Cherry bakery and desserts

Reviewing Cherry- bakery and desserts in Behala.

This is like discovering treasure in Behala. This shop has some drool-worthy cakes and pastries at a very reasonable rate.

1- Red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting comes at a pocket pinch of Rs. 60 only. The cupcake is smooth and sweet. The cream cheese frosting perfectly compliments the taste of the cake.

2- Red velvet pastry is my favourite. The cream is smooth and light. Tastes great. It almost melts in the mouth. Pocket pinch is just Rs. 60 only. 

3- Chocolate Truffle Pastry has a lovely crunchy texture. There is a generous layer of chocolate. It is only costs Rs. 50.

4- Strawberry Cheese Cake rules all of them. Personally, my taste buds detest the strawberry flavour but this time I would accept the fact that I really liked it. It has a fine texture and the gelatin used doesn't kill the taste of it. Very carefully set and the strawberry jam over it teases your buds with its tanginess. Spending Rs. 80 is just worth it!

Cherry delivers through Swiggy. This hidden treasure is the new zone for satisfying your dessert cravings.

Thank you Cherry for the lovely treats!

-Jaismita Alexander 

An Indian Foodie. 

Instagram- @ardentfoodiefromindia

Whole Chicken Roast Recipe

This is an extremely simple whole chicken roast recipe (not stuffed). You can make this awesome dish by following the recipe. 


Ingredients 

• 1 whole chicken - roughly 1.5 kg
• For the marinade: 2 tbsps fresh unsweetened yogurt
• 2 tbsps lime/ lemon juice
• 2 tsps garlic paste
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tbsp Cumin Powder 
• 1 tbsp Coriander powder 
• 1 tbsp Garam masala powder 
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder 
• 1/2 tsp salt

Procedure

1. Slightly wash the chicken and get rid of the liver, heart etc. 

2. Put the chicken in a large bowl and marinate with salt, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste, yoghurt, lemon juice, garam masala powder, coriander and jeera powder. Cover the chicken well with  the mixture. 

3. Leave the chicken for 30 minutes. 

Marinated whole chicken 

4. Pre-heat oven to 180°

5. Take a baking tray and grease it well with butter/ghee/oil. 

6. Shift the marinated chicken in the tray and brush oil/butter/ghee on the chicken. 

7. Let it cook for 30 mins before tossing it on the other side. 

8. Cook till the chicken is tender. Keep checking it with a knife. 

9. The cooking process can take more than an hour. After which, you have to slightly fry the chicken in a kadai. It gives the chicken a good texture and makes it crisp. 

10. You can serve this with rice or paratha. 

Durga Pujo of a Christian Household

Trail of childhood memories line up as streets are adorned with fairylights and cacophony of far-fetched music touch my ears. The innocent curiosity of another religion, the madness of festivity and knowing that the word 'Maa' is the ultimate strength. I always asked whose 'Maa' she was? And always been told about her four children. Then I counter questioned then why do everyone call her "Maa", to which I was told, "She is a mother to anyone who call her Maa". 

Durga Puja will always be a part of my childhood nostalgia. Growing in a Christian household, I had access to Durga Puja and it's madness because of my equally enthusiastic Grandmother and Mother. Mahalaya used to mark the beginning of the festive madness. Before the sun could peep in, at the wee hours my mother used to wake up and turn the radio on to Birendra Krishna Bhadra's voice welcoming Maa Durga.

"Jago, Maa tumi jaago..."

A chill ran down my spine as the cool breeze entered from the window. Clinging onto my grandmother's saree, I could visualize a giant green monster being battled by a motherly figure. Someone who wore a saree like my grandmother and had the fury in her eyes like those of my mother. I waited till Bhadra chanted "Yaa Devi Sarva Bhuteshu Vishnu Mayyeti Shabditah

Namas Tasyai Namas Tasyai Namas Tasyai Namo Namah."

By then my mother brought in cups of steaming coffee and a packet of Banana Chips. Munching on the chips and sipping onto the coffee I used to hear both of them speak. They used to talk about their times when everyone used to wake up early in the morning in their compound and gathered around the radio set every Mahalaya. I used to ask innocent questions which were always answered by my Grandmother with her wits. 

 

Grandmother left us in 2010 and my mother in 2016. Mahalaya dawns are lonely but equally thrilling. With my earphones plugged in my ears I visualize scenes in my head. I imagine my grandmother and mother sitting right with me humming the songs one by one. 

Durga Puja marks the festive celebration and sparks nostalgia every year. That's the magic.

There were plans of covering pandals of the area. Plans of wearing this dress on that day and eating this from that shop. Rickshaw-wala or an autowala was to be summoned to take us around. My grandmother always said that hiring a taxi would be better. Then we could go far into North Kolkata and see Lebutala, Sovabajar Rajbari, College Square, Telenga Bagan etc. That was left for my Dad to arrange. 

I never felt it was not our festival. I had every speck of enjoyment my Hindu friends would have. New clothes, new shoes and good food to eat. Durga Puja taught me that no matter who you are, if you accept it Kolkata will embrace you with open arms. Maa Durga is a mother to everyone and Durga Puja, the festival of all. 

Hues to the Rescue

Depression, anxiety, panic attacks and other mental health issues have stricken the youth today. There is no embarrassment to admit that I myself has been diagnosed with clinical depression. But I am not here to talk about myself. The purpose of this is solely to help anyone who is going through depression and anxiety. I am not a professional nor have I consulted any professional before trying this remedy. But I guess colours and shades can never do you any reverse harm.

Long time back, I read somewhere about drawing lines and calming one's mind. It had recommended different patterns for different mental breakdowns. Every pattern had a different remedy and this intrigued me. For the last couple of months or to be more specific, this year I have been occasionally going through phases of anxiety, stress and mental break down. These were there before on a more subtle level and were easier to tackle. I used to speak it out or the best that worked for me was writing it in a poetry. What happened later was that I was unable to write anything at all and I was delved into a major writer's block. I tried reading books, watching films and web series but nothing seemed to work.

Now let me tell you, I have always admired people who can draw. I am awed by the perfection of their skills and felt it was the direct form of expression through art! No manipulation, no facades yet open to interpretation. During my bouts of anxiety I felt a deep urge to express it and one day when I came across a box of old pastels, I was determined to try my hand at drawing. I was never trained so I took to YouTube. I started with the most simple drawings to learn the basics.

My motive was never really to be perfect but I just wanted to learn it. My first one was absolutely a novice product but I was satisfied. One after the other I kept on colouring, blending and drawing. Every time I realized my mind was messed up I left everything and quietly sat down with my art supplies.

Here's how I feel now after I started this:

My mind is focused on the drawing completely without any distraction bothering my mind.

After I finishing the blending, I started improvising my own ideas into it.

When I am done with the drawing I feel an immense joy. I look at it and say to myself, "That's my creation!"

I love creating different coloured skies, trees, birds and human, mostly silhouetted figures.

I love how the pastel shades side by side while blending creates a new shade. Like blue and yellow makes a lovely shade of green. Just like the people around me share their good vibes to create a positive atmosphere. Sometimes, I relate to the lighter shades being overlapped and smudged by the darker colours. So much like me and the monsters inside my mind. Everything goes well until the darker shades smudge while blending. As if the darker shades defeat the lighter shades. They don't create any colour. They just leave behind the dirty stain.

I have discovered the most effective way of handling my sudden break down and anxiety issues. I feel the lovely hues have rescued me!!










Let me know in the comments below if you want link to some awesome YouTube tutorials for pastel shading. 

I do...

To April

Dear April,

While my frozen heart melted from the pale winter cold,
Your storm dilapidated my mind.
Basking in your tanning rays,
I burnt my desires for a green spring.
You brought inaugural of hopes and dreams of love.
Expecting cure for the frostbite of December,
I worshipped you.
You ruled the temple of my trust.
But then you swayed them in your storm at last.

Dear April,
I thought you were my beginning to sprinting spring
And my end to the freezing wall.
My new leaf on the barren tree,
Lonely since the last fall.
I wanted time to stop here,
With no more seasons this year.

April, I wanted it to be April every day,
April I'll live you till it's May,

~Jaismita

Silenced

There's deep mourning inside silenced by the cacophony of the outside world tonight,
The ears that heard are dead deaf.
The one that the eyes seek is one with the soil.
The arms that comforted, the hands to hold onto,
Gone.
Trapped in a frame, smiling...
The smile that can never rejuvenate.
The one who dreaded loneliness,
Left alone leaving behind someone lonely.
Loneliness deep down the soil
Is it more than the loneliness deep down the soul?
Is it felt more?

-Jaismita