Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Recipe for the month: Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse from Gastronomy Illustrated

If you have been following my blog and especially my recipe section, you should know by now that I have a major sweet tooth and I love desserts! And moreover I prefer quick and easy recipes that are high in flavor.

Today’s recipe is Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse, a rich and refreshing dessert for a warm spring or summer afternoon. I came across this lovely blog created by a loved one who has evolved over the years. Rithu Grace Job, the author of Gastronomy Illustrated, has done her masters in Bioinformatics but her passion was always designing clothes. Recently she was chosen as a designer for an Italian brand called Maison Academia. And now she has discovered a new sphere for herself in being food blogger.



Let’s get to know more about Rithu and how her journey began and her inspirations before we hop over to her blog for her recipe. Over to you Rithu!


What inspired you to start a blog?

It's been only two years since I got married and henceforth, began my journey with cooking! So over a period of two years, I have been pleasantly surprised and filled with joy to see how an amateur like me can make diverse, satisfying and healthy food, within the walls of a kitchen, right at home! In February, this year, my husband celebrated his milestone birthday and a much-deserved promotion at work. I really wanted to bake a cake for him but I had no prior experience of cake baking! My baking experience was nearly negligible at that time! But then I got the idea of baking mini cupcakes and placing them on a tiered glass server, that was once gifted to me! So before the day came, I practiced baking a set of cupcakes, about a week before! I was so thrilled with the final product, that I naively thought to myself 'If I can do that, I can do anything else in this world!!' That experience led me to starting this food blog, actually! I feel there could be many girls out there, like me, who are afraid, culinary beginners. But I wish to be a humble motivator to inspire more individuals to enjoy the art of cooking!


What's your favorite cuisine?

Back in the day, it used to be Italian. But ever since I shifted base to the States post marriage, I am a lover of Japanese food!! Sushi, noodles, ramen!! You name it! I'm a fan! I'm also a great fan of the techniques implemented like hibachi and teppenyaki! These chefs are nothing short of world-class entertainers! And oh, the precision with which sushi masters work? Spellbinding!



Did you have any formal training in cookery course?
No, not as yet. But if given the opportunity today, I would be interested to attend classes. Incidentally, I have an interest in attending the classes by Rumana Jaseel of the 'Incredible Art' fame! Kudos to her for gorgeous cake art!


What tips would you recommend to those who are yet to venture out in the world of cooking?

I consider cooking an art, a labour of love! It's a beautiful affair! There is no need to be afraid! Cooking in the modern day, is really that simple. My first tip to beginners would be to have patience and go by recipes, word by word, measurement by measurement! If you do that, your chances of blunders will be close to nil! This I can assure you! And with each successful meal made, you get more confidence in time, and are inspired to go further. Secondly, traits like being organized go a long way in the kitchen! The process is much easier if one keeps all ingredients organized, measured and ready to use before cooking, rather than fluttering around the kitchen like a confused butterfly! Thirdly, I'd say "Don't overwhelm yourself with several utensils and appliances!!" I prefer having cooking basics and making myself aware of how I can use these basics to the maximum. For instance, I have a rice cooker which I have even steamed dumplings! Fourth, write a menu for the upcoming week and shop for groceries accordingly. This way you can eliminate over-spending and have fresh produce to work with, every week. And lastly, do a 'pantry and fridge check' every week, before you write out the menu. Be mindful of expiry dates or remaining ingredients from the previous week, so you don't have to unnecessarily trash anything!


What are your future plans?
With regards to my journey with food, I wish to publish a book on my experiences in the kitchen, dining out, travelling and eating at popular spots, and my most-loved recipes that I would like to share with my readers. I am also an aspiring fashion designer, for long. I am currently a designer for an Italian fashion brand named Maison Academia. I hope to take forward my passion for designing, side by side with my culinary ventures!


Thanks Rithu for sharing your inspiration and thoughts with us!! Wishing you all the best with your culinary adventures! Looking forward to your book.


Click here and hop on to Gastronomy Illustrated and go through the recipe. When I tried this recipe I had all the ingredients except for sour cream. But I went ahead and made it without the sour cream and it still tasted just like strawberry cheesecake mousse!!
 
What do you think of my garnish? Perfect for Valentine's Day special!!
 

I enjoyed making it… it definitely impressed everyone I made for and each spoonful of this dessert is a joyful experience.




Images are clicked by me


 

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Joy of Harvesting

Nothing is more satisfying than growing your own vegetables and herbs in your own garden. It’s pure and blissful joy to harvest your own organic vegetables. And I know this is not going to last long as the expected fierce summer will set in soon here in Oman…. So here I am enjoying it while it lasts…

Sharing my joy with you all…
 



 

 



 

 
Images are clicked by me
 
 

Monday, March 17, 2014

Riot of Colors: Happy Holi

Today is Holi, a popular festival in India that is celebrated with colors that make it the most vibrant of all. How about a splash of colors in our home décor?

Enjoy the riot of colors through these pictures!
Happy Holi Everyone!


Beautiful crockery; Image via redonline.co.uk ; photographed by Lawra Edwards 


Beautiful colored cushions for your room; Image via Pinterest


love the shades of paints; Image via Natures Doorways


Orange and Pink Table Setting; Image via Pinterest


Colorful flowers; Image via Pinterest; Picture taken by Rachel Elizabeth



a beautiful kitchen cabinet; Image via Pinterest


explosion of colorful peppers... now that's hot!; Image via Pinterest

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Through my lens: Dubai's Architectural Beauty

I missed talking to all of you. My ten day break in Dubai was a much needed get-away for me. And post break, it took me exactly a week to come out of my “Dubai Blues”, with loads of laundry, replying to emails, getting back to my daily routine…. Suddenly the so called recent vacation seemed distant. But the fantasy of another break is one of the reasons that make me smile and chat with you all. So how have you all been?


I am glad I was able to capture bits and pieces of Dubai’s architectural beauty even though the surreal attraction of different malls lured me into retail therapy! Dubai, a melting pot of different cultures, is blended and reflected on its architecture design.
Enjoy the pictures!
 

 

 

 
 
 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Images are clicked by me

Monday, February 17, 2014

Pintér Ferencné’s Decoupage & Quilling

Decoupage and Quilling, both are an art based with paper that dates back hundreds of years and amazingly this art still appeals to many. Decoupage is an art of redecorating an object with paper cut-outs glued, combined with paints and a coat of varnish. And Quilling is an art of coiling, shaping, gluing together narrow strips of paper to create an object. Today I’d like to feature Pintér Ferencné, based in Hungary, who has always been inspired by decoupage and quilling. With no formal training she creates beautiful designs and I find them exquisite and a class apart.

Have a look her creations and tell me what you think

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click here to view her facebook page and if you wish to customize or buy any of her creations, you can write to her at pinterzsu58@gmail.com


Images via Pinter Ferencné
 
 

Friday, February 14, 2014

Chain of Hearts

I learned the art of stitching, crochet and knitting during my childhood days and somehow this art was forgotten as my ship sailed through different phases of life, making impulsive and life changing decisions and never regretted a single one. It used to be fun creating something even though it took a lot of your time and required patience …. And it turned out addictive as well. I wondered if I can ever go back into those days of creating something with beautiful colored thread and fabric in this time constrained world…. And I said why not!! That’s when I came across this tutorial for stitching a chain of hearts from one of my favorite blog, Design Sponge…. Voilà here it is!! I did it!




 
Click here to view the tutorial. Do you like my chain of hearts?

Wishing my readers a Happy Valentine’s Day! Spread the love…..
 
 

Images are clicked by me


 

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Masala Chai and Rains

Rains always managed to fuel a great amount of excitement and bring a unique charm to our Muscat weather. Just sitting at my desk, looking into my garden, sipping my piping hot cup of masala chai and curl up with a book is a perfect way to unwind.

Masala Chai is tea brewed with a combination of spices of your choice like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, fennel seeds and star anise.  And as I sip my steaming spiced tea it reminds me of the beautiful monsoon back in India. And this spiced tea goes well with biscotti.
 
 

Masala Chai Recipe                                            

Yield: 3 to 4cups

Ingredients

2 cups water
1 cup milk
1 1/4 tbsp Indian black tea 
Sugar to \taste

 
Spice mix 
2 cardamom pods (cracked)
2 whole black peppercorns
1 petal star anise
2 whole cloves
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 inch fresh ginger (shredded)
1/2 stick cinnamon

 
Method

Boil together the water, tea, sugar and spices. Depending on preference and strength required determine the time for which you boil the tea and I prefer about 5 minutes. If you prefer a milder tea you can add the tea after the first boil.
Add milk and boil for another 5 minutes. Strain and serve hot with biscotti.

Note
If you prefer more milk, make equal proportions of water and milk. Some prefer more milk than water which leads to milder tea... the choice is yours.



Cheers and enjoy the weather Muscateers!!
 
Images are clicked by me