On Food

I keep getting questions from everyone about our food encounters here.  So, I guess I'll give kind of an update--  

Milk

Before we came, I talked with several of our Indian friends about the dairy situation here.  I had heard from some that you get it from the nearby farms, or that guys with big metal milk bottles come around to your house every morning.  This info, however, was coupled with the warnings that we shouldn't consume milk, yogurt, or water if we couldn't see it's original source...  What we have discovered is that Milk is also available at least two other ways:  In "Verka Packs"-- which are these little sealed plastic sacks of milk that are sold in stands around the town, and then also in Nestle shelf-stable boxes, super pasteurized (as you find in Europe).  We haven't been very adventurous with trying the house-to-house milkman milk, although I do very much like the idea of it...  But, with Violet, some things we just play safe.  

Spicy

Food here is spicy.  Almost everything we have had, actually, has some heat-- at least compared to what we are used to.  Even the non-spicy items seem to have a little kick.  One Indian dish that I have found to be completely non-spicy, however, (for Violet) is a Dosa.  It's kind of like a big semi-crispy Swedish pancake.  You can order them stuffed with all kinds of delicious [spicy] foods, but if you just order a plain Dosa then it comes completely plain (with sides of hot chutneys and stewy spicy vegetables that you can eat with it, if you like).  Actually, it seems like most of the plain breads are pretty mild (naan, roti, etc...)  Also, Saag (kind of a creamed spinach) can sometimes be fairly mild (although I have had it with heat too), and often the Dal (stewy lentils that are served with almost everything) can be somewhat mild, although again, sometimes that has surprised us too.  

Meat 

Most of what we eat here is vegetarian.  Lots of cauliflower, beans, peas, carrots, lentils, rice, and cabbage.  We have, however, found a few markets to buy raw chicken (and the quality always seems much better than what we get back home).  There doesn't seem to be any problem ordering chicken in the restaurants here, and also there is lamb (in case you like it.... which Tyler does... but I don't).  Chicken is actually a pretty big deal in Punjab (although, again, usually pretty spicy, so we cook our own meat for Violet at home).  

Fruit 

Before we came, we were told to not eat any fruit without a big solid peal.  And, basically, we have been following that rule.  The bananas and oranges here have been great and we buy them from a guy who pushes a cart around our neighborhood on Saturdays.  The only other fruit that we have discovered (and that Violet has fallen completely in love with ) are guavas.  I wasn't too thrilled about the idea of her eating them (the peal is not very thick)-- but they serve them at her school every day for snack and she practically inhales them.  We do peel them (although I still feel nervous about them)-- so far she hasn't gotten sick from them (knock on wood).  They aren't the pink guavas that we normally see;  they are green and white and a bit sour.  

Coffee 

Coffee has been a bit hard to come by.  Mostly there is just this delicious tea everywhere (although, the tea is very strong with tons of sugar so if you have a cup in the morning, and one in the afternoon, I don't think you would notice too much of a break from the caffeine).  There are, however, a few coffee shops around town-- one called Cafe Coffee Day that was described to us before we came as "India's version of Starbucks".  It is a chain shop, and is quite pleasant.  The coffee is not strong, but if you go in and order a cappuccino it is brought to you on a little saucer while you sit on a couch, and can be quite satisfying.  

More to come on this topic soon... Violet awakes.  Let us know if you have any other specific questions-- food is so much fun to explore here!