Kuch meetha ho jaye? The phrase surpasses just ringing a bell; it stirs something within you. Such that a leading chocolate brand in India embraced it as their campaign cry in 2000, because meetha, or desserts, are an integral part of the country's culinary customs. In fact, India has often been touted as the diabetes capital of the world, with reports indicating that approximately 72.94 million people (as of 2017) suffer from the condition. Then why are pastry chefs finding it a challenge to find platforms to showcase their talent? Maybe it's a case of kaju katli over key lime pie, but a slow and steady change is evident.

The years of baked Alaska and sizzling brownie are long gone, with restaurant menus offering so much more — from cheesecakes and crèmes brûlées to macaroons and flavoured fraîche ice creams. Forget fine dines, this trend is visible in Diwali hampers, too, where the simple assortment of mithais and dried fruits are being replaced by multigrain pita and granola jars!