Like Vidya Balan famously once said, and let me quote her, "Mujhe jo chahiye, uska maza sirf raat ko aata hai...". Yes my dear fellow gastronomes, we are talking about midnight snacks! Or may be snacks in particular. Boy! Does she look like an avid 'snacker'? (Not to be mistaken as a cheese cracker a.k.a pataka biskut!) Infact I would go to the length of saying that Ms.Balan here is the most deserving among Bollywood actresses who can endorse a snack brand.(Don't you?) I wonder why nobody has thought of it yet?! I mean, amongst the skinny brigade, her voluminous figure seldom leaves us guessing! Atleast not after 'Dirty Picture'. With the pout of lips and writhing about, she has left everyone reaching for more. Who can forget the scene where Ms.Balan & Mr.Shah race against herds of oranges in a probable competition of who gorges most of them.And of course, the after National award release 'Kahani' suffices to strengthen my point. But mind you! Of all people, I am not one among those who despise a well fed woman! This is plainly intended as an ode to the new age Bollywood actress who dared to be unapologetic about her opulence of size, even where it really doesn't matter-or does it? Anyhow, lets not forget those Ok, now enough of that and moving on to what really matters, S-N-A-C-K-S!!
Snacks are widely favored in India, almost like Bollywood,ie anytime, anywhere, anyhow. Infact I dare say that they are the perfect accompaniments with Bollywood cinema. The only set of movies that you wouldn't watch with a popcorn indulgence would be the kind that's illegal in India.So you see why they should serve, if not popcorn, atleast some snacks in the Parliament? With snacks at hand the Ministers would have kept their hands busy elsewhere!What are you thoughts on Finger food? wouldn't these be best served in the Parliament?! Finger food, better known as snacks are the best accomplice of men/women with too much talent and yet plenty more time at hand.
The kind of time that Rahul Dravid a.k.a The Wall is being gifted with. He has decided to indulge in everything the regular job-less house-husband does. Buy groceries, send his kid to school are just the few of his post-retirement plans. But that said, the man has done his due & tried to save the Indian cricket of dishonour time and again.At this threshold Saurav Ganguly was quick to opine that this most definitely was a good decision. But for some reason, failed to ask some other to follow suit. Maybe the many pleasures of joblessness and the productive use of the art of grocery bargaining would lure in the rest into retirement! I say they should have a jobless cricketers party once in a while with snacks in plenty to remind the non-retired of the many pleasure of sitting back and bitching about the youngsters in the team, over a finger food. It's can get as cloying as an all girls pyjama party with loads of chic-flicks and popcorn to run down. Now that reminds me of a serious koschien!!
Ever wondered why snacks are always referred to in plural? Because No One Can Eat Just One!
Gastronomes make for good friends. As powerful a statement it could be, let me back it with some proof.
First and foremost, almost the entire eat-out businesses thrive on the fact that youngsters are voracious eaters or drinkers. They could be muchers, bingers, chompers or even nibblers. But they like to do what they like to do only next to talk about the opposite sex or just sex. So they eat, & how!
This it also has a hidden agenda. Starting with the unfair sex, men. Men when in the company of other men eat because they are done talking about sex or any other sport for that matter, & have nothing better to do of their time. Men in the company of women on the other hand eat so that they don't talk about sex or any other sport for that matter , & want to look plain intelligent! Oh boy, how we love our eating men!
Now to the fairer sex. Women in the company of other women eat for that precious 3 second pause of chewing to think before we talk. We hate it when we accidentally gossip about you to none other than YOU! But women in the company of men pretty much don't eat. They pretend to eat. But if they actually eat, it could be that want need the 3 second pause to 'Lemon Law' the guy as he just spoke about sex! Refer to the video below for the details of 'Lemon Law'. (Yes, it's a thing now!)
So coming back to my theory of Gastronomes being the perfect friendship material, men who eat while you are around are aware of how stupid they may come across. And they are trying, genuinely trying to suit up to you. And women who eat while you are around are being self-less & fighting their every urge to give you a piece of their mind.( trust me..that is no piece you want a share of!)
If your table looks anything like this once you have met up with your friends, consider your friendship on sail! The strongest foundation to build a long-lasting friendship (or for that matter any ship!) is Gastronomy!!
I am sure you would be more than happy to yield to it, but for the pinching economy. Alas, the greatest enemy to gastronomy is his evil twin, economy. For you will constantly be required to fund the waging war to save global friendship by feeding your friends. As much as they would want to help you, they would always
forget their purse in the car/at home/at work/any place you cant reach in 10 mins
be low on cash as they spent a bomb on the latest Xbox/iPad/mobile
be maxed out on their credit card on the latest Xbox/iPad/mobile
have just about enough money to get back home (the sob story line)
Whatsoever be the reason if you dare insist for help, they might just throw you the worst-I-AM-NOT-HUNGRY line! And your friendship (or whatever you were trying to make of it) is potentially ruined. But fear not! Come what may, a gastronome is never going to put you through it! He/she is never going to be 'not hungry'. Hence proven that Gastronomes make for absolutely good friends. So..Bon Appetit to friendship!!
Mankind is at war at over thousand or more places, for ten thousand or more reasons at any given time. And yet there is peace! There is peace in pieces of heaven, fondly known as chocolate. There is peace in finely spiced curry! There is peace in both the veg & non veg kingdoms. Infact as I sit & write my mom is seen yelling for what ever might be her concern, & yet I know that as soon as my dinner is ready, peace shall prevail.
I believe that all malice in this world is for lack of appreciation of food. And yet hunger is not only the only theory where people are in agreement, but also the theory which is most manipulated for justice. Anna Hazare and Irom Sharmila to name a few. And mind you this is not meant to be taken as name calling! Lets move on to some other names too.
In Hippo chips I believe. Refer the video for details. In the marketing world they say 'sex sells'. Hence Katrina Kaif sporting a size zero and 'food fornicating' with mangoes in the Slice Aamsutra is just another selling tactic! (Link for the the Aamsutra Ad)
In this time & age of baked chips (owing to competition even Lays have come up with their baked variety link) staying in shape could be a real challenge. And yet Hippo confidently flaunts his/her(seriously is it a he or a she?) bulging bottom. But that can also be taken positively. I mean which other food band mascot encourages people to not have body image issues, Fido Dido or the Amul girl?!
Hence, I believe that singularly Gastronomics, & my fellow Gastronomes are going to be the vials of peace & love. So here, I summon not one, but all Gastronomes. Anyone who loves food, yet hates to be looked down upon for his/her voluminous palate of taste. Anyone who appreciates the beauty of food both before & while it reaches your tummy (we advocate not to think about it after it has reached your tummy). You weight watchers & taste losers (& all losers) are welcome. Come one, come all!
Ps. No Food Fornication allowed in here.
Like Vidya Balan famously once said, and let me quote her, "Mujhe jo chahiye, uska maza sirf raat ko aata hai...". Yes my dear fellow gastronomes, we are talking about midnight snacks! Or may be snacks in particular. Boy! Does she look like an avid 'snacker'? (Not to be mistaken as a cheese cracker a.k.a pataka biskut!) Infact I would go to the length of saying that Ms.Balan here is the most deserving among Bollywood actresses who can endorse a snack brand.(Don't you?) I wonder why nobody has thought of it yet?! I mean, amongst the skinny brigade, her voluminous figure seldom leaves us guessing! Atleast not after 'Dirty Picture'. With the pout of lips and writhing about, she has left everyone reaching for more. Who can forget the scene where Ms.Balan & Mr.Shah race against herds of oranges in a probable competition of who gorges most of them.And of course, the after National award release 'Kahani' suffices to strengthen my point. But mind you! Of all people, I am not one among those who despise a well fed woman! This is plainly intended as an ode to the new age Bollywood actress who dared to be unapologetic about her opulence of size, even where it really doesn't matter-or does it? Anyhow, lets not forget those Ok, now enough of that and moving on to what really matters, S-N-A-C-K-S!! 
