The Baker's Blog

Catching up with old friends

I have really missed John Sawchuk this summer. He has been a frequent visitor at the Cando Bakery since we opened nine years ago. During the winter John and his wife, Marilyn, live in Florida, but during the other three seasons we see John most every day. He arrives around 10 a.m. laden with mail, having made his first stop the post office. The usual greeting is in Ukrainian, something like "Yak shamiash!" to which I reply "Dobra!" Don’t ask me to translate please! Neither of us knows what we’ve just said but it sounds right.

John has a way of looking over his glasses at me, with a gentle smile that melts my heart. He scrutinizes the contents of the display case very carefully before making his choice, which is usually a fruit-filled pastry. Strawberry cream cheese turnovers are his absolute favorite. Then he finds an empty seat at one of the tables. I pour his coffee, being careful to supply him with creamer, which he uses liberally. In fact, we often joke with John that he likes coffee with his creamer.

The visits last no more than 20 minutes, just long enough to swallow a mug of coffee. Then John gathers up his mail and strolls home. Rain or shine, you can always count on John.

John and I have a few connecting threads beyond Cando and the bakery, for he hails from Winnipeg, my hometown. In fact, he is a physician who interned at the same hospital from which I graduated as an RN. Mind you, John was long gone from the hallowed halls of St. Boniface when I was a student nurse there. Someday I plan to write a few stories from my years in nursing, such as "Nurse Shiela of Surgery," a sort of Nancy Drew Mystery meets Harlequin Romance. But I digress.

John and Marilyn, his sweetheart of 50 years, were married right after John graduated from medical school. Following his internship, young Dr. and Mrs. Sawchuk moved south to Rolette, ND, where they lived happily for 23 years. John had a busy family practice. Marilyn was busy too, raising Ted, Cathy and Jennifer. All was as it should be.

Then in 1983, at the age of 51, John had a devastating stroke. This affected his memory and left him unable to communicate, effectively ending his medical career. There must have been some very painful times for the entire family while coming to terms with John’s condition.

In 1999 the Sawchuks relocated to Cando where their daughters had settled. Ted had followed in Dad’s footsteps and was practicing medicine in Fargo, a comfortable three-hour drive from Cando. The Sawchuks have a close relationship with their children, the grandkids, their church and the community. Marilyn keeps in touch with old friends from Rolette and Winnipeg, including some of John’s classmates.

For the past fourteen years the couple has motored to Clearwater, FL to enjoy summer all year round. But this year may be different. Perhaps worsening health may preclude such a long trip. So the plan for this coming winter may be to stay put in Cando and attend grandson Calvin’s basketball games instead.

Just when I began to think we would not see John at the bakery again, last week he walked in behind Cathy. He was unusually quiet. Cathy picked out the baked goods and suggested they sit down to have coffee. But when I brought the steaming mugs, and of course, the creamer to the table, I saw the old John emerge. "Dobra!" he said, to which I replied, "Yahniznyu!" Who knows what we said; it is enough to know that we said it.

In September the Sawchuks will be attending the University of Manitoba Medical School’s Class of 1958 Reunion. They will no doubt bring greetings from the Cando Bakery to John’s classmate Walter Syslak, my former anesthesia partner. There’s another connecting thread.

Responding to Price Increases

We knew the wheat crisis was a reality when we received a 25% increase on donut mix at the beginning of this year. 

Our first reaction was to quickly try to educate the public and our customers about why the price of flour and other common commodities were skyrocketing.  We knew without any question that a massive (by our standards) retail and wholesale price increase was inevitable.  The best way to prepare our customers for it was to go public about the wheat crisis.  We were successful in obtaining editorial articles in the local business journals and major newspapers in the city. 

Lucky for us, there has been no shortage of coverage about rising food costs from the national news media as well.  In order to survive as a business we simply had no choice but to raise our prices.  As much as we hope the commodity prices will stabilize, we are prepared for an additional price increase if necessary. 

Our Most Unusual Decorating Request

We often get asked: What’s your most unusual cake decorating request?

Well, my brother Dan is getting married this weekend and if you could see the size of this cake we are putting together for him you would be shocked!  But seriously, we produce approximately 1,500  decorated cakes per week so you can imagine some of the requests we get.  Of course there are plenty of requests for the ‘adult’ themed cakes that we really don’t get into.  There is another bakery in town that specializes in those so we redirect that business to her. 

A cake order ticket came in years ago (hand-written) with special instructions to make the cake look “real elegant.”  The clerk who wrote the order did not have the best penmanship.  When our decorator received the cake ticket, she read the instructions a little bit differently.  She interpreted the instructions to read, “real elephant.”  You can imagine the look of horror on the customer’s face when she picked up her “elegant” cake, adorned with a picture of a full sized elephant on top of the cake!

An American Baker in Paris

In March, I had the opportunity to attend Europain 2008 in Paris. In addition to walking the show floor and cheering on Team USA at the Coupe du Monde de Boulangerie, I had the privilege to participate in the Bread Bakers Guild of America Paris bakery tours. One tour gave guild members a unique look behind the counter at the operations of three Paris bakeries, or as the French would say, “boulangeries,” – Laurent Duchene, Au Duc de la Chappelle and Julien.

To view and taste the various baked goods produced by these bakers was an indescribable treat. Beyond their obvious skills as artisan bread makers, these bakers are intentional about developing and maintaining successful businesses. They truly understand the importance of producing and marketing high quality, premium products; meeting customer’s needs by offering unique products and services; and developing and communicating a strong bakery brand image.   

Offering High Quality, Premium Products

As a first-time traveler to the City of Lights, I was initiated to the sight of the Parisian stepping through the doorway of the bakery with the famed baguette in one hand while the other deftly tore away a piece to enjoy as he made his way down the avenue. This visual was repeated time and time again – be it a group of construction workers, a grandmother with her grandchild in tow, or a fashionably dressed business man. It was apparent that the baguette is woven into the fabric of the French culture.

As we visited with the bakers, discussion focused on the two different types of baguettes typically offered – classic and traditional. At each bakery the classic, or “ordinaire,” baguette was priced lower than the traditional and experienced higher sales volume. This baguette was made with a shorter, warmer fermentation process and was machine molded. The loaf was longer, the crumb whiter and the loaf volume greater than the traditional baguette. The bakers explained that this style of baguette emerged after World War II and that it is the accepted baguette of this generation. (For further reading on the history of the baguette, I suggest the book, “Good Bread Is Back” by Steven Laurence Kaplan.)

The traditional baguette is an artisan bread that stems from the rich heritage of the French baker. The historical baking process of the traditional baguette utilized less developed doughs. Manual kneading and longer fermentation times were required to develop adequate gluten strength in the dough. The side benefit to the longer fermentation was the extended production of alcohol and acidity that intensified the aroma and flavor of the bread. Modernization of the mixing process yielded stronger dough that required less first fermentation, thus reducing the flavor character of the bread. Today, the baker uses a less intensive mix combined with a longer, cooler fermentation process to develop a more complex flavor profile in the finished bread. 

It was apparent that each baker takes great pride in their product, hand-forming each loaf. Producing a slightly pointed tip, the ends of the hand-formed loaf receive a deeper browning in the oven, distinguishing it from the classic baguette with its rounded ends. The baguettes are displayed, standing side-by-side in whicker baskets at the front of the shop, radiating the skill of a true craftsman.

Catering to Customers Needs

Although each baker admittedly preferred the traditional baguette, they all recognized the need to produce the “ordinaire” baguette to meet the majority of their customers’ needs. In addition, each bakery has adapted to offer a unique mixture of products that cater to the specific needs of customers in their area.

At Julien’s, located in the midst of a bustling Parisian business district, the owner has adapted to cater to a lunch crowd, which flowed through his business during the noontime tour. Julien offers a delightful luncheon sandwich that utilizes the bakery’s classic baguette dough. The dough is flattened and filled with various cheeses, meats or vegetables, sealed, cut, proofed and baked. This is a great example of product adaptation to meet the need of the consumer. During the tour, as quickly as a tray of product was brought out to show us, it was no sooner whisked away by the counter personnel to fill an order for a local office. 

Developing and Communicating a Strong Bakery Brand Image

Laurent Duchene’s bakery, located in a residential area, projects a high-end, gourmet image. Laurent Duchene is a prime example of a skilled baker who has developed a niche product with his recognized bakery brand. The bakery focuses on pastries and chocolates along with his selection of fine breads. Duchene’s craft is showcased through exquisite window displays at the corner property. Duchene successfully incorporates his bakery logo on his packaging, store facing, and even his pastries and chocolates. As a Meilleur Ouvrier de France, translated as best craftsman in France and commonly referred to as MOF, he helps his bakery get recognition through training and writing for the baking industry. 

Anis Bouabsa of Au Duc de la Chapelle is a public relations and marketing success. In 2004, at the age of 24, Bouabasa was the youngest baker to be awarded the MOF. In 2008, he won the coveted Best Baguette of Paris, and has placed in the top five over the last three years of the competition.  In addition to the press he has received, his bakery windows proudly advertise his significant accomplishments to his customers – a great example of positive public relations lift gained from displaying his amazing talent.

To apply these learnings to your bakery, think about what your bakery does well. Also, consider what your customers need and how you can better serve them. Furthermore, explore how you want to be perceived by your customers. Effective marketing can help you identify and draw attention to your signature products and your bakery’s point of difference, so you can stand out in a crowded marketplace. 

Simple Touches Set You Apart

Sugar flowers should not all look the same. You will really wow the brides by creating unique looks. They'll say they can’t believe it is sugar. It’s the little things that set you apart. Most of the brides today are using peonies. It’s a nice flower and one of my favorites. Sugar roses are still popular. On a good day with six people here, we’ll make 300 to 400 sugar roses a day. I tend to think of bakery as production. If you can apply what we know as bakers first, then it’s worth it. You’re not going to make money doing one cake a week. You may sell a $5,000 cake, but at the end of the day are you making money on it? You have to ask yourself that. In that same time, my team could have done 15 to 20 $3,000 cakes. You can’t do cakes that you don’t make money on.

Lessons in Catering

Once upon a time there was a caterer whose name, aptly enough was Mr. Cater. This elderly gentleman was a patient of mine during my stint as an orthopedic nurse. When he was unable to sleep at night, and I had five minutes to spare, Mr. Cater would regale me with stories from his adventures in catering. I thought he was exaggerating but, now, some twenty-five years later, having had my share of misadventures in catering, I think most of that dear old man’s tales were spot on.

Bruce has done a lot of catering here and there. Once, while living in Canada, Bruce worked an event where Prince Edward, the youngest of Queen Elizabeth’s kids, was the guest of honor. I have an old newspaper photo of the prince with Bruce peering over His Highness’s shoulder, both looking youthfully blonde (and with more hair than either can boast today).

Our first catering job in Cando was a wedding reception for 250 to 300 guests. The bride’s mother requested salad platters resembling something she had seen once in Hawaii. Picture this: layers of greens, sliced tomatoes, pineapple spears, black olives and cold cuts. She had all ready ordered fresh produce from a store in Devils Lake. The cold cuts were being prepared using beef from their cattle farm. Now we all know that making use of locally grown products is a great idea. However this part of North Dakota is not known for market garden produce.

The wedding cake was an elaborate display piece, decorated with flowers from the family garden. Since the order included three or four sheet cakes we agreed to loan the display cake at no cost.

On the day of the wedding, boxes of produce and cold cuts arrived at the Bakery. Bruce and I began preparing the salad platters as requested, but when we looked at the supposedly fresh produce we were dismayed to find it all but rotted in the boxes. The stuff had not been fresh since Reagan was in office!

Plan B. We had some fresh greens and tomatoes in our own garden so we rushed home to harvest our crops. Since the deer had eaten all the flowers at the family farm we also picked our lilies to decorate the cakes.

Well it all worked out. The salad platters were tasty and visually appealing. The display cake looked lovely with the lilies from our yard. Apparently no one noticed me removing an errant ant here and there.

The agreement was that we would serve the buffet and leave, but somehow we ended up washing all the dishes, along with two of the bride’s aunts, while the assembled guests and the leftover food found their way to the fairgrounds pavilion where the wedding dance was in full swing.

The crowning moment of the evening was when we were driving away from the reception hall. Bruce was holding the display cake on his lap when one of the wedding guests ran a stop sign and cut us off. The dummy cake became a dashboard ornament.

Our most recent adventure in catering was the dinner theatre last month. I don’t know if I’ve ever told you that Cando is veritable hotbed of artistic people. The Cando Arts Council, of which I am a past member, has produced many theatrical offerings. This time the work was a two act play called Love Letters, and the Cando Bakery was hired to cater.

Bruce and I designed several menus for the Council to peruse. The one chosen was a three course dinner of salad, lasagna, breadsticks and dessert. The evening was to start with an aperitif, followed by salad, the entrée, and Act I. Dessert and coffee was to be served during intermission.

I have to say Bruce makes the best darned lasagna I have ever eaten. He uses loin of pork, and spinach. The seasoning is just right with delicious notes of fennel and nutmeg. It is beautiful on the plate as well as on the palate. Did I mention this is cattle country? Folks around here like their food pretty plain and pretty beefy. So there were several surprised dinner theatre patrons trying to guess the secret ingredients in the lasagna. Bruce and I had fun revealing the answers.

The performances were sold out; the patrons enjoyed both the play and the food. We would certainly do it again. Just don’t ask Bruce and me to join the cast. We are happiest behind the scenes making good eats.