- What makes Kolkata Extra-delightful at Christmas are some Timeless Bakeries –
While loyalists like us love the city all through the year, what makes it more special is the sheer abundance of cakes and bakes that make an appearance at Christmas time. Travel up and down, and you are sure to find bakery stores done up charmingly in colourful decorations and twinkling lights displaying their ware. Even the humble shop down the road will make an effort to hang up a few extra “LEDs” as we call them and set out a table laden with cakes of all sizes and shapes. Little wonder then, that some die-hard Kolkata brands have found favour with locals down the years. They don’t make fancy speciality cakes and you don’t have to pre-order. You just walk up and browse the collection on display and take your pick. It can’t get any simpler than this!
Two Gen Z members of Team Cam-on-go, Antaripa and Neha, went on a recce of some Kolkata-based bakers that have remained firm favourites generation after generation.
Here’s what they discovered –
Saldanah Bakery – For nearly a century, this family- managed bakery in Kolkata has remained the go-to place for countless Christmas revellers. Four generations of the Saldanah family (originally from Goa) have been running the establishment and adding their unique styles of management with the change of time. For instance, there has been a logo change, menu revamp, and marked social media presence in recent years keeping in sync with market dynamics. While food buffs visit it in every season, the place turns Christmassy with a special menu in December every year with traditional favourites like the Christmas Log and Walnut Cake. Year after year, the Saldanah family has been spreading Christmas cheer with their special moist and rich Christmas cake, fresh savoury bakes like chicken patties and cheese puffs.
Nahoum & Sons – Many Kolkatans will swear that Christmas doesn’t seem complete until they have had Nahoum’s Rich Fruit Cake. In fact, around the festival and well into the new year, you will likely find a sizeable queue outside this old bakery store that is now an intrinsic part of Kolkata’s culture. Nahoum’s Rich Fruit Cake comes packed with nuts and raisins, perfectly moist, and you can cut it up in neat slices that go perfectly with a hot beverage or on their own. They actually sell like hot cakes and if you are late, you are in for some disappointment. This is one of the oldest bakeries in the city and certainly in the market. Owned by a Jewish family, it has a rich history of its own that is an undeniable throwback to the era of prosperous and well-dressed ladies and gentlemen shopping in Hogg Market (now New Market) and stopping by at Nahoum’s for a small bite.
Imperial Bakers and Confectioners – This 150- year -old store is now a landmark on its own and has the distinction of being a “Heritage Bakery”. Step into New Market and almost every shop owner will happily give you directions to this renowned bakery that attracts food lovers from all over who are not in the least put off by the fact that there is no seating here. They sell a range of pastries and cakes, cookies and oven-fresh breads. At Christmas, there is their special Christmas Cake on offer that has remained a best seller over the years.
Flurys – Perhaps the only name in Kolkata’s bakery landscape that has seamlessly managed to weave its rich heritage into ultra-modern chic and remain very relevant is Flurys. Well known for their exhaustive range of pastries, savouries, cookies, brownies, and breads, Flurys has an entire collection of special Christmas cakes that includes traditional must-haves like the Plum Pudding Cake, the Yule Log Cake, Dundee, Plum, Fruit, Dates and Walnut cakes. The iconic Flurys was founded in 1927 by Mr. and Mrs. J. Flury and in no time became a hotspot in Kolkata frequented by the affluent Indian and Britisher alike.
Barua Bakery – A legacy of a bygone Kolkata is this 96-year-old establishment that keeps weaving its bakery magic on countless loyal customers and curious first-timers alike. Popular for its mini and tiffin cakes, crunchy biscuits, fresh breads, and soft buns, Barua Bakery presents its Christmas cakes to people in the city and beyond. Thanks to their robust distribution, Barua’s Christmas cakes have been typically available in suburban towns for ages where continue to be hot favourites.
Photographs: Antaripa Mukherjee and Neha Karmakar
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