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Food | Culture
Discovering a Hidden Gem on the Highway
How some truck stops are keeping Punjabi tradition alive on American roads
If you had told me a few years ago that one of the best vegetarian Punjabi meals I’d ever eat would be at a truck stop in the middle of nowhere, West Virginia, I probably would’ve laughed and asked if you were pulling my leg.
But that’s exactly what happened, and I have to say, it was an unexpectedly heartwarming experience.
My husband is a Sikh whose family hails from the fertile fields of Punjab, a region known for its vibrant culture, rich history, and, of course, its hearty, flavor-packed cuisine. I, on the other hand, come from a blend of cultures myself, with a mother from Gujarat in the west and a father from Andhra Pradesh in the south of India.
Our relationship is a beautiful example to how India, often described as more of a subcontinent than a single country, can bring together people from vastly different backgrounds.
In fact, many of our friends are Punjabi men married to women from southern India. It’s a pairing that might seem like a minor cultural blend to those unfamiliar with India, but it’s quite a significant difference.
