It is 5.30am in Mumbai right now and I am wondering isn’t it high time that I revive my food and lifestyle blog again? I started it in 2011 with no knowledge about cooking, blogging, photography, social networking, social media marketing or anything about the web world for that matter. But when I wrote my first blog, it gave me a sense of immense satisfaction…creative freedom…motive and purpose.
The concept of INFLUENCER never existed then but unintentionally I was actually doing that by posting about my life and influencing my readers to try my recipes or visit places or follow my choices, clothing, etc. Then why did I stop?
I was somewhere in my late 20’s..born and brought up in Mumbai, working hard and partying hard in the city which I loved the most. I met Ritesh in 2010, got married and moved to San Francisco with a heavy heart thinking that we will move back to India within 2 years…and Yeah Right it took us almost 10 years to move back lol 😛
When I started blogging, I had just moved to the US and was lonely. I wanted an outlet to express myself, make new like minded friends and document my new adventures. Crave Cook Click gave me a new life and an identity in every way. I started doing a full time IT job, pursued professional photography, ran marathons, started an online shopping portal, travelled to new destinations but I still continued blogging..UNTILLLLLLL
My first son was born:) And I never knew that Being a Mother will take priority over everything in my life. I salute every mom who can be a mom as well as pursue her passions. But I was unable to. Rian became the topmost priority of my life. We wanted him to experience family, extended family, festivals and the real chaos of India and so we finally moved back to India in 2020. And COVID Hit!
I was pregnant again with my 2nd son Abir and I became a minority in my house lol with 3 boys around! I would be lying if I say that it has been a bed of roses since we moved back to India. There were many ups and terrible lows. But I guess that’s what LIFE is.
Today at 6am I can confidently say that I have somewhat settled in Mumbai, India with my parents, my in-laws and extended family in Baroda. And yes made some amazing new friends too. Also I have learned to prioritise my career along with my 2 babies. With some courage and a friend’s and Ritesh’s support I have a 3rd baby..My restaurant in Mumbai which is exactly 5 mins from my house <3. It is called Cafe Cadell. You can check it out on @cadecadell and visit it when you come to Mumbai.
Now with 3 babies in my arms, I want to go back to giving some love to my first baby which is Crave Cook Click. Plan is to post at least once a week..let’s see how it goes. Need your love, push and support 🙂 And maybe you thought that I have stopped photographing every event of my life..No I didn’t.. It is just that I stopped posting which I will resume now. I will also do some throwback posts to show some snippets of my last couple of years in Mumbai since I moved back.
SO now I have 4 babies to handle…#1 Crave Cook Click, #2 Rian #3 Abir #4 Cafe Cadell. And yeah I am ready for it.
To begin my blogging journey again, I am sharing a sweet recipe..here it is.
As a kid, I remember eating Sitaphal cream at Haji Ali Juice Center in Mumbai. After a couple of years, my personal favorite was Natural Icecream’s Mango Cream. So I decided to try this recipe at home and the result was quite delicious.
Mango with Cream is a simple yet indulgent dessert that combines the natural sweetness of ripe mangoes with the richness of cream. Here is the recipe. You can see the video recipe on this link
Ingredients:
4 Ripe mangoes, diced
200 gms Whipped Cream
200 ml Condensed Milk
Method:
In a bowl, add the whipped cream and condensed milk. Blend it for 5-10 mins.
Freeze it for 4 hrs minimum.
Dice the mangoes.
For serving, add a dollop of freshly made cream and garnish with diced mangoes on top
Mango Cream is one of the easiest desserts which you can serve in summer!
You can also view the video recipe on Instagram on this link
# Variations:
-Add a sprinkle of cinnamon, cardamom, or other spices for added warmth and depth
– Use different types of mangoes, such as Alphonso or Ataulfo, for unique flavors
– Substitute whipped cream with coconut cream or yogurt for a lighter or dairy-free version
# Serving Suggestions:
– Serve as a light and refreshing dessert after a meal
– Enjoy as a snack or treat any time of day
– Pair with toasted nuts or biscuits for added crunch and texture
