The Sweetness of Bitter Candies

Dadu had a penchant for British candies. They came in circular tins, maybe copper or bronze, filled with hard, bitter, citrusy candies – lemon, perhaps some orange – dusted with sugar. They were a wonderful mix of bitter and sweet. He always kept a few of these tins in his cupboard drawer in Calcutta.

As grandkids, we were allowed to have one a day, usually as an after-lunch treat. He loved them just as much as we did and would join us in having one. He never overindulged, which again, speaks so much to who he was and taught us balance.

As we got older and were studying or living abroad, we would carry these tins back for him. I remember bringing a bunch for his 70th and 75th birthdays. It was really nice to be able to keep up with this little hobby for him as he aged, a small way to give back after he exposed us to so much. I'm also a sucker for hard candies ever since I had those with him; he's had a pivotal part in that aspect of my life too.

Our Daily Treat