Monday, January 12, 2004
Pound Cake
Substituting low fat neufchatel for butter in pound cake makes for a yummy moist dense cake.
The calories are quite high, but for those who are watching their fat intake, this is a delicious choice. I think it will become a part of the bakery repertoire. Individual poundcakes can be baked in heart muffin pans for Valentine's Day, and egg shaped ones for equinox celebrations like Easter and Passover and Ostara.
The menu is expanding at a good clip, all tested personal recipes that are different from what anyone else is offering.
Let's see. We have low carb bread - 3 kinds, wheat-free bread - 4 kinds, 2 kinds of salt-free bread, and a slew of artisan breads and sourdoughs, all of which can be made in individual, small and family sized loaves. We have a variety of yummy pies, seasonal as well as year-round. We have several standard cakes and tea cakes. We have dozens of cookie recipes. We have dozens of small pastry recipes. We have a number of savory pies and baked goodies. We have far too many good soup recipes.
We have a number of marketing opportunities to go along with our menu offerings.
We have developed a few carry-out options, from a picnic, to supper, to corporate snacking trays.
A little more work on those savory pies - calzones, empanadas, and the like, and we should have our menu fairly well set.
With our marketing year organized, and menu done, we get to get down to the nitty-gritty.
Equipment.
Oh, sure, we've been accumulating the small stuff all along - specialty cake pans and molds, cookie cutters, rolling pins, knives, knife sharpeners, scissors, decorating tips and tubes, standard pans and baking sheets, stock pots, and the like.
Now we need to look at the big stuff. Floor mixers and counter mixers. Proofing cabinets. Ovens. Sinks. Display counters. Stoves. A computer system and software.
We need to formulate a bake schedule, so we optimize the use of the ovens, and get the product out in a timely fashion.
Then we need to consider the sound system. We will be having live entertainment, so a good sound system is a must, along with a "stage" area.
We're still waiting to hear back about the growing herbs, but that shouldn't take too long.
