Hi, I’m Saritha! Welcome to Everyday on Occasion.
I created this blog to inspire you to bring something special to everyday living.
I’m often asked what my favourite food or cuisine is. Truth is, I don’t have one. I’m too greedy to have a favourite food. I enjoy all sorts of food, from gnocchi sitting in a bed of creamy sauce, to a spicy red curry scattered with fresh Thai basil leaves, to a stacked burger with fries.
One of my favourite desserts is payasam, a sweet and creamy Indian pudding; defiantly too rich to have regularly! A few years ago my cousin made a skinny version of it, and when I tasted it I thought to myself: An “everyday” version of this decadent dish? My mind started racing, thinking of other dishes I could turn into an everyday meal. With that one bite of payasam, Everyday on Occasion was born.
Niches are nice, but not for me
Upon starting my blog, I was told to “find my niche.” I thought about it and realized I don’t have or want one. I like to make a little bit of everything because I like to eat a little bit of everything. My interest and focus comes from my life and surroundings: for example, when I travelled to the Amalfi Coast I spent the next few months reinventing the dishes I had there; or I’ll try a new diet, and create recipes to fit that lifestyle. Sometimes I simply see a picture of a certain dish and I’ll try to recreate it.
The recipes you’ll find here are a little bit of everything. It’s food I eat everyday – and then sometimes on occasion.
Home is where the foodie heart is
Calling Toronto home, I love that you can eat any type of cuisine in this multicultural city. I enjoy attending Toronto’s celebration of food, Summerlicious and Winterlicious, where I can taste multi-course meals at different restaurants. This event provides the opportunity to order items I wouldn’t usually cook for myself or that I haven’t heard of before. I continue to be inspired by these new meals and dream up ways to make my own versions.
A few tidbits about me
My favourite celebrity chefs (in no particular order) are Ina Garten, Nigella Lawson, Gordon Ramsay, and Jamie Oliver.
I once went to audition for a cooking show; after waiting for two hours to audition, my patience wore thin and I ate all the cookies I baked before leaving.
While I’ve worked on a show for Food Network, my dream is to make my own food shows one day.
Boozy cupcakes, or Cocktail Cupcakes as I like to call them, are my speciality. My loved ones are guaranteed a batch for their birthday. My crowd pleasers are Piña Colada and Espresso Martini. At Christmastime Baileys and Bourbon Egg Nog are my boozy bakes, and for Valentines Day, goldschlager cupcakes are on the menu. You can check them out on my Instagram below along with other cocktail cupcake creations.
Enjoy my recipes
I hope you enjoy my food stories and recipes. Feel free to tag me in any photos/posts when you’re making them and share if you’ve made any variations.
Enjoy, eat well, and have fun bringing occasion to every day.
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