Friday, October 1, 2010

We are not blogging...

Because we are not cooking. I'd love to say like every other time or every other blogger, that we've been cooking but just not found the time to blog. A has found the time to blog and I've just about figured that I need to realign my priorities to still do what I want to do, apart from what I hate- studying :P

But the truth is that in spite of the foodies that we are, we both haven't cooked good meals in quite sometime now. A left for India in August and spent a month at my parents' eating my mom's food and helping her cook (She is touched, shocked, amazed and rather happy -since she hates cooking :P)

I had the most hectic summer semester with classes and enough readings to last me a lifetime. I'm currently in the Fall semester and finally settled down. Today, I spoke to A for a long time after a long time. Its funny how we haven't had a heart-to-heart conversation in ages now. And we are husband and wife. Yes. Still. I've had people either expecting me to cry at the drop of a hat missing him. Or, there are feminists who think that I should totally be nonchalant about my relationship status and act like he doesn't exist. Sorry to disappoint you, folks. I'm in the middle somewhere. I miss him terribly every single time I eat. Because he cooked most of the time and I just ate. Now I have to cook and eat. And every single time I have to clean the house. I'm only used to supervising and now I have to do it myself. Albeit, it is being done once in 3 months.

Today, during our lengthy conversation, he was talking of returning to cooking now that he's settled in his own apartment. He said he'd been trying to bake bread and cookies for a week now and every attempt was a failure. I was quite surprised. He is a master baker. He may make mistakes, but they don't repeat. I spoke of how I've been planning forever to make bread and never got around to doing it. I told him how I went to our favourite food blogs and kept telling the blogger am going to try their latest recipe, buy the ingredients but never end up making it. We laughed saying we've become lazy.

Suddenly, he banged his fist and I had a tear rolling down my cheek. Its no fun anymore. Before getting married, I couldn't identify one Dal from another. And he'd cook the usual, sabzi, chawal, dal, sambar. Nothing special. Ours was an arranged marriage. We fought every single day until we got married and after we got married. We've had a turbulent time together. Except for food. Until we discovered how much we liked food and cooking and eating. We took our own sweet time getting to know each other and it was hell until we figured it out.

I knew I'd miss him and he'd miss me. I mean, who doesn't miss their spouse when you're away from them, right? And we were ready for the heartache and what not. But this is something else! I just can't seem to make anything more than random one pot meals or worse, Maggi noodles for dinner. While he is struggling with basic cooking and baking in spite of spending on a new kitchen with all the equipment. It struck us today that its going to be a bad year for our foodie-selves. He said he'd not made Pasta in ages while I thought of the rotting pasta in the fridge. That is his favourite meal. I haven't made Vethe Kuzhambu in ages while he has it often. My favourite meal.

I broke down after a long time. Ever since things have been working - read university admits, job in India etc, I've not worried about anything. Today was something else. I was scared I will never eat good food again. Ya, I'm like that. I get scared about missing out on food. You can safely call me a lunatic now.

Then the calm voice spoke ( certainly not me, it was him!). We figured it out. Its going to take us time to come back to this blog and write about the joys of eating. Right now, we're hardly cooking anything much. And for those of you whose recipes I've bookmarked, I promise I will get to it sometime. Or, maybe we will. In a year or so. And credit you too.

Please bear with us. We are humans after all, though I know I seemed like I was a super woman. I assure you, I'm not. And he has never been a super man. So there.

13 comments:

Avantika said...

Absolutely love the post! So sweet and sad.

I am sure you'll start making the exquisite meals again and I pray to god I get to eat some. In the meantime, I am content with your regular sambhar-chawal and midnight pasta (which are equally exquisite according to me).

Nive said...

Bah, now I feel like crying. Things changed so quickly! I really didn't expect to come back here with both of you gone. And I have to admit, we really did bond over food. I wonder if we will all ever be together in one place like again. I really enjoyed getting to know you both these past two years. I MISS YOU BOTH A LOT.

Preethi said...

Aww... I hear you and understand you, babe. For the entire last year, I had not made anything elaborate since he wasnt around. Now even dosas(which used to be common fare before) look strange and new to me...What if I am not able to make them as good as before! Thats my worst fear! :(

When you guys get-together, food it shall be :) Believe me, I know!:) Till then enjoy the time you have at your hands.

sra said...

Of course you'll eat good meals again, Nandu! Just hang in there!

Loved the conclusion! ;)

Anonymous said...

Oh Nandu! I almost cried:-( I can relate to this, in a different way though. I am touched, and may you get together soon, and the year fly by and may you soon cook together and blog together..God Bless. love~Shreya

Sri L said...

Teared up at the 'real-ness' of the marriage description. The worst part about being apart is missing out the details in each others lives. When you do get back to being your foodie self, it will feel right, and i'm sure you will love it even more :)

Take care!

Archana said...

Big Hugs to you...Time will fly and things will be back on track again...and of course, you will enjoy cooking and eating delicious food, together...take care and hang in there...

Soma said...

This made me cry. Hang on there.. guys. 2 months have gone already. I am not even thinking of food, I want u guys beside each other.

MinCat said...

thts the way di =) i REALLY think food brings peopl together man, especially from our culture. how about you guys try cooking the same food in different continents? might be a fun project.

Aparna Balasubramanian said...

Hey! Hang in there. When things seem at the owrst, you can cheer yourself that they can only get better now. :)I know what its like, and I have another year and half.

And the food will taste different at the end of the year> ;-)

Indian Food Rocks said...

I believe you cooked one heck of a meal recently. Cook for friends and people you care about. It will get you through to the time he can cook for you again. Same holds for him!

I think you are both extra-Super for managing without each other for such a long time. Five days and I'm a whimpering mess.

Chin up!

Raaga said...

I feel like saying so many things, but I wonder if they'll make any sense. Hang in there... I totally understand and relate to what you've said in many ways. This, too, shall pass!

Priyanka Agrawal said...

i hear ya!
Food fanatic