By Richardson Dhalai Friday, April 22 2011

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Buns for sale: A worker at KL's Bakery in Palmyra stacks hot cross buns trays for sale yesterday....

As the nation prepares for Easter observances, bakeries in South Trinidad have reported a brisk trade in a traditional favourite — hot cross buns, with customers crowding one bakery from as early as 6 am yesterday.

According to Puff’n Stuff bakery proprietor, Gregory Laing, whose Circular Road, San Fernando outlet was crowded with customers from early in the morning, sales were “very good” compared to last year.

“It has been a very busy season. We made the same amount of product like last year and while it is still early in the season, sales have been very good,” Laing said as he stood in the bakery’s front purchasing area and assisted customers with their choices.

He said the bakery, which also has outlets at Couva and Curepe, would remain open throughout the long Easter weekend. And while the prices of ingredients continued to rise in the world market, the bakery has not raised its prices for hot cross buns with a half dozen buns retailing for $24.

“Prices (of grain) worldwide are going up but we haven’t increased our prices for the past two years,” he said, and noted that any price increase would have to be approved by the Bakers Association.

Sales were also brisk at KL’s Bakery, Palmyra.

“We are producing the same amount of product as last year and at the same price,” Kerry Latchman, a company representative said, adding that orders ranged from a half-dozen buns to as many as 500 buns for an entire church congregation.

“Sometimes a church would order buns for the entire congregation for their Good Friday morning service and that is still happening this year,” he said. A hot cross bun, or cross-bun, is a sweet, yeast-leavened, spiced bun made with currants or raisins, often with candied citrus fruits marked with a cross on the top.