Ben-Nadav Hafri

It's 5.16 a.m. I just had a dream where I was in an Airbnb with someone who was affiliated with Bimbo Bakeries who knew I was trying to reverse engineer the muffin recipe. He's this bald guy with a mustache. I want to say he was wearing a cardigan. We were playing pool in this Airbnb. And he said, how much flour and how much water do you think we start with?

It's 5.16 a.m. I just had a dream where I was in an Airbnb with someone who was affiliated with Bimbo Bakeries who knew I was trying to reverse engineer the muffin recipe. He's this bald guy with a mustache. I want to say he was wearing a cardigan. We were playing pool in this Airbnb. And he said, how much flour and how much water do you think we start with?

Because if you tell me that, it'll tell me if you're even close to knowing how we do this.

Because if you tell me that, it'll tell me if you're even close to knowing how we do this.

I said, are you one of the seven who knows the recipe? And he nodded. And he was pretty mad at me. And he said, you're coming after my livelihood.

I said, are you one of the seven who knows the recipe? And he nodded. And he was pretty mad at me. And he said, you're coming after my livelihood.

And here it is. The Muffin House. Yes. 337 West 20th Street, built as a foundry circa 1850, Samuel Bath Thomas converted the ovens for his English muffin bakery in the early 20th century. I'm reading from a plaque in front of the house where the inventor of Thomas's English muffins once baked. It's in Chelsea, just a couple blocks from the offices of Pushkin Industries.

And here it is. The Muffin House. Yes. 337 West 20th Street, built as a foundry circa 1850, Samuel Bath Thomas converted the ovens for his English muffin bakery in the early 20th century. I'm reading from a plaque in front of the house where the inventor of Thomas's English muffins once baked. It's in Chelsea, just a couple blocks from the offices of Pushkin Industries.

Nineteen years ago, the owner of the first floor apartment was taking out a radiator. He lifted up some of the floorboards and discovered a door. It was the remnants of Samuel Bath Thomas' oven. I was hoping somebody could show it to me. I rang the doorbell. No answer. Clearly, Bimbo Bakeries had gotten here first. This was a recurring problem.

Nineteen years ago, the owner of the first floor apartment was taking out a radiator. He lifted up some of the floorboards and discovered a door. It was the remnants of Samuel Bath Thomas' oven. I was hoping somebody could show it to me. I rang the doorbell. No answer. Clearly, Bimbo Bakeries had gotten here first. This was a recurring problem.

I tried to hire some culinary researchers to help reverse engineer the trademark nooks and crannies recipe, but Bimbo was a client. After all, they are one of the largest baking conglomerates in the world. I rang a bunch of doorbells that no one answered. I sent a lot of emails that went unreturned.

I tried to hire some culinary researchers to help reverse engineer the trademark nooks and crannies recipe, but Bimbo was a client. After all, they are one of the largest baking conglomerates in the world. I rang a bunch of doorbells that no one answered. I sent a lot of emails that went unreturned.

But a few brave bakers were willing to talk to me, at least about the nooks and crannies in general. For their own protection, we're not identifying them by name.

But a few brave bakers were willing to talk to me, at least about the nooks and crannies in general. For their own protection, we're not identifying them by name.

Yeah, can we make this exact English muffin?

Yeah, can we make this exact English muffin?

The vibe I was getting was mild interest laced with a healthy dose of, are you okay?

The vibe I was getting was mild interest laced with a healthy dose of, are you okay?

Lots of good information on what makes a muffin an English muffin, but little enthusiasm for my quest to make one exactly like Thomas'. For me, this was way bigger than muffins alone. I'd learned that companies can use trade secrets as a way to control their employees. The muffin trade secret had put a man named Chris Botticella out of a job.

Lots of good information on what makes a muffin an English muffin, but little enthusiasm for my quest to make one exactly like Thomas'. For me, this was way bigger than muffins alone. I'd learned that companies can use trade secrets as a way to control their employees. The muffin trade secret had put a man named Chris Botticella out of a job.