Lovers of Burger Parlor and its beginnings in Fullerton rejoice! The high-quality, tastebud-stimulating eats have expanded their way to a second location, this time in the midst of the Old Towne Orange hubbub. The genius creation of Chef/Owner Joseph Mahon whose culinary career has served him since he was 16 years of age, Burger Parlor and its success hinges on its commitment to its customers, the community, and product. The selection process of Orange for the second outpost of the popular location was a few years in the making but an extremely important decision to Mahon who stated,

"Being a part of Orange is a critical aspect for us so we do community outreach through various opportunities, all charity and directed to schools. We want the families, the people, and the fabric of the town to enjoy our experience together."

Open just a few months now, the Burger Parlor's second location in Old Towne Orange has already found plenty of guest traffic from its loyal fanbase as well as those who are walking through, experiencing what the historic area has to offer. It has been an organic growth that has proven just how much need there was for a unique menu of solid burgers and fries.


If you are familiar with the Fullerton location where the restaurant staked its first roots, you might notice the similarities with the Orange location: 100 year old exposed brick walls, an outdoor patio, two points of entry, and so forth. Part of that is a result of the lot chosen in Old Towne Orange but the other part is Mahon's hand in designing the spaces himself from the materials used to elevation drawings to the logo and story. There were some liberties taken in this heritage building including turning a previous office into a taproom and expanding the dining room capabilities beyond just a handful of guests. Add in the similar demographics from both cities and you'll find yourself a burger parlor's success.

Mahon himself has paid his dues in the culinary world for many years, most recently as the Executive Chef of Bastide, a West Hollywood Michelin-star restaurant that has since closed, and with posts in France, London, New York, and so forth. He has seen the rigorous actions of fine dining and infamous restaurants and worked countless hours in both independent restaurants and large corporations. With these struggles in mind, Mahon turned his attention to building his own burger spot once he and his wife moved to Orange County, a way to take ownership of every aspect of the industry and develop business know-how beyond behind the burner.

"I think that's why I get along with our kitchen team so well. I've been in their shoes. I can relate to them, talk their talk, and walk the walk. It's all about our team - having a culture of constant improvement and letting them make mistakes to learn from. We've maintained a core Burger Parlor team for 3-4 years instead of the typical "few months" in the industry."

"It's my job to equalize the marketplace and give our communities a quality burger place without cutting corners. They really want establishments similar to this."

Burger Parlor prides itself in its ingredients. The patties are antibiotic-free Nebraskan beef blended in-house from four cuts of meat. After much R&D, they've created a burger bun that plays the balance between being a brioche and Hawaiian roll. As Mahon puts it, they "take all the unnecessary steps and make them necessary" which is why their sauces are made in-house, their meats are blended by their own team, buttermilk chicken pieces are marinated for 48 hours before frying, and sides like onion rings and fries are sliced and fried to order. Though some guests may be okay with frozen or premade dishes, one of Burger Parlor's core values is to do it right and do it fresh with a "less is more" attitude when it comes to showcasing food's actual flavors.


It shows. After chatting with Mahon about more than can fit into this article and taking a behind-the-scenes peek at the making of an Orange-location-only burger, we sat down for some tastes. The flight of sides were up first, and their sheer quantities left us packing up a few boxes to take home.

We had to get some bites of the Sweet Potato Waffle Fries ($4.59 - served with honey chipotle aioli) - there is something alluring about that particular shape of "fry" that also serves a dose of nostalgia along with it. I can't remember where I used to have waffle fries as a kid but it was some fast food spot that was a treat. These were thick and hearty, a great match for the spicy-sweet aioli that came along with it. Our basket of the Half & Half ($4.39 - half fries with sea salt, half beer-battered onion rings) was formidable with the over-sized onion slices but we powered through their beer-battered shells and really enjoyed the sea salt on each well-done fry. Definitely some of the better fries that we've had before. To capitalize on that preference, the Kevin Bacon & Pastrami Fries ($6.95 - traditional fries, aged Wisconsin Cheddar, cheese sauce, bacon, housemade hot sauce, and pastrami) hyped the spuds to a whole other level with smothered heart-stopping toppings. The side order was good but I could only stomach a bite or two before needing to save room for the stacked, hefty burgers next.


Each burger patty is 6.2 oz in size and proudly sourced 100% antibiotic-free from Omaha, NE. The one we saw built in the kitchen was The Orange Plaza ($10.79 - Parmesan-grilled sourdough bun, smoked bacon, Fontina, caramelized onions, mushrooms, arugula, and chipotle aioli), an exclusive to the Orange location for Burger Parlor and a bit of tribute to the community there. All the fixings on here oozed umami and really suckered you in for bite after bite.

Even knowing that the beef was such a highlight of Burger Parlor, I just had to visit the Portland ($8.95 - marinated beets, fried Mozzarella, sprouts, arugula, pickled carrots, oven-roasted tomato, and herb sauce; can add or substitute crispy Portobello or grilled Portobello) burger because it was on their vegetarian menu. It isn't often that places make impressive vegetarian offerings for those herbivore friends that join you for meals but this was something else. I had mine with both the fried Mozzarella and grilled Portobello and ended up finishing the whole burger because it was that good. Savory from the herb sauce and "patty," peppery from the arugula, slightly tart from the beets and carrots, and crunchy from such fresh sprouts, this burger hit all the crucial elements and textures for an enjoyable and filling meal, vegetarian or not.

On the other side of the spectrum, Duc went meat-indulgent with the popular Smokey ($9.95 - smoked bacon, crispy onions, caramelized onions, Wisconsin Cheddar, arugula, oven-roasted tomato, and chipotle aioli) burger whose crispy onions made the burger topple over once served. We re-arranged as best we could so he could attempt to wrap his mouth around such a burger behemoth. It was juicy, it was pleasantly unctuous, and it was hearty. The verdict was that we had to come back for more.

It's a pity we haven't been to Burger Parlor before but knowing what we do now and having seen what this second location has to offer, we'll be sure to stop by for some burger and fry goodness. Congratulations to Mahon and his team on the expansion with more planned in the future! Visit them at 149 N. Glassell St., Orange, CA 92866 and 204 N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton, CA 92832 to get beefed up on burgers done well.

Photography by Duc Duong. More photos available at Facebook here.

Since 2008, the barrel-aged craft beers of The Bruery have been delighting Orange County drinkers with punny names and carefully planned, tasty brews. What started off as a project by Patrick Rue who got interested in brewing and decided to forego a career in law turned into an operation that steadily grew. The original stomping grounds were just about twice the size of a modest administrative office and tucked away in a parking lot in Placentia but as the consumer base expanded, so did The Bruery which is now considered the biggest barrel aging and biggest barrel conditioning brewery in the nation with six warehouses to boast about. At any point in time, they house at least four thousands oak barrels!

So where does Bruery Terreux fit in? This space with a large tasting room is dedicated to producing farmhouse-style wild ales and sours. We hopped onto the opportunity to take a free tour of the establishment that opened July 8th and after Josh, our #bowtietourguide, went over the safety issues and distributed certified safety goggles, we and a few others were on our way.


Wildly Traditional Bière

Because Bruery Terreux (named for its French translation as "Earth") focuses on wild and sour ales, it had to be a separate production house from the original Bruery spaces; cross-contamination is tricky when you deal with sours and can often ruin beers not intended to become sours. We learned a bit about how the common beer styles (stouts, lagers, etc) are relatively young in the grand scheme of brewing history, sitting at just a few hundred years old, while Belgian styles and others that depend on wild yeast like at Bruery Terreux have been around the longest. What propelled The Bruery to this fashion of brewing was when their Oude Tart (Flemish red ale aged 12-18 months in red wine barrels) received multiple high-level awards and recognition. Despite sours taking more time, dedication, and risk, they do have a strong fan base. For Bruery Terreux, their ales must be aged at least 6-12 months in barrels and make use of the wild yeast brettanomyces (called Brett by brewers).

After some branding background, we gathered in their fermentation room which was filled with steel fermenters and thousands of barrels ranging from 59-gallon wine barrels to 88/120-gallon puncheons to the behemoth 7,750-gallon foeders. Not on premise? A mash tun and kettle which means that Bruery Terreux is not technicallya brewery; rather, it's a fermentation space that gets wort from the other warehouses and brings those to their tasty, beer-y forms in a few weeks' to months' time before the long aging, fermenting process. Josh pointed out that beers in the Bruery Terreux brand are, at minimum, a year old.


Part of the tour did have interactive components as we tasted two types of beers made at Bruery Terreux and sniffed our way around various covered flasks of bacteria. The strains of brettanomyces (lambicus and claussenii) got their rounds through the crowd of us as did lactobacillus and the overall blend of each type (smelled like cherry pie!). We also explored the differences between wooden fermenters (the foeders at Bruery Terreux) and steel fermenters, learned the various hoop names for barrels and the risks for pressure building up, and examined the bottling machines that get together the delicious brews everyone loves. I'd love to share more but where's the fun in that? You'll have to take 30 minutes out of one of your days soon to join the charismatic and informative Josh on a free tour of the place, and ask all the questions you want answered.


All the talk of beer had us hankering for our own libations. The extensive tap list in the tasting room section of Bruery Terreux featured brews from both brand lines and very reasonable prices per taster in a flight. We decided to focus mostly on the sours available but couldn't resist a few stouts in the way. Expect $1-$2 per taster which is plenty if you're doing a full five-rack as we did. The wide seating area inside opened up to an even bigger patio with access to the rotating food truck parked outside, a smart move for anyone wanting to stay a while and try several varieties. We ended up leaving with hefty bottles of their Share This: Coffee and Or Xata alongside the newfound knowledge about the new space.

Find Bruery Terreux at 1174 N. Grove St., Anaheim, CA and make sure you get your free sneak peek into how they do things there.

Photography by Duc Duong. More photos available on Facebook here.

Orange County loves its alcohol. I don't say this in any demeaning way; no, I just say it plainly because we do. We love it to the point that purists exist and often tout their expertise (or haughtiness?) to whomever will listen, mixologists run amok with creative disasters and miracles, classic cocktails done right are highly sought after, and sourcing can be a main focus for some restaurants. When Cafe Gratitude of Los Angeles decided to branch out and install an Orange County location, Gratitude, in Newport Beach, they knew our love and employed the innovative and enthusiastic mind of Beverage Director Jason Eisner to cultivate and grow that love even more. We got the chance to hear about the guiding factors for the bar program from Jason himself as well as went behind the bar to make an interesting cocktail with bartender Isle Anderson.

What would you do if you had 25 acres of land to use in Orange County? Would you build up some houses and start diving into real estate? Would you start farming livestock and tending to the earth-planted crops you started? You could make quite the contribution to the local agriculture and community by doing so.

However, if you were really innovative, you could think outside of the box and do what the pioneering Chef Adam Navidi did. He built up Future Foods Farms in Brea as one of the largest aquaponic operations in the entire state. Though the produce harvested from the farm's greenhouses is used for commercial purposes in restaurants and catering, the intent behind this system of growing food is not for profit. Rather, Navidi is rapidly growing these organic crops using methods he has developed with the goal of helping make agriculture more sustainable and ubiquitous to the world. He wants to help fight hunger all over. We had to learn more about how his systems work towards that goal of eliminating starvation.

If you've ever wondered what would prove a good vehicle to deliver deliciousness into your mouth, you've surely concluded that any kind of stuffed pastry makes that easily handheld. For your savory cravings, there is nothing like a convenient meat pie of any origin. In a behind-the-scenes experience we recently had with Chef Dave Larsen of C4 Deli in Santa Ana, their particular one was the Argentinian empanada, derived from the owner's family recipe and full of tasty goodness. Paired with housemade chimichurri and stuffed with plenty of filling, it hit the spot and we needed to see why.

After a long week's worth of barbecue in North Carolina due to a recent trip, Duc and I were feeling almost at our limits for smoked meats...but then again, how could you deny the smoked meats after knowing just how much care and attention went into perfecting the art? We've always known others in Orange County to say that there isn't any decent BBQ in the area, or if there is, the restaurants are rare gems. I'm not surprised - it just isn't in the culture here in southern California. However, that shouldn't deny those who have brought the skill to the area and with 10 years under its belt, Bad to the Bone BBQ in San Juan Capistrano has gifted us just that around these parts.

Started in 2005 to fill the void that is BBQ in Orange County, Bad to the Bone smokes and grills their meats on site, serving up full-service goodness as well as delivery and occasionally catering. Not only does its food style set them apart due to a dearth of decent BBQ, the commitment to quality does too. Owner Marty Wells told us just that when we stopped in for an interview one morning -

"BBQ is hard to do consistently every day but we do our best to start with a quality product. All of our meats are Choice-grade and nothing is frozen. Everything's fresh as possible - 95% of the menu is made in-house from beans to BBQ to potato salad to fries. We even make our own hamburger patties which are 1/2 lb three-way mixes of short rib, chuck and brisket."

Happy National Coffee Day! Did you remember your cuppa this morning? If not, there is still time to get a hold of a delicious, expertly brewed espresso from ChocXO who roasts and grinds its own beans. Though their coffee service started out with just two types (light and dark roasts), they have since expanded into single origin espressos and various other ways to present coffees to their fullest potential. Don't worry - if the choices seem daunting, the flavor profiles on the menu will help out; these descriptions also allow you to determine how to play around with your chocolate mix-ins (should you choose to do them), and there are educated baristas to help.

While most coffee shops serve a single espresso, ChocXO stands out for giving you choice and why not? There are such varying palates and opinions about coffee that having just one type is a waste of taste. Not only are the beans unique there for these espressos but so is the whole process they do of roasting and grinding their own coffees. We got a personal look at how Lead Coffee Roaster Matt Thornley creates these perfect roasts for their coffee.

"You always offer chai. It doesn't matter what time of day it is or if it is 100° out."

I don't remember exactly when I first started hearing about chai or when it became so ubiquitous but I did know that I initially did not enjoy it. There - I admitted it. However, my confession is not without reason. I want to say that the first time I had something "chai," it was astringent on my tongue, positively sharp and strong in aroma, and yet felt saturated in sugar. The scent of cinnamon was pervasive, and it just left a bad taste in my mouth overall. I'm not even sure where I first tasted it but it was not a pleasant first experience.

Then I started working for the couture events company I did a few years ago which had a basis in Indian weddings and celebratory events. Chai was everywhere, and I fell in love with the taste. Cast off your thoughts of "chai tea lattes" and "pumpkin chai Frappaccinos." Real chai is extraordinary with strong cultural significance to boot. We were extremely excited for the unique opportunity to join Chef Shachi Mehra of ADYA in Anaheim back in her kitchen to learn how to make masala chai the way she serves and drinks it. In addition to getting a behind-the-scenes look into how the drink is made, we then became privy to just how important chai is to the Indian culture and heard Chef Shachi's many memories surrounding the soul- and heart-warming tea.

As more and more consumers demand information about where their food comes from, some are starting to find that traditional farming is not the only source of fresh produce. Urban farms have been cropping up, and many seek to address the needs of the world's growing population that continues to expand despite limited resources. Urban Produce, begun in October 2013, in Irvine realized this issue and sought to provide a solution to the problems of climate, land scarcity, and diminishing natural resources. While we may traditionally imagine a farm as sprawling land with rows and rows of crops in dirt, Urban Produce takes a different approach by building up via their High Density Vertical Growing System (HDVGS) and by using hydroponic technology. What does that equal for we the consumers? A certified organic facility of 5,800 ft² in ground space (approximately ⅛ of an acre) and 22 ft vertically that can grow 16 acres of produce in a few days while using 90% less water than a traditional farm. Color us impressed. We got to take a tour recently of Urban Produce and see just how they operate.

We've talked about Dory Deli before, having previewed their menu before the official opening, but a preview on the consumer's end can't beat an in-depth look at the back of the house, standing in the kitchen, and inquiring into the mind of the executive chef. My own interest (and practice) in cooking has spilled over into a curiosity about what components make up the commercial side of this art form and what drives people to invest their time and efforts into the culinary world. Recently-turned Executive Chef Giovanny/Gio Bolivar of Dory Deli, previously Sous Chef, has seen great, rapid success in his career, and this new venture with the new, well-received restaurant is another step in that direction. We met with him one evening to learn more about his history and to help make one of their most popular menu items - the Rocky Balboa.

Today marks the end of a 45 year legacy in Orange County - Nieuport 17 serves its final meal tonight. Founded in 1969 in Santa Ana by former Navy pilot Bill Bettis, the restaurant got its legs as a themed restaurant focusing on aviation. The walls were and are decorated with what the unaware might consider as mere paraphernalia; rather, the pieces are valued artifacts. Nieuport 17 has a history of hosting the Navy's Blue Angels and the Air Force's Thunderbirds as well, many of whom are also celebrated on the walls. It was not unheard of for guests to visit the restaurant three to four times a week, and the long-serving staff played a big role in this frequency. So when the news hit that Nieuport 17 would be closing, it was as if a dear old friend had announced his imminent passing. "I've got two months to live, loves," it seemed to say, and this close of March marks its last breath. While plenty of outlets have reported on the community and business owner's points of view, we were most curious about what it meant for the staff; what is it like to be part of a restaurant's closing? Chef Jeff Moore inspired us to learn more and enlightened us on this momentous situation.

By absolute luck at being in the right place at the right time, I found myself facing a shelf of enticing product design having been drawn in by the styling. Once I read further on the placard displayed next to the row of classily-packaged chocolate bars and boxes, I realized that I was in the presence of a unique opportunity. I hadn't seen any other buzz about it and considering its exclusivity, I made an instant decision to buy a 4.2 oz box of 20 small tasting squares for a whopping $30 at ChocXO's newest outpost in Irvine. The enticing foil patterning on the sleek black and white bars and boxes is attractive but even more so is the story of how "Tres Rios" came to be. Let's just say that your only chance to try out this rarity is at ChocXO and only before the limited edition boxes sell out. 500 bars and 500 boxes are available, and we have one of those. How many more will be left when you want your taste?

It coats all parts of your mouth the instant it passes your lips in its luxurious, fatty creaminess. The texture of foie gras undoubtedly takes some getting used to that not everyone will clamor for but it does have its merits in the world of fine dining. When the ban struck California to prevent the purchase and selling of the delicacy, it caused an upset in the restaurant industry and sparked a conversation about the ingredient's nature. Is it wrong? Is it right? Is it ethical or not? The discussion became a dividing factor between food-loving friendships, yet there has not been a definitive moral answer to the subject. What it has done, though, is create a black market feel to the average consumer for this rare(r) item, and it set the tone last week for a secret dinner in downtown LA featuring some Orange County chefs. We waited for the text to come just 24 hours prior to the event, telling us where to drive to, and the "foiebidden" night soon began.

[Giveaway is now over - thank you for entering!] We are pretty ready to get sauced this holiday season...but perhaps not in the way that you are thinking of. No, we've been thinking about how we spice up the holiday dishes that fill the days around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Accompaniments and flavor enhancers sometimes help make the sides and main course just a little more special, and what better way to spice up something than to really spice it up? Taco Asylum in Costa Mesa at The Camp has always taken pride in their hot sauces served on a regular basis with their tasty tacos but what you may not know is that they also have limited edition holiday hot sauces. These fruit-forward condiments vary from year to year so getting a taste of one in the season may be your only taste ever for that flavor. We really wanted to get involved in 2014's batch...really involved so we ended up helping Sous Chef Sean Masucci put together their newest: the Jaladay!

With more than 20,000 attendees, 900 exhibitors, and 60 countries represented, the Produce Marketing Association (PMA)'s Fresh Summit 2014 was a significant event which brought together key decision-makers in the produce industry. This convention is the industry's biggest on this coast of the world and demonstrates the power of produce on household habits as well as restaurant and retail businesses. Hosted at the Anaheim Convention Center from October 17-19th this year, Fresh Summit consumed the entire venue with creative displays and booths, bright product arrangements, and overloads of information about their areas of expertise. We were able to attend with passes from Melissa's Produce (thank you!) and were in for quite the treat as we explored more about the trends that have been cropping up in the produce scene.

Opened in early 2013, Harlow's Fine Cuisine & Crafted Cocktails in San Juan Capistrano has been making an impact in its community and has even been attracting clientele from far away. Perhaps it is their commitment to make as much from scratch as possible or their focus on a contemporary Californian cuisine with as many organic and local ingredients as possible. Live music on the weekends can also be a big draw though it doesn't hold a light to just how good both the food and cocktails are. The location used to be a local pizza joint so when Harlow's took over, it was reconstructed from the ground up with even Executive Chef Aaron Anderson joining others in painting the walls and ceilings and using the jackhammer to work on the floors. Now the restaurant has a historic European vibe with some jazzy elements but don't be fooled - the food is still exquisitely modern. To gain more insight into what makes Harlow's a budding hot spot, we decided to sneak behind the scenes and get right into the kitchen and cook with Chef Aaron. Lucky for me, he was gracious in sharing the space.

"The food in this country went into a dive in the last 50 years - it was the Industrial Revolution when everything was getting bigger, better, and faster which is great for machines and automobiles but not food."

Primal Pastures - their name bespeaks their purpose, and their purpose is a valiant one. With more and more people starting to care (publicly) about the foods they put in their body, it was no surprise that a farm had cropped up with the intent of delivering the best and most natural products they could. What the surprise was, however, was that there aren't more of these establishments yet. We had heard of Primal Pastures through several venues before, followed them on social media, and kept updated on their farm's activities. If you don't know who they are yet, you should get to know them and their mission (it started with chicken by the way!). Though we were checking in through social media with what they were doing, we didn't unravel the complete story until we hopped onto a tour they had in November that was open to the public and everyone's curiosity. Our first sign that we were at the right place: meeting their sheep Wanda out front, named because she wanders, hah.

The simple joy of feeling the warm crunch of fresh bread betwixt your teeth is difficult to accurately describe. It is a sensory experience that you can either relish in the moment or later but you all know what I mean when I recall memories for you of crumbs on your fingers, the smell of dough, golden brown crusts, a hearty tearing sound, and the taste of comfort. In every culture too, there is a different type of bread consumed. We made an interesting visit a few weeks back to BREAD Artisan Bakery after running into founder and owner Jonnie Peckham on several occasions at several events. Located in Santa Ana in a commercial warehouse area, the bakery was in the full swing of things once we arrived in the evening - the prime time for preparing for the next day's fresh deliveries. Had we not known the address and seen the office light on amid the darkened warehouse buildings, we might have missed the bakery which had to undergo a build-out (and was still under some construction) to accommodate the special factors needed to make a bakery work including adding walls to create separated, enclosed rooms.


I know without a doubt that you have had some of Jonnie's bread before based on who her clientele is but I won't disclose that information too early. You'll just have to found out! Officially BREAD Artisan Bakery has been around since 2010 though bread-making is no new skill or industry for Jonnie whose father used to own a bakery as well. In 2008, Jonnie stepped in to help with increasing production and eventually created her own business feeding the bread-hungry people of Orange County. She found a space in San Juan Capistrano to sublet which was a fully equipped bakery but eventually made the move to Santa Ana. As she spoke, we started to see how obvious it was how dedicated she was to her bread, never settling or going public until she had come to the bread she wanted and was proud enough of to sell. Now, as she says, the biggest part of the job is keeping the product consistent as the company grows. As we walked around the grounds trying to stay out of the way as much as possible (her staff was all working hard to meet their 3AM deadline), she pointed out their recent addition of two bread ovens for a total of five double-racker ovens which each house full structured racks that rotated slowly when loaded inside.


Of course throughout our tour, we each donned hairnets but we must have missed the memo on putting on our whites. One step into the room where all of the dough was being mixed and formed showed how apparently out-of-place our attire was. BREAD employees were systematically and efficiently moving around the room finishing each task as we peered curiously into commercial-sized mixing bowls and sneaked looks around machinery. We stared at machines that constantly whir all day, turning and feeding dough around the clock, and tried to fully process what was going on in the brain of the room as workers mixed, cut, divided, shaped, and more. Producing 20,000-30,000 individual units per day is certainly the tall task but Jonnie credits that feat to her second-in-command (the head baker) who is able to keep every single recipe and worker on track whether or not he is physically present. As she told us, that's where bakeries fail and crack but Yonick keeps everyone and every thing on point. Not only are there thousands of units to make every day but there are hundreds of variations based on each client's proprietary needs seeing as everyone wants something a little unique to their businesses (for example, Pelican Hill uses rosemary on their square potato bread as opposed to others who may have it unadorned).

"They're all amazing. He's amazing. I don't know how he does it but it's where other bakeries fail. They crack without a strong head baker."

Outside of that room, we also learned a bit more about the differences in the styles of bread that they produce and how those are prepped for baking. Some require double fermentation to achieve their signature tastes such as sourdough and French baguettes; these have a bubbly exterior because after being shaped, they are put back into the refrigerator for a secondary fermentation that retards the bread in the cold (no rising!) and produces the crust. Particularly for artisan breads, a proof box is not used, unlike rolls and buns. They use a deck oven for those tasty, crunchy breads but the entire process does take a few days after the mother dough is first used. We found the techniques fascinating and also thought it was a bit clever seeing a large paint sprayer used for egg wash (but it frequently gunks up apparently!).


As aforementioned, the production has a 3AM deadline before their drivers start showing up. Packaging is done in a separate room where workers will pack them 6, 12, or 24 to a bag based on client. I wondered why there isn't a larger volume package in which to send off the products, and Jonnie pointed out that bread would easily crush if packed too tightly. I should have thought of that - guess I'm not going to package bread anytime soon! Another reason is that some orders are on a smaller scale. They can have orders as low as $40 or high as $3,000+ apparently. Sometimes clients, especially hotels like St. Regis, will purchase parbaked bread to keep in the freezer and those may go out by the caseload. The variety keeps the bakery happy though because it doesn't force them to put all their eggs in one basket; you'd want a variety of customer types for your clientele to ensure you are always busy.

Jonnie noted that a lot of the smaller clients are her own friends and smaller scale chefs whereas the bigger clients are hotels. Their biggest client? Surely you'll know them. It's Disneyland. That's right. I bet you got as giddy reading that as I did hearing it. Main Street Bakery, Carsland (garlic chive roll!), Carthay (Jonnie's proudest of this one as her country rustic bread is used as their table bread), Club 33, Adventureland, Fantasyland, New Orleans, you name it. You've probably had her bread there. She also enlightened us in knowing that Disneyland has strict rules about the type of food brought in including that there are no GMOs, trans fats, etc in their food so I guess we should all feel a little better knowing why prices are so high in the parks! After we discussed some of these clients, we discovered that the deck oven was being handled for lovely ciabatta sandwich squares so we had to go watch the process.


Another piece of equipment that we got a chance to preview was one I had seen before at other bakeries - their proof box. This, however, was another item Jonnie was proud of as it was the one piece of brand new equipment they bought for their move. If you are unaware, proof boxes keep doughs at constant temperature and humidity so that there are no variances due to weather changing. As aforementioned, artisan bread is not the type that goes into the proofbox but burger buns, which they do a lot of, are prime candidates for this controlled pampering.


I asked Jonnie how they determine what they make on a daily basis, and she noted their fax-or-call-in process. Orders taken from their wholesale clients must be received by their early afternoon cut-off time to even be considered for the next morning, so yes, there have been occasions where people don't get their orders because they didn't make the deadline. At the time of our visit, they were just selling to other businesses but in recent weeks, BREAD Artisan Bakery has announced their public sales. If you're curious yourself about their beautiful breads, you can catch them at 1943 E. Pomona St in Santa Ana on Thursday from 4pm-7pm and/or Saturday from 9am-noon. I'd highly recommend it.


We really appreciated BREAD Artisan Bakery's time and letting us in to tour the operations. We always love seeing more in-depth where food comes from and how it is produced before it hits the table; seeing how a bakery operates (and especially the TIMES they operate) is just one of the ways we can better understand our meals. Thank you to Jonnie, Vishal, and all the rest of the bakery staff for allowing us access into your world. The fresh ciabatta sandwich squares we got to munch on after the deck oven finished working its magic was oh-so-heavenly, and the loaves we took home to freeze found their ways into even our Thanksgiving stuffing! We're absolutely looking forward to more bread from Bread. Go check them out!

Photography by Duc Duong. More photos available on Facebook here.