A Pause in Production for Worker Cooperation

Hey, anyone out there! I’ve been having a hard time fitting in the bagels with everything else in my life, but this week it just TOTALLY NOT POSSIBLE. So there will be no bagels, probably until Wednesday.

Why? Well, because the Star E. Rose, where I’ve been doing my bagel-making, and picking up some extra shifts, and where I first worked when I moved to Portland 7 years ago, just became a WORKER CO-OP. Hell to the yeah.

So, I’m putting in a lot of energy there, subbing at the co-op for extra $ and doing other important work in the world. Plus our landlord is coming over and I need to clean the house as well as get it ready for someone new to move in.

Please come support the Star E Rose! We sell, coffee, breakfast, lunch and dinner, which includes soup, pie, quiche and treats that we bake ourselves and sandwiches up the wazzoo… I’m working on a new tea menu, but in the meantime we sell a broad selection of Numi teas.  And our greens come from Dymaxion Gardens (formerly Farmer Pete’s Urban Farm Project)!

Crumpets!!

So, last night I tried making crumpets… with what appears to be total success!

I will likely be bringing them to the co-op on Friday.

Ch-ch-changes!

So, tomorrow is the first day that I will be selling bagels in BAGS at the co-op. They are not quite what they will be once I get my lino-cutting tool back, but they’re pretty cute. I also brought the first batch of bialys to the co-op today. Some people  will know of the delicious onion and poppy-ness of which I speak and others will not. I have to say that mine are not as tough/crunchy/chewy as I like them, but I have had requests to keep them that way, so we shall see. We also have seen the addition of Hot Pepper & Daiya vegan Cheddar, as well as Spinach & Daiya Cheddar. (Daiya cheese is the new hip vegan cheese that is being sold at the co-op and being used to make Tofurkey Vegan Pizzas) The spinach came from my fabulous roomate’s urban CSA, the link for which is off to the right! So, this weeks goals are to find my sourdough english muffin recipe, possibly attempt crumpets and maybe branch out into other businesses…. as well as offer HOME DELIVERY!

That’s right! If you live within 3 miles (I might expand it later, but I’m starting w/that) of the Star E. Rose and want to get bread, bagels, bialys or other gluteny goodness delivered TO YOUR DOOR it can happen. I will be making deliveries 3 days a week, which I have not completely determined, but likely are Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. BY BIKE! woohoo.  To get in on this, email me at: eli@nunchuksky.com with Gluten in the subject line and a brief description of what you want and when…

Here’s a price list:

bagels – $1.00 each, $5.50 fer a half dozen

Daiya cheese bagels – $1.50 each, $8.00 for a half dozen

Sourdough loaf – $3.00

Bialys – $1.50 each, $7.50 for a half dozen.

more to come later.

Bagels & burnout

So, I’ve been selling my sourdough (boiled) bagels for 2 weeks at the Alberta Cooperative Grocery in Portland.

And I’m really enjoying it, but I’m also burnt out.

Not on bagels or ferments or sourdough, by any means.      - –    I’m subbing @ two jobs, going to lots of meetings, trying to help my roomate with his urban farm project, trying to do some of my own gardening and had to repair some damage wrought upon our yard by people who don’t really have an understanding of basic soil health.

So, Thursday night I decided I just couldn’t do it. I made dough for the next day and went home and slept forEVER. And woke up and went through my recipes and receipts and plans and dreams. At the present moment, I’m making abou $2 an hour. (when making bagels) and if you consider the costs that I haven’t yet factored in of bowls & other equipment, building shelves, the stepladder that I need, the bike trailer I am going to get. I’m not really squeezing any money out of this project.

Which isn’t really a surprise. I need to start expanding where I’m selling the bagels and try to do some direct to consumer sales. I think what stopped my Thursday night was knowing that if I didn’t get caught up on sleep, I was never going to get beyond where I was. I had to spend a lot of time Friday thinking about how over-committed I am. And I didn’t come up with many solutions because everything I’m doing is really important to me.

But then I ran into Eli! (the other Eli) who had said that he was interested in helping with bagels. We made plans to train him Monday night! So, ideally I’ll get to a point where I could have 2 nights off/week. (from making bagels)

And I’ll be able to start figuring out how to produce more in the same amount of time, find more customers, and adapt more recipes. I need to go into the co-op and talk to the buyer about cutting out some bagel-styles and adding some other items. (english muffins and bialys!)

And a working member from the co-op is coming to meet with me and watch me work Tuesday to write about what I’m doing for the co-op newsletter.

So, I’m workin’ it out.

GOGOGOGO

Have been selling sourdough bagels at the Alberta Co-op for a whole week now. And have barely slept for that whole week also. It’s getting easier, though. And I think I’m learning to not overbook myself too much… or at least I get to sleep in tomorrow. I want to have brunch with all the rad folks I’ve been talking to about getting involved with this, so if you haven’t mentioned to me that you’re interested, let me know soon. (also, already got my first vendor check! saving it for when I need more supplies).

flyer…

Obsessive Fermenter and Baker Seeks Co-obsessors

So, I’m obsessed with fermented foods. I love sauerkraut and kimchi and cheeses and kombucha and all kinds of weird things and some that I’ve only thought up or read about. I love the book Wild Fermentation. I especially am excited about sourdough and especially about sourdough bagels. I am trying to sell them to the Alberta Cooperative Grocery starting in a few weeks and attempting to find a few other businesses that are into the idea. I am looking for other obsessive fermenter/bakers in Portland, Oregon who are interested in such a project. Long term I also really want to make and sell fermented pickles and a few other things that no one else in town has cornered the market on. I also am excited about teaching people these skills. And about educating people about the f*ed up-ed-ness of capitalism by teaching them about the exploitation of labor through food production.

Seriously, I’ve got some GOALS. (and this is all on top of making a living and various other projects) So, lets say you’re thinking for WHATEVER reason that you’re interested in buddy-ing up with me…. what else am I looking for?

I would rather have another anti-authoritarian, anti-capitalist, angry person along for the ride. Actually, this is probably more important than fermentation or baking skills. I will happily pass along all information I’ve gleaned. I want to come to happy agreement about who is doing what work, who’s investing what money and time and what the long term goals of the project are.

I mostly am sick of having a real job and a boss and being disinterested. I don’t expect to really make money doing this. Although, if there were a few people interested in forming something more solid and cohesive it might be possible (to at least be self-sustaining).