Anticlimactic might be the right word.
I was in the shop by 3 a.m., getting the doughs, which were started yesterday, on their way to baking. But not using bread enhancers, all those chemical short cuts used by all other bakeries here, leaves me with a long slow process. By ten there was still no bread on the shelves, though at least one of the ovens was full.
The place looks empty, after all that baking. Yet at the end of the day I may still throw away bread, or try to flog it tomorrow morning as 'day-old'.
It's hard to keep motivated to get up every morning and come to the shop. How long will it take to build up a customer base? The summer is vacation time, so there aren't many ex pats around.
I'd like to hire and train two more bakers. Don't see how I can actually build momentum without more workers, and it takes time to train them.
I have one worker who I think is very good. She has a college degree, baking experience in a big factory, and some kind of training around running a bakery. But she is a giggly flighty youngster, for all that. It's hard for her to gain confidence enough to be decisive. I seem to repeat myself an awful lot, on basic matters that I consider fundamental. Even simple matters of hygiene.
I don't know what Tina's future will be, but we have instantly become fond of each other. She is a dear girl, making the frustrations far more bearable.
Now it's the end of the day, 5:00. The workers left, except one guy who'll hang out with me until 8, in case some customers notice us on their way to the German restaurant upstairs.
Tina left without starting any breads for tomorrow. In all fairness, she asked me for tomorrow's 'menu', but I didn't know what to tell her What's the point of baking when no one comes to buy?
So I'll have to get off my duff here, no rest for the wicked, and start thinking about tomorrow.
I was in the shop by 3 a.m., getting the doughs, which were started yesterday, on their way to baking. But not using bread enhancers, all those chemical short cuts used by all other bakeries here, leaves me with a long slow process. By ten there was still no bread on the shelves, though at least one of the ovens was full.
The place looks empty, after all that baking. Yet at the end of the day I may still throw away bread, or try to flog it tomorrow morning as 'day-old'.
It's hard to keep motivated to get up every morning and come to the shop. How long will it take to build up a customer base? The summer is vacation time, so there aren't many ex pats around.
I'd like to hire and train two more bakers. Don't see how I can actually build momentum without more workers, and it takes time to train them.
I have one worker who I think is very good. She has a college degree, baking experience in a big factory, and some kind of training around running a bakery. But she is a giggly flighty youngster, for all that. It's hard for her to gain confidence enough to be decisive. I seem to repeat myself an awful lot, on basic matters that I consider fundamental. Even simple matters of hygiene.
I don't know what Tina's future will be, but we have instantly become fond of each other. She is a dear girl, making the frustrations far more bearable.
Now it's the end of the day, 5:00. The workers left, except one guy who'll hang out with me until 8, in case some customers notice us on their way to the German restaurant upstairs.
Tina left without starting any breads for tomorrow. In all fairness, she asked me for tomorrow's 'menu', but I didn't know what to tell her What's the point of baking when no one comes to buy?
So I'll have to get off my duff here, no rest for the wicked, and start thinking about tomorrow.
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