EATING GULAB JAMUN - MOUTHWATERING MEMORIES

Mouthwatering Mumbai Memories
EATING GULAB JAMUN

By
VIKRAM KARVE

 

I have in front of me a bowl of soft succulent juicy tempting hot Gulab Jamuns. 

My mouth waters in anticipation. 

So before I start relishing those delicious Gulab Jamuns let me recall one of my first lip smacking blog posts, a mouthwatering Mumbai memory, written more than eight years ago on THE ART OF EATING A GULAB JAMUN 

I wrote this mouthwatering piece in 2004  immediately after I returned after relishing Gulab Jamun at Kailas Parbat in Colaba in Mumbai, while the taste of the delicious delicacy still lingered on my tongue.

So, Dear Reader, here is the foodie memoir once more for old times' sake...

The art of eating comprises three cardinal steps :

1. First you learn or come to know about good food you hear from someone, read somewhere, or come across while browsing the net or from TV or the media or even from a menu card .

2. Next you go there and observe people eating and relishing the delectable cuisine you have heard so much about see the way they are eating and enjoying themselves. You watch the heavenly expression of divine pleasure on their faces. This tempts you to taste and savor the cuisine yourself.

3. And then you actually order the food you have been yearning for, delicately put a piece in your mouth, and actually experience the pleasures of eating the delicacy, firsthand.

One evening I suddenly feel an urge, a craving, a desperate sort of yearning, for my favourite sweet GULAB JAMUN.

I believe that if you want to be happy you must fulfill such feasible and viable desires at once, here and now, so I put on my walking shoes, cross the Oval the Rajabai Tower Clock is striking Six turn right at the Mumbai University gate, and then left, and walk towards Kalaghoda, turn right towards Colaba Causeway which is a foodies delight and soon reach my destination - Kailas Parbat at the southern end of Colaba Causeway.

I have heard from my friends that Kailas Parbat is the best place in Mumbai for Gulab Jamuns. I have enjoyed delectable Gulab Jamuns at many places at Pachkuin Road in Delhi, Pehelwan at the end of Lanka in Banaras (Varanasi), and even in a place called Dumka in the back of the beyond but now amongst the people eating Gulab Jamun at Kailas Parbat, I see a veteran, a connoisseur, relishing delicious piping hot soft succulent juicy Gulab Jamuns with such satisfaction that I go to the counter and order a Gulab Jamun myself.

I look yearningly at the hot mouth-watering Gulab Jamun dunked in a liberal amount of thick syrup.

It is nice and hot - Gulab Jamuns must be eaten hot and very soft and juicy.

I spoon a small luscious piece and place it delicately on my tongue and close my eyes to enhance the quality of the gustatory experience whenever you want to enjoy good food just close your eyes, concentrate on your tongue and notice the feeling.

I just leave that succulent Gulab Jamun piece on my tongue for a while to let the hot sweet viscous syrup permeate deep into my taste-buds, and the moment I gently roll my tongue, the Gulab Jamun disintegrates, dissolves and melts in my mouth releasing its delicious cardamom tinged flavor and soothing rose fragrance within me.

I eat slowly, deliberately, eyes closed, savoring every moment, relishing the divine taste, prolonging the heavenly experience its epicurean delight of the highest order.

As I walk back home in state of supreme bliss, the lingering taste of the delicious Gulab Jamun remains within me for a long long time.

Even now as I write this, I can almost sense the delicious taste and enchanting fragrance of the heavenly Gulab Jamun. And my mouth begins to water!

But alas, I am in Pune right now and I am yearning and craving for a hot syrupy juicy succulent heavenly sweet Gulab Jamun. 

Dear Reader - Do tell us about your favorite Gulab Jamun 

Happy Eating

VIKRAM KARVE 

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2012
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

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About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories, creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional research papers in journals and edited in-house journals for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for almost 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
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Email: vikramkarve@sify.com

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