“Mastani” — Pune’s Special Ice Cream Cold Drink
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“MASTANI”
PUNE’S SPECIAL ICE CREAM COLD DRINK
FOODIE BLOG By VIKRAM KARVE
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This afternoon — while walking down Satara Road — the sun was shining bright and it was hot — so — I stopped at Gujar Mastani House near City Pride Multiplex for a cool soothing “Mastani” — and enjoyed a glass of my favourite “Bajirao Mastani”.
Here is a picture of me and the exquisite “Bajirao Mastani” clicked this afternoon.
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And — while savoring each delicious sip of the “Mastani” — I remembered a foodie story I had written about “Mastani” around 18 years ago — in the year 2006.
(This foodie story features in my foodie adventures book “An Appetite for a Stroll” too)
Here is the foodie story on “Mastani” duly updated and edited for easy reading on digital screens.
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MASTANI
PUNE’S SIGNATURE COOL DRINK
FOODIE STORY By VIKRAM KARVE
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MASTANI — PUNE’S SIGNATURE COOL DRINK
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What is a perfect end to a rich and heavy Mughlai Meal…?
A Kulfi…?
Well — I prefer a cool refreshing Falooda.
I nostalgically remember the the ice cold Shahi Gulab Falooda I always had at Shalimar in Bhendi Bazar after devouring my favorite tandoori raan masala and other spicy rich non-veg delights.
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And — what is a perfect end to a spicy Kolhapuri Meal…?
It is a “Mastani” — no doubt about it — a cool, refreshing, lip-smacking Mastani to quench your fires and perk you up with its blissful sweet cool revitalizing effect.
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“Mastani” is to Pune what “Falooda” is to Mumbai.
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You get Mastani at many places in Pune.
The first time I tasted Mastani (when I was a small boy) was at Kawre Cold Drink House near Ganpati Chowk off Laxmi Road — but now — I feel that their Mastani isn’t as good as before.
Punekar’s have their favorites like Sujata Mastani in Sadashiv Peth — which is close to the “Kolhapuri” food district of Pune near Peru Gate.
But — I like the “Mastani” at Gujar Mastani House near City Pride Multiplex on Satara Road (their main branch
At Gujar Mastani House — I order a “Bajirao Mastani”.
If you look at the menu — you will get confused — as there feature all types of fancy Mastani fortified with dry fruits and all sorts of rich high-calorie embellishments — which will in fact will make you feel heavy and slothful — rather than quench, stimulate, revitalize and perk you up.
So remember the golden rule — in any menu card — the “signature” no-frills authentic item will always be at the top of the menu — least expensive in that class — so go ahead and order it.
You must have seen the picture of the “Bajirao Mastani” I relished today at the top of this blog.
Here is another picture I clicked many years ago.
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The contents of the tall glass comprise an attractively appetizing looking and fragrant layered creamy milky liquid of increasing density topped with ice-cream — with a straw thrust vertically through.
The glass is so full — that in order not to spill the stuff — you first sip through the straw a bit of the deliciously sweet pineapple syrup at the bottom — which feels heavenly as it mingles with — permeates — and overcomes — the spicy “Kolhapuri” aftertaste on your tongue.
And — if you are just plain parched, dehydrated and thirsty — the first sweet sip itself is deliciously thirst-quenching.
Then — you have small dollops of vanilla and pineapple ice-creams that adorn the crown.
After that — you can savour the Mastani as you please — but I like to stir the contents into a creamy mélange — and spoon the delicious concoction onto my tongue — roll it in my mouth — and savor every drop — rather than hastily suck the liquid via the straw straight into my throat down the hatch.
The “Bajirao Mastani” at Gujar is pineapple and orange flavored and the small juicy pieces of pineapple at the end leave you with a tangy feeling.
I don’t know if you get “Mastani” in Mumbai — or elsewhere.
But next time you visit Pune — do enjoy a Mastani.
Eat a spicy “Kolhapuri” meal to your heart’s content to set your insides on fire — and quench the fires with a cool soothing Mastani.
Or — just have a Mastani if you are feeling parched on a hot summer day as a thirst-quencher.
Do tell me — after enjoying a cool soothing delicious glass of Mastani — didn’t you feel refreshed and perked up…?
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EPILOGUE
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To the best of my knowledge — and as per my research on the internet — “Mastani” was “invented” (or rather “concocted”) by Gujar Cold Drink House in Budhwar Peth Pune — which was established more than 100 years ago in 1923.
They concocted a “Ice Cream Cold Drink” comprising Milk and Ice Cream — layered — not shaken.
People loved this “Ice Cream Cold Drink” so much — that they would joyfully exclaim in Marathi — “mast” (awesome) — while sipping the delicious “Ice Cream Cold Drink”.
So — “Ice Cream Cold Drink” got the colloquial nickname “Mastani” derived from “mast”.
There are many fancy types of “Mastani” — but I prefer the simple fruit flavoured “Bajirao Mastani”.
I wonder why this “Signature Mastani” is called “Bajirao Mastani”…?
Maybe we should ask some food historian.
Well — there is a History Literature Festival in Pune this weekend (on 9, 10, 11 February 2024) which I am attending — and there is a session on History of Food (What’s Been Cooking) at 4 PM on 09 February 2024 — so — let us see if I can find the answer there.
Meanwhile — Dear Fellow Foodie — do relish a “Mastani” — and tell us how you liked it.
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VIKRAM KARVE
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All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
Revised Repost of my Foodie Article written in the year 2006 and posted online earlier at url http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2014/02/mastani-punes-signature-cool-drink.html and https://vwkarve.wordpress.com/2007/03/19/mastani/ and http://creative.sulekha.com/mastani-pune-s-favourite-thirst-quencher_409877_blog and https://karvediat.blogspot.com/2016/06/my-favorite-cool-drink-bajirao-mastani.html and https://karvediat.blogspot.com/2016/06/my-favorite-cool-drink-bajirao-mastani.html and https://karve.wordpress.com/2024/02/05/mastani-punes-signature-cool-drink/ etc
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
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