Home baked chocolate brownies are yum. But camouflage veggies underneath the cocoa, with a pop of juicy beetroot and you may just have a brownie that a doctor actually approves of. Well, a mom can hope anyway! For JoAnne Saldanha, the founder of Mojo (Mostly Organic by Jo), the goal was simple. “I wanted the best for the kids.” says the mother of two. “Truth be told, I think they actually make my goodies more flavoursome,” she smiles warmly.
Masterchef Australia is playing on TV in the background with her 10-year-old daughter parked comfortably on a bean bag. Her son is playing near the lawn outside. Sitting at her family dining table amid hollers of, “be back by 7!” we settle down to chat in the family dining room. Just then, her luscious Pear and Chocolate Loaf arrives and a respectful pause — to chew, must be offered. Who said healthy goodies aren’t any fun?
JoAnne points at the loaf, and shares a secret, “It tastes so good because of the yoghurt.” Interestingly enough, the goodies are not only organic but also low on calories with the use of smart replacers for high calorie ingredients. This includes yoghurt instead of butter, honey instead of sugar, and on occasion, oat flour instead of maida. Talk about cutting down the kilos.
Incidentally, this home baker comes from a hospitality background of baking decadent three-tier wedding cakes and a parent-owned manufacturing business of cold meats. “So when I got married, I became quite bored with the daily cooking routine,” she admits. But her baker’s calling returned with a fury, after a friend invited JoAnne to join an online baking club.
Soon her flour experiments were back on track. And any freshly whipped tray of Pumpkin Muffins or Whole Wheat Almond Biscotti was also generously passed along to neighbours and relatives. “Kids who had never touched vegetables started enjoying Choco-Beetroot Brownies!” she exclaims. JoAnne smiles mischievously, “Well to be fair, I only told the parents – all the kids knew was that their hands turned slightly pink.” As expected, the compliments soon turned into a regular clientele. Her food goes down quite popularly as healthy but sought after tiffin box snacks, she reveals.
However, here’s the big question. Given that a majority of the organically sourced, does this mean the rates double? “Not at all,” JoAnne responds. “Organic ingredients are priced about 20 per cent more than regular ingredients. So yes, organic treats do cost a little more, but not by a large margin.”
Also, just to ensure that overtime baking duty doesn’t get in the way of her ‘mommy time,’ JoAnne changes the rules of pick-up orders a little bit. “I send a group SMS to all my clients of two items I will bake that week. It’s usually a cookie and a cake,” she states. “And the quantity is fixed, so customers can pick up as much as they like before it gets over.” As a matter of keeping the work easy for herself, this lady is one smart cookie alright. The best part? Unlike most home bakers in the city, you don’t have to pick up a whole batch of anything — she’ll be ok with selling even a single piece. That said, her debut at the upcoming Baker Showcase this weekend is bound to turn JoAnne’s smooth sense of order topsy turvy, given the sheer demand. “Not to worry, it’s all in control,” she assures us. “And I won’t accept any helpers. I’m a kitchen nazi!” Yup, moms will be moms.
(Mojo will be among 20 other home bakers at The Baker Showcase at Crimson Chakra, Adyar between 4pm and 7pm. For details on the event, call 9940025110)
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