JOIN USThe love for this hazelnut-chocolate spread is legendary and die-hard fans can’t do without it. The world loves to spread it on its bread, make cheesecakes out of it or just simply indulge in a jar of it.
Closer home, it is relished with ‘roti’ and other Indian preparations. Nutella or the chocolate hazelnut spread became so popular that in 2007, this day, Sara Rosso, an American blogger founded ‘World Nutella Day’. The other Nutella fans loved the idea that they also came forward to express their passion for this spread. So every year, fans take over social media with pictures, poems, recipes, messages and more. It became a global phenomenon that people started spreading love with their friends, family and colleagues. This year too, loyalists are all set to celebrate it by having it in every form to preparing it in their own way.
However, it’s not just in the West that this is making an impact, but in our ‘ooru’ as well. Chefs are experimenting with the spread and chocolate lovers are embracing it with open arms. It’s common to see people going to a breakfast place and indulging in their pancakes and waffles with this spread. There are also plenty of ice-cream joints here that are catering to chocolate lovers with variations.
The one item that’s making the buzz this time around is the dessert bao served at ‘Kylie’s, The Bao Shop’. Explaining the story behind this creation, Tanmoy Savardekar, the chef and founder of the food joint says, “Nutella is one of the widely sold flavours that people, including Bengalureans, absolutely love. So when we wanted to add a new variation to the baos, we thought this spread will be the way to go. Since we are also big fans of this spread, we thought we’d give a friendly twist with banana, Nutella, almond praline and whipped cream dessert in a bao. People are stopping by, day in and out, asking for this dessert. The best part is that customers keep talking about it.” Naveen Suresh, a huge fan of this spread, exclaims, “When I hear about it, I enter a ‘food coma’. It’s a spread that I can have any time of the day and spread it on anything to enhance the taste.
I recently went to an old waffle joint called ‘Waffle Walle’ on Bannerghatta Road and tried their two hazelnut flavoured ones — one with banana and a dollop of Nutella on ‘Brussels Waffle’ and the other with strawberries and Nutella on the ‘Liege Waffles’. The moment I savoured these flavours, I was transported to another world.” Catering to such fans is also the ‘Nutella baked Cheesecake’ from ‘Spoonful of Sugar’. Founder Yuvna Damani, says, “The demand for this spread has grown a lot among our customers that we’ve had to incorporate a signature recipe for them. Initially, we used to make our own spread but we found it easier to buy them and bake. The cheesecake has become a regular in our menu and we have many come in to indulge in the dessert all the time. I think it’s the unique flavour that makes it irresistible.”
There are those in the City who love eating it right out of the jar without having to convert it to a dessert or even a spread. Deepika Singhania, another fan, shares, “My love for this spread began at a young age and has only grown with time. For a chocolate lover like me, it’s one of the must-have items in my house. Apart from the various desserts, I’ve tried all the weird combinations possible, but my favourite way of eating it is straight from the jar!” For some like Sandesh PS, a businessman, ‘Nutella’ is comfort food. “I remember so many times, when I would slather it on ‘chapati’ or bread when I just need a sugar high. There are even times, when I would dig into a newly-opened jar directly. The coarseness of hazelnut and the smoothness of the whole blend is like no other spread. There are many other spreads similar to ‘Nutella’ available now, but I’m a big fan,” he says.
He remembers how this spread came to his rescue in an emergency. “It was my best friend’s birthday and I had not bought her a cake! I quickly slathered the spread on some glucose biscuits that I decked up and layered it with the spread in between. I topped it with another layer and some whipped cream and voila!”
On this World Nutella Day, loyalists are spreading their love of this spread with Facebook updates, tweets, Instagram pictures or just by indulging in it. Happiness sure is edible and spreadable too!