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Kusum Budhwar's
abiding interest in the mango took root in the orchards of her childhood
home in Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh and took shape during her years as a diplomat-wife-she
is married to an IFS officer-in Brazil. If Bijnor was perfect for sunning
pickles and chutneys, so was Brazil. From Bijnor to Brazil, the mango
fructified into a passion, and now a book called Romance of the Mango:
The Complete Book of the King of Fruits (Penguin).
Ironically, it was Budhwar's travels to the rest of the world that brought
her close to the fleshy fruit. "The mango is very representational
of India," says Budhwar, 55, with mouth-watering relish, "especially
when you put out an Indian table. Indians are passionate about the mango
and it has reached a sensual level. We have even absorbed it subconsciously
in our rituals". For Budhwar, the time was ripe to write a book,
with engaging stories, information and recipes. "There's so much
botany on the mango but very little has been written about its values."
Did you know that the best commercial mangoes are the ones that are golden
with a red blush?
Being an ambassador's wife, and housewife, had its pluses. She had time
to travel, meet people and swap recipes with wives of other diplomats.
Her other interests-art, religion, anthropology-are reflected in her Delhi
apartment: baroque tables that she has crafted in her holiday home-a cottage
up in the hills in Mukhteshwar-Georgian and Egyptian icons, Persian rugs
and books. She majored in history of fine arts from Panjab University.
But as life in Delhi is "so hectic", Budhwar has now taken her
paintbrushes and canvases to Mukhteshwar.
But the juicy mango-her book was released on the eve of the recent state-sponsored
mango festival in the capital-holds fort. Budhwar's next inspiration is
the red, round apple, and she's coming out with a book on apple recipes.
"Both mangoes and apples lend themselves beautifully to cooking.
They acidify well in curries because they are both semi-sweet and tart,"
says Budhwar. From the apple orchards of Bijnor, where next?
-Methil Renuka
 
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CURRENT
ISSUE AUGUST 26, 2002
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