March 19, 2024

Who is a foodie? Not me

Everyone claims to be a foodie… I remember hotly protesting once – “but I am not a foodie” and was asked with a big smirk “why, don’t you eat?”

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Who really is a foodie? Is it someone who likes to eat? who loves to eat? who lives to eat?

Or is it someone who just likes interesting food? Or that someone who will drive 25 km for that recommended biryani. Or more for that special kachori.

I asked wikipedia (when in doubt, wiki) and this is what I learn – Although the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, foodies differ from gourmets in that gourmets are epicures of refined taste who may or may not be professionals in the food industry, whereas foodies are amateurs who simply love food for consumption, study, preparation, and news. Gourmets simply want to eat the best food, whereas foodies want to learn everything about food, both the best and the ordinary, and about the science, industry, and personalities surrounding food

By this definition, I am not a foodie, I am relieved to know. I don’t know what it is about that term but I am not comfortable being associated with it. I like food, sure but I may never walk that extra mile for that special snack (despite what I said earlier about sev puri – one makes rare exceptions). I am not even interested in learning about the science(!) of food – please understand that my most precious kitchen appliance is a pressure cooker – fill it, shut it, forget it – till the steam dies and it is safe to open it.

But, the visual appeal of food? There you have me. There is something about food that looks colourful and attractive. Whoever said “food needs to smell good, look good and taste good, in that order” will see me nodding briskly here, if he cares to look this way.

And this is how in one evening at Juhu beach, I turned foodie. Food voyeur is perhaps a better term?

Gola Rainbow

Those bottles…?

Golas, or chuski as they are known in some parts… And you don’t have to be kids to enjoy it…

All in a row

Enjoying the gola

Then there is chaat – the universal favourite alu tikki – or ragda pattice as it is known in Bombay and sev puri, and samosa and pani puri…

Ragda Pattice

Not to forget pav bhaaji… See the fingers fly. And try not to see the butter sizzle…

Garma garam bhaji

Fingers that fly

And look who’s enjoying it…

Hot n' spicy

On the shore, fruit for the healthy food types…

Fruit and nut

Wash it all down with kulfi-falooda… or even another gola…

And now tell me, who is a foodie? You or me?

5 thoughts on “Who is a foodie? Not me

  1. I love this post. Was just having a conversation with someone yesterday, in which I pointed out that “I love eating” is NOT the same thing as understanding food science (how does heat affect different kinds of ingredients? How about exposure to air? Chemical reactions?); knowing how to cook; having a sensitive palate and nose; and understanding the geographical, historical, and social reasons why certain foods are eaten in certain places at certain times by certain people for certain reasons. A lot of people who “love to eat” call themselves “foodies”. And they are not. They are just NOT.

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