“Forti et fideli nihil difficile”, I thought as I sat down at the driver’s seat int the instructor’s car. Years of watching my dad drive, I was bubbling with knowledge about the car’s control. As the instructor started explaining about the controls, I brushed of the advice, thinking that I already knew about all the things he was saying right now. With his consent I put the key in.
Cars have always been a passion for me. Always I am lapping up magazines, newspaper clippings about cars. I soon started thinking that driving cars is a very easy thing and when the time comes I would fare well at the very first attempt. Being a passenger all my life I have criticized and many a fault with drivers be it my dad, my sisters or any other driver. My sisters are a favorite target of mine. Though my sisters drive very well (don’t tell them that!!) I like to make fun of them like when they make a small mistake I take pleasure in magnifying that. Once I went along with my sister to her driving class. Being highly underage I sat at the backseat and started my running commentary. “Kya baat hai!”, “Wah! Car chalana toh koi inse sikhe” and something to that effect. I didn’t realize how my bluntness could have hurt. Now it was my turn
I turned the key and the engine sprang to life. I started pushing the accelerator without putting the car in the 1st gear and my other leg on the cultch already. The engine roared in response. “Take off your leg from the accelerator”, the instructor ordered. Dutifully, I pulled it back and the engine fell silent. “Now put the car in 1st gear and leave the clutch slowly” he said. Eager as a child to do his bidding I put the car into 1st gear and pulled up my foot from the accelerator. The car gave a huge jolt and the engine died.
“I said, leave the clutch sloooowly” the instructor reminded me. Now really tensed, I put the car in neutral gear and started the car. Putting the car in the 1st gear, I started pulling my feet off the clutch. Real slowly, as he had told me. “Not that slow!” the instructor barked. With great care I pulled my feet off the pedal. The car gave a little shudder and to my delight started rolling. “Brake it” he said, “now put it into 2nd gear.” “Okay dokee, as you say boss” I replied. Putting the car in the 2nd gear I started to accelerator. “hold the steering wheel”. God!!! How was I supposed to handle so many things together? After moving for about 500m he told me to put the car in the 3rd gear. I Glanced down to ascertain where exactly was the 3rd gear. Suddenly a great honking of horns started to take place. I could feel the wheel suddenly turn in my hand and looked up to see that I nearly had caused an accident. We were safe only because the instructor had grabbed the steering wheel in time.
After sometime the car was running smooth. Too smooth I realized to my great discomfort. Looking down I saw that the instructor had the pedals on his side too. I managed to complete the run without any further incident and as I got down from the seat, I realized that driving is not my cuppa tea and that I was better off reading about it. So drivers, anyone?
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Confessions of a Gourmand
Gourmand is not to be confused with gourmet. We gourmands place ourselves high above those connoisseurs of food. They try to find an artistic angle to food they eat be it simple dal-roti or an exotic dish like sushi. We gourmands are those who are neither gourmet nor glutton. We fall somewhere in the middle. Glutton is someone who stuffs oneself like a pig, well that’s how the expression goes never saw a pig eat. So we are just people who eat to enjoy food, take pleasure out of eating and not stuff ourselves nor eat like we are in an scientific experiment. For us breakfast, brunch, lunch, evening tea, dinner all hold equal meanings for us. I ask you what is the problem in living to eat than eating to live?? The term to gourmandize has evolved to be a derogatory term meaning to stuff oneself like a pig. But this is a clear injustice. Gluttonize should rather be the term meaning to stuff oneself like a pig. God when will these people realize that we are not pigs?
So what are you? A glutton, a gourmet or gourmand? Being gourmand is the best of both worlds- gourmet and glutton. Being a gourmet you miss out on the fact that food is there to be eaten not analyzed. You are constantly busy improving food, trying to find new things to be eaten. You wouldn’t even spare the poor little grasshopper in order to make new delicacies. Glutton what can I say about that? Just stuffing food inside your mouth until you choke? You miss out the great taste of food that you’re eating at that instance. What is the use of making or cooking food? Jus’ stuff the ingredients down your stomach and lay down in the sun!
Here follows my schedule. Jus’ see if you can connect with this if yes then you belong to my brotherhood!
1. Breakfast: Mornings are never complete with the usual cup of tea or coffee or even milk according to the age. A hearty breakfast is what most of us carve. Toast with butter, biscuits. Tea has to be so strong that it can jolt a dead man awake. Coffee? Well it should be with so much caffeine that a man can’t sleep for a week. Nay we don’t eat our toast dry. We eat them with butter or jam or both together. I have heard that honey and marmalade are good alternatives but never tried them out so can’t say anything about them. Breakfast like a king , lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper (Personally I don’t believe in the last two since I like to live my life king-size.). Cornflakes are a good alternative. A few people live to have rotis along with their tea. The scope of breakfast is very large. Since your body has not eaten in the last 5-6 hours it requires food to keep it coming.
2. Brunch: Being an auxiliary, it can be a small affair. Some tea, coffee would be more than enough. Along with it some biscuits would be alright! I call it an auxiliary since it can only be availed during holidays.
3. Lunch: After 3-4 hour energy draining shift at the office or the school, good food is always treasured. We gourmands like our full 5 course meal at this stage. Well 5 course whenever available but a full thaali with dahi, achhar, paapdh, salad is a must. A full course consists of first of all soup. Different people prefer different varieties. Some like Hot & Sour, some baby corn but for me tomato rules. Second is of course the salad. Tomatoes, cabbage, onions, etc. Spiced up these really open up your appetite. Main course is an elaborate affair. Everyone to his taste or rather the size of his wallet. What is on the person’s plate is a clear indication of the financial well being of the person. After the main course desserts are greatly appreciated. Yopu may say we have a sweet tooth but don’t sometimes you get an urge to have something sweet after lunch? Lets say that feeling comes to us every day!
4. Afternoon tea: jus’ like brunch, this is an auxiliary. Tea or coffee after your siesta is always loved.
5. Dinner: Well dinner is to be had like a king since you have to fast for over 4 hours in the night! At night wine is greatly loved. Old Wine, brewed for over twenty years is a precious treasure. Full courses are mandatory just like lunches but with different dishes.
Did you know that the shape of the glass plays an important part in the taste of the wine? It is the shape that determines where the wine reaches in the tongue. This brings me to another point. We choose our crockery with the greatest care. The whole touch and feel of the food is lost due to the bad quality of crockery. We use only a specific shop, a specific brand. We all have differences in our community like some like glassware whereas some like bone china.
After reading all this what opinion do you form of yourself? What are you? A glutton who gobbles down his food or a gourmet who cherishes his food or a gourmand like me who enjoys his food and eats to his heartfelt? Contemplate on this.
So what are you? A glutton, a gourmet or gourmand? Being gourmand is the best of both worlds- gourmet and glutton. Being a gourmet you miss out on the fact that food is there to be eaten not analyzed. You are constantly busy improving food, trying to find new things to be eaten. You wouldn’t even spare the poor little grasshopper in order to make new delicacies. Glutton what can I say about that? Just stuffing food inside your mouth until you choke? You miss out the great taste of food that you’re eating at that instance. What is the use of making or cooking food? Jus’ stuff the ingredients down your stomach and lay down in the sun!
Here follows my schedule. Jus’ see if you can connect with this if yes then you belong to my brotherhood!
1. Breakfast: Mornings are never complete with the usual cup of tea or coffee or even milk according to the age. A hearty breakfast is what most of us carve. Toast with butter, biscuits. Tea has to be so strong that it can jolt a dead man awake. Coffee? Well it should be with so much caffeine that a man can’t sleep for a week. Nay we don’t eat our toast dry. We eat them with butter or jam or both together. I have heard that honey and marmalade are good alternatives but never tried them out so can’t say anything about them. Breakfast like a king , lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper (Personally I don’t believe in the last two since I like to live my life king-size.). Cornflakes are a good alternative. A few people live to have rotis along with their tea. The scope of breakfast is very large. Since your body has not eaten in the last 5-6 hours it requires food to keep it coming.
2. Brunch: Being an auxiliary, it can be a small affair. Some tea, coffee would be more than enough. Along with it some biscuits would be alright! I call it an auxiliary since it can only be availed during holidays.
3. Lunch: After 3-4 hour energy draining shift at the office or the school, good food is always treasured. We gourmands like our full 5 course meal at this stage. Well 5 course whenever available but a full thaali with dahi, achhar, paapdh, salad is a must. A full course consists of first of all soup. Different people prefer different varieties. Some like Hot & Sour, some baby corn but for me tomato rules. Second is of course the salad. Tomatoes, cabbage, onions, etc. Spiced up these really open up your appetite. Main course is an elaborate affair. Everyone to his taste or rather the size of his wallet. What is on the person’s plate is a clear indication of the financial well being of the person. After the main course desserts are greatly appreciated. Yopu may say we have a sweet tooth but don’t sometimes you get an urge to have something sweet after lunch? Lets say that feeling comes to us every day!
4. Afternoon tea: jus’ like brunch, this is an auxiliary. Tea or coffee after your siesta is always loved.
5. Dinner: Well dinner is to be had like a king since you have to fast for over 4 hours in the night! At night wine is greatly loved. Old Wine, brewed for over twenty years is a precious treasure. Full courses are mandatory just like lunches but with different dishes.
Did you know that the shape of the glass plays an important part in the taste of the wine? It is the shape that determines where the wine reaches in the tongue. This brings me to another point. We choose our crockery with the greatest care. The whole touch and feel of the food is lost due to the bad quality of crockery. We use only a specific shop, a specific brand. We all have differences in our community like some like glassware whereas some like bone china.
After reading all this what opinion do you form of yourself? What are you? A glutton who gobbles down his food or a gourmet who cherishes his food or a gourmand like me who enjoys his food and eats to his heartfelt? Contemplate on this.
Logged in or Locked on????
The Internet. Started way back in the early 90’s by some college students, this rightly called ‘net’ has captured many a fishes in the pond. The internet is a world. A world full of dreams, aspirations, etc. Like every other thing it has its pros and cons. Can’t find the meaning of a word? Google it. Have a band and want the world to hear your songs upload them to any of the numerous websites that have cropped up over the years. Are you a wanna be chef? Go to any of the cookery sites and learn. Internet has connected us to the farthest corners of the world.
Now I ask you, how many hours do you sit on the net daily? Answer truthfully. Oh half an hour here and there you might say. Now do some maths. Quick. Voila! Minimum 2 hours. Harmless you say? For 2 hours you are in the front of the screen your eyes on god knows what, hands on the key board. What are you doing? Chatting? With whom? Your next door neighbour? Walk down a few steps, you lazy idiot! Call if necessary. No! I’m not exaggerating. People do that. They rather chat than talk.
Take the case of my home. Whenever my sisters come they hold the monopoly of the computer. Every time I see them they are on the net. Chatting, mailing, doing god knows what else. One day I discovered my sister chatting with a friend who lived a stone throws away. The language? Don’t even ask! TC? Take care in their ‘lingo’ (that’s too short for ________). Looks to me short for Turbo C. GTG? Gotta go. Murderers that’s what they are of English language.
Back to the net. Make this small experiment. Start a stopwatch whenever you sit on the net. At the end of the month sum up. I guarantee you shall be amazed at the amount of time you sit on the net!
Emergence of new services like blogs, online video sharing, etc. has just worsened the situation. Looks like everyone out there owns a blog. Everyone wants his thoughts read, analyzed, commented upon. Success of a few has kindled the flame in many. Now everyone is a director. Go to any of the video sharing sites like YouTube and you shall be amazed at the sheer amount of content on these sites.
E-mail, IM, etc. have helped us no doubt but at what cost? At the cost of addiction. A whole new range of diseases have cropped up. Checking your mailbox everyother minute to see if any new message has come, as if the whole country depended upon you, has now become a recognized form of compulsive disorder.
Make sure that when you are logged in you are not locked in out there in a virtual world!
Now I ask you, how many hours do you sit on the net daily? Answer truthfully. Oh half an hour here and there you might say. Now do some maths. Quick. Voila! Minimum 2 hours. Harmless you say? For 2 hours you are in the front of the screen your eyes on god knows what, hands on the key board. What are you doing? Chatting? With whom? Your next door neighbour? Walk down a few steps, you lazy idiot! Call if necessary. No! I’m not exaggerating. People do that. They rather chat than talk.
Take the case of my home. Whenever my sisters come they hold the monopoly of the computer. Every time I see them they are on the net. Chatting, mailing, doing god knows what else. One day I discovered my sister chatting with a friend who lived a stone throws away. The language? Don’t even ask! TC? Take care in their ‘lingo’ (that’s too short for ________). Looks to me short for Turbo C. GTG? Gotta go. Murderers that’s what they are of English language.
Back to the net. Make this small experiment. Start a stopwatch whenever you sit on the net. At the end of the month sum up. I guarantee you shall be amazed at the amount of time you sit on the net!
Emergence of new services like blogs, online video sharing, etc. has just worsened the situation. Looks like everyone out there owns a blog. Everyone wants his thoughts read, analyzed, commented upon. Success of a few has kindled the flame in many. Now everyone is a director. Go to any of the video sharing sites like YouTube and you shall be amazed at the sheer amount of content on these sites.
E-mail, IM, etc. have helped us no doubt but at what cost? At the cost of addiction. A whole new range of diseases have cropped up. Checking your mailbox everyother minute to see if any new message has come, as if the whole country depended upon you, has now become a recognized form of compulsive disorder.
Make sure that when you are logged in you are not locked in out there in a virtual world!
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