Artisanal indulgence in Delhi

Express News Service

The lockdown has changed the way people consume most things—many have consciously shifted from mass-produced products to artisanal food items that are chemical-free and crafted with fresh ingredients. Extending a platform to such homegrown brands, Select Citywalk, Saket unveiled ‘The Artisanal Project’ on Friday. This event has brought together seven homegrown brands from Delhi-NCR namely Weekend Bakehouse, Cheese Please Delhi, Cocodate Delhi, Sorrentina Honesty Italian, Ammiji’s, Earth Made Organix, Sourdough Central. 

Myriad varieties at sale
Stationed in the central atrium of the mall, these brands, which have made a mark in the contemporary foodscape with their choices, have displayed an array of food items and beverages. You’ll find everything from hand-crafted and freshly made sourdough breads to gluten-free cookies. Shreya Monga, the founder of Weekend Bakehouse, a dessert brand that she launched a month ago, said, “We target the age group of 23 to 40—those who struggle and live for the weekend. I want people to know that you can experience the perks of a weekend every day of the week with the Weekend Bakehouse.”

Artisanal brands also play a pivotal role in preserving age-old recipes. A testament to this is Amrita Chatwal’s gourmet brand Ammiji’s whose offerings include handmade pickles, toffees, spices, papads (poppadom), chutneys (sauces) and chai masalas (blends of spices added to enhance the flavour of tea). “The brand actually belongs to my grandmother. She was the one who gave me her chai-masala recipes; we kept expanding from there,” Chatwal shared.

All the brands also made it a point to let their customers taste the products before they bought it. Devika Singh, founder of Cheese Please, a gourmet cheese brand selling pick-and-go snack boxes—it comprises soft cheese with lavash crackers, olives, and fruit—at her kiosk, mentioned, “I am making everyone try our products before they buy it, so they can get what suits their taste.” 

Sakshi Goel from Saket, who was shopping at Select Citywalk with her mother, was intrigued by the kiosks. While purchasing from Sourdough Central, a brand from Noida that makes 11 varieties of sourdough, Goel said, “I have heard about sourdough a lot of times but this is the first time I am trying it. I am glad they are giving us a bit to taste before we actually get it.” She bought the truffle sourdough, a one-of-a-kind variety that the founder Ekta Chopra claims only Sourdough Central sells. 

What: The Artisanal Project
Where: Select Citywalk
When: Till November 28