Rendez Vous With A Foodie - Arthy Shama of Cook With Arthy Shama

Do you want to know about Rendez Vous with a Foodie event happening twice a month in my space? its all about the newbie blogger who started crawling in this immense virtual world. Every 7th and 20th of the month i'll be inviting newbie bloggers from this bloggy world to write a guest post in my space.It can be anything, we dont have any specific cuisine or any specific theme. Obviously a couple of my fellow bloggers have participated and did their guest post since few months.I have to say a big thanks to each and everyone for being this much generous with me. Trust me, i never thought that this event will bring me many new bloggers to share their guest posts hee and it crossed already a year of celebration.

Today's guest host, i came to know her through a challenge and one fine day she pinged me asking whether she can make a guest post for this event, i immediately said Yes. She was kind enough to send me 

her guest post very much quickly eventhough i asked her to send me just few days before her slot.She is none other than Arthy Shama of  Cook With Arthy Shama.Arthy shares both vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes in her space.Actually i have couple of favourites from her space,few from her's are Boti Kebab,Watermelon Like Cake and Coffee Rolls.Her bakes rocks and am sure you will definitely enjoy going through her space as she shares many delicious and beautiful homely dishes.

Lets hear from Arthy...

Dear Priya,  I am feeling very excited in penning down my guest post.  As an new-bie blogger, I used to be in ‘awe’ for all those scrumptious dishes at your blog, especially those at baking sections, that demands an stand-up applause.  You are an great inspiration to us all, kindly maam, keep your good work going.

When, I expressed my desire to do an guest-post, the one thing that made my mind was to cook an celebrity dish, in order to cherish this guest-post.  And, what not, if for chocolate…..????   Yes, my guest post for this invincible cook, baker would be an chocolate truffle in Italian style…..

So, before proceeding to the truffle, here is my list of answers for the prepared questionnaire.


1)Tell us about your blog and you?
I am Arthy Shama from Cook With Arthy Shama.  I am home-maker from Hyderabad, with an lovely daughter and an supportive husband.  Initially I started this blog, in order to keep myself occupied, but latter this turned out to be my utmost passion.  @ my blog, you can find all home-tested recipes, brought by step-by-step pics.

2)Before and after blogging, tell us what blogging changed your life?
Before blogging, I used to browse through lots of youtube videos, in order to learn more dishes.  For that, I allotted some sincere online timing.  Everytime, I tried, the dish might not have turned into the original version, still, I never failed to try.

After blogging, my sources of learning only got elaborate, I started watching cookery shows, called my mother and relatives to know about the same.  Online learning was also carried on.  By this time, I realized that blogging had actually increased the confidence in me.

3)When and what motivated you to blog about food?
As I told before, when I landed up at Hyderbad, I was all alone with an five months baby and an work-aholic hubby.  Though I had my own busy schedule, I wanted to do something productive to keep me occupied.  Since, I was new to cooking and my learning process had initiated by then, I went on to start the blog.

4)There are a tons of blogs/pages on food these days, what accordingto you is the speciality of your blog and the food you cook?
Yes, I agree, there are tons of blogs and lots of hardwork are being shared online.  Through my blog, I bring completely home-tested recipes, through step-by-step pics.  I also share an honest view regarding my cooking, providing tips for complex ones.  The most important goal, being an wide range of dishes cooked with simple home-available ingredients.

5) When it comes to cooking, who is your inspiration?
Defenitely my mother, I still remember being famous at school, for my mom’s vegetable biriyani.  That itself, was enough to gain me lots of popularity :D  Also my aunt, who is an non-vegetarian expert.

6)Every newbie blogger faces tons of challenges when its comes to blogging, tell me about one of the challenges you faced and how did you overcome it?Please specify with the facts.
Everything in life needs an balance.  If you are an home-maker with an baby and demanding hubby, you need to allot time for family utmost, sparing almost none for yourself.  Initially, blogging appeared to compromise my family time.  Lateron, I planned and dedicated my every spare time, my noon-nap to allot for the blog.

7)What is your best recipe and your favourite recipes you have blogged till now?
Best, would be my hubby’s favourite – Sindhi Saag
My favourites:  Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Rava Idly , Flax Seeds Powder, Murgh Pasanda, Bisi Bela Baath.

8)Few tips about food photography?
Natural light is all that needs.  I am also learning about the same.  Better idea is to buy serving dishes of various colours to bring out the difference.  Vegetable carving brings very professional look.

9)What is your budget for the props,do you have any or else do you manage with your household stuffs?
Monthly once, I try to buy something.  Mostly I go for affordable ones, below five hundred rupees.

10)How do you plan your blog posts? Do you post rarely,regularly or once a week?
Depends, for the past three months, I am posting slowly due to functions back at hometown.  Normally, I post atleast three posts for an week.

11)Do you have any other passions apart from food blogging or blogs you own?
Yes, dancing.  An excellent bathroom dancer, I suppose.   Singing and dancing (all within four walls) is my utmost passion.  It undoes  the stress , and makes me an lot jovial.  Nowadays, my daughter also dances along with me, you know ??

ITALIAN CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE
Italian chocolate truffle  is an delicious combination of almonds with chocolate, party-time dessert or an kid pleaser, this truffle has it all….
Adapted from the book, 100 BEST DELECIOUS CHOCOLATE

INGREDIENTS REQUIRED
• 175 gm of milk chocolate,  finely chopped into pieces
• ½ tsp almond essence
• 3 tbspn unsalted butter
• 4 tbspn icing sugar
• 50 gm ground almonds
• 50 gm grated chocolate

METHOD:
Heat milk chocolate, essence in  an double-boiler.  When the melting part is three fourth done, stir in butter and mix without forming any lumps.

Switch off the double-boiler and  add almonds, icing sugar.  Mix them till they are well combined.

 Leave this mixture aside to cool.

Form small balls and roll over the chocolate gratings.

Place them in cup-cake liners and refrigerate.

This batch can yield 10-12 medium sized truffles.