The Underground Christmas Market

Posted By hiromi on December 7, 2010 in Food | 1 Comment

It was fabulous!  For those of you who read my post after the last market I did, you know it was a “learning experience”.  Well I was determined to put some of that learning to good use and signed up to do another one.

So here’s how this one unfolded.  I went the day before to help set up.  This already gives you an idea of where I was since the last time, I couldn’t even think straight the day before, I was so furiously trying to get ready.   But this time, I simplified greatly and my merchandise was ready to go on Friday, the day UPS finally delivered my packing material after the wonderful www.cakescookiesandcraftshop.co.uk people got my order out the day after it was placed.  Funny how everyday since Tuesday, the UPS people claim to have tried to deliver when I’ve been at home and I have a porter.  So many phone calls later, the last manager tried to use the weather as an excuse and said they were 3 days behind, to which I had to reply, “well if you’d actually deliver the packages you wouldn’t be behind”.

But I digress, back to the market.  I had a very ambitious programme for the day, sell my roasted nuts, advertise my cooking classes, participate in a Dragons’ Den type panel and do a cooking demo.  The last time, my entire family came to help and while it was lovely to have their support, I think they spent most of the day without anything to do.  This time, I was in the summer house with 3 other stall holders so I knew there would be no room for extra people.   The weather in London has been brutally cold and thankfully I was in a shelter with a wood burning stove.  Here’s a picture of me at my stall.

As you can see, my orange ski jacket stayed on  the whole time.  I’m so glad I hung onto it even though it’s been years since I’ve been skiing.  Here’s a photo of my merchandise.

I was given some very sage advice by Jo from the Deli Station about the size bags I should have and she was right!  The mini bags for £1 sold very well.

There were so many people, and everyone was so lovely and interested.  It was great to have people think what you made tastes amazing and actually want to pay money for it.  What an ego boost.  They were also very enthusiastic about my classes and I gave out lots of information cards, ran out and gave out business cards.  Remember, I do gift vouchers too.

Then, there was the Dragons Den.  I wanted to know if my nuts had any market potential.  It was an opportunity to present to a panel comprised of experts in the field and it was a very positive experience.  They were very enthusiastic and complimentary, another ego boost.

And finally, towards the end of the day, I did a cooking demo.  A simple avocado rice bowl, that is so quick to make and delicious.  Again, well received, really the day couldn’t have gone any better.

A special thank you to Charles and Carrie, who stepped in last minute and provided beautiful music all day.  They sang their hearts out for hours and really added to the festive atmosphere.  Here they are.

And to Ms Marmite Lover, you are one brave woman to do this to your house and we love you for it.

I fall into things

Posted By hiromi on November 24, 2010 in Food, Thoughts on life | 5 Comments

Some people are planners and some people go with the flow.  I guess I am more the latter although I do try and plan.  But when something happens, you just have to go for it, right?

I am participating in another Underground market, this time a Christmas theme.  I wasn’t going to do it figuring that I don’t do anything remotely Christmasy but one thing led to another and here I am, gearing up to do it again.  Some of you may have read my post after the last one so you know that I learned many things.  Might as well put them to good use and see if I can do a little better this time.

I will be selling my roasted nuts.  I have been doing them ever since I started teaching as something for my students to nibble on while I cook.  Since the classes are at night, I didn’t want people to perish waiting for dinner.  So I put together a soy sauce, kombu (sea weed) and sake combo and toasted mixed nuts.  Very simple and very good according to the feedback I have gotten.  Actually, the feedback has been so good that friends have started asking me to make them for them.  Very flattering and also got me thinking, is there business potential here?  So for this market, I have added a sweet version, made with miso, agave, mirin and sake.  Pretty good if I say so myself.

The wonderful Ms Marmite Lover, the hostess of the market has come up with a new twist for this one.  A Dragons Den type event for food producers.  Hopefully not as scary as the real dragons but a chance to find out if there is any potential for my nuts.  I started off hoping for just a chat since I didn’t think I was ready to participate in something like that, but again, the opportunity was presented, so I thought, why not?

What all this does for me is it gives me structure to get things done.  Because of  the market, I now have my classes set until the end of  March next year.  I have to give some serious thought to the costing of my nuts so that I don’t sound like a blithering idiot in front of the nice dragons.   What a tremendous opportunity, to pick the brains of people who are actually successful in the business.

So I guess my pattern will continue to be, fall into things, roller coaster ride then see how it turns out.  It’s never boring.