most authentic way, how to turn them into a book, and Archana’s journey in self-publishing. “I have a sense of panic at the thought of recipes vanishing with people. It is heart-breaking, and I hope these conversations lead to more people preserving the recipes they love,” says Shalini.

In addition, Archana will read a few recipes from her books at the event, and Shalini will connect the titles with the food being served. At Sanikizhamai is for Sleuthing, for instance, guests were served Tamil tea stall-inspired snacks such as bajjis, bun butter jam, sundal, chicken 65, and rose milk. “For The Making of a Cookbook, I am featuring dishes from Five Morsels of Love like alasanda vada (savoury black-eyed pea fritters), kaima vada (spicy mincemeat cutlets), cucumber and chutney sandwiches, borugula talimpu (spicy puffed rice), kobbari mitai (fresh coconut burfi), and coffee custard pudding,” adds Shalini.

On August 1, from 4pm to 6pm at The Farm, Chennai. ₹850 per person; prior booking is mandatory. To book a spot, call or WhatsApp 9176050562.

Published - July 29, 2026 08:47 pm IST