The New Royal Bakery of Kotagiri by Vishwajit
The New Royal Bakery The sweet scent of bakery and confectionary has been infused into their blood over many generations. It’s been 80 years since the ovens of this bakery have been burning hot and strong. The bakers here have over 20 years of experience up their sleeves. Our trip to the Nilgiri mountains was dotted with a special surprise. A journey into the heart, of one of the many famous Variki Houses.Their artisans make the much sought after, ‘Ooty Variki’. It’s famous for its unique texture and flavour. Crunchy, sweet, a bit salty and flaky, making it a perfect teatime snack. The furnace is lit the previous day, fuelled by burning wood procured from the surrounding forests. As the day progresses, the intensity of heat generated reduces. Hence the items to be prepared are sequenced accordingly, starting with the breads and concluding with the biscuits. The prized Variki is prepared around noon. When the temperature is just right. It has to be baked ...