Bert shares insights on asparagus and baking

Wednesday, 27 July 2011 00:26 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The basic bread making technology was introduced to Sri Lanka by Portuguese and Dutch. In Sinhala, we call the baker “Bakkare”. It is derived from the Dutch word “Bakkerij” which means the bakery.

Two experts from Netherlands are here in Sri Lanka to advice local industries said PUM representative S. P. C. Kumarasinghe.

The master baker Bert Schoorlemmer in advising the members of the Liyasaviya Programme in Dmbadenia Development Foundation to bake items such as buns, cookies and bread mixed with our local flours and herbs and wheat flour in making bread. He was able to make good quality plain bread using 20% rice flour and 80% wheat flour. If we can cut the consumption of wheat flour by 20%, it will be a big saving on imports.

The asparagus expert, Gijs Van Kruistum is advising a private farm at Mylankulam, Puttalam. They have planted over 20 acres with asparagus. Kruistum will assist them on how grow quality Green and White asparagus and also harvesting and packing products for the market. With increased inflow of tourists there is a big demand in asparagus shoots which is a delicacy in the west.