At Meetha Creamery’s menu, look no further than vanilla ice cream. Deexit and Aakruti Patel, the creative couple behind this small Parc-Extension business, bring you Indian-inspired fragrances that will delight your taste buds.
Falooda, Haldi Dudh, Gulab Jamun… With question marks in our eyes we learn about the different flavors of ice cream that we offer in Metha. A reaction often noticed in front of the shop with its elegant pink facade, Akruti Patel reassures us. When this happens, her husband is happy to describe perfumes in detail to customers, says the young entrepreneur.
Photo by Josie Desmarais, Press
Dixit and Akruti Patel
Deexit Patel also works with enthusiasm Journalism.
“The white here is cardamom and pistachio. These are two very common ingredients in all Indian sweets. It’s a combination that works very well, he explains, pointing to one of the six scoops of ice cream included on the “tasting menu,” the perfect choice for the reluctant gourmet.
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Photo by Josie Desmarais, Press
Part of the “tasting menu”: Eliche Pesta (white), Haldi Dud (yellow) and Falooda (pink)
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Photo by Josie Desmarais, Press
Rest of the ‘tasting menu’: Bournvita (brown), Gulab Jamun (white) and Mango Chili Chaat (orange)
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We take a bite of pink ice cream and are surprised to find that it tastes…pink, specifically. “The flavor of ‘falooda’ is based on Indian yogurt. There are basil seeds inside to give a bit of texture,” says Deexit Patel. […] It is very similar to chia seeds. »
Will yellow ice cream be lemon? Away from this. It is the flavor of “haldi dude” or “turmeric milk”.
“There’s turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon. It’s based on a very popular drink. When we were young and sick, our mothers gave us this. It was a cure for colds,” reveals the co-owner. “We hated it,” adds his wife.
After such an unappealing description, we dread tasting this dessert inspired by Grandma’s treat…which ultimately turns out to be surprisingly delicious. The parents of the two entrepreneurs were also skeptical when they learned that the couple wanted to introduce this fragrance. their rule? They answered: “Our fathers love it.”
childhood memories
However, if you travel to India, you will not be able to find this fragrance in local creams. Like the others offered at Meetha, it was invented by a couple of Montreal entrepreneurs. Their inspiration? their childhood.
“The idea behind our dairy products is really nostalgic. We want people to think of all their memories. What did they eat when they were young? What did they drink?” explains Deexit Patel, referring to his clients of Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi origin.
Photo by Josie Desmarais, Press
Masala chai ice cream cake
The Masala Chai Ji ice cream cake illustrates this guideline well. “When we were young, we weren’t supposed to drink tea. When our parents drank it, they let us take a biscuit and dip it in it. It was this memory that gave us the idea to make Masala Chai Cake with Parle-G Cookies. [très populaires en Inde]. “It reminds us of our childhood,” says Dixit Patel.
Before continuing the interview, he opens a parenthesis: “We shouldn’t call him chai-chai.” “Chai” means “tea.” It’s like saying: “Chai-chai.” It should be written in the article. We close the bow.
Colorful novelties
Meetha Creamery has been open since 2021, and they are introducing two new products this year. The first soft ice cream that will change flavor several times during the summer. Then, kulfis. “It’s kind of a lollipop,” explains Deexit Patel. They are usually cream based, but we decided to make our own with coconut. Currently, this vegan product is available in two flavors that highlight mango.
Photo by Josie Desmarais, Press
Mango and cumin kulfi
Before Meetha (which means sweet in Hindi), Deexit and Aakruti Patel had a catering service called Tiffin. What prompted them to start a decent business? “We had plans to open a restaurant, but there was COVID. So we decided to put our plans on hold,” the self-taught cooking enthusiast begins.
But the project grew in their heads. In particular, think about what desserts they would like to serve in their establishment. “I wanted it to be something very fun, representative of us and our childhood a little bit,” he continues. The idea of \u200b\u200bcreating original ice cream flavors appeared.
After tasting a few samples, friends and family encouraged them to continue on this path.
Deexit and Aakruti Patel still dream of opening their own restaurant in the next few years. One thing’s for sure: There will be creamy cream in there.
787 A rue de Liège Ouest, Montreal
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