The Flaky Foodie

7. A Tale of Two Bakers (Margaret Rudkin and TC Bakery)

March 09, 2022 • Jess • Season 1 • Episode 7

Share episode
Jess:

Hi, it's Jess and welcome to the flaky foodie podcast. The only show where the discussion is delicious and there's chatter to chew on. On today's episode, we'll continue our celebration of Women's History Month by talking about two women, one who baked her way to the top, and one who is currently baking her way to the top. First off, we'll talk about Margaret Rudkin, the woman behind the snack that smiles back and so many other items that you can find in your grocery store right now. Then we'll talk with Jennifer Young of Tec bakery about how opening up her mother's cookbook changed her life and her career. It's all coming up now only on the flaky foodie. Some, let's get right into it. Marguerite Fogarty was born in 1897. And she was the oldest of five children. She was a rising star graduating with valedictorian in her class, and then going on to work at Wall Street. Now, we already know that Margaret graduated at the top of her class, but she's also described as being conventionally attractive. So it's no surprise that while she was working on Wall Street, she caught the eye of Henry Albert, a successful New York City stockbroker. Now Henry and Margaret were doing very well for themselves. They were the pinnacle of American wealth, even buy a 125 acre estate in Fairfield, Connecticut. Little did they know that they will go from living high on the hog to being very lean in the purse, as the stock market crashed in 1929. And led to the Great Depression to add injury to insult Henry hurt himself in a polo match, so he could not provide for his family for about six months. So imagine going from being able to afford this massive farm to being flat broke, that was Margaret's reality. She had to let all of her servants ago at this match in this huge estate and her husband couldn't even work to kind of fill in the slack. So they had to turn to something else. First, it was selling apples off the property then it was raising and selling turkeys. But little did they know that the next idea Marguerite would have would change their life. Now if you watch the television show Shark Tank from time to time like I do, you know that there are so many inventors whose key motivation for inventing something is their kids, their kids lacked something, their kid had an issue that wasn't being solved in the traditional ways to do things. So they had to kind of create this product create this brand new service because otherwise the kids would not have what they need. You know, the saying often goes necessity is the mother of invention. But I simply say the best inventors are just mothers and fathers to parents in general, actually, but let's not get sidetracked. The story goes that one of Margaret and Henry's three children had severe food allergies, some articles even say that it was asthma. And because of his condition, he couldn't have store bought bread, that time in the grocery stores with just plain white bread. And the doctor said that this plain white bread would mess with his allergies or his asthma. And so Margaret kind of turned to one article said she turned to her grandmother's cookbook. And she opened it and found a recipe for wholemeal bread or whole wheat bread. And she made this bread for her son. And she fed a slice to the doctor and the doctor was like, hey, you know, I want some of this bread. And and so that's what she began to sell. Now that story sounds very good. But you also have to think of the financial circumstances that Margaret and her family were in. She tried to other ways to make money that just weren't successful. So we don't know the primary motivating factor for Margaret baking the bread, but we definitely know that it was a success. Now you may be wondering how big of a success was this bread? Well, to answer that question, I have to tell you the name of Margaret and Henry's farm. Now if you can imagine 125 acres of land that's a lot of trees. But the most common tree on that property was a type of sorghum tree that the locals called Pepperidge trees. So yes, Margaret Fogarty rockin was the founder of Pepperidge farms. She started small with her doctor friend telling other doctors about it and the business expanding from there. Now she's sold her first loaf of bread to a grocery store for 25 cents now for reference most bread at the time. So for 10 cents. And remember, this was during the Great Depression But there was a great demand for her product. There was no whole wheat bread being sold on grocery store shelves. Now the timing was just right to American women had stopped making bread at home and were turning to commercial food products. However, there was no bread contender on the shelves that could compare to the more healthful bread that you would make at home. That's where Pepperidge farms stepped in. So I was thinking what was the modern equivalent of what Pepperidge Farm was doing back then be today. So if you're on a health cake and you want to get away from the super processed bread on the bread aisle, a lot of times people will recommend that you try and zekiel bread or you try a Dave's Killer Bread brands that now have the reputation for being less processed, preservative free, or you can see the seeds and the nuts and the berries that go into it. Pepperidge Farm was basically the zeal bread or the Dave's Killer Bread of the day, it was the more healthful options, the ones that doctors obviously recommended. So people love Margaret's healthy whole wheat bread so much that by the end of the first year, she was selling 4000 loaves a week. So my dad has very bougie tastes and cookies. Growing up he will often bring home Milanos which are to this day, one of my favorite items that Pepperidge Farm makes. So this kind of leads to the question, how do they go from making healthy holy bread to making cookies? So the answer comes from what the Redskins did when their financial situation improved. They went to Europe now while in Europe, Belgium to be specific, she discovered this brand of chocolate cookies. The company that made them were so well known and the cookies so beloved, that they supply their wares to the Belgium royal house. Now to show you what a powerful force Margaret rockin was. She commits this cookie company to give her their secret recipes. Not only that was she convinced this company to send some of their master bakers to America to teach her how to perfect their recipes. So with the help of this cookie company and a 150 foot cookie oven she had imported from Belgium. Pepperidge Farm began selling six varieties of European cookies inspired by reckons time in Europe. Now, if you were to go to any store in America that sells Pepperidge Farm cookies and look at the bags or maybe even go to your pantry and look at a bag, you'll notice that all of the cookies are named after cities. And this is a tradition that started from the very first line of Pepperidge Farm cookies. Each of the six original Pepperidge Farm cookies was named after a city to commemorate Margaret's European adventure. Now, when Margaret released these cookies back in the 1950s, Nabisco and Keibler were already big names in the cookie space. But what set Pepperidge Farm apart was kind of this European air, those distinctive white bags as opposed to you know, the boxes and the cellophane that the Keebler cookies or the Nabisco cookies came in. So people flocked to these cookies because the packaging and the cookies themselves were very delicate and sophisticated. Now we started this podcast by associating Margaret wreckin with the snack that smiles bag, which as you know is a tagline for goldfish. So goldfish became a part of the Pepperidge Farm brand, just like the cookies did through a trip to Europe. When Margaret visited Switzerland, she discovered a line of cheddar crackers shaped like adorable little fish. And she brought that recipe back to the US much like she did for her cookie line. So let's back up a little bit. Goldfish were introduced in 1962 and 1961, Margaret sold her company to the Campbell Soup Company, becoming its director and the first woman to sit on his board. In 1963. Margaret wrapkin wrote the Margaret rockin Pepperidge Farm cookbook, which was the first cookbook to chart on the New York Times bestseller list. In 1966. Margaret officially retired from Pepperidge Farm, she died a year later have breast cancer. So that was the life of Margaret Fogarty Rudkin The Woman Who baked her way out of the Great Depression and created what is now a billion dollar company. Now we're going to keep the trend of talking about brilliant women who bake going by talking with Jennifer Young of TC bakery after the break. We'll talk with her about her family legacy and the doors that baking has opened for her. You won't want to miss it. It's all this talk of good food making you hungry, get fresh meals. delivered via Instacart. They can have the meal delivered from the store to your door in as fast as 30 minutes with Priority delivery and not only is it fast, but I have a special offer that makes it affordable as well free delivery on your first order of more than $10. Just click the link in my show notes or show description or go to www dot the flaky foodie slash offers o FF e r s to take advantage of this very special discount Hey, are you enjoying the flaky foodie podcast? If so help me keep it going by becoming a supporter, go to www dot the flaky boutique.com and click on support in the top menu bar. There you will find several ways to support the show. You can either make a donation through Paypal or buy me a coffee. You can buy some of my merchandise in my merch shop or you can make your brand a part of the show by becoming a flaky fruity sponsor. Either way you decide to do it. I am eternally grateful not just to have you as a supporter but also to have you as a listener. Thank you Hello, and welcome back Today we have Jennifer with TC bakery here in Tallahassee make some delicious cakes and cheese cakes. Welcome to the show.

Jennifer:

Thank you so much for having me.

Jess:

So how did you start baking?

Jennifer:

Um, I started honestly out of a place of I was dealing with postpartum depression. After I had my twins. About five years ago, I finally picked up my mother's cookbook and just needed a stress reliever. And so I just started baking from there after the twins born Do you remember what was the first thing that you baked? Oh, so the very first thing I bought was her lemon pound cake. Oh, it was yeah, it was amazing. And then from there I was intimidated by the red velvet cake because you know here in the south rebuilders like to bake and if you can get a red velvet there you're like made it so that was my second kickoff tip it was the rebuilding cake and from being I just kind of sword.

Jess:

So you've mentioned kind of baking as a stress relief. Is that still the same now even though that's your core businesses are still providing that stress relief for you?

Jennifer:

And it does because I really enjoy baking I love seeing things come together I love seeing people enjoy my treats. So I still enjoy it I come to work every day I pinch myself then I'm actually living out my dream job.

Jess:

So what is your personal favorite out of the bakery? What's something that you find yourself maybe sneaking one from the display yourself?

Jennifer:

A slice of a pound cake? I will apply Let me taste it for quality assurance. Oh my employees like Alright, you got like two slices. Like we tried to sell it. You can't eat your product. But I love pound cake

Jess:

pancake. Oh, I'm a huge

Jennifer:

I'm a huge fan of especially lemon pound cake.

Jess:

Oh, I agree. I see eye to eye on that is delicious. Yeah. So you kind of mentioned your mom's cookbook is kind of what got you started baking. So tell me a little bit more about your mom's business. I hear they have like a rich history I hear in the Tallahassee area as far as being in the restaurant business.

Jennifer:

Yeah, so my mother and my father or my Mary's, um, it was a popular soul food restaurant. Here off of FAMU campus down the hill in the 80s and 90s. My my mom died in 94. And my dad kept it open for a year later to 95,96 and then my sister kept it off for for a couple of years after that. Um, so they my mother was known for feeding students that did not have any money. I remember I was only 10 years old when she died but I really remember having different college students in our house because they didn't have a place to stay. Like I've just the the stories I've heard since opening back up about what she did for FAMU students while she was alive is such an inspiration to me. So my dad is still living. He comes in and out, talking to everybody that's in here. And everybody knows them and just trying to follow in that legacy. legacy that they, they planted the seeds for me. And so I walk into it every day trying to make sure that I uphold the same standards that they did. Because here it is, my mom has been gone for almost what 20? Like, oh my gosh, like 28 years, um, this year between eight years, and I still have people asking about her, like talking about her. And I'm like, wow, you know, like, Y'all still remember my mama. That is, so that's so while to me, like, especially like students that were here like in the 80s and 90s. They're like, Oh, yeah, we remember your mom, when you look just like that, like, oh my gosh, I just can't believe that someone lives she left that much impact on them to that now they're helping me with my business. It's amazing.

Jess:

Um, so you started with kind of What's your mom's recipes? Have you created any recipes of your own, since you started the business,

Jennifer:

I have, um, I've taken a lot of the recipes, I've taken her recipes, and kind of remix them to what I, you know, added something or left something out or trying to enhance it. One thing I have done is a banana pudding cake. And that banana pudding cake is one that I created. Um, a lot of my recipes, I use the base of what she's done, and just kind of build upon it in the banana pudding cake was one of those that I was like, Oh, let me add this and add that, you know, see how to do and that's like my number one top seller, along with red velvet.

Jess:

So do you think of, hey, you know, I've had I had banana pudding. I want to put that in a cake. So how do you kind of come up with your flavors? Like what is your process?

Jennifer:

I'm, to be honest with you. I really like is my mother, and I'm praying as I bake. So I'm always asking God, can you give me please another flavor combination or another recipe? And honestly, it just calms the Holy Spirit. It just really just calms like I was sitting in my car one day. And I was like, Lord, just give me another recipe. And sure enough, 10 minutes later, I got a lemon lime recipe. And I was like, Oh, I can do this and do that. Me. It just came together. And so I think I think she's watching me and she's speaking to me through my bacon. And I can just really can't explain it. You know? I really can't explain how, how everything happens. Like it's so supernatural. Honestly. I just don't know how to explain it.

Jess:

So do you personally do you have any kind of memories of being in your mom's your mom and dad's restaurant?

Jennifer:

I do. Um, even though I was so young, I do remember cuz she used to work on famous campus too. So, um, I do remember her coming here, taking me to FAMU ders, and then we will stop by here to get breakfast and then she'll take the school she'll go to work and then come back. And I will come here after school. So I do I do remember those those times. Because I'm still actually in the same restaurant that they had. So yeah, it still looks the same. They have been they remodel over the years but yeah, this I remember I don't remember a lot.

Jess:

So when you Bay, What tool do you use the most? I'm on it. I I'm guessing it's the mixer, but I don't want to see what you say.

Jennifer:

It is the mixer. Yeah, it's my kitchen, a mixer. We have one big commercial mixer here and then I have to like I have three mixes here but and they go from small to large. And we were using that mixer every single I mean my God. I was listening to the Volta sound like it's about to go out girl we be using this in the mixer on spring break.

Jess:

So you mentioned that your favorite item on the menu is the poundcake. What what item on your menu did the customers kind of keep coming back and buying again and again?

Jennifer:

It would be so right now because it happens in waves. So um, this week is the everybody's asking about the sweet potatoes cheesecake. And the red velvet the Red Velvet is like the staple. Oh, TC banchory Everybody loves the Red Velvet. And so um, we're going through like two or three of them a day. So um, Ram velvet, the sweet potato chip. cake and a banana pudding cake is also like one that they have folks keep coming back because they're like, oh, surprise, it tastes so good. You know, they're like, I don't know what about I don't know about banana pudding in a cake. Yeah, maybe salver loved it. But then they're like, Oh, let me get another one. It's so fun. So what's

Jess:

one thing that's kind of happened? Since you opened your business to where you like, Wait, well, man, baking like opens these kinds of doors. What's kind of like your biggest project that you've had?

Jennifer:

These projects that are had like four biggest like order, or

Jess:

just a thing that you can be like, Man, I can't imagine that just opening that cookbook that one time can lead to this.

Jennifer:

Okay, so I was in the New York Times, and I had no clue like, I've never ever imagined myself to be on CNN Headline News. And yeah, this stuff has really just tripped me out that this has came from bacon, you know, like, I just can't believe it. I really cannot believe that, um, I had a customer right into the New York Times to tell them about my bakery. And they published it. I'm like, Oh, my gosh, I'm and I was the only black female Baker in the New York Times. in Tallahassee.

Jess:

Lamb that's, that's some kind of word of mouth. That's the kind of word of mouth people pay for.

Jennifer:

Yes. And it's like, oh, my gosh, like, I just and then we went to New York, and it's like, Oh, my God, like, this is? My my made it, you know? Yeah. Like, I've just the different publications that I would have never imagined because I'm a background person. And I don't mind being in the background. I'm kind of shy. And so being that on this, having this business, especially in this building, has kind of pushed me to the forefront. And so to see that, like CNN and getting the calls from like, like I said, New York Times, and then ESPN and it's like, what, just from

Jess:

that is amazing, and a blessing. So where's the cookbook coming out? Wednesday? Lindsey, your cookbook coming out?

Jennifer:

Oh. I've been asked that question. Oh, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Um, yeah, I don't know. I do have. I do have some ideas. Right now. I'm working on like, I just launched my utensils line. Okay. So that I have bad I just got a warehouse and I'm doing commercial orders now with different restaurants across the country. And in Tallahassee, oh, so it's, it's gonna come you are writing for me?

Jess:

Well, you see what

Jennifer:

I would, I would.

Jess:

So tell me a little bit more about your utensil line. What kind of utensils are in the in the in the line.

Jennifer:

So right now we have with spatulas a brush. What else we have spoons, slotted spoons and a slotted spatula. We have a six piece set that comes in so my logo colors are like a teal and pink color. So you so that's what my utensils are so you can choose from rose, pink are the teal color. And I have been three pieces in a six piece set.

Jess:

So if I just put the special in a bowl and stir it with banana pudding cake just come out is that how

Jennifer:

I know I'm so unfortunate. But you can hire me to teach you how to bake Oh, well we do baking classes I do I have another business a part of TC bakery which is called cake and sip that we trademark so I teach children like like it's like a kid's decorating class. I also do it for adults as well. So it's just like having a decorating party that I provide every every supply all your supplies, you just show up and you leave here with a cake so we have a lot going on, you know, and I'm just killing all day. All I wanted to do was bait just as a hobby has turned into all of these. This is crazy.

Jess:

So you kind of mentioned that the class you can kind of design your own cake. You've kind of designed some cakes for events kind of wet. What has been your favorite design

Jennifer:

All right now my favorite designs are the rosettes. So that's my signature cake. Signature cake design is the rosettes. I love the rosettes. And I love when people ask for him in the armory. Um, so going from dark to light. I love that. So I get excited seeing the many different colors that people choose to for that type of cake. So that's what that's what I'm and I always try to hear, especially when cakes, I always try to hear people please get roses. And that's like my favorite thing to do.

Jess:

So do you enjoy cooking as well as baking or is kind of baking your number one love.

Jennifer:

Baking is my number one love, I do not cook at all.

Jess:

Really. It's usually that way because it's such it's such it's so different because you know baking science and then cooking is a pinch of this a little bit of that.

Jennifer:

Right and, and, and with cooking is so many different. Everybody has so many different taste buds and like what bacon is like is good or is not good. Like cooking, you can put too much salt. Like some people like it's salt, like it's just too much I can I use on my house,

Jess:

majority of the cooking. I used to love baking. A couple years ago I was baking breads and cakes and things but I was like I think I like cooking better now. Because you know I have stuff that never came out because I was trying to be a pinch of this a pitch this type of person with a baked good and it's just not going to work. Yeah, I

Jennifer:

was like, Yeah, I'm one of those people that like I'm like, I'm one of those type of people are like everything is that I'm I'm very analytical, my degrees and math. So everything is just like it has to be that. And with cooking. It's not you can just do what you want to do. And know, I can

Jess:

be in the math major. And I probably really helps when you have to like double the recipe. Triple A recipe.

Jennifer:

Yeah, yeah. Yes. Yes. And I'd be I'd be in so in low light with fractions. And I'm like doing the fractions. And my employee. She's like, Oh, can you do this for me? And I'm like, Oh my gosh. Yes.

Jess:

So I have just a couple of just little fun questions to kind of close this out here. Okay, so if you had to bake with a nut like in a cake or a cookie or anything like that, would you rather it be pecans or walnuts. Pecans are from the south. You know? If this was a points game, you would have gotten 100 points. I would love I love for God Sue. Would you rather have a cake with a glaze or a cake with a frosty? Ooh

Jennifer:

I'm thinking about pancakes. A glaze? Yes. A glaze. Especially a seven glaze. Yes ma'am. Yes, ma'am.

Jess:

So butter cream or cream cheese frosting.

Jennifer:

Cream cheese.

Jess:

Okay, so would you rather have for Thanksgiving dinner?

Jennifer:

Would you rather have a sweet potato pie? Or pecan pie? And neither I don't eat pie.

Jess:

You don't eat pie? Okay,

Jennifer:

so would you rent look what I made sweet potato cheese.

Jess:

You hate you had to turn that pie into something.

Jennifer:

I made the film like I will be doing the film before but I will not. I don't like super Taylor not crazy. Really? Like happiness stuff. I like this stuff. I bait like my husband. He's like much cheap tasting officer. That's what he called it see to replace the battery like all that good. Stuff on me. I can't tell you what some of this stuff taste like. I promise I think I can take up taste the batter to see if it tastes good. But that's funny. People don't know if we're to

Jess:

if it works. I mean if the CTO is doing his job if it tastes good Okay, would you rather have like a chocolate chip cookie or a piece of cake?

Jennifer:

A cookie? Oh my god. That's my weakness.

Jess:

My two

Jennifer:

oh a hot yeah.

Jess:

I was just about to say that makes all the difference in the world.

Jennifer:

Yeah, got Oh. There you got me going ham made some crunchy chili. Cool. Well,

Jess:

what? Hey, my address is yes.

Jennifer:

Oh, okay.

Jess:

Yes. Thank you so much again for being here. Yes.

Jennifer:

So how can people find Thank you for having me? Um, so I'm on Facebook TC bakery. Also on Instagram @TCBakerytlh Are you going? I'm here off of family campus 614 Eugene your street? Tallahassee, Florida 32310 they can catch me on my website www.tcbakery.com

Jess:

And for people who may not be in the Tallahassee area, or is there any way that they can use your serve services or maybe get a taste of TC bakery for themselves?

Jennifer:

They can. I just came back from Dallas actually doing a pop up shop. So two days ago, actually. So we're always around the country traveling. And you also can call our place an order online and I will ship it directly to you.

Jess:

Sounds perfect. Okay, again, thank you so much, Jennifer for being here that she's with TC bakery out of Tallahassee, but you can get some straight to your door. Yes, mail.

Jennifer:

Thank you.

Jess:

Alrighty, thank you guys for listening. Have a great week. And remember, eat something delicious and treat this episode like gossip or the gospel and make sure you spread the word