Vanilla for thought #3: Tea flavors to try!

Hey Guys!
Vanilla Here,

About two months back, I was an EDM freak and now it has died down though I still listen and enjoy EDM. I realized this is a nice sort of series to update you guys on my up-to-date obsessions with random things consumers like me will have.

This month, I have been back in the obsession towards teas. It is not that I have just started to drink tea or something but I have been back to drinking tea, in huge amounts. This might have been due to the fact that at the first week of June, I got an extremely bad sore throat after a course that required alot of smelling. My brain was overwhelmed by the smells and the top notes reached my throat, irritating my skin. I have a sore throat and bad cold now as well but not too strong.
I've ended up with a big, and I mean BIG box of tea packs inside and quite hilariously have even more tea packs lying around everywhere in my house.

I decided to show you guys some of my most favorite tea flavors although I personally enjoyed every tea flavor I have ever tried in my life. If you are a tea freak like me or a coffee addict (also me) wanting to step out of your comfort zone, do try out these flavors to get yourself hooked.

English Breakfast Tea

This is my most favorite flavor of tea. The depth of flavor and the intensity if the brew was what captivated me to teas and food. The fist sip is heavenly and till this date, nothing can be more comforting than a cup of English Breakfast with a good book in an air-conditioned room during the summer. The beauty and taste of this tea is really nice as it has an earthy and slightly acidic undertone to complement the more fragrant and delicious taste of the tea.
Its a mix of blends from Assam and Kenya and best known to eat with an english breakfast (which I don't really do but I should try sometime!) I've grown up loving this tea and flavor so I do highly recommend this tea.
For me, I usually drink handmade brews when outside or this Twinings's Tea, which is obviously my most favorite tea brand of all time.
                                        

Product featured: Get Here

Earl Grey Tea

So from the first flavor I introduced which is my most favorite, one can tell I am into very strong tea blends. I really enjoy strong tea flavors but if you are looking for a more lighter and heartier tea to genuinely drink during tea time with a Victoria sponge cake, this is it.
Early Grey has a very light, fresh and slightly minty flavor. It is extremely aromatic and has a weird office-vibe to it. The taste is refreshing in a formal way and it gives you a nice breath. If you are also planning to have some tea bags in your office, Earl Grey is the one.

                                            

Product Featured: Get Here

Darjeeling Tea

This is another amazing flavor to try. It is slightly similar with earl grey as it is also another very light and aromatic tea that is absolutely delicious with some gingerbread cookies or even some funfetti cookies which you can make here.
It is originated from tea fields of Darjeeling, India and also has a slight star anise aftertaste. It will also be suitable as a tea to serve during high teas and get togethers with friends.

                                          

Product Featured: Get Here

This is all I have for you guys! I apologize for it to be very short but I came back from a very physically strenuous and scary camp. I even ended up getting body pains and bled my knees . This will be my last post for the month and I obviously have a lot of homework to do yet ended up writing for you lovelies! Please bear with me for the next few months and you can always follow me on my social media platforms! Until next time, keep your ice cream cones dripping! (I do apologize if there are typos I am having a major headache as I type this!)  

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My Summer Reading List of 2016

Hey Guys!
Vanilla Here.

I am extremely happy to be posting on time! However, this may not last for so long as I am known to mysteriously disappear and come back with no legitimate reason. So I am crossing my fingers I can at least update twice this month or even thrice as I cannot guarantee posts July on wards. I already have tones of events this June and it has been quiet hectic already. Back to the post, I'm here once again with another bookworm post!

This summer, I have compiled some books that I thoroughly enjoyed and would want to recommend to grab your hands on this summer. If you are bored for the summer and would want to engage in some bookworm action or as a bookworm you suffer from one of a bookworm's nightmare and that is being completely unsure what to read, don't fret as Vanilla's got your back! These books for once vary in genre and do not all have the same genre.


No. 1: Scat            by Carl Hiassen
           Fiction/Thriller
I was totally obsessed with this book back in February when I first picked it. It was a really engaging and fun book. This story is about two students who are in the class of an infamous Biology teacher named Ms Starch. There were nasty rumors spread around about her and she has a background very few were aware of. One day, a notorious boy by the name of Smoke agitates her until an incident occurs. Soon enough, the kids go on an excursion to a swamp to get caught in a sudden fire. People doubted Smoke to set it as Ms Starch goes missing. So, both these students (Nick and Marta) must uncover the reasoning behind the strange happenings and find out whether Ms Starch is alive. Though most students were happy of her not returning, the substitute teacher proves to be a wacko of some sort. Its quiet funny and very nice. It once again gives us an eye opener on certain global issues of this world in a fun and understandable way. Definitely 3 out of 5 ice cream cones despite being a bit cliche.


No. 2: Inferno          by Dan Brown
           Mystery/Thriller
I know, I know I am completely late to the Inferno party but I cannot help it. I featured The Da Vinci Code in my top 5 of 2015 but I could not find Inferno then. I was searching for Inferno since 2014 but only found it this year at a book fair with the hardback edition. The bookworm inside me emerged and I got it.
I am very happy that it was worth the buy and has re-read value in my opinion. Once again Dan Brown has done his homework about the deep cultural and symbolic meanings of the beautiful city of Florence ( and a bit of Istanbul). Professor Robert Langdon from Harvard is once again in hot water as he gets chased by radicals who follow tranhumanism and finds himself in a hospital, shot in the head and unaware of what had happened. As he tries to understand what led him to Italy, he encounters many issues and gets hunted down.
Da Vinci Code was focused on the works and everything about Leonardo Da Vinci. However, Inferno focuses mainly on Dante Alighieri and if you do not know him; you will be well aware on almost everything about him by the end of the book. Solid 2.5 out of 5 as the some parts of the ending was upsetting and not too interesting.


No. 3: The 6th Target      by James Patterson
           Mystery/Thriller

I hope that by now, I do not need to emphasize on my love and admiration on James Patterson and his works. He has been one of the first and most inspiring authors I was exposed to when I started reading YA. Once again, this shows how difficult it was for me to get his books of the Woman's murder club series. One of my first posts was about 4th of July, the 4th book in the series. Yet now I'm only at the 6th book in the series as it was difficult to get hold of it in my local library.
Lindsay Boxer has to face a killer and kidnapper at the same time. A shooter suddenly comes abroad on a cruise and shoots 6 people, one of them being her closest friends. As the fight for justice on the crazy shooter is held within the hands of law, she also needs to face kidnappers who kidnap children and their nanny's, killing off the nanny and not asking for ransom of the children.
As Lindsay struggles with the crazy happenings around town, she also needs to sort out her personal problems with her former lover as well as deal with mysterious cases of death in her friend, Cindy's apartment.
Alot of thing occur in this book and it is quite messy to be honest. Yet James Patterson is able to harmonize them though the book gets a boring here and there, the messiness is very evident throughout the book until the ending, where everything is actually properly sorted out with a cliffhanger to end with. Sadly, this gets a 1.5 out of 5 ice cream cones :(. [Its still a great summer read if you ask me!]


No. 4: Remembrance    by Meg Cabot
           Romace/Paranormal

The weirdest genre combination if you ask me. However, I have not completed the book and therefore will not rate it. There are 2 reasons to it. Firstly, I had almost no time with my busy schedule (Add me on snapchat @itsmevanilla to know more about my life this June!!) and secondly, the book just weirder and more complex as I read it. I would not exactly say it is a bad book. I was just confused as it was a part of a series I have never read so I had no clue of the information and plot of the preceding books.
Some women loves a ghost and she is getting engaged with him. She reunites with some other guy she used to be close with and finds out about him wanting to sell her old house (the one the ghost died in). Its quiet confusing as I explain. But it is not too bad as it has some humor and sarcasm to it. It is a great pick for the summer if you are feeling adventurous to try out something new.



So that's all I have for my summer reading list. Not a lot I agree but I promise to pick up some new books this sunday. I do hope you guys subscribe to my blog (the box is at the top right hand corner) and you get to follow me on my journey of life and such!! Until next time, keep your ice cream cones dripping!!


Snapchat: @itsmevanilla
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Vanillian Diet #3: Substitutions for baking ingredients

Hey Guys!
Vanilla Here.

Very recently, I have been beyond obsessed with cooking and baking new things. New food is like new books to me thus I have been  baking for only about 7 months. However, we all now that we can never always have all the ingredients they state in the recipe and get a bit too lazy to bother buying them. So, I have decided to share with you guys some substitutions I use whenever I bake.


Flours:

Self- Raising flour = All Purpose flour + baking powder
For One cup of APF, 1 or even half tablespoon of baking powder is more than enough. I have very recently run out of Self-raising flour and wanted to finish up this huge packet of all-purpose flour I had via this method.

Bread Flour = All-purpose flour

I do not buy bread flour so I always end up using all purpose flour (its actually plain) for my pizzas and bagels. Actually, they do turn out fine!


Eggs:

This is one of the most frequently asked questions for me. Many people always eat my food up, then realizing what they ate was completely vegetarian and no egg! They would always ask me what is the substitute I add. I used this same substitute a lot of times while cooking for my pure veggie mom. There are a couple of ways to substitute egg into bakes and pastries.

Most recommended: 1 egg = ground flax seeds + water

This is the secret. Substitute 1/3 tbsp of ground flax seeds (Just put some flax seeds into the blender and blend into a slightly rustic powder) and mix it 3 tbsp of water and let it for about 20 seconds to set. It will work flawlessly and it will also give a flawless look like it was baked with eggs!

You can also try: 2 eggs = banana

This may sound a bit funny or strange but if you want to make any eggless fruit cake or muffins, bananas are a very good substitute for eggs. It gives a fruity rye flavour and also has a natural rising agent in it. 1/2 a banana for each egg is more than enough.

Vanilla:

Vanilla beans = vanilla extract = vanilla essence

I wouldn't suggest you to substitute beans as they give the best smell and flavour. Vanilla essence is the least recommended as it is not real vanilla. Vanilla paste and water is quiet deep in flavour so you need to be careful if you want to use them.




This is all I have for you for this post. I do hope that you guys are enjoying my blog so far. Do tell me if you want any specific type of post or such. Also, if you do like what you see, I suggest subscribing to my blog!! There is a search box to the right hand corner where you can enter your email to be a part of the ice-cream family!! I do hope you guys will subscribe as there will be more posts in the future! So until next time, do keep your ice cream cones dripping!!

April/May product Favorites!!

Hey Guys!
Vanilla Here.

I am so happy because I am a free bird! (till the end of the week only sadly) but finally after a month of studies I finally have a gap to post for you guys!! I do apologize to not bring any books in this post but that is mainly because I am in the midst of a summer booklist for you guys!! I am so stoked for the next month as I may have the time to post 2 times instead. Also, to compensate for the loss of a post in April, I will definitely post twice this month!! (I'll try, no promises).

As last month I was swamped by a lot of studies and projects, I realized I did not have time to read a lot, but also my skin condition was getting worse from the stress. So I started buying and loving three products I want to feature in this post. These are my beauty-skincare faves and I'll try linking them or something similar if I can.


1. Nivea Facial Wash Gel

I have been insanely IN LOVE with this product. It is more of a exfoliater and it does so well in its job. I have oily skin and it is not really meant for my skin type but the thing was that I have been having less than 6 hours sleep for a few nights and I wake up to find very dried and chapped skin, I even felt alot of paain i some areas due to broken skin. I started using this product last month and I realized my skin being more moist for longer periods of time, being more lighter and also more healthier. So I have to give this a cone up (See what I did there ;) )

Product Featured: Get Here

2. Layer'r Vanilla Scented Body Splash

One of the sweetest scents I've ever smelt. Its not sickly sweet but very very vanilla scented. So if you don't like me or my blogs, this scent ain't for you (jk). But it does have a heavy scent so it is advisable for those who want to have a sweet aftermath of their ootds. I brought this about a few months ago when I was travelling overseas, this became my go-to sort of scent for every outing now.

Product Featured: Get Here

3. Inecto Body Scrub (Coconut)

I freaking love this scrub like so much. It not only give you baby smooth skin, it also smells AMAZING! I freaking love the natural products used to make this as well as the salt/coconut pieces(?) used in the abrasion process.
When I binge on a lot of homework, I realized I was not really taking care of my skin, So I usually resort to bodycare products to enhance my looks than make up because sometimes I feel make up is just like a sort of blanket over something broken, so I'd rather repair the broken thing than embellish it with pretty quilts.

Product Featured: Get Here

So Here guy is my product favorites for the first two months, I do apologize (I have lost count the number of times I've said this though) and thank you once again for reading my blog! Even if you don't subscribe or even comment or leave a review of the post, it makes me happy there are people out there who bother taking a look! You may or may not be a first timer, but everyone is appreciated:)! So do stay tuned and keep your ice cream cones dripping!!



FYI:: I was not sponsored for any of these products k.

Vanillian Diet #2: Funfetti Cookies Recipe

Hey Guys!
Vanilla Here.

It has been like so long! At least I managed to get this up as I promised a month later and wasted no time upon getting some space to do my own things. Things are heating up and I feel that the pace of my posts may be haywire. But I will definitely no give up on this blog! SO do stay tuned to more posts and activities on VD.

Getting back to this post, I decided to take a look what you guys enjoy the most on my blog and I found out that my most viewed post was none other than my egg-less chocolate cake recipe! It was followed by my book reviews and lists! I do want to take the time to say a loud thank you to those who enjoy my blog and want to know more tasty creations of mine. I have become very obsessed ( I will not even use the word enjoy or 'have the passion') with baking,cooking and food in general. So I was delighted on knowing you guys enjoy some of the things I do.

For today, I decided to show you guys one of my most favorite pastry and a very popular flavor in the UK. Together, it is an amazing flavor. I do hope you guys enjoy it!

Ingredients Required:

1. 2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
2. 55g butter
3. 1/2 cup sprinkles
4. 1/4 cup sugar
5. 1 tbsp baking powder
6. 1 tbsp salt
7. 1 egg (you can use flax mix if going vegan or veggie)
8. 1 tsp vanilla seeds (You know I will use this)

Paraphernalia/Equipment Required:

1. Electric whisker
2. 2 large bowls
3. Sieve (optional)
4. Knife (to scrape vanilla seeds unless you use telekinesis)
5. Measuring Cups
6. Oven
7. Silicon brush 

Procedure:

1.Add your butter into a large bowl and whisk with your electric whisker until light and fluffy

2.Add sugar into your mix and continue whisking.

3.Scrape vanilla seeds from a fresh vanilla pod and add to the mix along with the egg.

4.Whisk until  smooth and thick batter is formed.

5.In another bowl, add all the dry ingredients and sift them if you like.

6.Add it into the wet mixture and use a spatula to fold in the ingredients until well combined.

7.Add your sprinkles into the mixture and continue mixing. 

8.Flour your hands and squeeze golf ball sizes of dough and roll them into a smooth ball.

9.Using your silicon brush, brush oil onto your baking tray to avoid sticking.

10.Place the balls onto the baking tray and use a glass to press them into a flat cookie.

11.Bake at 180-200 d.c until golden brown.

12.Serve hot and savor the soft gooy-iness inside.

I do hope you guys will enjoy this super yummy treat as much as I do and yes, I feel very proud to have achieved an improvement in my photography skills (especially foodography). Do comment if you want any specific recipes and most probably I will be posting again this month. Until then, keep your ice cream cones dripping!!

Vanilla for thought #2: EDM Obsessions and some track picks!!

Hey Guys!
Vanilla Here.

So, as you know, sometime next month I'll be releasing the character analysis of one of the main protagonists in my Book: Hamster Rush (Which you can read here). I am super excited to be working on few more things to kick start the year and juggle with my academic life. The posts would not be often and I highly doubt I will be posting anymore this month but chill! I have few super cool things in store and you will get to see it!

Lately, I have been in a EDM- Fangirl mood. Electronic Dance Music (EDM) is a whole group of music made from electrical instruments and stuff. House, D&B and Trap are the current favorites though other sub-genres do follow behind closely. Since I have not been educated on this and had to do so the hard way, I thought it would be easier to give you guys a breakdown. But do feel free to comment below if you think I may be wring because I am human too and thus I may not have the most accurate information.

EDM is a style of music generated long ago and has many  genres under it. These genres have multiple sub genres, sometimes hybrid subgenres as well. These genres can be mixed and matched, which makes EDM very fun and easy-going. Other than basic rules for production, EDM is a very free and versatile genre to play around with. If you are already into EDM or starting to come out of the rock you live under, I have found some great tracks to listen to and you might too!!


1. Strangers      

Genre/Subgenre: Trap Music
Artists: Veorra
Rating: 3.5 out 5 ice cream cones

2. Speechless

Genre/Subgenre: Chill Music
Artists: Candyland (ft. RKCB)
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 ice cream cones


3. Dystopia

Genre/Subgenre: Chill Music
Artists: Polarheart
Rating: 3 out of 5 Ice cream cones


4. Painting Greys

Genre/Subgenre: Brass + Electronic music
Artists: Babbit
Rating: 3 out of 5 ice cream cones


So do feel free to leave in the comments below of any songs you would like to recommend me!!
Until next time, keep your ice cream cones dripping!!

Top 5 picks of 2015: The literary Round-up

Hey Guys!
Vanilla Here.

And happy late new year! I know you must be wondering where was I since November and I can guarantee it was not easy! Life and reality is really very harsh on me for the next 2 years. Crucial education years are here but I will not give up easily! So chill guys. I hope your 2015 was great because mine was. However, for this blog, it may not be the best but I have to say we have made improvements in posting timings plus audience. This blog may not have gone far but I know that patience is a virtue and that we will succeed.

The coming 2 years may not be a very active years for me, but I guess I will try as much as I can. Additionally, I will be pointing out that the next post will be about my book; Hamster Rush's character analysis. I would like to point out clues and in between the lines references. This will cover the whole summary of the character's backstory. Without any further ado, lets take a look back into the previous year and list some great books (in no particular order) you can read for your new year resolution or you just want to read a little books as possible. It can even help for those trying to get the habit of reading.


Book 1: Fool Moon     by Jim Butcher

This book is the second book out of the famous Dresden Files Series. If you are new to the blog, you can scroll through my previous posts on how much I have talked about this series. It has been one of the most interesting fantasy series I have ever encountered right next to my most absolute favorite fantasy series (Maximum Ride: you can find more about it here). This series talks about a wizard with a screwed up life. Oversexed vampires, blood thirsty werewolves and hungry ghosts are only a part of his job. He also has a mysterious past that is only given little information about every book. So far, I have read the first 3 books and looking out for the 4th one. So if you want to start on fantasy genres, I highly recommend this series.


Book 2: Tatiana      by Martin Cruz Smith

I have updated my previous post about this book. You can refer to the previous post about this book if unsure. This came into my top 5 for 2015 as it has a really different theme and writing style. The subtle hints of darker topics have a nice sense to it. For the rating, you can refer it to the previous post as well. If you are interested in Crime fiction, this is a great pick.


Book 3: The Da Vinci Code      by Dan Brown

You would most probably be living under a rock if you have not heard about this book. In case you have not, I would highly recommend you would try to buy the book as soon as possible. Funny I did not encourage borrowing from the local library but it is mainly because it is extremely difficult to find it as it will be loaned out almost all the time. I know I am reading this a bit too late but it was by pure luck I have came across the book in my local library and took no hesitation to grab it. It is about a Harvard professor and symbologist (Robert Langdon) who is obsessed with works of The Renaissance and comes across a rather bizarre death or a museum curator and goes on a journey (with his grand daughter) and realize that they have landed themselves in between a fight between two cults or groups with different views on Jesus Christ.
Despite many people criticized its religious and scientific inaccuracies, it is an amazing, eye opening and wonderful book. If you are planning on reading just one book this year; this is it. I am not joking on that.


Book 4: Stargirl      by Jerry Spinelli

This book; although being one my most absolute top favorites, has not been featured in any of my posts before. This book and the sequel made me cry. No joke. It is an amazing book about self discovery and confidence of being unique to oneself. It talks about a guy by the name of Leo, who meets with a rather bizarre girl by the name of stargirl. She literally named herself stargirl (her real name is Susan if I remember) because she felt that her personality suits the name of Stargirl and that her real name was too boring. People get skeptical about her but soon fall for her raw authenticity of truly being herself. She dances in the rain, plays instruments during recess and keeps a happy wagon, oblivious to the opinion of the public. It really shows how under the weight of the public eye, the relationship of Leo and Susan will take a twist of its own. Spoiler: The ending is very sad.



Book 5: Max      by James Patterson

Its not exactly a part of the Maximum Ride series but can only be understood after reading all the books in the School's out series. James Patterson decided to release this book after public pressure to have more Maximum Ride. The ending of the former series ('Saving the World and other extreme sports) was clearly not enough for most fans (including me) and were thoroughly delighted by the release of individual character books to continue the series informally. The next book: Fang saddened me because it was sad. But however, it is not a book you want to miss!


So, this is it. A roundup to my literacy adventure last year. Lets hope this year goes great and look out for the next update of Hamster Rush!! Until next time, keep your ice cream cones dripping!!