Only Here

(10th July, Day 29 of 112)

I was out to dinner today with a friend and we chose to go to this relatively upscale Italian joint (which was on my places to eat at when in Bombay). After a good dinner and even better conversation (theological/scientific discussions) as we moved out, I found myself reaching into a bowl near the exit. The bowl was full of sugar coated saunf (fennel) a common enough sight in most Indian homes and used as a mouth refresher (mukhwaas) after meals.

This got me thinking about how India was probably the only place in the world where every restaurant you go to, no matter what kind (right from your udipis found in every bylane of Bombay to upscale five-star hotels), there will always be some version of saunf available at the end of the meal.

So in your udipis you will have saunf given with misri (crystallised sugar lumps) or even jaggery while in your neighbourhood five-star joint you will have a fancier version with sugar coated fennel and maybe peppermints.

Whatever the type maybe, the fact remains that it’s only here can you spend several thousands on a fancy meal at a hoity-toity eatery and still reach out for saunf at the end of it. And it’s only here that you will find the saunf ready and waiting for you.