A date with emeralds and lassi

Yes, there is glitz and glamour galore but there is also honesty, humour and sharp observations in this food-obsessed memoir.

‘Insatiable’ by Shobhaa De is less of an autobiography and more of a repository of memories and anecdotes. Chapters are according to months, and in each, menus, memories, and a few life events are discussed. Most of these events are centred around food, exotic cuisines, and lavish feasts.

Some of these recollections are humorous, some sharp and witty, and some poignant. Colourful characters come and go.

The introduction is brief and sectioned into two parts. Here, the author dwells briefly on her childhood, her parents, a certain calendar, and her actual given name. With January comes the beginning. Covid lockdowns have turned just about everything upside down — despite all that, there is food, friends, and a lot more food.

Sectioning the chapters by months is actually pretty innovative — every month has something new on offer, and more details about the author’s life, her family, and friends.

Along with the food. There’s always food in every chapter, and almost on every page. Nearly every event can be connected to a culinary delight. Even the dogs have their preferences. And very interesting names.

There’s a look at the Jaipur Literature Festival, a focus on emeralds and lassi…and an introduction to literary panels with quick-thinking authors. Festivals are celebrated and the focus again, no prizes for guessing, is on food.

Politics is discussed, as is Europe, actors, mathematicians, and fashion. Sometimes, it does get overwhelming as the narrative jumps from person to person, event to event, meal to meal…however, all of them are still within the confines of the month they are allotted to. The writing style is fast-paced, conversational, and peppered with exclamations, and completely unpretentious. The section with M F Husain in ‘July’ and the snippet on writing in ‘August’ deserve special mention. There were some sharp observations here, some self-deprecating humour, and utterly candid conversations.

Triggering of memories

The author’s children make an appearance with all their individuality and unconventional parenting ideas. Their father is present too in these pages, along with a lot of Maharashtrian-Bengali rivalry. ‘September’ features a flat in Pune that was purchased without ever being seen beforehand. It has quite a personality, this place.

‘October’ has Pujo preparations, more regional rivalry, and family get-togethers. There is a search for reindeer meat in Finland, and a story of escapades. The final few month-chapters of this book are rather poignant, although there are still amusing interludes in between.

Friends are lost and remembered, and the pain of losing them remains fresh. Sometimes, food triggers memories too. Shopping for bread at times means bumping into chatty men who claim to know one from decades before.

It may be hard to relate to all the glitz and glamour sometimes, and there is a lot of that, along with social gatherings with celebrities, expensive and exquisite gifts, and several staff.

Some of the cuisines mentioned are over-the-top and expensive, yet interesting to read about. Not everyone has an easy life here, but many of the characters do have the freedom to live as they choose. Unconventional parenting finds a mention too, with individuals living almost off the grid.

Overall, this is an intriguing read. Yes, it is hard to track some of the individuals as they drop in and out of the pages, and yes, it is difficult to follow the many, many food items mentioned.

Some of the narration reads like a stream of consciousness, but not quite. There are several engaging conversations between family members, friends, celebrities, and total strangers.

Nevertheless, this is a book laced with enthusiasm and keen observation. Life is an adventure, and ‘Insatiable’ packs in as much as it can.