Despite snowstorms and other setbacks, I made my way toward Charlottesville again after a brief detour at the University of Pennsylvania. I needed to resolve a few academic and financial issues, but more importantly, I missed U.Va. and the faces of friends.
Although taking classes at UPenn was a remarkable experience, I craved to be entangled in the comfortable melodramas I left behind. But before I could do that, I wanted to bring a bit of Philly culture back to my Shea House, Hindi-Urdu floor family. I decided to bring them chaat.
I will simply describe it as a savory South Asian snack with spices and sauces because I feel my culinary descriptive skills are not adequate. Only taste can accurately define chaat. Basically, it is a medley of vibrant bliss, and after a spoonful on my tongue, I can see colors behind my eyelids.
So, instead of bringing back Philly foods like cheese steak, soft pretzels or cream cheese, I trudged down the sloppy, slushy, snow-lined street of Baltimore Avenue to get chaat. All city buildings hug narrow streets in Philadelphia, but I like Baltimore Avenue. It has character. Every time I walk by, I mean to try out the eco-friendly "green" caf
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