With all these breads in my kitchen counter, you might be inclined to think that I carefully store them all in plastic bags to keep them fresh.

I don’t. Ever. NEVER.

That’s right. For all the bread I bring home, I never, ever, ever put it in plastic bags.

Why? Because although this may sound silly in a world in which sealing everything in plastic seems like the be all to end all, the plastic actually doesn’t preserve the bread at all. In fact, it ruins it. Bread sealed up in plastic stales more quickly. You read that right: it stales more quickly.

It also molds more easily. The crust is essentially eliminated, or is at least a pale shadow of its former well-structured self. Plastic is the enemy. I’ve eliminated it, and my bread is better for it.

How do I store it? Often in paper bags—paper allows the bread to breathe while still limiting some of the air movement that can dry out the loaves. Or, honestly, I just stick it cut side down on the counter or a cutting board. The counter protects the open part of the loaf and the crust does the rest—that is, after all, a big part of what crust is naturally designed to do. The same way the rind on a cheese protects the paste.

Does the bread dry out some? Sure! But that what toasters and ovens and crostini and croutons are for. A well-made loaf of artisan bread, like the ones from the Bakehouse, will easily last for 5-8 days without getting anywhere near a plastic bag.

Plus, although few folks know it, if you eat a lot less bread than I do and only want a small bit, we’re happy to sell you half loaves!

Zingerman’s co-owner and founding partner Ari Weinzweig sent this note to the staff in response to the recent election. It meant a lot to many of our community, so we decided to share it with you.

Although I’ve worked at it over the years, I’m still not all that great at processing strong emotions quickly.  Usually I kind of shut down for a few days, probably I suppose as self protection, and then slowly start to sift through what’s happening and what I can effectively do about it.  That sort of summed up my week.  Regardless of who you voted for (or if you chose not to vote) I will imagine that it’s been a challenging week. To be clear, I’m not sharing any of this to change anyone’s minds about politics or who or which causes you choose to support.  Each of you will do what you believe best and most aligned with your values.  But more than a few ZCoB’ers have asked me to say something…so…I am.

I, of course, can only speak for myself.  For me, the week has been hard.  Very hard.  The last few times I felt this way . . . were also pretty rough.  One was after 9/11.  Another, though less intense because it happened more slowly, over a period of months, was when the economy crashed in 2009 as announcement after announcement shook our reality over and over again. In both cases, I remember talking to Paul and to others of you . . . . and, after talking together, arriving at the same conclusion that I’m arriving at now.

When the economy crashed Paul and I had a conversation on the phone that started with, “What are we gonna do?” and ended surprisingly quickly, within about ten minutes, with the quick realization that a) we have our vision and that’s where we’re headed regardless of what may be going on around us and, b) we have our guiding principles in writing and when times are tough or challenging, that’s the time to double down on those guiding principles by living them even more mindfully than we would in calmer times.  To be more generous, more inclusive, kinder, more caring, more engaged in helping those who have less than us, more intent on creating a energizing and uplifting work experience for everyone in the ZCoB, more focused on great food, great service and great finance.  That although the world may seem to be turning upside down and going in directions that don’t feel very good in the moment, because our values and vision and mission have been chosen, by us, from the heart, none of them change.  In fact, I realize, it makes the work we’re doing on our ZCoB Statement of Beliefs even more timely and more important.  We may feel like we’re swimming against the current in difficult times, but we’re going to the same place in the same caring way regardless.   In the context of my focus over the last few years, it’s all the more important—despite social pressure and the news to the contrary—to focus myself on positive beliefs, on building hope and on living the spirit of generosity gently and effectively every single day.

This is, as I think about it, been our work from day one.  It will remain our work, I believe, as long as we’re here. If times seem unstable and negativity seems to take over the social stage, then it’s all the more reason for us to push forward with the same positive, difference making, inclusive program that we’ve been working on, ever imperfectly for the last thirty five years.

This is also the week that Leonard Cohen passed away.  Here’s something he said which, when reading it, reinforced this approach for me: “I always had a sense of being in this for keeps, if your health lasts you. And you’re fortunate enough to have the days at your disposal so you can keep on doing this. I never had the sense that there was an end. That there was a retirement or that there was a jackpot.”

As Leonard laid out, our work continues, and will continue, for a long time to come.  Every little action, every hug, every dime we donate, every espresso shot and loaf of bread, every sandwich, every box, every extra mile, make a difference.  Acts of compassion, caring and generosity energize both the recipient and the giver.  The more of them we all do, the better our community will be.

Thank you all for all you do for the community, for people in need here and around the world, to bring kindness, care and inclusiveness into the world every day.  I’m honored to work with all of you every day.  Thank you for being you and for doing what you do.

I’ll close with some words that have long inspired me, from Ashanti Alston, who said, “You all can do this. You have the vision. You have the creativity. Do not allow anyone to lock that down.”

Take good care.

Sure, it was raining, but that didn’t stop this interesting conversation between Ari and Maria Shriver. The two discussed the power of beliefs in all areas of life, how Zingerman’s got its start, and really good food. Watch the whole video above.

On most nights, you’ll find Ari pouring water at The Roadhouse, but he’ll be taking a break from such duties on Wednesday, October 5. That’s when he’ll be hosting “My Beliefs about Cooking,” a very special dinner in collaboration with chef and partner Alex Young.

The dinner will put Ari’s essay on his beliefs about cooking from his new book, Zingerman’s Guide to Good Leading, Part 4; A Lapsed Anarchist’s Approach to the Power of Beliefs in Business, into practice with a menu of traditional, full-flavored dishes, seasoned with a lot of fun and thoughtfulness that you’ve come to know as the Zingerman’s way.

Feast your eyes on this delicious menu:

It’s going to be a great night of eating and sharing—and it may even get you thinking about your own beliefs about cooking. Tickets are still available, $75 per person. You can reserve your seat here.

Daily Fuel offers inspiration videos from a wide range of successful people, on topics like entrepreneurship, marketing, and leading, that run two minutes or less. Ari is featured in three new clips–in them, he encourages normalizing mistakes in business, makes a case against military-style leadership, and talks about creating a company culture that fosters creativity.

Check out all three here.

Socially-conscious chocolate maker, Shawn Askinosie shared Ari Weinzweig’s latest business book with his partners in Tanzania today!

For more information on the book visit: https://www.zingtrain.com/power-beliefs-in-business