Louie and Clinton Prager are authentic artisan bakers. Influenced by an old-world tradition of using wholesome grains, a natural leaven, and the handcrafting of every baked good, the Prager brothers remain purists to a craft long ago displaced by mass commercial production.<\/p>\n
Sporting a variety of breads and sweet treats, Prager Brothers Artisan<\/a> goods can be found at Hillcrest Farmers Market every Sunday.<\/p>\n But how does a botanist who studied birds in a Peruvian rain forest and a classically trained guitarist who toured Brazil and Argentina become one of the few artisan bakers in America? The siblings consider it nothing other than a \u201cnatural evolution.\u201d<\/p>\n While studying plant biology in Cal State Poly in San Luis Obispo, Louie built an Alan Scott, wood-fire oven in his backyard to accommodate his hobby of baking breads and pizzas for friends and parties. He then met 77-year-old Richard Webb, a baker who owned and operated The 3rd Corner, a tiny bakery in Los Osos. The \u201cmentor, good friend and grandfather figure\u201d taught the budding apprentice the art of bread making along with the essentials of running a business.<\/p>\n Oddly enough, while the elder schooled the younger, Webb urged Louie to choose another career.<\/p>\n \u201cAlthough Richard shared his comprehensive knowledge from the art of baking artisan breads to the basics of running a business, he encouraged me not to be a baker,\u201d Louie explained. \u201c\u2018Be a biologist,\u2019 he said. \u2018Baking is hard.\u2019 So I did. But when I couldn\u2019t find a job as a botanist after graduation, I built an even bigger backyard stove for baking breads and pizzas.\u201d<\/p>\n With little hesitation, Louie sought to increase his baking volume. Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizzeria of Encinitas allowed him to bake breads in their ovens after hours, which granted Louie permit eligibility for selling at farmers markets while increasing his baking volume from five loaves to 60. Within four months, Louie was selling in six local farmers markets, including the one in Hillcrest. As Louie bore the brunt of the workload, Clinton chipped in to help.<\/p>\n \u201cI helped more and more until I knew I had to choose between bread and music,\u201d the younger sibling said. \u201cThe decision was hard but I chose bread knowing that my music would wait for me. I miss music, but I know that we\u2019re doing something really cool.\u201d<\/p>\n A year later, the duo leased retail space in Carlsbad, purchased a German industrial oven and mixer, baskets from France, and everything else from a pizza parlor that was going out of business. Elbowed in cleaning pizza grease, the Prager Brothers settled into selling up to 300 loaves a day through farmers markets, their Carlsbad retail space and several local restaurants.<\/p>\n \u201cEarly on people laughed at us, wondering who would by bread from Prager Brothers, a tiny artisan bakery, when they can go to big stores,\u201d Louie said. \u201cToday we have a steady stream of clientele who are willing to pay more for fresh bread and bread products made from organic ingredients.\u201d<\/p>\n Rooted in a traditional art, Prager Brothers breads are fermented with a natural leaven, not a fast-rising commercial yeast. The leaven, also known as a starter or sourdough culture, contains yeast and bacteria that serve as the catalyst for rising dough. Commercial retail production requires extra yeast \u2014 nicknamed \u201cno time doughs\u201d \u2014 to expedite the process.<\/p>\n \u201cNatural leaven is as crucial to the quality of our breads as the organic grains and hand-shaping of each loaf,\u201d Louie said. \u201cOur focus is on quality, not speed of production.\u201d<\/p>\n Louie described the comparison between artisan and commercial breads as a contradiction.<\/p>\n \u201cAn artisan crafts with meaning and passion without taking shortcuts, cutting corners or lowering quality standards,\u201d he said. \u201cThe commercial retail process is a machine with someone at the top peeking through corners. There\u2019s no balance in mass production. But how can you focus on flavor when you have to bake 2,000 loaves every single day? We handcraft 300 loaves a day. From start to finish our process takes up to 48 hours while retail chains can take less than three.\u201d<\/p>\n The brothers agreed that while the artisan model of baking may appear easy, attention to detail is crucial to its success.<\/p>\n \u201cThe process of baking may sound simple \u2014 mix flour, yeast, salt, ferment, shape, bake, cool and sell \u2014 but every aspect is different,\u201d they said. \u201cBaking variables include temperature, water and the use of a natural leaven. Care and attention to detail makes our breads artisan products.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe pitfalls come with packaging and delivery,\u201d Louie explained. \u201cMost commercial bakeries bake their bread the night before, pack and sort \u2014 which takes hours \u2014 and deliver between 6 and 8 a.m. By early evening, the bread\u2019s almost a day old. Our bread is baked in the morning, labeled and delivered while it\u2019s still warm. Prager Brothers stand for the ultimate in freshness. If the bread\u2019s not fresh, it\u2019s not worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n The days are long, the nights are short and the weekends are non-existent for the native Californians. The assembly line of two agree that long-term stability \u2014 and the hiring of employees \u2014 remains key to the success of their growing business. \u201cWe\u2019re thrilled that there\u2019s such a demand for our product, but we realize that we can\u2019t keep the 16, sometimes 18 hour-a-day pace by ourselves,\u201d Clinton said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re overworked,\u201d Louie continued. \u201cWe\u2019re not on a sustainable path, but we\u2019re working to change that.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite their arduous workload and polar opposite personalities \u201cLouie\u2019s the entrepreneur \u2014 the idea guy,\u201d and Clinton the \u201cwork horse,\u201d Clinton described their work environment and relationship as good. \u201cWe\u2019re lucky,\u201d he said. \u201cThe family works as a unit. Mom helps with the books and Dad helps with the farmers markets.\u201d<\/p>\n The self-professed foodies in search of everything organic also practice sustainable living. \u201cIt\u2019s all about the planet and how we impact a world that\u2019s not invincible,\u201d Clinton said.<\/p>\n Hillcrest Farmers Market is a noted favorite. Customers are treated to one-spot shopping with its variety of fresh fruit and produce, pastas, olive oils and more. Community and connection are vital. Nothing pleases the Pragers more than customers milling around the booth, chatting about their French baguettes, country sourdough, walnut whole-grain, olive rosemary, whole grain smelt, rye and flat breads, focaccia, mini-brioche scones, sweet rolls, granola, bagels, cookies and Bavarian pretzels. Loaves are sold whole and the brothers boast of a sizable European clientele. Future plans include a workspace large enough for the brothers to mill their own grains and increase their menu to assorted sandwiches.<\/p>\n \u201cWe eat what we love, that\u2019s why we bake artisan breads,\u201d they said. \u201cWe\u2019re true bakers who stand for the ultimate in quality and freshness.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Louie](\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Prager-Bros-Viti-photowebtop2.jpg\")
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(Photo by Lucia Viti)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n![\"(Photo](\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Bread3-Viti-photoweb-300x200.jpg\")
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