This is me, now.....

Home lover…Rains…Sea(esoteric child of the water god)…treks…dogs…nature wilds…Trains…Garfield…Alstroemaria blooms…Sunflower stretches…Spot 6 differences…Crossword attempts…Supper Nags…No sleepless nights….

that’s the short about me… now for the long…

I was named after the tail star of the SaptaRishi Mandala or the Great Bear Constellation…..Arundati, if mythology is to be believed, couldn’t be separated from the Sage Vashishta, her husband and when he joined the cosmic constellation, she followed suit…..believed to be the embodiment of wifely virtue, this star is worshiped as part of the Hindu wedding rituals….I scoff at it even now….though i think a certain lady booker prize winner made it quite exotic to be named thus….

Hyderabad, the city of the Nizams, Minarets inescapable Biryani and Pearls, of beautiful buildings and gardens and lovely hospitable people. the City where you cannot escape the food that puts us on the gastronomic map of the world…..I have seen it grow….from small town to technology hub. I am what you may call a ‘Pucca Hyderabadi’. I have lived, studied and worked in a few other cities across India, I will always call Hyderabad home……

I have a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Masters in International Business……my professional forte is that of a Corporate Soft Skills Trainer…..  masquerading as a chocolatier ……I have worked extensively in the Telecom Sector and am currently a Consulting Corporate Trainer. That is my day job. I also am a Content Writer for publications and have weekend  Chocolate Making classes in Hyderabad.  I fantasise that someday in the near future I will be able to own and run a restaurant……

I started experimenting in the kitchen only once i moved out of my parental house …. who knew I would find peace right here in the kitchen! I love cooking, its my way of unwinding even after a hard day’s work, I find calm in the kitchen. I love watching people enjoy something I have made…… While I like trying new things and creating a delicate balance with ingredients, quick fuss free cooking is the style that appeals to me the best. I am always trying to find ways to reduce stress that dishing up a meal on a weekday brings…… and so any recipe that involves labour intensive multiple steps are woefully avoided.

I discovered the world of food blogging quite by accident…..being technology challenged, I didn’t know the world was fast gaining a new set of writers……a newspaper article on blogging made me check out my favourite section as always…… blogs on food….I was hooked!! After trawling the world of food blogging for more than a year, I finally decided to take the plunge and in July 2007, Escapades was born.

Escapades is really my journey into chronicling all things food……from the first few steps that I took, to where I am now, its been a fun ride. I’ve met people who i now call friends, I’ve discovered so many things I was earlier passive to… for instance, I am now more aware of what I eat, how the food has been prepared and more importantly where it has come from……

All the recipes here on Escapades have been tried and tested by me……all the photographs and content is also my own, unless specifically mentioned…… if I have been inspired by anyone or anything, I am sure to give credit……I also expect the same to be reciprocated.

I appreciate the time that you spend here in my little Escape into the world of blogging, and love to hear from you through your comments or if you would prefer, email. I have however little respect for people who leave nasty notes and reserve the right to delete all such unacceptable content.

if you have anything to say to me, please mail me at arundati(dot)rao(at)gmail(dot)com