Eat & Stay - MAY ISSUE 2023

Eat & Stay Goa

Volume 2

Issue 5

May 2023

COVER FEATURE cakes & Doilies

Founded by Mayur Shirodkar and Ranjit Thakur, 'The Mystery of Lemon Chilli' restaurant at Pilerne is your go-to place for a delicious fusion of food & drinks.

The Mystery of Lemon Chilli Interview

ItsGoa in conversation with Chef Aashutosh Shinde, Sous Chef at Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa.

Image: Mayur & Ranjit, Proprietors ,

The Mystery of Lemon Chilli

Cakes & Doilies Goa, run by a home baker Desiree Braganca who creates the most exquisite stunning cakes & other baked goods!

strawberry milkshake

Food blogger Greta Fernandes shares her recipe to prepare a refreshing strawberry milkshake.

Editorial

Hi Friends,

Welcome to the May issue of our Eat&Stay emagazine.

This month, on the cover, we have featured ‘Mystery of Lemon Chilli', a restaurant situated at Pilerne that serves delicious fusion-styled dishes and drinks. The restaurant, which began operations in late 2020, is the brainchild of Mayur Shirodkar and Ranjit Thakur, two very seasoned individuals who hold years of experience in the hospitality industry.

Read the feature inside to know more about the restaurant, the various dishes and drinks it offers, the future plans the founders have for the restaurant and lots more…

Our inside pages feature stories on two amazing home-based confectioneries - ‘Cakes and Doilies’, a home confectionery based in Panjim, and ‘Mystic Desserts', a home confectionery based in Siolim. Both these home-based enterprises offer delicious cakes and pastries and have gained a lot of popularity ever since they started off.

We have also covered the story of ‘Caramel By Neela’, a Panjim-based home enterprise that offers amazing varieties of caramel desserts.

This month's issue also features an exclusive interview with Chef Aashutosh Shinde, Sous Chef at Taj Fort Aguada Resort and Spa. During  the interview, he shared with us insights into his life, his journey in the hospitality industry, a few of his favourite Goan dishes and lots more.

Recipes on how to prepare Basil-infused Mango Margarita by Chef Preshnev Rajangam, Executive Sous Chef at Vivanta Goa, Miramar, and on Strawberry Milkshake by Mumbai-based food blogger Greta Fernandes, also features in this month’s issue of our e-magazine.

Last month, JW Marriott made its debut in Goa with the opening of JW Marriott, Goa. Set along the picturesque coastline of Vagator, the new hotel is an oasis of luxury and warm hospitality.

The 151-room property, which is Marriott International's 150th property in South Asia, has an architectural narrative that features local artefacts such as wooden panelling, mother-ofpearl detailing, intricate glassware chandeliers and water fountains. The guest rooms at the property feature balconies that open to breathtaking ocean views, while its luxurious suites offer private plunge pools.

It also features four inviting dining venues, a spa that features Goa's first and only Turkish & Moroccan Hammams (steam rooms), plus a well equipped gym. It also houses a stunning outdoor infinity pool with poolside cabanas where guests can enjoy a relaxing swim and lounge in the warm tropical sunshine.

Well, that's all I have for you from my desk this month. I hope you enjoy reading this month’s issue of our e-magazine. Do share it with your friends all across the globe.

Until next month, cheers!

Jessyl Fernandez Editor

01 Lemon Chilli

02 Chef Ashutosh Shende

03 Cakes & Doilies

04 Caramel By

Neela

05 Chef Preshnev’s Summer Recipes

06 Mystic Desserts

07 Strawberry Milkshake By Greta

Introduction

Goa, the tiniest state on the western coast of India, boasts golden pristine beaches, palmfringed avenues, flavourful food, delicious Portuguese-influenced sweets, and warm, hospitable people. Also known as the Ibiza of India for its partying. A tropical paradise of flora and fauna, from the very famous 'almi' (mushrooms) endemic to its forests, that grow only on the red mud anthills, to the solar prawns that are fished immediately after the monsoons, Goa is unique. Tourists are also attracted to Goa for its cultural heritage - from the famous old Portuguese churches like Se Cathedral in Old Goa, the 16th Century Safa Masjid in Ponda and Shree Mangesha Temple in Mardol, the legendary Arvalem or Pandava Caves where the Pandavas of the Mahabharat fame lived, to its two unique festivals - Carnival and Shigmo. Goa plays host to many festivalsthe International Film Festival of India that promotes cinema, the Serendipity Art Festival, Sunburn Music Festival, The Grape Escapade to name a few. To showcase this varied heritage of culture, art, tradition, food, and people, in 2015 ItsGoa was born. The main aim was to make it the premier portal for all things Goa. We were able to showcase Goa like never before. Soon our blog-based website transcended the virtual space, with the ItsGoa magazine – a sought-after resource for visitors to Goa from countries like Norway, Germany, UK, USA, UAE, etc.

Chief Editor

Jessyl Fernandez

Content Manager Steve Antao

Content Curators:

Prataya Sarkar

Greta Fernandes

Sales & Marketing Donald Fernandez

Graphics & Layout Shashank Parab

Social Media Manager Saviola Dias

For advertising queries: 9370502124 / 9209005127

ItsGoa Media Group

Nordic Intent HQ - Floor 3, PDA Colony, Porvorim, Goa 403521

Email : mail@itsgoa.com

Website: itsgoa.com

Mystery of Lemon Chilli

Founded in December 2020 by Mayur Shirodkar & Ranjit Thakur,

'The Mystery of Lemon Chilli' restaurant at Pilerne is your go-to place for a delicious fusion of food & drinks.

Article by : Steve Antao Images by : Lemon Chilli

Mystery Of Lemon Chilli

Mystery of Lemon Chilli, located just behind Casino Motel at Pilerne, is one of the many new restaurants that have cropped up in Goa over the last few years. The restaurant, which started operations in December 2020, specialises in offering fusion food. The kind of food and drinks offered at Mystery of Lemon Chilli is something you won't find at any other restaurant in Goa. The venture is the brainchild of Mayur Shirodkar and Ranjit Thakur, two very seasoned individuals who hold years of experience in the hospitality industry. Ranjit specialises in preparing unique fusion dishes at Mystery of Lemon Chilli while Mayur specialises in making his own unique set of cocktails. The floor operations of the restaurant are handled by Mayur while Ranjit mainly oversees the operations of the kitchen.

About The Founders

Ranjit, who is originally from Bihar, has been living in Goa for the past 35 years. He holds a degree in hotel management from IIAS, Goa. After completing his course, he pursued a one-year diploma in kitchen operations in France, specialising in French cuisine. He then worked for three years in a Michelin-star restaurant in France, and then for one-year in another Michelin-star restaurant in Belgium. He has been working in Goa for the last 13 years as a chef. This includes an 8 year stint working at the Black Sheep Bistro in Panjim. Mystery of Lemon Chilli is his first venture in the culinary sector in Goa.

Mayur holds a degree in hotel management from Goa. After completing his graduation, he worked at JW Marriott Mumbai for about 18 months and then joined Goa Marriott Resort and Spa where he worked for about two and a half years.

Baked yoghurt brulee (Baked yoghurt with orange and lime with caramelized sugar)

Watermelon bash (Fresh watermelon with tequila and lime)

Seared chicken leg (Boneless seared chicken with fresh green pepper sauce)

After that, he went abroad and worked for about four years in the Gulf where he was involved in managing the launch of restaurants. He used to train a team of people involved in the opening of restaurants in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. He also used to train the staff of the restaurant and used to also do the setup for the restaurant according to the desires of the client.

In 2018, he met Ranjit at Black Sheep Bistro, Panjim. Ranjit had joined the Black Sheep Bistro as an Executive Chef and he had his own unique culinary creations over there. Over a period of time, he and Mayur became good friends and in 2020, they thought of starting their own venture which led to the birth of Mystery of Lemon Chilli

The Story Behind The Name Of The Restaurant

Explaining why he and Ranjit decided to name their restaurant ‘Mystery of Lemon Chilli’, Mayur says that lemons and chillies are two ingredients

which are used in almost all types of dishes. “We also use lemons and chillies in many of the cocktails we serve here at Lemon Chilli”, he says.” It is also a name that is very catchy and easy to pronounce. So we decided to name our enterprise as "Mystery of Lemon Chilli”.

Dishes & Drinks Offered At Lemon Chilli

The menu at Mystery of Lemon Chilli features a wide range of fusion-styled dishes and drinks. Mayur and Ranjit prepare various dishes and drinks using their own unique set of recipes. These recipes are a fusion of Indian and European cuisines. ”You won't find the flavours offered at Mystery of Lemon Chilli anywhere else in Goa'' says Ranjit. We mix different types of ingredients and create our own dishes and drinks”. It's like a combination of various cuisines together," he says. “We also make our own masalas by combining different types of spices'', he adds.

Burning Orange (A spicy & tangy Urrak-based cocktail)

One of the most popular dishes offered at Mystery of Lemon Chilli is their fresh Raw Banana Fries. The restaurant also offers veg starters like lotus stem and in non-veg, they offer different varieties of puris, like golgappas stuffed with either vegetables, prawns, pork, or crabs.

In their main course menu, they mainly focus on seafood. One of the many unique dishes on their menu is their Gnocchi, an Italian-style dish finished with aloo methi. ''So basically, it's the idea of Aloo Methi in a Gnocchi version made with sauteed vegetables and carrot puree”, says Ranjit. “We have also created a dish called Mutton osso buco, which is an Italian dish", he adds.

He goes on to talk about the unique desserts offered at Mystery of Lemon Chilli which include Smoked Coconut Bites finished with beetroot reduction sauce, White Chocolate Lava made with orange reduction sauce, and Baked Yogurt Brulee with orange confit. “We use a lot of local products, and we create our own homemade spices and mixes according to the requirements of the ingredients of the dishes,” says Ranjit.

Popular Cocktails Offered At The Restaurant

Talking about the various cocktails offered at Mystery of Lemon Chilli, Mayur says that one of their best selling cocktails is the Spicy Kokum cocktail which is served with fenny. “ It is a Kokum drink mixed with fenny and chilli”, he says. Another drink which is very popular among patrons is the Cucumber Swirl, which is composed of freshly muddled cucumber and mint mixed with gin. Also, the Dragon Eye cocktail, which is made up of pineapple, cranberry and olives with vodka, also features on their list of best-selling cocktails. Mayur adds that since it is currently the season of Urrak, they make different types of Urrak and a lot of other drinks which are their own creations.

Sous vide chicken liver (Liver cooked in sous vide with touch of jeera fenny)

Lemon mint cooler (Fresh mint blended with ginger and lime topped over the ice)

Public Response

Mystery of Lemon Chilli received a very good response from the public when it opened its doors to the public in December 2020. “The response was very good because people were looking to try out something new and different from the same kinds of dishes offered at most restaurants”, says Ranjit. A majority of the patrons who dine at Mystery of Lemon Chilli are from Goa and other parts of India. “Indians prefer a little bit of spice in their food and a majority of our patrons enjoy our food because most of our dishes have a touch of different Indian spices added to them”, says Mayur. He goes on to add that almost every fortnight, he and Ranjit introduce something new on their menu so that people do not get fed up with having the same dishes again and again.

Major Customers

A majority of the people who come to dine at Mystery of Lemon Chilli are from Porvorim and surrounding areas. Occasionally, they do get patrons from Margao and Vasco, but otherwise, the bulk of their customers are from nearby areas.

Mystery of Lemon Chilli provides catering for small parties of up to 40 people. They have indoor seating  as well as outdoor seating. They don’t cater for big events because the restaurant has limited seating space. They also do catering for outdoor events. However, it is more of an a la carte-styled catering. They do not offer buffet-style catering. They have done outdoor catering for a few French delegates who had come to Goa for an event. They also receive orders from a lot of locals for outdoor catering.

Mayur and Ranjit plan to start another outlet of Mystery of Lemon Chilli very soon. “We are going to commence work on it in the middle of May," says Ranjit  “It should open sometime later towards the end of this year and we are hoping for the best”, he says.

Mystery of Lemon Chilli

Address: Behind Casino Motel, Govekar Nagar, Porvorim, Pilerne, Goa 403501

Hours: 12pm–4 pm, 7pm–11 pm (Mondays Closed)

Phone: 084110 31614

Spicy Kokum (Kokum mixed with local fenny with a touch of green chilli)

Chef Aashutosh Shende Interview

In a brief interaction with ItsGoa, Chef Aashutosh Shende, Sous Chef at Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa, Goa, shared details about his life, his journey  in the hospitality industry, his favourite Goan dishes, and lots more.

Article by: Team ItsGoa

Images by: Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa, Goa

www.itsgoa.com itsgoa_ Itsgoa

ItsGoa In Conversation With Chef Aashutosh Shende

Chef Aashutosh Shende serves as the Sous Chef at Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa, Goa. A native of Nagpur, Chef Aashutosh’s journey in the culinary world has seen him working for some of the toprated hotel chains in the world, including Four Points by Sheraton, The Lodhi, and Shangri-La. He has also worked with celebrity chefs Gary Rhodes and Vikas Khanna.

In a brief tete-a-tete with ItsGoa, Chef Aashutosh shared insights into his life, his career as a chef, his favourite Goan dishes, and lots more.

Tell Us A Bit About Yourself

I hail from Nagpur. However, I did my schooling in Delhi. After completing my schooling, I pursued my degree in Hotel Management from the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition, Hyderabad.

What Was Your Childhood Ambition?

Becoming a chef was my ambition from childhood and I feel truly blessed that it fructified.

What Inspired You To Take Up Culinary Arts As A Full-Time Career?

My passion and love for cooking and experimenting with different recipes has been the motivating factor behind my decision to take up culinary arts as my full-time profession.

How Did Your Interest In Cooking Begin? Was There Any Incident That Took Place During Your Childhood That Led To You Developing A Strong Interest In Cooking?

I had a happy childhood and I remember when I was as young as ten, I would help my mother chop vegetables and sauté. When the end result was a success, I always felt that I was part of the process and that somehow, my contribution helped in making the dish taste better. This thrill enticed me to start preparing dishes from scratch to the finish by the time I was 14 years of age.

At times, when my parents were out of town, I would call friends over to my house and cook for them. It became a regular affair since guests would often visit and ask me to cook something for them. www.itsgoa.com

tomato carpaccio, goat cheese, Taggiasca olives & capers

Take Us Through The Journey Of Your Professional Career After You Completed Your Higher Studies.

I started my career at Four Points by Sheraton, Visakhapatnam as a Commie. Later, I moved to The Lodhi Hotel in Delhi (Formally, it was Aman Resort). After a year, I travelled overseas to work with Michelin Star Chefs. I was blessed with the opportunity to work under Chef Gary Rhodes in his outlet Rhodes Twenty10 at Le Royal Meridien, Dubai. This restaurant is a fine-dining steak house. Within four months, I got an opportunity to work directly with him on his upcoming restaurant Rhodes W1 at Grosvenor House, the Luxury Collection Hotel, Dubai as part of the pre-opening team.

With these pre-opening stints and a lot of experience under my wings, I chose to explore more about modern Indian Cuisine and joined Junoon Dubai by Chef Vikas Khanna as a CDP and got promoted to Jr. Sous Chef within a year.

I also worked at Shangri-La, Dubai and then moved to Shanghai and worked at The Tandoor –North Indian Speciality Restaurant, Michelin Bib Gourmet which has four outlets operating in China.

I returned back to India during the pandemic and joined Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa, Goa as a Sous Chef overseeing operations at Kokum Kitchen, the multi-cuisine coffee shop and banquets kitchen. Two years later I joined the preopening team for the debut launch of Paper Moon restaurant in the country. In my current role, I continue to be a part of the speciality Milanese cuisine restaurant.

Name A Few Goan Dishes Which Are Your Personal Favourites.

Chicken Jirem Mirem, Fish Haldi Chilly and Goan Prawn Curry.

Name A Few Dishes & Drinks Offered St Paper oon Goa Which Are Very Popular With Diners. Popular Dishes At Paper oon

Carpaccio Di Pomodori Con Caprino, Olive

Taggiasche e Capper

Pappardelle Paper Moon, Salsa Al Pomodoro, Panna E Bacon Croccant

Tiramisu' Paper Moon

Popular Drinks At Paper oo

Watermelon & Mint Martin

Mayarit

Pineapple Sun

Did You Face Any Challenges During The Course Of Your Career As A Chef?

Opening a restaurant is always a challenge but when the restaurant is up and running with happy diners, all that apprehension, pain, challenge and heartache seems worth it.

There are times when I feel that I am missing important milestones of my personal life while honing my knowledge, skills, and talent at work. However, it has made me a better Chef and I am blessed to have been able to fulfil my childhood dream.

saffron risotto

Could You Name A Few Celebrity Chefs (Both Indian As Well As Foreign) That You Look Up To For Inspiration And Consider As Your Role Models?

Indian Celebrity Chefs: Chef Vikas Khanna, Chef Vineet Bhatia, Chef Ranveer Brar, Chef Gagan Anandm, Chef Himanshu Saini

Foreign Celebrity Chefs: Chef Gary Rhodes, Chef Carlo Cracco, Chef Massimo Bottura, Chef Grant Achatz

Finally, What Thought Would You Like To Leave Our Readers With?

If you really want to know about honest Italian food, you must visit us at Paper Moon at Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa, Goa and allow us to serve you the best Italian dishes you have ever tried.

Tiramisu Dessert Served At PaperMoon, Goa

Cakes & Doilies

Cakes and Doilies is a home bakery based at Santa Cruz. The enterprise was founded in 2017 by Desiree Braganca. Desiree holds a B.Sc degree in Hospitality and Hotel Management from IHM, Goa and a Diploma in French Patisserie from Lavonne Academy, Bengaluru.  She started baking cakes and various other confections for her friends and family members during her high school years and slowly began taking orders for cakes and cupcakes. Post college, around 2017, she started working fulltime on her cake business and grew it to where it is today. She operates her business from her residence in Santa Cruz.

In brief conversation with ItsGoa, Desiree shared details about the various products offered by Cakes and Doilies, the various challenges she faced while setting up the enterprise, her future plans for Cakes and Doilies and lots more.

Brief Us About The Various Products Offered

By Cakes & Doilies

I specialise in customised cakes for birthdays, anniversaries and weddings. I also offer seasonal hampers and treats like macarons, cupcakes and cakesicles. I use high quality ingredients like couverture chocolate and imported berries in all the products which I offer.

What Motivated You To Start This Business?

It’s always an honour to be a small part of someone’s special day! That has always been my motivation - to bring happiness to people through food.

Who Are Your Major Clients?

A majority of my clients are local residents. I have been fortunate to have many wonderful clients who trust me with their cakes, year after year. I have been a small part of their various milestones, through birthdays, weddings, baby showers and anniversaries! I also get a large number of clients from across India who want to celebrate their special occasions in Goa.

Did You Face Any Challenges While Setting Up This Enterprise?

Yes. While setting up my business, I faced a few challenges such as finding vendors and sourcing ingredients, getting the proper documentation to obtain a licence for my home business was a long process, but was worth it. Also, working alone means that I have to do everything by myself, and that can be taxing at times.

Who Were The People/Organisations Who Supported You The Most In Scaling Up Your Enterprise?

My family members and some of my close friends were my biggest supporters during the initial stages.

How Can Clients Place Orders With You For Cakes And Other Products That You Offer? Also, Do You Provide Home Delivery Of Your Products?

No. I don't provide home delivery. All orders have to be picked up from Santa Cruz. Customers can call or text me on Instagram or Whatsapp.,

Textured Buttercream Wedding Cake Adorned With Macarons

What Are Your Future Plans?

In the next few years, I hope to grow my business and reach more customers through social media. I also plan on introducing new products and flavours.

To place orders for cakes and other confections from Cakes & Doilies, contact Desiree on:

WhatsApp: 9923085582

Email: cakesanddoilies@gmail.com

Instagram: @cd.goa

Clockwise- Lemon Blueberry, Raspberry & Milk Chocolate, Coffee White Chocolate, Vanilla Raspberry

Handmade Sugar Flowers and Flamingos for a Tropical themed Birthday Cake

Festive Macarons - Part Of A Christmas Hamper

Signature Macaron Towers

Caramel By Neela

Neela Bandorcar Rodrigues, hailing from the charming village of Bandora, started ‘Caramel

By

Neela’

in December 2021 at her residence in Caranzalem. Neela currently offers three varieties of Caramel Flans, i.e, the Original Classic Caramel, the Classic Veg Caramel, (an eggless version of her original recipe) and the vegan Caribbean Caramel with hints of coconut.

Neela’s interest in making desserts actually began when she was schooling. It was more of a trial and error. A few of her own friends and some family friends her age would try a dish and talk about it. This aroused her interest in trying the same. Whatever she prepared was never a failure. That ignited her interest in trying different types of desserts. All her siblings would help her whenever she tried her hand at something in the kitchen, and that’s how her journey in the kitchen began.

Her passion prompted her to start ‘Caramel By Neela’. Though she always had the idea of marketing her caramel, it was not possible for various reasons. Her recipe is 100% original and the first time she tried it and served it to her family way back in 1993, everyone appreciated it. They were all totally ‘fida’ (Hindi for to fall in love) over it. It then became a part of every family function. It was so very well accepted that no family function would be complete without Neela’s caramel. Her son Aakash’s friends felt that they had never tasted a caramel pudding as good as Neela’s caramel ever in their lives. Everyone suggested that she should market it. Finally, her dream took shape in December 2021 with the true efforts of Heena, a regular customer and her son, Aakash.

Caramel Pudding

Classic Veg Caramel

Thanks to her Instagram page conceptualised and designed by Aakash, her caramel was extremely well received and appreciated by one and all who ordered and tasted it. Her Caribbean Caramel is an eggless lactose-free vegetarian caramel that’s been termed as ‘Magical Melt-In-The-Mouth Delights’ by her customers. Neela is very concerned about the quality of her caramels in terms of taste, texture, hygiene and presentation, and every step that goes into their making has her personal touch.

In an effort to reduce waste, Neela is looking at environmentally-friendly alternatives to the microwave-proof plastic packaging she currently uses. She is also planning to expand her venture slowly and steadily. She aims at adding a few more items to her menu, viz, more varieties of exotic caramels. In addition to caramels, she also plans on introducing some cakes, brownies, brookies and cookies to her menu.

Taking into consideration her degree in Fine Arts (Applied Art) from Goa College of Art, Neela believes in finesse and strict quality control in everything she does. Finesse in her creatives while working in her art studio and similarly finesse in taste while preparing her caramels! Overwhelmed with the positive customer feedback, she considers her loyal customers and well wishers as her team members and is thankful for not experiencing many challenges.

Her success mantra is to believe in oneself and offer your 100% to whatever one is doing.

Home delivery of Neela’s Caramels is available via Swiggy Genie. Orders are required to be placed one or two days prior.

To order via Swiggy Genie, visit: https:// www.swiggy.com/genie/caramelbyneela

Customers can also call / WhatsApp Neela on 9923037028 to place orders. Her Instagram handle is @Caramel.by.neela.

Neela Rodrigues - Proprietor

Classic Caramel

BASIL INFUSED MANGO MARGARITA

I gredie ts:

Mango Ju ce – 1 0 ml

L me Ju ce – 5 ml

Sugar Syrup – 5 ml

Fresh Bas l Leaves – 7 nos

Spr te – 60 ml

Method:

Put the ngred ents n a blender along w th ce and blend for 5- 0 seconds

Pour n a glass r mmed w th fresh mango pulp and sugar

Top up w th Spr te

To be served on the rocks.

Mesclu , Ma go, Avocado Citrus Fruit Salad

I gredie ts:

Mango – 1 no

Avocado Pulp – 0 gm

Coconut M lk - 0 ml

Lemon Ju ce – 10 ml

P neapple - 0gm

K w (d ced) - 1/ no

Plum (sl ced) - 1/ no

Orange (segments) – 1 no

Pomegranate Pearls – tsp

M x Lettuce – 0 gm

Salt To Taste

Method

Make a smooth dress ng w th half a mango, coconut m lk, avocado, lemon ju ce and salt

Add all the rema n ng ngred ents n a salad bowl

Add dress ng as per preference., m x gently and serve cold. www.itsgoa.com

Mango Margarita Infused With Fresh Basil Leaves

Fruit Salad Made With Mesclun, Mango, Avocado & Citrus Fruit

When Muriel Dias started baking as a part-time business, she had no idea that it would eventually turn into Mystic Desserts, a successful enterprise that provides delectable pastries, cakes, donuts, cookies, and more. With her passion for baking and the unwavering support of her family, Muriel has created a brand that has become popular among her friends and relatives.

Mystic Desserts was founded in May 2019 and is located in Sodiem Siolim, Bardez, Goa. Muriel, the founder and sole proprietor of the enterprise, started baking as a hobby when she was in school. She was introduced to baking as a subject in work education class, and she fell in love with it. However, it was not until she baked a cake for her friends and family that she realised she had a talent that could turn into a profitable business.

Despite these challenges, Muriel never gave up. She continued to work hard and improve her skills, and eventually, Mystic Desserts became a popular brand. Today, Muriel's major clients are her friends, classmates, and relatives. However, she plans to expand her business in the future by opening a small shop.

Muriel's success story is an inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs. She started her business with a hobby and a few orders from her friends and family. With hard work, dedication, and support from her loved ones, she has created a brand that has become popular among her community.

For those who are thinking of starting their own business, Muriel has some words of advice: "Never give up on your ideas, stay motivated, and believe in yourself. Whatever you do, one day, it will make you successful in life."

For those who want to order cakes, pastries, and other sweet goodies from Mystic Desserts, Muriel can be contacted on WhatsApp at 91468 17954 or through her Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/mystic_desserts/.

The response from the public when Mystic Desserts first started was positive. Muriel's friends and relatives loved her cakes and pastries, and they started placing orders for her creations. However, like any new venture, there were initial hiccups and challenges. Muriel had to balance her baking business with her studies and work. She had to find ways to market her products and invest in her business.

Donuts made by Muriel Dias

Serradura, a traditional Portuguese dessert

Red velvet Cupcakes

For reservations: 0832-2456231 +91 7447499070 | +91 7447499069

Strawberry Milkshake drinks

Mumbai-based food blogger Greta Fernandes shares her recipe to prepare a refreshing strawberry milkshake

Article by : Greta Fernandes Images by : Unsplash

www.itsgoa.com itsgoa_

What Do You Do When You Have Had Your Share Of Strawberries And Still There Are More Left In The Refrigerator?

Well, I put them to good use for quite a few interesting recipes like the recently shared Strawberry pancakes and of course the Strawberry & Dark Chocolate Sugar-free cake (a brand new addition to my online bakeshop). And since it is the onset of summer, I tried making a chilled milkshake out of those luscious berries.

The colour pink naturally draws my attention, one firm reason being that it is also the colour of my brand logo for the online home-bake shop. I am loving every bit of the experience of introducing it to the world.

So let's take a look at a few positives of making this one. The best part of this recipe is that if the strawberries are ripe and sweet, you need not add sugar at all. A drizzle of honey will do the trick. That way, this milkshake glass will stand true to its colour pink, which also happens to be the colour of health.

For variation, you could add a sliced banana, a heaped spoon of your favourite protein powder or some pitted dates for some healthy sweetness. You can experiment with this easy ready-in-aminute recipe.

inse strawberries in water using a strainer or colander and drain the water out

Slice off the green leafy part from all the strawberries. Then chop the strawberries Add the chopped strawberries to a blender and blend on pulse mode till they form they are pureed

To this add cups of chilled milk and honey/maple syrup/sugar (as needed

To make a thicker and creamier shake, add 2 to scoops of vanilla or strawberry ice cream in the blender Blend until smooth

Pour in tall glasses, decorate with some chopped strawberries and serve immediately.

Tip: If you desire a thicker consistency in the milkshake without the ice cream, freeze the strawberries and blend them frozen before adding the milk. The milkshake will turn out really creamy and delicious.

About The Author

Greta Fernandes is a Goan home chef based in Mumbai. She is a self-taught baker and runs Deliciously U S, an online confectionery that specialises in sugar-free cakes. Deliciously U S provides pan India deliveries of brownies, cookies, and tea cakes – both, sugar-free and regular versions.

To Place Orders For Ca es And Other Confections From Deliciously URS, Contact Greta On:

WhatsApp: 8 69880446

Faceboo : https://www.facebook.com/

deliciouslyursbygreta

Website: https://deliciouslyurs.com/