The peculiar fascination for bread
can lead to tricky situations. When you go on a trip, you often wake up in the
morning, in time for “continental breakfast” at the hotel. There is an entire “spread”, arranged in buffet style. In India, you cannot beat the variety at
breakfast. There’s steaming Idli and spicy Sambar, delicious Upma and sumptuous
Pongal. You open the next casket on the breakfast counter. Once the mist of the
emanating steam settles down, the eye comes face to face with golden Vadas. And
yonder, there is crisp Masala Dosa, inviting you with the shine of burnished gold.
For a foodie, this is heaven. Full-stop!
Something is clearly amiss. I summon
the hotel manager and pop my question, “Where is bread?” He takes time to
respond, as though, he’s taking time to process the word. Totally puzzled, he fumbles, “Bread? Bread?” Even my family is aghast, “There’s so much
variety! Why would you eat bread? You can anyway eat bread at home!”
A bread lover has no explanation. It’s
like the episode from the Mahabharata. Before the war, Krishna gave 2 choices
to Arjuna and Duryodhana. One choice was to opt for Krishna’s entire Yadava army-
all his soldiers, his infantry and cavalry, everyone armed to the teeth. The
other choice was to opt for one individual- a non-combatant Krishna. Arjuna
made the first choice and chose Krishna. Duryodhana couldn’t believe Arjuna could
make such a ridiculous choice! When there was such abundance of power and might
in the Yadava army, how could Arjuna opt for a measly Krishna?
For some of us, bread is like the
choice Arjuna made! It is a “no-brainer”- there is no choice really. It does not matter…what else is pitted against
bread. Bread wins, hands down, each time, every time! The non-believer scoffs
at bread as “tasteless” and “food meant for the sick and the convalescent!”
Father, forgive them, for they know
not, what they say! Bread has infinite variety that a non-believer fails to see.
We have “bread with jam”, “bread with butter”, “bread with ketchup”, “bread
with cucumber and tomato” …what to talk of more exotic concoctions like “bread
upma” and “bread pakoda”!
Plain bread is comfort food- soft and
fluffy with its unique, subtle taste. Toasted bread, on the other hand, is a
completely different breed. The moment it pops off the toaster, it is irresistible-
tasty, crunchy and crispy! Your finger
runs after even the crumbs that scatter around with each bite! And then…when it
comes to “Rusk” with hot masala tea in the late afternoon- the combination has
no contenders!
Bread is your all weather, all-day
friend!
These days, there’s a bewildering
variety within the bread kingdom. We have “white bread” and “milk bread”, “wheat
bread” and “muti-grain bread” and even “sweet bread” and “fruit bread”. Bread’s close cousins, the “bun” and the Mumbai
“pav” are undeniably important players in bread’s dream-team!
In the 1970s, the film “Deewar” had
an iconic dialogue between Amitabh and Shashi Kapoor. Amitabh taunts Shashi Kapoor,
“I have everything! Aaj mere paas…gaadi hai, bangla hai, bank balance hai! What
do you have? Kya hai tumhare paas?” Shashi Kapoor looks at Amitabh in the eye
and answers softly, “Mere paas maa hai! Mother is on my side!”
In my version of “Deewar”, this
dialogue will get a complete makeover. Amitabh will spew venom with, “Aaj mere
paas…sab kuch hai…Idli hai, Dosa hai, Samosa hai, Pongal hai! Kya hai tumhare
paas?” Shashi Kapoor will now answer, “Mere paas bread hai!”
Bread is the ultimate winner. No wonder,
we still ask, “Who is the bread winner of the family? We do not ask, “Who is
the Idli winner or the Dosa winner?” Do we?