SASKATOON -- While following recommendations to stay close to home during the COVID-19 pandemic, many are turning to baking to pass the time, which has left some ingredients in short supply.
Nutters Everyday Naturals in Saskatoon is seeing this trend first-hand with customers searching out one of the rarest commodities these days: yeast.
"People are thinking, well I can’t make my own toilet paper, but I can do this [bake homemade food] for my self and be more self-sufficient," said Brenda Taylor who works at the store.
She’s heard people saying they’ve dug out their bread maker after years and are wanting to create their own food.
Taylor said she gets calls daily from people who are baking bread, cinnamon buns, pizza and they’re very excited when the store has necessary items in stock.
“I’ve heard you have yeast, is that true? And I say, yes we do and they get really, really happy that we do.”
She said she called 35 people on Thursday alone to let them know they had yeast in.
Social media has lit up with posts from people who are finding time to create their own necessities.
One local chef says, his friends started an Instagram trend of making sourdough, a bread that doesn’t require yeast.
John Costanzi, who works as an executive chef at Oliver Bonacini says he speculates the pandemic has ignited our basic human instincts to survive.
“There is a fear out there of 'Oh, my God the world is going to end so people are going to the worst possible scenario in their heads," Costanzi said.
With so many people out of work, Costanzi said there’s a need to create economical healthy food.
“We’re not seeing people cooking with truffles and foie gras right now," he said.
