Just when I think I’ve found it…

So yes, not only do I have to live dairy free, but I also live gluten free. Trust me, this was not some idea I got in my head to try to live a healthier lifestyle… but rather, it is a necessity for me. I have pretty severe dairy allergies, and minor wheat allergies, so it was suggested by my doctors that I eliminate both from my diet. And naturally, the hardest thing for me to eat is one of my favorite baked goods. I love cake, cupcakes, cookies, bread… I did only work in a bakery for almost 10 years, so I would say that I became rather spoiled when it came to baked goods. Unfortunately the two key ingredients in most baked goods is some sort of dairy and wheat.

But oh how I was overjoyed to learn that there was a gluten free bakery not too far from my house, that also made some of their items dairy free as well. After the hell I had been going through, I truly believed now that there was a God! (ok, well, I have always believed that, but this just strengthened my faith in him

Haley’s Corner Bakery, http://haleyscorner.com/, is a small, hole in the wall place in Kent, WA. My nutritionist is within walking distance to the bakery, so when I would go to the nutritionist, I would go to the bakery too.

Now having worked in food service, I know that it is not the easiest field to work in. Stressful working conditions, odd hours, and worst- the customers. With that said though, I do tend to be particular when it comes to service because I know that it can be done. Also, I would like to state that not only do I support local businesses, but I also support those that give the young an opportunity at work (the bakery is next door to a high school).

I will spare you all the details, and just post the e-mail that I sent to the bakery this last Wednesday about the disappointing service I had:

“To whom it may concern,

I have visited your bakery a few times simply for the fact that it is one of the few places to get not only gluten free baked goods, but also some dairy free as well. While I generally have enjoyed the taste and quality of the products, the service has been terrible.

Each time I have come in, I have had to wait upwards of 5 minutes to be “greeted” by anyone, if you can even call it a greeting. It’s typically just been “can I get you something?”. Yes, of course you can get me something, why else would I be standing there? There has always been someone eating either in the back or at one of the tables (an employee I would assume), and while I can appreciate the fact that you are giving young people the chance at employment, all they seem more concerned with is their social lives and not the customers. I have tolerated this only because in South King County there are not many options. (did I mention I drive all the way from Maple Valley to come here?…)

Today though, I was completely appalled at what I saw. Again, I waited and waited to be greeted….. I did see one person which I thought was a customer at a table, only to later discover it was an employee… I guess her break was too important to go get someone to help me. After someone came out, I wasn’t even remotely greeted…. The woman just stood behind the case and waited for me to tell her what I wanted. After doing so, I walked to the cash register where I am in direct view of the back prep area. The employee who was at the table out front eating had gotten up and walked to the back, did not wash her hands, and came out front and started pulling trays of cookies out of the case. As she walked into the back, another employee came right in the doorway, DIRECTLY IN MY VIEW, and proceeded to blow her nose, throw the Kleenex away and walk back to the prep area and grab a bowl and what appeared to be a large scoop or sifter and began to work with product. To make matters worse, she was then talking to someone in the back (out of my view) about “yeah, have you ever had a bugger like that!?”

I did not want to make a scene, so I paid for my two items…. I proceeded to still say thank you as the clerk helping me just turned and walked away.

I just spent almost 8 dollars on a cherry pie bar and a piece of princess cake, which I just threw away out of disgust.

It obviously seems that you all have your business model figured out…. You don’t have to be nice to customers because you’ve got us cornered…. You are in a specialty market segment that leaves many of us no other alternatives. I have worked in the bakery business for the last ten years as a cake decorator for a large grocery chain and know that not only was the service awful, but your food handling procedures lack as well. More so, how can I now trust that food is properly handled and contained in the back? How can I really trust that my dairy free item I am getting is really dairy free?

Unfortunately my next step would be to contact the health department, because bottom line, there was no hand washing  or protective cover when handling food.”

 

I want to overly stress here that I am NOT the type to complain about anything when it comes to service… or rather, it has to be really bad for me to complain, because again, I do know how hard it is. So yes, right after sending this email to them, I did file a complaint with the health department. But now to the worst part-Two days later I still have no response from either the bakery or the health department!

Needless to say, I will not be going back to this bakery, even if they do respond at this point. But the bigger issue for me is how can we trust establishments if I can’t even get a reply from one of the organizations that monitor them!

I Will be visiting the library more to get books on GF/DF cooking and baking for home. I can at least trust myself to make safe food for my family.