Just Walking Around

Bombay Bakeries

Some time back Bhakti was taught about community helpers in her pre-school class.She was told about Policeman, Fire Fighter , Doctor , cobbler, Vegetable Vendor, Fruit seller and some more. The little kids were made aware of what each profession meant , how each of these community helpers helped in our daily life. As a project the teacher asked each parent to each their kid to enact 1 community helper in the next class a few days later.

In response my wife Kashmira though it would be  best we make Bhakti enact someone uncommon, Yet someone we rely on to “Give Us Our Daily Bread” – The Baker. We dressed her up like a baker with a Chef’s Top Hot, an apron , and a tray . We taught her the famous nursery rhyme “ Hot Cross Bun . One a penny Two a penny Hot Cross Bun” . Bhakti did an excellent  job in her classs , boldly singing the song and carrying off the act very well.

That set my mind wondering how the measly bread or in local parlance the small pav has got integrated in our lives . On Sunday’s your breakfast can’t  be said to be complete without the omlette pav or Egg Half fry and pav. Or slices of buttered bread or jam spread across and gobbled off with your Kadak chai.

And where do you get this double roti as it is called in the streets. That’s right at the Bakery.You can hop across the road to the nearest local bakery for these soft white pavs or the kadak brown ones called the Brun , best when eaten buttered and dipped in tea at the local Irani Café. Then there are the sweet Buns with Tutti Frutti or Black Raisins. In Matunga you could visit the New Roshan Bakery in the flower market within the Mahavir Complex. Here you could see the master baker mixing and kneading the dough and scooping into the metal baking trays. These were then put in the wood fired oven and the pav baked under the watchful eye of the master Baker. With few hours you could see the helpers pulling out the tray lined with soft pav’s looking like puffed up balls. If you are lucky you could get these fresh hot and fluffy pavs when you came to buy at their sales counter. The building that hosted the bakery has long been demolished but they have a small shop at King Circle from where you can buy these heavenly pav. Eat them , smack you lips and enjoy the feeling….

If you are looking to buy something more than your daily bread. Try the City Bakery at Worli.It is one of the oldest bakery and located at literally the heart of Mubai at Worli naka. While on your way to South Mumbai it falls on the left just after Poddar Ayurveda Institute . You can not miss the wafts of sweet smell emanating from this Bakery as you pass by. Do stop over and check their wares. The staff here is very simple but very attentive. You can pick a lot more than the regular pav or buns. There are the Croissants (Kro son) those twisted bread crunchy on the outside soft of the inside eaten with a hot soup . Or try their multi grain bread introduced keeping in with the latest trend of eating fibre based bread. Also famous are their crunchy cookies available in choco chips , walnut and in peanut butter. Or try their desiccated coconut filled biscuits or the jam filled biscuits a super hit with the kids due to their appealing look and sweet taste. They also have a variety of options in Khari’s – the puffed pastry biscuit which forms a great Jodi with the chai .The Maska khari is crunchy yet melt in the mouth once bitten. Then there is the Cheese Khari , or the smaller version of the same named as cheese sticks , methi sticks , ajwain sticks and many more. Then there is rusk or toast as we call them in options of plain , special ,whole wheat  and  methi toast.

They are also famous for their small snacks based on what else bread off-course. The veg rolls with mixed vegetable filling , Paneer tikka roll ,Mushroom , Veg Schezwan roll a little spicy but tasty . Then there are the vegetable and non veg puffs , those small rectangular bread pockets filled with minced meat , chicken or in veg filling. Also you could try the ready to eat pizza’s in 6 inch size , cheesy and stuffed with fresh veggies . Also a must try is their Doughnuts , freshly baked filled with fresh cream and sprinkled with icing sugar , or the jam filled ones or the chocolate coated ones.

Something unique is their Vol –Au-Vent , French for "windblown", to describe its lightness. It is a small hollow case of puff pastry. Vols-au-vent are typically made by cutting two circles in rolled out puff pastry, cutting a hole in one of them, then stacking the ring-shaped piece on top of the disc-shaped piece. This pastry is usually found filled with savory ingredients, but can also have a sweet filling. Also the other unique item is their Mawa Samosa – sweet mawa or khoya based samosa baked to perfection and melts in your mouth when you bite into them leaving a sweet after taste. Try them next time you pass this bakery.

A bakery is also famous for what else but Cakes and Pastries . The best ever cakes and pastries can be had at another famous landmark in Mumbai simply known as B Merwan & Company . Established in 1914, as a 102-year-old Irani cafe and bakery, right outside Grant Road station (East), has been an essential part of Mumbai from the times when it was still Bombay.Started by Boman Merwan, Merwan is now managed by his grandsons and has been expanding since its start.

The bakery is famous for its mawa cakes. Merwan bakes and puts out at least 5,000 cakes by 5.30 am and hardly five last till 7.30 am. .Merwan has the best mawa cakes and no other bakery can make such pieces to perfection. Wherever you go, you will come back to Merwan for the mawa cake.

 The family has now branched out into franchise chain with “ The Merwan’s" cake shop dotted  across the city of Mumbai. Here besides the famous mawa cakes you can treat yourself to the best ever Walnut and date cake , the chocolate brownie , the Christmas cake or the Plum cake and something as unique at the Chocolate éclair or Moca éclair those gooey , chocolaty pastry item . Then there are the soft and light tarts – lemon , strawberry , apple , apricot , apple & blueberry and custard . Also famous are their yummy pastries regular like Black forest , white forest . Exotic ones like Blue berry , Cranberry , Honey Crunch , Trio drip and Chocolate Crackle. Rich ones like Dutch Truffle , Hazelnut Truffle and Ivory Tragan. Newest addition are the soft , light and fluffy Cheese cakes – Orange , Blueberry , Strawberry or Passion fruit . Scoop them with a snoop and gobble it down and savour its texture and sweetness.

But if you are a true blue connoisseur Que up at the original B.Merwan & Company bang opposite the Grand Road Station at 5.30 am to devour the freshly baked bun maska , brun maska or a mawa cake with the kadak meethi chai….

You could always get nostalgic and remember your nursery rhyme ….

Pat-a-Cake, Pat –a-Cake,

Baker's Man;

That I will Master,

As fast as I can;

Prick it and prick it,

And mark it with a T,

And there will be enough for Tommy and me

Happy Reading….