01 Jul “What a long, strange trip its been” -Jerry Garcia
One of my favorite lines from one of my favorite bands…am I dating myself? And it aptly states our journey to the opening of our little bakery. Overall, we have spent almost 2 years to open a bakery. It seems like it should not have been that difficult. The economy, the politics of local banks, regulations, local contractors, and most importantly…the realization of aging…have all been great opportunities for us to learn. And learn we did! We have persevered through it all and are now on the verge of opening the shop of my dreams. We need only solve some issues related to the heat generated by our equipment, get a few roof leaks fixed, and get our production schedule set and we will be ready to open our doors. I have been asked hundreds of times over the last two years when we are going to open. I have been wrong hundreds of times in my answer, so I will only say we will open sometime in the next few weeks. But please stop by any time and see what we are up to. We will be baking to tweak our recipes and there is likely to be something to taste if you happen by.
We are assembling a small but passionate team to serve you. Becca Franklin, a recent graduate of Johnson & Wales in Charlotte has relocated to Beaufort to be our lead baker. She has interred in France and is very passionate about her life’s work. We are excited to have her. Christina Alexander, who many of you may know from Suzara’s Kitchen, will manage the front of the house and ensure you are well taken care of when you visit us. Lorenzo Capers is joining us to cook breakfast and Lunch. Lorenzo is a St. Helena native and works with the talented team at Sweetgrass on Dataw in the evening. He has worked in Hilton head, Bluffton and Beaufort for many years. We are glad to tap into the local talent we have here in the area. And of course, Deborah, the love of my life, will infuse her energy into the operation. Remember as you eat some of our sweets and butter laden croissants that Deborah is a personal trainer and would be glad to help you work it off…so you can eat more.
Those of you have stopped by may have noticed our brick wall. This will become the “Brick Wall Gallery” featuring the work of local artists. Our first show will be the Photographs of Jane Abrams. She will be featuring “local” markets from around the world. We are thrilled she agreed to the show. Her eye for capturing people, action, and emotion is uncanny. We hope you will stop by to see these images.
I mentioned age at the beginning of this little missive. We have learned that we may have a few more aches and pains than we might have if we were starting this 30 years ago. There is know denying that…and despite Deborah’s best efforts…age is inexorable. While it may chip away at our physical strength, age does not dampen passion. In fact, the wisdom that comes with age (at least I think it does) fuels the passion. I can say that we are very passionate about bringing great bread, heavenly pastries, and healthy, innovative food to Lady’s Island in an atmosphere that is warm and welcoming.