I am convinced that working in a bakery has had a positive influence on
my otherwise novice perception of bread. I now know the difference between wholemeal and whole grain (although technically I knew this before- one has grains, one doesnt, but they both taste as bad as each other. I am firmly a white bread fanatic. To the point where I will refuse bread because it isn't white. It is just to healthy for me). I can see the difference between a cob and a vienna (just the shape) but the diversity of bread truly amazes me. But I can now understand why some customers are particularly picky about their pains (French for bread- pronounced pah). They want a loaf with sesame seeds/poppy seeds/no seeds/nine grains, a whole block, a half block, a pipe loaf, hi fibre, low GI... the list goes on. There is truly a bread for every purpose and customers still complain that we don't sell the bread they are after.
So I am now educated in the field of bread- somewhat like a bread connoisseur if you wish (truth be told I had to google the spelling of this word)
Oh and I note that after a trip to China previously this year, that Chinese bread, as i experienced it was extremely sweet and tasted so good. Like McDonalds buns except in a loaf! They have amazing bakeries over there, which i have only experienced the likes of around certain areas of Sydney.
One of the perks of working in a bakery is the free bread. As much as you want if you are closing the shop for the night. I have a large family so I have a good excuse to bring quite a bit home. All the sweet scrolls and all the savoury rolls and loafs of bread to just plain bread rolls. It has turned me into a bread snob in my belief, for many reasons.
1. I only eat fresh bread
2. I won't eat the crusts
3. I will only eat the parts of the sweet/savoury scrolls that have topping on them
4. Other bread pales in comparison to freshly baked bread, crusty on the outside but soft on the inside. Not at all stale.
This is due to me being able to be careless with bread, as it is a never ending supply, as one is with air. No one ever worries about the amount of air they consume. In my house it is the same with bread. Why save the last few slices from the old loaf when there is a fresh loaf today, and there will be a fresh loaf there tomorrow?
My boyfriend's family and my friends and my mothers friends, and my brothers and sisters and their friends have all benefited from this air-like supply of bread. But the best thing about this job- I enjoy it. I enjoy the work- satisfying and simple, the people I work with are hilarious and I can see that what I accopmlish at work impacts on someone else's life and gives me a chance to inject a little brightness into their day.
And I quite like being a bread snob- at least I am an expert in something :P
