We set a new record last Friday...for the coldest City Market opening day EVER! I remember last summer, we had perfect weather just about every week we were there for the half season...but such is the nature of outdoor markets - you take the good with the bad. My heartfelt thanks go to all who braved the cold and came out to support us as well as our fellow vendors. We also want to apologize to those who may have missed us at the Saturday morning market due to thunderstorms.
Some bits of rain here and there is what we expect over the next couple of days but at least it will be a whole lot warmer. And if that's not enough, our special for the week should do it for you - the Jalapeño Cheddar sourdough loaves will be debuting at both the downtown and North End markets this weekend! There is a similar garlic & cheese version that goes by the name of Crack Bread...it's just that addictive, I guess :)
We are inching towards the finish line of our kitchen renovation project...a lot of great people are working hard behind the scenes to make it all happen on time and I couldn't be happier with the progress we've all made thus far. I will admit though it's been a bit of a challenge for us to produce breads during this phase but what these challenging times have proved to me yet again is what a great community I am fortunate to be a part of. Last week when we had massive amounts of bread left over from the poor weather days, friends of C&C - Magpie, Octane InterLounge, Five Forks Market, Prairie St. Brewing Co., and Rockford Country Club - all banded together to not let a single loaf go to waste and sold us all out. Please support local and pay them a visit!
And since our electric work is not yet completed for us to be able to install our bakery equipment, the incredible folks at Alchemy and Woodfire Brick Oven Pizza have kindly offered the use of their kitchens while we get ours up and running. In the process, my daughter even got to learn how to make woodfired pizza! The journey of bringing this bakery to life is a constant reminder to me that food, whether we are making it or sharing it, connects us all unlike anything else...as family, friends, and as a community.
