Stories, ingredients, rituals
The Mithai Notebook
Notes on how mithai is made, kept, given, and argued about.
The Sweet You Bring Home
On edible souvenirs, particular requests and carrying a little of somewhere with you.
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In Defence of the Plain Sweet
No dramatic garnish. No elaborate introduction. Plenty to pay attention to.
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Leave Room for Something Salty
The savoury side of the mithai counter deserves more than an afterthought.
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Count the Boxes, Not the Guests
A practical starting point for wedding mithai, before you fall in love with a ribbon.
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“Just Half,” and Other Negotiations
A small essay about appetite, arithmetic and letting people choose their own piece.
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The Quiet Work of a Besan Laddoo
Round, familiar, easily overlooked. Until you pay attention to the roast.
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The Plate Beside the Chai
On the small snack that gives a conversation somewhere to settle.
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Before the First Bite
A mithai box has a social life before anybody opens it.
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There Is No Single Indian Sweet Tooth
Mathura peda, Bengali sandesh and Mysore pak: three ways to reconsider what a sweet can be.
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The Last Piece of Kaju Katli
On the sweet everyone calls predictable, and somehow finishes first.
