I have a little problem

With meat. Specifically with sausage.

I spend all day making muffins and other sweet treats, shaping bagels and breads. And my customers tell me of their problems with such items- the loaf of bread that doesn't make it home or the irresistible urge that forces them to eat the entire bag of pastries just outside the bakery door. Many of them wonder how I can work in such a toxic environment all day and not eat all my profits.

Well, there's a simple explanation for all that. I really don't look forward to tasting the sweets I make. Sure I get sweet cravings from time to time- but it kills me to be sure the buttercream is okay. It makes my teeth hurt.

Now, on the other hand, I can't walk past the hot dogs in the supermarket without salivating. They're gross, I know. They are bad for me and they always look better than they taste. In the store I stock only family crafted, small batch,lovingly raised pork. It is what I would eat all the time if I could. However, I have just sank my life into feeding everyone else's food problems- I must try to sell those buggers before I devour them blindly. So, when in Walmart tonight shopping for food coloring, when I spotted keilbasa on sale for $2.50 I couldn't resist. Throw it on the grill and eat it with mustard in a crappy roll from the market. If only I could live with the shame of eating the whole package.

New Digs

Just a peek at the new digs as it was just over a week ago.

Back in Business!

ok folks!

Two years or so I started this blog because someone at a conference thought it was a good idea. Unfortunately it turned out to prove that I was miserable in my job, and that, at times, it was a pretty crummy work environment. I made very good friends at that place of work, and a few enemies too-all while working upwards of 80-hour work weeks on a lousy salary while gas prices and my property taxes soared. I felt other people should know about the kitchen I was working in, and how it looked physically, considering it is a historical hotel that has a 4 Diamond AAA rating that costs at least $100 per person per night to stay in. The cheap rooms have tattered bed spreads to say the least. I was once put up in a room after a long day of work where I had to leave the sink running because the pipes might freeze. This was an operating hotel room.

I have two last photos to post on this topic, because I just have to. The problem still exists today (yes I have gone back to fill in here and there on my adjusted pay - an hourly rate based on what my salary was- to help finish wedding cakes).

Let me say this also:

I had never in my life seen a cockroach until I worked in this kitchen. No big deal. But there were roaches around the kitchen at 10 am in full sunlight. It was gross. They lived under the ice cream cooler in the bakery, near the soda machines at the server station, and especially in the saucier area where all the soups and stocks are made for 5 restaurants. The problem was, it went on for over a year before it was treated. The resort has now fumigated the main kitchen 3 times that I know of.

That is why I stopped blogging. With all the facebook stuff going on, I was afraid people would actually READ my blog and I would get fired. Ya ya, freedom of speech and all that malarky - but listen. I gotta pay the mortgage. Lemme just say it was great to quit- I almost feel like gloating every time I visit, if I didn't feel so bad for all those folks still working there that are "stuck".

And now I am starting again. Another crappy place? Not for me... In the past year I've been cultivating that itch one has to scratch. My husband Jim and I have opened our own place. He's still working as a bartender at an awesome restaurant that has an awesome owner, awesome staff, and a bar manager that makes killer cocktails. And our marriage is surviving after many serious threats of it not.

We have fought, cried, thrown things, laughed and in the end it's been a good time. I'm still as broke as I was two years ago (probably broker on paper), but now I've got no one (well a lot less-there's always Jim ;)) to blame. The bakery has been open exactly 6 days. I'm having fun baking again.

Am I here now to brag, cop free advertising? Well, yah, but i'm also interested in sharing the adventure. Let's hope it all works and I can stop paying those shitty overdraft fees. Hopefully I'll be better about keeping in touch this time...

Cheers!

PS-

Upon scrolling through the old photos on my phone, I came up with one more nasty photo. Enjoy!