Haute hampering this Diwali

Kuch meetha ho jaye has been turned on its head. This Diwali, kuch gourmet ho jaye is the way forward, from the trends in the city. Even the lone sweet box is passé. Celebrating the Festival of Lights has gone beyond just the usual kaju katli box or Diyas with a box of ladoos. There are some very gourmet hampers available for an eclectic Diwali, each brimming with healthy snacks or alternatively with unique and wholesome ingredients. Be it Fabindia with its hampers of organic goodies, achars and spices, or incense sticks and scented Diyas or Foodhall at MG 1 that has some fantastic options or the more regular snack and sweet baskets, this Diwali has gone from ordinary to gourmet.

From a hamper with a cookbook with honey, dry fruits, wine, olive oil, short bread, biscuits, even a complete cheese and wine set, Foodhall has a large and heartening collection of baskets for out of the ordinary gifting. From Middle Eastern baskets of saffron infused honey to cheese platters, and Mediterranean highs, there is much to choose from. Even Godrej Nature's Basket has a great selection - The most gourmet of the lot comes packed with goodies like Cherry Preserve, Spread Hazelnut Cocoa, chips, juice, dark chocolate, Turron, chocolate creamy milk, etc and cost more than Rs 4,000. There is a cheese platter at '2,299 which has a robust selection of cheese, Brie, Gouda and Edam cheese, crackers, olives and a glass platter, to make it a complete party starter. They also offer tea, wine, etc hampers as well. 

Sweets shops like Bharatiya Jalpan, Anand, Kanti, Karthik and KC Das all have baskets that include sweets, mixtures, savou ries, etc that are easier on the pocket.  For more exclusive hampers, five stars like Courtyard by Marriott has a beautifully sumptuous basket of goodies - chocolates, scented diyas, macaroons and dry fruits, a perfect pick-me up. The JW Signature Wine hampers are also gourmet in essence with Imported Wine and Ferrero Rocher chocolates. JW Marriott is also offering an exclusive gold hamper with Iris Fragrance, Nuts, Healthy Roasted Flax Seeds, Amaretti, a Chocolate Box, Golden Tip Green Tea, Organic tea bags, Ferrero Rocher, Festive Thoron along with beautiful Festive Candles. 

The sky is the limit when it comes to the five stars and their offerings. Of course, you can also customise hampers at various supermarkets, sweet meat shops and boutiques to add your own signature. Chains like Nutty Yogi offer a large and burgeoning selection of healthy organic snacks, be it caramel macana nuts, mung bean flats, vanilla espresso almond butter, oats flour, coconut flour, amaranth cheela mix, jack fruit pickle and organic white quinoa, etc. There are also many people like Unnati Thakran, a designer, who is customising her Diwali hamper from Conscious Foods, "Since many people will anyway be sick of eating heavy and sinful sweets during the festive season, I decided on making my basket with peanut jaggery chews, finger millet grain dippers, banana wafers with some organic tea and the Conscious food breakfast collection and millets." 

If you want to go a step further, then the wellness offerings for Diwali are completely on point. Malika Suri, Founder of Mimansa@foxtrot shares, "Mimansa @ Foxtrot has come up with a unqiue Diwali Gift Box idea this season. There’s no doubt everyone loves sweets, and there’s always an overdose around this time of the year. We’ve come up with a special box that includes three varieties of handcrafted sweets Oats Granola Bar, Date and Almond, and Green Moong lentil sweets, all containing no refined sugar. 

A mini-pocket inspirational booklet of quotes and locally sourced diyas come along with the box." It is Priced at Rs 1,300 onward, she says that Mimansa aims to spread love this season, a little consciously. And if none of the above suit that gifting need, then Bliss Chocolates and Smoor have the best selection of chocolates on offer, perfectly packaged and slurp worthy. So, this Diwali, one must do it with style. The occasion demands it.