150th Birthday of ROSOGOLLA

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA           December 31, 2018           05.45 P.M. 

 

It is 150th year of Mahatma Gandhi.

But few people know that it is 150th year of a Bengali sweet known and called ” ROSOGOLLA ” also.

 

Rosogolla

 

But here lies the controversy. Rosogolla is always known as a Bengali sweet. But all of a sudden Odisha started claiming that Rosogolla is Odia.

I was perplex. For all my life I always knew and believed that Rosogolla is a Bengali sweet . Nobin Chandra Das , the famous Bengali , is credited to invent this sweet in 1868 . He , along with his family , used to live in the Baghbazar locality of northern Calcutta [ now known as Kolkata ] .

 

Columbus of Rosogolla – Nobin Chandra Das

 

Despite these known facts , some Odia zealots started claiming that Rosogoll has Odia origins. Watch the photos and realize that Bengalis have not only invented this sweet but they have become connoisseurs and gave several variations to Rosogolla, which is not common in Odisha .

Rosogolla

 

Nolen Gurer Rosogolla

 

Khejur Gurer Rosogolla

 

Dry Rosogolla

 

Coloured Rosogolla

 

Creamy Baked Rosogolla

 

Chocolate Rosogolla

 

Payesh Rosogolla

 

This brazen and bizarre claim of Odisha was not supposed to be taken lightly in West Bengal . Matter was fiercely debated in Bengal and finally West Bengal government reached GI [ Geographical Indication ] . After a 26-month legal tussle, West Bengal government won the case on November 14, 2017 .

In 2018 Rosogolla became 150 years old and to commemorate the auspicious event West Bengal government issued a special stamp . It was launched at the inaugural function of ” Baghbazar-O-Rosogolla Utsab ” .

Earlier this year, the State government observed November 14 as Rosogolla Day to mark one year of obtaining the GI tag.

My tryst with Rosogolla in particular and other Bengali sweet in general started very early in my life . In my Deoria house , there was a shop of Bengali sweets , known as Jalojog . I tasted Rosogolla once and became a life-long fan and now I can proudly claim that I am a Rosogolla connoisseur . So I refused to believe that Rosogolla is in any way related to Odisha .

I am happy that finally this unnecessary controversy will be put to rest. Odisha has many good things to offer but Rosogolla is quintessential Bengali and it should remain so.

 

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I have taken some facts and figures from Sunday edition of DNA – Daily News & Analysis , a popular news paper. Pictures of various Rosogollas have been taken from Wikipedia .

I express gratitude on behalf of all the students & staff of VIDUR Acting Institute , VIDUR Editing Studio , VIDUR Club and VIDUR Merchandise .

 

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Happy 250th Birthday To The Sandwitch

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA           MAY 25 , 2012           02.25 A.M.

Last week I came across an innocuous news item in the Mumbai edition of Times Of India that our snack – cum – food a.k.a. Sandwich completed 250 years of its existence .I never knew that Sandwich was nowhere in the scene before 1762 .

I never knew that Sandwich is the name of a town , a small and non – decrepit port town , in the Dover district and Kent County of United Kingdom .

I never knew that John Montagu , 4th Earl of Sandwich [ 1718 – 1792 ] , a British statesman , was the inventor of this world-famous food item . And that , he invented this snack – cum – food item inadvertently . He , apart from being inventor of Sandwich , was Postmaster General , First Lord of Admiralty and Secretary of State for the Northern Department .

John Montagu – 4th Earl of Sandwich

4th Earl of Sandwich was considered a daring man because in those conservative times , he ate with his fingers . As story goes , in May 1762 , while playing the game of cards , he ordered his valet to serve him beef tucked between two slices of bread so that he could eat while playing cards . Later on his friends also asked ” to have the same as Sandwich “ . And thus slowly , Sandwich came into being .

In the beginning it was a non – veg food item . But slowly other forms of Sandwich also came into being . Veg Sandwich is another popular form .

Veg Sandwich

Soon grilled Sandwich made its entry in the scene . Later on it was improvised further and grilled Cheese Sandwich came into being . Club Sandwich is the another variant , which is very popular .

Grilled Sandwich

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Club Sandwich

As its popularity grew , it reached various other countries . Apart from Cuban and Turkish variants , Chicken Shwarma of Lebanon is the most popular , world – famous and known variant of the original Sandwich . Tuna Fish Sandwich is another hugely popular improvised version , which is savoured by rich and famous .

Cuban Sandwich

Tuna Fish Salad Sandwich

Turkey Sandwich

Shwarma Sandwich of Lebanon

Popularity of Sandwich as a convenient food item never diminished . In the modern era , multi – national food giants also jumped in the fray . American fast – food giant McDonald’s was the first to capitalize on the popularity of Sandwich and came with the Hamburger and Burger variants , which took the world by storm . Started in May 15 , 1940 , this fast – food American giant has now more than 33,000 outlets world – wide .

Logo of McDonald’s

Hamburger

Burger

Subway is another multi – national food – chain , which made a late entry and soon spread its tentacles world – wide . Unlike McDonald’s , it is dedicated to Sandwiches only . Stablished in August 28 , 1965 , it has now more than 36,833 outlets in 100 countries .

Logo of Subway

Subway Sandwiches

Subway Sandwich

Club Sandwich With Fries

In modern times , as popularity of Sandwiches grew further , there were several inventions like electric toasters to facilitate its making more easier , fast and convenient .

Sandwich Toaster

Later on ketchup and various kinds of Mayonnaise also came and people started using them as toppings and fillings with Sandwiches . Among ketchup , Heinz is the most famous and renowned ketchup company . It is followed by Maggi and our own Indian Kissan brands . Smith & Jones is another lesser known brand of ketchup available in India .

Mayonnaise

Heinz Tomato Ketchup

Maggi Tomato Ketchup

Kissan Tomato Ketchup

Smith & Jones Samosa Chutney

Indian palate is very familiar with mustard . We use it in pickles and other food items . So in India , a peculiar version of Sandwich emerged . Sweet Mustard ketchup and its Bengali cousin Kasundi emerged as extra fillings for Sandwiches with cucumber , tomato and onion  .

Sweet Mustard Ketchup

Kasundi of Bengal

Though use of various Jam , Jelly and marmalade with bread pieces can’t be called Sandwich in true sense of the term , but for sweet – loving Indians , it was a popular option and it has now become a ubiquitious food item of our homes for morning and evening snacks . Our own desi Kissan is present here also and Kissan Jam is one of the highest selling product  .

Kissan Jam

Hawaiian Sun Jelly

Savaille Orange Marmalade

Hazelnut Spread , Peanut Spread , Cheese Spread and several other spreads are also available to sweeten our morning breakfast . You can’t call them Sandwiches but their popularity in India would have amazed Earl of Sandwich .

Hazelnut Filling

In these 250 years of its existence , Sandwich has taken many avatars . I would love to provide another version of Sandwich , which is popular in my house . I can call it Bhojpuri version or variant of Sandwich . Take two pieces of bread and roast it properly . Put lavish spread of butter on the pieces .Then take two extra ripe bananas and cut then in round pieces . Now  put pieces of extra ripe banana as fillings between two pieces of bread . Sprinkle salt and black pepper on it . Your Bhojpuri variant of Sandwich is ready for a bite . If you wish you can grill it also . So Bhojpuri Banana Sandwich and Bhojpuri Banana Grilled Sandwich are now available . Do try them .

I am sure , after hearing about this Bhojpuri Variant of Sandwich , John Montagu , the 4th Earl of Sandwich must be turning in his grave .

John Montagu – 4th Earl of Sandwich – Originator of Sandwich

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Pongal the Food ; Not the Festival

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA           JANUARY 28 , 2012           01.40 A.M.

I always knew that Pongal is very important festival of Tamil Nadu . During my Allahabad days and then during my stay in Deoria , my native place , I came to know more about Pongal , the festival . This festival is akin to Makar Sankranti of North India .

Decoration for Pongal Festival

Pongal’s pan – Indian appeal is now known to all . Now even North Indians greet their Tamil friends on the occasion of Pongal .

Recently I went to Tamil Nadu for pilgrimage . Every single Tamil in the restaurant was ordering a dish for breakfast . It was called Pongal . I thought I am listening something else or simply I am not understanding the word properly . When a waiter approached me , he simply asked , what do you have sir ? Pongal – Dosai or Pongal – Vadai ? I was curious . I knew some of the South Indian delicacies like ; Dosa , Idali , Vada , Uthappam and Upma . I have eaten Appam also with Gassi , vegetables made in South Indian style . In deserts , I am fond of Thallaneer Payasam and Madurai Halwa . But Pongal ? I have never heard of this delicacy . Out of sheer curiosity , I ordered the dish .

Pongal

I was shocked beyond belief when I ate it . It was so delicious .

It is a dish made of coarse rice cooked with lot of water . More than normal water is used , so that it should  not become dry as normal rice . Pepper , ginger , salt and curry leaves are used to make it spicy . If you wish , you can add some dry fruits also to make it more tasty.

Pongal Being Cooked

It is served hot with Rasam and Chutney . I had my sumptuous breakfast of Pongal – Vadai and immediately became addicted . I ate it daily till my last day of stay there.

I am not a food – writer . So I cannot write much about the elaborate cooking process of Pongal and my prose is also not very lucid . It is a lay man’s account of the dish , which is tasty beyond belief .

Pongal - Vadai

I got hooked to Pongal and shall remain so till the last breath of my life .

In a Restaurant at Vaitheeswarankoil , Tamil Nadu

 

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1oo Years of Sliced Bread

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA           JANUARY 04 , 2012           00.15 A.M.

Just read a very interesting news item in today’s ” Mumbai Mirror ” and was tempted to write a blog .

Sliced bread completes 100 years in 2012 . It has become a part of our lives and no one thinks that it was non – existent before 100 years . But the fact of the matter is that sliced bread first surfaced in 1912 . Now it has become an inseparable part of our lives .

 

Sliced Bread

American jeweller Otto Rohwedder is credited to invent the machine to cut the loaf into pieces . He invented the machine in 1912 . But unfortunately this primitive machine was destroyed in a fire .

 

Birth Place of Sliced Bread in Missouri , U.S.A.

Otto Rohwedder took another 16 years and made another bread slicer machine in 1928 . This machine sliced the bread as well as wrapped it too .

 

Bread Slicing Machine in 1930

Within 5 years of this invention unsliced breads started fading .

I remember my childhood days in Deoria , Uttar Pradesh . I used to visit a Sindhi bakery shop to buy loaf , unsliced bread . The Sindhi baker used to cut that loaf into pieces as per our demand . Later on in the 60s sliced bread made its entry in Deoria and since then it has become almost a part of my life .

 

Unsliced Bread

Difficult to imagine a life without sliced bread . And now I know the full meaning of the proverb ; ” the best thing since sliced bread “ or ” the greatest forward step in the baking industry since bread was wrapped “.

Thrilled and happy that 2012 is its centenary year .

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