I love it when the stars line up…
and you finally meet the person you’ve been hearing so much about.
Is it fate or an inevitability when some paths cross?
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They say Calgary is a big city with a small town feel.. and if you’re at all part of our food scene, you would have heard the name Aviv Fried mentioned.. often…in specialty food shops, farmer’s markets, and you’d have seen his story written up in various magazines.
And there’s almost a certain reverence.. yes, he’s the one.
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“Haven’t you heard Aviv’s story? He’s the one who was going to be a Financial Analyst.. with an Honors Undergrad in Physics.. a Masters in Biomedical Engineering. He left it all to follow his passion, and began literally pedaling his bread through the streets of downtown Calgary. He’s incredible.. everyone loves him.”
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One man, making a difference in the community, in the world.. who simply began by baking a few hand-crafted, crusty loaves with a sweet crumb for a charity called CODE. Not surprisingly, his passion grew into a thriving entrepreneurial business, known today as the Sidewalk Citizen Bakery.
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Who wouldn’t want to spend a cold winter’s evening, cloistered away in Aviv’s baking studio.. watching this artisan at work …while doors frost over from the heat, steaming bread-firing ovens and the energy of someone so smitten with his art?
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Shoulder to shoulder, strangers quickly became a pop-up, micro-community as we watched Aviv’s passion rendered with each knead and turn of dough..
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We hung on to every word as he painted for us a world where levain and bacteria, flour, water and salt can bloom into something so much more…
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Only three ingredients: organic flour, water, and salt.. that’s where it all begins. But then you need to add in some astute observation.
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So is it merely coincidence that a girl named Smidge whose blogging friend, Celia, might be mailing her a wee portion of Priscilla, her Sourdough Starter {all the way from Australia }, a girl who shops at Sunnyside Natural Foods and Janice Beaton Cheese… would get excited and sign up when she saw an online ad for a Sidewalk Citizen Kitchen Party and a chance to meet Aviv?!
I think not!
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Did I mention that we got to meet Aviv?
Did I mention we got to have wet, dough-making sticky hands.. and that we stretched pizza dough in the air like the pros amateurs?
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Did I mention we got to eat our pizza?
Did I mention that we got to meet Aviv?
{ I wonder if there will be an Advanced Artisan Bread Class? *nudge }
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Did I mention everything else this Sidewalk Citizen bakes:
Sweet and savoury scones, Danish, sticky buns, morning glory, sourdough croissants, chocolate croissants, cheese sticks, monkey bread, lemon tart, brownies, chocolate chip cookies, oat cookies, almond cookies, coffee financier and more…
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{ Such is life.. and photography is an art.. I wasn’t overly pleased with the shots taken under fluorescent lights and with a fast-moving target.. does Aviv ever sit still? }
Go sign up for this class!
Go meet Aviv!
Get moving.. it’s not that cold out!
ps.. You’re not too late for the Blue Dragon Canadian Giveaway.. if you wish
What a Great Experience and to meet a “Food God”!!! You were making me hungry listing all Aviv makes and bakes – yummers:) I have to add some food experiences to my bucket list – for me it would be learning how to make cheese. Have a Great One!
Hello Smidge, what a great opportunity and thanks for sharing the excitement. When your happy the whole room lights up and so does my computer screen, so to speak. Calgary is a long ways away but if my travels ever take me there, you are the first person I would call then if time the “Food God”. Take care, BAM
Looks like it was an awesome evening!
What a wonderful evening my friend 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I’M SO EXCITED FOR YOU !!!
What an excellent story !
Lucky you! Since part of Priscilla landed in my kitchen I’ve become obsessed with bread. I’m heading to the kitchen soon to start another batch 🙂
Now that sounds a great time! Baking anything in a group would be fun, in and of itself. Doing it in a group led by someone who so loves bread baking would be a real treat, Barb. I’m so glad you were able to take advantage of the opportunity. Thanks for letting us tag-along. 🙂
Barbara,
Another fantastic post. Yes florescent lighting can be a pain, but you did it justice just the same. It could be the colour of the lamps that are being used. It has to be the light source. If I remember some of your prior shots didn’t have any tinge like these so it has to be the lamps.
Enough of the techie stuff, back to the subject at hand, your photos told the story very well.
I like the way you use soft lighting for many of your pictures it gives them a touch that only a women can do. They are soft and very easy on the eyes and for your food shots it makes one want to devour the subject.
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Our most popular artisan baker is Paul Hollywood (he of Great British Bake-off Fame) – He’s a Liverpudlian (at least he’s Scouse) and a fairly intense chap – when he tells you your bread is not good on that show, you take notice!
Oh I wish I could sign up for one of his classes. Making bread is a favourite of mine, there is nothing like the smell of bread baking to make a house feel like a home. It looks like you had lots of fun! Rhoda x
What a great story Barbara, thanks for sharing it with us. I wish we would have known about it when we were in Calgary a couple of years ago to visit my nephew (who has since moved back to the Big Smoke). It’s wonderful that you were also able to participate in the class with The Man himself. Bread making is such an art and it’s such a honour to be taught by a professional.
I just wanted to mention that the links in italic in your text are very very light on my screen (I have a 24″ iMac), to the point where it’s difficult to read.
Hey, thanks, Eva.. I think I’ve fixed the problem. There’s so much extra fiddling in the beginning:)
Thanks, James.. I did use a vintage filter for effect, it was the blurry hands, but that’s part of an action shot I guess:)
Oh wow! What a lucky girl you are. How I wish I was a fly on the wall in that class! I can only imagine how amazing this must’ve been. I’ve been using Celia’s Priscilla and absolutely loving it. I’ve baked so many loaves now, I can’t stop. I’m excited to see how yours turn out 🙂 I’m sure they will be fabulous like everything in your kitchen! And I’m loving the new site design!! xx
I’ve been reading about Priscilla in your kitchen, Emilie.. is she still Priscilla when you have a portion of her.. or does she get renamed every time?xx
What a wonderful opportunity! Thanks for sharing this with us…did you meet him then (she says, tongue in cheek) or did I miss that bit?!
Heehee.. yes.. we met him (tongue in cheek.. and on bread:D) xx
Ahhh Smidge a night to remember! A gathering of like-minded souls, eager and open to watch, to listen, to observe, to dig one’s two hands into wet dough, to play, to eat, to share – it’s like the best that Kindergarten was!! 🙂 What a wonderful opportunity for you (& the others) to learn from a good man whose passions led him into an enterprise that fulfills his own heart and other’s needs! Just Beautiful!!! xoxo
As I was reading your response, spree.. I was thinking the very same thing. It’s back to child’s play, but with so much more science involved. Oh, and practice, lots and lots of practice.. not that I’d mind that:D xx
What a wonderful opportunity and experience. I am looking forward to seeing your creations from Priscilla’s offspring. Have your named him/her?
Oh, Norma, it’s a big dilemma here. My daughter thinks Jarome (as in Iginla) would be cool.. but Jarome, son of Priscilla? Well.. we shall see:D xx
What a awesome evening and such an inspirational story as well! Will you be sharing any of the recipes here (like the pizza dough)? It sounds like a truly amazing time. 🙂
What fun! A big group, an artrist sharing his passion, and edible results! Fun!
It was great reading this. This week I baked Hot Cross Buns for the first time. Previously, I had never made any kind of bread product so I’m really enjoying learning about it. Thank you. 🙂
I read this post on the bus the other morning when I was trying to get to school in a snow storm. It was the perfect way to start yet another day in the boulangerie! At school, we have a saying: a day without bread is like a day without sunshine…
I would really enjoy meeting and learning from Aviv. I love to bake bread and would gain so much from this experience. What a lovely way to introduce us to someone who apparently has quite a generous spirit!
What a wonderful experience. Watching someone with passion do the thing they love is a real treat! Thank you for sharing the experience with us