Attention! Attention! Attention!

Hey My lovelies, 

A quick letter type post to inform about my most recent interview!! No i didnt mean a job interview, (remember- antarachocolates.com; so no job interviews pls) but a Question Answer type interview by the amazing team of Smart Indian Women -E magazine. This was the very first time I talked to someone as Antara Roy, a blogger and a foodie. I was quite surprised when the interview mail came to me. After all, its not everyday that you get to boast about being you!! 

Link to the full interview- 

http://www.smartindianwomen.com/blog/an-interview-with-blogger-antara-of-zouqh/

 An Interview with Blogger, Antara of “Zouqh“

Posted on September 22, 2014 by admin

Thanks for taking the time to chat with SIW. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your blog.     

Antara : I am a simple kitchen-ista in search of an elusive food nirvana. I am the ever smiling typical bong with big eyes and even bigger cheeks! I am the metropolitan home-maker and the new age mommy! I am the classic example of a risk taker, who left the blitzy alleys of mainstream media to become a ‘work-from-home entrepreneur’. I am the taste behind Zouqh, the brain behind antarachocolates.com and the lady luck/unluck behind two of the most awesome boys in universe! I am Antara roy…

What makes your blog so unique and why should people read it?          

Antara : My blog chronicles episodes of my life, which is almost always about food and drinks and merry times with friends and families. Every recipe I develop comes with a story of its own, and that’s my USP. I recipe develop for companies, using their products, which people love to try out as well. I also do restaurant reviews which people refer to before going up there. I also write articles about relevant food queries I get, such as how to be ready to cook on weekdays- http://antaras-zouqh.blogspot.in/2013/09/work-and-food-dilemmas.html or a modern spin on Ganesh chaturthi prasad- http://antaras-zouqh.blogspot.in/2014/08/lord-ganeshas-prashad.html.. so that’s how i stand unique to the rest!

How often do you blog?              

Antara : I try to target 2-3 times a week, but it heavily depends on my work schedules and appointments.

What has been your most successful blog post to date and what was it about?

Antara : I have achieved the biggest success while blogging recipes for a Mumbai based milk company. These recipes were also carried by the company and pasted on the bottle backs. Apart from these, last month I did a modern take on Ganesh Festival Prasad, which also gathered quite much attention.

What do you find most challenging about blogging?     

Antara : To blog on time, as you always end up delaying the post, and it somehow loses its credibility.

What are some of your favorite author blogs and why?               

Antara : I don’t have a favorite that I visit all the time. But yes Foodwishes.com and 15spatulas.com are a few I refer to when in search of a recipe.

Can we really make a living by Blogging? If yes, how we can do that?

Antara : I have not opened my blog to advertisements. But yes, I do feel you can earn a decent amount by doing that. Also food companies pay to recipe develop, which is another form of earning for food bloggers. In recent times, a lot of companies and restaurants alike really look forward to blogger’s opinions, and hence send invites to check out their products and comment on it. Product give-aways also happen. These might not be monetary earnings, but you do end up earning in kinds.

What advice would you give to young women readers of SIW who want to follow a similar career path as you?              

Antara : Blogging is fun and de-stressor… these are reasons enough for you to start blogging. its a wonderful way of venting out your knowledge, and keeping it open for the world to read. its addictive and it will provide you with that much needed break, that you crave for. Cheers!!

Blog URL : antaras-zouqh.blogspot.in

Category : Foodie

All images are property of “Antara” and required permissions have been taken to publish it on www.smartindianwomen.com website.

A Weekend Trail thru Food!!

It was one weekend trail that was worth every penny of bragging, as possible. I had a rather busy week and even busier weekend this week. And as usual it had to do all with food! More and more glorious food!

Taste Of Europe- Botticino

I have always been a fan of this concept of Restaurant Week. A three course meal, specially curated on half the prices, what’s not to like about it?  And the good part is, a lot of companies and restaurants alike are taking to this concept. It brings the common us closer to fine dinners and lunches, while not creating a huge blow on the wallet! When European Union got together city restaurants to start with a festival, #TasteofEurope- showcasing the European cuisines, I couldn’t help but try it out. I chose a 5 star setting- Trident BKC played a gracious host to my very satisfying and generous portions of Lunch.

All that Jazz and Spirit!!

Those were the days when you would go to an uncle’s house and have uncle chips and cold drinks while the adults chill with a cup of tea. Parties meant something easy, an easy not bothered atmosphere was created without much of a problem. The ladies were busy in kitchen, men in the drawing room and kids chilling in the bedroom watching TV, looking at western parties with flowing bars and awesome music. Cut to this generation, and we have successfully got all of those enactments to life, in an Indian setting. Today every house I get invited to has an impressive bar, and alcohol flows freely and heartily. After all, in this day and age, alcohol is the spirit of a rolling party.

When

A Weekend Trail thru Food!!

I hate Mondays, and hate it even more when it comes after a very long weekend as the last. What a lazy monsoon type weekend it was, where I just played with my toddler, made good food, ate good food (thanks to the festivities around) and actually got confident to share my interpretation of sambhar with my ever so generous and sambhar expert, my neighbour-Aunty! It was a lazy-lazy time, where I didn’t log into my computer or any of my social media, or stepped out of my building compound.  

Friday started with a Ganesh Chaturthi bonanza. So many social visits, different idols of Ganesh and yummy Prasad to eat. That summed it all.