Selling at a small market

[chromedome]

Quince is wonderful stuff. Very tart, deeply flavorful and subtly floral...the latter a reminder that apples, pears and quinces are all part of the rose family. 

[blue_dolphin]

Walking through my local farmers market today, I recall seeing Asian pears, apples, persimmons, pomegranates fresh ginger and several types of guava.  I bought some figs and there were some blueberries and raspberries, but expensive.  I would think you could source local herbs for things like rosemary, sage or lemon verbena jellies.

Not local, but certainly seasonal through the holidays and pretty are cranberries. 

[Lisa Shock]

Check local supermarkets, even the big chains for canning jars. Summer is over, and many of them have been running sales on the jars to make shelf space for winter themed goods. Also, Ace Hardware sells jars and has a rewards card program. Not only do they give you a gift certificate after spending a certain amount, I have gotten good coupons (half price once, once it was $7 off a case of quarts) in the mail from them specifically for canning jars -of course that was after I purchased a case of them.

[FrogPrincesse]

Thanks for the ideas @blue_dolphin!

It's a mostly a matter of preference when I said that the only thing interesting right now was quince. Because I have seen Asian pears, apples, persimmons, pomegranates, guava here too (actually they are all represented in my fridge right now, for eating as is), but I don't find them especially good for jam. Figs are finished here, and I've seen raspberries too but they are horribly expensive and not so great in jams because of the seeds.

I am honestly not too worried about finding something nice. It's just that today, nothing caught my eye.

 

I am going to focus on quince for the time being... I was thinking a quince "marmalade" with little shreds of quince, like in the Blue Chair book. David Lebovitz has one too in Ready for Desserts that looks super simple.

 

[teonzo]

If you don't have experience with quince then it's quite easy.

Wash the quinces. Prepare 2 bowls with water and add some lemon juice to both to retard oxidation. Pick a quince, peel it and put the peel in the first bowl; cut the peeled quince in quarters, core it, cut the cores in small pieces (the ideal thing is to cut the more seeds possible, they are full of pectin and the cut ones release more pectin) and put them in the first bowl (with the peels); cut the remaining pulp in pieces (2-3 cm wide) and put them in the second bowl. When you finished with all the quinces then drain the second bowl and weigh the pulp pieces. Then calculate the amounts of sugar and lemon juice: for 1000 g of quince pulp you need 500 g of sugar and about 15 g of lemon juice (this is up to taste).

Transfer the content of the first bowl (peels, cores and acidulated water) in a first pot, put on a lid and let it boil for a good amount of time, the ideal is 6-8 hours, the more it boils the more pectin will be released in the water. Transfer the quince pulp pieces in a second pot, cover them with water, add some lemon juice (usual oxidation reasons), put on a lid and boil for about 2 hours, until the pulp is tender. Before boiling the pulp it most probably started to oxidize and brown, not a big problem because during boiling it will come back light yellow and then reddish. Check the pulp consistency every 15-20 minutes, if only just to remove the lid and breath that wonderful floral scent.

After boiling the 2 pots for the required time proceed this way. Drain the cooked quince pulp and put it back in the pot, discarding the cooking water. Drain the peels and cores, keeping the cooking water (just the opposite, you are keeping the water and discarding the peels and cores). Add the pectin water to the cooked pulp, mix with a stick blender till having a fine puree. Add the sugar and lemon juice, mix again. Put it back on the stove and cook to desired texture. At the beginning you don't need to stir, it's pretty fluid. The more it cooks the more you need stirring, since it becomes denser and denser and you risk scorching. You can cook it to gelification and get quince cheese / pâte de coing. If you stop before gelification you get a spreadable paste, so you can put it in cans like jam.

When making most jams the key for best flavor is to cook them the less time possible. With quinces it's almost the contrary, they "open up" with long cooking, if you go quick you don't get the best result.

About flavorings, quince pair well with citrusy tones: citrus zests, melissa, lemongrass, lemon verbena, coriander seeds, juniper berries... Plus all the spices that pair well with apples: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves...

 

About persimmons, don't know which method you used. I put the persimmon pulp (no skin, no stem, no seeds of course) in a big bowl, mix it with a stick blender, add 50% sugar (500 g sugar for 1000g persimmon pulp) and lemon juice (to taste as usual), mix again, put on the stove and cook as quick as possible.

My favourite pairings with persimmons are licorice and mace. Other choices: bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, amaretto, nutmeg, long pepper, allspice, thyme, ginger...

 

 

It's miakawa season here in Italy, they are a kind of green/yellow mandarins, pretty tart and bitter, so they work great for marmalade.

 

 

It's chestnut season too, so you can prepare crème de marrons. Of course it's a PITA, but here on eGullet there was a great suggestion to speed peeling, you just need to cut the chestnuts almost in half, cook them a bit until the peel start detaching, then with pliers you go totally quick (can't find the thread, sorry). It's a good task to assign to the girls, of course with heat gloves. For flavorings you can use: bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, amaretto, nutmeg, armagnac / brandy, rum, all kind of peppers, rosemary, fennel seeds, thyme, ginger...

 

Sweet potatoes can give a similar result to crème de marrons. Cook the sweet potatoes, peel them and weigh the pulp. Calculate 50% water and 70% sugar, make a syrup, add the cooked sweet potato pulp, mix with stick blender, then proceed like crème de marrons. Flavorings: same as chestnuts, or whatever you use with sweet potatoes.

 

Not only fruits are suitable for jams, vegetables too. My favourites are radicchio and red onions, these jams are a good alternative to pair with cheese (blasphemy for a French, I know).

For radicchio: cut it in thin strips (almost julienne), calculate 80% sugar and 80% water, make a syrup, add the radicchio then cook to jam consistency.

For red onions it's almost the same. Better using 60% sugar and 20% corn syrup, since it tends to cristallize.

I like to add nuts pieces to these 2 jams, they pair well and give a desirable crunch. Or you can flavor them with whatever herb/spice you use in savory dishes.

 

You can make beet jam too. Cut beets in small dices, weigh them and calculate 50% water and 50% sugar. Cook the beet dices, divide them in half. Put half in the syrup, mix with stick blender. Add the remaining dices and cook the jam.

 

Remember one thing: you are selling things to other people, each person has different tastes from the others, so if you don't like something then this does not mean all the customers will hate it too (quite the opposite). The more diversity the better, this way it will be easier for everyone to find something to their taste. So I would try to make more than 1 flavoring for each fruit.

Worst case scenario: you won't sell everything, so you will have cans to give as gifts or to consume at home.

 

 

 

Teo

 

[FrogPrincesse]

Thanks for the wonderful ideas and advice, @teonzo! You know what, I recently made a red onion "marmalade", and that'd be a great thing to include in the selection because I wanted to have savory items as well. Thanks for reminding me!

[kayb]

I've made a bacon jam that's a great spread on biscuits, or as a topping for burgers. If you'd like, I'll send the recipe.

 

[FrogPrincesse]

1 minute ago, kayb said:

I've made a bacon jam that's a great spread on biscuits, or as a topping for burgers. If you'd like, I'll send the recipe.

 

Sure, that sounds great (I've always wanted to try something like that). If that is not too much trouble, I would love the recipe!

 

[kayb]

@Franci-- here you go. This is cut and pasted from my blog, thus the narrative style to the instructions.

 

• 3 pounds bacon, diced and the fat rendered, but not crisp
• 1 cup caramelized onions (about three medium onions)
• 1 cup strong black coffee
• 1/4 cup garlic confit from the fridge
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• about 1 tsp allspice
• about 1 tsp Aleppo pepper
• 1/2 cup turbinado sugar (or brown; my hand found the turbinado first)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• about 1/4 cup brandy

If I don’t have caramelized onions in the fridge, I start with that; roughly dice the onions, put them in a bit of olive oil in your big Dutch oven, and let them go. Go ahead and use the big Dutch oven, because you’re going to use that pot to add everything else to. I go ahead and add the brown sugar to help the onions along in caramelizing.

While that’s happening, brown your bacon. I work with three pounds because Wright’s, my bacon purveyor of choice, sells a three-pound package of bacon pieces and ends. Same excellent bacon taste, just the trimmings, which is fine for these purposes. Wright’s, at $8.99 a pound, is pricy for making jam, but the ends-and-pieces, at $7.99 for three pounds, is a helluva deal. There’ll be some pieces big enough you’ll want to cut them up; try not to have anything bigger than an inch cube. I render it in batches, about a pound at a time, until it’s done but not necessarily crisp. Then when the onions get caramelized, I dump the bacon in with them. (The bacon grease replenishes my supply in the crock in the cabinet; one must, after all, keep bacon grease for one’s cornbread, and seasoning peas and beans!)

I add all the other stuff at whatever point I have a second amid stirring bacon. Measures, as in most all my recipes, are approximates. If you want yours hotter, add more pepper; sweeter, add more syrup. If you don’t have Aleppo pepper, a bit of minced chipotle will do. I used about 1/4 cup more coffee because that was how much was left in my cold-brew container in the fridge, and I didn’t see the point in wasting it. And then I just let it simmer.

I’ve done it in a slow cooker and cooked it overnight, but I was also going to be making bread, and as my counter space with access to electrical outlets is severely limited, so I just let it simmer away in the Dutch oven. It needs to cook at a bare simmer for at least a couple of hours, Once it’s cooled, transfer it (in batches) to the food processor and process until it’s the texture you want it.

I then transfer it to canning jars, the little half-pint ones, and process it in a water bath for about 45 minutes. This recipe will make five or six half-pints, which is enough to stock some gift baskets and still give you some to enjoy at home. If you don’t want to go to the trouble of canning, you could freeze it, or quarter the recipe and make enough to keep in the fridge for your own use; it lives nicely there for a good while.

[FrogPrincesse]

So I made my first preserve for the market, a quince marmalade (the in-process pictures are in the Preserving thread). The yield was 6 8-oz jars, plus one jar that is almost full that I will use for samples (and personal consumption if there is any left!). I put them in the oven once filled (following the process described in the Blue Chair Jam Cookbook) since I wanted to be able to store them at room temperature (when I make them for myself, I don't bother but I store them in the fridge as an extra precaution). 

 

 

Lessons learned

Don't start a batch at noon hoping to get out of the house in the afternoon. It took several hours to cook!

It's not worth trying to recycle the metal lids. The only one that was a recycled one is also the one that has little spots of rust and a not completely perfect seal. In the future I will only use brand new ones for selling, and reserve the recycled ones for personal use.

 

I ended up ordering more jars through Amazon for $7.39/dozen (for these). I went to several stores in my area including Target, and didn't find anything less expensive. Some places were three times as much!

 

Labels / decoration

For my own jars I use chalkboard labels that are reusable, but for selling they are not the best because they are expensive and also tend to smudge very easily. I was thinking a round 2-inch label that you could attach to the lid, but couldn't find anything less than $10 on Amazon or at Staples. I don't need a printable label because I can just write on them with a sharpie.

I have decided to cut little rounds of fabric to put over the top of the jar for decoration (which will stay put with an elastic tie). My daughter is very crafty so this will be a fun project for her to do. This also means that I can use a label that goes on the side of the jar. Some of my jars came with a label, so that's probably the easiest option. But I will need to order more labels. Has anyone tried the Ball dissolvable labels and did they like them?

As a side note, one thing I've noticed is that the 8-oz Ball quilted jars come with labels (and are slightly more expensive at $7.92/doz), whereas the regular/non quilted jars don't have them. But I think I prefer the non quilted jars because you can see through them much better.

[FrogPrincesse]

On my program for this week

• Test at least one more batch of cookies to sell (I already tested Dorie's two-bite one-chip cookies and the "French" snacklettes, but I want at least 4 or 5 varieties). The difficulty with the cookies is that I cannot bake them in advance, so it looks like I am going to be in a baking frenzy a day or two before the event! Maybe I can make the dough in advance, freeze it and unfreeze it the day before to be a little more efficient?
• Make at least one more preserve to sell. Maybe the red onion marmalade since the fruit I want isn't available yet, which means that I have to look for a good source for organic onions. I usually don't pay much attention to the price of onions because they are pretty cheap, but now with larger quantities this is a different story! Usually I buy them at Trader Joe's but I might need to do a bit of comparison shopping this time.
• Make a decision on taster spoons. I was going to get the little wooden stirrers that @pastrygirlrecommended, but these wouldn't work so well with the onion marmalade for example... so I am thinking something like these small wooden spoons (currently $6 for 100) or these ice cream paddle spoons (only $1.31 for 100!).
• Confirm canopy dimensions and find a second table to borrow

 

[Lisa Shock]

Yes, you can freeze most cookie dough without issue. (the types you cannot freeze are the meringues family) If you have a lot of freezer space, you can shape or scoop your dough then freeze. I worked at a bakery where one shift of employees would make up sheet pans of raw cookies on parchment and place the pan in the freezer for later. So, you could have shortbread shapes waiting to bake. You can go straight from the freezer to the oven with the pans.  Just cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying and bad flavors.

 

If you don't have that much room or that many pans, you can freeze cookies you scoop, like chocolate chip or oatmeal, scooped and on a pan overnight then transfer the frozen scoops to a plastic bag. (this is also good for general home consumption, family members can just bake one cookie in the toaster over whenever they like)

 

You might want to try making these Apricot Confections. They are no-bake. You make them in a food processor, roll in powdered sugar and store in lots of sugar. they keep for about a month.

Edited November 15, 2016 by Lisa Shock (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

On ‎11‎/‎11‎/‎2016 at 9:32 AM, kayb said:

@Franci-- here you go. This is cut and pasted from my blog, thus the narrative style to the instructions.

 

• 3 pounds bacon, diced and the fat rendered, but not crisp
• 1 cup caramelized onions (about three medium onions)
• 1 cup strong black coffee
• 1/4 cup garlic confit from the fridge
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• about 1 tsp allspice
• about 1 tsp Aleppo pepper
• 1/2 cup turbinado sugar (or brown; my hand found the turbinado first)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• about 1/4 cup brandy

If I don’t have caramelized onions in the fridge, I start with that; roughly dice the onions, put them in a bit of olive oil in your big Dutch oven, and let them go. Go ahead and use the big Dutch oven, because you’re going to use that pot to add everything else to. I go ahead and add the brown sugar to help the onions along in caramelizing.

 

Step one- make garlic confit!  (I am sure it's not hard to make, but I don't have any in my fridge!)

For the caramelized onions, I am pretty sure I can use my red onion marmalade that I was planning on selling as is. I could make a bit extra to use in the bacon jam.

I cure my own bacon often actually, so maybe that'd be an even cheaper route than using commercial bacon, since I can get pork belly for quite cheap... It takes time though, so I'd better get started. Also I am not quite sure it's on the list of things that are ok to sell in my area (without special paperwork). Preserves are on there, onion marmalade is stretching the envelope already, but bacon jam?

 

 

[FrogPrincesse]

I just received my additional mason jars from Amazon. It's starting to feel like a little food factory here!

 

 

 

In other news, I am now able to accept credit card payments thanks to Square. It was super easy. My husband had a (free) reader he had never used; it took about 2 minutes to set up and it works like a charm! (I tested it with my own credit cards).

 

 

[pastrygirl]

Regarding labels, are you familiar with Paper Source?  Looks like there is one in La Jolla...  I use their printable sticker sheets for things like ingredient labels and small runs of holiday specials labels.  I like the sheets because I don't have to worry  about my printer getting pre-cut ones perfectly lined up (I print and then cut to size), but they should also have sheets of rectangular, round, and maybe oval stickers/labels, possibly even in holiday colors.  Up here, a pack of five 8-1/2 x 11 sticker sheets is $6 + tax. 

 

http://shop.papersource.com/search#p=R&w=label&url=http%3a%2f%2fshop.papersource.com%2fsearch%3fw%3dprintable%20labels%26ts%3dajax&rk=3&uid=615411833&ts=rac&rt=racsug&rsc=U22JvMHMWo5HcdYA&asug=label&apelog=yes

[FrogPrincesse]

Just now, pastrygirl said:

Regarding labels, are you familiar with Paper Source?  Looks like there is one in La Jolla...  I use their printable sticker sheets for things like ingredient labels and small runs of holiday specials labels.  I like the sheets because I don't have to worry  about my printer getting pre-cut ones perfectly lined up (I print and then cut to size), but they should also have sheets of rectangular, round, and maybe oval stickers/labels, possibly even in holiday colors.  Up here, a pack of five 8-1/2 x 11 sticker sheets is $6 + tax. 

 

http://shop.papersource.com/search#p=R&w=label&url=http%3a%2f%2fshop.papersource.com%2fsearch%3fw%3dprintable%20labels%26ts%3dajax&rk=3&uid=615411833&ts=rac&rt=racsug&rsc=U22JvMHMWo5HcdYA&asug=label&apelog=yes

 

I am. It's actually right next door to Homegrown Meats, which is one of the butcher shops I frequent regularly. I didn't even think of looking at a place like that because anything in the village tends to be very expensive.

The price is right, but unfortunately these labels are too big. Two inches is the largest size my lids can accommodate. But I will contact them in case they can get my size. Thanks for suggesting them!

[FrogPrincesse]

Oops, I got it confused with another store. The Paper Source is actually in a different neighborhood, but still pretty close to home.

[kayb]

7 hours ago, FrogPrincesse said:

Step one- make garlic confit!  (I am sure it's not hard to make, but I don't have any in my fridge!)

For the caramelized onions, I am pretty sure I can use my red onion marmalade that I was planning on selling as is. I could make a bit extra to use in the bacon jam.

I cure my own bacon often actually, so maybe that'd be an even cheaper route than using commercial bacon, since I can get pork belly for quite cheap... It takes time though, so I'd better get started. Also I am not quite sure it's on the list of things that are ok to sell in my area (without special paperwork). Preserves are on there, onion marmalade is stretching the envelope already, but bacon jam?

 

 

I'm sure regular garlic, minced and gently sauteed, would work. I get the big four-pound bags of peeled garlic cloves at Sam's a couple of times a year and make a half-gallon of garlic confit, because I prefer the taste and texture of the confited garlic to either raw or sauteed.

 

I also caramelize a huge batch of onions at a time in my slow cooker, then package and freeze. It's just easier.

 

[FrogPrincesse]

The canopy I am going to borrow is actually 8 10 x 10*, so I am good to go. I am going to get it before the event so I can practice assembling it. And I found a second table.

Next I have to figure out what I am going to use as a tablecloth, signage, and how I am going to arrange my booth. I am planning on going to farmers markets at least once or twice before the event so I can borrow a few ideas.

 

*it's this Coleman model with swing wall

 

Edited November 17, 2016 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

I found a few articles (and videos) about setting up farmers' market displays and selling at farmers' markets.

http://www.uvm.edu/newfarmer/marketing/marketing_resources/FarmersMarketDisplay.pdf

http://marketingforhippies.com/fmms7/

http://www.newfarm.org/features/0504/farmmarkets/index_print.shtml

 

 

 

 

There is a class in my area, but the next one isn't until January 2017.

https://www.facebook.com/Vendor101/

 

 

 

[MelissaH]

17 hours ago, FrogPrincesse said:

There is a class in my area, but the next one isn't until January 2017.

https://www.facebook.com/Vendor101/

 

 

 

Do you think you'll take it then, if you think you'll be doing this sort of thing again?

[FrogPrincesse]

@MelissaH I might although this is a paying event ($90).

[blue_dolphin]

On 11/15/2016 at 6:00 PM, pastrygirl said:

Regarding labels, are you familiar with Paper Source?  Looks like there is one in La Jolla...  I use their printable sticker sheets for things like ingredient labels and small runs of holiday specials labels.  I like the sheets because I don't have to worry  about my printer getting pre-cut ones perfectly lined up (I print and then cut to size), but they should also have sheets of rectangular, round, and maybe oval stickers/labels, possibly even in holiday colors.  Up here, a pack of five 8-1/2 x 11 sticker sheets is $6 + tax. 

 

@pastrygirl, thanks for mentioning Paper Source.  I wouldn't necessarily have thought of them for labels.  I stopped by today and found several colors of the round, rectangle and oval labels on sale for 50% off.  Not the holiday red and green, of course, but I was able to pick up some that will work nicely.  

[blue_dolphin]

Oh, and @FrogPrincesse, I thought of you as I was wandering through my local farmers market this afternoon. We're having high winds here today and I was impressed at the variety of items vendors were using to stabilize their canopies - everything from sand bags, cement blocks, big water or cooking oil jugs, dumb bells,  weight lifting plate weights - you name it!

[pastrygirl]

2 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

 

@pastrygirl, thanks for mentioning Paper Source.  I wouldn't necessarily have thought of them for labels.  I stopped by today and found several colors of the round, rectangle and oval labels on sale for 50% off.  Not the holiday red and green, of course, but I was able to pick up some that will work nicely.  

 

Nice!  They are limited on colors, I know I used a lot of red last year but that might have been discontinued.  And I've seen a light green but not tree green. 

 

If you have a color printer, you can go that route.  Or if you like extra work like I do, plain stickers or sticker sheets can be decorated with rubber stamps.  I wanted to make my holiday labels a little more special so I'm stamping them with platinum snowflakes before printing.