What started as an attempt to introduce bakery products such as cakes, cookies, muffins, breads and sweets to aspirants and actively engage newcomers during the summer months has now become the buzzword.
The State Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition (SIHMCT&AN) or shortly SIHM Tirupati, has successfully conducted two batches of summer courses in craft products and recipes so far. Sponsored by the Union ministry of Tourism and working under AP Tourism, the institute’s week-long certificate course on ‘bakery products’ is open to all. Attended by people from varied age groups ranging from a six-year-old schoolgirl on vacation to a 60-year-old official, it is an even mix of innocence and experience at the camp.
The programme trains the participants in making basic bread, cookies, eggless variants, desserts, cakes and frostings, strawberry or chocolate flavoured bread, focaccia bread (flavoured with Italian herbs and olives), muffins and choco chip cookies, available in flavours of pistachio, almonds and cherries. There are moulded chocolates with filling of one’s choice.
Unlimited possibilities
“Several students and housewives have taken our course quite seriously to emerge as entrepreneurs. With a little initiative, these ‘Make it Yourself’ products can be sold to bakers or through direct-to-home channels,” SIHM principal V. Giribabu told The Hindu.
“Instead of buying whatever we come across, it is a pleasure to prepare these exotic and healthy eatables at home to satisfy the children,” says V. Uma, a home-maker who evinces interest in joining the next batch starting Monday (May 20).
“The programme is tailored in such a way that the ingredients are locally available and the skills are imparted with such panache that the eye-catching finished products can be sold at a premium,” says chef and tutor P.D. Sethuram. The course also suggests alternative ingredients to egg, apart from teaching ways to use cooking gas in the absence of large ovens.
Participants from the previous batches proudly share pictures of their platter containing mind-boggling range of products sucah butter cream frosting, chocolate ganache frosting, whip cream frosting on the social media. Aspirants can register at 79955 26180.