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Chocolate Ganesha shuns laddoo: The Pioneer
New Delhi, Oct 29:With fireworks taking on the government`s ire this Diwali, food sneaks into top position on our priority lists. Diwali this year also comes laden with prefixes - the government calls it a Green Diwali while in patisserie parlance it`s being called a Chocolate Diwali.
New Delhi, Oct 29:With fireworks taking on the government's ire this Diwali, food sneaks into top position on our priority lists. Diwali this year also comes laden with prefixes - the government calls it a Green Diwali while in patisserie parlance it's being called a Chocolate Diwali.
Pastry Chef Avijit Ghosh, at Hotel Oberoi, says the festival of lights seems to have morphed into a celebration of chocolate with hazelnut. "Over the past few years, the focus seems to have shifted completely from Indian sweets to more western chocolates," says he. "Even dry fruits don't have very many takers this year. People seem to prefer chocolates filled with nuts. And surprisingly, this year, for some reason everyone wants hazelnut. Be it chocolates with the nut filling or cakes and pastries in hazelnut flavour," says the chef.
According to him, delicacies more usually attached with Christmas celebrations have replaced traditional Diwali sweetmeats. "We've been receiving huge orders for Diwali cakes and pastries," says Ghosh.
"Cakes with gold coloured icing and chocolate diyas on top of them are very in demand." The Gourmet Shop at the Oberoi also offers wine and cheese gift hampers. The Golden hamper for Rs 1,700 and above comes laden with dry fruit, chocolates, assorted cookies, a range of delicately packed teas, Edam Ball cheese, pralines, honey, banana and rum cake, incense, candles, sparklers and a bottle of wine. Gaurav Dhingra of Defence Bakery at the Defence Colony market says the shop's inhouse hampers seem to be selling more than their branded counterpart. "Because of the worm scare, the sale of branded chocolate has plummeted. More and more people are beginning to 'create' their own hampers. Cakes are very in this time," says the bakery owner. Avijit agrees, "People prefer hampers made to order. They want a say in packaging as well." And, this Diwali, creativity has found a special place. "Attractive packaging is a must. Colourful cellophane is out. Pastel, glossy cloth with gold ribbons and silver containers are a must. A gift hamper this year also stands incomplete without a small Ganpati, artistic diyas and incense. In fact Indian sweet vendors like Nathu's at Defence Colony say that decoration is essential for Indian sweets too. Plain gulab jamuns and rajbhogs are not appreciated, people instead are picking out dry sweets with cream patterns on top. Chef Mahesh Upreti, of the Sidewalk pastry shop at Hyatt Regency, too thinks packaging has assumed a lot more importance this year. "Colourful items like jujubes and candy are doing very well," he tells us. "Cane baskets are in this time," he adds. Huge baskets of various shapes decorated with colourful ribbon and lace look attractive with bright red and green jujubes arranged on the side. "Never before had jujubes been in so much demand. People are picking out stuff that keeps longer, especially for corporate gifts. Therefore, cookies and fudge are selling well," says Upreti. Even Nirula's gift hampers come loaded with colourful jujubes and fudge. Starting at Rs 107, the Nirula's hampers offer an assortment of special cakes, chocolates, candy, condiments and syrups tastefully packed in attractive gift baskets. There is though no denying the chocolate blast this year. "My chocolate mud cakes are doing extremely well. Even pralines are selling quite a bit," says Upreti. The traditional gujias and ghewars on the other hand don't seem anywhere in sight. Both chef Upreti and Avijit think Delhiwalas have "grown" in terms of taste and are pretty aware of food developments. "The customer now knows what he wants," says Avijit, "and is even ready to pay more for it." Pastry shops at the Oberoi and the Hyatt have been recording sales of Rs 2.75 lakh and 1.70 lakh respectively every day! Hampers for the diabetic are also being sold. Chocolates low on sugar, cakes sweetened with Equal, make for the special diabetic hampers. Harry Potter and Barbie-shaped cakes are available at Breads & More at N Block, GK I. The create-your-own kind of hamper allows you to choose from a wide variety of muffins, cookies, chocolates and cakes. The baskets which house the hampers themselves are by and large designer. Prices, of the hampers, vary from Rs 100 to Rs 1,000.
According to him, delicacies more usually attached with Christmas celebrations have replaced traditional Diwali sweetmeats. "We've been receiving huge orders for Diwali cakes and pastries," says Ghosh.
"Cakes with gold coloured icing and chocolate diyas on top of them are very in demand." The Gourmet Shop at the Oberoi also offers wine and cheese gift hampers. The Golden hamper for Rs 1,700 and above comes laden with dry fruit, chocolates, assorted cookies, a range of delicately packed teas, Edam Ball cheese, pralines, honey, banana and rum cake, incense, candles, sparklers and a bottle of wine. Gaurav Dhingra of Defence Bakery at the Defence Colony market says the shop's inhouse hampers seem to be selling more than their branded counterpart. "Because of the worm scare, the sale of branded chocolate has plummeted. More and more people are beginning to 'create' their own hampers. Cakes are very in this time," says the bakery owner. Avijit agrees, "People prefer hampers made to order. They want a say in packaging as well." And, this Diwali, creativity has found a special place. "Attractive packaging is a must. Colourful cellophane is out. Pastel, glossy cloth with gold ribbons and silver containers are a must. A gift hamper this year also stands incomplete without a small Ganpati, artistic diyas and incense. In fact Indian sweet vendors like Nathu's at Defence Colony say that decoration is essential for Indian sweets too. Plain gulab jamuns and rajbhogs are not appreciated, people instead are picking out dry sweets with cream patterns on top. Chef Mahesh Upreti, of the Sidewalk pastry shop at Hyatt Regency, too thinks packaging has assumed a lot more importance this year. "Colourful items like jujubes and candy are doing very well," he tells us. "Cane baskets are in this time," he adds. Huge baskets of various shapes decorated with colourful ribbon and lace look attractive with bright red and green jujubes arranged on the side. "Never before had jujubes been in so much demand. People are picking out stuff that keeps longer, especially for corporate gifts. Therefore, cookies and fudge are selling well," says Upreti. Even Nirula's gift hampers come loaded with colourful jujubes and fudge. Starting at Rs 107, the Nirula's hampers offer an assortment of special cakes, chocolates, candy, condiments and syrups tastefully packed in attractive gift baskets. There is though no denying the chocolate blast this year. "My chocolate mud cakes are doing extremely well. Even pralines are selling quite a bit," says Upreti. The traditional gujias and ghewars on the other hand don't seem anywhere in sight. Both chef Upreti and Avijit think Delhiwalas have "grown" in terms of taste and are pretty aware of food developments. "The customer now knows what he wants," says Avijit, "and is even ready to pay more for it." Pastry shops at the Oberoi and the Hyatt have been recording sales of Rs 2.75 lakh and 1.70 lakh respectively every day! Hampers for the diabetic are also being sold. Chocolates low on sugar, cakes sweetened with Equal, make for the special diabetic hampers. Harry Potter and Barbie-shaped cakes are available at Breads & More at N Block, GK I. The create-your-own kind of hamper allows you to choose from a wide variety of muffins, cookies, chocolates and cakes. The baskets which house the hampers themselves are by and large designer. Prices, of the hampers, vary from Rs 100 to Rs 1,000.