As winter settles across West Bengal, a distinctive caramel sweetness fills the air, heralding the arrival of ‘nolen gur’, a seasonal delicacy cherished for generations.
Senjuti Mahato and Abhishek Choudhury started Earth Story Farms in 2020 to bring back food rooted in nature. “What really concerned us was the uncertainty about what we were eating,” Senjuti says.
They realised modern food often lacked integrity, and so their common goal has always been to make unadulterated eating a culture.
For them, creating nolen gur is more than production. “The making of nolen gur is not just about producing a sweet product; it is an art form that is connected to the rhythms of nature,” explains Senjuti.
Their farm in Bankura is ideal, because cold temperatures, clear skies and rich soil help sap flow and preserve true flavour.
Drawing sap requires nature’s nod. “Once the temperature starts dropping, and the humidity lowers, that’s when the sap starts flowing,” explains Abhishek.
Just before sunset, the skilled shiulis make careful incisions in the trees so sap can flow into earthen pots through the night.
By morning, the collected sap is taken to the cooking unit, where wood fires gently heat it, beginning its transfiguration.
Sap thickens over slow firewood heat into either jhola (liquid) or patali (solid) jaggery, each a product of patience and skill.
“The process of making patali gur, which involves further cooking until it becomes solid, is a delicate balance of time, heat, and craftsmanship,” adds Abhishek.
They do not use plastic pots on the farm because they want to keep the tradition intact and want people to experience the richness and authenticity of nolen gur.
From a seasonal craft, it has become steady work for over 80 artisans. “Our goal is to create jobs throughout the year, not just during the peak season of nolen gur,” Senjuti shares.
With time, more people are returning to traditional foods, and Earth Story Farms caters to this by crafting nolen gur and other treats using time-honoured methods.
Read their journey here.