halloweencat

jackal10 -- you're right! i had totally forgotten about the china/porcelain issue...ironic, since i had just been reading the book "the epicurian collector," which has a chapter on everything from menus to cookbooks to dishware (it does a little historical review on each). porcelain was so highly prized at one point that it was called "white gold" and the manufacturing process was a state secret. cheers --

re putting the milk in first or second... i have always heard that putting the milk in first was a class distinction that signified that the person was from the lower classes. it was upper class to put in the milk last. if you want to see this in action, take a look at the scene in "gosford park" when the inspector is being offered tea in front of lady sylvia. he puts the milk in first, and she gives a slight shudder. perhaps it no longer signifies anything any more (the order of milk) or perhaps this meaning has been reversed (which sometimes happens with anthropological rituals), but i believe that long-standing, early practice indicated milk first = low class / milk last = upper class (or more sophisticated). can our brit or brit ex-pats chime in? some definitions... a muffinier looks like a giant salt shaker, but with more holes. you put powdered sugar in it and folks sprinkle the sugar over whatever. a toast rack sort of looks like a vertical file system, but for toast. a sugar loaf rack is what you put rectangular loaves of sugar in -- not sugar cubes...those little loaves of sugar that look like tiny books. search on ebay. you'll get some picks for sure (look under antiques and look under collectibles: metalware). cheers --

some more thoughts re the tea room.... 1. you might include information +about+ tea, the difference between high tea and afternoon tea, different kinds of tea, why some put milk in the cup before the tea, and why some do the reverse. lots of your customers would love to learn more about tea and its rituals, i'll bet. 2. if you're presenting the teapot to the table still in the steeping stage, let your customers know (in a casual way) that they should take out the bags or strainer or whatever in X minutes or so...you'd be surprised, but some people might not realize you should only let tea steep for a set time (3-5 minutes, per average and according to taste), and some customers might not realize the tea bags are still in the pot. to be on the safe side, i'd just let the tea steep in the back room and bring it out when the timer goes off -- friends chatting merrily away might easily forget to remove the bags in time, and then they might come away from your establishment with the idea that the tea wasn't so good (when actually it would have been due to their own inattentiveness or ignorance). 3. introduce the fabulous world of tea accoutrements: sugar shakers (muffiners), suger nips, leaf strainers, toast racks, sugar loaf racks. some of these are pricier items but some can be obtained quite inexpensively (like antique sugar cone forms). you can do a side line by selling antiques or reproductions of them. 4. mismatched china and silverware, as long as it's vintage and sweet. 5. re silverware: i think a lot of eating establishments don't think of this at all, but i and my friends (even non-tea house friends) notice the weight of the silverware. diners and cheap restaraunts tend to use newer silverware that is so light it almost seems like it could fly away. it certainly is bendable. getting weighter silverware (whether new or vintage) would be a nice thing to have, in the atmosphere you're providing. 6. events -- 1) you could have tea classes or seminars. teach them yourself or bring in experts. 2) period tea events -- an edwardian tea, a halloween tea, a valentine's tea; encourage people to dress specially for the occasion. if you want to do the period teas right -- connect with local collectors of victorian and antique clothing. they will more or less get things correct, and your customers will likely +love+ seeing authentic period attire worn correctly. i know people always go nuts whenever i or any of my friends wear our vintage clothing. cheers ---

btw, re clotted cream... i know the food photogs like to photograph it slathered on the item, but you really don't need a lot of it. fwiw (imho). cheers --

i have never heard of "heavenshire cream" -- i believe what was probably said was "DEVONshire cream," which, iirc, is slightly different than clotted cream (i think there's some distinction made, if only for regionality). k8memphis, i'm so glad that any of my comments were helpful. i'm so excited for you, and wish you every sucess! cheers --

i always love reading your posts, andiesenji. you have such a broad range of experiences and lead an interesting life. thank you very much for contributing to this thread. cheers --

another thing about bake sales and the like... it's not just the cleanliness of the kitchen, but the habits of the cook. for example, when i'm cooking i tie my hair back when cooking. i also will wash my hands +every time+ if i happen to touch my face/skin. if i have to sneeze, i'll sneeze in another room. i have seen food handlers wipe the oils off their noses, touch their hair -- a cashier at my local grocery took his finger and gave the inside of his ear a swipe, and licked his fingers as he herded my groceries down the conveyer belt. ugh! i threw out all the exterior packaging i could and washed everything i couldn't. with soap and hot water. +ugh+! this and other things i've seen make me wary of consuming things made by others, whether in restaraunts or no. thank goodness food handlers now have to wear gloves ('tho the reasoning is ruined if they touch their faces or clothes). cheers --

i would +love+ to hear about people's experiences with their businesses, both the ones that were successful and the ones that weren't. sometimes the mistakes are more instructive than the right moves, as errors can sting more and longer. great post, devlin -- and that stuff about the washtubs is astounding. i never thought that would have been a possibility (and might not be, for all areas, but still...). btw...your avatar...arab? cheers --

truffle guy, +great+ post, thank you. i would not proceed to sell +anything+ without being an LLC. no way! nothing without insurance and all that. i have experience with another (non-food) business venture, so i have a good sense of the need to test out a product, aim it at the right customer, mark-up, marketing, etc. having previous experience with a business is great, because a lot of those experiences and skills are transferrable. however, every product is different. every product has its own vagaries. there are things specific to food products, to cookies, even, that are unto them and them alone. it's great to know that every experience is an opportunity to expand one's knowledge. i'm pretty phobic about being sued, which is why i haven't contemplated before now anything regarding a food enterprise. but i got such a great response to the bird cookies, i thought i'd explore the idea more. i congratulate you so very much with the success of your chocolates. i have a really good idea how much work goes in to conceptualizing a product, making it, shopping it around, strategizing, etc. it's +so+ satisfying when it gets a good reception. i hope you make lots of money soon. cheers ---

patrick (and anyone else who is interested), re the orange oil madeleines... i've now made them twice (and will make another batch tonight, with slightly less oil). for a point of reference, my SO came through the door right after i had pulled the second batch from the oven. he said they smelled "+aMAzing+," and it's worth noting that he's very vocal about not liking orange mixed in with his sweets. fwiw. the first batch i made was given to someone as a thank-you gift, and she loved them and said they were delicious. the second person to whom i just sent the second batch should be receiving them just about now, and we'll see what she says. i do love the orange aroma and the taste, but it does overpower the cocoa a bit (at least with the amount of orange oil i have employed thus far). tonight's batch will be made with just a tad less orange oil (1/8th per recipie as it's written in the book), so we'll see how that turns out. i happen to love orange, so i don't mind (or perhaps even notice) how powerful it has been in these madeleines. (and another voice in the chorus as to how much i enjoy and look forward to patrick's food pictures.) cheers --

while i think it's +very+ important for health inspectors to inspect facilities that involve food, i can also think of home kitchens that are very well-kept and from which i would have no qualms regarding the food. but knowing the home kitchen goes along way to trusting its output. i also know of some home kitchens that aren't very well-kept. cheers --

make sure the tea cozys can be washed. a stained tea cozy is fairly off-putting, in a restaraunt setting. i'd vote for a quilted tea cozy (perhaps stuffed with something that retains heat well), which is likely to retain far more head than a knitted one. cheers --

graphicguru, hi what items contradict? basically, i'm suggesting a menu that covers a lot of the traditional bases (scones, tea sandwiches, some heartier fare as might be served for high tea, clotted cream, jams and marmelades, etc.) but includes some offerings (like the non-dairy items or the items that are less bread-intense) that modern diners, with their varied diets, would appreciate. an inclusive menu, rather than an exclusive one. cheers --

nj. the health department made a big distinction between wholesale (selling directly to restaurants and bakeries) vs. retail (selling directly to the public). either way, one needs to rent space in a commercial (licensed) kitchen. if one is going to be selling wholesale to restaurants, then one also needs some sort of license. one doesn't need that for retail. a gray area was baking for a church or school or some low-key fundraising event. home kitchen was fine and nothing more was needed. farmers' markets fell under retail (selling directly to the public) and the gentleman said that they didn't even really monitor the farmers' markets for various reasons (they assemble intermittently, on weekends, might be closed due to inclement weather, etc.). i asked about the internet, and he said that that was an area they didn't really monitor, it was so big. one could even sell to restaurants and bakeries -- unknowingly -- so it would be hard to monitor. he said i asked good questions. cheers --

i just got off the phone with my state's health department regulation person. aside from churches, you might try firehouses. and many thanks to stscam and devlin re the commercial space and farmers' markets ideas. cheers --

thanks for the swift reply, chezcherie (and thank you very much for the compliment ). cheers --

quite a few people have said to me that they think i should sell my bird cookies and/or would want to buy them. but i'm not a business, i'm an individual. i thought i could put together some groupings and offer them through some local shops here in town, as easter baskets (with the bird cookies inside), but what rules govern this? they would be baked in my home oven and decorated in my home. thanks and cheers for all thoughts --

i've been to a few tea rooms/tea establishments, from dedicated tea rooms to b&bs. my cousin and i are collectors of antique clothing, and sometimes host period teas. these are my thoughts as to what i would like out of a tea room: 1. tea cozys. or some way to keep the pot warm. it's unfortunate that when i purchase a pot of tea, half winds up cooling to barely lukewarm (or less) because there's no tea cozy or hot plate. 2. offer non-dairy options. there are a +lot+ of folks who can't or won't do dairy (including cheese). everything in a tea room is usually slathered in the stuff. 3. use artisanal or top-quality breads. using industrial white bread for sandwiches is an experience that can be gotten at the grocery store. 4. offer some items that aren't so heavy on the carbs i don't necessarily mean alchemical mixes of low carb weirdness. but perhaps some flours that are lower in carbs and also items that aren't so "bready.' if i'm hungry, eating a sandwich comprised of fluffy slices of bread and a layer of the most thinly sliced cucumbers is not going to cut it. tea is not necessarily just about sweets or dainty eating. "high tea" was the meal served at around 5 or 6 o'clock, to work-a-day folks who sat on high stools (hence the name) and was more substantive fare. tea rooms can expand their businesses if they accomodate bigger appetites, because they're losing business if a group of people has to pass it by because one or two members are really hungry and won't find much there that's substantive. 5. if you offer loose teas, you must provide 2 pots and a tea leaf strainer. a tea room i know delivers its loose tea in a pot to the table. that's fine for the very first cup, but by the second, all the tannins have leeched into the water in the pot, and the tea is bitter and off-tasting. after steeping loosely in the pot, all those leaves have to be removed. they can't sit there spoiling the rest of the tea. EDITED TO ADD: or steep and strain the tea before it gets to the table, so there are no loose leaves floating in the pot. 6. serve both sweet and savory 7. no faux-victorian frills (no polyester lace trims, no wait staff dressed in modified, beribboned bridesmaids dresses). either make it authentic victorian or go for another meme. 8. the "sweets" should not all be very sweet. some like their confections on the non-sweet side, to better appreciate the tea, or just out of taste. 9. things that would have enticing visual appeal, and be wonderful to indulge in while there.... a. all sorts of different kinds of truffles b. a few showpiece pasteries and cakes (no oreo cookie cakes, please) c. offerings with interesting new flavors and new combinations d. seasonal offerings, to coordinate with holidays and times of the year this is just off the top of my head. EDITED TO ADD: 10. tell the customers AHEAD of time if you're going to steep the tea in the back room or if you're going to deliver it to the table and let it steep there. if you're going to time-steep the tea in the back and then serve, ask the individuals at the table how long they would like their tea steeped. tea drinkers can be +very+ +VERY+ particular about this (and it does make a difference) cheers --

these were destined for another batch of madeleines, so i think i shall use them (i put them away this morning). thank you all for the quick responses, and thanks patrick s for the reasoning behind the usage. cheers --

i had set some eggs out on the counter yesterday to get them at room temperature for use in a recipie. that was around 3:30 or 4 pm. i got sidetracked with things and went to a movie and came back at 12:30 am. so they were sitting on the counter for about 9 hours, and somewhere along the line they went to room temperature. can i still use them? how long can one leave eggs out and still use them? cheers --

i made a variation on the madelines yesterday/today. i had no lemons, so i used orange oil as a substitute. i doubled the recepie because i'm giving the batch so someone as a thank-you gift. the recipie called for (in the original version) the zest of 1/4 lemon. the text on the orange oil bottle said that 1/4 of the oil could be substituted for a tablespoon of lemon zest. i couldn't quite remember what the average volume of half a lemon (zested) would be, so i winged the orange oil measurement. i believe i added just a shade under 1/2 a teaspoon. i know i added at least 1/4 a teaspoon, then i put a little more oil in the measuring spoon but did not fill it to the rim. it was, i think, half the measurement (which would make it either 1/8th of a teaspoon or 3/8ths. both the batter and the finished product smelled heavenly (if you like the smell of orange), and the taste was very good. i'm pleased with them. cheers --

hmmm....i'd have to think about how many people would spend $20 on a cookie. i'm very appreciative of the responses...this was my first try with these. cheers --

i'm afraid the a nail would decimate them. underneath, they're sugar cookies coated with royal icing. they look tougher than i thought they were/they are. this morning, while i was taking the pictures, i accidently broke off the middle jay's head (you can see the fissure if you look closely). i was barely touching it. also, the oriole that's beneath the other one has lost its tail -- but i conveniently covered that. my SO's mom loves birds (and she loves to cook), and i thought it would be neat if i could give her an "aviary" for her birthday. cheers --

just wanted to share an experiment i just did. i have experience with traditional art -- oils, pastels, charcoal, etc. -- and i often see things in cooking and baking (especially baking) that i think i could make my own with an artisic touch. i had this idea of painting on a cookie, to mimic oils or watercolors. here are my first attempts: i used gel colors, with paintbrushes that are used for cake decorating (but which look like regular paintbrushes, 'tho they're not as good). the gels had, in application, some similarity to (but were not an exact match for) watercolors. i thought i would be able to do many of these at one time, but each takes me between 30 minutes and an hour. i began with the hooded orioles (the orange birds) and then progressed to the green jays. as i got more comfortable with the materials, i began to get closer to the effect for which i was striving. just thought i'd share, since i've enjoyed the pictures that so many other users have posted. cheers --

it was a news item, thus i thought it had merit. cheers --