"Gulp of Joy or Hook for forest Habitants"

Some smells reminds some warm memories..and COFFEE did the same..

People are addicted to different things & when it come to me..coffee make a wonder ..

i love coffee- THE Experience...of enriching the thoughts and feeling...moving on the ride into the sweet memories lane sipping slowly each aromatic gulp of coffee. Coffee have been linked up to the wonderful time i had in life...

My coffee ride started a long back at home when my mom used to prepare coffee for me during winters. NESCAF'E has been the best brand of coffee in INDIA . Nescafe is still the one dat i keep in my kitchen closet..its quick to make and nothing can destroy its flavour and aroma.

College and coffee went hand-in-hand. Hectic College timings made me walk into the restaurants for coffee..and then it was CCD, Cafe Coffee Day at the door-step. Hanging out with friends in CCD was the most awaited thing in my whole day at college. The cozy sofas and rocking music, all added up fun' sipping Coffee. And as the logo of CCD says...indeed there is a lot more we can do on the coffee table.

Moving on in life...here I am in B'lore and the CRAZE for COFFEE is still there. And here I discovered KALMANE KOFFEES.

Kalmane koffees have a great interesting history as follows:

In 1879, the rich soil of Kalmane estate gave birth to its very first Coffee Plant. Today, 125 Years and four generations later, the estate sprawls across 1000 acres in Chikmagulur, Karnataka and grows uniquely flavoured Arabica Coffee inter cropped with black pepper.

Kalmane estate is also known for its superior quality high grown Robustas to yield exceptionally washed Robustas. This coffee specialised restaurant attracts all generations to enjoy almost about 19 variety of coffees.

They indeed use the freshly crushed beans for the coffee which makes it so aromatic, smooth and pleasant to enjoy. The price ranges have all type of people to serve. The place is warm and just perfect for sipping coffee.

It have its own USP of serving the traditional south-India Filter coffee, flavoured differently with cardamon, cinnamon and very famous Mysore Nuggets.

Expresso coffee have about eight variety to choose. One can also choose the beans they prefer to have and buy after being crushed and made powder just in front of you.

At present Kalmane Koffees have around 6 outlets in Bangalore and the way it serves, I am sure its going to be sooner all over India.

Read more on coffee at given link... http://www.nationalgeographic.com/coffee/

But how a "gulp of a joy-coffee endangered the species (Rhino, Tiger and Elephant )" living in the forests... Beleive it or not but its true..as reported by the world's largest and most experienced independent conservation organizations "WWF".

Coffee lovers like you and me all over the world are unknowingly drinking coffee that was illegally grown inside one of the world’s most important national parks for tigers, elephants and rhinos...somewhere it really shatters whenever NOW i smell coffee...make sure you read out this shocking story..and what the biggest company of coffee producer STARBUCKS need to say..

..Let the..."GULP OF JOY-Coffee" be not Hook for the forest Habitants...

.. Expresso Yourself....!!

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Potluck - Home is where food is..

Its just a quarter of time I came staying in BANGALORE.. one of the most profound IT city of INDIA. For almost a month I was having food outside..everyday discovering new tastes and restaurants of the city..

Almost fed up one fine day of all those I really liked..that is "enjoying new flavours", all I was craving for HOME-FOOD. I wanted food that was prepared by mom, less oily and spicy....this is something I never realised when I used to eat at home.

It was then when my Hubby took me POTLUCK...

For the time being I could not understand why did we came there..as we both are fond of good food and I could not expect that GOOD food at a HOME turned Restaurant-POTLUCK. But I was wrong...the home turned restaurant was indeed homely-friendly and full of home-food aromatic.

POTLUCK is situated close to some of d major IT companies like Honeywell, Oracle, Accenture, HSBC, IBM, Mahendra, Aris Gobal and above all (IIM)INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT,Bangalore.

LINK to IIM-B:- http://www.iimb.ernet.in/iimb/

The chairs were very comfortable and the table was of simply perfect height. All around it was neat and clean with almost superb warm colours on the wall, which made sitting there so easy.

And here came a uniformed waiter with water goblets and water-jug in his hand..good service.

All the utensils are stainless-steel and adds up to more homely Indian culture.

I was also amazed to find so much of variety in every section in the MENU-CARD. The starter were about 24 and main-dish about 20, breads variety was almost 18-20. It have everything Starter, Main dish, Bread, Rice, Desert, Accompaniments and Beverages.

Awesome collection and so affordable, my tummy was half full by having a glance to the menu.

We stared with the starter, MOONG-DAL CHILLA, Veg-omlette, Bread-Dhokla. It was served with mint chutney, which is indeed a delight.

And when the food came, the quantity seemed so optimum to consume whole.

Believe me full points to the flavour, taste and smell of the food. I simpled loved the chapati(Indian Wheat Bread).

In beverage, I took Mango-LASSI, which was smooth-sweet and had a nice flavour and smell of mango, with a refreshing taste.

Though i don't have a sweet tooth but i loved to eat the MOONG-DAL ka halwa there. It is so delicious, cooked in desi-GHEE, with chopped almonds.Simply ymmmmyyy...!!

So friends, in this way, POTLUCK became my favorite place to enjoy eating home made food.

Please do check the given link to the POTLUCK..

http://potluck.in/

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Because I'm Worth It

Just few days back i mailed some of MY pictures to one of my very dear friend of college...and not as expected got response the next day. She wrote a tiny message in it..really very chweet of her, but what i liked and laughed the most on was a small but straight statement she made checking my pictures...it almost made me ponder over the Pictures deeply...with and without L'Oreal.

She wrote- "Your Pictures are beautiful and u look gorgeous...Ofcoarse with and without MAKE-UP"...

Loreal was founded by a French chemist Eugene Schueller in Year 1907. Direct Link to Loreal Co. LINK.

Read more about L'oreal through the given link..



Catch up the stunning section on "WOMEN in SCIENCE" at L'Oreal.
The link is for country INDIA..but you can also get info of your based country.



There are many good CAREER opportunities in this major BRAND and you can follow the given link to join up your dreams.. A huge range of job opportunities from HR to MARKETING.. just like its Products..





There are many famous celebraties supporting this Major Brand..





Celebraties like PENELOPE CURZ, LAETITIA CASTA, DAYLE HADDON, MILLA JOVOVICH, BEYONCE KNOWLES, NOEMIE LENOIR, ANDIE MacDOWELL, CLAUDIA SCHIFFER & beauty of India .....Miss World (1994) AISHWARYA RAI. support Lo'real.

This is the link to the gorgeous Aishwarya Rai with her pictures of L'Oreal Ads:



All we need to PAMPER ourself with shopping..these harmless beauty products...hey..they actually only hold and protect your Hair & Skin innocence.. Because YOU are WORTH IT..!!

To look beautiful and gorgeous is your RIGHT..Believe me..!!

Right NOW I can only remember those good old days of nursery rhymes..!!


Chubby cheeks,
Dimple chin,
Rosy lips,
Teeth within,
Curly hair,
Very fair,
Eyes are blue,
Lovely too..
Teacher's pet, is that YOU..?? Yes, Yes, Yes.

How with the nice lovely words tune we used to recite it..but in reality I today understand the depth of the poem...where some where it shows the freshness of the face..which v used to hav in the childhood...and how slowly in the race of life we sometime lose all that charm we owe....Now its a time to rejuvenate and celebrate the beauty...with MAKE-UP or WITHOUT it...All we need to wear...the SIMPLE SWEET SMILE ...

Maria Mitchell quotes (American first professional woman Astronomer in the United States. 1818-1889)

"There is no cosmetic for beauty like happiness."

I call it the SUM-UP to MAKE -UP, and get ready for the party!!!

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Chef Vibs's Rawalpindi ke chole

I wanted to prepare "CHOLE"..and this was the link which made evrything so easy for me.. Every thing was so step by step..that anybody can understand and do accordingly.
This receipe is taken from the http://www.ifood.tv/ and it is Chef Vibs.

Chef Vibs have been my Senior(Batch 2000-2003) in the Institute of Hotel Management,Ghy.Assam .
The link is as follows: http://www.ihmctanghy.org/Default.htm

This is the picture of the RAWALPINDI KE CHOLE is the one made learning from the recipe ...My preparation also looked as delicious as Chef Vibs made it....and the credit goes to Chef Vibs completely.

These days i m so much getting influenced and inspired by this incredible chef to cook...that my blogs and thoughts have tuned into the MENU CARDS...can only have food DISH and DRINKs......

I shall tag CHEF VIBS..as...follows!!!.. HE is the most intense, profound, powerful , passionate one for COOKiNG..

I have been reading & watching the recepies present in his ifood.tv site and...more i read....more i feel to be in the SMOKY-ZONE....cooking.....

I am extremely proud of Him..for all dat he hav achived..and willing to act in the most sincere motion to cook...or rather i should say...to COOK & CREATE....the delicious delights...i wish dat some day...his created delight-dish.. melts in my mouth..

Here wishing him ...all the best for ur life...dat is ur...PASSION....CoOKiNg....

SALUTE u "THE chef Vibs.."

Celebarte Cooking..

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Ready-Made Mix

Ready-Steady-Go...with the mix..and enjoy the sweets..

Though the Gulab-Jamun were made during Diwali Festival...we r still melting the sweet sugar in our mouths.
Long back in my childhood my mother used to make gulab-jamun at home wit the GITS ready-to-make packet.
The instructions mention to prepare were very easy and also the post-product came up really delicious..
The link to GITS site is as follows:-
http://www.gitsfood.com/index.php?action=product&mode=V&type=PDS&id=95

When i wanted to prepare i could not get the GITS packet, so i decided to make a little change and choose MTR product..
Almost same instruction and the gulab jamun came up...simple prefect as u noticed in the last blog..
So make more gulab jamun wit either GITS or MTR..all tastes same..simply sweet and soft and almost like heaven.

CHECK OUT THE LINK TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE PRODUCTS OF "MTR"

http://www.mtrfoods.com/sweetmixes/index.htm#

Instructions to make GULAB -JAMUN from the MTR Ready-made packet..
> Add 1/4 measure of water to 1 measure of mix and knead the mix gently into a dough. Set aside for 5 min.
> Make small balls and fry in hot oil ghee over a low flame until golden brown.
> Soak the gulab jamuns in hot sugar syrup until they completely absorb the syrup and serve.
> Sugar syrup: Add equal measures of sugar and water and boil for 15 min (this pack needs 800g of sugar).
> Add rose essence or cardamom powder if desired.

..NOTE:-

What if by mistake excess water is poured in the dough..??!!!

• Well need not worry just add some "REFINED-FLOUR" and mix it well till it is fine..

"SO DIWALI STARTED WITH smoke BUT ENDS WITH sweets"

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Diwali starts with SMOKE..

Diwali is all about light n smoke....

yeah...it chokes a lot....the crackers...hopefully my festival diwali was not like this..thank God..!!

MY diwali was a bit in Sweet Smoke...well please dont misunderstand me...what i mean..dat my diwali starts with the SMOKY-Cafe..

I was all to swing...n turn...make dat i have never made...GULAB-JAMUN..

hey..though i dont hav a sweet-tooth...but the festival is not counted..untill sugar gets melts in the mouth...

well i dnt hav any special receipe to it..but yes...i did use the READY-MADE pack of the GULAB-JAMUN.

The best part was...i made it jst right...in LOOKS..SHAPE..COLOUR...& above all the delicious mouth-watering TASTE...

Check out the pic...it almost seems...like heaven...

Almost every one in my family loves eating gulab-jamun and my close friends...are the first one to gulp it..not one or two but four to five simultaneously...believe it...

Then it was a turn to relish myself...THE NAMKI..was something made..

crispy...crunchyy...cooll..and above all rasy to prepare...
i remember very well....hw nicely my MAA made for me..during school and also during college...

Every time i used to have handfull of it...n finish it in just couple of minutes...and then again..used to reach MAA for another hand..

Its really fun..n good time pass to eat...anytime and evrytime...

So this was my Diwali...full of Sweets..n fun..n still experimenting in SMOKY-CAFE..

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smoky-starter turns on..

After hating and eating so much of kadhi...i dint know that in certain way i shall get addicted to smoky-cafe..

i am all in the experimenting moods.. playing with flavour and food..

Trying to prepare in the least time...with maximum crunchy tastes and colours..with what ever is available in my smoky-cafe.

It took just 10-12 minutes to make this....all i was having funn in tossing the ingrediants in the pan, creating the aura of FLAMBE'..............

So i shall name it as "SMOKY-STARTER "of the smoky cafe..

INGREDIANTS:-

Capsicum-----------------------------250gm

Carrot--------------------------------100gm

Onions-------------------------------250 gm

Tomato-Puree-------------------------1 tsp.

Garlic------------------------------6-7 flakes

Ginger--------------------just a small chunck

Green Chillies----------------------------3-4

Soya Sauce-----------------------------1 tsp.

Sugar-----------------------------------1 tsp.

Salt----------------------------------to taste.

Black Pepper-------------------------to taste.

Oil-------------------------------------10 ml.

Oregano Herb(optional)---------------a pinch.

Cashew Nuts(optional)--------------------6-7

Curry leaves(optional)-------------3-4 leaves

[[Paneer(cottage-cheese), Chicken(boneless) are optional to more flavour and taste]]

Note:-

NON-STICK pan is prefered to cook this..

..as less oil is used and it does'nt stick the bottom of the pan

Procedure:-

• Cut the onions into four quaters.
  
• Slice the Garlic.
  
• Shred the Ginger.
  
• Cut the Green Chillies into long-half
  
• Slice the Carrot.
  
• Cut the Capsicum into cubes.
  

Method:-

• Heat Oil in the pan to smoky position.
  
• Add onions, and shake the pan a little.
  
• Let the onions turn a light-pink colour.
  
• Add ginger-garlic to it.
  
• Add the capsicum cubes and carrots and continue to stir in the pan.
  
• Add the curry leaves [optional].
  
• OPTIONAL..[Add the chicken boneless or the Paneer ].
  
• Sprinkle the salt.
  
• Sprinkle the fresh crushed black pepper.
  
• Add the cashew-nuts
  
• Add the tomato puree.
  
• Sprinkle the sugar and Oregano herb.
  
• Keep stiring the pan on the high heat.
  
• Add Soya-sause and stir.
  
• Serve Hot as the starter which is hot and sweet in taste..

""OMIT & BACK-UP....This is how recipes must be written..i beleive...Please don't get stuck up on published recipes that you cant prepare & taste""

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