Potato Wafers

 

This packet of potato wafers takes my mind from the body to nostalgic times. I have kept away from this sinful delight for over many years now. And soon I had lost the taste for it. And so I thought so.

Till two days back when a handicapped man came to the door selling these small wafer packets made at his home. Rs 15 per packet. Its hard to say no, especially in these times. We decided to buy 10 packets to help him do business. I would distribute it later to my neighbour, househelp, etc.

Immediately we consumed one packet to taste it before we buy. I asked him what oil he uses. He said a branded groundnut oil. The chips were very tasty.

I waited for the day to pass to know if I am feeling wrong in the stomach or the head. I felt good.

Next day I keep all those 9 wafer packets safely in a proper airtight box. Do I really need to distribute I thought? I did distribute a few, that is 2 packets. Who actually wants to eat unhealthy wafers these days?

And in the evening yesterday at 6 pm, I am having it with my tea. I said I will have half the packet but I didn’t realise when I had consumed the full packet. Really are potato wafers unhealthy I ask?

These chips are the ones we used to have in our childhood days. Unbranded, made locally. I have tried the Lay’s wafer and others only a couple of times in my life. Those are so salty and so dehydrating I thought so, never to have them again. Machine made ones. But these…..

It brings back memories of the childhood birthday parties. We dress up in our beautiful frocks. The cake is cut. We are waiting to hold those paper plates. When the birthday girl or boy's family starts distributing the wafers and the cake in the small paper plates, the patience we need to build into ourselves. Our hands already out to receive the plate even before it has come. That sets the mood of the birthday party. The fun and the joy of eating chips and cakes. It surely must be doing something to the spirits. It must be made to add joy to our bodies. Unhealthy? Not so in those times because we didn’t have the money to consume it frequently. We had it only in those rare parties. So scarcity played a role there to keep us healthy. Today constant supply plays a role to keep us unhealthy. Then the heavenly delight in a slightly upper class home where samosas were added to the chips and the cake. Sheer joy.

Food surely has a role to play in bonhomie and friendship. At that point the unhealthy graph may take a big dip. I think so.