Part II The Canterbury Baking School with Victoria Feldman

Michael Dugan: 0:42

Now pivoting a little bit. The pandemic has been really hard for a lot of people for small business for the restaurant business. The hospitality business. You know, I felt a lot of pain because I interview people that are going through it. I meet a lot of people that are going through it. What have you done to cope with the pandemic and and struggle to survive?

Victoria Feldman: 2:25

Okay, so I mean, clubhouse was excellent because it meant that I could talk to people and I could listen to people. And I mean, I spend a lot of time researching, because I just love what I do. And I want to find out more about it all the time. So that I've had more time to do that. But I did think a little bit about my business that I had no passive income. So unless I'm teaching face to face physically, I have no income coming in. So I have just recorded some video classes, which when I'm happy with them, we'll be going out online.

Michael Dugan: 3:17

Fantastic

Victoria Feldman: 3:18

Yes. So I've tried to adapt as I've gone along, and I thought that's a really good way of doing it. Especially meeting so many people from different countries. They people were saying, Well, you know, why haven't you got a video I want to buy a video so I thought I will do it. Yes. That's one thing that I've done. And really, yeah, just keeping going. And I still have these people working for me and just trying to raise my profile and as much as we are still here. And I was doing some free zoom classes, as well. And a questions and answers about sourdough and oh yeah, helping people so we did quite a lot of that as well, which was really nice. So, yeah, for me, I was, you know, even though it did hit me, I was able to use it in a positive way. And we have been able to reopen and now it's a little bit precarious because people are not sure whether they should come. I have some classes happening and a few people are not quite happy yet to be in a group. So yeah, it's still early days, really, for people in England because of the Omnicrome and it seems to be escalating. So whether I can keep going over these next few months. I'll have to see but I am in a very fortunate position because my business has grown that I will be always able to reopen. So I'm very lucky.

Michael Dugan: 5:25

Yes, we gotta count our lucky stars. As they say. Definitely. I feel very fortunate to because the pandemic for me, I launched the podcast, I connected to clubhouse, and I reduced my commute by two and a half hours.

Victoria Feldman: 5:42

Wow. So that's something.

Michael Dugan: 5:44

So I'm grateful. And you know, still Still I tell my wife, we joke about this a lot. I told her when they the other day I said, you know, I really want to see other people. And what I meant by that was that I just want to see other people I want to meet with my friends and she wants to do the same thing you know, and we are on Zoom and we're online but we don't go out and visit a lot of people yet. But we do support local restaurants all the time. Struggling So moving on, is there anything unique you did last year that you've never done before? So in 2021 Is there anything unique that you've done?

Victoria Feldman: 6:32

I'm trying to think, well, I've never done any zoom classes these days. I said we're free. So you know, I had no pressure on me. And it was just great fun. A whole group of people. Some that I met on clubhouse, and other friends and they just joined and we just did it every week, something we made together and it was lovely. And so I've never done that before. And I enjoyed it a lot. It was just nice.

Michael Dugan: 7:14

And now I'm gonna move on to a section we call let's get cooking. Can you describe or can you tell us about a special place in the world that you've been that connects food and culture?

Victoria Feldman: 7:29

Italy? Definitely. I mean, because I was trained by this Italian Master Chef. The style that I cook is Italian. I was in Sardinia just in September.

Michael Dugan: 7:47

Oh my gosh. That was our honeymoon was.

Victoria Feldman: 7:50

I love Sardinia and I'm actually looking to open a foodie retreat in Sardinia. Next year if we can do it. So it's just not being able to travel easily is sort of delaying it but that is one of my next plans to pursue that. So I went to Sardinia to have a look around and to look at venues etc. So yeah, quite interesting.

Michael Dugan: 8:25

That's an amazing magical island.

Victoria Feldman: 8:28

So maybe this is a better answer to your previous question. What was something I did? Yeah, last year was with that in mind, as well as to swim in the beautiful ocean.

Michael Dugan: 8:47

Wow. Okay, now, when I think about signature dishes, I always ask our chefs and bakers owners. Why are you so passionate about sourdough?

Victoria Feldman: 9:00

Oh, the health benefits is just amazing. Not only how good fermented foods are for you, but the fact that it actually helps your immune system. Your gut bacteria is improved and it is amazing. And also it changes the composition of the grains. And that to me is is really wonderful. So for instance, grains contain something I'm going to try and put it very simply, and they're called phytates. This is really why grains get such bad press because these phytates block your body from absorbing any of the nutrients, the goodness that all contained in the grains. So all you really are getting are the bulk and fiber which is good for you. But you're not actually getting any of the minerals, the vitamins, the nutrients present. During the fermentation process. These phytates break down and they allow your body to absorb and utilize the nutrients in your grains. And to me that is amazing. And then it travels from the gut and it releases serotonin, which actually goes to your brain, which gives you a well being feeling and so it's been proven not only is good for you physically, because the fermentation process also breaks down gluten in the grains, but it also is good for your well being and to me, that is just amazing. It's the whole package. That is why I'm so passionate about sourdough.

Michael Dugan: 11:21

Yeah, that's incredible. So I have a Facebook group for voice for chefs and I reached out and I said Does anyone have any questions? For Victoria? And we're gonna play question and answer and I'm not trying to stump you. These are just live questions from our Facebook group. So Kyle Hall, he asks, he says I hate to admit it. I hate to admit my baking ignorance, but I've had a run of attempting to get yeast breads to rise and the bread is not cooperating. Is there any foolproof way of getting yeast breads to work?

Victoria Feldman: 11:59

Yes, possibly. First of all, if you use yeast, I would suggest you use fresh yeast. fresh yeast is so much better than the dried yeast. For instance, when you mix the dried yeast with salt the salt will inhibit the yeast from rising if you have fresh yeast, and it comes into contact with the salt, it has no bad effects at all. It will not affect the rising of the yeast. So it's often a really good idea if possible to use fresh yeast and you will find that that will really help. The other thing if you do use the dried yeast because that's all that's available it's always good to activated in warm water. So it's just tepid water and I tend to add a few glugs of maple syrup or agave syrup or whatever you wish to use. And this does help to activate the yeast a little better. And you can also do likewise with the fresh yeast. You can make it into a little bit of a paste and you can also add a sweetener to it. Keep it as healthy as possible because it just really helps the bread in my opinion. So yeah, that should help also not to rush the proving stages, make sure that you get a good rise during the time that you're making it. There are lots of people who do like a no need method. And I think when we need to work and stretch the fibers and then we need to leave it to double in size. Not to just rise a little bit but to actually do what it says to double in size. Every process you don't rush it, you just take it step by step. And the reward should be a really lovely loaf of bread at the end. So I hope that has helped a little bit.

Michael Dugan: 14:43

Oh, I definitely think so. And thanks for your question, Kyle and Linda Vorthman asked, is there any good substitute for real butter in baked goods without the loss of flavor?

Victoria Feldman: 14:58

In the UK, we have a lovely vegan margerine and it really is hard to find one that isn't full of grapeseed oil or you know this one is is really very nice. So I would just say read the ingredients and try them. Try them on a piece of bread and if they taste nice then they will be good in cooking. And I know exactly what she means because that buttery flavor is a bit special. But I have a husband who is plant based and i use a really good quality vegan marjorine and yes, it tastes very nice.

Michael Dugan: 15:49

Thank you Linda for that question. And finally Jennifer Axness asks, I'd like to know generally speaking how to make the perfect pie crust I make chicken pie I know I make chicken pot pie from time to time and would love to perfect that part of the recipe.

Victoria Feldman: 16:07

Okay, so I never use the recipe but you do follow a recipe that will be absolutely perfect, but the way I do it is I make a crumble. So I do my flour, and my salt and then either oil or margarine, and I make it as if I'm making a crumbl. A very fine crumble and then I add my liquid my water very slowly. And I do this until it becomes a ball and then I put it I cover it up and I normally put it in the fridge for half an hour. To relax. And then I take it out and I don't do much fiddling with it. I just get it all together as a ball and put it in the fridge and then when I take it out of the fridge, I add a little bit of flour so it's not too sticky. And then I roll it out. And I find that this works beautifully every time and if I am making a savory use making my pie crust for a savory dish I make even the pie crust tasty. So if if you wanted to add herbs, or or you can add grated cheese and pepper. I often add usefully if I'm doing something vegan, and that really makes it nice and I was doing I made a vegan pie the other day and I didn't want to put an egg wash on it. And so I got some plant milk and I got some tumeric and I got some olive oil and I made it into a to a liquid in a cup and I brushed that on my pie. And immediately it looked beautiful because it had that lovely yellowy tinge that gives you yes so it's little things and then maybe I cut little shapes and I just think think should look beautiful. If your food looks beautiful. It's inviting. So I like to make things look nice as well.

Michael Dugan: 18:45

That's fantastic. And thanks, Jennifer for your question. So one of my favorite questions to ask our chefs and bakers. Culinary artist is have you ever had a kitchen disaster?

Victoria Feldman: 19:00

Yes, I certainly have. Yeah. So I was taught a certain way of making bread and it was quite high felt at the time quite laborious. I had to weigh out all my ingredients and have them in bowls in front of me before I began. And we worked with quite this was when I was training. We worked with very big mixers, but it's exactly the same whether you do a large quantity or a small quantity. I had to follow a procedure. And my Master Chef he said to me, okay, I'm I'm going to market and I can't remember how many it was just under 100 I think loaves he said when I come back, I want you to make maybe 80 or 90 loaves and I thought easy. I can do this. And I can I can cut corners because this is quite a laborious method that I have to do it I can do it my way. So I had this great big mixer and I put i milled all my flour, etc put it all in. I put my salt in, etc and I put everything in. I mixed it and I took it out. I needed it. I prepared it. I put everything into proving baskets. And I left them on the side and I thought wow, I'm a wonder I've done this in half the time and the rise was just so so beautiful. And the Italian guy he came back he must have come back to check on me. But he came back early and he said to me immediately Victoria, what have you done? I wonder what what is he saying? He said you forgotten salt. I'd made nearly 100 loaves of bread without salt and it was really a lesson for me. And what happens is sort of like stabilizer it it holds the bonds of the of the structure together. And without it it sort of explodes to a high rise. And then it once it's in the oven or you take it out of the basket, it will deflate like a pancake. And for me this was a very big lesson. I believe you learn from your mistakes. And now when I teach and I must finish I had to start from scratch again. And I remember I was probably up. I was past midnight and I was still doing these loaves of bread and I now teach also my students that you weigh everything out. And it's a very transparent way of working. It does take a little bit more time, but I don't think I've ever forgotten to add salt again. So that was my absolute disaster.

Michael Dugan: 22:41

Wow. And that's a great lesson learning.

Victoria Feldman: 22:47

Shortcuts are not always the way and I was much quicker when I was younger.

Michael Dugan: 22:55

Gotcha. Slow down and take your time.

Victoria Feldman: 22:58

Definitely.

Michael Dugan: 23:00

Yeah. So as we wrap up, how do we connect with you? How does our audience connect with you and where should they go to learn more about you and the Canterbury baking school?

Victoria Feldman: 23:13

Oh, well, I do have a website. It's Canterbury baking school.com I believe I've also got a YouTube channel but I haven't got that much up there but we will be adding to it. And hopefully soon. I will have some videos available to Oh, I know something else. A fact that I can tell you. My great grandfather was French and he was chef to King George and lived in Windsor Castle. And my grandmother lives there in the grounds. I just threw that in a little bit of background. So possibly it was in my blood to get into food.

Michael Dugan: 24:10

Wow. Well, Victoria, I just want to thank you. I really appreciate spending time with you and in this conversation. And just really appreciate you coming on our show today.

Victoria Feldman: 24:24

Oh, thank you. Well, it's been a pleasure. I really enjoy chatting is times flown by. Yeah, thank you. You made it very comfortable. Your questions were really good. And if anybody has any questions or problems with their bread or sourdough etc, and if I can help, I'm happy to guide them on their journey.