Good afternoon, friends and neighbors!
It’s been a minute (and two jobs) since I wrote one of these entries, and it’s something a lot of folks ask me about:
“What’s it like being the morning baker/ ovenmaster in a French bakery?”
Well here we go.
Writing
“Blood, Sweat, and Butter”- A NEW BOOK APPEARS!!
Good afternoon, friends and neighbors!
My regular blog posts will resume tomorrow, because for right now I have something BIG to announce:
My new book, “Blood, Sweat, and Butter,” will be released on the Amazon Kindle May 7th!!!
Here’s the deal…
The Role of Discomfort in Development
Good evening, friends and neighbors.
I get to work these days before dawn. As I walk in, the first order of business is checking the oven to make sure the settings are right.
Next, the days first load of croissants- waiting patiently in the proof box since the night before. They need to be in the oven in 30 minutes.
They aren’t ready. Small and sticky still. Crap… that’s not right.
A quick look at the control panel on the box confirms my fears. They’re gonna be late.
Right- time for Plan B. The cookies have time to go in.
Wait… that doesn’t look right. Why is the oven temperature tanking? Ugh… ok. Back on track, make up the time later.
The new wholesale management system is messed up. No one to call to check numbers for retail. Dammit… ok, just fudge the numbers. Wholesale is accounted for, I can bake more for the store later if needed.
The piping tip I need is missing. Use a similar one and change technique to compensate.
Not enough sheet pans- the other stores haven’t been sending them back. Rummage around and condense. There’s gotta be stuff to layer.
It’s cool. I’ll figure it out. It’s fine.
“Totally fine… I’ve got this. I’ve got this…”
“At least I’m learning some interesting tricks…”
Our People, Our Thing
Good evening, friends and neighbors.
We cooks exist outside of our natural habitat, you know.
We can breathe atmospheric air, are generally harmless unless provoked, and can even function in polite society.
Not necessarily that we LIKE it, of course… but we can.
Review #14- Toro Bravo
Where: Toro Bravo,
120 NE RUSSELL STREETPORTLAND, OR, 97212(503)281-4464
Everyone’s trying to save a buck these days.
Restaurants, cooks, workers, all of us. Even bakers- ironically- are having trouble making a little dough.
Sadly, when belts get tighter, it invites fewer opportunities to loosen them. You start finding ways to bring in a little cash- and moments when you get to spend that cash are limited to special occasions.
That’s why I’ve been pretty light on the restaurant reviews as of late.
It’s also why I’m writing this one on my wife’s insistence.
It was our anniversary, after all- and she loves watching me be a food nerd.
Yep, still adorable.
The Black Hat Baker 