Summer is here and it is already scorching my head and heart, leaving it terribly dehydrated. To be honest here summer is not my best times. And you cant blame me! It is blazing hot, no matter how less I dress it always seems more, and it is one of those rare seasons when I don’t feel like stepping out of home at all.
( Some of you may not that a big a deal, but for me, it is like going without water)
But there is always a light at the end of the tunnel because there is something that makes the treacherous heat of the summer bearable.
There will be no guessing games…so let me just get straight to the point.
Mangoes!
Yes…that yellow…juicy…fleshy…hmmm…( Okay…I will get a grip now) piece of fruit just makes me want to die, given the condition that I will be surrounded by mangoes on my deathbed and there will be loads of dancing mangoes in heaven…just for me.
Sigh!
Let me just assure you that my love for mangoes is just not a floozy, timepass sort of love.
No sir..it isn’t!
During this season, I make sure I keep myself abreast with any and every food festival that is happening in city, with a mango theme. And I usually manage to try all of them.
( I really like mangoes ok…sue me!)
Therefore, just like Frodo had a mission in life, I am always on the quest to find the best mango dishes in town that will lead me salvation. And I was in luck!
I came upon the Mango Festival that is happening at the Intercontinental, Marine drive in Mumbai. Each restaurant at the InterContinental, Marine Drive is thematically driven by the tempting king of fruits. They had every dish available which could be made through a mango. Aam ki kheer, kache aam ka jhinga, mango cheesecake, smoked chicken & mango…it is my Disneyland!!!
But just like a true adventurer, I just didn’t stop there. I got a chance to talk to the chef who prepared this delectable menu, Chef Amit Bharadwaj, Executive Chef of InterContinental.
So while eying all mouth watering spread of mango dishes behind and thus getting intensely distracted, I managed to ask the chef a couple of questions.
Me: What inspired you to have a mango festival?
Chef: The fact that what is in season is healthy, if nature produces something in a particular season, we must eat it then!!
Me: Most of the restaurants in town are having similar festivals. How does your stand out?
Chef: We have taken a holistic approach to the “KING” Alphonso and let it reflect in all the different courses of the meal this sets us off as a unique meal experience.
Me: How did you decide upon such a delectable menu?
Chef: We let our creativity be inspired by the magical Mango… the menu was the result!
Me: What goes in making a good festival?
Chef: The timing, the uniqueness and the singular will to “WOW” our customers f!
Me: What other fruits would you like to use for a festival like this?
Chef: Why use anything else to dilute the mango, we have used the mango in all its different forms, be it the dried powder, the fragrant Ripe mango or the and young green mango.
Well said chef!
I think by now, I have given the slight idea that I might be obsessed with mangoes. ( What was your first clue?!!) But then can you blame me? It is the best fruit that is created by nature and with its versatility, you make more or less 500 drinks, dishes, starters, pickles and various other edible items out of it. Most of the other fruits stay limited to squashes or syrups!
Now before I continue my rant and narrate in explicit detail my dream where I had a serious conversation with a mango…just go and enjoy the fruit. The season will come to and end soon and so the reign of the king. ( And by “king” I don’t mean Shahrukh khan!)
Visit http://mumbai.burrp.com/events.html for more information.
