The other day, my friend messaged me to swing by her place and pick up some jackfruit pods. This signals that summer had officially arrived in India. Our summer season spans from April through May, with May being particularly intense. It gets hot and humid, making for sticky summers. However, the most significant aspect of summers is sharing for sharing is a central part of our summer culture, as my friend so kindly did by offering me some delicious jackfruit bulbs. This is just the beginning; over the next two months, we'll be sharing a variety of fruits like raw and ripened mangoes, watermelons, ice apples, and more. As the season progresses, some of these will return to us in the form of pickles, ice creams, and other culinary delights.

It's a season of abundance, joy, sharing and relishing nature's bounty. It is the flavor to our summers.

Tans will fade but summer memories last forever.