All’s not fine with ‘fine’

Express News Service

HYDERABAD:  Delicate and flaky, with a caramelised crust, the fine biscuit is a rarity in Hyderabad today. There was a time when these biscuits, the biggest of all biscuits, could be found at every bakery and Irani tea cafe in the city. But today, most bakeries and cafes are not selling this Hyderabadi speciality as the demand for it has dropped and manufacturing cost increased. CE speaks to city-based bakeries and cafes to know why all’s not fine with ‘fine’. 

“I’ve been a fan of the fine biscuit since I was a child. Back then, in the early 90s, we used to get four biscuits for `1. Now, the biscuits are bigger and I sell them for `15 each,” says Sultan Mehmood, the manager of Rehman Bakery and Cafe at Khairatabad. “People who use to snack on fine biscuits are all gone (passed away). Hyderabad is changing; the youngsters today like doughnuts and other fancy bakery items. We have reduced the quantity of fine biscuits because, firstly, it is a tedious process (making layers and layers of pastry dough) and secondly, there is not much demand,” Mehmood adds. 

The airy and puffy fine biscuit is made by layering extremely thin sheets of dough on top of each other. It used to be a perfect tea-time snack as it would melt in the beverage and goes especially well with Irani chai. “Former cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin used to love his tea with fine biscuit. He would only have half of it, sharing another half with a friend,” says Bir Bin Muzzafar Ali, the manager at Broadway Irani Tea Cafe in Banjara Hills. “He use to frequent Broadway at Abids before he became a cricketer and a politician. 

He still orders tea along with fine biscuit, but rarely now because he is a big man,” Muzzaffar laughs and says.  Another popular bakery, Morine Bakers, used to bake around 300 fine biscuits every day until 2014-15. But, now, this has reduced to 100, says Abdullah Ahmed, one of the managers.

Another baker, Khaleel Ahmed from Sarvi Cafe in Banjara Hills, says: “Most small bakeries have stopped making fine biscuits in the new part of the city. We are making just a few, to not disappoint our customers. Fine biscuits are still popular in the Old City as it is the poor man’s evening snack. As it is mostly had by the poor, I guess, those better off avoid ordering it.”