“What you eating, Gramma?”
Perhaps she thinks she’s getting away with something: a snack between meals, or a tasty treat she’s not supposed to be eating. But I’m more than willing to be her accomplice. It warms my heart every time I see her curiosity in the kitchen. There was spaghetti alla carbonara, a recipe from Tyra, the American-born wife of an Italian scientist who was both a colleague and friend. Over the years it became not only one of our staples , but also one of those indelible comfort foods that still makes me feel completely content.
These recipes, and so many others, will always remind me of my mother, the people she knew, the places we went together. And yet, adventurous as her palate could be, Mommy’s cooking was also grounded in the tastes of home. We grew up on the same South Indian staples her own mother had prepared during her child-hood in India.