Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Christmas vacation in East II- Missing the Misti makes me Misty about Kolkata




Ganguram, Girish Chandra Dey & Nakur Chandra Nandy, Sen Mahasay, K.C. Das, Jadab Chandra Das, Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick, Gupta Brothers and Hindusthan Sweets these are certain names which can make you drool literally anytime despite the fact that majority of these BHADRALOK have gone to OPARLOK already but perfectly so as they are stalwarts of Kolkata HALWAIS carrying the Flag or say can of Bengali sweets high all across the world.

Established in 1885 Balaram Mullick and Radharaman Mullick is a sweet shop Founded by Ganesh Chandra Mullick who began by making korapak sondesh, norompak sondesh and nolen gurer (jaggery) sondesh {if he comes in his own a true blooded Bengali can name more than twenty Sondesh and take up cudgels against uncouth Bangal(East Bengali) for calling his Malpua as Sondesh while a true blooded Dhakiaa(Dhaka resident) will never miss a chance to have his Pranhara(Life savior) as Sondesh is called locally in end we are all so much similar I remember having a dish quite different in taste but equally tasty as being called Madurai Jigar Thanda(cooler) in Coimbatore }.The legacy of Ganesh Chandra Mullick was carried forward by his brothers Shree Balaram Mullick and his son Radharaman Mullick. has become a throbbing venture of five generations.

The legendary sweets like sorrabri, sor bhaja, kachagolla, abarkhabo sandesh, mihidana, sitabhog, patisapta, lal misti doi, rossomalai , chanar payesh( I can always make a tongue twister out of these words for the kids but than by the time these touch tongue they melt…Ha! Ha!) are still prepared the same way it was used to be prepared a century ago Trademark Bengali utensils like lohar petano kadai and kather taroo are used to make sandesh. Using charcoal wherever required is used to make some rare delicacies to give that subtle flavour.(See the citiataion given to them)



No comments: