Understanding 'Artisan'

Artisan Baking
When you think of a microbrewery you think of the knowledge that the brewmaster has about the unique beers that he or she brews - the care that goes into choosing the types of grains, hops, sugars and yeasts that are used for each beer. A pilsner, ale, stout or lager each have different ingredients and each has a unique process that the brewmaster has developed over years of personal experience. The long fermentation that allows the yeast to pull the flavors out of the grain. The combination of grains and the different types of hops. This knowledge makes each brewmaster a specialist of the craft.

The artisan baker, like the brewmaster, takes great care in choosing the types of grains, sugars and yeast that are used for each artisan bread. Keeping barms going for years, that pull the wild yeast out of the air to create regional sourdoughs. Blending together barms with poolishes to create complex French and Italian. Developing wheat barms and poolishes to coax the flavor out of the grain to create the artisan's unique Honey Wheat, Spent Grain, German Rye and Multigrain. Gently working the soft Ciabatta dough, that spends the night in a bath of extra virin olive oil. The two day process of the biga that creates the desired texture and flavor of the Neapolitan dough, for hand tossed pizza.

Commercial bakeries are mainly concerned with pumping out as much bread as the machinery can produce. Grocery stores buy frozen, pre-shaped, dough that they then thaw and bake. (Baked fresh daily and made fresh daily are not the same!) For the artisan baker, the combinations of starters, poolishes and pates can cause a batch of bread to take anywhere from 12 to 48 hours. To the artisan baker it's not about pumping out as much bread as is possible, it about creating the best bread he or she can bake and then trying to make it even better the next time. Each loaf is shaped by hand and baked with care. Some breads are steamed while others are bathed in butter milk. Each bread is given it own unique look to compliment it's unique taste.

If you can't meet the artisan baker, it is not artisan bread.
Many chain grocery stores and chain bakeries use the term "Artisan" to describe their bread. That would be like a large commercial brewery claiming to make "Microbrewery Style" beer. The consumer would know better when it comes to beer. It's big business trying to tap into the microbrewery market. There are 1,505 microbreweries in the United States. There are 20 corporate brewers in the United States. How does this compare to the artisan bakery? There are 2,250 artisan bakeries in the United States, 10,355 wholesale bakeries producing bread and other bakery products and 7,470 retail bakeries. There is no confusion when it comes to microbrewed beer, but the 2,250 artisan bakeries have a lot of competition and that competition uses the term "Artisan" when there truly isn't anything "Artisan" about their bread. Sourdough flavoring does not make a sourdough bread. And, sourdough bread only has 3 ingredients - flour, water and salt. So, the next time you are in the grocery store and pick up that beautiful loaf of "Artisan Style" bread with it's 20 or so, unpronounceable ingredients and tell yourself that there isn't much difference between bread, ask yourself, WHO made this? WHY does this bread have those extra ingredients, that it doesn't need? WHERE is the corporation that is profiting from your purchase of that lovely faux Artisan Style bread. HOW hard would it be to stop at the Creative Crust and pick up some real Artisan Bread? AND while your at the Crust, you could pick up a few sweet treats for dessert. All made by a family that cares about it's creations and actually bakes - For Meadville.


Numbers to ponder.
1,525 - Breweries (20 Corporate Brewers)
3,000 - Wineries
20,075 - Bread Bakeries (2,250 Artisan Bakeries)
30,820 - Coffee Shops (21,400 Independently Owned Coffee Shops)
308,195,527 - United States Population

EMAIL US

thecreativecrust@gmail.com

THE CREATIVE CRUST BAKERY

217 Chestnut Street - Meadville, PA 16335 - 814/336-2313
7:30 till 7:30 Tue. - Thur.
7:30 till 8:30 on Fri.
8:00 till 5:00 on Sat.
Closed Sun. & Mon.

LOOKING BACK AT 2009

THE BAKERY

Wow! What a topsy turvy year. At the beginning of the year, we had decided to put the Creative Crust on the market. That was a huge decision for us. The Crust had grown and we were too exhausted to keep up with it. We wanted to start a Coffee Roasting and Pastry bakery at the Academy Theater. The Second Act Cafe. Smaller, but still doing what we love. In February, Allegheny college approached us with the intent to purchase the bakery and have their food service run it. What a great turn of events. Over the next couple of months we did inventory, the college ordered an appraisal, we cleaned, the college did a walk through, we packed, the college had their board of directors meeting, and again. Wow! It's a go! We got a call at the end of May and the board of directors said yes. YES!!! Then we heard nothing for six months. In the first week of December, right after we got back from our Thanksgiving vacation we got the call. The college was NOT going to buy the bakery and well, good luck, bye, adios...

We could put the bakery back on the market. We could just throw in the towel and call it quits. Or, we could simplify our production and give it some new life. We chose the last option. In 2010 we will be baking breads, pastries, pizzas & soup. We will be open from 7:30 am till 7:30 pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. From 7:30 am till 8:30 pm on Friday and 8:00 am till 5:00 pm on Saturday. New menu, new look, new knowledge about people and organizations in the downtown. Our opinion has gone up for some and dropped way down for others. In the end, we are smarter and more determined than ever to make this bakery work, in spite of the 'others'.

THE FAMILY

We have had so much fun this year. We have discovered the joy of kayaking and sailing. Evenings, after work, we would load up the kayaks and head for Tamarack where our sailboats were waiting for us. Some of us would sail and others would paddle around the lake. On most days we had the lake to ourselves. Five minutes from home and one of Meadville's treasures.

Alice, from the Market House inspired us to buy a few peeps. We now have a bit of country in our backyard. Three roosters and nine hens. We can sit at our dining room table and watch them. It's given a bit of life to our backyard and with a bit of luck a few eggs for our Sunday morning brunch.

Paul and Amanda had a great adventure this summer. They crewed the Dennis Sullivan from Erie to Milwaukee. It was a two week sail in the gales of September. Amanda is now hooked on tall ships and will be out on Lake Erie again in 2010.

Elisabeth is very involved in the goings on at the Academy Theater. She worked on South Pacific and is singing in Mamma Mia. She is a well of information when it comes to the history of Broadway. Our house is alive with the sound of music. I’m just thankful she hasn’t started quizzing us yet.

Emily has been commissioned to illustrating a children’s book and she is also working on a graphic novel that she is writing. Her and I want to plan a vacation in 2010. Maybe just a day or two in New York or Pittsburgh.

I entered some of my woodburning pieces into a few different art shows. It was a lot of fun doing the art and going to the openings. I’m planning on having a showing of my stuff, in the bakery, in 2010. Keeps me out of trouble!

We are looking forward to a calmer and more productive 2010. No more topsy turvy, thank you very much. We don’t like the stress and neither do our customers.

“We have the best customers, and are grateful for their continued support.”

The Allin Family

Creative Crust Bakery