Question about whether we're too precious with ingredients
I got into it with a friend last week who runs a bakery downtown, and she said something that's been bugging me. She told me I'm too hung up on using fancy butter and imported vanilla for everything, and that customers mostly just want something that tastes good and looks okay. I thought she was wrong at first, but then I remembered a batch of chocolate chip cookies I made with cheap margarine and imitation extract that sold out in two hours at a bake sale. Maybe I've been overthinking it all these years, putting too much pressure on myself to use the best stuff every time. But then again, I feel like there's a difference between a quick sale and building a reputation. Has anyone else had a moment where they realized their standards might be out of step with what customers actually care about?