From the category archives:

events

Announcement: Bake Sale!

December 13, 2010

Purple Foodie Bake Sale

Popping in here really quickly to let you know that I’m having my first ever bake sale this week!

It’s a part of the Mumbai Ishtyle Bazaar where you will find a bunch of budding businesses participate: right from colourful home ceramics to Turkish clothing and cute stationery (who doesn’t love stationery?)

I’m going to be there with some of my bakes on Wednesday, 15th Dec at the Juhu Rotary Centre, so if you’re in the vicinity do pop in – will be fantastic to meet you! Have a look at the Facebook event page for more details.

On the menu:  Vanilla bean and cream pound cake, Callebaut chocolate mud cake, Nutella pinwheel cookies, lavender shortbread, double chocolate chip muffin and Jerry & Elaine’s chocolate cinnamon Babka.

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Spain in a Box

October 21, 2010

Spain in a box

Scroll over to know more about all the food.

I had an unexpected visitor yesterday – the postman. With a box. And when that happens to a food blogger, it’s highly likely that it’s filled with delicacies from a land far off. As soon as I saw yellow tape with ‘Correos’ written all over it, my heart skipped a beat. I wasn’t expecting this for at least a few weeks! My friend Debjani from Madrid sent me a box full of Spanish goodness.

I opened the package, trying to guess with every rip of the tape (thank God I had the cutter handy for once) what the contents of it might be. There was definitely some lavender that smelled very potent. And then some more delicious smells of orange and paprika got me very excited. As I opened the box, I was oohing and aahing at every single thing: Valrhona cocoa powder, bittersweet smoked paprika, candied orange, lavender, adorable porcelain spoons! Right from the packaging, to the contents, to the care taken to give me a taste of Spain, Debjani put together the most thoughtful package.  Thanks, Debs!

The candied orange went straight into my mouth (saved a tiny piece of it for the picture above) while I thought of all the things I’d do with these new ingredients. Definitely waiting for figs to replicate Debjani’s lavender figs with ricotta, and  the cocoa will go into Alice Medrich’s brownies.

If this is Spain in a box, I can not wait to experience the country.

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Double Chocolate Truffle Brownies

Three years today. Three years of sugar, flour and oodles of butter.

Three years ago, I sat in front of a blank page typing my first words. There might be someone who’d probably want to listen to what I have to say, right? For the first few weeks the only comments I got were from friends and family. And then it happened. A stranger! Someone from the other side of the world!  I was ecstatic.  Since then a lot has happened. I quit my day job in an IT company, I worked at a bakery, I started my own catering service, and began writing and photographing freelance. I thank you for being with me to share the fun and calories. Thank you for your emails, and notes and surprises with the postman. You guys make the loveliest bunch of people.

I made some double chocolate truffle brownies today to give myself a pat on the back. It’s intensely chocolatey, it’s gooey and it has beautiful bits of white chocolate peeking through. But more importantly, it’s such an easy recipe. Everything’s ready in 30 minutes from start to finish (not counting the excruciating time spent waiting for it to cool).  Just look at the glossy, gooey inside!

And now, for the fun part! I’m giving away a copy of a cute little book I adore called Popina Book of Baking and bunch of vanilla beans.

This is what you can get!

Popina + Vanilla

Just like the previous giveaway this one is open to readers from all over until the end of this month.  Here is how you can enter:

  • Comment below letting me know something about you – your favourite spice and how you use it, what you’re baking next, your biggest baking disaster (mine was last week when I dropped a cake on the floor, minutes before it has to be sent out –boohoo), anything! I like stories.
  • Tweet about the giveaway (I just entered @purplefoodie’s giveaway for Popina book of Baking and Vanilla beans http://bit.ly/bV23m7 !)
  • Subscribe to the blog via email. (Those who are already subscribed by email, you’re entered!)

Note: Each give you an additional entry for the giveaway. Use all three ways, and you increase your chances of winning.

Double Chocolate Truffle Brownies

Double Chocolate Truffle Brownies

Adapted from: Popina Book of Baking (USA | UK | India)

Yield: 9 squares

Ingredients:

240g / 8.5oz dark chocolate
100g /3.5oz butter
3 eggs
125g / 4.5oz sugar
55g / 2o  flour
70g  /2.5oz white chocolate, chopped
cocoa powder, to dust

Equipment: A 7 inch square pan

Method:

  1. Line the pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 150C/300F.
  2. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Stir until melted. Set aside.
  3. In another bowl whisk together the eggs and sugar until light and frothy. Sift in the flour and fold into the mixture, making sure to incorporate all the flour (it loves to sink to the bottom and you might just miss it). Stir in the melted chocolate mixture, and then finally the chopped white chocolate.
  4. Pour the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 15-17 minutes. The brownie should have a slight jiggle in the centre. It will continue to cook even after you’ve pulled it out of the oven. Keep an eye on your watch, overbaked brownies are a pretty bad thing.
  5. Leave to cool completely. Dust with cocoa powder and cut into 9 squares.

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The Purple Foodie Quiz

July 29, 2010

The Purple Foodie Quiz

We’ve been together a while, haven’t we? And yet there is so much that I need to know about you! Sure I know that most of you are from the USA, or that the highest searched recipe on the blog is the Nutella Pinwheel Cookie, or that 43% of you use Firefox, or that Indians stay on the site 5 times more (thank you!) than Americans (Germans, you’re not far behind!) But that’s not what I’m talking about. I think it’s high time I got to know you better. For this, I’ve put together a Proust questionnaire based on something both of us love: food! Reminds me of the time when slam books were a rage in middle school.

I’d really love all of you to answer these. I repeat, all! Even the silent ones, who usually sit back and watch all the fun. Copy-paste the questionnaire below and edit it to reflect your answers, and then add it as a comment. Email readers, hop on to the site – it’s going to be fun!

Let’s begin!

The Purple Foodie Quiz

* Cinnamon or Vanilla?
Vanilla. No, cinnamon. No, vanilla. Gah! Too hard.

* Your favourite pizza topping(s)?
Prosciutto

* Ruth Reichl or Anthony Bourdain (or Ruth Bourdain?!)
Ruth Reichl

* Favourite big kitchen gadget?
My Kitchen Aid, hands down!

* Favoruite small kitchen gadget?
Microplane Zester

* Favourite foodie movie(s)?
Tampopo, Julie and Julia

* Steak: Rare, medium-rare, medium or well done?
Medium-rare

* Cheese: Stinky or mild?
The stinkier, the better!

* Sweet or salty?
Fleur de Sel Caramels. Aha!

* What would be the toughest to give up: bread, cheese or potato?
Bread

* Favourite ice-cream flavour?
Vanilla (homemade)

* What country would you move to for the food?
Italy – pizza, pasta, cheese, gnocchi, Roma and  San Marzano tomatoes, parma ham, prosciutto…mmmm!

Copy-paste the quiz into the comments and let us know what you like!

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Remember I told you that I’m working on a chapter for an e-book a while ago? Well, that book, titled 55 Knives, is now complete! Nick Evans of Macheesmo has done a fab job putting together the book of 55 chapters by food bloggers together (thank you, Nick!)

55 knives

What do you get in this book?

  • 55 delicious recipes
  • 55 wonderful short-stories
  • 174 pages of content from the top food bloggers from all over the world
  • Simple ways to reach out to all the authors
  • 3 free coupons for some fantastic cooking products.
  • 30 day warranty for a full refund

To learn more or to buy your copy, simply visit the 55 Knives page and shop online.

Here’s a little snippet of my contribution to the book:

…As I grew up, I began eating out and experiencing a variety of powerful new flavours. I have to say though, not all flavours made my taste-buds dance and sing. The first time I ate blue cheese at a chic restaurant, I couldn’t hold it in my mouth beyond three seconds, and spat it out right into the napkin. I’d like to think it was discreet, but five friends around me disagreed…

You can also read my recipe for Stuffed Eggplants on Page 71 of the book.

What’s great about the book is the fact that these are special recipes and touching stories that are filled with meaning and tradition. These are overflowing with so much love and beauty that will make you laugh out with delight and cry with happiness.

What’s also great is that this is an e-book, one that you can download instantly and read on your computer, iPhone, laptop, iPad, or any other device you use. An e-book is a great idea for such a book. It comes with live links that can take you to pages within the book and to blogs on the internet. You can directly subscribe to other food blogs or follow them easily on Twitter or Facebook. You can also search for ingredients and recipes using the book. No shipping charges, no delivery time, no trees being cut – just a click and the book is yours instantly and forever.

Early bird catches the worm: The book will be sold at a discounted price of $14 (as opposed to $19) until Thursday, June 3rd 2010. So hurry up and grab your copy now. And in case you’re not satisfied, Nick will graciously return your money within 30 days of purchase.

I just got my copy of the book and I’m so exited to read more about some of my favorite bloggers and discover some new ones. I’ve already put Pinch My Salt’s Potato and Leek recipe on my to-do list.

Full disclosure: As a co-author for the book, I receive a small commission from Nick on books sold through The Purple Foodie. So if you’d like to help me out, do buy the book from here!

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