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A for Apple



Welcome! 
This is my first post of the 2018 April AtoZ Blogging challenge and its my fifth attempt. For those who missed it, here is the link to my Theme Reveal post. Do the alphabets still stand for the same things we learnt about in Nursery school?


Without much ado lets plunge right in. 


A is for Apple. 


This time tested phrase still holds the exception being that one is not necessarily referring to the fruit. 

One of my most memorable scenes in Forrest Gump, is when Forrest speaks of Lt Dan investing for him in some ‘fruit company’ … obviously referring to Apple Inc – the now iconic company.


As you may have guessed this post is about Apple products- rather what they seem to symbolise …

In India, Apple products – be they the iPhone or Macbook or the Apple Watch – do more that everything they are meant to do. They proclaim to the all and sundry that the device-owner  has ‘arrived’! So one finds that these folks invariably talk with their hands – extensively wave their hands (that happen to hold the iPhone X) to stress the points they make. Often words are sufficient to make a point which makes me sure, they just want to make sure we dont miss seeing the famous half eaten apple logo. 


I am told, that the email signature is also set to ‘sent from my iPhone’… 


Apparently once an Apple owner – always an Apple owner. Rarely have I seen people switch brands when changing their devices. So every time there is a new Apple on the market, these folks are seen queuing up. I dont think any other brand must have such fierce brand loyalty- at least in India! Its definitely an aspirational brand, something to be coveted. The company website itself has a list of Apple Authorised Resellers. 


Full front-page advertisement in the newspaper obviously indicates the iconic status and popularity of the brand

To cater to this huge demand, Apple devices are now launched in India almost at the same time as in the US. In rupee terms, the price is pretty steep. Thus, the new devices are objects of envy or pride depending on which side you are on! 


Do I own a iPhone you may well ask… 


Well, not a phone but yes I do have an iPad and its a gift from our daughter! So I proudly do show it off!
😉


My iPad 



So, I guess, for me, A for Apple suggests a brand conscious person who has ‘arrived’!
I would love to hear your thoughts!
🙂

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2018 April AtoZ Theme Reveal

Hello everyone! Welcome! 


I am a ‘veteran’of the AtoZ blogging challenge, if I may use that word, and have participated four times. 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 were amazing as I was able to focus and eventually get to theme based posts! This in turn led to me gaining immense knowledge of the Public Parks in Pune (theme for 2015) and Herbs (theme for 2016).


Hence having a theme for this year was almost a given. Let me tell you it has been a very difficult choice. After my experience with herbs in 2016, the plant kingdom was the the most obvious choice. 


However I realised that I needed to get back my spark in writing creatively so with a heavy heart, plants were put on hold. 


theme reveal #atozchallenge 2018 blogging



My search for a theme thus widened and almost literally, the sky was the limit. Then suddenly, I hit upon this idea of writing about a contemporary AtoZ , as seen from the eyes of half-a-century-old me! 


Ok… give or take a couple of years… 
😉


The earliest memories of the alphabet are A is for Apple, B is for Bat. Does C still remind one of Cat? And what about D?


Do these time-tested alphabet-object co-relations still hold? 


I hope to put together 26 posts of some anecdotes, some observations, some experiences, some suggestions … 


So folks get set for a 21st century / middle-aged / Puneri look at what the alphabets mean to me now…


Fasten your seat belts, as this roller coaster takes off on the 1st April 2018 (and thereafter Sunday is a holiday on the April AtoZ blogging challenge).


2018 A to Z blogging challenge



Do stop by daily or as often as you can. 
I look forward to your visits and comments. 
Cheers!


2018 April AtoZ Blogging Challenge: 
Category: Personal (Journal, Diary, Musings)
Theme: What the alphabets stand for me in 2018

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Its That Time Of The Year

Its that time of the year again… winter is almost forgotten as the burning sun makes its presence felt. Grass and herbs dried out from last year, crunch under the feet as one tries to keep a brisk pace on the morning walk on the tekdi. The eyes scan the usual favourites hoping to spot blooms and I am not disappointed.

Shirish beckons with its sweet fragrance and fresh foliage. Yellow rattling pods from last year still hang from the branches and the tree stands out from a distance. 

The Gardenia turgida is sprouting its first buds …

and the Neem is happy showing off its tiny flowers too…


These yellow flowers stand out on the bare plateau, amid the ashes of the burnt grass..

The small Capparis blossoms cloak the shrubby tree in a white coat!

The Ganer and Waras are still painting the tekdi golden and cream amid the fading pink of the Gliricidia. 

Waras flower

The white tufts of the Dregea volubilis line the pathways even as I wait for the Kusumb to blush red as it realises its branches are bare.

The lucky ones may even spot the Peacock!

Its March on the tekdi and the trees are beckoning…
Where are you??

Out on the streets, the trees are bedecked in their floral glory The golden blaze of the Tabebuia easily overshadows its pink cousin. This even as the Jacaranda casts a soothing blue haze over the horizon and blue carpet at your feet. New leaves of the Moha blush as its blossoms look down upon earthlings. The Mango is in full bloom … Does it foretell a sweet May? 


I wonder….

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Shortcut Sauce

This is my first attempt at a food post… As I have openly stated, I am a reluctant cook and I have jumped into the bloghop mainly for the food memories! And there are so many, and surprisingly the ones that stand out are the disasters


🙁


However, today I would like to share one of our projects.. one that was we had no choice but to execute and do it well.. The ladies of our unit had to put up a food stall with two items- Bhel and Pizza. For two whole days. A huge crowd was expected. Pizza delicacy was in those days.. way back in 1993… especially in the remote base in the NE where we were posted. 


The local bakery would make the base but during the trials, we faced the most unexpected difficulties. Rings of capsicum dried out and the sulfurous odour of the onions was  quite unbearable. Spending two days in its company was quite unthinkable. Plus with limited space, we could not accommodate many containers. None of us were keen to freshly chop the veggies on a need-based basis. 


Our plan was the do the entire preparation at home and just grill the pizza when ordered. 


Necessity is the mother of invention – it is said and that is what happened to us.

We came up with the idea of putting all veggies together into the tomato sauce. What we finally had was a vegetable puree that we just had to pour on the base, top with grated cheese, grill and serve.  All flavouring spices too went into this sauce. The pizza was a big hit!  We ran out of sauce by mid afternoon and had to make fresh batches many more times on those two days till we ran out of pizza bases!



To this day, I make my pizza sauce in the same manner. Any leftover is stored in the fridge is reused as pasta sauce. In fact, I add it to vegetable gravy to get an interesting taste. My daughter has continued with this method so I guess, it has its merits one of the main ones being saving the effort of finely slicing the veggies. 


😉


There is no fixed recipie – but here goes.. You can improvise according to your taste – increase or reduce the tomatoes or onions or garlic or capsicum or Ajwain


For the sauce:

  • 4 large red tomatoes
  • 1 Capsicum
  • 1 medium Onion
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp Tomato sauce
  • 1 tsp Ajwain
  • Little Oregano
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1/2 cup water
Chop the veggies, mix with other ingredients and cook on a slow flame till done. Reduce till seiredd thickness. Cool. Grind in a blender to get a smooth puree.

Pour this on a pizza base, spread grated cheese, dot with butter. Grill in a hot oven and Viola.. the tastiest pizza is ready for you! 


We had not added mushrooms but I guess those can go in too.. 


How do you make your pizza sauce at home? Do you prefer separate toppings?

I am joining Sunita and Shilpa in #flavoursometuesdays which is on the first Tuesday of every month. 


FlavoursomeTuesdays
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