Words dipped in curry

On a visit of Shantanu Ghosh’s spartan blog,Traveller’s Tales,his professional existence as VP and MD of Symantec’s India Product Operations is quickly forgotten. Ghosh travels heartily,and makes sure he indulges his foodiness well wherever he goes. He started the blogging six years ago; “It is a good way to spend all the time I have at airport lounges,” he jokes. His writing is varied enough to speak of sumptuous kebabs and Venetian fine-dine in the same breath. “I am not a purist. I love tasting new and creative cuisines. From Japanese Sashimi to Peruvian Ceviche,from Cuban Empanadas to Chettinad Chicken – I love them all!”

Anil Paranjape is a fan of Ghosh’s simple writing style. The owner of Grubshup restaurant on Law College road is also a consummate foodie and blogger. In the last one-and-a-half years,Paranjape has occupied himself with research on topics like the responsibilities of restaurants in inspiring healthy eating. His blog posts are well-worded pieces that boast of an eclectic reading habit. And he holds forth under impish titles like ‘How Global Warming Will Breed More Europeans..’ and ‘Cleaning Muck with Mozart.’ “The blog talks about what’s close to my heart,and what is also the back bone of Grubshup. My interest is in food chemistry or food science,and also in the food industry. So I like to read up on,say,how food portions decide eating habits,just as much as about the food itself,” he says. His taste for the history and sustainability of food festered over the twenty-two years he spent outside India. “I write reviews as a consumer would,in spite of owning a restaurant myself. And I don’t like serious stuff,I like to poke fun while writing,” he chuckles.

Sites like The Tossed Salad (TTS) and Pune on a Plate have sustained some good reportage of foodie happenings and reviews in the city. The former even has a regular weekend guide that can be subscribed to. Since 2008,Sahil Khan of TTS has seen many new eateries come up,but feels food experimentation among the public has been low. But then once in a while,a paneer roll with a figs filling comes along,and gently re-assures him. “I am looking forward to thefoodlife.com,” Khan says of his own blog reading list. “The food column on New York Time’s blog,The Moment,is excellent too.”

A bit of food writing has trailed into Pune Tech co-founder,Amit Paranjape’s blog too,but he jovially shies off any specific labels. “I am not really a food writer,” he announces. “I usually end up writing about food for the benefit of family and friends.” Paranjape admits that in spite of some blog activities,food writing is still a tepid activity in Pune. “I cannot even recall any specific names off the cuff. Newspapers do write about food,but it’s by a different person every time. Food news is still mostly word-of-mouth and very informal.” But,Ghosh feels that blogs needn’t be where serious gastronomical talk should transpire. “Blogs are meant to be a reflection of their authors. I don’t think they should be held to any standard at all. Readers come back if they find the content valuable. Else they go some place else.”