Chronicles Of The Sassy Fork

So it's finally Mango time and I went to the Amba Mahotsav at the Antonio D'Silva School in Dadar West,very close to the Kabutar Khana.Was glad to see there was ample parking place.The stalls were right at the back of the ground.It wasn't a very large exhibition but yet there were enough to make a choice.These stalls are manned by people from the Konkan selling mangoes from Devgad and Ratnagiri. The Haapus is King and Pairi is also pretty good(used to make Aamras).Did you know that Haapus was named after a man called Alphonso who brought mangoes to Goa? I also remember reading an Amar Chitra Katha about a king who enjoyed mangoes. Haapus comes from Devgad,Ratnagiri ,Vengurla and Kudal.My friend Arati Mali who lives in Singapore talks of a variety she gets from Australia which tastes just like Haapus but is pale in color. There are many mangoes on display at the exhibition ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 1200 per dozen. There were also stalls selling mago products such as Mango S...

Come summer and you see many handcarts selling jackfruit and tadgola at the Dadar market.The size of jackfruits can be astounding.The largest is said to be 70 kg . Here you see them sliced open and turned out,exposing the yellow fruit. This one was from Kerala.A helpful gentleman buying some told me that those from the Konkan come around the rainy season.He also told me how one has to apply coconut oil on one's palms while cutting else one gets the sticky gum on one's hands.I tried the jackfruit and it was sweet and moist.The seller told me not to store it in a plastic bag as then it leads to gas formation.I put it in an open plate and my fridge was filled with its sweet aroma. I was reminded of my adventures with a smaller but similar looking fruit called " Durian ".This I had in USA at a Chinese restaurant where I ordered a Boba Drink(having balls of tapioca) with Durian.I tell you,there cannot be a stinkier fruit! Not having it again! Yet it is quite popular in t...

Our trip to the Konkan was a short but action packed one.The beauty of the ocean,the cool sea breeze,the glimmering lighthouse in the distance all made for a perfect relaxation.While leaving I looked at the little cottages(of Ratnasagar resort) below the casuarina trees and coconut palms at the Bhatye beach for the last time. The only thing I was glad to leave behind were the mosquitoes which had a predilection for me! Essential to be armed with Odomos and Goodknight. Passed "Konkan Chinese Corner" a flame red colored roadside stall on the streets of Ratnagiri and stalls selling Dabeli.Took us an hour and half to reach Chiplun by road. There we had dosas at Shivsagar which were of excellent quality. After Chiplun came Khed.If you ask your bais at home or your Marathi staff or acquaintances at work which village they belong to,you will realise that they all lie along this highway. The ghats had posters of tantalising pictures of seafood of a Khed hotel called ...

We visited the Bhagwati Temple which is in the Ratnadurg Fort,on top of a mountain.The road to the temple is lovely as it passes by typical old Konkani houses shadowed by coconut,mango and banana trees.One can view the Bhagwati Bundar from above and see the Pandhara Samudra(white sea) and Kala Samudra (black sea).There is also a cave opening into the sea and an old well and some banyan trees. Saw a statue of Kanoji Angre,who was Shivaji's general and guarded ports.He started a naval force which eventually became the Indian Navy.He started the town of Alibag.He was well respected from Gujarat Coast to the Konkan.The Western Naval Command INS Angre and the Maritime Museum near Mumbai are named after him. While we were there,a new Coast Guard Centre was inaugurated at Ratnagiri to guard our waters against terrorists. After our fort visit,we then headed for the Mirkarwada Jetty where fishing boats were due to arrive with their catch.On reaching there we saw several boats and were tol...