All things small have their own charm. I actually wanted to
write this one a week back as the girl behind the reception in my Lofoten hotel
closed the reception and went home. “Sir this is the last order, would you like
anything else. The kitchen is closing” I am sure everyone has heard that. But
the reception closing !! Well this in a hotel where the Internet did not work and every room was
differently planned. Yes that was it for many people the feeling of a personal
touch, the rooms had names which spoke more than their numbers. The internet
wasn’t working but I worked in the kitchen that evening instead of my notebook.
There was just one chef in the kitchen and when she realized that there is
nothing vegetarian on the main course then help was needed starting from
chopping the carrots and the celery. Help, which she did not request, but I had
to so that my people got the food on time.
It was like I was the co-worker there coz after everyone ate
we even shared the dinner together. I have enjoyed talking to the staff in the
hotels on my travels but never did share a meal ! I don’t need to tell you how
it felt that evening in Lofoten.
I would shift from Norway a week back to Stockholm, today.
There is a small market here, which in India we refer to as the delicatessen,
it sells local produce and organic stuff. In the past I have gone and taken a
stroll in the market, which sells everything from wine to fish and from cheese
to strawberries. There is one little kitchen that has been of interest to me
over the past years. It doesn’t have products lined up inside the shelf with a
life , I guess that’s what makes it so lively. I found a stool amongst the 6 there. The menu was on a black board ,and when the chef told me it was a
typical Swedish place ,meat balls and potatoes came to my mind. Just like when
I wrote about hurry curry and the whole Indian and chicken tikka thing. But,
the guy in his early 30’s and food written all over him recommended me to have
a hen.
For the first time ,I was equally engrossed in the food and
the conversation and was finding it difficult to concentrate on either. Swedish
food ,he said just as my Grandma makes.
When I asked him how do you decide the menu, he said it depends on my
mood. I love it when someone says that. That simply means he is not doing
it for anyone else .. he is doing it coz he simply loves it and on that
particular day he wouldn’t want to cook anything else but to stew a rabbit or
slow cook a hen stock. Even if he has people eating a particular dish out of
his hands earlier, he wont repeat it today coz he doesn’t feel like. What is
being more true to your work !! We spoke all through the meal, it certainly
changed my perspective about Swedish cuisine The last thing he said as I left
was “the only person I am nervous to cook for is my grandma, coz she
understands everything”. I wished I could stay there for a little bit ..
But then there is always a new day ,a new journey and a new
grand ma’s dish waiting to be had !
There are things big and they are beautiful, but not
intimate enough! Try staying in Bed and Breakfast the next time you travel. If
you like it, you wouldn’t want to dial 9 for reception and certainly wouldn’t want
your door to be knocked and to hear ‘room service’ from the other side. Coz the
dinner which you have that night would mostly be like my 'Swedish grandma’s meal'
Nice!
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