Pondicherry Diary: Oh the lovely bakers of Auroville!

By Rahul Banerji

By the time this Pondicherry sojourn gets over, I foresee a real problem on return to Delhi. Bread.

Thanks to its part French character, and the subsequent setting up of Auroville, Pondicherry is home to a well-established tradition of international foods and flavours.

A major part of this culinary narrative lies in Pondicherry’s bakeries.

The French left their imprint thanks to a 200-odd year stay not just in the names of streets, the layout of Whitetown and the gendarmes’ red kepis, but also the cuisine.

And a big chunk of that history lay in the boulangeries of the French quarter.

With Auroville, a further international flavour arrived in this coastal town and Pondicherry is today a genuine melange of influences and cuisine.

Residents however, hold that while fine dining in Pondicherry still has some way to go, the European bakery culture is a rich and thriving one.

As a result, there has been a steady stream of quality products from the bakeries for close to two weeks now into Imagine, my retreat of the last couple of weeks.

And the thought of returning to the factory-made spongy stuff that usually passes for bread is not a happy one where the top, middle and bottom all feel and taste the same.

Murugan’s sit-out

From the boulangeries of Pondicherry and Auroville to Murugan Wines is a journey between cultures.

Pondicherry is dotted with off-licence outlets many of which come with an outdoor seating area and an attached canteen.

And these canteens are n their own way, purveyors of a Tamil coastal cuisine that has remained largely unchanged for hundreds of years.

Customers saunter in through the day, pick up their tipple of choice and head for the palm-shaded tables and benches that becomes their sea breeze-freshened sit-out.

And once they settle in, the canteen swings into business with a steady stream of water, soda, ice and snacks that vanish off the plates and banana leaves with amazing rapidity.

It’s this arresting line-up of finger foods that grabs my attention when my friend and host Kuri and I go to pick up our lunch add-ons.

Spiced-up omelettes and fried eggs are the fastest moving orders, but a variety of produce from the sea that is a bare few hundred yards away is a close second.

Nature’s bounty

Periwinkles, barnacles, clam and anchovy fly off the ever-busy stove and if one gets there in time, there is a range of bigger fish that have just come from the boats at the fishing village nearby.

The template exists up and down the coast. It’s also one that has its own history, culture and tradition.

My host swears he has never eaten fresher red snapper and other fish than at such establishments, and he’s a reasonably well-travelled bloke.

And by no means is this an all or only meat/fish menu.

Orders come steeped in clearly-identified flavours and spices, mostly dry as this is after all finger food eaten off tables under waving palm trees and little or no cutlery.

 It’s tangy, served just one step away from nature, and delicious.

And I’m getting as much of it into the system while I can.

Also read: Pondicherry Diary: Room with a view and the Banana