Toss up - Ramapuram, Chennai

For those of us having our workplaces / residences on the Bangalore highway, er.. almost, Toss up is definitely a decent place to spend those afternoons when you want decent meal outside of the crappy cafeterias and overcrowded food courts.

The place is neatly done and boasts of a turquoise / teal (my favorite color) atmosphere. It can seat about 20 pax and when we entered at 1245 this hot June afternoon, the place was crowded with a team celebrating a birthday. The waiters were bustling around and we were directed to our seats.

We immediately decided on the combo meals - 2 non veg and 1 veg (yes that's me). They are priced at INR 199 for the non veg and INR 169 for the veg (taxes extra). The choice is plenty.

My veg combo today had a rich creamy tomato soup, 2 pieces of taro nest, a medium sized bowl of Singapore noodles and a triple chocolate mousse. The non veg combo had chicken soup, one spring roll, a portion of phuket fish, pasta alfredo, aachi kari stroganoff, vanilla ice cream dipped in chocolate and the triple chocolate mousse.

The soup was rich and creamy; I'd have preferred it slightly spicy but that was just a preference. The soup was hot and tasted delicious. The taro nest was nothing like a nest, instead was fried completely and topped with mayo. The Singapore noodles had plenty vegetables and was filling. The only downside was that it was terribly oily. I wish they'd go a little easy on the oil. The desserts weren't anything to rave about. They were okayish.

My non vegetarian friends' feedback - The pasta alfredo was great, says B; the aachi kari stroganoff didn't make G happy; The soup was super spicy and the phuket fish was good too says G.

We went there not expecting much and were reasonably happy with our meal.

Price: Reasonable
Service: Prompt
Will I go there again: Yes (especially to try Chennai Chillin' which is their beverages and cold stone ice cream joint right next to Toss up)

Toss up is on Mount Poonamallee Road, Opp DLF IT Park, Ramapuram. 

*All pics shot with B's new HTC One HTC One X

Tomato Soup

Chicken soup

Singapore Noodles - Veg

Taro Nest - Veg

Pasta Alfredo and Spring roll

Phuket Fish and Aachi kari Stroganoff

Triple chocolate mousse

Vanilla ice-cream

The Baker Showcase - League of the Legends - Anniversary Special

A year since the Home Bakers Guild started; A year since my knowledge in cakes, cookies, frosting, fondants and all those terminologies expanded; A year since I made some good friends and a year since I started experimenting with small bakes.

Most of all, a year that saw oodles of talent, tremendous perseverance, some great knowledge sharing, instant brownies to elaborate wedding cakes, bouquets to theme cakes, appreciation, encouragement, record breaking likes and comments - the Guild saw it all. It's now that time of the year, the Anniversary Showcase special - The League of the Legends.

10 talented and experienced bakers come together for the largest bake sale ever. For those of you who have already been part of these events, I need say no more. For the rest, don't fret that you've missed the earlier editions. Be there on the 22nd, at Sandy's, Ganapathy Colony, Off Cenotaph Road, Chennai at 4 pm. The venue is one of my favorite places in the city - great food and a fantastic property.

I'm super proud to have been associated with this event as a blogger and volunteer ever since it all began. KP Balakumar - Thank you for the opportunity and here's wishing you the best! You've been doing a grand job and we know the amount of crazy background work it takes to set up the event and run the guild. You deserve all the success.

Here's a quick look at some of the bakers that are going to whip up a storm

Maaria Kulsum Tanveer - Adoniya

Does this lady need an introduction! An expert in theme cakes, Maaria is mighty thrilled to be part of this showcase. She has been part of many other bake sales but this is her first time with HBG and she claims she's in jitters (like we all believe that). 

Cup cakes, Ferrero Rocher cake and my favorite Espresso Cheesecake brownies and Red "Velvet" cakes are also part of this showcase. 

Karthika Shravanthi - Bakeman Begins 

The IT Pro turned future Le Cordon Bleu Pastry Chef is all set to wow us at this showcase before she heads off to learn the nuances of pastry making. 

Her last showcase was a sell out. And she plans to add healthy and gluten free bakes to her menu this time. Says Karthika "I've worked on all the feedback from the last showcase; so hopefully this one is going to be much better. I'm keeping my fingers crossed". 

Well, so are we. Good luck for the showcase and we hope to see you soon in a different avtar.

Rose Anne George - Oven 180 degrees 

The ever-smiling soft spoken Rose is famous for her French macarons. I've had the chance (the advantages of living close by) to taste her Dulce de leche cheese cake and May I say I was hooked. 

She's bringing some summer fruit flavors this time, eggless and otherwise, cheese cake platters, tarts and a lavender cake among others.

All the best Rose. I look forward to grabbing those blue macarons :-)

Divya Ninan-Eapen - Tangerine's Kitchen 

This gorgeous baker is bringing a whole load of twisted / braided / stuffed breads, not to mention the hot favorites - the choco chip cake and cream cheese cake. The vanilla bean pound cake, which I am eagerly looking forward to, is going to be on the menu. 

Mini quiches, mini cheesecakes and a little kiddie counter are going to be her specialties this time. 

Divya has her home-studio where she paints on sarees, stoles, tee shirts and the likes. You can check it out here - https://www.facebook.com/Rachel.HandpaintedFibreArt


Can't wait, Divya. All the best and see you soon

Neha and Sapna - The sweetest thing

Sisters in arms, Neha and Sapna are participating in their first showcase. This maiden venture is going to see them bring an assortment of "sweetest" things, with the specialties being chai cup cakes and bread and butter pudding. 

They say that "the sweetest thing" is to make their customers happy! :-)

All the best girls. Bring it on.








Watch this space for the post event pictures and articles on the 22nd of this month. If you don't make it to the venue, all you can do is drool at the pictures :-)

Southern Spice - Taj Coromandel

When you are invited by the Taj for a hosted dinner (as part of CFG Bloggers Showcase), there's this feeling of exhilaration, a feeling of royalty. True to that, we were treated to the maharaja virundhu. (or maharani in my case ;-) ) As we waited in the lobby for someone to escort us to the private dining area of Southern Spice, we observed that security had been beefed up. As we wondered which VIP was staying there, we saw a line of Sun Risers Hyderabad players walking across the lobby towards the elevators. Waqar Younis, Ishanth Sharma and Dale Steyn (<3) were those that I could see :-)

As we all seated around the table and made ourselves comfortable, fresh wet turkish towels placed in front of us to freshen up. This was followed by a little explanation of what was special about this meal. A glass of ginger punch marked the beginning of this elaborate dinner. A plate of munchies with 4 types of chutneys were available.

The first dish on the plate was a mini idli, an idli so adorably tiny. This was followed by a banana dosa of sorts, slightly sweet and tasted excellent with the chutneys smeared on top. For the salad, the kosmalli (Injipuli koshambri), a mixture of grated carrot, coriander and urad dal wrapped in lettuce leaves made a lovely crunch.

A tiny shot glass in white was placed to the right side of the plate and was filled with the most aromatic and tangy mysore rasam. The teeny bit of jaggery in this rasam tasted well on the palate and was not overpowering at all. The final dish of the starter course was the molagu adai.

It's now time for the main course. The group indulged in a friendly banter and conversation ranged from various types of fish and from where each fish is imported to retaining the freshness of the gravies. Chef Anand stopped by to find out if we were happy.

The gold plated plate was set with little bowls decorating the top portion of the plate. Edomame Kurma (Pookose urlai kurma), Asparagus Paruppu usili, Zucchini thenga curry (Zucchini kaara poriyal), vegetable stew (Pachakari ishtew) and Channa gravy (Kadala gassi) constituted the vegetarian sides of this menu. A south Indian touch to international vegetables - the Japanese Edomame, the Mediterranean Asparagus and the Italian Zucchini truly makes one wonder if this is how food can unite the world! The mains included a parotta, idiyappam (string hoppers) and the fluffy aappam.

In between all this, my concentration was on the brilliant yet unobtrusive veena instrumental music curated specially for Southern Spice. I was lost in some of the brilliant renditions, especially Chinnan Chiru Kiliye. The ambiance calls for a special mention - compelling paintings of the kings whose kingdoms' kitchens  were instrumental in what is part of the maharaja virundhu this evening. 

We were beginning to get stuffed. And then they announce that there's going to be more. Rice with the quintessential paruppu podi with gheeeee (er..), small onion sambar (Arachivitta Sambhar - a recipe from Chef Anand's home) and more of the mysore rasam - were delightful. And no meal is complete without the thachi mummu (the one and only curd rice). This was served with a little manathakkali vethakozhambu - totally droolworthy and if you were like me, you wouldn't mind licking your fingers even at the Taj. This food is meant to be eaten with the hands and was sure finger lickin' good.

How can I forget the curry leaf juice spiked with vodka - ha! *sheepish grin* This was one of the best desi cocktail concoctions I've ever had.

Now for the dessert - the elaneer payasam - a hand-me-down recipe from the Mammens of the MRF family was absolutely a perfect way to end the meal. Also were served a Godhi-bella ice cream (banana jaggery ice cream) and belgian chocolate mousse cake filled with lentil, jaggery and coconut (Chocolate purnam mousse). Yum's the word for the chocolate mousse cake.

At the end of it all, if you want me to summarize this dinner, I can only say - Wah Taj boliye! 

* This meal is priced INR 5000 + tax. If you'd like to pair this with an Indian wine, it's priced at 8000 + tax and upwards for international wines. If you want a simple thali, it's priced at 2000 + tax.

* This was a hosted dinner. This is part of the CFG Showcase

* Southern Spice is part of Taj Coromandel, Nungambakkam High Road, Chennai. 

Meet the Bakers - Ayeesha Riaz

As the Showcase nears, here's a post from the pearl city, Tuticorin!

A little tête-à-tête with Ayeesha:

D: Pearl CDC?
A: Yeah, I hail from Tuticorin. Hence the name Pearl and CDC denotes cakes, desserts and cookies :)

D: So how did baking happen?
A: I got married right after graduation (BE EEE) and moved to UK. That's where the culinary journey began. Along with the basic cooking like rice and curries, I also had some interest towards baking.  I always enjoyed the cooking shows in UK, watching Celebrity Chef's, the way they cook, mix, using different kitchen gadgets, their techniques just wowed me.  That's how my interest towards baking started.  As long as I lived in UK I didn't try to make that a business, it was always for friends and family.  I have also baked for charity.

D: There are some amazing photographs on your blog!
A: Taste Of Pearl City is my own blog in which I blog about food, food, food so it's about food only.  I started that blog only for my passion for cooking, which opened up so many new windows for me like food photography and now this home baking too.

D: What is your favorite when it comes to cakes?
A: If there is any special occasion,  Chocolate fudge cake is a must there, it's nothing but moist chocolate cake layered with rich chocolate cream and topped with ganache.  With tea, it's always been carrot cake.  My husband's favourite would be Cappuccino Slices.  Something which I liked the most from my baked goodies would be Japanese Cotton Cheesecake and I always love the smell of freshly baked bread especially when it has garlic and cinnamon.  Oh My! That aroma is magical.

D: Your thoughts on HBG?
A:  I have to say it's a great platform for bakers with a wealth of thoughts and ideas.  I always enjoyed the discussion in HBG, like the doubts they get in baking or how to deal with the customers. Simple conversations like these would help beginners in home baking.  HBG has created a space and a recognition for home bakers.  I'm glad to be part of this lovely group.

Watch out for Ayeesha's specials only at the Baker Showcase!

Darios - Cook with Love!

A vegetarian's delight - and when I say that, I mean a vegetarian who wouldn't even touch egg! To start with, none of their dishes have egg - not the pasta, not the desserts. And, they can customize your dishes to not include garlic.

This 130-seater restaurant located in one of the poshest localities of Chennai, boasts of a Sicilian cuisine and already has 2 outlets in Pune.

We were seated outside and surprisingly there were no mosquitoes.

The menu that Suresh, CEO, Darios, had put up for this showcase was quite extensive. I was the first one from the group to reach the place, and got a quick view of the rooms and the open kitchen. Suresh promised a kitchen tour but I guess we were too busy eating :-)

While at this, I must say that the Moroccan Mint tea was absolutely stunning. This simple clear hot liquid not only cleansed the palate but also soothed the stomach. Please make this your must order when you visit this place! Highly recommended.

I go on to mention the dishes, in no particular order (as at this point, I don't quite remember in which order they came)

Starters:

Funghi Darios: Whole Roasted Mushrooms with lemon, garlic, parsley and extra virgin olive oil. This one was brilliant, but I really couldn't quite catch the citrus flavor as the garlic overpowered everything.

Polpette Di Spinaci E Formaggio: Spinach and fresh cheese balls served with a spinach cheese dip. If you love spinach and if you love cheese, go for this one! However the oil smelt a little funny today. (May be just a one off?)

Antipasto Siciliano: Sicilian platter with cheese, olives, sundried tomatoes, roasted peppers, pickled onions, roasted aubergines and home made bread. The chilli stuffed olives are a spice lovers delight. The gorgonzola cheese (an acquired taste perhaps) was a tad salty but hey, it was just too good to be eaten on its own! The bread was soft and fresh, and made for a perfect accompaniment.

Assorted bruschetta: My pick was the goat cheese and roasted zucchini. The sun dried tomato pate was a tad strong and spicy for my liking.

Salad:

Aranciazola: Mixed salad leaves, fresh orange, gorgonzola, olives and herbs - A fresh salad with a hint of citrus from the orange but what makes this a killer salad is the gorgonzola.

Verdure Grigalate: Warm mixed vegetables (potatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, onions and carrots) - This was yum on its own but again, a hint of gorgonzola and it just elevated the flavor of the vegetables.


Pizza:

Carduni: Mozarella, artichokes, mushrooms, garlic, olives, broccoli and sun dried tomatoes.I absolutely loved it, more for the fact that it had a good amount of those bright green broccoli pieces :D

Stromboli: Mozarella, red chilli, spinach and tomatoes: What I really loved about these thin crust pizzas were that they didn't stoop or sag or become soggy. They held their head high and were crunchy till the last bite.

Risotto and Pasta: 

Risottoragli Asparagi: Asparagus, cream and cheese - By far the best risotto I've eaten. It was slightly high on garlic but if you love a good risotto, then this is the one!

Risotto Siciliana: Tomato sauce based risotto with aubergines, red chilli, oregano, capers and cheese - Not my favorite!

Risotto Al Funghi Porcini: Mushrooms & garlic cream cheese - If you love a good mushroom, this is one to pick!

Ravioli Kamarina: Home made ravioli stuffed with spinach & cheese, served with tomatoes, chickpeas, rosemary, smashed peas and cream. By this time, we were stuffed and could only take spoonfuls to taste.

The other dishes in this category included Fussili Vitale (Fresh tomato, garlic, sun dried tomato and mushrooms), Tortellini formaggi and funghi (pasta parcels stuffed with mushrooms and cheese), crespelle al funghi (baked pancakes with mushrooms, garlic, tomatoes, cheese and peas). The baked pancakes were good but attempting to taste the sauce alone didn't do too much good. It has to be eaten along with the pancake.

And finally, it was time for dessert. How much ever you eat, there's always space for dessert and I mean always!

Desserts

Eggless tiramisu - very low on alcohol and coffee - not exactly a tiramisu but let's say a decent variation of the actual!

Pannacotta - Typical :) The crunchy slices of apple on the side added a nice texture to the dish!

Lemon cheese cake: My pick of the lot - The mild tang of the lemon and the soft cheese cake, when eaten along with the lemon rind - is a different experience altogether.

Erupting chocolate and chocolate brownie served with chocolate ice cream - Now I thought that would be a chocolate overdose but surprisingly it was quite pleasing on the palate!

As we stood up, completing a wonderful meal, I sure gained a few pounds! The love in their cooking certainly shows :)

** This meal is part of CFG Showcase. 

** A meal for two would cost you around INR 1200.

** Darios is off Kasturi Ranga Road, Near Aswini Soundra Nursing Home, Poes Garden.  - http://www.darios.in

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Meet the Bakers - Girija Menon

A mother of 2 wonderful daughters, one a star baker herself (Nanditha Sashidharan), I am very pleased to introduce to you all - the lady that completes the trio of The Soul Food Sisters - Girija Menon.

Before we read on, a quick note on The Soul Food Sisters - Tasneem Ayub, Sara Koshy and Girija Menon comprise this trio of Hot Mommas (Oh that was the initial name). They are also called KP's Angels ;-) But my favorite name for these three talented bakers / chefs is the name put forth by Sandesh Reddy - Bake Maamis. Why, Oh Why, isn't this name the official one! *grins devilishly*

In conversation with Girija Menon:

D: A star baker for a daughter :-)
G: Quite happy to rest on her laurels.  Yes, this time it is more of a challenge as I cannot piggyback onto Sugar Hut :D

D: So, what are you bringing to the showcase?
G: Quiches, both the classic and a mushroom one, date cream cheese pie, apple strudel muffins, a Mediterranean roasted vegetable lasagna, etc.

D: So, how did baking come into being?
G: After I got married I moved to Ras Al Khaimah, a sleepy emirate (UAE).  It was history repeating itself as there were no proper restaurants or bakeries.So, following family tradition I decided to make my own cakes as the ones that were available constituted a gateau of sorts with the famous 'Dream Whip' and some tinned fruit. So, began my tryst with baking.  My girls used to come up with these impossible demands -castle, train, Disney land, farm , etc. I remember Nanditha crying to me as her friend said that the Dennis the Menace cake didn't look like him. Haha! Planning birthday parties for over 50 people was quite a challenge and since I had to do it all by myself, I had to have a complete schedule. I have to say it was enjoyable as it gave me a chance to try out different things. After the girls stopped having birthday parties , it was more of tarts, pies, etc. But I loved trying crazy things like make my own sun dried (oven) tomatoes, harvested from my garden and making pesto. My idea of unwinding on a weekend was to try different kinds of cuisines, Italian being my most favourite. The taste of olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, basil.... has my senses reeling.

D: So, other than baking what do you do?
G: Gardening, reading, amateur dramatics, tennis, and my latest one is dabbling in aromatherapy.

That's the pretty momma with her prettier daughters. Can you believe Girija Menon, in her first attempt at baking, forgot to add baking powder to the cake mix? :) And, she loves watching movies - top of her list being The King's Speech and Barfi!

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Meet the Bakers - Divya Ninan-Eapen

Tonight's episode features another favorite baker of mine - the pretty-eyed ever-smiling Divya Ninan-Eapen of Tangerine's Kitchen

In conversation with Divya

DI: Tangerine - a name that I really love! Why did you pick out this name?
DN: I have had a food blog since 2007 that goes by the name Tangerine's Kitchen. That was my space where I had all the freedom to express my views regarding recipes handed to me, recipes from books and the web that have been tried and tested in my kitchen. I have also done book reviews which publishers have sent me. Along came baking on a commercial scale and I stuck on with the name. Tangerine because I love the colour.

DI: Your daughter also helps you in the kitchen?
DN: Yes, she is my little helper when I bake. She helps me with lining my cupcake trays when I get these bulk orders,counting the numbers and the little jobs that come with baking commercially.

DI: I've seen some of the sarees you've painted. Is that a hobby?
DN: Oh no! That's full time. I have a studio called "Rachel", based at my home. We design Indian textiles. Handpainting on sarees and dupattas is just one of the many work that we do on textiles. Ever since I got done with my Masters in Fine Arts, I have been a Textile Designer freelancing for handloom companies.

DI: Wow! So when does baking happen?
DN:  I find time for baking amidst my work. Baking keeps my work stress at bay. I knead bread to vent out all the frustrations that come with work.

DI: I met you first at the "Bake for Sandys" event. You stole our hearts & palates. :)
DN: Ah yes! It was an event that I read on the guild. It was a should I or shouldn't I thing considering the number of talented home bakers we have in Chennai. A dear person in my life told me, opportunity seldom knocks twice! But even when I reached Sandys the cakes that the other bakers had brought - all frosted and dressed well gave me the assurance I had no hope. But I won. Two of my bakes, Lemon blueberry yoghurt cake and the Lamingtons of the three I took were chosen and the rest is history.

DI: How has HBG inspired you in creating new recipes?
DN: A lot. Rather than recipes, I would say a source of inspiration for ideas and help. I always twist a recipe to suit my palate. Because I know that recipes you find in books and on the web always have that secret ingredient that is not revealed.

DI: What do you specialize in?
DN:  Homemade bread, quiches, pies, cookies and cakes or to sum it up, simple homely comfort food! Dips, sauces and preserves too.

Divya  wants to someday have a store that resmebles the British cottages something like those at her hometown - Nilgiris. A store for her textiles with a dainty little cafe for her homebaked goodness.

Psst: she still gets calls asking if this is Tangerine restaurant! Wonder how she handles them with all the patience in the world! :)

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Meet the Bakers - Cheshta Malik

The next episode of Meet the Bakers features Choco-lately yours - Cheshta Malik. Well, that's how she signs off her emails :) I had the opportunity to meet this warm and vivacious baker over a food walk last weekend!

In conversation with Cheshta Malik

D: Sweet Story?
C: The Sweet Story was born out of our passion n love for food by the bonfire on a holiday. We started in December 2012.. So we're fairly young. Travel follows closely behind food in our list of passions in life. On our journeys we love to experiment with food and get our hands on exotic ingredients. To be able to use these ingredients and present our versions of various foods to the world was also one of the pushes for the sweet story's birth! ;)

D: What do you specialize in?
C: We specialize in hand crafted customized gourmet chocolates,flavored and filled. Themed chocolates with toppers is our USP! Our menu also includes desserts, cupcakes n a few savory goodies. We love to dabble in untried waters, hence you'll find some quirky but nonetheless delicious combinations on our menu.

D: You did a soft launch at Pizza Republic sometime last month.
C: Oh yes! The launch itself was a great opportunity where we got amazing response from CFGians and PR walk-in customers. Orders started coming in n we had our hands full over Christmas.

D: You went on air with RJ Sano. How was the experience?
C: Though I was a little concerned since there was no briefing about the show, it actually turned about to be exciting and a lot of fun as it allowed me to speak naturally and just enjoy the whole experience.

D: How has HBG and the showcase helped you with the sweet story?
C: HBG has been absolutely great - an inspiration, a place to learn and connect with others in the trade. It totally rocks!

D: A hotelier for a husband. What does it feel like, especially with your baking? ;-) (Abhijit works with Hilton and I had the opportunity to meet him as well! )
C: He is my full-time taster, my sound board, my motivation and my strength. :-)

D: And how about the little one? How do you manage the baking?
C: My son is now two years old and the hardest part about the job is to keep his hands off the goodies! Though it sometimes is a challenge to work, but I manage to find my way around, working when he's sleeping or keeping him occupied otherwise when I'm busy.

Am ex-banker, a MBA in HR and Marketing, Cheshta also writes about food and travel for travel magazines. She enjoys cooking, eating, painting and loves anything creative. 

Come and be a part of the sweet story, at the baker showcase, on Feb 2, 2013. See below for a small sample on what you can expect at the showcase!

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Meet the Bakers - Karthika Shravanthi

As we move into the next season of the Baker Showcase, we bring you a scoop on each of the most talented and creative bakers who are taking part in this showcase. We continue the tradition and today's blog post will feature perhaps the youngest baker in this showcase - Bakeman aka Karthika Shravanthi.

In conversation with Karthika, who graduated last year from SSN College of Engineering

D: Bakeman - A big batman fan? :)
K: I started learning baking during the time when The Dark Knight Rises movie released! Plus I am a Nolan fan :D When I posted the pictures on FB , I named the album Bakeman Begins , which eventually became the name of my home baked goodies :)

D: You are open only on weekends and Mondays. What's the funda?
K:  I work as a Software Engineer in Bangalore. I travel to Chennai every weekend. More like a weekend entrepreneur. So Bakeman Begins is my weekend work :) Like most of them, I am also a midnight baker. I make use of that 48 hrs(weekend) to the fullest ! I start baking as early as 4 30 am just after reaching Chennai from Bangalore :P

D: How has Home Bakers Guild and this showcase helped you in your baking / promoting your business?
K: Home Bakers Guild is all the reason I am on Facebook. I always say, I log in to FB to check out HBG more than my profile :D. HBG is a wealth of knowledge and experience. Tons of thanks to KP for that. Because of HBG , my learning curve that taken a steep rise. It is such an inspiration.

I am also extremely thankful to 2 people at this point. Marina Charles (My first Baking Instructor ) and Joonie Tan for making me who I am today.

D: A  bit about your dancing?
K: I started learning Bharatnatyam at the age of 9. I did my Arangetram when I was 13. Regular performer in Natyanjali Dance festival ,Chidambaram till I graduated. I was expecting to have a career in dance, but later my focus shifted to work in Bangalore.

D: And your first commercial order would be?
K: This Diwali was the first time when I decided I would put up a menu and take bulk orders from friends, family & colleagues. Trust me I had no idea how much effort it required single-handedly finishing up all the promised orders. I applied for a couple of days off from work and traveled to Chennai (carrying all the necessary ingredients) that I usually buy from Bangalore. When I consolidated all the orders, I realized that except for 2-3 orders all of them were for my colleagues in Bangalore. I burnt my midnight oil and managed to whip up about 80 muffins, 50 cake pops , a hundred cookies, tartlets and kilos of sponges. I still cant believe I brought them all to Bangalore all by myself. Many thanks to the SRM bus driver who helped me with it ! :)

A huge Dexter and Nolan fan, from my alma mater, I am super happy to know that Karthika and I have quite a bit in common :)

Look foward to your yummilicious goodies very soon - at The Baker Showcase!









And if you want to grab some of those mouth watering delicacies, please drop in to Asan Memorial School on Feb 2nd between 2 and 6 pm!

Stay tuned to Food and All - https://www.facebook.com/Foodandall - for more updates.

Ayna - Hyderabadi Food Fest

Yet another bloggers' meet at the Hilton. I'd already missed the first one, and wouldn't miss this for the world.

This is a live blog and I will be posting as we eat. Shadir, Karthik and I are already here. Doc Waz just reached. We are waiting for Divyan to join us. Mr Karthik (Ayna) is here to help us and walk us through the menu and will assist us through the dinner.

The welcome drink arrives - Sherbat-e-Shahi. This has dates, cashewnuts, gulkhand, almonds. Cold and refreshing, this is a perfect drink to start the evening. As we start, the Chef is here. Chef Vijay is going to send the starters now.

The veg starter is Dahi ke Kebab - Boy ain't I impressed. Succulent, slightly sour from the curd, soft and tender, melts in the mouth and any other yum adjective that I can think of.

The pick of the non veg starters is Lal Mirch ka Jinga. :)

Next to arrive is the bharwan mirchi - molaga bajji molaga stuffed with corn and peas. Not spicy at all, but tastes yum with the tomato garlic side. This is followed by the ambada (gongura) paneer tikka. An interesting combination I must say. I really couldn't feel the taste of gongura but it sure was mildly sour. 

We were asked to try it with lal mirch rotis. Doc asked me to try the zaffrani paranthas. These are made with fine flour and saffron, topped with poppy seeds, almonds and pistachios. Crunchy on the outside, soft and perfectly cooked on the inside, slightly sweet but perfect! 

Doc Waz is eating and the plate is snatched taken away :D :D whattay! ;-)

The main course arrives. 

Sabz Milano (no, not that Milan), Panneer Tamatar and Kheri Dal, with Indian Bread. :) I really can't explain how tasty each dish is. Just that this is a Hyderabadi festival but the food is not SPICY. The Chef explains that the foreigners find it too spicy and hence he had to tone down the spice!

The dessert arrives. Meantime, we were discussing on food blogs :-) And the non vegetarians took on the poor ol' veggie me (the lone lady) with all the teasing - but hey, what's a CFG meet without a little fun! :P :P

Khubani ka meeta (stewed apricot with cream) and shahi tukda - a little too sweet for my liking. And all of us felt that way! 

And we are done.  Chef Vijay Singh is open for feedback and accepts our comments gracefully rather than defending why he made the dish a certain way. Wasim is explaining what he loved. And explain what I loved in the veggie lot. 

A happy lot we are.Doc gave the vote of thanks and we now thank every one else and almost about to step out! Thanks to Karthik - Ayna's manager - for obliging to my request for getting me an internet connection. :) 

This fest is on until next Sunday (10th Nov). Don't miss it! 

I loved blogging live and I'm super kicked about it! I hope I can do this more often :-) 

Adios from Ayna! Thank you for a wonderful experience!