auntieBlog » Favorite foods

All-American Thanksgiving

Yael — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:00:56 +0000

Every year around this time, I get inspired to attempt a down-home and beautifully-choreographed Thanksgiving feast for my family. The kind that Claire and Cliff Huxtable would be proud to host (to this very day, The Cosby Show for some reason is my yardstick for “traditional” households).

A gorgeously roasted whole turkey on a platter of garnish. Lots of silverware and place settings. A “carving station” for the poultry. Grandparents in suits and ties. Acknowledgment that food may not need chili powder and turmeric to taste right.

Where's the kofta curry?

But really, that’s not how we roll. Without fail, some kind of oyster curry, or tandoori chicken, or veg biriyani finds its way on the menu. Of course the “bland” mashed potatoes are kicked up with a pinch of masala or some sprigs of coriander. And we’re happy with just our forks, thank you very much (why one needs 15 different utensils is still beyond me).

That’s why I love this time of year. I am so happy to have arrived home a couple days ago, lazily settling back into being the (29-year-old-) baby of the family. That Thanksgiving itself, this unwavering and powerful yearly tradition since before I remember, simply did not exist in my parents’ consciousness a few decades ago, is hard to believe. We’ve now made it our own, as surely as we’ve made this our home.

Happy Thanksgiving, all.

Posted in Favorite foods, Food memories, Homestyle cooking

Ramen noodles for the soul

Yael — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:13:22 +0000

Ramen noodles are central to every entrepreneurship experience. It’s a well known fact that to earn the entrepreneur badge of honor and create some company folklore you have to eat nothing but ramen noodles for at least 2 years.

Imagine my joy when I discovered that NPR dedicated a full story to the nostalgic value of ramen noodles in people’s lives (thanks Sarit!). I must say the waffle and burrito ramen noodles are more imaginative than any entrepreneurial or other ramen noodle recipe I’ve ever heard of or tried. Maybe we should organize a “tastiest disgusting-sounding ramen noodle” challenge for the auntieChef cooks?

Posted in Entrepreneurship, Favorite foods

The Great Eggo Shortage of 2009

Yael — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:38:13 +0000

Endangered species?

Faithful reader(s)- let me start off by saying: Don’t Panic.

I consider myself a relatively calm person. Not exactly nerves-of-steel, but let’s be honest: I don’t freak out.

I’m freaking out.

I just heard about impending Eggo crisis. Read about it on this economics blog if you’d like. The Kellogg factory has had some “technical malfunctions” which has resulted in a nationwide shortage of their frozen waffles. Anecdotal/circumstantial evidence/rumor suggests that Target’s Eggo shelves are running bare – and then what? What next?

How long will these Eggo last? No one knows.

[Deep breath] If I calmly go to my Happy Place, perhaps I can celebrate the potential Syrup Surplus Opportunity with peace and light. But in fact, no.

Yes, so maybe frozen breakfast food isn’t exactly homemade. I get it. But you know what? I grew up in an Indian household, and Mom most definitely was not making us waffles from scratch (Idalis, dosas, upama? Yes. Waffles? no). It was Eggo. It had to be. And Aunt Jemima. Every Sunday.

I’ve gotta cut this blog post short, because a trip to the grocery store is in order. Stockpiling – there’s no shame in that.

Kellogg, don’t make me kick “Leggo my Eggo” up a few notches – you know I will!

Posted in Favorite foods, Food philosophy, Homestyle cooking