While this charm plays a big role in why I chose to settle here, over the years, I’ve come to realise that one of the most exciting parts about these winters is the seasonal produce.

The veil of mist lifts at daybreak as the first sunshine filters through—bringing an unlikely combination of warmth with a chilly breeze. In the kitchens, steaming brews of tea rise to various preferences; while hot breakfast breads are slathered with fresh, homemade butter. In front-yards and balcony gardens, the marigolds and sunflowers smile—as if to welcome with a beaming smile. For the next few months, this is the regular waking-up cycle of the National Capital Region; come winters, Delhi turns into a demanding queen—us, ever her subjects, giving into the lure of the romance of the grand old city’s winter.

While this charm plays a big role in why I chose to settle here, over the years, I’ve come to realise that one of the most exciting parts about these winters is the seasonal produce. It comes in the form of long red carrots, plump green peas, glistening white cauliflowers, leafy greens, purple turnips, and more. Somewhere in the lanes of North Delhi’s mohallas, one can still find the old world charm of women sitting on charpai and de-shelling peas, or sorting saag and sharing a story or two, while soaking in the winter sun. These images feel like a misfit in today’s urbanised modern world of high-rises and malls, but they hark back to simpler times and the joy of celebrating a season as a community, through everyday activities.

At Baagh Baghicha farm

Slow cooking, eating Gurugram-based home-chef Surabhi Bhandari, known for her expertise in Marwari cooking, bought a small farm land in the outskirts of the Millennium City, last year. “The idea was to have a little open space with fresh air and to grow clean food for consumption,” Bhandari says. On the weekend of December 16, she is hosting a two-day pop-up at her farm, Suraj Sadan, along with food blogger and Ayurveda consultant, Amrita Rana. Bhandari and Rana’s efforts are aimed at a kaleidoscopic Marwadi-Punjabi menu—derived from ingredients sourced entirely through Bhandari’s farm.

At the core of this special menu this weekend, Bhandari says, are principles of simple cooking—and eating. “I have always loved slow cooking and seasonal produce. While it is good to embrace modern cuisine and adapt to new food cultures, we must not forget our roots and our food that we grew up eating. Through my farm pop-ups I want to reinstate that simple food can be delicious too,” she adds. Bhandari is hardly the only one.

During the pandemic, Sanchaita Kumar, a resident of Noida, created Baagh Bagicha in sector-135, a farm that seeks to exemplify simple living. “We wanted to get back to our roots. The idea we wanted to incorporate when we started the farm was to have an ideal place, not too far from the city, where one can sit back and soak in the sun, enjoy simple food and have clean, accessible produce,” Kumar tells me. Baagh Bagicha offers farm-to-table experiences in their natural setting, where the food is cooked by Kumar’s mother herself on the chulha. They also cater to the surrounding areas commercially with their seasonal produce like broccoli, peas, potatoes, garlic and mustard.

Fresh off the ground At the heart of it all, the philosophy is to celebrate and experience seasons the way we often forget to in our urban lives. Another such pandemic project derived in the form of a farm is Bhumi—located at a stretch between Gurugram and Faridabad. Run by Sidecar co-founder Minakshi Singh and her husband, Gautam Nijhawan, Bhumi’s core philosophy is steeped in ideals of sustainability.

“At that point in time (of the pandemic), we were all looking inward, and were starved for ideas to invest our free time and energy in. This led to the birth of Bhumi. We spent a whole year planting more than 60 trees, and making it agriculturally sound by seeking help from experts to understand seasonality, soil quality, water issues and more,” Singh tells me.

Today, Bhumi supplies produce to their multiple bars and restaurants throughout the year, and is also a getaway for residents of Delhi-NCR—to spend their day soaking in experiences like farm walks, sand pits for kids, and farm-to-table meals. They also welcome pets, which add an extra edge to them. The onset of the winter season is the perfect time to visit, for Bhumi grows fresh, seasonal and organic produce—and uses it to host weekend brunches that include grills and barbecue menus, with open-fire cooking.

Through all of these farm offerings, NCR is finding a new, urbanised way to experience life at a farm. In this fast-paced world, winters are like a balm to the soul where everyone feels the need to slow down, and savour the season’s best bits. Today, such farms do not only ensure a memorable experience, but also a chance to savour the slow life that we all crave for.

Vernika Awal is a food writer who is known for her research-based articles through her blog ‘Delectable Reveries’