I have learnt that how you treat people, talks a lot about you and not about the people. We Indians are a hospitable lot, and that’s what’s the most beautiful part of holidays and eating out in India.

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And when it comes to our homes, it’s only normal that we lay out the red carpet with flowers strewn. 

My mom always used to say, that the ones who have little give you all, and the ones who have all are not so giving, which I never quite understood until much later in life.

I feel when you invite someone for a meal you share a part of yourself with them. When you share a wine or whatever be your potion, you sometimes share a little more than your heart. 

I feel when you invite a group of friends home, you must always be comfortable with who you are. Like if you have a vegetarian household then so be it, and if you want to go out of your way to make some thing non-veg because you can and you really like the person, it’s just added warmth. 

But what I don’t get is when people serve you wine or alcohol and serve people according to what they think they are worth, what I mean is serve a wine or alcohol drink to a certain section and keep another that maybe better or not as fine for a certain set of people. Nope don’t be shocked, I have seen this happen. And it appals me each time. And no, I don’t think it’s a good practice. In my opinion which you may or may not agree with, I feel that’s just a very rude thing to do, and you must be insane to think this goes unnoticed.

It’s basic etiquette to treat your guests with equal warmth or love. And if you cannot, then just don’t have them all over together.

I love having brunches at my place, and love entertaining, but I always see to it that besides all the food on the table, the drinks served are uniform to everyone, it just keeps it all nice, and everyone gets merry in equal measure ha ha ha .Except if you are Pooja, Jaya and Shayamal my three exclusively vegetarian friends, who I make special things for, since they eat nothing else.

You know maybe you have caviar on toast  in the morning for breakfast and I have boiled eggs. And so if you come over you will get  eggs too. But, because you are my guest, I will make it special, I will probably poach the eggs and lay them on a bed of creamed spinach, and pour some freshly made hollandaise on it .

And if I do have a jar of caviar, it will go on the eggs for everyone, unless you don’t eat caviar or are allergic to it.

That’s my idea of hospitality. And I don’t think I’m off the mark. 

Home is always to be all encompassing. And you should not put a price on people. Or character tags. It’s very small of you to  judge or segregate.

And so just remember this little bit, because you don’t want anyone walking into your home to feel even a little less than the rest. And frankly each of us is really special whether the other knows it or not.