Sometimes I wish my life had a erase/rewind button

Thursday, July 05, 2007

Lost in time

The other day while having lunch in cafeteria conversation turned to traditional food dishes.
There was a time when this girl had sipped fresh froth of vats cooking jaggery sometime mixing it with fresh 'imli". The gentleman on left was lamenting those barley concoctions that villages once used to cement social ties.
I remember there used to be those bonfires at my place where we kids would strategically bury sweet-potatoes under ground putting loose soil over it. The fire was kindled over this slowly roasting them and voila a yummy breakfast.
The mango parties in gardens where mangoes by the bucket (immersed in cold water) were ravished by foodies. Mango had so many things being made out of it. Aam pana, kalonji, various chutneys used to make the torrid summers fun. Then there were other coolers like the 'faalse' sherbet, I don't even see the berries around any more. Mint sherbets, the 'kala khatta' sherbet and ice crush all seem an almost lost delight.
There were pakoris wrapped in colocasia leaves (called patri also in west of India) which were made fresh typically in rainy seasons. In fact that whole tradition of food and tea under some porch while rain washes the trees around you is such a lamentable loss.
With the loss those long leisure days of summers and grannies not really living with grandkids any more with the whammy of flat living has ensured that those delicately prepared delights are getting lost. There is hardly any time and energy left to spend time in doing all this. Besides lifestyles are such that most find it advisable to stay away from anything that might have hint of oil/sweet in it.
I believe there is a market for food resorts which recreate these old cuisine practices. Current generation will come to relive nostalgia and future for the novelty. Any capitalist looking for investments?

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