Meet the new-age food blogger

In 2006 when USbased engineer Sandeepa Mukherjee Datta started blogging on Bongcookbookcom using the nom de plume Bong Mom she didnrsquot anticipate that seven years later she would publish a cookbook Bong Momrsquos Cookbook Stories from a Bengali Motherrsquos Kitchen is her newlyreleased book that includes a Bengali repertoire of snacks breakfast lunch and dinner dishes chutneys desserts and lesserknown vegetarian fare Sandeepa Mukherjee Datta Food ties Living in the US Datta had initially started her food blog as a chronicle of Bengali recipes culled from phone chats to home ldquoAt the time there were only a few blogs on Bengali cooking and it was difficult to find Bangla recipes online I thought as I learn new recipes and cook traditional Bengali ones why donrsquot I also post them on a blog When my daughters grow up I could pass on my legacy of Bengali food through the blog It could also serve other people growing up in a foreign land who will find a way to connect to their Bengali roots through the aroma and taste of Bengali cuisinerdquo she reasons Her first blog post on Alu Posto and Musurir Dal earned a good response and she never looked back After a few years of blogging Datta wanted to write a book combining recipes with food memories where it would complement the narration She sent her proposal to literary agencies with no reverts for a few months until Harper Collins contacted her to write a book based on her blogu00a0 Murgi Salan from Bong Momrsquos Cookbook Different tastes When quizzed about differentiating her work for the cookbook from food blogs she explains ldquoFood for me is not merely recipes but life around it my blog posts always had a narrative with the recipes u00a0Some days itrsquos about my daughters on other days itrsquos about the history of the food or I write on memories with a certain dish I am a home cook and I blog about what I cook and what my family eats at home I am also a working mom with two kids so most dishes are simple easytoput together and border on healthy Its simplicity is also what my readers loveabout my blogrdquo While one expects delectable images in a cookbook this one has barely any Datta explains that it was a conscious decision to save on production costs and ensure the book was affordable ldquoFor recipes and lavish pictures my blog is always there to entertain readersrdquo she believes Dattarsquos advise for aspiring bloggers is simple ldquoBlog because you love it and be honest while doing so The rest will followrdquou00a0 Bong Momrsquos Cookbook Stories from a Bengali Motherrsquos Kitchen Sandeepa Mukherjee Datta Collins Rs 350u00a0 Love food will blog Vegan Richa Blog name wwwveganrichacom Fame index 10851 likes on Facebook Future plans Vegan cookbook focused on plantbased diet Richa Hingle aka Vegan Richa started blogging in 2009 to keep herself occupied while recovering from an illness With time she developed an interest in vegan cooking and decided to ldquoveganise everything that I couldrdquo Her blog took a while to warm up but when she introduced food photography social media activity and focused onu00a0veganism things saw an upswing Hingle offers simple vegan versions for Indian and Western dishes using local and seasonally available options ldquoWho would have thought a few years back that you could eat Vegan Gulab Jamuns and not miss the dairy in itrdquo she remarksu00a0 Advice to aspiring bloggers Find your passion and audience by connecting with other bloggers and people on social media Click pictures in natural light without flash add clear instructions and measurements in recipes test these if unsure before posting them and chat with readers Indian simmer Blog name wwwindiansimmercom Fame index 4435 likes on Facebook Achievement Author of justlaunched The Everything Indian Slow Cooker Cookbook Prerna Singh was nominated for Saveur Magazinersquos Best Food Blogsrsquo Awards in 2011 and 2013 The USbased bloggerrsquos journey started with Indian Simmer in early 2010 which put her small town upbringing MBA background Advertising acumen and love for her ldquonaughty threeyearoldrdquo all rolled into one her passion for cooking With several of her recipes featured on Food Network and The Huffington Post Singh attributes her simple way of relating Indian recipes attractive photography and personal touch as reasons behind the blogrsquos popularity Advice to aspiring bloggers Read other blogs question and reach out if you need answers make and maintain a good connect with readers and people whose work you like using Twitter and Facebook Submit your work to reputed public platforms such as Tastespotting Foodgawker and FoodBuzz to showcase and get noticed Kachori Purple Foodie Blog name wwwpurplefoodiecom Fame index 5880 followers on Twitter 8347 likes on Facebook Future plans In talks for a cookbook Mumbaiite Shaheen Peerbhai is the muchadored cook behind The Purple Foodie The exhaustive blog will guide you through everything that you ever wanted to ask about food under the sun such as baking growing your own herbs finding and making fancy ingredients recipe books to consult and lastly even the cameras to use to click those goodies Peerbhai is a talent who has been studying at the Le Cordon Bleu Paris after bagging two prestigious scholarships in a row by The Culinary Trust and The James Beard Foundation She started ldquoas a way of documenting recipes she tried and enjoyedrdquo since September 2007 The Purple Foodie has surely taken her places including an offer to be BBCrsquos Good Food magazinersquos Food Editor The Guidersquos reco Her lsquoBaking in Bombayrsquo page will help you to find ingredients cooking equipment and bakeware along with The Crawford Market Guide u00a0 Plain Meringue