"Better, stronger and 'delicious' together": Eric Garcetti inaugurates 'Taste of America Booth' in India
Mar 08, 2024
New Delhi [India], March 8 : The US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, inaugurated the Foreign Agricultural Service Taste of America Booth at Bharat Mandapam.
At the event, Eric Garcetti emphasised the stronger ties between India and the US.
He said, "Better together, stronger together--I would say even more delicious together. So we are so excited to launch this booth to encourage our Indian friends to think with us, to cook with us, to plan with us."
Garcetti said that he wanted to make this bridge two-way, bringing more Indian products to the United States and more American products to India.
"Because that's a sort of win-win. When we see agricultural products that might come from a farm in Punjab that are on a table in Los Angeles, that's a great day in America," the US Ambassador to India added.
Adding on to his statement at the inauguration, Eric said, "I accept the challenge, and I've been eating the delicious ways that American products have integrated into the Indian way of life. And by the way, you add something to us, whether it's a masala flavoured nut or whether it's a recipe for a traditional Indian dish that might have American duck or turkey in it."
Earlier, Garcetti had talked about Indian food and how much he liked it. He visited the Tamil Nadu Bhawan in New Delhi and tried some South Indian delicacies on a banana leaf and shared his experience tasting various Maharashtrian delicacies.
Focusing on the joint collaboration, the US Ambassador to India stated, "something from California on a table in a family in UP, Chennai, or Mumbai. That is a great day for us and for Indians. So I want to thank everybody, especially Fifi, for making this possible, and thank you for your leadership."
At the event in Bharat Mandapam, Eric said, "We know that this is more than just bringing good food. This is about Indian jobs. We know that when there's more American agriculture here, there'll be more Indian jobs. And that's a real win-win for everybody."
He concluded his speech by thanking the people and saying, Let's cut this ribbon and make this official.
Additionally, the Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) will manage a rather large booth (18 square meters) at the USA pavilion to promote various US foods and ingredients.
Along with our FAS booth, this year's USA pavilion will feature various FAS trade associations/cooperators, representing various US products, including the California Walnut Commission, US Cranberries, US Pecans, US Eggs, the Poultry Export Council, and more.
Participation in this trade show provides a great opportunity to create awareness about US ingredients, as there is a growing demand and interest for tree nuts and berries from general consumers and importers.
On Friday, March 8, for the inauguration of the FAS Taste of America booth, there will be a variety of delectable samples. These include duck and turkey sandwiches made using smoked duck breast and turkey pastrami, a Holi festival treat - Gujiya, a sweet Indian empanada with US pecans, and Chickpea Crackers served with US hazelnut spread.