Apologies ... this goes back to the day after Thanksgiving. I know I've got some catching up to do!
I mentioned before that I had told my friend Kirby that if I could do anything at all while on island, I would love to bake. Let's just call Kirby my agent. Before you know it, she's talking about setting up a dessert booth during cruise ship days, selling goodies at the Christmas fair at the botanical gardens, making "island-inspired" cupcakes (based off of popular island drinks like lime in the coconut and bushwacker), and a catering opening at a local patisserie. All of these ideas sounded fabulous, but given my work and visitor schedule, I hadn't had much time to put any real thought into them - plus anything that would conflict with my Bank job wasn't an option at this point.
The day after Thanksgiving, Kirby texted me and said we had to talk about baking. I ran into her mom that night, who said that the baker from Polly's, the local coffeeshop, was leaving island and they needed a temporary replacement. Bummer ... if I didn't have my "real" job, I would have jumped at the chance! I was kind of disappointed thinking had I come down here without a job, it would have been exactly what I was looking for. But given my schedule with the bank, I sure didn't have time for two day jobs! Then I met up with Kirby, who surprisingly informed me that the baker baked from HOME ... then just dropped off the baked goods at Polly's! Wow ... now that's a different story!
I had already been to Polly's a handful of times ... and already met the owners, who are from Illinois and Iowa (Seth used to work in Bloomington and Steven went to school at Northern Iowa ... gotta love the Midwest connection!). Of course we ran into Seth and Steven that night, and Kirby introduced me again as "the baker". They asked me to stop by Monday morning to chat about some possibilities. Of course I couldn't show up empty handed, so I took with me a sample of goodies - coffeecake, pumpkin bars, and oatmeal candy bars. Seth said he would just keep me posted when he knew more about the baker's plans to leave island ... I basically left it as "anything I can do to help, it's what I love to do". In the meantime, I received notes from other friends on island who had been to Polly's for a sampling of the goodies - sounded like they were going over very well!
I finally heard back from Seth, who told me to stop by again the following Sunday. Of course this was during "Sunday funday" with my friend Liz - where we left the house at 8am for the jeep tour and didn't get home until midnight after moonlight kayaking. In the middle of those activities, I dropped Liz and Marie off at the Lost Dog to order our pizza, while I ran home to grab a few recipes and ran to the grocery store, given my baking assignment started Monday morning! By the time we were home and showered, we had been on the go for 17 straight hours, I got 4 hours of sleep, and was up at 5am baking muffins and coffeecake! (Not to mention, I then worked til midnight given our deadlines at the Bank - ugh! So much for not drinking coffee anymore, but luckily I have it readily available during my drop-offs!)
So I have since become the baker for Polly's. Up every other morning at 4:30 am to deliver two dozen jumbo muffins and a coffeecake by 7, then dessert by noon. I have no idea how long this will last, given their regular baker is just off island temporarily. Given the fresh bakery aroma coming from my apartment bright and early one morning, my landlord stopped by (after I had already told her about my new "job") and said "you know there's a charge for commercial baking here, right?" Ugh - just what I needed - my profits to be wiped out by electric bills! Luckily she was joking ... (well kind of, she didn't decrease my rent as originally planned given my longer lease) as long as she gets to sample some of the treats. It definitely hasn't been about the money so far, as my first day's profits were immediately donated to the island ... thanks to a parking ticket! I even tracked down the police officer, showed him my receipt, explained that I was new to island, it was my first day on the job, etc. But to no avail. Do you know how frustrating it is EVERY day to drive down there on cruise ship days, the street is lined with cars ... and no other tickets! AND ... who knows how long it will be to make up the money spent on a 25 lb box of chocolate chips!
I do miss my sleep and getting to eat what I bake ... I mean, that was the whole reason I baked in the first place - so I could eat it! And now I feel bad that my friends are having to pay for their breakfast/dessert, but I haven't been given much free timely lately to just bake for fun! But I am just grateful for the opportunity ... and who knows where it might lead. I was actually asked to cater desserts for a New Years party for 80 people, but unfortunately the party fell through. At least they were thinking of me! Then I was out with Kirby and Andy last week and a woman looked at me and said, "Hey, aren't you the dessert lady?" She remembered me from Thanksgiving ... and Kirby went on to tell her that I was now baking for Polly's. I couldn't help but smile ... may be making a name for myself down here ... and I love it =)
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