Sweet Moments... Timeless Traditions

Be it chocolates or cakes, sweets are always a favourite with people of all ages.

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Sweets have been a weakness with people from primordial days. A fondness for sweets is what endears desserts to the populace. If one looks at it scientifically, one finds that it was probably a fondness for sweets that gave people, in history, the energy and, possibly, saved their lives. Being able to taste sweetness might have helped our ancestors to identify energy rich food, which played a critical part in their survival. This fondness for sweets is what makes desserts an obsession with people. Ashok Malkani examines the love for desserts and analyses the modern concept of them being harmful to your health. He also looks at the trends during the festive season. Sweets are a weakness with several people. When it comes to sweets, the maxim followed by almost everyone is: Never say Never. No wonder desserts are immensely popular with all age groups. As Ernestine Ulmer famously said “Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.”

Desserts today are more than just the finishing touch to a meal- they have become a highlight in themselves, adding a feelgood factor that makes life sweeter and happier. Sweet indulgences stimulate the release of the "happiness hormone," leaving us more content and satisfied after a meal.

In a way, desserts make you feel relaxed and have a way of lifting the mood. After all stressed is desserts spelled backwards! Almost all agree that a meal is incomplete without a dessert.

With festivals seasons set in motion, hotels and restaurants are reimagining their festive menus by presenting traditional favourites in fresh formats, such as bite-sized portions, sugar-free options or plated desserts that combine Indian flavours with international techniques.