Priyadarshini Chatterjee’s First Bite looks at breakfast as history, habit and necessity

Migration has also shaped what is often perceived as “local” tradition. “One thing that surprised me,” she says, “was how we associate Kolkata breakfast with kochuri-torkari, often bought from sweet shops.” What is less acknowledged is that the city’s confectionery history is not solely Bengali. “Many North Indian migrant confectioners from Varanasi, Kannauj, and nearby regions set up stores here.” Alongside this runs the equally rich history of Kolkata’s Chinese community, underscoring how multiple migrant networks have shaped the city’s morning plate. In the South, the now-ubiquitous dosa, especially the masala dosa, owes its spread to Udupi Brahmin migrants who…