Baked Delightss (Fruit Soaking Session) Plum Cake
Another two months and we almost wind down with 2015. As we now slowly inch our way with the worst of winters so far experienced in my part of the world, there are moments in our life that remind us that we must keep our spirits high and all is well!
We've not received any good rains hence the heat wave continues and the humidity is in your face and eats into one's system...and for those of us who cook, bake and feed our family/customers on a daily basis, it definitely takes a toll on us!!!
One such beautiful moment that pleased my senses aesthetically was my rendez-vous with SK of Baked Delightss (Facebook page is linked below) She was having her fruits soaking session prior to the Christmas fervor and I am aware she is one of the experts we have here preparing homemade delicacies/beverages to keep in tune with the spirit of a year winding down or heralding a New year.
Someone once mentioned that there was something similar I had in appearance with her. I did see a few similarities indeed! More than anything I loved her bubbly smile and her kindness and hospitality. The ease in which she shared her expertise, her culinary experiences and her upbringing almost made me feel that I was walking along with her on a Culinary trail through her part of the world which I am yet to explore-Coorg.
Am glad our paths have crossed and we have finally met. We have casually chatted online, very minimal conversations most of which were my appreciation of the pictures of her X'mas bakes and the frenzy it creates during that time.
She's been having these fruit soaking sessions for quite some time followed by tutoring those interested in how to bake the fruit/plum/Christmas cakes the following month (November). The photographs (will link those pics taken by KG herewith) taken last year were luring enough to sashay one's way even without an invite to her home. Her directions to her home, the landmarks not to miss, prompt replies and friendly demeanour online was an inviting invite all rolled into one.
I will let my pictures walk the talk. I will not go into the nitty-gritty of the process as it is a family recipe and hers to keep but through the pictures one would get a gist of what we all do as hobby bakers or the manner in which professional bakers like herself go through the grind.
The ultimate result heralds the season in and it is a celebration of food, family, friends, fun, fusion, fruit cakes and these days Facebook.
No rocket science here and there are recipes galore at a simple click...unless of course you attend one of her classes on Christmas bakes.
The fruits and peels that go in (The red is not beetroot as I too had imagined it was, they are orange peel)
Captain Haddock, Ahoy there...Ho Ho Ho!!!
And all those finery along with more goodness goes in there and in that the fruits, nuts et al make merry and tumultuous love. It becomes the affair and talk of town in the months to come. These are the perks of Chennai that I so dearly love and cling onto which I never get when I am elsewhere!
Add, subtract, pour, sprinkle, pour more (HIC!) taste, add your passion, in goes your family secret spices, pour more later on, slide in your creativity and at length murmur a prayer that all goes well and it turns out to be a marriage made in a huge barrel at least for the next three months until one is done with the final batch of bakes!
"If you don't know me by now...you will never never never know me..." as a song (song is linked herewith) and picture above goes. The bakes will familiarize themselves with me and together we will Rock n Roll!
The spices are blended in! Ooh...am totally distracted now! Am guessing it is a dragon fly!
No dragon-flies were hurt in the making or immersed in anything. That's my wandering eyes and side-tracking add-ons. Cell phone uploads, pictures look more realistic in person. Apologize for the blurry or not so well taken images but you get the drift, huh?
A lil bit of this and a lil bit of that and that and that-Magic Potion with its own handed down family spice blend...and we do look like witches when we do all these.
She's a beautiful witch and the most hospitable one as well!
And don't we all love the Caramel which lifts the cake to another level both in colour and flavour.
The perks of attending one of these fruit soaking classes is I got to enjoy some of her other healthy bakes and am indeed totally inspired. I have done many of my savoury breads with whole wheat and they have its ups and downs in comparison to those with APF.
This is my first whole wheat sweet bake tasting and what a beautiful and healthy way to start the session. I finally forgot to ask for my coffee which I kept delaying whenever Smitha asked me.
Oh Yumm! I even tweeted about these with the pics @KodumPuli
Took two for the road. Bad traffic on my return but the Mister devoured them greedily at home. They disappeared at the wink of an eye. Should have grabbed two more when you offered more.
Slurrrp!!! No butter. no APF (maida/All purpose flour) and a healthy and delicious chocolate bake indeed!
Pork curry made by her (one of her specialities and forte) as I mentioned the husband would have them. I do not consume this meat but did taste the gravy. Wow! it hits you in your face, am totally new to these spices and its her Coorg roots all blended in and set me craving for more of that cuisine.
I also got a Chicken Bake as a part of the short eats served post the fruit-soaking session. Will update that picture as soon as I retrieve it from my cell. Everything was yumm and authentic to the core.
Overall as is with most learning sessions in my life be it online or offline, I had a good time...and as clichéd as it sounds it was a Saturday well spent! For those of you interested in her cuisine or bakes, I will link her page herewith as I do with most of the teachers I come across in my life.
https://www.facebook.com/BakedDelightss?fref=ts
The song mentioned is linked here as well :- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTcu7MCtuTs
KG's Pics taken last year is linked herewith https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.291829254348822.1073741834.273592319505849&type=3
We did taste some new wine that she was working on...It sounded intriguing and tasted odd but she's working on the body and its sweetness. I'll toast to that! Paan wine, love the way it sounds!
We've not received any good rains hence the heat wave continues and the humidity is in your face and eats into one's system...and for those of us who cook, bake and feed our family/customers on a daily basis, it definitely takes a toll on us!!!
One such beautiful moment that pleased my senses aesthetically was my rendez-vous with SK of Baked Delightss (Facebook page is linked below) She was having her fruits soaking session prior to the Christmas fervor and I am aware she is one of the experts we have here preparing homemade delicacies/beverages to keep in tune with the spirit of a year winding down or heralding a New year.
Someone once mentioned that there was something similar I had in appearance with her. I did see a few similarities indeed! More than anything I loved her bubbly smile and her kindness and hospitality. The ease in which she shared her expertise, her culinary experiences and her upbringing almost made me feel that I was walking along with her on a Culinary trail through her part of the world which I am yet to explore-Coorg.
 |
| Google Images-Thanks buddy! My Country-India |
Am glad our paths have crossed and we have finally met. We have casually chatted online, very minimal conversations most of which were my appreciation of the pictures of her X'mas bakes and the frenzy it creates during that time.
She's been having these fruit soaking sessions for quite some time followed by tutoring those interested in how to bake the fruit/plum/Christmas cakes the following month (November). The photographs (will link those pics taken by KG herewith) taken last year were luring enough to sashay one's way even without an invite to her home. Her directions to her home, the landmarks not to miss, prompt replies and friendly demeanour online was an inviting invite all rolled into one.
I will let my pictures walk the talk. I will not go into the nitty-gritty of the process as it is a family recipe and hers to keep but through the pictures one would get a gist of what we all do as hobby bakers or the manner in which professional bakers like herself go through the grind.
The ultimate result heralds the season in and it is a celebration of food, family, friends, fun, fusion, fruit cakes and these days Facebook.
No rocket science here and there are recipes galore at a simple click...unless of course you attend one of her classes on Christmas bakes.
 |
| Captain Haddock (TinTin)-Google Images |
And all those finery along with more goodness goes in there and in that the fruits, nuts et al make merry and tumultuous love. It becomes the affair and talk of town in the months to come. These are the perks of Chennai that I so dearly love and cling onto which I never get when I am elsewhere!
 |
| I loved that and thought at this stage in life that makes a lot of sense (Google Images) |
 |
| Courtesy-Google Images |
And don't we all love the Caramel which lifts the cake to another level both in colour and flavour.
The perks of attending one of these fruit soaking classes is I got to enjoy some of her other healthy bakes and am indeed totally inspired. I have done many of my savoury breads with whole wheat and they have its ups and downs in comparison to those with APF.
This is my first whole wheat sweet bake tasting and what a beautiful and healthy way to start the session. I finally forgot to ask for my coffee which I kept delaying whenever Smitha asked me.
Took two for the road. Bad traffic on my return but the Mister devoured them greedily at home. They disappeared at the wink of an eye. Should have grabbed two more when you offered more.
Slurrrp!!! No butter. no APF (maida/All purpose flour) and a healthy and delicious chocolate bake indeed!
Overall as is with most learning sessions in my life be it online or offline, I had a good time...and as clichéd as it sounds it was a Saturday well spent! For those of you interested in her cuisine or bakes, I will link her page herewith as I do with most of the teachers I come across in my life.
https://www.facebook.com/BakedDelightss?fref=ts
The song mentioned is linked here as well :- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTcu7MCtuTs
KG's Pics taken last year is linked herewith https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.291829254348822.1073741834.273592319505849&type=3
We did taste some new wine that she was working on...It sounded intriguing and tasted odd but she's working on the body and its sweetness. I'll toast to that! Paan wine, love the way it sounds!
 |
THANK YOU! Google :) That's one of the write-ups that was published prior to Christmas last year I think. It also has names of other famous bakers including hers based in Chennai.( Picture borrowed from her page.) |
Enjoyed the read Shyma ! You have set me up for Xmas in October itself! :)
ReplyDeleteGrateful Sangeetha! Been real long and do hope all iz well! Tx for dropping by! Much love!
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