Welcome to IshitaUnblogged…

A culinary travel blog featuring Dubai, Kolkata & the World beyond!

Hi! This is my culinary travel blog featuring Dubai, Kolkata & the world beyond. Culture, history, food and travel stories, inspiring recipes, chef talk, dining reviews and nostalgia unfold here amidst humour, soul-search and visual stimulation. And oh! How could I ever forget? With 2 kids in tow!

You may want to read more about what this blog entails and it’s disclosure policies mentioned briefly in this post, in a more elaborate FAQs format. In that case, do skip this paragraph and jump onto the ‘a bit about me’ section which talks about my personal life and the idiosyncrasies that have shaped up this blog. And if you are still continuing here – a very warm welcome to you! I hope that you will spend some time browsing through the blog and leave behind a comment (or two!). My blog started way back in October 2011 as a creative expression for myself, purely out of passion and had no commercial intention. Three Four Five Six Seven years hence, I have built a career out of this passion by co-founding FoodeMag, a registered food-travel-wellness emagazine and website, which I also edit. Over the years, I have built a lot of credibility on this blog and my emagazine with sheer hard work, honesty and creativity. This blog and my job at FoodeMag, have given me unique opportunities in terms of meeting people and to travel as part of bespoke media trips, and if I have shared any of these experiences in this blog, it is my prerogative to do so and because I want to share with my readers some of the unique behind-the-scenes experiences I may have had. Because of the nature of my job, I may have been paid to work with a brand or my trip or dinner may have been hosted in some cases. To maintain transparency and authenticity in this blog, I only write about food and travel stories that inspire me and feel will inspire You, my readers. This blog is still my meditative space, brings me solace and keeps me grounded as this is where it all began… because it connected me to You. Mostly, I write about experiences that I have personally paid for, but there are a few times where I have written about my experiences where I have been hosted (masterclasses or a bespoke staycation). Every blogpost has a disclosure at the end stating whether my family/myself have been hosted or my bills have been self paid or not – if I have been offered any media discounts for my family/myself, or whether a brand that I am writing about, has been a paid collaboration with FoodeMag. I personally reply to each and every comment that comes my way in this blog or via my social media channels – although, I admit of being guilty of overlooking emails occasionally. I tend to mark the latter to respond later, as I feel that emails need a more formal response – only to find some of them vanished! Please feel free to nudge again if I haven’t responded to you (request you not to WhatsApp unless its an emergency). I am also pretty social with an engaging and a niche audience of 35K+ (94.4% real followers according to the social media audit firm igaudit.io), so feel free to connect with me… over Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and on YouTube!

  IshitaUnblogged on Twitter  IshitaUnblogged on InstagramIshitaUnblogged on PinterestIshitaUnblogged on YouTube

i am an started off as an independent food & travel blogger, and now… this is my journey beyond

When I started this blog in October 2011, it was with the intention of sharing my personal food and travel stories with like-minded readers – I simply wanted to write. Down the line, as the blog became popular, I got invited for food events, restaurant launches, food-tastings, media trips, contributing recipes, and to write on food and travel in various media publications. Generating content for a blog like mine not only takes tremendous time and effort, a lot of these invites don’t always align to my interests or to my audience. Today, If I accept an invite, it is either on behalf of FoodeMag and I do communicate to the PR beforehand, that while I may share my honest experience on my social media channels, I may not document them in my blog. For being able to write on my blog, the experience has to inspire me and relatable for my audience. I choose what posts to write and each post is based on my own experiences and outlines my own independent opinions. 

Over my blogging years, I’ve connected to many of you at a personal level and have had the opportunity to meet up with some of the leading regional and international food bloggers, well known personalities in the food industry, chefs and celebrities – both virtually and otherwise. I’ve been enriched with these experiences and feel humbled with the comments left by you in my blog and in this blog. The blog has also had it’s share of press and media mentions…. and I can only feel gratitude as to how a blog that started as a personal documentation of my experiences is now, literally taking me to places. Today, the blog not only connects me to real people, it also gives me the opportunity to explore beyond my blog in the following capacities:

IshitaUnblogged, a culinary travel blog featuring Dubai, Kolkata and the world beyond

a bit about me

We love to travel and we don’t really care how we look when we travel… as is evident from our ruffled hair, sand-brushed cracky cheeks and squinty stares in the above picture – from our Srilanka Nepal USA Ladakh Cambodia Jordan trip this summer. And we love to eat when we travel. We refers to my husband (referred earlier in this blog as S, but now has resurfaced himself with his new avatar – the Bearded Biker, since he bought himself a Harley Davidson after he hit his forties) and myself with our two little girls whom we address as the Z-Sisters (even outside the blog!). Big Z is going to turn 8 this May, has turned 8, has turned 9, has just turned 10/11/12 has turned 13 this May and Li’l Z is going to turn 3 in March, has turned 3, has turned 4, has turned 5 years, has turned 6/7/8 has turned 9 in March.

I love clicking pictures. And I’m trying to pull Big Z, I’ve pulled Big Z into my team by having gifted her a small Canon ‘aim and shoot’ on her 7th birthday. She’s fallen into my trap without realising it. I am told by my family and friends that I drive them up the wall when I am with my camera/smartphone – a trusted Nikon SLR (and currently a Samsung Galaxy too) currently a Huawei P8 an Iphone 8. They have learnt to tolerate me gradually over the years. But my obsession to click pictures could well be an undiagnosed case of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)! [Updating a bit here in May 2014]… My MacBook and iMac, both crashed on the same day wiping away a lot of pictures that I had collected over the years. This extreme tragedy elevated me from the digital geek that I had become (when I couldn’t enjoy my Turkish ice cream because my smartphone had died and I couldn’t take a selfie) to a spiritual foodie (it’s okay to write entire food posts with pictures taken in the smartphone, the Nikon can wait).  In 2015, the lens for my Nikon SLR got smashed in Ladakh due to extreme pressure fluctuation at various altitudes and bit of rough handling from my end. It left me pretty devastated. In addition to this, the non-availability of wifi for most of our 10 days road trip pretty much transformed me from the addicted clicker I had become to a more restrained clicker. Unfortunately, it also turned me away from my traditional camera by enticing me to the convenience of a smartphone camera. Today, I practically do everything on my iPhone – from editing images to creating movies. I am also learning to live every moment without the need to ‘click’ every moment I live. What hasn’t changed in all these years however, and through my many transformations, is my blog. It is my virtual home and is still very photo heavy. The focus is still on my style of content. I practically dwell here, unblogging it all. Just like music unplugged, here… it’s me – Ishita, unblogged… ever since my first blogpost!

a bit more about me

i struggled quite a bit to make this ‘bit’ as small as possible – however, if you skip this part you will still get the essence of the blog

The following are some of the idiosyncrasies in us that you have the right to know and which will only help you, in-case we happen to be sitting next to each other while travelling in a plane:

• If you have the window seat and I don’t, then you must necessarily look out of the window all the time. Otherwise, you don’t have the right to be sitting by the window. I’ll pester you with ‘Nice view isn’t it?’ till you end up saying ‘Would you like to see the view yourself?’ and swap places

• If the food served to you is different from mine (even though I have been served exactly what I have ordered from the menu), I will necessarily be staring at your food, since at this point I might think that you knew exactly that your food is going to be better than mine 

• My magazines and newspapers would necessarily be lying on the floor or would have been torn into multiple pieces by the Z-Sisters. [Updating a bit here in May 2016]… the Z-Sisters have become really dignified travellers and are simply happy that we are travelling. I still haven’t changed much. So bear with me if I borrow magazines and newspapers stacked in YOUR seat pocket even though you probably haven’t finished reading them

• I like taking out my handbag from the overhead loft every half an hour to use hand moisturiser, lip balm, chewing gum and my travel itinerary list – in exactly that order. It is to make sure that I have included everything that has to be seen and done, in the place that we are visiting. As per all the travel guides and websites and my blogger friends‘ suggestions. I could keep my handbag on my lap or under my feet – but I find it very big and very uncomfortable

• I look at people either through my camera lenses or through my senses – ‘Do they appear the way they sound? Does the face tally with the name of the person? Does the surname complement the name?’ etc. SO, EITHER I WILL STARE AT YOU BECAUSE YOU WILL BE A FABULOUS SUBJECT FOR MY PHOTOGRAPHS OR I AM BOTHERED THAT YOU LOOK DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I EXPECT YOU TO APPEAR That was before. Now, the first thing that comes in my mind – is he/she a food blogger? If yes, then it’s perfect. Both of us can go on with our own virtual lives of clicking pictures of our food, share over social media, without the need to actually interact. 

LASTLY, I WILL  BE STARING OUT OF THE WINDOW EVEN IF IT IS DARK!

If you are still interested in the other members in our family, then here are two more bullet points:

• The Z-Sisters will definitely order apple juices and when they are being served apple juices, they will opt for mango juices. Nowadays, the Z-Sisters order fizzy drinks against my wishes all the time. And I look expectantly at the steward/stewardess as if it’s their sole responsibility is to put sense into passengers’ children – after all, parents also need a break from parenting 

• S likes to catch up on movies and his sleep; if he falls asleep he will definitely snore. Nowadays, it’s me who snores while sleeping. Not sure whether that’s true though but I reach my destination energetic and all charged up, so why bother?

I love art museums and hate children’s parks that have millions of rides. I refuse to pay for my headache and body pain that comes in the name of roller-coaster rides and bumpy cars. Big Z hates them too. But, Li’l Z is gradually showing promising nerves – hence entertainment parks may have to be considered as future holiday destinations. Big Z is also into roller coasters these days. 

S loves architectural ruins and historical places where you can still hear the cannons boom. His shopping typically consists of T-shirts, spices and liqueurs from the local markets. He is fond of buying bulky folk art – specially the art forms that are dying. As for me, I like buying local jewelleries – the junk type, cookbooks on the local cuisine… but we are slowly resorting to fridge magnets as travel souvenirs with the space at home slowly becoming a constraint. The Z-Sisters demand to buy everything they see. [Updated in 2015]… Currently, we try to plan an annual bike trip where the entire family looks forward to following S’s exciting road/motorbike trips.

how does food come into the picture? blame it on my Bengali genes, perhaps surely!

The most important companion in our travel is food. It’s futile to even try justifying the highest expenditure in our holiday bills – the food expenditure. The four of us can travel far and wide just to experience a particular culinary delight. What to eat and where to eat comes first in our holiday planning, followed by everything else. I make detailed notes of all the special spices that go into the making of local dishes and S scours the local groceries or food markets for local spices of the particular region that we are visiting. Big Z likes to experiment too with food and has started to show a keen interest in cooking and baking. Li’l Z loves to take everything on her plate! too loves her food and is proving to be a great travel companion.

This food fetish can be blamed on our inheriting the Bengali genes. I am a true-blue Bengali or a Bong, a term that immediately upgrades a Bengali into the funky, ubér-cool category! Born and brought up for the most part in Kolkata in India, food has shaped my personality and my character. My Bengali genes are surely to be blamed for my relentless creative pursuits and my unsatiated taste-buds. I am glad to have found a food soulmate in S, my Bong husband. However, his high schooling in Delhi has transformed him into more of a Delhite Bong rather than a Kolkata-bred Bong like me . And we are so happy that we have been able to pass on similar genes (atleast the ones that determine the taste buds) to the Z-Sisters, despite their education in a popular British school in Dubai. The proof is in the pudding, or in their case – the craving for Jhorna Ghee when served gorom shaada bhaat/ steaming hot rice!

Our food preferences are contradictory. S demands everything spicy while I like to savour the flavours. An example of S’s love for spiciness – he’s brought back a few Bhut Jolokia (certified by Guinness World Records in 20017 as the world’s hottest chili pepper, 400 times hotter than Tabasco sauce!), from his 10 days bike trip to NE India and have planted them in our garden! Eating and cooking is a therapeutic and a soulful experience for our family and it’s the most exciting conversation in our lives. I am also a confused eater. Confused, because I don’t know what I love to eat, what to order (there are far too many food options available in this world) and I always end up eying what others order!

little hands, big hearth is our travel inspired experiments with food

My childhood in Kolkata as well as setting up homes with S in different cities like Kolkata, Colombo, Frankfurt and Dubai – have shaped our cookings and moulded our taste-buds. Post holidays, we are on our own food trips at home – experimenting our newly acquired expertise on the local cuisine fused with our regular cooking, thus, inventing new dishes which are mostly eagerly anticipated by family and friends. Since we come from Bengal, India, there’s a lot of experiments on Bengali cuisine – both traditional and fusion. We also cook a lot of Filipino food (yes, that too!), courtesy my Lady Friday who hails from Bicol, a region in Philippines known for it’s spicy cuisine. And coming to Desserts – this is probably the most important food discussion in our family and amongst friends as Bongs are well-known for their sweet tooth!

as i sign off

From the time I have started penning down our culinary and travel journeys, this blog has continuously evolved. However, the essence or the blog philosophy has remained the same. Travel, food and photography are genuine passions for me and I take a lot of effort and time in trying to make the site visually stimulating. S and the Z-Sisters have also had to sacrifice a lot, along with my friends and others in the family. ‘DON’T EAT before I take pictures!’ or ‘FREEZE the spoon in your mouth – that’s a perfect ice-cream dripping shot!’ or ‘Can you please cut my vegetables – your nails will look perfect in my photographs!’ are some of my benign requests that people close to me have been forced to become used to. All images (unless it is stated otherwise), content and graphics belong to me. Please… please don’t use any of them unethically or without acknowledging. I welcome all your suggestions to make the site more interesting, so do keep connected.

As we travel with bag and baggage, cookies and camera chargers, chomping away local savouries and penning down new recipes, my trusted camera iPhone tries to capture everything and every moment all the memorable moments – both tangible and the intangible ones… the cold tickle in our toes while walking on the grass or the fire-alarm-provoking spunk-spice drifting out of my kitchen.

All these and more, with two kids in tow!

Unblogging it all… IshitaMail IshitaUnblogged

SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

116 Comments on “About Me”

  1. I’m excited to follow your blog! Loving all the pictures!

    Like

    Reply

  4. Sounds like a fun life (and blog!) 🙂 The window seat’s all yours because I love aisle seats. Did you make the drawings on your banner and icons? They’re so charming.

    Like

    Reply

  5. Thank you(I said it really funnily. Hope you could hear that!) Will make sure I have a Jar of salt with me when I’m travelling next – that way I’ll be assured of a hassle-free co-passenger. Yes, I did the drawings myself (earn a living doing Art Direction) for this blog(where I spend everything I earn by eating & travelling!). Hope our roads will cross more often on our food journeys!

    Like

    Reply

  6. Hi Ishita,
    We always choose the window seats as well. Your blog has a very appealing design, kind of grabs you with its uniqueness. Excited to read more.

    Nate-

    Like

    Reply

    • Oh Thanks – Am feeling so elated… Yeah! BTW, even if we chose the window seats we try to get out so many times onto the aisle as well since kids are either running to the washroom, or their legs are paining or just simply! Aren’t we a bit irritating?

      Like

      Reply

      • Yes, you ARE irritating. Clearly, I’ve never met you and I’m judging you purely on your (choice of) words and “tone”. But since you’ve admitted to doing the same to people whom you merely SEE (“perhaps a potential blogger or not”) during your trips, I’m sure you wouldn’t mind me stating (with unforgiving certainty) that you ARE, IN FACT, very irritating. Being that you’re so openly bold and obnoxious; once again, I’m sure you won’t mind me adding that you are also very pretentious and self-absorbed. This, Ishita, IS who you are, unblogged.
        In case you are wondering, I came across your blog by “Googling” ‘Bengali Eid desserts. As I always do, I explore each link on the entire first page of search results. Your blog’s layout seemed pleasant. However, as I looked further, I felt disappointed by a sense of amateur-ness, made truly evident by your photos (although, pics would seem more fitting a label…but wait, let’s take a selfie! ugh). You embark on the travels and rather than appreciate the essence of where you are, for what it is – in all its subtleties, you reach for you camera, you think about your blog and social media. No picture can capture the way a soft breeze brushes your cheek as it dances from tree to tree; nor can it capture the tantalizing smell of a hot dish placed in front of you or the feeling you had as it magically caused you to salivate before even tasting a drop of it. Sadly Ishita, in a journey of discovery, you’re more lost than ever.
        I would like to be optimistic about you, perhaps I’m being too judgmental. But as I read about one of your travels I started to pick up on a rather off-putting tone and that’s when I decided to read “About you”. After reading that, I’d like to extend my sincerest thanks to you – for warning me of you. I truly hope to NEVER encounter you during my travels; otherwise, both my husband (Mr. R) and myself would “necessarily” have to shoot ourselves in the head.

        Like

        Reply

        • I am still trying to understand your comment – whether you are being malicious or doling out compliments – I had the choice of deleting your comment, but rather decided to approve it – so that there’s some conversation here.

          Like

          Reply

          • Bravo for including this comment which is full of venom! Although your own blog style which is very personal and frank may not be my own being part of the blogosphere includes leaving helpful comments on posts. I admire the hard work and diligence you have shown in building your own personal brand. In particular I like the way you have use strike through when updating content allowing the reader to see the history of the blog (I.e., the process). The venomous comment leaves little room for any conversation. There is constructive criticism and then there is just pure venom.

            Like

            Reply

            • Thank you Lydia for your feedback. I appreciate every single reader who takes time out from their daily lives to leave some comment, or go through my blog. It’s my sacred personal space cum work space and I believe that our thoughts may not match, but I still appreciate the fact that someone chose to come into this space to check it out. That’s the beauty of blogging – we are reaching out to so many different type of people. I have to admit though, that 99.9% of my readers have been very kind and generous with their comments and I am truly grateful for that.

              Like

              Reply

  7. Thanks for coming by my blog Ishita so I could “find” you! How fun to find another fellow Bengali ~ who of course has a thing for food! I’m looking forward reading more of your blog and following along! Blessings, T

    Like

    Reply

    • The feeling is very mutual… I loved your pics… BTW, I have been planning something whit egg curry for the Easters – lets see how to make it different… look forward to more..:)

      Like

      Reply

      • Love your pictures as well. You’re like a uber professional. Mine are just with a basic point and shoot since cooking and the SLR doesn’t mix, with my luck I’ll drop it into a big pot of daal!

        Like

        Reply

  8. I hope you qualify for the Award- it looks as if you may have many followers, but I love your blog so much I have passed along The Liebster Blog Award! I hope you enjoy receiving it as much as I have! Check out the link at http://www.thisamaceinglife.com–Cheers, Christina

    Like

    Reply

    • Hey Christina! Thanks so very much – And a huge apology for replying so late – am travelling and in Nepal right now – hence just read your post. I’m so so so thrilled. THANK YOU once again!

      Like

      Reply

  9. Thanks for leaving a comment on my blog – I used to jostle with my siblings for the window seat but now I think I’m happiest with the aisle!

    The doodles are fantastic, they give the website such a personal touch. Let me know if Family Ishita ever stop by Hong Kong, I would be more than happy to lead you on a gastronomic tour. Hooray for Asian Awesomeness! 😀

    Like

    Reply

    • A huge apology for such a late reply – am travelling and in Nepal right now. And THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVITE TO THE HONGKONG Gastronomic Tour – Hope you don’t regret having invited later once we actually land up!!!

      Like

      Reply

  11. Hey though I blog under itiriti, we are name sake. Lovely blog Ishita. While riti is my nickname, I use Ishita for all my formal documents. Lovely blog. I love your writing style.

    Like

    Reply

    • Thank you Ishita (felt slightly funny!) Itiriti – does it mean now Iti Riti (from Riti?) or Ishita’s Riti (Ishita’s Rules)???

      peeped into your blog as well – lot of food talk going on – we share more than just our names then, isn’t it?

      Like

      Reply

  12. Ishita, amar blog e comment korar jonyo dhonyobaad 🙂 Bangali maanei food-obsessed, ei ethnic stereotype ta ami shompurno support kori, from personal experience. Kintu aapnar chhobi aar lekhar thekeo beshi bhalo laaglo apnaar header-image er doodle. Chomotkar! Apnaar nijer aaNka?

    Shubhechha neben, bhalo thakben 🙂

    Like

    Reply

    • Priyanka – ami jodio bhishon boyoshko tobuo please ‘apni’ theke ‘tumi’-te shombodhon korle aaro bhalo lagbe. jodio ochena – tobuo. Doodle-ta amar nijer kora. ami chara nijeke eto bhalo kore chinbe ke bolo? (jodi ‘tumi’-te appotyi na thake!)

      Jodio amra dujone ekdom onyo bishoy-e likhchi aar bhabchi tobuo bhalo laglo tomar blog pore… aar bhalo lagbe ki niye bhabcho aar likhcho, ta porte:)

      Like

      Reply

      • “Tumi” te oboshyoi kono apotti nei. Prothome “aapni” bolata onekta defensive, jodi tumi bolle keu kichhu mone kore!

        In many ways, I embody the *other* passion of Bengalis, politics, but I do write about food sometimes, too. Tomar email e linkta forward kore debo. I’d love to know what you think of it, as a fellow foodie 🙂

        Like

        Reply

        • I’ll get your posts as I’ve started following your blog. It will be interesting to keep myself updated with the current Bengali Politics – ki bolo?

          Like

          Reply

    • Oh Neilo thanks so much. I would love to reach out to people who are not even interested in travelling or food for that matter – the writing and the visuals should be stimulating enough. Do drop in more often – it will definitely make me happy. And don’t forget to leave a little comment – how else will I know?

      Like

      Reply

    • Honoured! I am so glad that you think that I’m versatile. I’m not so sure about it though. The topics that I write about are ‘versatile’ – what do you say?

      Like

      Reply

  15. wow..that’s definitely not “a bit” of introduction here..Great blog though..will be following!

    Like

    Reply

  16. LOL! But you can’t complain. I have given the readers both the options – A ‘bit’ about me as well as a ‘bit more’ about me!!! And I’ve also mentioned that they won’t miss anything if they skip the later part:)

    Like

    Reply

  17. You have such a wonderful blog with so many interesting things posted. Inspires me to have mines the same way. Keep on posting!

    Like

    Reply

  18. Hi Ishita . Just saw your comment on my documentary page. there is a you tube like , two of them on the actual page which you can click play and watch. Enjoy,

    Like

    Reply

    • Lara – just finished seeing your documentaries – really well documented. Am going to share this – loved the fact that it reflected very beautifully the intermingling of food and the culture of Jordan. Look forward to more like this:)

      Like

      Reply

  19. Hehe, we are the same bunch of crazy people, except that we are Gujjus now in Dubai !!
    Obviously we do exactly the same kinds of things on a flight….

    Beautiful blog, I must say 🙂

    Like

    Reply

  20. I came across here on account of Dima Sharif who called me about how taken she was with your blog. I must say that she was right on the money! I have meant to come over before having seen your comments on our blogs and fb but was pressed with urgency to do it now. In a word: Brilliant!

    Like

    Reply

    • Thank you Rabin. Your links are not working – tried contacting you… how do you want me to share my travel experiences? Inbox me your email Id – I’ll get back to you:)

      Like

      Reply

    • Apologies Anamika – missed out your comment and am feeling horrible since I’m very particular about replying back. Thanking so much – and look forward to you dropping in many more times…

      Like

      Reply

    • Hey same here… can you give me your blog id – lonetrotter.com? I came back with a very sad feeling – only one lady at Territy Bazaar… look forward to your feedback (genuine)…

      Like

      Reply

  27. Ishita, didn’t know someone could write about herself SO MUCH! I spent more than 30 minutes reading your ‘about me’ page! And it IS interesting! Normally, when I write, I don;tlook at anyone else, but your style is appealing. Keep it up!!

    Like

    Reply

    • Hi Amit. Thank you for such a memorable feedback. I could have written more but thought that would be threatening to all of you. I can understand your amusement and frustration – I hopped on to your blog and you don’t even have a single word written about yourself. So trust me to write something that should take 30 minutes to read. However, all’s well that ends well -I have gained a blog friend, I hope!

      Like

      Reply

  29. I didn’t think I’d ever follow a blog after reading nothing but the ‘About’ section, but what do you know? It’s happened! 😀
    Loved reading A Bit More about you.. Now I shall go check out the rest of your blog.. 🙂

    Like

    Reply

    • I’m honoured… hopped onto your blog as well… hmm loads of foodstuff going on there as well. Do drop in often:)

      Like

      Reply

  30. I guess its what most people do when they bump onto someone’s blog, don’t they ? Read that about me, I mean 🙂 And I am glad I did.
    To say that I loved what you wrote above will be…well… an understatement 🙂 I have never seen such an elaborate description in quite some time.
    Will come around to read you up- in office at the moment 😦
    Have a good day Ma’m 🙂

    Like

    Reply

  31. hi, read yr sandesh pudding recipe and I am planning to publish it in our website’s cuisine section, anticipating your formal ok. our site is http://www.betterbanglaus.com. you can also find us on facebook at Radio Better Bangla. thanx Rajib [rajib@betterbanglaus.com]

    Like

    Reply

  32. Hi Ishita, your blog looks so interesting and beautiful. Would love to read your future posts. I am glad I just tumbled on your by mistake. I am happy to make this mistake.

    Like

    Reply

    • Thank you very much Vini! I’m happy that you tumbled onto my site by mistake! Look forward to you hopping in more often in the future:)

      Like

      Reply

  33. Interesting Blog reminds me of my previous Blog which has become s deserted land

    Like

    Reply

  34. IshitaUnblogged I saw your post here: http://swatibansalrao.com/2013/02/04/gluten-free-orange-and-almond-cake-with-orange-scented-mascarpone/. You refer to people of the Jewish faith in a derogatory manner. Calling someone a “Jew” is a tone of disdain. Also you mentioned your Jewish “friend” wouldn’t eat at your house because of the utensils. Perhaps this is because they practice keeping kosher or it was Passover so the dishes are cha GED in a Jewish household. Before criticng another faith it would be helpful to learn about it.

    Like

    Reply

    • Dear Randi. I apologise if I have hurt your sensibilities. I have been brought up in a very secular family and I am born a Hindu but we’ve had friends who belong to different religion. And we celebrate different festivals. If I have written a recipe that is traditionally enjoyed by Muslims so have I written about Christmas and also Bengali festivals that I’ve grown up experiencing. I didn’t criticise Jewish faith – I have many Jewish friends and all I have said is that they wouldn’t eat at our home because of the ‘utensils’ problem. In one of my post I’ve mentioned our staunch Veg friends for whom our freezer has a separate ‘veg’ section and ‘non-veg’ section. Have I criticised them or written about Marwaris (they are Marwaris coming from Rajasthan) in a bad light? https://ishitaunblogged.com/2012/10/07/baked-gulab-jamun-rabri/
      Look forward to your further reply. This blog is supposed to break all barriers, be non-judgmental or non-political, non-religious. I hope I’ve been able to explain myself to you.

      Like

      Reply

  37. Hi Ishita, I really enjoy you’re blog content, it’s very beautiful and interesting. I also really appreacite your template layout the visual is very stimulating. That being said- is their any chance you would be willing to answer some questions regarding how you made your blog? Thanks and I look forward to more interesting posts on your blog. 🙂

    Like

    Reply

    • Thank you Tania for your wonderful feedback. Of course I”ll be willing to share my answers regarding how I made my blog. I’ve personally asked bloggers, if I had liked some elements in their blogs. What would you like to know?

      Like

      Reply

      • First off thank you so much for responding so quickly; clearly I can tell people from all over are posting, commenting, and asking you questions about your amazing content. What I wanted to know was how did you get those beautiful social media icons ( Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc ) on your home page then linked to each according account? I seem to have the same WordPress theme as you ” Intuit” but can’t seem to figure out how to display my social media icons on my home page or any other page for that matter and have the synced accordingly with each social media account…. Can you help me? – Tania

        Like

        Reply

        • I made each one of the icons… can you please email me? I will be travelling end of this week and will be caught up very badly. Can you send me a reminder email in mid April and I’ll sit down, think it over and share the HTML coding with you. Mind you, I have no idea about any coding but I’ve racked the brains out of internet forums to get the effect that I’ve got. I’ve custom built it over months. On my own. Don’t hesitate to mail me in April and I shall definitely get back:)

          Like

          Reply

          • Ok thank you so much. I will go ahead and email you; hopefully you will get caught up with work and I will be able to get some help from you mid April. In the meantime I will try to do some research and learn some coding. Thanks again. – Tania

            Like

            Reply

  38. Since you like eating out in Dubai, I suggest you start using Forkly (https://forkly.com/).

    Forkly is a social network for rating restaurant dishes & posting photos of dishes. It’s like twitter/instagram for foodies!
    It’s an easy simple way to check out photos of what dishes people are eating around you & to easily recommend the dishes you love & discover new dishes/restaurant.

    It’s really fun! It is worth checking out. It is becoming really popular in Middle East, especially Dubai.
    And they have tools for bloggers like you: https://forkly.com/bloggers

    Here is their iPhone app to get started: http://itun.es/iSr4YS

    And keep up the great work with your blog!
    I hope to see you soon on forkly so I can follow you & see you tastes and ratings =)

    Like

    Reply

    • Thank you so much Fatima for your warm feedback! I’ll be travelling next week, so once I’m back I’ll have to figure out… I need to understand how Forkly is going to help me. Usually most food review sites just ask bloggers to contribute. I’m already doing that for Zomato. It’s difficult since I spend so much time for my blog, I don’t have much spare time honestly!

      Like

      Reply

  39. It has been a pleasure reading your Blog! I came upon it by chance, trying to locate old heritage houses of Kolkata.

    Your perception of Kolkata, its life, the nostalgic memories, all deeply resonate with the die hard Bong that I am!

    Best wishes. Indira

    Like

    Reply

    • Thank you Indira for your lovely warm comment. I love Kolkata with all it’s idiosyncrasies. I’ve tried to capture that. Only you all will be able to tell me whether I’ve been successful in doing that. Look forward to seeing you hopping into my blog and your feedbacks.

      Like

      Reply

  40. Ishita, I must add that your writing is absolutely brilliant!!

    Like

    Reply

  41. Hello Ishita, I stumbled upon your blog and I must say that I liked it. Being a Bengali myself and a foodie one at that, I can connect with your thought process. Having said that, I am trying hard to make a collection of all those recipes/food that the previous generation(pre-partition, grandma/pa including our parents) ate and the method in which they were cooked (sans mixer-grinder, cooker) to be published in the form of a book, in English. Though I like clicking, but I am resource constrained and dont own a SLR to click the food I cook. Hence I was wondering if I can use help from fellow Bengalis who can cook and click both. The photo credits will belong to you and perhaps the thought of seeing your photos in a book excite you enough, like it does me. I meant to write this in an email but assuming it would take longer to first ask for an email id and then write….I chose to ask here, directly.
    Hoping to share more….

    Like

    Reply

    • Thank you very much for your warm feedback and such a lovely comment. I don’ know why I didn’t come across your comment before – my sincerest apologies for such a delayed reply. For good photography, one needs to have an eye for photography and a passion and love for food. Whether it’s a SLR camera or a small digital camera – it hardly matters. What kind of book are you talking about? Do click the email button in the side bar and send me the details. Regards – Ishita

      Like

      Reply

  43. Really good Stuff Ishita, I am a food photographer based out of Delhi. And looking for Stylists always. Would love to talk and collaborate. Have a look at the website to understand the clientelle and the Style of Photography. http://www.devagnsingh.in.

    Cheers
    Devang

    Like

    Reply

  45. This is going to be fun! I’ve just returned to Australia after living for several years in Sri Lanka, where food, for my friends is of paramount importance too. Look forward to joining you all 🙂

    Like

    Reply

    • Good wishes to you! I am sure Srilanka has left quite an impression on you and your family, as it has on mine. Look forward to the blog interaction:)

      Like

      Reply

    • Thank you so much for the invite. Unfortunately, I do not live in Kolkata. If there is a twitter hashtag, I could tweet about the Annual Bloggers meet. You can reach me on Twitter and facebook as @IshitaUnblogged. Regards – Ishita

      Like

      Reply

  47. Hi chottuli!
    I came across this blog by chance and spotted bharatimashi. Thats when i read your entire blog…Hey thats a neat job youve done. Lets keep in touch. Take care. Mistu. (Ironside road).

    Like

    Reply

    • Hi Mishtudi… it’s amazing how I am connecting to new people and reconnecting to people I have known before, through my blog! Absolutely would love to keep in touch – Bablanda and you are very dear to me. And thank you for such a warm feedback on my blog – it started off as a space to search for my own roots and now it’s taken me to such great heights and journeys – it’s incredible. I am on Facebook, but not much of my personal life – it’s all food and travel. How do we keep in touch?

      Like

      Reply

  50. HI Ishita, had a good time reading your blog. Pretty interesting read 😉
    So ive been browsing through culinary and the f&b scene in India. Im working on a project which likely to take India by storm. Im in need of a liason in Mumbai and Delhi for the 1st stage of process.
    Do you mind if i could have your email add? Ill be able to brief you on the project and it would be awesome if you or someone could cook my team up with the relevant people.

    Appreciate the effort. Thank you and have a good day.

    Like

    Reply

  51. Hello there Ishita 🙂 Thanks for sharing your great stories! You’re blog really inspiring. take care and regards, Karen

    Like

    Reply

    • Karen, Thanks very much for dropping into my space and leaving such a warm comment. I did hop into your blog as well – looks delicious!

      Like

      Reply

  52. Loved your About me and A little bit more about me section 🙂

    On your food journey now 🙂

    xx
    Aanchal

    Like

    Reply

  53. Found your post on celebrating Ramadan in Kolkata when I was searching for information about it and loved the beautiful post and explored your blog a bit more . As someone who has been born and raised in Kolkata and a food enthusiast (or rather addict) as I call myself I completely understand how passionate you are about Kolkata and food. Your photographs are beautiful as is your style of writing. It would be nice to connect with someone who constantly uses the hand cream and has a travel itinerary. It just reminded me of my last trip to Lucknow. Keep posting.

    Like

    Reply

  55. Hello Ishita, your blog is lovely and I loved it when u confessed that u always like what others have ordered at a restaurant. Coz thats what even i do, and end up embarrassing people around me. If you don’t mind can you please give me your email id so I can invite you over to my kitchen.

    Like

    Reply

Did you enjoy reading the post? Do leave some love!

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 20.5K other subscribers
Categories
Dig the archives
Disclaimer:

All content in this website, both images and text are copyrighted by IshitaUnblogged © 2024 and cannot be used without permission.

Website Powered by WordPress.com.