mit der bugs

It turns out yesterday was the busiest Sunday we've ever had, based on our customer count. Town was jumpin' Saturday night. I came in at 10pm. Streets were packed. I have a theory, could be wrong.

We have a long time customer, Hans Kocher, old German guy from Darmstadt. Knows his bakery goods. Likes to talk about rye bread. Last trip to Germany he brought me back some rye sour from the bakery he knew as a child. He buys our bienenstich, apple strudel and different rye breads. Most visits here he asks for me. His wife worked at the hardware store next door. On Friday, I was in the store talking to him. A women came in the store, and approached me. Asked if I was the owner. I always reply, why? If it's a summons or a donation, I explain, I'm the owner, but my wife is the boss. She went on to tell me that she is in town for the Northwestern Graduation. Her daughter graduated two years ago and now her son is graduating. She came to complete her order for the celebration cake to be picked up on Saturday. She said our bakery is the first place she comes to whenever she is in town. In fact she came right from the airport. She is from outside Hartford, Connecticut. We hear this a lot, maybe because of our location near the university, we get a lot of folks traveling? "We have bakeries back home, but not like this". She said she has even gone so far to ship our goods home from Evanston. I asked her if she could repeat that a little louder. Hans said "I heard her. She's right". He looked at her, said "You're right, Nobody does this anymore".

I think between parents in town for graduation weekend, the buses being loaded down at the YMCA and the fact that Dunkin' Donuts is gone, all together made for a busy day yesterday.

I'm not boasting about the woman from Connecticut. I'm boasting about our industry. I believe in this business. If your goods are made well, priced fairly, they will come. And come again. I know a lot of bakers who are doing well. Keeping very busy during these alleged tough times. The ones standing there with flour on their shoes, taking care of their business, will always be busy.

Gotta get upstairs, start some rye bread. Old Hans is visiting his son up in the U.P. of Michigan. Leaving Wednesday morning. Him too, gonna take a load of stuff with him. He looked over his glasses on Friday when he left the bakery, pointed his finger, said "Dienstag(Tuesday) three, two pounders, der heavy stuff(50% rye), mit der bugs, not sliced". I know he means with caraway seed. I know he'll be here early too. Got nothin' else to do. Wonder what he's get from the counter girl at the Costco bakery?