O-Bread: An Original Organic Bakery
In 1977 I was an 8 year old kid growing up in Northern California. The rise of what I have come to call 'Big Organic' (a 'natural' and 'organic' marketplace dominated by a handful of retailers and where even the likes of WalMart have a stake) was still some 10 to 15 years off. The organic food movement was in its infancy and I remember remarking to my mother while we were in the grocery store one day: 'why would anyone pay extra for such awful looking vegetables.' That same year, 1977, Chuck an…
Posted on: 2008-07-10 10:22:51
Bouchon Bakery @ Per Se
There's something about enjoying a nice slice of bread or a roll with a meal. The sweetness of a well made baguette eaten with a salad of greens dressed with a slightly acidic dressing is one of life's great pleasures. More often now, one finds a very nice bread basket offered at the start of the meal in restaurants of all types. And while the number of high quality wholesale bakeries is increasing, giving restaurant chef's an ever widening array of choices, the real excitement is in the growin…
Posted on: 2007-07-23 14:55:49
Baquette Republic: “Respect for the Craft”
Isn't it great how we can visit just about any city or region of the United States these days and find at least one and often several bakeries turning out great baked goods. Again and again, I walk into one of these 'gems' and have felt the vibe that comes from people engaged in a craft that requires much of them.
<p />
Baking has been a part of the American (I'm speaking of the United States, here.) culture for the last 200+ years with the traditional styles being contributed by immigrants …
Posted on: 2007-06-14 17:42:11
Andrew's Mediterra Bakehouse Rye Bread
There's a great bakery in Pittsburgh called Mediterra Bakehouse. It's out on your way to the airport and they have been pushing the artisan bread movement in Pittsburgh right from the moment they opened in 2001. Of course Pittsburgh hasn't always been a food town, but beginning about 5 years ago (around the time Mediterrra started baking) the first chefs were arriving on the scene who would, rather quickly, push Pittsburgh up near the top of the list of cities where you can find great food.
<p…
Posted on: 2007-04-30 19:26:45
Back to the Land: Pizza on Earth.
With a little research it would be interesting to find out where in the world one would have the easiest time starting a business. Certainly there are basic requirements: access to raw materials, shelter, and some basic level of security. In many of the poorest countries of the world one finds street vendors selling prepared foods of all types. So perhaps it is in these places that one would find the lowest barriers to entrepreneurship. But looking at a place like the United States, from where w…
Posted on: 2007-04-30 19:24:36
Ali Pandy and the BR Guest Commissary Bakery
Many of you may be familiar with landmark restaurants in New York City such as Ocean Grill, Blue Fin, Blue Water Grill and Ruby Foo's. What you may not know is that this diverse group of restaurants, along with about 7 others, are all owned and managed by the BR Guest restaurant group headquartered in the City. And what I am positive you don't know is that this group takes its bread so seriously that it has its own commissary bakery just across the Queens Borough Bridge in Long Island City Queen…
Posted on: 2007-04-30 18:32:13
Bohemian Bread on Running a Sustainable Buiness.
Admittedly most of us couldn't imagine running a one man (or woman) bakery. How do you mix, bake, deliver, take orders and all the other thousand things that a bakery owner must do? How would you take a day off? Robert Hunt is the sole baker and owner of Bohemian Bread in Marshfield, Vermont and has managed to do it all and be successful. Of course we all set various marks for what constitutes success but by any definition that includes profitability and quality of life Robert has achieved it. A…
Posted on: 2007-04-30 09:46:49
