Food and Drink - Newspaper Summary

 The sources provide a comprehensive look at the Food and Drink landscape in October 2025, emphasizing the rise of artisanal and innovative confectioneries, evolving dining and culinary trends driven by global influences and technology, and the cultural significance of food.

The Evolution of Indian Confectionery (Mithai)

A major focus is the artisanal revolution in Indian mithai, driven by a new generation of chefs and entrepreneurs who are remixing traditional sweets while honoring old recipes.

• Blending Tradition and Innovation: Modern mithai makers are incorporating unexpected flavors, textures, and presentations into classic sweets, allowing them to retain their essence while appealing to contemporary tastes.
• Artisanal Brands and Offerings: Several brands are highlighted for their unique products, suitable for Diwali gifting:
  • The Hazelnut Factory (THF): This Lucknow-founded company offers signature "Labons" (a fusion of ladoo and French bonbons) in flavors like mango chocolate and pistachio. They also feature twists such as Cashew Tiramisu and Crunchy Oreo and Lotus Biscoff Barfi.
  • Hatti & Giraffe (Mumbai): Founded by Shrikar and Girija Bhave, this brand applies scientific precision to heirloom recipes. Their offerings include Karanji Bonbons (baked, not fried, for flakiness), Crackling Besan Barfi, and Ragi Dodha Barfi (replacing wheat with sprouted ragi and mawa). They also offer an "Anti-Dessert Ladoo" that uses jaggery and dates instead of refined sugar.
  • The Cinnamon Kitchen (Delhi): This brand replaces refined flour and sugar with millets, almond flour, and natural sweeteners, layering them with ingredients like cacao and nut butters. Popular items include Moong Dal Halwa and Mango-Saffron Tart.
  • Varak (Kolkata): This online store blends Bengal's chhana (cheese) traditions with Marwari influences. Innovations include Tender Coconut Chena Noodle (a chhana-r payesh tucked into a chocolate shell), Khaja Mille Feuille layered with jaggery rabri, and a Cream Sandesh Log Cake infused with rose essence.
  • Butter Story (Lucknow): This brand aims to make sweets part of everyday life. They offer a refined motichoor ladoo with finer boondi and unconventional combinations like Cashew Brew (cashews with coffee).
  • Nihira (Delhi): This brand offers luxurious and surprising mithai, including liquor-infused ladoos (red wine, whisky, and jägerbomb flavors). Their Ghewar is presented like chaat, and barfi is transformed into cheesecake.
  • Maska Bakery (Mumbai): Their Diwali collection features nostalgic bonbons, such as Lonavla Chocolate Bonbon and a Coconut Fudge Bonbon with a savory curry leaf caramel twist. Their gujiyas are made with flaky puff pastry and a chocolate-walnut fudge filling.
• Cultural Significance: Traditional sweets carry "memories of joy and togetherness" and are gifted as much for their sentiment as their sweetness.

Culinary Trends and Fine Dining

The sources mention several current trends in dining, cuisine, and preparation:

• High-Profile International Collaborations: Odette, Singapore, a three Michelin-starred modern French restaurant led by Chef Julien Royer, is serving special meals at Oberoi Hotels and Resorts in Bengaluru and Mumbai. The menu emphasizes seasonality and artisanal produce, featuring dishes like mangrove crab with nashi pear and Kristal caviar.
• Quick-Commerce and Food Delivery: The proliferation of quick-commerce apps (like Blinkit) allows customers to receive a mish-mash of items—including fresh produce (like avocados) and cooking oil—delivered in under 10 minutes. The food delivery business, spearheaded by Eternal Ltd (formerly Zomato), demonstrated steady recovery in Net Order Value (NOV) growth in Q2 FY26. Zomato's ability to negotiate with restaurants has led to its commission rate increasing to 30.4% in Q2 FY26.
• Home Cultivation: Starter kits for mini mushroom farms are available, appealing to enthusiasts who want to grow their own food with minimal effort and space, requiring only a corner of a balcony.

Spice Focus: Cardamom

Green cardamom (elaichi) is highlighted for its pervasive role in Indian and global cuisine, along with tips on optimizing its flavor.

• Cultural Importance: The scent of green cardamom is deeply associated with festivals and indulgence in India.
• Global Reach: It has traveled far, appearing prominently in Scandinavian baking, such as Danish wienerbrød and Norwegian fyrstekake (prince's cake). Swedes reportedly consume 18 times more cardamom per person than the average European.
• Flavor Tips: Because the essential oils in green cardamom are volatile, boiling them for too long causes significant flavor loss. A tip for elaichi chai (cardamom tea) is to add the crushed seeds and shells only in the last 2 minutes of brewing.
• Culinary Applications: Cardamom enhances savory dishes like malai broccoli and dal tadka. It is also featured in recipes such as Cardamom Blondies and Piyush (a sweet, refreshing beverage made with elaichi shrikhand and yogurt).

Ahmedabad's Non-Vegetarian Food Scene

The sources debunk the "myth" that Ahmedabad is strictly vegetarian (despite being declared India’s "most vegan-friendly city" by PETA India).

• Non-Vegetarian Options: Non-vegetarian food is readily available, largely influenced by the Dawoodi Bohra community and Irani Muslims.
• Bhatiyar Galli: This area is known for its non-vegetarian offerings, particularly kebabs and grilled meats.
• Sandwich Shops: The city’s sandwich shops offer inventive takes on staple fare alongside Indian dishes.

Cooking and Kitchen Equipment

The selection of gifts related to the kitchen reflects a focus on intentionality and slow cooking:

• Slow Cooking: Gifts mentioned include Dutch Ovens, which are great for slow-cooked stews and one-pot meals, and a marble mortar and pestle designed to make the mundane act of crushing herbs "meditative" and remind the user to focus on the moment and the rituals of slow cooking.
• Compact Appliances: Kitchen appliances, such as an OTG oven-cum-air fryer, are highlighted for their suitability for compact kitchens.
• Food-Inspired Accessories: The importance of food in culture is reflected in accessories such as handmade ramen earrings.