A Sneak Peak Into a Food Blogger Life

Everyone out there who are jealous about Food Bloggers and envy the different dishes they get to eat at various restaurants without having to pay or at a discount. It is NOT about the free food. It is about the restaurant investing in us for their benefit. It is an advantage for the restaurant because by spending a little, they get a lot of advertisement and publicity. They become popular on social media and many people get to know about the restaurant. Our followers become their regular customers.
1. We need to master Time Management. We have to keep switching between our personal life, work life and Blogging. We can’t accept each and every invite. We need to think whether we will be able to do the review and justice to it. Due to Studies or work load, many reviews are still pending for most bloggers. Some places even call and ask us the reason if it’s not put up within a week or so. We need to sit up late night or stay back at home on weekends to complete.

2. A lot of effort goes into blogging. Each Review takes at least 2-3 hours. That’s a single post. Imagine for 4-5 posts we need one whole day. It’s not easy publishing a blog post or even a Zomato Review. We have to do research about the restaurant and read what others have to say. Photos need to be cropped, brightness edited and also watermarked. We need to pen down our thoughts in Perfect English.

3. Some restaurants invite us expecting a good rating. Inspite of poor service and pathetic food, we avoid writing negative comments about it because of the request by the person organising the food Bloggers Meet Up. Even though we are completely honest in all our reviews that are based on true personal experience, we skip the bad ones and those are not reviewed many times. For anyone else who go as a normal customer, eat, pay and leave need not stress out about what they write online about the restaurant.

4. Yes of course invites are fun. But It’s better to relax and enjoy the meal with family or friends when you go on your own without any obligations of clicking photos etc. We are always thinking about the food, Ambience and service and what we can write apart from giving feedback and suggestions as well.

5. Traveling far distances in heavy traffic is another difficulty.

Ramadan and Fasting

Ramzan Mubarak!

Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, improvement and increased devotion & worship. Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar considered holy by Muslims commenced with the sighting of the crescent moon yesterday. It is the month in which the Quran was revealed by Angel Gabriel to Prophet Muhammad.

The Quran says “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you many learn piety and righteousness” – 2:183. Fasting is to be done by all able bodied men and women. If a person is sick, travelling or has some illness or if a woman is pregnant then they are exempted from fasting.

During Ramadan the people who fast are not allowed to eat or drink anything (including water) from dawn to after sunset. Also one has to restrain other body parts, which may render the fast worthless; so the tongue, for instance, must avoid backbiting, abusing, slander, and lies; the eyes should avoid looking into things considered as sinful; the ears must stop from listening to conversation, words, songs, and lyrics that may spoil the spirit of fasting; and finally controlling of the heart and mind from indulging in unproductive or futile activities like, fighting, hurting or causing destruction/loss to others.

The main purposes or reasons of fasting during this month are as follows-

1. To overcome temptation, learn self-control & discipline and attain piety by feeling closer to God.

2. Fasting compels you to purify your soul and refrain from any wrongdoing, harmful habits and all evils prevailing in the society. It is detaching ourselves from all worldly pleasures and focus on one’s inner self. Fasting is not only to avoid eating from sunrise to sunset but also to abstain from speaking or doing anything bad.

3. To follow one of the five pillars of Islam that is to fast in Ramadan along with 5 times prayer a day, going for hajj at least once, believing in one god and giving alms to the poor.

4. When one is fasting and feels hunger and thirst he has to remember other people in the world who do not have food and water. Charity is one of the extremely recommended acts during fasting. Muslims are required to give minimum of 2.5% of their annual savings as charity. We come out of our luxury and experience what a large number of people lack- proper food and meals 3 times a day and help them in whichever way we can to ease their suffering. This creates feeling of empathy in our hearts to share a part of our vast resources and money with the downtrodden. 

In recent years lot of research has been done about the medical benefits of Ramadan. The physiological effect of fasting includes lower of blood sugar, lowering of cholesterol and lowering of the systolic blood pressure. In fact, Ramadan fasting would be an ideal recommendation for treatment of mild to moderate, stable, non-insulin diabetes, obesity and essential hypertension. There are psychological effects of fasting as well. There is a peace and tranquility for those who fast during the month of Ramadan. Personal hostility is at a minimum, and the crime rate decreases. Muslims take advice from the Prophet who said, “If one slanders you or aggresses against you, say I am fasting.” This psychological improvement could be related to better stabilization of blood glucose during fasting as hypoglycemia after eating, aggravates behavior changes. There is a beneficial effect of extra prayer at night. This not only helps with better utilization of food but also helps in output.

Every Ramadan culminates with the festival of Eid ul-Fitr, which takes place either 29 or 30 days after the beginning of the month.

Government School Midday Meals

The student members of the Rotaract Club, SJCC visited a government Primary school of a village in Hesaraghatta for a social activity. We spent time interacting with the kids, distributed chocolates and stationery and organised games & art/ craft work. This video focuses on the midday meals that the Government provides to the children. It is cooked fresh at Akshaya Patra Foundation and reaches thousands of schools in special vans.  The organisation strives to fight issues like hunger and malnutrition in India. By implementing the Mid-Day Meal Scheme in the Government schools and Government aided schools, Akshaya Patra aims not only to fight hunger but also to bring children to school. Quality of food is top notch. Hygiene standards are impeccable and strictly followed by every employee. Tonnes of food is prepared with the help of large scale machines and there are different dishes everyday.

Happy New Year 2016

Another exemplary and remarkable year has come to an end. I am humbled, grateful and thank God Almighty, family, friends and all those who were a part of it. It has been an incredible journey filled with both delights and disappointments. Troubles, challenges and difficulties made me a stronger person and taught me how to overcome barriers/obstacles in life. Success, achievement and accomplishment gave me unconfined happiness and will linger on motivating me in the years to come. Some of the memorable moments of 2015 are-

My School Magazine was finally published and released after months of dedicated hard work as the Chief Editor. Compliments on our impressive work made me proud. I bid adieu to my alma mater after spending 14 amazing and glorious years at Cottons. Being the Sesquicentennial Batch was a great privilege and I was extremely glad to be a part the 150th Graduation that was held in all its magnificent splendor. Attended my cousin’s marvelous wedding at Mysore. My 18th Birthday Celebrations was awesome and enjoyed the surprise by peers at tuitions.

All the pressure and tension of studies was finally relieved when I got excellent results in ISC board exams and was overjoyed on getting 90%. I was thrilled on getting my 2nd Apple Product- an iPhone 6 which I had always dreamed of and also my driving license. There was the stress of visiting various elite colleges in Bangalore for admissions, the excitement of IPL matches mitigating to the anxiety of clearing entrance tests, GD’s and Interviews and the joy of acing it.

I did one month Internship at Tramaniaa which was to promote the test match, invite school kids, manage and organize activities at KSCA.  It was fantastic spending time and exploring the Chinnaswamy stadium. I also got the chance to meet many Indian and South African cricket players and managed take selfies with some of them. I started this Food Blog in October and wrote reviews about various eateries. I also tried some exquisite and tantalizing dishes. I judged a brilliant event at Resurgence that is Bangalore’s biggest inter school Commerce fest held at Bishop Cottons.

I have had wonderful experiences during my first year of college- fun during 2 spectacular days of Dhwani- inter college cultural fest; organized a Product launch event on World Disability Day from E-Cell; Town Hall protest for human rights; participated in Language Mystery and icebreaker in Kalotsav, HR in Cipher and essay writing competition; Hall of Fame vs Shame exhibition; food fest; newsletter and e magazine committee; MC for hosting student council investiture; teaching school children in St Patrick school; spending time with kids at the Muslim orphanage through Rotaract Club and marching on Sports Day to recall a few.

Good Bye 2015 Welcome 2016. Wishing everyone has a phenomenal and prosperous year ahead filled with sweet memories to cherish. Hope you fulfil all your aspirations, dreams, goals and hopes. Farewell folks! See you next year. The Food Adventure will continue to bring greater stories of sumptuous delicacies and better and interesting restaurant reviews.

 

 

President’s Visit to My Legendary Alma Mater

“Knowledge is food for the soul and education is as important as food to survive and grow.” Therefore I am writing this article on my food blog.

Fourteen glorious years spent in the fourteen acres of Cottons have been filled with enriching experiences. Cottons has been the foundation of my life and personality. It has played a vital role in making me a confident and disciplined young gentlemen. It has made us capable to take on challenges in life and overcome obstacles to fulfill our goals. The experiences in Cottons will last for a lifetime. It is in these corridors that our dreams take shape and later acquire the wings to fly. It is in Cottons where we are taught how to fly and to aim in conquering the skies. This school has inspired in me a love for learning by dedicated, passionate and cheerful teachers. My alma mater has ignited in me the urge to be the very best no matter what career lies ahead of me or what problems life may bring.

In 1965 President Dr. Radhakrishnan– the great teacher and Mrs. Indira Gandhi visited Cottons for its Centenary Celebrations. Since then the school has been taken to greater heights under the leadership of 5 different principals. Bishop Cottons has had the privilege of being graced by the presence of many eminent celebrities including politicians, business personalities and renowned film stars, singers, sportsmen & women on different occasions. Today Bishop Cottons Boys School is one of the top ten educational institutions not only in India but also Asia and a proud representative of Bangalore City. It tells a fascinating story of its own and boasts of winning numerous awards and accolades. It has alumni presence in every field all over the globe and has produced Scientists and Generals without whose service and contribution to the nation, the History of India would have taken a different turn.

At the beginning of the 150th anniversary Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam– the great visionary was the chief guest. President Pranab Mukherjee attended the closing ceremony of the Sesquicentennial Celebrations along with the Governor and Chief Minister of Karnataka. A wonderful event and a marvellous entertainment program was organised today for which over 10,000 people were present. His excellency’s stupendous speech enthralled the audience and he congratulated the school on completion of a successful era. He also went on to say that Cottons should aspire to be the best in the world.

The amazing music extravaganza by Grammy award winners Ricky Khej and Tanvi Shah was sheer brilliance. The exuberant Jai Ho performance was excellent and indeed mesmerising. The theme dances by the Junior School on famous Christmas songs was truly spectacular and splendid. Another year approaches and will soon bring with it new achievements and accomplishments for Cottonians but the legacy of our Founders will linger on till eternity. Nec Dextrorsum Nec Sinistrorsum.

Food Fest: A Helping Hand

It was a wonderful initiative by the students of St Joseph’s College Of Commerce to raise funds that will be donated for helping the victims of the 7.8 Magnitude earthquake that rocked Nepal a few months back through the sale of food. A food and music fest was organised by the Student Council. It was not only a feast for the belly but a pleasure to the eyes and a delight to the ears. Students from different classes had put up stalls around the vast basketball court selling a wide variety of dishes. Most of the food was prepared at home by students and their parents or was brought from restaurants owned by family members. Every class did a lot of preparations and had a unique menu. Quality of and Minimum Cost resulted in these stalls being patronized and attracted a huge crowd. Some of the popular items were burgers, biryani, pasta, pastries, juices, ice creams, noodles, chicken kebab and gobi manchurian. It also had live chaat counters and a number of lavish and lovely desserts. Everyone had a great time and did not feel the pinch of contributing to charity. Live music performance by excellent singers from the college made the lunch enjoyable. Hope that this money helps families regain their hope, fulfills their basic necessities and bring smiles to a lot of people. It is these gestures that reimpose faith in humanity, reduce sufferings and make the world a better place to live in.

        

Hall Of Fame Students Exhibition

Weeks of planning and preparation for an exhibition of business entities showcased in hall of fame and hall of shame bore fruit and culminated in a grand success. The BBA Classes were divided into various teams like event management, marketing, costume designing, decoration and logistics. Everyone worked hard and put in a lot of efforts for the event and showing enthusiasm. The eagerly awaited and much anticipated day- 18^th August began with the arrangement of carpets and furniture. All the characters were portrayed by students and everyone took their place in the basketball court. Our principal Rev. Dr. Daniel Fernandes inaugurated the exhibition and it was soon thronging with students and teachers who were enthralled with the mesmerizing display. Apart from the models representing business personalities like Vijay Mallya, Lalit Modi, Ramalinga Raju, Bill Gates, Kiran Mazumdar, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg etc other attractions included luxury cars and bikes, balloons, banners and sweets. Adding to this, the Soothing music and exuberant dance indeed made it a truly wonderful and delightful afternoon. Yes, I know this is a food blog but there is no compulsion that it exclusively sticks to the title. The other reason is that we also had the eminent and internationally renowned British celebrity chef- Gordon James Ramsay who has successful restaurants across the globe with a net worth of 175 million dollars, appears on tv shows aired in over 200 countries like Masterchef and Hell’s Kitchen, has published best selling books and most importantly he has been awarded 16 Michelin stars in total which is the most prestigious accolade in the culinary world.

Indian Cuisine

Indian Cuisine encompasses a wide variety of regional cuisines native to India. Given the range of diversity in soil type, climate, culture, ethnic group and occupations, these cuisines vary significantly from each other and use locally available spices, herbs, vegetables and fruits. Indian food is also heavily influenced by religious and cultural choices and traditions. It has been patronized since ancient time. Dishes like chicken tikka and butter chicken that were founded in India are among the top fifty popular foods across the world.

The development of these cuisines have been shaped by religious beliefs, and in particular by vegetarianism, which continues to grow as a dietary trend in Indian society. There has also been Central Asian influence on North Indian cuisine from the years of Mughal rule. Indian cuisine has been and is still evolving, as a result of the nation’s cultural interactions with other societies. Historical incidents such as foreign invasions, trade relations and colonialism have also played a role in introducing certain foods to the country.

I, Mohamed Owais am very passionate and enthusiastic about food and love all types of dishes. Chinese is sumptuous, Italian is tantalizing and Mexican is piquant. However it is the exuberant Indian Cuisine that really excites my senses and tickles my palate. The smell of Indian Kebabs, Curries and biryani itself is tantalising and mesmerizing. It has become a must have dish on the menu of all non- veg Indian cuisine hotels and is available across India from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. Its fame has spread far and wide that there is always a heavy rush outside retardants serving Indian kebabs, curries and biryani in well developed countries of Europe and America. A visit to these retardants last year on my trip to Florida and New York and gave me the taste and reverence of my Country even oceans apart. Restaurants serving authentic South Indian cuisine such as dosas, idly and vadas are also present in many foreign countries.

India also has some unique dishes that are made especially during particular festivals. The basic components and techniques of India Cuisine are used in various other cuisines. Indian Cuisine is known for its taste, spice and colour- a true visual treat. Food is one of the important factors that unites people of diversified backgrounds in India. Indian cuisine has all those elements that can indeed give immense satisfaction. Indian food promises to leave one who has tasted it with desire and cravings for more.