India's Assocom Institute of Baking Technology and Marketing First choice for Young Aspirants

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Monday, August 4th, 2014, BY Valerie Tullar (Info@koriatimes.com) Assocom Institute of Baking Technology and Marketing (AIBTM) situated at (Knowledge Park III), Greater Noida has become the first choice for students seeking admission in Bakery Institute. This year’s response to various courses being offered by the AIBTM has been more than encouraging. Within one year, AIBTM has become the most

primitive choice of students, which fill the dream and life of student with flying colors. Career in the culinary arts is undergoing rapid growth, and offers dynamic opportunities for all those with a taste for food. The essence of AIBTM success lies in requisite exposure and academic knowledge, it is only time and experience which give you confidence and mastery with interactive sessions.  Subhash Kapoor,Chairman, AIBTM says" Today with globalisation and the opening of the economy to an international market, the Indian bakery industry has grown exponentially, with almost every international hotel chain operating in India requiring an increasing number of trained Pastry chefs and bakers".By joining, Assocom Institute of Baking Technology and Marketing (AIBTM) , you get acquainted with basic cooking techniques; gain insights into culinary secrets of different regions, position to assess industry standards; polish your art of presentation; understand the mechanics of sanitation and safety; go through the basics on personal management development; career development (time/training management); book keeping and, restaurant accounting; sales, loss

prevention; marketing and palate development. Raj Kapoor, CEO & Managing Director of AIBTM said " Whether making sugar sculptures, elegant wedding cakes, or simply adding that final drizzle of chocolate to the perfect torte, a baker knows the importance of visual appeal as well as of good taste. Being a baker is more than just knowing how to bake bread". He also added that "In the culinary community, pastry chefs have a unique focus on baked goods and desserts. From kneading the dough for a morning Danish, to icing a child's birthday cake, to dipping strawberries in chocolate for a romantic evening, a career in this field involves a wide range of ingredients and culinary techniques that capture the imagination of the most creative and skilled chefs".With wide variety of courses and careers, the thriving Bakery industry is an attractive option after Class XII. The industry offers many options, both in what you can do and where you work. A charming personality and passion to serve and help guests will take you far in this field. A specialisation in bakery truly enables you to have your cake and eat it too.

Following are the Degree, Certificate and Diploma courses offered by AIBTM: 

• PG Diploma- Bakery Science & Technology ( One Year)
• PG Diploma- Pattisseries & Artisan Bakery Skills ( One Year)
• Diploma- Bakery Technology & Management ( Two Years)
• Diploma in Patisserie & Artisan Bakery Craft ( One Year)
• International Diploma in Bakery Science & Technology ( Four years)
• International Degree in Bakery Craft & Technology ( Four years)
• Capsuled Program on Advance Bakery Technology ( Six Weeks) Source: Article

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Restaurant chains get into the Olympic spirit

The London Summer Olympic Games, which officially kick off today, is as good excuse as any for restaurant brands to roll out themed promotions. Plenty of chains are taking advantage of the occasion with special deals or just by engaging their fans in spirited conversation. Although not officially tied to the Olympics, Burger King was recently named the QSR Partner of USA Basketball and is featuring commemorative cups that celebrate the 20th anniversary of the USA Basketball Dream Team (available with the purchase of any large drink). The cup series highlights four of USA Basketball's memorable teams throughout the last two decades, including the 1992 Dream Team, and the teams from 1996, 2000, 2008 and this year's 2012 USA Basketball competing in the Olympic Games in London. Each of the cups will feature the unique jersey designs from one of the teams as part of the five-cup series. The partnership includes the tagline "Your Team. Your Voice." "We know the passion that America has for USA Basketball and are excited to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Dream Team," said Alex Macedo, senior vice president, North America Marketing, Burger King Corp. "We hope everyone in America gets into the game and get to see all five cups at Burger King restaurants." Quiznos is pushing its catering business on its Facebook page, hoping to appeal to groups watching the Olympics. The page includes a coupon for 20-percent off any catering order of $25 or more, with the message: "Getting ready to enjoy the upcoming Olympic Games? Don't forget to enjoy it with some toasty subs! Cater your big event with the gold medalist of subs." Subway will have an Olympic connection as long as it continues to be "The official training restaurant of athletes everywhere." Subway's marketing campaign features "Famous Fan" Olympians such as Michael Phelps, Nastia Liukin, Laila Ali and Apolo Ohno, each of whom have been spotlighted in marketing campaigns leading up to the London Games. Donato's Pizza today hosted "Free Pizza Friday, Olympic Style" and named three winners at random – gold, silver and bronze – to receive the offerings. Uno Chicago Pizza Grill is pushing its online ordering for those watching the event. Its Facebook page says: "The London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony is tonight. Kick off the London Olympics 2012 by ordering all your UNO favorites online and enjoy delicious food while you watch all the pageantry." Culver's former team member Ben Provisor is competing in the Olympics wrestling event. The brand took to its Facebook page to wish him good luck. Godfather's is hosting its own version of the Olympic Games. According toOmaha.com, the 2012 Godfather's Olympics features a competition to find the system's quickest and most accurate pizza maker. The inaugural two-day event was held earlier this week with an objective of improving employee training and customer experience. The event was timed to coincide with the Summer Olympics, as well as the roll out of the brand's 2012 operations manual. About 500 employees participated. Einstein Bros. Bagels is hosting an Olympics-themed Facebook contest, called "I Could Have Been a Contender." The contest encourages fans to upload current or childhood photos depicting themselves participating in various sporting events, coupled with a creative caption. Facebook fans will then vote on the best photo and caption throughout the course of the contest which runs through Aug. 12. Caribou Coffee launched its "Bou Games" today. From now through Aug. 12, Caribou will present its official "Bou Games" card to fans who purchase an item at Caribou coffeehouses while supplies last. It can be scratched off to reveal a free medium drink, discount offers or prompt fans to "Bou hoo try again." Caribou is also offering a special Bou Games Gold coffee, which features a sweet, full-bodied coffee, intense fruit notes, a hint of bourbon and a strong, dark chocolate finish. This limited-time-only coffee is available during the promotion period. Some brands are simply discussing the Olympics on their Facebook pages to engage their fans, including CiCi's Pizza, Great American Cookies ("If the Olympic medals were actually made of cookies, what would be your gold, silver and bronze?"), Pizza Inn, White Castle, KFC, Rita's Italian Ice and Krystal Burger. Good Times and Pizza Fusion have added the Olympic.org and London2012.com links to their Facebook pages, respectively. McDonald's McDonald's, the Official Restaurant of the Olympics for the ninth time, has a lot going on in London, including four temporary restaurants located within the Olympic Village. The chain first announced its London plans in July 2011, with subsequent announcements such as its new Champions of Play program for kids ages 6 to 14. This week, McDonald's announced more initiatives for the Olympics and beyond. For the first time at the Olympic Games, McDonald's is offering Happy Meals, which include the options of a fruit or vegetable and low-fat dairy. President and CEO Don Thompson said that customer purchases of fruits and vegetables in Happy Meals have more than quadrupled in markets that make up the majority of McDonald's business since the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games. "We're using the scope of our global reach to deliver positive messages in a way that is fun and meaningful, and we're confident we can play an appropriate role in helping address the important subject of children's well-being," said Thompson. "McDonald's has the unique ability to encourage kids to get into the routine of enjoying foods like fruits and vegetables in a way that's fun for them and convenient for parents." A new nutrition QR code on packaging is making its debut at the McDonald's Olympic venue restaurants. It will roll out in the majority of McDonald's restaurants by the end of 2013. "Customers recognize McDonald's as a responsible, trusted brand that stays current with their lifestyles," said Chief Brand Officer Kevin Newell. "This QR code puts the power in their hands to instantly use their mobile phone to get the nutrition facts about our quality food." Also, McDonald's Champions of Food challenge invited kids and parents to submit their inspiring recipe for the company's commitment to global fruit and vegetable menu innovation. These competitions culminated in five finalist teams from Japan, Germany, Brazil and the U.S. participating in a cook-off at the Olympics. The winners, announced this week, were 12-year-old Sarah Ralston and her mom, Theresa Ralston from New Albany, Ohio. Sarah will have the opportunity to collaborate with McDonald's Chef Dan Coudreaut on new nutrition-minded Happy Meal choices. The London Games will mark the first time a McDonald's Olympic Restaurant will set stage for a series of Chef Demonstrations. Led by Chef Dan, culinary experts will showcase their recipe creativity and team up with Olympic athletes, kids and parents to cook convenient recipes that families can enjoy at home. Finally, McDonald's new multi-media website, www.McDonalds.com/London2012, will feature videos of the chef demonstrations and also offer a glimpse of the Olympics through the eyes of six Olympic Champion Crew members. They represent the 2,000 restaurant employees from 42 countries. A series of YouTube videos will showcase their adventures in of London. Source: QSRweb

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Chocolatiers break record for world's largest chocolate sculpture with edible replica of ancient Mayan temple

Travelfwd+: A delicious place of worship: Qzina specialty foods have broken the record for the world's largest chocolate sculpture with a replica of the Kukulcan temple at Chichen Itza in Mexico Chocolate-lovers need look no further for a place to pay homage to their favourite treat after created a mouth-watering edible sculpture of an ancient Mayan temple. Chocolatiers have broken the world record for the largest chocolate sculpture after building a replica of the Kukulcan pyramid based in Chichen Itza in Mexico weighing an incredible 18,239 pounds - the equivalent of two adult elephants. It smashes the previous record for the world's largest chocolate creation set in Italy in 2010 which weighed just 10,736.5 pounds

Fine detail: Qzina made sure the sculpture is an exact replica of the temple with the correct amount of steps and carvings Tribute: Qzina says it 

chose to build the Kukulcan to pay homage to the Mayans' role in discovering and cultivating cocoa bean trees The mouth-watering six feet tall creation is 10ft by 10ft wide and took 400 hours for staff at Qzina Specialty

Foods in Irvine, California, to make. Just like the real thing: The massive sculpture weighs 18,239 pounds - surpassing the previous record set in Italy in 2010 by more than 7,500 pounds The Qzina Institute of Chocolate & Pastry made the delicious temple to celebrate its 30th anniversary - choosing the Mayan theme because of the crucial role the culture played in the origins of chocolate. The Mayans were one of the first civilizations to cultivate Cacao trees and discover the true potential of the cocoa bean. Realizing the delicious possibilities of this powerful discovery, the Mayans worshiped the Cacao tree and praised its beans as the food of the Gods. Qzina’s Corporate Pastry Chef, Francois Mellet, was the lead architect on this massive project and MOF Stephane Treand (Meilleur Ouvrier de France or Best Craftsman in France) lent his artistic touch to the sculpture’s

 intricate design elements. Wonders of the chocolate world: The sculpture has 365 steps, left, representing the Mayan calendar and chocolatiers even carved small Mayan tribesmen to adorn the Kukulcan temple, rightHard work: It took pastry chef Francois Mellet and Stephane Treand, with the support of a small team, 400 hours to complete the sculpture Mellet, together with his team, spent more than 400 hours constructing this magnificentstructure of solid chocolate that was created using an assortment of Qzina’s leading chocolate brands. Richard Foley, founder and CEO of Qzina, said: 'Breaking a Guinness World Record for building the largest chocolate sculpture will be Qzina’s greatest masterpiece yet. 'We studied Mayan pyramids at great lengths to create an exact replica of the Temple Kukulcan at Chichen Itza to honor the original chocolatiers. 'It was important for us to create something memorable in celebration of our 30th anniversary and the grand opening of the Qzina Institute of Chocolate & Pastry.' Extensive planning and research set the groundwork to accurately capture the details and intricacies of an authentic Mayan temple down to the

exact number of steps and panels representing numbers significant to the Mayan calendar. Careful measurements: Qzina made sure the creation was proportional to the temple - and made it exactly one thirtieth the size of the

real thing In the making: The chocolate temple stands at six feet tall and is ten feet by ten feet wide Silky smooth: The temple base was carefully brushed down to remove extra chocolate and to make the sides of the 

temple smooth Built proportionally to the ancient temple’s true size, the solid chocolate pyramid is six feet tall and its base measures 10 feet by 10 feet – exactly one-thirtieth the size. The sculpture’s base alone weighs more than 3,000 pounds. Mr Foley continued: 'It’s amazing how far the company has come; from the basement of my family home to a key player in the specialty dessert industry. 'From day one, I’ve been as interested in the story behind the chocolate we source as the quality of the chocolate itself. 'We’ve built a rich 30-year history in the world of chocolate and pastry and I wanted to commemorate this milestone in a big way while showing our appreciation for where it all began.' The chocolate pyramid will be displayed at the Qzina Institute of Chocolate & Pastry, located in Irvine, California, and will be

available to view from June until it is destroyed on December 21, 2012, when the Mayan calendar comes to an end. Precision: Each chocolate slab was perfectly placed to match the real 1100-year-old temple in Mexico 

From top to bottom: Chefs didn't miss a single inch of the sculpture making sure every detail was perfect Source: Travelfwd+,

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Ways of Barbecuing Healthy Diet Food

Barbecuing is a popular way of cooking meat, poultry and sea food. However, instead of eating stuff like hamburgers, hot dogs and sausages which add fat to your bodies and inches to your waistlines. You should keep the food healthy and cut back on fatty meats and have only lean meats. Fish and chicken and lean cuts are a much better bet and do not result in clogged arteries. What you use for barbecuing should also be stuff like olive oil and less fatty substances. While enjoying good food one should also take care of one's health. This can only be done by planning the diet carefully and also the menu for barbecuing. Instead of sticking to red meat you can also try some vegetable grills which taste yummy and add to the variety of grills on your table. The vegetable cook fast and you could brush them with olive oil and season them with pepper and salt and have a great tasting snack. Vegetable which can be used for grilling on a skewer are capsicums, pearl onions, zucchini, asparagus and squash. Potatoes can also be grilled in their jackets. For vegetable grills on a skewer go for the flat skewers so that the vegetable cook evenly. A great marinate for vegetables is lime juice, crushed garlic and a dash of olive oil. Fish is another health food with its content of omega-3 fatty acids. This brings down the risk of heart disease, hypertension and cholesterol. Salmon is the best fish for grilling and also the tastiest. Marinate the fish for around 2 hours before grilling it. Fish retains and absorbs the flavor of the marinate if it is sealed in a foil and this also prevents it from breaking or falling into the grill. There are several variations for healthy marinates and you can use these low-fat ones to remain healthy and fit. Source: Food, Health, Beauty and Insurance, ***

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Most Fattest Lady of the History is Going to Marry a Chef

Sensei Fun and Knowledge: the woman who is bidding to be the fattest in the world arranges a marriage of convenience. Supersized mother of two children and a model for SSBBW (supersized big beautiful women)

websites Susanne Evan, 33, has once claimed that she has a goal to become the fattest woman in the history. It seems now that she is

about to reach her aim very quickly, because Evan, who presently weighs a bit more than 342 kg (756 lb.) has recently revealed that she is

engaged to marry a chef. Susanne’s fiancé Parker Clack loves cooking for her and woman says that their marriage was arranged in heaven.

The couple has met over the Internet and now lives together with the woman’s two teenage sons at Susanne’s  house in Arizona.

On her way to the desired 729 kg (1610 lb.) of body weight Ms. Evan disregards the warnings of medical experts, who provided examples of

people dying of morbid obesity. Source: Sensei Fun and Knowledge

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World's largest cheese sculpture

A British woman has broken the world record for the largest ever cheese sculpture after carving a half-ton replica of the Queen’s Coronation crown – out of cheddar, the Small World News Service reports. A British woman has broken the world record for the largest ever cheese sculpture after carving a half-ton replica of the Queen’s Coronation crown – out of cheddar, the Small World News Service reports.Cordon Bleu chef Tanys Pullin, 46, spent over 100 hours sculpting 

600kg of Farmhouse Cheddar to mark the 57th anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation. Tags: News, Society, World, sculpture, Guinness Book of Records, Great Britain, cheese, Читать далее, Source: Voice of Russia. 

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UK: New super sweet blackberry

Fresh Plaza: In 2005, an exciting collaboration was set up between Hargreaves Plants and Prof. John R Clark at the University of Arkansas to breed new and super sweet varieties of blackberries to launch into the commercial and gardening sector. They now have trials sites in both the UK and USA with over 250 seedling selections being tested. From the first seedling selections taken by Prof. Clark and Hargreaves Plants in 2007, the code HPB3 was chosen for its upright growth habit and super sweet fruits. In 2008 it was decided to call

the variety Reuben after the breeder’s middle name. www.reubenblackberry.com, Special Plant—A World First: The most unique aspect of Reuben is that it is a primocane, therefore the plant will fruit on the first year’s growth, in the same way that raspberry Autumn Bliss and Polka do. The plant also exhibits an upright growth habit, making it a far cry from the usual public perception of wild blackberries, or brambles with their ground cover tendencies. Growing up to two metres tall with good compact laterals, this also makes for easy fruit picking, Special Fruit—Black Beauty: The fruits produced on Reuben are unlike any other blackberry. Measuring up to 4.5cm in length these are double the size of a normal blackberry, with an average berry weight of up to 14.5g per berry in UK trials,
with the overall plant having a yield potential up to 3.5kg from a fully mature plant—that’s 7 x 500g punnets!, Special Taste—Super Sweet: Like all blackberries Reuben is delicious cooked, but unlike other non Arkansas varieties this berry tastes fantastic picked fresh from the plant—a real dessert blackberry. The sweetness level of fruit is measured on the Brix scale, with a sweet strawberry measuring between 8.5 and 9.5. Reuben averages 11.5 in UK trials, and has been clocked as high as 14! Add to that the texture being firm but juicy, this fruit has stunning eating quality and is sweeter than a strawberry! Other Floricane Blackberry Varieties Available from this Breeding Programme, 1. Apache, 2. Natchez, 3. Navaho, 4. Ouachita All of the above are available in 9cm and 1L pot sizes, and fruiting through July and August offer all of the taste and crop benefits that are associated with Reuben, giving the consumer a greater fruiting spread and also could allow for the possibility of a 3 or 6 pack offering.

Hargreaves are also promoting the Buddy strawberry. This breed is exclusive to Hargreaves and comes from the East Malling breeding program. Jonhathan Brown from the company says, "this everbearer is possibly the best tasting in the UK, with an average brix level of 10.2". This is much higher than normal, the strawberry was also accepted in the Sainsburys taste the different range beating a few well know breeds. www.buddystrawberry.com Hargreaves Plants have been nominated for the
Colour-your-Life Award at IPM 2012 for their Primocane Blackberry ‘Reuben’. One of only 20 nominees for the Award, and the only UK nomination, Hargreaves Plants will be exhibiting at IPM Essen on 24-27 January at the main UK Pavilion organised by Commercial Horticultural Association (CHA) in Hall 10, stand 10C13. For more information: Johnathan Brown, Hargreaves Plants, Tel: 0044 1406 366300, Email: jonathan@hargreavesplants.com, Fax: 0044 1406 366321, Website: www.hargreavesplants.com, Hargreaves Plants, Cowpers Gate, Long Sutton, Spalding, Lincolnshire. PE12 9BS Source: Fresh Plaza, Source: Image

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Scotsman wins UK best cook award

The world's best cook has been named Scotsman John Boe who cooked the tastiest oatmeal in an international competition in the UK.The winner of the competition received the highest award - the Golden mixer. Tags: competition, Scotland, Great Britain, food, News, Society, World, Читать далее, Source: Voice of Russia.

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Great American Cookies seeking American love stories

QSRweb: Great American Cookies has launched its inaugural search for the "Great American Love Story" just in time for Valentine's Day. To enter the contest, participants are asked to share, in 200 words or less, their special love story. The Great American Love Story Contest will be open for entries through Jan. 16. The contest will be conducted completely online. Visitors to the site will also have the chance to help Great American Cookies select the winners by voting for their  favorite

   Image Link Flickr

entries online from Jan. 17 through Jan. 24. Winners will be announced on or around Valentine's Day when one grand prize winner will receive a travel package valued at $5,000, including a $2,500 Marriott gift card, $1,500 airfare voucher and a $1,000 American Express gift card. Two runner-up winners will also be selected and will each receive a $250 American Express gift card. "Great American Cookies has been a Valentine's Day gift destination for decades and many of our customers enjoy customizing a Cookie Cake featuring their love story," said Jenn Johnston, chief marketing and operations officer for GFG Management LLC. "We created this contest to provide a fun way for them to tell their stories to the world and we are looking forward to reading all of the touching, and perhaps even funny, great American love stories." Great American Cookies is managed by GFG Management LLC, a subsidiary of Global Franchise Group. Source: QSRweb.com

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Cristiano Ronaldo grows vegetables in own kitchen garden

Author: Gerard Lindhout, Football player Christiano Ronaldo is looking at small savings. He saves money by growing his own vegetables in his back yard. The footballer has tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and broccoli from his own yard. His team mates also have a nibble. This as reported by Fabio Coentratao to the Sun. "When he is not at home I jump over the fence. We use his vegetables to make soup." Source: Fresh Plaza, Image: flickr.com

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UK:Kids packed lunches lack fruit and veg

A "large" number of parents are not including fruit and vegetables in their children's school packed lunches, it is claimed. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has said 40% of primary school children's lunchboxes do not contain any fruits or vegetables, compared to 10% of school canteen meals. The charity argues it is a "missed opportunity" for children's health. It is calling for a similar initiative to that spearheaded by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver for school dinner, urging parents to ensure their children's packed lunches always contain at least two portions of fruit and vegetables. The School Food Trust urges parents to choose school meals over packed lunches. The organisation estimates parents could spend

almost eight days a year in the kitchen if they want to make packed lunches that meet the same nutritional standards as school meals. "Our research has found that packed lunches are higher in saturated fat, sugar and salt than school meals," said Patricia Mucavele, a nutritionist at the School Food Trust. "There is no doubt Jamie Oliver helped achieve great things for the food served in school canteens. But as the nutritional content of school canteen meals has improved, the healthiness of the content of lunchboxes has been left behind," said Kate Mendoza, Head of Education at WCRF. "It is disappointing that children are going to school with lunchboxes that are not playing their part in helping to encourage the

kind of healthy  diet  that is  so important for their future." "It can sometimes be difficult for parents to control what their children eat, particularly if they are passing shops on the way home from school or visiting their friends. But parents can influence what is in their packed lunches and the fact that not all of them are doing so is a missed opportunity." Source: Fresh Plaza, Source: Image, Flickr1, Flickr2, Flickr3

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US (CA): Healthful 'Power Salads' gaining popularity

Image Link Flickr

Fresh Plaza,  Power  salads  are  getting   their  day in the spotlight  as more

cookbooks, magazines and restaurants feature combinations of nutrient - rich vegetables, fruits, lean protein, nuts and other healthful foods. "A power salad is what you eat for your meal — it's the full deal," says Jessie Price, food editor of EatingWell magazine, which featured the subject in a recent issue. When you are  creating  a  power  salad, 

you want  to look down at your plate and make sure you see as many colors of the rainbow as possible, says Shira Bocar, deputy food editor of Whole Living magazine and a contributor to the new cookbook Power Foods. That colorful mix might include foods such as bell peppers, carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, avocados,   mushrooms, berries,    citrus    fruit,      mangoes,    apples,    pears    or      dried      fruits,
which  are  loaded  with  vitamins,  nutrients  and  fiber. Source:  Fresh  Plaza

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Bowled over by Chaat Masala

When Matthew Hayden retired from international matches in 2009, cricket gurus feared that his best days were over. Instead, the fiercely-competitive Aussie opening batsman, padded up for his second innings — this time as the host of TLC’s new food and gardening show — Matthew Hayden’s Home Ground. The cricketer, who has written three cookbooks, is all set to explore the joys of healthy organic food in the show. In an e-mail interview, Hayden talks about his passion for cooking and gardening Gardening and cooking are a total change from cricket.

• How easy or difficult was the shift? Interestingly, whenever I travel in India, I get more questions about cooking than about cricket! (During India tours), I used to go down to the kitchen and talk to the staff and, before you knew it, we would be cooking together. That was a wonderful way to relax and take a break from cricket. As for gardening, that was a way of life, but something that I had actually left behind for the better part of the last 20 years. So, to be able to reconnect with it was outstanding. It hasn’t been all about cricket for the last 20 years. 
• How did you get interested in gardening? I grew up on a beautiful farm, with extensive variety of vegetables, all of which I’d tend to when I was six. By the time I was in my teens, I was managing the plot. What is it about gardening that appeals to you the most? It is therapeutic. I actually supply fresh fruits and vegetables to my family from my garden and enjoy teaching my children that food comes from a certain plant, animal or a tree. It’s the simple things in life that I really admire and enjoy, and these are all the things that I explore in this series on TLC. 
• Do you cook? What kind of cuisine are you really fond of? On the show, I cook chicken curry and also do a really simple cut/diced vegetable dish with chaat masala on it. I love cucumber, tomato and chaat masala. Oh, I love that! My wife’s favourite food is Indian, so I’ve become quite a gourmand of healthy tasty Indian food! I cook with a lot of curd and spices. I really enjoy spicy food and we have natural healthy products that I grow in my backyard. I grow galangal, ginger, turmeric, curry leaves and even kaffir lime leaves. 
• Will you take up more behind-the-scene roles in cricket now? I’ve been on the board of directors of Cricket Australia and for me, last two years have been an opportunity to expand and grow. It is also a way to invest in a platform for cricket. I’m playing the Big Bash League for my team, Brisbane Heat. So, for me, this is also a little bit like the Indian Premier League (IPL). Source: Indian Express

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Not all pasta is pasta: Italian chef

It comes in different shapes, sizes and names and is among the world's favourite foods, but Italian chef Angelo Maria Franchini cautions that all that is passed off as pasta is not really pasta. He was here to educate the people about the basics, ingredients and techniques to prepare pasta and other Italian food during a three-day EAT (European Art of Taste) event. "The best pasta is penne with arrabbiata sauce," he told IANS, adding: "I have a suggestion. If you want to eat pasta at one O'clock for lunch, don't prepare it two hours in advance. It should be made and consumed fresh. It shouldn't be stored. You can only store pasta salads in the fridge." EAT, funded by the European Union and the Italian government, ended Wednesday. It stressed on four products which are the basis of Italian cooking - pasta made of 100 percent durum wheat; olive oil of certified origin; Provolone Valpadana PDO cheese; and wines of certified origin from different Italian Regions. Franchini also shot off some quick-fire tips. "Boil 100 gms of pasta in one litre of water and don't over cook it. Capellini is not good for the sauce, it is meant for for soup. Spaghetti is for sauce," informed Franchini, who relishes tandoori chicken, fish and vegetable when it comes to Indian cuisine and says he can even "roll out chapatis". Known for opening Italian restaurants in many countries, Franchine was quite positive about starting one in India too. "Maybe in Mumbai and Delhi," he said. Speaking on behalf of EAT, Nina Saxena, director of Eloquenza that conducts Italian language classes and organises cultural events, the thrust of the programme was on cooking the Italian way. "The basic aim was to educate people about what is authentic the importance of where the ingredients are coming from. They should understand how to differentiate from a lot of Italian-sounding food products in the market. Everyone calls everything pasta. But everything is not pasta. "The idea was to educate people to eat Italian food the Italian way. People are now reaching a level where they can differentiate and this is one point this programme focused on. That is why we got chef Angelo here so that consumers can have first-hand training and use first-hand products in the manner the Italians do." Well-versed in Italian culture, food and fluent in the Italian language, Saxena said that just like in India where "we have multitudes of dishes in each region, this is also true for Italy. We would like remove the misconceptions and mystery behind Italian food. It is not so difficult. You need a few basic ingredients and techniques - and if you follow the techniques you can actually have a really nice spread which is easy to prepare and easy on your budget. "Read Full : Not all pasta is pasta: Italian chef - Hindustan Times, Image: flickr.com

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Eight ways to get a green kitchen

Hindustan Times: Upgrades and quick fixes in your kitchen coupled with changes in your culinary methods can cut down your carbon footprint on the planet. adopt these tips from city chefs that guide you through your journey towards being an environmentally-conscious connoisseur.

1 Grow a herb garden : You many not have green fingers but with a little expert help, you can have your own kitchen garden. even in less space, such as a corner in your backyard or the kitchen windowsill, you can grow herbs and vegetables. “nothing can compare to the freshness of home-grown herbs. and you don’t have to worry about pesticides,” says chef TP Shibu. 

2 Cover up your pans: ou have probably heard this tenet a million times and never followed it, but by covering up your pans while cooking, you heavily cut down on your cooking time and bring down your energy bill by almost 75 per cent. 

3 Make your own purees and sauces: Bottled products often have synthetic colours and preservatives. homemade purees will give your dishes a fresh flavour, and will save you from the guilt of junking tonnes of empty bottle and jars. 

4 Switch over to organic food: One can easily find organically-grown herbs, vegetables, fruits, pulses and grains these days in gourmet stores and high-end marts. “organic means something that has been grown without the use of fertilisers, chemicals, antibiotics and growth hormones. you can switch over to not only fresh fruits, herbs and veggies but dried organic dal, cheese and even oil,” says chef Sabyasachi Gorai. 

5 Forgo plastic bags and bottles: Carry a shopping bag along when you go shopping. it adds to your style statement, and also makes you refrain from using plastic bags. also, invest in a water purifier. every time you go out, fill up a bottle to carry with you.

6 Cook and store: You can cook soups, dal, curries and rice, freeze them and simply reheat whenever required. reheating involves much less energy than cooking food. also, when your food is cooked, turn off the gas and cover the pan with a lid. allow the food to get cooked in the residual heat. 

7 Eat raw: A fresh salad made of organic vegetables tossed in extra virgin olive oil is one of the healthiest meals you can have. similarly, for desserts, opt for a bowl of freshly-cut fruits rather than cream- based desserts. organic juice is also a good substitute for coffee and tea. 

8 Invest in energy efficient appliances: Brands such as several brands have come up with 95 per cent recyclable refrigerators and dishwashers that are highly energy efficient. “a fully- loaded utensil washer uses just 10 litres of water, whereas a 600-700 litre refrigerator consumes just half a unit of electricity a day,” shares Dhanajay Chaturvedi, md, mile, India. Source: Hindustan Times, Image: flickr.com

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