Everyone eats but how, when and where we eat makes a difference; thus a moonlight picnic is a heck of a lot more fun than a formal dinner with people who mean nothing to you. Or a cherished seasonal food eaten in the long vanished childhood past will acquire a magical aura with the distance of time. Moonlight Madness and Picnics is about food, memories and sharing food with family and friends without whose sharing food is merely a necessary chore. The recipes are shared in the spirit of offering something precious and highly personal as they are nuggets of history - ingredients, techniques and rituals - that brought them into existence. Whether you like a PB&J or a five course organic dinner, the author hopes that you will find something to enjoy and savor in these stories. About the Author Manjari Chatterji was born in India in a highly educated home with loving family and friends who feature in her work. Inspiration came from her sister's writing and many talents. She has spent most of her adult years in the States and taught English for over thirty years. Her husband's work and research pursuits brought the family to Wisconsin where her two daughters grew up and where her two grandsons love to spend their summer holidays. Her son-in-law is an economist, one daughter is a classical musician and the other daughter is a lawyer; thus conversation in the home is lively and entertainment enough. Like many immigrant families, the Chatterjis have made mistakes and suffered hardship, but also have shared good times and joy. Manjari loves to garden with perennials and hardy Midwestern natives. She tries to apply the philosophy of sustainability in all aspects of life.