Rishte pakne do... Let relationships flourish…
Last January during my trip to Kolkata, one day was particularly dedicated to ‘food shopping’. Spices, different dry mixtures, snacks, things that I miss in Slovenia were all on the list ‘to buy’. And of course there was Cadbury.
So at this particular chocolate shop at Barabazar where all kinds of Indian and foreign chocolates are sold, we went to get my favorite ones. I asked for 5 each of all kinds of Cadbury chocolates, from classic Dairy Milk, to Fruit and Nut, Crackle, Temptations, Nutties, Bournville and so on.. And also of course 2 bags of Éclairs. The person at the shop was definitely amazed and surprised! He was unable to understand the reason behind my buying chocolates from India for taking back to Europe. Generally it is the other way round! Unable to resist his curiosity, he even asked me the reason. Well, the reason is simple. Despite of getting the finest chocolates in Europe, Cadbury will always remain as one of my favorite. After all I have grown up with it. And I would have bought more, if the weight allowance had let me do so..
Today after a good lunch I was craving for some sweet and decided to have one Fruit and Nut. And as I unwrapped it, childhood memories unfurled.. Memories of not only the sweet creamy chocolaty taste, but also of sweetest relations.. I went back around 22 years in time..
It was a Sunday morning. I was sitting in my dida’s (grandma) kitchen on my small circular ‘pidi’, a wooden seat. My dida was busy cutting potatoes for the simple tasty curry that goes with luchi, the typical Sunday breakfast of Bengali household. I guess I was being my usual self, busy chattering to her. Dadu (grandpa) came from the market with the week’s vegetables, fishes, groceries etc. The rule was, whenever my grandparents would go out, I was supposed to get a treat of some candy after they returned. And this time was no exception either. Dadu had brought me a Cadbury Fruit and Nut!!
It was the first time I got it. It was a “new” chocolate for me! I was so excited and couldn’t wait to unwrap and have a bite. But before unwrapping, I took a notice of the wrap. And a picture got imprinted in my mind forever.
It was usual Cadbury purplish blue wrapper with white in the middle. The picture of assorted fruits and nuts on a side. And the usual Cadbury logo, with “Fruit and Nut” written in red. Though essentially similar, the complete get up was quite different from the present one. They layout was much simpler and less stylish. It was a much plain paper compared to the shiny glossy plastic wrap today. The paper was just wrapping the chocolate in the golden foil, and the shorter sides had the golden foil visible. The whole look was much simple, less glossy or commercial back then. But it was special to me nonetheless. First, as dadu had brought it for me! It was something “new”, and I always have this special interest in new things. Moreover, I would mostly get a small candy or lozenges, maybe my favorite fruit; thus a chocolate being a rare treat was special always.
I demanded to have a piece of it then and there, even before breakfast. And dida agreed to give me only one block. But dida’s “taler bora”, as she lovingly calls me because of my constant demands, was of course not quite satisfied. I agreed with having only one little piece of it before breakfast; but it had to be a perfect square, without uneven edges from casual breaking. So dida had to actually cut the edges and make them smooth. And those little bits of chocolates that resulted from the “smoothening” of edges weren’t wasted either! I rolled them between my fingers to make a small little ball. And then with my chocolate block and ball, away I went to the backyard to enjoy my sweet treat..
This was my first memory with “Fruit and Nut”… A picture that came back to me decades after as I sat there enjoying it in a far away country. And it brings memories with it that are sweeter than the chocolate itself. It brings all love of my dadu who is long lost from me. And all love of my dida who lovingly fulfills all my wishes.
Fruit and Nut is not only about a good chocolate. It is about all the memories. It is about relations and persons closest to me. Cadbury is all about memories. Memories with special moments from past years, memories colored with different relations. I had a Cadbury for birthdays, any other special occasion. I would treat myself with one after results are out, after achieving something, or when I am simply bored and even sad. It is the chocolate I got from all people very dear and close to me. Cadbury to me is truly celebrating relationships.
And, as I make new memories with good European chocolates, Cadbury will always continue to remain as one very special and favorite…
Last January during my trip to Kolkata, one day was particularly dedicated to ‘food shopping’. Spices, different dry mixtures, snacks, things that I miss in Slovenia were all on the list ‘to buy’. And of course there was Cadbury.
So at this particular chocolate shop at Barabazar where all kinds of Indian and foreign chocolates are sold, we went to get my favorite ones. I asked for 5 each of all kinds of Cadbury chocolates, from classic Dairy Milk, to Fruit and Nut, Crackle, Temptations, Nutties, Bournville and so on.. And also of course 2 bags of Éclairs. The person at the shop was definitely amazed and surprised! He was unable to understand the reason behind my buying chocolates from India for taking back to Europe. Generally it is the other way round! Unable to resist his curiosity, he even asked me the reason. Well, the reason is simple. Despite of getting the finest chocolates in Europe, Cadbury will always remain as one of my favorite. After all I have grown up with it. And I would have bought more, if the weight allowance had let me do so..
Today after a good lunch I was craving for some sweet and decided to have one Fruit and Nut. And as I unwrapped it, childhood memories unfurled.. Memories of not only the sweet creamy chocolaty taste, but also of sweetest relations.. I went back around 22 years in time..
It was a Sunday morning. I was sitting in my dida’s (grandma) kitchen on my small circular ‘pidi’, a wooden seat. My dida was busy cutting potatoes for the simple tasty curry that goes with luchi, the typical Sunday breakfast of Bengali household. I guess I was being my usual self, busy chattering to her. Dadu (grandpa) came from the market with the week’s vegetables, fishes, groceries etc. The rule was, whenever my grandparents would go out, I was supposed to get a treat of some candy after they returned. And this time was no exception either. Dadu had brought me a Cadbury Fruit and Nut!!
It was the first time I got it. It was a “new” chocolate for me! I was so excited and couldn’t wait to unwrap and have a bite. But before unwrapping, I took a notice of the wrap. And a picture got imprinted in my mind forever.
It was usual Cadbury purplish blue wrapper with white in the middle. The picture of assorted fruits and nuts on a side. And the usual Cadbury logo, with “Fruit and Nut” written in red. Though essentially similar, the complete get up was quite different from the present one. They layout was much simpler and less stylish. It was a much plain paper compared to the shiny glossy plastic wrap today. The paper was just wrapping the chocolate in the golden foil, and the shorter sides had the golden foil visible. The whole look was much simple, less glossy or commercial back then. But it was special to me nonetheless. First, as dadu had brought it for me! It was something “new”, and I always have this special interest in new things. Moreover, I would mostly get a small candy or lozenges, maybe my favorite fruit; thus a chocolate being a rare treat was special always.
I demanded to have a piece of it then and there, even before breakfast. And dida agreed to give me only one block. But dida’s “taler bora”, as she lovingly calls me because of my constant demands, was of course not quite satisfied. I agreed with having only one little piece of it before breakfast; but it had to be a perfect square, without uneven edges from casual breaking. So dida had to actually cut the edges and make them smooth. And those little bits of chocolates that resulted from the “smoothening” of edges weren’t wasted either! I rolled them between my fingers to make a small little ball. And then with my chocolate block and ball, away I went to the backyard to enjoy my sweet treat..
This was my first memory with “Fruit and Nut”… A picture that came back to me decades after as I sat there enjoying it in a far away country. And it brings memories with it that are sweeter than the chocolate itself. It brings all love of my dadu who is long lost from me. And all love of my dida who lovingly fulfills all my wishes.
Fruit and Nut is not only about a good chocolate. It is about all the memories. It is about relations and persons closest to me. Cadbury is all about memories. Memories with special moments from past years, memories colored with different relations. I had a Cadbury for birthdays, any other special occasion. I would treat myself with one after results are out, after achieving something, or when I am simply bored and even sad. It is the chocolate I got from all people very dear and close to me. Cadbury to me is truly celebrating relationships.
And, as I make new memories with good European chocolates, Cadbury will always continue to remain as one very special and favorite…
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