India, Jan. 31 -- On September 1, 2021, I received an email from my now-editor, Zara Murao, asking if I would be interested in writing an occasional column for HT Wknd. The team had seen my Twitter threads on food, and thought I might be a good fit. I was elated. I had been blogging for about five years by then and was eager to reach a larger audience.

Four-plus years and 131 instalments later, I can't believe I'm saying goodbye to my beloved column and to the best editor I've ever worked with.

Oh, we had some delicate conversations in the early weeks. I remember my first draft, on ketchup, came back covered in strikethroughs that made my head spin. How could anyone not enjoy my long-winded stories and what I thought of as supremely cle...