I'm so glad we've had this time together...

but the farmer's market era is now gone for the short term future.
It was a brillant idea and didn't pan out.
It's been brewing for a while (hence my absence) and now I'm making it official.

Here I'll say the whole piece:
I don't like being at a market that has high volume commercial baked goods next to my own. The idea for me is local, sustainable, organic. Not margarine from a production facility where everyone wears plastic.
I don't like cold wet mornings and fighting to sell each little piece of bread.
I don't like old hotel ovens that have chronically ill thermostats.
I don't like concrete floors that are so old the whole building is sinking slowly only on the wall BEHIND THE OVEN.
I love baking.
I love this little place.
I love my customers.
I love what I learned from this and the confidence I've gained.
I love my guy. I'm back in the restaurant full time to run the dining room and make his desserts so that we can make it all work.
Thanks for all the great feedback as I worked through this!

Okay I did it -- the letter is sent

We've decided that the best way to debut the baked goods is to participate with the local farmers markets.
So after talking to the local market manager, we've decided to go for it.
I sent the letter in today.

Here are the highlights:
baked goods made with ONLY organic local and fair trade ingredients
Miniature fruit bread loaves in flavors such as banana, fig, date/walnut, lemon ginger, carrot raisin, pumpkin, etc.
Ready to eat cookies baked at market in flavors such as chocolate chip, double chocolate “craisin”, oatmeal raisin, snicker doodles, etc. (one flavor per week initially) with a tub of cookie dough available to take and bake or freeze.

products that have made a positive showing at the restaurant:
fruit sauce, a customer favorite
Organic freshly made mascarpone and creme fraiche
Take and bake desserts
Local organic chutney or marmalade – one flavor each week, such as stone fruit, apricot, tomato, Seville orange, etc. -- using fruits from market purveyors only.
Olives marinated and spiced in-house.

Whaddaya all think?

It's semi official

I now have a website for the bakery.
But if I told ya...

Phew. Nerves blinking like butterflies.

This is the right thing, yes?

Next step

I'm going to do it.
I've talked it over with Handsome and decided to take my wares into the retail market. Why not?
There isn't really a baker that does organic in this part of the county. Why not?
I could start local. Why not?
It could be independent income. Why not?
It could be fun. Why not?
The plan is starting. Let's see how it goes...