A Winter Wrapped in Warm Peanuts

✉ Dear Reader, 

❄ Winter has stepped in once again… slow, quiet, and familiar. The air has turned softer, the evenings arrive a little earlier, and all of us seem to wait for the holidays — those gentle gatherings with our loved ones, warm dinners, short trips, and unhurried late-night conversations before a glowing bonfire. 🔥

A bowl of hot soup, warm food shared with cousins… even writing this pulls me back into the winters of my childhood. 

Those early mornings still feel alive in my memory… the soft hush of birds waking up, their chirping thinner and quieter than usual, as if wrapped in the cold air. 🕊️🐦

I remember curling deeper into the warm bed, trying to keep the warmth from escaping, while my grandmother prepared fresh filter coffee in the kitchen. The aroma would fill the entire house… rich, warm, comforting. ☕🤎 

Before bath, she would apply warm sesame oil on me — gentle hands, slow strokes, as if sealing warmth into my skin for the whole day. The oil smell, the winter air, the quiet morning… it all felt like a small ritual of love.

Everyone in the house dressed in warm clothes, greeting each other with soft smiles, and beginning their day a little slower than usual. Winter had its own pace… a peaceful one. 

Outside, sparrows hid in their tiny corners, huddled together as if sharing stories of the cold. 🐦❄️

My grandmother would place extra food outside, feeding the animals more during winter, as if they too needed a little extra care to get through the cold days. 

I remember those foggy mornings so clearly… the mountains wrapped in thick clouds, the roads disappearing into mist, the scent of moist soil rising from the ground. 🌫️🌿

My sister and I would walk together, hand in hand, pressing our cold cheeks against each other and laughing at how chilly they felt. And every time we spoke, a tiny cloud of smoke would escape our mouths — a small magic only winter could bring. 

And in those cold days, I always longed for warm food… especially peanuts. 🥜🤎

Yes, I have always liked peanuts — simple, earthy, comforting. They bring warmth to the body, support immunity, and keep the skin healthy during winter. With their healthy fats and protein, they create a quiet heat from within — the kind that feels just right on a cold day. 

I come from a place where peanut fields stretch far, and because of that, my grandmother and mother made countless varieties with them. Peanut chikki made with jaggery and fresh peanuts, boiled peanuts warm and soft, roasted peanuts crackling between the fingers… these were part of my everyday winter. 

Back in my school days, peanut chikki was considered one of the best and healthiest snacks. 🍯🥜

It was found everywhere, but the ones made at home — with good jaggery and clean peanuts — always tasted different. We packed them during travel, on trips, and even in our lunch boxes. 

In our region, peanuts blend beautifully into many foods — salads, spiced powders, different chutneys. 🌶️🥗

These were tucked into our lunch boxes, paired with rice, bread, or roti, and carried along on journeys. Some of my fondest memories are of train rides — buying roasted, boiled, or masala peanuts from vendors, taking the window seat, and watching the world pass by with a small packet of warm peanuts in my hands. 🚂🥜

Even today, whenever my father visits places known for peanuts, he brings me peanut chikki… a small piece of my childhood wrapped in sweetness. 

So tell me, dear reader… ❄️

When winter returns, what memory comes back to you?

Which snack or simple food still holds your childhood within it? 

I would truly love to hear your story. ✨

With warmth and love,

✍️ Raasi