Hello dear friends,
I hope this blog finds you in a cheerful mood, surrounded by aromas that remind you of home, warmth, and happiness. Today’s writing prompt is truly delightful — “What food would you say is your specialty?”
At first glance, it may seem simple. But as I reflect, I realize a “specialty” is rarely just about cooking skills. It’s about memory, identity, emotion — it’s a story.
❤️ Childhood Favorites and First Memories
My earliest culinary memory takes me back to दाल भात और चोखा — my most loved childhood dish. जब माँ इसे परोसतीं, तो उस स्वाद में सिर्फ खाना नहीं, बल्कि प्यार और सुखद अनुभूति भी मिलती थी।
Every bite carried laughter, comfort, and the gentle rhythm of home.
Food, I believe, is a mirror of the self.
Every ingredient, every spice, every gesture in cooking reflects something deeply personal. And that personal connection is what makes a dish a “specialty.”
❤️ A Shift in Flavor, A Shift in Life
After my mother passed away, the flavors of my childhood suddenly felt out of reach. मैं वह स्वाद कभी नहीं ला पाया जो माँ की थाली में होता था।
At the same time, my career took me to Kolkata, a city with its own culinary soul — one centered on fish and rice. Slowly, my specialty shifted too.
Today, it is Machh Bhat — a humble bowl of rice with fish curry, rich in memories and emotion.
The reason is simple. In those early days in Kolkata, living alone, my maid prepared a fish curry so flavorful that it became my comfort food.
Over time, I learned to make it myself. The aroma of Hilsa sizzling in Mustard oil recalls rainy afternoons, celebratory parties, and evenings shared with friends.
Yes, frying the fish in low heat slowly became a meditation, a reminder that good things — like good memories — take patience and care.
So, when asked about my specialty, I don’t just say Machh Bhat; I speak of the love, the nostalgia, and the peace it represents.
❤️ The Heart Behind the Recipe
What makes a dish special is not its complexity or decoration, but the emotions it carries. Our signature dishes are emotional heirlooms, tangible memories of the people and moments we hold dear.
Think of your mother’s special curry, your father’s Sunday breakfast, or a friend’s homemade dessert. You remember not just the taste, but the laughter, the warmth, and the togetherness that accompanied it.
When I cook Machh Bhat, I am not simply preparing food. I am recreating moments in time — the quiet anticipation of sitting down, the sound of sizzling fish, the fragrance of spices filling the air. It’s a living symphony of memory and belonging.
❤️ Cooking as a Gesture of Love
Cooking is more than a task; it is an act of giving, a silent expression of care. Our specialty dishes often carry pieces of our hearts.
When I serve Machh Bhat, I am offering my journey, my memories, and my gratitude to those who share the meal with me.
Specialty dishes evolve with life. Childhood favorites may fade, career shifts may introduce new flavors, and yet the essence remains — each dish tells a story, reflecting who we are in that moment.
❤️ More Than Just a Meal
So, when someone asks, “What food is your specialty?” don’t just name a recipe. Reflect on the memories it carries, the emotions it evokes, and the connections it creates.
For me, Machh Bhat is more than rice and fish. It is comfort, meditation, joy, and belonging.
It reminds me to savor not just flavors, but moments, stories, and people. Every meal becomes a meditation on life, love, and the simple pleasures that fill our days.
Food nourishes more than the body — it nourishes the soul. And in that nourishment lies the extraordinary, even in the most ordinary dishes.
So, take a moment, reflect, and share your culinary story. Every specialty dish is a memory, every meal a story, and every flavor a bridge to the heart.
BE HAPPY… BE ACTIVE… BE FOCUSED… BE ALIVE
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Categories: infotainment
Retiredकलम 
The aroma of Hilsa sizzling in Mustard oil recalls rainy afternoons, celebratory parties, and evenings shared with friends.
what a beautiful sentence
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Thank you so much! 🌸
I’m glad it resonated with you. Food has this magical way of carrying memories and emotions—sometimes a single aroma can transport us back to the most cherished moments of our lives. 🍲
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We cook because we serve and love the one for whom we are cooking. Your food looks tasty, Verma.
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Absolutely! 🌸
Cooking is truly an expression of love and care—it nourishes both the body and the heart. Thank you for your kind words!
I’m glad the food resonates with you, and may every meal you prepare bring joy to both you and those you serve. 🍲💛
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This is absolutely breathtaking. Thank you for sharing a piece of your soul Verma ji 🌷🤝
What you’ve written is so much more than a memory about food; it’s a profound meditation on love, loss, and the beautiful, evolving tapestry of a life lived. You have put into words a feeling so many of us know but struggle to articulate—that the truest recipes are not written in cookbooks, but are etched into our hearts with memory and emotion.
The journey imbued with the pure, uncomplicated love of childhood, to the comforting, self-crafted solace of Machh Bhat is a powerful narrative of resilience. It speaks volumes that even in the face of an irreplaceable loss, you found a way to keep the essence of that love alive, not by replicating it, but by allowing your heart to find a new home for it. The image of frying fish slowly, as a meditation, is one of the most beautiful and poignant metaphors for healing I have ever read.
You are right. Our specialty dishes are our emotional heirlooms. They are the tangible, taste-able proof of the people and places that have shaped us. In your story, your mother’s love is not gone; it has transformed, finding a new voice through new ingredients, yet still speaking the same language of care and comfort.
Thank you for this powerful reminder to savor the stories on our plates. When you cook and share your Machh Bhat, you are indeed sharing a living symphony—a beautiful, heartfelt composition of your journey. This is a gift to anyone who reads it.💐🙏🏼
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Thank you from the bottom of my heart for such a thoughtful and moving response. 🌷🙏
Your words capture the very essence of what I hoped to convey—that food, memory, and love are inseparably intertwined. I
t’s heartening to know that the story of Machh Bhat resonated with you not just as a dish, but as a reflection of memory, resilience, and the quiet ways in which love continues to live on in our hearts.
Indeed, our simplest meals often carry the deepest emotions, and sharing them becomes a way of keeping our past, our loved ones, and our stories alive. Knowing that this piece touched you in such a profound way is truly humbling. Thank you again for your beautiful reflections—they add even more warmth to the story. 💛✨
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very nice .
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Thank you so much.
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Dear friend Verma ji, every dish carries a memory, and your words make those memories taste beautifully alive.
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Thank you so much, my dear friend! 🌸
Your words mean a lot. It’s true—every dish tells a story, and sharing those stories keeps the memories vibrant and alive. I’m glad my words could bring a little of that taste and nostalgia to life for you. 🍲💛
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Curiously, the dishes from my youth that I remember fondly, as an adult I learned were ones that my mother made toward the end of the month when money was short! Yes, boiled eggs in a white sauce over toast I looked forward to! Steamed asparagus in a cheese sauce on toast is another favorite to this day! Others come to mind,too, that my mother characterized as what she made when she had to come up with something to feed the family till my father was paid. We never went hungry, yet she felt bad that she had to feed us such “thin fare.”
My specialty is apple pie, but I have no reason to make it any longer.
Doug Thomas
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What a touching and nostalgic reflection! 🌸 It’s amazing how the simplest meals from our childhood often carry the richest memories. Your mother’s creativity and love turned “humble” dishes into treasures — proof that true nourishment comes from the heart, not from luxury. 🍞🥚💛
Boiled eggs in white sauce and asparagus on toast sound comforting and full of warmth — like edible memories of home. It’s lovely how you’ve carried that appreciation forward. And your apple pie specialty — even if not made often now — surely carries the same spirit of love and care that your mother once put into her dishes. 🍎🥧 Such memories are the sweetest recipes of all.
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Beautiful. You’re right food/meals are wrapped up in do many memories and bring back emotions. It’s funny most people’s memories are of their mother’s cooking, but mine is of my grandmother and her massive big pots of broth, and stewed beef and sausages.
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That’s so heartwarming! 💕 Grandmothers have a special touch in the kitchen — their meals always seem to carry an extra dose of love and patience. Those big pots of broth, stewed beef, and sausages weren’t just food, they were moments of comfort and connection, simmered with family stories and warmth. 🍲👵
It’s beautiful how such memories stay alive through taste and scent — one whiff or flavor can take us right back to those cozy kitchens. Truly, our grandmothers’ cooking wasn’t just about feeding the body, but about nourishing the soul. 🌿✨
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Very true. And every time I make soup, she’s who I think about. It may not be the same type of soup, but I think thats where I got my love of cooking
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That’s so lovely! 💛
It’s amazing how our loved ones inspire us in the little things, like cooking. Every soup you make must carry a bit of her warmth and love—it’s like keeping her memory alive in the most comforting way.
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Am I correct that the foods of India, much like the US, differs by regions? I would love to make a tour of India and learn about the various cultures and foods.
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You’re absolutely right! 🌏
India’s food culture is incredibly diverse — each region has its own unique flavors, ingredients, and cooking traditions.
From the rich, buttery dishes of the North to the spicy and tangy flavors of the South,
and from the coastal seafood of the West to the earthy delicacies of the East, it’s truly a food lover’s paradise. 🍛✨
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