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Does summer instantly bring to mind some particular flavour? Share it with us in a creative manner and win a prize! Hurry, though. You have just one week to submit your entry.
  • Category: Reward Programs
    Points:10

      

    If Summer had a flavour... Creative writing contest

    While pre-monsoon showers have arrived in some States, in many places the hot summer continues to linger. Since it is not yet adieu to this year's summer, let's have a creative writing contest based on this season.

    Theme: If Summer had a flavour....

    What you have to do: Think of something unique that makes you consider summer as something with flavour (yummy? sour? bitter?!) Submit a creative piece that brings out your perspective, that is, in what way you consider that flavour to be representative of, or associated with summer. The text should start with the sentence 'If Summer had a flavour'. Your entry should be submitted as a response to this thread only, and you can edit it any time before the closing date to correct errors, but you cannot change the flavour that you decided to write on.

    Simple rules-
    1. A member can submit only one entry which should be in English, adhering to our site's policies and guidelines, and should not contain any references to weapons, medications, etc
    2. The entry should not be a story or a poem but a general write-up that is brought out creatively. You can, though, base it on some experience you had and through which you can explain the flavour of summer.
    3. The write-up must be on one and only one single flavour. It should be crisp and well-written, and the text should not exceed 400 words (no minimum word limit). No links should be given.

    The rewards-
    The two best write-ups will each win a cash prize of Rs. 50/-. Based on quality, other entries may get enhanced points and cash credits up to a maximum of 25 points and Rs. 25/-.

    Closing date of entries: 2nd June 2024.
  • #779657

    Points:5
    This entry is a joint winner of the first prize
    -----

    If Summer had a flavor, then I would immediately say it is SWEET. Summer meant sweet to me even from my childhood.
    School summer vacation was the season of Mangoes. There was a mango tree at our house and many trees in neighboring compounds. As we were the children among the nearby families, we used to roam around picking or plucking the ripe mangoes. We spent most of our daytime time under the shade of Mango trees.

    By the end of the day, we would collect a few basketfuls of mangoes. After eating some of them, and making curries or dishes using some, with the balance we prepared mango bars. That was a laborious process- spreading mango pulp layer after layer on a new mat and dried under the Sun. Our role was to keep vigil and ward off pests and birds. The bonus or coolie for that was mango pulp and mango juice. After a month or more, we get the dried mango bar on the mat. Then it is taken out, cut, and stored. On the spot, we ate the sweet mango bar pieces, mostly the irregularly shaped ones or the edge portions.

    Not just mangoes alone, there were jackfruits too Mother used to make sweet jackfruit Dosas, the jackfruit jam or 'Chakka varatty' and "Chakk ada" -a sort of jackfruit cake.
    Now comes the crown privilege of our summer days- the 'ice-fruit". It is the then name of today's popsicle. In different colours. The only vendor there, used to come every day and sound a handheld horn to alert us. It used to cost a few coins and all of us except Father used to indulge in that.

    Then, relatives visited us and brought candies and chocolates. If we go to other homes, mother used to prepare various sweets and take to them. Occasionally we used to grab some coconut pieces and eat them with jaggery.

    So it was sweet, sweet from morning till night during the summer holidays then.
    The only interludes were the frequent caution by mother and elders 'Don't eat much sweet else, worms will eat your teeth'. True, many times we used to have a toothache, and grandma gave us salt water to gargle or a little clove oil to rub on the teeth.

    Even now, summer flavour is sweet as I eat sweet melon, drink sweet coconut water, sweet lemon-juice etc.

  • #779676

    Points:5 (₹ 5)
    If Summer had a flavor, I would naturally like it to be like the most favorite dish of mine, that I eat vey well, and would just wait for my official trips to Bangalore and Mysore, when I was in service.

    Try as hard as I might, until just eighteen months ago, there were not many restaurants in Chennai that gave me the exact taste and the crispness of the original types found in Bangalore, and more so, in Mysore. The lingering taste of the lovely sweet sambar that is served in some places in Bangalore would lift my spirits up to a great extent, and the generous spread of the red chutney would seemingly cool any temperature of any person, including my own family members who would go on a vacation to beat the heat in Tamil Nadu, a decade or fifteen years ago.

    Well, the Mysore Masala Dosa has too many good highlights . One of this relates to the manner in which the butter is added to the dosa, giving it the fabulous crispy texture and the masala inside would mesh with the sweet sound of the dosa when I would take parts of it for eating. This would be done in a very relaxed manner in the restaurant, as summer is one time when I would have enough time to kill . On official duties , the dinner would invariably include the masala dosa and everyone in the gang would enjoy it, more so, after a torrid day in the office.

    Today, some intelligent marketing kids have opened the Bangalore or Mysore type of restaurants, serving the same type of masala dosa, right here, in Chennai. The one famously frequently visited by the likes of Virat Kohli whenever he was in Chennai, serves fabulous ones that make me truly enjoy it, like I did a few days ago. While the chutney was vey much similar to the Bangalore variety, the two types of sambar, the Chennai one and the Karnataka style variety, in air-conditioned comfort, made the experience, even more enjoyable, in the heat of summer.

    And if the Mysore Masala Dosa replaced summer, it would be great indeed as a flavor!! For, the people would celebrate summer with the same kind of enthusiasm and joy, like I do. Even mothers of five month old babies would happily give a very small quantity of the masala dosa and mixed with the meshed iddli or rice and the baby would immediately look around for more. The 60 plus elders like me can easily spend a full thirty minutes eating a single dosa. The youngsters on vacation can still relish the dosa, even while watching the IPL on their smart el phones. And there would be less heat generated in most families, as no one would argue on the taste of the Mysore Masala Dosa.

    Three cheers to summer and to the Mysore Masala Dosa!!!

  • #779677

    Points:10 (₹ 10)
    If summer had a flavour then I would have it as lemon. When I was in my school my mother used to give us in summer season a glass of lemon water spiced with cumin powder and black pepper. It was so soothing and relaxing that it became a regular part of my foodie life later.

    Lemon flavour is one of the unique flavours and evokes feelings of thirst quenching and calmness in us. It is an ingredient in many preparations and delivers a unique aroma and taste and many people use it even in salads or sprinkle it on certain food items like roasted paneer or chicken.
    Lemon is used in various ways to satisfy our taste buds and is frequently used around the globe in various preparations.
    In South Indian dishes lemon is used for adding sourness and flavour to the dishes. If lemon is not available then mango powder or tamarind can be used but it would of course give different flavour.

    I remember we used to have many friends coming to our house when my husband was posted in Assam State for discharging his official duties. That time some people did not take tea and we used to prepare lemon water with salt, sugar, and black pepper for them. They liked it much.

    The unique taste of lemon is due to the presence of citric acid in it. Further, lemon is a good source of Vitamin C and also contains Vitamin B6, copper, potassium, magnesium, zinc, flavonoids, antioxidants and phosphorus.

    Lemon can also be used in many other ways like in lemon tea, lemon rice, marinating raw foods, salad, etc and I use it often like that.

    Lemon is my favourite flavour not only in summer but throughout the year.
    Thoughts exchanged is knowledge gained.

  • #779701

    Points:6 (₹ 6)
    If summer had a flavour, it would be a mango flavour for me. Mango is one of the most liked fruits in the world. Its aroma flavour earned a special place for this fruit in tropical fruits and it is called king of tropical fruits.

    During my childhood days, we were eagerly waiting to go to my grandfather's place during the summer holidays. There were many reasons for this but the availability of different types of organic mangoes fresh from the gardens was one of the main reasons. Andhra Pradesh is famous for its varieties of mangoes. My grandfather had a mango garden. Mangoes ripped on the tree will be very tasty. Many days during summer our dinner was with only mangoes. Near their house, there was a cottage industry for preparing mango jelly. We used to eat it fresh from the shop floor.

    Later on, when we moved to Telangana, I found that many varieties were not available in that place those days and I used to get from my native place through known persons. But now in Hyderabad, we get all varieties of mangoes. I am a regular customer of a vendor. He phones me up as soon as he receives some fresh stock and I go and get some quantity.

    These fruits are not only tasty but also good for our health. Mangoes are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Mangoes are good for immunity boosting and improve our digestive system. The risk of cancer will also be reduced by consuming these fruits.

    Even raw mangoes are also very tasty and many varieties of chutneys and pickles can be made. These pickles can be stored and used throughout the year. We had a mango tree in our house premises. This year the yield is good. We made pickles with the mangoes from our tree.

    I used to think about what made this special aroma to this fruit. Then I started reading books and learnt that various chemicals like alcohols, terpenes, aldehydes, esters, and lactones that are present in this fruit are responsible for bringing this unique flavour and taste to this item. If anybody asks me about my favourite fruit, undoubtedly it is mango only.
    drrao
    always confident

  • #779749

    Points:25 (₹ 25)
    If summer had a flavour the most cherished memory that lasts long from my childhood is the sour taste of tamarind fruit and my grandma's haunting stories of the tamarind tree. During my school days while on summer vacation, I usually went to my hometown (grandma's home) a small town with my sister and brothers. Nearby my grandma's house, there was a tamarind tree and a banyan tree, where we all wandered around these trees picking up the yummy tamarind fruits ripened during summer and swinging/playing under the banyan and tamarind tree until the sunset. At times, we continued until the moonlit nights, though my grandma tried to threaten us with ghost stories about tamarind trees if we were not back home before sunset.

    She narrated that her father brought a tamarind sapling, which was planted by her hands near the banyan tree when she was a child since she also loved the tamarind flavour as I do like. As the years passed and the tree grew, she enjoyed the sour taste (actually, it tastes sweet to me) of the tamarind fruits playing with her friends under the gnarled branches of the trees with the leaves rustled in the breeze. She described this rustling of leaves and howling of the wind in a scary voice modulation as if she had been A.R. Rehman, the music legend.

    One evening she got tired after playing with her friends and slept beneath the tamarind tree. Unnoticed by her parents, they searched for her, unable to find her in the dark shadow of the tree until she woke up for dinner at night. She was looking somewhat pale and scared as she slept under the tree. Her parents thought that she was haunted by ghosts trapped in the tree. They performed some mantras by poojaris (with neem leaves) on her to get the haunting spirit. Later we realized the biological science behind this as trees evaporate carbon dioxide at night and we should not go near the trees at that time.

    Years passed and grandma too and I still love to taste the flavour whenever I have a chance to get the tamarind fruit. This has been fruiting only in summer during March/April and now we rarely get the fruit as we live in the city. On a bitter note, the grandma's home and hometown have been urbanized with no more tamarind and banyan trees.

  • #779756

      

    Points:5
    If Summer had a flavour it would be "Sweetness" just like watermelon. This fruit is a complete package, offering a perfect balance of sweetness and hydration to combat the summer heat. It serves as a lifeline for enduring the sweltering days.
    The appearance of watermelon extends beyond its taste. I am so much attracted by its appearance with the refreshing dark green rind layered over the juicy red flesh, studded with small black seeds that resemble precious jewels. Their impressive size makes them stand out in any market, and there's a pleasant truth in their size—the larger the watermelon, the sweeter the taste.
    On a hot summer day, nothing compares to coming home to a bowl of chilled, chopped watermelon waiting in the refrigerator. It's an instant refresher that revitalizes the weary.

    My childhood memories of my village are filled with the sight of camel carts overflowing with watermelons, and the sound of bells jingling as they made their way through the streets, inviting people to come forth and buy the watermelons. It was always a thrill to see the cart itself, but even more so the abundance of watermelons. My grandmother had a tradition of offering half a watermelon to the camel, and we, as children, would watch in complete surprise as the camel consumed it in a single bite. These are simple yet profound joys of my childhood days.
    Growing up, I understood the associated health benefits of consuming watermelon. This refreshing fruit is packed with vitamin A and vitamin C, making it beneficial for both wellness and weight control due to its low-calorie content. Additionally, it aids in enhancing the condition of your skin and hair, promotes heart health, and is rich in antioxidants that fight oxidative stress.
    With such a comprehensive nutritional profile and delicious flavour all in one fruit, it's no wonder watermelon is my favorite!
    Padmini

    Living & Learning- simultaneous processes!

  • #779758

    Points:8 (₹ 8)
    If summer had a flavour then my choice would be cardamom flavour. I have a sweet tooth and I like Indian puddings like Kheer, Halwa, and some pastry items where cardamom is used for flavouring.

    When I was in my student life, I developed the affinity for cardamom flavour. It so happened that I was fond of taking tea and even in summer I preferred tea over cool drinks. A cup of tea with cardamom in it is not only tasty but also very refreshing. From that time onwards cardamom flavour became my favourite.

    I remember, when I used to go to meet my grandmother in the village she used to give me milk and banana and some cardamom powder in it. She used to tell that taking cardamom with banana was a sure way to digest the banana easily.

    I always liked cardamom flavour and my mother used it in the most common sweet item in our houses that is kheer. The cardamom flavour makes the Kheer very tasty.

    Scientifically speaking, Cardamom is an herb. It is used as a spice in preparing many food items. I have seen two types of cardamom - the smaller one and the bigger one. The small one is generally used in tea and sweet preparations while big one is often used in dry vegetables or curries.

    There are some medicines which are derived from cardamom by extracting oil from it. In ayurvedic and natural medicine system Cardamom is said to contain some chemicals that might kill some bacteria, reduce swelling, and help the immune system. The medicines derived from Cardamom are used for controlling diabetes, reducing high cholesterol, arresting build up of fat in the liver of the affected people.

    During summer, if we keep cardamom flavoured sweet items in the fridge for some time then they become cool and very tasty. I always take them in that way.
    Knowledge is power.

  • #779762

    Points:5 (₹ 5)
    If summer has a fllavour, it is the flavour (taste) of sweat, or in sophisticated term, perspiration.

    India is a tropical country. A large part of India suffers terribly during the summer. This suffering has been increasing due to global warming.

    And the suffering of people during summer is reflected by sweat. So, more than anything else, the flavour of summer is that of sweat.

    Rich people try to hide this with more and more expensive perfumes, body sprays, powders, etc.

    Poor people can't and don't hide their sweat. But the poets and writers with a leftist mindset write poems, stories and novels based upon the sweet taste (!) of sweat of poor people.

    So, the most prominent flavour of Indian summer is the salty taste of sweat. But very few people can admit it openly.
    (a) Those who have forgotten Noakhali, how can they protest Sandeshkhali?
    (b) Have no fear of perfection - you'll never reach it. ---------- Salvador Dali

  • #779782

    Points:5
    This entry is a joint winner of the first prize
    -----

    If summer had a flavour, it would be yummy and nothing else. Fruits fascinate me not just because of their taste but also due to their refreshing smell and eye-catching colours. The summer season offers a range of delectable fruits, of which mango, the king of fruits, is my favourite. My love for mangoes has never diminished.

    After growing up, my sisters told me that as a toddler, I regularly picked up a mango from a basket of mangoes, then showed my mother that it had a hole and begged to eat it. One day, my sisters kept an eye on me. They noticed I picked one from the mangoes and pressed my thumb to make a hole. Later, I asked for my mother's permission to eat the mango as it was rotten. My love for mango gave my family a story to share with others. This love continues to date, but one massive change I have undergone is the fruit that tasted yummy during my childhood made my experiences yummier while growing up in a huge joint family.

    Muzaffarpur is a city in Bihar. It's known for mangoes and lychees. Long back, one of my uncles and a brother, both bachelors, stayed there due to their jobs. An aunt of mine went to stay with them to look after them while my mother and an aunt, my father's sister, managed a big joint family in our ancestral home in Patna. One of my uncles, whose wife was in Muzaffarpur, used to visit them every weekend. During summer vacation, he used to take me along, and I stayed there almost for a month. I still remember that my uncle, who worked in Muzaffarpur, used to bring a variety of mangoes for me. It was fun, but eating unlimited mangoes made me fall ill. My mother got worried and requested my uncle to send me back to Patna because she felt others would be troubled. The family members who were in Muzaffarpur denied my mother's request. Everyone in Muzaffarpur took good care of me, and after getting cured, I came to Patna. That whole experience is still fresh in my mind and taught me about the essence of familial bond. My love for yummy mangoes made me experience the sweetness of the relationship among the members of a big joint family, which is unforgettable.
    shampasaid


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