It is best for oneself to develop that one quality… “embracing food influences whole heartedly”. This simplifies life to a great extent. This doesn’t make you uncomfy in strange surroundings, nor does it make hosts uncomfy.
This is one mantra I’d urge one and all to accept, to live life happily amidst changes and all sorts of twists and turns today! There is simply no other way to do it…

I agree that one should learn to embrace foods outside of their “comfort zone”… it’s important to expand your food horizons.

But one’s own foods which you had growing up, which you associate with various important times in your life will always bee important. and will always be your “comfort foods”

I am non-veg and my husband is veg. I am OK to not have meat in the house. But the second my foot steps on Italian soil I will be enjoying prosciutto and rabbit and sausages, etc with my family. And when I got to the US, same thing… hello sushi! And get me a steak! But while here in Bangalore I am mostly happy with masala dosa and palyas and sambhar. so there you have it.

Shirsha, good point. Especially in strange surroundings.

Smallsquirrel, definitely comfort food = roots. Note that I have passed on the curd rice legacy to my daughter :-). However, I would feel extremely uncomfortable if that was the only thing she ate…. Just like you are willing to eat South Indian delicacies for the most part in B’lore although you certainly enjoy your steak and sushi in the US.

Reminds me of the average Indian software engineer who will either (a) take 4 month’s rations of rice, dal, pickes and powders to the US to survive off, or will eat french fries every day for 3 months and crib about the food.

Though I love my rasam and okra, I certainly believe that one should at least attempt to sample the local cuisine of a place instead of avoiding it completely. Who knows what new food you might fall in love with and never want to leave on account of!

Bikerdude, true - it becomes very painful when people are not willing to even sample new cuisines. Travel becomes that much more difficult and you loose out on getting a full fledged experience. And as you said, give yourself and your tastebuds a chance - you will surprised at how many different foods you will enjoy!

Meenakshi:

I guess we both are leading parallel lives in many ways. I am a Tamil from Bangalore married to a pucca Mangalorean and the fare in your post reads like the menu at my home. Talking of food infuences - esp if you are from B’lore where your average friend speaks a different language, and in the US - it is a confluence of many varied cuisines. My pet peeve I guess is food prejudice and I am glad to know you and many here believe in adaptability. It can be incredibly challenging to play a good host for a few friends – they don’t seem too pleased with many south Indian fares even if it is at the best restaurants. Neither appreciative of (“their”) dishes prepared to accommodate their taste – then it is not like the way their mom or MIL makes them. I guess it’s all in the palate. BikerDude – Your thoughts on the average Indian S/W engineer is so true. Deciphering their palate is as complicated as debugging the code they write. ~ Maria.

hey,

just one question what happens to kareena’s eating habits now? she starts relishing ‘wildlife’, endangered species??? ; ) just being silly… : )