Yesterday, I made two each of 3 loaves each of different varieties of bread, half to share with an iconic San Diego food establishment. My thought was that, in some way, they could share the glory that is fresh bread with their customers.
Alas, the 'big guy' I had talked to via email wasn't there when I was there (and not expected), but it became clear in talking to the manager that the place really relies on turnover - duhh, I guess I was a little (lot) naive in not expecting that.
Turnover means that people don't spend any more time at the tables (or, in this case, in the premium, close to the door parking spots) than is necessary. While they are in a great tourist area, if people can't find parking nearby, they will choose another food establishment of which there are many in the area.
They do offer bread as an accommodation - but while finished onsite (and with a crispy outer crust), it comes to them partially baked. That bread is beautiful - but tastes like sourdough paste in your mouth (yes, I tried it).
But, with min wage going up in California, high rents in tourist areas, and increasing costs of quality food ingredients, what would one expect? If YOU owned this place (or any place in a touristy location), YOU MUST know what makes your place work - and, if the trick is a quick turnover of tables (and parking spaces, if they are a limiter) during prime feeding times - that's what YOU do. OR you fail.
And, when turnover is really important, why would you want customers who saunter in and intend to savor some bread, some specialty products of the chef, a glass of wine and watch the afternoon go by with wonderful views all the while occupying that valuable parking spot?
A couple of decades ago, I was a member of an organization that had only one of each 'local trade' as members. A speaker once said that our greatest threat to each of us was Sears - as they did everything. They didn't do it better - but still they did it with a large marketing budget. The best local plumber (with all of his costs) is competing with the 'Sears local provider' and the power of their marketing - and lack of depth in the community.
Today, the local business person is challenged at every turn as national chains come to town to woo away their customers - and restaurants are especially sensitive to fads and changing winds. Sometimes, the same quality item is good enough to repeat. Sometimes the buyer wants something new. Italian is good - but maybe not tonite. The local place with the best steak for its price in town has been your go to place in the past - but now you want fish. Or vice versa.
And, while I love really fresh bread (Really), what is the market for commercial fresh fresh bread in a quantity to make it sell and pay the bills? And, if you could tap the demand, once you start production in quantity, will it be as good as it was when you were making small quantities? That would be just one more challenge for a "challenge rich environment" faced by any food purveyor.
The response of many food purveyors? Make it 'good enough'. Why spend more than you need - why take risks that you don't need to take, when there are risks a plenty already? Good is good enough when it comes to many things - particularly when you are known to be great in another area of food (like beef, bbq or seafood)
It is the logical result.
My point?
My point is that I (and you) can make as good as or often better meals or portions of meals at home - because we DO NOT have the pressures of a restaurant as to time, overhead, regulation, wages, employees who don't show up, tables that aren't ready when they are supposed to be, limited parking, etc, etc, etc.
Difficulty in volume operations
And, when I make bread, I don't have to make 50 (or 500) loaves looking almost the same, tasting pretty much the same, in a short period of time and which will last through the day if not bought. (I was told by someone who worked in a bakery that yesterday's loaves were sold as day old - but with instructions to the buyer on how to ' re crisp' the loaf in their home oven. That's how one baker dealt with 'left overs'.)
I was tough on Yelp regarding a local BBQ chain. I thought the ribs were terrible - not living up to their reputation. My basis? I compared the ribs of a 'meet the demands of a long waiting line' restaurant with ribs made by me and by my friends. On a scale of 1-10, the restaurant version is a 2 vs a 9 or so for the home made versions. But home made has no 'do or die' production schedule, or the other demands faced by a commercial establishment. And, I came to realize that those great reviews (assuming they are all true) are from people who don't make great ribs at home (or that like the Monday Chevrolet, I went at the wrong time).
Why would this be a surprise or a revelation?
No commercial entity can make a 'ship in a bottle' as well as an experienced craftsman or a quilt as beautiful and well done as an expert home quilter or detailed wooden toys as well as an expert woodworker, etc. So, why would we expect that every commercial baker - or those who incidentally offer fresh bread in particular - be able to make bread as well as you do at home???
Confession: While I would love to spend a couple days a week turning flour into fresh fresh bread to be enjoyed by families and foodies, I have fears.
The fears include:
- Diminishing quality in order to meet production schedules
- Taking what is now a pleasure and making it a chore
- Losing my shorts financially
- Having to price the product so high (in order to cover all costs and risks) that 'ordinary families' cannot enjoy the bread
- Not being able to find a 'successor' to take over when the time came - or when I wanted (or needed) to take some time off.
So, in the meantime, I will do it small time. The first goal is taste and freshness. Next comes looks and crust. Always in an affordable package.
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