Kolkata runs low on goodies this lockdown Easter

This Easter is all set to go down in history as perhaps the most low-key one since World War II. Almost the entire western world is under lockdown, and the situation is no different closer home. There’s hardly a bakery around to dish out yummy Easter goodies. While

Nahoum

’s, which is famous for their Good Friday

hot cross

buns and Easter baskets, is closed during the lockdown, Flury’s is planning to include the bare minimum on its Easter menu.

Speaking to us, Nahoum’s manager Jagadish Haldar said their bakers haven’t been able to attend work since the lockdown began. “So we are unable to operate. And this will go on at least till April 14, unless the government directs us otherwise,” he added.

Flury’s, which has been baking primarily bread and buns since the lockdown began, is planning to slightly expand their menu for Easter. “We are making hot cross buns and some Easter bunnies,” said Rajesh Kumar Singh, director of the bakery.

Most of the small or home bakers, on the other hand, are battling with a short supply of ingredients, especially chocolate, which hasn’t been categorised as an essential commodity. Home baker

Lorraine White

told us, “I will bake cupcakes and make chocolates, but eastern eggs take more chocolate and I don't have enough. Instead, I am making liqueur chocolates for adults and caramel chocolate for youngsters.”

The only bakery that’s planning to have an exhaustive menu is

Saldanha

’s. They are planning to home deliver Easter bunnies,

marzipan

eggs, Good Friday hot cross buns, Easter baskets and other goodies. “We are also taking extra care to sanitise the delivery chain. The cars are sanitised and the delivery guys have been asked to maintain total,” said

Alisha Alexander

from the bakery.

Some luxury hotels are also taking home-delivery orders. While they have the infrastructural advantage, many small bakeries have little wherewithal to deal with the crisis.

Lorraine, who gets a lot of Easter orders every year, has decided to close orders by April 5. “This year I'm working only on the preorders,” she said.

Sana Masoon Ebrahim, another home baker, is baking cakes only for her family this year. “There is a major disruption in the delivery system. Even if I get orders, who’s going to deliver them?” she asked.

Then there’s the dearth of raw materials, especially chocolate, which is a major ingredient in Easter eggs. While Lorraine has decided against making them, some, like Alisha, another home baker, have stocked up. “We use a lot of interesting fillings for the Easter eggs. We had imported some in good time. Meanwhile, we are making our signature fillings also. I am sure the kids are going to love the eggs,” she said.


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