Carnival: The making of the Tinapayan Gingerbread Village
Tinapayan's Owa Que and her staff with
the Gingerbread Village.
"The staff is getting more creative as years pass. This year, they surprised me with a more colorful and festive gingerbread village, with the carnival as its theme."
So said Evelyn Que, manager of Tinapayan as regards the gingerbread village that is now on display in its Atrium branch.
In a longer and bigger display table, one can see miniature replicas of structures in Europe as well as people who are either in a parade, on a carousel, or just talking to each other during winter. It's an old fashioned gathering scene wherein the miniature human figures are dressed up. Then, there's a train running around the village.
The writer with Ramon Salvilla.
The houses and other buildings are made up of gingerbread and cinnamon. "It took us one month to make a gingerbread. We need time to harden this," said Que as she showed The News Today how the miniature houses are made at their commissary. She added that as early as August, the pattern for the village was made, baking started at October 15 and by November 21, the village was already on display.
At the commissary, one can see the staff working on the gingerbread houses that will be for sale in all Tinapayan outlets. They were prying closely at each house as they apply Royal icing. Royal icing is used to decorate as well as put the houses together. Overnight, this icing hardens, just like the effect of Elmer's Glue. But in this case, you can eat it.
The Village Square.
Nardo, the baker is busy setting up the roof on an undecorated brown-colored gingbread housse. Christine, said to be the one who made the pattern for all the houses is busy creating a rooftop design with the use of Royal icing. Sally and the rest, are busy embellishing the houses with powdered sugar to create the effect of snow.
It was Nardo who received a hands-on training on gingerbread making from a Canadian baker in 1994. It was also the year when the Tinapayan Gingerbread Village started.
Colored Royal icing complete the house
interiors.
Nardo said that they work on the gingerbread village every night from 8 to 10 pm. They don't mind that they are working longer hours at Tinapayan. Nardo said that they are having the time of their life making their gingerbead baby. "It's really fun. Many ideas come up while we are working on the houses. Each of us as an important contribution to the gingerbread village," Nardo said.