Cake Talk

Ouch!

Our role as a concessions vendor at the Kentuck festival this past weekend was an absolute disaster for us.

But it was not the thousands of dollars of unsold baked goods (we can freeze some of them).

And it was not the wet grounds (the Tuscaloosa News called it a "mudfest"). The mud was not really that bad, especially if you wore boots. OUR car did not even get stuck.

Nor was it the cold (technically great bakery weather). The weather was crisp and cool, but not freeezing.

It was not even the cost of the tent and permit and sneeze guard and tarps. Or the banner or the cash box or the long extension cords and various other supplies we had to buy for the event and are unlikely to ever use again. Or the packaging that we'll have for the next ten years.

And it was not the hundreds of dollars of pastries we donated to the patron's pavilion. After all, that was technically a "trade-out" for the value of the concession space. I am overlooking the little snafu with the "borrowed" butane and the "Gate Nazi" (which are two whole other stories).

No, what really hurts is my back. And my legs. And my poor tired feet from carting all that "stuff" from the parking lot into the park and out to our tent. And carting all the food we had expected to sell. And then carting it all back to the car on Sunday evening when the festival closed. My choices were to pay my employees to sit in the car for hours waiting "our turn" to enter the grounds and unload, or sherpa the items from the parking lot into the festival.

Then there are the huge black and blue marks I got from dropping one of the tables on my leg.

I don't blame anybody for the financial catastrophe. I gambled on the festival and lost. And I won't be doing that again.

And I certainly can't blame anyone for the physical aches and pains. If you do festivals and catering for a living, you find less painful ways of setting up and breaking down.

Next year we will stick to our knitting and sell from the shop. Leave the festival to the seasoned and professional festival food providers of corn dogs and funnel cakes and curly fries.

So, in the future, if you want fresh croissants, muffins, cookies, and hot chocolate made from ganache (instead of "Swiss Miss"), or banana bread or pumpkin bread, or chicken salad or pimiento cheese, or real spiced hot cider, or Alabama Blues Blend coffee, you'll have to stop by the bakery on your way in or out of the festival. Because you won't find us on-site.

Food Safety and the Bakery

Three of us took the eight-hour ServSafe class and exam a couple of weeks ago (we all scored 95% or higher). It wasn't that I had a burning desire to spend $450 on training.  But beginning in January 2010, we risk a critical health code violation if the person left in charge of the bakery does not have a food safety certificate.

While a bakery serving cakes and pastries does not pose the level of food safety dangers as a regular restaurant serving hot food, we did learn a few things, including these acronyms...

1. HACCP = Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points
2. ROP = Reduced Oxygen Packaging
3. NSF = National Sanitation Foundation
4. UL = Underwriter's Laboratory
5. TCS = Temperature Controlled for Safety
6. FAT TOM = Food, Acidity, Time, Temperature, Oxygen, Moisture (the conditions that promote bacteria growth)
7. RTE = Ready To Eat
8. LPCO = Licensed Pest Control Operator
9. FDA = Food and Drug Administration
10. MSDS = Material Safety Data Sheets

Thankfully, almost none of the foods we sell at the bakery are considered potentially hazardous. But that didn't exempt us from learning all about Hepatitis A, Norovirus, Escherichia coli (E. coli), botulism and salmonella.  We also learned that cooking does not destroy Ciguatera toxins in predatory fish.  And we learned we should not use raw unpasteurized eggs for royal icing due to the risk of salmonella (no worries, we use pasteurized dry egg whites).

We learned the proper safe internal temperatures for various foods, most of which we would never cook, as well as the proper cooling and reheating methods.  Food reheated in the microwave must reach an internal temperature of 165^oF, and there are at least four different kinds of thermometers.  For utter "coolness," I liked the infrared type which you can just point at something to measure the surface temperature, but it costs $50-$60 and would break if dropped.

Hot foods should be held at 140^oF or higher, cold foods at or below 40^oF.  BTW, since our display cases are not refrigerated, this is why we do not sell cream-filled pastries and pies.

At least one of us learned that a small pile of paper and debris in the corner suggests a potential rodent problem, and not (necessarily) a poor sweeping or mopping job. And we all guessed (correctly) at the question about mechanical ware washing machine water temperatures (we can only dream about having a mechanical dish washer).

Our certificates will be displayed on the wall at the bakery as soon as we get them in the mail.  Be sure to congratulate Pat and Emily for a job well done.

Rant: YMBK

You must be kidding...

We have a garden room attached to our bakery that we rent out for events.  A wedding (ceremony, not just reception) for this Sunday has been on the books for a couple of months.

Two weeks ago I heard rumors that the city had granted a license for a culture festival for the same day. When I called our city administrator to get more information I was assured that the festival had been moved and would not be taking place on Main Avenue. He went on to lecture me about what a great event this would be for downtown Northport. Yes, they would be giving away free food and drinks, but surely many would also buy something from the bakery. (Yeah, right...) He completely ignored my concern about the planned wedding.

Two days ago I found out the Culture Fest was definitely ON, the streets would be closed, and 1,500-2,500 people were expected.

Surely someone has written a book for our government officials that explains how to schedule events.  And somewhere in that book is a reference (probably more than one) to the importance of planning and communication.

So when you (Northport, Alabama City Administrator Scott Collins) schedule an event (such as the Culture Fest) for 1,500-2,500 people in a business district and plan to close streets, you should give those businesses more than ten day's notice.

Just a suggestion.  BTW, you can buy a used copy of this book on ebay for $.78.

One more thing...When one of the stakeholders (like me) calls you and asks for information about this event, don't lecture and DON'T LIE!

Bobby Horton

I had a chance to see Bobby Horton yesterday at the Folk Festival in Leeds, Alabama.  He's either a musician/historian, or an historian/musician, mostly civil war era, but not exclusively.  He did the soundtrack for Ken Burns' new PBS documentary on National Parks that airs beginning Sunday.

For about an hour and a half, he played music and told stories about the civil war.  It was totally enjoyable, kind of like reading an historical novel, so I learned some things too.  Like over 4,000 songs were written and published between 1861-1865, from both sides.  Many songs, such as Dixie, had several versions.  BTW, Dixie was written by a northerner from Ohio, but it was not that original version that was sung by confederate soldiers.

According to his website, Horton  is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, and music historian. He has performed with the musical- comedy trio, Three On A String, throughout the United States and Canada for 35 plus years.  He has also produced and performed music scores for ten PBS films by Ken Burns including “The Civil War, and “Baseball,” two films for The A&E network, and sixteen films for The National Park Service.  His series of recordings of authentic period music has been acclaimed by historical organization and publications through America and Europe.

As a damn yankee living in the south, I truly appreciate the unbiased historical references.

As an artist, I love his attention to detail; much of his music is played on authentic period instruments, and he takes great care to research the presentation of each piece, playing it as it would have been sung at the time.

Find him on YouTube or iTunes or blip.tv and listen for yourself. And if you get a chance to see him perform live, jump at it.

Tomorrow it is back to cakes.

Better Week

After last week's cake disasters, I needed a more positive experience.  We got that this week.  Adding to today's 53-7 win over North Texas, we had a good cake week.

I got my car back.

None of the cakes imploded.

The delivery to Birmingham not only went smoothly, but the folks at Gabriella Manor (where the wedding was being held) were utterly sweet, professional, and helpful.  The property is beautiful, and the staff thinks of every little detail.  They even offered that they were cutting the cake and asked if there was anything they should know about the way it was constructed.  Nobody EVER asks us that.  They had already set out boxes (out of sight) for any extra cake that might need to be packed and asked us what to do with the cake stands (give them to the bride's mother).  I could not have asked for a nicer or better prepared team to work with.

Melina's, the new restaurant on the corner of 5th and Main Avenue opened yesterday, with a soft opening (friends and family) on Thursday.  The food is fabulous.  I had to chuckle when the server told me about the wonderful red velvet cake and cappuccinn gelato they had for dessert. (I chose the creme brulee, which we did NOT make, but was perfection -- just the right combination of cold custard and warm just-torched sugar.  Yum. We wish them well.

All the cakes got picked-up, on time.

A man who had bounced a check a few weeks ago even came by to apologize and make it good.

We got two large orders for mid-week next week -- one for a sorority and one for a University of Alabama event.  Roll Tide!!

Oh yeah, and we got a call, out of the blue, from Cakes Across America.  They are a service much like Teleflora where you can order a cake to be delivered anywhere in the country (probably not ANYWHERE...).  They had an order for Tuscaloosa that they wanted us to fill.  And paid us our full price (wow! no discount necessary).

So, there you are.  A week sans-disaster.

Tomorrow I'm going to Leeds (just east of Birmingham) to hear Bobby Horton.

Monday I'll be a student again, taking the ServSafe course and exam.

And here is a photo of today's wedding cake as a finishing touch.  Have a nice weekend!

But what I really meant was...

People see our bakery and have all sorts of interesting expectations.  And, when you work in retail, you are taught that the customer is always right. So I try to be as agreeable as possible when dealing with customers. And I almost always mean what I say. Except when what I really meant was something entirely different.  Here are a few examples...

Customer:  Can you do this three tier cake to serve 50 people by this afternoon?
Me: No, I am so sorry but we are already totally booked for the next couple of days.
BWIRMW: You must be kidding...did you think we could just whip up and bake three cakes, let them cool, then ice, decorate and stack them in just two hours?

Customer: Will you bake my wedding cake the morning of the wedding?
Me: Your cake will be as fresh as possible.
BWIRMW: And your wedding is at 11am?  Do you have any idea how long it takes to bake, cool, ice, decorate and stack a wedding cake?

Customer: Where is your fresh bread? I really love your fresh bread.
Me: We're baking fresh bread on Thursdays now.
BWIRMW: We stopped baking bread daily almost two years ago, so I guess it's been a while since you bought any of that bread you really love.

Customer:  I am having an employee meeting tomorrow, could you donate some cookies?
Me: If you are having a fund raiser for charity, we would be happy to donate a gift card, but we do not donate our food products.
BWIRMW: Wow, I never even thought of asking a business to DONATE something to give to my employees.

Customer:  I have a recipe for my grandmother's pound cake, can you make me one for tomorrow?
Me: No, but could I recommend a personal chef or caterer?
BWIRMW: Hmmm, let me see... tie up our mixers, ovens and employees for one pound cake? Yeah, right.

Just smile and wave, boys, smile and wave.

History Lesson: Moundville, Alabama

My 16-year-old nephew is visiting from California, and discovered he knows more about Alabama than he thought...and certainly more than me.  Passing the town of Bessemer on the way home from the airport, he pointed out that Sir Harry Bessemer invented an eponymous process for the mass production of steel.

Yesterday we went to Moundville, the excavated remains of a large settlement of Mississippian Indians from 1000-1450 A.D., which he had studied in school.  They just failed to mention that it was in Alabama.

He had the patience to sit through a 17-minute documentary about the site before we took off, on foot, for a tour.  Never mind that it was raining and we had not brought umbrellas.  If you look real close at the photo, you can see him on top of one of the mounds.  Aunt Mary took the flat road.

I rewarded him with lunch at Miss Melissa's, introducing him to a typical "meat and three" lunch, with peanutbutter pie for dessert.

Only in Alabama...

Everything Alabama

When in Tuscaloosa... Move-in day. Rush. Bid day. First day of class. It has all been good for the bakery this week.  This is a cake with a tearful Big Al for a retirement party.

Summer has been great, but I'll gladly trade a little more traffic for 30,000 more people in town. Especially cake-eating ones.

Roll Tide.

Downtown Northport: A Sense of Community

Thursday was Art Night.  The first Thursday of the month, when Art Galleries in Tuscaloosa and Northport celebrate the opening of new exhibits and invite the public into their studios.

As a bakery surrounded by artists, Mary’s usually participates with edible and performing arts, serving wedding cake and hosting live blues music.  Except in August, when the shop closes at 6 and we take a month off from the evening festivities.

So this month we helped our neighbors at Kentuck celebrate and raise money for their organization. Kentuck is a non-profit organization dedicated to perpetuating the arts, engaging the community and empowering the artist.  They host a folk art festival in October. The Kentuck Festival of the Arts is designated a Top Ten Art Fair and Festival by American Style Magazine. The 38th Annual Kentuck Festival of the Arts will be October 17 & 18, 2009.

Kentuck’s courtyard was a true display of engaging the community.  Over a hundred people gathered to celebrate the opening of the August exhibit of recent works by Jeannie Guthrie and Elizabeth Quinn, boost awareness of the organization, and raise money.  If you live in the community you know about Kentuck’s recent financial struggles.

For a small donation to the organization, dozens of patrons received a hand made bowl by ceramic artist Kerry Kennedy of Firehorse Studio.  The bowl was filled with freshly made gelato from Mary’s.

The cob oven in the courtyard was fired up with fresh bread, pizza and grilled fresh vegetables from Snow’s Bend Farm.  There was live music and, after dark, a movie played on the outside wall of the gallery building.

Melina McClure, who is opening the new restaurant on the corner of 5th Street and Main Avenue was there to meet the community, and the advanced band from the Alabama Blues Camp entertained from the sidewalk.

Kentuck is an integral part of the flavor of Historic Downtown Northport, along with the many independent merchants, artists and restaurants and other businesses.  This past art night proved how much they help create that sense of community Northport is famous for.

Sonoma Gravensteins...Again

It's Gravenstein season again in Sonoma County, California.  Gravenstein apples, first planted in Sonoma in the early 1800's by German and Russian immigrants, are perfect for eating, pie and sauce.  Sweet and tart at the same time, they have a crisp and juicy texture.  They don't get mushy when you cook them.  And they smell like apples.

Never heard of them?  That's probably because only 15,000 tons are harvested annually and most never leave California.  They're extremely delicate and perishable.  They are also difficult to harvest because they have short stems.  Many land owners who grew Gravensteins in the past have converted their land to grape production and there are only six commercial growers left in the Sonoma Valley.

Forty pounds of this year's harvest made it to Tuscaloosa via Southwest Airlines (the only airline by the way that lets you check two bags for free).  They came from organic grower Lee Walker, owner of Walker Apples in Graton, just up the road from Sebastapool.  He and his wife have been married over 50 years and still run the farm.  I watched them both personally select and pack my box of apples last Sunday.

Yesterday we made individual apple pies, inspired by some I saw at the Sebastapool Farmers Market.  We mixed the apples with a bit of sugar, cinnamon and candied ginger before placing them in our own pie crust.

We'll also make tarts like we did last year, setting the apples in frangipan and puff pastry.