HOT CROSS BUNS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 222, 18 April 1933, Page 6

HOT CROSS BUNS

; INCREASED DEMAND IN AUCKLAND "The demand for hot cross buns seems to be growing greater each year—unfortunately," a leading Auckland baker said when approached regarding the Easter trade. "Apparently people who would not look at a bun during the rest of the year make up for it during Easter. "As far as we are concerned, hot cross buns are an almost unmitigated nuisance." he added. "They completely upset the bread-baking arrangements, and this, coupled with the fact that a twoday baking is required for Thursday's sales, means heavy work for the bakers." He mentioned that his staff had begun work at 5 p.m. on Wednesday and had not finished until nearly 8 p.m. on Thursday—a 27-hour shift for the men. There was no other way of dealing with the position, as it was impossible to engage a strange staff for the day or to have too many men working together. He said that his output of buns had absorbed one ton of flour, 30 boxes of fruit each weighing 28ib., 4201 b. of sugar, 2401 b. of shortening, 241 b. of salt and GO ounces of oil of spices. The buns made had totalled 235 dozen.

Another baker, who makes a specialty of hot cross buns, and whose output is the largest in Auckland, said he had used nearly 3J tons of flour, but he was not sure exactly how many buns had been made. He pointed out that apart from the large manufacturing bakers, every pastrycook in Auckland added a quota to the number of buns made for Easter consumption. , ijj