Magic Sarap on Pandesal?

You see every month, meaning months where i have a baking class, you get all sorts. Stories upon stories, and i feel lucky when there is someone who already has a bakery and has a story to tell. Most of them do. Some tell on the first day, others on the last day as if trying to see whether anyone would be interested, or baka naman nahihiya lang mag kuwento. I love it when they do tell and tell a lot. Sometimes, it depends on the person. We come in different shapes and backgrounds, some are timid and shy, others are really cheery and talkative. I prefer the latter because you won't get anything from the first one. None at all. Believe me, i had sessions where it feels like cemetery creepy eery, the students barely talking to each other and the only resounding voice you hear is me, me and me. I feel almost like a broken record because i would talk non stop, from the time they arrive until they go out of the gate. Of course this is rare, but you do get them. Anyway, last month i was lucky because i have heard the weirdest thing ever. So here is .... telling us that his baker puts this and that to their pandesal. I told him, wait till we do the food costing and you will find out that judging from what you are saying, you barely make any profits at all since you opened your bakery. So we talk and talk and lo and behold he said that his baker even suggested that they use Magic Sarap in their pandesal. I say, what? Magic sarap? hmmm. Seriously? You see this is what happens when you put someone in the rein instead of you. Your baker knows you know NOTHING, as in NADA at all about what you guys have been doing, so he can pretty much tell you that jumping before baking makes the bread all the more tasty and you would probably believe him. It was obvious, the baker was just taking him for a ride, impressing him about something that would wow him, pull him in even more so he will be dependent on his skills. I wonder how his baker feels when he changed the recipe for their Pandesal after day 1? Some bakers do not take it too kindly. Most resign in a month, others complain everyday about this and that, but almost 95% do leave the bakery once they learn you, the boss takes baking classes. Turns out his baker asks to be let go by December. It figures. So....here it is. My best advice to you guys out there who dream of opening up their own bakery someday. Never open a bakery without you knowing how it works first. Of course we put magic sarap in ulam, such as adobo to make it taste better but putting it in pandesal is pure air. Well, we put garlic and what nots in the dough, why not magic sarap? Magic sarap is like a con, a show, an artificial flavoring that does not belong in a bread dough. It is an upfront to the craft and the art of yeast dough baking. Salt, water, yeast and flour. That is all you need and you get excellent tasting breads out of these four ingredients if you know the right technique. With Pandesal, our first day recipe surprises the students to its simplicity and yet, the taste and texture is satisfying. You don't need magic sarap to make a perfect pandesal. Fresh ingredients, balanced formula, on point technique. No short cuts, no skimping around, no flavor enhancers. Pandesal deserves it.