Book review: Sweet Chronicles : A journey through the history of Indian sweets
Title: Sweet Chronicles : A journey through the history of Indian sweets
Author: 19 authors, including me
Conceptualized by: Samata Dey Bose
Genre: Non fiction, Anthology
Pages: 225
Publishers: Blue Rose
I present to all of you with immense pleasure that I am reviewing the book that I am a part of ! How exciting is that! The last time my work got published was a coffee table book and that was way back in 2017. So I am double excited to share this book with you all!
Sweet Chronicles: A journey through the history of Indian sweets, as the name suggests, is a book about sweets. It's an anthology that is the brainchild of Samata Dey Bose. We 19 authors have come together to write about our favourite sweets. We each one of us picked up a sweet and dissected it with respect to its history, origin, preparation, taste, etc etc. The 19 of us have worked diligently to bring out the best of our favourite sweetmeat.
So these are the sweets that have been elaborately described: Rashogolla, Mysore Pak, Jalebi, Rabdi, Ghevar, Sandesh, Kaju katli, Ukadiche Modak, Modok, Joynagarer Moya, Akkaradisal, Hayagreeva, Imarti, GulabJamun, Pinni, Dodha, Gujiya, Sitabhog and Mihidana, Mishti Doi and Peda.
I chose to write about Joynagarer Moya (quite an unusual choice) because I intended to tell the world about it. While sweets like Ras Malai, Chhanar Jilepi or the quintessential nolen gurer roshogolla and shandesh are universal favourites (and of course mine too), this seasonal Moya holds a particular place in my heart. It’s available only during winters (since it’s made of date palm jaggery). And staying outside Bengal made my heart grow even fonder. So, my ode is dedicated to this seasonal underdog of Bengali mishtanna bhandaar!
I am sure sweets make everything better because "stressed" spelt backwards is "desserts". Whether you have a sweet tooth or not, this book is bound to bring a smile to your faces .
You can get the book here.
This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘BookishCafeBloghop2024’ hosted by Rakhi Jayashankar and Samata Dey Bose
13 comments
After reading your piece on Joyanagrer Moa, I looked it up. I would love to try this sweet, for it sounds delish. I am going to try and find it in Delhi.
ReplyDeletePopular delights like gulab jamun and rasgulla area something I look forward to devour them everytime I happen to come across them. You have aptly highlighted Joynagarer Moya. They say they like this candy, especially since it's only available in the winter and brings back memories of being in Bengal. This book will make people happy regardless of their sweet craving in a hilarious reflection on the uplifting influence of sweets can be understood very well from your post.
ReplyDeleteOhhh I have heard of this book a lot and I even have the first part. It's so great to know that there are your recipes. Now I feel closer to the book. And I am a sweet tooth and this is something which is tempting me to but this one too. The amount of information I hold about the kitchen always keeps my mum on edge. Maybe this can help ;) thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting topic! I'm not a huge fan of sweets but I love jalebi, Rasmalai. The Bengali sweet you have mentioned tempts me to try this out. It's lovely to know that you are a part of this book too. Congratulations 👏🏻🎉
ReplyDeleteFirst of all congratulations... I've always loved bengali sweets but this one is new to me and I've never tasted. Hope to find this in Bangalore. Also I liked the way you pointed out how the word stressed reads desserts when reversed.
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightful exploration of Indian sweets! The Sweet book sounds like a treat for both food enthusiasts and history buffs alike. The anthology's approach of showcasing diverse sweets through the lens of 19 different authors promises to offer a rich tapestry of flavors and cultural insights. Your passion for Joynagarer Moya adds a personal touch, highlighting the book's ability to celebrate both well-known favorites and hidden gems. This review has definitely piqued my interest—I can't wait to indulge in this flavorful journey through India's sweet traditions!
ReplyDeleteI am greatful to being part of this anthology. This book is like treating my sweet tooth with some historical facts of my favorite desserts.
ReplyDeleteaww I so wanted to read this book. Love the internal views you have given! I have such a sweet tooth and this is one I would have loved
ReplyDeleteWow. This is so amazing.19 bloggers coming together and writing a book.That too on sweets. Now, how delicious a read that could be.
ReplyDeleteThis book is truly a culinary treasure and makes a great gifting option to anyone who loves food or loves the cook. Glad that samata gave us this opportunity to showcase our tradition
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on being part of this wonderful anthology! I love how the book combines the history and cultural significance of various Indian sweets, making it a delightful read for both food enthusiasts and those interested in culinary traditions. Looking forward to exploring these sweet stories!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! This sounds like a lovely book and id love to read about these sweet, and the sweet stories of all the authors - I love how food (especially desserts) have so much story and history behind them for each of us.
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds delightful and full of delicious desserts :) Id love to read the history and take of each author about these different sweets. Some of the names are new to me - so now i wonder what they taste like!
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