Name: Shareba Abdul
Blog name: In Search Of Yummy-ness
Where were you born? Port of Spain, Trinidad
Where are you living now? Ontario, Canada
Why did you start your blog?
I started In Search Of Yummy-ness with my friend Mandy back in 2010. We were going out for dinner so often that we thought it would be fun to share our dining experiences with other people. The blog has changed a lot since then, and Mandy no longer writes with me, but we still go out for dinner all the time.
How did you decide on your blog name?
The name just popped into my head while I was out for dinner one night. I thought “in search of” was good because Mandy and I were always looking for new places to eat, and “yummy-ness” because it’s kind of cute. I wanted a name that would be playful.
What do you blog about?
These days I feel like I’m blogging about everything, which is starting to stress me out a bit. I enjoy writing about food events and my restaurant experiences the most, followed by recipes and personal stories. I’m going to try my hand at travel writing soon too.
What post are you most proud of and why?
I’d have to say that I’m most proud of my most controversial post: What Really Happened at the Toronto Grilled Cheese Festival. That event did not go well, and there was a lot of speculation as to why on social media outlets. My goal was to write a recap of the event that would show people what I saw, highlight the issues in a fair way, and give credit to the many people who worked their butts off that night. I spent 7 hours writing, editing and fact-checking that post but it was worth it in the end.
Which post do you wish received more love and why?
I would love for more people to see my Turkish Delight post. It’s not an authentic recipe, as the resulting candy is much softer than traditional Turkish Delight, but it’s really yummy. I used photos from the ice storm we had this past winter along with quotes from The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe in this post and I really like how the post looks overall.
Which post’s success surprised you and why?
My Vietnamese Avocado Shake post has had about 20,000 more hits than any other post I’ve ever written, and I have no idea why! Maybe I accidentally hit SEO gold on that one, or it’s just a really popular recipe. Who knows?
What is one (non-kitchen) gadget you can’t live without?
As much as I love my computer, and my phone, I think I would be miserable without my iPod. I have different kinds of music on there to help me get through the day. If I want to relax, I’ll listen to Norah Jones. When I’m shooting photos for a blog post I might listen to Simon and Garfunkel or Within Temptation. I reserve Linkin Park and System of a Down for when my website crashes. 🙂
What is one kitchen gadget you can’t live without?
Tongs! This might seem weird, but we never had tongs in our kitchen when I was growing up. I didn’t discover how useful they were until I interned on a cooking show.
Favourite food, care to share a recipe?
I don’t really have a favourite food, although I love seafood and I’m obsessed with all things coconut. If you haven’t tried coconut oil on popcorn yet, you’re missing out. Here’s an easy recipe for you:
- ¼ cup popcorn kernels
- 1 brown paper bag
- 1 tbsp melted coconut oil
- salt (to taste)
- Measure ¼ cup of dry popcorn kernels and place them in a brown paper bag.
- Fold the top of the bag over 2 times and seal tightly.
- NOTE: Try to make the folds as small as possible. If you fold up too much of the bag, there won’t be enough space for the heat to circulate around the popcorn and it will burn.
- Place the bag on its side in the microwave and heat for 1 minute and 50 seconds on high heat.
- Carefully remove the bag from the microwave and let cool until it’s safe to handle
- Empty the popcorn into a bowl and top with melted coconut oil and a sprinkle of salt.
Adapted from my post, Snack Attack Popcorn.
What else should we know about you that may or not be in your “About Me” page?
I took dance classes for 15 years and then went on to produce my own annual dance showcase for charity, which raised over $25,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society in 6 years. No one cares when they read that on my resume, but I’m still proud of that achievement.
What makes your blog unique?
I studied Journalism back in university, so my writing style tends to be a combination of reporting and personal writing. I’m also not afraid to speak my mind, so you’ll always get my honest opinions!
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That Turkish delight looks absolutely amazing! Really clean shot!
Thanks Karen!