5 Things I Missed within 5 Days of Leaving Mumbai

The lockdown in India has been amongst the hardest globally. And the lockdown in Mumbai has perhaps been more severe than any other part of the country. But thanks to the good folks that managed the apartment complex we were living in, the lockdown helped me to discover some great local delivery options.

When we had moved to Mumbai more than a decade ago, the locals had raved on about how vibrant the “home delivery” culture in the city is. I was told, “You can even order 1 tablet of Disprin from the chemist!” (Fun fact – you actually can!) As a working couple though, our exposure to such fantastic deliverers was limited. We were home only on weekends so didn’t really end up being regular customers to many local stores. Albeit e-commerce picked up in recent years so we were used to ordering most of our daily needs online.

And then in March of 2020 came the f$%&^ covid lockdown. We didn’t want to step out, but there were several small businesses that needed to reach us. It was a matter of survival for them. So, ordering over WhatsApp became the norm. Small stores can’t afford to set up e-commerce shops so quickly, but they can create “Building-Whatsapp-Groups.” A fantastic juggad concept, where the shop keeper creates a group where people can place orders, and they deliver to the building at fixed times. Weekly, daily, or in some cases even once a month.

 

Convenience, like any good thing, is addictive. I loved exploring these WhatsApp groups. At one point, I guess I was part of more than a dozen of them! Everything was available on that green window; we had restaurants and bakers, grocers, medical stores, Ayurvedic stores, snack stores, and even a cast-iron cookware manufacturer.

I knew I would miss the ease of this once we moved countries*. Of course, life is not hard where we are. It’s just different. There are many things that make living easier in Western countries, but this Mumbai-girl really misses some of the homegrown “indie” brands that we’d gotten so used to!

While I take my time to find suitable replacements in France, this post is a reminder to cherish the local kirana-wala in your neighbourhood who messages you when he gets fresh stock of Amul Sugar-free Dark Chocolate because he knows that’s on your favourites list.

And go check out these fabulous brands and enjoy the wonderful products they bring you. Trust me, these places are worth being #VocalForLocal about.

Food Accompaniments:

Spice Story‘s Hot Naga Sauce – Spice Story is a local company that’s going places. They have an amazing assortment of sauces and condiments, and I’ve had absolutely no complaints with any of the products I’ve tried. But their Hot Naga Sauce is mind-blowing and something we just love to sprinkle on literally everything.

Epigamia’s Greek Yogurts & Ghee Spreads – Greek yoghurt is of course a great healthy snack option, and many brands are doing a decent job of getting these goodies to your plate. Epigamia recently took their game to a new level with direct to home delivery and a collection of new ghee based spreads that are just goodness and indulgence wrapped in one.

Artisanal Cold Brew Coffee:

Perhaps it was the Mumbai humidity and constant heat that instigated the move, but for the past couple of years, I’ve completely switched over from hot coffee. And rather than loading up on the milky and sugary “ghar wali cold coffee”, I discovered and fell in love with black cold brews. There are some great coffee roasters that are really bringing the artisanal back to the cup. These three have aced the cold brew.

BrewExMachina is a local Mumbai setup, with a strong concentrated brew. I love that they would often start the brew after I placed the order, so it’s as fresh as can be.

Sleepy Owl is actually a Delhi based startup, but they’ve figured out a unique pack based no equipment cold brew. I love the Dark Roast cold brew box, and honestly can’t imagine life without it! (I’m carrying half a carton full of their brew packs with me till I find a suitable replacement)

KC Roasters have a cafe in Bandra, but during the lockdown, they started delivery of coffees and some other products. The taste of their cold brew is right up my alley (delivered only in Mumbai); it was my “indulgence” cup when I added a dash of coconut milk and ice to tide over the pre-monsoon heatwave!

Farm Fresh Veggies:

Sahyadri Farms is a farmer’s collective based out of Nasik, and they bring veggies and fruits straight from the farmer to your doorstep. The quality of food is outstanding, and they have really upped their delivery game during recent months. For day-to-day vegetables, I would trust them over any other retailer. And the cooperative is doing great work to bring fair-prices to small farmers in the region. It’s a clear win-win.

Nutrifresh Hydroponic Farms are a Pune based group, who specialise in hydroponics. Basically, produce grown without soil. So it’s pesticide-free, absolutely fresh and delicious stuff. The variety is limited (not everything can be grown hydroponically apparently!), but the quality is phenomenal. Another discovery of the lockdown for me, and I really enjoyed some of the more exotic vegetables they offer.

Liquid Deliciousness:

Rawpressery’s Almond Nut Milk – if you’ve gone out to any cafe or grocery store in India, chances are that you would’ve come across Rawpressery’s cold-pressed juices. They have been around for a few years, serving up the ‘hip’ cold-pressed juices across cities. The juices come in a mind-boggling variety of flavours and are quite good and refreshing. But what I really miss honestly, is the Almond milk. The coffee flavour (for me) and Cacao flavour for my son were staples in our fridge.

Svami Tonic Water – alright, a show of hands – at least once during the lockdown have you used the words, “Well tonic water has quinine so Gin & Tonic is basically an antidote to the virus!” Jokes apart, Svami’s is the first non-Schweppes tonic water we tried and it is amazing. The added bonus is that it comes in interesting flavors like cucumber and grapefruit which turn a simple home drink into a fancy cocktail.

Cooking Essentials:

Which home hasn’t discovered a new cook during the past few months! I’ve also found my own laddle when it comes to the kitchen, so to say. But I can’t deny that the supporting cast available in India is a life-saver especially for picky eater households like ours. It took me a while to find stuff that would both be approved by the taste buds, and my constant rush to not waste too much time cooking.

Some of the shortcuts I took for granted, but now miss sorely are dosa mixes like ID Foods batter, or Slurrpfarm’s Millet Dosa mixes for my son. As non-vegetarians, we also really looked forward to the quick delivery and freshness guarantee of meats ordered from Licious. And Prasuma‘s ready-to-eat Momos were another favourite. These are as good as any restaurant quality gourmet dim sum, and ready to eat, steaming hot in literally two minutes – what more can you ask for!

Have you ever considered how many things to eat or drink you take for granted? Would love to hear about some essentials that you think you would miss if you moved out of the city you currently live in. Do share your secrets in the comments below.

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(PS – I’ve linked all websites, but these are not sponsored or affiliate links. Enjoy!)

*Personal update: We have moved from Mumbai to Paris in the midst of a global pandemic… so, some of the upcoming posts will be related to this epic adventure. Read more about these Relocation Diaries here. Hope you enjoy the perspective of this move on our lives in general and our parenting journey too!

 

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Through the month of October, I’m taking my blog to the next level with Blogchatter‘s #MyFriendAlexa. Stay tuned!
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