A fruitful season

IN STORE

Mangoes, honeydew melons, strawberries or pahari berries, peaches and plums… There are enough reasons to enjoy summer, even a tropical one. But while you may like to slice up some fruit at home to make for a healthy dessert, going to a store to pick up a smoothie or a gelato exploding with fruity flavours may not be all that unhealthy too. In any case, stop counting calories, get yourself one of these desserts (or coolers) and celebrate life — even on a dull day.

Sorbettos, gelatos

Gelatos, or “Italian ice-creams”, have caught on in India in the last couple of years. But despite the kiosks that you find at cinema halls and malls, there are few makers who know how to do a gelato right: For one, this should not be a chain operation — in Italy, most gelateria are mom-and-pop stores, where ice-creams are made fresh, in small batches. In India, we have chains, and the latest to come up is Mama Mia!, with outlets in Kolkata and Bangalore.

Despite being a big operation, the USP here is fresh ice-cream (made in small batches) and a choice of either sorbettos (fruit gelatos, with over 70 per cent fruit pulp) or cream-based gelatos, in flavours like Irish coffee, strawberry cheesecake, dark fudge (with Belgian dark chocolate), Kit Kat, Baileys and so forth. If you are diabetic or a weight-watcher, there are sugar free flavours too.

The sorbettos come in flavours such as green apple, blueberries, Sicily lemon, passionfruit, wine grape and tangerine. This summer, also try their fresh Alphonso or watermelon sorbettos. At Indiranagar and UB City mall in Bangalore and at eight outlets all over Kolkata. Price: between Rs 55-59 per scoop. There are also some fruity sundaes and shakes priced between Rs 69 and Rs 150.

A scoop of yoghurt

Smoothies and frozen yoghurt are popular with health-freaks all over the world. Cocoberry, that has positioned itself as India’s first premium frozen yoghurt chain, seeks to fill this space in the country. The chain opened its first outlet at Defence Colony, New Delhi, some time ago. Here, you can select from a variety of fresh fruit toppings such as blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, dragon fruit, mango and kiwi, as also dry toppings such as Oreos, almonds, marshmallows, Snickers and so on. You can customise your drink or dessert. Price: Rs 65 onwards.

Dial a dessert

Kishi Arora, a talented, young pastry chef who studied at the Culinary Institute of America, also has a few summer surprises up her sleeve. Arora runs Foodaholics, a catering and consultancy company. Her USP is superior desserts — rustic-style, made using fusion techniques and decorated as per simple French traditions. The cakes are delivered free of charge in the metros. You can call her up or order online and tell her of your preferences for personalised offerings. This month, Arora does a lovely Mango Mush for Rs 1,500 per kg. Check out the strawberry and cream concoction as well. Mail her at: mail@foodaholics.in.

Japanese iced tea

Anew beverage to hit the market recently is a brand of Japanese green tea — with a difference. Enso Green Tea, introduced by Chenab Impex, and available at retail stores, comes in a ready-to-drink format. Three flavours are available: with honey and lemon, with Genmal, a Japanese rice variety, and with jasmine. Price: Rs 100 for a 500 ml bottle.