A T R U E S T O R Y : We recently helped out a successful, high-end bread producer He discovered that his European dividers were wearing out and needed to be replaced He tested other dividers, but none were able to duplicate the quality of his European and American breads He was also concerned ab out the drawbacks of simply buying the same units again – the lack of dividing accuracy, the expense of mineral oil, and the frequent service that the units required.
He decided to try our Vemag Dough Divider on his products. Working with our on-staff Reiser bakers, this customer was able to equal or exceed the quality on all of his breads He was absolutely delighted with the Vemag and he now runs five Vemag Dough Dividers – all producing the highest quality breads with excellent weight control, no mineral oil, and Reiser service and support just a phone call away
By Laura a iken
PiTCH uS youR PiE!
When in complexity we yearn for simplicity. This basic human attribute has kept the word nostalgia at the top of consumer trend lists for a while now. Ironically, but true to human form, in simplicity we tend to drum up a little complexity. But recessionary times speak more to the former than the latter. The uneasiness of the past few years and the uncertainty of what lies ahead makes us want something we can count on. Combine this urge to go back to basics with the descent in temperature, and you’ve got a warm slice of pie just waiting to comfort someone.
We’re very excited to bring you our Ultimate Pie contest sponsored by BakeMark. We couldn’t think of anything more fitting for a fall/winter food challenge than pies. Plus, 2011 was dubbed “the year of the pie” by a number of foodie authorities. We’d love to see what you think makes a great pie.
You may be concerned about sharing proprietary information with us. While your entry is confidential, by no means do you need to send us your exact formulas. You may also develop a pie just for this contest, something experimental that you’d like to see tested out. Get creative or get classic. What we are looking for in your initial entry is for you to sell us on why yours is the best. Tell us your basic recipe and list your ingredients in your pitch. If your entry is selected for stage 2, we’ll ask you to ship us your pie for the taste test.
}To my knowledge, we don’t have a national pie council in Canada as they do in the U.S. The American Pie Council’s (APC) mandate is to preserve the heritage and promote America’s love of pie. I found some fun pie facts collected by Crisco and the APC on Crisco’s website. Here is one of the more fascinating ways pie has shaped history: “The term ‘upper crust’ refers to early America when the economy was difficult and supplies were hard to come by. Only affluent households could afford ingredients for both the upper and lower crusts of a pie; thus, the term ‘upper crust’ was born.” The compilation also included a good list of alternative names for pie: pastie, oggie, piraski, piragie, patty and pierogi, or, more commonly, streusel, tart, turnover and crumble.
Not only do we know pie by many names, but we also can’t help but appreciate its diversity. Sweet, sour or savoury, pie fillings are a baker’s pizza.
Not only do we know pie by many names, but we also can’t help but appreciate its diversity. Sweet, sour or savoury, pie fillings are a baker’s pizza. The combinations are limited only by imagination. Pies have seasonal and festival appeal. Some kinds give instant nostalgia, such as pumpkin at Thanksgiving, mincemeat at Christmas or apple anytime. Their symbolism can be powerful and personal. Of all the things my mother every made, it’s her apple pie recipe that I have made the most since her passing. It’s a combination of her filling and my grandmother’s pie crust with a small addition by me, making it a true generational recipe. Pie is indeed very dear to my heart, which makes it all the more exciting to bring our readers an opportunity to share what makes pie special to them.
We’ve featured The Canadian Pie Company in this issue to help get you jazzed up about pie. We hope you enjoy our November edition and put your pie hats on for the Ultimate Pie challenge! / BJ
noVeMBer 2011 | Vol. 71, no. 9
EdITOR | laura aiken editor@bakersjournal.com 416-522-1595 1-888-599-2228 ext. 250
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• More than 1,000 exhibitors and brands, including 750 at Europain: all the innovations and solutions to develop your business: products, equipments, services, lay-out ...
• The 7 trends area: demonstrations and practical advice, let us guide you
• Prestigious competitions: - The Bakery World Cup - The International Confectionery Art Competition
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briefly | Meeting of minds at tibs | Expert calls for change in trans fat labelling | Maple Leaf Foods opens new bakery | for more news in the baking world, check out our website, www.bakersjournal.com
Satin ice joins forces with icing Smiles
ELLICOTT CITY, MD. – Satin Ice is teaming up with Icing Smiles, bringing smiles to critically ill children and their families.
Icing Smiles is a non-profit organization founded by Tracy Quisenberry. It provides custom celebration cakes to ill children and their siblings, creating positive memories for families facing difficult times.
“We feel this charity organization is a perfect fit for our product and our industry as a whole because it brings people together. Many of our industry associates and cake artists are involved with this organization as well,” said Satin Fine Foods founder and CEO Kevin O’Reilly. “We hope that in continuing our efforts, we help them build up their network of bakers who also deserve kudos for donating their time and energy to provide these cakes and get them where they need to go.”
Icing Smiles has already delivered cakes to 25,000 families. The organization is currently in need of bakers and cake artists in Canada and the U.S. For more information, visit www.icingsmiles.org.
Maple Leaf Foods opens new bakery
HAMILTON, ONT. – Maple Leaf Foods is celebrating the official opening of Canada’s largest commercial bakery.
The 385,000-square-foot Trillium Bakery, located in Hamilton, Ont., represents an approximately $100-million investment by Maple Leaf Foods. The bakery will support up to 300 full-time jobs, and an additional 30 seasonal hourly positions. The bakery will produce white and whole-wheat breads, buns, English muffins and tortillas using 100 per cent Canadian wheat.
“As Canada’s largest bakery, our new facility is among the most efficient in North America,” said CEO Michael McCain. “We are particularly proud of the environmental features that we engineered into the facility to meet rigorous environmental standards.”
The facility is designed to obtain certification under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) New Construction program.
in memory of Mel Boles
TORONTO – Melvin Boles, better known as “Mel,” passed away peacefully on Sept. 12 in his 95th year.
A very enthusiastic member of the bakery industry, he served on the executive of the Bakery Production Club of Ontario as secretary and made sure that every member was notified of the various events. When the Bakery Production Club became the Ontario Chapter of the Baking Association of Canada, he remained very active. Mel was also a member of the Canadian Pastry Chefs Guild and enjoyed attending their meetings.
He became involved with the bakery industry when he worked at Griffiths Laboratories baking department at the time they were baking special bread for their crouton production. Since much of this bread production was sourced out, he spent a lot of time in other bakeries, where he made many friends due to his good-natured character. He eventually went to George Brown College to become the instructor for the theory
portion of the baking program. He enjoyed working with students and had a unique way of connecting with them. His calm approach to teaching and his know-how made him popular with students and colleagues alike.
–Peter s choltes
M ore I n D ustry news on Page 12
A twist in tr A dit ion
I’ve never had a crust quite like that of the Portuguese custard tart I inhaled on the lawn of the Conscious food festival this summer. It was like a flaky, buttery basket – a croissant cradle, if you will. The unique crust is the handiwork of The Canadian Pie Company, whose website describes it as a cross between puff pastry and a croissant.
The Canadian Pie Company has garnered a lot of buzz in its first year, its pies gracing such coveted events and spots as the Toronto International Film Festival and the shelves of Pusateri’s. It seems as if the married duo behind the pies are on to something, and one can’t help but want to wander into the east-end Toronto neighbourhood where they’ve set up shop.
Keren and Erez Hadad immigrated from Israel to Toronto five years ago. Keren is a trained pastry chef and they first opened Café Florentin in Leslieville, an east-end community. Erez is the sales and marketing mind but also a trained chef. The couple wanted a European café, says Keren, but the taste of the local neighbourhood seemed to favour their pies and tarts more than their European pastries.
}Opening The Canadian Pie Company early this year and closing the café has effectively focused the business on what the market seemed to want while carving out a niche with the help of a signature product and clear vision.
“A nine-inch pie has a pound of fruit in it,” says Keren Hadad. “It’s a lot of fruit.”
They are introducing a line of zeroadded-sugar pies that use xylitol as a sweetener instead of sugar. Keren doesn’t add anything hydrogenated or any preservatives to her goods.
“I have a rule. I have two kids. Whatever I make, it has to be something that I would feed them,” she says.
She has hooked the business concept on passionate beliefs in community and using local ingredients, at least to the extent that is economically viable and makes sense for the bakery.
“Toronto has a huge greenbelt around it
We’re unique in that we don’t use tons of sugar, we don’t cook the fruits before, so it’s not sticky. A nine-inch pie has a pound of fruit in it – it’s a lot of fruit.
I met with a Keren on a sunny fall afternoon at the café arm of the company. Baking is done down the street at a larger production facility where wholesale is the nuts and bolts of the business. Cloaked in reclaimed wood but bathed in light, the café is a cosy, casual presentation of pastry.
Keren describes her fruit pies as being “like a big croissant with tons of fruit in it and you can actually see the fruit. We’re unique in that we don’t use tons of sugar, we don’t cook the fruits before, so it’s not sticky. A nine-inch pie has a pound of fruit in it – it’s a lot of fruit.”
so why not use it? Unfortunately, it is Canada, so you cannot source locally all the time [thanks to the weather] but we source other stuff. We have savoury quiches so we use the mushrooms that are always local, the chicken is always local, the beef is always local, so everything we try to put an emphasis on using as much as we can, as economically we can, that is good for the company and also profitable.”
Keren readily admits that the commitment to sourcing locally can also be a headache: the farmers don’t produce as much so you need to compensate with other sources and it’s harder to manage production because it’s more difficult to know exactly how much you’re going to get from the farmer for the season. Still, she says, it’s better than nothing. As long
as they are still small, she can keep doing what she can using produce from local farmers.
The Canadian Pie Company worked with Local Food Plus (LFP), a non-profit organization that facilitates the procurement of local, sustainable food. She says they were a huge help when it came to introducing the couple to farmers and finding the ingredients they were looking for.
On the heels of locally inspired principles is the company’s consistent presence in the city’s farmers markets. The Canadian Pie Company is a vendor in seven different farmers markets every week. Working the stands from time to time keeps her talking to her customers. Feedback is essential. It’s hard to please everyone or have everyone understand the beliefs behind your business, and the markets are a great forum for educating.
“Some people love the really sweet pies and they want the starch and the fruits cooked before. You can’t please everyone; it’s all a matter of taste.”
Or a matter of pocket. The baker has dealt with some price resistance as well. Prices vary but a nine-inch fruit pie is $16, and an 11-inch is $27.
“It takes time. People were saying to me, ‘I’m not paying that for a pie – are you insane?’ It took me some time but at the end of it, yes, people are getting educated, people are starting to understand that you see what you get. Things cost money. Sometimes people ask me for organic produce, that’s our limit. Organic is much pricier than local, I
don’t think we are there yet. I wish it was cheaper. I prefer to make great products with great ingredients I get from local farmers – Ontario lamb, Ontario beef –it’s not that expensive.”
As the production manager, she’s elbows deep in baking behind the scenes much of the time at their offsite bakery that’s churning out thousands of pies a week to supply their shop, the markets, catering contracts, online orders and wholesale customers.
They employ about 30 people now but
she say’s she’s always recruiting. The plan is to continue to grow the wholesale and sales through the farmers markets, which she says have been the best form of advertising for them. It’s a seven-day-a-week job for this mother of a five- and three-year-old, who considers herself lucky to be balancing work and family life as a family business.
“People ask me, ‘How do you work with your own husband?’” she says, laughing. “But I’m very happy – he does his half and I do my half. He does the numbers, the sales, he takes care of
Meeting of minds at tibs
TORONTO – Puratos presented another year of innovative speakers at its annual Toronto International Bakery Symposium (tibs).
The Sept. 20 event was held at the Old Mill Inn & Spa in Toronto’s west end. The morning began with a presentation on sensory analysis and its importance by John Hale, director of product appraisal and customer care for Sobeys. Hale took attendees through some interesting taste-testing exercises, the history of sensory analysis and its future, along with some neat facts about consumer preferences and taste. Here are a few tidbits from the talk: As it turns out, the widely held belief that smoking cigarettes ruins your taste buds is false. Nicotine actually enhances the taste of sweetness but destroys bitterness, so there is an alteration. However, coffee wrecks your sense of taste before and after a meal, which is particularly interesting since coffee is such a popular sidekick to baked goods. Chilies can burn out your taste buds but eating them gives us a rush of endorphins that can get us hooked.
Frank Devos, R&D director for Puratos in the U.S., took the reins from Hale to lead attendees through global innovations in baking and how the North American industry can capitalize from the trends. Devos pointed out that “the innovation doesn’t come to you, you go the innovation” and identified four ways to find it: challenge what is taken for granted, examine changing markets/regulations, examining new markets/demographics and investigating new technologies. Devos delivered a look at customer preferences today and some neat concepts from other countries, such as the proliferation of bread-dispensing vending machines in Belgium.
John Riker, managing director at the Blue Ocean Strategy Initiative Centre in London, England, proved to be a gifted keynote speaker who did a great job articulating what Blue Ocean Strategy (BOS) is and how a company can use its logic. Case studies involving Yellow Tail wine and Nintendo’s Wii gave a fascinating glimpse into the process of high-profit growth. Bakery owners looking for more info on BOS can go to www.blueoceanstrategy.com or pick up a copy of Blue Ocean strategy: how to Create uncontested Market space and Make Competition Irrelevant by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne.
Matt Crumpton, VP of marketing for Puratos in the U.S., led the final session before dinner by introducing the group to mobile consumer analysis. Crumpton designed and manages the Puratos Sensobus, which launched in North America in February. He took the group through its history and its capabilities, and followed up with a tour through the Sensobus itself. This specially designed mobile food research lab can be hired by companies to do effective consumer product testing anywhere and can survey more than 300 people per day. The learning didn’t stop at dinner. Live classical music provided the backdrop for a delicious meal followed by a guided wine and chocolate pairing. Peter Blakeman, chef, professor and coordinator of the Canadian Food and Wine Institute at Niagara College, and Keith Ellis, Technical Support Puratos Canada, shared a presentation that took diners through a brief history of chocolate and icewine as diners tried two different icewines produced by the college and paired with Puratos dark and white chocolates.
the things around it and I can actually bake and that seems like the best way to do it: Divide and conquer and everybody’s happy. . . . As a woman, from the class I graduated 10 years ago, there were 20 people and only two are still working as pastry chefs and they’re both guys. You come home and you’re tired, dead tired and you still have the kids. But I love what I do, love it, or else I would never do this. I hope my kids one day will say I want to be a baker.” / BJ
Expert calls for change in trans fat labelling
CALGARY – Not all trans fats are created equal, and it’s time for nutrition labels to reflect that reality, says a University of Alberta nutrition expert.
Natural trans fats produced by ruminant animals such as dairy and beef cattle are not detrimental to health, according to a scientific review conducted by Dr. Spencer Proctor, along with Canadian and international colleagues. The review found that natural trans fats show positive health effects and some evidence even links them to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Naturally occurring trans fat, found in meat and dairy products, has a different fatty acid profile than industrial trans fat found in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. This contributes to their different physiological effects.
“A change in how trans fat information is presented on nutrition labels would be a huge step forward,” says Proctor, a researcher in the Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, and director of the Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases Laboratory at the University of Alberta. “Right now in Canada and the U.S., a substantial portion of natural trans fats content is included in the nutrition label trans fat calculation, which is misleading for the consumer. We need a reset in our approach to reflect what the new science is telling us.”
Spencer says that in some European countries, natural trans fat is not included in the nutrition label calculation.
¦ new products ¦
From paper bake ware to plastic packaging, Bakers Journal keeps you “in the know.” for more on new products for the baking industry, check out our website, www.bakersjournal.com
fortress stealth metal detector
Fortress’ Stealth metal detector features digital signal processing (DSP) designed to provide high-speed precision and ultra-sensitive levels to detect metal contaminants. True auto-balance enables recovery from large metal contaminants to avoid detector “blindness,” and dual power/frequency settings allow automatic compensation for extreme product characteristics, such as metalized and non-metalized packaging. www.fortresstechnology.com
MIwe’s e+ roll-in rack oven
MIWE is introducing the e+ roll-in rack oven, designed for long life and high reliability. The e+ roll-in is designed to allow for ideal baking with low energy consumption, thanks to MIWE’s air control features and clearly structured operation through the Touch Control MIWE TC. www.miwe.ca
tool-free portable mixer mounting system
The Sharpe M5 Quick-Lock Mounting System is designed to let users install and reposition their mixers without tools. Created for Sharpe’s line of clamp- and cup-plate mounted portable mixers, the M5 features ergonomic hand wheels rather than bolts and T-handles. The M5 system is standard on Sharpe’s full line of portable mixers. www.sharpemixers.com
aDM Vegefull bean products
VegeFull bean products help meet the gluten-free demands of today’s consumers. ADM’s VegeFull Cooked Ground Bean products – available as whole beans, noodles, pieces, grits and powders – are made from a wide variety of beans, helping manufacturers achieve the perfect flavour, texture and colour from a natural, nutritional food. For example, navy beans have a creamy white colour, smooth texture and mild flavour, while chick peas are beige in colour with a nut-like taste and buttery, yet starchy texture.
VegeFull bean powders are designed to be easily incorporated into a variety of consumers’ favorite snack foods –such as extruded and sheeted snacks, muffins, bagels, pizza dough, cupcakes, cookies, flatbreads, donuts and brownies. VegeFull beans are available pre-washed, pre-soaked, pre-cooked and ground, making them easy to incorporate. In addition, they work well in combination with other gluten-free solutions such as corn meal, rice flour, tapioca/potato starch and sorghum flours.
www.adm.com/vegefull.
licensed cupcake wraps from DecoPac
DecoPac’s licensed reversible wraps are looking to make your cupcakes the talk of the tailgate party. Two series of reversible wraps are available: NFL wraps and MLB wraps. Whether used as an accessory to DecoPac’s NFL or MLB DecoPacs, or sold separately in retail packaging, the wraps put the finishing touch on any sports fan’s cupcake.
www.decopac.com
Inline Plastics’ Visibly fresh containers
Inline Plastics Corp.’s new line of containers are designed with minimal ribbing to promote more attractive product merchandising and highlight the quality of the food inside. The line consists of eight containers in four footprints, and ranges from singleserve sizes for snack applications all the way up to dinner-sized portions. www.inlineplastics.com
FuNgi ANd Food
Fungus doesn’t sound like something you’d want in your food, but the fact is, you often need it
Fungi are a diverse group of micro-organisms that play a significant role in our environment, health, agriculture and the foods we eat. They range in size and complexity, from the single cells of yeast to large structures, such as various cultivated and wild mushrooms. Unlike plants, they do not use sunlight as a source of energy, but depend mainly on plant and animal material for food. They decompose plant materials, feeding on these components to produce a biomass that in turn becomes food for microscopic animals. These animals constitute the food that supports larger animals in the food chain. Without fungi, nature would suffocate in its own waste.
}Fungi can wreak havoc in agriculture. They have been responsible for major plant disease epidemics that have devastated human communities. The potato blight that ravaged Ireland, causing famine, was brought on by the fungus Phytophthora, a plant pathogen. Today’s crops, with the exception of those making organic claims, are normally protected using fungicides. In some cases, however, fungi use other plants as hosts and infect crops periodically. Wheat rust is one such case. Wheat rust is an infection of the wheat stalk by the fungus Puccinia gramminis, which produces many rust-red coloured pustules on the stem of the plant. Since biblical times, wheat stem rust has been known as the wheat plague. The last major outbreak of a stem rust in North America was between 1950 and 1954. In some years during this period, it destroyed more than 40 per cent of spring wheat crops. Since then extensive breeding of resistant varieties of wheat has almost eliminated outbreaks. In 1999, however, stem rust pustules were discovered on a resistant variety of wheat in a nursery in Uganda. This new virulent strain of stem
rust, named Ug99, may overcome the resistance of 90 per cent of known wheat varieties and has been spreading very rapidly. This is a concern because developing and commercializing resistant wheat varieties takes a long time.
In medicine and health, fungi have been both beneficial and detrimental. Some cause serious infections, which can be difficult to treat. On the other hand, some fungi produce antibiotics that are essential in treating bacterial and other infections. Penicillin, the first antibiotic discovered, is produced by the fungus Penicillium.
Many fungi also produce mycotoxins, which have been associated with human illness for millennia. For example, ergotism is the collective term for the severe symptoms that occur after ingesting grain contaminated with the ergot fungus Claviceps purpurea. Ergot grain kernels contain many mycotoxins, including lysergic acid diethylamide,
This new virulent strain of stem rust, named ug99, may overcome the resistance of 90 per cent of known wheat varieties and has been spreading very rapidly.
commonly known as LSD. Ergot mycotoxin affected many millers and bakers throughout the Middle Ages. Another serious mycotoxin is aflatoxin. This is produced by Aspergillus flavus, and is commonly associated with peanuts, other nuts and grains.
Mycotoxin poisoning has been a problem throughout human history, however, we have only recently been able to isolate and characterize these chemical compounds. In many cases, they do not cause immediate acute symptoms, but small quantities in our diet may cause chronic health problems, such as cancer. In the early 1980s, contamination of soft wheat in Ontario with vomitoxin caused major problems in the cereal and baking industries. Vomitoxin is produced by the fungus Fusarium, which infects the wheat plant during flowering, entering the wheat through the developing kernel. The fungus grows together with the kernel and produces the toxin within, contaminating the wheat supply and, eventually, food. A number of other mycotoxins have also been identified as problematic in the food chain, particu-
Developing disease resistant wheat varieties takes a long time.
larly in the cereal and baking industries. National and global regulatory bodies have imposed limits on the amounts of mycotoxins permitted in foods.
Fungi can be beneficial in the food and beverage industry. Production of some food products depend on yeast. Bread and other yeast-raised baked good production would be impossible without it. Beer, wine and spirits are also impossible to produce without yeast’s fermenting action. Soy and other grains fermented using different types of fungi have been consumed by many Asian communities for thousands of years. Moreover, a multitude of enzymes are commercially produced by fermentation of a number of fungi. These enzymes are essential in the production of food products, especially baked goods.
New developments indicate that we can use fungi to increase the nutritive value of baked goods. Fungi contain ergosterol, which is the precursor of vitamin D. When fungi are exposed to ultraviolet light, ergosterol converts into vitamin D. There is now commercially available yeast that contains high amounts of vitamin D.
In short, fungi are a diverse and very important group of micro-organisms that can play both a beneficial and a detrimental role in our lives. / BJ
For more information, or fee-for-service help with food technical and processing issues and needs, contact Dr. John Michaelides at John Michaelides & Associates at 519-7438956 or 519-821-2960 ext. 226, or by e-mail at j.jmichaelides@gmail.com.
By M ELAN
BAkiNg uP A HoT EvENT
There are particular challenges and solutions to building your brand as a caterer
There are key ingredients that pretty much every cake or cupcake has, such as flour, sugar, butter and eggs. These staple ingredients are the cornerstones of every cake batter. That being said, not all cakes are created equal. What determines which batter will rise above the rest isn’t the basic ingredients, but their specific proportions, the technique involved and the addition of flavour and flair that makes each cake or cupcake unique.
These principles of magnificent dessert production are the same principles involved in developing a new business, one that will hopefully rise above the rest. As the owner of CutiePie Cupcakes & Co., I am happy to share with you some of the particular challenges and solutions I encountered in starting my growing catering company in Toronto. We specialize in bite-sized gourmet cupcakes that mimic the tastes of other desserts. We have an ever-expanding menu of over 32 flavours and also focus on corporate, theme, logo, branding, etc.
}with so many people’s celebrations, but with every positive there comes a negative. In the case of a catering business, it’s the challenge of generating company awareness without a storefront. People must know your business exists in order to seek service.
A business plan will provide insight as to who your potential clients are but next you have to find out how to reach them. Without a fancy storefront, potential clients cannot stumble across your business, nor are they able to drop in on a whim to see what you are about. Sales require a bit more planning and commitment, and generating a client base can take more time.
Our fan base for CutiePie has grown quite organically. In early 2009, we began introducing our product and service to family, friends, former work colleagues, acquaintances and other businesses in the area. Through endless samplings, meetings, self-promotion and word of
Building an online fan base can extend to the offline world. For a cateringfocused bakery, your online presence is your virtual storefront.
CutiePie Cupcakes & Co. specializes in bite-sized gourmet cupcakes that mimic the tastes of other desserts.
Just as the ratios of ingredients in a batter contribute to the uniqueness of the final product, the specifics of your business model provide the framework and act as a lens through which to view and direct company growth. This involves understanding what your business is just as much as what it is not. CutiePie Cupcakes & Co. is an event-based catering company. Orders are booked in advance for either delivery or pick-up. We do not service walk-in clients or offer single cupcakes. Everything is made to order, allowing for a larger than usual menu selection with minimal wastage. Knowing specific times that orders are to be provided allows everything to be baked as close to the presentation time as possible to provide the highest degree of freshness. It is an honour to be involved
mouth we began to ignite a spark of interest among those around us. It seems word of mouth, above all else, truly is the best form of promotion. Nothing holds more value and influence than the praise and recommendation of trusted peers. From there, participating in trade shows, sponsorships and charities, we found an outlet to further reach the general public.
Another great recourse is the online world. Not only does a website showcase what your establishment offers but also, with social media networks growing at lightning speeds, businesses can build online relationships with potential customers through open dialogue and communication. Building an online fan base can extend to the offline world. For a catering-focused bakery, your online presence is your virtual storefront. Our website allows our potential clients to communicate with us and get a feel for what we offer through pictures, examples of past events, related press, written reviews and online feedback from our fans and followers.
Going through the motions of reaching
the public cannot, in itself, bring business growth. Just as bakers incorporate additional flavour and flair in recipes to produce fantastic and unique treats, a company also needs that “something special” to stand apart from the crowd. It is your product that will speak louder and longer than anything else, and company branding can serve as a voice to communicate this to consumers. Businesses gain brand awareness as clients begin to understand the so-called “language” of the company and to recognize and pick it out from the crowd. Again, knowing what you are as well as what you are not makes this voice clearer and more recognizable to the public. Part of creating something unique is offering something different from what currently exists. Introducing something new to the market can be challenging, as potential clients may assume you are just like the rest and can even be taken aback at first upon realizing you are not. As Henry Ford said, “If I had asked people what they wanted they would have said faster horses.”
Perseverance, endurance, dedication and consistency will help your fantastic product gain familiarity and desirability in finding its niche in the market.
It takes time to create the perfect recipe; it’s never an easy feat. Be it a recipe for a fantastic cupcake or a recipe for a fabulous company, bon appétit! / BJ
Melanie Abdilla is the owner of CutiePie Cupcakes & Co., which is an event-based catering company.
Keeping it simple
Over the past 12 years, Stella’s Café & Bakery has been quietly conquering Winnipeg, one neighbourhood at a time.
Founded in 1999 by brothers Tore and Tomas Sohlberg, and their wives, Lehla and Anneen, Stella’s Café & Bakery is built on a simple principle: healthy food, prepared fresh every day. Winnipeggers have embraced the philosophy as much as they have the food. Over the years, Stella’s has expanded from one location on Osborne Street to six locations throughout the city, including an outlet that opened last month at the Winnipeg International Airport.
These days Tore and Lehla are at the helm; Tomas and Anneen sold their interest in the company in 2005. A 24/7 bakery in back of the Sherbrook Street storefront now keeps shelves at all locations stocked with the breads and baked goodies that Stella’s is known for.
“I think people are recognizing that they want more than just the typical Wonder Bread solution,” says Grant Anderson, director for Stella’s.
Anderson says customers tend to gravitate to multigrain and sourdough breads. On weekends, Stella’s sells a shallot and asiago sourdough and a blue cheese walnut sourdough in addition to its standard offering. A little bit of Stella’s history is baked into each loaf of sourdough
that leaves the Sherbrook Street kitchen – Tore and Tomas’ father, Thorleif, supplied the sourdough recipe as well as the starter.
“It’s still the original barm that’s being used, so it’s got remnants of the very first time it was made in it,” Anderson says.
On the pastry side, Stella’s danish, hazelnut croissants and chocolatines all sell well. Scandinavian treats, including te-birkes – croissant dough rolled in poppy seeds – and Norwegian skole bolle – sweet buns filled with custard and rolled in icing sugar icing and coconut – are also customer favourites.
Rave reviews and word of mouth, rather than advertising, have fuelled Stella’s slow but steady growth. Anderson says the plan is to eventually expand outside Winnipeg, ideally starting with smaller local markets before graduating to larger western markets, such as Vancouver.
“We’re just trying to use a combination of business savvy and experience and market locations where we feel that we would be best suited,” Anderson says.
He’s quick to add that finding the right neighbourhood for a new location is key.
“We really like to be in areas where there’s a possibility of foot traffic, of cycling traffic. We want people to happen upon us, as opposed to always making us a destination.” As Anderson explains, the goal is to “bring Stella’s to the market, not try to bring the market to Stella’s.” / BJ
Stella’s employees serve up a variety of European pastries, as well as
This “Boots” Was Made For Baking
GuyRogers earned the nickname “Boots” while in the Army. He once wrote a girlfriend about spending long hours polishing his boots–even though he served as a baking school instructor. After baking and decorating cakes in Viet Nam, “Boots” spent 16 months at Fort Bragg where a bakery was created for him, then closed after he left. In the Army, Guy said, “If you bake, people look out for you.”
In 1976, Guy’s grandfather bought the Westhampton Pastry Shop, located in Richmond, Virginia’s west side. Guy took over the business when his father, Guy Rogers, Jr., retired in 1990. Today, Guy’s wife, Diana, works with the customers out front and handles the paperwork. Guy claims he can’t run a business from an office and is on his feet 12 hours a day working in back with his 15 employees. The shop specializes in elegant wedding cakes, which Guy decorates himself.
Guy says his greatest accomplishment is “doing what my father and grandfather did for a living, and doing it well.” His greatest challenge is to always keep standards and quality at the same high level.
Guy began using International® Bakers Services products in the 1960s. “I’ve always gotten good results. The flavor does not bake out, and the quality is the same in every order.” Guy relies on International® B&V®, N&A and Sweet Roll & Danish Flavor to maintain the consistent quality for which he strives. If you want consistent quality, turn to International® Bakers Services. Contact us toll-free at (800) 345-7175, by fax at (574) 287-7161, or in writing at 1902 North Sheridan Ave., South Bend, Indiana 46628. We have the flavors your customers deserve.
soups and sandwiches.
Bridging the l AB our g A p
Canada’s foodservice industry is starting to feel the labour crunch that industry leaders have been warning about. Even with talk of a double-dip recession, employers are seeing little to no response to job postings, leaving them short-staffed and eager for a solution.
The Canadian government’s Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program is proving to be a valuable option for business owners who are unable to find Canadian workers to fill open positions. Gerard Curran, proprietor of the James Joyce Irish Pub in Calgary and past chairman of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA), turned to the TFW program when resumés dried up.
“We were at the point where it was so stressful with no workers in the kitchen, so we had to jump into the program. It’s been fantastic; the program has worked really well for us,” he says.
Recruiting a temporary foreign worker is an extensive process that can be difficult for employers to undertake on their own. Agencies specializing in the recruitment of foreign workers can simplify the lengthy procedure, guiding both the employer and the worker through the various stages. A good recruiter will interview and screen qualified foreign workers to find the best match possible for the specific job that you are seeking to fill, as well as assisting with the necessary paperwork. The CRFA has approved two reputable foreign recruiters, Diamond Global Recruitment Group and Mercan Recruit, to help its members through the application process and beyond. Further information can be obtained on CRFA’s website, along with a labour shortage toolkit for CRFA members.
The Temporary Foreign Worker program is a valuable tool for business owners who are unable to find Canadian workers to fill open positions.
}Agencies specializing in the recruitment of foreign workers can simplify the lengthy procedure, guiding both the employer and the worker through the various stages.
Garth Whyte, president and CEO of
CRFA, says a good recruiter is integral to navigating the TFW program and ensuring compliance with the rules. “You really do need some support and advice to get through the labyrinth of problems. Pay strict attention to the Labour Market Opinion to ensure compliance, because if an employer is declared non-compliant, their name is posted on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website and they can be banned from the TFW program for a two-year period. If the
recruiter you have breaks a rule, the employer can also be deemed non-compliant and banned from the program, so you have to follow the rules. There’s no quick fix; this is a long process that can take up to six months of planning just to get in through the process.”
The TFW program is usually a four-step process; the need to complete each step is dependent on the specifics of the job offer. The first step is determining if you require a Labour Market Opinion (LMO), which is provided by Service Canada to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). The LMO assesses the expected impact that hiring the foreign worker may have on the
Canadian labour market, resulting in either a positive or negative opinion.
If you do require an LMO, which is usually the case, the second step is to complete the LMO application and submit it to Service Canada. If you receive a positive LMO, you can proceed to the third step, which is advising the foreign worker to complete and submit a work permit application to CIC. The fourth and final phase of the process happens at a port of entry, where a Border Services officer issues the work permit.
The work permit is valid for one year; however, if the employer wishes to extend the foreign worker’s employment, they can either extend the original LMO or apply for a new opinion, depending on the occupation. In either case, the paperwork should be done four months prior to the expiry of the original LMO.
Once the foreign worker is in Canada, it’s important for the business owner to provide a strong support network to help the worker integrate into their new surroundings. Curran has recruited 15 workers through the TFW program and says it’s vital to make their transition into Canadian society as smooth and easy as possible. “We bought them a house and got them Internet, a phone and bus passes. Our foreign workers are from the Philippines and many of them are Catholic-based, so we got them into the Catholic Church and onto the choir,” he says.
Curran explains that as these employees ease into their new roles, many will transition out of the house and into their own apartments, making room for new foreign workers who need the support when they first arrive in Canada.
Comprehensive training is also a must when a foreign worker arrives. “You have to teach them how to understand what’s going on in your industry. You have to teach them about your menu and safety courses, because we have certain standards within the industry that have to be followed,” he notes.
By having previously trained foreign workers act as mentors for new foreign workers entering the business, Curran finds that the training is more effective. “We have a six-week training session for all of our foreign workers. When you train them and treat them well, you get so much back from them,” he says.
Curran also encourages his foreign workers to return to their countries of
origin for holidays and vacations to see their families. A trip home is a great way to boost employee morale, especially if they’re homesick.
Communication between the employer, foreign workers and the other employees is vital as well. By communicating on a regular basis, employers can quickly sort out any issues that may arise, from employee disagreements to mistreatment by managers. Curran advises that you must have an open-door policy to ensure that everyone, including your Canadian employees, is aware of why the foreign workers are needed and the asset that they are providing to the business.
Curran has seen the benefits of the TFW program first hand in both the front-of-the-house and the kitchen of his Calgary pub. With no resumés coming in, he is currently waiting for another LMO so that he can recruit an additional foreign worker to his business.
Meanwhile, CRFA is continuing to push the Canadian government for changes to the TFW program in an effort to decrease the red tape that is costing
employers valuable time and money. The main objectives are increasing the foreign worker’s stay from one to two years, reinstating electronic LMO applications and allowing the foreign worker to become a permanent resident if the employer wishes to make their job long-term.
The TFW program has already proven to be essential for some business owners in the foodservice industry and with the looming labour shortage now at our doorstep, many more employers will need to rely on this program in the near future to stave off staff shortages and maintain the high level of service that their customers expect. / BJ
Julie Fitz-Gerald is a freelance writer based in Uxbridge, Ont., and regular contributor to Bakers Journal and Canadian Pizza magazine.
For more information on the TFW program, surf to www.restaurantcentral.ca and click on the staffing tab. Or, visit http://www.cic. gc.ca/english/resources/publications/ tfw-guide.asp for government information.
PUB_LALLEMAND_ANG:Mise en page 1 11-04-15 08:11 Page1
To improve the vitamin D intake–Bread baked with Lallemand yeast is the natural solution!
Health Canada has just tripled the Dietary Reference Intake for vitamin D from 200 to 600 UI* and now allows bakers to use Lallemand yeast, naturally rich in vitamin D, to increase the vitamin D content of bread and other yeastleavened baked goods to a maximum level of 90 UI by 100g.
Please contact us to learn more on how to add sunshine in every slice of bread with Lallemand yeast!
*The Institute of Medicine has also tripled its daily vitamin D recommendations from 200 to 600 UI for children and most adults. Osteoporosis Canada recommends a daily intake of 400 to 1000 UI for adults under 50. The Canadian Cancer Society recommends 1000 UI every day for adults over 50 years old and people that have dark skin or who don’t go outside very much.
LALLEMAND CANADA
Tel.: (800) 840.4047 or (514) 522.2133
www.lallemand.com baking@lallemand.com
By d i ANE C H
Six TiPS To EMPLoyiNg THE BEST PEoPLE
Bakeries spend
a lot of time looking for good staff and it’s with good reason.
One of the most important aspects of any business is the process of recruiting, selecting and retaining the best people. The more time and effort a business spends on recruiting, the more successful the business will be. In the restaurant and foodservice industry, the difference between great customer service and poor customer service can often be the single factor that drives people away for good.
Finding the right people to work in your bakery is not as easy as you think. There are several things to consider before you hire the first person who walks through the door. You need to ensure that everything on your end is in order before you even begin the interview process.
}writing a concise and detailed ad also speaks well of your own operation.
3. aDVertIse your aD
Now that you have established the type of person and personality you want to hire, how do you go about finding this person? There are several different ways to advertise your position, but the best way to start is by looking at the people around you. Is there anyone you currently employ that could be promoted to the position? Do they have any family or friends who would be qualified, and whom they could vouch for?
The economic downturn has also created a deep pool of experienced and well-trained workers who were recently laid off from struggling restaurant companies. Advertise your position in churches or colleges, as churches usually
Finding the right people to work in your bakery is not as easy as you think. There are several things to consider before you hire the first person who walks through the door.
1. DeterMIne the rIght fIt
In order to find the right person for your business, you need to make sure you know what type of person you are looking for. Define what type of operation you run. Is it high-end, targeted at families, sophisticated or fun? Create a list of all the qualities you want in this person and keep a checklist of these qualities with you during the interview.
2. wrIte a gooD aD
When you are ready to search for your new employee, it’s time to put together a job posting. Don’t just put a “Help Wanted” sign in your window. You need to include a list of all the qualities your potential employee should possess. Be as specific as possible in the job description itself. Potential applicants should know what to expect from the get-go, thereby eliminating the time and effort spent interviewing unqualified applicants. You also want to attract the best workers, so
host networking functions, while colleges attract people who go back to school after being laid off. Another advantage of hiring recently laid-off workers is that they are able to start immediately.
You can also advertise your position online. If you think this might garner an overwhelming administrative burden, you could consider hiring a staffing company to recruit and vet potential employees first.
4. PrePare for the InterVIew
Conducting a good interview requires learning and skill. As an owner or operator of a business, it might be worthwhile to take a course on interviewing tips. You should have a set of guidelines to follow for every interview you conduct, including questions about the applicant’s past experiences, and how he/she took initiatives and made a positive impact, as well as situation-based questions to evaluate the applicant’s ability to make decisions and handle stress. You should have at least 30 good questions. You also need to factor in your
In order to find the right person for your business, you need to make sure you know what type of person you are looking for.
own intuition about the person, as well as his/her physical appearance and body language.
5. ask for referenCes
Asking for references is crucial to ensure that the person you want to hire is honest and a good fit for your company. Ask for references of not only former employers, but former colleagues as well. Find out if the potential applicant is a team player, is dependable and possesses a good attitude.
6. Be PrePareD for your new eMPloyee’s arrIVal
Your bakery should have some sort of training manual, as well as a list of goals and standards that you expect all your employees to follow and respect. There must also be a formal document that lists all the duties of the job itself so there is no discrepancy as to what your new employee is responsible for. It is also handy for the new employee to take home the training manual and study it, so that he/she has a better understanding of your bakery, and is better prepared. Use these six tips to attract and keep the best people for your bakery. / BJ
Diane Chiasson, FCSI, president of Chiasson Consultants Inc., has been helping restaurant, foodservice, hospitality and retail operators increase sales for over 25 years. Her company provides innovative and revenue-increasing foodservice and retail merchandising programs, interior design, branding, menu engineering, marketing and promotional campaigns, and much more. Contact her at 416-926-1338, toll-free at 1-888-926-6655 or chiasson@chiassonconsultants.com, or visit www.chiassonconsultants.com.
Are consumers being confused about the value of grains in the diet?
The recent focus on gluten-free products and other negative stories about grains, including wheat products, suggests that consumers may once again need to be reminded about the value of grain products in the diet of a majority of Canadian consumers.
To begin with, let’s separate the “wheat from the chaff” regarding Canadians with health concerns related to gluten. A segment of the population is affected by gluten sensitivities, wheat allergy and Celiac disease. Gluten sensitivities may vary substantially and wheat allergy is an immune response. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease estimated to affect one in 133 Canadians. For consumers not affected by these health concerns avoiding grains, including wheat, may result in a diet that is low in fibre, vitamins and minerals.
So for the vast majority of Canadians, grains are a nutritious staple to the diet that can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. Canada’s bakers should remind these consumers that grains are an important source of energy our bodies need every day. In addition to providing energy, carbohydrate-containing grain-based foods deliver additional benefits. Research shows that people who eat some whole grains daily have a lower risk of chronic diseases and a better body mass index (BMI) than those who do not. While many fad diets tell consumers to avoid foods that are a good source of carbohydrates (carbs) in order to lose weight, most research shows that if you consume equal calories of carbs, protein or fat, you will lose the same amount of weight.
Health Canada acrylamide monitoring program results to be released by year’s end Health Canada has advised BAC that it intends to release the latest results of its food acrylamide monitoring program by the end of November or year’s end at the latest. The report will include branded products from several categories including bakery items; biscuits and crackers; snack foods; nuts, etc. Health Canada will also be releasing an updated exposure assessment, which will include highlighting the major contributors to dietary acrylamide by food type for different demographic audiences (e.g., children, adults, etc.).
Fibre provides important nutrients for the healthy bacteria in our lower gut. It helps with digestion and elimination; in other words, it helps keep us “regular”. Some fibres also help bind and reduce cholesterol. Fibre is found in whole grains, whole wheat, bran, vegetables, fruit, and nuts.
In addition, refined grains such as white bread, pasta and enriched corn meal are also beneficial as they are fortified with folate. Folate is a B-vitamin that helps maintain and make new cells. Folate is known to prevent neural tube defects in infants.
More information is available on the benefits on grains in the diet through the Grains – They’re essential! program supported by BAC. A variety of consumer focused information pieces are available for download free of charge via the Grains – They’re essential! website at www.grainsessential.ca.
Updated Toolbox to help food manufacturers further mitigate acrylamide
FoodDrinkEurope has updated its existing Acrylamide Toolbox to include the latest scientific research and feedback from food operators. The Toolbox is available free of charge and seen as a world leader is providing food companies with the latest methodologies in the mitigation of acrylamide. Key updates include:
• A restructuring of the Toolbox around the three main ingredient types commonly associated with the risk of higher Acrylamide formation, namely, potatoes, cereals and coffee.
• “Baby biscuits, infant cereals and baby foods other than cereal based foods” now constitutes a separate category in the Acrylamide Toolbox.
• The latest in scientific publications and updates on specific projects.
The latest edition is available free of charge at: http:// www.fooddrinkeurope.eu/publications/category/toolkits/.
Grain Products are one of the four food groups promoted in Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating. The Food Guide recommends we eat between 5 and 12 servings of Grain Products everyday.
One serving is:
1 slice of bread
1/2 bagel
125 ml (1/2 cup) of cooked pasta or rice
175 ml (3/4 cup) cooked oatmeal
The most commonly eaten grain products are made from wheat flour. These include many varieties of breads and rolls, flatbreads, pasta, noodles, bulgur and couscous.
What do we get from grains?
Interested in adding more grains to your diet?
Choose from a wide assortment of foods, such as:
• Bread
• Pasta & noodles
• Rice
• Cornmeal
Oatmeal
Barley
Quinoa
Amaranth
Millet
For one thing we get energy. The energy comes from the carbohydrate part of grains. While grains are not the only foods that deliver carbohydrates—fruits and vegetables are a source too—grain products, such as breads and pasta, provide a significant supply of the energy our body needs.
Grain products offer us even more. Grains supply essential vitamins and minerals, including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, and iron.
Whole grain and whole wheat products are also an important source of fibre in our diets.
The whole grain advantage
When you see the words whole grain it means that all three parts of the grain kernel are used in the food product. These include:
• The endosperm – source of energy
• The bran – source of fibre, vitamins and minerals
• The germ – mostly vitamins and minerals
Whole wheat products may have all three parts or they may contain only the endosperm and bran. The good news is that both whole grains and whole wheat provide fibre.
Research shows that people who eat whole grains and whole wheat each day have a lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
Make whole grains a regular part of your diet.
Look for products with the words “whole grain” or “whole wheat” on the label.
Try some of the new whole grain breads at your grocery store.
Introduce your family to whole wheat pasta.
Snack on air-popped or low-fat popcorn.
Don’t forget an old favourite – oatmeal.
Diagram 1 Wheat Kernel
What about refined grains?
In Canada, we have refined grains that, by law, must be enriched and others where enrichment is optional. Enriched grains have similar nutrients as whole grain… minus the fibre.
All white flour made from wheat is enriched with B-vitamins and iron. This means that the nutrients lost during milling are added back into the flour. In Canada, all products that are made with wheat flour, use enriched flour.
Grain products such as pasta, cornmeal, pre-cooked rice and breakfast cereals may also be enriched.
In 1998, Canada began adding folic acid to white wheat flour, enriched pasta and enriched cornmeal. The reason was to boost people’s folic acid intake. Folic acid is a B-vitamin that is essential for health and is especially important for the development of unborn babies.
Check the label:
Look for the word “enriched”.
Many grain products can be sources of energy without being high in fat and sugar – check out the Nutrition Facts box on the label and choose foods with less than 3 grams of fat per serving.
Will eating grains make me fat?
Popular diet books often tell you to eat less carbohydrate. But they are wrong! Eating too much and not being physically active leads to weight gain. There are no fad diets that work in the long run.
? Did you know
Research has shown that reducing carbohydrate intake without reducing calories does not lead to weight loss.
Remember to:
Eat a variety of foods. Watch the portion size – larger portions are not necessary and can lead to weight gain. Be physically active every day.
For more information contact: Baking Association of Canada 7895 Tranmere Dr,Ste 202 Mississauga,ON L5S 1V9
Tel:905-405-0288,Toll Free in Canada & USA 1-888-674-BAKE (2253) Fax:905-405-0993 E-Mail:info@baking.ca
May be reproduced without permission provided no changes are made and credit is given. Printed May 2005. Visit www.bakingassoccanada.com or www.cwb.ca to download PDFs of this resource.
Tasty ways of trying grains
with Zucchini and Tomatoes
1 package375 g macaroni-type pasta (penne,rotini or elbow)
1 eachonion and garlic clove,finely chopped
1 zucchini,sliced
1/4 cup (60 mL)olive oil
12 cherry tomatoes,cut in half
2 tbsp (30 mL)chopped fresh parsley or basil salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste) grated parmesan cheese (to taste)
1.Cook pasta according to package directions
2.Sauté onion,garlic and zucchini in oil until tender.
3.Add tomatoes and parsley; heat through.
4.Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5.Toss pasta with vegetable mixture and serve topped with cheese.
Makes 8 – 1 cup portions
Per portion with whole wheat pasta:Calories 237, Protein 7.5 g,Total Fat 7.8 g,Carbohydrates 38.0 g, Fibre 4.5 g,Folic Acid 21.7 µg
Per portion with enriched pasta:Calories 258, Protein 6.8 g,Total Fat 8.0 g,Carbohydrates 40.3 g, Fibre 2.3 g,Folic Acid 115.0 µg
Uptown Turkey Sandwiches
1 tbsp (15 mL)honey mustard
1 tsp each (5 mL)apple juice and wine vinegar
4 oz (125 g)cooked turkey breast,thinly sliced
4 slices 100% whole wheat bread,toasted
1/2 roasted pepper,thinly sliced
2/3 cup (150 mL)fresh baby spinach
1.Whisk together mustard,apple juice and vinegar.
2.Divide turkey slices between 2 slices of toast.
3.Drizzle with mustard mixture.
4.Top with red pepper,spinach and remaining toast.
Makes 2 sandwiches
Per sandwich:Calories 367,Protein 27.15 g, Total Fat 7.4 g,Carbohydrates 47.3 g,Fibre 7.3 g
Pasta
2011 Festive Night at the Races
Holiday Social
Friday, November 25th, 2011
The Party Continues....
Pavilion Royale 5165 Dixie Road
Mississauga
http://www.pavilionroyale.com
Program:
Cocktails: 6:00 pm
Buffet Dinner: 6:30 pm
Dueling Pianos: 6:30 pm
Yuk Yuks Show: 9:00 pm
Classic Band: 9:30 pm
(All under one roof)
Cash Bar
Registration Fees:
$89 per member
$109 per non-member
Pre-register by November 7th 2011
Reservations for tables of 8 accepted
Annual Holiday Social
Friday, November 25th, 2011
The Party Continues..
NEW BIGGER LOCATION
Your evening includes:
Buffet Dinner while listening to the Dueling Pianos
Followed by entertainment provided by Yuk Yuks (private show)
And finish the night with music by Jeff Morrison and the Classic Band!
All under one roof!
Join us and celebrate the season with Excellent Food, Great Entertainment and good friends in the Baking Industry.
EvENT Is LImITEd TO 150 GUEsTs! BOOk EARLY TO AvOId dIsAppOINTmENT! LAsT YEAR WAs sOLd OUT!
Dress: Business / Semi-Formal
Feel free to bring a Non-Perishable Food Item (s) as we are looking to provide a donation to the Calgary Food Bank
Friday, January 6th, 2012
(Emerald Ballroom) 2828-23 Street NE, Calgary: Bridlewood Ballroom
Check in, Cocktails & Mingle: 6pm
Dinner Starting at: 7pm
Entertainment /
Silent Auction/Prizes
Accommodation: There is a Special Room Rate of $89 (+ taxes-single or double occupancy) available to this group regarding this function. Please contact the Executive Royal Inn’s Reservation Desk at 403 -291-2003 (or Toll Free: 877-769-2562 ) and Quote Group Code “Take The Elevator Home…” when you call to book your stay. To receive this rate you must book by December 23rd, 2011.
Christmas Party Registration Deadline: Friday , December 23 rd, 2011. NOTE: Register and Pay by November 30, 2011 & You Will Be Entered To Win a Moxies Restaurant Gift Card With A Value of $100.00. Draw To Be Made At the Christmas Function! Please Make Cheques Payable to: Baking Association of Canada
To: Randy MacDonald: 215 Cranleigh Bay SE, Calgary, AB, T3M 1H4 Phone: 403-225-0943 / Fax: 403-225-0946 / Email: rmacdonald@phmilling.com
Baking Association of Canada
Upcoming Events
Bakery showcase 2012
May 6-8
International Centre Toronto (Mississauga), ON
BC Chapter
November 18
Festive Night at the Races
Fraser Downs
Cloverdale BC
Nicolas Adam
Margarine Thibault Inc
Christine Best
Christine’s Bakery & Fine Foods
Antoine de Le Rue
Kerry Ingredients & Flavors
Lisa Guagliano
Spectrim Label & Equipment Inc
Levon karapetyan
Bread House Ltd
Gordon kerr
Chevon Ker
Julie marshall
McCormick Canada
Christian mitzel
Qzina Specialty Foods
Jeanna Ray Shick
kelly swanson
marty Tabaka Ashworth
mike Zevgolis Spectra Foods
Ontario Chapter
November 25
Holiday Social Pavilion Royale Mississauga ON
Alberta Chapter
January 6
Christmas Party
Executive Royale Inn, North Calgary AB
martin Barrera Bakery Technology Unit II & III
Ferenc kiss Operating A Successful Bakery Talaat mohamed Certified Bakery Specialist Diploma (C.B.S.) For information on correspondence courses for baking industry employees and the Certified Bakery specialist (CBs) program, please contact ext. 21 at the BAC office or check out our website at www.baking.ca.
doN’T FoRgET THE SR&Ed TAx CREdiTS
Baking and technology that go hand in hand can save you dough on your tax bill.
An explosion in consumer desire for specialty offerings and healthier fare that doesn’t compromise flavour, texture, aroma or shelf–life is continuously challenging Canada’s baking industry. The industry is also faced with delivering these high-quality baked goods in an atmosphere of rising agricultural commodity and energy costs. The baking industry has been tackling this predicament head on through a broad push in technological advancements in equipment, formulation and processes, as well as new and improved ingredients, throughout the supply chain.
}Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) program provides a valuable tax incentive to companies for eligible expenditures related to the pursuits of a technological advance. Advancements in your business operations that result in increased efficiency, reduced waste or new and improved products may be brought about by internal technological advancements and eligible for SR&ED tax credits. Often this program is underutilized by bakers because of the misconception that baked goods have nothing to do with technology. However, that’s not the case. SR&ED tax credits were successfully claimed by a small baked goods manufacturer for efforts to advance the technology of slicing biscotti containing large fruit, nut and chocolate particulates. A combination of formulation, baking and equipment tests were part of the eligible work to ultimately reduce the waste associated with a fractured biscotti and increase process efficiency. Although their efforts have resulted in
some process improvement, their efforts continue to overcome the limitations of existing technology and so will their SR&ED claim. Another roadblock is gaining the knowledge of how to set up and conduct an eligible SR&ED project.
what Is the Value of sr&eD tax CreDIts?
In very general terms, the federal SR&ED tax credit is 35 per cent of eligible SR&ED expenditures for qualifying small and medium-sized private Canadian companies. The credit may also be refundable. Refundable credits are either applied against taxes otherwise payable or refunded to the taxpayer when the credit is greater than the tax liability for the year. For larger companies, the federal SR&ED tax credit may be reduced to 20 per cent of eligible SR&ED expenditures and is nonrefundable. Non-refundable credits are applied against taxes otherwise payable
SR&Ed tax credits were successfully claimed by a small baked goods manufacturer for efforts to advance the technology of slicing biscotti containing large fruit, nut and chocolate particulates.
or they carry forward and can be applied against income taxes in future years (or also carried back) if the SR&ED tax credit is greater than the tax liability for the year.
Most provinces and territories have SR&ED tax credits as well. For example, in Ontario the SR&ED tax credit is generally 10 per cent of eligible SR&ED expenditures for qualifying companies and the credit is refundable.
shoulD I Pursue an sr&eD tax ClaIM?
To determine if an SR&ED claim makes sense for your business, you need to answer the following questions:
• Do you have eligible work?
If you are systematically conducting experiments, tests, trials and reformulations either in a lab, a test kitchen or on commercial equipment, in order to overcome technological obstacles that you, your suppliers, your customers
and the industry at large cannot resolve, then you are likely performing SR&ED. Similarly, if the path to new and improved products or more efficient or environmentally friendly processes is not routine or straightforward, start the clock and keep track of related expenditures.
• Do you have eligible expenditures attributable to the technological advance?
All labour, materials consumed (or transformed) and contract costs for eligible services that are directly attributable to the SR&ED project can be claimed. Most claims take advantage of the proxy method in which 65 per cent of the claim labour costs are also added to compensate for overheads. A common disappointment with smaller companies can occur if the owner/ operator contributes time to the SR&ED work but does not take a salary from the corporation. Labour costs need to be from T4’d employees or eligible contract expenditures.
You may have some capital expenditures in order to perform your SR&ED; however, these must be fully dedicated or greater than 50 per cent in use for SR&ED and you need to be able to prove there is no cross-utilization by your regular operations.
• Do you have acceptable documentation to substantiate your expenditures?
The CRA expects that you will have a time log or time sheets for each person on each of the projects claimed. Several manual and electronic solutions exist, so ask your advisor for any and all tools they may have. Materials consumed must be substantiated by invoices dated within the fiscal period of the claim. Contract expenditures must be from Canadian suppliers and supported by invoices detailing the eligible service and acknowledging that the SR&ED and intellectual property acquired from the work belongs to you. It is important to note that the contract expenditure is claimed in the fiscal year in which the service is delivered, not necessarily paid for. Capital purchases have several rules;
By MIChelle BrIseBoIs
s etting the scene for sA les
It’s a well-known fact that the first step in eating something takes place with our eyes. We see, we perceive and we desire. You know that a beautiful cake will appear more delicious than a plainly decorated cake, so why shouldn’t a pretty bakery sell more than a plainly decorated one?
In 2004 a Santa Monica, Calif.-based mall conducted a survey to determine which triggers would cause shoppers to spend more. To their surprise, they discovered that fountains had huge power to attract shoppers and enhance customer mood. Furthermore, they reported that happy customers spent on average $25 more per shopping experience. While fountains may not be in the cards for your bakery, the insight behind the observation is clear: décor affects mood, which in turn affects spending. So which areas are the most important to focus on?
what’s your CurB aPPeal?
If you are located on a busy street, intercepting traffic both on foot and in cars will be the most important goal. The exterior is your bakery’s best marketing tactic. It is the first thing a person sees and it is meant to attract future customers. Attractive urns, flowers, awnings and, yes, even perhaps a fountain, may be a way to stand out and look inviting. Hello Cupcake in Tacoma, Wash., displays a pink bicycle in front of its store. The bicycle’s basket holds a seasonal bouquet and is an easy way for fans of the store to describe its location to each other.
fInIshIng touChes
Make sure everything in the bakery is completely finished. No open sockets or wires dangling from the ceiling and keep the floor looking as new as possible. Invest in some designer switchplate covers. For a relatively low cost, they’ll make your bakery look much more upscale.
turn on the CharM
“Charming and approachable” is a great image to portray as a bakery, since baked goods are largely meant to evoke warm, comfortable feelings. Wooden chairs with matching wooden tables can still be rustic and warm. Fresh flowers are lovely on the table and can be well worth the investment. The website www.zazzle.com is a great source for posters with a charming bistro vibe. For less than $30 you can get posters for your bakery that say “Keep Calm, Eat a Cupcake” and “True Love – Cupcakes,” complete with an illustrated pin-up girl.
Be ConsIstent
Pick a tone, a time, a vibe and make it your guiding force for all decisions around décor. Try to resist picking up pieces for your bakery that are a great deal just because they’re inexpensive. A mish-mash of décor themes will only dilute your brand. If you don’t have the budget for artwork, try partnering with a local art gallery
Combining vintage pieces on one table is a consumer trend that’s starting to show up in some restaurants.
to see if you can display some pieces on their behalf. They’ll have a trained eye for what looks best.
a loVely loo
A nice, clean bathroom is always appreciated by customers, but it also has financial benefits. The Journal of Food Service reported in 2009 that a clean, well-caredfor bathroom had a positive impact on the customer’s perception of the establishment concerning food safety. The study also found that a clean latrine encouraged repeat visits to the establishment.
tune the tunes
Music is also part of the ambiance and can be one of the most difficult things to get right. While music isn’t, strictly speaking, décor, it does have a huge impact on ambience. Pick something upbeat but fairly neutral (Starbucks gets it just about right with its choices). Chances are your staff is made up of young people and they’ll want to switch the channel to something with more of a grunge vibe. Keep in mind your target audience may not share the same taste
and will avoid your operation if they don’t like the choices, so it’s imperative that you keep things in check.
Here are a few foodservice décor trends, established and emerging.
Wood with a story: Vancouver’s Pourhouse bar showcases 28 feet of reclaimed Douglas fir. The floors at Taylor’s Genuine Food & Wine Bar in Ottawa are made from lumber that resided at the bottom of the Ottawa River for 100 years. Beautiful cutting boards are a great way to present breads and other items and these décor items can often be made from reclaimed wood.
The industrial look: Many operations are housed in spaces once dedicated to industrial purposes. Brick walls, roll-up doors and concrete floors should be highlighted if you are converting an industrial space into a bakery. Minimalism is a big trend right now, with white, open spaces providing a canvas for beautiful food.
Let there be light: The Edison bulb lighting trend is linked closely to the industrial trend. Exposed bulbs dangling from the ceiling have been around since
about 2002, when trendy eateries in New York first started displaying them. This trend also nods to the Steampunk design theme that’s prevalent in fashion right now. It combines vintage/Victorian cues with a touch of technology. Think of the movie The Golden Compass or Sherlock Holmes and you’ll understand the vibe. Mismatched crockery: Combining a number of vintage pieces on one table is a consumer trend that’s starting to show up in some restaurants. The mismatched crockery fad started in the U.K.’s trendy teahouses last year, but the trend really took off after the 2010 box office hit Alice in Wonderland, in which Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter’s characters are seen using an unconventional tea set. Above all, your décor should make your bakery memorable, distinctive and buzzworthy. It’s not just window dressing – it’s good business. / BJ
Michelle Brisebois is a marketing professional with experience in the food, pharmaceutical, financial services and wine industries. She specializes in retail brand strategies.
Richardson Oilseed Limited, a division of Richardson International, is one of the largest canola oil processors in the world. Their roots trace back to 1857, when James Richardson formed a grain trading company. Today, Richardson International is Canada’s largest privately owned agribusiness.
Richardson is involved in every aspect of the food and agriculture cycle, from working with canola growers at seeding time, to transporting grown crops across the country and turning that canola into oils, margarines, shortenings and sprays. Richardson brings agriculture full-circle to provide its customers with innovative product solutions to meet their business needs.
Richardson Oilseed has two canola crushing facilities in the heart of Western Canada where the majority of canola in North America is grown. With multiple partnerships in key locations across the continent, Richardson easily reaches its customers close to home and those abroad.
A Te A m of Shining S TA r S
Richardson is proud to announce that Gary Knox, Research and Development Manager for Richardson Oilseed Limited, was selected as this year’s Food Development Award Recipient by the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology. Knox developed a donut frying shortening that is non-hydrogenated, trans fat compliant and is lower in saturated fats than high palm content products.
Mr. Knox’s innovation couldn’t have come at a better time. Rising consumer demand for healthier choices coupled with new regulatory measures has increased the need for ingredient suppliers to provide healthier products.
Thanks to rising food industry stars like Mr. Knox and his team, Richardson’s products satisfy food processors and bakeries needs for healthier, functional products that work.
Over the past seven years, Mr. Knox has been creating food ingredient solutions that are more functional than many other non-hydrogenated products being used in the industry today. He devoted an extensive amount of time and resources to listening to customers and asking all the right questions. Customers found that the palm oil left a tacky aftertaste on the palate, created an acidic odour during frying, and caused challenges in having glazes adhere to donuts. Mr. Knox’s vast scientific experience and technical knowledge helped lead his team to develop Richardson Oilseed Donut Fry-It.
A S olu T ion T h AT TAST e S good T oo
Products fried in Donut Fry-It have won sensory tests in small and large bakeries. Bakeries reported that donuts fried in Donut Fry-It were not greasy, their glazes adhered better, and they had a significantly lighter texture and fresher taste compared to those fried in other shortenings. One major customer in North America switched to Donut Fry-It in their bakery and reported over a 30% increase in donut sales without needing to make any changes to their marketing strategy. Their customers recognized the difference!!
The r ich A rd S on d ifference
With their expert team, a pilot plant, laboratories and test bakeries, Richardson has developed solutions for customers ranging from large manufacturers to small independent bakeries. Richardson focuses on developing products that meet their customers’ needs and exceed their expectations.
r ich A rd S on Produc TS
• Oils
• Popcorn Oils
• Margarines
• Shortenings
For further information on Richardson Oilseed Limited’s non-hydrogenated products that work call 1-800-635-3296 or e-mail info@canola.com.
With Richardson Oilseed’s Donut Fry-It NH, customers can enjoy the clean, light taste of a fresh donut while bakers enjoy a product that performs like hydrogenated shortening. Donut Fry-It NH is the fry shortening solution with
Zero trans fat
25% less saturated fat than other palm-based donut frying shortenings
Great glaze adhesion
Longer shelf and fry life
Finally, a non-hydrogenated solution that makes donuts taste great and delivers better bottom lines!
Richardson Oilseed Limited is an innovative manufacturer of oils, margarines and shortenings, powered by canola, which supplies retail and commercial bakeries worldwide.
h ow to s ell 60 dozen muffins in 60 minutes
Baking is a serious business, as I found out early in my career. It all began with a recipe for a simple homestyle muffin recipe that I introduced to a bakery café I worked for. The recipe proved such a hot seller that people would just about knock the doors down before the bakery opened. Almost three decades later, I am still talking about my “Lawsuit Muffins” because it is one recipe for which things became litigious (but fortunately “settled” out of the bakery and out of court). This is one recipe that needs a patent! Enjoy the back story behind my muffin adventure as well as the original recipe. Great baking doesn’t have to be complicated. Bottom line: if you bake it (right), they will come.
Although classically trained as a French pastry chef and baker, I began as an independent baking entrepreneur. I worked out of my home briefly and then rented facilities before caving to the need for a steady wage and going to work for various other bakeries, pastry shops and cafés. My specialties were chocolate chunk cookies, oatmeal cookies the size of plates, a four-layer carrot cake, an unrivalled variety of cheesecakes (including my famed Oreo Cheesecake, a tale for another day) and, of course, ever-popular muffins of all kinds.
One of my first commercial and most memorable gigs was that of muffin creator and baker for a new age, upscale, California/vegetarian-style restaurant and bakery called Terre Etoile (Earth Star, in English). The ad I responded to simply said: “Baker Wanted: experience with American style chocolate chunk cookies helpful.”
I auditioned with a deluxe carrot cake and some chocolate chunk cookies, each weighing about a pound. I landed the gig of bakery manager and reported at 4 a.m. the very next day. My first mission was to
prepare muffins, to be sold fresh and warm in time for the restaurant opening at 8 a.m.
The role of bakery manager was a coup, considering I had been a home baker for only a few months before leaping into the profession and attending hotel school at night. I was overwhelmed by my responsibilities. I had a staff of five bakers and brand new commercial mixers and six sparkling ovens bought at my behest. When not at work, I would sit for hours with a calculator and a small weigh scale, meticulously adapting little home recipes for commercial proportions. After stumbling along for days, I got things up to speed and my little bakery operation was pumping out batches and batches of muffins (bran,
blueberry, corn and apple buttermilk) and earning a great reputation in the process. The neighbourhood turned up in droves and our bakery’s reputation grew. We could not keep up with the demand and often kept mixing batter until 6 p.m. when we should have stopped at 10 a.m.!
Yet I could not help but notice, at day’s end, that one variety of muffins was outselling the others tenfold. It was a Buttermilk Apple Cinnamon Streusel muffin based on a popular domestic recipe you see everywhere and also my personal favourite. Years earlier, I’d clipped the original recipe – Sunrise Apple Muffins – out of a gourmet magazine. It was not
MarCy golDMan’s lawsuIt MuffIns
These are great even without any fruit. For fall, apple cranberry is a good combination.
IngreDIents
Vanilla cinnamon streusel topping
unsalted butter 1/4 cup
all-purpose flour 3 tbsp
brown sugar, firmly packed 1/2 cup white sugar 2 tbsp
cinnamon 1/2 tsp
vanilla powder, optional 2 tsp finely chopped walnuts 1/2 cup
Batter
golden or light brown sugar, firmly packed 1 1/2 cups
unsalted butter, melted 1/2 cup
canola oil 1/4 cup
pure vanilla extract
tsp eggs
cup
flour 3 cups salt 3/8 tsp
baking powder 2 1/2 tsp
baking soda 1/2 tsp
semi-frozen rhubarb, cranberry and apple combination 3 cups
DIreCtIons
Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Spray a muffin tin very generously with non-stick cooking spray. Line nine of the muffin cups with muffin liners. Place on baking sheet. Prepare the streusel by pulsing all ingredients in a food processor to get a crumbly mixture. Set aside.
For the muffins, in a large bowl, hand whisk the brown sugar with the oil and butter. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla and buttermilk well. In a mixer, use the paddle. Slowly fold in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to make a smooth batter. Fold in the fruit and blend well.
Using an extra-large muffin scooper (#16), scoop huge gobs of batter into muffin cups. Top each with a crown of streusel. Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes, turn muffins around, and bake another 15-22 minutes at 375 F. Let stand 15 minutes before attempting to remove muffins from pan (let them set up and get more solid).
Yield: 9 muffins
Baker’s notes
• Buttermilk powder can be used (1/4 cup, 2 oz buttermilk powder to replace 1 fluid ounce buttermilk)
• Unbleached all-purpose flour is used – 1 cup:5 oz by weight, or 150 g
• Brown sugar – 1 cup: 6 oz by weight, or 180 g
• Muffin liners come in amazing shapes and sizes these days. I suggest you consider charging a bit more and investing in some of the rustic and conical muffin liner shapes. They do a great sales job on their own – nothing beats “eye candy.”
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• You can also use all oil (versus oil and melted butter) in the recipe. US HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRY
CoNquER THE CRuST PEEL
Troubleshooting a common problem with par-baked bread crust
With its delicate, golden crust, par-baked bread can be a beautiful thing. But when that crust starts to peel and break off the loaf, it’s a whole other story.
The following factors may contribute to crust peeling:
oVerly fIrM Dough
A dough that is too firm will not expand properly and will need more humidity in the proofer or steam room. Without it, the bread will have a drier skin. If the skin of the bread remains dry, it will cause the crust to peel off.
too MuCh Dough IMProVer
Giving your loaves an overdose of dough improver or conditioner will bring about faster dough development, but it will also dry the bread more quickly. As the bread dries, the crust dries as well, and becomes more prone to peeling.
oVerMIxeD Dough
Overmixed dough will develop quickly. It will also have less tolerance in the proofer and in the oven. If you overmix your dough, you will wind up with a bread that gives a crisp, crumbly crust.
oVerly Dry ferMentatIon
A proofer without sufficient humidity will dry the skin of the bread, resulting in a peeling crust. You should aim for at least 70 per cent relative humidity in your proofer. This is the humidity level relative to the desired proofing temperature.
InsuffICIent oVen steaM
DurIng BakIng
Injecting vapour is an essential step in the production of par-baked bread – it is the secret to success. If vapour is not controlled during the first bake, your bread will lack stability.
Don’t let your dough get too firm or use too much dough improver when making par-baked bread.
fIrst Bake Is too long
Avoid any tinting or colouring of the bread during the initial bake. If par-baked bread is allowed to colour during this first bake, it begins to develop a crust. This crust may flake off due to friction between loaves or against packaging.
IMProPer ressuage tIMe
It is very important to allow the vapours and gases trapped in the bread to escape before freezing. Freezing the bread without allowing sufficient time for ressuage, or gas escape, can lead to condensation in the deep freeze. This can contribute to drying of the crust, which may peel once the frozen loaves are packaged.
On the other hand, allowing too much time for ressuage will dry the bread out, which can also cause the crust to peel.
As a rule, ressuage time should not exceed five minutes.
IMProPer Blast freezIng
In order to ensure freezing does not damage your loaves, monitor conditions carefully. If the temperature is too low, the freeze is too long, or the force of the air in the blast freezer is too strong, it may affect the bread’s crust.
PaCkagIng
Inadequate packaging may contribute to crust peeling by allowing the loaves to
rub against one another, or against the packaging itself. A plastic bag is important in prolonging the shelf life of frozen loaves. For breads weighing more than 340 grams (12 ounces), I suggest using a separator to keep the loaves from rubbing together.
too MuCh sCarIfICatIon
Too much scarification, or scarification that is too deep, will cause the crust to peel when exposed to friction between loaves or against packaging.
IMProPer seConD Bake
The second round of baking can cause the crust to peel if the initial bake is not done properly. The purpose of the second bake is to give the loaves a golden crust. This is done by baking the loaves in an oven injected with vapour. An oven with insufficient heat will require a longer baking time, drying the crust and making it vulnerable to peeling.
Remember that when the crust peels off, the bread will be left without any tint or colouring, even after the second baking. / BJ
Mario Fortin is an international bakery consultant and owner of FORMA-LAB, a consulting service for bakers and suppliers. If you have a technical problem, send your question to info@forma-lab.com.
unique but darned good. I made a number of changes to the recipe with flavour, leavener, flours and mixing method, but it was, in the beginning, just a simple affair. I made it special by pumping it up with the best ingredients (sea salt, unbleached flour, double-strength Madagascar vanilla, a variety of apple chunks) and techniques and handling. Once I perfected it all, I then painstakingly scaled the recipe up into a formula.
As any great baker knows, you cannot just arbitrarily scale recipes up. It takes a discretionary hand and much trial and error. Once that is done, you must consider the mixers and ovens. You will also have all sorts of other people making your recipe, but it still needs to be consistent and so you need to create an ironclad, durable formula that tastes as amazing as when you make it. That’s the beauty of a really great formula. Clearly, something was working right because we were selling 60 to 75 dozen muffins a day!
In comparison, muffin booths in malls sold an average of 15 to 18 dozen a day. We were also selling pies, cheesecakes, carrot cakes, fudge tortes and brownies, and still the muffins dwarfed all other sales.
Soon, I upped my game and created a whole muffin line dubbed “The Famous Buttermilk Muffin Collection” using the same base formula with several varieties of fruit: apple, raspberry, strawberry, rhubarb, peach, apricot, blueberry and a zesty cranberry-orange. I was diligent about marrying up the flavours just so. Cranberry merged with orange zest, blueberries were partnered with lemon zest; rhubarb got both orange zest and a double dose of vanilla, and banana chunk did well with a dusting more of cinnamon and a kiss of nutmeg and allspice. It also made the most of what fruits were available at better prices from our supplier or what was in season. I instructed my bakers to be very generous with the nut streusel but even the basic recipe sold well in a “plain” cinnamon vanilla version. Buttermilk was a key ingredient. It contributed taste and height to the muffins (its acidic nature interacts very well with baking soda and its flavour adds a nice tang to muffins). And I learned to use quality buttermilk powder just in case our dairyman forgot the fresh buttermilk or we ran out. One day, I arrived to find my recipes were in the office upstairs and I was
asked to gather my things. For whatever reason, things had changed. Because my muffin formula was a working recipe it was known by the staff and, it could be argued, property of the bakery. I was young and stung; those muffins were my North Star. But undaunted, I moved on to other baking escapades.
My favourite muffin recipe (among a ton of great muffin recipes on my website and in my cookbooks) is still my regular buttermilk muffin formula. It
bears equally well scaling up for a bakery or scaling down for a trial batch for your kids’ school bake sale. They are superb, no matter what. They are easy and consistently successful. / BJ
Marcy Goldman is a Montreal-based pastry chef and baker, host of the renowned BetterBaking.com website (www.BetterBaking.com and www.BetterBakingBlog.com), author of four cookbooks, and a frequent guest on Martha Stewart Sirius Radio.
Good taste has always been our strength.
For 50 years, we’ve redefined the business of supplying fine ingredients to the food industry. How? By representing only foremost Principals. By matching our product-service offering to customers’ supply chains. And by welcoming organizations like ISO and HACCP to verify our operations.
When you make Lomas your partner, we make our success contingent upon yours.
By BranDI Cowen
the oBesity Buzz
More than 1,000 individuals and organizations – representing youth, child-care providers, national aboriginal organizations, industry, media and non-governmental organizations – participated in the “Our Health Our Future” national dialogues on healthy eating and obesity. During the consultations, Canadians and government officials discussed the range of factors that can lead to obesity, and explored ideas to tackle the country’s obesity epidemic and promote healthier eating.
The Baking Association of Canada (BAC) was one of several industry groups to participate in the consultations. In its representation to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the BAC highlighted the efforts Canada’s bakers have made to improve the nutrition of their products, noting that birth defects have dropped since the industry began fortifying foods and ingredients with thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid. The BAC also pointed to the industry’s participation in voluntary initiatives to cut levels of sodium and trans fats in bakery products.
}Moreover, in its submission, the BAC noted that in 2004, approximately 25 per cent of Canadian children between the ages of four and eight did not eat enough grain – a figure that tends to rise with age. Approximately 30 per cent of adults failed to reach the five-serving minimum recommended in the previous version of Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating. According to the BAC, the number of Canadians who are falling short of the new recommended servings of grainbased products – updated to six servings for teens and adult women, and seven servings for adult men in the 2007 edition of the food guide – is likely to be even higher now.
The Baking Association of Canada found that many Canadians are falling short of their grain requirements.
“The challenge in all of this is taking an approach that is balanced. All foods can be consumed as part of a healthy diet – it’s an issue of selection.”
eating and obesity consultations is an acknowledgment of the importance of grain-based products in a healthy lifestyle.
“I think an important outcome would be the recognition of the value of grain-based products to a balanced diet,” says Hetherington. “We look at the contribution that grains make to the diet as being very important, particularly as it relates to whole grains, and there’s ample clinical evidence to support that position.”
Another key outcome, from the BAC’s perspective, will be driving home the idea that healthy diets leave room for the occasional treat.
it’s an issue of selection. I can enjoy a piece of cake as part of a healthy diet, as long as I recognize that I’m consuming cake now, so I have to moderate my diet to account for the fact that I’m eating cake,” says Hetherington.
The issues raised in the BAC’s representation to PHAC will be folded into a broader report on the national dialogues as a whole. That report was due to be presented to the federal, provincial and territorial health ministers last month. Although it was not available at press time, PHAC states that the goal of the report is to identify actions that can be taken to address childhood obesity and help all Canadians reach and maintain healthy weights.
BAC president and CEO Paul Hetherington says one thing the association would like to see come from the healthy
“The challenge in all of this is taking an approach that is balanced. All foods can be consumed as part of a healthy diet –
“The goal in launching the national dialogue was to kick-start the discussion, generate ideas and facilitate collaboration across a range of sectors that have an interest in this issue,” says Charlene Wiles,
Ideally, the report will recognize that a little moderation goes a long way in making room for all foods in a healthy diet.
media relations advisor with PHAC.
“Addressing obesity includes changing the social and physical environments that influence children’s and families’ eating habits and activity levels. To do this, a variety of actions from all sectors of society are needed – governments alone cannot address the growing obesity epidemic. We all have a role to play to promote healthy weights and keep our children healthy,” she adds.
However, Wiles says that PHAC recognizes “individuals have a role to play in their own health and well-being,” noting that staying physically active and maintaining a healthy weight are “essential to good health.”
So what can we expect to see in the report?
Some groups have floated the idea of introducing a tax on unhealthy foods, as Denmark did last month. Perhaps most notably, in March, the Canadian Medical Association called on the federal government to tax sugar-sweetened drinks.
But from where Hetherington sits, Canada doesn’t appear poised to follow Denmark’s example anytime soon. “I think the reality is that those types of interventions have yet to be proven that they actually contribute to anything other than government coffers,” he says.
Other initiatives, such as limiting how foods and beverages high in fat or sugar are marketed to children, are up for discussion, according to Wiles.
From 2007 to 2009, approximately 24.1 per cent of Canadians over the age of 30 were obese, according to Statistics
Canada’s Canadian Healthy Measures Survey. During that same period, the national childhood obesity rate sat at 8.6 per cent. Obesity rates have been on the rise for the past 20 years, according to data collected by Statistics Canada. / BJ
fast faCts
• More than 26 per cent of Canadian children and youth aged 2 to 17 are either overweight (18 per cent) or obese (8.6 per cent)
• Approximately 41 per cent of Aboriginals between the ages of 2 and 17 living off-reserve are either overweight or obese
• Over the last 25 years, obesity rates among children and youth in Canada have nearly tripled
• Approximately 22 per cent of the total energy intake by Canadian children and youth (between the ages of 4 and 18) comes from foods that are mostly fats or sugar, or high-fat and/or high salt snacks
• Overall, 24.1 per cent of adults in Canada are obese, compared to 34.4 per cent in the United States
• In Canada, obesity is slightly more prevalent in men (24.3 per cent) than in women (23.9 per cent)
sources: statistics Canada and government of Canada
DII Dealers Ingredients Inc.
i ng B ase
In gredi e nt s, im pro vi ng y o ur p rodu c t's v alu e pro po si ti o n o r twe aki ng margi n s, tru st D eal e rs
In gredi e nt s to de l i ve r r e sul ts
But te r B uds
But te r, c ream a nd c he e se natural d ai r y co n ce n trate s r e duc e fat w hi l e en han ci n g fl av ou r ch aract e ris ti c s at a lo we r to tal c os t I mpro v e yo ur p ro duc t per form an ce – natu rall y.
Cit r i-f i
C i tri -fi o ffers exc e pti o nal val ue a nd pe r fo rm anc e by i mpro v i ng mo i st ure manage m e nt, re duc i ng f ats an d cal o rie s w h il e en han ci n g taste a nd tex ture. I t's a w i nn in g fo rm ul a f o r yo u a nd yo ur c on sum e rs – natu rall y
Prod uc t o f t he U n i ted S t at es
Bonnie Gordon Bonnie Gordon College, Canada
Julie Bashore Sugar Art School, PA
Mercedes Strac hwsky Bake Me A Cake, FL
Buddy Valastro Carlo’s Bakery, NJ
Rosalind Chan ICCA, Malaysia Sugar Tiers, Canada
Michelle Bommarito Michelle Bommarito, MI
the most important is that it must be new equipment.
The CRA also expects that you will have dated documentation and evidence generated during the project. Items such as project planning documents, designs of experiments, project records and notebooks, records of trial runs, minutes of meetings, test protocols, test data, and analysis of test results would be valuable. Evidence such as photographs, videos, samples, prototypes and scrap need to be dated and initialled at the time they are created. A full listing of acceptable supporting evidence can be found in the CRA’s T661 Guide to SR&ED.
unDertakIng an sr&eD ClaIM
It is highly recommended that if you wish to conduct and claim SR&ED you identify at least one technical resource and a costing resource and have them trained so that the SR&ED projects are proactively planned (where possible) and that expenditures are continuously tracked throughout the year. Organizing an SR&ED team and detailing the project status at regular intervals during the fiscal year will result in a solid, supportable claim generating a tax credit that you can perhaps roll right back in to making the next technological advance.
Business Improvement Group, Inc. has a team of technical people, including engineers and scientists familiar
¦ professional directory ¦
with your business pressures. Fuller Landau LLP has tax experts who understand the tax claim forms and the complicated tax rules. Our firms work closely together to ensure that you are gaining the maximum benefit. If you would like to learn more about SR&ED, contact Pam Chappell of Business Improvement Group at 1-877-541-5551 or Derek Wagar of Fuller Landau at 416-645-6500 to arrange a no-charge, onsite visit to confirm if your company may qualify for these credits. / BJ
Christine Hykamp, P. Eng., M.Sc. Eng., is the senior engineer, SR&ED Services at Business Improvement Group, Inc., and Richard Weber, CA, is a tax principal at Fuller Landau LLP.
By J ANE d u MMER , R
diSCovERiNg ANCiENT gRAiNS
These grains have a long history of nourishing humanity, one that bakers serving health-conscious and gluten-intolerant consumers are rediscovering
Over the past five years, I’ve been cooking and baking with ancient grains. Hot quinoa cereal and fresh berries for breakfast, amaranth flour in my baking recipes and chia wherever I can find a use for it.
Ancient grains are becoming more mainstream for a few reasons. Quinoa and amaranth have excellent nutrition profiles with the added bonus of being gluten-free. Kamut and spelt offer interesting textures and flavours to breads and crackers. Bulgar and wheat berries are ancient grains offering chewy textures and nutty flavours. Bulgar cooks up like rice and it is available in coarse, medium or fine grinds. Wheat berries are a true whole grain and the flour can be used in a variety of baking.
}I like it for a hot cereal: the combination of carbohydrates and protein keeps me energized all morning long. Quinoa is a great food for the celiac community and other people who follow a gluten-free diet. It is a good source of the B vitamins niacin and thiamine, and the mineral zinc. It has a nutty, smoky flavour, which makes it a delicious side dish for any meal. Quinoa flour is used by many artisan bakers in bread, cookies and muffins. Amaranth, also called Chinese spinach and once considered a lowly weed in North America, is another rock star when it comes to nutrition. It can be grown in the warmer regions of Canada, for example, on the west coast’s Salt Spring Island. Not only does amaranth provide protein and three times more fibre than wheat, but it also contains iron, potassium, phosphorus, and vitamins A and C.
Because of its high nutritional value, amaranth is also becoming more popular as a food and as an ingredient in both Canada and the united States.
My favourite ancient grains are quinoa and amaranth. Quinoa and amaranth are two very old, high-protein plants that hail from South America. They are treated as grains although they have broad leaves, unlike the true grains and corn, which are grasses. Quinoa, however, is a cool weather crop and amaranth is a warm weather one. Both were held sacred in ancient Incan and Aztec cultures.
Quinoa has been one of the primary foods of the Incas for more than 5,000 years. The Incas referred to quinoa as “Mother Grain.” Most quinoa is grown in the Andes region in South America. The fact that quinoa will grow in extremely poor soil together with its great nutritional value makes it a true supergrain to feed the world.
Quinoa has been referred to as a superfood and is an excellent food source due to the nutrition it provides. Grown in Canada, quinoa is an excellent source of protein. That’s why
For many centuries, amaranth was used as a food source. For example, it was considered a dietary staple for the pre-Colombian peoples who inhabited Mexico. Now, it is commonly grown in Mexico, Peru and Nepal. Sixty species of amaranth exist in the world. Certain varieties are considered vegetables and are grown strictly for their leaves. Others are grown only for their seeds. Because of its high nutritional value, amaranth is also becoming more popular as a food and as an ingredient in both Canada and the United States. Amaranth is also gluten-free and is used by many artisan bakers and commercial bakers to create products such as cakes and muffins for the celiac and gluten-free population. Next on my ancient grains list is millet. I’ve had to get past it being the star grain in bags of birdseed. This tiny grain isn’t just for the birds, as it is gluten-free and packed with fibre and magnesium. The seed must be hulled before we can eat it. It is so versatile it can be used in anything from hot cereals (quinoa, you’re still my favourite) to
is an excellent source of protein with a nutty,
savoury side dishes. Creative bakers are using the flour form to develop a variety of gluten-free products.
There’s nothing wrong with plain old wheat – it’s a staple of the Canadian diet. However, curious dietitians, cooks and amateur bakers like me are drawing inspiration from the history books and cooking up ancient grains to add texture, variety and extra nutrition to our meals. Which ancient grains are next on your list? / BJ
Jane Dummer, RD, is a leading dietitian for the Canadian food and nutrition industry. Jane offers services specializing in agri-food, functional foods and food safety. For more information, visit www.janedummer.com.
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