A BURNING ISSUE — by Steve Nadis
Here’s something that gets me a little toasted. (I’m not sure if that’s the right adjective, but it seems appropriate under the circumstances, as you shall see, so please hold off on the jeers and catcalls.) I often stop in at that high-priced grocery story I’m always ranting about (Whole Foods) after dropping my daughter off (by bike, never by car!) at school in the hopes of getting a muffin. And they’re almost always burnt to a crisp. There’s a trendy coffee shop around the corner (the “1369,” it’s called), which is my backup choice, and it’s usually the same story. Their muffins too are dark brown, if not char-black, around the edges. What’s going on with this? Where are they getting the bakers these days? I don’t mind an occasional burnt one; that’s gonna happen. But mostly burnt, most of the time? Come on! It just don’t make sense. Maybe if our president spent last time chopping wood, or whatever it is he does when he’s not riding his mountain bike–maybe, just maybe, the federal government would be better prepared to address this burning issue. (And please, spare me those tired “state’s rights” arguments about how this is a local matter.)
Posted by
at
14:40:11
Hey Snake, good to see you’re writing about something important for a change. I’ve noticed the same thing where I live. I hope your blog will call attention to this important issue. But now I’ve got to attend to something even more important.
Thank you, Lindsey. I agree, this story is big–too big, perhaps, for this blog to handle.
That reminds me of an old saying:
"Give an oppressed man a computer, and he will bring down the government. Give a free man a computer, he will write about the quality of his muffins.
Or, to put it in bumper-sticker format:
"Blogs are the opiate of the intelligentsia."
Sorry. I’m feeling a wee bit cynical today. I guess you could say my "mood muffin" is burnt around the edges…
Hi Gatemouth — Thanks for the “reality check.” I can write about anything I want, which is, I suppose, one of the good things and bad things about blogging. I realize that others might not find the subject I take up interesting. And worse yet, they might even find it to be irritating in its triviality. That’s something I’d generally like to avoid. By the way, when did the term “intelligentsia” become pejorative, or has that always been the case?
Sorry. My bad. I let my "four days of rain I’m ready to strangle anyone who says anything" melancholia spill onto your excellently researched expose on the lack of accountability in the muffin industry. I apologize for quashing your blogging spirit.
As for intelligentsia, I guess it’s always been pejorative, since it’s taking a human attribute and creating a type out of it. Also, the suffix "-sia" is Latin for "bums who sit around drinking, smoking, and discussing the human condition instead of getting real jobs".
No need to apologize. When I’ve crossed the line, so to speak, I need to hear about it. Re. the intelligentsia thing, I do have a real job & engage in this other stuff–"discussing the human condition" or discussing the muffin condition, etc.–in lieu of important family obligations or personal obligations such as sleep.
I am so thankful that someone has finally written the expose’ that this topic deserves! We have Fresh Market AND Whole Foods where I reside. I cannot tell you how many stale baked food items I have had. There needs to be an amendment or something on this. Wait, I think Harriet might be able to handle this. Or FEMA?
Dear "WW" — Thanks for the comment and for the validation. It’s good to see that someone else (though clearly not everyone) sees this as a burning issue.
Fear of bacterial contamination. Bakers figure the hi-temps’ll keep ‘em from getting sued for producing foodstuffs that cause illnesses. Esp in today’s fearful world. Plus mold doesn’t grow on charcoal. A win-win situation!
Thank you Marco. Finally we have an answer. This blog not only asks the tough questions, it gets the tough answers. Which reminds me: Have you read your New Yorker this week?
1369 is my favorite coffee shop in cambridge, as i live just around the corner from it!
Hey Digs — Don’t get me wrong. I think it’s a great place too. But there is this slight problem with their muffins…
True but i recently had a corn muffin that had slightly burt edges and I enjoyed it very much, the coffee and muffin world has fallen completely into the gutter!
-Digs