Gouri is one of those free spirits doing many things and living life like she wants to on her own terms (I think, from what I have known of her). She writes brilliantly, edits, conducts workshops, counsels, cooks and does many other things with far greater passion than most people do. And she does it all with ease.
I've read her fiction which is brilliant, her parenting books which have sound, practical advice, her book on her dog and now her book about food - Belly Dancing is A Romp Through the World of Food. And so it is.
It's not your regular cook book thought she throws in a few recipes here and there. Its mostly a collection of articles she wrote over the years for various publications. Its a 250 page book which takes you on a culinary journey from traditional food to fusion food, Irani cafes to Fexting affairs, the rise of cook books and chefs in India, people she met like the Azmi's house, what to do with food stuff that did not come out exactly right and so on.There's a story about how she was making some dish that needed lots of milk for her kojagiri purnima and the milk went bad or something and she called the dairy and the owner landed up with fresh milk at her doorstep and saved the day. There are stories about the new equipment overtaking the kitchen. She mulls over the jhoota business and how chefs sometimes eat off the ladle and put it back, praises poori bhaji, jackfruit yams, vada pav, missal and so on. She dwells on how no one can make a chicken sandwich simply like they do in Marzorin (one other place I find that type of sandwich is at Secunderabad Club) and all we get now are heavy duty club sandwiches.
Get the drift. Its all about her experiences with food and since she is well researched it all reads so good. I learned many things, got an insight into many cultures, people, sellers, cooks, consumers and so on. As with all her books this is just her and her spirit talking - light, breezy, stuffed with delicious content, witty and immensely readable. Well done Gouri.
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