Our Lonavla Lunch

Went over to a friend's place at Lonavla to spend the day with school friends.I don't think we ever talk of food then.The Queen Mary School lunch was great though....Mallu cooks supervised by Parsi teachers with dishes like pattice and tomato gravy,ravo,biryani and bottle gourd bhaaji.
Those were the days of reading Enid Blyton books and dreaming of midnight snacks,scones and ginger beer (something I have yet to try)
One food memory I distinctly have is of boiled potatoes with red chili powder and salt that my friend Misbah would get.
Some I had been in touch with and some had moved abroad and lost in touch.We were here to discover where life had taken each of us.
Namita who hosted us is a fitness expert.She has written several books and newspaper columns on the same and conducts classes at Colaba.Niloufer and I used to write inland letters to each other in childhood when smses and email did not exist.Don't try guessing our age ;) She left me stumped with her list of best dishes in Mumbai as did Manisha.To think we had never discussed this before!
Trishala, the most fashionable of the lot,loves Malvani food.
We have some real great cooks amongst us.Daisy makes delectable dhansak and Misbah makes Memoni food.Our friend Sonal who has come down from Japan told us how she makes Jain Japanese food
Priya's mom made the best steamed muthiyas.Hemal-Harshal's mom makes awesome dhoklas.Deepa's mom-in-law makes mouthwatering Watermelon Raita.The list is endless :D

We arrived to a breakfast of poha,batata vada,tea with mint and lemon grass from the garden,vasaanu (Parsi winter speciality) and a knockout drink made of lemon grass,mint and ginger.We chatted for a while in the garden pavilion.By the time the introductions were over (we were twenty five of us),it was time for lunch

Everything had been sourced from the organic garden on the premises.....Aloo Methi

Spinach and Vitamin Vegetable

Paneer gravy

Kadhi

Thepla

and Khichdi.Not to forget my favoutire....corn canapés!

All immensely delicious!! Yeah,me the pucca nonveg saying that!!

Then there was paan from the garden

and luscious,sweet strawberries brought by our friend Monesha from Panchgani

Namita quickly made strawberry milkshake for all of us to beat the December heat (yeah you heard me right)

and some watermelon slices to cool us down.And if that wasn't enough there were sabudana wadas and chai to have at dusk while the flames in lanterns burnt bright
Next time,it's gonna be healthy salads and dips,yoga,meditation and pilates under Namita's instructions :D