The last farmer's market is upon us, folks! It promises to be a chilly but sunny day, so bundle up, grab a hot cup of coffee, and come out in force to support your local farmers, bakers, and artisans on our last market of the season.
I will be set up until 3 p.m., as staying until 7 on a frosty day is just not my thing, especially as I am behind on Christmas preparations. However, I will have the superb pastries you have come to know and love. I will be set up in a different spot, though. Charlotte has me at the end of Market Street this week, towards the corner of Market and Clinch.
Just a reminder--I will be selling my baked goods and pastries at two locations over the winter. Tea At the Gallery is a calm, civilized space for tea-lovers on Kingston Pike in Bearden, and they have been very accommodating and gracious. I should have breakfast items for sale there starting the second week in January, and hopefully some items on their menu as well.
The Local is a new butcher shop opening in on Calderwood Road (across from the Shrimp Dock) in Alcoa that will feature products from local farmers and producers. I will have croissants, granola, shortbreads, loaves of bread, and much more for sale there starting mid-January. Please check out this space--it's a fledgling business with a lot of promise, but it needs your support if it is to thrive.
Finally, it is time for me to announce my baked offerings for the last market. See you there!
-Croissants (plain, chocolate, almond, and ham and cheese)--$3, $4, and $5
-Pumpkin White Chocolate Scones--$3
-Cranberry Orange Scones--$3
-Pomegranate Almond Tarts--$5
-Quiche With Local Greens and Butternut Squash--$5
-*Dark Sticky Ginger Cakes--$5
-*Bourbon-Soaked Fruit Cakes--$12
-Earl Grey Truffles--$1 apiece
-Ginger Liqueur Truffles--$1 apiece
-*Homemade Herbal Bitters--$3/bottle
-*Mulling Spices--$2/bag
-*Bakers' Bundles--$12 (vanilla extract, vanilla sugar, and vanilla beans)
-*Caramel Pumpkin Seed Brittle--$3/bag
-*Seeded Granola--$7/bag
-*Chocolate Rosewater Shortbreads--$2/bag
-*Spiced Caramels--$3/bag
*These items make great last-minute gifts or stocking stuffers!
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Friday, December 14, 2012
Holiday Market 12/15/12
Just a quick update this a.m. before I head off to start baking! Hope to see everyone tomorrow.
-Fig and Walnut Scones--$3
-BLT Scones (Benton's bacon, garden greens, and roasted tomatoes)--$3
-Croissants (Plain, chocolate, ham and cheese, and almond)--$3, $4, and $5
-Black Spicy Ginger Cakes--$5
-Cranberry-Almond Tarts--$5
-Salted Caramel and Chocolate Tarts--$5
-Quiche With Roasted Garlic and Caramelized Carrots--$5
-Dark Rye Loaves--$6
-Extra Tangy Lemon Bars--$3
-Smoked Tea Truffles--$1/ea.
-Orange-Scented Truffles--$1/ea.
-Boozy Fruit Cakes--$12
-Instant Chai Tea Mix--$2
-Instant Cocoa Mix--$2
-Mulling Spice Bundles--$2
-Bakers' Bundles--$12
-Bartenders' Bundles--$12
-Baklava--$1.50/piece
-Pumpkin Seed Brittle--$3/4 oz
-Seeded Granola--$7/12 oz
-Mocha Nib Shortbread With Sea Salt--$2/bag
-Fig and Walnut Scones--$3
-BLT Scones (Benton's bacon, garden greens, and roasted tomatoes)--$3
-Croissants (Plain, chocolate, ham and cheese, and almond)--$3, $4, and $5
-Black Spicy Ginger Cakes--$5
-Cranberry-Almond Tarts--$5
-Salted Caramel and Chocolate Tarts--$5
-Quiche With Roasted Garlic and Caramelized Carrots--$5
-Dark Rye Loaves--$6
-Extra Tangy Lemon Bars--$3
-Smoked Tea Truffles--$1/ea.
-Orange-Scented Truffles--$1/ea.
-Boozy Fruit Cakes--$12
-Instant Chai Tea Mix--$2
-Instant Cocoa Mix--$2
-Mulling Spice Bundles--$2
-Bakers' Bundles--$12
-Bartenders' Bundles--$12
-Baklava--$1.50/piece
-Pumpkin Seed Brittle--$3/4 oz
-Seeded Granola--$7/12 oz
-Mocha Nib Shortbread With Sea Salt--$2/bag
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Holiday Market 12/8/12
When I first wrote up a business plan for Little Blue, I was, as I usually am, idealistic. I wanted to create unique, small-batch baked goods that varied with the seasons. I wanted to use as many local and organic ingredients as possible. I wanted to focus on high-quality, French-style pastries with flair.
Typically, my idealism is quelled somewhat when it meets the cold, hard streets of reality, and I am forced to compromise. However, now that the year is drawing to a close, I am happy to say that not only have I resisted compromise with Little Blue, I have managed to improve my products without having to raise prices.
I say this not to brag, but because it is a legitimate concern of both consumers and business owners. How do you provide consistently superior service and products at a reasonable price when seemingly everyone is doing some belt-tightening? I don't know that I have a clear answer to that. I do know that ingenuity and flexibility are important, as are quality and public relations.
Over the course of the year, I have managed to gather something of a following. A loyal group of folks who come back week after week and who provide me with valuable feedback and the best pep talks I've ever been given. Let's face it. Long days spent by yourself, on your feet, in a kitchen can leave you drained and somewhat pessimistic. Saturdays at the market, however, reaffirm what I set out to do and what I continue to do--disseminate my passion for baking, for delicious and nourishing foods, and for people. Thank you so much for allowing me to do that and for supporting me not only with your dollar but also with your kind words and weekly patronage.
Now for the goods. It's a big week.
-Pumpkin Ginger Scones--$3
-Bacon and Blue Cheese Scones--$3
-Croissants (plain, chocolate, ham and cheese, almond-filled)--$3, $4, and $5
-Quiche With Greens and Potatoes--$5
-Mock Mincemeat Tarts (filling made with Honeycrisp apples, golden raisins, candied orange peel, and apple cider)--$5
-Fresh Fruit Tarts With Pastry Cream Filling--$5
-Seeded Granola--$7/12 oz
-Toasted Rooibos and Vanilla Shortbreads--$2/bag
-Pumpkin Seed Brittle--$3/bag
-Light and Dark Fruitcakes--$12 (the light fruitcakes contain candied orange peel, golden raisins, almonds, toasted coconut, and dried papaya and are soaked in bourbon; the dark fruitcakes contain figs, dates, dried plums, raisins, currants, hazelnuts, and walnuts and are soaked in rum)
-Walnut Baklava--$1/square
-Savory Crackers (Walnut and Blue Cheese, Cheddar-Cornmeal-Smoked Paprika, or Seeded)--$2/bag
-Earl Grey Truffles--$1 apiece
-Grown-Up Party Mix--$5/8 ounces
-Ginger-Oat Scone Mix--$4
-Bartenders' Bundles (4 flavors of bitters)--$10
-Bakers' Bundles (double-strength vanilla extract, vanilla sugar, and vanilla beans)--$12
-Mulling Spices--$2
-Instant Chai Latte Mix--$2/bag
-Bourbon-Flavored Marshmallows--$1/bag
-Instant Hot Cocoa Mix and Homemade Marshmallow--$2.50
Typically, my idealism is quelled somewhat when it meets the cold, hard streets of reality, and I am forced to compromise. However, now that the year is drawing to a close, I am happy to say that not only have I resisted compromise with Little Blue, I have managed to improve my products without having to raise prices.
I say this not to brag, but because it is a legitimate concern of both consumers and business owners. How do you provide consistently superior service and products at a reasonable price when seemingly everyone is doing some belt-tightening? I don't know that I have a clear answer to that. I do know that ingenuity and flexibility are important, as are quality and public relations.
Over the course of the year, I have managed to gather something of a following. A loyal group of folks who come back week after week and who provide me with valuable feedback and the best pep talks I've ever been given. Let's face it. Long days spent by yourself, on your feet, in a kitchen can leave you drained and somewhat pessimistic. Saturdays at the market, however, reaffirm what I set out to do and what I continue to do--disseminate my passion for baking, for delicious and nourishing foods, and for people. Thank you so much for allowing me to do that and for supporting me not only with your dollar but also with your kind words and weekly patronage.
Now for the goods. It's a big week.
-Pumpkin Ginger Scones--$3
-Bacon and Blue Cheese Scones--$3
-Croissants (plain, chocolate, ham and cheese, almond-filled)--$3, $4, and $5
-Quiche With Greens and Potatoes--$5
-Mock Mincemeat Tarts (filling made with Honeycrisp apples, golden raisins, candied orange peel, and apple cider)--$5
-Fresh Fruit Tarts With Pastry Cream Filling--$5
-Seeded Granola--$7/12 oz
-Toasted Rooibos and Vanilla Shortbreads--$2/bag
-Pumpkin Seed Brittle--$3/bag
-Light and Dark Fruitcakes--$12 (the light fruitcakes contain candied orange peel, golden raisins, almonds, toasted coconut, and dried papaya and are soaked in bourbon; the dark fruitcakes contain figs, dates, dried plums, raisins, currants, hazelnuts, and walnuts and are soaked in rum)
-Walnut Baklava--$1/square
-Savory Crackers (Walnut and Blue Cheese, Cheddar-Cornmeal-Smoked Paprika, or Seeded)--$2/bag
-Earl Grey Truffles--$1 apiece
-Grown-Up Party Mix--$5/8 ounces
-Ginger-Oat Scone Mix--$4
-Bartenders' Bundles (4 flavors of bitters)--$10
-Bakers' Bundles (double-strength vanilla extract, vanilla sugar, and vanilla beans)--$12
-Mulling Spices--$2
-Instant Chai Latte Mix--$2/bag
-Bourbon-Flavored Marshmallows--$1/bag
-Instant Hot Cocoa Mix and Homemade Marshmallow--$2.50
Friday, November 30, 2012
Market Square Holiday Market 12/1/12
The holiday markets are finally here! I'll be featuring some holiday-exclusive items at my booth these last four weeks of market, including lots of tasty gifts for those on your list. I will also have order forms available for those of you who would like to order items in quantity for holiday office parties, family get-togethers, gift-giving en masse, etc. You do the celebrating and let me do the baking!
Also, some very exciting news for Little Blue...I finally found a good kitchen space to work in and a great place to sell my baked goods over the winter. Tea At the Gallery is a really sweet little space in Bearden (on Kingston Pike, in the same shopping center as the Fresh Market) run by a coterie of lovely ladies. They have a huge selection of loose leaf teas, and they serve a full tea service as well as light lunches. They have very graciously offered me the use of their kitchen and will be carrying some of my baked goods through the winter (and beyond). Right now, the only items I have for sale there are my shortbreads and granola (slightly more expensive than at market, as I'm selling on consignment), but there will be more very soon. I'll keep you in the loop.
I will also be selling some of my baked goods at a new little butcher shop in Alcoa called The Local. It will be opening in January and will feature, as you might expect, lots of high-quality meat butchered by a professional, but also locally-made artisanal products by people like me! I know Shawn (owner of The Local) has talked to Jim Smith (hot sauce guru that I'm sure a lot of you know from the market) about selling his goods there as well, so you might think about making a trip down Alcoa way in 2013 to help support this fledgling business (it's located on Calderwood St., right across from the Shrimp Dock).
Now for this week's eats and treats.
Little Blue Hot Cocoa Mix and Homemade Marshmallows--$3/bag (if you've never had homemade marshmallows before, you must try them--like eating a fudgy cloud)
Baker's Bundle (a wooden berry basket lined with burlap and filled with an 8-ounce bottle of my double-strength vanilla extract, a bag of vanilla sugar, and 3 Tahitian vanilla beans)--$12
Bartender's Bundle (a berry basket lined with burlap and filled with 4 different flavors of my homemade bitters)--$10
Party Mix (think grown-up Chex Mix--contains mixed nuts, pumpkin seeds, pretzels, puffed rice, puffed sorghum, and my homemade spice blend)--$7/12 oz
Boozy Fruit Cakes (the real deal, folks--a fruit cake packed with walnuts, figs, dates, raisins, dried plums, cherries, and candied orange peel, soaked in spiced rum and wrapped in rum-soaked cheesecloth--these have been aged for 4 weeks to improve their flavor and can be kept until Christmas and beyond, if you choose)--$12 for a 1-pound loaf
Seeded Granola--$7/12 oz
Pumpkin Seed Brittle--$3/4 oz
Earl Grey Shortbreads--$2/bag
Lemon Meringue Tartlets (homemade all-butter tart shells filled with my extra-tart lemon curd and topped with a cloud of toasted meringue)--$5
Kale and Parmesan Scones--$3 (local kale)
Cranberry-White Chocolate Scones--$3
Leek and Sweet Potato Quiches--$5 (local sweet potatoes)
Croissants (plain, chocolate, ham and cheese, and almond)--$3, $4, and $5
I will also have order forms available for any of you who would like to place a holiday order.
Looking forward to seeing you all! The weather should be most lovely.
Also, some very exciting news for Little Blue...I finally found a good kitchen space to work in and a great place to sell my baked goods over the winter. Tea At the Gallery is a really sweet little space in Bearden (on Kingston Pike, in the same shopping center as the Fresh Market) run by a coterie of lovely ladies. They have a huge selection of loose leaf teas, and they serve a full tea service as well as light lunches. They have very graciously offered me the use of their kitchen and will be carrying some of my baked goods through the winter (and beyond). Right now, the only items I have for sale there are my shortbreads and granola (slightly more expensive than at market, as I'm selling on consignment), but there will be more very soon. I'll keep you in the loop.
I will also be selling some of my baked goods at a new little butcher shop in Alcoa called The Local. It will be opening in January and will feature, as you might expect, lots of high-quality meat butchered by a professional, but also locally-made artisanal products by people like me! I know Shawn (owner of The Local) has talked to Jim Smith (hot sauce guru that I'm sure a lot of you know from the market) about selling his goods there as well, so you might think about making a trip down Alcoa way in 2013 to help support this fledgling business (it's located on Calderwood St., right across from the Shrimp Dock).
Now for this week's eats and treats.
Little Blue Hot Cocoa Mix and Homemade Marshmallows--$3/bag (if you've never had homemade marshmallows before, you must try them--like eating a fudgy cloud)
Baker's Bundle (a wooden berry basket lined with burlap and filled with an 8-ounce bottle of my double-strength vanilla extract, a bag of vanilla sugar, and 3 Tahitian vanilla beans)--$12
Bartender's Bundle (a berry basket lined with burlap and filled with 4 different flavors of my homemade bitters)--$10
Party Mix (think grown-up Chex Mix--contains mixed nuts, pumpkin seeds, pretzels, puffed rice, puffed sorghum, and my homemade spice blend)--$7/12 oz
Boozy Fruit Cakes (the real deal, folks--a fruit cake packed with walnuts, figs, dates, raisins, dried plums, cherries, and candied orange peel, soaked in spiced rum and wrapped in rum-soaked cheesecloth--these have been aged for 4 weeks to improve their flavor and can be kept until Christmas and beyond, if you choose)--$12 for a 1-pound loaf
Seeded Granola--$7/12 oz
Pumpkin Seed Brittle--$3/4 oz
Earl Grey Shortbreads--$2/bag
Lemon Meringue Tartlets (homemade all-butter tart shells filled with my extra-tart lemon curd and topped with a cloud of toasted meringue)--$5
Kale and Parmesan Scones--$3 (local kale)
Cranberry-White Chocolate Scones--$3
Leek and Sweet Potato Quiches--$5 (local sweet potatoes)
Croissants (plain, chocolate, ham and cheese, and almond)--$3, $4, and $5
I will also have order forms available for any of you who would like to place a holiday order.
Looking forward to seeing you all! The weather should be most lovely.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Market Square Farmer's Market 11/17/12
The last official market is upon us! I'm not feeling too nostalgic or sentimental quite yet, as we have four holiday markets to go, and I envision myself shivering beneath my tent for most of them. One of the many wonderful things about the market--it takes you out of your comfort zone in more ways than one!
Just to be clear, I will be at all four holiday markets. The first is on December first, and then they follow for three weeks after that. The markets run from noon to 7 p.m., and vendors begin setting up in the morning at around 10 a.m. You can expect many of the Little Blue baked goods you know and love in addition to some showstoppers for gifts and stocking stuffers.
I just made my annual batch of fruitcakes, which will be available at the holiday markets. They are absolutely packed with fruit and nuts--figs, raisins, dates, dried plums, cherries, pecans, and hazelnuts. I will be brushing them with spiced rum for the next couple weeks, and then they will be wrapped in rum-soaked cheesecloth. This week I also unwrapped a fruitcake that I made last November and have been aging in the back of my fridge ever since. It's perfectly moist and boozy and no worse for wear. I will have this well-aged fruitcake at my booth for sampling--I used the same recipe this year.
I will also have "Baker's Bundles" for sale as stocking stuffers--a bottle of my double-strength vanilla, vanilla sugar, and a few vanilla beans all tucked into a wooden berry basket. I will also have a selection of unique candies (my espresso pumpkin seed brittle being one of them) and cookies.
Now for this week's offerings:
--Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--$3 (Colvin Family Farm scallions; Cruze Farm buttermilk)
--Lemon-Blueberry Scones--$3 (Cruze Farm buttermilk)
--Butternut-Sage Scones With Walnuts--$3 (Terraced Gardens Farm butternut squash; Cruze Farm buttermilk)
--Green Eggs and Ham Quiche--$5 (all-butter pastry crust; arugula pesto feat. Colvin Family Farm arugula; prosciutto)
--Cranberry and Roasted Pear Tarts--$5 (all-butter pastry crust; Asian pears)
--Plain, Dark Chocolate, Ham and Cheese, and Almond-Filled Croissants--$3, $4, and $5
--10-Grain Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls--$4 (Musick Mountain Farm pumpkin)
--Rosewater and Black Sesame Shortbread--$2/bag
--Grasshopper Sandwich Cookies--$2 (crisp dark chocolate cookies; peppermint buttercream)
--Dark Chocolate Cacao Nib Loaves--$5 (Dutch-process cocoa powder, cacao nibs, spiced syrup)
--Seeded Granola--$7/ 12 oz (pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds, cacao nibs, walnuts, organic oats, organic local sorghum syrup, maple syrup, olive oil)
--Double-Strength Vanilla Extract--$8/ 4 oz (Bacardi 151 and Tahitian vanilla beans)
* I have several spots still open for my intro to pie and pastry class this Sunday. If you're interested in attending, please let me know at petitbleu88 (at) gmail (dot) com. The class is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and includes a light breakfast and lunch, four hours of hands-on instruction, a booklet of tips and recipes, and a pie to take home. Cost is $65 per person.
Just to be clear, I will be at all four holiday markets. The first is on December first, and then they follow for three weeks after that. The markets run from noon to 7 p.m., and vendors begin setting up in the morning at around 10 a.m. You can expect many of the Little Blue baked goods you know and love in addition to some showstoppers for gifts and stocking stuffers.
I just made my annual batch of fruitcakes, which will be available at the holiday markets. They are absolutely packed with fruit and nuts--figs, raisins, dates, dried plums, cherries, pecans, and hazelnuts. I will be brushing them with spiced rum for the next couple weeks, and then they will be wrapped in rum-soaked cheesecloth. This week I also unwrapped a fruitcake that I made last November and have been aging in the back of my fridge ever since. It's perfectly moist and boozy and no worse for wear. I will have this well-aged fruitcake at my booth for sampling--I used the same recipe this year.
I will also have "Baker's Bundles" for sale as stocking stuffers--a bottle of my double-strength vanilla, vanilla sugar, and a few vanilla beans all tucked into a wooden berry basket. I will also have a selection of unique candies (my espresso pumpkin seed brittle being one of them) and cookies.
Now for this week's offerings:
--Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--$3 (Colvin Family Farm scallions; Cruze Farm buttermilk)
--Lemon-Blueberry Scones--$3 (Cruze Farm buttermilk)
--Butternut-Sage Scones With Walnuts--$3 (Terraced Gardens Farm butternut squash; Cruze Farm buttermilk)
--Green Eggs and Ham Quiche--$5 (all-butter pastry crust; arugula pesto feat. Colvin Family Farm arugula; prosciutto)
--Cranberry and Roasted Pear Tarts--$5 (all-butter pastry crust; Asian pears)
--Plain, Dark Chocolate, Ham and Cheese, and Almond-Filled Croissants--$3, $4, and $5
--10-Grain Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls--$4 (Musick Mountain Farm pumpkin)
--Rosewater and Black Sesame Shortbread--$2/bag
--Grasshopper Sandwich Cookies--$2 (crisp dark chocolate cookies; peppermint buttercream)
--Dark Chocolate Cacao Nib Loaves--$5 (Dutch-process cocoa powder, cacao nibs, spiced syrup)
--Seeded Granola--$7/ 12 oz (pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds, cacao nibs, walnuts, organic oats, organic local sorghum syrup, maple syrup, olive oil)
--Double-Strength Vanilla Extract--$8/ 4 oz (Bacardi 151 and Tahitian vanilla beans)
* I have several spots still open for my intro to pie and pastry class this Sunday. If you're interested in attending, please let me know at petitbleu88 (at) gmail (dot) com. The class is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and includes a light breakfast and lunch, four hours of hands-on instruction, a booklet of tips and recipes, and a pie to take home. Cost is $65 per person.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Market Square Farmer's Market 11/10/12
In my not so distant past, I worked on a goat farm in western NC. Over the course of three and a half years, I learned how to make many different kinds of cheese, how to milk, feed, and care for goats, and the nebulous art of working a farmer's market.
Market day was always my favorite, because it not only meant that I could represent a business I cared very much about, I got a chance to talk about my product nonstop with customers for a good four hours. I answered questions, responded to concerns, and generally met a lot of really wonderful people.
When I decided that I wanted to start my baking business here in Knoxville, I knew from the start that it would be a farmer's market business. Of course, there are practical reasons for this--not having to rent a storefront, getting to test the waters to see if what I bake will sell in the first place, and being able to work another job in addition to the bakery are just a few of those reasons.
But really, one of the most compelling reasons for my choice is the people. Unlike a lot of business owners, I get to see my customers face to face every Saturday. If you have a concern or a question, I can answer you on the spot. If you have a complaint, I don't get to hide behind employees or a customer service department. I know that I have to answer for any item I sell, and as a result, I stand behind my products.
The best part, though, is that I get to meet some really fabulous people. I can learn your names, see your children (and dogs as the case may be), and figure out what your favorites are. It's not quite "friendship," but it's certainly more meaningful than your average customer service interaction.
Now that the market season is winding down, I just wanted to say thank you to all of you. You have made my first year awesome and totally worthwhile, and I want you to know that seeing many of you every week and some of you fairly often is a bright spot in my week. It makes all the hard work worth it. Thank you.
--Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--$3 (Cruze Dairy buttermilk, Vermont white cheddar)
--Cranberry White Chocolate Scones--$3 (Cruze Dairy Buttermilk)
--Roasted Tomato and Arugula Pesto Scones--$3 (Colvin Family Farm arugula)
--Mushroom and Brie Quiches--$5 (Cage-free eggs)
--Vegan Pumpkin Brûlée Tarts--$5 (Musick Mountain Farm pumpkin)
--Plain, Dark Chocolate, Ham and Cheese, and Almond Croissants--$3, $4, and $5 respectively (all butter)
--10-Grain Masala Spice Cinnamon Rolls*--$4
--Vanilla Rooibos Shortbread--$2/bag (real vanilla beans, rooibos tea, lavender, and rose petals)
--Spicy Ginger Sandwich Cookies--$2/ea. (powdered, fresh, and candied ginger)
--Seeded Granola--$7/12 oz. (Doubletree Farms sorghum)
--Vanilla Extract--$8/4 oz. (Madagascar vanilla beans, high-proof rum)
*Whole grain wheat, whole grain rye, corn grits, whole grain triticale, whole grain oats, soy beans (for added protein), whole grain millet, barley, whole grain brown rice, oat bran, and flaxseed meal.
Market day was always my favorite, because it not only meant that I could represent a business I cared very much about, I got a chance to talk about my product nonstop with customers for a good four hours. I answered questions, responded to concerns, and generally met a lot of really wonderful people.
When I decided that I wanted to start my baking business here in Knoxville, I knew from the start that it would be a farmer's market business. Of course, there are practical reasons for this--not having to rent a storefront, getting to test the waters to see if what I bake will sell in the first place, and being able to work another job in addition to the bakery are just a few of those reasons.
But really, one of the most compelling reasons for my choice is the people. Unlike a lot of business owners, I get to see my customers face to face every Saturday. If you have a concern or a question, I can answer you on the spot. If you have a complaint, I don't get to hide behind employees or a customer service department. I know that I have to answer for any item I sell, and as a result, I stand behind my products.
The best part, though, is that I get to meet some really fabulous people. I can learn your names, see your children (and dogs as the case may be), and figure out what your favorites are. It's not quite "friendship," but it's certainly more meaningful than your average customer service interaction.
Now that the market season is winding down, I just wanted to say thank you to all of you. You have made my first year awesome and totally worthwhile, and I want you to know that seeing many of you every week and some of you fairly often is a bright spot in my week. It makes all the hard work worth it. Thank you.
--Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--$3 (Cruze Dairy buttermilk, Vermont white cheddar)
--Cranberry White Chocolate Scones--$3 (Cruze Dairy Buttermilk)
--Roasted Tomato and Arugula Pesto Scones--$3 (Colvin Family Farm arugula)
--Mushroom and Brie Quiches--$5 (Cage-free eggs)
--Vegan Pumpkin Brûlée Tarts--$5 (Musick Mountain Farm pumpkin)
--Plain, Dark Chocolate, Ham and Cheese, and Almond Croissants--$3, $4, and $5 respectively (all butter)
--10-Grain Masala Spice Cinnamon Rolls*--$4
--Vanilla Rooibos Shortbread--$2/bag (real vanilla beans, rooibos tea, lavender, and rose petals)
--Spicy Ginger Sandwich Cookies--$2/ea. (powdered, fresh, and candied ginger)
--Seeded Granola--$7/12 oz. (Doubletree Farms sorghum)
--Vanilla Extract--$8/4 oz. (Madagascar vanilla beans, high-proof rum)
*Whole grain wheat, whole grain rye, corn grits, whole grain triticale, whole grain oats, soy beans (for added protein), whole grain millet, barley, whole grain brown rice, oat bran, and flaxseed meal.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Market Square Farmer's Market 11/3/12
November! Month of cranberries and dry turkey, you're finally here! I would be lying if I said I didn't have a soft spot for deep autumn and almost everything that comes with it--the crinkly sound of dry leaves (and getting to use the leaf blower--so cool), a really good excuse to make a hot toddy, and pulling all my musty sweaters and scarves down from storage. Very pale people of Scotch-Irish descent are just not made for 90+ degree days. Fall is a welcome friend.
I also find myself getting hungrier as the days grow shorter and colder. Whether it's a hibernation complex or just a primordial craving to fatten up before darkest winter, I have been perfectly ravenous. With any luck, some of you will come to market perfectly ravenous, too, as I'm baking my heart out tomorrow to bring you some really delicious and highly fattening goods (um...but all the calories get canceled out because I bake with love?).
I missed you all last weekend, but it was a necessary errand. In addition to attending the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair where I purchased my very first raw fleece (the idea being that, once I get over how intimidating the thing is, I'll turn it into yarn), I also stopped by the farm of an old friend for the ingredient that makes my granola delicious: sorghum syrup.
For those unfamiliar with this product, sorghum is a thick, dark syrup (not unlike molasses, but without the bitter notes) made from the juice of sorghum cane, a relative of sugar cane. The juice is pressed out of the cane and boiled for hours and hours (like maple syrup) until it caramelizes. Sorghum syrup is traditionally made in the South, as sorghum cane grows well here, and the farm I buy my sorghum from still uses draft horses to mill the cane. They also boil their syrup over a wood fire.
All the syrup I've been able to find from Tennessee cane processors is much, much lighter than the sorghum I get from Doubletree Farms (located in Madison County, NC). Doubletree's method of boiling the syrup over a wood fire produces a deeply caramelized syrup, whereas the Tennessee producers I've found use steam. Steam processing produces a very light, almost honey-like syrup. Unfortunately, while this syrup is perfectly fine for drizzling over biscuits and such, the darker stuff is what I need to make my granola. There's just no way around it. So, I've stocked up on the good stuff again and can continue making granola that's up to my standards.
Mini Pecan Pies in a Whole Wheat Crust--$5 (corn syrup-free!)
Quiche With Leeks and Butternut Squash--$5 (butternut squash from Terraced Gardens Farm)
Pumpkin and White Chocolate Scones--$3 (pumpkin from Musick Mountain Farm)
BCT Scones (bacon, chard, and roasted tomatoes)--$3 (Benton's bacon, organic chard from my garden)
Croissants (plain, dark chocolate, ham and cheese, almond)--$3, $4, $5 and $5, respectively
10-Grain Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls--$4 (pumpkin from Musick Mountain Farm)
Grasshopper Sandwich Cookies--$2
Earl Grey Shortbreads--$2/bag
Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--$3 (Cruze Farm buttermilk)
Walnut Spelt Muffins--$3 (organic spelt flour, Cruze Farm Buttermilk)
Seeded Granola--$7/ 12 oz (Doubletree Farms sorghum syrup)
Double-Strength Vanilla Extract--$8/ 4 oz
P.S. Please let me know if you'd like to pre-order fruitcakes. My fruitcakes are absolutely packed with fruit and nuts and are soaked with rum or bourbon before being aged for a month. Nothing like store-bought fruitcakes with those weird red and green pseudo-fruits! I will be making mini fruitcakes for $10 apiece (like I said--packed with fruit and nuts--I spare no expense for this once-a-year luxury). I will have some available at the holiday markets in December, but if you'd like to reserve a few, please let me know!
I also find myself getting hungrier as the days grow shorter and colder. Whether it's a hibernation complex or just a primordial craving to fatten up before darkest winter, I have been perfectly ravenous. With any luck, some of you will come to market perfectly ravenous, too, as I'm baking my heart out tomorrow to bring you some really delicious and highly fattening goods (um...but all the calories get canceled out because I bake with love?).
I missed you all last weekend, but it was a necessary errand. In addition to attending the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair where I purchased my very first raw fleece (the idea being that, once I get over how intimidating the thing is, I'll turn it into yarn), I also stopped by the farm of an old friend for the ingredient that makes my granola delicious: sorghum syrup.
For those unfamiliar with this product, sorghum is a thick, dark syrup (not unlike molasses, but without the bitter notes) made from the juice of sorghum cane, a relative of sugar cane. The juice is pressed out of the cane and boiled for hours and hours (like maple syrup) until it caramelizes. Sorghum syrup is traditionally made in the South, as sorghum cane grows well here, and the farm I buy my sorghum from still uses draft horses to mill the cane. They also boil their syrup over a wood fire.
All the syrup I've been able to find from Tennessee cane processors is much, much lighter than the sorghum I get from Doubletree Farms (located in Madison County, NC). Doubletree's method of boiling the syrup over a wood fire produces a deeply caramelized syrup, whereas the Tennessee producers I've found use steam. Steam processing produces a very light, almost honey-like syrup. Unfortunately, while this syrup is perfectly fine for drizzling over biscuits and such, the darker stuff is what I need to make my granola. There's just no way around it. So, I've stocked up on the good stuff again and can continue making granola that's up to my standards.
Mini Pecan Pies in a Whole Wheat Crust--$5 (corn syrup-free!)
Quiche With Leeks and Butternut Squash--$5 (butternut squash from Terraced Gardens Farm)
Pumpkin and White Chocolate Scones--$3 (pumpkin from Musick Mountain Farm)
BCT Scones (bacon, chard, and roasted tomatoes)--$3 (Benton's bacon, organic chard from my garden)
Croissants (plain, dark chocolate, ham and cheese, almond)--$3, $4, $5 and $5, respectively
10-Grain Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls--$4 (pumpkin from Musick Mountain Farm)
Grasshopper Sandwich Cookies--$2
Earl Grey Shortbreads--$2/bag
Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--$3 (Cruze Farm buttermilk)
Walnut Spelt Muffins--$3 (organic spelt flour, Cruze Farm Buttermilk)
Seeded Granola--$7/ 12 oz (Doubletree Farms sorghum syrup)
Double-Strength Vanilla Extract--$8/ 4 oz
P.S. Please let me know if you'd like to pre-order fruitcakes. My fruitcakes are absolutely packed with fruit and nuts and are soaked with rum or bourbon before being aged for a month. Nothing like store-bought fruitcakes with those weird red and green pseudo-fruits! I will be making mini fruitcakes for $10 apiece (like I said--packed with fruit and nuts--I spare no expense for this once-a-year luxury). I will have some available at the holiday markets in December, but if you'd like to reserve a few, please let me know!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Market Square 10/27/12
Hi folks! Just a quick note to let you know that I will not be at the market this weekend. Doing a little recreating just over the mountain in Asheville. I'll miss you! See you next weekend.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Market Square Farmer's Market 10/20/12
I'm back...again! Please pardon last week's absence. John and I were on a business trip to St. Louis, but, thankfully, we're home, and I'm gearing up for an awesome Saturday market. So far, the weather promises to be sunny and cool, so get out your cardigans and grab a croissant or two!
Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--$3
Apple-Cardamom Scones--$3
Butternut Squash and Blue Cheese Scones--$3
Croissants (plain, chocolate, ham and cheese, and almond-filled)--$3, $4, $5 and $5 respectively
Lemon Poppyseed Shortbread--$2/bag
Oatmeal Creme Sandwich Cookies--$2.50
Rise and Shine Muffins (carrot, apple, ginger, golden raisins)--$3
Quiche With Greens and Shallots--$5
Almond-Apple Tarts--$5
10-Grain Cinnamon Rolls (with golden raisins and walnuts)--$4
Seeded Granola--$7/12 oz
As an aside, my computer is on the fritz this week, and until the lovely Apple store folks get it back to me, I will not have my label templates. I will try to have some paper labels available if anyone wants to see my ingredient lists
Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--$3
Apple-Cardamom Scones--$3
Butternut Squash and Blue Cheese Scones--$3
Croissants (plain, chocolate, ham and cheese, and almond-filled)--$3, $4, $5 and $5 respectively
Lemon Poppyseed Shortbread--$2/bag
Oatmeal Creme Sandwich Cookies--$2.50
Rise and Shine Muffins (carrot, apple, ginger, golden raisins)--$3
Quiche With Greens and Shallots--$5
Almond-Apple Tarts--$5
10-Grain Cinnamon Rolls (with golden raisins and walnuts)--$4
Seeded Granola--$7/12 oz
As an aside, my computer is on the fritz this week, and until the lovely Apple store folks get it back to me, I will not have my label templates. I will try to have some paper labels available if anyone wants to see my ingredient lists
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Market Square 9/6/12
Wedding accomplished! We managed to plan, host, and execute a wedding without a single hitch, and we remained calm to boot. Most importantly, it was a fabulous party thanks to my wonderful friends and family, Napping Cat Flowers (she sells at the MSFM as well--the most beautiful flowers I've ever seen), and Cruze Farm ice cream. We were also lucky enough to have the Chompin' At the Bit String Band play, which made for an awesome party.
Now it's back to business. I will be at the market this week, although with a somewhat smaller array of baked goods. Needless to say, the wedding and aftermath has consumed a lot of energy this week, and I'm taking it easy. However, there should be plenty to interest you nonetheless. See you Saturday!
Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--$3
Blueberry Lemon Scones--$3
Apple Cardamom Scones--$3
Butternut Squash Coffee Cake--$3/slice
Earl Grey Shortbreads--$2/bag
Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Brownies--$3
Date Crumble Bars--$3
Nutty Oatmeal Cookies--$1.50
Plum Almond Tarts--$5
Granola--$7/12 oz
Homemade Herbal Bitters--$4/2 oz or $8/4 oz
Now it's back to business. I will be at the market this week, although with a somewhat smaller array of baked goods. Needless to say, the wedding and aftermath has consumed a lot of energy this week, and I'm taking it easy. However, there should be plenty to interest you nonetheless. See you Saturday!
Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--$3
Blueberry Lemon Scones--$3
Apple Cardamom Scones--$3
Butternut Squash Coffee Cake--$3/slice
Earl Grey Shortbreads--$2/bag
Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Brownies--$3
Date Crumble Bars--$3
Nutty Oatmeal Cookies--$1.50
Plum Almond Tarts--$5
Granola--$7/12 oz
Homemade Herbal Bitters--$4/2 oz or $8/4 oz
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Market Square Farmer's Market 9/22
I'm pretty levelheaded. I stay calm, avoid drama, and make decisions as rationally as I can. This also means that when I approach a milestone, I tend to...well...act as if nothing's happening. But something is happening, folks! As you may have read in last week's newsletter, next Saturday--the 29th--I will be getting married to a wonderful, intelligent, kind-hearted man.
What this means for you is that I will not be at the market. What this means for me is that I will be a little more grounded in the life I hope to make for myself, and the life that John and I hope to make together. We are so excited to take this next step in our relationship. But at the risk of this post becoming saccharine, I'll go ahead and let you know what to expect at this week's market.
I'm trying something new this week. Rather than my usual smorgasbord of items, I'll be focusing more on my croissants. I will have 4 varieties of croissants this week. They've been very popular, and even though they're the most time-consuming thing I make, I've decided to try to meet the demand of my customers by ramping up croissant production.
If you haven't read my post on how my croissants are made, I encourage you to. I use a very old-fashioned method to ensure the highest quality croissants possible. This week, I invested in a marble rolling pin, which should make the dough a little easier to roll out, but it's still pretty basic method, using no fancy equipment. The dough attains maximum flavor development over a span of three days, and pure butter is layered into the dough using a roll-and-fold process. All this means is that the final product is not only buttery and super-flaky, but it also has a little hint of sourdough flavor.
Finally, a bit of shameless braggery: an article I wrote for Culinate about seasonal fruit desserts was featured in the New York Times "What We're Reading" column in their Dining and Wine section. It's not much to speak of, but it's something!
Hope to see you this weekend! Again, I will not be at the market on Saturday the 29th.
-Croissants:
Plain--$3
Prosciutto and Gruyère--$5
Caramelized Apple--$4
Croissants aux Amandes--$5 (croissants that are filled with a creamy almond filling and topped with
sliced almonds and powdered sugar--my favorite)
-Lemon Blueberry Scones--$3
-Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--$3
-Mimosa Pound Cake--$3/slice
-Maple-Bacon Shortbread--$2/bag
-Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Brownies--$3
-Gluten-Free Lemon Curd Bars--$3
-Nutty Oatmeal Cookies (walnuts, hazelnuts, and flaked coconut)--$1.50
-Green Plum-Almond Tarts--$5
-Seeded Granola--$7/12 oz
-Homemade Herbal Bitters--$4 for 2 oz and $8 for 4 oz*
*I get a lot of questions about what bitters are for. Most commonly, they're used in cocktails (like an Old Fashioned or a Sazerac). I make one spicy herbal bitter (called "Dragon's Breath") that is especially nice in a cheap beer.
However, they're also great as a digestive. In fact, almost every night after dinner, I mix a couple dropper-fuls into a glass of iced seltzer water. It soothes the stomach like nothing else.
Finally, you can use them instead of vanilla extract in baked goods. It works especially well in frostings, icings, and glazes.
What this means for you is that I will not be at the market. What this means for me is that I will be a little more grounded in the life I hope to make for myself, and the life that John and I hope to make together. We are so excited to take this next step in our relationship. But at the risk of this post becoming saccharine, I'll go ahead and let you know what to expect at this week's market.
I'm trying something new this week. Rather than my usual smorgasbord of items, I'll be focusing more on my croissants. I will have 4 varieties of croissants this week. They've been very popular, and even though they're the most time-consuming thing I make, I've decided to try to meet the demand of my customers by ramping up croissant production.
If you haven't read my post on how my croissants are made, I encourage you to. I use a very old-fashioned method to ensure the highest quality croissants possible. This week, I invested in a marble rolling pin, which should make the dough a little easier to roll out, but it's still pretty basic method, using no fancy equipment. The dough attains maximum flavor development over a span of three days, and pure butter is layered into the dough using a roll-and-fold process. All this means is that the final product is not only buttery and super-flaky, but it also has a little hint of sourdough flavor.
Finally, a bit of shameless braggery: an article I wrote for Culinate about seasonal fruit desserts was featured in the New York Times "What We're Reading" column in their Dining and Wine section. It's not much to speak of, but it's something!
Hope to see you this weekend! Again, I will not be at the market on Saturday the 29th.
-Croissants:
Plain--$3
Prosciutto and Gruyère--$5
Caramelized Apple--$4
Croissants aux Amandes--$5 (croissants that are filled with a creamy almond filling and topped with
sliced almonds and powdered sugar--my favorite)
-Lemon Blueberry Scones--$3
-Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--$3
-Mimosa Pound Cake--$3/slice
-Maple-Bacon Shortbread--$2/bag
-Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Brownies--$3
-Gluten-Free Lemon Curd Bars--$3
-Nutty Oatmeal Cookies (walnuts, hazelnuts, and flaked coconut)--$1.50
-Green Plum-Almond Tarts--$5
-Seeded Granola--$7/12 oz
-Homemade Herbal Bitters--$4 for 2 oz and $8 for 4 oz*
*I get a lot of questions about what bitters are for. Most commonly, they're used in cocktails (like an Old Fashioned or a Sazerac). I make one spicy herbal bitter (called "Dragon's Breath") that is especially nice in a cheap beer.
However, they're also great as a digestive. In fact, almost every night after dinner, I mix a couple dropper-fuls into a glass of iced seltzer water. It soothes the stomach like nothing else.
Finally, you can use them instead of vanilla extract in baked goods. It works especially well in frostings, icings, and glazes.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Market Square 9/15/12
This Saturday is exactly two weeks before my wedding. The plans are mostly made except for some minor details--a marriage license is one of them. I'm excited, but I have to admit that I've been too busy to stop and reflect on the whole thing.
This is probably to my advantage. More than anything, though, I'm looking forward to being surrounded by the people I love for a day or two. Unfortunately, this means that I will not be at the farmer's market on Saturday, September 29th or Saturday, October 13th. I'll remind you all again as we approach the date.
One finale note: last week I had spicy gluten-free dark chocolate brownies for sale. I labeled them correctly, but the little chalkboard sign was incorrect. If you bought one of these and was ambushed unpleasantly by the level of spice, please come back this week, and I'll be happy to give you a regular old gluten-free dark chocolate brownie for free. Sorry about that!
Thanks for being my customers! Looking forward to seeing you this Saturday.
-Cranberry Apple Scones With Brown Butter Glaze--$3
-Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--$3
-Croissants (plain and dark chocolate)--$3 and $4, respectively
-Plum-Hazelnut Tarts--$5
-Butternut Walnut Coffee Cake--$3/slice
-Cinnamon Cocoa Nib Shortbreads--$2/package
-Nutty Oatmeal Cookies--$1.50/ea.
-Brown Butter Butternut Loaf--$3/slice
-Lemon-Blueberry Loaf--$3/slice
-Plum Crumble Bars--$3
-Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Brownies--$3
-Seeded Granola--$7/12 oz.
-Apple Dumplings--$4
This is probably to my advantage. More than anything, though, I'm looking forward to being surrounded by the people I love for a day or two. Unfortunately, this means that I will not be at the farmer's market on Saturday, September 29th or Saturday, October 13th. I'll remind you all again as we approach the date.
One finale note: last week I had spicy gluten-free dark chocolate brownies for sale. I labeled them correctly, but the little chalkboard sign was incorrect. If you bought one of these and was ambushed unpleasantly by the level of spice, please come back this week, and I'll be happy to give you a regular old gluten-free dark chocolate brownie for free. Sorry about that!
Thanks for being my customers! Looking forward to seeing you this Saturday.
-Cranberry Apple Scones With Brown Butter Glaze--$3
-Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--$3
-Croissants (plain and dark chocolate)--$3 and $4, respectively
-Plum-Hazelnut Tarts--$5
-Butternut Walnut Coffee Cake--$3/slice
-Cinnamon Cocoa Nib Shortbreads--$2/package
-Nutty Oatmeal Cookies--$1.50/ea.
-Brown Butter Butternut Loaf--$3/slice
-Lemon-Blueberry Loaf--$3/slice
-Plum Crumble Bars--$3
-Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Brownies--$3
-Seeded Granola--$7/12 oz.
-Apple Dumplings--$4
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Market Square Farmer's Market 9/8
If my calendar is to be believed, there are 23 days until my wedding. I feel like I should be more worried than I am. Staying busy helps with that, although if someone offered me 12 hours to sleep, I wouldn't say no. Between our cat, who likes his morning spoonful of yogurt at 5 a.m. (don't ask--I created a monster), the chickens, who are always up with the dawn, and the baking business, I can't remember the last leisurely morning I had. Not to complain, of course. It keeps me on my toes, and things will slow down considerably this coming winter. I can sleep then.
This Saturday, I'll be having some old favorites and a few new things. Come out and support the market, get some fresh air, and partake of the bounty around you.
Blueberry Lemon Scones--$3
Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--$3
Dark Chocolate and Plain Croissants--$3 and $4, respectively
Plum Almond Tarts--$5
Blueberry Crumble Coffee Cake--$3/slice
Chai Spice Shortbreads--$2/bag
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies--$1.50
Extra Lemon Loaf--$3/slice
Chocolate Zucchini Bread--$3/slice
Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Brownies--$3
Gluten-Free Fig Crumble Bars--$3
Seeded Granola--$7/12 oz
Spiced Cocoa Nib Cakelets--$2 ea. or $5 for 3
Homemade Herbal Bitters--$4/2 oz
This Saturday, I'll be having some old favorites and a few new things. Come out and support the market, get some fresh air, and partake of the bounty around you.
Blueberry Lemon Scones--$3
Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--$3
Dark Chocolate and Plain Croissants--$3 and $4, respectively
Plum Almond Tarts--$5
Blueberry Crumble Coffee Cake--$3/slice
Chai Spice Shortbreads--$2/bag
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies--$1.50
Extra Lemon Loaf--$3/slice
Chocolate Zucchini Bread--$3/slice
Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Brownies--$3
Gluten-Free Fig Crumble Bars--$3
Seeded Granola--$7/12 oz
Spiced Cocoa Nib Cakelets--$2 ea. or $5 for 3
Homemade Herbal Bitters--$4/2 oz
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Market Square 9/1/12
I cannot believe September is upon us. As I've approached autumn, there have been a lot of things on my mind besides the baking business. This past week, I finally gave in and ripped the tomato plants out of my garden to make way for winter greens, radishes, turnips, and beets. I harvested the last elderberries from a tree just down the road and started infusing vodka to make a homemade liqueur. I made watermelon rind pickles, brandied figs, melon jam, and I strained my most recent batch of bitters (rhubarb + rose petals + vanilla bean).
We're also making some last preparations for our wedding, which will be at the end of the month. Heads up. I won't be doing market that week ;)
I'd like to go into more detail about one of the products I've just started offering: croissants. My method is very old-school in that I use a preferment. This means that I combine some flour, yeast, and milk the night before I mix my dough. I put this in the refrigerator overnight, and the next morning, it's full of tiny bubbles which, more than anything, are indicators that the years has done its work. This preferment serves one principal purpose: flavor. The preferment functions as a sourdough starter would. It slowly develops flavor, and when you mix it into your dough, you're adding flavor along with a healthy colony of yeast to jump start the dough.
This is a very time-consuming method. I start the preferment on Wednesday night, mix the dough and laminate it (roll and fold, roll and fold, roll and fold) on Thursday throughout the day, and I shape and bake the croissants on Friday. Large, commercial bakeries that make croissants do not tend to use a preferment, and they have special equipment to help them roll out the dough and even cut it into perfect triangles. I do not have this kind of equipment. I do things the old-fashioned way, and I don't hesitate to say that you'd be hard pressed to find a croissant made this way even in France. Not to brag, but I think they're pretty awesome.
In any case, I'll be at the market this Saturday, and hopefully I can tempt you with some of my latest baked creations. See you then!
Butternut Squash Scones (local organic butternut squash)--$3
Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--$3
Croissants (plain and dark chocolate)--$3 and $4
Fig Almond Tarts (all-butter pastry crust, almond filling, fresh figs)--$5
Salted Chocolate Shortbreads (dark chocolate, sea salt)--$2/bag
Dark Chocolate Mint Cookies--$1/ea.
Lemon-Thyme Polenta Bread With Walnuts--$3/slice
Almond Orange Flower Loaf--$3/slice
Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Brownies--$3
Gluten-Free Lemon Bars--$3
Seeded Granola--$7/ 12 ounces
Chocolate-Rum Cakelets--$2/ea. or $5 for 3
Lemon-Ginger Bundt--$3/slice
We're also making some last preparations for our wedding, which will be at the end of the month. Heads up. I won't be doing market that week ;)
I'd like to go into more detail about one of the products I've just started offering: croissants. My method is very old-school in that I use a preferment. This means that I combine some flour, yeast, and milk the night before I mix my dough. I put this in the refrigerator overnight, and the next morning, it's full of tiny bubbles which, more than anything, are indicators that the years has done its work. This preferment serves one principal purpose: flavor. The preferment functions as a sourdough starter would. It slowly develops flavor, and when you mix it into your dough, you're adding flavor along with a healthy colony of yeast to jump start the dough.
This is a very time-consuming method. I start the preferment on Wednesday night, mix the dough and laminate it (roll and fold, roll and fold, roll and fold) on Thursday throughout the day, and I shape and bake the croissants on Friday. Large, commercial bakeries that make croissants do not tend to use a preferment, and they have special equipment to help them roll out the dough and even cut it into perfect triangles. I do not have this kind of equipment. I do things the old-fashioned way, and I don't hesitate to say that you'd be hard pressed to find a croissant made this way even in France. Not to brag, but I think they're pretty awesome.
In any case, I'll be at the market this Saturday, and hopefully I can tempt you with some of my latest baked creations. See you then!
Butternut Squash Scones (local organic butternut squash)--$3
Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--$3
Croissants (plain and dark chocolate)--$3 and $4
Fig Almond Tarts (all-butter pastry crust, almond filling, fresh figs)--$5
Salted Chocolate Shortbreads (dark chocolate, sea salt)--$2/bag
Dark Chocolate Mint Cookies--$1/ea.
Lemon-Thyme Polenta Bread With Walnuts--$3/slice
Almond Orange Flower Loaf--$3/slice
Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Brownies--$3
Gluten-Free Lemon Bars--$3
Seeded Granola--$7/ 12 ounces
Chocolate-Rum Cakelets--$2/ea. or $5 for 3
Lemon-Ginger Bundt--$3/slice
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Market Square 8/18/12
Sorry I've been a bit lax in my posting the past couple weeks. Planning a wedding will do that to you. But I've been at the market, and I plan to be there this weekend, barring unforeseen circumstances. Last week, I got a lot of really great feedback about my baked goods. Please never hesitate to let me know what you think. You can also email me at petitbleu88 at gmail dot com.
Please pay extra attention to the fact that I now have croissants available. These are real croissants, unlike the kind you buy at the grocery store or Wal-Mart. I start the dough on Wednesday night in order to have them ready by Saturday market. It's a real labor of love and something, as far as I know, that you can't find anywhere else in Knoxville. Avail yourself of these buttery, flaky beauties.
--Raspberry Lime Spelt Scones--$3
--Bacon and Cheddar Chipotle Biscuits--$3 (Benton's bacon, of course)
--REAL Croissants--$4 (plain or chocolate)
--Fig Almond Tarts--$4 (all-butter pastry crust; almond filling; black mission figs)
--Brunch Pizzas With Peppers, Potatoes, Prosciutto, and Queso--$4 (homemade dough)
--Lime Cardamom Shortbread With Pistachios--$2/bag
--Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies--$1/ea.
--Brown Butter Butternut Squash Loaf--$3/slice (local butternut squash)
--Ginger Peach Streusel Muffins--$3 (local peaches)
--Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Brownies--$3
--Lemon Bars--$3
--Granola--$7/12 oz
--Fresh Ginger Cakelets--$2/ea. or $5 for 3
--Mimosa Pound Cake--$3/slice
--Gluten-Free Cocoa Almond Pound Cake--$3.50/slice
Please pay extra attention to the fact that I now have croissants available. These are real croissants, unlike the kind you buy at the grocery store or Wal-Mart. I start the dough on Wednesday night in order to have them ready by Saturday market. It's a real labor of love and something, as far as I know, that you can't find anywhere else in Knoxville. Avail yourself of these buttery, flaky beauties.
--Raspberry Lime Spelt Scones--$3
--Bacon and Cheddar Chipotle Biscuits--$3 (Benton's bacon, of course)
--REAL Croissants--$4 (plain or chocolate)
--Fig Almond Tarts--$4 (all-butter pastry crust; almond filling; black mission figs)
--Brunch Pizzas With Peppers, Potatoes, Prosciutto, and Queso--$4 (homemade dough)
--Lime Cardamom Shortbread With Pistachios--$2/bag
--Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies--$1/ea.
--Brown Butter Butternut Squash Loaf--$3/slice (local butternut squash)
--Ginger Peach Streusel Muffins--$3 (local peaches)
--Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Brownies--$3
--Lemon Bars--$3
--Granola--$7/12 oz
--Fresh Ginger Cakelets--$2/ea. or $5 for 3
--Mimosa Pound Cake--$3/slice
--Gluten-Free Cocoa Almond Pound Cake--$3.50/slice
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Market Square Farmer's Market 7/28/12
I have to admit that I'm in a state of shock that July is winding down. It seems, literally, like I started doing the market mere weeks ago. Not to say that the season is almost over, because it's not. We have plenty of hot, summery days left in front of us. But August is upon us, my friends!
All the more reason to get out early on Saturday and visit with us, your local farmers and producers. We're still going strong, rain or shine, drought or deluge, and we need your support more than ever.
This Week's Offerings:
-Triple Berry Scones (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)--$3
-Ginger Peach Scones--$3
-Chipotle Cheddar Biscuits--$3
-Cornmeal-Peach Tartlets--$5
-Almond Orange Flower Loaf--$3/slice or $5 for 2 slices
-Banana Apricot Bread--$3/slice or $5 for 2 slices
-Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Brownies--$3
-Tart Lemon Bars--$3
-Pink Grapefruit Cakelets--$2 each or $5 for 3
-Chocolate Stout Cake--$3/slice
-Seeded Granola--$7/12 ounces
-Flaky Coconut-Lime Macaroons--$1.50/bag
All the more reason to get out early on Saturday and visit with us, your local farmers and producers. We're still going strong, rain or shine, drought or deluge, and we need your support more than ever.
This Week's Offerings:
-Triple Berry Scones (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)--$3
-Ginger Peach Scones--$3
-Chipotle Cheddar Biscuits--$3
-Cornmeal-Peach Tartlets--$5
-Almond Orange Flower Loaf--$3/slice or $5 for 2 slices
-Banana Apricot Bread--$3/slice or $5 for 2 slices
-Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Brownies--$3
-Tart Lemon Bars--$3
-Pink Grapefruit Cakelets--$2 each or $5 for 3
-Chocolate Stout Cake--$3/slice
-Seeded Granola--$7/12 ounces
-Flaky Coconut-Lime Macaroons--$1.50/bag
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Market Square 7/21/12
Make a pot of coffee. Do not pour it into a travel mug. You aren't going anywhere.
Sit on your porch at dusk. Enjoy the absence of air conditioning.
Break a sweat.
Don't check your email for an entire day.
As Mos Def might say, you know the motto: stay smooth even in staccato.
Should you make it to the market this weekend, I have some lovely items on offer. For enjoying with that non-to-go cup of coffee.
-Blueberry Lemon Scones--$3 (still packing a punch with the zest of 4 lemons)
-Raspberry Lime Scones--$3
-Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--$3
-Cornmeal Peach Breakfast Bread--$3 (local peaches, oats, and cornmeal)
-Almond-Peach Tartlets--$5 (all butter pastry, almond filling, fresh peaches)
-Vegan Pumpkin Bread--$2/slice; $4/mini loaf (made with coconut milk)
-Extra Lemon Loaf--$3/slice; $5/mini loaf (sublimely sour with a fine texture)
-Gluten Free Brownies--$3
-Pink Grapefruit Cakelets--$2 or 3 for $5
-Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake with Rum Icing--$3/slice or $20/whole cake
-Blueberry Peach Buckle--$3/slice
-Whole Grain Cinnamon Rolls--$3
-Apricot Almond Biscotti--$3/bag
-Granola--$7/12 oz
-Vanilla Extract--$8/4 oz
Friday, July 13, 2012
A Big Week at Market Square
I hope all of you have been enjoying the much-needed rain as much as I have.
I'm looking forward to seeing all your bright, shining faces this weekend at the Market Square Farmer's Market. Hopefully the slightly cooler temps will make for a busier market this weekend. Also, keep in mind that tomorrow is National Can It Forward Day. So pick up some fruit to can--there are already some tasty peaches to be had, as well as blueberries and blackberries.
This Week's Offerings:
-Cheddar Scallion Biscuits-- $3
-Blueberry Lemon Scones-- $3
-Ginger Peach Scones-- $3
-Chocolate-Hazelnut Breakfast Breads-- $3
-Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Brownies-- $3
-Extra Lemon Loaf-- $3/slice
-Crusty Ginger Bundt Cake (dried and candied ginger with a caramelized sugar crust)-- $4/slice
-Roasted Sweet Pepper, Mushroom, and Prosciutto Galettes-- $5
-Chipotle Cheese Grits Tartlets (tart shells filled with cheesy chipotle-spiced grits)-- $5
-Granola-- $7/12 oz
-Lemon Lemon Bars-- $3
-Spiced Cacao Nib Cakelets-- $2 each or 3 for $5
I'm looking forward to seeing all your bright, shining faces this weekend at the Market Square Farmer's Market. Hopefully the slightly cooler temps will make for a busier market this weekend. Also, keep in mind that tomorrow is National Can It Forward Day. So pick up some fruit to can--there are already some tasty peaches to be had, as well as blueberries and blackberries.
This Week's Offerings:
-Cheddar Scallion Biscuits-- $3
-Blueberry Lemon Scones-- $3
-Ginger Peach Scones-- $3
-Chocolate-Hazelnut Breakfast Breads-- $3
-Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Brownies-- $3
-Extra Lemon Loaf-- $3/slice
-Crusty Ginger Bundt Cake (dried and candied ginger with a caramelized sugar crust)-- $4/slice
-Roasted Sweet Pepper, Mushroom, and Prosciutto Galettes-- $5
-Chipotle Cheese Grits Tartlets (tart shells filled with cheesy chipotle-spiced grits)-- $5
-Granola-- $7/12 oz
-Lemon Lemon Bars-- $3
-Spiced Cacao Nib Cakelets-- $2 each or 3 for $5
Thursday, July 5, 2012
I'm Back!
It's been a long, long journey, but I'm back and so excited to see everyone at the farmers' market this weekend. I encourage you not to let the heat get you down. Farmers' markets need patrons all year round, not just when the weather is good. Besides, I have some fabulous pastries this weekend, and I would hate for you to miss out!
New this week are a couple items I've been plotting for some time. The first is a homemade vanilla extract. I've infused grain alcohol with sun-cured Madagascar vanilla beans for a couple months now, and I'm selling the extract in 4 ounce bottles for $8. Each bottle has a whole vanilla bean still steeping in the alcohol. This is good stuff!
I will also have a selection of herbal bitters for sale. Bitters are primarily used as an after-dinner digestive. Particularly after a big meal, bitters are just the thing to soothe a sour stomach. They also happen to be fantastic in cocktails. I'll have several varieties available for sampling including Dragon's Breath (spicy bitters, perfect for adding to a Bloody Mary or a cheap beer), Mint-Maté, Five Spice (clove, cinnamon, star anise, ginger, and fennel), Classic Orange, and more.
Finally, I've made some lovely reusable coffee cozies from organic felted wool. They're bright and beautiful and perfect for your morning to-go cup of coffee.
This week's pastries:
-Cheddar Scallion Cathead Biscuits--$4
-Blueberry Lemon Scones--$3
-Peach Brown Butter Scones--$3
-Apricot Cornmeal Scones--$3
-Lemon-Cornmeal Loaf With Blueberries--$3/slice or $5/mini loaf
-Banana Apricot Bread--$3/slice or $5/mini loaf
-Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Brownies--$3
-Roasted Potato, Bacon, and Jalapeño Galettes in a Rye Crust--$5
-Tomato-Ricotta Tarts--$5
-Mimosa Pound Cake--$4/slice
-Electric Lime Shortbreads--$3/bag
-Fresh Ginger Cakelets--$2/piece or 3 for $5
-Ideal Granola--$7/12 ounces
New this week are a couple items I've been plotting for some time. The first is a homemade vanilla extract. I've infused grain alcohol with sun-cured Madagascar vanilla beans for a couple months now, and I'm selling the extract in 4 ounce bottles for $8. Each bottle has a whole vanilla bean still steeping in the alcohol. This is good stuff!
I will also have a selection of herbal bitters for sale. Bitters are primarily used as an after-dinner digestive. Particularly after a big meal, bitters are just the thing to soothe a sour stomach. They also happen to be fantastic in cocktails. I'll have several varieties available for sampling including Dragon's Breath (spicy bitters, perfect for adding to a Bloody Mary or a cheap beer), Mint-Maté, Five Spice (clove, cinnamon, star anise, ginger, and fennel), Classic Orange, and more.
Finally, I've made some lovely reusable coffee cozies from organic felted wool. They're bright and beautiful and perfect for your morning to-go cup of coffee.
This week's pastries:
-Cheddar Scallion Cathead Biscuits--$4
-Blueberry Lemon Scones--$3
-Peach Brown Butter Scones--$3
-Apricot Cornmeal Scones--$3
-Lemon-Cornmeal Loaf With Blueberries--$3/slice or $5/mini loaf
-Banana Apricot Bread--$3/slice or $5/mini loaf
-Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Brownies--$3
-Roasted Potato, Bacon, and Jalapeño Galettes in a Rye Crust--$5
-Tomato-Ricotta Tarts--$5
-Mimosa Pound Cake--$4/slice
-Electric Lime Shortbreads--$3/bag
-Fresh Ginger Cakelets--$2/piece or 3 for $5
-Ideal Granola--$7/12 ounces
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Almost home!
As I write this, my fiancé and I are on the last leg of a journey across the United States and back. We sojourned in Portland, Oregon, where my creative culinary batteries spent some time recharging. Between the incredible restaurants, the marvelous food trucks, the downright flashy produce at the farmers' markets, and the bounty of the Pacific Northwest, I am truly inspired to come back to Knoxville and blow your tastebuds out of the water in the best way possible.
I'm also anxious to get back to my kitty, my chickens, and my garden (here's hoping that irrigation system worked!). I'm taking this weekend to unpack, wind down, and prepare for the return of the Little Blue Baking Company. I also have big plans for a series of baking classes that I will be teaching. Requests? Ideas? Email me at petitbleu88 at gmail dot com. See you Saturday the 7th!
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Weekly Market Update and Some Odds and Ends
Sorry about the silence for the past couple weeks. Turns out, having two jobs is no joke, especially when one is very demanding and the other...well...also very demanding but in a different way. I'm back on the blogosphere, though, with your weekly update.
There are a few things I'm really excited about this week. For starters, I believe I've perfected my biscuit recipe. If you bought a biscuit from me the first or second week at market, I encourage you to give them another try. Not that those were bad, but these are ever so much better.
Another is my Dark and Stormy Cakelets. If you come by my booth often, you've probably noticed them--they're itty bitty cakes with a lot of personality. And they are not cupcakes. I am adamant about that. Not to be a hater (because no once likes haters), but as a baker, I find most cupcakes to be dry, uninteresting, and overwrought. It is my firm belief (and part of my mission statement) that sweets should be, above all, interesting. That means that all those white-sugar-white-flour-crisco concoctions out there are the opposite of what I'm trying to achieve. I can pack more flavor into one bite of a cakelet than most cupcakeries can fit into a whole cupcake. Just sayin'.
Back to these cakelets. They earn their name from the cocktail--rum, lime, and ginger. These chocolate-rum cakelets are doused with a rum syrup and topped with a spirited lime-ginger icing. They pack a punch. So much so, that if you do buy more than one, I advise you not to eat them all at once if you have to drive soon after.
I am also bringing back the Mimosa Pound Cake due to popular demand. Turns out, you all like it as much as I do.
A final note before the menu. If you have any interest in food writing or food blogs, I would like to invite you to see some of my writings at The Joy Kitchen (click around--there are lots of places to explore) and Culinate.com. It lets you know a little bit more about my day job and what I do when I'm not hawking baked goods at the farmer's market.
To reiterate something I think I've said before: I only use organic unbleached flour in all my baked goods. I also use Florida Crystals exclusively as my sugar (unless a recipe uses brown sugar). I get local, organic, pastured eggs from Wisner Farms and dairy from Cruze Farm.
For the month of June, my fiancé and I will be taking a long overdue road trip. We'll be back in July, though!
6/2/12
--Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--Vermont white cheddar, local organic scallions
--Blueberry Lemon Scones--organic lemons
--Strawberry Rhubarb Spelt Scones--local organic strawberries, organic rhubarb, organic spelt flour
--Raspberry Lime Scones--organic local raspberries, organic limes
--Triple Citrus Loaf--organic citrus (lemon, lime, orange), lemon glaze
--Apricot Loaf With Crunchy Almond Topping--bourbon-soaked apricots, crispy almond topping
--Roasted Veggie Galettes--little free-form tarts with roasted veggies (mushrooms, scallions, peppers)
--Blood Orange Upside Down Cornmeal Cake--organic blood oranges, local cornmeal
--Mimosa Pound Cake--organic oranges, champagne glaze
--Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Brownies
--Lime Cardamom Shortbreads--organic lime zest
--Dark and Stormy Cakelets--chocolate rum cake with rum soak and lime-ginger icing
There are a few things I'm really excited about this week. For starters, I believe I've perfected my biscuit recipe. If you bought a biscuit from me the first or second week at market, I encourage you to give them another try. Not that those were bad, but these are ever so much better.
Another is my Dark and Stormy Cakelets. If you come by my booth often, you've probably noticed them--they're itty bitty cakes with a lot of personality. And they are not cupcakes. I am adamant about that. Not to be a hater (because no once likes haters), but as a baker, I find most cupcakes to be dry, uninteresting, and overwrought. It is my firm belief (and part of my mission statement) that sweets should be, above all, interesting. That means that all those white-sugar-white-flour-crisco concoctions out there are the opposite of what I'm trying to achieve. I can pack more flavor into one bite of a cakelet than most cupcakeries can fit into a whole cupcake. Just sayin'.
Back to these cakelets. They earn their name from the cocktail--rum, lime, and ginger. These chocolate-rum cakelets are doused with a rum syrup and topped with a spirited lime-ginger icing. They pack a punch. So much so, that if you do buy more than one, I advise you not to eat them all at once if you have to drive soon after.
I am also bringing back the Mimosa Pound Cake due to popular demand. Turns out, you all like it as much as I do.
A final note before the menu. If you have any interest in food writing or food blogs, I would like to invite you to see some of my writings at The Joy Kitchen (click around--there are lots of places to explore) and Culinate.com. It lets you know a little bit more about my day job and what I do when I'm not hawking baked goods at the farmer's market.
To reiterate something I think I've said before: I only use organic unbleached flour in all my baked goods. I also use Florida Crystals exclusively as my sugar (unless a recipe uses brown sugar). I get local, organic, pastured eggs from Wisner Farms and dairy from Cruze Farm.
For the month of June, my fiancé and I will be taking a long overdue road trip. We'll be back in July, though!
6/2/12
--Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--Vermont white cheddar, local organic scallions
--Blueberry Lemon Scones--organic lemons
--Strawberry Rhubarb Spelt Scones--local organic strawberries, organic rhubarb, organic spelt flour
--Raspberry Lime Scones--organic local raspberries, organic limes
--Triple Citrus Loaf--organic citrus (lemon, lime, orange), lemon glaze
--Apricot Loaf With Crunchy Almond Topping--bourbon-soaked apricots, crispy almond topping
--Roasted Veggie Galettes--little free-form tarts with roasted veggies (mushrooms, scallions, peppers)
--Blood Orange Upside Down Cornmeal Cake--organic blood oranges, local cornmeal
--Mimosa Pound Cake--organic oranges, champagne glaze
--Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Brownies
--Lime Cardamom Shortbreads--organic lime zest
--Dark and Stormy Cakelets--chocolate rum cake with rum soak and lime-ginger icing
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Weekly Market Update 5/12/12
A lot has to happen before my baked goods make it to market.
I start planning the weekly offerings on Sunday, and I prepare my grocery list by Tuesday.
As always, I try to buy produce from local sources. This week, my baked goods feature local Swiss chard, garlic scapes, scallions, and rhubarb. I have also found a source for local pastured eggs, which is extremely exciting.
The difference between cage free and pastured eggs is enormous. While cage free means slightly better conditions for the chickens, they are still fed layer pellets and most likely have their beaks cut off to prevent pecking. Pastured chickens eat what they are biologically supposed to eat--bugs, grasses, seeds, worms. This makes for happy chickens, healthier eggs, and bright orange yolks--a sign of nutrition. I have been fortunate to find a good source for eggs (Treadwell Farms), and plan to use these particular eggs from now on.
I also use Cruze Dairy buttermilk and milk. I refuse to compromise on even the basic ingredients in my baked goods. When you buy a Little Blue Baking Company treat, check the label. I do not use any artificial ingredients. You will be able to pronounce every ingredient on the label, and for most ingredients, I can tell you exactly where they came from.
Enough blather. Now for this week's specialties.
--Cheddar Scallion Cathead Biscuits--$4 (organic, local scallions; Vermont white cheddar)
--Swiss Chard and Garlic Scape Quiches--$5 (handmade, all-butter crust; pastured eggs; local, organic chard and garlic scapes)
--Brown Butter Rhubarb Scones--$3 (organic, local rhubarb)
--Blueberry Lemon Scones--$3
--Gluten-Free Blueberry Lemon Scones--$3.50 (I use a blend of teff, sorghum, millet, oat, and brown rice flours)
--Roasted Strawberry Bread with Lemon Glaze--$3/slice or $5/mini loaf (organic, local strawberries roasted for concentrated strawberry flavor)
--Arnold Palmer Loaf--$3/slice or $5/mini loaf (yup, you guessed it--lemon and tea flavored bread with a light lemon glaze)
--Buttermilk Plum Coffee Cake--$3/slice
--Spicy Ginger Cakelets with Cointreau Frosting--$2 or 3 for $5 (moist, subtle, and striking)
--Mimosa Pound Cake--$4/slice (a fine-textured pound cake with champagne and orange)
--Chocolate-Chocolate Cookies--$3/pack of two
--Flaky Coconut Macaroons--$2/pack of three (gluten-free)
--Gluten-Free Hazelnut Brownies--$3 or 2 for $5
--Little Blue Granola--$7/12 ounces or $4/8 ounces (oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts--no funny stuff)
--Pumpkin Seed Brittle--$3/4 ounces (caramelized goodness with a hint of espresso and vanilla)
Friday, May 4, 2012
Today in the Kitchen
Today was great. The first day in my rented kitchen that went smoothly. I didn't forget anything, burn anything, drop anything, or have to stay until 8 p.m. The trouble with renting a kitchen an hour away from your home is that when you forget something, it's for keeps...or at least there's no backtracking to get what you forgot. I'm becoming a demon list-maker in the process, and it seems that I remembered everything this time.
And more good news to go along with that--I have perfected my cheddar scallion biscuit recipe. They're big and beautiful and nicely cheesy. I'm increasing the price only because they're a lot bigger than the past two weeks--you might even call them cathead biscuits. If you haven't tried them, you really should. I also baked a double batch of my gluten-free hazelnut brownies because they've sold out at the past two markets. I underestimated the chocolate cravings of Saturday morning Knoxville, and for that I apologize.
A word about the brownies: I use a combination of white rice flour, brown rice flour, sweet rice flour, and tapioca starch instead of all-purpose flour. Those hazelnuts are organic Oregon hazelnuts from Freddy Guys.
For now, I have to get back to planning for market. In the meantime, feast upon my Saturday offerings.
--Cheddar Scallion Cathead Biscuits--$4 (don't be afraid--they go down easy)
--Lemon Blueberry Scones--$3
--Apricot Almond Spelt Scones--$3
--Little Blue Granola--$8/12 oz; $5/8 oz
--Buttermilk Espresso Coffee Cake--$3/slice
--Vegan Pumpkin Bread--$3/slice or $5/mini loaf (you'll never know it's vegan)
--Banana Apricot Bread--$3/slice or $5/mini loaf
--Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake--$4/slice (made with actual vanilla beans)
--Fresh Ginger Cakelets--$2 or $5 for 3 cakelets (spicy and sweet)
--Gluten-Free Hazelnut Brownies--$3
--Broccoli Rabe Shallot Quiches--$5 (take one home for lunch!)
--Chocolate Chunk Cookies--$3
--Spicy Ginger Cookies--$3 (fresh, candied, and dried ginger)
--Pumpkin Seed Brittle--$4/4 oz
And more good news to go along with that--I have perfected my cheddar scallion biscuit recipe. They're big and beautiful and nicely cheesy. I'm increasing the price only because they're a lot bigger than the past two weeks--you might even call them cathead biscuits. If you haven't tried them, you really should. I also baked a double batch of my gluten-free hazelnut brownies because they've sold out at the past two markets. I underestimated the chocolate cravings of Saturday morning Knoxville, and for that I apologize.
A word about the brownies: I use a combination of white rice flour, brown rice flour, sweet rice flour, and tapioca starch instead of all-purpose flour. Those hazelnuts are organic Oregon hazelnuts from Freddy Guys.
For now, I have to get back to planning for market. In the meantime, feast upon my Saturday offerings.
--Cheddar Scallion Cathead Biscuits--$4 (don't be afraid--they go down easy)
--Lemon Blueberry Scones--$3
--Apricot Almond Spelt Scones--$3
--Little Blue Granola--$8/12 oz; $5/8 oz
--Buttermilk Espresso Coffee Cake--$3/slice
--Vegan Pumpkin Bread--$3/slice or $5/mini loaf (you'll never know it's vegan)
--Banana Apricot Bread--$3/slice or $5/mini loaf
--Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake--$4/slice (made with actual vanilla beans)
--Fresh Ginger Cakelets--$2 or $5 for 3 cakelets (spicy and sweet)
--Gluten-Free Hazelnut Brownies--$3
--Broccoli Rabe Shallot Quiches--$5 (take one home for lunch!)
--Chocolate Chunk Cookies--$3
--Spicy Ginger Cookies--$3 (fresh, candied, and dried ginger)
--Pumpkin Seed Brittle--$4/4 oz
Monday, April 30, 2012
Market Photos 4/28/12
This coming week, I'll be reducing the price of my cakelets to $2 or 3 for $5. Being such a young business, Little Blue is still figuring out how best to price baked goods to be fair to both you and me.
The lovely French Apple Pie was perhaps too fragile for market, but it was certainly appreciated by those who tasted it.
If the bundt cake is the duchess of cakes, then the Mimosa Pound Cake is queen.
Heartbreakingly moist and a lovely thing to behold.
Check back soon for updates on the 5/5 market. Lots of good things in store.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Rossini Festival Market 4/28/12
This one'll be short and sweet, folks. I'm busy, busy, busy in preparation for tomorrow's market. A quick note about how you can pay for your Little Blue treats. I accept cash, market money (swipe your card, get tokens that vendors accept as money and for which we are reimbursed for at the end of market), credit and debit cards, and local checks.
1.) Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--made with Vermont white cheddar
2.) Strawberry-White Chocolate Scones--Colvin Family Farms strawberries
3.) Spinach and Parmesan Spelt Scones--local spinach; organic spelt flour
4.) Broccoli Rabe-Shallot Quiches--local broccoli rabe
5.) Buttermilk Coffee Cake with Seeded Streusel--pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame seeds
6.) Breakfast Cookies--oat-studded cookies with golden raisins and candied ginger
7.) Ginger-Molasses Cookies--my mother's recipe!
8.) Rhubarb and Brown Butter Loaf--roasted rhubarb in a moist loaf with brown butter icing
9.) Gluten-Free Hazelnut Brownies--you'll never know they're gluten-free; made with hazelnut meal and whole Oregon hazelnuts
10.) Mimosa Pound Cake--named for the cocktail, complete with champagne glaze
11.) Très Citrus Shortbreads--lemon, orange, and lime zests
12.) Almond Shortbreads--rich and crumbly, with sliced almonds
13.) Pumpkin Seed Brittle--obscenely delicious; redolent of coffee, vanilla, and caramel
14.) French Apple Pie--as simple as it gets; an all-butter pastry crust filled with organic golden delicious apples and brushed with apricot jam
15.) Spiced Cacao Nib Cakes--dark chocolate cakes topped with cacao nibs (crushed, roasted cocoa beans), and brushed with a spiced syrup
16.) Lemon Bars--shortbread crust topped with a rich lemon curd
17.) Granola--Little Blue's signature granola made with sorghum and maple syrup
1.) Cheddar Scallion Biscuits--made with Vermont white cheddar
2.) Strawberry-White Chocolate Scones--Colvin Family Farms strawberries
3.) Spinach and Parmesan Spelt Scones--local spinach; organic spelt flour
4.) Broccoli Rabe-Shallot Quiches--local broccoli rabe
5.) Buttermilk Coffee Cake with Seeded Streusel--pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame seeds
6.) Breakfast Cookies--oat-studded cookies with golden raisins and candied ginger
7.) Ginger-Molasses Cookies--my mother's recipe!
8.) Rhubarb and Brown Butter Loaf--roasted rhubarb in a moist loaf with brown butter icing
9.) Gluten-Free Hazelnut Brownies--you'll never know they're gluten-free; made with hazelnut meal and whole Oregon hazelnuts
10.) Mimosa Pound Cake--named for the cocktail, complete with champagne glaze
11.) Très Citrus Shortbreads--lemon, orange, and lime zests
12.) Almond Shortbreads--rich and crumbly, with sliced almonds
13.) Pumpkin Seed Brittle--obscenely delicious; redolent of coffee, vanilla, and caramel
14.) French Apple Pie--as simple as it gets; an all-butter pastry crust filled with organic golden delicious apples and brushed with apricot jam
15.) Spiced Cacao Nib Cakes--dark chocolate cakes topped with cacao nibs (crushed, roasted cocoa beans), and brushed with a spiced syrup
16.) Lemon Bars--shortbread crust topped with a rich lemon curd
17.) Granola--Little Blue's signature granola made with sorghum and maple syrup
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Market 4/21/12
My first market.
The week has not gone as I had planned, which I should have suspected to begin with.
On my first day in the south Knoxville kitchen I rent, I forgot a few things. Measuring spoons for one. I also had an overly ambitious schedule planned, and I didn't finish everything I had intended to.
And then market day wasn't quite a success--the rain could have been disastrous for my baked goods if my neighbor hadn't had extra plastic sheeting, and I was told that the crowds were down.
But you know what? I'm so, so happy with how everything went.
These things matter. When you buy a bunch of kale from a local farmer or a muffin from a local baker, all the money goes to them. No middlemen. This means that you support them, and they are motivated to sell you the best they can offer and at a fair price, ensuring you a better product and them a living.
I'll be back. It was a pleasure meeting a lot of you, and I hope you enjoyed your treats if you bought something from me (or otherwise--I hope you enjoyed those, too). If any of you have special requests or things you really like to see bakers bring to market, tell me! I love to hear your suggestions, and as I plan on changing up my offerings by the week, I should be able to accommodate most everyone at some point.
Thanks to everyone who made my first market such a wonderful day. I'm exhausted but happy. See you next week!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
about my ingredients
One important part of my mission statement is that I use the best quality ingredients I can afford/find. I don't cut corners. There are many peripheral reasons for this,--sustainability, ethics--but flavor is the central reason. I've tasted enough mediocre baked goods to know that using better ingredients makes a huge difference in the flavor and quality of the end product. Margarine does not taste as good as butter.
But it goes further than the debate between margarine vs. butter. This is where ethics comes in. I use as many organic ingredients as I possibly can. I use as many local ingredients as I possibly can. I like to support local farmers by buying their produce. Support local farmers and you support the local economy. You also support higher-quality, fresher produce. I like knowing that the rhubarb I buy at the farmer's market was picked that morning. As someone who considers the freshness of ingredients important, I find the quality of the specimens sitting on most grocery store shelves dubious.
I also use organic, unbleached flour from a reputable mill. Ditto my rolled oats, spelt flour, seeds, and produce. Whenever possible, I buy local produce. Of course, this all depends on what I can find at the market...
Which brings me to my next point. I bake seasonally. Spring pastries will include strawberries, rhubarb, greens, and citrus among other things. Summer pastries may include tomatoes, squash, eggplant, and peppers. In autumn, I will focus on winter squashes and cold-hardy greens. I'm not interested in out of season produce--it had to be shipped from somewhere, and most likely somewhere far away. No thanks.
This week, some of my local ingredients include strawberries, rhubarb, buttermilk, and eggs. My hope is that, as I get a chance to interact with Knoxville area farmers and producers, I will be able to feature more and more local ingredients.
This business model is only possible on a small, local scale. I bake very small batches of my baked goods, and I try to have a greater diversity of items on my table. This ensures my use of high-quality, local ingredients. I only sell at farmer's markets, where I sell directly to you. You can ask me questions face to face, and therefore I am directly accountable to you.
This business model helps all of us. I put my dollar into the local economy via farmers and artisan producers (as opposed to supporting Sysco or big agriculture). You put your dollar into the local economy by purchasing my baked goods. It's better for all of us.
That said, my baked goods cost a little more. Buying local is more expensive for a small producer because I'm not buying massive quantities of produce from a wholesale outfit. And I don't mind telling you that my profit margin is small--I'm not making bank on farmer's market customers. I just want to be able to do what I love, and I love baking and being part of the farmer's market culture.
Look for updates on this site--I post a weekly list of my offerings at the Market Square Farmer's Market, and I try to be as specific as I can. I list local and organic ingredients so you know what you're getting. Of course, you can always just quiz me at the market. I'm more than happy to divulge.
A note on market packaging--I have paper bags, compostable clamshell containers, and compostable plant-based "cellophane" bags available at market for your baked goods. I purchase these from a Nashville-based packaging company, again keeping my dollar as local as possible (and shipping distance shorter).
Of equal importance, I want you to enjoy your baked goods. Never hesitate to contact me directly (petitbleu88 at gmail dot com). I'm happy to respond to your queries.
But it goes further than the debate between margarine vs. butter. This is where ethics comes in. I use as many organic ingredients as I possibly can. I use as many local ingredients as I possibly can. I like to support local farmers by buying their produce. Support local farmers and you support the local economy. You also support higher-quality, fresher produce. I like knowing that the rhubarb I buy at the farmer's market was picked that morning. As someone who considers the freshness of ingredients important, I find the quality of the specimens sitting on most grocery store shelves dubious.
I also use organic, unbleached flour from a reputable mill. Ditto my rolled oats, spelt flour, seeds, and produce. Whenever possible, I buy local produce. Of course, this all depends on what I can find at the market...
Which brings me to my next point. I bake seasonally. Spring pastries will include strawberries, rhubarb, greens, and citrus among other things. Summer pastries may include tomatoes, squash, eggplant, and peppers. In autumn, I will focus on winter squashes and cold-hardy greens. I'm not interested in out of season produce--it had to be shipped from somewhere, and most likely somewhere far away. No thanks.
This week, some of my local ingredients include strawberries, rhubarb, buttermilk, and eggs. My hope is that, as I get a chance to interact with Knoxville area farmers and producers, I will be able to feature more and more local ingredients.
This business model is only possible on a small, local scale. I bake very small batches of my baked goods, and I try to have a greater diversity of items on my table. This ensures my use of high-quality, local ingredients. I only sell at farmer's markets, where I sell directly to you. You can ask me questions face to face, and therefore I am directly accountable to you.
This business model helps all of us. I put my dollar into the local economy via farmers and artisan producers (as opposed to supporting Sysco or big agriculture). You put your dollar into the local economy by purchasing my baked goods. It's better for all of us.
That said, my baked goods cost a little more. Buying local is more expensive for a small producer because I'm not buying massive quantities of produce from a wholesale outfit. And I don't mind telling you that my profit margin is small--I'm not making bank on farmer's market customers. I just want to be able to do what I love, and I love baking and being part of the farmer's market culture.
Look for updates on this site--I post a weekly list of my offerings at the Market Square Farmer's Market, and I try to be as specific as I can. I list local and organic ingredients so you know what you're getting. Of course, you can always just quiz me at the market. I'm more than happy to divulge.
A note on market packaging--I have paper bags, compostable clamshell containers, and compostable plant-based "cellophane" bags available at market for your baked goods. I purchase these from a Nashville-based packaging company, again keeping my dollar as local as possible (and shipping distance shorter).
Of equal importance, I want you to enjoy your baked goods. Never hesitate to contact me directly (petitbleu88 at gmail dot com). I'm happy to respond to your queries.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
gearing up for first market
I'm nervous.
Nervous and excited and antsy.
It's like the first day of school, my first contra dance outing, my first speech.
I've read over my recipes again and again, retested a few things that I felt needed retesting, bought all my last-minute groceries, and planned out everything to the nth degree. I know I'm ready, but I'm still nervous.
Mostly, I'm nervous about being the new baker at market, when I know that the established bakers already have a loyal following. I'm nervous about having to charge a little more than my competition for my baked goods because I use high-quality ingredients. I'm nervous because I don't know what Knoxvillians like or want.
I'm betting on the chance that you'll try me out. Ask me questions. Get to know me a little. I'm betting that people will remember the old adage that you get what you pay for.
market list 4/21/12:
-white cheddar-scallion buttermilk biscuits (vermont cheddar; organic scallions; og flour)
-strawberry-vanilla buttermilk scones (cruze farm buttermilk; colvin family farm strawberries)
-lemon-thyme spelt scones (with thyme from my organic herb garden; og spelt)
-coffee kuchen with streusel topping
-rhubarb coffee cake (og local rhubarb)
-mini mushroom-shallot quiches (cage free local eggs)
-breakfast cookies with golden raisins and candied ginger (og rolled oats)
-little blue's signature ideal granola (local sorghum; og rolled oats and seeds)
-banana-apricot loaf (og fair trade bananas)
-arnold palmer loaf (og lemons)
-gluten-free hazelnut brownies (og hazelnuts; valrhona cocoa powder)
-mimosa pound cake (og oranges)
-lime-cardamom shortbread (og limes)
-chocolate-chili shortbread
-pepita brittle (og pumpkin seeds)
-spicy white cheddar buttons (vermont cheddar)
-fluted french apple pie (og apples)
I'm looking forward to seeing you all on Saturday! Come by to taste my granola--it's strictly the best.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Initial Inspection Passed!
Good news! The next step to becoming a full-fledged baking business has been completed. Last Friday, I passed my initial inspection with the USDA and have sent in the last of the extensive paperwork that I've had to fill out. At this point, I'm refining my recipes (most exciting of which is my new cheesy scallion biscuit recipe) and ordering supplies.
In other, unrelated, news, my two hens have gone broody and are sitting on a clutch of eight beautiful eggs. The hens have been sitting since early March, and as the gestation period for chickens is about 21 days, I expect chicks any day now. I'll be sure to update you as soon as they hatch. I look forward to becoming the de facto godmother of a bunch of lovely little chicks.
My garden is also shaping up for spring. So far, I have radishes (French Breakfast and Cherry Belle), beets (Chioggia and Bull's Blood), arugula, butter head lettuce, mâche, frisée, tatsoi, pac choi, Swiss chard (Bright Lights), kale (Lacinato), cilantro, and amaranth (Mayo Indian and Golden) planted in the garden. Indoors, under my very modest grow light setup, I have tomatoes (San Marzano and Dr. Carolyn), leeks (American Flag and Blue Solaise), more kale, peppers (Red Cherry and Aji Dulce), eggplant (Ping Tung Long), tomatillos (Everona), calendula, epazote, chamomile, and yarrow.
Seeing as it's been so warm lately, I expect to be planting out my starts sooner than usual. So far, everything has germinated just swimmingly, and if I get my irrigation system set up and my row covers ready to go, I think we can expect a fabulous harvest of organic veggies!
Look back for updates, and I'll see you in May at the Market Square Farmer's Market!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Getting Started
Welcome to the official website for the little blue baking company. Right now, I'm still in the weeds--supply hunting, filling out paperwork, complying with regulations, testing recipes--but hopefully, soon, I'll be able to share some of the exciting things I have planned for this year's market season. Happy baking, y'all!
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