Two Introductions

First of all: Our newest employee. Saw Kay, a refugee originally from Myanmar (Burma), arrived in Providence about 4 months ago along with his wife and 5 children after spending years in a camp in Thailand. Saw and his wife Sa Nay are Karen—one of the ethnic minority groups who have been persecuted for years by Burma’s military government. Aside from one other family who arrived with them, they are—if you can imagine this!—the only speakers of a language called Karen Sgaw in the state of Rhode Island. Saw does speak some Burmese and seems to understand a bit of Thai, but he and I are learning to communicate primarily through pictures and charades along with a lot of smiles and a resilience for being misunderstood. The day I hired him, I wasn’t really sure he understood that I was hiring him or whether he wanted to be hired, but sure enough he showed up at my office at 3:45 and off we went. One thing he does understand is hard work; he clearly enjoys making granola and is even learning to joke around with the rest of us. He even seems to like the granola and gladly takes a pound home for his family. To learn more about refugees from Burma, check out http://www.cal.org/resources/pubs/burmese.html

Secondly: Our newest product line, which we are calling Muesli, is a lower-cal, Swiss style breakfast version of our granola. Like many of you, Geoff and I tend to think of our granola as a snack food as much as breakfast, which is why we put so much effort into keeping it chunky. For my own breakfast, I’ve developed a technique of sifting out the “the dust” (as Geoff and I call it) from the bottom of the bag and mixing it in a bowl with a handful of dry oats. The oats cut the sweetness, lower the calories, plus I love the taste. If I’m feeling really ambitious, I’ll even pre-toast a week’s supply of the oats in the oven for a about a half hour to bring out their flavor. Believe me, I always feel very Swiss when I do this—and now for an introductory sale price of 4.95 (Original)/5.95 (Recipe of the month) a pound you can too. Providence Muesli uses the same recipes as our chunky granola and is mixed at a ratio of three parts un-chunky granola per one part toasted organic oats.

Part 2 of Semi-hostile Interview with Keith Cooper

Okay. You, oh-so-eloquently mentioned “innovations and stuff.” Tell us more.

With business picking up and the gift giving season around the corner, Geoff and I have a few things up our sleeves. We’ve published some new marketing material, so if any of our fans would like to spread the word, we can send you some postcards to hand out. With the help of one of our artistically gifted fans we’re getting close to a new logo along with new packaging that will keep the granola fresher. We’re even about to release a new product called “Providence Muesli.”

Sounds artisanal. Is that really a word, anyway, or did you make it up? You realize, don’t you, that nobody knows how to pronounce it.

The muesli is a bit of an alter-ego to our signature big-chunk, tooth-cracking, snacking style granola. This stuff belongs in a bowl. The recipe’s the same, but the grade is smaller and fits nicely on a spoon. You can think of it as, perhaps, the European version. Refined. Swiss. We’re also mixing it (and lowering the calories) with some straight-up organic oats that have been toasted to bring out the...

Let me guess: the je-ne-sais-quoi quality?

And more economically priced, I might add.

So what else? Dare I ask how business is going?

On the employment side, excellent. Better than imagined. Of the 6 refugees we’ve hired so far, 5 have already moved on to other jobs. Ayenge, our new hire in September, lasted all of 3 weeks before she went out and found herself a job. I don’t want to take too much credit, but she’d been in the US for over 2 years and we were her first employer. After the first work shift she brought a translator in to see me to ask if she was fired. It was great fun to tell her she’d been amazing. By the second week, I think she realized she could do the job as well as anybody. Now she’s gone and I’m hiring someone new.

And I heard you have a manager now.

Yep. Evon, our first employee who now works at a fancy restaurant, has been cut back to weekends, so I invited her back as our manager and switched our work day to Wednesdays. She now oversees the shift and does most of the training. I drop off and pick up, but she does most of the work.

How about sales? Are you making the big bucks yet?

We think we’ve finally started breaking even, so that’s a milestone. This summer we had a successful run at a few farmer’s markets. We’re quite proud of our sample-to-purchase ratio. Also, several very, very fancy RI restaurants have been buying us through Farm Fresh Market Mobile …

"Very" as in you’re very much dying to tell me who they are.

(scowl, short pause)… I admit, we’re impressed. It seems too easy—it makes us realize that if our fans mentioned us to the breakfast places they visit, our granola-domination of Rhode Island might soon be complete. We’ve also contracted with a non-profit, The George Wiley Center, to produce “George Wiley Ginger.” Profits from their sales (mostly through church/temple fundraisers) go toward feeding the hungry. That said, we’re definitely seeing some of the flaws of our business plan.

No kidding. Such as hiring people who don’t speak any English or have any experience in the American job market? Or trying to pay semi-decent wages? Or intentionally losing your best employees? Not to mention setting up as a for-profit LLC because you want people to know that refugees are contributing rather than taking from the local economy? I mean…

If these are questions, they seem rhetorical. In fact, this whole semi-hostile interview thing is becoming so blatantly self-serving that I might as well beg you to ask me about that request for help I mentioned right at the beginning.

Oh yeah. I almost forgot. So is there anything else? Some request you’d like to make?

Come to think of it, yes. Over and over, various faithful granola fans keep asking us what they can do, how they can help—and this got me thinking. It would really help our business if our manager, Evon, could get her driver’s license. Not only would it make her more employable but it would ease the burden of me driving refugees all over town on work days.

So how can we help?

So—I’ve made some arrangements with Joan’s Driving School in Cranston to provide Evon with discounted (thank you Joan!) driving lessons. And you can buy her one. Once you’ve finished buying your bag of Maple Rosemary (which came out awesome, I might add) you can also add on an hour-long driving lesson for only $35. Our goal is to provide 12-15 hours of lessons. If more than that comes in, we’ll either refund the money or offer you the opportunity to donate it towards step two of this plan--to buy a Providence Granola Project used car for Evon to use.

There your have it. End of interview. Thanks for reading, folks. Eat your oats. Keep hostility to a minimum. If you need a great driving teacher, call Joan. (I'll be hiring her myself in about--gasp--a year.) Tune in next time to hear about our newest employee from Burma. Keep a look out for our new muesli. And thanks, as always, for your support of refugees and RI’s best granola.

Ingredients in Maple Rosemary Granola: oats (org), barley (org), Sucanat (minimally processed cane sugar), honey (native RI), canola oil (expeller pressed), prunes (hard to find and overpriced because they don’t have chemicals in them), dates (org), Craisins, raisins, sesame seeds (org), sunflower seeds, wheat germ, oat bran (org), almonds, walnuts, coconut (org), pecan meal, flax seeds (org), maple syrup (authentic and mostly organic, although I ran out halfway through and had to use some conventional), oat fiber, vanilla, sea salt, cinnamon, rosemary (org, hand-picked this week in the rain at 6 AM from my plot at the Foxpoint Community Garden), nutmeg, almond extract. Absolutely no anthrax.

Semi-hostile interview with Keith Cooper in two parts:

PART 1

So, Keith, what’s the deal? Where’ve you been? No blog entries in over a month.

Sorry. I really don’t know how bloggers do it—the constant output. I’m just not up to it. I get tired. I get distracted. Plus I’ve been very busy, you know, innovating and stuff.

Well, how are you doing it now?

The way we do everything, a novel approach. This time I’m trying an interview by a semi-hostile interviewer who can get right in my face and force the crucial information out of me, plus even a request for help—without needing to worry about basic niceties like grammatical sentences. What’s said is said. Once it’s out of my mouth, there’s no taking it back. It’s a bit ruthless, I suppose, but hopefully it will get the job done. And the real stroke of genius is being my own semi-hostile interviewer—I can do the whole thing right here in my own home on a Saturday morning without so much as a shower or brushing my teeth.

Did you even make granola in September?

Of course. September’s flavor was Salted Mango. We used unsulfured dried mango, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, along with virgin olive oil which made it extra healthy and gave it an earthy flavor. I’ll put the ingredients at the end.

Salt? Healthy?

Actually we didn’t use any extra salt—just courser salt. Since the crystals don’t completely dissolve you occasionally get a miniature burst of flavor. All the month club members got a bag.

Is there any left?

Just 5 bags. If you order today you could probably get one.

And what’s up for October?

What? It’s October already? [Expletive deleted] How did that happen.

Well, as the ancient, now-dead, Romans used to say, “Tempus fugit.” You also had a birthday, which means your life is probably about…

Cool it. We agreed semi-hostile, not malicious. And yes, October’s recipe will be out next week. Despite all the unsolicited really helpful suggestions that came in from our fan-club for an appropriately frightening name, we decided to go with…

Wait. I want to hear these.

No you don’t.

What makes you think that you know what I do or don’t want to hear?

Okay, then. “Bloody Bandaid [Sic] Raisin,” “Chocolate Cat Hair Crunch,” “Cranberry Swamp Ass Surprise,” “Anthrax Apple”…

Hmm…

And those are just the nice ones.

You know that using "sic" is rude and elitist.

No it's sick. Get it?

(Moment of awkward silence.) Where were we?

I warned you. Some things just don’t belong on a granola blog. October’s recipe is Maple-Rosemary. The rosemary is subdued—very classy, plus it's home-grown, organic, straight from my community garden plot. It has dates and cranberries. In honor of Halloween, I am even adding some smashed bits of prune, which will provide a slight gross-out quality but in a very tasty way. I’ll put the ingredients in part 2 of this interview.

Yum! Yummy! Wow!

I hate those words.

I know! That’s why I’m using them.

Can we get on with this? I’d like to get a shower before noon.

Now that you mention it. This is a perfect time for a break.

To be continued

Ingredients in Salted Mango: oats (org), barley (org), honey (native RI), raw sugar, extra virgin olive oil, raisins, sesame seeds (org), pepitas, sunflower seeds (org), wheat germ, oat bran (org), walnuts, dried mango (w/sugar, unsulfured), coconut (org), flax seeds (org), millet (org), macadamias, pecan meal, oat fiber, course sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, almond extract.

Winner: "Best of Rhode Island" ( !!! )

We’ve been saying this all along. Now it’s official. On Thursday night at the Providence Performing Arts Center, Rhode Island Monthly Magazine wined us, dined us and declared our granola, the “Best of Rhode Island.”

For those of you who are not familiar with “The Best of Rhode Island” awards, when a restaurant wins “Best of Rhode Island” they make a banner and hang it outside their business all year long. Granted, Rhode Island is not a big state, but still…not too shabby. We’ll take it, wave our banner proudly – and hopefully see a boost in Granola of the Month subscriptions.

Here’s what the Rhode Island Monthly wrote about us:

We weren't even thinking about the granola when we signed on for PGP's Granola-of-the-Month Club. We were swayed by the venture's efforts to give jobs to incoming refugees. But we were hooked with our first taste of the chocolate-spiked Chocobanola. Now we count the days until our shipment arrives by mail, bearing clever topical titles, inventive recipes and carefully sourced ingredients. If you can't wait, get yourself to Liberty Elm Diner and Blue State Coffee, where their granola is sold daily. Do good, eat well.

Introducing Pistachio Cardamom Rose:

It was with some trepidation that we set out to show our softer side this month. Not that we mind the little jokes about the jaw-challenging properties of our granola—but still, that big-cluster crunch has become a part of our signature. Nevertheless, with dew points soaring, we’re taking the risk and doing our part to keep you from breaking an unnecessary sweat. Please let us know what you think.

This recipe is a labor of love containing cardamom (pan-toasted, hand peeled and crushed in a mortar), rose water, organic dates, and pistachios. A huge thanks to Evon Nano (one of our first employees, see earlier entry) who not only collaborated with me in inventing the recipe but has even returned to us during the week (she still works at the CAV on weekends) to take on some of the operations. And a special thanks to my poor children who, when our supplier unexpectedly ran out of pistachio meats, were corralled into helping me shell pistachios by hand.

I’m not really the bragging sort, but I confess, as the co-owner of Providence’s Best Granola I love this recipe—it’s fragrant, rich, surprising, mellow, with just a hint of the sadness I usually feel in summer knowing that summer can’t last forever. It’s also a very limited edition—we’re not selling Go Packs or bulk and we're making only enough to cover our month-club and internet orders. Due to scheduling complications we made a batch last night and those of you who usually receive your orders early in the month can start checking your mailboxes by this weekend. The rest will come around the 3rd week of August. Please keep in mind that it’s hot out and since our granola is all natural, it will stay freshest in your fridge or freezer.

Ingredients: oats (org), barley (org), Sucanat (minimally processed cane sugar), honey (native RI), canola oil (expeller pressed), dates (org), Craisins, raisins, sesame seeds (org), sunflower seeds (org), wheat germ, oat bran (org), almonds, pecans and/or walnuts, pistachios, coconut (org), pecan meal, flax seeds (org), oat fiber, vanilla, sea salt, orange peel, cardamom, rose water, pistachio extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, almond extract.

One last thing: we’re delighted to report that another one of our employees (Man Tiwari, pictured in earlier entry—who arrived knowing no English in April from Bhutan) is now working full-time at a local linen supply. Can you believe that! We’re impressed and proud of her.

Introducing Pina Colola for July

Don’t worry there’s no Coca-cola in it. There is, however, plenty of piña (unsulphured, low-sugar), and lots of organic coconut, plus macadamias, almonds, cashews, and a potpourri of organic grains. Need I say more?

Well, maybe a word about coconut: It used to be terrible for you, but apparently now it isn’t. In fact, if you google lists of “good” and “bad” oils, you’ll probably find it topping the chart of both. Yes it has saturated fat, but apparently these kinds (medium chain fatty acids) are great for you. They should make a new scientific category for ultra-good/bad foods. In the meantime, until the scientists and dieticians get their act together, we at Providence Granola Project have decided to trust our taste buds and common sense and consider it good. Believe me, I eat a lot of coconut and it doesn’t seem to be making me fat. (Okay, maybe a tiny bit--but then again, I should probably go jogging more than once a month.) Really, as the sole member of our R&D department (who feels compelled to consume all the not-quite-up-to-snuff trial versions my recipes), I should probably have offered up myself up to some researcher to study the effects of our ingredients on the human body. We could have made a movie and called it “Originola Me.” Too late now. Oh well. I do promise I’ll get my cholesterol checked this summer and I’ll let you know if my doctor has any concerns.

Two other things: First of all, many of you month club members who usually receive your package around the 8^th may be surprised to see your shipment arriving a week early. This is because I’m going on vacation on the 3^rd and figured better to try and send it a few days early in hopes of catching those of you who are leaving for the long weekend. If it means your shipment gets left out in a thunderstorm while you’re waving sparklers at grandma’s house, just let us know and we’ll replace it. Secondly, with most of the country in a heat wave, I think now is a good time to move your granola to the fridge or freezer. We’re still testing for how long our all-natural, mostly organic granola keeps on the shelf. What we know so far is that it collects moisture after a few weeks. This can be fixed by putting it back in an oven at 250 for 20 minutes, but my opinion is that keeping it cool and dry is easier.

Pina-Colola: oats (org), barley (org), rye (org) Sucanat (minimally processed cane sugar), honey (local RI), canola oil (expeller pressed), pineapple (low sugar, unsulphured), raisins, Craisins, sesame seeds (org), sunflower seeds (org), wheat germ, oat bran (org), almonds, macadamias, cashews, coconut (org), pecan meal, flax seeds (org), coconut flakes (org), oat fiber, millet, vanilla, cinnamon, sea salt, nutmeg, rum, almond extract.

Introducing "Wake Up Saigon"

A note from the cook:  If you’re looking for a breakfast to give you a motivating kick in the ass, look no further.  This is a granola that means business.  It features a generous shake of Saigon cinnamon along with all-natural dark chocolate covered espresso beans.  I'm not joking.  I got home last night around midnight after making a hundred pounds of the stuff.  This morning I fixed myself a large bowl and there’s been no stopping me.  I weeded the garden, made French toast for the kids, delivered bulk orders, dropped by the bank, and got about 26 month-club packages to the post office… So much for a relaxing weekend. I was considering another bowl for lunch.  Hmm, maybe I should wait until Monday.  But don’t wait too long to get your orders in. This is probably my favorite of the 8 we’ve made so far and unless someone totally begs we're not planning any more than this one batch.  

A note about Saigon cinnamon:  when I was growing up in Vietnam, I remember my mother bringing bunches of bark back as gifts.  It made no sense to me when America already had jars and jars in every store.  What I didn't realize until recently is that Vietnam grows a uniquely powerful type of cinnamon called cassia.  Most grocery store cinnamon comes from Ceylon, Mexico, or Indonesia.  Cassia has much richer oil content and a hotter, sweeter taste.  

You health nuts out there may have seen the research suggesting that cinnamon might lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels.  (This sounds suspiciously like offering those of us with high cholesterol an excuse to eat a lot of pastry.)  But the scientific study I found particularly interesting was one suggesting that the smell of cinnamon can diminish road rage.  If that’s true, then this could be perfect breakfast food:  a healthy kickass granola that will get you going yet calm you down behind the wheel. Too bad we don’t all live in L.A.  Still, there’s no harm testing the hypothesis.  Take your bag with you to work.  Open, take a big whiff, then drive. Let us know what you find out.

Ingredients:  oats (org), barley (org), Sucanat (minimally processed cane sugar), honey (local RI), canola oil (expeller pressed), raisins, Craisins, sesame seeds (org), sunflower seeds (org), wheat germ, oat bran (org), walnuts, almonds, coconut (org), pecan meal, flax seeds (org), chocolate covered espresso beans, oat fiber, Saigon cinnamon, vanilla, sea salt, nutmeg, almond extract.