This
mother-daughter duo will be wo-manning a table together. Nanditha is one of the
founders of HBG and her cakery is called The Sugar Hut. Girija is her cool,
fun, hip and stylish mom.
Nanditha Sashidharan
I
have profiled Nanditha earlier in quite some detail at the last Baker Showcase in
February. There’s even a ‘must-not-miss’ YouTube video of one of her performances. A singer with a rock band, Nanditha is busy cooking up a storm
while juggling her home, hearth, business and cats.
Her
specials at this event probably outnumber everyone else’s! Cherry Tart,
Bannofee Pie, Chocolate Cherry Tart with Lime Custard, Brown Butter Tart, Lemon
Bars, Hazelnut Fudge, Millionaire’s Shortbread, Rum Truffles, and a ton of
varieties in Decadent Brownies! Phew…Wait! Not done yet…at the last Showcase
Nanditha spoke of her desire to practice making more French desserts and this
time around, she has managed to fulfill her wish. French macarons have found
their way on to her menu!
There
is a lot more on offer by this hardworking & talented young woman and no amount
of description or pictures would probably do her work the requisite justice.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating, as they say, so simply drop in to
the event and sample the goodies from her table!
Loads
of delectable nuts, toppings and berries and combinations of the same find their way into her bakes and her
loyal customers swear by her exotic creations. So don’t say I didn’t warn you
ahead for not being there on time to grab them while they last!
Girija Menon
When
I called Girija, she was tucking into a Magnum ice cream bar and a lot of the
conversation from her side was about how delicious they are! Up until now, I’d heard a lot of mixed reviews about this brand, but am curious now and almost completely sold after hearing
Girija wax eloquent on them!
This incident deserves special mention because you had to hear her
to believe it! :-) What amazed me was this lady was as cool as a cucumber on the night before the
Baker Showcase, while most of the other bakers were on pins and needles and
a few tenterhooks as well! Her own daughter Nanditha was battling a fridge
breakdown issue, but here was the mom, all ready and treating herself to
icecream close to midnight! Most of us need to learn a thing or two from you, Girija, on the advantages of being organised, prepared and relaxed on the eve of a major event!
It helps that Girija has essentially 4 varieties on her menu - Bacon
Bread, Gooey Brownies with Shortbread Crust, Brown Butter Apple Tart and Salty
Oatmeal Cookies. Her bacon bread looks & sounds unusual and the picture was featured in a newspaper, as part of the run-up to the event.
She even got an order and
had to oblige the customer although she was busy preparing for the Showcase. After
the order was despatched, her new customer calls back and requests for one
more! Girija actually turned it down! Here is one lady who is clear-headed about what
she can and will not do!
Girija seems to have hit upon a brainwave by bringing the simple Chutney Sandwich to the Baker Showcase amidst all the gooey and sugary desserts and heavy savouries. Munching on these would settle the many varieties of rich flavours and tastings that people would be indulging in at the venue, besides adding a much needed respite to the tongue and palate!
Girija seems to have hit upon a brainwave by bringing the simple Chutney Sandwich to the Baker Showcase amidst all the gooey and sugary desserts and heavy savouries. Munching on these would settle the many varieties of rich flavours and tastings that people would be indulging in at the venue, besides adding a much needed respite to the tongue and palate!
Girija was a non-resident Indian for 28 years. She lived in the Gulf and returned to Chennai in 2009. She says she likes to bake
just for the fun of it. Like most mothers, she began baking for her
daughters’ birthday parties. Little did she know it would turn into a
serious business within the family! Her last participation at the Showcase with
Sara & Tasneem was a complete sell-out with her Lime Bars and Quiches being
one of the most sought after items on her menu!
An interesting
conversationalist, Girija is a sound support system for Nanditha and her other
daughter, who lives in the USA.
Girija conducts spoken English
classes in her spare time and dabbles in aromatherapy for friends and family.
She is considering pursuing this with more earnestness by enrolling for a course
in America later this year.
Here's wishing these ladies
all the best for a smash-hit Showcase yet again and all the luck to pursue
their dreams!
The Sugar Hut FB page
The Sugar Hut FB page
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