Small
neighborhood bakeries in Chiclayo, which are mostly what this post is about, typically
fire up their wood or gas ovens at 4:00am. They open their doors at 6:00 and
stay open until they’re sold out, somewhere between 10:30 and 11:00am. The
cycle repeats later in the day, opening between 4:00 and 5:00 in the afternoon
and closing somewhere around 7:30pm. These bakeries are numerous. It’s nearly
impossible to walk in any neighborhood without being tempted by the aroma of fresh,
just-out-of-the- oven bakery. Maribel and I often succumb and enjoy a snack
while walking.
This
internet photo is very close to what a neighborhood bakery in Chiclayo looks
like. Though small in size, these bakeries offer a surprising variety of
products. Some of the more popular varieties of bread include French, coliza,
de yema, integral, marraqueta and mica. My favorite is ciabatta.
These
bakeries also make sweets. In this category would be empanadas, conitos,
alfajores and many types of cookies. Of the sweets I like biscochos. Bakery
doesn’t cost much in Peru. For example, eight ciabattas cost 35 cents. Biscochos
are 35 cents each, sometimes less. You can walk out of a bakery with a large
bag in each arm for less than two dollars. All of these products are slightly
different from bakery to bakery in size, shape and flavor but are essentially
the same.
I
enjoy all of the bread type products, and many of the sweets. I am less enthusiastic
about cakes and torts. Most neighborhood bakeries don’t offer cakes. You need
to go to the specialty bakeries; the bakery department of the large chain
stores, or to “…the woman down the street” who makes cakes in her home.
But
whether from a specialty bakery or a chain store, to my taste most cakes are
coarse, dry and lacking in flavor. Some I equate to chewing a mouthful of
cardboard. And I have yet to taste a good cake from “…the woman down the
street”. I don’t care for most cake frosting. They’re either a bland paste
with a cool whip consistency or are similar to a piece of rubber that I (and I’ve
noticed some Peruvians also) peel off and leave on the plate. Examples of
popular Peruvian cakes would be chocolate con manjarblanco, chantilly, pionono and
probably the most popular, tres leches. Pies are scarce and pretty much limited
to lemon meringue or apple. Some are okay; some not.
It
was an urge for a slice of German chocolate cake that had us returning to La
Casona De La Abuelita, a restaurant that was the subject of an earlier
post. To our disappointment, Bill had sold out the German cake earlier in
the day. During our walk home Maribel, who is a good cook but doesn’t have a
lot of baking experience casually said that we’d have German chocolate cake
tomorrow because she was going to bake one.
The
next morning she sat at the computer and watched and re-watched and watched
again a Betty Crocker video. Next she went shopping and returned with all the
ingredients including the hardware…baking pans, wax paper, etc. I expected her
first attempt to be a flop. I don’t know what she was expecting but it turned
out great. This was a cake that any bakery or restaurant in the United States would
be proud to offer. Maribel wasn’t satisfied. She tweaked the recipe and made
another one. It was even better… the chocolate flavor more subtle and the
texture a bit finer but firm. Now she says she’s ready for a new challenge and
I intend to give her one.
My
mother was a good baker. When she baked bread she made three loaves. One loaf
would disappear in five minutes. We’d sit at the kitchen table and butter a
slice as fast as she could cut them until the loaf was gone. She baked
excellent coffee cakes, torts and cakes. Of all the delicious things she baked,
my absolute favorite was cherry nut cake. Maribel has promised to try it. Maybe
she’ll become“…the woman down the street” who makes cakes in her home.
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