Acts of Kindness in the Porno Bakery
Most bakeries around these days don't make anything themselves on site. All the bread is sort of pre-made and then they finish baking it. Bakeries that do bake their own stuff usually say so on their signs. Well, I came across a new one, just around the corner on Prenzlauer Allee. You would never imagine from looking at this lady that she is such an awesome baker. She is a thirty something brunette the size of a toothpick (she clearly doesn't sample her wares) and looks like she's straight out of a 1970's German porn film. And she must do it (baking, that is) 24-7 considering the volume of and variation in her selection. She makes the most incredible walnut bread (we've eaten a loaf a day, three days in a row) and chocolate cake with almonds and chocolate chips (yahoo!) inside. Yesterday, when I got home and unwrapped the package with the cake, I saw that she had put a carefully crafted, multi-layered chocolate cookie in there as well! This cookie got me thinking about a couple of things:
1. This was a real, live, random act of kindness - something that happens rarely.
2. This was something for free - a concept that has become a part of my consciousness primarily because getting something for free seems to be such a huge issue here. I am not sure if this is cultural or if it is a sign of the economic times. All I know is that if there is a free meal, most of the people I know are there and that weirds me out, I have to say.
3. In some contexts, this would be considered a sample, disguised in the form of a sweet surprize she sneaked into my cake bag for later discovery. It is capitalism. It is American. It made me happy.
Going on pure intuition here, I'd say the actual intention behind the cookie was closest to number 1 above. The effect that it had on me, however, was closer to number 3: I went back today and bought another loaf of walnut bread and more pastries. When I got home, I unwrapped the pastries all excited, like Charlie in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory when he opens the bar of chocolate and finds a golden ticket. And, sure enough, another random act of kindness - this time oatmeal. I want to hug her, even though she totally looks like a porn star.
1. This was a real, live, random act of kindness - something that happens rarely.
2. This was something for free - a concept that has become a part of my consciousness primarily because getting something for free seems to be such a huge issue here. I am not sure if this is cultural or if it is a sign of the economic times. All I know is that if there is a free meal, most of the people I know are there and that weirds me out, I have to say.
3. In some contexts, this would be considered a sample, disguised in the form of a sweet surprize she sneaked into my cake bag for later discovery. It is capitalism. It is American. It made me happy.
Going on pure intuition here, I'd say the actual intention behind the cookie was closest to number 1 above. The effect that it had on me, however, was closer to number 3: I went back today and bought another loaf of walnut bread and more pastries. When I got home, I unwrapped the pastries all excited, like Charlie in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory when he opens the bar of chocolate and finds a golden ticket. And, sure enough, another random act of kindness - this time oatmeal. I want to hug her, even though she totally looks like a porn star.
posted by mama jens at 10:24 PM
9 Comments:
Not only are your insights spot on, they are very carefully crafted for a reader's delight. I lived in Berlin(and elsewhere in Germany)last summer for about a month and i love reading snippets of Americans in Germany and their observations.
Are you a writer in some form? As i have been reading David Sedaris, you have some great similarities in telling your stories.
I look forward to the next story about a oma verbally abusing you in an elevator.
wow. thank you.
Nice site.
You may have noticed that Berlin is a very political city, so, hoping that you take this the right way, I have a little correction.
Giving out a free cookie may be salesmanship, business accumen, entrepreneurship, good customer relations, but it is _not_ Capitalism.
Capitalism is a mode of production where the owners of the Capital (tools, machines, equipment, etc) own the resulting product, and the workers recieve wages.
As you noted that the Women does the baking herself, she is thus an independent worker and not a Capitalist.
When private shareholders, who do no baking own the bakery and hire workers to do the baking, that is Capitalism.
And even still, giving out free cookies has nothing to do with it.
Capitalism is not a synonym for anything to do with marketing and business.
Thanks for your great contribution to the english language Berling blogging community.
Regards,
Dmytri Kleiner
Venture Communist.
I don't care whether it's a lovely gesture, an act of capitalism or whatever! I just want the biscuit!!!!!!! *Gimmeeeeeeeee!!*
*LOL*
Thanks for the clarification, Dmytri. I used my words a little too loosely there. The cookie was indeed a simple friendly gesture on the part of the porn star. In America, however, I would never think that. There, I would always assume it to be a marketing tactic. And, yes, this baker is an indie baker superstar. That is partially why the cakes taste better to me. :) - Mama Jens
ahhh, mama jens. i love reading your blog! although, i must admit, i am jealous of the german porno-baker....i want mama jens hugs! (maybe i should fly over and bake you cookies and hide them in your sock drawer....)
i miss you and i love reading this. a) i love your writing, which you know already. you are a brilliant storyteller. b) i feel like i'm part of your day! and we all know i'm in major mama jens withdrawl! c) i can actually picture you and the girls, and all the adventures... it makes me feel not as far away from you guys...
thanks mama jens! keep writing, for god's sake! : )
talk soon! and till then i will be reading the mama's adventures....
oh, allie! i miss you!!!!!! i'm so glad you're reading along! i hope to see you in a couple of months! xoxo, mama jens
Mama Jens … Your writing is inspirational, both to the writer and the foodie in me. I visit your blog regularly now and look forward to each installment.
Dmytri: Your hair-splitting rant about the definition of the word “capitalism” is misplaced. What may be sloppy usage from your point of view is completely understandable and appropriate shorthand to others. Don’t be so quick to correct an artist in the way she uses her words – you miss the point.
Hey, you have a great blog here! I'm definitely going to bookmark you!
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