MEDIA MENTION & A COOK OUT!

Ibelieve that a photograph can speak volumes more than words do. Do you agree? Even if you don't,please agree this time as I am quite lazy to type out today :) You would have read about it here before  and it was always been a dream of mine to be featured on Vanitha as that was one magazine I grew up reading, even though it was Amma who subscribed for it :)

This article appeared on the current issue of Vanitha and I was so excited about it. Amma saw it first and she soaked it all in before Appan could see or else they both would have been having a tug of war with the magazine. Later Appan decided to surprise me and he shuffled up the pages. But it was long before I woke up. They both waited thinking I would come down soon and since that didn't happen,Appan decided to come up and wake me :-)

He just whispered something to me and I ran downstairs to see it! :) It was such a happy day for Amma and myself as we both were featured in it along with our recipes.All our phones have been ringing non-stop for the last 3 days with relatives and friends ringing up to congratulate us.Our family friend and fellow food blogger,Rinku Naveen , surprised me with her Kalathappam that evening. She came home and rang up to tell me that she is waiting outside :) It is one of my  favourite tea time snack.

As you can see above, there's a Cookery Class hosted by yours truly arranged by the YWCA ,Kannur on 3 October.These posters have been stuck on walls here and it's so funny when people recognise you after that!  I have no idea how many people are going to be there but I know one thing for sure, you will get to see a snap of my class :-) The menu has been fixed and sent to the organisers. So, now all I have to do is go take the class :-)

Have a good weekend!

THE 'TITLE' I EARNED...PACHAKARANI 2011

There's so much to tell you all, so very much! Sadly that will have to wait as I'm travelling right now covering 3-4 states in a day's time, in India.I'm off to Kashmir tomorrow to spend sometime with my family, Jobin's sisters family. So when I return, I shall update you with some pictures that I took from here and there during my small trip. Also, I must tell you that I am so badly tanned by the Goa sun! It seems it was raining there all this while but the days we were there, the sun was shining gloriously and I feared I would look like a pakora in my bestest cousin's bridesmaid dress, which I did in the end :-)

Okay, now about the picture you just saw above. Some of you must have read it on newspaper or read about it on Facebook There was a competition that me and Amma had enrolled  for and we were lucky enough to be selected together. It was such a happy moment for the two of us ! There was a preliminary round where I baked a Triple Veggie Quiche & BBQ Chicken Meat balls. I came first in the 'Malabar' zone and was qualified for the finals at the State level. Amma came second. Then the finals were held in Kottayam on Sept. 6th at Windsor Castle. I made my forever favourite Chatti Pathiri & Mocha Chocolate Mascarpone Verrine. Those were my winning dishes. I never thought I'd win. I just wanted to participate along with Amma as it's very rare for a mother-daughter duo to reach finals together. All these dishes were made on the spot so we really have to prove it to them that we can do it :)

The title I earned is 'Pachakarani 2011' which means I'm the Queen of Cooking for 2011 at the Kerala state level. It was conducted by a very popular Malayalam magazine 'Vanitha' in collaboration with Whirlpool.It's such a huge honor for me as there were so many seasoned cooks competing along with me for that title. We were judged by the Executive Chefs of Taj & Dietitians. I've been to the finals of the same 4 years ago in 2008 where I came 5th. This time, I was able to prove better :-) I am so happy for Amma too since she bagged the 2nd place :) We were the most happiest souls on earth that day.

When this photograph came on the newspaper, we were travelling so Appan had to scan and send it to me yesterday once he reached home :)

Will be back with more updates,shortly! I hope all of you are doing well! Thanks to all who wrote to me after seeing this article on the newspaper :-) You guys make me feel so loved & special!! Thank you :)