1 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:05,960 Speaker 1: My name is Eva Longoria and I am mate remez 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: Racon and welcome to Hungry for History, a podcast that 3 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: explores our past and present through food. On every episode, 4 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 1: we'll talk about the history of some of our favorite dishes, ingredients, 5 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:18,799 Speaker 1: and beverages from our culture. 6 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:22,080 Speaker 2: So make yourself at home, even broche. 7 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:26,440 Speaker 3: Hi. 8 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 1: Everyone, Welcome back to Hungry for History. We're doing things 9 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:33,160 Speaker 1: a little bit differently today. We have a very special guest, Clements, 10 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:37,840 Speaker 1: salutes from the Santa Monica Bakery Petit Grand bou Lingerie. 11 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 2: Clements is a dear friend. 12 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: Not only is she a dear friend, she's a baker 13 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:46,200 Speaker 1: whose work reminds us that bread has always been about 14 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:50,919 Speaker 1: much more than just nourishment. Through her careful sourcing, meticulous process, 15 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 1: and her presence in the community, she taps into Bread's 16 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: long history of labor care and quiet revolution, and The 17 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 1: New York Times said that eating one of her croissants 18 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: felt like inhaling warm buttery aroma. 19 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:07,679 Speaker 2: Welcome Clemons. 20 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 3: I'm so happy to be here. I miss you. 21 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 2: I miss you too. 22 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:15,200 Speaker 1: I was seeing you so I wanted to talk to 23 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 1: you because first of all, you're the best baker and 24 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 1: just one of the best humans that I know. You're 25 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 1: one of the first people that I met when I 26 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 1: moved to LA and it's like, I see you and 27 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 1: I just want to hug you, But I really wanted 28 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:29,399 Speaker 1: to talk to you about you know, because you're so 29 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 1: passionate about what you do, and bread has always carried 30 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 1: so much meaning far beyond the bakery, especially in moments 31 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:41,399 Speaker 1: of tension, of social tension, and we're living one of 32 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 1: these moments in the US now. It's the first week 33 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 1: of February. We're in the midst of intense national unrest. 34 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 1: On January thirtieth, which was just last Friday, there was 35 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: a coordinated national strike, widespread protests around the country in 36 00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 1: response to everything that's going on with ICE, you know, Minneapolis, 37 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 1: the fatal shootings, kidnappings, you know, no new processes, et cetera, 38 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: et cetera, like so much. Many businesses closed in solidarity, 39 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:14,840 Speaker 1: but Mariny small businesses stayed open with intention, and you 40 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:16,640 Speaker 1: were one of these businesses. 41 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 2: So so what did that look like to you? 42 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:23,400 Speaker 1: What values guided this choice, and how did your community respond? 43 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 3: So it was not an easy decision to decide to 44 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 3: stay open. I have a deep respect for bakeries like 45 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 3: Proof who decided to close, and I can understand how 46 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 3: they came to that decision, and I one hundred percent 47 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 3: support everybody who did close and actually feel like it 48 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:41,639 Speaker 3: was an incredibly brave and courageous thing to do. When 49 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 3: I was thinking about what to do, I called a 50 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 3: couple of other small business owners, all the bakery and 51 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 3: restaurant owners, and then did some deep thinking about what 52 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 3: it meant to strike, who we were striking against, how 53 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 3: the strike was organized, and the reasons why, and then 54 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 3: how that would impact the community and our staff. Number 55 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 3: One is, when I think about a strike, I'm thinking 56 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 3: about striking against something that is like systematically unfair and unjust, 57 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 3: and striking for the sake of striking, and not hitting 58 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 3: an organization, a system, or a business that is harming 59 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:25,040 Speaker 3: people Like I wanted to be more intentional. If we 60 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 3: were striking against a particular entity that was very specific, 61 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:32,679 Speaker 3: it would have made a really big impact. But I 62 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 3: felt like the small businesses of our community have taken 63 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 3: the brunt of so much in the last eighteen months, 64 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 3: between the fires and the economy and a variety of factors. 65 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:47,560 Speaker 3: It just felt like all of us small businesses who 66 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 3: were deciding and kind of being pitted against by some 67 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 3: trolls against each other for deciding to strike or not 68 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 3: to strike, to open, not to open. It just felt like, 69 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 3: why are we taking the brunt of this when our 70 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 3: workers are the most vulnerable were our owners are the 71 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:05,520 Speaker 3: most vulnerable owners economically speaking, And if we're closing, we 72 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 3: are also closing the impact of conversation and the reason 73 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 3: why we have hospitality. For me, hospitality is a deeply 74 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 3: political business. We are here to create discussion and community 75 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 3: and treat people, make them feel good, and have them 76 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 3: come in and understand our process, why we do it 77 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:29,160 Speaker 3: and why that's impactful. And I don't mean political as 78 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 3: in red and blue. I mean political in the way 79 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:35,800 Speaker 3: that every business decision you make has a really deep impact, 80 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:40,480 Speaker 3: just like every customer's purchases have a really deep impact 81 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 3: on our society culturally, economically, and politically speaking. And so 82 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 3: by staying open, I felt like I was staying really 83 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 3: true to that. Meaning if we lost a really busy day, 84 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:55,160 Speaker 3: that would impact our purchasing from the farmer's markets. And 85 00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 3: if we lost today, it would mean you know, I 86 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 3: could have closed and paid the employee they're hourly wage, 87 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 3: but I could not have afforded to pay them the 88 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 3: twenty five percent of their income that they get from tips, 89 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 3: and it just didn't feel fair to put that burden 90 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 3: on our workers in la or in the business owners 91 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:15,120 Speaker 3: that are dealing with a shit time right now. To 92 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:18,359 Speaker 3: be perfectly honest, this is a very difficult climate to 93 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:20,800 Speaker 3: be a small business owner in. And when we make, 94 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:25,840 Speaker 3: you know, donations to organizations, it's not like Walmart that's 95 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 3: getting a massive tax break. We're doing this because it has, 96 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 3: you know, a deep meaning and impact for us. And 97 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:34,520 Speaker 3: while it does affect our bottom line, I think it 98 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 3: creates a conversation and a stance that our community can 99 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:42,240 Speaker 3: get involved in. So by deciding to give away ten 100 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:46,599 Speaker 3: percent of gross sales, which is really our margins, to 101 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 3: certain organizations, we were taking a stance and for me 102 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:56,760 Speaker 3: having a larger impact on taking part in writing some 103 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 3: wrongs rather than closing and essentially closing the conversation. 104 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 1: I love the image that you posted on social media 105 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 1: when you announced that you would be staying open. That 106 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 1: was the fist holding the bread the baggat. 107 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 3: So I can't take credit for that image. There are 108 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:16,360 Speaker 3: a few of us other female business owners who were 109 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:21,840 Speaker 3: talking right before we all decided to stay open and 110 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:26,039 Speaker 3: crafted that image just to collaboratively with the wording to 111 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 3: try to explain our reasons for staying open. And again, 112 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:36,200 Speaker 3: it wasn't easy, but but we were you know, we 113 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 3: were so committed to getting the communities to understand why 114 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,480 Speaker 3: we were staying open in a really positive way. And 115 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 3: you know, I had a lot of trolls. We lost 116 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:49,480 Speaker 3: some customers really really uh huh yeah, oh wow. 117 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 2: Interesting. 118 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:56,160 Speaker 3: But you know, you can't please everyone, and and you know, 119 00:06:56,400 --> 00:07:00,359 Speaker 3: we can explain it all we can, but but in 120 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 3: the end, you know, we we had to make decisions 121 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:06,400 Speaker 3: for our businesses and our staff and all of the 122 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 3: vendors that are affected. You know, when you strike or 123 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 3: when you close, or when there's fires and where there's emergencies, 124 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 3: it's the reverberated effects that are really impactful, and it typically, 125 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 3: you know, goes down to the most vulnerable people in 126 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:28,200 Speaker 3: our communities. It's the people who are fixing our equipment, 127 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 3: who are farming for our produce. 128 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: So that's where that came from. It's tied to the 129 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 1: French resistance. I was like, oh, this is so common, 130 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:36,640 Speaker 1: So I love that. It's all you know, women that 131 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 1: women bakers that you said that were that were this 132 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 1: because it was like the women that marched into Versailles. 133 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 1: And it's just like it's such a powerful image and 134 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: it's so simple, like there's it's the hand and the 135 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:50,880 Speaker 1: and the bread. We're not this was not just a 136 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 1: financial decision, like we are angry and for us, sometimes 137 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 1: resistance means like making economic choices that are very. 138 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 3: Very well thought through. 139 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, you have this like this lineage right, this 140 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: because you had your background also your family was in 141 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 1: the hospitality business, wasn't right, And it's like so you 142 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 1: have this like this resistance in your DNA this right, 143 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 1: and it's like it's part, it's part. So you said 144 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 1: that you lost some customers and you've had some trolls 145 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 1: like if someone had never thought about bread as political, 146 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:32,560 Speaker 1: what would you want them to notice differently, Like what 147 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:34,360 Speaker 1: would you want them to learn from this? 148 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 2: I say, just turn it around. 149 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 3: Your purchasing decisions have a great deal of impact on 150 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:43,720 Speaker 3: the communities that you live in, and so if you're 151 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 3: going to boycott a business and turn around and buy 152 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:49,600 Speaker 3: something on Amazon, then perhaps you should really think about 153 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 3: like your everyday daily choices and how they affect labor, 154 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:56,560 Speaker 3: how they affect sourcing, how they affect the environment. Those 155 00:08:56,559 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 3: are bigger conversations that we need to have as a 156 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:06,440 Speaker 3: culture because they're all so impactful. And if we lost customers, 157 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 3: oh well, you know, I think the overwhelming support and 158 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 3: the fact that our sales went up and we were 159 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 3: able to donate so much is more impactful than the 160 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:20,000 Speaker 3: people that we lost. But yeah, like when you buy bread, 161 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 3: everyone listening, you are making a vote for the kind 162 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 3: of economy and society that you may not realize you 163 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 3: are participating in. So you know, when you're buying most 164 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 3: of your food at a very large scale grocery store, 165 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:39,960 Speaker 3: I just need you to understand a few things. Number 166 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:43,440 Speaker 3: one is the margins are very very tiny, very small, 167 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:46,560 Speaker 3: and the people who pay for that are the people 168 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:49,200 Speaker 3: who are making your food. So let's take a jar 169 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:51,760 Speaker 3: of salsa for example. When you buy a jar of 170 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 3: salsa and it's on sale and it's two dollars off, 171 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:58,079 Speaker 3: it is not like a collaboration between the grocery store 172 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:01,840 Speaker 3: and like the coupon market. It is the producer of 173 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 3: the salsa that is paying for that. In addition to 174 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 3: paying for that, they're paying for slotting fees, which are 175 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:09,640 Speaker 3: the fees that allow you to be more eye level 176 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:13,080 Speaker 3: and in the center of the display that you're seeing. 177 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:17,720 Speaker 3: And it is reverberated through lowering the cost of producing 178 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:20,200 Speaker 3: that salsa. So it means if you are with a copacker, 179 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 3: which is a company that manufactures your products for you 180 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:25,720 Speaker 3: so you can sell it at a very low price 181 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:29,840 Speaker 3: and take advantage of some production savings, it means that 182 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:34,000 Speaker 3: you're going to save a few cents per jar by 183 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 3: switching to the supplier that they have made a deal 184 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 3: with for say the the tomatoes that they are using 185 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 3: in the salsa, or if they don't want things to 186 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 3: separate in your salad dressing, it's the xanthem gum, which 187 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 3: is made from corn that is used to keep it 188 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 3: from separating so that you don't have to shake the 189 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 3: bottle well before using. These are all like reverberated things 190 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:02,640 Speaker 3: that affect the people who are growing your food, making 191 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 3: your food, packing your food, and making the biggest business 192 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:06,600 Speaker 3: decisions in the food world. 193 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 1: You used to run the Gormandis School of Cooking school, 194 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 1: and I used to teach there, so yes, I know, 195 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:25,440 Speaker 1: I loved I love that place, and I've been to 196 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 1: the Santa Monica Farmer's Market with you, so I know 197 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 1: firsthand you live and breathe this. I mean, this is 198 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:35,679 Speaker 1: how you you run your businesses, this is how you 199 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:40,360 Speaker 1: live your life. And the sourcing is just so important 200 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:42,720 Speaker 1: to you. You're so committed to this because you just 201 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:43,439 Speaker 1: explained it. 202 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:44,680 Speaker 2: Just it's the it's the. 203 00:11:44,679 --> 00:11:48,320 Speaker 3: Whole ladder shopping at farmers' markets is It's not just 204 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:50,640 Speaker 3: like a fun, cool hipster thing that you know, it's 205 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:52,880 Speaker 3: kind of taken on, but it is a political statement 206 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:56,400 Speaker 3: and it is not convenient, and it does take time 207 00:11:56,440 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 3: out of your day, but it has an impact. Like 208 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:03,559 Speaker 3: when you know, I had kids really young, and I 209 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:07,240 Speaker 3: had wick and you know, like before this the EBT, 210 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:10,959 Speaker 3: the food stamp situation, and I remember feeling like I'm 211 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:14,839 Speaker 3: using this federal money that has been set aside by 212 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:18,280 Speaker 3: the farm bill to pay a farmer directly rather than 213 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 3: taking it to a big box grocery store. And that 214 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:29,320 Speaker 3: felt really impactful and that, you know, and nobody sort 215 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 3: of wants to be in that position where they are 216 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:36,720 Speaker 3: wondering where to get like the best quality produce for 217 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:40,080 Speaker 3: your kids and doing the best that you can. But 218 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:43,520 Speaker 3: I think that we are lulled just in this false 219 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:46,160 Speaker 3: sense of everything should be easy and we have a 220 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 3: right for everything to be so clean and simple and 221 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:52,880 Speaker 3: convenient all the time. Like that's really I think lulled 222 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:58,960 Speaker 3: us into a false sense of complacency rather than activism. 223 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:02,480 Speaker 1: So you have I remember walking through the farmer's market 224 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:04,840 Speaker 1: with you, and all of the farmers were like, hey, climak, 225 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 1: everyone you knew, you knew everyone, and everyone came up 226 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 1: to you, and it was so it was like such 227 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:13,800 Speaker 1: a community. I love it so And yeah, that I 228 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 1: feel like that ends up in your menu, your relationship 229 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 1: with you know, the farmer, with the with the miller, 230 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:23,440 Speaker 1: with that. You know, everything just ends up, you know, 231 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:25,840 Speaker 1: ends up in that. And actually, and it also must 232 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:29,600 Speaker 1: be difficult, right, and in a sense is it? 233 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:33,240 Speaker 2: Or maybe it's not. You're running your business harder or no. 234 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 3: It's just it's no, okay. So here's the story going back. 235 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:40,000 Speaker 3: So my grandparents had a restaurant with a little bit 236 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:41,680 Speaker 3: I was like in the middle of nowhere in France, 237 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 3: and then my father ended up running it for a 238 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:48,839 Speaker 3: while and and so in the summers I would go 239 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:51,400 Speaker 3: and work with them, you know, like I was nine 240 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:53,320 Speaker 3: or ten or whatever, and like running the lice cream 241 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:57,800 Speaker 3: cart or you know, making cakes, and and I would 242 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:00,920 Speaker 3: go outsourcing with my grandfather and then my dad. You know, 243 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:03,400 Speaker 3: we'd go down and get all our produce and you know, 244 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 3: directly from the farmers or the growers. And then we 245 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:11,120 Speaker 3: went to go pick up goat cheese. One day and 246 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:14,280 Speaker 3: we went to this woman's farm where we source all 247 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:16,000 Speaker 3: our goat cheese from. And I remember we had just 248 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 3: been to the big box store to pick up things 249 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:19,800 Speaker 3: like chocolate, and I remember seeing the prices of the 250 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:21,600 Speaker 3: goat cheese. And then we went to her farm, and 251 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:23,120 Speaker 3: you know, I was probably in my early teens, and 252 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:25,640 Speaker 3: I was like, wow, cheese is so much more expensive. 253 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 3: And He's like yeah, but you know, if we don't 254 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:30,720 Speaker 3: get cheese from her, like she will lose her farm 255 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:32,760 Speaker 3: and she will no longer be our neighbor. It was 256 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 3: kind of one of those like eye opening things that 257 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:38,600 Speaker 3: I was like, oh, I okay, that makes sense. Yeah, 258 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:41,720 Speaker 3: And that's how I feel about sourcing at the market. Like, yes, 259 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 3: we drive a little out of the way or bike 260 00:14:44,160 --> 00:14:46,720 Speaker 3: a little out of the way or whatever to get 261 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 3: our stuff, but then people in our community who we 262 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:52,680 Speaker 3: love and we cherish get to stay in there and 263 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:56,680 Speaker 3: be a part of it and recirculate that money close by, 264 00:14:57,120 --> 00:15:00,280 Speaker 3: rather than you know, going off to some li large 265 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 3: conglomerate somewhere that we don't know their practices, or we 266 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 3: do and we don't like it, but we feel like, oh, 267 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:08,680 Speaker 3: it's easier, so let me just do this because it's easier. 268 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 3: So shopping at the farmer's market has always been a 269 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 3: part of sourcing for that reason, but also because of flavor. Right, 270 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:19,400 Speaker 3: Like when we shop at the market, like our berries 271 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:21,760 Speaker 3: were picked forty eight hours before and they were picked 272 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:24,200 Speaker 3: at their peak of ripeness. So I hear all the 273 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:25,920 Speaker 3: time like, yeah, it's a little more expensive. I'm like, well, 274 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:28,600 Speaker 3: let's talk about strawberries. Right, So if you go to 275 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:31,680 Speaker 3: Costco and you get strawberries, I'd say like fifteen to 276 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:34,120 Speaker 3: twenty percent of that berry is white at the collar, 277 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 3: it's picked way before it's ripe, it doesn't have any 278 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:42,160 Speaker 3: really high sugar content. But then you end up throwing 279 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 3: away fifteen percent of that berry when you're hauling out 280 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 3: the inside because you just want the flavor of it. Right, 281 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 3: Like if I'm making jam, or if I'm using berries 282 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:52,280 Speaker 3: for garnish, but when I'm getting at a farmer's market, 283 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:55,120 Speaker 3: it was picked at its peak of ripeness. So it 284 00:15:55,200 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 3: might look more expensive upfront, but the flavor and the 285 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:02,160 Speaker 3: quality is just a mess. 286 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, it's so interesting because it's so it's so obvious, right, Oh, 287 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:10,240 Speaker 1: if you go straight to the source and then that source, 288 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 1: that person can then have a livelihood, and then yeah, 289 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:15,200 Speaker 1: I charge a little bit more, but then you know 290 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 1: what's going into your body, and you don't have all 291 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:20,440 Speaker 1: sorts of GMOs or all sorts of whatever going into 292 00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:22,160 Speaker 1: your body, and you're gonna be healthier because then you're 293 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 1: not gonna end up having to see a doctor. 294 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 2: Blah blah blah. It's just it goes on and on. 295 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:29,520 Speaker 2: So so I love it. 296 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:32,000 Speaker 3: I love talking to one of the millers that we 297 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:34,640 Speaker 3: work with, and for years it's like it's so hard 298 00:16:34,680 --> 00:16:37,080 Speaker 3: to push whole grains on people, so I like, don't 299 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 3: lead with that. I just say put it in their 300 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:42,640 Speaker 3: mouth and then they're like like why is this so good? 301 00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:44,080 Speaker 3: And you're like it's got a whole grains, Like, oh 302 00:16:44,080 --> 00:16:45,880 Speaker 3: I don't like holy flower. I'm like, okay, well it's 303 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:48,560 Speaker 3: because there's ten thousand different types of whole wheat in 304 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:50,600 Speaker 3: the world, and when you're at the grocery store, you're 305 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:53,520 Speaker 3: just tasting too, right, Is that true? 306 00:16:53,560 --> 00:16:56,280 Speaker 2: It's only two at the grocery store hard read. 307 00:16:56,400 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 3: When you buy bread flour, it's always made from a 308 00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 3: heart red wheat when you buy sorry, which it is, 309 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 3: But when you're buying whole wheat flour, it just says 310 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:07,400 Speaker 3: whole wheat flour. And it's always like a hard red wheat, 311 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,800 Speaker 3: which is really lovely. It's really high in tannins, and 312 00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:14,480 Speaker 3: it's really intense, and it's a very thirsty kind of grain, 313 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,760 Speaker 3: which means that your products are going to require more 314 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:19,960 Speaker 3: liquid or just be drier because you might not know 315 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:24,480 Speaker 3: to adjust. And it's really intense. It like a burgundy, 316 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 3: like a red wine. And when I'm playing with other 317 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:31,320 Speaker 3: kinds of whole grains, like my favorite is spelt, I 318 00:17:31,359 --> 00:17:35,200 Speaker 3: think about different flavor profiles and the fact that spelt, 319 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:38,440 Speaker 3: for example, has just a slightly nutty flavor and it's 320 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 3: not as thirsty, it's more extensible, it creates a more 321 00:17:40,840 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 3: tender crumb, and it has a totally different flavor profile. 322 00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:50,359 Speaker 3: So I think that as we broaden our ideas and 323 00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:56,719 Speaker 3: think less about maybe just taking things for granted and 324 00:17:56,760 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 3: become more like slightly more critical thinkers or be more curious. 325 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:05,880 Speaker 3: That's when we experience the greatest amount of like, oh, 326 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:09,040 Speaker 3: you know, surprise too. I enjoyment. 327 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:22,880 Speaker 1: So what responsibility do you think food businesses have right now, 328 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:25,160 Speaker 1: given climate change and inequality? 329 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:26,760 Speaker 2: What would you say? 330 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:30,119 Speaker 3: I think it's it's a little bit of unfair question. 331 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:32,520 Speaker 3: I would reframe it maybe because when I think about 332 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:35,280 Speaker 3: the responsibility, I feel like I want to put it 333 00:18:35,320 --> 00:18:39,880 Speaker 3: on the consumer, because my responsibility is to make payroll 334 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:44,080 Speaker 3: and make rent and create a business that's economically sustainable 335 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:47,119 Speaker 3: so that even in hard months, like no employee has 336 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:49,720 Speaker 3: to get their hours cut, right, So it's about like 337 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:54,000 Speaker 3: that's my responsibility as a business owner. On the flip 338 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:57,639 Speaker 3: side of that, I am a consumer as well, and 339 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 3: so I try to model what I think that I 340 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:05,359 Speaker 3: need my customers to do, which is to favor purchasing 341 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:09,280 Speaker 3: directly and then like enjoying products as quickly as they 342 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 3: come out. Right. So I think when people are like, oh, 343 00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:17,440 Speaker 3: your question is like it's so good and I'm really 344 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:19,760 Speaker 3: really proud of it, But I think it's because it 345 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:23,160 Speaker 3: has some whole grain flour in it, and people don't 346 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:26,040 Speaker 3: expect that, and they you know, they're like, I can't 347 00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:28,439 Speaker 3: point to why I like it this way, and some 348 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 3: people don't like it to be perfectly fair. But all 349 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:36,159 Speaker 3: of that just comes from sourcing, right. So then my 350 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:40,000 Speaker 3: responsibility as a baker or like a creative is to 351 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:43,960 Speaker 3: make the best product possible, to get people to you know, 352 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:47,359 Speaker 3: have joy and want to come back and support it, 353 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:50,679 Speaker 3: and make it less price conscious, but more about the experience. 354 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:55,120 Speaker 1: If bred was a revolutionary tool in seventeen eighty nine, what. 355 00:19:55,240 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 3: Is it today? Great question, I would say, yeah, wheat 356 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:07,760 Speaker 3: and corn products, because the French Revolution was really about taxation, right, 357 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:13,359 Speaker 3: and what do our tax dollars go more towards rather 358 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:17,919 Speaker 3: than the Defense Department? It is the Farm bill. And 359 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:22,120 Speaker 3: two really big, highly subsidized crops that are really important 360 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:25,600 Speaker 3: to our diet are wheat and corn. So corn, tortillas 361 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:26,040 Speaker 3: and bread. 362 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:31,520 Speaker 2: Let's go okay, yeah, corn is in the news. Corns 363 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:32,440 Speaker 2: are in the news now. 364 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:37,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, fullic acidermapolic acid, yeah, yeah, Okay, whole other conversation, 365 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:41,080 Speaker 1: We could have a whole other hour, whole other hour. 366 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:43,639 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, so much to think about. Thank you 367 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:48,400 Speaker 1: so much, Clements always thank you, always so so eye 368 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 1: opening to just to hear you speak and your passion. 369 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:53,800 Speaker 1: And I always learn so much from everything that you 370 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:57,359 Speaker 1: have to say. And every time that I have a 371 00:20:57,359 --> 00:21:00,600 Speaker 1: conversation with you, I always change a little bit about 372 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:01,920 Speaker 1: what I of. 373 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 2: How I live, and what I do. 374 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:06,800 Speaker 3: I love that and I think back to the classes 375 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:08,960 Speaker 3: that you taught just about the history of food and 376 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:12,400 Speaker 3: the trajectory of them, and I think to each one 377 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:15,919 Speaker 3: of those all the time. So thank you for opening 378 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 3: my eyes. And those are the people that you reached. 379 00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:20,919 Speaker 3: It's impactful. 380 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:27,960 Speaker 1: Special thank you to my friend Clements from the Santa 381 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:30,360 Speaker 1: Monica Bakery, Pettit Grand Blingerie. 382 00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:32,320 Speaker 2: Thank you everyone who joined today. 383 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:34,080 Speaker 1: See you all next week when you talk about the 384 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 1: history of butter fig. 385 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:42,600 Speaker 3: Hungary for History is a hyphen a media production in 386 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:45,680 Speaker 3: partnership with Iheart's Michael Bura podcast network. 387 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:48,680 Speaker 1: For more of your favorite shows, visit the iHeartRadio app, 388 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:54,639 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.