Blog Posts

When 1 + 1 = 3

15/6/2016

Dear HeartBakes Client,

To begin with, let me convey my heartfelt gratitude for having faith in me as a baker and as a cake artist. If you have ordered from HeartBakes, you already know my love for writing notes. So I couldn’t resist writing a virtual one. If the post title hasn’t given it away already, this one focuses on the importance of creative collaboration & open communication.

Every cake that is churned out of the HeartBakes kitchen is the outcome of putting together minds of two individuals: you, the client and me, the baker. Creativity in the 'cakey' world (or for any customised, handmade product, for that matter) lies somewhere in between, connecting the dots in such a manner that the sum is slightly more than the addition of the parts.

For me as a baker, every client is unique. Each has varying degree of knowledge of what they are looking for - cake flavours, design elements and logistics, among others. Some know all that they are looking for, right down to the T. Whereas others come with an empty albeit open mind, and some even confused. Irrespective of which end of the spectrum you stand as a client, my job is not just to give you a cake, but to make the process easy for you.

This creative collaboration is based on more than one of the following principals:

Know Your Client: No I don’t mean the random fill in the banks, but really getting to know what I call the ‘cake context’. This would mean getting to know you, the occasion, for whom you require the cake, his/her likes & interests, your relationship with him/her, the final budget & the logistics, among others.
Forging client relationship: There is a difference between client satisfaction & client relationship. The former is transient, short term and implies a passive, one-way street. The latter on the other hand is long term, based on equal partnership and a common goal, that is, to get an amazing cake for an awesome party. We believe every cake project that has turned out successful has been due to this collaboration. And this difference is based on clear and concise communication, and at both ends for that matter!
Research: This is important at both ends. It is important for you as a client to go through my work profile, read reviews from other clients and ask questions. It is important for me to do my preliminary homework as well and give you clear indications if something is technically possible or not. If there are glaring changes from the final design, it is my duty to communicate the same and the rationale behind it.
Respecting time: Respecting time is just another way of respecting this baker-client relationship. When we communicate properly and respond timely at both ends, work gets done way faster & smoother.
We say NO to carbon copying: Design is very subjective and the creative process is even more so. It is great when you approach with a theme, reference picture, colour scheme. But as a baker, it is my duty to inform you that amidst this there must be space for individual creativity and cake styling. Every reference picture is open to interpretation, and no baker can recreate something absolutely 100%. This is even more so when you approach us with no reference picture and want us to design something specifically for you. We do provide a cake sketch then, but we have noticed even that is subject to interpretation.
Feedback: And this brings me to the last but probably the most important principal. It isn’t just about validating the product (yes the positives are important) but also communicating all those tiny (or not so tiny) niggles that you might have felt in terms of taste, presentation and overall service. I want to know those! That is the only way I can offer you a smoother, a more meaningful service next time.

The bottom line is that for us in HeartBakes, ensuring that YOU are happy and us being satisfied with our own work is mutually inclusive. The cake must add to your special occasion, both in terms of taste & presentation. For me, I must be happy with the process of creating the cake and I would be at it till I am not. But I am the happiest when my baked goodies leave a smile on your face. Believe me, it makes up for all the night outs and early morning alarms.

This process of creative collaboration is the key to a happy ending, a fabulous cake and well satisfied family & friends.

Hope to bake for you soon,

Love & light,
Indrani

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The Gastronomic Turkey!

24/9/2015

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Have you ever thought what does food heaven look like? Well, it just might look like Turkey! In fact, Mr. A & I are still doing the damage control from our trip to Turkey in August and this post will specifically focus on its food scene, savouries to be precise. Desserts & breads deserve a separate post, in HeartBakes - obviously. Food in Turkey is a weighty matter, since I have come back with considerable extra luggage, both on & off me, you see. In our 10 days we realised we have just skimmed its hearty surface but still there’s so much to write home about.

When A & I travel abroad, we just ‘give in’ to the local culture. Food naturally becomes an integral part of our trip. Yes, we actually do our research on places to eat, what (and not) to eat prior to our journey. We get thrilled just by the thought of navigating through the streets, with a map on hand, and an eagle eye on the street names, if present. I think we enjoy the restaurant hunt as much, if not more than, the food that is served. Jostling crowds, small by lanes, uphill & cobbled streets, endless walking, language barrier, broken heels (really!) - nothing does stand in our way to that chosen restaurant. But there have also been times when we have simply chosen to heed local advice and take it as it comes. Turkey has been like that & did not disappoint us either way.

The lunch buffet at the Atatürk airport, Istanbul, where food can be expensive but delicious!

Turkish cuisine is actually a mix of Ottoman & Greek cuisine. So where on one hand you will find kebabs, meats & lamb, on the other hand, fresh produce such as goat cheeses, local honey, nuts, olives & fresh vegetables are equally important on a dining table. The fact that the country had a huge Greek population until 1923 has left much mark on its food. A vegetarian has much to choose from, while in Turkey.

Breakfasts were lavish - always!

Cheeses or peynir are a must have - whether the artisanal milk cheese from white sheep, feta or kosher.

So in this post, and a series of others, I bring to you snapshots of our food journey while in Turkey. With so many grilled dishes, salads, nuts, fresh fruits & vegetables, Turkish cuisine is actually the healthier of the European cuisines. But we also realised that the extent to which all Western cuisines are “Indian-ised” may make it difficult for many to adjust to these simple flavours. But once you approach food with an open mind, at least where flavours are concerned, sky is really the limit.

Locals enjoying fish sandwich along the Bosphorus on a Sunday

Mr. A enjoying his grilled fish with a stunning view of the city in Istanbul

Spices are the life of Turkish cuisine! This one's from the age old Spice Market in Eminonu, Istanbul

In Turkey, come every Friday, locals pour out into a traditional Turkish restaurant called Meyhane, which literally means "wine house". Once you enter, you order drinks (Raki being their local extremely potent drink), followed by a choice of meze. One gets to choose individual portions of cold and hot starters, with local bands keeping you entertained as do the talented locals who love to dance & sing along with their Raki. We have never been to a livelier party really. In Istanbul, the Istikal street, beyoglu is especially known for its night life.

Meze options being shown to us as soon as we sit in this age old Meyhanesi in Istikal street, Beyoglu, Istanbul

Another evening, another party! Dolmasi on the left, and a sumptuous basil fish on the right

The Kebaps are nothing like what you have had in India. Some might feel that they are mild in flavour, but it’s this very mildness that brings forth the flavours of the meats. Doner Kebap, Tavuk Kebap, Kofte, Testi kebap, Adana kebap - the variety is endless and often specific to a region. For instance, Testi kebaps are more specific to the Anatolian region. I especially loved the koftes or the meatballs which are served with buttered rice and either vegetables or French fries. One also has the option of getting these wrapped in a Turkish pita or Durum wrap, as it’s called. Mr. A on the other hand completely gorged on the grilled fishes.

Koftes or Turkish meatballs - a staple in any restaurant

Testi kebaps left marinating under the sun & then cooked in the same pots. These are broken with much drama later on the table!

During lunch, restaurants dish out a buffet with range of dishes to choose from - both vegetarian & non-veg. We were actually surprised to see the range of vegetarian dishes such as eggplants, French beans, Dolmasi (stuffed vine leaves with either rice or meat), spinach, kale, tomatoes, okra. Pumpkins are especially popular in the Anatolian region. Cities still get their vegetable supply from weekly farmer markets from nearby villages. Seriously, a simple tomato & cheese sandwich has never tasted as good, as it did in Turkey.

Dolmasi being stuffed in vine leaves by local women in Sirince village near Selcuk. We saw both vegetarian & non-veg dolmasi throughout Turkey.

Wednesday farmers' market in Selcuk - fresh, vibrant & photographer's delight

Hearty home style, lunch buffet capped with Ayran, a Turkish version of our buttermilk. Oh so yummy!

The buzzing street food in Turkey reflects how important food is in peoples’ lives. Locals still choose to spend hours over cay (pronounced as chai) or Turkish tea on the street side, along with a piece of Baklava. Whereas the locals are sipping their Turkish tea and coffee, it is the tourists who adore the apple tea, specifically. Be it kumpir or kestane, mussels or dried fruits, one cannot go hungry in Turkey for long.

Apart from these food treasures, I leave you with some of the restaurant reviews that I have written from across the cities that we have visited. Hope you find this useful, in case you are ever traveling to Turkey. I sincerely hope you do, at least once in your lifetime!

Mr. Cook, Istanbul
Turk Art Terrace Restaurant, Istanbul
Ney'le Mey'le Meyhane, Istanbul
Selcuk Pidecesi, Selcuk
Efes Koftecisi, Selcuk
Ejder Restaurant, Selcuk
Nazar Borek, Goreme
Seten Restaurant, Goreme

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Five things I love about my work

7/8/2015

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First of all, apologies - really- for going underground at least where the blog is concerned. My only excuse is that nope, there aren’t any! Work has been very good but then no reason why I should push off doing something I love after baking & travelling, i.e. writing.

With this post I am beginning a series of ‘Five things I love’, about random & not-so-random stuff in my life. So this time, I wanted to leave you with five things I love about my work (not in any particular order of importance):

Balancing between creativity & fear: I get to be play with this balance each day! In baking, one can be creative in any way - in terms of the flavours, ingredients, presentation - imagination really has no boundaries. I have learnt recently an important lesson. Where baking (or anything else, for that matter) is concerned, creativity is actually just about conquering fear. And I just love doing that with each cake I create! Some work out beautifully, others don’t. It’s all part of the process. Recently came across this beautiful article/interview of Elizabeth Gilbert. I thought it was very insightful & holds true for each one of us.

Flexibility: Love the way I can work around my routine, which doesn’t really exist, no. Mundane matters such as errands, workouts, family time and sometimes even food falls into place around my work. There are days when I am so flooded with work I can think of little else. And then there are days, when I have nothing and all I want to do on these days is vegetate! Believe me, the ‘vegetating’ days are as much precious, if not more. They keep me sane.
Being my own boss: It took time for me to realise that this was an important factor for me. While all my former bosses (in my previous life) have been lovely mentors, it is this crazy mix of being independent & responsibly free that has worked for me really. I have never learnt so much in a 9-to-5 establishment as I have working on & for my own.
Meeting like-minded people: I am meeting & continue to meet with people who share my passion for good food, and not just bakers, though those as well. And isn’t that just amazing? There is so much happening in the foodie world out there. But it is not just about being creative with food, it is also about being viably creative.
Getting positive affirmations from people: To do something you love and getting paid for it is cool. But then to know that what you do makes a difference in others’ happy occasions, makes it all the more worthwhile. Feedbacks such as these keep me floating on cakey heavenly cloud for days after.

Hey but don’t get me wrong here. Not all is hunky dory all the time! But these are the few reasons that keep me going each day.

Until next post, Ciao!

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Pondicherry - oh yeah!

24/4/2015

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Bake. Travel. Bake. Travel. Bake.…

If there were only, only two things in the world I were given a choice of doing, these would be it. I envy people who get to do both and some even get paid for it. Since I am not one of those lucky souls, my better half and I have compromised with at least a twice a year trip to someplace new. Do you think a lifetime would be enough doing this? Nah. So when we do travel, we try to get the most of it - the food (that’s up there in our list, thank God), the local culture, the touristy attractions & the not-so-touristy attractions, among other things.

Ok. So let’s get to the important stuff. This month we traipsed along to Pondicherry, a unique combination of the young and the old, the modern and the traditional, the temples and the churches, the French and the Indian. It is truly a heritage city. And this unique culture reflects on the food as well. Right from the traditional South Indian platter to authentic Creole food, from authentic French desserts to numerous bakeries dotting the city - you’ll get it all here.

So, here’s what not to miss (in no particular order):

Auroville Bakery

Auroville Bakery & Boulangerie: This one’s a tricky! Located right at the entry of Auroville, their products tend to vanish quite fast. Best time to go is probably in the morning because by 4pm most of the good stuff is gone. Please, please do try the vegan chocolate cake. The breads are as popular as the European desserts. They are closed on Sundays, just to save you disappointments.

Solar Kitchen, Visitors’ Centre, Auroville: This Café is unique because as the name suggests, the kitchen uses solar energy for its cooking. Food is simple, delicious and healthy. Right from quiches, pizzas to Indian meals. Try their health thali and hibiscus juice - it’s delicious.

Le Dupleix Restaurant, White Town, Pondicherry: This one’s a stylist restaurant with excellent food and good service. We loved their European appetisers (brandy infused chicken, Bruschetta, Signature smoked chicken) and in fact made a meal out of these. Their raw mango margherita was refreshing in the summer heat as was the homemade coffee & cinnamon ice cream. They have thrown in few history lessons too with the menu, which is charming. In fact, this building was the Mayor’s residence back in 18th century.

European starters at Le Dupleix are just amazing!

Health thali at Solar Kitchen, near Visitors' Centre, Auroville

Homemade coffee & cinnamon ice cream.. Yumm!

Don't have a 'Before' photo.. Sorry!

Carte Blanche, Hotel De L'orient, White Town, Pondicherry: This place serves absolutely authentic Creole food and we loved it. The options are limited but this ensures quality is good. We tried the Gaspascho (a cold soup), crepes stuffed with mushroom & cheese and the mutton coconut curry. Their Triple Chocolate (chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream and mousse) is yummy – by the time we thought of taking a photo, these were licked clean! Service could most definitely be upped though.

La Casita, Eeshawaran Koil Street, Pondicherry: This one’s a little gem! A charming café serving a mix of Latin American & Tibetan food. The menu is small but absolutely delicious. Their momos and chicken curry is most recommended. But what we adored is their ambience. This one’s cheap on the pocket and a must visit.

Peaceful & charming La Casita

Famous Chicken momos

Apart from this, a few other food experiences in Pondicherry: hot Masala milk at Kofi bar on Saint Martin road, off the Promenade; Coffee/ice cream cone at Le Café at midnight which is best known for its seaside view; and finally, there is no dearth of fried street food anywhere in the Tamil quarters.

You are going to have one gastronomic food experience in this city!

P.S. If you have suggestions, feel free to drop in at the comments section. I don't mind adding to that list of reasons for going back. ;-)

Till next time,
Cheers

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Wisdom speaks

11/3/2015

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“The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know.”
~Albert Einstein

First of all, apologies for absconding from this lovely virtual space for some while. No, I had not gone underground, but was just super busy. There was a lot on my plate these past two months – but more importantly, some important milestones covered.

I completed my Course in Dynamics of Baking & Patisserie from Sophia Polytechnic. I am now a certified baker - Yay! But what I find exciting about baking is that the learning never stops. Despite the laminated proof, I continue to learn something new each day. The words of Albert Einstein could not have been truer. This journey has been as exciting as it has been humbling.

Most of my friends (you know who you are) from the baking world know of my mental barrier to using fondant. In February, I decided to challenge myself into this very aspect of cake decoration by being part of a basic fondant workshop. Since then, my respect for cake artists has tremendously increased. Every cake celebrates the magic of flour, eggs, sugar and butter. But with fondant, the focus shifts to not just the cosmetic but (from the cake) to the skills of the cake designer as well. When you choose this path, you become a cake artist.

To tell you the truth, the market is today flooded with cake designers and cake artists. There is no dearth of mouth-gaping talent. However, I personally drool over traditional cakes. Call me nerdy, but I go crazy over the classic recipes that have been perfected and handed over down the generations and the recipes crafted by stalwarts in this industry. For instance, I rather spend time perfecting the techniques in Opera cake or the French Macaron (which I have, by the way, and that deserves another blog post), than spend hours on figurines and modelling pastes. I rather indulge in artisanal bread making than pursue the shine and gloss of a custom designed, 3-D cake.

I do not consider myself a cake decorator - at least, not just yet (Yes I know. Not much of business sense to admit that). But why February has been special because, whereas earlier I would have completely said no to this, I have now started at least looking in this direction. As Edward Bono says, ‘Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns.....’ I refuse to be daunted really.

I have recently discovered the joy on children’s faces when they see the cars on their usual chocolate cake or the cricket lover who is as excited to see cricket themed decorations as the cupcakes. It is quite satisfying.

Valentine's Special Cupcakes: ideal way to tell your loved ones what you appreciate in them!

I still have a long way to go before I can really take up some serious fondant themed cakes. Like baking it also requires the four Ps - practice, patience, persistence & promotions. Designer cakes are more than just a cake or a cupcake, they are an artist’s medium, her canvas to put down what she feels describes her model the best. Today, I have much deeper respect for the cake artists of the world, now that I am beginning to gauge what really goes into it.

Cricket Special cupcakes: Cheer Team India on its way to the Finals!

Celebrating this spirit, HeartBakes launched in February two designer series, that is, special Valentine and the World Cup Special cupcake designs. You could convert any of our cupcakes from the menu to these designer ones at an additional charge. For more information, feel free to give us a holler.

Cheers,
Until next time

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I am a development professional-cum-part-time-baker-turned-full time baker. If that was not confusing enough, this blog is an archive of my experiences in this delicious world of baking. Every baker has a story to tell, but mostly others'. This, for a change, is mine.

When 1 + 1 = 3

The Gastronomic Turkey!

Five things I love about my work

Pondicherry - oh yeah!

Wisdom speaks

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