Indian sweets

concoran · May 29th, 2004, 03:53

Quote:

Originally posted by SHIMLA
Kalaakand from Amalner(Maharashtra), Kunda from Belgaum(Karnataka) and Pedhas from Dharwad(Karnataka).
Excellent!

Coudn't agree more ...
Pedha, however, is my favorite.

sillylilly · May 29th, 2004, 04:34

Falooda rocks!

sudheer poppa · May 29th, 2004, 13:21

Slightly over burnt Gulab Jamun is my favourite. ( thats the cheese ball described by "slim" Julie)

Then comes pedha's and those yum yum begali sweets. Agra pedha....

Ladoo, Jilebi, .......

Kheer or Payasam as it is called in southern states.

vasuki · May 30th, 2004, 03:10

How about some Ras-Malai?

sadhuji · Sep 12th, 2004, 22:50

In spite of consumerism having a field day, in spite of DINK philosophy ruling the roost and in spite of Yuppie culture having spread its tentacles far and wide, it is a sorry state of affairs that sweetmeat vendors are left stranded high and dry. They are facing a really tough proposition. Apparently, a vast majority of diseases are related to the heart (of which people know precious little!) and news items continuously caution that such diseases can be directly linked to the intake of sugar. Hence, everyone but everyone is wary of sweet dishes – leaving the poor sweetmeat vendors to fend for themselves.

It is not that sweet dishes do not find any takers or that they have become outdated in the era of hamburgers and pizzas. Only, the nature of dishes has undergone immense changes in the last half century or so.

Bowbazar Street in Kolkata used to be known once upon a time as ‘chhana patti’. On this street there used to be any number of sweetmeat shops proudly displaying mouth varieties of their products. These used to come in all shapes, sizes and colors. There were the cylindrical ones, the round ones, the conical ones and the cubical ones. Some had a yellow tinge, others a flush of pink or a dash of green. Whilst one was as smooth as the shell of an egg, the one in the adjacent tray was covered with sand like particles. Some were of the wet family, others dry or even semi-dry! My vote always used to go to the ‘tal-shash’. Shaped just like the tender kernel of the palm fruit, it boasted of am extremely hard exterior with a deliciously soft centre. How the moyras managed to insert the sweet liquid into its very core is, even today, a mystery.

I am referring to the period of the late fifties.

My brothers and I used to stare longingly at the showcases as we waited for our route bus to arrive – longingly because we were not entitled to any such thing as pocket money which could have been diverted to soothe our desires. The concept of pocket money, in those days, was non existant. When we left for school in the morning, Mother would give me one rupee towards the up and down fare for my three brothers and me. There was no question of any emergency fund because emergencies were unheard of and one rupee was quite adequate – the bus fare being twelve paise per head!

Marriage festivities, in those days, were considered incomplete without an abundance of rosogollas, ladykenis. Even sandesh had its ardent followers.

Such celebrations, today, present a totally different picture. Invitees arrive with gift cheques, bouquets, books and smiles. At the entrance, they are served soft drinks. Caterers guide them gently but firmly to their respective tables and dispose them off in a swift and efficient manner. Additional helpings cause raised eyebrows all around, hence not in the menu! And, the sweet dish has been virtually reduced to a cup of ice cream or a bowl of fruit salad.

Women today are more conscious of their figures and men of their cholesterol levels. The basic approach to gaining and guaranteeing satisfaction is not that sweet any longer as it used to be in the good old days. Bhim Nag, K.C.Das, Ganguram and Jalajoga are just a few names that have become history. Today, cheap imitations rule the roost. True sweeties, alas, can now be discovered only in memories.

other interesting links:
http://peekayjee28.blogspot.com
http://peekayjee29.blogspot.com

iyou · Sep 13th, 2004, 00:20

Sir Thomas More : I should in fairness add that my taste in music is reputedly deplorable.
King Henry VIII : Your taste in music is excellent. It exactly coincides with my own!

SHIMLA · Sep 13th, 2004, 08:50

Even during festivals where the good old "Mithai" used to change hands, we now have "Nestle", "Cadbury's" and "Amul" gift packs !!

Personally, I'll always go for the "Sutar Feni" and "Badami Halwa" of D. Damodar Mithaiwalla, Mumbai; the round, brown moon-shaped "pedhas" of Parsi Dairy, Mumbai; the "Kalakand" of an obscure sweetmeat shop in Amalner; the "Kunda" from anywhere in Belgaum; the "Petha" from Agra and "Kaju Katli" from "Sagar Sweets" in good old Nashik !!!

ikimasho · Sep 13th, 2004, 21:10

i read this great little book in india...i think it was called the sweet vendor???? honestly, i borrowed it from someone and read it in an afternoon...do you know it??

anyway, i loooved it! you reminded me of that book...i wish i could have kept it!

you are going to hate this but i dont eat any sweets, at home or abroad....but i do appreciate the thread!

sadhuji · Sep 13th, 2004, 21:35

i am sorry - i haven't read the book you mentioned.

sadhuji · Sep 21st, 2004, 23:42

i had asked readers of indiatimes.com blog section to enlighten us on this book. one reader has replied - sweet vendor (the vendor of sweets) written by rasipuram krishnaswamy narayan.

could this be the book?

webtraveller · Sep 22nd, 2004, 03:18

Sadhuji
Namaskar
The font you have used is really trouble some to read.
Please use a simple and straight forward one which everybody can read with ease.
Thanks in advance

concoran · Sep 22nd, 2004, 05:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by webtraveller

Sadhuji
Namaskar
The font you have used is really trouble some to read.

ditto,
Thanks

sadhuji · Sep 22nd, 2004, 21:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by webtraveller

Sadhuji
Namaskar
The font you have used is really trouble some to read.
Please use a simple and straight forward one which everybody can read with ease.
Thanks in advance

i have incorporated necessary changes. it looks much more attractive!!

webtraveller · Sep 23rd, 2004, 02:31

Now looks good.
Good thread and good perspective.

lonelyaztec · Apr 28th, 2005, 17:47

Dear Friends,

Today, at office, they served Jelabis as dessert.

I am wondering, if it is nice when consumed directly, ie just like that. Or, does it taste even more better with cold milk or vanilla ice cream.

May 29th, 2004, 13:21	#33
sudheer poppa Senior brick in the wall Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Pole Posts: 1,475	Slightly over burnt Gulab Jamun is my favourite. ( thats the cheese ball described by "slim" Julie) Then comes pedha's and those yum yum begali sweets. Agra pedha.... Ladoo, Jilebi, ....... Kheer or Payasam as it is called in southern states. __________________ We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools - MLK Pic Page 1 Pic Page 2 When my life changed over a week

Sep 12th, 2004, 22:50	#35
sadhuji Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: nasik, maharastra Posts: 1,261	sweets of india In spite of consumerism having a field day, in spite of DINK philosophy ruling the roost and in spite of Yuppie culture having spread its tentacles far and wide, it is a sorry state of affairs that sweetmeat vendors are left stranded high and dry. They are facing a really tough proposition. Apparently, a vast majority of diseases are related to the heart (of which people know precious little!) and news items continuously caution that such diseases can be directly linked to the intake of sugar. Hence, everyone but everyone is wary of sweet dishes – leaving the poor sweetmeat vendors to fend for themselves. It is not that sweet dishes do not find any takers or that they have become outdated in the era of hamburgers and pizzas. Only, the nature of dishes has undergone immense changes in the last half century or so. Bowbazar Street in Kolkata used to be known once upon a time as ‘chhana patti’. On this street there used to be any number of sweetmeat shops proudly displaying mouth varieties of their products. These used to come in all shapes, sizes and colors. There were the cylindrical ones, the round ones, the conical ones and the cubical ones. Some had a yellow tinge, others a flush of pink or a dash of green. Whilst one was as smooth as the shell of an egg, the one in the adjacent tray was covered with sand like particles. Some were of the wet family, others dry or even semi-dry! My vote always used to go to the ‘tal-shash’. Shaped just like the tender kernel of the palm fruit, it boasted of am extremely hard exterior with a deliciously soft centre. How the moyras managed to insert the sweet liquid into its very core is, even today, a mystery. I am referring to the period of the late fifties. My brothers and I used to stare longingly at the showcases as we waited for our route bus to arrive – longingly because we were not entitled to any such thing as pocket money which could have been diverted to soothe our desires. The concept of pocket money, in those days, was non existant. When we left for school in the morning, Mother would give me one rupee towards the up and down fare for my three brothers and me. There was no question of any emergency fund because emergencies were unheard of and one rupee was quite adequate – the bus fare being twelve paise per head! Marriage festivities, in those days, were considered incomplete without an abundance of rosogollas, ladykenis. Even sandesh had its ardent followers. Such celebrations, today, present a totally different picture. Invitees arrive with gift cheques, bouquets, books and smiles. At the entrance, they are served soft drinks. Caterers guide them gently but firmly to their respective tables and dispose them off in a swift and efficient manner. Additional helpings cause raised eyebrows all around, hence not in the menu! And, the sweet dish has been virtually reduced to a cup of ice cream or a bowl of fruit salad. Women today are more conscious of their figures and men of their cholesterol levels. The basic approach to gaining and guaranteeing satisfaction is not that sweet any longer as it used to be in the good old days. Bhim Nag, K.C.Das, Ganguram and Jalajoga are just a few names that have become history. Today, cheap imitations rule the roost. True sweeties, alas, can now be discovered only in memories. other interesting links: http://peekayjee28.blogspot.com http://peekayjee29.blogspot.com Last edited by sadhuji : Sep 22nd, 2004 at 21:53. Reason: change background color

Sep 13th, 2004, 00:20	#36
iyou Maha Guru Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon USA Posts: 502	Sir Thomas More : I should in fairness add that my taste in music is reputedly deplorable. King Henry VIII : Your taste in music is excellent. It exactly coincides with my own! __________________ . . . --May a moody baby doom a yam.

Sep 13th, 2004, 08:50	#37
SHIMLA Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Yangon, MYANMAR Posts: 4,126	Even during festivals where the good old "Mithai" used to change hands, we now have "Nestle", "Cadbury's" and "Amul" gift packs !! Personally, I'll always go for the "Sutar Feni" and "Badami Halwa" of D. Damodar Mithaiwalla, Mumbai; the round, brown moon-shaped "pedhas" of Parsi Dairy, Mumbai; the "Kalakand" of an obscure sweetmeat shop in Amalner; the "Kunda" from anywhere in Belgaum; the "Petha" from Agra and "Kaju Katli" from "Sagar Sweets" in good old Nashik !!! __________________ Whoever said money can't buy happiness didn't know where to shop !

Sep 13th, 2004, 21:10	#38
ikimasho Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: osaka, japan Posts: 140	i read this great little book in india...i think it was called the sweet vendor???? honestly, i borrowed it from someone and read it in an afternoon...do you know it?? anyway, i loooved it! you reminded me of that book...i wish i could have kept it! you are going to hate this but i dont eat any sweets, at home or abroad....but i do appreciate the thread! __________________ "To be enlightened is to be enlightened about something." Thich Nhat Hahn

May 29th, 2004, 04:34	#32
sillylilly monki..me? Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 162	Falooda rocks!

May 30th, 2004, 03:10	#34
vasuki mast maula Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: कोटगढ़ / नारकंडा / शिमला Kotgarh / Narkanda / Shimla Posts: 546	How about some Ras-Malai?

Sep 13th, 2004, 21:35	#39
sadhuji Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: nasik, maharastra Posts: 1,261	sweet vendor i am sorry - i haven't read the book you mentioned.

Sep 21st, 2004, 23:42	#40
sadhuji Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: nasik, maharastra Posts: 1,261	i had asked readers of indiatimes.com blog section to enlighten us on this book. one reader has replied - sweet vendor (the vendor of sweets) written by rasipuram krishnaswamy narayan. could this be the book?

Sep 22nd, 2004, 03:18	#41
webtraveller Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 243	Sadhuji Namaskar The font you have used is really trouble some to read. Please use a simple and straight forward one which everybody can read with ease. Thanks in advance

Sep 23rd, 2004, 02:31	#44
webtraveller Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 243	Now looks good. Good thread and good perspective.

Apr 28th, 2005, 17:47	#45
lonelyaztec Maha Guru Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,498	Hot Jelabis - directly or with milk ? Dear Friends, Today, at office, they served Jelabis as dessert. I am wondering, if it is nice when consumed directly, ie just like that. Or, does it taste even more better with cold milk or vanilla ice cream. __________________ Aztec My photoblog

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