Merry Christmas 2006
(Lemon cream & frangipane tart – white chocolate lettering)
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How Saturday 23rd went:
I made roughly twice as much stuff than usual anticipating good sales – & yes! just as I hoped, the big cakes & the chocolates went in no time! I had stacks of pre-made chocolate boxes (twelve truffles inside) & I managed to sell-out on them by 11.30 in the morning. The ‘flourless chocolate cake’ (which I made 12 of) went by 2pm. Along with pretty much all the other big cakes & tarts. I also had the pre-orders from my regulars. Truly amazing! So happy!
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Except my little items such as individual slices of cakes were slow on the uptake. To my annoyance I realized that I should have allocated the time making those to making more chocoates instead… (mental note for next year). So despite all that selling I had so much left, I ended up shouting; ‘End-of-day sale on cakes! Cake Discount!!’ (which, my technique is to look left & right for potential punters first, but never look at them as I say it because it’ll make them feel especially targeted & therefore make them feel uncomfortable…). I really, really hate shouting discount… (but I have to – my efforts that went on til 3am would go down the drain otherwise). It scratches at my pride & it invites petty hagglers to sneer over my produce. Like offer £1 for a tart that is priced £9, which I very politely tell ’em to stop joking and move on.
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The market itself was not as busy as I imagined though. Non-food stalls seemed to have a slow start. Most shoppers had a mission as it was the last few days to Christmas & was not cruising down the street like they normally do. Now that I think of it, I realize that this was the reason why my slices weren’t selling so well – the ‘cruisers’ who eat as they walk down the market weren’t around.
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What I truly love about working at the market is that I can fully experience the spirit of the festive season. Everyone wishes ‘Merry Christmas’ to one another. And when I say ‘Merry Christmas’ to the customers, I see their faces light up several notches & seem to take pleasure in repeating it back to me. The friendly market manager went around giving cups to all the stall holders for a swig of whisky: ‘Here, have that. Drink up in one go! It’ll warm you up.’ And it did. – There were also some customers who were festively loose with their purse s trings too – telling me to keep the change! Thank you!
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So, here we are, another Christmas. How will you be spending yours? For me, it’ll be about opening the presents that’s been patiently waiting underneath the Christmas tree in the hallway & then cooking up the celebration dinner from the morning. We’ll start the dinner from late afternoon. We’ll be feasting on the roast beef joint I bought from Richard at the market (a couple of stalls to my left), the good ol’ brussel sprouts, roast potatoes, home-made yorkshire puds… & lots of bubbly which has the power of making me deliriously happy than any other drink can do.
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Merry Christmas 2006!
L.o.v.e, t xxx
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“Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.â€
(Quote by Oren Arnold)
Merry Christmas to you and your family! I’m reading this entry at work and showing it to all my colleagues who are all gasping Wow! Looks delicious! in Japanese. Loved the poem too. I give you my heart my friend.
Comment by Akiko - December 25, 2006 10:43 am
What? You’ve been working on Christmas Day? Or was it Christmas Eve Japanese time? Still, take it easy my friend! I know you – you work way too hard & long hours too – Look after your body, there is only one! Merry Christmas to you Aki chan & to your parents! t xxx
Comment by Tamami - December 25, 2006 11:48 pm