(photo: a bunch of custard apples)One of the best things about being in India is that locally-grown fruits & vegetables are plentiful and taste amazingly good.
Today at brunch, I had a custard apple for the first time -- delicious! -- tastes like a cross between a pineapple & a banana. Speaking of bananas - they are also wonderful over here, especially the little ones (about 1/3 the size of the bananas you would typically see in the USA). I have also had excellent watermelon, pineapples, papaya, guava, and jackfruit. In fact, watermelon martinis have become one of my favorite drinks. Unfortunately I just missed mango season (May - early July), can't wait for next year! (side note: before this trip, I never really liked papaya, always thought it had a funky weird flavor -- but here I find them to be sweet and delicious -- possible that they don't travel well)
And I have to say when I'm really thirsty -- nothing is better than a fresh lime soda (here in India they will ask you if you want sweet or salty -- I'm partial to the salty).
I have also switched to a mostly vegetarian diet since I've been here. Lunch is served daily at the office and it's vegetarian except for Wednesdays. I also find that vegetarian dishes are a safer bet than meat dishes. My mom would be proud of how many dishes I've eaten with peas (historically one of my least favorite vegetables). If I'm in a high-end restaurant, I will order chicken or pork. Bangalore is far from the water -- so I avoid fish / seafood. And of course no beef (cows are sacred over here -- at least to Hindus) -- well, I shouldn't say no beef -- because of the large Muslim population in Bangalore, there are a couple of restaurants here that specialize in beef -- I haven't been to one yet, but I'm sure I will! (side note: you will see beef mentioned on more menus than you would expect -- but it's usually buffalo meat)
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