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During this visit she could finally spend some quality time with us and also get to know her future daughter-in-law. Although we did make occasional trips to the nearest city, Houston there isn’t much around College Station that qualifies as regular touristy fare. Of course, a week-long trip to Sacramento and Lake Tahoe where my cousin lives probably helped fulfill that part of the trip. Only San Antonio with its famed river walk is the Texan city that you can proudly show off to visiting relatives but then again Remember the Alamo doesn’t mean much to non-Americans or at least as much as the gushing falls of Niagara does.
It is already less than 24 hours since she left and we are missing her already. No more breakfast mornings filled with delicious aromas of sheera or pohey and also no more afternoon lunches at home with hot chapatis smeared with ghee. It was sweet reconnecting to my culinary favorites of assal Maharastrian chicken curry, ghaavan, saabudanyachi khichdi, and kombdi vade. She ran through pounds of grated coconut, besan, and sugar to make besan laadoo, naralache laadoo, chaklee, and other miscellaneous Indian snacks. I had forgotten the popular Indian habit of snacking on kachra between meals until all this stuff just was too tempting to resist.
Of course, it isn’t all about food but the constant although mostly silent presence of someone familiar. We had our talks and discussions on nostalgic memories, updates on family and local town gossip, and of course, continuous and long planning for the December wedding. I was glad that mom and Ash could finally connect be it in the kitchen or on discussions of clothes and jewelery for the wedding (you have to ask Ash if you want her side of the story). Mom seemed pleased and was assured that we could spend the rest of our lives together happily. Although no mother will openly admit it, the daughter-in-law is expected to pass that ‘test’ (likewise for the girl’s parents regards the guy).
I think Mom also enjoyed our little excursions be it the mandatory tour of the university including the unique experience of an organic produce marketplace on campus and sipping mango margaritas (our family at least on my dad’s side are strict teetotalers so any mention of daaru would be frowned upon) at dinner outings. But I don’t think she ever quite warmed up to my mentioning steaks or beef with reference to food. Toward the end of the trip, I guess she was getting fidgety and had started to miss home which is understandable since she hasn’t left dad ever to fend for himself. The rising frequency of his calls from India certainly indicated that the feeling was mutual.
Although I have gotten used to not missing my parents, it was a strange feeling dropping her off at the airport yesterday. Coming back home and finding the apartment to ourselves was kinda disconcerting as we procrastinated on getting back to our regular chores. I guess the next visit will be during my graduation which I hope comes soon enough. I just hope she really enjoyed her visit as much as we did.
by Patrix | on Monday, May 21st, 2007 at 3:28 pm | 
India, Personal, United States . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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May 21st, 2007 at 3:37 pm reply
I’m sure you’re missing your mother already. It’s not just their cooking, moms have a comforting presence which when you get used to it hard to get out of your system.
Btw, Niagara is overrated. I’ve seen more picturesque water falls in the Western Ghats during monsoon. She did not miss much there.
May 21st, 2007 at 4:37 pm reply
its heartening to read this from a son…….being the mother of a boy i always dread losing my son to a daughter-in-law and her family……….
May 21st, 2007 at 4:38 pm reply
Awwww :)
May 21st, 2007 at 5:11 pm reply
It is nice to have a guy admit that he misses his mom!
All the talk of ghaavan and kombdi vade made me yearn to eat some!! Isn’t it strange how moms find it ‘relaxing’ to cook for their kids? :)
May 21st, 2007 at 5:24 pm reply
Santosh, Ditto about the comforting presence except I was worried that she was getting bored and had to think of ways to keep her occupied when we were out to work. She must have seen more movies in her stay here than she would have in the past year.
She already has done the Niagara darshan…in her first visit :)
M, as long as you don’t hold on to your son for dear life, I don’t think you risk ‘losing’ him to a daughter-in-law and her family.
Ash, I bet I’ll have a longer Awwww..when your parents visit and leave :)
Sampada, don’t worry about eating Maharashtrian food…can make really good ghaavan now. Learnt the trick. But you are heading home anyway sometime soon. Shyaay! You are right about moms cooking food to relax…she would refuse to go out to eat and insisted on cooking at home especially coz my dad and brother are fussy eaters and I basically eat anything that’s kept in front of me with equal gusto. She says, that makes it more enjoyable to cook for me :)
May 21st, 2007 at 5:58 pm reply
Patrix….chill !! I am sure you miss the food the most :)
and Santosh…..WTF. Can you tell me one….just one spot in the Western Ghats that compares to Niagara ?
Ive been to the Niagara umpteem times and also all over the Western Ghat.
Niagara may not be the most beautiful waterfall in the world. Ive seen at least one that is better, but in terms of accessibility and beauty none come close to Niagara.
It may be a bit overrated…but what the heck…Western Ghats. India is Shining but not in the waterfalls of the Western Ghats for sure.
May 21st, 2007 at 7:58 pm reply
As a Maharashtrian, should I be ashamed to admit that I have no idea what is ‘ghaavan’ or ‘kombdi vade’?
May 21st, 2007 at 8:24 pm reply
Arzan, true. I do miss the food :)
Anamika, don’t worry…perhaps those foods are typical to our community. Ghaavan is pancakes made from rice flour and kombdi wades are puris made from a different kind of multi-grain dough usually eaten with chicken hence the name.
May 22nd, 2007 at 12:09 am reply
Tsk Tsk Patrix,
I was actually looking for some brief explanation of the dishes - quick google did not work - as I am sure I must have eaten it or something very similiar with slight twist, maybe under a different name probably.
May 22nd, 2007 at 4:52 am reply
sigh..Moms are like that only.. at times I also feel that in this fast food culture, our generation is gonna miss out on all the culinary “specialities” that we in turn should be passing on.
BTW my latest post also touches a similar topic.
May 22nd, 2007 at 8:03 am reply
Arzan,
The bcomparing them just saying Niagara is overrated and you donteauty of it is you cant name most of these falls. They pop up randomly during the monsoons and you just stop by and enjoy them. I’ve been to Niagara, Maid of the Mist, yada yada and that place is just a tourist trap. I’m not miss much if you dont go there.
Patrix,
Sorry about the hijack :-)
May 22nd, 2007 at 8:06 am reply
Rub it in.. I am missing good maharashtrian food.. actually make it any good food :)
And I am sure she liked connecting with her son and D-i-L rather than bustling all over the US doing touristy things.
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:09 am reply
Anamika, I thought that description was sufficient. Frankly dunno how more detailed can I get but that’s the problem (or is it?) with homemade and traditional recipes that there isn’t usually a formal way of describing or cooking them. Komdi vade needs a special kind of flour.
Twilight, Ash was planning to ask her relatives and compile a book of her family recipes but the problem as I mentioned to Anamika is that the measures of ingredient aren’t always described in quantifiable terms i.e. a pinch of this and that..or thodasa daalo.
Santosh, no problems. Discuss away. Honestly, I think you both are comparing apples and oranges. I found both to be equally delightful experiences at different levels.
Sakshi, at least you can live through my experiences :) But I agree she preferred to do the family and relaxing thing instead of scooting around the place…she has already done most of that during her previous two visits.
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:44 am reply
My previous comment text got effed up, wonder how.
Speaking of mom reminds me I still have mine here. I’m thinking of what I should ask her for tonight, idli/vada-chutney-sambhar or masala dosa or samosas :-)
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:46 am reply
Santosh, Grrrrrrr…..damn you!
PS. dunno why your comment got effed up…send me your changes and I’ll be glad to edit it for you.
May 22nd, 2007 at 10:49 am reply
Awww..@ mom trips… A’s parents are here right now, so he’s enjoying a lot… I am too.. but as I had mentioned on my blog, I am waiting for my parents to land so the fights can begin..:) They’re coming to my place end of june…
And I soooo want to jump into the Niagara arguement…..but wont hijack your blog for it.. :)
May 22nd, 2007 at 1:02 pm reply
Patrix,
No biggie about the comment.
p.s. you are welcome to all those snacks if you can dont mind travelling to Florida.
May 22nd, 2007 at 1:02 pm reply
Sqrl, I bet you’ll have double the fun so enjoy it while it lasts. And please be my guest on the Niagara argument. This blog could do with some.
Santosh, for now I have plenty left over. If I get the hunger pangs again for mom-cooked food, I just might take you up on your invitation ;)
May 22nd, 2007 at 1:41 pm reply
I can cook some ghar ka swaadisht paushtik khana if u sponsor me to ur place :p :)
May 22nd, 2007 at 1:42 pm reply
Twilight, you know you are always welcome. Wonder what visa that would fall under.
May 22nd, 2007 at 2:11 pm reply
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