My Secret to Creating Real Magic | Christina Tosi | TED

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Val Zhang

My very first food memory was when I was three or four.

我對食物最早的記憶 是三、四歲的時候，

It was a warm day,

那天天氣暖和，

and my mom had just picked me and my sister up from school,

媽媽剛到學校接完我們姊妹，

buckled us into the back of her dusty blue Ford Taurus.

在她那台髒髒的藍色福特金牛座， 在後座為我們繫上安全帶。

She was halfway out of the school parking lot

就在要離開學校停車場時， 她把車停到一旁。

when she pulled over to the side.

She strangely reached for her purse that was resting on the dashboard,

她不尋常地伸手去拿 儀表板上的手提包，

started fishing around for something until she found it.

開始東摸西摸，直到 找到她要的東西。

Then she twisted around to us,

接著，她轉向我們，

and she tore open a yellow paper bag

她撕開了一個黃色包裝，

of slightly melted Sugar Babies.

那是一包有點融化的糖寶寶糖果。

(Audience murmurs)

（觀眾低語）

She poured a few of the pellets into each of our tiny hands.

她在我們兩人的小手中 倒了幾顆糖果。

Now, I want to be clear,

我想聲明，我媽通常不會這樣做。

this was not a normal mom thing.

This was breaking several rules.

這樣做打破了好幾條規矩。

It was after lunch but before dinner,

那時間是午餐後、晚餐前，

we were in the car,

我們在車上！

(Laughs)

（笑）

we hadn't done anything spectacular to be celebrated.

我們沒有做什麼值得慶祝的大事。

And Sugar Babies are, well, pure sugar.

而糖寶寶的成份就是糖。

I was so confused.

我好困惑。

But I was a kid, so I took the candy, and I started chewing.

但我是小孩，所以我 收下糖果並開始咀嚼。

God, I felt like I had just been inducted into the coolest club possible.

天啊！我好像被引進了 最酷的俱樂部──

The one that eats candy on a random Wednesday.

這俱樂部會在任個星期三吃糖果。

(Laughs)

（笑）

And then the world, it slowed down.

接著，

全世界變慢了。

Everything faded.

一切都淡去了。

And then everything sharpened.

接著，一切又變得很清晰。

There is only one word for what I felt in that moment.

只有一個詞可以形容 我當下的感受：

Magic.

魔法。

Real magic.

真正的魔法。

Now, most people think that’s kind of crazy,

大部份人認為那太瘋狂了，

three or four years old.

三、四歲，

I don't remember anything about my childhood for years after that,

我不記得那之後幾年的童年，

but I remember that day,

但我就記得那一天，

I remember those Sugar Babies,

我記得那些糖寶寶，

and I remember that feeling.

我也記得那時的感受。

Now, most people think of magic as a trick, right?

大部份人認為魔法是種技倆，對吧？

Abracadabra.

「阿布拉卡達布拉。」 （西方咒語）

This seemingly impossible act, put on purely for entertainment.

看似不可能的表演， 完全為了娛樂而做。

But I'd like to challenge that.

但我想挑戰這一點。

Magic, real magic is not an illusion.

魔法，真正的魔法並不是幻覺。

Real magic is the feeling

真正的魔法是一種感覺，

when life transforms from the ordinary into the extraordinary.

生命從平凡轉變為非凡的感覺。

And not only is it real.

它不僅是真的，

It is the very thing that connects us to this world,

正是它讓我們連結這個世界，

to one another,

連結彼此，

to our entire existence.

連結人類的存在。

It's the spark of a moment.

魔法是瞬間的火花。

It's the feeling of believing,

魔法是一種相信的感覺、

of belonging,

歸屬的感覺、

of getting,

了解的感覺、

of being gotten.

被了解的感覺。

It is the crack

魔法是一道縫隙，

that opens up our hearts and reminds us to let light in.

打開我們的心， 提醒我們讓光進來。

Now I own Milk Bar,

我擁有 Milk Bar ──

this quirky American-style bakery

一間古怪的美式烘焙屋， 我等下再來談它。

that I'll tell you a little bit about later.

And I have found

我發現，

that magic is often created by breaking some sort of rule.

魔法常因打破某種規則而生。

Like the "no sweets before dinner" rule.

比如「晚餐前不能吃甜點」的規則。

Or wearing overalls to a corporate board meeting.

或者穿工作褲出席企業的董事會議。

Or simply daring to defy the expectations of the people around us.

或只是敢去違抗身邊 的人對我們的期望。

Now, as a kid,

孩提時打破規則通常 會讓我們惹上麻煩，對吧？

breaking the rules usually only got us in trouble, right?

But as adults, it's a different story.

但對成人來說就不一樣了。

Breaking the rules, pushing boundaries,

打破規則、拓展界限、

challenging the norm,

挑戰常規，

asking why, why not?

問「為什麼？」、「為什麼不？」

It does something to us.

這會影響我們。

It shakes us from sleepwalking.

把我們從夢遊中搖醒。

And it makes space for magic to sneak in.

創造出空間，讓魔法可以溜進來。

Now I was raised by matriarchs,

我是被女性長輩養大的，

fierce heroic grandmas who loved to bake in their free time.

喜歡利用閒暇烘焙的英勇奶奶們。

And they knew good and well that food was for nutrition and sustenance,

她們心知肚明，食物的 重點是營養和維生，

but they didn't care.

但她們不在乎。

(Laughs)

（笑）

They'd baked as their way of breaking the rules.

烘焙就是她們打破規則的方式，

They'd make batches of lemon bars instead of casseroles

她們會做一批批的 檸檬方塊，而非燉菜

or one-pot wonders.

或一鍋煮。

And they put those baked goods in baggies

她們把烘焙食品裝袋，發送出去，

and hand them out,

hand that magic out to the most unassuming people.

把那些魔法發送給最低調的人──

The newcomer to the neighborhood,

剛來到鄰里的新居民、

the mail carrier or my personal favorite,

郵差，或我的最愛──

the receptionist at the dentist office.

牙醫診所的櫃台人員。

(Laughs)

（笑）

Now I knew what the receiving end of magic felt like

那個糖寶寶的回憶，讓我 體會魔法接收端的感受。

from that Sugar Baby moment.

But witnessing what the giving part of real magic did ...

但，見證

真正魔法的「施予端」的影響力…

It moved these people.

它感動了這些人。

It was awe-inspiring.

令人嘆為觀止。

And so I decided

於是，我決定，

that baking would be my way of making magic in the world,

烘焙是我在世上創造魔法的方式，

creating a moment and then giving it away.

創造一個魔法時刻，再把它送出去。

A magic pyramid scheme, basically,

基本上，就是魔法的金字塔騙局

that I wanted, needed more of.

──是我所樂見、需要更多的。

Only my mom and my grandmas thought that baking was just a hobby.

只是，

我媽媽和奶奶們認為 烘焙只是種嗜好。

But I knew it could be more than that.

但我知道它不只如此。

So I moved to New York City to become a professional pastry chef.

於是我搬到紐約市，

成為專業的甜點師。

I went to culinary school;

我進入烹飪學校；

I climbed the ladder of fancy restaurants,

我在高級的餐廳裡升遷，

making fancy desserts to become the very best of the best.

製作精緻甜點，成為佼佼者。

Only ...

只是…

I never found magic in those beautiful, delicate plated desserts.

我從未在那些漂亮精緻的 盤式甜點中找到魔法。

I could only find my magic in a cookie or a slice of cake

我所找到的魔法總藏於

一塊餅乾或一片蛋糕

or a gooey underbaked pie.

或因未烤熟而糊糊的派。

And so when I opened Milk Bar,

所以當我開了 Milk Bar ──剛才提到的烘焙屋，

that bakery that I was telling you about,

I decided I wasn't going to frost the sides of a cake

我決定我不要

照教科書所說的 去霜飾蛋糕的側邊。

like the textbooks taught me.

(Laughter)

（笑）

I decided I was going to load cookie dough with marshmallows

我決定要在餅乾麵團 裡加上棉花糖，

or pretzels and potato chips

或椒鹽脆餅、洋芋片、 奶油糖果片，和咖啡，

and butterscotch chips and coffee,

tossing convention out the window.

拋棄傳統作法。

I wanted people to eat birthday cake, not just on their birthday,

我希望大家吃生日蛋糕，

不只在生日才吃，而是 任何一天想吃就吃。

but any day they wanted.

I knew that my magic came in the form of these simple baked goods,

我知道我的魔法會以 簡單烘焙食品的形式出現，

but I also knew that simple, approachable, accessible,

我也知道，

簡單、平易近人的古早味

nostalgic flavors

were my best jumping-off place to create new desserts.

是我創造新甜點的最佳起點。

Almost as though fancy were the enemy of delicious.

彷彿「精緻」與「美味」無法並存，

I’d go to county fairs to nosh.

我會到鄉鎮市集去吃東西，

I'd go to the diner and order slices of pie

我會到餐館點幾片 旋轉櫥窗裡的派，

from that revolving display case.

I'd take french fries and dip them in chocolate milkshake and dream.

我會拿薯條去沾巧克力奶昔，

然後作夢。

And then I'd go into the kitchen and tie on my apron

接著我會走進廚房，穿上圍裙，

and start mixing up a new creation

開始混合出新的創作，

rooted in something known and safe and loved

以大家已知、安心 且喜愛的食物為根基，

but reaching far beyond what anyone thought accessible.

卻超越任何人認為可以得到的、

Or approachable.

可以達到的、

Or doable.

或可行的範圍。

Breaking the banking rules became my daily ritual.

打破烘焙規則成了我每天的儀式。

I mean, who says a layer cake can't taste like salty malty sweet pretzels?

我的意思是，誰說

千層蛋糕不能嚐起來 像甜椒鹽脆餅？

I mean, my culinary instructors for one.

有一個人啦，我的烹飪老師。

(Laughs)

（笑）

"Watch me," I'd think.

我會想：「看著吧。」

And I'd take pretzels,

我把椒鹽脆餅放進烤箱， 加深它們的味道，

toast them in the oven to deepen their flavor,

then grind them into a powder-like consistency

接著把它們磨成粉末狀，

and substitute some of the cake flour in a recipe

把食譜中一部份的麵粉 換成椒鹽脆餅粉。

for that pretzel powder.

It's pretty good.

相當不錯。

When I was opening Milk Bar, I knew I wanted to serve ice cream.

我成立 Milk Bar 時就知道 我想要賣冰淇淋。

A rebellious kind of ice cream.

很叛逆的那種冰淇淋。

No surprise, right?

不意外吧？

So I decided to buy a soft serve machine,

所以我決定買一台霜淇淋機，

which for the record, was very rebellious at the time.

鄭重聲明，這在當時 是很叛逆的行為。

I had to decide what flavor to make.

我得決定要做什麼口味。

I mean, why do we only accept chocolate and vanilla

為什麼我們只能接受

巧克力和香草口味的冰淇淋？

as ice cream flavors?

I needed to come up with something better, different.

我得想出更好、更不同的口味。

Push that boundary.

拓展界限。

I knew I had to come up with a flavor of milk

我知道得想出一種牛奶口味，

that was different.

且要很不同。

Milk is, like, the base of any great ice cream.

任何很棒的冰淇淋 都是以牛奶為基礎。

So I sat out inspiration at my 24-hour bodega.

於是我到 24 小時 營業的雜貨店找靈感，

Favorite place to go.

那是我最愛去的地方。

Because that's where we all shop,

因為我們都會去那購物， 日常的味蕾就在那形成。

that's where our simple taste buds are formed,

it's the flavors we know.

是我們熟悉的口味。

Up and down the aisles till I hit it.

在走道來回繞著，直到我有了靈感。

My favorite section of the grocery store as a kid,

我小時候最愛雜貨店裡的

the cereal aisle.

穀麥片區。

Now as a kid, my mom and I had an agreement.

小時候，我和媽媽有個約定： 我在吃方面很挑剔，

I was a pretty picky eater,

and we agreed that I could have as much cereal as I wanted

我們同意，我想要 多少穀麥片都可以，

as long as I drank all the calcium-rich milk

只要我把碗底富含 鈣質的牛奶喝光。

at the bottom of the bowl.

I mean, I thought it was highway robbery.

我覺得這根本是敲竹槓。

Does she not understand how good that sugary sweet milk was at the bottom?

她不知道碗底的甜牛奶有多讚嗎？

That's interesting.

這主意很有趣。

That's a really delicious flavor of milk.

那真的是很棒的牛奶口味。

It moved me.

它感動了我。

It made sense to me,

我想這口味很容易被理解和接受，

but would it make sense to other people?

但別人也會這麼覺得嗎？

Figured I'd give it a try.

我覺得我得試試。

So I went back to the kitchen

於是我回到廚房，製作了 等同一大碗穀麥片的東西，

and made the equivalent of a giant bowl of cereal.

I strained out all that delicious milk,

我把所有的可口牛奶都給分離出來，

and I spun it into ice cream.

加到冰淇淋裡。

Put it on the menu.

放到菜單上。

And I've got to tell you, even now,

我得告訴各位，就連到現在，

people stop me on the street

街上也會有人攔住我，

to tell me about their cereal-milk ice cream moment.

跟我分享他們的穀麥片 牛奶冰淇淋時刻。

"So good."

「好讚！」

"Seemingly a little naughty."

「似乎有點淘氣。」

I mean, how did I know that was their flavor?

我怎麼知道他們會喜歡 這口味？那是他們穿著睡衣

That's the flavor they eat when they're wearing pajamas,

沒人在看時吃的口味。

when no one's looking.

童年的口味。

The flavor of their childhood.

These people will tell me about every detail of the day.

這些人會告訴我那天的所有細節。

They will tell me about the weather, the company they kept,

他們會告訴我天氣、身邊的人，

the way that an ordinary moment was transformed into something magical

只需咬下一口，平凡的 時刻便化為魔法。

with a simple bite.

I built my business with the same "challenge the norm" mentality.

我用同樣的「挑戰常規」 心態來建立我的事業。

Rather than measure my business's success by the profit or loss sheet,

而不是用損益表來衡量 我的事業是否成功，

by the average order value,

也不是平均訂單價格，

the other metrics that businesses use

不是企業想知道經營狀況時

會用的其他衡量方式，

to know if they're doing well,

I decided we'd measure our impact by the twinkle in people's eyes.

我決定，要用大家眼中 閃爍的光芒來衡量我們的影響。

By the "Oh, I can't put that down" feeling

用「喔，我捨不得放下它」

that they had when they ate one of our desserts.

人們吃甜點時那種的感覺來衡量。

I chose to put women at the helm of my organization.

我選擇讓女性來掌管我的組織。

Because when I looked around the hospitality industry,

因為當我環顧餐旅業界，

people running operations, folks holding CEO titles,

經營管理的人，

掛著執行長頭銜的人，

they were all men.

都是男性。

I mean, why?

為什麼？

I was raised by these fierce matriarchs who handled business,

我是被經商的英勇 女性長輩給養大的，

and I wanted my organization to look like that.

我希望我的組織也能像那樣。

I want to show the world what women were capable of

我想讓世界看到女性的能力，

and what a "bakery" could be.

以及「烘焙屋」的可能性。

Push back on that cute little box people like to put us in.

拒絕大家喜歡把我們 放入那可愛的小框架中。

And in turn, the rules broke for us.

相對的，規則也因為我們而破裂了。

The magic, our magic, got out.

魔法，我們的魔法，施展出來了。

Word spread without us spending a dollar on marketing.

我們沒花一毛錢做行銷， 就已經口耳相傳出去。

Rare in our industry,

在我們的產業中很罕見，

we grew our business without diluting the business.

我們扎實地擴張事業，不灌水。

I mean, we won awards

我們得了獎，

no tiny East Village bakery has any business winning.

在東村沒有任何 小型的烘焙屋做到過。

(Laughs)

（笑）

It's pretty incredible.

很不可思議。

Even today

至今，

I get to witness that feeling,

我能夠見證那份感動──

that same one that my grandmas conjured up in my childhood.

如同我兒時所體會的 奶奶們的魔法。

We ship cakes all across the country,

我們把蛋糕送到全國各地，

we keep our doors open from early in the morning until late at night.

我們一早就開門， 直到深夜才關門，

It's insane for a bakery to do.

這對烘焙屋而言是很瘋狂的。

But we do it because we're obsessed with it.

但我們這麼做，因為 我們著迷於此。

We're obsessed with what we do.

我們著迷於所做的事。

We teach classes, we share recipes

我們會教課，分享食譜，

despite any concerns of copycats

不擔心有人會仿效

or intellectual property infringements,

或智慧財產權被侵犯，

because that's what you do

因為那就是你該做的事，

when you benefit from what came before you

當你受惠於前人，

and you plan on passing it along long after you.

而你想傳承它，就該這麼做。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

When you know you're here to give, not take,

你知道你的存在 是為了付出而非得到，

and leave this place better than you found it.

讓此處比你來時更美好。

See, mom, you can bake for a living.

看吧，媽媽，

靠烘焙也可以維生。

Pretty cool, if you ask me.

如果問我的話，我會說，很酷。

Now I don't have the full equation cracked,

我尚未完全破解人生的方程式，

but I do know that it starts with the decision to act.

但我確定的是，要從 「決定採取行動」開始。

My mom, she could have driven that car home routinely,

我媽本可以照例直接開車回家，

but she decided that that day would not be like the others.

但她決定要讓那天不同。

She threw out that rule book for just a second.

她暫時丟開規則手冊。

I carry this lesson with me,

我謹記這個道理，

that every day has within it hundreds,

每天都有數百個、

thousands of opportunities to create real magic.

數千個機會，

可以創造出真正的魔法。

只是，它們會消失。

Only, they disappear.

Unless you reach out and grab them.

除非你伸手抓住它們。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）