Liebster award - a recognition?

Earlier this week, I received a note from Naaz of Ammi Rasoi that she considered my blog to pass along a Liebster nomination she had received. I am freakishly cautious about comments I publish on my blog and almost always filter out all anonymous, suspicious looking messages but this one looked genuine. How can it not be when someone you don't know hitherto, sends you a message that you and your infant blog are note worthy in this blogosphere. Thank you Naaz for your generosity in spreading this cheer amongst novice bloggers.

I looked up a little bit on Liebster awards and the concept is in practice for quite a while. Liebster in German means 'dearest' or 'favorite' and is initiated to recognize new bloggers in the arena. You either accept it and pass it on or decline it. If you do accept it, you share a few random facts about you, answer some questions the other blogger sets for you, create your own set of questions and send it to other bloggers. Seemed like fun and I told Naaz that I was going to accept it :-). The hardest part was finding new bloggers to pass this award along as I have to admit I don't discover blogs on my own all the time. Some times a generic search leads me to it and sometimes I come across them in another favorite blog of mine. So I have to confess I haven't gone all out in searching for new blogs but shared my joy with some friends I have known in this virtual world.

Rules of Liebster award are:

1. I have to answer the 11 questions Naaz set for me and pass this award on to other bloggers with less than 200 followers. 
2. Share some random facts about me.
3. Create a set of my own questions when I send this award to other bloggers.
4. Let the person who nominated me and the new bloggers I nominate know about this award.

So here you go, some random facts about me:

• I love being outdoors, doesn't have to be any fancy place, just my backyard will do. 
• I love reading and there is no one genre I am specially fond of. 
• I love music and it is always a sure way for me to relax. 
• I love to do impromptu comedy shows for my family but end up laughing more than they do. 
• I am a perfectionist to the point of being obsessive sometimes.
• I have a general positive outlook in life though things can sometimes weigh me down.
• I love my dog but hate it when she curls up on my favorite saggy sofa.
• I treasure my friends and family.
• I believe there is a power beyond what I can see that guides me in this life. 
• Cooking and gardening are my stress buster hobbies. 
• I love snacking on spicy treats - especially hurigalu and mirapakayi bajji. 

Now on to the questions Naaz has set for me: 

1. What you like to cook?

Depends and has been changing over time, although I just love cooking, currently I am experimenting quite a bit with baking. 

2. What is your favorite food?

All kinds of spicy food, spicier the better and I can go on eating my mom's kodubale (deep fried spicy rings made with rice flour, coconut, red chilies...) until I literally burst at the seams :-).

3. Why did you start blogging?

I love to cook and write. So blogging was a naturally great way to combine these 2 interests. Also, it is an electronic recipe book for my daughter to use whenever she needs it. 

4. What are the best five words that describe you?

Hmmm.., I believe I am defined by my family all my life, so I would say dedicated, friendly, trust worthy,  independent, and trusting, 

5. Do you have some other food blogs that you recommend?

Many, many. There are so many foodies out there with great blogs and since my current passion is baking, I recommend Smitten kitchen and Tammy's recipes. 

6. How do you click your photographs?

I have a nikon, D5K and use an extended flash to overcome the gray skies. Food photography is something I still am working on. 

7. What is your weakness?

I had to laugh when I read this question. In my professional world, we are taught never to state a weakness when asked in an interview and if the interviewer insisted I am to spin it as a positive thing. Since Naaz is not insisting on it, I will pass this one :-)

8. Your favorite weekend outing?

If all three of us are free, we love to head out for a hike or a simple walk and I love to try a new dish and revisit an old recipe over the weekend. 

9. What was your first comment on other blogs?

I really don't remember as I must have done that a while ago. 

10. What do you love about blogging?

The fact that it helps me loosen up, get some creative juices going and get to know other foodies out there. 

11. You are extrovert or introvert?

Depends really. I take time to open up in new company but once I know my turf, I can be all chirpy. 

And now below is the set of questions I want to pass this award along with. I have tried to keep it around blogging in general and food blogging specifically but it is ok to pass any question if you think it is personal or just don't want to divulge information. I hope you accept and have as much fun as I did doing this: 

1. What was your reaction when you received the Liebster award? 
2. What do you most look forward to with your blogging? 
3. What is your all time favorite ingredient or spice in cooking? 
4. Do you always give credit to a recipe source or blogger when you use one? 
5. What are your hobbies outside of food blogging? 
6. What appeals to you most in other food blogs (writing style, blog layout and visual appeal, pictures, recipes and anything else)? 
7. How has blogging changed your life? 
8. How do you feel about plagiarism in food blogs? 
9. Who is the one person that influenced you most in starting your blog? 
10. Who is your all time favorite cook/chef and why? 
11. What is cooking currently in your kitchen? 

And here are my nominations: 

Smitha of Kannada Cuisine

Aparna of Yet Another foodie

Nandita of Paaka shale

Deeksha of Dee's Kitchen 

Saranya of Saranya's kitchen