Soda, Jap-cakes, Sunshine Snack Corner and some Ecstasy...

As always, something had to inspire me into posting. This time it was Sunil's memories of the Bangalore Iyengar bakeries and other places he frequented through his school-days.

Most people who know me will probably vouch for my ravenous appetite - it's a different story that none of it shows (except for that not-so-minor-now paunch). I love food, plain and simble. I got my sweet tooth from Amma's side, while the love for savouries came from Achan's side! Quite a combination indeed.

My earliest memories of food would probably be of my maternal grandmother's fried fish (yeah I hear some people going "Siva Siva!!!"). The story about my request for "mo' phish" like Oliver Twist has been repeated innumerable times, that it's almost like family folklore now. Yeah I still relish fried fish. I long for the day I'll be home in Coimbatore, and I can say the same thing to Amma!

I was introduced to the pleasures of plain soda at the age of 3 by my maternal grandfather. Almost every night he'd have half a bottle of plain soda, and I'd get my share in a kutty stainless steel tumbler (geez, it's been ages since I used that word!).

Summer vacations and visits to Coimbatore would be incomplete without jilebis, mysurpa(k) and japanese cakes. I really used to love digging into the juicy j's and mouthwatering mysurpa. There always would be a 6-pack of j-cake waiting for me when I went to the Ammammas' house. Yes, I got addicted to this stuff thanks to my grandparents and grand aunts! Even during my college days, there have innumerable times (on my visits to Odyssey) I've popped in at SKS next door and gobbled a J or Mysurpa(k). Cant wait to do it soon!

Growing up in Bombay exposed me to stuff other than what "mom would like you to eat". I remember buying Ravalgaon's "Pan Pasand" for 25p apiece at the bus-stop while returning from school. When Amma heard about it, she thought I'd get hooked onto it. Needless to say I'm not hooked, but I wonder if the sweet is still manufactured nowadays!

Sunshine Snack Corner was this snack bar around the corner from where I used to stay. It was run by a bunch of bawas/baawis and they sure dished out some really delicious stuff. Their frankies were just out of this world (My mouth just watered at the thought of it!). Apparently some 20 years ago when I went there with my cuzin, I told the guy there "Gold Spot lao.....jaldi lao!". I presume it's a figment of my cuzin's fertile imagination, but yet again the story has been repeated so many times that it's again family folklore now!

Speaking of Gold Spot, it was a HUGE favorite when I was in Hyd. I must have been 2 then, and loved my "Gol-pot", coz it had those rubbery "things under the cap" which had characters from the cartoon Jungle Book. Limca became a favorite, till I had to drink a 300 ml bottle in 10 seconds and answer questions at the Limca Quiz. One Antara Datta (or one of her cronies) ran into a bit of trouble at the quiz once and showered the other teams with Limca. Needless to say the rest of us were so honored that we gifted the La Marts girls the quiz!

College days were the days of chola-poori in the canteen. God knows how many of that Bhillu/Dosai/Puffy/Venks and me wolfed down. Cant ever forget how we'd wait for the clock to strike 4pm and then hangout at the canteen, discussing the days events over pepsi and chola poori. Somehow I never touched the "meals" even once in my college days! Yes, those were good days! I got hooked to spaghetti thanks to the maan himself, Sunil, who back then was an awesome cook - presume he still rocks...should ask Arati for her opinion!

The Infy days were largely spent eating out. No cold coffee/Starbucks Frappuccino will ever come close to the Ecstasy the Mavanes, Yu and Pu used to have at CCD inside Keonics. In Aamanthran and Sukh Sagar, my orders are part of Mavane legend! It always would be Butter naan with either butter chicken or panneer masala as the side-dish. I have been woken up on occasion at 2am to hear that someone was eating my favorite dishes. Ah, and who can forget the awesome egg curry we used to get in the Old Infy building food court. Magnifico! Oh yeah, and the Dominos pizzas on weekends...

Sometime soon I'll be back and possibly check out the old haunts with the gang. Till then it's fingers and toes crossed....