Tag Archives: gelato

Derailed

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I’ve been derailed– on many levels.  I’ve turned all my focus on work and, even when it comes to work, I haven’t had any drive lately – just going through the motions.  My gelato project has been tucked away behind closed desk doors in my home office.  I haven’t worked on it in months. I’ve gained weight – a lot of weight – eleven pounds since May.

I’m finishing up my last work project for the year this week.  After that, I have four days of rest and relaxation (and six spa appointments) at Miraval to rejuvenate myself and get back into my groove.  Get on track, girl!  The next two months are light with work so I’m recommitting myself to the “Life” part of the proverbial work/life balance.

Goals for the next two months:

  1. Get in shape/Lose eight pounds
  2. Start (and finish) main bathroom remodel
  3. Re-energize gelato dreams/business plan
  4. Upgrade my surrounding (replace outdated 1980’s chair and buy flat screen TV, paint)
  5. Research options for adding A/C to the house (not another sweltering summer)
  6. Replace tree that died in backyard & clean up front yard
  7. Blog regularly again!

I’m worried that I’m biting off more than I can chew – especially trying to do this over the holidays, but, if I wait until the new year, I have a string of projects that will carry me away until Summer.

Reviving the gelato dream – Step 1

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Dear LB,

Help me make my dream a reality!  I’m humbly asking you to share your gelato knowledge with an eager student-apprentice.

I’m interested in opening a gelato cart in my town (similar to your beginnings) and would like to apprentice with a gelato master before I begin my adventure.    I’ve researched your business and product and believe your gelato philosophy is similar to my own –

 “To obsessively craft exceptional gelato, placing a quality product above bottom-line profit and always including a fun and welcoming personality in the ingredient list, assuring that a superior product and authentically warm service will result in customer loyalty and word-of-mouth marketing.”

My experience, training and education help to position me for success in the gelato business.  In 2013, I traveled to Calabria, Italy to attend a week-long artisanal gelato making course at Italian Culinary Institute (ICI), learning how to make artisanal gelato without base mixes.  Further, I earned my Professional Culinary Certificate, graduating with distinction in 2009.

Previously, I managed a coffee house for four years.  This provided valuable insight into the various aspects of running a small business, customer preferences and interactions in food service, staffing, supply ordering and various Health Department requirements. My current career utilizes my skills in management, vendor negotiations, special events, marketing and customer service.

I need your help to make my gelato dreams come true.  In exchange, you will receive a committed apprentice who will work hard assisting you in any way that I possibly can.  I have a full time career, but I would be available to work weekends and holidays as much as needed – and I can be flexible with my work schedule over the next few months, should you need it.

Attached is my resume.  I can provide references from either culinary schools or my current and previous employers.  Please let me know if you would be interested in meeting with me to discuss the apprenticeship further.  Thank you for your time – and I look forward to hearing from you!

The Dirty Harry

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mintoreosI brought gelato to work– two flavors:  peanut butter cup and pistachio.  The pistachio needs work but the pb cup was perfect – dark chocolate gelato with a little pb in the base, dark chocolate chunks and pb swirls.  I’m really happy with this one – definitely a keeper for the “final menu” (whatever that means).

I also held a contest – I split the group into teams of two and made them come up with a gelato flavor.  Everyone voted on the best and the team that won will get their flavor “recreated’ next week.

“The Dirty Harry” was the winner –Oreo cookies, mint, dark chocolate and caramel.

The mint/caramel combination threw me off, but then I started doing a bit of online research and discovered that mint-caramel isn’t that strange and is commonly combined in desserts and candies.  Who knew?

For the final product, I’m imagining a dark chocolate gelato base with cool mint Oreo chunks and a liberal swirl of peppermint-caramel.

The lactose intolerant can go to Starbucks®

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“People will always have opinions about your decision because they’re not courageous enough to take action on their opinion.”
― Steve Maraboli

I made the mistake of sharing my gelateria concept, should I ever get to that point, with my best friend and sisters on 4th of July.  In return, I received opinions, opinions, opinions.

“Well, then you have to serve coffee and become a full café.  What about all the lactose intolerant people who can’t eat gelato?  You need to have something for them.  There are so many people who can’t eat gelato. You can’t just serve gelato.”

It’s great that I surround myself with amazing women who have strong beliefs and are unafraid to speak their minds, but sometimes, just sometimes, I wish I could find a support system rather than a mob ready to mutilate my every hope, wish and dream, leaving them splayed and vivisected in the gutters of the street.

Fuck the lactose intolerant.

After the onslaught of comments, it’s been difficult for me to get back to the necessary preparatory work to make my dream  into a reality – my computer has sat, unused, on my kitchen table all week.  I know that I shouldn’t let this derail me.  There will always be the naysayers and detractors – the more negativity I hear, the more likely it is that I have a good concept.    But, the pessimism, especially from friends and family, deflates me like a balloon.

I don’t want to build this business in a bubble – I want opinions, but I need constructive opinions, opinions from experts who have been there and know what I’m talking about.  I want to ask a million questions of my restaurant-owning friends and of chef.  My sisters and friends, on the other hand, can tell me what they think of a flavor combination, once I’m fine tuning it, but, for now, I want them to keep their mouths shut.  Let me dream, let me research, let me explore, let me fine tune – and, unless you’re going to invest in it,  please keep your negative opinions to yourself.