Fascinating Foods

I am not a foodie. Nor am I in love with food to the core. But I certainly love everything that is served on the platter with love and affection.  You appreciate the importance of good food when you are faced with limited choice and unlimited appetite.  As I grew up and started traveling around the globe I was able to appreciate variety of food and the efforts going behind it. 

I am a vegetarian which makes it a bit complicated for people who host me. They are not sure what to offer and I am not sure how to comfort them. I am not fussy about my food. I am fine with anything that is vegetarian and is served with love. Here are some foodie memories that I cherish close to my heart. Not only because I could relish what was served but also because the way it was served was priceless.  

Merry and Don Cameron

It was my first week in United States of America. Rotary Foundation had arranged my stay with a lovely American couple,  Dr. Marry  and Donald Cameron.  I had received an email from them asking me about my food preferences. Though I had least expectations about the food, they seemed really worried about what they could offer me. I reached their home around 4 pm.  They told me modestly that they had no idea as to what to serve me since I was a vegetarian. I tried to pacify them saying that I was not fussy about food hence they need not worry.  As we sat on the dinner table I was astonished to see the variety on my plate. It was full of Rajma Rice, banana fries (Jamaican style) and salad. What more could I expect on my first day on this foreign land.  It was a feast.  I still relish the taste of my first home made meal on a foreign land. 

 

Another host from the states, Gunda and Arnold Haring served me a delicacy from Germany. It was

Gunda and Arnold Haring

made from crème of wheat. Very similar to Payasam or Suji ka halwa.  When Gunda cooked it with great care I felt as if my own aunt is serving me breakfast. The taste was enhanced because of the beautiful smile on her face. Since they knew I was a vegetarian, they cooked only vegetarian food even when they had guests. I was touched and could not even thank them enough for everything they did for me.  How can I forget the delicious Croissant served by Karl and Carol Kessler and Potato Soup cooked by Jan and Jim Heinrich. Jan sweetly told me that she had called her daughter in law to learn a few Vegetarian recipes. I was amazed at how intimate she was to do her best to serve the guests. 

 

Soup and Sesame Rice

“You dare not think of finding vegetarian food in Japan easily.”  I was warned by most who had been there earlier.  I survived on Indian snack food I had carried from India for a few days in the beginning and then started searching for something local. It was difficult to explain the concept of vegetarian food to the waiters.  As I ventured out into a chain named Soup Stock next to Tokyo Station, I was baffled by seeing mysterious names on the menu. I was astonished to see Sesame Rice which is very similar to Indian Jeera Rice. That was the best meal Japan offered me on my trip. It not only satisfied my test buds but also pacified my tummy.  It was the most delicious rice I ever ate. It tasted extremely well when I saw a glowing face of the waitress.  She was beaming with pleasure since she could serve a foreigner exactly what was desired. Japanese are very caring and honest. Service is their motto. They take utmost pleasure and satisfaction in extending a helping hand. 

Calories Sell in Kilos

Have you heard of any place where food is sold in kilograms?  If you want to experience this, go to
Table Mountain in Cape Town. You will be surprised to get Indian Vegetable Palau along with some side dishes measured on a weighing scale. You pay per 10 grams. So ironically you are paying for the number of calories you are adding to your body.   

My food journey has been extremely interesting. It has amazed me every time I encountered a new eating situation or a new type of food. The civilizations may differ, situations may differ but hunger is the same all over. It does not matter what you eat. What matters is how you are served. I loved everything that was offered by my hosts in the states because they offered everything with so much care and affection. I felt as if I am eating in my own home. 

I loved simple rice and tomato soup in Tokyo because I was genuinely hungry and was overwhelmed by the gesture of the assistant at the counter to explore the suitable menu for me. 

Food is not the means of hunger for me. 

It is the respect for people I care for.  It is the medium to show my love and affection. And above all it is the bridge between known and unknown. As I explore deep into this wonderful world, I feel more and more enriched and transformed. 

There may be differences in the way the food is served however there is absolutely no difference in terms of how it is served. The emotion behind serving any simple food make it special. It does not matter if the food is served on a leaf or on a silver plate. It does not matter if the food is served by a king or a king maker. What matters is with what amount of affection it is served. And mind it, the affection and respect attached to the food is exactly the same all over the world.