Interview with Food Blogger – Shristi

   F and B Recipes have arrived here for their first interview for our Food Blogger Program where we launch undiscovered food bloggers from Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and Delhi.

We have Shristi here today, the content writer and owner of F and B Recipes to have a quick chat with us on food blogging and many other interesting things. She has been formerly the Chief Content Officer at Raletta and is currently working on her second cookbook.

1. Do you have a craving for fast foods like pizza, burgers, and cold drinks, etc.? How do you make yourself convinced for not having junk foods?

I love eating pizzas and burgers but this doesn’t always have to be unhealthy. You can easily opt for healthier alternatives such as using an ‘atta’ pizza base instead of the regular ‘maida’ pizza base. You can also increase the number of vegetables you’re adding as a topping and cut back on the cheese to make it healthier.

2. What do you do to eat healthy food items instead of junk foods?

I try to strike a balance between eating healthy and unhealthy foods. The best way to do this is to allow yourself one guilt-free cheat day per week.

3. Do you believe in eating less and no exercise concepts or you prefer to have some cheat meals with exercise?

I prefer the latter. Exercise not only helps you shed the extra kilos but also keeps you mentally fit. I’m a big fan of skipping and on days I can’t skip, I walk 2-3 kilometres.

4. What is your favourite post-covid restaurant? Please rate it based on taste, hospitality, rates, and ambience.

It’s hard to choose one favourite restaurant (*laughs*). If you know me you’d know that I use to eat out at least four days a week before the pandemic. I’m particularly fond of Ni Hao as the ambience and taste have the ability to instantly transport you to China. Feel free to check out my timeline on Zomato for detailed reviews.

5. How do you spent your time when you are free?

When I’m not cooking (or eating), you can find me reading.

6. Have you recently visited any place after pandemic? If yes, then what was your favourite place to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner?

My last trip was to New Delhi. Since I stayed at the Taj Mahal, New Delhi, I dined at all of their restaurants but what stood out was my experience at Machan.

7. What is your favourite street food?

I love eating the Sabudana Khichdi, Aloo Tikki and Kulfi from Sarafa (situated in Indore).

10. What do you do when your food doesn’t come out the way you wanted it to be? Do you thrash it immediately and try again or you just think about it and try it later on?

No matter how precise you’ve been, there are some recipes that will disappoint you. Rather than being dejected, I try to take feedback from my friends and family and work on it in order to improve the dish.

11. What is your most favourite guilty pleasure?

Eating as many dim sums as I can!

12. From where do you buy your grocery? Do you prefer to buy groceries online or would you like to have in-store shopping?

I prefer to buy groceries from the grocery stores. I like the feeling of being able to see, touch and smell the food I’m about to buy. However, due to the pandemic, I’ve had to rely more on online shopping.

13. What is the one thing which you will never use in your cooking?

Crabs!

14. Are you a sweet or a salty person?

I love eating sweets.

15. Do you believe in saying a complete no to carbs and dairy products when you are on diet?

I’m fortunate enough to be able to say that I’ve never had to diet up until now. But for people who diet, I believe that intermittent fasting works the best.

16. Many people have an opinion that blogging is a bit self-indulgent and narcissistic thing. What will you say about this comment?

Sure, personal-style blogging may be self-indulgent or narcissistic. If you’re someone who turns their own life into narratives or stories, then it’s safe to say they fall in this category.

17. Can you share 3 good and bad things about being a food blogger?

Sure, here are the pros and cons of being a food blogger:

Pros:

1. I get to be my own boss
2. I have a steady stream of income
3. I get to travel and make new connections

Cons:

1. There are no industry standards
2. You need to be very disciplined
3. You need to overcome self-doubt

18. What according to you is the best social media strategy for getting more visitors to a blog?

Creating good content.

20. What do you want to share with the one who has just started their career in food blogging? Any tips that they should follow to get success in their life?

I would suggest you keep creating quality content. Be true to yourself and let the same reflect in your work. Apart from that, continue to network with people even if they’re not from your industry.