Bruce Bogtrotter may have been “punished” for stealing Miss Trunchbull’s chocolate cake in Roald Dahl’s Matilda, but bookworms can eat to their heart’s content at a food festival to celebrate the author’s birth anniversary.
A bookstore in the city is retelling Dahl’s stories through food. Visitors will get to learn about Jame’s peach tree, Augustus Gloop’s obsession with chocolates and Mr Fox’s hoarding skills when they try out an inviting array of desserts, finger food and drinks at the Oxford Bookstore Cha Bar on Park Street till the month-end.
The special Dahl menu is meant to bring alive his memorable characters and the stories behind them.
The birthday celebrations were kicked off with a party, the “golden tickets” to which were distributed among lucky customers. The tickets, that had been tucked into books placed all over the store, won lucky buyers an entry to the party and prizes too. Several games were organised at the party.
“Dahl is an all-time favourite among the young and the old alike. On an average, 100 copies of his books sell at our store every month. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the hot pick for children,” said Swagat Sengupta, the CEO of Apeejay Oxford Bookstore.
On the special menu are The Wonka Chocolate Cake — a truffle cake dessert commemorating Charlie Bucket’s adventures inside Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory; Matilda’s Special Berry Muffin that is meant to spread the protagonist’s love for muffins; Mr Fox’s Coronation Chicken Sandwich that promises to take one back to the strategies of fantastic Mr Fox who would steal chicken and finally cooked up a storm for all the burrowing animals and The BFG Fries to introduce one to the world of the Big Friendly Giant.
Special drinks include Augustus Gloop Chocolate Shake, telling the story of a chocolate-obsessed child, and James’ Giant Peach Bubble Tea. There are also chocolates, a spinach quiche and a variety of salads on offer, all reminiscent of Dahl’s enticing world of wonderful food descriptions.
Samraggi Mukherjee, a student of St Xavier’s College, was happy to explore the special menu. “I come here often to read after college. I am looking forward to the new Dahl menu. Food is a wonderful way to reconnect readers with their favourite authors. Even non-readers feel like picking up a book after sampling the food,” she said.
