L. N. Bakers

L. N. Bakers is situated in Alleppey, about 95 kilometers away from Kochi. We are right in the area where the Nehru Trophy Boat Race happens, so every year it gets incredibly crowded around here for a few days. The rest of the time, it’s a bit more relaxed. The kitchen is always hot because the ovens are running from early in the morning. We start before the sun comes up to get the bread and the biscuits ready. There is usually flour on the floor and the smell of yeast in the air. We don't have any fancy displays; we just put the stuff out on the shelves and people come in to grab what they need. A lot of tourists come through here on their way to the backwaters, and they often stop in for a quick snack. We have a small staff, and most of us have been baking for a long time. It is a tiring job because you are on your feet all day, and the humidity in Alleppey doesn't help much. We don't use any complicated recipes or expensive equipment. It’s just flour, water, and sugar mostly. Sometimes the power goes out and we have to scramble to make sure the dough doesn't spoil. It is just a local bakery trying to keep the bins full and the oven hot every single day.