Epicurean seasons

Before you read ahead – this blog piece could cause you to feel hungry at the minimum, rob the nearest kitchen, in any case high probability you will salivate: Issued in public interest
One season gives away to another….its perpetually changing maybe not as much for the people at the poles. The thing I like most about changing weather and new seasons is the variety of food that can be enjoyed. The cold drinks in the summer days…lemonades, chilled soda, Aam Panna, flavored lassi or just our old faithful Rooh Afzah. Your thirst can hardly be satiated these 4-5 months of the year. Then westerlies and eastern winds gush in with such fervour bringing the cloudful of rains, and then it just pours and pours like forever which reminds me of a nice reading “Bombay Girls and Bombay Rains”… tongue-in-cheek suggestion of unreliability and suddenness. Never mind, my nostrils catch the earthiness in the air, of the parched dust that soaks the rain, quite an orgasmic experience isnt it?… for all I care is actually deep fried crispy pakodas – any filling will do – brinjals, spinach, shallots, potatoes and cauliflowers, that makes me salivate!! And that cannot go without a hot cup of chai topped up with juicy cuts of ginger…

Gar firduas bar ru-e zameen ast, hami ast hami ast hami ast… Jahangir – quite a lousy emperor in my opinion- said that for Kashmir, its beauty and its heavenliness. Inspired, I decided to go there for my honeymoon in peak winters this year. Once landed I was enchanted with the snow capped peaks, the stay in the houseboat on Dal Lake where the room was heated by burning wood, the tranquility of sitting hand-in-hand in the shikara appreaciating the scenic views or when other salesmen in other shikara’s come up to sell jewels, dry fruits and to photograph you in kashmiri/pathani/mongolian/iranian attire and poses …all the same but gives them the incentive to click more to make you pay more… now you wouldn’t dare refuse your newly wedded wife. Anyways back to my gastronomic agenda, what I enjoyed most on my entire 6 day trip was our national food – piping hot Maggi in the middle of the dal lake, at Zam-zam restaurant (the last one at sonmarg before it becomes inhabitable), by the river lidder in pahalgam, at the golf course in gulmarg!! Coupled with a nice cup of Kahwa – (herb tea with dry fruits) is total bliss that can make you forget anything……and who told you I am romantic?? I fervently believe that instant noodles have been the greatest invention of mankind.

Winter is the time we eat, rather stuff ourselves with creamy, cheesy and buttery delicacies… the onset which arrives at Diwali – the time to relish the sweet savories. I actually don’t buy any for myself but the fridge refuses to be stocked out thanks to friends and family. And there’s no reasoning wife/mum would take to allow me another piece but it runs in the family to quietly sneek in at half in the night and devour the awesomeness. Recently gifting trends have only helped – chocolate boxes, candied dry fruits and hand made cookies. Waking up to stuffed paranthas, lunching on makki-ki roti and sarson ka saag, and sleeping off to a belly full of daal makhani and a generous helping of gajar ka halwa. Enough!!! Or did I miss the daily evening staple of tomato n cream soup, which paired with grilled sweet potatoes eaten like you are scooping icecream from a waffle cone… nothing beats the warmth and contentment.

Now since Thanksgiving, I have been waiting for that heavenly rum and fruit christmas cake…would anyone care to oblige? In my case it’s never a question – I live to eat, and love to eat. What about you?...