*Friday November 28*
I own a small hole-in-the-wall bakery in a small historic town that has a college and a medical school. I own the building that my bakery sits in. The top teo floors are my apartment and the bottom floor is my shop. When my alarm went off at three in the morning I sat up and heard the first sound of thunder. Sighing I opened a curtain and looked at the sky. Looming black clouds were overhead in the night sky. My cat Skittles meowed at me and I said, "Its going to be one of those days kiddo."
Going into the kitchen I filled her dish and grabbed my sneakers. There was a loud crash of thunder as I headed downstairs. I put the kitchens lights on and looked at the front doors. There was a group of students huddling under my awning. Putting my lights on I opened the door and said, "What are you guys doing out in this storm?"
One of the girls said, "We were on our way to the school to be first in line for the library. We have a six am appointment to access the stacks today."
"Well come in and warm up guys," I said. "Sorry I do not have anything warm ready."
One of the boys said, "We are thankful to be out of the rain. We go past here but did not realize it was a bakery."
Laughing I said, "I have been here for three years now. I moved here from Florida."
The girl asked, "Why did you move?"
"My home and business in Florida was destroyed in hurricane Ian," I said. "My brother went to college up here then med school so I came up and looked around. He is doing his residency in Portland now. You guys stay as long as you need."
Going into the kitchen I started the oven. Seeing a container of cookies and pastries left from yesterday I brought them out with some napkins and said, "I do not have anything warm ready, however, I have leftovers from yesterday, help yourself."
The students graciously ate the food as I started baking in the kitchen. I placed the blueberry muffins in the first oven and the cinnamon raisen muffins in the second. While they were cooking I set up the hot water tank for tea and cocoa. Then I started the five coffee pots with various types of coffee, placing the flavors on the board. Going into the kitchen I prepared the sourdough mini loaves and the first batch of cookies. Taking out the pizza dough I made some breakfast mini pizzas for the warm case and started to mix up the batter for chocolate muffins. I prepared trays of cookies to bake. While all that was cooking I took the prepared dough I had made yesterday for plain and blueberry engl thank you and left around five in the morning. When the english muffins were done I made homemade flour and corn tortillas for the case. Thenish muffins. As the english muffins cooked on my electric griddle I added baskets of butter, jam and homemade cream cheese containers to the cold case. The students called out I started wheat, plain and strawberry pancakes. I filled syrup containers and placed them in the case next to the pancakes. Then I added drinks to the case behind the counter. As I was a one-person operation I had to have everything available to me.
All of today's offerings were in the case at six forty-five when I was ready to open. I had twenty-two different items in my case, all labeled and priced. I placed a cold tray on the counter with coffee creamers. Chcking to make sure I had all my cups, lids, bags, and trays ready to go when I placed the open sign on.
Mr. Willis one of the security guards at the medical school came in and said, "I chuckle every time I see your sign Kelly. Opens at seven, closes at 1:30 or whenever I run out."
"I have to serve fresh things Mr. Willis or its not a true bakery," I said.
He nodded and said, "Well in that case I want a mini sourdough, 2 jam and 2 cream cheese. A cup of regular coffee, oh and two of those brownies."
When he left a new customer came in and asked, "You charge for jam and cream cheese?"
"Yes, ma'am," I said. "I make them homemade here in the store. Everything you see with the exception of the butter, syrup, ground coffee, tea and cocoa are homemade daily. What can I serve you today?"
She ordered a breakfast pizza, a blueberry english muffin and a cup of tea to go." When she went to leave she looked at the tip box and said, "Get a real job and you would not have to rely on tips."
Mrs. Smith a teacher at the college said, "Well Kelly owns the bakery and her customers gave her the tip box. Kelly can I have a half dozen chocolate chip cookies, a breakfast pizza, and a cup of tea to go I am running late. I am guessing you will be sold out by lunch."
The woman gave a look of annoyance and left. I made sure to make extra food that day, and by nine-thirty in the morning, when I hit my slow time, I was halfway sold out. I took my trays to the kitchen and placed them in the dishwasher for later that day. Coming back out, I cleaned the tables and straightened chairs. Sitting behind the counter, I pulled out a notebook with what I was going to make for the next day. I continued to help customers with their orders, and around eleven, a man came in and ordered two muffins and a cup of coffee. He sat down near a window and pulled out a laptop. I watched him as I helped the stream of customers and noticed how good-looking he was. By twelve fifteen, I was sold out. I flicked the lights and called out, "Last call on coffee refills if you want something to go."
Everyone came up to get a refil and Mr Handsome came up and got a refill. He said, "I thought you closed at 130?"
"I do normally but I sold out," I said.
He put his hand out and said, "I am sam thompson I am the new business professer for the college."
"Is professor kramer finally retiring?" i asked. "Gladys must be celebrating."
"She is," He said. 'They are hosting me until I get my teachers' housing next week"
When he left I did the one thing I hated the most and that was check the sales for the day. I was pleased that I made $1300 in card sales and $2500 in cash sales. After cleaning the restaurant I started the dishes in the dishwasher. Taking the cash from todays sales I did a supply run to three stores and dropped the remaining cash to the bank. After I unloaded and put everything away I got to work.
Since it was friday I knew I would busier than normal tomorrow I took my list and worked on what I would be making for the following day. I put on my proofer, cooling cabinet and ovens. Since I knew I needed more jam I pulled out a pot and started a mixed berry jam to use up the remaining frozen fruits and fresh berries I had in the fridge before I used the new items. As the berries started to cook I looked at my list.
- Mini sour dough loaves*
- mini sour dough french bread loaves*
- sour dough onion bread loaves*
- cheese onion loaves sourdough*
- chocolate muffins*
- cinnamin muffins*
- Vanilla cupcakes*
- sprinkle cupcakes*
- chocolate cupcaks*
- corn muffins*
- cheddar, jalapeno muffins*
- brownies*
- cranberry orange bread*
- bananna bread*
- banana bread with chocolate chips*
- banana bread with walnuts*
- pumkin bread*
- cinnomin bread*
- plain english muffins*
- onion english muffins*
- raisin english muffins*
- plain pancakes*
- chocolate chip pancakes*
- blueberry pancakes*
- mini cheesecakes
- mini custard pies
- mini pumpkin pies
- filled breakfast scones*
- orange cranberry scones*
- peanut butter cookies*
- dishpan cookies*
- cinnamin rolls
- plain rolls*
- dried fruit bread*
- breakfast pizzas*
- Mini sour dough loaves*
- mini sour dough french bread loaves*
- sour dough onion bread loaves*
- cheese onion loaves sourdough*
- chocolate muffins*
- cinnamin muffins*
- Vanilla cupcakes*
- sprinkle cupcakes*
- chocolate cupcaks*
- corn muffins*
- cheddar, jalapeno muffins*
- brownies*
- plain English muffins*
- onion english muffins*
- raisin english muffins*
- plain pancakes*
- chocolate chip pancakes*
- blueberry pancakes*
- filled breakfast scones*
- orange cranberry scones*
- peanut butter cookies*
- dishpan cookies*
- cinnamin rolls
- plain rolls*
- dried fruit bread*
- breakfast pizzas*
Sam Thompson- secondary main
Mr. Willis- Security guard at the med school
Mr. Smith- teacher at the college
Professer kramer (gladys) retired professer
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