Neighborhood Cleanup!

Monday April 26 2010
Meet at Nana's at 9:30am


Bags and gloves will be provided, this can also go towards community service hours.
The larger the volunteer group, the more we can get done!

I think this is a really great thing. I haven't done this since grade school and I'm glad to see people still care. This is OUR COMMUNITY!

Spring is in the air, back riding my bike to work. It feels so good to be out there in the fresh, crisp air in the morning.
Today was a cookie day! Linda made and decorated these beautiful cookies for Easter.
Linda also made these Gluten Free apple scones. It was her first attempt with this and she did a great job. Surprising as this sounds , they were better when they cooled down a bit. I think the flavour just came through as they cooled. Can't wait to see what flavour she'll try next!

Doug and Linda make turnovers nearly everyday. Thought I'd put a few pictures of them in as they looked especially good today! Maybe someday they'll try making them Gluten Free. I miss them!

At Nana's Bakery we make nearly everything from scratch. No premixes here! Everyone is so busy , it's hard to find the time to cook or bake. Doug and Chris Wellington (dietician) are teaming up again and are offering a class, Cooking on a Budget. There is no charge for this class and everyone is welcome. It's the same class offered at two different times. Monday April 12 from 1-3 at Windsor FHT Training Room. 2475 McDougall Street #245 Jackson Park Health Centre or Monday April 19th 6-8pm Nana's Bakery 2936 Dominion Blvd. Please register with Chris at 519 250 5656 #206 or Doug at 519 966 2434. Hope to see you there!

I'm Gluten Free

I was treated to a very nice surprise this week by a visit from my Godmother and her son. Mrs. A has been my second mother all of my life. She always made me feel special. I ran away from home when I was 5. Nobody loved me , nobody cared! My Mom and Dad had just brought home Tony, the newest addition to our family. I thought I was the baby and I quite liked it. I ran away to Mrs A's and asked if she loved me (she lived across the street) and could I stay with her. Of course I could. Anyways, whatever she said made me feel better. Thanks for always being there for me Mrs. A. I love you lots!

This is Wendy on Fat Tuesday doing dishes. There were dishes and more dishes. Then the sugary, sticky , doughy stuff stuck on everything. Wendy always works so hard and we really appreciate that plus we like her lots, she's a good friend.

These are some friends enjoying some of the deliciousness that Doug and Linda make. That happens to be Gluten Free biscotti on the plate. It is so good that even people who can eat anything still reach for the gluten free baking!
We are not a Gluten Free Bakery but the bakers do take all reasonable precautions to make our gluten free goodies.
For years I suffered from headaches, irritable bowel, bloating, water retention never understanding the cause. Sandy comes into the bakery explaining to me how most of her symptoms have been eased by a gluten free diet. She listed her symptoms, including all of mine as well as joint pain and a few others. That conversation was a couple of years ago. Now we compare ankles, we haven't seen ours for years. When I tried a gluten free diet I was slowly seeing my ankle bones reappear. Didn't think I'd ever see them again. Here we are two grown woman showing off our ankle bones. My digestion problems are gone, headaches gone, so many things are better. After about 8 months I thought I'd try spelt flour, which has gluten but is thought to be wheat free. I missed turnovers and Doug made some with spelt flour. Wow, major mistake. The next day I had the worst headache of my life. I almost went to the hospital , it was so bad. I won't do that again. Once in a while I still find something that surprises me and has gluten in it. Like the pre mixed Caesars! My son found that one. I just want to Thank you Sandy, it has made a difference in my quality of life. Now if I can only get a handle on my sleeping issues!

The Irish are coming soon. Be ready for them with some soda bread. I would have green beer but not at the bakery.

Irish Soda Bread
1 tablerspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 cups flour
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 - 2 cups sour milk (milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice added)

=> Put all dry in a bowl and cut in the fat so it looks like oatmeal
=> Add in the liquid to form a dough
=> Divide into 2 protions and kneed until it is nor sticky
=> Round into to loaves and score the tops with a cross
=> Bake at 350f for 30 to 40 min. until sounds hollow when tapped

Thoughts

Some days at the bakery when the dishes are piled up, I've burnt the second batch of the same cookie and I just can't seem to manage gravity - I think I could just walk out. And then most days, I see the faces that are becoming more and more familiar and realise how much Nana's really is a family. We all have good days and bad days and no matter what, family is always there for you. I can't believe I've grown so attached to this place in the short amount of time I've been working here.
Yesterday Doug was talking to the repair man (The door came off the fridge- we'll call that a bad day!) and he said some of the nicest things about me and made me realise how truly lucky I was to be working for him. He gave me my first job in a bakery, he started my apprenticeship for me I really do owe the beginning of my career to him. Thank you for everything Doug.
The funny thing is when I was looking for my first real career job there were two bakeries that stood out to me. One that made elegant desserts and cakes with real butter, my dream job. Then this bakery which made sugar free items and no butter. I thought going into the bakery I wouldn't want to work there. I applied to many more, but I was hired at both of these places. I absolutely disliked the fancy place! Turns out the one place I didn't think I wanted to work at was my dream job. Doug has a quote "Everyone deserves a cookie." And it's so true, when someone comes in who has an allergy and can finially eat something from a bakery or have something made especially for them, seeing the joy on their face makes it so worth it and gives me so much pride. One year ago I had no idea what kind of baker I would be and now I believe I've found my place!

Loczki Day at Nana's

Today, Fat Tuesday, we celebrated by making over 1000 Loczkis at the bakery. The 'Loczki' is our low fat low calorie version of a paczki. We had Apple, Blueberry, Cherry, Lemon & Custard.

Arms Boomnlang from AM800 came to broadcast from the bakery and helped out a bit too. We'd also like to give him a special thanks, our phone was off the hook and we couldn't get them out of the oven fast enough!

Doug was in the kitchen at 2:30am and we closed up shop at 7:00pm. He never complains and his hard work shows.

This is how our aprons looked at the end of the day, along with the floors, counters, hands, hats. . So much Jelly!

Thanks to everyone who helped out and to the new faces we met. We hope to see you again and welcome to Nana's kitchen.

Deliciousness....

mmmm...strawberries dipped in chocolate and rolled in deliciousness!

mmmmore....

and

Black Forest Torte

Boston Cream Pie...

Linda and Si getting it just right!

and I really liked those strawberries.

James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" is playing in the background. It must be Saturday morning at t he bakery. Over Easy is on the radio, love that session on 94.7.

"Goodmorning" is heard through the bakery as I make my way through the diningroom. I stop and chat with customers on my way to the kitchen. Familiar faces greet me. There's Doug in the back. I see his face, there's comfort there. As I put the fresh baking out I'm thinking of how much I enjoy Saturdays. It's more relaxed , the music is on and the orders are finished for the week.

This week is a little different. Saturday night is Dessert Night. Doug and Linda have prepared special desserts, all the fat and sugar please! Something we don't usually do. Wow...what beautiful things they can make with food. I sit and mingle with everyone a little longer tonight.