Sweet Happiness

Time and memory are so intertwined. A recent work, 'Sweet Happiness' brings together the idea of food, time and happiness.

Meanwhile food memories keep coming in. The other day Ed shared a moving story about the memory of lentil soup that French soldiers served him and his little sister many, many years ago. 

Sweet Nostalgia

'Sweet Nostalgia' an image about memories of sweets and candies.

Spices

The upcoming 'Stir a Memory' event at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem brought back memories of the store where we buy our spices in Nadiad. 14 different spices go into the Garam Masala sold at the store that has been in our town for over 50 years. Each store and family has their special Garam Masala recipe. Garam Masala is often mistakenly called "curry powder."
Share a food memory and participate in the spice blending workshop at the museum on April 2 and 3, 2011.

Weekly Food Memory Postcards

I will post a personal food memory postcard each week. Please visit the 'Stir a Memory' website. Meanwhile here is this week's food memory postcards.

Video Postcards of Food Memories

Joel Benjamin shares a memory of his grandmother's cookies. Check out his beautiful photography work at: www.joelbenjaminphotography.com

New Postcards

We receive food memory postcards regularly. I am figuring out a way to digitize the collection.

Grandma

Paan - condiments wrapped in a Betel leaf was another forbidden food for children but if it came from the Krishna Haveli which means Krishna's temple we were allowed a little piece. It was considered prasad - food offered to Krishna and so blessed by Krishna. Paan reminds me of Grandma. When I think of her I see her soft cream or white pure cotton sarees some of them tastefully embroidered with small motifs.The lotus buds brings to mind her devotion to Krishna as does the paan symbolically shown in the right lower corner.

I still have Grandma's sari with the blue flowers.

Chai

Just as many in the US wake up to coffee, Indians wake up to the sounds of chai being made. Chai, means tea in many Indian languages. In my experiences growing up in India, chai is not a cup of foaming spiced beverage but an ordinary blend of black tea leaves simmered in water, milk, sugar and maybe some ginger. I have loved chai since I was a child. Children were not allowed to drink chai or coffee for that matter. My siblings used to suggest that for my birthday mother should just let me have a kettle of chai!

I made this food memory postcard of morning chai. When I remember mornings in my childhood home in Calcutta I see a kettle, traces of my mother's embroidery on a pink tea-cosy and a billiant sunrise.