They lied? - Page 7

This has been bugging me. I define a "mix" as a commercially prepared powder mix that is so full of chemicals that it makes baking 99% foolproof, no matter how much other junk you add to it. That is the universally accepted idea of what a mix is. Let's stop being obtuse here.

If I take flour, sugar, salt etc. and prepare it in advance, of course I am still baking scratch.

There are several professional scratch bakers on this thread alone that have built successful businesses selling their real scratch cake. Clients specifically seek us out because of it and their reasons vary from moral reasons to health complications. These clients want to avoid processed food and unnecessary chemicals, and yes... they start the conversation asking questions to make sure.

These people aren't mythological unicorns no matter how much you want to tell yourselves they don't exist. They do.

So lets playing nice, y'all. Don't lie or stretch the truth. It only makes you look bad.

Probably because, from what I have observed, those who bake exclusively from scratch seem to imply that their way is really and truly the best way, and that those who bake from a mix are sub-par, and that their customers are deprived of really good baking, so they don't know any better but to like that nasty mix stuff. Wouldn't that make you a tiny bit defensive?

Even though scratch bakers will swear up and down that if you bake from a mix, say it loud and proud and it's really ok, and don't feel inferior, the fact is that they DO feel mix baking is inferior. At least, that's the impression I get. Am I wrong?

Not that it matters, but as a point of reference for my view point, I bake both scratch and mix based, depending on flavor. And (unless all of our customers are lying to us) everyone loves our cakes, both scratch and mix. Take that for whatever it's worth. And if someone were to ask me point blank if we bake from scratch, I would tell them the truth, that some are mix based and some are from scratch. What's the big frickin' deal? So far not one of our customers has asked.

And, we're in the ditch.

Baker Rose, I started my babies on how to make a box mix, but then it was taken to a higher level. My oldest daughter was cranking out yeast breads and rolls when she was 13.

It sure is interesting that we debate this subject. Box mixes are the paint-by-number of baking. Scratch (that is good) is so far above this level.

By this analysis, FromScratch and I both bake from scratch. We would probably be worthy opponants in that area. We also both decorate cakes. Because we are both decorators, are we equal? I am stuck in the middle school of decorating and I have no problem recognizing that in this analysis, FromScratch has her PHD in decorating. I have no problem being honest with my customers.

Other posters have commented and I agree that some scratch baking is worse than box mixes. If you can't bake better than a box, then your scratch baking skill level is very low. That is the honest truth. The debate about people preferring box is because they haven't had a great scratch cake. If they pick your box mixes and your doctored mixes over your scratch, again, your skills are low. Nobody has ever even thought to compare my cakes to a box. It's like comparing cake to pie. The box issue never never comes up because there is no comparison.

It is always comical to me that again, only a tiny few bakers will ever debate that box baking is equal. Ask people on the street what is superior. The few people who belittle the art of scratch baking are only fooling themselves among a global population who have no problem defining the difference between a processed food product and a fine food product.

Again, the lie or skirting the truth is because the baker does not believe in her product and is afraid that if the customer found out, they too would not see the value. In simple economics 101 terms, a sale occurs when the value for a product exceeds the the dollar amount given up. So the lie is in place solely to extract more money from the unsuspecting client than they would give up if the truth were known. Take that business plan to the bank and see if that would get you a loan.

We are priviledged to have a Pennsylvania Dutch Market in our area. They are open 3 days a week and they are always jam packed with customers. If you ask any vendor what is from scratch or what did they make themselves, they will all quickly tell you which items they purchase elsewhere that are processed, which are made fresh or organic from local vendors, and what they make themselves from scratch.

Luckily, there are a multitude of businesses and industries who are proud of their products and portray them honestly. We all know that there are dishonest businesses too. Too many people are successful selling goods and services honestly depicted. They do not have to resort to lies, exaggerations, embellishments, or deceitfully mincing words to be successful.

Some of my nieces and nephews have food allergies so for me its really important that any where we eat have an ingredient list available. I have been in several bakeries where they thought I was crazy and have even been accused of looking for their secret recipes. My personal opinion is that if your going to bake for a living you need to be upfront and honest about your ingredients.

you can't really tell the difference

they really don't have to tell you anything. It's their proprietary right to keep their products and recipes--be they from box or scratch--a secret.

I acquired them at a food distributor. You may think they are the same but I consider stores-bought to be the boxes you buy from Walmart not the mixes I would buy from food distributors.

It translates into "made in-house" versus having been made in a factory and purchased, either fresh, or frozen, by the bakery.

what difference does it make? It's cake!

WHO CARES!!!

it's still possible you were not lied to since the question you specifically asked really wasn't that specific

If the cake taste great isn't that what you are really paying for? Asking if it is made from scratch really makes no sense. I've had box mixes that tasted wonderful and scratch recipes that I fed to my dog. Who cares whether scratch or box, make and sell me a wonderful tasting cake.

After discussing, again, with the owner, it was agreed that when asked if we bake from scratch the answer would be yes...period.

everyone loves our cakes, both scratch and mix. Take that for whatever it's worth. And if someone were to ask me point blank if we bake from scratch, I would tell them the truth, that some are mix based and some are from scratch. What's the big frickin' deal? So far not one of our customers has asked.

These nuggets of BS brought to you by the obtuse box mix bakers in this thread that refuse to actually read what is posted, they just want to make themselves feel better about the lies they tell. Bottom line, all of them could give a rat's @ss about you, your family or your health concerns. To them, YOU ARE A UNICORN THAT DOES NOT EXIST and should just shut up because everyone loves their cake! I mean, the bubble they live in is absolutely how people are everywhere period, no discussion, and people everywhere would absolutely love their cake because everyone does, period, in the entire world, and it's completely impossible that anyone cares about how the cake is made because cake is cake and it doesn't matter because nobody has ever asked them before so that means nobody cares and that no one ever will ever ask and even if they did (but they won't) it doesn't matter because cake is cake and it's OK to say whatever you want because everyone loves loves their cake so suck it scratch bakers. Amiright?

Ob·tuse: Adjective:  Annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand.

BAM BAM!!! But, yeah, SF, basically you got it right. Now all I can say is bite me Liars. If it was so great and equal, you wouldn't have to lie about it, now would you.

You craaazzzzyy americans

We know...

Re FromScratch's rant:

Aside from the few posts saying that no one cares and the question does not make sense, most of the quotes in your post are valid points that have added to the discussion.

I understand that you disagree with them, but saying they are BS, and claiming that the posters are obtuse or don't care about their customers is over the line and reflects poorly on all scratch bakers.

Ha.

Haha.

Hahahahahaha.

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.


Seriously killing me here with all this nonsense!

Ok, did I not SAY that I would tell the truth if asked?? And I wasn't saying that I don't care and no one else cares either. I was merely relating my experience so far, that no one has asked us yet. It just hasn't even come up in conversation with our customers. We have no problem telling them the truth.

Is all the inflammatory stuff really necessary?

Lovesmesomecake, if you tell the truth about your product, then obviously she is not directing her comments at you.And nor am I for that matter.

Please, don't take what I said out of context to use as an example of bs. Reread the entire post. If you are left with the message of non-disclosure of information, misleading or deceptive information, read it again.