Sugar Cane Juice

MY FAVOURITE COOL DRINK TO BEAT THE SUMMER HEAT

By

VIKRAM KARVE


A hot dry scorching afternoon in Pune.

I am feeling terrible – my spirits totally drained out – my throat parched, my insides dehydrated, and my whole body desperately thirsty.

Suddenly I see fresh sugarcane juice being made, in one of those ubiquitous “prehistoric” hand-carts, sugarcane is being crushed between two wooden rollers, a hardy man moving the overhead handle round and round, till the sugarcane is fully drained of its juice. In between he presses in pieces of ginger and juicy lemon with the sugarcane, and goes round and round extracting the last drop, and soon in my hand I have a tall glass of cool frothy sugarcane juice.

I sip. Close my eyes to heighten my inner senses.

Ah! So soothing. Stimulatingly refreshing and revaitalizing. Blissfully ambrosial, like nectar. A real thirst quenching elixir.

The sugarcane juice is very very lip-smackingly yummy, the ginger and lemon add a zesty tang to the deliciously sweet taste, every sip fortifying, invigorating, revitalizing, and soon I feel delightfully perked up, rejuvenated, and in the best of spirits.

Let me tell you one thing – you get the best sugarcane juice in Pune – no doubt about it. I have had sugarcane juice all over, but nothing can beat the sheer quality and lovely heavenly taste of the sugarcane juice get in Pune.

You don’t believe me! Okay, just go across to Shanipar in the heart of Pune and check out a fresh glass of sugarcane juice at Murlidhar Rasvanti Gruha [Established 1947], or at any renowned “raswanti gruha” or “usa che gurhal” in Pune and you will know what I am talking about. Maybe it’s got to do with the quality of sugarcane, maybe it’s the ginger and lemon that do the trick.

Well the “smart” youngsters of today may consider it infra dig to drink sugarcane juice and prefer colas, but for me – I love fresh tangy refreshing sugarcane juice anytime.

They say sugarcane juice is healthy, strengthens your organs like your brain, heart, stomach, kidneys, eyes and sex organs, has plenty of protein and iron, prevents sore throat, cold and flu, and is a panacea for many ills, but I don’t know all that – I just love a tall cool restorative glass of sugarcane juice on a hot dry afternoon.


VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2009
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

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