Mouthwatering Pune Memories
This morning I had gone for some work to Khadki.
On my way back via Aundh Road, I stopped my car opposite Spicer College, crossed the road, and enjoyed eating a Lamington.
As I savoured the delicious pastry, I remembered my Aundh Camp days, around 9 years ago, when I frequently relished a Lamington on my way home from my evening walks.
So, from my Foodie Writing Archives, here is a piece on the inimitable LAMINGTON which I wrote in the year 2006 after a delicious food-walk.
(This piece features in my Foodie Book APPETITE FOR A STROLL)
When I lived near Aundh, in the evenings I often used go for a walk on Aundh Road from Bremen Chowk towards the railway line at Khadki.
Of course, Wakad, where I live now, is a foodies’ nightmare, but then Aundh is far away – but not that far far away.
So let’s get back to my delicious mouthwatering memories of those glorious food-walks around Aundh.
On my way back to my erstwhile home near the banks of the Mula River, I would treat myself with a Lamington at the Spicer College Bakery Shop.
Let me close my eyes, transport myself to the glorious past, stop at Spicer College Bakery on my evening walk, buy a lamington and delicately place the soft delicacy between my lips, press and squeeze a piece of the wonderful stuff on my tongue, focus inwards, enhance the sensitivity of my gustatory senses in order to enhance the experience of supreme bliss as the Lamington melts in my mouth and the chocolatey-coconutty luscious syrupy sweetness permeates into me.
The Lamington probably originated in Australia around 1898 in what later became the state of Queensland.
Whilst the origin of the name for the Lamington cannot be accurately established, there are several theories.
However, the precise reasoning behind this is not known, and stories vary.
According to one account, the dessert resembled the homburg hats favoured by Lord Lamington.
Another apocryphal tale tells of a banquet in Cloncurry during which the governor accidentally dropped a block of sponge cake into a dish of gravy, and then threw it over his shoulder, causing it to land in a bowl of desiccated coconut or peanut butter.
A diner who enjoyed eating this dunked piece of cake, thought of replacing the gravy with chocolate and thus created the lamington as we know it today.
Ironically, Lord Lamington was known to have hated the dessert that had been named in his honour, once referring to them as “those bloody poofy woolly biscuits”.
Another theory is that they were named after Lady Lamington, the wife of the Governor.
The chocolate icing keeps the cake moist.
The desiccated coconut protects it from drying out in the hot climate.
Tell me, Dear Fellow Foodies, have you tasted a Lamington, in Pune or elsewhere?
This morning I had gone for some work to Khadki.
On my way back via Aundh Road, I stopped my car opposite Spicer College, crossed the road, and enjoyed eating a Lamington.
As I savoured the delicious pastry, I remembered my Aundh Camp days, around 9 years ago, when I frequently relished a Lamington on my way home from my evening walks.
So, from my Foodie Writing Archives, here is a piece on the inimitable LAMINGTON which I wrote in the year 2006 after a delicious food-walk.
(This piece features in my Foodie Book APPETITE FOR A STROLL)
LAMINGTON
Melt in the Mouth Delicious Dessert
By
VIKRAM KARVE
By
VIKRAM KARVE
When I lived near Aundh, in the evenings I often used go for a walk on Aundh Road from Bremen Chowk towards the railway line at Khadki.
It is one of the best places to walk in Pune, a wide road with plenty of greenery and foliage on both sides.
Of course, Wakad, where I live now, is a foodies’ nightmare, but then Aundh is far away – but not that far far away.
So maybe once in a while on my way to Pune I can still relish a delicious Lamington and indulge my epicurean gourmand desires.
So let’s get back to my delicious mouthwatering memories of those glorious food-walks around Aundh.
On my way back to my erstwhile home near the banks of the Mula River, I would treat myself with a Lamington at the Spicer College Bakery Shop.
Let me close my eyes, transport myself to the glorious past, stop at Spicer College Bakery on my evening walk, buy a lamington and delicately place the soft delicacy between my lips, press and squeeze a piece of the wonderful stuff on my tongue, focus inwards, enhance the sensitivity of my gustatory senses in order to enhance the experience of supreme bliss as the Lamington melts in my mouth and the chocolatey-coconutty luscious syrupy sweetness permeates into me.
WHAT IS A “LAMINGTON”
A Lamington is a delicious cube of sponge cake, dipped in melted chocolate and sugar and coated in desiccated coconut.
The Lamington probably originated in Australia around 1898 in what later became the state of Queensland.
Whilst the origin of the name for the Lamington cannot be accurately established, there are several theories.
Lamingtons are most likely named after Charles Baillie, 2nd Baron Lamington, who served as Governor of Queensland from 1896 to 1901.
However, the precise reasoning behind this is not known, and stories vary.
According to one account, the dessert resembled the homburg hats favoured by Lord Lamington.
Another apocryphal tale tells of a banquet in Cloncurry during which the governor accidentally dropped a block of sponge cake into a dish of gravy, and then threw it over his shoulder, causing it to land in a bowl of desiccated coconut or peanut butter.
A diner who enjoyed eating this dunked piece of cake, thought of replacing the gravy with chocolate and thus created the lamington as we know it today.
Ironically, Lord Lamington was known to have hated the dessert that had been named in his honour, once referring to them as “those bloody poofy woolly biscuits”.
Another theory is that they were named after Lady Lamington, the wife of the Governor.
EATING LAMINGTON IN PUNE
The Spicer College Bakery Lamington is my favourite – and enjoying Lamingtons and and other yummy delights here is quite easy on the pocket.
The chocolate icing keeps the cake moist.
The desiccated coconut protects it from drying out in the hot climate.
And it’s quite a juicy generous lip-smacking treat…!
The Spicer College Bakery in Pune serves a variety of healthy goodies like carrot cake, nut cake, doughnuts, samosas, soy patties, soya milk etc
But, for me, it’s always my all time favourite, the inimitable yummy succulent Lamington…!
Tell me, Dear Fellow Foodies, have you tasted a Lamington, in Pune or elsewhere?
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve
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© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
Disclaimer:
All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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Re-post of my article first posted by me in the year 2006 in my foodie blog at url: http://creative.sulekha.com/lamington_230998_blog
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