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How to have a gastronomic week (and inch closer to a heart attack)

Note: Something I wrote awhile back. But holds good for the numerous gastronomic weeks that I have so unabashedly participated in. 


You see, I suffer from multiple personality disorder when it comes to food. I forget what I have eaten a few minutes back, and gorge until I regain my senses. And go at it again. This particular week was a tad unusual in a sense that every other day, my circulatory system was subject to an array of food items that tested my condition (and digestive capabilities) severely.

So here is a gist of my gastronomic week:

Arrived in Chennai on Friday night and promptly headed to Murugan idli for breakfast the next day. The idlis are like cotton, served with 4 chutneys, namely coconut, pudina, tomato, methi and sambar to go with that. After gleefully wolfing down the idli vada, it was time for ghee roast. Equally sumptuous, it would be safe to say I followed the first precinct of healthy eating – eat breakfast like a king (or two). 



Come Sunday night, it was time for a feast at this hotel called Deccan Plaza in Royapetta, Chennai. Unknown to us, a Punjabi food festival, Amritsari, was in the offing, and the spread read like a wish list of the what’s what of Punjabi cuisine.

A few dishes that come to mind are sarson ka sang, dum aloo, jeera rice, palak gosht, a few Jain items, mini samosas, dal makhni. The sweet spread was even sweeter - lassi, rabri, jalebi, carrot halwa, peda, besan laado, kulfi. The mentioned dishes were about half the items that were on spread. So the gorging went on, until I realized I may have many minds, but not many stomachs, and had to call it a day. 




On returning to Bangalore, we headed to Maiya's in Jayanagar for dinner. But as we discovered, there is no such thing as al la carte in this place. 

It was all unlimited. And we were left wondering why the waiters never stopped serving us. Poori sagu, rice, puliyogare, rasam, sambhar, papad, chips,some fried items, some three sweets and topped off with ice cream and fruit salad. I gave up the good fight against fighting human craving. The week also reflects my struggles with time disorientation. I ate every other meal like a king.

In order to atone for my sins of gluttony that I so uninhibitedly committed, it is time to make amends. On my next visit to the library, these are the two books I have been advised to pick up.



1) Dr Dean Ornish - Program for reversing heart disease


2) Dr Kenneth H Coopers - Controlling cholesterol




Until the next gastronomic week presents itself, Bon Appetit.

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