This was an interesting blend of cultural stories connected to food, along with some recipes from each. I loved the idea of showcasing the depth of connection with food in our culture, which is tied to the innate nourishment of all beings. and also introduce some of our core philisophies that drive it. It was great to travel across the land, taking inspiration from significant personalities though time. The story of Annapurna was good, and I enjoyed the first story connected with the history of Parsi community in India, as well as the second story from Maharashtra about the bandit. Overall, a very creative endeavor that I appreciated.

My one general gripe with most Indian authored literary fiction books is that there are always underlying social messages woven in, influenced by colonial perspectives of our histories and western ideologies rather than being informed by an Indic view. Therefore, they often include subtle diminishing narratives when it comes to the representation of our indigenous culture. I think this book did a fairly balanced job of celebrating our culture in the right spirit, but there were instances where it was mixed.

The richness and avaiablility of stories from different parts of India connected with our indigineous cultures is so vast, that I would have liked to see more of those kind of stories adapted instead of ones about Akbar (a mughal colonial ruler, from a long line of brutal foreign invaders), the British (the last of the many european colonial rulers that exploited us), and the last Persian story (which just didn't really seem to be connected to India). I bring this up as the book on the cover says "Indian Food Legends Retold", and while the Mughal's and British have been part of Indian history - they are not representative of our native cultures (which they actively and mercilessly worked to destroy).

When it comes to the representation of Bhagavan and the devatas, I was not always comfortable with the fictional spin. I am personally quite particular about reading our spiritual histories and stories in their authentic form, as they are presented in our Puranaas and shastras.

Overall, a good book with an interesting concept, and fairly good representation of our culture and food.