As 'fridgies' - pictures of what's in the fridge - flood Instagram, Anju Maskeri gets a peek into the refrigerators of Mumbai's swish set
'The fridge is the centrepiece of my household'
Clinton Cerejo, Singer and composer
At singer and composer, Clinton Cerejo's Mount Mary home, the fridge is well-stocked at any given point of time. What catches our attention, however, are the bottles of beer that he has reserved for anyone who might pop in unannounced. In fact, it's for this reason that the family - Cerejo lives with his wife and two kids - opted for the tall Westinghouse.
Despite its size, Cerejo, usually has a hard time making space for additional items. Tonight, he plans to utilise the penne and the pesto sauce that he has whipped up, along with slices of J5 Iberico ham, cured ham produced in Spain, from the freezer. "I usually keep peri peri sauce, white truffle paste and preserved naga chillies handy," says Cerejo who runs a food blog titled soulstories.co.in, where he chronicles his gastronomical escapades.
Cerejo feels a fridge is the centrepiece of a household and best reflects a family's eating habits. "I try to eat healthy, but it's a slippery slope. When it comes to desserts, I'm the first to polish it off," he admits. For all other times, he has kept a glass of skimmed milk to do the trick with minimum damage.
'A little bit of everything in my fridge'
Aarifa Bhinderwala, Pole dancer
It's been a little over two weeks since Aarifa Bhinderwala, Mumbai's pioneering pole dancer, decided to include more veggies in her diet. The change is evident when she opens the greyish-blue refrigerator for us at her Malad West home. The trays are laden with fresh fenugreek leaves, peppers, cauliflowers, broccoli, peppers and baby corn. A jar of olives jostles for space next to a packet of soya nuggets.
"I've emptied a lot of junk to make space for healthier ingredients in the fridge. You've caught me at the right time," she laughs. Her fridge boasts of everything that you might expect from a fitness-loving 29-year-old - fruit juice, millets and cereals. But there are hidden indulgences in the crevices. We see a slab of decadent milk chocolate - Bhinderwala's weakness. "I don't like to call it cheat food, because the body needs a little extra fat once in a while. I try to maintain a balance as much as possible.
So, you'll find a little of everything here," she says. Curd, however, has lost its permanent spot, given her attempt to cut back on diary without eliminating it altogether. Despite her love for all things in the chiller, she's not a stickler when it comes to fridge etiquettes. "There are no designated slots for certain items. It's rather random," she adds. Occasionally, she likes to tidy it up. "I place all contents aesthetically. But sometimes life comes in the way."
'Each item has its specific place'
Chef Glyston Gracias,Head chef at Social
Chef Glyston Gracias, of Impresario Restaurants, has an immaculate fridge. It's stocked with containers with labels attached, including ingredients such as bell peppers, sprouts, eggplant and kale. There's a reason behind each ingredient's place in the fridge. "That's to avoid cross contamination. Keeping cooked food away from raw food can help prevent this," he says.
Cross contamination can easily happen in the fridge between raw juices of raw meat, poultry and seafood and fruits, veggies or any other ready-to-eat food. "If there is any raw chicken in the fridge that is not properly packed, then the juices from it might drip down and contaminate other foods," he says. His Monica Geller-like habits often land him in trouble with his wife. "She hates it when I try to put things in 'order'," he laughs.
'Cleaning the fridge is therapeutic'
Kubra Sait, Anchor and TV host
For actor and anchor, Kubra Sait, the fridge is more than just a utilitarian box sitting in the corner of her kitchen. The hundreds of colourful magnets that dot the steel grey door tell a story of her outdoorsy life. Our favourite is one that reads, "Available for meaningful one-night stands".
"I make it a point to collect magnets wherever I go, and they eventually make to my fridge," she says. The contents within reflect her dietary habits. You'll find two dozen eggs, celery, carrots and spinach. Even though she's home just 15 days a month, the fridge goes through a monthly makeover, she adds.
In fact, Sait feels the act of cleaning the fridge, letting go of waste and replenishing the stock is almost therapeutic. The fridge has a good mix of healthy and indulgent items. "What I eat also depends on my mood. So I ensure I store both."
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