News
India
Dig into Bengal's culinary scene with Jayabrato Chatterjee's latest book
16 Jul 2016, 05:35 am
Kolkata, Jul 15 (NITN): Don’t look for recipes, don’t look for history of food. This is a book that will tell you through diverse anecdotes – myths and facts – about Bengal’s unique culinary evolution, said Rita Bhimani as she began the discussion at the launch of Cooking up Culinary Adventures authored by Jayabrato Chatterjee. The book launch was held on Wednesday at the Starmark store at South City Mall in Kolkata.
Presented by Harshavardhan Neotia, Chairman of Ambuja Neotia Group, Cooking up Culinary Adventures is the crystallisation of more than a year’s research by Jayabrato Chatterjee. “Almost a year and half back, Jay-da had come to me with the idea, and it immediately struck a chord,” said Neotia.
Although Neotia admitted that he preferred home-cooked food over dinner outside, Bhimani promptly reminded the gathering that it was Neotia who has been instrumental in giving Kolkata some of its best dining spaces, from Conclave to Afraa to Jhaal Farezi to The Orient and more.
.jpg)
Actor and Chef Sanchayita Bhattacharjee Alam, who is often called Chef Sunshine for her pleasant demeanour, said that when she received her copy of the book, she was a trifle worried that she would be required to read a historical tome. But to her surprise, she found the book ‘an absolute page turner’. The book not only contains rich text about the evolution of the food scene in Bengal but also contains antique photographs and paintings among other things.
According to author Jayabrato Chatterjee, the culinary style of Bengal is an adaptation of food and culture of the various communities that have settled here, including the Muslim rulers. Armenians, Portuguese, French, English and the Anglo-Indians, and the Chinese to name a few.
.jpg)
Cooking up Culinary Adventures provides delightful glimpses into many the mysteries that lie beneath the contribution made by the different communities – how Bengal’s kitchen accepted and adapted the different influences. The book also highlights one of Bengal’s unique feature – the tussle between the ‘ghoti’ (people from West Bengal) and the ‘bangal’ (people from erstwhile east Bengal, now Bangladesh), which extends from football to food. Interestingly, this is one tussle that has made the kitchens of Bengal richer by way of diverse dishes.
As Neotia said, “The book traces the genesis of Bengal’s traditional food influences and rekindles the nostalgia of grandma’s recipes through a rigorously researched time travel into the kitchens of its varied communities and foreign settlers.”
Reporting by Uttara Gangopadhyay/IBNS
Images by Avishek Mitra/IBNS
More News
- PE firm TA Associates' strategic investment in Vee Healthtek
- Alive India and ITC Aashirvaad Svasti Milk releases Chhath Puja anthem
- Kolkata: Rotary hosts World Polio Day with students in Gyan Manch
- Alive India in Concert celebrates 10th season with Sunidhi Chauhan's performance in Bengaluru
- Narayan, Narayan: Why Jeevan is bigger than Sean Connery as James Bond
- New York teen sensation Urjani De shines at New York Puja Association's Cultural Programme 2024
- Sunidhi Chauhan teams up with Alive India Foundation to empower independent musicians, raise awareness on thalassaemia eradication
- How Salim Khan’s advice helped Kiran Kumar make a comeback to Bollywood
- My bid to internationalise Shatatantri Veena among next generation pays off: Santoor maestro Tarun Bhattacharya on his return from US Tour
- Rotary Calcutta Metro City hands over football and fitness kits to Nayagram Thana Balika Vidyapith in Jhargram
Jazeera Airways offers 50% ...
Jazeera Airways, Kuwait’s leading low-cost carrier, is offering 50% off on fares to all destinations across its network from July 28 to 31.
Air India Express launches ...
New Delhi : Air India Express, a subsidiary of Air India and a part of the Tata group, has launched its "Time to Travel" sale on the airline’s website, airindiaexpress.com, the Air India Express mobile app and other major booking channels.
Over 300 flights cancelled ...
Tokyo: Airlines were forced to cancel over 300 flights following the collision between a Japan Coast Guard aircraft and a Japan Airlines passenger plane at Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Tuesday evening even as reports said the plane was cleared to land ahead of the tragedy.