Thursday, July 1, 2010

what a day, weather wise



Didn't get much sleep last night, turns out yesterday, we committed to being the lone bread bakery, participating in a "Green market" at Lollapalooza, in August. It will be us, Seedling fruit and Brunkow cheese, at a minimum, from the GCM. It's concerning, it's gonna be a lot of stuff. We're figuring on a lot of smaller bread items that people can eat with wine and cheese. The single reason we decided to do it, is because we have our Koenig machine that will divide and round three thousand pieces per hour.

Needless to say, the markets yesterday, did very well. Truthfully the nicest day we've had this market season. It was perfect. We ran out a little early at both markets. I'm sure it's because I have forgotten how much can be sold when the weather cooperates. We have battled the weather more this market season, than any other, in the past. Hopefully the rain is behind us. Forecast for this weekend is in our favor, as well.

I posted a picture of a cherry flan. Every trip to France, I can't get enough of the flan, all the boulangerie offer there. The funniest thing, no matter how many books I look at, it's difficult to find any info on the flan I'm speaking of. I've spoken to a number of French bakers, they are willing to talk about it, but I can't find anything in print, or on the internet. Seems every version I find is similar to our custard pie or bread pudding. Which I don't care for, it's to "Eggy". This flan is simply cooked pastry creme, spread into a pie pastry crust and baked in a hot oven to get that deep brown skin. We cool it overnight and glaze it with apricot glace the next morning and cut it. It has been doing very well. We use milk, sugar, custard powder, a blend of egg yolks and eggs, both organic vanilla bean and vanilla extract and butter. This is the first one we've done with fruit in it. Not sure how well you can see, it but it has pitted Washington state cherries in it. I'm glad to see it worked out. Opens the door to trying many other things. Next is gonna be lemon flavoured custard with fresh blueberries. Oh, by the way, delicious! I'm runnin' out of reasons to travel to France.

Gotta get upstairs, and get to it. Should be a good weekend, Fourth of July sales, have been doing better, year after year. Last year it fell on a Saturday, we were open. Probably should've opened Sunday and closed Monday this year. Next Tuesday morning, we'll see if I made a good call or not.

2 Comments:

Blogger Laminatrix said...

I'd like my crust a good bit darker, but otherwise that looks quite tasty.

For Lollapalooza, I'd also do a LOT of pretzels--it's perhaps more of a beer crowd than a wine & cheese crowd. Scones. Very mini tarts (4-inch, if you have rings) as well as the usual size. Maybe some savory mini tarts, but not anything too eggy. I remember a spinach/ricotta pie recipe I used to use, and something like that would work as a mini pie. Something with beets. Roasted tomatos and sausage (mini pizzas will sell by the HUNDREDS if not thousands). Roasted tomatos, onions, and zucchini.

July 1, 2010 at 9:34 AM  
Blogger Jory Downer said...

'Been tryin' to figure out which oven bakes this best. Deck oven colours the top to much. Revolving oven, does a nice job, but to slow. Gonna try the rack oven next. Kinda sounds like the three bears, eh?

For lollahoweveryaspellit, we are doing bread brochettes. A bamboo skewer with four little rolls on it. One dry fruit, one olive, a grain and a sourdough. Smaller grain epi, small baguettes and chocolate croissants. Same story, first time around. Check with me Monday the 9th. I'll tell ya what we should be sellin'.

July 16, 2010 at 5:48 AM  

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