You would think some of the bookkeeping, bill paying or bread making would be the more challenging parts of owning a bakery. But really keeping on top of the retail side is one of the most difficult! Keeping products in stock, ordering new things, packaging them well and label, label, label. We always feel like the lobby is slipping – you must keep it looking full and polished to keep customers interested in purchasing your goods!
I spent ALL afternoon on this table and it’s still not all the way done. Much better though – especially with designed signs, labels, ribbons and different gift baskets and packages created and entered into our POS system.
Allie, I erased your 4th of July buns sale sign this afternoon to make this! You can still kind of see the words : )
We also finished all the logistics for our new Vanilla Almond Biscotti! It’s really good and really crunchy!!
Go figure that Matt keeps beers on hand for long days : )
I left my bike there since it was dark and raining by the time we left and we drove home at 7 for dinner. I had to do a little planning for a school visit I’m doing tomorrow, so Matt made dinner.
I suggested an eggplant, zucchini, tomato sauce and beans cooked together into some kind of hash. He made that a delicious reality!
Seasoned with leftover tomato sauce, the new Garlic Gold Herby flavor of nuggets, parm cheese and smoked paprika.
The Great Wall Of Sourdough
After a dinnertime conversation about the new The Hobbit movie coming out next year, Lord of the Rings is now playing in the family room so I must take the ring to Mordor join Matt on the couch! So many great quotes and fabulous music floating from the room!
Julie H. of Spinach and Sprinkles says
Hey- my birthday is super soon- I wish I could tell the husband to swing by and pick up one for his wife. These gifts are PERFECT!!!
Ashley @ My Food 'N' Fitness Diaries says
It looks like you did an awesome job with making everything look great!! I want some of those packages on my Christmas list. 🙂
kathleen @ the daily crumb says
kath, you should consider online sales!! because i’m sure that’s exactly what you have time for 🙂 but seriously, if you are ever able to ship to purchasers, i’ll be your first customer.
i love easy, one dish dinners with simple food, simple flavors, and a comforting feel. enjoy the night!
KathEats says
We would really really like to (granola alone would be worth it!!) but I just don’t know how to manage it!?
Elisabeth says
The lobby looks wonderful – I love the idea of the pre-packaged gift sets or the idea of creating your own 🙂 I, too, hope that eventually you’ll come up with a (relatively) easy way to sell GH CVille products online – I’ll be one of the first ‘in line’ 😀
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga says
That’s pretty cool that you can suggest things to Matt and he can make it a delicious reality! In over 12 years, I think my husband cooked me a grilled cheese sammie right after I gave birth 🙂 I can’t imagine being able to order up a dinner like that…very cool!
Good job on the gift sets and keeping the store looking pretty.
lynn @ the actor's diet says
you did a good job – i wanna buy buy buy!
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
Oh, dinner looks delicious! It’s always the stuff you think will be easy that turns out to be hard. Enjoy the movie and the company!
Liz says
Would loooooove to purchase one of those gifts! (from Me to Me)
^I agree Kathleen, if Kath starts online sales, I would be a customer too!
Erin says
Me too!!
Julia H. @ The Petite Spiel says
Great idea! I would definitely buy those gifts…though there’s a good chance they’d end up as being gifts for myself!
Anna @ On Anna's Plate says
I’d want to buy all of that!! You built a great display!
Savannah @ Sweet and Savvy says
Your gifts look GREAT!
I cannot wait for the Hobbit movie either:)
Sara @my less serious life says
i <3 Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. I can't wait to get some myself!
Mom says
Love it when you visit schools! Have a good time.
Katheryn says
Dinner looks good. Yum! We’re excited about The Hobbit too. Mostly because the husband is a digital artist working on the movie right now in New Zealand. Hope it’s done well!
Lindsay @ biking before bed says
What a sweet husband… all girls should be that lucky! my boyfriend will cook most things… but only if they involve meat or seafood:)
Lauren @ What Lauren Likes says
Hahah I love the LOR music! So epic 🙂
Lauren @ What Lauren Likes says
*Lord of The Rings haha
Dani says
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale is my FAVORITE beer ever 🙂 Glad to see it on the blog!
Emily says
i would definitely order online if you started that up!!!!!!
Lauren @ Lawfully Wedded Wife says
YAY Hobbit movie!!! I’m a CRAZY Tolkien fan…it’s how I met my husband…it’s how I picked my college…the craziness is deep. 😀 I’m actually hoping to study abroad in New Zealand next fall and I’m hoping to be able to see the premier there (shhhh…it’s still a secret)! Also, I agree with the commenters about the online sales–I would totally be a customer.
KathEats says
Seeing the premier there would be incredible!!!
Emily says
Love the gift baskets! They’re packaged beautifully.
Cait's Plate says
Oh my gosh – I want all of those gift baskets!! That would seriously make my holidays merry 🙂
alyssa - fashion fitness foodie says
I love that you just suggested a couple of ingredients to Matt and he made you the meal you were craving. Amazing!
Jen says
I just have to say a Kudos to Matt for his great job at the bakery – the breads and new things like biscotti and pumpkin rolls look fantastic!
HilJo says
Love love love Tolkien and the Lord of the Rings, oh my gosh. I am getting shivers just thinking about the Hobbit, I cannot wait!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 (haha leave it to the Lord of the Rings to pull a lurker like me into commenting…)
Angel7 says
When it comes to retail, it is all about the POS (point-of-sale) signage. If it is appealing, people will most likely buy.
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
Cait @ Beyond Bananas says
Love this idea!
Cait @ Beyond Bananas says
Sorry. pressed submit too soon! I think gift baskets are one of the most functional gifts you can get. Especially if you are buying for a foodie 🙂
Molly @ RDexposed says
If there is one beer I will never forget that taste of-it’s Sierra Nevada’s Celebration!! It tastes JUST like pine needles. It’s not my cup of tea…or pint of beer.
Ash Bear says
I love your napkins! Are they from Pottery Barn as they look just like our living room throw pillows!
KathEats says
They were a gift, but they certainly FEEL like Pottery Barn!?
Alexa @ SimpleEats says
What an awesome idea for gifts! I’ll take the whole table for Christmas, please 🙂
Olena (The Fit Gourmet) says
I like Bodyshop’s gift-making concept – the buyer selects individual items and when the amount gets over a certain limit, s/he gets a free cosmetic bag or free packaging. This allows to personalize the content. I’d happily settle for a a loaf for the giver when I buy a gift over a certain value.
Erin says
When you were in school, did you learn anything about the correlation of diet to eczema? My little boy has terrible eczema on his hands, forearms, and ankles. We live overseas and were told by the pediatrician that we have to “jump through hoops” to have him seen by a dermatologist. Her solution so far has been to medicate him – with Zyrtec in the morning, Benadryl in the evening, and a steroid cream twice a day for five days each week. None of it works. I recently took him off of cow’s milk, which I hated to do because he loves it, and switched him to soy. I still have not seen an improvement. Something must be actually causing it and I want to figure that out, rather than continue to give him a bunch of medicine. I am desperate to make him more comfortable…any tips (from you or your readers)???
sarah says
Aww- poor babe 🙁 I just wanted to say that when I was dealing with it, Boericke & Tafel’s (sometimes just known as B&T) Florosone eczema cream was my godsend. I can’t say anything beyond that, I suppose, because I can only relate my bouts with it to stress and general inflammation- I started taking a lot of fish oil, systemic enzymes and other anti-inflammatory herbs and supplements (turmeric, etc), and eating less foods that are known for causing or worsening inflammation. He’s lucky to have you- you should be commended for attempting to get to the source, and not merely resorting to medicating him. I have a son with a lot of health issues, so I can empathize 😉
Jovita says
Poor child! It’s a very harsh treatment -steroids shouldn’t be used for long, and if the aren’t even helping… It could be a food allergy or sensitivity. in order to understand somehing you should elimnate ALL most common allergens – dairy, eggs, soy, seafood etc. when the skin clears up, start reintroducing those foods – one by one only; this way you may be able to understand what’s causing the problem. Use fragrance-free detergents, cotton clothes. Hope it helps. Good luck!
Susan H. @ the food allergy chronicles says
Dealing with eczema has been my life…my eldest son, 15 years old now, has been dealing with it all his life. GET OFF ALL DAIRY! Studies have proven the link between dairy and eczema. Beware of wheat and citrus they can also trigger eczema in some. I know citrus is bad for my son he can tolerate wheat now. Bathing and creaming within minutes of getting out of the bath with minimal drying helps to lock in the moisture to the skin. Vaseline or Aquaphor by Eucerin are both good. Look into EFA’s (essential fatty acids) I give my son evening primrose oil and flax oil as he is allergic to fish and shellfish. Look into Protopic (cream that is not a steroid or cortisone that will not break down the skin like the others will. It is by prescription only. It was the miracle cream for us)Check out my blog where I am chronicling our journey with multiple food allergies, atopic dermatitis and asthma. Stay positive…it will get better! Susan H @ the food allergy chronicles
Susan H. @ the food allergy chronicles says
Yes, go to all fragrance free products especially in laundry for all house hold members and stay away from fabric softeners and dryer sheets. Make sure you check all labeling for dairy products as dairy is in alot of products. It only takes a little to cause a problem. All cotton clothing is important too. Susan H. @ the food allergy chronicles
KathEats says
Hey Erin,
I don’t recall talking about eczema directly, although we did talk about fats and their roll in skin health.
But on a personal level, I actually had HORRIBLE eczema that appeared when I was in 9th grade and went away after trying 5 kinds of steroid cream and landing on an ointment that did the trick. HOWEVER, now that I’m much older, eat better and am nutritionally educated, I am willing to bet a hundred dollars that it was an essential fatty acid deficiency. My diet in high school was pretty pathetic and I rarely ate fish, flax, and didn’t take any supplements that had DHA or EPA in them. If your son isn’t the fish-eating type, I would definitely try adding some kind of fish oil chewy vitamin or kids supplement (of course mention this to your doctor first!) and see if that helps at all. Adding in some more monounsaturated fats too – nuts, nut butters, avocado and the like – might also help.
Christine @ Oatmeal in my Bowl says
My daughter has it too. Although at a 11, she is finally growing out of t and seldome gets it anymore. But I remember the days when she cried because she hated her skin. Sarah, glad to hear about the cream. Going to keep that on mind because using steroids is not a long term solution. Can cause diabetes. My doctor pus Ash on Tacrolimus for a while. Now its Oatmeal baths and lots of non fragrance lotioning down. Hopfully your kids will grow out of it soon.
Sara says
After having a child with food sensitivities, I have come to believe that food can make a huge difference. (our kids go absolutely bonkers after having artificial colors and the preservative BHT/BHQ) Please do a search for the Feingold Diet and then the Failsafe Diet. Feingold avoids artificial colors, preservatives, and salicylates. Failsafe goes even further.
A friend of mine who is a doctor had a daughter with horrible, horrible eczema that their pediatrician wanted to treat with steroids. Since her daughter was only 9 months old and she didn’t want to give steroids to her 9-month-old, she started doing some research and discovered the Failsafe diet. When they started following it, they discovered that her son (whom they thought might have developmental delays) began behaving normally, and her husband stopped feeling drugged after eating cheese and wine. Turned out that everyone else in her family was sensitive to biogenic amines (like histamine, serotonin, dopamine, phenylethylamine, tyramine and others) found in aged proteins and fermented foods like cheese, game, and hung beef and some plant foods, particularly tropical fruits.
Sorry for the long comment, but it’s something I’m passionate about. 🙂
Heather says
Something else worth trying… does your son eat meat? My cousin gets terrible exczema from a number of foods, but cured/smoked/processed meats are the worst for him – ham, bacon, hot dogs, pepperoni, etc. Other things that set it off are dairy & wheat – but not nearly as dramatically.
Also, make sure everything that touches his skin is all natural!!! This could at worst cause and at best severely aggravate the exczema, so make sure all soaps, shampoos, lotions, cleansers, etc. is nothing but natural!
Nicole says
Kath,
I live in Chicago and I just discovered an Adagio tea shop here. Yippee! I don’t know what to try first!
Also, do you sell your Great Harvest mugs online?
I would love to own one.
Thanks!
Nicole
KathEats says
Oh fun!
We don’t sell the mugs online, sorry about that. I hope to sometime!
Katelyn @ Chef Katelyn says
You should sell these online!! Ship ’em out! Girl I want to send some to my cuz’s
Lauren says
It looks great, Kath! I can tell you really put effort into it to make it look fantastic. Can’t wait to come down for Thanksgiving. Will you be around then and will the bakery be open? Hope so!
KathEats says
I’ll be there Tues + Wed. of Thanksgiving week!
Sara says
hey kath,
just wondering, but did that dinner keep you full? there wasn’t any protein from what i can tell, i would have been starving again in about an hour! although kudos to having dinner made for you!
Khushboo says
Sorry to ‘butt in’ but there’s quite a bit of protein in beans and even the sourdough bread :)!
KathEats says
Beans beans!! There were white beans in the meal. And protein in the bread too.
Health Bee says
The gifts look so fun! Do you plan to take orders from the web also?
KathEats says
We’re not quite set up or online orders yet
Lauren says
Love the gift baskets. Too bad these weren’t there this past weekend or else I think I could have done 50% of my Christmas shopping. 🙂
Lauren @ Oatmeal after Spinning says
Yeah… I’m a total LOTR nerd too. 🙂
The dinner looks delicious! I’m a big fan of any veggies covered in tomato sauce.
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin says
Those look like great gifts! I’m sure sales will be booming for you guys in the next little while. 🙂
I love the LOTR movies and I can’t wait for The Hobbit to come out!
Susan H. @ the food allergy chronicles says
Love the display…very inviting environment! Wish I lived closer!
[email protected] Broken Cookies Don't Count says
I love being able to find those wonderful ready made gifts this time of year. And your’s are all fresh, excellent. Dinner looks good too, you can’t go wrong with eggplant!
Jules @ La Petite Maison Verte says
LOVE LOVE LOVE food-related gifts! I have so many people on my list who just already have EVERYTHING they want/need so I love to give them gourmet gift baskets – works like a charm every time: no unwanted gadgets/gizmos to clutter the house or toss in the garage, just yummy snack-ables, sauces and seasonings to sample 🙂
Hope @ With A Side Of Hope says
I love the gift display! All of those goodies would make wonderful gifts! I sometimes think that food related gifts are so much better than any other gift. They get put to good use. 🙂
Christine @ Oatmeal in my Bowl says
The Hobbit is coming out? That ought to be good! Was the first chapter book I read when I was young and loved it. Great job on the gift bags!
Patty @ Foodie and the Beatz says
Love how you put foodies first on that list!
Sarah @ newlyeverything says
Do you used canned beans or dried beans when you cook? I saw the other day that you aren’t a fan of canned soups…is the no can rule across the board? I almost bought a bag o beans at the market the other day (so much cheaper to buy in bulk) but I was very overwhelmed by the soaking/cooking process..any suggestions?
KathEats says
It’s my goal to cook a pot of dried beans each week, but I don’t always remember or have times, so these were canned and drained. No funky flavors in beans.
Laura says
Thanks for all the work you do on your blog. I learn lots of interesting things from you and often get just the motivation I need to make healthier lifestyle choices.
Your dinner looks delicious. Just wondering about the preparation details as I would like to make something similar. Did Matt roast the veggies or cook them on the stove top? Do you have a favorite type of beans to add to your veggie hash?
Have a great day!
KathEats says
Hey Laura,
He sauteed the veggies and beans in a large skillet with some herby olive oil until they were tender, then added the sauce and seasonings. These were big white beans from a can.
Ashley @ Coffee Cake and Cardio says
What an awesome dinner!! I really need to eat more veggies.
~Christy @ wonderofallthings says
The gifting stuff looks great! Love that you guys cook together 🙂