RoseMary, my beloved aunt, used to be able to talk in circles around me.  A constant stream of words, detailed memories, bird-like observations of everyone around: this was RoseMary.  Until about five years ago, that is, when vascular dementia took hold of this once-unstoppable woman.  Now, she can barely string together a few words into a coherent meaning.

Old Delhi, India, May 2014

Last year, in a packed and fragrant spice shop off a teeming Old Delhi street, I spoke with the proprietor, who claimed that liberal use of turmeric in Indian cooking is the reason that alzheimer rates are so low in India.  Nationalistic claim or truth?  I squirreled away the information and continued inhaling the cardamom pod I had been given.

Today, the BBC included this article on the benefits of turmeric  in their daily news feed.  Any one know good Indian cooking classes in the Boston area?  I need to sign up, fast.

Spice shop, Old Delhi, 2014