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Sometimes simple things can be big. Like 54-year-old Kirpal Singh’s ordinary handcart near Sheesh Ganj Gurdwara in Chandni Chowk that titillates food lovers to come in hordes and try out his fruit cream.
The Giani Fruit Cream, Amritsar Wale is a landmark in itself with cars stopping by and people jostling against each other to get a cup full of ice cream, filled with the special fruit cream. The place comes alive after six in the evening and the rush here goes on till midnight and sometimes even beyond.
Kirpal says, “Sixty years back, my father Premchand had set up this shop after he came from Amritsar and carried the fruit cream with him. Since childhood I have been very close to him and have seen him run this place which is loved by customers from all walks of life.”
He recollects the names of film stars like Dharmendra, Hema Malini and Dara Singh, who come here to pay a visit to the gurdwara and stop by his stall for the fruit cream. Kirpal says, “A number of film stars used to come here while paying a visit to the gurdwara. Akshay Kumar visited us too but now he sends his assistant to get the fruit cream.”
Gurpreet Singh, a patron says, “I am suffering from a cold right now but cannot resist the cup of fruit cream here.” Jaspreet and Surinder Singh, say, “We have been coming here since childhood.
Paying a visit to the gurdwara was just a reason to gobble the delicious fruit cream served in sheeshe wale glass. Our parents never stopped us from having it because they too relished it.”
Kirpal informs, “We make it from pure and fresh cream and seasonal fruit. There are usually five kinds of fruit that go into it: Apple, banana, pineapple, mango and grapes. Apart from these we also put dry fruit into it. Earlier, my father used to garnish it with chandi ka vark custom-made for this purpose.”
Talking about the texture of the sweet dish, Kirpal adds, “Fruit cream should ideally be thin in consistency but we deep freeze it because people like it that way.”
A small cup with two scoops of fruit cream costs Rs 15, while a big cup with three scoops is available for Rs 20. You can also opt for a softy or a family pack here.
Interestingly people like eating the fruit cream in a glass. Kirpal says, “I do have disposable cups but people prefer eating it in sheeshe wale glass. Sometimes we run out of these glasses and are unable to wash them quickly, yet customers wait patiently.”
Puneet Paul, resident of Panchsheel Enclave comes to Chandni Chowk for shopping with his family and always stops at this stall to enjoy the fruit cream. He says, “We have kept our shopping bags in our car and have come back for the fruit cream because we know we will not get it in South Delhi.”
Interestingly, Kirpal tried investing in other business ventures but could not acquire the name and love that he did through this humble fruit cream stall. He says, “The taste of this sweet dish has such a fan following that one of my customers from Chandigarh buys a family pack and takes it along to eat it in the train.”