A BAHRAIN-BORN mother is cooking up a storm in the finals of one of Canada’s top TV shows hoping her creative crusty cuisine will win over millions of viewers.
Marian Castelino, who lived for more than 20 years in the kingdom, is among 10 finalists and thanks the kingdom and her daughter for heavily influencing her baking passion.
“I am absolutely thrilled to be part of this year’s cast,” an excited Ms Castelino, 41, told the GDN from Ottawa.
She will compete in The Great Canadian Baking Show’s fifth season starting on Sunday at 8pm Canada time (Bahrain time 3am, Monday) and aired on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and its digital stream, CBC Gem.
“It is my favourite show. I’m a huge fan and to be selected as one of Canada’s top 10 home bakers was such a wonderful compliment,” Ms Castelino added. “The whole experience has been exhilarating.”
The kingdom’s diverse food offerings and the enthusiasm to bake ‘something different’ for her seven-year-old daughter, Sophia, who suffers severe allergy to nuts, is what made her sharpen her baking skills, the Sri Lankan housewife explained.
The Great Canadian Baking Show is a Canadian television series where 10 of Canada’s best home bakers compete in a series of themed baking challenges. Every week one baker is awarded as star baker and one baker is eliminated. In the final episode one baker will be declared the winner.
Ms Castelino’s interest in baking started at the age of eight inspired by her mother and sparked into a serious passion when her daughter’s severe nut allergy pushed her into creative baking.
“Seeing how excluded she felt when she couldn’t pick food out of a menu, or having to avoid eating at a birthday party, made me feel heartbroken. As a way to cheer her up, I started making elaborate baked goods for her.
“It would excite her so much it pushed me to be even more creative with what I would make for her next. This also become very therapeutic for me as well.
“I started baking for my friends and family. By sharing something I made with my own hands, that I poured my heart into, became one of the ways I could show my love for them.
“There is nothing like giving someone you care about a freshly-baked loaf of bread with whipped butter!”
Ms Castelino, who lived in Bahrain from 1980-2001, left to pursue a degree in Design in Toronto, Canada, at the age of 21, and found romance too. She is happily married to Robin, 39.
“I love Bahrain and it is my first home – many of my memories related to Bahrain are food related,” she said. “It has a very diverse food scene, similar to Toronto, and I grew up being exposed to many cuisines. Having this exposure influenced a lot of the flavours I incorporate into my bakes.”
The TV bake-off features a ballet dancer, a former child chess champion, an avid motorcyclist, an industrial design student, a paralegal, an orthodontic dental hygienist, occupational therapist, a mental health researcher and a choreographer, along with Ms Castelion, a designer by profession.
“Being on the show has been a great experience and I have gained some wonderful new baking friends,” she said, who has to keep tight-lipped on the outcome.
Creative
“Right now, I’m just waiting to watch the première. I will pursue more baking related projects and other ways to showcase my creative bakes.”
Skilled in making bread, she says friends and family applaud her breads the most.
Ms Castelino’s new baking adventures can be tracked on her Instagram marian_artful_tilly.
raji@gdn.com.bh
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