Deeba Rajpal & Passionate About Baking

The blog turns one year in August. The day I registered with the service provider and till date it has been one of the most enriching experience of my life.I get up everyday with a smile that I have something creative to do. This creativity unleashed in the form of cooking,clicking and writing has made me more calmer.

I have explained long back what is the significance of ‘heuristic’ where I have enlisted all the people’s work I follow diligently. Deeba Rajpal from PassionateAboutBaking blog , is inspiration personified.There are innumerable people who will agree to this fact. Trust me her charisma is infectious. I was rather humbled when she agreed to share the virtual meal on common table. Here are some of the firsts which she achieved much before its inception in common blogging. The value of healthy baking , the essentiality of an artistically appealing food, collating of images into drooling montages and text addition, first blogger to feature on a food show and most importantly to be so grounded.Here’s celebrating the humane behind the most inspirational blogger in India at the common table. Each answer is stellar. My blog suddenly looks pregnant.

Tell us the about the precursor of events before Passionate about baking was born? 

Ummm life was a different ball game then. My growing years were spent across India with my father in the armed forces. Fresh out of Delhi University armed with an honours degree in economics, something that made little sense, I joined British Airways. Worked there for eight fun and exciting long years in customer services making me push my boundaries with new challenges every single day, also a chance to meet varied personalities – Mother Teresa, John Major, Rajiv Gandhi, Viv Richards, Bappi Lahiri to name a few. Gave me a chance to travel the world, watch Eric Clapton live in the UK, meet my better half and loads of friends for life. I loved working with the company, left when my daughter was born. No regrets at all and I never craved for those days to come back. I am happy to live in the present. Always!

Please tell us a little about your recipe development technique? 

I am a very impulsive baker and cook. Very little pre planning for ingredients, I often use what I have on hand. It isn’t unusual for me to plan what I want to do the next day, as in dream of something, get up and head straight for the kitchen. My pantry is well stocked with normal things I might use, and always has something in fresh produce from the season. For e.g. you will always find stone fruit in my kitchen through summer! I find that very comforting even though I might not use them in a bake etc.

The click is ALWAYS impromptu, nothing planned, no sketches. I will more often than never reach out for the first ‘prop’ I lay my eyes on, then scrabble around for a piece of linen, some flatware, maybe additional props. I do try not to be repetitive in my shots as to not fall into a pattern. Sometimes, I will use the newly acquired prop, of which there is a constant supply. I am immensely fortunate to be in India which I call a prop paradise, and also fortunate to have friends and relatives who gift me a never-ending supply. It spoils me for choice, but I love it!

Tell us a little about your taster scapegoats ? 

The scapegoats are shrinking…no not because my appeal is diminishing but because the daughter has shifted to another town to study. Blissful the rest certainly are, Mr PAB who is always game to try a crumb and offer his critical analysis, and the 16-year-old who is equally game. Both are brutally honest, sometimes deserve to be throttled, but I can’t complain. Man Friday is in a constant learning mode after I gifted him a hand beater and oven, the sweet pooch is always eyes. She loves everything for its aromas even though the poor blighter hardly gets a crumb

Tell us a little about your cultural background influencing the way you cook and eat?  

I grew up in a very normal household with both parents working and no particular interest in food or cooking. Summer vacations in Air Force camps meant some baking experiments by the mums around as all services homes had a good old-fashioned round table top oven. We spent hours peeping in to see if the cake was done {that was all that was ever baked}. Food at home was always Indian, festive food with an influence from Lucknow, my mother’s birthplace. Kormas, kebabs and biryanis were her claim to fame, and she does a pretty mean job in the kitchen even today. My Indian cooking has been totally influenced by her and her baniya friends in Delhi. Astoefitida or hing is a firm fave ingredient, with garlic ruling the roost. I love experimenting with all foods in my comfort zone, and can stir a mean curry myself!

Tell us about the role of Coco in your life? 

Coco is our life, our ray of sunshine, the rainbow that spans our existence. She is the best, sweetest dog in the world and a constant source of happiness. We are so blessed to have her. Up at 6 every morning, even though I desperately try to play dead, she is charming, loving, naughty, manipulative, and big eyed fun! She gets a special birthday cake every 1st of June and is great fun to shoot! Her first loves {s} include boiled egg, coconut, papaya, strawberries, kiwi, French beans, peas, bell peppers! She is my little shadow until the teen/lad comes around. Thereafter I am unceremoniously dumped!!

Tell us that one food which calm’s your senses after a whole day of recipe development, attending events and social media buzz? 

Tall glass of strong iced cold coffee

Bake or No Bake ? (recipes) 

• Bake – http://www.passionateaboutbaking.com/2015/07/wholewheat-oat-dark-chocolate-brownie-cookies.html
• http://www.askmeonwellness.com/posts/recipes/article/try-eggless-cheesecake
• http://www.passionateaboutbaking.com/2015/02/oat-wheat-cheese-crackers-and-a-quick-hummus.html
• http://www.passionateaboutbaking.com/2015/03/coffee-dark-chocolate-roulade.html
• http://www.passionateaboutbaking.com/2015/01/espresso-panna-cotta.html
• http://www.passionateaboutbaking.com/2015/02/baking-dark-chocolate-mousse-cake-love-baking-blogging.html
• http://www.passionateaboutbaking.com/2011/04/bakingbarbaras-old-fashioned-chocolate-cake-with-balsamic-strawberry-cream-filling-eggless.html

sweet or savoury ? Savoury

vintage or contemporary ? Vintage

Pinterest or Instagram ? Instagram {current favourite}

Ladakh or Kashmir {Srinagar}? Srinagar

They are giving you a new Poggenpohl kitchen ? How would you say bye to your old kitchen….or rather you wouldn’t say a bye

 I wouldn’t say bye to my old kitchen for anything. I love it so!

Your top 5 pick from the museum of props that you curate ? I know this is tough one….

AAh great question, and so tough. Almost like asking me which my fave child is! Flatware, plates from Old Delhi, blue ceramic plate, my barnis, Manipur black pottery

What would you make from Tapioca, Cream, Dragon fruit and sugar ? 

Chilled layered Mahallabiah like sago pudding something like this… http://www.passionateaboutbaking.com/2013/12/tropical-coconut-milk-rice-pudding.html

Would you like to raid someone’s pantry? 

YES please. Ottolenghis!

You are coming home for dinner?  Decor,mood,music and obviously food

Relaxed, non formal, shabby chic decor, low soft lighting, soul or classic 80’s rock, light finger food, garlicky, non fussy, tapas, cheese, fruit, coffee anything {oh and I am not an ‘egg & seafood’ person}

I hope you enjoyed every smallest morsel scattered at the common table. You can always follow her on pinterest, instagram and twitter.