“Don’t forget guys.” “Answering your main inquiry question is due in two days.” Once I heard that I knew that I was done. I hadn’t even started it. I was really nervous that I was not going to get my answer down in two days. I told Ms. Edwards that I haven’t even started it. She said ” Don’t worry.” ” Everything is going to be all right.” When we were working on capstone later in the day we were supposed to work on our main project (ted talk or ignite). Ms. Edwards let me work on my main inquiry question. I got half of it done. I was so happy.
This is the final product:
Geography is a big part of the success of Ba-Tampte. Where they get their cucumbers. Which states sell Ba-Tampte products. How does where they are affect sales. Its really a big part.
Ba-Tampte gets their cucumbers from Michigan, Florida, Mexico, and sometimes North Carolina. Michigan and Florida export the most cucumbers to the Ba-Tampte factory. I thought that if a cucumber is grown in Michigan it will taste different than a Florida cucumber when you make it a pickle. According to Scott Silberstein Vice President of Ba-Tampte what he’s tasted it doesn’t taste different. Ba-Tampte can only get cucumbers from certain places because they use a cucumber called a kirby. They use kirby cucumbers because they think it taste the best and it is a good pickling cucumber.
Ba-Tampte pickles are sold in forty states! The Tri-State area sells the most Ba-Tampte pickles. One of my interview questions was does Ba-Tampte sell pickles in the other parts of New York besides NYC and the boroughs. I haven’t been in any other part of New York besides NYC the boroughs and Long Island. It turns out that Ba-Tampte does sell all over New York. I also asked what is the best selling pickle in NYC. Scott said that half-sour pickles are the best selling pickle in NYC. You also get Ba-Tampte pickles at Trader Joe’s, A&P, Shoprite, Stop & Shop, Publix, etc.
Ba-Tampte started in the Lower East Side. They sold the pickles with pushcarts and pickle stands. Scott said they started in the Lower East Side because that’s where all of the Jewish people migrated. Pickles are a Jewish food. They started in New York and they’re still there. Instead of the Lower East Side Ba-Tampte is now in Brooklyn. Scott started working at Ba-Tampte since he was 13. Scott is now 48. He’s been working there for 35 years! Scott hopes that at least one of his children will take over Ba-Tampte later but he won’t be upset if his children don’t.
Ba-Tampte’s recipe has never changed.
First wash the cucumbers.
Then dissolve sea salt in some water.
After that you grind up all of the dry ingredients.
Once you have done that, put the cucumbers in the jar.
Also, put the minced garlic in the jar, then ground up spices, then pour the salt water mixture on top.
Lastly, add a few pieces of fresh dill on top to top it off.
They used it from 1955 to now! They never changed the recipe because their pickles are selling well. Ba-Tampte also sells mustard, sauerkraut, and horseradish. All of Ba-Tampte’s products are kosher.
I finally did it! I can’t believe that I answered my main inquiry question in two days.
Nice work, Ian! It sounds like you learned a lot about your family’s business!