The way Pallavi frames her project is characteristic, both in its modesty and its sly subversiveness...The confounding of expectations is a recurrent and refreshing theme in Pallavi’s narrative. ...One of the pleasures of Pallavi Aiyar’s Punjabi Parmesan is that it addresses the pressing issues of contemporary Europe through a chorus of contrasting voices. Pallavi is a fine interviewer; she has an extraordinary knack for finding interesting people to talk to, on a wide range of subjects – the environment, inter-faith relations, immigration, the crisis of the Euro, the resilience of the German economy, the legacy of imperialism and so on. Her other great strength is her knowledge of India and China: her gift for comparison often leads to unexpected insights.
Amitav Ghosh, amitavghosh.com