With confectioners and mithai retailers lining virtually each sidewalk, it comes as no shock that Kolkata is the Metropolis of Pleasure. Its residents have been savouring Bengali sweets for — take a guess — over two centuries!
As an illustration, take the ‘Adi Haridas Modak Mistanna Bhandar’ — one of many oldest mithai retailers within the metropolis, which has been churning magic since way back to 1780.
For individuals who love beginning their day on a candy observe or ending it with a feast, there may be all the time the jibe gaja (a fried Bengali snack ready with flour) and kalojam (flour balls deep fried in sugar syrup).
It’s rumour that the outlet was as soon as frequented by the likes of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Raja Ram Mohan Roy. However we aren’t stunned. A more in-depth look reveals that on any given day, it was utterly regular to see one of many revolutionaries and freedom fighters, and even the British Lords cease by for a cuppa with their snack.
In the present day, the photographs on the partitions of those iconic eateries and mithai retailers are a testomony to those tales. And we check out them.
1. Kotal’s Satyanarayan
With conventional sweets glistening in sugar syrup behind the glass facade, in addition to mithais which have been perfected with a brand new spin, Kotal’s Satyanarayan continues to be a favorite hang-out for these with a candy tooth. The sweetmeat manufacturing enterprise home was established in 1952 and has expanded to a series of stores throughout town.
As meals and journey author Malini Banerjee shares in an interview with Conde Nast, “The nolen gurer bacchabog (a candy made with jaggery) at Kotal’s Satyanarayan is implausible. They’re simply the suitable steadiness between spongy and chewy. Additionally they have a kheer filling within the centre, which known as kheerer guti. It’s like just a little shock rosogolla inside. The three-generation outdated store may be very well-known in Tollygunge and Moore Avenue and the bacchabogs are priced at simply Rs15.”
2. Nalin Chandra Das and Sons
A line on the web site catches my eye. “From North to South and East to West, anyplace you’ll be able to go however you must go to Nalin’s store to get scrumptious and unique sorts of sandesh.”
For anybody who’s seeking to spend a leisurely afternoon within the metropolis, this must be a cease. For over 175 years, the candy store has been priding itself on its sandesh (a milk-sweet constructed from contemporary curd cheese). However much more fascinating than the style of their sweets is the story of how they got here up with the primary recipe.
The founder Johuree Lall Das had fled to town from his village in Dubrajhat — the place the Britishers had been forcing Indians to have interaction in indigo cultivation. In Kolkata, he started making sandesh. The story goes {that a} barrister Biswajit Ghosh of Pathuriaghata as soon as gave Das cocoa powder that he introduced again with him from his journey to England and challenged him to organize the sandesh utilizing the powder. Thus, Das made their very first chocolate sandesh, which they proceed to serve at this time.
3. KC Das
Followers of the rosogolla, consideration!
The story of how the candy got here to be is a superb instance of what can transpire with just a little innovation. The rosogolla was the results of a day experiment in 1868 by a person named Nobin Chandra Das. Rolling balls of curdled milk after which boiling them in sugar syrup resulted within the beloved candy that Kolkata and the globe adore.
In keeping with an article in Forbes India, even Rabindranath Tagore was a fan of the place’s rosogollas. The story is commonly retold of a time Tagore was served a pot of rosogollas by one in all his acquaintances. Tagore nibbled at one after which requested if it was Das who had ready these. It wasn’t. Tagore then stated, “When you should feed me rosogollas, make sure that it’s from Nobin’s.”
4. Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick
The visitor listing at this 144-year-old candy store has all the time been colored. From journalists, the likes of Barkha Dutt and Prannoy Roy; and celebrities, the likes of Ranbir Kapoor, to legendary figures similar to Ashutosh Mukherjee (a outstanding Bengali educator) — everybody appears to have relished the fares served right here.
The founder Ganesh Chandra Mullick got here to Kolkata from Konnagar in 1880. He labored for 3 years as a candy karigar in a North Kolkata store earlier than organising Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick in 1883 in Bhowanipore (South Kolkata) on a 450 sq ft land. The eatery is now well-known for its korapak (a Bengali candy made with cottage cheese) and nolen gur (a particular jaggery present in Bengal).
Through the Emergency, when milk was banned, the ladies of the household stepped as much as create sweets out of cashews and pulses to maintain the enterprise working.
5. Chittaranjan Mistanna Bhandar
A serious draw right here is the spongy, candy, dribbling in sugar syrup rosogolla. The truth is, the long-lasting Chittaranjan Mistanna Bhandar is among the 71 licensed candy retailers within the metropolis to promote this GI product of Bengal.
Whereas the rosogollas at this 115-year-old eatery are pleasant — incomes the candy outlet the identify of ‘Rosogolla Wala of Kolkata’ — their madhuporko (a candy constructed from curd, ghee and honey) is equally wonderful. And a fan of it’s none apart from Indian chef Saransh Goila.
6. Girish Chandra Dey And Nakur Chandra Nandy
“I like Calcutta. The meals is simply sensible. Each time I’m going, I should have sweets from Nakur (Girish Chandra Dey & Nakur Chandra Nandy), particularly the jolbhora and manohara,” superstar chef Ranveer Brar shared in an article with Telegraph India.
The eatery is a famend one in Kolkata and one of the vital legendary candy locations. As their web site states, Nakur Chandra Nandy was the son-in-law of the famend confectioner of Shimla, Girish Chandra Dey. The enterprise is a joint initiative by the duo and their sandesh has discovered love in lots of personalities — similar to Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and Satyajit Ray amongst others.
7. Bhim Chandra Nag
Credited with creating the ledikeni, a well-liked Bengali candy, this candy store, over two centuries outdated, has watched town evolve into its current type. On the flip of the nineteenth century, as reform and renaissance had been rife in Bengal, candy retailers started mushrooming throughout town. That’s when Paran Chandra Nag, too, determined to channel his expertise into mithai making at his store in Bowbazar, Kolkata. Beginning in 1826, this seasoned candy store started to amass a fantastic crowd, and amongst them was Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee.
An article in Life-style Asia tells an anecdote of how Girl Canning, spouse of the then viceroy of India, Charles John Canning, was as soon as visiting erstwhile Calcutta in 1858 and wished a particular candy made for her birthday. Nag took up the problem! And it’s this creation that was named after Girl Canning, which over time grew to become ‘ledikeni’.
8. Flury’s
A hub that noticed a flurry of exercise, this outlet on Park Road was based within the yr 1927 by a pair Mr and Mrs J Flury. It was frequented by among the most notable names in each Indian and British historical past. A favorite tea room amongst the royal and politically inclined, the eatery has witnessed individuals from all around the world.
From a single eatery on Park Road to over 68 retailers throughout India, Flury’s model identify has continued to garner love from internationally. The truth is, the eatery was featured on the 2023 listing of ‘150 most legendary dessert locations on the planet’ launched by the favored meals information Style Atlas.
Flury’s rum balls and chocolate sponge cake are pure bliss!
Edited by Pranita Bhat.