Nina Dougall just turned 89 this December but her bubbly temperament may just as well suggest otherwise. In fact, even though technically on holiday as she’s visiting friends and family from far-away Australia where she has lived since 1974, the stylish lady still lends a hand at the local friars’ convent, preparing for the big All Souls Day meal, as well as making sure that there are enough November bones to go round all those who will attend.

Cooking and baking are part of Nina’s DNA, as she comes from a long line of bakers. Her niece Martina, fourth generation down the line is proudly taking over the baton, but more on that later!

Rewind to the 1930s, in the quaint town of Żejtun where Nina’s parents Carmelo and Maria ran a small coffee shop called ‘ta’ Ġenwiża’. The enterprising duo would make sure that at the popular watering hole, the counter would always have some sort of sweet treats to accompany the drinks. It was a smart way of increasing turn-over and increase income for the family, but more significantly, it was the start of a remarkable journey, that got a whole village hooked on Ġenwiża’s home-made confections.

Quickly, all of Żejtun was ablaze with praise for the home-made cakes, krustini, qagħaq tal-kafé, and all sorts of seasonal treats. No wonder that the word on the street was that “If you go to heaven, it’s Ġenwiża’s biskuttini that you’ll find!” Aunt Lieni soon joined the ranks, helping out as the demand spilled out of Żejtun, with dedicated patrons coming from neighbouring Għaxaq, Gudja and even Marsaxlokk!

The business continued to flourish as they continued to add more items to their list of offerings, as well as volumes of production. At this point Nina, just a teenager also joined the family trenches!

Very soon, ‘Ta’ Ġenwiża’ turned into a fully-fledged bakery, catering for Baptisms and other family gatherings. ‘Baptisms back then were a very modest affair, but they were still a very special occasion. We would take care of all the catering for the event, which would normally take place at the family’s home. We would even take care of the much-anticipated stanjat tal-kafé, that would conclude the affair in style,” Nina reminisces.

By the 50s, Ġenwiża had started catering for all sorts of occasions including weddings which have always been a very serious matter for the Maltese.

“We would cater for up to 10 weddings in a week. The big novelty of the time were the tiny fruits made from almond paste. We even constantly came up with original ideas for wedding cakes, making the occasion even more special for the happy couple,” Nina recalls. By the 60s and 70s, under the stewardship of Nina’s brother Giuseppe, they even started producing savoury treats to complete the menu.

With a heavy heart, at age 39 Nina together with her husband and two children, decided to make a 14,000 km leap, and go for something completely different, as they started a new life in Melbourne, Australia. It was very hard for her to take the decision, but opportunities down under, came a-knockin’ for the young family and they were hard to turn down. 

Fast forward some odd 40 years, and Nina’s niece Martina, a graphic designer by profession, but a baker at heart, is bringing the Ġenwiża brand back.

“I always loved being round nanna, Nina’s sister, as she would navigate the kitchen preparing all sorts of goodies for the family,” Martina recounts. “The smell of baked goods instantly takes me to my childhood.”

Martina has been working on bringing back Ġenwiża for the past four years, as she participates in various markets most notably Żejt iż-Żejtun.

“For me it’s a way of honouring my family heritage. The greatest privilege is when someone who remembers the original Ġenwiża, samples my bakes for the first time, and they tell me that they taste exactly as the ones my ancestors used to make. For me, that is the ultimate compliment,” Martina concludes.

This feature forms part of The Laid Back Series by GuideMeMalta.com. Bringing to light unique characters, local traditions, and the beauty of old Malta, we search every corner of the Maltese islands to find the most unique of stories that are sure to delight and bring a sense of nostalgia to our readers.

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