::Happy sighs::
Sometimes you just have to sigh a happy sigh. Especially when you've just completed (let's see...August, September, October, November, December...) FIVE long months of school!
I wish I could tell you I'm majoring in culinary arts, but I guess you don't have to be an ice-cream connossieour (<~ or a great speller) to enjoy the art of ice-cream making...or eating for that matter.
So, have I even been THINKING about ice-cream at all in those passed five months? To get down to the ice and salt, when you have your nose stuck in a book for nearly 10+ hours a day, or you are wolfing down a cafeteria lunch before your next lecture, or you're taking notes on Ferdinand de Saussure's semiology, thoughts of ice-cream and recipes fall quietly as snow to the lowest end of the totem pole along with shopping for Christmas presents.
Yet, a Christmas tradition my family has tried to keep each year is to make each other at least one gift. I started mulling over all the cheap gifts I could make that would be received with joy but end up in the Goodwill pile by the beginning of next year (okay, that's not entirely true, but it makes me cringe to see a gawky homemade Christmas present I made...every day...for the next 365 days).
I've begun thinking of gifts I could make that would put a smile on each family member's face...a gift that would brighten their day, that would melt their hearts when the frozen Iowa landscape dips to -20 degrees beneath a plethora of twinkling white snow. As a college student, what gift could I give that would not require me to cut off my hair?
...sweet! You're really good at that. Yeah, it is ICE-CREAM!
So, reader, here's the scoop--unless you go by the name of Dad, Mom, Nate, Louis or Melissa. If you do you will have to cease reading or close your eyes 'cause Little Sister is watching you! :)
Are you still reading this?
Okay. Good. The coast is clear.
My idea is to whip up 1/2 a quart of ice-cream for each family member and write a silly poem about why I think the flavor fits their personality. Like, Green Tea ice-cream could represent my brother who is strong and yet calming. Or choosing a butterscotch flavor for my mom could signify how she makes everyday a treat! I'm still working on it.
Potential obstacles include:
a. a very noisy ice-cream maker--how can I keep this a secret when even the neighbors complain? Hmm...making ice-cream at night. Now there's an idea.
b. Christmas is next week!
c. I need to purchase ice-cream containers, because I don't want to use tupperware.
Nothing's impossible. And I think this is a realistic goal. Therefore, the search is on! I'll keep you posted as I try to beat the clock...
In the meantime, good morning! And if I don't see you, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy Hanukkah!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
The Best Is Yet To Come
Hello! Is it me you're looking for? I wasn't sure what to write. Space is the final frontier after all, so why not explore it now (the space on this page, that is).
It's summertime here in Iowa. In fact, it's probably summertime where you are, too. ;) That can only mean one thing: It's time to get outside! It also means it's HOT, and HUMID, and it's a good idea to drink water like a camel. So, one pleasant Saturday morning, I woke my mom up and begged her to join me at the Downtown Farmer's Market.
People say the Downtown Farmer's Market is huge, but after circling the downtown area like carnivorous birds, we decided to park far, far away, and walk down to the heart of the market. It was beautiful, and eye-catching, and...wonderful! Mom told me it was like being at the street markets in downtown New York. It reminded me of Galena, IL.
There were vendors lining the streets for blocks selling everything from jewelry and woodwork, to organic produce and reservations for doggie day-camps. There were dozens of food vendors, many of them local cafe's and restaurants (like The Blue Strawberry) selling everything from ice-cold lemonade, home-made banana bread, and steaming pita pocket sandwhiches filled with meat. What I saw next made my mouth drop. It was...::dunt dunt duuuunnntt:: home-made ICE-CREAM! Yes, yes, I saw it with my own eyes. It seemed as if there were 15+ people waiting to scoop up the delicious creaminess for $3.00 a styrofoam cup.
Really, it was amazing. There were about 4 or 5 younger women handling the cash, and serving out the cups. Some worked behind-the-scenes. One man worked with two enormous ice-cream makers. These old-fashioned ice-and-salt churners produced nearly five gallons of ice-cream each!
So, after getting a balloon creation from the incredible Papa Balloon artist in Greene Square Park, we returned to the stand just as they were closing up. We found out this was their very first farmer's market. One young woman said they shipped the wooden ice-cream barrals from Pennslyvania. One ice-cream maker cost nearly $4000.00. Amazing.
I wanted to ask "How did the health department say 'yes'?" But see, they were making the ice-cream right there. It was fresh, it wasn't made in an unauthorized plant. How much fresher can you get?
The whole experience is encouraging. One of the vendors I met said a food license isn't terribly expensive. It's possible to have ice-cream at a Farmer's Market. I can, too. But, for now, I'm still experimenting with recipes in the kitchen. My big question now is how to swirl in flavors so that the "swirl" isn't a "clump." Any suggestions?
There's more exciting news so I'm yours 'til the ice creams! =D
Never give up on your dreams. The best is yet to come.
It's summertime here in Iowa. In fact, it's probably summertime where you are, too. ;) That can only mean one thing: It's time to get outside! It also means it's HOT, and HUMID, and it's a good idea to drink water like a camel. So, one pleasant Saturday morning, I woke my mom up and begged her to join me at the Downtown Farmer's Market.
People say the Downtown Farmer's Market is huge, but after circling the downtown area like carnivorous birds, we decided to park far, far away, and walk down to the heart of the market. It was beautiful, and eye-catching, and...wonderful! Mom told me it was like being at the street markets in downtown New York. It reminded me of Galena, IL.
There were vendors lining the streets for blocks selling everything from jewelry and woodwork, to organic produce and reservations for doggie day-camps. There were dozens of food vendors, many of them local cafe's and restaurants (like The Blue Strawberry) selling everything from ice-cold lemonade, home-made banana bread, and steaming pita pocket sandwhiches filled with meat. What I saw next made my mouth drop. It was...::dunt dunt duuuunnntt:: home-made ICE-CREAM! Yes, yes, I saw it with my own eyes. It seemed as if there were 15+ people waiting to scoop up the delicious creaminess for $3.00 a styrofoam cup.
Really, it was amazing. There were about 4 or 5 younger women handling the cash, and serving out the cups. Some worked behind-the-scenes. One man worked with two enormous ice-cream makers. These old-fashioned ice-and-salt churners produced nearly five gallons of ice-cream each!
So, after getting a balloon creation from the incredible Papa Balloon artist in Greene Square Park, we returned to the stand just as they were closing up. We found out this was their very first farmer's market. One young woman said they shipped the wooden ice-cream barrals from Pennslyvania. One ice-cream maker cost nearly $4000.00. Amazing.
I wanted to ask "How did the health department say 'yes'?" But see, they were making the ice-cream right there. It was fresh, it wasn't made in an unauthorized plant. How much fresher can you get?
The whole experience is encouraging. One of the vendors I met said a food license isn't terribly expensive. It's possible to have ice-cream at a Farmer's Market. I can, too. But, for now, I'm still experimenting with recipes in the kitchen. My big question now is how to swirl in flavors so that the "swirl" isn't a "clump." Any suggestions?
There's more exciting news so I'm yours 'til the ice creams! =D
Never give up on your dreams. The best is yet to come.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
A Fork in the Road
It's amazing what eight days and one phone-call can do to make a two-year-old dream melt like a magnificent ice-sculpture in the heat of summer.
The purpose of this blog "Journey to the Farmer's Market" was to have a place to archieve all the fun, frustrating, and exciting preparation that happens behind the scenes of a farmer's market vendor.
It's a bad habit, but I can be a really good procrastinator if I put my mind to it, and this blog motivated me to keep going. It's like accountability. If I know someone--yes, faithful reader, I mean you--is sharing this journey, it motivates me to make that call, start that menu, make an ingredients list...and so I did.
Last Thursday I called the Linn County Health Department and asked a woman what it would take for me to sell ice-cream at the Noelridge Park Farmer's Market. What she said next made the ice-sculpture's nose literally dive off it's face and dash into a pile of slush (okay, I'm being dramatic. It's for effect...bear with me).
She explained that I would need to get a Food Processor’s License, and gave me a name and number to call for info. To make a long story short, she said potentially hazardous foods (like ice-cream…yes that includes soy) must be made in “a separate facility other than a home.” It has to be packaged in an authorized plant. So, I won’t be selling ice-cream at the Farmer’s Market...not unless I want to get the license (which I'm pretty sure is not free) and make the ice-cream someplace else.
I felt like slush (aka "crushed"). What if I had found that out two years ago? Why did I wait until I bought the awning, made a home-made menu etc. etc. etc.
Here it was. A fork in the road. We're always faced with a choice. We can sit down and throw a tantrum. We can regret ever starting the journey in the first place. Or we can choose the third option: Have your cake and eat it, too (after all, if you come to a fork in the road, use it!)
So, I am. I'm in the kitchen again, making ice-cream for friends and family. My market will look different, maybe it will be a birthday party, or a backyard picnic...but I'm going to keep learning. And who says I couldn't use an awning for that?
Keep your dreams alive. And, don't forget to let yourself eat a little cake.
The purpose of this blog "Journey to the Farmer's Market" was to have a place to archieve all the fun, frustrating, and exciting preparation that happens behind the scenes of a farmer's market vendor.
It's a bad habit, but I can be a really good procrastinator if I put my mind to it, and this blog motivated me to keep going. It's like accountability. If I know someone--yes, faithful reader, I mean you--is sharing this journey, it motivates me to make that call, start that menu, make an ingredients list...and so I did.
Last Thursday I called the Linn County Health Department and asked a woman what it would take for me to sell ice-cream at the Noelridge Park Farmer's Market. What she said next made the ice-sculpture's nose literally dive off it's face and dash into a pile of slush (okay, I'm being dramatic. It's for effect...bear with me).
She explained that I would need to get a Food Processor’s License, and gave me a name and number to call for info. To make a long story short, she said potentially hazardous foods (like ice-cream…yes that includes soy) must be made in “a separate facility other than a home.” It has to be packaged in an authorized plant. So, I won’t be selling ice-cream at the Farmer’s Market...not unless I want to get the license (which I'm pretty sure is not free) and make the ice-cream someplace else.
I felt like slush (aka "crushed"). What if I had found that out two years ago? Why did I wait until I bought the awning, made a home-made menu etc. etc. etc.
Here it was. A fork in the road. We're always faced with a choice. We can sit down and throw a tantrum. We can regret ever starting the journey in the first place. Or we can choose the third option: Have your cake and eat it, too (after all, if you come to a fork in the road, use it!)
So, I am. I'm in the kitchen again, making ice-cream for friends and family. My market will look different, maybe it will be a birthday party, or a backyard picnic...but I'm going to keep learning. And who says I couldn't use an awning for that?
Keep your dreams alive. And, don't forget to let yourself eat a little cake.
Friday, April 16, 2010
What's Your "Why"?
Okay, maybe you're wondering what I plan to sell at the Farmer's Market if has nothing to do with leafy green veggies, sweet corn or fruit. Here are a couple of hints. It's cold. It's wet, and it's something you might crave on a hot summer's day (and no, it's not water!) and it doesn't have anything to do with my e-mail address serenasmoothies. I could just blab, but I'd rather begin "once upon a time."
This is an excerpt from my ice-cream dairy...you're a very privelaged reader:
September 18, 2008 - When Melissa and I were at a top-notch shop in Wyoming, I came across an ice-cream recipe book! My mouth filled with water and my heart did a satisfied “sigh.” But when I showed Melissa, she said she wouldn’t know how to make ice-cream without dairy products but that she believed I would find a way. I remember that my heart sort of sank. I wondered, “That’s not fair. It doesn’t seem fair; there’s gotta be a way to make something like ice-cream without dairy. And something that tastes good.”
That's sort of how it started. I began researching ice-cream makers and fell in love with the ICE-40 by Cuisineart. It is a 2 qt. double-canister ice-cream maker, and PERFECT for indecisive people (i.e. "Hmmm...do I want to make blueberry ice-cream, or vanilla? I know, I'll make both!) Nothing is ever impossible; impossible is only a state of mind. When I put that recipe book back, I felt like a dream inside me died. Later, I began to see that was only page one of a much more exciting book. Melissa was right, there's always a way.
This is an excerpt from my ice-cream dairy...you're a very privelaged reader:
September 18, 2008 - When Melissa and I were at a top-notch shop in Wyoming, I came across an ice-cream recipe book! My mouth filled with water and my heart did a satisfied “sigh.” But when I showed Melissa, she said she wouldn’t know how to make ice-cream without dairy products but that she believed I would find a way. I remember that my heart sort of sank. I wondered, “That’s not fair. It doesn’t seem fair; there’s gotta be a way to make something like ice-cream without dairy. And something that tastes good.”
That's sort of how it started. I began researching ice-cream makers and fell in love with the ICE-40 by Cuisineart. It is a 2 qt. double-canister ice-cream maker, and PERFECT for indecisive people (i.e. "Hmmm...do I want to make blueberry ice-cream, or vanilla? I know, I'll make both!) Nothing is ever impossible; impossible is only a state of mind. When I put that recipe book back, I felt like a dream inside me died. Later, I began to see that was only page one of a much more exciting book. Melissa was right, there's always a way.
8 Tips for Successful Selling at the Farmer's Market
For those of you who are interested in selling (or are already selling) at the Farmer's Market in your town, here are 8 wonderful tips from Cee Belair's article "Tips for Successful Selling at a Farmer's Market". Even if you're not selling veggies or fruit (like me) it can be applied other food product. Enjoy!:
1.Make sure your display is neat and attractive. Make it easy for people to see what you have displayed.
2.Display your products at least 6 inches off of the ground. Make sure you have a sturdy table or display area to prevent falling onto the ground. Remember there will probably be a lot of people and things can get knocked over easily.
3.Post your prices. Consumers want to see what your asking price is! A lot of people feel uncomfortable having to ask, which can cost you a potential sale.
4.Replenish your containers as soon as they get emptied. Keep your table full of attractive colors and arrange them for great eye appeal!
5.Bring your highest quality plants or vegetables. People don't want to see brown lettuce or rotten tomatoes.
When you are preparing to head off to the Farmer's Market, there are a few things you might want to consider bringing with you.
1.Bring a spray bottle with good quality drinking water to spray your vegetables to keep them looking fresh!
2.Bring a cooler for things like eggs or meat. You don't want anything to spoil while you're there.
3.Bring paper towels and soap to keep your hands clean.
4.Consider bringing a canopy to protect your produce from the sun. Some Farmer's Markets run for quite awhile and the sun can do a lot of damage to your plants, and to you!
5.Bring plenty of paper or plastic bags. It's a little awkward to carry a dozen tomatoes without one.
6.Bring a tablecloth to freshen up your table and give it an inviting appearance.
7.Don't forget a first aid kit, it's a good idea to have one on hand. Most Farmer's Markets don't have a high incidence of injury, but you never know!
8.Bring a cash box and plenty of change to break big bills. Also keep on hand some paper and pens if you need to make notes or write anything down.
(http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/178395/tips_for_successful_selling_at_a_farmers_pg2.html?cat=32)
1.Make sure your display is neat and attractive. Make it easy for people to see what you have displayed.
2.Display your products at least 6 inches off of the ground. Make sure you have a sturdy table or display area to prevent falling onto the ground. Remember there will probably be a lot of people and things can get knocked over easily.
3.Post your prices. Consumers want to see what your asking price is! A lot of people feel uncomfortable having to ask, which can cost you a potential sale.
4.Replenish your containers as soon as they get emptied. Keep your table full of attractive colors and arrange them for great eye appeal!
5.Bring your highest quality plants or vegetables. People don't want to see brown lettuce or rotten tomatoes.
When you are preparing to head off to the Farmer's Market, there are a few things you might want to consider bringing with you.
1.Bring a spray bottle with good quality drinking water to spray your vegetables to keep them looking fresh!
2.Bring a cooler for things like eggs or meat. You don't want anything to spoil while you're there.
3.Bring paper towels and soap to keep your hands clean.
4.Consider bringing a canopy to protect your produce from the sun. Some Farmer's Markets run for quite awhile and the sun can do a lot of damage to your plants, and to you!
5.Bring plenty of paper or plastic bags. It's a little awkward to carry a dozen tomatoes without one.
6.Bring a tablecloth to freshen up your table and give it an inviting appearance.
7.Don't forget a first aid kit, it's a good idea to have one on hand. Most Farmer's Markets don't have a high incidence of injury, but you never know!
8.Bring a cash box and plenty of change to break big bills. Also keep on hand some paper and pens if you need to make notes or write anything down.
(http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/178395/tips_for_successful_selling_at_a_farmers_pg2.html?cat=32)
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Journey to the Farmer's Market: Beginnings
This is so exciting! Having a blog, that is. The title kinda makes it sound like the journey to the Farmer's Market is just beginning, but really it started back in December 2008. My siblings and I were sitting around a round table coloring. Yes, we had all the markers, crayons and colored pencils we could ever dream of (my sister-in-law is an amazing artist, after all). The goal? Create a picture of your new year's resolutions.
I can almost see mine now. It's pinned to my bulletin-board...we'll it's practically buried under all the papers, business cards, and my calender...but I don't have to be able to see it to know one of my 2008 resolutions: I will sell smoothies at the Farmer's Market in July-Aug.
I could go into all the details--visiting the Noelridge Park Farmer's Market, and talking with some of the vendors, visiting the owners of Tic Tac Toe who sold at that market, and finding out costs of venues from the Market Master etc. etc. etc.--but I think that would be tedious. And the first blog shouldn't be tedious. So, here's to New Year's and resolutions and an exciting journey ahead! Let's go!
I can almost see mine now. It's pinned to my bulletin-board...we'll it's practically buried under all the papers, business cards, and my calender...but I don't have to be able to see it to know one of my 2008 resolutions: I will sell smoothies at the Farmer's Market in July-Aug.
I could go into all the details--visiting the Noelridge Park Farmer's Market, and talking with some of the vendors, visiting the owners of Tic Tac Toe who sold at that market, and finding out costs of venues from the Market Master etc. etc. etc.--but I think that would be tedious. And the first blog shouldn't be tedious. So, here's to New Year's and resolutions and an exciting journey ahead! Let's go!
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