Modaks... and more...

Andrea Costabir has become my new BFF. We have spent a considerable amount of time together last week ( reasons will be known on 7th September), and the more I see of her the more I like and respect her. Sober, observant, discreet and sensitive. Tell me, how many people do you meet these days who can lay claim to any\all of these qualities? She has been the hard working editor of 'Savvy' for 13 years. Well. She has been with the Magna group that long ( Btw, I've just seen the first issue of their brand new, chatpatta film glossy, 'Star Week', and it has the potential to really take the pants of all those smarmy, cheesy established film mags crammed with stale, thakela p.r. stories). Back to Andrea and her decade long association with the group - this is a record in a field where journos jump from one job to the next like they're switching autoriks at Bandra station. Andrea goes about her work with total commitment and admirable professionalism. She does not seek personal glory nor does she misuse the access she gets to the top women of the country. We bonded over tea (for me) and limbu paani ( Andrea). When I offered her a pastry, she politely declined saying she'd had modaks for lunch. That's when my eyes lit up! Modaks!!! Ukdi chhe modaks??? Yes, she confirmed. The steamed ones (like momos), with a fresh coconut and jaggery filling. My eyes misted over. As much for the modaks as for my mother who used to make them at home in a copper modak steamer. What happened to it? Who threw it away once she was gone?Now, not even a physical memory remains.... but the taste lingers. Perhaps sensing my feelings, Andrea offered to send some across. I gladly accepted.... but didn't want to sound too eager. Well.... as I write this, the modaks are on the way. I shall share them with my family ( brother, bhabhi, daughters, son-in-law, husband... maybe Kiara, our crazy Irish Setter) at dinner. We were planning to serve phirni and shahi tukra with the biryani. But modaks sound far better. Amazing co-incidence - Ganpati and Ramadan overlap this year. The biryani is coming from Zafferbhai's ( iftaar special), and the modaks from Andrea ( Roman Catholic), to be enjoyed in a Hindu home! If only all those guys bleating away on tv at prime time , digging up old ghosts ( Kandahar, Jinnah), would abandon divisive debates based on religion ,and break bread (gobble modaks!) together - wouldn't it be a far better world?? Here's to modaks! Ganpati Bappa Morya!