Wednesday, March 03, 2010

My culinary journey on to the next level...

Hello everyone,

I'm going to start my introduction with my mother, she is the stem of my passion for cooking. She is by far the best cook that I have ever known! My ever growing interest in cooking definitely started from, 1st, eating the delicious food she prepares for us and then from watching her cook hearty meals. And it's moms rule that we would never have catered food for any occasions at home. Our friends would actually self invite themselves over just to have moms meals =) She never fails to impress us..on a daily basis I must say, dishing up such yummy food! She does not even note down anything while watching cooking programs on TV but the next thing you know, that's what we will be having for lunch or dinner the very next day! I am no where near her skills in the kitchen, but am striving to get there!! So this blog, is somehow, a dedication to my mother for all those wonderful, or I'd rather say SCRUMPTIOUS moments she's filled our hungry tummies =) *and she still does!!

I've learned a lot from my mother and am still learning until today. And did I mention that I work in one of the world's biggest award winning Indian restaurant? Yes I do =) My father is the founder and owner of our ethnic and beautiful restaurant, Passage Thru India.

So here I am right now, at the "almost at the end of the *novice* stage" in my culinary journey. Dare I say that? Maybe. Does the above mentioned factors makes me a natural in the kitchen? The humble part of me says not really, it's all been a learning process (very truthfully, I have dished some rather nasty tasting dishes! And my 1st ever baking experience was UTTER DISASTER!) and I've just been lucky to be amongst some really great cooks. And how can I not mention how I have always been and am very very VERY inspired by rest of the online cooking and baking journals.

I have not attended any professional cooking classes, all my training comes from my mother and our Executive Chef at the restaurant, TV cooking shows, foodie blogs, magazines and books. I bake too, apart from my work at the restaurant, from what I started out as a disastrous hobby became my little business of home made sweet treats called "Cupcake Factory". As the name suggests, I specialize in cupcakes, but the menu goes on further from just cupcakes to a variety of whole cakes, wedding cakes, pies and tarts, mini desserts and savory finger foods. My little bakery is at my dad's restaurant where I have the privilege of using their industrial sized oven to bake as many as 100 cupcakes at a time, which has been very very helpful to me whenever I get big orders. I cater to all sorts of parties and events. And as business grew, I had the desire to expand and improve my very little knowledge of pastries and attended a Professional French Patisserie Program conducted by a Master Pastry Chef, Chef Karam.

As far as I'm concerned, and I'm pretty sure almost all of us think alike, freshness of each and every drop of ingredient is THE KEY to any successful cooking and baking session. Let it be even salt! I love cooking and baking with the freshest and good quality ingredients that I could lay my hands on.

And beyond all that, something my mom always says "Infuse your preparations with passion and care because nothing beats a hearty meal or even a little cupcake thats cooked or baked with LOVE!"

So here it is, a journal of my humble attempts to share my love for cooking and baking.

Thank you for stopping by, hope you enjoy my blog =)

XOXO

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