Southall Sweetheart
"In multicultural Southall, Jamaican baker Andrea makes fusion pastries that blend Caribbean and South Asian flavors—and when food writer Nikhil tastes her creations, he realizes she's the perfect blend too."
Jerk chicken samosas. Curry goat patties. Andrea's fusion creations were legendary in Southall.
Nikhil came to write about the food. He stayed for the baker.
"Yuh want to know mi secret?" she asked, thick and flour-dusted.
"I want to know everything."
"Everything?" She smiled. "That's a long story."
She told it over her creations. Jamaican mother, grew up around Southall's South Asian community, learned to blend what she loved.
"Fusion is just love," she explained. "Two things that work perfect together."
"Like us?"
"Yuh bold."
"I'm honest."
"Same thing, with yuh."
The article could wait. Connection couldn't.
"Mi don't usually do this," she said, leading him upstairs.
"Do what?"
"Mix business with pleasure."
"I thought fusion was your specialty."
She laughed. "Yuh smooth."
"I learned from the best."
Fusion in her flat was different from fusion in her kitchen. That thick body combining with his in flavors they'd never tasted.
"Yes! Nikhil! Right there!"
Spice and sweet and everything between. Perfect blend.
"Don't stop! We creating something new!"
His article made her famous. Orders flooded in. She needed help.
"Be mi partner?" she asked.
"Business partner?"
"Life partner." She kissed him. "All the partnerships."
"Yes to everything."
Andrea's Fusion Kitchen is a Southall institution now.
Nikhil runs the business side.
Their marriage? The best fusion of all.
Sweetheart.
In every flavor.
Forever blended.