A Couple More Things

Just a quick entry to say a couple things.

Yesterday the message was relayed to us from a co-worker of a friend. Said co-worker (who happens to be female) shared that Bikini Coffee in downtown Portland has the best rice krispies. Ever. And they are so big.

Fantastic. We can now begin our official adoring-public count. I'm sure the count is larger than those who actually comment on the goods, but we shouldn't assume too much―it makes us look conceited.

Also our logo is finished. Here it is in all its glory. Pretty, huh?

Seattle Coffee Fest

The Seattle Coffee Fest was something to witness. All kinds of booths hawking all kinds of coffee related items strewed the fourth floor the of the Seattle convention center. Bakeries, coffee suppliers, coffee roasters, cafe designers, tea suppliers, smoothie people, energy drink people. Ugh. It was endless. There was even a glycerin insole booth. Everywhere one turned there was a smiley person with some sort of energetic pitch ready to accost.

At first the experience was freakish―too many happy people in one place is unnerving. We soon understood why the energy in the place appeared endless―several booths were handing out free shots of espresso. Ugh. Needless to say, we soon joined in the sickening glut of energy. What fools.

One booth had an aura of listlessness, though. And ironically, it was some energy drink booth. Amusing. A bleary eyed fellow with silver hair to the shoulders and a short beard stood behind the booth. "You wanna try this natural energy drink, dude?" His torpid appeal would have lulled a rabid dog to sleep. He was a stereotype straight from the seventies.

"Sure." We might as well try it. One can never get enough energy, right?

His left eye, half covered by a droopy eye lid, twitched as he handed us a sample. I don't recall his exact words as we took the samples, but I'm sure it went something like, "This is healthier than blueberries. It makes you feel better than a Guns & Roses concert. And it grows on a fifty foot tall tree, dude." Or something like that. Whatever it was, I'm sure it was informative.

There were two things we did while at Coffee Fest that were especially useful. First, we watched a documentary on the history and reason behind Cafe Feminino―the place Shawna wants to buy our coffee from. It was very interesting and nice. The coffee may be more expensive than others, but I'm sure the fuzzy feeling that comes from helping out impoverished folk is worth the cost.

The second useful thing we did was taste My Chai's blends. The teas were fantastic. If the syrups are half as fantastic then we made a great decision for a supplier.

As was mentioned, we sucked down shots of espresso, smoothie mix, and chai tea all day long. And through necessity of perusing all booths before leaving, we also managed to skip lunch. Too much coffee and too little food is a great combination for crankiness. We were all a bunch of cranky-pants by the time we finally began the journey home. Thankfully, everyone slept the three hours home. Well, except for the driver. But he enjoyed the peace and quiet.

Anonymous Alcoholic Needed

A week ago the task was given to locate and obtain the best vanilla possible. Vanilla is common in baked goods and Sweet Thing is not interested in mediocrity, so for the best we searched. According to reviews of many baker people on many websites, the best vanilla extract was found. A sample is currently on its way here. But through the research required to find the best vanilla extract, it was discovered that one could make his or her own vanilla extract if desired. Who knew? It was also discovered that real vanilla extract is at least 35% alcohol (37.8 -- or something like that -- is optimal). This fact would require us to purchase vodka in order to create our own vanilla extract. This brings a blaring fact to light: we know nothing of vodka.

Internet information only gets one so far. As far as what makes a good vodka beats me with a stick. So if anyone out there has made vanilla extract before and wouldn't mind granting advice, we would be thankful. Or if anyone just happens to have vast amounts of vodka knowledge on hand, that may help too.

Yesterday we took a field trip to Rose's Equipment here in Portland. It is a big honking warehouse of new and used restaurant equipment. We wandered through three stories of really big ovens, refrigerators, and sauna-sized mixers and wrote down items we would need. It was a load of fun. For some reason ridiculously large things intrigue people greatly. After we had completed our tour, our salesperson introduced us to a nice fellow with James Dean hair. This big-haired fellow walked us through how he could help us with kitchen design, equipment placement, etc. Rose's employees really made us feel they could help us and would go out of their way to help us. Customer service is a powerful thing.

Today we are going to finally set up the business bank account. Woohoo. That makes us more official than before. Grants and loans will be completed soon after and then we'll really be rolling.

Shawna keeps her focus wonderfully. She has a vision and works toward it constantly. Some of us have the ability to fraternize with doubt when there is no visible progress. Not Shawna, though, there ain't nothin' gonna get in her way. Thank goodness for people like her. Now that mammoth sized equipment has been seen and floor plans are in the foreseeable future, even doubters have begun to share her elation.

Tomorrow we will take another field trip up to Coffee Fest in Seattle. It's actually a three day event, but who has three days to blow? We hope to get in on three classes and learn everything about the coffee industry as we tour through all fifty billion exhibits. Sounds reasonable to me. We'll see, though.

I love baking!

"I hate baking." Kindra's body slouches at a dejected angle as she kneads the scone dough. She pauses and turns to her auditor. "I mean, baking's not so bad, but when you do the same thing day after day after day it gets kinda old. I can't wait until we're doing coffee."

This was Kindra's sentiment after two weeks of baking the same recipes day after day. Now, however, if she wishes to complain it will have to be on account of something else—she has plenty of new stuff to bake all of the sudden. Shawna has been in talks with a new catering company in town. The company does the food stuff, but wants to contract out the desserts. A perfect customer.

So Kindra is busy today creating recipes that would work well for what the catering company desires. Apparently it wants mostly little desserts. Dainty. Not big honkers like we are used to producing. New recipes. New pastry sizes. I'm sure Kindra beyond elated.

It has been decided lately, concerning Bikini, that Sweet Thing will no longer deliver baked goods on the weekend. Apparently no one eats pastries on the weekend. Or maybe all these men that frequent the shop during the work week are not so keen to do so when their family is with them? None-the-less nothing sells on the weekend and who are we to defy the laws of Supply and Demand? If nothing sells we refuse to deliver. It's nice, too, because it gives the baker Saturday off.

On a more pleasant Bikini note (Kindra would argue that possibility) the scones have been selling very well. They even sold out a couple of days! That's wonderful. The scones are extremely tasty and apparently people are finally beginning to learn this. Took them long enough.

Below is a part of Shawna's cake, a blueberry scone, the greatest thing since sweet bread (ham and cheese Pan), a pineapple-coconut muffin, and "fun with chocolate."

Lots of People

Is it December yet? Phooey. When Sweet Thing opens its shop life will be grand. Until then its Shawna's kitchen. Not that it isn't beautiful, but it isn't as exciting as possible.

This weekend was full and hectic. Family, friends, investors, and just random interested people were all around. Several folks were blessed enough to be able to taste the most wonderful baked good ever made (no I'm not biased, it's really good) -- the pineapple upside down muffin. Its sticky, gooey goodness delighted all. Gramps thought it was okay too.

Group tours of the soon-to-be shop were given, too. Not that that act was rewarding in anyway... unless you have an imagination. It is a big building with lots of dust. But I'm sure when Shawna's imaginations are realized it will be a very beautiful place. It has fantastically tall ceilings and cement floors. Past that any description wouldn't be accurate for the final plans haven't been completed yet. Suffice it to say it'll be the best designed bakehouse/coffee shop ever. Bar none.

Stan and Morgan came yesterday and brought along their sweet-tooth enthusiasm. Ideas flowed from them like odor from a bakehouse. Unbridled. Enticing, but not necessarily fulfilling. Just kidding, some were excellent. The best idea heard from Stan's scone-hole all weekend was the simplest one: sell goods at the Portland Farmers Market. Grand plan. There's a few hoops to jump through -- apparently a farmers market is not an example of perfect competition (it has barriers to entry) -- but we're looking into it. We aren't necessarily looking to make millions at the moment (not that we'd complain about such), just get our name out there. So a plan like Stan's is good.

It was mind boggling to realize how many people follow the evolution of Sweet Thing. We definitely do not lack for support. I only hope we can accommodate the massive crowd that will indubitably attend the grand opening in December.

La Marzocco

Sorry, folks. Didn’t mean to leave everyone hanging for so long. Hopefully we can have a couple updates this week.

It is official: Shawna has purchased an espresso machine. She got a smashing deal on a La Marzocco. Yeah, impressive. Thankfully I’m not in charge of coffee... I’d never heard of the brand. Apparently it’s the Rolls Royce of espresso machines. Don’t I feel stupid.

The machine is a chunk—it weighs 250 lbs. It’s larger than your average kitchen appliance, too. So, due to lack of room elsewhere, we have been forced to store the contraption at Ma and Pa’s until the shop opens. It’s in a safe place and it has Dad pretty excited, so it shouldn’t be too much of an inconvenience. Fact is, Dad stole the machine’s manual the day it arrived and proceeded to read it that evening. Odd duck, that Dad. (This trait obviously has nothing to do with his vast mechanical knowledge which has time and again saved us from our never ending mechanical pickles. Obviously. Just a personality trait. No sense the rest of us attempting to emulate.) He thinks he should store the machine in the kitchen. Ha! And Mom can use the floor for counter-space? Not Likely.

We’ve received mixed messages concerning customers’ thoughts of our products. One day we hear they want breakfast stuff. Another day we hear they want a product we made for a short time in the beginning. Very strange. Perhaps the messages being relayed to us only reflect a very minor populace? Probably very likely. Perhaps when Sweet Thing actually opens its own shop we will be able to use customers’ vocal statements as field research. Until then, though, a guess is as good as relayed information.

Kindra has created some “new wares”. She is anxious that they would be tested and reviewed. Hopefully that can be done soon. Wouldn’t want to keep her in suspense too long.

This will be all for now. We would have pictures but have somehow managed to separate blogger from camera. Hopefully that situation can be rectified before this blog becomes a bore. Apparently words don’t excite everyone to the extent they do me.

Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate.

It's been hot. 100+ isn't so bad, but when you are baking all day and lack air-conditioning it's hot. Kindra thinks it's hot. She insists several times an hour it is hot. Her continuous reminders help to distract the mind from the heat (that was sarcasm). It's hard to feel clean when one sweats profusely all the day long. But, as in every situation, there is a lesson to be learned here... we just aren't sure of what it is yet.

Yesterday, Kindra decided she was bored with the chocolate krinkle cookies. She's made them the same way for a good two weeks now. That would bore anyone. So she added a flare: she dumped chocolate morsels into the chocolate krinkle cookie dough. Ug. Talk about death by chocolate. If chocolate has addictive properties (as some folks maintain) these double chocolate gems would render a person an addict, no doubt. Addicts are okay, though... as far as Sweet Thing is concerned. We'll take all we can get.

It looks like we have ourselves a fancy coffee machine. Now, all we need is a place to store it for three months until the shop opens. Fun. We got a smashing deal, though, it'll be worth it.

Today was the first day the ham and cheese pan was available at Bikini. Hopefully it found itself in a refrigerator or was sold quickly. Cooked, cured ham doesn't go bad quickly, but all the same, we do not desire to give someone food poisoning. We long to avoid the situation Kindra expressed so eloquently this morning: "Someone's gonna get food poisoning, sue us, and we'll be shut down before we even start up!" Our rosy outlooks keep up our spirits.

Tonight Shawna will concoct one of her famous cakes--the first one to be sold under the Sweet Thing name. From the sound of things it will be quite fancy. But then again, what does Shawna make that isn't fancy? We'll have pictures of it later.

Kindra thinks we should keep a vlog, too. She says a blog doesn't capture the wonderful spontaneity and idiocy of our personalities. Talk about burning people out. Maybe one or two videos here and there would be interesting, but all the time would be out of control. Our random outbursts of song, and witty comments can sometimes be a direct result of sleeplessness. A person whose faculties properly function would be mortified by such inanity. We'll see.