Puffs, cutlet, banana fritters (pazham pori) or to some extent burger is the usual combination with a coffee or tea in eateries in Kerala. It seems Kozhikodens have started experimenting with new combinations. For a change, some have begun experimenting tarts with coffee. Tart, a very European dessert, is one of the latest additions to the food stops in Kozhikode under the city’s tradition of including foreign cuisines into its menu.
Tart is made by filling fruits, caramel, butter and similar materials on a biscuit base and baked in the shape of a muffin mould. Though there are only limited outlets which bake and serve tarts, the admirers of this small and sweet dessert increases by the day. “The tart was introduced in Kozhikode very late in last decade. Initially there were only a few customers and could be kept count with in your fingers. A majority of them have experienced tarts from foreign countries,” said P Madhusoodanan, a chef who is adept at baking tarts.
The biscuit base is made by mixing and sugar powder, fat, egg, lime rint and maida. The dough is made into thin sheets and is baked in a cup cake mould. With the desired filling inside the baked mould, the tart is ready to eat.
The main tarts available in the city are Florentine, Raisin and Nut, dates and walnut, chocolate and fudge tarts.
The main coffee shops which serve tarts are the Chocotree and Brown Town. “Not many shops have started serving tarts.
I guess it’s because of the dearth of chefs who are good at baking tarts. Many regular customers enjoy the tarts in our shop. Some even order tarts for birthday parties,” said Jiji T H, an employee at Chocotree. The price of tarts varies from `25 to `40.
However, some have pointed out that though the delicacy was an excellent combination with coffee, it could not replace the traditional burger, puffs or shavarma, as the small tarts were could not satisfy one’s appetite. Nonetheless, tarts will have a place of its own in the heart of food lovers in the city.