On this New Year’s Eve day three years ago, I started this food blog. It was a quiet morning and I wanted to do something a little different. I have been following several food blogs out there and was toying with the idea of starting my own. I did take a few pictures of our dinner with my Nikon point-and-shoot camera the night before. We had chicken curry, roti canai (paratha), turmeric basmati rice, and pickles. I sat down and created my first blog post with those pictures and named my blog Roti n Rice which describes the fusion of my Malaysian culinary heritage which is largely based on rice and my life in the West with its bread culture. Roti means bread in Malay, Hindi, and other South Asian languages.
Hard to believe Roti n Rice is three today. Time flies when you are having fun and even when you are not, you can always count on readers’ expectations to keep you going. What started out as a past time has turned into so much more. As I survey my kitchen a.k.a. the crucible of recipes, my shelf of camera equipment and the tripods gracing my makeshift studio, I come to the realization that this hobby is definitely more than just a past time. It is almost like a day job but it is one where I am doing something I really enjoy and am passionate about.
I am grateful to my dear hubby, Ro-Ri San and two boys, Ro-Taro and Ro-Jiro for putting up with this blogging thing. Believe me when I tell you that a food blogging family is one that is long suffering. Pictures always come first before any of the tantalizing food may be tasted. No matter how tasty a dish is, it is seldom ever repeated because the show must go on and fresh recipes developed. I am sure many of my fellow bloggers and their families can attest to that. Still, it is not a bad life as there are always new and hopefully exciting dishes to tease the taste buds. π
Through all this time, I have learnt many things which never crossed my mind when I first started. A major one is photography. Up until then, photography was in Ro-Ri San’s domain. While content is said to be king, a picture paints a thousand words. The need to improve on my photography skills became a priority. After three months, Ro-Ri San bought me an intermediate camera, Panasonic Lumix FZ35 as I was not confident in handling a full DSLR. I was over the moon when my post using that camera was accepted by the major food gallery sites. After several more months, I realized I needed a camera that would allow me more manipulation because of the ever changing natural light quality of the seasons. That was when Ro-Ri San offered me his Canon DSLR. I was miserable the first week and waited for him to come home each day to take those pictures. It soon grew old. I had to teach myself to use that camera or stop posting.
Out of desperation I took out the manual and started reading it. Slowly I began to figure out the technicalities enough for me to take some decent shots. I spent hours on a photo session and took many, many pictures in the hope that I can get a decent one for the post. It was so time consuming and very frustrating. Thankfully, it got better and I acquired some skills in the process. Here are some of them.
1. Cooking with the left hand and taking pictures with the right hand.
2. Knowing the season and time of day for the best natural lighting.
3. Using a tripod and not wasting time trying to steady those shaky hands.
4. Making sure to have a fully charged backup battery on hand at all times.
Finally with my three years’ worth of statistics, I now know for a fact that while everyone dutifully pays respect to a salad, there is a stampede for the desserts. π Here are the Top 10 posts of 2012.
Enough of my ramblings. Let’s take a look at today’s recipe. I have always wanted to make this cake but never summoned enough courage to take on the challenge. This past fall, Ro-Ri San came home from Austria bearing gifts and a Sacher Torte in a wooden case. I knew then the time has come for me to attempt baking this renown chocolatey apricot dessert.
I will no longer need to quickly turn the first page of my Australian Women’s Weekly Cakes & Slices Cookbook so that I can get past it. Their gorgeous Sacher Torte is on the first page of the cookbook. I adapted the recipe and also referred to Wolfgang Puck’s Recipe on Food Network for a larger and taller cake.
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β₯ THANK YOU all for your kind and continued support! β₯
Let’s party and have lots of cakes! I invite you to link up your best and tallest cake at the linky below which will remain open until January 7th, 2013.
Congratulations on your third blogaversary! The sachertorte looks so yummy, and makes me sad that I will not be having that for dessert tonight π
Btw, you are so soooooo right about salads and desserts. And your cake linky party sounds like fun. Hmmm…. “tallest” cake?? That’s a new one LOLOL Will do my best..
Thanks Denise! We are enjoying the cake. Having a slice for breakfast…ooops! π Whip cream is a must.
Yes, your tallest and bestest cake…hee hee! Happy New Year to you, my blogging buddy! β₯
Biren, I tried to add my cake link to your linky party, but I think your blog prohibits any right-click function, as an anti-copy measure, because I can’t copy and paste my post link. It’s really too long to memorise and type out manually, without probably making a mistake and impractically long to copy out manually too and type here. Any possible way around this?
Click on the “Add your link” button and the prompts should take you through the rest. looking forward to your cake. π
Congratulations on your 3rd Anniversary Biren! I am so proud to know you. Your Sacher Torte looks marvelous … and Denise: Hit Control-C to copy the link and Control-V to paste it.
thank you Ann π
Thanks Ann! So happy to know you too. Love your blog, fan page and your fabulous parties…so much fun! Happy New Year, my friend! β₯
Happy 3rd anniversary from the ladies at Who Needs A Cape?.
Many thanks, Lori and friends! Happy New Year! β₯
Here is my cake to celebrate your anniversary! Congratulations!! http://www.foodrecipeshq.com/chocolate-cranberry-cake/
Thank you and welcome! Please add your link to the linky above so that everyone can check out your recipe. π
Congratulations on the third anniversary of Roti N Rice, Biren! It is still my favourite blogsite to go to when I am short of inspiration to cook for the family. It is so informative and I do enjoy reading all the stories and have a good little chuckle to myself. Keep up the good work and here’s to wishing you and the family the very best for 2013, good health and much happiness. Keep those stories and recipes coming! I do love Sacher Torte and that’s our family request when you do next come this way…..he he he. Love from all of us in England.
Thanks DongXing! Good to know you enjoy the blog. User feedback keeps me going. Much love, health, and blessings to you and your family in the New Year! β₯
Congrats Biren ! Keep up your great work !
Thanks Phoebe! Happy New Year!
Congrats Biren!! That’s an awesome milestone. Loved this post. We don’t have a blog (yet!) at play with your food so no way to link, just wanted to say congrats and have a very happy new year! Heidi
Thank you for visiting and for the kind words, Heidi! Happy New Year to you too!
Congratulations Biren on your 3rd Blogaversary! That’s a lovely chocolate cake for the celebration.
I’m conducting a giveaway on my first post for 2013. Please leave a comment on my site when you’re free. All are welcome. π
Happy New Year!
Thank you, Ann! I left a comment on your post. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year and Happy 3rd Blogiversary! I really enjoy your blog and all that I have learned from you. Wishing you a wonderful year ahead and many, many more successful years blogging!! ~ Ramona
Congratulations on three delicious years, Biren! I am so glad to have come to know you and look forward to a wonderful year ahead!
Thanks Ann! It is a pleasure getting to know you too and I am also looking forward to more of your delicious recipes.
Happy 3rd Blogaversary…must be new word that lol!lovely looking cakes, makes me drool! Glad to visit your blog Biren, you have many delicious recipes here! and your teacups are so pretty!
Ya, that’s a new word! π Thank you for your compliments. Happy New Year!
Dear Biren, Happy 3rd Anniversary and also Happy New Year!
Thank you, Haruna! Happy New Year!
Great looking cake! And congrats on three years – that’s impressive! You’re so right about sweet things being the most popular posts! Happy New Year!
Thank you and Happy New Year! Everyone loves the sweet stuff. They look good in pictures too! π
Happy Blogiversary!! That cake sounds incredible!
Thanks Kate! Happy New Year!
Happy 3rd anniversary Biren! I can’t believe you started your blog on New Year’s day! What a great day for a new beginning! Wish I had a cake to hook up, but I don’t make cakes. I know that’s weird, but that’s me. Reading your experience sounds very familiar and yes – thanks to our families for supporting us! What a great thing you have created with roti N Rice. Looking forward to seeing what you do in 2013! Happy New Years!
Thanks MJ for your kind words and support. I actually started the blog on New Year’s Eve. π
Congrats on 3 years! It’s a great accomplishment! Happy New Year to you and your family π
Thanks Victoria for the congrats and for linking up! Happy New Year to you too!
Congratulations dear Biren! I really enjoy your blog and reading about your experience. I can relate to that! Happy New Year! So glad to know you! Marie