On the Meetha Creamery menu, don’t look for vanilla ice cream. Deexit and Aakruti Patel, creative couple behind this small business located in Parc-Extension, offer you Indian-inspired perfumes that will delight your taste buds.
“Falooda”, “haldi doodh”, “gulab jamun”… It is with question marks in our eyes that we learn about the different flavors of ice cream offered at Meetha. A reaction often observed in front of the shop with its dapper pink facade, reassures us Aakruti Patel. Whenever this happens, her husband takes pleasure in describing the perfumes in detail to customers, says the young entrepreneur.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Deexit and Aakruti Patel
It is also with enthusiasm that Deexit Patel runs for The Press.
“The white here is cardamom and pistachio. These are two super popular ingredients in all Indian desserts. It’s a combination that works very well”, he explains, pointing to one of the six scoops of ice cream included in the “tasting menu”, the perfect option for undecided gourmands.
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PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Part of the “tasting menu”: elaichi pista (white), haldi doodh (yellow) and falooda (pink)
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PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
The rest of the “tasting menu”: bournvita (brown), gulab jamun (white) and mango chili chaat (orange)
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We take a bite of the pink ice cream and we are surprised to discover that it tastes… rose, precisely. “The ‘falooda’ flavor is based on the Indian milkshake, says Deexit Patel. There are basil seeds inside to give a little texture. […] It is very similar to chia seeds. »
Would the yellow ice cream be lemon? Far from there. It is the “haldi doodh” or “turmeric milk” flavor.
“There is turmeric, ginger and cinnamon. It’s based on a super popular drink. When we were young and got sick, our mothers gave us this. It was a cure for the common cold,” reveals the co-owner. “We hated it,” adds his wife.
After this unattractive description, we dread tasting this dessert inspired by a grandmother’s remedy… which ultimately turns out to be surprisingly delicious. The mothers of the two entrepreneurs were also skeptical when they learned that the couple wanted to offer this perfume. Their verdict? “Our parents love it,” they reply.
Childhood memories
If you travel to India, however, you will not be able to find this perfume at the local creamery. Like the others offered at Meetha, it was invented by the two Montreal entrepreneurs. Their source of inspiration? Their childhood.
“The idea behind our dairy is really nostalgia. We want people to think about all their memories. What did they eat when they were young? What were they drinking? explains Deexit Patel, referring to his clients of Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi origin.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Masala chai-g ice cream cake
The “masala chai-g” ice cream cake illustrates this guideline very well. “When we were young, we weren’t supposed to drink chai. 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 of making a masala chai cake with Parle-G cookies. [très populaires en Inde]. It reminds us of our childhood,” says Deexit Patel.
Before continuing the interview, he opens a parenthesis: “We absolutely must not call it chai tea. “Chai” means “tea”. It’s like saying: “tea tea”. It should be written in the article. ” That’s done. We close the parenthesis.
Colorful novelties
Open since 2021, Meetha Creamery is offering two new products this year. First soft ice cream, whose flavor will change a few times during the summer. Then, kulfis. “It’s a kind of popsicle, explains Deexit Patel. Usually it’s cream-based, but we decided to make them with coconut. For now, this vegan product is available in two flavors that highlight the mango.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Mango and cumin kulfi
Before Meetha (which means sweet in Hindi), Deexit and Aakruti Patel had a catering service named Tiffin. What prompted them to start a creamery? “We had plans to open a restaurant, but there was COVID. So we decided to put our plans on hold”, begins the self-taught cooking enthusiast.
In their heads, however, the project grew. In particular, they thought about the desserts they would like to serve in their establishment. “I wanted it to be something super fun, which represents us and which represents our childhood a little bit”, he continues. The idea of creating original ice cream flavors emerged.
After tasting a few samples, friends and family encouraged them to continue on this path.
Deexit and Aakruti Patel still dream of opening their restaurant in the next few years. One thing is certain: there will be a creamery there.
787 A, rue de Liège Ouest, Montreal