He was a loyal friend of 20 years and today I lost him. It’s funny how when we lose a precious, we suddenly remember them more. We remember the first meeting, the first dinner, and the first everything. I remember when I first him, it was in a tiny shop in India. The shop was crowded and yet he stood out. Bright, bold and beautiful. We instantly connected and became friends.
It wasn’t easy getting to know him. He was quite a trickster. Whistling was his passion, created quite a mess, and yet he was dependable, got the job done in a fraction of the time and interestingly with energy saving tactics. One day, I decided to dig into his history and was surprised to learn that his ancestors came from France, and here I was thinking he was a hard core Indian. No Sir, he was not. In fact his lineage goes back to David Papin, a physicist in France. As the world grew smaller and it’s people more adventurous, Papin’s creations spread across the world and found home in India. Papin’s creations and India were a match made in heaven. Today while the world has forgotten this lineage, India continues to embrace them and cherish them.
Centuries later and generations after, Papin’s creations have evolved. They are no longer boring clad beings. They are bright shiny, bold and strong with identities of Prestige, they consider Cuisine an art form, have the instincts of a hawk, they are fast and Presto and some even think they are All American.
French, Indian or American, who cares, the bottom line is – he was a good friend and I lost him today.
My dear pressure cooker I will miss you.
You were a part of my wedding ensemble and I paid extra luggage fees to bring you to the U.S.A. Together we have whipped up some crazy and yet delicious recipes. From the potatoes for the tikkis to making kheer; good times and memories for a lifetime. My family never got to know you as well, but I assure you they enjoyed every morsel cooked by you. I will miss you and my heart aches as I try to find a replica. They don’t make you like that anymore. You were unique.
Rest in peace my friend. I hope brighter and shinier horizons await you.