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The flame of passion often flickers to life from the smallest ember. From that little spark of curiosity of how that cake batter rose to the warm embrace of the oven to then finding every excuse to whisk up a cake.
After all, the heart often reveals itself in the quiet moments, in the activities we choose to fill our idle hours. Free from any pressures and obligations, it’s those hobbies that slowly blossom behind the scenes.
The charming bakery-cum-café Baked and Loaded is one such example of how fondness for baking turned to a thriving business.
Located in Parra, the café is a hotspot among locals, who drop by to pick up the gourmet desserts that many claim is loaded with love.
“The idea behind the name was inspired by the concept of baking our items with love and also loading it with the best of ingredients,” says Althea Viegas, the owner of Baked and Loaded.
An assistant professor in Mass Communication and Journalism, Althea apart from teaching, had always found great joy in baking and cooking. But it was lockdown that played a huge part in providing that push that was required to start the venture.
“With so much free time and out of boredom, I began baking on a regular basis and also experimenting with various recipes,” she says adding “Baked and Loaded started off as a home bakery solely for gourmet desserts and, at present, we have branched out into a café and also expanded our menu.”
Initially starting off with gourmet desserts including cookies, brownies, cheesecakes, tarts, pies, pastries and churros, today their menu also lists burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches.
“Be it the desserts or savoury items, our USP is that everything is loaded with the best of ingredients,” she says, this ensures it’s enjoyed by everyone.
“One of the reasons, the business kicked off so quickly is because unlike boxed items all our desserts are made with a lot of love and care and are always loaded with tons of premium Belgian chocolate,” she states proudly.
For those heading the café for the first time, Althea suggests some must-tries.
“Definitely, try out our burgers which are juicy and loaded with the best of sauces, in-house toppings and perfectly marinated patties and of course for your sweet cravings, our loaded Belgian chocolate cookies, brownies, cheesecake and tarts are a must-try, ” she suggests, adding in the coming week they'll also be available on the Zomato app.
Love often reflects in things done with great passion. Going beyond satisfaction, engaging in things we love drive us to do better, and that’s exactly what Althea plans to do going ahead with her small venture that's baked with passion and loaded with flavour.
DETAILS
WHERE: Baked and Loaded Café, opposite HDFC bank, Parra towers, North Goa.
WHEN: Open all days, except Mondays
TIMINGS: 10 am - 8.30 pm
SOCIAL MEDIA: @bakedandloaded.goa