Pleasures of Eating

Before I even begin, it is natural I confess. I am not really a food connosieur. I used to enjoy eating but that changed a few years ago although I confess I love to eat in expensive places and like to try out the chef's recommendations and also taste a good wine. Anyways most times these days I get suckered into anything healthy, low fat, less spicy and low on grease.

How all this began.
It was almost 4 years ago when I moved to San Francisco/ Bay area and I made friends with these group of guys and girls whose prime obsession was to look good and slim and toned bodies. They were all into gyming, protein shakes and exercising. Even if they did not do it all the time, atleast they talked about it. I guess it just makes you feel good and less guilty.So yes if today if you ask me to try something here is what I will definetly eat
green salads
cut fruits
green vegetables
drink lots of water
diet drinks
santa fe chicken salad
chicken pesto sandwich
cereals

What I am least likely to eat
icecreams
sweets
rice
cakes
biscuits
regular drinks
donuts

Here is what I will make exceptions to
pasta, risotto, cheese ravioli
kaju katri (Indian sweet made of cashews)
jamba juice smoothiesstarbucks chai tea latte (non fat but lots of sugar)
alcohol(I hate beer)
red wine

I guess this was like laying out my doctor's prescription rather than talking about pleasures of eating. I bet you didnt find this interesting for now. I just put this down to selective obsession about staying slim.

Well....I used to be a skinny little kid and then as I entered my teens I started putting on weight and growing my tummy. Every weekend I looked forward to mom making Rajma, chawal or chole. Well she is a great cook no doubt.I used to love all those social dinners where there would be too many vegetables to eat and eagerly wait for Ras Malai or rosgullas as dessert after dinner.I loved Powa, upma, gobi parathas,eating RASSA (maharashtrain potato vegetable with gravy), puri, chole bhature.

I also loved eating out with family. Mom would be most happy...but dad wasnt too happy. He liked home made food...nice and simple and I am turning out just like him...

As kids we used to get excited about eating somosas after tennis lessons. I mean today I eat healthy after exercising. But those days of innocence were more enjoyable.

Growing up and going to school, there were some embarassing moments too...like taking lunch to school with roti and sabzi...yuk...always preferred if I got sandwiches in my lunch box. Oh yeah I loved eating falafeel in the college canteen instead. Even to this day I never take lunch to work. Just to embarassed to eat in the lunch room.

There were occassions growing up, dad on purpose took us to KFC to eat chicken, just so that we get enough proteins for our growing bodies....made sure we drank milk twice a day...ate almonds and fruits everyday. He cut off our eating cakes, potato chips, cookies, soft drinks....I guess he was watching some American health shows or reading health magazines...or he was just ahead of his times. I am talking of the 80s here. DAD was the implementor and MOM was the enforcer.


Once I started my college in Pune and I was practically living on my own...I actually started eating out daily.Needed to have samosas/ patties and chai in the morning. Eating mysore masala dosa in the afternoon, have indian chinese/ punjabi food in night for dinner.College days were good...we would go to University circle for chinese, eat at Navratna hotel (it was like a cheap student restaurent). The waiter "Anna" even knew me and my friends come and eat there. We loved going on long trips to places like Ambrosia, Garden court on Pune outskirts, Chinese Garden (I guess doesnt exist anymore) and even ate at Swargate bus stand at 2AM in the morning...because you are hungry and you need to study all night during exam preparatory leave.

I even took my dad to Hotel Navratna once during my college years and he refused to really eat anything there and I can now understand why. He would tell me go eat in nice clean places.

We had a cook come into cook for us daily for me and my grand-mom but I really didnt enjoy eating in...plain old bland food. Once Mahendra also started living with me, he also picked up the same old good habits from me and he passed on similarly to Upendra when he too came to study in Pune.

Anway life has come full circle and now all of us try and eat healthy and take care of our bodies in a better way. Its all for the better.