Kill the fatted pork sausages

When my bro went off to college, every time he came home, he was treated like a royal personage on a visit. I didn't feel jealous about it - but I felt the fuss was unwarranted. When I went off to college though, my Mum started something new entirely. Pork sausages. Pork or sausages were nothing new in my house; what was new, though, was that Mum would move heaven and earth to ensure that atleast 1 pack of pork sausages were in the freezer if "Dan is coming home". Sometimes, if my visit was a long one, there would be two packs, plus bacon, ham, salami and so on and so forth. But whatever happened - that one pack of pork sausages would be there in the freezer. What felt better was that this pack was completely at my disposal. I've fried those sausages and devoured them at 7 am in the morning, after jumping off the Nilagiri Express (coming back home from college) at times, and I've patiently waited till 3 in the afternoon to cook them, too. The best part? Mum never mentioned a word such as "I'm doing this for you" or anything. She just would mention that sausages were in the freezer, and that was that. For those of you who've been to a hostel which is nearly 700 km from home for four years, you would know the priceless value of such a simple gesture when you walk into your house (Mind you, I had tonnes of other things going for me at home; the pork sausages was the only factor that was unchanging, ever-present and a cherished memory of coming back home). For this, and all the other stops pulled out when your sons returned home from hostel, thanks Mum.

Bacon and Eggs

I wrote about how Mum used to make Hot Pot which was mouth-wateringly delicious. I felt it fitting to also write about the bacon and eggs that my Dad used to make. I didn't realise that there was something different he was doing - his style of bacon and eggs are the only home-made bacon and eggs I've had. Quite recently, a friend of ours, Sushmita, was eating a bacon and eggs breakfast when I discovered that this style of making bacon and eggs was unique to my Dad. I asked my Dad where he picked it up from - he doesn't remember; said this is the only way he's ever made bacon and eggs. What's the style, you ask? Simple. Fry 2-3 rashers of bacon together and break the egg on top of it. The egg gets fried and glues the bacon rashers together. While eating, the egg takes the 'edge' off the bacon, enabling people who normally detest fat to comfortably wolf down the bacon and eggs breakfast. I found it pretty amazing that I've become used to a way of preparing bacon and eggs that not many people follow. Thanks, Dad.

Hot Pot

My Mum used to make something she called (and we called, consequently) "Hot Pot". That recipe has been lost through the annals of time, but I remember that it used to contain layer of bacon and slices of potatoes and onions - and the whole thing was shoved into our OTG (Oven Toaster Grill) Oven and baked. It used to taste like the most delicious dish a kid has ever tasted. Seriously. The juicy bacon with the roasted potatoes and onions.... mmmmmm... was a pretty amazing dish. I want to thank my Mum for two things related to this - one is the dish itself. I have very fond, very delicious memories of it. Two, would be the style of "western" cooking. I picked up quickly on the fact that lightly roasting potatoes and onions give your dish a very nice-tasting Western flavour. I use that technique in many "creations" that I make inside the kitchen, most of which taste really nice. Thanks, Mum.