Sweet Nothings

Old favourites: While there’s still time before we can slip under our quilts and blankets,winter delicacies are making a slow entry into our plates and tummies. The first of them being jaggery or gur. This legendary sweet shop will be thus betting on their Nolen Gurer Sandesh and its iconic status this Bhai Phonta. “Our Gurer Moushumi and Gurer Mohini are all-time best-sellers. Like is Parijat,a sandesh made with pistachio,” says Partha Nandy of Nakur.

Sweet Debut: Nakur has introduced an Aata Chhanar Payesh which comes for Rs 80 a kg. The traditional Chhanar Payesh gets a fruity twist with the addition of custard apple pulp.

Bancharam

Old favourites: Bhai Phonta for this shop seems to be all about magnified affection. So its hot-sellers include the bigger versions of Bhai Phonta staples Chitrakoot,Lyangcha,Chomchom,Khir Mohon and Malpua. “The Amriti and the Abar Khabo sandesh are also favourites,” says Arun Banerjee of the Salt Lake branch.

Sweet Debut: The Padma Nimki makes rather crisp debut this Bhai Phonta. “It’s a nimki in the shape of a lotus,” says Banerjee.

Bhimnag

Old favourites: The shop throws its doors open this Sunday as early as 7 am to make sure nobody breaks a bone while shopping. Their customers usually have their hearts set on the Khaja,Khir Kanti,Lobongo Latika,Khirer Chop,Goja,Balushahi,Matri Bhog,Kaalo Jam and Ledikeni. “The fried sweets are usually inexpensive coming for as less as Rs 5. The others go up to maximum Rs 15,” says Pradip Nag.

Sweet Debut: Badshah Bhog,as its names suggest,is a sweet fit for the kings. ‘It’s a three-layered sweet with sandesh of three different flavours. Its covered with a thick layer of ground pistachio,” describes Nag. Giving them company are Paradise (a vanilla flavoured sandesh),Alphonso Sandesh (a sandesh made from thick mango pulp) and Paan Sandesh (an ice-cream sandesh with a cashewnut filling).

Balaram

Old favourites: Totapuli and Chitrakoot are the ones that hold sway over the Balaram sales every Bhai Phonta. “Apart from the Komola Bhog and the Malpua,these are the fast movers,” says Sudhir Mullick.

Sweet Debut: A combo-plate comprising khaja ( a wafery sweet item) and the milky chhanar payesh makes a Bhai Phonta debut this year. Giving it company are the Cream of Rose (a rose flavoured sandesh topped with fresh cream) and Chocolate Bon Bon (soft chocolate-flavoured sandesh with a hard pure chocolate coating).

Mouchak

Old favourites: The big Bhai Phonta embossed kheer sandesh are the sought after the most in this shop. As is the khaja and rosho shudha,a kheer-base sweet with the consistency of a cake,served with a sprinkling of sugar syrup.

Sweet Debut: The strawberry sandesh and Milkose (a lightly sweetened soft chhana base item) will make their entry in the sweet menu of the shop.

Hindustan Sweets

Old favourites: Apart from the usual suspects,the roshogolla and the milk cake,this shop has always been famous for its carrot roshogolla. “The carrot flavour roshogolla was greeted with a little apprehension at first,but now has a devoted following,” says R K Paul. The success of the roshogolla prompted the makers to launch a sandesh version which uses real carrot pulp and not just orange colour like in other shops.

Sweet Debut: Keeping in mind the eating binge that people go on around Diwali,the shop has introduced its range of herbal sweets. So if dear brother falls ill after a heavy dinner,there’s always the anti-dysentery roshogolla created with thankuni shag juice,that would come to his aid. “The herb is known for its anti-dysentery value. We have also introduced sweets for insomniacs (using pulp of sushni shag),people with heart ailments (using pulp of the bark of the Arjuna tree) and for the anaemic (using local kulekhara and kalmi herbs),” says Paul. Each sweet comes for less than Rs 10.