Usha
I am continuing this meme at the behest of Shefaly and really loved doing this one. Thank you Shefaly.

What’s your favourite table?
Actually it is not a table but the courtyard at my grandma’s place where about 15 of us sat down to eat together , laughing, bantering and sharing. It was not about the food at all which was mostly simple home - cooked stuff; but it was about the feeling of togetherness, belonging, love and security.
Otherwise it would have to be the one at the Taj resort Laguna Maldives – for the food, the wine, the service, the ambience. It was in part due to the Bangaldeshi waiter who would decorate my table with flowers that he gathered from around the island – made me feel like a queen.

What would you have for your last supper?
I eat every meal with such avidity and relish that you may suspect that it is my last supper. Hehe.
mmm...I think it would not be so much about ‘What” I’d have as it would be about “who” I’d like to have the last super with. I’d like the last meal to be with all my loved ones and all those I need to make peace with. (Of course I’d pay with my credit card so numbers should not matter!)
There’d certainly be wine, lots of it. There would be cheese. All types of salads and the most sinful desserts. I don’t care much for the Entrées or the piece de resistance – can be pasta or bisi bele baat (anyway I am not eating it!)
And there would certainly be a last cup of TEA!

What’s your poison?
Tea of course.

Name your three desert island ingredients.
Pepper to season the fresh berries I might find to eat. ( as well as to spray on attackers)
Tea ( to kick start my brain so I can think up ways to get out of the place)
Honey – to add to my tea ( oh we like to do it in style even on a desert island), to eat and to use as sunblock and medicine against insect bites.

What would you put in Room 101?
Sambar, I guess! ( doesn’t need elaboration if you have checked out my previous post)
And perhaps elephant yam ( such a pain to cut)

Which book gets you cooking?
Tarla Dalal’s recipe books especially the photos.

What’s your dream dinner party line-up?
Great conversationalists, not fussy about food and people with whom I can relax and enjoy.
If it was a group of bloggers, I’d like to invite The RationalFool , The Doc , Shefaly, Maami and Paul. People who’d satisfy all my criteria and how I’d love the brilliant arguments and discussions that would be guaranteed. Of course with the doc and maami around there would be enough of laughter too. And Paul,it would be on the porch of a house by the riverside. :)Please get your favourite drink along or name it.

What was your childhood teatime treat?
Might have been some kind of bourbon biscuit but my favorite was bun with butter and jam.

What was your most memorable meal?
A dinner party at Schloss Leopoldskron in 1990 during the Salzburg Seminar. Husband was a participant in the seminar and family was invited to this dinner. This was the house of the Von Trapp family in the film "sound of music'. The place defined the meaning of “awesome” to me, food was good and company was excellent, from all over the world.
Another was with a very dear friend at an Indian restaurant in Henley-on- Thames. It was one of my happiest meals.

What was your biggest food disaster?
Every time I try baking a cake, it is a huger flop show than the previous time.

What’s the worst meal you’ve ever had?
It must have been some of those early meals cooked by me when I was still learning. Although none so bad that I can remember the details.

Who’s your food hero/food villain?
There used to be an American television show called ‘Yan can cook’ – used to love the show and the way the host talked, chopped, stir fried and cooked. He made it all seem such fun.
Food villain – May be Mother in law? for having set such tough standards? ;)

Nigella or Delia?
Neither. Haven’t watched/ read either.

Vegetarians: genius or madness?
Neither. Purely chance and circumstance. And whether one feels the need to change it. May be it requires a bit of madness to do that.

Fast food or fresh food?
Fast food when hungry and desperate . Otherwise fresh food, any day.

Who would you most like to cook for?
Certainly not husband or siblings ( for reasons see the previous post). Perhaps for Manuel , the portuguese friend I referred to in this post who gave me an entirely new perspective on how to approach food – be it while cooking or while consuming it.

What would you cook to impress a date?
I better not cook if I want to impress anyone. :)

Make a wish.
I wish to have a meal prepared by Anatole in company of Bertie Wooster and Uncle Fred . Of course while Jeeves is still in Bertie’s service. There would be lot of trouble with Bertie, me and Uncle Fred. Without Jeeves, who is to get us out of all the mess?

I’d like to pass on this delicious meme to anyone who would take it up but specifically to
Doc – who I know is a foodie and will give a delicious twist to all the responses.
Jane Turley – who is not particularly fond of the kitchen, if I may put it mildly. So she is bound to come up with some preposterously humorous responses.
Nandita – who has such a mouthwatering food blog and hence an appropriate target.
Souvik - who loves to experiment with food.

Thanks souvik for taking up the tag so promptly and for a wonderful post.

Doc dissects it here.

Nandita's post here.
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17 Responses
  1. Sunita Says:

    I better not cook if I want to impress anyone. :)

    Can I borrow that line please, forever.


  2. Anonymous Says:

    That sounds blissful.Elegant,and fine. I can almost see the dappled sun throwing patterns on our spotless tablecloths, dancing flowers, a soft wind, tinkling cutlery and fun conversation.For such graciousness,I promise to play clown, barefeet on the moist lawn.
    P.S: Let's make it by the beach please.


  3. Anonymous Says:

    @ Usha: Thanks for doing the meme. Food is so central to all cultures I see particularly with this meme. Jackie, who started it, is American who has lived in the UK and used a British paper (Guardian) article for inspiration. Alice who tagged me is British and lives in Texas. I have tagged Indians in India, one Indian in London, and Americans in Texas, LA, and Indians. And none seems unwilling.

    Food, glorious food
    Hot sausage and mustard!
    While we're in the mood
    Cold jelly and custard!
    Pease pudding and saveloys!
    What next is the question?
    Rich gentlemen have it, boys
    In-di-gestion!

    Dickens did have it right. ;-)


  4. Swati Says:

    While I was reading the questions , I was thinking for answers and while I was reading the answers , most of them seemed like mine , just that they were well phrased. So good that you did not passed it on to me ...else I would have cheated all the answers :D


  5. Shruthi Says:

    YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE VON TRAPP HOUSE???
    Ahhh for some water to douse the fires of envy!


  6. Nostalgic, witty & classy!


  7. Now I am hungry!


  8. Hip Grandma Says:

    i did not expect this tag to be so interesting.but you being you can work wonders with any theme.BTW why am I not in your party line up?I am joining anyway invited or not.I'll do the listening for a change and i promise not to disturb you guys.


  9. Anonymous Says:

    Hell hath no fury like 50 year old woman who has been identified as being a 50 year old woman.
    Since this is about food, I will try, at the risk of severe reader heartburn and indigestion.


  10. Usha Says:

    Sunita: Sure, help yourself. Have an extra helping too. :)

    Maami: That sounds exciting. Sure, it is the beach then.

    Shefaly: I really loved doing it. Yes,I noticed that too and some differences in the attitudes and approach to food and dining out too. :)

    Swati: Try and do it. Let us compare.

    Shrithi: YESSSSSS! and, IT is just totally breath taking with a lake at the back and the view all around. Salzburg is a beautiful place.

    Bala: Thank you.

    Girl with big eyes: :P

    Hipgran: Neither did I but once I got going, it kept getting better.
    Opps, that is a genuine slip up. I was trying to point some new blogs to the regular readers of this blog.
    In any case, since when do you need an invitation to join my parties. you better be there!

    Doc: You bet! if only you had paused and thought before saying those words. Alas, now there is not much to do but suffer!! :)


  11. Unknown Says:

    Hahaa, what a fun read!
    I shall take this up soon :) Thanks for remembering me on this fun meme


  12. Unknown Says:

    That's why I love you Usha. Yan Can Cook - not many who remeber Yan's flashing smile and knife ! I like the idea of tea on a desert island ,though.You's have to cling to the canister as the ship was sinking,I'd think!


  13. Parul Says:

    I am reasonably bad in the kitchen too so can empathise!


  14. S! Says:

    I wrote it up, thanks for tagging me.

    souvik.


  15. been away a while, love the new look.


  16. dipali Says:

    I'm coming to the party too, Usha:
    gatecrashers inevitable:)
    Lovely, brilliant as always


  17. Unknown Says:

    http://saffrontrail.blogspot.com/2008/05/meme-table-talk.html