Chennai :
Ooty Varkey, the baked delicacy synonymous with the Nilgiris, is all set to get the prestigious Geographical Indications (GI) tag. A society of its manufacturers has recently submitted an application in the city GI registry seeking the tag.
India, as member of the WTO, enacted the GI Act in 1999 which came into effect in September 2003. The GI tag is given to a product to indicate its specific geographical location or point of origin. The tag ensures none other than those authorised are allowed to use the product name.
The popular snack, which traces its history to the Raj, is distinct to the Nilgiri district. It is made from a mixture of flour, sugar, salt and mava (a mix of home-made yeast comprising banana, rava or semolina, maida or flour, and sugar). It gets its distinct taste from the water used to prepare the mix and the climatic conditions of the Nilgiris. The varkey mix is baked in a firewood oven on moderate heat. The entire process, from preparing the dough mix to baking, takes around 12 hours. The product, which has a sweet and spicy variant, has to be consumed within 20 days.
According to the application submitted by the Ooty Varkey Producers Welfare Association, the British, who had been residing in the Nilgiris, made their own snacks which included mostly biscuits, cakes and cookies. A new snack, similar to a cookie, was made in Ooty. The British ate this new cookie with their tea.
After Independence, the product became an important item in the bakeries of Ooty, Coonoor, Kothagiri, Manjoor and Gudalur. The production and sales also increased substantially.
“In spite of attempts made by the bakeries down in plains, the varkey made in those places does not have the same taste,” the application said adding, “over the years its popularity has been growing from domestic and foreign tourists.”
The popular snack, which originated during the Raj, is made from a mixture of flour, sugar, salt and mava. The Ooty Varkey gets its taste from the water used to prepare the mix and the climate in the Nilgiris.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Chennai / by Manish Raj, TNN / August 31st, 2015