I look forward to the weekends, because I anticipate foreigners coming into the shop. This is Tina's and Rachel's day off. On Friday we do all the preferments and other preps, so Saturday morning is easy for me and Peter by ourselves.
But this Saturday we got a surprise. A Chinese man came in, speaking rapidly. Peter wasn't up to the translation. I grabbed my phone and dialed someone who could translate. This took time. This man began looking over his shoulder, walking back and forth between me and the front window.
I had called Shirley, who spoke with the man. Then she told me what was up. This man was from the sanitation and health department, and he was going around giving folks the heads up that tomorrow official inspectors would be coming around. Changzhou is once again pushing for the 'civilized city' certification. I thought they had already received it, so I am puzzled.
Shirley advised me to call Jimmy. He is the Web student who is a manager in the city's health department. I explained to Jimmy that his colleague was here, and could Jimmy speak with him. Then I handed him the phone, and he spoke with Jimmy. After an animated conversation, I once again was handed the phone. While Jimmy was explaining to me what was going on, the man actually walked outside, looked up and down, and came back in. I suppose we were detaining him longer than he anticipated, and he was anxious to continue his Paul Revere mission.
The problem was, each worker needed to have a health certificate. Peter smartly told the man that he left his home. Xiao Lan was the only one who had one, and she wasn't due in for another hour or two. So we had nothing to show, at all.
On the phone, Jimmy told me to call Tina and tell her not to come into work tomorrow. He sent Peter home to get a photo (no, Peter did not actually have a health certificate at home). I had a photo handy, and turned it over to Jimmy. Peter borrowed my ebike and returned quickly. Jimmy took our photos and said he'd be back.
Xiao Lan finally arrived while Jimmy was there, and she inserted her little health booklet into the plastic sleeve with the shop's official health/sanitation certificate.
Some foreigners did actually come in. At the same time Jimmy arrived. Since neither Peter nor Xiao Lan speak English, I had to speak with the customers. I explained the products, and eventually got around to talking about the wine tasting. Eventually they left, and Jimmy asked what they were talking about. Perhaps he wondered why I ignored him.
Jimmy had with him health certificate booklets for Peter and me. He slipped them into the plastic sleeve along with Xiao Lan's. Now we were official, all except for Tina.
Later, when Peter and I were alone, I thought it interesting that he pointed out to me these certificates were 'jia de', or fake. In stating the obvious, it seems he takes it less in stride than I do. He is a straight arrow, perhaps more for lack of opportunity than from moral conviction.
The afternoon was slow, so I was thumbing through the recipe book under the sourdough section. I know people like breads with sunflowers in them, so I was happy to find a rye sourdough sunflower bread. I got a cup of barm out of the fridge and fed it, and left it overnight.
Sunday came. We had planned a lot of baking. Our staffing, though, was slender. Johnny had finished work with us and headed back to college. Xiao Lan and her daughter Rachel both take Sunday off, a family day with dad. We were on a new schedule now, with people taking turns doing a night shift to compensate for the loss of Johnny. This meant that Peter had a half day today, from 7 to 11. And now, no Tina.
When I arrived around 8, Peter had the kitchen lit up with energy. He had two bowls filled with recipe, the oven was baking the cinnamon buns, and the proof box held a couple more bowls. I wonder if he arrived before seven! It normally takes the cinnamon buns a couple hours to warm up and rise enough to bake, after taking them out of the fridge.
I was trying different scenarios to get the evening shift taken care of. Peter must have called Tina, or perhaps she called him to find out what was going on. At any rate, Peter was unwilling to return in the evening to close at 8. He wanted Tina to do it. And apparently, she wanted to do it. At any rate, Peter left at 11, after making a quick trip to the supermarket across the street to replenish our egg supply.
The day progressed with no inspectors in sight. So I called Tina and asked her to come in at 5. I must say, it was a quiet afternoon. No one came into the shop. I had not brought my computer. I had only the cook books to amuse myself.
I did bake the sunflower recipe. It didn't look much like the book photo! I did have to improvise some, because the recipe called for a soaker of coarse rye, which I don't have. So I used some biga from yesterday, and threw in a handful of rye flour. It is supposed to look like a large doughnut, with a square superimposed on it by pressing down on the dough four lines before baking. After the fact, I noticed that the instructions direct you to put flour into the lines after you've pressed them, so they won't fill back in. Mine filled back in. Also, the center hole I made was way too small, so that it looked like a belly button. Now, if I can get someone to buy it and let me slice it and take a taste... But no more foreigners came into the shop after that.
Around 4 I was in the kitchen putting something together for tomorrow, having been inspired by the cookbook to actually, finally, try making french bread. I heard noises at the front door. Jeff Wugang, his wife Danny and their daughter came in. They were on their way to the new Eagle Plaza a block away, for their daughter's dance recital. They had some time to kill, so we sat and chatted. It was nice to see them. I think the last time I had seen Danny was when we all had gathered to eat at a Japanese restaurant near their home. It was so long ago that Gregg and I were still together.
Of course, I had more recently seen Jeff. He was the one who had turned me on to the Bali coffee investment plan, and had been with me at the dinner a month ago, with those people.
I sent them home with a few scones. The scones were dropping off in popularity, and I could see we'd have a lot left over. I was happy to share them.
At one point in the lonely afternoon, I had to go to the bathroom. What to do? I now have a standing order with the German restaurant upstairs to provide them with three 12" ciabatta three times a week. They were ready to be delivered, and the German restaurant has a nice western toilet. Problem solved! I put a note on the 'open' sign saying I'd be back in five minutes. I took the elevator up to the third floor, and killed two birds with one stone.
I doubt I'd been missed.
Tina arrived at five, and after she went to the toilet, I left. Time to get back to the five cats. Did I mention? I had been keeping mama cat and the dark calico at the shop. Jimmy pointed out the obvious, that the two cats must not be at the bakery when the health inspectors came.
But this Saturday we got a surprise. A Chinese man came in, speaking rapidly. Peter wasn't up to the translation. I grabbed my phone and dialed someone who could translate. This took time. This man began looking over his shoulder, walking back and forth between me and the front window.
I had called Shirley, who spoke with the man. Then she told me what was up. This man was from the sanitation and health department, and he was going around giving folks the heads up that tomorrow official inspectors would be coming around. Changzhou is once again pushing for the 'civilized city' certification. I thought they had already received it, so I am puzzled.
Shirley advised me to call Jimmy. He is the Web student who is a manager in the city's health department. I explained to Jimmy that his colleague was here, and could Jimmy speak with him. Then I handed him the phone, and he spoke with Jimmy. After an animated conversation, I once again was handed the phone. While Jimmy was explaining to me what was going on, the man actually walked outside, looked up and down, and came back in. I suppose we were detaining him longer than he anticipated, and he was anxious to continue his Paul Revere mission.
The problem was, each worker needed to have a health certificate. Peter smartly told the man that he left his home. Xiao Lan was the only one who had one, and she wasn't due in for another hour or two. So we had nothing to show, at all.
On the phone, Jimmy told me to call Tina and tell her not to come into work tomorrow. He sent Peter home to get a photo (no, Peter did not actually have a health certificate at home). I had a photo handy, and turned it over to Jimmy. Peter borrowed my ebike and returned quickly. Jimmy took our photos and said he'd be back.
Xiao Lan finally arrived while Jimmy was there, and she inserted her little health booklet into the plastic sleeve with the shop's official health/sanitation certificate.
Some foreigners did actually come in. At the same time Jimmy arrived. Since neither Peter nor Xiao Lan speak English, I had to speak with the customers. I explained the products, and eventually got around to talking about the wine tasting. Eventually they left, and Jimmy asked what they were talking about. Perhaps he wondered why I ignored him.
Jimmy had with him health certificate booklets for Peter and me. He slipped them into the plastic sleeve along with Xiao Lan's. Now we were official, all except for Tina.
Later, when Peter and I were alone, I thought it interesting that he pointed out to me these certificates were 'jia de', or fake. In stating the obvious, it seems he takes it less in stride than I do. He is a straight arrow, perhaps more for lack of opportunity than from moral conviction.
The afternoon was slow, so I was thumbing through the recipe book under the sourdough section. I know people like breads with sunflowers in them, so I was happy to find a rye sourdough sunflower bread. I got a cup of barm out of the fridge and fed it, and left it overnight.
Sunday came. We had planned a lot of baking. Our staffing, though, was slender. Johnny had finished work with us and headed back to college. Xiao Lan and her daughter Rachel both take Sunday off, a family day with dad. We were on a new schedule now, with people taking turns doing a night shift to compensate for the loss of Johnny. This meant that Peter had a half day today, from 7 to 11. And now, no Tina.
When I arrived around 8, Peter had the kitchen lit up with energy. He had two bowls filled with recipe, the oven was baking the cinnamon buns, and the proof box held a couple more bowls. I wonder if he arrived before seven! It normally takes the cinnamon buns a couple hours to warm up and rise enough to bake, after taking them out of the fridge.
I was trying different scenarios to get the evening shift taken care of. Peter must have called Tina, or perhaps she called him to find out what was going on. At any rate, Peter was unwilling to return in the evening to close at 8. He wanted Tina to do it. And apparently, she wanted to do it. At any rate, Peter left at 11, after making a quick trip to the supermarket across the street to replenish our egg supply.
The day progressed with no inspectors in sight. So I called Tina and asked her to come in at 5. I must say, it was a quiet afternoon. No one came into the shop. I had not brought my computer. I had only the cook books to amuse myself.
I did bake the sunflower recipe. It didn't look much like the book photo! I did have to improvise some, because the recipe called for a soaker of coarse rye, which I don't have. So I used some biga from yesterday, and threw in a handful of rye flour. It is supposed to look like a large doughnut, with a square superimposed on it by pressing down on the dough four lines before baking. After the fact, I noticed that the instructions direct you to put flour into the lines after you've pressed them, so they won't fill back in. Mine filled back in. Also, the center hole I made was way too small, so that it looked like a belly button. Now, if I can get someone to buy it and let me slice it and take a taste... But no more foreigners came into the shop after that.
Around 4 I was in the kitchen putting something together for tomorrow, having been inspired by the cookbook to actually, finally, try making french bread. I heard noises at the front door. Jeff Wugang, his wife Danny and their daughter came in. They were on their way to the new Eagle Plaza a block away, for their daughter's dance recital. They had some time to kill, so we sat and chatted. It was nice to see them. I think the last time I had seen Danny was when we all had gathered to eat at a Japanese restaurant near their home. It was so long ago that Gregg and I were still together.
Of course, I had more recently seen Jeff. He was the one who had turned me on to the Bali coffee investment plan, and had been with me at the dinner a month ago, with those people.
I sent them home with a few scones. The scones were dropping off in popularity, and I could see we'd have a lot left over. I was happy to share them.
At one point in the lonely afternoon, I had to go to the bathroom. What to do? I now have a standing order with the German restaurant upstairs to provide them with three 12" ciabatta three times a week. They were ready to be delivered, and the German restaurant has a nice western toilet. Problem solved! I put a note on the 'open' sign saying I'd be back in five minutes. I took the elevator up to the third floor, and killed two birds with one stone.
I doubt I'd been missed.
Tina arrived at five, and after she went to the toilet, I left. Time to get back to the five cats. Did I mention? I had been keeping mama cat and the dark calico at the shop. Jimmy pointed out the obvious, that the two cats must not be at the bakery when the health inspectors came.
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