National Chole Day
I made meatloaf for lunch today. It was actually pretty good, a Santa Fe Southwestern Meatloaf that was spicy (minced jalapenos) and the boys actually gobbled up with some ketchup. I hadn’t eaten meatloaf in almost twelve years, when I had eaten it on an RV with ten other people on the way to Alaska. And normally, we don’t like to eat that much meat.
But you see, April 1st was Meatloaf Appreciation Day, and it made me think I ought to give it a try. As it turns out, pretty much every day in April has some reason to celebrate, some special meaning to make every day special. Perhaps this is to make up for the fact that four days after wearing shorts, a tshirt, and sandals, we have snowfall.
http://www.123greetings.com is where I go to find out about what special days are coming up. For example, April 6th is Animated Cartoon Day, California Poppy Day, Caramel Popcorn Day, Ram Navami, International Fun At Work Day, Tartan Day, and International Special Librarian’s Day. Whew! What a busy Thursday. I could start the day with a poppyseed muffin, have some caramel popcorn as a mid-morning snack as I drive to the library. I’ll wish all them Hindu’s out there a Happy Ram Navami (the website’s spelling, not mine), and watch a rerun of the Simpsons, all while wearing a kilt. The 15th: Bengali New Year, Tax Day, Malayalam New Year, Fast Food Day, Rubber Eraser Day, Freak-out Day, and Leonardo da Vinci’s Birthday. Busy, busy, busy. On the 17th, be sure to appreciate a nosy neighbor. On the 20th, Respect Lima Beans. Check it out for yourself.
Now, admittedly, I’d like to attend the Chocolate Festival in Illinois on the 28th, and while I do appreciate the ingenuity of the Zipper (Zipper Day, 29th), I have to wonder. Who came up with all these days, and why? I’m sure it wasn’t all the same person (Hot Dog Day, Jelly Bean Day, 22nd), and maybe I just lack that true devotion to something, anything, that would drive me enough to push to get a day to commemorate it, but I just don’t understand.
I mean, I celebrate the standard days: New Years, Valentine’s, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas (although, since I don’t observe it religiously, I’ve been pushing my family to switch to celebrating Kwanzaa, since it would make dividing days with the in-laws much easier). But beyond that, well, I don’t know. Wasn’t Sweetest Day created by chocolate manufacturers and greeting card companies? I’m sure many of these days have corporate sponsors. And yes, a Festival is different from a “Day” since it’s an event celebrating something, usually to raise funds for some organization.
You know, I’ve had a couple of ideas of events that the Indian community could organize to spread awareness and/or raise funds. And I would organize them myself if I had any real interest in getting involved. But as an idea girl, I’m willing to share these gems with the public purely for the sake of seeing them done (and gloating when they succeed).
Now, I’m sure you’ve all heard of the Chili Cook-off. Restaurants and individuals pay a fee to compete and present their best chili recipes to be evaluated by a group of judges, and people show up, paying for tickets to buy small samples of all these different chilis. It’s great for advertising, and with money coming in from competitors and attendees, I reckon it raises a decent amount of money, too. Well, how about a Chole Cook-off? It’s the same concept, but with Indian food. Everyone’s got a slightly different recipe for chole (Indian chili made with garbanzo beans instead of beef or beans). Someone could have a stand selling various flatbreads (I prefer Batura) or rice, and maybe even stalls selling lassi and other beverages. But aside from that, different Indian restaurants from around town (and as the event grew bigger, from surrounding towns), as well as ambitious Indian Aunties, would bring out a large vat of their best chole, and compete for the title of Chole Cook-off Champion, not to mention bragging rights. I would hold it in late Spring, preferably on the grounds of the local temple (so it could be outdoors). It’s completely vegetarian, so I don’t see how they would have a problem with it. It could be a temple fundraiser, perhaps. I once went to a Chili Cook-off in a parking lot. Heck, that works too. Doesn’t really matter where it is, as long as the proper permits are acquired, right? Advertising would be very important.
The key, I believe, would be to draw in a non-Indian crowd. Because, admit it, an Indian family showing up to this event would 1) eat before coming, 2) find the stall that fills the Dixie cup up the highest, and 3) come to get a cheap meal. Yes, it’s a horrible stereotype, and I’d love to be proven false, but c’mon.
In Cleveland, we have a community center that’s not fully utilized. It’s a nice space, with a large kitchen and a larger open room with a sound system. And so, it made me wonder, why isn’t the space used as a chaat house? When I went to San Francisco, I ate at a Chaat House, a restaurant whose main dish is chaat, which is a simple dish, originally served in roadhouse dhabas, or stalls, with flat fried puris topped with a tangy, spicy mix of potatoes, lentils, garbanzo beans, yogurt, tamarind sauce, onions, and other stuff that I’m forgetting at the moment (or maybe not). Evidently, there’s a bunch of chaat houses in California (as googling for chaat house will reveal), but the phenomenon has not yet spread to Cleveland (please, hold back your expressions of shock). I heard about one place that was basically a warehouse with folding tables and chairs, sold plates of chaat on paper plates, and was so crowded that you’d often have to sit outside on the curb to eat. Chaat is the ultimate fast food. Most of the ingredients are raw or require very little preparation. Heck, a Subway store could theoretically be converted very easily to a Chaat house since the ingredients would be all laid out and you could let the customers choose what they wanted or didn’t want. It would probably do well in a food court.
After coming back from Paris last October, I also realized that what Cleveland needs is a creperie. We ate some of the best crepes (having at least one almost every day we were there) at a roadside stall, where, again, the toppings were in little steel containers, and a stack of crepes was kept warm. You would order, and the guy working the stall would grab a crepe, slather it with the toppings, fold it into a wax wrapper, and hand it over.
My local bakery needs to start selling sandwiches made just of their focaccia split in two with sliced tomatoes and mozzarella in between, and perhaps fresh basil. Or with sliced proscuitto and arugula for meat-eaters, I suppose. For that matter, since the owner’s son is in my kid’s school (just down the street from the bakery), it would be nice if she took orders and brought lunch orders to the school to distribute while we all waited to pick our kids up from preschool. Personally, I think it’s a market she’s missing out on, but maybe that’s just me being a little lazy.
And there it is. There’s the reason I’m such an idea person. Because I’m too damn lazy to act upon any of these ideas. Well, that and since I have absolutely no business sense, it wouldn’t really make much sense for me to start a business. Well, that and I have no desire to give up the little free time I do have. Not yet, anyhow.
Before I had kids, I considered starting a business. A coworker friend and I were going to quit our jobs (after we got the business going – we even had a name and everything) and start this business. It was a good idea, and we thought through what it would entail. And for Christmas that year, my husband even bought me a book about starting a business (see, he has always been very supportive of my crazy endeavors, choosing instead of discouraging me to let me figure out on my own that I really don’t want to proceed). Well, I ended up returning the book after a couple of weeks, when this friend and I took the quick Are You Ready To Start A Business quiz and failed it miserably. See, neither of us was the least bit inclined to relinquish our treasured free time. He was married with two young kids (or at least one with one on the way, I can’t remember now), and I, well, let’s just say I didn’t want to offend my good friends, the television and the couch. I liked working and being social, but sometimes, it was nice to know I could leave work and not have to think about it.
It’s still a belief I hold onto, that home is no place for work (well, unless you’re trying to be a writer and have young kids sleeping and you would like to go to the coffee shop to write but could be arrested for doing so if you left them under the care of your dog). I mean, of course there’s the housework, and lawn care, and home improvement, but when that’s all taken care of (ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha), it’s a place to forget work. I’ve never had an office job since having kids, but my goal is to one day acquire one, and while there, I’d like to think that I can keep my home life (other than a few cute photographs in my cubicle, and, I suppose, an anecdote or two) out of the office. Work at work, then leave. I’m a good worker bee that way.
And that, I suppose is why I’m hoping some enterprising individual out there with the personality and drive to actually act upon these ideas will do so. I’d like some credit, of course, since I did suggest the idea. For now, though, I’d like to start a petition (someone send me a link to a website that creates and manages them, please) to create Chole Day. Send me your chole recipes (well, wait until I put together or find some website where you can submit your recipes online) and I’ll compile a Chole Cookbook. Then again, maybe the cookbook should be compiled from the winning recipes at the Chole Cook-off. Yeah, that’s what I’ll do.
So, is anyone good at organizing events? Oh damn, that’s me. Umm, anyone know anyone involved with an organization around Cleveland that might want an event organized? Damn, again, that’s me. Umm, ooh, here’s a good one. Anyone interested in pursuing this for real? Contact me. We’ll talk. I’ll help get this thing moving. Really. Seriously. Why don’t you believe me?
But you see, April 1st was Meatloaf Appreciation Day, and it made me think I ought to give it a try. As it turns out, pretty much every day in April has some reason to celebrate, some special meaning to make every day special. Perhaps this is to make up for the fact that four days after wearing shorts, a tshirt, and sandals, we have snowfall.
http://www.123greetings.com is where I go to find out about what special days are coming up. For example, April 6th is Animated Cartoon Day, California Poppy Day, Caramel Popcorn Day, Ram Navami, International Fun At Work Day, Tartan Day, and International Special Librarian’s Day. Whew! What a busy Thursday. I could start the day with a poppyseed muffin, have some caramel popcorn as a mid-morning snack as I drive to the library. I’ll wish all them Hindu’s out there a Happy Ram Navami (the website’s spelling, not mine), and watch a rerun of the Simpsons, all while wearing a kilt. The 15th: Bengali New Year, Tax Day, Malayalam New Year, Fast Food Day, Rubber Eraser Day, Freak-out Day, and Leonardo da Vinci’s Birthday. Busy, busy, busy. On the 17th, be sure to appreciate a nosy neighbor. On the 20th, Respect Lima Beans. Check it out for yourself.
Now, admittedly, I’d like to attend the Chocolate Festival in Illinois on the 28th, and while I do appreciate the ingenuity of the Zipper (Zipper Day, 29th), I have to wonder. Who came up with all these days, and why? I’m sure it wasn’t all the same person (Hot Dog Day, Jelly Bean Day, 22nd), and maybe I just lack that true devotion to something, anything, that would drive me enough to push to get a day to commemorate it, but I just don’t understand.
I mean, I celebrate the standard days: New Years, Valentine’s, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas (although, since I don’t observe it religiously, I’ve been pushing my family to switch to celebrating Kwanzaa, since it would make dividing days with the in-laws much easier). But beyond that, well, I don’t know. Wasn’t Sweetest Day created by chocolate manufacturers and greeting card companies? I’m sure many of these days have corporate sponsors. And yes, a Festival is different from a “Day” since it’s an event celebrating something, usually to raise funds for some organization.
You know, I’ve had a couple of ideas of events that the Indian community could organize to spread awareness and/or raise funds. And I would organize them myself if I had any real interest in getting involved. But as an idea girl, I’m willing to share these gems with the public purely for the sake of seeing them done (and gloating when they succeed).
Now, I’m sure you’ve all heard of the Chili Cook-off. Restaurants and individuals pay a fee to compete and present their best chili recipes to be evaluated by a group of judges, and people show up, paying for tickets to buy small samples of all these different chilis. It’s great for advertising, and with money coming in from competitors and attendees, I reckon it raises a decent amount of money, too. Well, how about a Chole Cook-off? It’s the same concept, but with Indian food. Everyone’s got a slightly different recipe for chole (Indian chili made with garbanzo beans instead of beef or beans). Someone could have a stand selling various flatbreads (I prefer Batura) or rice, and maybe even stalls selling lassi and other beverages. But aside from that, different Indian restaurants from around town (and as the event grew bigger, from surrounding towns), as well as ambitious Indian Aunties, would bring out a large vat of their best chole, and compete for the title of Chole Cook-off Champion, not to mention bragging rights. I would hold it in late Spring, preferably on the grounds of the local temple (so it could be outdoors). It’s completely vegetarian, so I don’t see how they would have a problem with it. It could be a temple fundraiser, perhaps. I once went to a Chili Cook-off in a parking lot. Heck, that works too. Doesn’t really matter where it is, as long as the proper permits are acquired, right? Advertising would be very important.
The key, I believe, would be to draw in a non-Indian crowd. Because, admit it, an Indian family showing up to this event would 1) eat before coming, 2) find the stall that fills the Dixie cup up the highest, and 3) come to get a cheap meal. Yes, it’s a horrible stereotype, and I’d love to be proven false, but c’mon.
In Cleveland, we have a community center that’s not fully utilized. It’s a nice space, with a large kitchen and a larger open room with a sound system. And so, it made me wonder, why isn’t the space used as a chaat house? When I went to San Francisco, I ate at a Chaat House, a restaurant whose main dish is chaat, which is a simple dish, originally served in roadhouse dhabas, or stalls, with flat fried puris topped with a tangy, spicy mix of potatoes, lentils, garbanzo beans, yogurt, tamarind sauce, onions, and other stuff that I’m forgetting at the moment (or maybe not). Evidently, there’s a bunch of chaat houses in California (as googling for chaat house will reveal), but the phenomenon has not yet spread to Cleveland (please, hold back your expressions of shock). I heard about one place that was basically a warehouse with folding tables and chairs, sold plates of chaat on paper plates, and was so crowded that you’d often have to sit outside on the curb to eat. Chaat is the ultimate fast food. Most of the ingredients are raw or require very little preparation. Heck, a Subway store could theoretically be converted very easily to a Chaat house since the ingredients would be all laid out and you could let the customers choose what they wanted or didn’t want. It would probably do well in a food court.
After coming back from Paris last October, I also realized that what Cleveland needs is a creperie. We ate some of the best crepes (having at least one almost every day we were there) at a roadside stall, where, again, the toppings were in little steel containers, and a stack of crepes was kept warm. You would order, and the guy working the stall would grab a crepe, slather it with the toppings, fold it into a wax wrapper, and hand it over.
My local bakery needs to start selling sandwiches made just of their focaccia split in two with sliced tomatoes and mozzarella in between, and perhaps fresh basil. Or with sliced proscuitto and arugula for meat-eaters, I suppose. For that matter, since the owner’s son is in my kid’s school (just down the street from the bakery), it would be nice if she took orders and brought lunch orders to the school to distribute while we all waited to pick our kids up from preschool. Personally, I think it’s a market she’s missing out on, but maybe that’s just me being a little lazy.
And there it is. There’s the reason I’m such an idea person. Because I’m too damn lazy to act upon any of these ideas. Well, that and since I have absolutely no business sense, it wouldn’t really make much sense for me to start a business. Well, that and I have no desire to give up the little free time I do have. Not yet, anyhow.
Before I had kids, I considered starting a business. A coworker friend and I were going to quit our jobs (after we got the business going – we even had a name and everything) and start this business. It was a good idea, and we thought through what it would entail. And for Christmas that year, my husband even bought me a book about starting a business (see, he has always been very supportive of my crazy endeavors, choosing instead of discouraging me to let me figure out on my own that I really don’t want to proceed). Well, I ended up returning the book after a couple of weeks, when this friend and I took the quick Are You Ready To Start A Business quiz and failed it miserably. See, neither of us was the least bit inclined to relinquish our treasured free time. He was married with two young kids (or at least one with one on the way, I can’t remember now), and I, well, let’s just say I didn’t want to offend my good friends, the television and the couch. I liked working and being social, but sometimes, it was nice to know I could leave work and not have to think about it.
It’s still a belief I hold onto, that home is no place for work (well, unless you’re trying to be a writer and have young kids sleeping and you would like to go to the coffee shop to write but could be arrested for doing so if you left them under the care of your dog). I mean, of course there’s the housework, and lawn care, and home improvement, but when that’s all taken care of (ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha), it’s a place to forget work. I’ve never had an office job since having kids, but my goal is to one day acquire one, and while there, I’d like to think that I can keep my home life (other than a few cute photographs in my cubicle, and, I suppose, an anecdote or two) out of the office. Work at work, then leave. I’m a good worker bee that way.
And that, I suppose is why I’m hoping some enterprising individual out there with the personality and drive to actually act upon these ideas will do so. I’d like some credit, of course, since I did suggest the idea. For now, though, I’d like to start a petition (someone send me a link to a website that creates and manages them, please) to create Chole Day. Send me your chole recipes (well, wait until I put together or find some website where you can submit your recipes online) and I’ll compile a Chole Cookbook. Then again, maybe the cookbook should be compiled from the winning recipes at the Chole Cook-off. Yeah, that’s what I’ll do.
So, is anyone good at organizing events? Oh damn, that’s me. Umm, anyone know anyone involved with an organization around Cleveland that might want an event organized? Damn, again, that’s me. Umm, ooh, here’s a good one. Anyone interested in pursuing this for real? Contact me. We’ll talk. I’ll help get this thing moving. Really. Seriously. Why don’t you believe me?
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