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There was a time when our families were always prepared for unexpected guests. That large batch of idli/dosa batter or the copious amounts of “decoction”, that the filter coffee apparatus spewed in anger of probably being overworked. Not to mention the homemade snacks that found themselves on stainless steel plates alongside all of the above. Let’s just say that it was perfect for the hosts and the guests. The last time I recreated the filter coffee+ tiffin combo at 6’o clock in the evening- it was a carefully orchestrated affair and nothing like the impulsive treats that my mother or grandmother would create. It’s not only because of the lack of time.With changing eating habits, our refrigerators or pantries seem to function with a very specific mission, which may or may not be conducive to the person on the other end of the table. While I was mulling over these thoughts, I came across this essay in Aeon.co on the history of feasts and their role in shaping socio-economic factors. While the essay is more on the lines of how food surpluses gave way to feasting and creating hierarchies as well as a “give and take” equation, it made me realise that food’s role in defining our social relationships runs deep. With changing patterns of food and feasting, I wonder how these changes will impact the social paradigms.

How the village feast paved the way to empires and economics

I became interested in biodiversity after I read Bread, Wine and Chocolate; The Slow Loss of Foods We Love by author Simran Sethi (I wrote about the book here).This book made me aware of the fact that the impact of biodiversity loss is far more imminent than I thought. Recently,  I came across this article by writer Anuradha Sengupta on how tribal women in Odisha are fighting the loss of biodiversity. These women in the villages of Odisha have a better grasp on biodiversity than any one of us. Hats off to their efforts!

The Forest On Their Plates