Culinary Biography

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Innovation

The kitchen equipment that I find to be very innovative, is the Air Fryer. It is a newly introduced appliance, that gained a lot of popularity and is widely used in many households. Its main function is air frying foods, without having to be immersed in large quantities of oil.

How do air fryers work?

Air fryers work similarly to convention ovens. Hot air gushes down through a heating mechanism and a fan attached to the top pushes air down to the basket that the food is placed on. The flow of hot air around the food, makes it crisp and similar in texture to fried foods.

Who invented the air fryer?

William. L. Maxon is considered to be the first developer of the air fryer in the year 1940. Maxon was also known for introducing a robot navigator for air pilots and a multiplying machine, further he introduced frozen meals and TV dinners as well, which he served to servicemen and airplane pilots in the World War II. His invention of the air fryer died off eventually with the introduction of the microwave. His idea was later developed by many companies. Philips was successful and released their first air fryer in 2010, which they had been working on since 2005.

How was the invention of the air fryer accomplished?

The air fryer gained international recognition when introduced at a convention, attracting media and many Western Europeans. By 2015, the air fryer gained international popularity. Many companies have now replicated the design and they are being used widely.

Why is the air fryer important?

It is a good alternative to deep-frying, with fewer calories and less harmful chemicals. Air fryers reduce the risk of toxic acrylamide formation, which are linked to certain cancers. Consuming less deep-fried items also reduces the risk of developing diseases. Another benefit being the aid in weight loss. With being able to consume fewer calories and the food having a texture and feel similar to fried foods, is an added advantage.

How has it affected me?

When the air fryers were first introduced, I was skeptical about the function of it. However, the need for developing a healthy lifestyle, and consuming healthy foods drew me to using an air fryer. I believe the air fryer has given me the ability to experiment with different foods as well as cook healthy. With consuming fewer calories, I have been able to reach my target weight, as well enjoy delicious food.

I do believe restaurants should start using air fryers, as they are quick, safe, easy to use, and most importantly a healthy alternative to deep fried foods.  

Reference:

Behr. F, (2021, Sep 22). How the first air fryer was invented. Mashed. https://www.mashed.com/612880/how-the-first-air-fryer-was-invented/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20article%2C%20Fred,that%20was%20also%20user%2Dfriendly.

Ryan, A. (2019, Apr 2). Are air fryers healthy? Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324849

Severson, K. (2021, Sep 27). Evolution of the air fryer. Chicago Tribune. https://www.chicagotribune.com/consumer-reviews/sns-bestreviews-kitchen-evolution-of-air-fryer-20210927-2mbkczxubjarpe6wiihj67im5u-story.html

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Plant based vs. animal-based diets

A plant-based diet means consuming more food from plants, but it doesn’t exclude all meat products rather focus on consuming less meat and more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, oils and legumes.

Following a plant-based diets has its many benefits apart from the many obvious health benefits.

One such benefit involves reducing the carbon footprint. An analysis done in 2018 by the food industry found that switching to a plant-based diet is the most effective step an individual can take in order to help improve the environment. “It is true that pound for pound, animal protein requires 100 times as much water as grain protein—and that the production of oat milk emits 80% fewer greenhouse gases and requires 60% less energy than cow’s milk” (Caldwell, N.A).

A plant-based diet is known to be more sustainable, whereas animal-based productions cause more damage to the environment. In order to grow livestock, large land space is required, which requires land areas being cleared out for either raring of livestock or growing food in order to feed the livestock. Further, with the growing population, the land space available is decreasing and this is going to be a huge problem in the near future. “Moving to a plant-based diet would reduce the amount of land needed to grow crops by 35-50% (a study by the University of Oxford suggests a 76%), saving 72 million acres of crop land, 6.6 billion pounds of nitrogen fertilizer, and 280 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year in the U.S” (Melina, 2021).

Ethics play a huge role with the consumption of animal products. Animals face a lot pain and suffering in order to be used for meat. Most of the time they are locked up in tiny cages and don’t have the privilege of roaming around and enjoying the fresh air. Most animals in the slaughter house, are killed in cruel ways. Animals have feelings as well as feel pain. Switching to a plant-based diet could eliminate this factor and give animals a better life.

My future goal is to open up my very own restaurant. I would want my restaurant to be sustainable in every aspect possible, as well as serve clean healthy meals to my customers. I believe adopting a menu with many organic and plant-based diets is the best and most effect way. I would also want to attempt plant-based food, that feels and tastes very much like meat for my customers who love meat but want to do the right thing by eliminating meat from their diet. This way they would not feel like they’re missing out on anything.

The vegan recipe I have chosen to prepare is a simple Minestrone Soup. This dish is one of the very first dishes I tried making as a child. Even though I was not quite successful the first time, and my dad came to the rescue. I am glad I was able to remake a dish, I once failed at.

Ingredients:

·        1 medium - Onions

·        3-4 cloves - Garlic

·        2 ribs - Celery

·        1 medium - Radish

·        2 pcs - Leeks White Part

·        2 medium - Carrots

·        1 small - Tomato

·        ½ sprig - Parsley

·        4 cups - Vegetable stock

·        2 cups - water

·        1 tablespoon - Olive oil

·        2 teaspoons – Italian Seasoning

·        pinch – Red Pepper Flakes

·        Salt to taste

·        Pepper to taste

Method:

Heat the olive oil and sauté onions until translucent. Add garlic, carrots, celery and cook for 5 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients along with the water. Leave Parsley for garnishing. Once water content reduces, pour in the vegetable stock and boil until vegetables are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm.

I believe the Minestrone Soup tasted great. I loved the gentle sweet flavour of the soup and medley of vegetable cuts. The flavour profiles were sweet, salty and umami. I will definitely be making this soup again, with the addition of different vegetables, as not only is it healthy but also tastes great. Most importantly this dish is cruelty free and supports sustainability to a great extent.

Reference:

MacManus. D (2021, Nov 16). What is a plant-based diet and why should you try it? Harvard Health Blog https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/what-is-a-plant-based-diet-and-why-should-you-try-it-2018092614760

Mary. (2021, Jun 25). Why Is a Plant-Based Diet More Sustainable? Sustainable Rookie. https://www.sustainablerookie.com/veganfood/why-plant-based-diet-sustainable

Bekhechi, M. (2015, May 19). NATIONAL VEGETARIAN WEEK: 5 ETHICAL REASONS TO STOP EATING MEAT. Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/national-vegetarian-week-5-ethical-reasons-to-stop-eating-meat-10260780.html

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Vegetable Cookery

The vegetable I have chosen for my Blog Post Assignment is Bean Sprout. Even though widely available in Asian countries, and having eaten bean sprouts in many Chinese Cuisines such as in soups and noodles, I have not cooked bean sprouts before. However, I have grown bean sprouts as projects during school, and I do know that it is fairly easy and quick to sprout Mung Beans, and considered fairly sustainable since fertilizers and large growing areas are not required. There is no specific season to grow bean sprouts, as they are not affected by seasons, nor weather, and as a result can be grown year long. They are grown in shaded areas or indoors, requiring very little conditions. Bean sprouts are said to have been grown in Asia around 5000 years ago. There are common varieties of bean sprouts. The green capped bean sprouts from mung beans, and the yellow capped bean sprouts from soy beans. They have a crunchy texture with a novelty of flavours. When cooked almost looks and feels like noodles. Some restaurants use bean sprouts to bulk serving size of dishes, increasing the quantity of portion size. It is a fairly nutritious and healthy vegetable, containing Vitamins A, B, C, D and K, along with Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium, Iron and Fibers, with health benefits such as reducing blood pressure, cancer, digestive ailments, eye health and heart health. Bean sprouts can easily be contaminated, therefore requiring to be well washed, and cooked through.

The dish that I have chosen to prepare, is a stir-fry, which has an East Asian influence. The stir-fry was fairly easy and quick to prepare, not requiring a long cooking time. The ingredients, including the bean sprouts were purchased from Nofrills. 1 pound of bean sprouts were purchased at $1.67, which was fairly inexpensive and reasonable for the quantity I received. I used other ingredients such red and green bell peppers, white onions, garlic, roasted peanuts, sesame oil, olive oil and soy sauce. The quantities used were as follows.

Ingredients:

·         1lb Bean sprouts

·         2 Tbsp Olive oil

·         4 cloves Garlic

·         ½ pc White onion

·         ½ pc Red bell pepper

·         ½ pc Green bell pepper

·         15g Roasted peanuts

·         ½ tsp Salt

·         1 Tbsp Brown sugar

·         ¼ tsp Pepper

·         2 Tbsp Soy sauce

·         ½ tsp Sesame oil

Method:

I started off by washing the bean sprouts well, and drying them with a paper towel. I then heated the olive oil, and sautéed the chopped onions and garlic until golden brown, followed by julienned bell peppers, and the bean sprouts. I then mixed together the soy sauce, brown sugar and sesame oil to prepare a sauce, and poured over the cooked bean sprouts. Finally, I seasoned with salt and pepper, and stirred in the roasted peanuts.

The dish came out really well, and tasted good, I believe. The flavour profiles were salty, sweet and umami. However, the next time upon preparing this stir-fry, I would reduce the salt content, as the salt from the soy sauce was sufficient, as well as cook the bean sprouts for a shorter time. I will definitely be preparing more dishes using bean sprouts, now that I am aware of its nutrition content, taste, price and convenience. I also loved how it felt like noodles which will make a great and healthy substitute.

Reference:

Casoobhoy. A. (2020, Aug 24). Bean Sprouts: Health Benefits, Nutrition Facts, and How to Prepare Them. Nourish by WedMB        https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-bean-sprouts

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Tripe

The meat I have chosen for my blog post is Tripe. Tripe is a mild tasting organ meat. It is the lining of the stomach in cows, and other ruminant animals. The stomach of these animals has four distinct compartments that allow for digestive fermentation of fibrous foods. The tripe used for the dish I have selected is obtained from cows. Tripe is a lean protein, giving around 10g of protein per ounce of meat. It is therefore considered to be an inexpensive source of protein. The consumption of tripe also has its advantages by reducing wastage.

Since I live in a student housing, and do not have access to equipment required, I was unable to prepare the dish myself. However, I visited the St. Lawrence market to purchase tripe, but I was told by the vendors that it was not sold at the market. I learned that tripe is not freely available in Canada, and it is mainly found in the form of dried dog food. I did some research, and found a very few places that sold tripe online. The best price I found was $12.10 for a kilogram, available on Instacart. In Sri Lanka, tripe is sold at Rs. 850 per Kilogram ($5.31), and is easily found, although not widely appreciated and often criticized. Zagloba Deli & Restaurant, sells their Traditional Polish Tripe Soup for $7.50. This is their medium sized serving, which contains 16 ounces or 454g of tripe.

The dish I have chosen for my blog post has significant importance from my childhood. It is called Baabath and Puruth Curry (Tripe Curry), which the Sri Lankan Malays are known to prepare. I have had the best version of this dish by my grandma, and my grand aunts. This dish has pleasant memories from my childhood, because it was always prepared at any special function or event that involved the whole family getting together. Tripe Curry is paired well with Pittu. Pittu is made with coconut, and rice flour or ground rice, and steamed in a cylinder. 

The cooking methods involved in tripe curry making is moist heat cooking, which involves tenderizing the tripe in a pressure cooker, as well cooking in a broth/curry after. Tripe is cooked in a pressure cooker, due to the long hours of cooking required in order to tenderize the meat. Moist heat cooking works best, because dry heat cooking may toughen the meat further.

Pictured above: Tripe Curry by Shan the Foodie & Co.

Given below is my late grand aunts, authentic tripe curry recipe, which has been loved by all. I am looking forward to recreating my grand aunts recipe in the future.

Ingredients:

1kg Cleaned Tripe

1tbs Coriander

1tbs Cumin Seed

1bsp Dil Seed

1inch piece of Cinnamon

4pcs Cloves

50gms Tamarind

5tbs Chillie Powder

5 cloves Chopped Garlic

2inch piece Pandan

1 sprig Curry Leaves

2inch piece Lemongrass

6 pods Cardamom

1 piece Powdered Aromatic Ginger

½ cup Scraped Coconut

1tbs Bombay Onions

1tbs Oil

1 Cup Thick Coconut Milk

1tsp Saffron

Method:

In a pressure cooker boil the Tripe with chillie, tamarind, saffron and salt until tender. Sauté onions, dil, garlic, ginger, pandan, lemongrass, curry leaves and spices until golden brown. Combine the boiled meat, and coconut milk. Roast the coriander, cumin seeds and aromatic ginger until brown and flavours are released. Roast the coconut separately, and finely grind the roasted ingredients, add to the meat, and let it simmer for a while.

Reference:

Kenyan. C. (2019, Aug 05th). What is tripe?, The Spruce Eats    https://www.thespruceeats.com/information-about-tripe-2342853

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Malnutrition

Malnutrition has become a severe problem around the world. According to the WHO, every country in the world is affected by one or more forms of it. This condition occurs when the intake is either over or under the optimal amount required. Overnutrition consists of the intake of too many calories, and undernutrition refers to the intake of inadequate nutrients and calories. Due to the fact that malnutrition has severely affected many parts of the world, I was interested in exploring this topic further; to help improve such conditions in the best of my capabilities in the future. I believe my blog has not only given me the opportunity to learn more, but I can also share my knowledge, as well as apply the knowledge I have gathered in my future career. I have learned that malnutrition is a serious condition, and I will aim to spread awareness, and prevent such conditions with the best of my capabilities.

It is very much important for any individual involved in the culinary industry to have knowledge on every aspect of food. From sourcing, preparation, serving, and its Nutritional content. It is important to create a well-balanced diet when serving food, in order to build a healthier community. Customers have also diverted to more healthy living. Raising the demand for low in calorie, and dietary food. Even if a restaurant is not based on healthy dining, having balanced meal options on the menu, will give someone who is health conscious the opportunity to dine. As a result, increasing a restaurants customer base and demand. I believe the ability to balance flavours, and its nutritional content, is an important skill a chef must possess.

Pickford, A. n.d. Science Photo Library. Britannica Image Quest.    https://quest.eb.com/search/nutrition/1/132_1269976/Nutrition

In order to reference my source, I used the World Health Organizations official website. WHO is a world recognized organization, with its sole purpose being to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable. The organization has been running for many years since April 7, 1948. Enrolling a lot of expertise, and its information is consistent and accurate. They strive for openness and honesty, with 100% transparency giving out reliable information.

Because of Instagram, twitter and Tiktok along with other social media apps, we hear a lot of diet advice from celebrities. Providing one with incomplete but appealing information, such as Poosh. Poosh has a well-designed, and attractive website, containing many “diets”. Poosh may not be a reliable source to gather nutritional advice, due to the fact that it is owned by a celebrity who is not a qualified dietician. The website has been established in the recent past. Its main focus being, selling merchandise, and creating a lifestyle brand, rather than a healthy one.

References

Malnutrition. (2021, June 09th). World Health Organization.               https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition

Eat the rainbow for your best health. n.d. Poosh.                 https://poosh.com/eat-the-rainbow-for-health

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Preservations

As my final Blog Assignment for preservation techniques, I have chosen to make Kimchi. Kimchi is a Korean side dish, which has gained popularity around the world in the past few years, due to its unique flavour and health benefits. The health benefits come from the fermentation process which will be described further on.

Since the opening of Kang’s kitchen in Sri Lanka (an authentic Korean restaurant), and having tried their food. I’ve been in love with Korean food. Kimchi was served to us as a side dish that came free of charge. I was excited to have the opportunity to make kimchi myself and experience the preparation of a Korean dish which I’ve been wanting to do for quite some time.

 Fermentation

Fermentation takes place when vegetables are soaked in a brine or submerged in salted water for a period of time. The process begins with lacto-fermentation production, producing lactic acid bacteria, which enhances nutritional content. Bacteria or yeast breakdown sugars found in vegetables into carbon dioxide, acid and other flavour compounds. This process prevents the vegetables from going rancid, also giving it a sour taste. Some benefits of consuming fermented vegetables include:

Reduction of cholesterol and cholesterol assimilation

Antioxidant activity

Anticancer activity

Immunomodulatory activity

Inhibitory activity against pathogenic bacteria responsible for the most frequent foodborne diseases worldwide.

The recipe I have used is by Emily Han on her blog Kitchn. Since some ingredients were not available, they were substituted for ingredients that were available in the local market. The ingredients required were Napa Cabbage which I did not have, so I substituted it for Chinese cabbage. Daikon radish which was substituted for Long radish. Gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes), substituted for regular red chili flakes. Anchovy paste was used instead of salted shrimp paste.

Ingredients

1 medium head, napa cabbage (about 2 pounds)

1/4 cup iodine-free sea salt or kosher salt

Water, preferably distilled or filtered

1 tablespoon grated garlic (5 to 6 cloves)

1 teaspoon fresh ginger

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

2 tablespoons fish sauce or salted shrimp paste, or 3 tablespoons water

1 to 5 tablespoons Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)

8 ounces Korean radish or daikon radish

4 medium scallions

Method

1.       Cut the cabbage lengthwise through the stem into quarters. Cut the cores from each piece. Cut each quarter crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips.

2.       Place the cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Using your hands, massage the salt into the cabbage until it starts to soften a bit. Add enough water to cover the cabbage. Put a plate on top of the cabbage and weigh it down with something heavy, like a jar or can of beans. Let stand for 1 to 2 hours.

3.       Rinse the cabbage under cold water 3 times. Set aside to drain in a colander for 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the spice paste.

4.       Rinse and dry the bowl you used for salting. Add the garlic, ginger, sugar, and fish sauce, shrimp paste, or water and stir into a smooth paste. Stir in the gochugaru, using 1 tablespoon for mild and up to 5 tablespoons for spicy (I like about 3 1/2 tablespoons); set aside until the cabbage is ready.

5.       Gently squeeze any remaining water from the cabbage and add it to the spice paste. Add the radish and scallions.

6.       Using your hands, gently work the paste into the vegetables until they are thoroughly coated. The gloves are optional here but highly recommended to protect your hands from stings, stains, and smells!

7.       Pack the kimchi into a 1-quart jar. Press down on the kimchi until the brine (the liquid that comes out) rises to cover the vegetables, leaving at least 1 inch of space at the top. Seal the jar.

8.       Place a bowl or plate under the jar to help catch any overflow. Let the jar stand at cool room temperature, out of direct sunlight, for 1 to 5 days. You may see bubbles inside the jar and brine may seep out of the lid.

9.       Check the kimchi once a day, opening the jar and pressing down on the vegetables with a clean finger or spoon to keep them submerged under the brine. (This also releases gases produced during fermentation.) Taste a little at this point, too! When the kimchi tastes ripe enough for your liking, transfer the jar to the refrigerator. You may eat it right away, but it's best after another week or two.

After 24 hours of fermentation, the brine started oozing out of the jar and I saw bubbles, so I was confident that the fermentation process had begun. The final picture attached is after four days of fermentation. The vegetables were softer and there was a strong garlicky pungent smell. The flavour profiles were sour, salty, umami, and a little bit of heat. The recipe I followed was great, as the process was simple even though fermentation took a few days. It tasted a lot like the Kimchi I had at my favourite Korean restaurant, but with a stronger flavour of garlic. However, since I personally am not a big fan of raw garlic I will definitely reduce the quantity of garlic the next time I make Kimchi. I am very pleased with the outcome of my fermented dish.

References:

Viridiana, C. R & Humberto, H. S. (2018). Reference module in food science. Science Direct

  https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/food-science/fermented-vegetables

Han, E. (2020). How to make easy kimchi at home. Kitchn.

  https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-easy-kimchi-at-home-189390

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Tasting something ‘new’

As a kid, I loved eating mayonnaise and I would add it to absolutely anything! However, one fine day I ate some Mayonnaise that had been left out for too long which led me to having a very bad reaction. Ever since then, I absolutely despise the taste of it and I always avoid foods that contain mayonnaise also because mayonnaise felt too rich on my palate. 

Sushi is something that I absolutely love! I always miss out on some really good variety's since mayonnaise is an added ingredient in most. But, I decided to try out the ‘Volcano Maki’ for the very first time this weekend.

The presentation was appealing to the eyes, with the colour of the filling looking like lava from a volcano and stacked like a mountain. There was no significant aroma but a slight smell of vinegar. Below is a picture of the Volcano Maki from Sushi Kai.

Starting off with the sushi rice, which was a short grain rice that was firm, held its shape but sticky and with the individual grains still being visible. The rice had a sweet, salty and sour taste which was well balanced and complemented the fillings well. 

The fillings were the best part. The crab filling, made out of shredded crab sticks (which did not taste like crab but definitely tasted like fish), and bits of fried tempura for crunch along with the combinations of many other ingredients. Despite the filling being extremely spicy, the cucumber cooled off the spiciness and the filling had a hint of sweetness to it as well. I didn’t taste the mayonnaise due to all the flavour combinations, which left my palate pleasantly surprised. 

The Volcano Maki consisted of 4 of the basic flavours such as salty, sweet, sour and umami. From tasting this dish, I realized that food needs to be well balanced and certain ingredient's that one may find unappetizing, can be controlled from balancing out other flavours. This is definitely something I will be considering when preparing a dish with mayonnaise in the future. 

This dish was unique to me due to the many elements and combination of basic flavours coming together and giving my taste buds a unique experience. Using Spicy ingredients and adding an ingredient to cool it off (for example: Cucumber), is something I can consider when preparing a dish myself.

I will definitely be having more Volcano Maki again! And I will be trying out more dishes with Mayonnaise.

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Gazpacho with a twist!

On my trip to Spain back in 2018, my family and I visited Restaurant Castell d'Orpí. A castle that is now running as a restaurant. Castell d'Orpí is famous for their authentic Spanish food that is offered with a twist. One such dish that caught my eye was the Gazpacho which was served with a Watermelon Sorbet! Yes, you read that right! The best Gazpacho and the best watermelon sorbet I’ve had to date.  After a long day of traveling and site seeing on a warm sunny day in Barcelona, this chilled and refreshing soup helped us cool down.

Pictured above was our view from Castell d'Orpí

Pictured above is their amazing watermelon sorbet and below is their out of this world Gazpacho poured over the watermelon sorbet.

I decided to give this chilled soup a go as part of my blog assignment. The recipe I followed was of Gordon Ramsey's Gazpacho. This recipe was quite simple and consisted of a lot of ingredients I was able to source locally, except for the Sherry Vinegar which I substituted for White Wine Vinegar.

Ingredients: 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped 1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped 1kg ripe plum tomatoes, cored and chopped 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 2 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped 75g stale crusty white bread, chopped 2–2½ tbsp sherry vinegar, or to taste

I started off by washing, peeling and cutting all ingredients into medium sized dices as learned in week 2 of Food Theory. After which the bread was cut into similar medium sized dices. All chopped vegetables were then added into the bread along with the Olive Oil, Vinegar and seasonings. This was then left for 30 minutes (or could be left overnight) in the refrigerator.

Once the bread was done absorbing all liquids, this mixture was pureed in a blender until smooth. After a couple more hours of refrigeration the soup was ready for consumption! I also added a few slices of toast, which was simply drizzled with Olive Oil and toasted to give a bit of crunch. 

The Gazpacho made by myself was of course in no par to what was had in Spain, but I was pleasantly surprised by how good and similar in taste it was. I would say that this was definitely a success. Had it not been for this blog I would not have tried making a cold soup, which was a first for me.

When it comes to the reflections, the soup was very much lighter in colour and wasn't as red as I hoped it would be. I also substituted White Wine Vinegar for Sherry Vinegar which was a little more acidic than I opted for.

My mom was the biggest fan of the Gazpacho I made, she loved the balance of flavours, seasoning and rich texture. She became next-level obsessed with it! However, something I would do differently would be to add more riper and red tomato's, and if not for Sherry Vinegar I would definitely use less of any other type of vinegar.

I definitely hope to make the Gazpacho again soon, and would definitely try it with a twist, such as a sorbet or a new ingredient the second time around. I never I thought I would get the chance to replicate an amazingly unique dish I had on a trip 3 years ago but writing this blog gave me that opportunity and I will definitely try my hands on many more dishes I’ve enjoyed on my past trips to foreign destinations!

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My name is Sashini Azmeera Perera. Born and currently residing in Colombo, Sri Lanka. 

Growing up I always showed great interest in cooking and baking. As I was a part of the Interact Club of Bishop’s College, we held numerous events to help the less fortunate. One such event required us to visit a Teen Mom’s home. These young mom’s had been through numerous hardships, from being kicked out of their home to being sexually abused and our job was simply to put a smile on their faces and teach them a life skill. 

I decided to teach them how to make a simple Chocolate Mousse because who doesn’t love a Chocolate Mousse and what better way to bring happiness than a smooth, rich and creamy dessert. Something we may call a ‘Simple Chocolate Mousse’ was not heard of by these young moms! The joy this brought them when they tasted the mousse was so immense. This was the very moment I decided my purpose in life. I wanted to make this a life choice, I wanted to create dishes for people and bring about joy and happiness to them with my skills. This I would say was the very day I grew more passionate towards Culinary.

I started off my journey in Baking school, which I studied for almost 2 years and was recruited by Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo. After 2.5 years of working I wanted to broaden my knowledge further more and advance my set of skills. This brought about the decision for me to join Culinary Management (Integrated Learning) at George Brown College. I am also currently running my own business under the name of Cake A Lot, specialized in birthday cakes and desserts which has been of great success. 

My goal in life is to be a great Chef and bring joy to people around me through my food. I would also like to open my own restaurant and not just serve food but give each of my guests an unforgettable culinary experience.  

This quotation I believe in strongly, because I believe that the love that goes into what you’re truly passionate about will impact its outcome.

https://www.sophisticatedgourmet.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/food-quote-thomas-keller.webp

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A blogger that I really enjoy following up on is ‘Half Baked Harvest’. Tieghan Gerard’s blogs remind me of a nice cozy day, with a warm meal in your belly and a lovely cocktail to pair with it. What is most important in a blog are the photographs, which she has captured beautifully. Her dishes range from comfort food to healthy wholesome meals. While having tried many of her recipes myself, I can assure you that they are delicious! 

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My name is Sashini Azmeera Perera. Born and currently residing in Colombo, Sri Lanka. 

Growing up I always showed great interest in cooking and baking. As I was a part of the Interact Club of Bishop’s College, we held numerous events to help the less fortunate. One such event required us to visit a Teen Mom’s home. These young mom’s had been through numerous hardships, from being kicked out of their home to being sexually abused and our job was simply to put a smile on their faces and teach them a life skill. 

I decided to teach them how to make a simple Chocolate Mousse because who doesn’t love a Chocolate Mousse and what better way to bring happiness than a smooth, rich and creamy dessert. Something we may call a ‘Simple Chocolate Mousse’ was not heard of by these young moms! The joy this brought them when they tasted the mousse was so immense. This was the very moment I decided my purpose in life. I wanted to make this a life choice, I wanted to create dishes for people and bring about joy and happiness to them with my skills. This I would say was the very day I grew more passionate towards Culinary.

I started off my journey in Baking school, which I studied for almost 2 years and was recruited by Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo. After 2.5 years of working I wanted to broaden my knowledge further more and advance my set of skills. This brought about the decision for me to join Culinary Management (Integrated Learning) at George Brown College. I am also currently running my own business under the name of Cake A Lot, specialized in birthday cakes and desserts which has been of great success. 

My goal in life is to be a great Chef and bring joy to people around me through my food. I would also like to open my own restaurant and not just serve food but give each of my guests an unforgettable culinary experience.  

This quotation I believe in strongly, because I believe that the love that goes into what you’re truly passionate about will impact its outcome.

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