Day One of #IFBM2014 - The Food Photography sessions: Key takeaways

The day started with participants trickling in, starting quite early, given the unpredictable nature of Bangalore traffic. The Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park took great care to welcome and even escort each one of them personally to the conference hall. People seemed to be in complete awe of the colours and spunky decor of the hotel.

 The day kicked off with our organizer-MC Arundati giving the welcome note to our participants. The GM of the hotel, Faiz Alam Ansari extended a warm welcome to all the IFBM 2014 attendees and went to the extent of saying "Ask for anything and the answer will be yes". That kind of generosity and warmth set a positive tone for a great day. Marketing and Communications manager, Deepika Pillai also announced a few contests that kept the participants tweeting / sharing their observations all day!

Picture courtesy: @mypref

Session 1 - Foodography by Deeba Rajpal
Deeba, who's collection of completely droolworthy photos and antique props are known to every worthwhile foodblogger needed no introduction. Her talk inspired the participants to put that little extra into their food photos. 
Some of her mantras were "Be inspired""enjoy what you do" "find your own style and work on it".
In the era where everything and anything can be inserted or cut out using post-processing, she had a refreshing take "Attention to detail, right from word go. Use post processing as a luxury, not a crutch."

Pic courtesy: Revati

A few takeaways from her session:

• Use fresh ingredients and play around with props to create a new picture each time.
• Pick seasonal and local fresh produce for your cooking and photos. The freshness shows in the photos.
• use what you have and get creative. No need to spend on expensive props.
• Reuse props but not in the consecutive posts, people will wonder if you have only one plate :-)
• Let the food talk. Your eye should focus on the food and not multiple other things. 
• create a Pinterest board & go back regularly. You'll see a lot of changes in it development over time.
• With Indian curries don't try to shoot whole bowls. try small portions.
• Keep a mix of white plates, glass bowls, clear glasses, white baking dishes, small kadais, small saucepans to build a basic collection of props for use.
• Use a tripod. Once you start using it, you cannot do without it.

She also presented a case study of taking pictures of a footlong sandwich which needs toothpicks / skewers to keep the bread propped up and not fall flat on the fillings. 
We learnt that the combination of natural light and shooting in Auto mode, is capable of giving some stunning results as is evident in her photos.

Session 2 - From your kitchen to your blog - Better Food Photography by Aparna Balasubramaniam 

Pic courtesy: Siri P

Aparna's blog is known for its clean, clutter-free photos. She conducts workshops on food photography. It was indeed a great opportunity for the food bloggers to have a session from Aparna at the IFBM 2014. 

The audience had a good laugh, when Aparna started with the no-nonsense basics of "read your camera's manual", something which we all shudder to do. 

Some of the takeaways from her session:

• Know your gadget.
• Shun flash, use natural light.
• Soft backlight works best and is highly recommended. 
• Know the rules, only so you can break them.
• Use toothpaste to remove the shine from glossy surfaces.
• Rupee coins make great tilt correctors.
• Get your composition right and keep crop to a minimum. 
• Focus has to be the sharpest where you want to draw the eye.
• More than anything else, READ THE MANUAL :D 

Blogging contest @ Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park

The prizes haven't ended yet! A few more stay vouchers are still up for grabs. The following contests are open until 18th August 2014. So feel free to take pictures, frame your thoughts, make notes of the things that impress you -- to make your blog posts worthy of winning a stay at these hotels.

Food @ Aloft
Chef Sameer and the entire F&B Team at Aloft have paid special attention to ensure that every meal over the next two days is memorable. All you need to do is:

1. Memorable Meals @ Aloft: Pick the most impressive meal theme across all meals over the 2 days, create/cook a recipe of your own that would fit the theme, blog it with original pictures and submit it to the FB page/Twitter/Instagram handle of Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park
2. Reflections on the MasterClass With Chef Sameer: Pick a recipe you watched Chef create (on day 2,) recreate it with your own twist/spin, blog it and submit it to the FB page/Twitter/Instagram handles of Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park
3. I was at IFBM: Write a blog post reviewing your experience at IFBM, with at least three mentions (food, decor, masterclass) of memorable things that you experienced at Aloft, submit the post on to the FB page/Twitter/Instagram handle of Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park

Décor/Ambience @ Aloft
How would you showcase the ambience/decor of Aloft if you had only 4 pictures to tell the Aloft story? Take pictures of the interesting things you see around the hotel over the next 2 days, choose the best 4 pictures, write a blog post about the event at Aloft, and submit it to the FB page/Twitter/Instagram handle of Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park

Also remember to send the URLS of all entries to regist.ifbm@gmail.com too, and you will hear from us after the 18th of August 2014.

Important social-media handles:
https://www.facebook.com/AloftBengaluruCBP
https://twitter.com/AloftCessnaPark
http://instagram.com/aloftbengalurucbp

Stay over at Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park!

You've seen our updates from the past few days, across several visits to Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park, where we have been ironing out all the last details before the event. You probably have an inkling of what to expect -- pops of colour, quirky cheerful decor, foot tapping music and an arty ambience quite unlike a run-of-the-mill hotel.

Today, when you visit the hotel you are going to be wowed by the colour, the odd airplane suspended here and there, the self-service kiosks, the lively music and the general upbeat and young, enthusiastic vibe the hotel has. It's hard to miss! And here's a unique proposition. This is your chance to not only experience this hotel over the next two days, but also win STAY VOUCHERS from Aloft/Sheraton/Four Points Hotels.

1 stay voucher for the most active Instagrammer who posts the most pictures with the geo-tags AloftCessnaPark. Also, stand a chance to be featured on the Aloft hotel website if you geo-tag the most interesting shots of the hotel. 

1 stay voucher for the Twitter handle that sends out the most number of tweets containing the hash tag #AloftCessnaPark and tagging @Aloftcessnapark.

1 stay voucher for the most active Facebook User who uses the hash tag #aloftbengalurucbp or #aloftcessnapark

SPOT BLOGGING!
Just outside the venue, we have set up two spot-blogging stations. At various points through the days proceedings, you will be given themes around which to post quick, short posts on your blogs.

These posts will need to be between 50-100 words, with or without pictures, but related to the theme that has been announced. The best spot blog post of the day, will take away 1 stay voucher!

Important social-media handles:
https://www.facebook.com/AloftBengaluruCBP
https://twitter.com/AloftCessnaPark
http://instagram.com/aloftbengalurucbp

Sparkle with Sparkling Himalayan

You've cooked, you've baked and now here's your chance to mix and swig! Get ready to display your mixing skills with Sparkling Himalayan.

In your goodie bag is a special booklet of mocktail recipes using Sparkling Himalayan – natural, enriched mineral water with added carbonation. You need to use the recipe of your choice, give it a personal, unique twist to the recipe and create a drink worthy of walking away with exciting prizes!

What you need to know:

1. Sparkling Himalayan with its unique, distinct taste is pristine source water with added carbonation
2. Have sparkling on the rocks with ice and lemon or mix it up in your own flavour combination!

What you need to do:

1. Blog your own twist on a recipe by Shatbhi Basu
2. Mention the recipe is a part of the Sparkling Himalayan contest, post it on our Facebook page and Twitter handle @_himalayan
3. Mail your links to ifbmeet@gmail.com and get ready to win!

Some simple rules:

1. Your recipe must use Sparkling Himalayan and be shared on your blog
2. Please post pictures and make them look beautiful!
3. Winners will be announced 15 days from closure of IFBM on 13th August 2014
4. 3 lucky winners will win hampers worth Rs 5000
5. Remember to have fun and #SparkleEveryday!

Beyond Blogging with Kalyan Karmakar

We are happy to announce that Kalyan Karmakar has finally been able to make it to the IFBM2014, as a part of the panel in the Beyond Blogging discussion.

Kalyan Karmakar is a Mumbai based food & travel writer. His blog  is seven years old. He is a food and travel columnist for Femina & Burrp and is a contributor to the BBC Good Food Magazine India, Man’s World and Food and Nightlife magazines and has written for Times of India Crest and liveinstyle.com. He is working on a food travelogue for Hachette India. He conducts the very popular Finely Chopped Food Walks in Mumbai. He has anchored a show on street food for the Travel Channel USA. Kalyan’s blog, Finely Chopped, won in the best travel and food category of the Food Bloggers Association of India Awards 2013. 

His presence will give our audience further insights into other avenues that open up from foodblogging.

We look forward to having you with us, Kalyan!

Twitter: @finelychopped
Facebook
Instagram: @finelychoppeds

Meet our Sponsors - IFBM 2014 brought to you by Himalayan

We are excited to announce our other principal partner - Sparkling Himalayan, the newest offering from Himalayan Natural Mineral water. It is India's first Sparkling Water brand.

When you go abroad, you're often asked at restaurants - Still water or sparkling water? Himalayan is all set to start this trend in India.

Himalayan is the only natural mineral water brand to enjoy accreditations from renowned institutes 
across the world including Institut De Fresinius, US FDA and the Health Ministries of Japan & France. 
The Himalayan consumer is one with a discerning taste and desire to imbibe nature’s goodness in his 
body daily with every sip of water consumed.

Sparkling Himalayan is a natural, mineral enriched water made refreshing with the addition of mild 
carbonation to add a sparkle to life! Each sip of Sparkling Himalayan enriches the palate with a cool, 
distinct taste.

The goodness of Himalayan natural water is further enriched and gets an unforgettable twist to the 
palate with a unique taste and look. With mild carbonation levels, Sparkling Himalayan goes down 
smoothly refreshing and revitalizing with every sip. It offers an elegant and refreshing taste for the 
most discerning palates. Sparkling Himalayan is available for sale and also can be found at your favourite restaurants and Taj properties across Delhi & Mumbai.

You'll also get to have a taste of Sparkling Himalayan at #IFBM2014

Twitter: @_Himalayan

The Art, Colours and Music at Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park

The Art at Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park is centred around the Cessna. The plane, hangs in the lobby as soon as one enters and is an immediate and striking point of interest for anyone that walks in. 

The Cessna has inspired the art around Aloft. The hotel exudes a warm, airy and bright vibe. Colour, light, fixtures and music are used effectively to enhance the key philosophies of Aloft. The art in aloft has been classified into two broad themes. One being Cessna and the other being innovations and inventions, that enable our current technology dependent lives. The evolution of the telephone, simple mechanisms like the wheels, air balloons etc. to an observer an element of these themes reflect in all the works of the celebrated artist Thotta Tharrani in his works at Aloft.


As Aloft Bengaluru revolves around the theme of Cessna, the art was intricately developed to compliment the theme. The artist has taken the direction of abstract representation of Cessna and ensured that this element has been carried out in all artworks around aloft. The art continues at the Lobby and the Nook art which is around the theme of Travel on Cessna. The theme is continued in the Presidential Suite too. These works capture the essence of a traveler like clouds, water, Cessna flying over sea, over a landscape etc. The artist Thotta Tharrani, is someone who loves travelling, and these works represent the various aspects of a journey. It is for one to reflect upon the traveler within him. This message has been realized in various mediums like an acrylic sheet, acrylic on canvas or as an acrylic stencil with the mirror background


There is a Galleria of artwork at Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park which has works that highlight the role of inventions like the Watch- The artist is an avid collector of watches. Always fascinated by watches from the early basic design like sand timers to the modern contemporary ones the artist in this piece reflects on the amazement of the invention and the evolution of the same.There is also a segment that features the invention of the Air balloon- For a viewer, transit in air balloon might seem simple but to one who has actually been in one will understand even the simplest mechanisms require a skilled navigator or its easy to drift. 

Even the Nook, which is the main dining area is inspired by colour and design. Taking inspiration from the traditional Mumbai Dabbawalas, Nook interprets the age old Tiffin concept with a modern twist within a fun dinning atmosphere. Urban cool décor in a nature-inspired green and white palette provides a refreshing environment for a selection of healthy and tasty Indian and international fare. Settle into one of the plush seating arrangements with sofas and armchairs or community tables with high stools and enjoy great tasty food 

LIVE AT ALOFT HOTELS a live music platform where emerging artists and bands are given the opportunity to showcase their musical talent. they also have radio music playing all day and night long with specially curated music from an international DJ. They are currently involved in a band search to support emerging musicians. 

All photographs courtesy Aloft Facebook page

The Vegit Contest

Here’s one more contest for all those who have registered to attend the Indian Bloggers Meet at Bangalore. I know it’s a little late in the day for a contest to be announced but this contest is slightly different from the others that have been running here so far.

For one thing, you don’t have to cook or photograph or even post anything on your blog. All you have to do is answer the 13 questions below, and you have more than a week to do so, so you can even attend the Meet, get back home and then sit down to answer these questions.

What you need to do to participate in the contest :

1)  Answer all the 13 questions in the Vegit Contest below. You can go to their website and scroll through and you should be able to find the answers to the Vegit related questions.

2)  Copy the 13 questions into a Word doc., and then answer them.

3)  Send your answers as an attachment in a mail mentioning your name and link to your food blog, to vegitforbloggers[AT]gmail[DOT]com

4)  Vegit will choose three winners through a lucky draw from the submissions with all 13 answers correct.

5)  The contest opens from today the 31st July and closes at 10pm on the 10^th July, 2014. This contest is open only to the registered participants of the Indian Food Bloggers Meet.

6)  The winners will be announced by Vegit and the gift hampers will be shipped by them directly to the winners.

The Vegit Contest Questions:

1.       Name any 5 products of Vegit?

2.      How many variants does Vegit have?

3.      Name the twist recipe of Vegit Cheese Balls, Vegit Harabhara Kebab and Vegit Pav Bhaji? 

4.      What is the price of the 5 Vegit products you mentioned in Q.1?

5.      Name the thing which is common in all Vegit products?

6.      Which is the first product launched by Vegit?

7.      What is the tagline of Vegit?

8.      A potato contains more vitamin c than an orange. True? False? 

9.      Which country is the largest producer of potato?

10.   The best way to store fresh potatoes is the refrigerator. True? False?

11.    Pav Bhaji is an Anglo-Indian dish with its origin in Mumbai & Gujrat.

12.   How many calories does an average person age between 31 -50 needs to consume every day?

13.    What is the main ingredient of Vegit Pav Bhaji Mix?

Remember this contest is open from today, the 31th of July and closes at 10.00pm on the 10th of August, 2014.

Vegit can be found on Facebook, YouTube & Pinterest.

Meet our sponsors: India Food Network | Ping Network

ABOUT INDIA FOOD NETWORK

India Food Network is your step by step guide to simple and delicious home cooking. From regional Indian cuisine to popular dishes from around the globe, their focus is to make cooking easy. This is the best platform for home-chefs and foodbloggers to explore sharing content in video form.

With quick tips you can keep in mind and quick tricks when you are running against time, these recipes go down to the basics, so you cook the perfect dish sitting in your home, anywhere! Currently they have about 46,000 subscribers on their YouTube Channel and close to 7 million views.

Watch their promo here!

ABOUT PING NETWORK

PING Network is a Mumbai based, multi­channel broadcast network, catering to digital audiences globally. They are content partners with Google and are currently creating original content for primary roll-­out on YouTube.

PING is focussed on the infotainment space and is targeted at younger audiences globally who are consuming on devices as well as via the digital pipe on large screen televisions.

PING Network currently has over 75 million views across 105 channel categories which include food, lifestyle, entertainment and news.

India Food Network have a special gift for all the attendees, which we promise will be of great use to you. We would like to keep this a suspense until Saturday, because we want to see the excitement on your faces, when you receive this one!

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Indiafoodnetwork

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Indiafoodnetwork

Twitter: @infoodnetwork

#IFBM2014 - Use the hashtag

JUST TWO MORE DAYS TO GO!!
(pardon the all caps, that's just our excitement talking)

What's an event without a hashtag, right??

The hashtag for the first Indian Food Bloggers' Meet is #IFBM2014 

In case you were wondering, is not case sensitive, so #ifbm2014 will work just fine too.

What do I do with this hashtag?

Don't forget to use this in ALL your Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest updates around the event (pre-event, during the event, and post the event). You can post whatever update you choose to and just make sure #IFBM2014 features somewhere in that tweet / update.

What do I share?

Share your pics, your experiences, your little snippets from each session, your selfies with fellow bloggers and of course, the wow things you'll find in your goodie bag, the list is quite endless.

Share, share and share more on whatever social media platforms you are on. After all we want to make enough noise about our first all India Food Bloggers' Meet :)

So signing off for now, and we cannot wait to see you all on Friday morning at the #IFBM2014!!

Meet our Sponsors - Cookie Man

We’re happy to present to you another one of our sponsors – Cookie Man India. Those of you who know Cookie Man would know they’re well known for their delicious and fresh baked Australian cookies as well as muffins, brownies, cakes, donuts and macaroons.

Australian Foods (I) Pvt. Ltd., the makers of Cookie Man cookies arrived in India in January 2000. Cookie Man cookies are known for offering international quality products and are today the number one brand of fresh baked cookies in the country. Currently, Cookie Man operates 70 outlets in 28 cities in New Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, Jaipur, Kanpur, Raipur, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Baroda, Surat, Rajkot, Nagpur, Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad, Sangli, Nashik, , Bangladesh, Chennai, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Salem, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Gangtok, Siliguri, and Shillong. 

The Cookie Man cookies are made from the finest ingredients available, ensuring that the products meet stringent global quality and consistency guidelines. 

Cookie Man offers more than 50 varieties of fresh baked Australian cookies in India. And the flavours include Choc Chip, Coffee Walnut, Brandy Snap, Honey and Oats, Coconut Macaroon, Shortbread, Peanut, Ginger and the famous Australian “Anzac” cookie as well.

All participants at the Indian Food Bloggers Meet can look forward to a sample of Cookie Man’s products in their goodie bags.

You can follow Cookie Man India on Facebook for updates about their bakes.

Tupperware goodie bag

Your exclusive Tupperware goodie bag will be filled with a collection of innovatively designed, colour-safe and microwave-safe products that are typical to the quality and design we have come to expect from a brand like Tupperware. Convenience, functionality and ease of use all wrapped in one.

Here's what you can expect to find in the bag!

Eleganzia Bowl

Fliptop Bottle (with sleeve)

Rocker Lunch Set

Vegetable Peeler

Smart Saver #2

Printed Topper

Fridge Smart

And you can also look forward to a detailed product guide that will give you all the information you need on how best to use these products, care for them and make the most of what they are designed for.

In addition there are also some exciting prizes to be won in a lucky draw. Thank you Tupperware India Pvt Ltd!

Meet Our Sponsors - Tupperware India Pvt. Ltd.

Tupperware is one of the world's leading direct selling companies with the largest women’s network, marketing premium food storage, preparation and serving items.  Tupperware started its operations in India in 1996 as a premium kitchenware brand and is slowly moving towards being a complete culinary brand. This success can be attributed to the high-quality products with lifetime warranty and the rewarding business opportunity provided by the company. Tupperware has been and continues to be a company that is passionate about changing women's lives through enlightening, educating, and empowering them to achieve their goals.

 

Tupperware products are made of 100% food grade virgin plastic; they are stylish, elegant, light weight, non-toxic and odor-less. The USP of Tupperware product lies with its special airtight and liquid tight seals, which lock in freshness and flavour of food for long.

The company’s success can be attributed to the innovative products,  superior quality and the rewarding business opportunity provided by it. Tupperware products have also been featured as one of the six most extraordinary product designs of the century by Fortune magazine.

The brand in India has been awarded with titles of Superbrand, Powerbrand and Masterbrand in last 3 years. The brand had also associated with Master Chef Fame Kunal Kapoor to promote the idea of healthy cooking practices along with the best storage and cooking practices. Tupperware has also launched its premium range for customers called the Ultimo range which offers todays modern woman smart food preparation solutions. Some of our other recent launches include the Water filter-Tuppersure and Baby Range-Twinkle Tups. Tupperware India’s growth can be attributed to its strong Party Planning method of selling backed by the Chain of Confidence which empowers, educates and enlightens women all India.

You will be going away form IFBM with a small bag of goodies, of several nifty and useful little products that will definitely add value to your kitchen. All this, courtesy Tupperware!

Official website: http://www.tupperwareindia.com
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TupperwareIndi
Twitter handle: @tupperwarein

Meet Our Sponsors - Paperboat Juices

You've seen their vibrant juice pouches dotting stores across India and taking your appetite for fresh juices by storm. And if you need a quick swig of refreshing juice on your way back from IFBM, you only have to reach into your goodie bag, because you will also take back a selection of these quirky, refreshing Paperboat Juices.

Any drink can be made to taste good. Or feel nutritious. But how many drinks tell a story? Because when companies get together and dole out a drink to the parched populace, it’s practicality. But when history and geography conspire to make a drink favoured through the ages, that’s destiny.

A culmination of efforts. Modified through trial and error. Perfected with every passing age. From a king’s royal cook to a soldier’s flask to a peace offering made by warring clans to a mother conjuring something special for her son’s return to a grand celebration of harvest. Everyone had something to contribute. And it’s their additions (and subtractions) that ultimately made their way into food carts in village fairs.

And while we’ve all experienced the joy of tasting these drinks at these carts at one point or the other, we’ve also experienced the often awful gastronomical aftermath of these little joys.

Paperboat’s inspiration lies in emulating these tastes and experiences standing tall on a benchmark of hygiene and safety. Getting the good moments out to you while avoiding the unpleasant bits. It all began when four history buffs (and
beverage buffs!) met over to have lunch on a hot Indian summer, armed with a flask of delicious homemade aampanna.
Among the four of these history (and beverage!) enthusiasts, one was quickly taken by the
idea of commercializing this raw mango ale.

"I want to commercialize this raw mango ale", says the man from the far away, hitherto
unknown land. "Aye!" the remaining trio heartily agree. "Woof!" goes the company dog who
the narrator of this tale forgot to mention until now.

And thus began the journey of Paper Boat. A journey of going back in time and bringing to fore, liquid traditions. Drinks, that the many civilizations of this subcontinent inspired. Drinks, that are
practical and delicious. Drinks, that are a product of generations of trial and error. Drinks, that are sadly being lost to the excesses of urban life.

The hope is that Paper Boat can send these drinks, these culinary messages to those who have never tasted such concoctions. And of course to those, who long for the days gone by. Of homemade Aamras, Jaljeera, Kokum, Aampanna, Kala Khatta and many other secret recipes.

Official website: www.paperboatdrinks.com

Facebook page: facebook.com/paperboatdrinks

Twitter handle: @paperboatdrinks

Exclusive site to purchase Paperboat Juices: http://shoppaperboat.com/

Masterclass with Chef Sameer Luthra of Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park

Executive Chef Sameer Luthra brings his vast culinary expertise to launched Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park. Sameer is a seasoned chef with over 12 years of experience serving in various hospitality, food and beverage positions around the globe.

Chef Sameer Luthra has planned for us a delightful "Masterclass" where he will showcase some fabulous recipes and give the participants tips on how to get hotel like results with easy to source ingredients and recipes.

He has been passionate about cooking since he was fifteen and holds a prestigious degree from the world’s best culinary school the “Le cordon Bleu” in Paris.

Chef Sameer Luthra started his career in 2001 with the Taj Group of Hotels. Sameer moved onto work with other reputed hospitality brands like Novotel Hyderabad International Convention Centre, Westin Pune Koregaon Park and the Starwood Group of Hotels.

Sameer has gained international experience at the Caribbean where he mastered the art and intricacies of European and Mediterranean cuisine. He also worked at Indigo, one of Mumbai’s most premium fine-dining restaurants, where he sharpened his modern cuisine skills and gained valuable insight into the different aspects and expectations of today’s discerning Indian clientele.

Sameer’s untiring energy, distinctive style and the use of a perfect blend of ingredients and national tastes is what Chef Sameer Luthra brings to the culinary realm of Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park.

An avid reader, Chef Sameer loves to travel and analyze people. He accentuates the fact that ‘A positive mind automatically creates a positive environment’; however he firmly believes that ‘One charts ones future’ ---- Surely food for thought!!

Tea Trunk - Tea Lovers Collection

Tea Trunk began a few years ago, when Snigdha Manchanda's passion for tea took her to a professional tea school in Sri Lanka, where under the guidance of a Japanese tea master, she visited numerous tea gardens, tasted 100 cups of tea a day, and profiled over 2000 varieties of tea.

Rather odd that a country that loves, drinks, produces and exports so much tea doesn't already have a tea school! Snigdha left Sri Lanka inspired to make it her mission to demystify tea-speak and many workshops and tea-tastings later, Tea Trunk was born. Her very own signature brand of gourmet tea blends crafted by her.

"Teas made with love taste best when shared" -- says the Tea Trunk website -- a collection of some of the finest teas from India.

Whole-leaf, flavourful and with all the health benefits intact, we're delighted to announce that one lucky winner from our Lucky Draw at the event will go away with a special Tea Lovers Collection.

A set of 6 tea tins (worth Rs. 4750) with some of the most heady teas on offer:
Ginger Root Black Tea
Lemon Green Tea
Moon White Tea
Saffron Kahwa Green Tea
Vanilla Black Tea
Long Island Green Tea

One contest down, TWO more to go!

We're just so overwhelmed by the super enthusiastic response we received for the KitchenAid India Plum Challenge! As the we ticked time down to the end of the contest, we realised we had received a total of 50 innovative, drool-worthy entries. You've outdone yourselves and some truly gorgeous food has come out of this challenge.

Hope you're getting as inspired to complete the other two contests that remain. Some fabulous prizes are yet to be won. The entries have started trickling in, so this is a gentle reminder to hurry. If you have a recipe in mind, get cracking! We still have five hampers to give away courtesy Urban Dazzle and one bakeware hamper from the Freedom Tree folks. 


This is what you need to do:

The Urban Dazzle Monsoon/Summer Mocktail/Cocktail Contest requires you to create a delicious cocktail/mocktail suitable for the exclusive selection of Urban Dazzle glassware. Check out the post for more details on how you can participate. This contest closes at 11 pm tomorrow! (28th July 2014)

There was some confusion with the last date for the Freedom Tree Baking Challenge. This is to announce that it closes at 10 pm on 30th July 2014. If you have browsed through the collection of Freedom Tree bakeware on their online store and have made a secret wishlist in your mind, you must give this one a go. Also, because its ridiculously easy! See this post for more details.

And if you may have already created something that fits the criteria for any of these contests, feel free to add in a mention of the contest, link to the appropriate pages and submit the posts. Both these contests are open to older posts that meet the criteria!

Meet our Sponsors - Picgravy

Who wouldn't like to have a personalised keepsake? The folks at Picgravy set out to make our fridges and other magnetic surfaces special by turning photographs into magnets. We are delighted to have them as one of the sponsors contributing to our goodie bag. 

A digital agency based out of Delhi NCR, engaged in various creative products, Picgravy is one of their flagship social products which enable users to create lovable physical products using various social platforms. PicGravy gives you more ways to share Facebook and Instagram images! All one has to do is upload and order beautiful photo magnets in just a few clicks. You’ll love your pictures even more when you can display them as full color magnets!

Their range of creative magnets are perfect for displaying your photos on any magnetic surface so you can create a collage on your refrigerator or in your cubical. Whether you keep a set for yourself or give them as a gift, these photo magnets are sure to be liked by everyone.

Each magnet is square, giving you the freedom to get creative and make fun patterns that are easy to rearrange, whether that means lining them up neatly or spacing them out to make funky shapes. Sharing your favorite moments with friends and family is easy when you give these magnets as a gift.

Choose from facebook pictures, Instagram images or even make a grid of your favourite landscape. Space the magnets out for an interesting effect or use them on a child's magnetic board and mix the pieces up to create a fun puzzle.

They also have a fun "Keep calm and create your own phrases" range of magnets Whether you use them to create a funny message to hand out to your friends or you create inspirational reminders for yourself, these magnets are a great way to get your message across.

You can follow them on Facebook, Instagram and twitter

ANNOUNCING!! Our principal sponsor and online partner - BURRP

Here's our big announcement this week! We are excited to introduce Burrp as our principal sponsor and exclusive online partner. Apart from catching all the IFB Meet info on our blog, our facebook and twitter, you can also get all the information and latest on the IFB Meet microsite that will be exclusively hosted on Burrp.com. Follow us on @ifbmeet and @burrp so you will catch the latest updates on the launch of the microsite.

 Burrp! is India’s one-stop destination for all things food-related. From listings to customer reviews and articles by food experts – you get it all here, under one url. At Burrp, we provide restaurant ratings and reviews from across 11 major cities. We also understand that there’s no point in just listing out restaurants if we don’t suggest what you should eat and where you can eat it. To guide you through the maze of culinary information on the site, Burrp has a Burrp Experts team which includes some of the country’s top food bloggers, food writers and food experts advising and guiding users on what to eat, how to eat it, where to eat it - and on some occasions, where not to eat. The user reviews help other diners pick the best restaurant. From fine dining restaurants to streetside vendors, Burrp! helps you pick the place to suit your pocket, mood and occasion.

Burrp! also recognises the fact that without a chef, there’d be no restaurant or restaurant listing or reviews site. Which is why we have a special segment dedicated to the chef - Chef’s Favourites. This section features recipes from top chefs, interviews and their favourite restaurants and recipes.

They also host regular events and reviewer and bloggers meets to engage with Burrp users and give them a unique experience through tasting sessions, chefs' tables and cooking workshops.

Search, eat...and repeat.

Website: www.burrp.com
Twitter: @burrp
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/burrp
Instagram: burrpOfficial