As I look outside at the gloomy weather, I reminisce on the week gone by. Yes, Diwali was celebrated with pomp and glee. I met my parents and brother during this Navratri season after almost a year and then again this Diwali, and it was bliss.
While we were in my hometown, which has a French colonial history – did you guess it yet… Yes, Pondicherry, we did something we had never done before.
So, because we were deep in the middle of our “Julie and Julia” Cooking Project around this time, my daughter was hell-bent on trying out one of the many French cafes Pondy had to offer. It would be such a waste if we can’t take advantage of being in a French town and not get an authentic taste of French Cuisine. This is the best place to experience French cuisine in India for sure.
Well, I did try to dissuade as much as I could because when I am at my native, I just want to stay-in, stay-put, and can’t be bothered much. But then I gave in, and randomly picked “Baker Street” to try their breakfast spread.
If I say their Croissants were one of the best that I ever had, it would be an understatement. The apple turnovers – Chaussons aux Pommes, basically the apple pie’s French cousin, was delicious. Then there was the famous Chocolate #éclair, cream cheese filled pastries, cinnamon rolls, cakes, quiches and a variety of baguettes and pita bread sandwiches with pesto chicken, olives, spinach and lots more. We were spoilt for choice. From Chocolates, breads, pastries to cappuccinos and lattes, the spread was endless.
We didn’t waste a minute devouring the buttery, flaky croissants and the light as air, mouthwatering pastries.
And the Sunday crowd, omg… the place was buzzing about with tourists and expats. By the time we settled with our food, there was a huge queue lined-up waiting to order. For a minute it felt like pre-corona times. (We haven’t been venturing out to public spaces much for a long time now, so this was a bit alarming). Thank goodness we were just a little ahead of the crowd.
It would suffice to say that we were grinning like the Cheshire cat after our date with French cuisine.
Nous sommes amusés
(Basically saying, we enjoyed ourselves )
PS: A mental note that I need to explore my own hometown as a tourist someday, not like a resident. I need fresh eyes to experience it like the out-of-towners do. Explore the touristy locations and hop from café to café and enjoy all that my Pondy has to offer. Definitely doing this pretty soon!
Do you feel the same way about your hometown? Let me know in the comments below.
