Breaking It Down.

We had a very busy day today. Nurse Lindsey, also known as Little Red Bike "Meet & Greet" Team Leader, was called into work at her other job today (also known as St. Vincent's Hospital"s Critical Care Ward) so we were running one spoke short at the cafe if you know what I mean. However, while we missed our friend, I think the rest of us were able to come together and represent. Tim, (currently known as "In-House Onion Boy"-- Team Leader Status still pending) may have earned a new nickname for himself today based on the way he was slingin' shots left and right with such poise and speed (have you ever seen latte art move so fast?), E was moonwalking his way back and forth between the cash register and the dishwasher (God bless you, you 90 second cycle dishwasher, you're the best cafe purchase to date!) with such grace I pondered the possibility an audition tape to network t.v's "So You think You can Dance", and Mom and I were waltzing with fried-egg sammies (with extra egg) on a homemade biscuits and country gravy dance floor. "Dancing With the Stars" eat your heart out!
Thank you to all who were able to attend this Saturday. I feel as though today was a day I'm likely to remember forever. Here are my snapshots of today's events I have captured in my brain, as well as some I got on camera:

+ Loved, loved, loved, seeing VJ and Joseph ride up on their "bikes" today and how they were the first to sample Mom's biscuits and gravy this morning. Glad you like the coffee, guys, 'cause we think you rock!

+ I still have the image of Lucy, the pug, wrapping herself 'round and 'round the legs of the table, only to spook herself out, causing her to attempt an escape by bolting, only to later realize the scary attacking table is in fact, attached to her, only to then further spook herself again...and again. This resulted in the crashing of an outdoor table, some spilled food, and the loss of one of our plates. I find this image particularly hilarious given that E and I are also the proud parents (that's right I said parents) of a pug and we know all to well this particularly strange and clown-like behavior of this breed. For an example, see image of Zeus (Little Red Bike Ice Cream Taste-Tester Team Leader) below.

Now really, are you going to get mad at this face over a broken plate? No way, Mister.

+ I wanted to call Joel today when I saw Tim hand a woman a latte with a beautiful leaf etched in foam and I saw her grin from ear to ear. The reason why I want to call Joel is because I realized that I need to start working on my coffee training if I'm gonna compete with E and Tim for Top Coffee Bartender Team Leader.

+ I was so pleased to see so many already familiarly friendly returning faces this morning. I have a feeling E and I are going to be making a whole lot of new friends this year, which is a good thing 'cause we were in the market.

+ Really, Truly, Wholeheartedly, From the Depths of My Soul, enjoyed our visit from our new friend Tanya, from the amazingly amazing Orleans Candle Co. (If you know Tanya and Jonathan need I say more? If you don't know the owners of this gem of a shop let me give you some worthy advice: run there as fast as you can because your life is thus far incomplete). Tanya and Jonathan, bless you for coming in to our lives at the most perfect of perfect moments- like today Tanya, when you rescued us from register paper malfunctioning doom. What ever did we do to deserve you? Thank you for the cheer, the hug, and salvation of our sanity.

+ Big high-five to E for helping me churn out the huge ice cream order for the Odyssey Montessori School's Ice Cream Social. Whose flavors include:
Plum-Raspberry Sorbet, Vanilla w/ Oregon Marionberry Swirl, and
Decadent Chocolate

+ I was pretty excited all day long thinking about the making the special for tomorrow. I got so excited that I begged Mom to start cracking eggs (the pudding's cement) first thing this morning while I assembled the pudding's foundation:

I'm looking forward to saying to all of you, "Happy Sunday, Friends. Might your day be improved by a slice of Croissant French Toast Bread Pudding?" (Because I know ultimately that the answer is YES, your day would be improved.) The fact of the matter is, bread puddings were a staple at our booth for the farmers market and I am pleased (although somewhat horrified) that it became known as one of our signature items--how on earth does Green & Green Salad Co. get away with bread puddings as a signature? Interesting what cold, rainy, wet days in Portland will do to people's appetite for salad. So we improvised. Making a comeback this Sunday:
Farmer's Market Approved, Green & Green Salad Co.'s

Croissant French Toast Bread Pudding served with Orange Infused Maple Syrup and Organic Fruit, 6.50. And of course you can add bacon to that. Silly of you to have asked. Oh, and did I mention I finally reconciled the lemonade debacle? Forget pomegranate, that was sooooo last season (or just until I can finally get my hands on some fresh seeds- you listening Trader Joe's?!?!). We're not "fad followers." No, we're switching gears, we're "trend-setters." Yeah, that's right, I'm talking about quench-thirsting, taste-bud delighting: Violet Lemonade with Fresh Oregon Blackberries. Oh hell yes.