Foodies in a Lockdown

 Most of us would have learnt to cook by now, if not learnt how home-cooked food tastes. Thanks to the virus going around the world. Here are a few good eats, made right at home, not necessarily by me. Pics are always better than words, esp. when related to food. Drinks have been kept out, so imagine those..

Sabudana vada.

Rava dosa with onion, home-made.

Stuffed brinjal, with roti.

Spiced rice, or masalebhaat.

Sabudana khichadi (above), Pasta in red sauce (below)

Chat, above, and a rounded meal with baingan bhaja..

Taadgola, or Ice apple -above, and Thalipeeth, below.

Rice paper rolls with hot sauce.

Mallu favourite- veg stew, above, and Chinese stir fry, below.

Potato gravy above, a humble omelette below.

The New Cool

Earlier, there were three ways to be cool. Two of them involved travel. The third involved running- that started roughly a year ago.

Now, all three are out. Therefore, we have had a rethink, and had to re-invent COOL. So here are some new ways-

1. Try out weird yoga poses, either real or invented.

2. Try out new recipes. They should look good, no matter the taste.

3. Jokes and memes about staying locked up- I mean locked in. You forward them, mostly.

4. Take selfies, usually with disastrous results. You know why. What used to be super-cool, is , let's just say, lukewarm? Still, it keeps you occupied.

5. Take Balcony shots (if you have one- Rohit Srivastava, no offense). If you don't have one, well, sneak into the neighbour's and get a quick shot.

6. Write an autobiography..nobody's tried it yet, but would be Super-cool, if they did. It's not an option, coz I already did it many years ago.

7. Develop a sense of humour. Tough to do, if you didn't have one already.

Halfway Mark at Covid Lockdown and the Future After

I think it was a bold and necessary step to lock down India -a vast country- for a period of three weeks. U.S.A. has not been able to bring itself to do that, nor the U.K. until recently.

The next step/s will also be critical. To isolate areas or cities with a large population (or even a significant small population) of likely spreaders, and current hot spots. If this is done well, and it may mean a spurt in detected cases- a good thing in the short run during lockdown- we may be able to prevent a larger disaster. The hot spots may need a further bunch of restrictions over a longer period, in my own view.

Either home delivery of groceries and medicines, or keeping small stores open with distancing being practiced will of course be required, and can be geared up once areas are identified that need it for longer periods. Migrant labour camps will also need to gear up and provide food and/or a kitchen and groceries.

Domestic flights except for the hotspots can be started at first, and then all domestic flights, in phases. International flights should be restricted to those who have a family emergency and can prove it..otherwise they can wait for a couple of months. Big congregations including malls, theatres will in my view, have to remain shut for a few more weeks. If not, gains made will be frittered away.

Sensible planning (and behaviour) may still carry the day. Let us hope so!

Of Lockdowns and Beyond

Just when airlines thought they had got their act together and would fly higher into profits, the Covid-19 has virtually grounded them all. Domestic flights too, till April 14th. (in India)

So after the lockdowns end, when they do, will normality return to air travel, hospitality, and all the rest? Business travel is likely to pick up first, followed by a cautious uptick in personal travel, and finally, leisure travel or tourism. People are likely to be wary of international travel for a few months at least.

What about retail? A lot of business has actually come to the small kirana stores, as they are within walking distance of most houses, and are an essential service. Maybe bigger stores will take a while in India at least, to get back all their customers. They might have to incentivise customers. We are, in the meantime, re-discovering the virtues of small businesses. Hopefully, mom and pop stores will continue to thrive in India, and not just for groceries- given the employment challenges, they have the potential to keep the families working.

Hygiene-related products may see a sustained interest, because this crisis has taught everyone the importance of washing hands and disinfecting surfaces that you can.

A simpler lifestyle might result for a while, having got used to the necessities and being able to live without a lot of discretionary spends. Marketers of many discretionary goods will have to work harder to attract customers.

Getting the lost mojo back into many economic sectors will take quite a while. Hope it happens within a year or two. If not, education may also suffer-higher education, more so. Hopefully, allocations to the health sector will go up across countries.