Which food, when you eat it, instantly transports you to childhood?
Food is one among others which play a notable role in a child’s life. “Gur Patti” used to be the favourite during childhood.. Life in the past was simpler, yet constricted, where children couldn’t freely express their desires, facing strict familial norms. Cooking a meal was meticulous. It used to be primarily for sustenance. The matriarch’s authority was dominant in the kitchen. The children of the lower middle class rarely tasted food outside this limited scope. Later in life, when encountering new dishes like “Dosa”, it was difficult to accept. This change symbolised gradual exposure to different flavours and experiences. Nostalgia for simpler times and cherished memories is at the core, centred around food.
Table of contents
Key Takeaways
- Food plays a significant role in childhood, with memories often tied to specific items like ‘Gur Patti’.
- Life in the past was simple yet restrictive, limiting children’s food choices and self-expression.
- Lower middle-class families had strict norms regarding food, which hindered children’s exposure to new tastes.
- Experiences with food such as ‘Dosa’ reflect a gradual introduction to diverse cuisines later in life.
- Nostalgia and cherished food memories shape individual experiences, emphasizing the lasting impact of childhood meals.
The shop
There used to be a small shop a few paces away from his house. The days were relatively calm. The city appeared secluded, and the roads were full of sparse commuters. The swiftest mode of transportation was the bicycle; owners would flaunt it with pride. It used to be a status symbol.
The shop mentioned above was situated on a mound. Ground of the mound had many shards of earthenware and terracotta roof tiles. It appeared that there had been a house on the mound, and the shop was its remains.
“Gur-Patti”
He used to visit the shop to buy his favourite candy prepared with jaggery.
(a) The Process
The melted jaggery was kneaded thoroughly. It was spread across the flat surfaces of large, rounded metallic saucers, smeared with clarified butter. Copious amounts of unshelled groundnut kernels mixed into the hot jaggery. The jaggery mix was left to rest for some time. It was uniformly laid and then cut into diamond-shaped pieces before cooling. This ensured a uniformly thick consistency. The aroma of hot, melting jaggery was tempting and mouth-watering.
Lower middle-class
The time was when life was simple, at least it appeared so. The middle-class families whose male members would work as clerks in government offices were status-conscious. Despite myriad differences, they mostly live under the same roof. They used to boast about their status at any social gatherings.
(a) Pocket money not allowed
The concept of pocket money for children was alien and considered derogatory. Children had to express their will to eat a particular thing of their choice. Only after the elders’ approval could they have it after the elders buy for them.
(b) Overprotectiveness
The overprotective elders were extremely cautious. They did not want their children to pick up “bad habits” of purchasing or eating stuff from the market. The overstrictness made most children cut off from reality and confined them to a limited area. The tendency to cut children off from experiencing things is like a horse with blinds over its eyes to avoid “distraction”.
(c) Rare occasions
A paisa or two was “generously” given to children with caution on rare occasions. This happened on special occasions, like festivals. It was when they were going to a fair. On such occasions, his first preference was to visit this shop. He would buy the jaggery candy, called “Gur-Patti” in the vernacular language. It is among the various food memories that come to his mind even after several decades.
Life a few decades ago
Tea was gradually becoming popular but not common. In families living in cities, morning tea sessions were becoming frequent. Children were served tea in a metallic mug and a small, rounded bread (“Pāvroti”) or two, in the morning. Food used to be cooked on firewood. Sawdust was later replaced by firewood. There were many difficulties in using sawdust, so it quickly returned to firewood. Cooking used to be a tiresome job. Mothers often wipe their brimmed eyes with their Sāri. He felt sorry for his mother but was helpless. He often remembers these incidents about food-related memories, which make him nostalgic. (BBC: Why Food Memories are so Powerful)
(a) Strict atmosphere
Asking questions and expressing desires were considered ill-mannered, hence it was a strict no for children of the time. Parents and male members of the family used to take it offensively. Despite quenching the child’s curiosity, parents would sternly instruct them to focus on study.
(b) Contemptuous
Coming back to the food. It was a tiresome drill for womenfolk, particularly for a newlywed lady who was a new entrant to the family. She had to follow many dos and don’ts. The aged matriarch would behave like a warden imposing her will on her new daughter-in-law. Considered the sole realm of the matriarch, household chores were under her strict vigilance. Cooking something new or experimenting with cooking was contemptuous.
(c) Simple food
The food used to be simple. “Thali” (Platter) used to contain freshly boiled rice, seasoned running lentils (Dāl), seasonal vegetables, and Rōti (flat bread cooked on a heavy hot iron plate, “Tavā”). The concept of breakfast was not in currency. Office-going male members had the privilege of eating first, followed by school-going children, youngsters and then ladies. The drill took two-thirds of the day. Soon thereafter, preparation for dinner would start.
(d) Sundays were special
Sundays were special when food used to be a little unconventional and sumptuous. It would take more than normal to prepare. Occasionally, male members would cook “special” dishes. They generously used spices and vegetable oil to make their preparation outstanding. Children were the worst sufferers. They felt butterflies in their stomachs due to hunger. Yet, they had to bear with it. Food memories evoke a sense of connection to the past and make one nostalgic.
(e) Gourmand
The excessive checks and balances made him timid, and thinking of tasting something novel was beyond his imagination. The dearth of money sometimes made things worse. He adapted well to the situation and never expected anything from anyone. Longing for variety and experimentation was disdainful. Such people were ridiculed and termed as “Chatorā” (Gourmand). Later in his life, he discovered that fine dining was his latent wish. Yet, he never enjoyed it. He never visited restaurants or hotels.
Deviation not allowed
Deviation from the fixed menu except for special occasions and festivals. It was partly because of financial constraints, but also mainly because of the conservative mindset. The matriarch did not want to part away her “prerogative” to anyone else. Any thought of losing authority would move them, and she would become desperate.
Stunned mind
Persistent denial and over exaggeration of things led him to retreat into a shell. He never expressed his will, nor did he have any novel desires to eat something special. Seldom tasted anything outside the boundaries of the domestic kitchen. Once someone in the family bought some spicy street food, “Chāt”. The “Chat” tasted spicy yet palatable. Prenotions were so heavy on him that his mind refused to acknowledge the taste. Yet, the taste buds appreciated it. Except for mangoes, he had not eaten any fruit. Having fresh fruits and dry fruits was a luxury, unreachable to the “poor” who could not afford them.
(a) Tasting “Dosa”
Recently, he learned about “Dosa,” a South Indian dish, but it was not well-known in Northern India. Some of his classmates spoke effusively about it. He found it challenging to understand the exact shape and size of a Dosa. Its appearance was unfamiliar, and he didn’t know how to eat it properly. He saw it for the first time when his family moved to a new city. Finally, he could understand it. He visited a local café and tried Dosa. This café specializes in South Indian snacks and light meals.
(b) In a cafe
He was hesitant, but one of his girl classmates was hell on taking him to the café and tasting Dosa. He was feeling odd while sitting in the café as it was one of his rarest occasions. His friend was trying her best to ease him, and to a great extent, she succeeded in her efforts. Both were happy and he enjoyed eating his first Dosa.
In the end
He never had a liking or a dislike for a particular food item. It was because of the upbringing and the atmosphere he was in. Nostalgia is a type of past memories a person has. It is mostly linked with childhood memories. He has no particular food linked to his memories. The only exception is the one described above. It is that of his special liking for “Gur Patti”.
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