I attended a friend's "umpteenth" birthday yesterday, and when I arrived she was in conversation with an Indian lady whom I did not recognise. "Hallo Phil", said Laura; "this is my good friend Camellia Panjabi : we have been friends ever since College". "Not /the/ Camellia Punjabi ?", I asked; "the famous author ?". "Well, I have written one cookery book", she said. I was gobsmacked -- there I was, in the presence of one of the most famous names in the Indian cookery world. Needless to say we chatted about Indian food, and when I left (having sought advice from my hostess and another of Laura and Camellia's contemporaries), I asked if I might ask her a great favour. "By all means", she replied. "When you next come to this country, would you be willing to give me a lesson in Indian cookery ?". She thought for a few moments, and then said "Yes". Needless to say, I was overjoyed. Whether anything will come of this remains to be seen, but where there is life there is hope !
** Phil.
Topic: Serendipity ( 1,902 )
