Hard or soft Mysore pak: which is the real one?
Two styles of Mysore pak are sold in Tamil Nadu. Why they differ, and why customers argue about them.
A sweet walk from Oppanakara Street to Big Bazaar Street
The old trading lanes of Coimbatore town: textiles, steel vessels, flower stalls and where to stop for something sweet.
Our shop sits in one of the oldest parts of Coimbatore, where the town’s trade began long before the mills and the IT parks. If you are visiting the city, the walk around these streets takes an hour or two and shows you how the old town still works.
Start at the Town Hall end of Oppanakara Street in the morning, before 10, when the textile wholesalers are opening their shutters and handcarts are loading bales. The street is lined with cloth shops, small jewellers and shops selling school uniforms. It is narrow and busy, so walk on the shaded side and keep your bag in front.
From there, cut across to Big Bazaar Street, where the shops sell stainless steel vessels, brass lamps and kitchen tools by weight. The lane towards the Koniamman temple is full of flower sellers in the mornings, stringing jasmine and marigold for the day’s pujas. On Tuesdays and Fridays, the temple is crowded with devotees.
Walk back to Oppanakara Street and our counter for a break. Many visitors try a piece of warm Mysore pak, which comes off the kadai around 8 am and again at 4 pm, with a small tumbler of filter coffee from the stall next door. We pack small boxes of 250 g for travellers, which fit easily in a bag. If you are flying out, ask us for a sealed tin; it holds up better in luggage than a cardboard box.
