Posts
The ‘Pao’ is a name synonymous with bread for any Goan. However it’s a mystery as to how this term called ‘pao” which essentially descended from the Portuguese language, migrated to Mumbai and other areas in India.
I have personally observed that the pao which is currently corrupted in Mumbai as pav has had great love in Mumbai. It is believed that the pao was first sold in Andheri Mumbai by Goan bakers more than 200 years ago. The Iranian bakers are then known to have taken over the tradition while ensuring that their employees are goan workers so that the continuity of the tradition is not corrupted.
The city’s best pao in Mumbai is still being sold at a bakery in Andheri west known as the Andheri bakery and that product is known to be the be the best ambassador of the pao in Mumbai for its purity.In Goa the price of pao has continued to rise over the last few years and the latest addition of 50 paise to the price is being taken with a pinch of salt by most Goans.. However there is a valid reason for the price of this needy bread to rise. The bakers are in fact finding this increase too less and contrary to common thinking, are finding it hard to actually make the pao almost at break-even. The labour intensive business that it is, the bakers of today still continue to knead, shape and bake the bread since olden times putting hard laborious work to make the pao.
Cooked at least 2 times a day the pao has a slight crust on top and is more firmer than a bun.There is a deep natural flavour to the Goan pao despite its ingredients being only flour, salt, water and yeast. Addition of any chemicals would rob the pao of its natural taste.
In a traditional bakery the work of the baker starts at night where the bakers knead and shape the pao the whole night making over 2000 – 3000 cubes of pao and then arrange to distribute the same to different locations through the nostalgic poder whose honk is still the alarm bell for many a goan to rise up from their slumber at dawn.
The cost of labourers, their accommodation, food and wages cast a heavy toll on the finances of the bakers . Add to this the cost of maize,salt, yeast which are reguylarly on the rise, and inflation catching up with utilites such as water and electricity, has made the pao production very dear in cost to the baker.
Though the bakers are petitioning the government to ease their burden by sanctioning loans to buy new technology in machineries and modernization for their facilities , the same are yet to be extended to this community although the product that they produce is so very dear to every goan. By modernizing, the cost of the production is expected to come down to enable the business to survive the times. The low profit margin on the bread has discouraged bakers to invest in their own money and the government should therefore help them out before it is too late and they resort to closure of the business which would deny us of our dear bite of the pao.
I have personally observed that the pao which is currently corrupted in Mumbai as pav has had great love in Mumbai. It is believed that the pao was first sold in Andheri Mumbai by Goan bakers more than 200 years ago. The Iranian bakers are then known to have taken over the tradition while ensuring that their employees are goan workers so that the continuity of the tradition is not corrupted.
The city’s best pao in Mumbai is still being sold at a bakery in Andheri west known as the Andheri bakery and that product is known to be the be the best ambassador of the pao in Mumbai for its purity.In Goa the price of pao has continued to rise over the last few years and the latest addition of 50 paise to the price is being taken with a pinch of salt by most Goans.. However there is a valid reason for the price of this needy bread to rise. The bakers are in fact finding this increase too less and contrary to common thinking, are finding it hard to actually make the pao almost at break-even. The labour intensive business that it is, the bakers of today still continue to knead, shape and bake the bread since olden times putting hard laborious work to make the pao.
Cooked at least 2 times a day the pao has a slight crust on top and is more firmer than a bun.There is a deep natural flavour to the Goan pao despite its ingredients being only flour, salt, water and yeast. Addition of any chemicals would rob the pao of its natural taste.
In a traditional bakery the work of the baker starts at night where the bakers knead and shape the pao the whole night making over 2000 – 3000 cubes of pao and then arrange to distribute the same to different locations through the nostalgic poder whose honk is still the alarm bell for many a goan to rise up from their slumber at dawn.
The cost of labourers, their accommodation, food and wages cast a heavy toll on the finances of the bakers . Add to this the cost of maize,salt, yeast which are reguylarly on the rise, and inflation catching up with utilites such as water and electricity, has made the pao production very dear in cost to the baker.
Though the bakers are petitioning the government to ease their burden by sanctioning loans to buy new technology in machineries and modernization for their facilities , the same are yet to be extended to this community although the product that they produce is so very dear to every goan. By modernizing, the cost of the production is expected to come down to enable the business to survive the times. The low profit margin on the bread has discouraged bakers to invest in their own money and the government should therefore help them out before it is too late and they resort to closure of the business which would deny us of our dear bite of the pao.
TheBigGoan