Flour Water Salt & Something Wild

Moving Forward to More Important Things

2009-03-15T14:49:00.011-05:00

I was going to title this post.
...Four TATTOOS and a WEDDING
Catered PARTIES
LOCKED out fees
Bailed out SCHOOL LOANS
Thousands of FREE lunches
Karaoke HANGOVERS followed by
Burnt Recipes and FAILED Frosting's...
How an employee can ruin your business

But thought that I should write about
a positive aspect of running a business.

Over the years it's been a learning curve
much like any I've ever had. Running
a business is much easier than I thought.
But what I didn't take into consideration was
the intricate complications of human relations
would levy on the day to day operations.

We have built multiple relations with business
owners in Savannah and there is a common thread
that weaves through every conversation concerning
owner employee dynamics. I've come to a general
simplistic equation about being an "employee" and
now an owner of a business.

What relates to what I did and what I do now
is, I now see what I did at a job and see it repeated
by my employee and understand why they do it.
There are those who have a work ethic and
there are those that don't...simple, right?
Work ethic that can be changed, it's just a
matter of where you are in life.

I could get into bashing employees who stole,
showed up drunk, didn't do the job that was
required of them, took advantage, or never
thanked us for the opportunity, but that would
undermine everything that I've learned over
the years.

Granted I am guilty of not understanding
the dynamics of a situation gone bad and
being unable to express in a positive way
to solve the issue at hand. Most business
owners understand exactly what I mean
when I say "I wish I could have handled that
in a better way".

But the fact of the matter is, there is a reason
why people come work for your business and
why they are the way they are. If someone
comes to work with a lazy attitude, then that
person is in a stage of life that you have no
control over. So the choice is to give guidance
or replace the employee. Your gut will tell
what's right, but more than often you keep
giving that employee a second, third,
forth and possibly more chances thinking
that person will figure it out and
become a better employee.

We all think we are the best worker when
it comes to our jobs, we have good days
and bad. What's expected is someone who
goes above and beyond and gets the
"Big Picture" of how your role helps and
motivates others around you. If you just
want a job to pay the bills, your not really
contributing to your employer or yourself.

You have to really love your job, learning
and pushing yourself to learn more, accomplish
harder task and become "The Expert" in what
you do...possibly opening your own business
someday.
Otherwise your just working a job. A job that
bores the shit out of you and then it reinforces
your insecurities and self worth. Then when
that happens, your boss sees you're not doing
your job and it becomes a viscous cycle.
Your not moving forward, boss criticizes, you
get pissed off and now it's the bosses fault
because you can't do your job.

Oh well, what can you do?

What I've learned is people have the opportunity
to have a great job at what they love to do.
I have the opportunity to respect what they do
and have an open honest dialog about how we
can all be our best. Moving backward, or staying
stagnant isn't an option anymore.
Moving forward is the objective.

I've learned over the years that some people will
always talk bad about you no matter how nice
you are. And then there are people in the world
that carry a positive outlook on life.
I now have learned from all former employees
good and bad what I can do better to be a better
boss. 2008 was a pivotal year.

So moving onto more important things is my
motto. I can't worry about people who want to
spread negative rumors or post negative
reviews...

I am already successful at what I do,
nobody can take that away from me.
It's all about moving forward.

There comes a time

2009-02-27T05:06:00.002-05:00

Great news is on the way.

Opportunity Abounds

2008-09-15T13:11:00.001-05:00

Opportunity Abounds

What Me Worry? I'm On Vacation

2008-08-26T14:14:00.020-05:00

Ah, the Summer vacation always recharges
the batteries. We've been closed about 10
days and planned a short trip to NYC
to get some new ideas and confirm what
we already know about our business.

Having to deal with a group employee
walkout before our trip (that was weird),
we quickly had the opportunity to rehire
qualified individuals (thanks Johdi & Isaac
for your help and smiles) that I feel will
make us even better.

It's always interesting when confronted
with what you think is a major obstacle,
but turns out to be a blessing.
It's unfortunate about the current state
of mind some folks have about working
I could rant, but won't.

Working as a baker is hard work. You
actually have to know what your doing
and be dedicated to the art of baking.

Anyway, enough of that. We always rise
above the occasion every time, moving on.

Cheryl and I toured NYC from
Central Park down to SOHO.
This city is impossible to see it all in 5
days. Zeroing in on our favorite businesses
we have been reading about for years.

From cupcakes to bread, we tried all
kinds. In my opinion here are my
highlights of NYC.

Sullivan St. Bakery.
Focusing on Italian breads and desserts
this bakery in Hell's Kitchen is simple
and brilliant.

Balthazar Restaurant
Having lunch here was like the closest
thing to heaven in New York.
The food was the gold bar that I will
strive for in everything I do. It was just
plain good, what food should taste like.

That's it, yep my (2) favorite places in
NYC. I now know my talent and our bakery
is more than equal to anything I saw in NYC.
We walked all over NY and fully enjoyed
the experience and learned so much.
We connected with friends ate food
and enjoyed our visit.

Thank you to Sam & Jimm for their apartment
in Midtown Manhattan, The perfect location
and a very generous gift they gave

Sunday Bliss

2008-07-13T09:40:00.003-05:00

Sunday mornings are meant be lazy sleep ins,
but for us sleeping til 8 am is nice. Cheryl has
started a new tradition, fresh blueberry syrup
and pancakes. Nothing fancy, not hard to do,
quick and easy.....makes me happy.

What is a Baker

2008-05-04T14:58:00.006-05:00

Here at the bakery we're coming up to our
5 year anniversary in August. And over the
years our biggest challenge has always
been finding employees who can bake.

What we do best is baking from scratch.
That has always been our business model
and always will.

To find that person who is willing and to
believe in that concept is like looking for
a needle in a hay stack

Our customers tell us the joy and happiness
we bring them with our products.
And they also let us know when something
isn't right when a baked product is not
meeting our standards. That always leads
us to a "baker" who isn't following our recipes.

We've had Pastry Chefs who can't bake a chocolate
chip cookie to novices who start from nothing
and become the cream of the crop to some who
just don't get it. It's been tough to find people
who really care about baking.

We have, between Cheryl and I, over 50 years
of baking experience. We both starting baking
with our moms and grandma's when we were
both around 8 years old.

My mom wasn't the greatest baker, but she
made it with care and it always tasted good,
something moms are always good at.
Inspiring me to bake on.

So at this stage, we are bakers true and
true who are committed to baking from
scratch the old school way.

No generic methods from a pastry school
text book, no shortcuts on ingredients,
no quick solutions to a time consuming
recipe.

We bake our desserts and breads with
tradition and our hearts with no excuses.

So, what is a baker to me?
It seems to be a lost art, but I know
there are folks out there that believe in
baking just like us.

Andrew Zimmern Would be Proud

2008-04-17T15:51:00.012-05:00

Davids Supermarket across the street from the bakery
is a Savannah classic and a foodie/gourmands nightmare.
Being the first ever grocery store in Savannah, Davids
Grocery was the cats pajamas back in its day.

But.....nowadays, after multiple owners,
it's past prime and is now known for its
funky smell. A hazmat crew would bucket
to their knees.

We found this product (pictured above)
collecting dust on the shelves. It's not something
I or anyone I know would eat, but hey somebody
does(?)

I think Andrew Zimmern should pay a visit,
there is plenty of bazaar foods for him to explore at the
legendary Davids.

respect

2008-04-16T18:00:00.004-05:00

Respect is taking into consideration the views
and desires of others and incorporating it into
your decisions. When you respect another, you
factor in and weigh others' thoughts and desires
into your planning and balance it into your
decision making.

An example would be: respecting someone's opinion.
You may or may not agree, but you place it into
consideration, and it may ultimately influence
your decision (even if partially).
Respect can also be applied to taking care of
oneself or the environment. Respect adds
general reliability to social interactions.
It helps people get along with other people.

What a crazy week

2008-04-15T17:29:00.001-05:00

For some reason this poem popped into my head
this week.

Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the cupboard
To get her poor doggie a bone,
When she got there
The cupboard was bare
So the poor little doggie had none.

Good luck old lady

99.2% Customer Satisfaction

2008-03-02T15:46:00.009-05:00

I would have to say that our customers are the best.
But as a business owner, there are some that try
our patience and push the limits of rudeness.
Those customers make up the other .8%.

Lets see, lets name a few:

*That guy that butts to the front of the line
of everybody else because he doesn't have
the time to wait.

*The guy who calls in his sandwich order
outside the door and expects it when he
walks in the door to the register.
I call him "Mr. President"

* Or, how 'bout the woman who wants us to make
something we don't make and continues to ask for
it even after many variations of "no mam, that isn't
something we do"

* "Why is your bread so hard and burnt looking?"
We do european artisan breads baked in a steam
injected hearth oven - if you want soft chewy bread
that sticks to the roof of your mouth, go buy it in a
plastic bag at the grocery store.

* "The Stalker from Florida" She wants us to ship
cupcakes to Florida, even tho we don't ship.
She says she stays up nights thinking about our
cupcakes...she HAS to have them!!!

* "The Money Crumpler" Throws their cumpled
up money on the counter and glares.

* "Mr. Boycott" He says we've gotten too busy for him
and he isn't coming in here no more because
we don't talk with him like we used to.
Thanks for the support Mr. Boycott.

Then There's
* "Mean Bread Guy"
* "Mean Chocolate Chip Guy"
* "Miss Angry" - She's a hoot
* "HAve it my way Sandwich Guy" HE likes to make
up his own sandwich.

* Mr. Famous - We haven't seen him in a long time.
hmmm, what's he up to lately?

All in all our customers are great and we do our very best
to treat them with respect and happiness. I mean come on,
your at Back in the Day Bakery, the coolest laid back
bakery around. Good food, desserts and bread, what more
could you ask for.

So to those customers that are having a bad day and
want to dump it on us - sorry, we're having too much
fun these days for you to ruin it.

Happy smiles and desserts to you all

Della Fattoria - Petaluma, CA

2007-08-20T20:21:00.000-05:00

It was our last official day in Cali and we were on our last leg
of our trip and feeling pretty tired at this point.
We woke up debating if we should visit the place that
inspired us to come to Cali. We were tired, but we made the
drive north to a Cafe/Bakery called Della Fattoria.

We drove to Petaluma, CA - just 30-45 minutes from SF.
as we walked into the cafe it was like walking into
a warm familiar place. Beautiful flowers atop the display
cases filled with delicious goodies.

We had to wait on the sweets and ordered lunch.
We both had simple but elegant flavored sandwiches.

We have always admired Della Fattoria from afar after seeing
the bakery in a book called Artisan Bakers Across America.
So it was a pleasure when Kathleen (owner) came over to
our table and introduced herself. We talked and shared the
fact that we are bakery nerds and came here to see the
cafe/bakery.

Kathleen invited us to see their wholesale operation
where they bake the bread.

Kathleen gave us directions and we found our way to the farm.
We got a little lost, but we had the good fortune running
into Edmond.

Edmond is one of those people you feel like you've know a
long time. He quickly and openly showed us the prep room,
the massive (2) wood fired hearth ovens they built (a bread bakers
dream oven), mixing toom, and the grounds of the farm.

We chatted about bread, business, and the philosphy of baking.

Della Fattoria is a very eden-like bakery/business.
Their farm and family are warm-hearted, open
and sharing.

Cheryl and I want to thank Kathleen and Edmond for
being such good people.

My Favorite Sandwich

2007-02-28T05:41:00.000-05:00

I thought I would share one of my favorite sandwiches to make.
It's pretty simple, but the ingredients need to be fresh.

1 Sandwich - Ingredient list:
Apple Wood Smoked Bacon
Fresh Ripe Tomatos
2 Large Eggs
Green Leaf Lettuce
Pain au Levain
European Butter
Grey Salt & Pepper to taste

Prepare:
Pan fry bacon until crispy
Pan fry eggs overeasy
Lightly toast Pain au Levain

Assemble:
Butter the Pain au Levain
place eggs first, then bacon,
tomato, lettuce

The Pain au Levain is a favorite bread of
mine that I bake on a regular basis.
It's a whole wheat bread with rye making
it a bread for all occasions.
Nice dense interior, thick chewy crust,
rich deep flavor.

Give it a try and enjoy

On Vacation Reviewing '06

2007-01-01T19:33:00.000-05:00

2006 has been -the- most challenging year.

As it stands, we are now into our 3.5 years in business.
People say this is the hump year for any new business
and may take up to 5 years to really establish oneself
as a viable new business.

2006 has been a tremendous, emotional, learning year
for Cheryl and I, but we are still moving forward with more
determination than ever before.
(read previous posts to catch up)

Our customers have been the best all year long. We had
a wonderful opportunity to be featured on "Road Tasted"
on the Food Network with the Deen Boys - Bobbie and Jamie;
the show bringing us new customers from all around the
country into Savannah to visit us and sample Cheryl's
fresh handmade Red Velvet Cupcakes.

2007 will be a transition year I think. We have new ideas
along with making what we do even better.
Thank you to our staff that have stuck with us and help us
every singe day.
A big thanks to everyone who have come in to support
us throughout the year...and to all the new customers,
welcome to our little bakery!

Brandi the new "Sweeptress"

2006-11-23T10:24:00.000-05:00


Brandi just started working on Saturdays at Back in the Day Bakery.
She has always been a great customer and supporter of Cheryl and I.

I just had to post this pic of Brandi (I hope you don't mind).  
Brandi was expounding upon her dislike of cleaning, but a necessary evil we
all must do to keep our lives clean and happy.

Brandi with all her true spirit tackled the bakery floors with broom in hand.
Sweep, sweep there, sweep, sweep under there...I could feel the turbulent 
wind from her mighty handling of the broom.

With camera in hand, a pic was taken of her proud stance.  We stood in awe.

Brandi has a great site of her own.  Skip on over and check her out.
Thanks Brandi for setting (above) the standard!
Sunday Morning

Road Tasted

2006-09-19T04:24:00.000-05:00

Follow this link

http://www.backinthedaybakery.com/blog1/buttercreamandrosesblogger.html

Life is Too Short

2006-08-14T22:07:00.000-05:00

Life is too short to understand the profound meaning of death.
Every breath is a gift, every breath forgotten as we move through
our lives not realizing what it's really like to be alive.

I'm sure some days the pressure of your daily grind builds
from day to day. You wonder why some days are just
too much. You forget what really is important.

The passing of Cheryl's sister Natalie was a lot for us as
a family to handle. Natalie was diagnosed a while back with
CHF (congestive heart failure) /enlarged heart.
Cheryl and I were concerned for her health, with her running a
retail store by herself and we encouraged her to come work
for us at the bakery.

As all hard working determined folks we all I try to be, Natalie
pursued her dream of owning her boutique and overcoming her
diagnosis. Natalie was strong, loving, giving, creative, spiritual,
smart, stubborn, a storyteller, hardworking, determined,
understanding, forgiving, vulnerable, sweet.

It's hard to comprehend the concept of death. How in
an instance can you see someone the night before and the next
day gone.

Cheryl and I were listening to NPR and Nora Ephron was taking
about her new book "I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other
Thoughts on Being a Woman". She talked about how we
cheat ourselves everyday and not take the opportunity
to make our own lives special.

Pour some extra bath oil in the tub, or indulge yourself
with two desserts instead of worrying about how much you
spent on dinner...."have some bread with butter for gods sake"
Live life now and take notice of every small thing that comes
to you.

Cheryl and Natalie were close. I always kidded when we went
to dinner. Cheryl would order and Natalie would order the
same thing. I called them Pete and Re-Pete.
When they talked together they finished each others sentences.
Stories would bounce back and forth between the two of them,
details highlighted, memories lived once again.

Cheryl is the strongest person I know, but I know a part of her
is gone, but she will be stronger and more determined to
carry on her sister's dream to succeed.

Natalie will be missed. Her friends and customers will always
remember her smile and her passionate kindness.

Baguettes are like Mountians

2006-05-20T20:16:00.000-05:00


 Working in the bakery, making bread, it becomes
 a challenge "for me" to make the perfect baguette.
 We've all seen that picture in your favorite
 cookbook of the baguette. Various hues of gold and
 brown, slashed lengthwise with gringe flairs showcasing
 the crumb within. 

I sometimes wonder how many baguettes
 did they make to get that perfect one for the photo shoot.
 
Everyday for me is a meditation on forming the baguette
 perfectly. Everyday I know I haven't formed the perfect
 baguette. Everyday I work towards that cookbook perfect
 picture of the baguette.  Everyday I climb that mountain. 
 
It's frustating and rewarding at the same time everytime 
 I mix and form my bread for the next day. 
 Being "un=classically" trained and working 
 from the background of someone who has opened a bakery
 and learning the trade from square one while making lots
 of mistakes along the way and learning from each one.
 
We are almost 3 years old and we are still growing
 and learning about business and making people happy.
 My wife and I know we make lot's of mistakes, but we have
 a wonderful base of customers that support us everyday, 
 each week, each month. I could go on about how we somehow
 are still in business after 3 years, but a little bit 
 each blog will reveal our struggles and rewards.
 Read my wifes blog to get a different perspedtive.
Buttercream and Roses


 For me it's a learning process of all aspects of running 
 a business to the fine art and science of breadmaking.
 I am a member of the Bread Bakers of America (bbga.org).
 On the members discussion board, a member talked about
 making baguettes (perking my interests) I read the post
 and followed a link about baguettes.
 
It was Julia Child's website with program video
 showcasing various chefs and their dishes. Baguettes!!! with 
 Danielle Forestier...I watched with the simple pleasure
 of watching her make french bread. I might as well have been
 watching porn...food porn that is in all it's glory.
 
It's always amazing to me how these simple ingredients make
 a simple but delicate delicious food. Bringing me back to
 why I started this blog in the the first place.
 Flour, water, salt and something wild is my life from day 
 to day. Some days it's a joy to pull a bagutte from the 
 oven looking picture perfect and some days I pull a lousy
 looking baguette directly relating to how I felt -
 the ups and downs of daily living affect how my bread comes
 out of the oven.
 
The baguette for me is the daily challenge, my focus on 
 making my life like the perfect baguette. Fresh, crisp,
 full of flavor and the need to make people happy with 
 every bite.  With all this talk about baguettes, here is the link
 to Julia's site.
Julia Child's
 
There are other chefs with recipes, but the baguette
 series is towards the bottom of the list.
 
Visiting Julia's site made me a little sad knowing
 she is gone. I remember many saturday afternoons, laying on
 the couch watching her shows on PBS. I learned so much
 from her and her books. Someone I never met, offering me
 a wealth of knowledge I will carry with me forever.
 Enjoy the link, and make bread, bread, bread.

Visit a great site

2006-04-25T04:21:00.000-05:00

take a visit to an informational website about savannah.
Savannahoffthebeatenpath.com

Enjoy

Hard work never hurt anyone...but why take the chance

2006-04-23T08:30:00.000-05:00

This is probably the favorite time of year for me. Crisp cool nights,
warm sunny days.

As a baker and business owner, I don't have much time during
the day to enjoy a pleasant day. Early to bed, Early to rise...everyday
is dedicated to baking and running a business.

I've ranted before about employee problems and finding good people
that are interested/thankful in having a job in this day and age.
Since that time, it's been a learning experience and growing
as an owner of a small bakery.

Our little bakery is growing and the challenge of taking the right steps
are always crucial in one way or another. Hiring employees is the biggest
challenge for any business and that is what I'm finding out.

I wish there was a magic view finder I could look through as I interview
a prospective employee to see how they really are.
With experience comes logical judgment in seeing personality types
and how they interact with people.

I have great customers who are our "secret shoppers" and they have no problem
telling me an employee at the counter is "no good", "crazy", or "lacks charisma".
They know how hard the work is at the bakery and they always are very supportive
with their advice and their dollar.

A few things I've learned so far. Age is a big factor in any worker.
Age discrimination is against the law, but with age comes experience.
I would rather hire a 60 year old than a 22 year old.

Why?

I may be generalizing here, but I've yet to meet someone serious about a job
in their early 20's. I know it's a generalization. College is a time to learn, but
one also needs to learn how_to _work_. If you can't do a good job at something
you may not take seriously, in general, you will have a very hard time
doing it right with the kind of job that you really are good at. if you can't give 100%
all the time, why do it? With that statement comes experience.

So am I ranting again...and again. Naw...it's a realization that people are people
and learning how to find the good is becoming a little easier these days.
I can spot the ones who are telling a white lie, or their application is fudged a
little here and a little there. It's become a part of the business I knew was the
hardest part...finding a great employee who believes in a hard days work.

Savannah needs a Hot Dog Social in the park

2006-01-24T19:36:00.000-05:00

Ok, it's been a long fermentation period and I haven't
written in a while. But, back in the seat again
I have some comments good and bad.

With all the crime in Savannah lately I'm feeling
a bit claustrophobic and in fear of living in this
great city. For one if you haven't been affected by
crime in this city, you know someone first hand who has.

It's a small town with lots of citizens up in arms
over what to do about it. Too deep to discuss hear about
racism and who to blame, I thought of an idea for everyone
in this city to bring us all together.

My blog is about bread and social issues related and
interrelated to bread. Bread, for centuries, has been the
foundation of many communities that brings people together.
So I thought today, why not have a day in the park
that brings all aspects of the city together.

Hot dog buns being bread celebrates the union of families
....Having been to a few picnics, I know they can be fun.
Hot dogs, hamburgers, brats for everyone.

Who would pay for this soiree? Not sure.
I thought it was an idea that would help this city to have
a day dedicated to the people of Savannah and the good things
this city has to offer.

We were talking at work today about
how nice it would be to open your windows at home when the
weather is so nice, but then we made a joke about worrying
about some criminal crawling in through the open window.

It's unfortunate that kind of thought sits in the back
of your mind, but the level of crime here does that to you
after a while.

So maybe someday Savannah will get this (crime) all under control.
Until then, when you see a stranger, think of having a hot dog
with that person and hopefully someday we can all celebrate together
and have a picnic with family and friends and new friends.

Who is the Breadhead?

2005-12-03T18:55:00.000-05:00

I grew up watching my dad eat bread at dinner.
He would always have one or two slices of bread
with butter. A lot of times the bread would
have peanut butter on it, which drove my mom crazy
after spending the afternoon cooking dinner.
He'd sit at the table, roast beef, vegetables,
perhaps roasted potatoes and on the side he would
have bread and peanut butter.

I soon picked up the habit of eating bread
with my meal. Some nights I have to say mom
didn't cook such a great meal.
After I picked over the meal I would get up,
take my dishes to the sink, and with a sly move
grab a piece of bread and quickly
spread some butter & peanut butter on before
my mom would see me.....well, I got caught more
than once and never heard the end of it.

My Dad would tell stories of the days when he grew
up in the Great Depression...he would say...
"Back then we didn't have much, stale bread, cold
lard and a little sugar went a long way..."
I said...no way!..."yup, we didn't have much"
my Dad said. I sat listening to stories over the
years with a cringed face, happily growing up in the
60' & 70's not knowing any different.
He had so many stories of the Great Depression
All relating to bread in some way....bread
was there in his life back then.

He also went through this phase in the 70's
of eating bread, peanut butter, with onions.......
I was with him on the bread thing until he started
eating that combo. I wasn't sure if he was
challenging me to eat peanut butter and onions,
or if he was on some sort of gastric tailspin.
I made it once, smelt it, only to chunk it into
the trash.

Bread, a basic but simple food.
The texture and smell of it can be rewarding to the
palette. After years of making bread at home for
family and friends, I still find it fascinating to
see flour water salt and yeast come together and
make bread.

At the bakery I see so many people come in and visit,
talk, and pick-up something to treat themselves after
a hard day at work, or perhaps pick-up a treat
for a friend. There is definitely the
"Sweets" person and the "Breadhead".

So, Who is the Breadhead?
I see them everyday at the bakery buying what
bread I bake that day.

A Breadhead can be put into a few categories:
The Soft
The Crusty
The Enthusiastic ones
and
The Mean Ones

"The Soft" are people who love soft bread.
Very easy going, well mannered, and soft
spoken people. The soft bread means less work,
a quick chew, but enjoys fresh bread with
their meals and will travel far to get good,
soft, bread.

"The Crusty" Are mostly Europeans or from a big
city. They know what crusty bread is, they are familiar
with crusty bread and they know what it means to eat
crusty bread. Very hearty, opinionated folk who will
tell you they love the crusty bread and are very
thankful they found the crusty bread here in Savannah.
The "Crusty" people understand what bread means, they
get the big picture.

"The Enthusiastic Ones" Are people that ask
"What "breads" do you have today?" They want to try
different kinds of bread, but deep down they really
want "The Soft Bread". They ask a lot of questions;
what kind of crust is it, what is the flavor like,
Is it dense, how long will it last, so on and so on
asking you questions until your eyes glaze over.
They really want to try something different, they
really do, but are not ready yet to venture out.

"The Mean Ones" These people are mean.
I don't understand why they eat bread.
They come in, point, and say, "I want that bread."
They just stand there and sneer. If your lucky, you
won't get insulted, but "The Means Ones" can't leave
without saying something mean...even if it's just
to insult you in some way. They take great pride
in ruining your day, or try to.

At the bakery, it's always a fun day seeing all the
different Breadheads come through the door to buy
bread. Life is good when I can sell bread to people
who love bread. Bread has a deeper meaning that
one can't put a finger on...it's there, it's always
been there, in our life, to keep us alive.

If your ever in Paris

2005-11-27T16:15:00.000-05:00

I came across this free PDF guide
talking about the best Bakeries in
Paris. If you speak and read French,
enjoy.
(*This is a PDF file)

Click here to download

I'll Get Over this Ranting Phase - A Bakers Editorial

2005-11-26T09:51:00.000-05:00

(Editors note)
This blog has turned more into an outlet for
ideas and opinions lately. But, lately, times
are a changing here at the bakery....changing
for the better, but there is always a challenge
to deal with daily.

_______--------________--------_______-------

Being a small business owner has opened my eyes
with clarity about the cross-over from being a
past employee to a present employer.

I admit in my wildest dreams that I wouldn't
have the nerve to open an Artisan Bakery if
it wasn't for my wife/partner to be there with
me. The both of us had the dream and the vision
to do something that we both love to do...bake!
We thought, "yea, we can do it...we love to bake.

I also admit I've had jobs in the past that just
paid the bills and I didn't care much if my employer
benefited from my work...I was just there to collect
a check.

Fast forward 25+ years, after a career of dead
end jobs, got serious with college and a serious
career in video post production, I now find myself
as an employer. Owning an Artisan Bakery in Savannah
that is devoted to the arts and crafts of baking and
doing it from scratch.

Savannah is a beautiful and challenging place
to own a business. My main challenge is finding
people who want to work (hard) at a craft that is
as rewarding as baking.

I've had employees in the past at the bakery, only
to find out they can't step up to the task at hand
or they fizzle out and leave. In my mind, I always
question - what is the problem?

Now being a (newborn) employer, the complexities of
dealing with people on daily business is a challenging
and rewarding task. Customers love what we do and having
to find employees with the same passion and desire to work
for the same cause is like finding a needle in a haystack.
Is it regional, national,or a universal problem....?

Our business is our livelihood and we love to work
hard to put out an excellent product.

It's hard I know to place oneself, as an employee,
in your employers shoes. Daily issues to solve,
the stresses and challenges of everything from clogged
sinks to paying your bills...and oh, yea...putting out
products at the same time to keep your doors open.

I for one never thought about it in the past,
but the present is a new horizon for me everyday.
I am now in my former employers shoes wanting to
be the cool boss, but now having to deal with
finding people willing to help this small business
grow into a bigger and better resource for Savannah.

Am I ranting with no logical conclusion about how
to run a small business, (probably) or is the problem
bigger than I know and I haven't yet figured out....
OR is it just human nature and the complexity that
we all want to solve about out own lives...?

I love our little bakery. Cheryl and I would love
not to have to sleep if we had our choice...we love
knowing that what we do, makes people happy.

We will continue to bake till we can bake no more.
Cheryl and I know that if it's just the two of us
and are able to do it all, we are happy with that.
We do have good people that do work for us, but
we know that people will come and go and a few
will stick around that believe in what we do.
and we appreciate those that do...we believe
in there dreams too.

I am wanting to end this rant with some sort
of wisdom filled comment about the state of
the worker, but come up short.

Let me know if any insight comes your way.

Marjoram-Scented Panzanella

2005-10-04T17:54:00.000-05:00

I will be adding a few recipes for
day old bread and will be
posting them periodically.

(Levain Loafers, Red Hen Bakery)

Here is a simple recipe to compliment
a bed of lettuce, some soup, or a glass
of wine - you choose.

It's one of those recipes you can experiment
with and make your own...enjoy.

Marjoram-Scented Panzanella with Aged Cheese
(serves 4, From The New American Cheese, by Laura Werlin)

Vinaigrette Ingredients

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salad ingredients

* 1/2 lb. day old Italian or French bread
(ciabatta or baguette would be great),
cut into 1 inch cubes
* 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
* 4 ripe tomatoes (4 lb.), seeded and coarsely
chopped1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh marjoram
leaves
* 2 oz. shaved, very cold aged sheep's milk
cheese (Trade Lake Cedar recommended, or any hard,
flavorful cheese like aged goat cheese, aged
Provolone, or Parmesan)

To make the vinaigrette: Combine vinegars, mustard,
and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Let stand 5 min.
Slowly add olive oil in a steady stream, whisking
until thoroughly blended. Set aside.

To make the salad: Preheat oven to 375.

Place bread cubes on a baking sheet and drizzle olive
oil over them. Stir to distribute oil. Bake until
lightly browned (10 to 15 min.). Remove from oven
and cool. (This can also be done on the stovetop in
a skillet over medium heat.)

Mix tomatoes, onion, and marjoram with 1/4 cup of the
vinaigrette in a bowl. Let sit for 10 min. Add bread
cubes and another 1/4 cup vinaigrette; mix. Let sit
for 15 min.

Add the remaining vinaigrette, if needed (use enough
to coat but not drench the ingredients). Distribute
among 4 plates and top with the cheese and freshly
ground pepper.

The (W)hole Structure

2005-09-25T20:01:00.000-05:00

I get asked on a regular basis what kind of bread
do I make at our bakery. The question seems tinged
with a bit of skepticism. Perhaps, I’ve become a
bit jaded by this question due to the fact that what
I bake is not based on what the customer wants,
but what I know will sell. I'm not one to deny
any one of my customers what they want, but it’s due
to the fact that what I do on a daily basis is limited –
I bake what I can.

The local grocery stores: Kroger, Publix, and Fresh
Market tout their isles with windowed paper bags and
plastic wrapped breads labeled “artisan breads”.
Names like “garlic parmesan foccacia”, “rosemary parsley”,
“olive fennel” and the infamous “french baguette”.
Exotic flavors mixed with traditional names reference
the origin of a particular bread, be it Italian or French.
All priced to appeal to the bottom line.

What bothers me the most about these artisan breads sold at
these “grocery stores” is the fact that the corporate production
of artisan bread is no more healthy than that loaf of wonder
bread just a few feet away.

Dough conditioners, strengtheners, emulsifiers,
enrichment and maturing agents, enzymes, and polymer
additives all added to make the bread soft and add
continued shelf life until sold without molding.
It’s a bit strange to see the general public gobble this
“bread” and think its healthy, or even a “good” substitute
for bread that is made by your local Bread Artisan.

The word “Artisan” has been inverted by corporations
to stamp their product as something it’s not.
An Artisan is “a skilled manual worker; a craftsperson
who works in the tradition of…”.

To make bread everyday with just flour, water, salt and
a little “wild” yeast, to make sourdough – it amazes me
the simplicity of mixing these ingredients can produce
such an elegant food.

So simple, so basic, it brings me to the core
of human existence. Everyday as I mix and form bread,
I think of that person that somehow mixed a slew of grain
and water and how it became bread a long time ago.
The wonder and sustenance it brought to the village of
people brought us to this point in time.

I've had many customers tell me they went to the “new”
fresh market only to be disappointed by the quality of
the desserts and breads they offered.

They said the desserts tasted “too sweet” or “the bread
tasted like crap” … I agreed and thought to myself,
1. why are they telling me this...
2. they don’t know what quality is...
3. very dissapointing that they would choose over me...
4. they lack the verve for what is bread...

Why do people never learn that quality comes first for
the Artisan and why wouldn't they want to pay a little
extra for that quality and sustenance?