We’ve come a long way!
25 Nov 2008 4 Comments
in Food, Musings Tags: Food, Musings
Waking up this morning my first thought was “I don’t want to cook.” “Subway?” asked K and I grudgingly agreed. Since we were out of bread at home, I made rava upma for breakfast. Digging into the mini cup of upma after my marathon meeting in the morning, I craved a hot cup of strong decoction kaapi. Resigning myself to fate I drank some weak tea and continued with my work.
Around 1:00 I realized my trademark hunger pangs had not yet made an appearance. Was something wrong with me? I usually eat around 11:30 – 12:00 by which time I am starving. Then it hit me. It was not the two pathetic bread slices I usually have for breakfast. K called a little later. I grinned as I told him I was not hungry and I wanted something light. Even Subway felt heavy.
Mulling over calculations for late charges, I was deep in thought when I heard movement behind me. K stood beaming. He did not have the trademark Subway bag. Instead was a nondescript white plastic bag. Curious, I peeked and there it was. One innocuous little container of black eyed peas masala and 6 mini rotis. Turns out our friendly neighborhood grocer had now started a tiffin service. For under 5$ you got a dabba of subzi and 6 dime sized rotis.
I remember my first trip to the Indian grocers close to eight years back when I moved to this suburb. We drove about 15 miles and entered into what looked like a shady shop attached to a gas station. There were mountains of groceries piled. I remember feeling thrilled to find my favorite Good Day biscuits. Squeezing myself through the narrow aisle I picked up sad looking Indian vegetables and loaded our car with lentils and other standard southie fare.
Over the years, we have seen a fair amount of Indian grocers’ spring up around our home. I remember feeling thrilled when a chaat stall opened at one of the newer desi grocers. Today seeing the closest equivalent of simple no fuss take away Indian food made me realize we have come a long way indeed!
Nov 26, 2008 @ 09:35:39
Are you talking about Usha stores? Earlier I saw Dhokla being sold during lunch hours, not rotis and side dish. It must be a blessing for the desis working in the GVC area.
@Madhu: Yes. Usha Foods. I know Royal India does something similar but K and I are partial to Usha/Kiran.
Nov 25, 2008 @ 21:25:22
Agree with you. In Madison, WI, we had just one desi grocer, then two, and then three to four. And we even used to find desi stuff at the local grocer Woodman’s by the time I moved out. Then I moved to CA (Sunnyvale more specifically) and I could not believe the sheer number of desi grocers and stores and music shops and pastry shops and what not. Every street had to have at least one desi grocer. My thrill knew no bounds
@Divya: I share your joy in that. I was in CA in Sept and El Camino Real amazed me. Am waiting for Komala Vilas to set up shop here or start one myself ;p
Nov 25, 2008 @ 16:54:51
Hey Laksh – That is so true. Same like you I use to get very excited when I see Samosa in the Indian Grocesary Store. There was time 5-6 years back there was only Tilda basmati rice and only one type of malysian paratha. Now we get sona masuri, Idli rice!!! and so many variety of paratha!!
@Shripad: Tell me about it! I am amazed when I see the stuff I grew up with like LG Perungayam and Idhayam Nallennai. (Hing and til ka thel).
Nov 25, 2008 @ 16:46:02
Imagine how much consumption or demand must have increased to trigger a corresponding increase in supply!
@Suman: Exactly. In the past 8 yrs I have seen our suburb go from one desi grocer to five. One indian restaurant to at least eight in a 8-10 mile radius. Its phenomenal!