Simplicity Coimbatore , Sweet Sprinkles
ALL IMAGE CREDITS FOR THIS ARTICLE : DEEPA PATHMANATHAN
It was January,way before the reality of a looming pandemic, when a good friend and a die hard foodie at that ,asked me if I had tasted the baked goods made by the ‘sweet sprinkles’ lady.
Having never heard of the name before, I went through the instagram page.The images which stared back at me were impressive,to say the least .What was even more interesting was that this baker had shared images of cross sections of the baked puff pastry and bread .It was mesmerising,the airy pockets in the layers, fluffy insides depicting light-as-air golden domes of croissants and the crusty tops of many other kinds of loaves. The entire Instagram feed showcased deliciousness and more.
Later that evening over dinner, chatting with a talented photographer ,from Chennai, I was amazed when he too mentioned the same baker. He gushed over her culinary talents with barely contained enthusiasm.The baker in question is Deepa Pathmanathan.
Despite following her work for months, it wasn’t until the month of May that I actually got an opportunity to taste her food. Another dear friend of mine was placing an order for sourdough and since she was getting it picked up from Deepa’s place at Vedapatti, she offered to get some for the rest of us who lived close by.
The garlic and chilli sourdough which we ordered was everything that the pictures spoke of. The crusty texture on the outside and the pillow like softness on the inside with the flavours from the squidgy roasted garlic and spice of chilli was an instant hit with the family who devoured every crumb.
Thereafter we noticed that Deepa had shared posts about bread made from other flours like rye. At home we rarely eat refined flour .The texture and taste of wholesome breads with nuts and seeds is what I enjoy the most and the picture of the pumpernickel bread she posted was too good to pass up.
It is hard to source bread made with non-refined flours,without additives and preservatives. The pumpernickel (German rye bread with nuts and seeds) loaves arrived and without exaggeration, I must say , the first bite had me hooked.We also had some black cherry jam at home. It made for the perfect weekend breakfast !
Naturally I wanted to hear Deepa’s story. How did a home baker living in Vedapatti become so proficient in her craft..The story is not just interesting but goes to show how hard work and dedication can change a person’s life.
It was in the year 2012 ,in the month of August to be exact, when Deepa Pathmanathan came across some beautiful buttercream flowers on a Facebook post.The person who posted it was from Birmingham in the UK and Deepa’s fascination to learn the craft became an all-consuming thought.
With no background in baking,she turned to Google ,searched for recipes,made mistakes,tried again and again until March 2013 when she became confident enough to bake small cupcakes with a buttercream frosting for close friends and family.
Deepa came across the Home Baker’s Guild,a group on Facebook. She began exploring ,signing up for workshops and meeting people who were masters in the art of baking.Through it all she had and continues to have the unstinting support of the man whose name she wears with pride against her own; her husband ,Pathmanathan Dharmalingam.
The move to Vedapatti from the city was also so that she could have her own space to work at peace, one home baked product at a time. The studio ,she says, is a beautiful space put together by Pathmanathan who motivates her every step of the way.
Deepa signed up for workshops and classes happening in places like Bangalore and Pune and honed her skills learning from experts like Rumana Jaseel (Kochi), Robert Haynes, Johan Martin, Andrey Dubovik, Amaury guichon, Christophe Morel to name a few. She then began making Viennoiserie ,(croissants,pain de chocolat etc which are basically a puff pastry type confectionary eaten usually for breakfast) bon bons and artisanal breads.
Deepa’s annual visit to her sister,a trained baker ,who lives near Heidelberg in Germany has also helped expand her repertoire to include a wider variety .
Her passion to her work is such that it evokes powerful sentiments towards creating the best food she possibly can.
We all talk about love being the most important ingredient when it comes to cooking. Deepa Pathmanathan believes and practices it every single day. We hear of people feeling connected to their plants,their cars, bicycles etc because it is a part of who they are.
The same holds good with the way this baker feels about her oven, her work space and all that she creates. Whether it is intricate, handcrafted, buttercream flowers placed artfully to adorn a birthday cake or a hearty sourdough boule ,it is created and sent out with a lot of love for the people who will be eating it. The whisk, rolling pin,piping bag , stand mixer etc go beyond mere equipment to being treasures.
She says ,”In 2012 I was zero in baking,I knew nothing. Today if people like what I make it is only because of hard work. Everyday I enter my studio and I just work.We buy the best ingredients, don’t add any preservatives or artificial flavourings and bake with utmost care.If it is something my children can eat safely,then I send it.”
Honesty towards one’s craft, staying true to our roots and to continue learning every single day are the principles which ensure success and longevity in any line of work. Listening to Deepa Pathmanathan talk about how much her work is a part of who she is was so inspiring. On watching one of her stories on Instagram ,I replied with one word, “artist”.She messaged back saying,”that’s too big a word” ! The jury is still out on that ! 🙂 🙂
The orders are via Whatsapp only. Deepa prefers at least a week’s notice to plan out her baking schedule.The love for her family is evident when she reiterates that her husband is the “backbone” of the ‘sweet sprinkles’ venture. I can almost hear the smile in her voice when she talks about the importance of being quality conscious for her clients. She says ,at the end of the day ,when it comes to cooking good food, “My family is no different from yours”.
INFORMATION
Deepa Pathmanathan :Whatsapp – 9003668833
https://www.intagram.com/sweetsprinkles_/
Orders for;
Cakes
Cupcakes
Arisanal breads
Burger buns
Pastries
That’s a lovely write up.
Thank you very much 🙂