The trend is one that has set in across
the world, and over the last couple of years, has been spreading across Goa,
perhaps debatably, to the point of saturation. We speak, of course, of the rise
in the popularity of baking from home, and the people that undertake it.
There are benefits over having a fixed
outlet, without doubt, starting with lower overhead costs. However, in similar
vein, there are also detriments in the form of the inability to buy raw
materials in subsidised form, as this usually requires purchasing produce in
bulk, which is not possible in a smaller operation.
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According to one source, a portal that
speaks on wellness, baking is great for mental health, purely because cooking
is meditative; nourishing activities feel good, baking stimulates the senses,
baking is creative, and at the end of the day, the end products make other
people happy- and who doesn’t love being able to do that?
This all makes sense, of course. Any
activity which takes your whole attention – especially if it’s simple and
repetitive – can have a calming, meditative quality. The process of weighing
out butter and sugar, whisking eggs, beating and folding creates space in the
mind, and eases negative thinking processes.
But surely there are more reasons than
just these. Café catches up with a few home-bakers in Goa, to see why it is
that they do what they do, and why ‘now’ is the right time for it:
Baking has always been a passion for my
boyfriend, Irving Keith Viegas, and me. After we completed our education at
Lavonne Academy of Pastry Arts in Bangalore, it seemed like the right time to
take the business a step further. The market is better, in the sense that the
customers know more today than they did five years ago, and hence they like to
experiment with flavours, which is good for business. Baking from home means
that we pay more attention to detail, as compared to otherwise working in a
commercial unit where everything is done on a larger scale. It also ensures
that our customers get freshly baked goods.
Desiree Bragança
I have been
passionate about baking since the last few years, and the feedback of my family
and friends motivated me to take it a level higher. It’s been three years since
I started my own brand, ‘Ribboned & Ready’, which belongs to me and my
sister. The market is definitely better now, and is more beneficial for home
bakers, as clients are more open to the trending concepts and ideas now, and
they aren’t hesitant in terms of the price, as long as their requirement is
fulfilled. Working from home allows you to work at your own pace and time. Your
orders are limited to feasibility. There is no wastage as your production is
purely based on orders.
Tiffaney Barros
