ya never don't know where the customers come from

It has been nearly a month since my last post. We started the Glenwood Sunday market, June 6th and it has been non-stop since. The first day we were out of goods at 10:20. Second Sunday we made it to a little after 11. The third Sunday, 12:20. Yesterday we loaded up, and there was a sunami at 9am. Same starting time as the market. It rained for about thirty minutes, hard. Sideways rain. Like Forest Gump said "Rained so hard, it was rainin' up". I've spoke before of the issues that crusty bread has with the rain, not a pretty sight. We still sold over half of what we sent there. We sent our first truck in the morning, and it was my duty to take the second truck around 10am. I headed that way, knowing that they really weren't going to need the goods I had with me. The market was pretty much empty, 'cept a few die hards. One lady said "I finally get to taste your goods, there isn't any line this week". Last Monday I was in our store fetching a cup of coffee. A fellow was waiting for his turn and he was holding a little girl, maybe two years old. He asked me "Do you have any California bread today". I said "We typically don't put that in our store on Monday's". He explained that he bought one at the Glenwood Sunday market. Him and his wife finished it in one day, and he had to have more. I replied "Sorry, we can have it for you tomorrow". He placed an order and off he went. Upon my return to the office, I saw a loaf of day old raisin fennel and flax seed rye, in the day old pile. I grabbed 'em and I pretty much chased him down the street. Turned out he was carrying a six pack of cupcakes. He was very pleased with what I offered him. I assured him the loaves were day old, and "I was hoping they would get him thru the night". I doubt that would happen at a supermarket bakery. I don't know if he was a "First timer", here at the bakery. The fact that he found his way here, really left me with a good feeling. The Glenwood market has been doing incredible. The lady who runs the market told me "There hasn't been a bakery in this neighborhood for thirty years. Davidson's used to have a store on Morse ave". More support of my belief, the world is starving for quality bakery goods.

Since Father's day, things have slowed down considerably, in our store. The campus is empty, and it was miserably hot/humid last week. Father's day weekend was very, very busy. It was NU graduation, so the town was full. Restaurants and hotels were full. Bat 17 and Bistro Bordeaux were doubling their orders, for four days straight. Speaking of Bistro Bordeaux, I had a chance to eat there. Really nice, nice menu, delicious food. They buy our bread and then they serve it in a brown paper bag, stamped with the name of a bakery in Bordeaux. Upset me at first. I asked "Is this bread really from Bordeaux"? The waitress fessed up with the truth, "No, it comes from Bennison's".

We purchased whatever it is we need to make Italian sodas. We have a gadget that turns tap water into seltzer water, we add Torani flavoured syrup, and pour over ice. I gotta say, it's pretty tasty stuff. I guess we will start offering French sodas, as well. They are the same thing only with some form of dairy added.

Hey gotta get back to it. I have jam on the stove. We pitted a load of sweet cherries, added fresh blackberries, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. The stuff smells amazing. Gonna have to wait until Wednesday to taste it. We are planning on using it to top our danish pastries that go to market that day.