Focaccia for Ukraine and the Philharmonic

Alrighty folks, welcome back to Season 3, Episode 7 on Transacting Value Podcast!

Man of many talents, Ernie Porthouse is Porter’s guest today. Listeners are in for a treat. Ernie has a lot of life experience yet he has the energy and idealism of someone much younger. When inspiration strikes, he has the know-how, connections, resources, and experience to pursue his ideals – whether that’s creating reduced-cost orthotic shoes for the elderly or raising money for war-torn Ukraine.

Ernie is a professional pedorthist who is also an orchestral percussionist for the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.
Ernie started playing drums when he was only 5 or 6 years old. He explains how playing in an orchestra has stretched him in ways that playing freestyle can’t. When you play orchestral music, you’re being “told” what to do and when to do it, so it has the potential of getting you out of your usual repertoire.

Now, about focaccia... Just before the Covid pandemic, Ernie took a trip to Italy and managed to come away with an authentic focaccia recipe. Back home in isolation, he started baking focaccia and sharing it with friends who raved about the bread. After the invasion of Ukraine, Ernie started selling his focaccia to raise money for Ukraine, gaining the attention of world-renowned chef, Massimo Capra. Ernie’s life is a lesson in how pursuing your talents and interests is your gift to the world.

Nuggets from Ernie:

• Interesting that we can often rise to meet the demands of others even when what’s expected is more than we would have expected of ourselves.
• We need to strike a balance between keeping up with the times while appreciating and understanding the old ways that got us where we are today.

Quotes from today’s episode:

“My teacher had me doing some of the most difficult things when I was just 13 and 14 years old. Years later he would say, ‘The reason you could play them is I never told you they were hard.’”
“What appealed to me the most with symphony music was the nuance and the attention to detail.”
“Sometimes limitations can make us better.”
“The digital world will never come between my sticks and my drum.”
“As a teacher, there is an obligation to be honest with your students.”
“You may not think to ask these questions when you’re older, and I may not remember the answers.”

Sponsors and Resources mentioned in today’s episode:

(0:14:31) The Bee and the Bear Creations

(0:23:35) Keystone Farmer’s Market

Leo Buscaglia

Massimo Capra

Cycling Without Age

Connect with Ernie on Facebook

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