One Step Closer

Busy busy week....Big decisions, exciting steps and soooo much kitchen time, I don't think I stopped all week.

 

 

So.. I registered Three Red Aprons and it is an actual registered business now! And starting Victoria Day weekend I will be spending my Sundays at the Bath Farmer's Market.  I will be bringing out a selection of pies, loaves, scones, jams, salsas, fudge, cookies and maybe some bath fizzies , soap and candles... and so today I made apple butter and some dill carrots. Tomorrow is mango salsa and maybe jam and likely marmalade.  I'm also starting to make a collection of bananas for all the banana bread I'll be making.

Oh my heck I'm exhausted right now.  I made some cool things this week too.  Homemade ricotta cheese..whoda thunk it? So easy and delicious!  Homemade ketchup in order to make homemade whiskey bbq sauce. And pancetta... well I           started it anyway,              because  I have  to leave it to cure for the next 3 weeks in the fridge.  But after that I can't wait!

 

Ricotta

Used the ricotta in a stuffed chicken breast dish... turned out pretty good.  Used it in some mashed potatoes too...wow that was sooooo good!!  Just made a second batch...thinking pasta, and a really yummy looking ricotta scone recipe! There are simply not enough hours in a day for all the recipes I'd love to try! Can't wait to get my hands on some Junket/rennet tablets so I can try my hand at homemade mozzarella.... that will be amazing!

Had a job interview... was hoping I'd have heard back by now, but no such luck. It would be perfect, at 3 days a week, which would still allow lots of time for cooking and prepping for the farmers market and who knows, maybe even seeing if I can get my stuff into some local independent shops that carry locally made stuff.  It's all a start in getting Three Red Aprons out there right? Then when I do get the funding to start the shop up, there will be some brand recognition.  Every little bit helps!!

So glad the weather is starting to get warmer.  Cannot wait to get things planted in the garden and for the selection of fresh produce at market.  Fresh always tastes so much better and my mind just races over all the fresh ideas that I can try out.  And the bbq!  oh to be able to grill again.... fresh grilled steak! Yummy!!

 

As always, don't forget about my crowdfunding project page:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/it-s-time-to-do-what-i-do-best-feed-people#share

if you'd like to contribute, you would have my heartfelt thanks!!

 

Hugs and Cookies!!

Brenda

 

 

Snowy Sunday

Such a busy day....so much laundry to fold, a house to clean, a bird cage to clean.....

And then I organized my spice cabinet.... which made me happy! So crazy how such a mundane task can make me so happy.  I re-labeled  and re-filled bottles and lined them up and now they are all ready for future cooking sprees!

Then I made cheese.... no, seriously!  I made ricotta cheese.  I really can't believe how easy it was.  I like cooking with ricotta, in lasagna or stuffing chicken breasts with it, that kind of thing.  Next on the cheese making  list is going to be mascarpone and then, when I can get the missing required item,  nice, soft mozzarella .  My game plan is to make as much as I can for what is needed for my famous 50lb lasagna, even the pasta sheets..... who knows, maybe even sausage for a sausage layer.. I'm willing to try anything once.  I like to learn new things, and most of what I learn is kind of "self taught" since I look it up, online, in book, videos or whatever.  I think sometimes that I'd like to take actual cooking classes; one of the culinary schools here in town offers a bunch of "boot camps" that sound kind of cool, but where do I find the time, and then again, right now finding the funding for Three Red Aprons is more important than money for boot camp.

My brain is spinning with all sorts of new recipes I want to try out... I have a pot of soup on right now simmering away.  Tomato, lentil, turnip and parsley..... seasoned it with cilantro and curry and some salt and pepper and a little red wine vinegar.  Got the idea from a pin on a clean eating soup pin for a cleanse, but it looked really tasty, especially with the added spices I tweaked it with .. haha! I'm impatient to get some more preserves tucked up too, especially my kosher dills.  I guess this year I will have to make sure I make extra jars of them; those pickles were pretty popular this year and I had a hard time keeping up with demand.

Just tasted the soup.... yummy!!

When I woke up this morning it had snowed overnight.  Can you freaking believe it??  Snow, on the second last day of March.... seriously?  C'mon!!  I'm impatient to get into the garden and at this point I'm doubting the snow will be gone before June!  So.... who needs the snow to go away to start gardening anyway right??  I have my little indoor greenhouse kits and my seeds and I will just go ahead and start some herbs and peppers and even some flowers and who knows what else!  I'm going to expand the little patch of garden I had last year to grow some more tomatoes and some pickling cukes and who knows what else...

So I get email notifications of comments or messages left for me on the crowdfunding site that I have for the fundraising for my shop, which if great, if the messages are positive, supportive "hey I'm excited for you and let me donate some money to the project" type of messages...but alas, that's not what these three messages I've received since I posted have been.  Ironically, they have been posts from people who actually charge money to leave positive comments and reviews of people's projects and to donate the incredible sum of $1 to bring attention to the project.  Quite ingenious wouldn't you say? Preying upon people's desire to have a successful campaign and charging them considerably more than they give in return?  Oh well, I suppose that is the creative product they have to offer... to each their own  as they say.

 

And speaking of crowdfund, just a friendly reminder that I am in fact still striving to achieve the "dream" of my own shop.... and maybe just not my own, there are a couple of friends I'm hoping will join in my venture, but it's completely up to them and I'm not going to try and exert any undue influence on anyone.  So if you can find it in yourself to invest in me, and my dream, here's that important link... and of course, please feel free to share it with your friends and contacts and whomever else you think might find it of interest!!

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/it-s-time-to-do-what-i-do-best-feed-people/x/6849336#share

And so it begins........

I'm fighting a huge headache right now that my dear, darling Pat attributes to barometric issues but I beg to differ.  I am sure it's because my poor little brain hasn't stopped in weeks.  Months even.... 

It's been such a long few years, working on my recovery with the mental health issues... wow, just being able to say (type) that out loud is a step in itself, getting past the fear that I'd be judged because of it, all the stereotypes, and getting back to a point where I'm cleared to return to work.   But now it's about finding a job... and after over 70 resumes being sent out and more than a dozen interviews still nothing. 

So I decide it's time.... time to listen to all the people who say Brenda, you should be cooking and crafting for a living!  And so I apply for the Ontario Self Employment Benefit program with high hopes... and I jump through the hoops and provide everything that's needed and I wait.  And........ no.  I can't guarantee that I will have my start up funding in place so they won't accept me into the program.  It sucks of course, but it just means I work harder to get the funding and start working towards the dream.

For as long as I can remember I've wanted my own tea room/craft shop.  I've wanted to cook and bake for people, I've wanted to share my gifts and talents with people.  Every Christmas my kitchen and dining room turn into what we jokingly call "Mrs. Clause's workshop" because there are ornaments and jars of preserves and baked goods and craft items and gift baskets all over the place.  And it makes me smile to do it.

Well... the me a couple of years ago likely would have curled up into a ball and cried and cried and felt helpless and given up, but I've grown stronger and found my fight and determination again.... I actually look in the mirror and see someone I recognize.  So I allowed myself a little cry, because I was definitely disappointed by the "no", but it wasn't irrevocable, it was just a not now.  So now I work on acquiring the funding, continue testing recipes and building inventory and craft ideas and telling myself that it is meant to be and I will get there.

Crowdfunding....... What the heck is crowdfunding?????                Crowdfunding is the raising of funds through the collection of small contributions from the general public (known as the crowd) using the Internet and social media.  Crowdfunding has its origins in the concept of crowdsourcing, which is the broader concept of an individual reaching a goal by receiving and leveraging small contributions from many parties.

The key to crowdfunding in the present context is its inextricable link to online social networking and its ability to harness the power of online communities in order to extend a project’s promotion and financing opportunities.  The non-profit sector was the first to successfully employ crowdfunding in its present online form.

More recently, crowdfunding is becoming an increasingly common form of raising funds in the technology and media industries; including music, film and video games.  Traditionally, crowdfunding is used to raise money to fund the development of a well-defined, singular project.  The new form of crowdsourced private financing has lowered the barriers to entry not only for financing projects, but also for the average citizen to play the role of investor.  Crowdfunding also has a unique dual function of providing both private financing and generating publicity and attention for a project.

From Crowdsourcing 101 excerpt on  ncfacanada.org

So this idea was presented to me, along with a web site where I carefully examined samples of projects up for funding by the "crowd" and weighed my options.  How would it be received?  How would it be perceived?  What kind of success could it have?  Since the answer will always be no if you don't ask the question.... I've opted to give it a try.  At least obtaining part of the funding is a start, and part of the funding could assist in getting additional funds from other sources such as the Canada Small Business Financing Program or the Business Development Bank of Canada.

And so begins project "It's Time to do What I Do Best!...Feed People" and this blog to follow along the road to Three Red Aprons where we will share the ups and downs, the progress, some laughs, lots about food and crafts and heaven only knows what else.  Tell your friends and family, spread it around and get the word out.... Three Red Aprons is coming to town with a little help from its friends!!

 

Hugs and cookies

Brenda