A Bengalis love for sweet is legendary, and why shouldn’t it be so. After all, the 5th century physician Charaka argued that the word ‘gur’ for jaggery in many Indian languages comes from the word ‘Gaud’, the ancient name of Bengal. That says a thing or two about the antiquity of Bengal’s love for gur. And if we start talking about gur and Bengal, the conversation has to steer towards the beloved Khejur gur – date palm jaggery!
If mangoes are the reason to love summers, then khejurer gur is the sweet whispers of a Bengali winter. The deep caramel, musky, earthy khejurer gur plays a symphony of notes on the palate. And like all beautiful things, it lasts a season and then keeps us longing for more.
My love for khejurer gur and Kolkata, both have been amplified by age. The subtlety and charm of both are interlinked in my psyche. I have been eager to feature to both through Social Tables, and while that wheel is still turning; here is my ode to the city and the sweet whispers of a Bengali winter.
Gurer payesh mousse, salted gur caramel sauce, gur pistachios and rose petals toffee, gur merengues, and jhola gur stuffed white chocolate baati.
