Remediating for 140 Characters

Twitter is used by many chefs and other culinary bloggers. It is quick and very easy to share and information and use hash tags in a tweet. I have searched for the most popular hash tags related to food and cooking and the most used ones were #recipes, #recipeoftheday and #food. I have screenshot two tweets that are related to my topic, cooking and another screenshot of re-tweets that deals with my topic. It is challenging to use Twitter when you have to talk about a recipe or news in the culinary world. One is tempted to write a lot and we were inclined to share a lot on social networking sites like Facebook.

However, Twitter is different because one has to resume the most important information; the very essence of an article, a blog post or a news in 140 characters only. And obviously, that includes hyperlinks and hash tags. However, I believe that as Twitter is a fast-paced publishing platform, the use of hash tags is vital in showing and describing the trends that are popular on Twitter. Moreover, hash tags classify the tweets in different categories and thus it is a piece of cake (no pun intended) to look for specific tweets about a particular category. Twitter has encouraged users to think more about what they are posting and how to target readers with the appropriate hash tags.

My experience with Twitter this week has shown me how you can get people to be interested in a tweet and make them revert back to your blog to check out the post. After all, it is a challenge to fit an important info in only 140 characters. I have learnt that you have to make the readers drool with the tweet only so that they feel obliged to look for the full post on your blog!

My Tweets:

 

 

My RT:

Consolidating my presence

My old blog before it was customized:

 

Initially, my blog was very simple in terms of appearance and colour. The theme that I have chosen portrays pink and pale rose hand-written designs and is a very delicate artwork. I have chosen this particular design an analogy in mind, that of cooking as being the art of using the hands to create and produce the most delicious and mouthwatering dishes, desserts and recipes. I have also put a list of blogs that I follow and read regularly; most of them being culinary blogs and I have also established a blogroll on a food blog that I connect with.

The list of blogs that I like will enable my audience to know about my preferences and my inspirations and they will know about the writers and sources I am interested in. I have also integrated a delicious feed to my blog to encourage my readers know more about sources that I have bookmarked on my Delicious account. I have refined the appearance of my blog to consolidate my online presence so that my readers can know that I have a list of sources and references that inspire me to write about my hobby; cooking.

Entering the Conversation

 

 

 

Smitten Kitchen – http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2013/10/lazy-pizza-dough-favorite-margarita-pizza/#more-10908

Here’s what I posted on Smitten Kitchen, a culinary blog and the response I got:

Hi!

This is one great recipe you have here! Thanks a lot for sharing it. Recently I found a very interesting and easy pizza recipe by Lorraine Pascale. Now I swear only by that recipe. However, yours seems really good too. Lorraine’s recipe is an easy one designed for people who want to have a delicious pizza prepared and baked in less than 1 hour! The dough is so easy to make and you have to let the dough rise for 30-40 minutes. And the garnish is the simple thing ever! You only need a good tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil leaves. Lorraine Pascale also adds figs and bacon to the pizza though I prefer it with only the figs. I will agree to you saying that using ‘dry’ mozzarella is better for pizza. Fresh mozzarella should be used with olive oil and basil leaves in a nice salad. I have a blog on cooking for a Web module and I am happy to have commented on your blog. Please do reply to this comment. I find your work amazing and I am definitely bookmarking your blog as inspiration. J Thanks a lot and continue this wonderful work of yours.

-Kritina (https://boucheessalersucrer.wordpress.com/)

 

Creating Generative Value – Article: Deep Fried and Good for You (NY Times)

Recently, I have come across an article on the New York Times’ website titled Deep Fried and Good for You and obviously, I had to write something about the article. With such a grasping title, I had to read the article to see if truly deep frying was really good at all! Basically in the article, the author narrates how deep frying is good for the health if you follow some ground rules first. Using the right oil for frying or choosing the correct vegetable or meat was some of the guidelines that had to be respected. The author said that deep frying was not costly and gave tops about which oils to use. We have been told that deep frying foods are not good for health because they contain a great amount of fat. But what if the oil we use for frying is olive oil, which is said to be good for health and what if we eat deep fried foods but only occasionally and in moderately?

These questions were answered in the article and I believe that it eating deep fried food is good for the health, considering that fat is one of the most important nutrients used by one body. Moreover, in the article, it was not mentioned if people with weight issues and heart diseases could eat deep fried food as well, considering that they have complications. But I believe that if someone is having a healthy way of living and eating, deep fried foods are good for that person, if deep frying is done with olive oil or the more neutral grape seed oil. In fact, in his article the author made no reference to using ghee for deep frying which I found odd as coming from an Indian family, I have always been told that ghee is way better to use than oil for deep frying. One of the perks of ghee or clarified butter is that it has a high smoking point, which makes it appropriate for deep frying. If done at the right temperature, ghee will have a low retention in the food you are frying. Albeit ghee is healthier for deep frying, its use should be occasional.

Deep frying is good and we can consume deep fried food. In weekends, I love making deep fried chicken or tempura and when I have people coming over, how can you not make deep fried samosas or croquettes or even French fries.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/23/dining/deep-fried-and-good-for-you.html

Bon appétit

– Kritina

Public voice

I have often noticed that some of my friends do not know a thing about cooking. I had friends who did not know what was parsley or cilantro! Moreover, when I was doing Cooking classes at high school, I was surprised to see that a lot of my classmates had never eaten lasagnas or apple pie before (these dishes being Italian and English respectively).

Personally, I think that in Mauritius people have been only cooking dishes that have been in their repertoire or that they had learnt without ever looking to make new things. Lack of time and even resources was a factor that accounted for that. However, now the trends are changing. With the number of culinary magazines today and the omniscient tool that is Internet; people have easier and faster access to foreign dishes. Today, in a country like Mauritius, we do not limit ourselves only to Creole or Mauritian cuisine; we have Italian, French, Arab or even Indian cuisine. The amount of restaurants providing world cuisine in Mauritius has increased around the island.

What people will notice on my blog is that I do not fuss a lot on the recipes. My recipes have been chosen because they are easy to understand and not complex at all. People who very little cooking knowledge and experience will certainly like the recipes as they are great for amateur level. Furthermore, you will have the opportunity to have recipes from a lot of culture. I do not restrict myself to only one cuisine and I am a big believer of fusion cuisine. Readers will find that I give some tips on my blog; tips that would help even the clumsiest of person in a kitchen. Last but not least, the recipes on my blog enclose starters, main dishes as well as deserts and drinks.

My readers will find a lot of courses of the blog to help them and I am also open to the questions and suggestions of my readers. Readers will feel good when they browse through my blog because there is something for everyone, regardless of whether they are a man or woman or they are a cooking genius or amateur. If my readers love cooking and baking, they will try out the recipes on my blog and will bring happiness and joy to their family, friends or lovers.

Coming up with some new recipes!

-Krit

My Personal Interest – Cooking?

Hello everyone! Whenever I attend a party or have friends over at home, I always end up cooking something whether a main dish, a dessert or a cake. That tells you a lot about me and cooking! Ever since I was 6 years old, I would be fascinated to watch my mum cook in the kitchen. In those days, she was taking a cooking course and after each session, she would re-try the dish at home.

I will never forget the comforting and appetising aroma of mum’s ‘pain au chocolat’ or ‘croissant.’ I wanted to re-create the various gestures and techniques of cutting, rolling and baking that she mastered and taught me. That was how I discovered cooking and when I turned 8 or 10, I wanted to start trying out cooking myself. She would let me help her in the kitchen and that was definitely the best part. Actually no, the best part was eating whatever she had baked! 🙂

Growing up in that environment made me want to learn and made me love cooking from a young age. I baked my first cake when I was 11! That gives you an idea how much cooking forms part of my integral life. For me cooking is not just baking dishes, it is an art of life or as sacred as a religion. I absolutely love cooking because it has the power to gather many people around and it also brings happiness and joie de vivre.

A lot of times, all my relatives come over to my place and mum and I bake a lot of good things because we know that to win over people, you have to win their stomachs first!  🙂 (My gran would always say that to win a man’s heart you have to feed him with delicious food first!) Seeing the face of people when you give them a birthday cake or a simple dish brings joy to my heart and makes me realise that the greatest pleasures in life come from simple little things. Cooking has taught me perseverance, to keep trying when I fail and above all it has taught me how to bring happiness and pleasure in the lives of my loved ones!

Keep cooking & baking!

Bon Appétit

-Krit

Who am I?

The image I have chosen is a picture of me I took at a party.

I like to be surrounded by funny people as I have an outgoing personality. That is why I am always seen smiling, in real life as well as in photographs.

I am represented in my true self in this image and I want my audience to identify the ‘real’ me and my passion for cooking. I wish to give my audience a visual representation of myself.

Also, I want this picture to be licensed with “© All Rights Reserved” because I do not want anyone to copy this picture and use it in any other means.

This is me guys! 🙂

Personal Bio

Hello guys! I’m Kritina, 20, avid reader, food blogger and an ambitious Communication student. This blog is destined for people who can manage making some moves in the kitchen!

Cooking has always been the one thing that made me happy and more relaxed. What I like in cooking is when the dish is out of the oven and you get to see your efforts materialise into something that is mouth-watering and delicious. Of course, I have had some cooking faux-pas, but that never discouraged me!

In fact, failures made me stick to improving myself and the perfectionist that I am, gave me courage to become better.

Fudge Brownies with Oreo Cookies

Ingredients
165g/5½oz butter, plus extra for greasing
200g/7oz dark chocolate, grated or finely chopped
3 free-range eggs
2 free-range egg yolks
1 vanilla pod, seeds only (or alternatively 2 tsp vanilla extract)
165g/5½ oz soft light brown sugar
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
pinch salt
154g/5½oz pack chocolate biscuits, such as Oreos, broken into quarters
icing sugar, for dusting

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease a 20cm/8in square baking tin with butter, then line with baking paper with the paper overlapping the sides a little.
2. Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat. When the butter has melted, remove the pan from the heat and add the grated (or chopped) chocolate. Leave to stand for a few minutes, or until the chocolate melts, and then stir together. Alternatively, you can put the chocolate and butter in a bowl and melt in the microwave in 25-second blasts, stirring well each time.
3. Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and vanilla together in a large bowl until the eggs begin to get light and fluffy. Add the sugar in two additions, whisking between each. Pour it around the side of the egg mix so as not to knock out the air that has been whisked in. Keep whisking until the mixture becomes stiffer. Once the egg mixture is ready, pour the chocolate into it – again around the sides so as not to knock the air out.
4. Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt and a third of the biscuits and stir until fully combined, then pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Scatter the remaining biscuits over the top, pressing them in slightly. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 25–30 minutes. The middle should be very so slightly gooey. Leave the brownies to cool in the tin – the top will sink and crack a little.
5. Pull the brownies out using the overlapping paper and cut into squares. Dust with icing sugar.

***Hello peeps!! So sorry for not posting for so long, I was overwhelmed by the recent semester at uni! Well  I’m on holidays and I will find some time posting things! 🙂 Btw thanks everybody, I have passed the unit for which this blog was created!!! 😀 Big thanks to all of you and may god bless you all! 🙂 Ever since I’ve been on holidays I was mainly lying in my bed, sleeping, catching up all those lost nights spent working/ studying. This weekend I had the chance to bake these delicious brownies, a recipe I saw from Lorraine Pascale’s show! Hail to her!  🙂 These brownies are simply delicious and sinful!! The Oreo cookies in it make it perfect! My only suggestions and comments would be to diminish the amount of sugar in it! If like me you don’t like when food is so sweet that it makes you wanna puke, PLEASE diminish the sugar quantity! Besides, the Oreo cookies are super sweet, don’t forget that! If you want to make this recipe richer and fuller, serve with a hot custard sauce or ice cream, but then I prefer it plain with a cup of tea or cold milk!  ‘A l’anglaise’ I might add! 😛 Of course you can substitute the cream biscuits with pecans nuts, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts or even cherries but then we want the cream and fudge brownies here 😛 I really hope you will enjoy this recipe as much as I loved it! Serves of 16 is certainly not enough!! Double up the recipe to please your friends, families and kids as well! Trust me, they are all going to pig on these amazing brownies!!

Bon Appétit always!!

-Yours alive-and-back-from-the-dead Krit 😉

Mini Chocolate Cakes with Praline and Red Fruits

Ingredients:   Serves: 4 

90g Dark Chocolate

100g Butter

3 Eggs

100g Castor Sugar

25g Flour

20g Praline

1 mixed red fruits tray (red currants, raspberry, cherry, etc)

Icing Sugar for Decoration

Methods:

1. Melt dark chocolate with butter, either in a microwave or ‘bain marie. When melted, leave to cool for a few minutes.
2. Add the beaten eggs, and sugar and then gently fold in the flour and praline.
3. Pour in a silicon mould or in a tin one, or in greased/floured ramekins. Let the ‘dough’ rest  in refrigerator.
4. Preheat oven to 180 C. Bake the mini cakes for 8 minutes (The centre of the cake should remain soft and mellow, almost fluid and wet).
5. Leave to cool until warm and unmold delicately.
6. Top with red fruits and dredge with icing sugar.

***Okay! I know this seems to be a complex dessert but let me tell you that it’s worth all the pain in the world!! First of all, you are not obliged to use praline in this recipe; modify it with whichever ingredients such as toasted nuts, almonds etc., that crack under the teeth and give this dish a crunchy texture in mouth! 🙂 You have to let the cake mixture or dough rest in the refrigerator, overnight or for some hours as well! Letting it rest will only make it softer and like deep fudge! Secondly, you may use cupcakes for this recipe especially if you are making this for a party, and so on. Now, for a more festive ‘look’, use a crown-shaped cake tin. Or, you may simply use a rectangle tin and cut the cakes into squares and mount them all in a nice way and decorate with red fruits and sprinkle with a snow like powder of icing sugar!! 🙂 You may as well serve these hot, when they are wet and shiny inside with some nice scoops of vanilla ice cream!!! These mini cakes inspire a festive, joyous and homely atmosphere and they are perfect to bake if you are far from home and are feeling homesick or plain hungry for a nice killer chocolate delight! 😛 Lastly, I would suggest that you use a nice chocolate, 70% Cocoa is excellent for cooking, because in the end, the cake’s going to bring out the taste and flavour and quality of the chocolate that you have used, why then use a low quality, greasy and one which contains more sugar than cocoa in it! I sincerely hope you like this dessert!!! It is a small precious treasured dessert!

Bon Appétit

-K