Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
I’m Chandrima Sarkar. A visual designer turned self-taught home baker. I run a small bakery I Bake for You from my home, and I get overjoyed when people appreciate my baked goodies.
I’ve studied Bengali literature and did a course on Fine Arts and Graphics. Apart from my interest in painting, making crafts, sketching, stitching, and graphics, I have a great love for cooking. Born and brought up in Kolkata, I moved to North India after my marriage. I cook Bengali food regularly at home, so here you will see Bengali recipes mostly. I love to share my old family recipes with all of you, and I’m still in search of Bengali heirloom recipes, those recipes which are less known or forgotten with time. I’ve a terrible sweet tooth, what I need to feed constantly, so, yes, I make different types of Desserts too. And they have a special place on my blog.
I need your constant suggestions, support, feedback and comments to do these things in a more and more better way. So please be there for me, always.
And those days, when I don’t cook, a plate of ‘Tandoori Chicken’ or ‘Biryani’ works best for me 😉 . Blame it on Delhi’s rich Mughlai cuisine, it has made me a tandoori maniac.
NOB (Not Out of the Box) has started when Sufi (my daughter) was 1.5 yr. old. It started as a FB page. And after spending little more than 1yr on FB, I thought I should start a blog with all my recipes…so here it is, the place where I share the things what I enjoy to do most. Food Photography and Cooking. Life is precious…do what you Love!
How to Contact:
For any kind of food product reviews, professional food styling enquires, collaborations and other enquirers mail me at notoutofthebox@gmail.com
Else, just drop a message on my facebook page.
Featured & Mentions:
- One of my Photograph was among the final entries in the Conceptual category for Asian Photography and Artistique 2015 (Art Exhibit and Contest).
- My Bhetki Begum Bahar recipe published on The Metalfish66 Daily Roundup.
- My Mango Cheesecake in Jars recipe got published on Buzzfeed.
- My Strawberry Cheesecake recipe got published on Adventures with four.
- My Cinnamon Carrot Muffins recipe got published on Flavour curator.
- My Strawberry Hand Pies recipe got published on Edible Crafts.
- My Dhonepata Bata recipe got published on The Huffington post.
- I’ve joined Insta Dilli Food Walk in Chandni Chowk, which was happened in the last week of March, 2016. It was a part of global Insta Meet and was supported by Instagram. Top 10 images were selected by Ms. Deeba Rajpal for capturing the theme of the walk, including one image clicked by me.
- My oil free Pears and Dates Pickle was published on Better Homes and Gardens India magazine’s September ’16 issue.
- My Tilapiar Jhaal/Tilapia Fish Curry recipe published on my Blogger friend Sai’s blog Ladysphinger as a guest post.
- My Instagram account got featured on Delhi Secret Supper Club’s Insta-stars in the making list.
- My Instagram account got featured on Spectrahut’s Top 10 Indian food bloggers on Instagram article.
- My Cake Crumble Cream Cheese Jars with Red Wine Strawberries was published on Better Homes and Gardens India magazine’s March ’17 Anniversary issue.
- My Blog got featured on Incomeboy’s Best Bloggers in India that you must follow list.
- My pick about favourite dish around the world published on The Blueberry Trails.
- My Photographs got featured in Virginia, USA based magazine Chiiz (Vol: 5) August, 2017 issue.
- My Article about Durga Puja Bhog and the Bhoger Khichuri recipe was published on The Hindu.
- My Masoor Pulao and Pineapple Sondesh recipes were published on Better Homes and Gardens India magazine’s October ’17 festive issue.
- My Patpatar Bora/Jute Leaves Fritters recipe which was a part of FBAI’s Dals: The Pulse of India e-book, published in Bomabay Times as a part of the Dal story.
- My Pie recipes got published in Anandabazar Patrika.
- My photographs got published in a Coffee Table Book named The Temporary Calcuttan by ISAR.
- My Kolkata Fish Fry recipe got published in UK based magazine The Supper Club.
- My photographs got published in an Anandabazar Patrika article.
- My Food Photography Tips got published on a Thomas Cook article.
Awards & Achievements
- FeedFeed community member.
- I worked with BetterButter as one of their Founding Chef.
- My Vintage Food Props photograph has been chosen as the winning entry for The FBAI’s Photo Challenge Theme: 5 in July, 2016.
- Winner in Best Photography category in India’s Top Blogger Contest organized by BetterButter.
- IFBA Award Winner in the Best Recipe Blog Category.
- One of the Top 10 Indian Food Influencers in 2018 awarded by Bonusapp.
- I was featured in the 100 most Incredible Food Bloggers of India article published by World of India.
- One of the Best Food Bloggers in Delhi Published by Loofre.
- One of the top 3 winners of Food Photography Competition 2018 organized by Chiiz Magazine.
Interviews:
- Interview published on Influencer.
- Interview published on Loofre.
- Interview published on Travelling Camera.
Workshop & Events:
- Worked as a Food Stylist in Grofers Mothers Day TVC.
- A Workshop has done with German students on Indian Spices at Carmel Convent School, New Delhi.
- A Workshop has done on Smartphone Food Photography for Cookpad India’s Delhi Community members.
- I was invited to judge Iridescent 2018 (Capture the Market) event organized by Carmel Convent School, New Delhi.
Brands I’ve worked with:
Truely Amazing….Darun content…Awesome photographs
Thanks a lot Sreeman! 🙂
Lovely blog Chandrima. It is a treasure for foodies like me.
Likhte thakun, amra achi apnar sathe.
Thank you Abhishek! 🙂
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Hi! Loved it as always! I hope you don’t mind me asking which camera and lens do you use? Would love to know. All the best!
Hi Pritha, Thank you! Canon EOS 600D it is, and lens 50mm mostly.
I just started food blogging, after quitting a grueling job that had me out of touch with my kitchen, and I’ve spent the morning combing the internet for down-to-earth food blogs I feel I can connect with. I have to say, your site seems very genuine, which is refreshing.
I may struggle to find some of the ingredients you use, given I live in Korea, but I’m excited to learn a little more about Bengali food. I’ll definitely be adding you to my little fledgling blogroll. Thanks for keeping it real.
Liz
Hi Liz! 🙂 Thanks for visiting my place, glad to know that you liked my recipes. Just checked your blog, you’re doing great…keep it up. And keep in touch via Instagram, I’ve started following you there. Cheers!
Hi Chandrima,
Nice blog! very interesting one….
Keep Rockzz
By
Reduce Talwalkars – Home based Weight Loss Program in Mumbai.
Dear Chandrima, I am truly amazed to see your blog…..your photographs, concept and art of presenting the food are so wonderful that I often come to your blog to de stress myself…your blog is truly an inspiration to me….I used to follow many of your recipes and they came out really great.
Wish you all the very best.
Hi Jayati,
Thank you so much for your kind words, meant much to me. 🙂
Hi Chandrima,
What lovely blog… Do you teach baking by any chance. If you do please let me know. I am very interested in learning being but didst wanted to learn from a professional. Looking for more of a self learner.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Neha,
Thank you for the words of appreciation. I’ve not started my classes yet if I do in the future will definitely post about it. 🙂
Great recipes
Hi Chandrima,
What a lovely blog you have, I can’t wait to try all your recipies, I found you on Instagram and started following you. Today i was browsing your blog and don’t have words to admire you. The photography, mood , recipies- love everything- I am a big fan of Bengali food . Being a foodie and love cooking- want to start a food blog but with a baby I keep my foot away from it. Today I found your blog and was amazed to see that you started your blog when your daughter was 18 months old. I can imagine how tough it must be. You have inspired me . May be some day I will also start. Tomorrow my day will start with your atta apple cake, my little son who is 16 months old love apple sauce what can be a better option for him than atta apple cake😃.
Hi Shaweta, Thank you so much for visiting here and for all the kind words, meant a lot to me. It’s all about what we love to do and how we can love it more by doing our very best towards the same. Happy Baking and I hope your little boy will like eating the cake. 🙂