It’s the need of the hour and these baking enthusiasts didn’t think twice to rise to the occasion. As the State reels from devastating floods and many housed in relief camps still await succour in any form, Menna’s Delight at Kumarapuram transformed into a beehive of activity with ‘Knead of the Hour’ on Monday. Their mission was to do their bit by baking about 600 buns for the needy.
“Thousands in relief camps still require help and, as a baker, I felt this was the perfect way to contribute to helping those in distress. We know it’s only a drop in the bucket but when I reached out to my students, many of whom are home-bakers, they were more than happy to join hands for a common cause,” says 45-year-old Marina Charles, who spearheaded the initiative.
Bakers and volunteers package buns to be send to relief camps.
Thus a team of 30-odd bakers and volunteers, including kids, found themselves chipping in, whether it was kneading the dough into the required consistency or adding that extra modicum of sugar or milk to the mix, all, of course, with “a sense of duty.” However, due to a power outage, the team had to fight against the odds and managed to perfectly bake over 400 buns within the planned time period. Each packet, with two buns, were then dated and packaged in cartons, which were later sent to a collection point at B-hub in Nalanchira from where it was sorted and sent to relief camps.
Buns baked during Knead of the Hour
Marina says about 12 kg of maida, five litres of oil, four litres of milk and 1 kg of sugar and a required amount of yeast went into the mix. Each bun weighed 30-40 gm.
For the bakers and volunteers, this became an occasion to reach out as they themselves were “helpless to help” when the floods hit the State. “I have been in the relative safety of my home or office, but all the while hearing distressing stories about people fighting to survive. There was virtually nothing I could have done at that moment to alleviate their pain. As someone who likes baking, this is the least I can do,” says Nalanchira resident Cheery Cherian Thomas, an artist with Toonz Animation.
Marina Charles with buns baked during Knead of the Hour
Annie Jacob, a former banker, finds making an effort of her own is “more meaningful for me” than purchasing from a supermarket for donation. “At my age, I may not be able to visit relief camps and carry out legwork. So, when Marina was organising the baking session, I felt this would be one of the ways I can contribute from the heart,” she says.
Marina says she chose buns as opposed to breads as the former has better shelf life. Despite the uncertainty regarding supply, she refrained from adding any preservatives.
With schools closed, it was also an opportunity for kids to do some “holiday help.” Nine-year-old Kiran. K, a student of St. Thomas Residential School, had no prior experience in baking, but this didn’t stop him from doing his bit with kneading the dough, of course, with “some assistance from the seniors.”
